Chapter 221: Let's Get Back to Business!

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The random item and high moral reward were quite standard, nothing remarkable.

Bochang's gaze scanned the four options.

Ultimately, he focused on Option Three.

For now, until his strength truly poses a threat to Aeon, it's not yet time to confront Aha.

There's no rush.

"Option Three."

With a composed expression, Bochang bowed and asked, "If I may inquire, what brings Yifu here?"

"Aren't you asking something you already know?" Aha's grin stretched from ear to ear, "As a father seeking his child... naturally, it's for playing games."

Well, Bochang had anticipated as much.

However...

This arrival seems too coincidental.

Bochang couldn't help but suspect if someone was spying on him.

[Rewards being distributed - Congratulations! You have received a bottle of cola, which induces feelings of happiness when consumed. Note: This type of item will...]

"Aha, I'm not done watching yet... How can I let you leave so easily? Come, come, continue playing."

The orange mask bobbed up and down in mid-air.

Upon seeing Aeon of Joy arrive, Silver Wolf had no doubt about their identity.

Because...

Only Aeon could effortlessly neutralize Silver Wolf's abilities.

"Could it be that Aeon of Joy is behind Bochang... No, impossible. If that were true, they wouldn't have caused chaos in Belobog. Hmm... Perhaps after causing havoc, Aha recruited them?"

"That seems unlikely too."

"Bochang's power definitely doesn't originate from Aeon of Joy; after all, even when he was at the Herta Space Station, he already..."

In that moment, Silver Wolf pondered many possibilities.

The hacker girl was unsurprised by the failure of Elio's prophecy, considering they were dealing with an Aeon.

Although the leader of the Stellaron Hunters was powerful, accurately predicting an Aeon's actions was beyond him. Compared to Bochang, foreseeing the movements of various Aeons proved even more challenging. These beings were the mightiest forces in the entire universe, with Emanators merely serving as their assistants.

Upon hearing Aha's response, Bochang thoughtfully mused, "This guy... just when did he start spying on me? Could it be that ever since our last parting, he has constantly been lurking nearby?"

"That would be truly disgusting."

Bochang had refused to become an Emanator precisely because he didn't want to be under constant surveillance by an Aeon. Yet unexpectedly...

He still couldn't escape the control of the Aeon of Joy.

Is He really that idle?

"Do something productive instead, Aha!" Bochang mentally growled.

It had been only a few days since their last encounter, yet here Aha was again, emerging to play games. It was quite bothersome.

The scene fell silent.

"Godfather," Bochang said, "you've arrived rather quickly. Didn't we just play once a few days ago?"

"So what? Aba, remember your place. I come and go as I please; it's not for you to question." Aha remained as assertive as ever.

His demeanor mirrored how Bochang had treated Silver Wolf moments earlier. One could hardly distinguish between them, they were so alike.

Bochang fell silent.

Silver Wolf quietly observed the situation.

The orange mask floated in mid-air and spoke, "No one speaking up? That suggests you're both ready for the game. Let me, Referee Aha, provide a brief introduction."

"The game for today is Truth or Dare."

"The contestants are the unparalleled Admiral of Astral Express—Bochang—and the genius hacker of Stellaron Hunters—Silver Wolf!"

Below Aha's mask, another orange arm resembling D.D.'s once again extended, holding a microphone as He announced, "Let's give a warm welcome to our two competitors and all spectators taking the stage!"

Just as these words were spoken, a massive transformation instantly occurred in the pitch-black otherworldly space.

The ground rumbled as a stage rose upwards.

Neon lights suspended high above emitted dazzling brilliance.

Looking around, countless neatly arranged seats appeared, gradually ascending in tiers with a semicircular layout that encircled the entire stage, devoid of any occupants.

In front of these eerie-looking seats, individual illuminated signs lit up.

They read—Trailblaze, Destruction, Preservation, Elation...

Each fate path sign had a distinct color, corresponding to similarly colored seats.

However, the focus was not on these seats and signs.

But what truly captured his attention were the entities appearing even higher up.

"Destruction," "The Hunt," "Preservation," "Yaoshi," "Erudition," and more...

Bochang observed clusters of diverse black shadows floating in the sky.

Most striking was the cluster representing Destruction, sending chills down his spine.

"What... is going on here? Could those be Aeons? No way... It's impossible for Aha to gather all Aeons together like this. This must be a bluff, trying to regain face after losing our rock-paper-scissors match..."

"I definitely can't show any fear now."

Bochang took a deep breath.

Aha continued, "The game rules involve rolling dice. Whoever rolls the higher number can impose a penalty on the one with the lower roll—either Truth or Dare, their choice. The specific penalty will be randomly selected from the stacks of Truth and Dare cards."

"There are eighteen Truth options and eighteen Dare options, including but not limited to barking like a dog, revealing the name of someone you fancy, and so forth..."

"Similarly, the player will roll the dice to determine which card they must draw."

Aha spoke rapidly without pausing for breath.

Moreover...

The orange-masked figure constantly gazed towards the spectator area, occasionally glancing briefly at Bochang and Silver Wolf.

As if there were indeed a crowd of viewers below, despite not a single person occupying the seats.

Of course...

The only presence resembling an audience were those towering dark shadows above.

"`Rolling dice'? Well then, I'll effortlessly crush Silver Wolf." The corner of Bochang's mouth curved slightly upwards.

It was crucial to note that Bochang possessed the Dice Saint skill, allowing him to effortlessly roll any desired number.

He could simply aim for high rolls consistently, ensuring victory.

"My apologies, Silver Wolf. Initially, I planned to spare you, but... who knew Aha would intervene? It seems I have no choice but to inconvenience you once more... You won't hold it against me, right?"

Bochang had already decided to decisively defeat the hacker girl.

However, Aha didn't give him the opportunity.

"Of course... to make the game even more thrilling, remember... it's not always guaranteed that the one with the lower roll will receive the punishment. After both contestants finish their dice rolls,"

"As the referee, Aha will also roll the dice. If the result is odd (1, 3, or 5), the player with the lower score receives the penalty; if it's even (2, 4, or 6), the player with the higher score gets punished," explained the orange mask.

Bochang was taken aback, internally grumbling, "You sly dog! How could you pull this trick on me?! Didn't you just say that the one with the lower score would receive the penalty?"

"Ah well... no point getting angry, it's just a game of Truth or Dare. Even losing to Silver Wolf wouldn't matter..."

"After all, there's nobody else here."

"Saying embarrassing words or performing shameful acts, only the three of us will know about them."

Gazing at the diverse silhouettes looming in the sky, Bochang felt uncertain again.

"Are those... truly Aeon projections, or is Aha merely trying to scare me?"

"Do any viewers have objections to these game rules?" Aha extended another orange arm near its ear, mimicking listening attentively. "Mm-hmm... No objections heard."

"Then... let the game begin!"