Chapter 92: Whispers, Warnings, and the Soul Lock Curse

"You jest, Lady Pinky. Who can rival your potion-making skills in the whole of Black Moon Kingdom?" Malik chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "It was even thanks to your potion that I was able to explore deeper into the ruins."

"Haha. I'm happy those babies are useful to you," Dina laughed, her cheeks dimpling slightly. "We should head back now. I'm sure you've got things to do."

"If you say so, Lady Pinky..." Malik responded, but before he could even finish, a sharp knock landed on his head.

"Stop screaming my game ID!" she scolded, voice lowered but laced with irritation. "Do you want them to find out I'm in Nigeria?"

Malik's brows furrowed deeply, the wrinkles on his forehead appearing more pronounced. "But you haven't told me your real name."

"Aargh... My apologies." She leaned closer, her voice turning into a whisper. "I'm Dina. From Morocco."

Malik's eyes widened. He found himself staring at her for a second too long.

'No wonder... she's this light-skinned. So she's not from Nigeria. Then what's she doing here all the way from Morocco?'

"What about you?" she asked, her gaze narrowing slightly. "You haven't told me your name yet."

"I'm Malik. From Nigeria," he said simply, trying to shift his eyes away from the goddess beside him. Not only was she drop-dead gorgeous, but she was also a big shot in God's Realm Online—a lifestyle player whose name alone could make guilds salivate just for a sliver of her favor.

"Your name is really tyrannical," Dina said, lips curling into a smile. "It reminds me of the ancestor I told you about—the one everyone in Black Moon Kingdom is obsessed with right now."

Malik's interest spiked immediately. "Can you tell me more about this ancestor?"

"What? Are you kidding me right now?" Dina scoffed, suddenly frowning. "You should've just insulted me instead."

She stormed forward, her long strides filled with irritation, while Malik remained rooted on the spot.

'What? What did I do wrong? I only asked a question… How come she's suddenly pissed?'

After a few tense steps, Dina halted. She turned around, her tone slightly more curious now. "What's your ID account? How many followers do you have?"

"That... I don't have." Malik emphasized the word that, bracing himself for her explosion. But instead, her eyes lit up like starlight.

"No wonder you don't have any idea about what's happening on the online forums," she muttered. Then, with a mischievous grin, she spun around. "Come, I'll fill you in—but only if you can catch up!"

She dashed ahead like a breeze, her voice echoing behind her.

Malik sighed. "To think the revered Alchemist would be such a weird lady…"

He sprinted after her, easily matching her pace. The two of them soon started sweating buckets under the sun. Before long, Dina invited him for breakfast, and Malik couldn't bring himself to refuse. The aroma from the kitchen filled the air, and the two sat down to eat in silence. That is, until Dina suddenly screamed out loud.

"What's it? Do you need water?" Malik quickly asked, reaching for a glass and filling it up.

But Dina's eyes weren't on the food. Her gaze was locked onto her smartwatch. "The ancestor's background has been discovered," she said, her voice tinged with excitement. "He started from Green Leaf Town—the beginner's town for Nigerian players. That means... he's from Nigeria."

Malik's hand trembled slightly as he passed the glass over.

"And who's this ancestor you're talking about?"

"Who else, if not the Duke of Green Leaf—the only player who has managed to learn an S-rank skill in the entire Black Moon Kingdom?"

Malik blinked rapidly, stunned.

'She's talking about me? These players... They move so damn fast.'

"Aargh... Looks like the Legion created by the Ancestor won't last long now," Dina chuckled darkly.

The sinister undertone in her voice made Malik choke on his food.

"You okay?" she asked, handing him the water instead. Malik gulped it down as if his throat was on fire.

"Look at the forum. It's all about the Ancestor and his legions in Blackroot City," Dina continued, scrolling through the flashing updates and showing him.

"Damn it… Kenny and Taiwo… If I had known, I would've told them not to come." Malik's stomach twisted into knots. A man who could eat ten plates in one sitting was now struggling to finish even one.

His appetite had evaporated, replaced with a growing dread. The only thing on his mind now was logging back into God's Realm.

"I think I've got to go now," he said abruptly, pushing himself up.

Dina's eyes narrowed. "You haven't even finished your food... Don't tell me it's not sweet? Or not enough pepper?"

"No, it's not that," Malik quickly replied. "It's just... there's something urgent I have to handle."

"Really?" she teased, smirking. "Or are you also after the bounty on the player named Man like Malik? Come to think of it—you both share the same name. You should know him."

Malik's whole body stiffened. But before he could form a reply, Dina broke into laughter.

"I'm just joking," she grinned. "You can go. But remember—you owe me dinner."

"Sure... I'll try," Malik mumbled as he bolted out the door like a man who had just been released from prison.

"Wait—!" Dina called out, but Malik was already gone.

"Never thought a Nigerian would have such a perfect face… Such an interesting guy… making my Pinky blossom," she giggled to herself. Just then, a chime rang from her smartwatch.

"That bastard... He didn't tell me his game ID."

...

Malik dashed into his room and grabbed the remaining bottle of B-rank nutrient fluid. Without a second thought, he gulped it all down in one go. Tossing aside his clothes, he laid flat on the neural cable.

"Log in," he whispered.

And the world around him shifted in an instant.

...

[Crimson Vault – Blackroot City]

Malik's silhouette materialized in the room where he had logged out. He wasted no time and stepped out immediately, calling Angel Michael through his interface.

"Shit… He's offline," Malik cursed under his breath.

He attempted to message White Emperor next, only to discover he was online—but unreachable. That only happened when a player had been killed and was currently in respawn state.

"What on Earth is going on? It's already dawn back home. Don't these guys have jobs?" Malik muttered as he stepped out of the building.

The once heavily guarded Crimson Vault was now deserted. The crowd of players had scattered. Not a single NPC stood watch.

He activated Stealth and slipped into the shadows, moving cautiously through the city. Eventually, he approached a Level 30 player, who looked battle-worn and exasperated.

"Excuse me, brother," Malik said, keeping his voice low. "What happened to the Crimson Vault? I'm lost."

The man sighed deeply, voice tired. "The Crimson Vault was cleansed by a Tier 1 player who's now the Protector of the Blackroot Legion. But the upper brass of the city didn't take that lightly. They've started hunting down anyone associated with Player Man like Malik. There's a bounty on their heads. Just a while ago, they caught a female Berserker rumored to be connected to him."

Malik's eyes widened in horror.

Without hesitation, his figure blurred and vanished from the spot—his speed erupting in a burst.

'Dina was right… Kenny and her team… they're in danger. Because of me.'

He hadn't sprinted for long when a sudden chill prickled down his spine. A sense of looming dread crept up behind him.

[System Alert: Player499 has used Soul Lock on you. You cannot log out for the next 24 hours.]

"Soul Lock…" Malik's expression turned grim, a wave of unpleasant memories rushing in. He clenched his fists.

From the shadows, three figures stepped forward—each of them adorned with different guild emblems. Each one carried a weapon that radiated lethal intent. Even without activating Eye of Insight, Malik could feel it—their strength was monstrous.

Tier 2 players. All of them.

Their auras alone distorted the air, shackling his limbs with invisible chains.

The hunt had begun.