The Innkeeper

Chapter 1801: I didn’t want to do this

Lex watched with curiosity. His system could not scan them, but he could determine their strengths on their own. They were all Heaven Immortals, though not exceptionally strong ones. Maybe their strength came from their systems, or things other than their cultivation realm, in which case it wasn’t so easy to judge them.

Either way, if that was all to it, Lex was a little underwhelmed. Four system users, all converging towards the Midnight Manor replica, all from different directions. What was interesting was that, even now, none of them had any malicious intent towards the Inn.

Still, he could not let them be. He really wanted to avoid getting involved in this matter himself, but there were very few who could take on Heaven Immortals among his staff, and fewer who could take on system users.

What’s more, the security teams from Reaving Dread kept slowly disappearing even now.

Lex stood up and dusted his pants before turning to everyone else in the room.

“I have been given a task. Hopefully I’ll be back soon enough to see the finale.”

Lex teleported away, and appeared on the peak of a mountain near Umbragard city. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, almost as if to prepare himself for what he was about to do. In truth, that is actually what he was doing.

If he felt the system users were a threat, he intended to one-shot them with his utmost strength. Playing games with a system user was the best way to get killed.

Lex stretched his spirit sense out, at first covering a mile, then a hundred, then a thousand. Within the Inn, everything was within his range of observation, but that was only because of his system. His own spirit sense, despite being absurdly powerful, was not infinite, nor could it span endlessly. But it was powerful – and ever since he fought Kreel, it was completely stealthy. An opponent would have to be drastically stronger than Lex to even sense his spirit sense.

His spirit sense covered the land, undetected, until all four system users were within his scope of vision. Silently, without their detection, he wrapped his spirit sense around them. For a moment, he couldn’t help but wonder if this is how Kreel felt – being invisible to all, and enslaving anyone he fancied.

The difference was, Lex had no interest in slavery.

Lex’s eyes opened, and at the same time, all four system users appeared before him – all teleported using Lex’s own powers instead of system teleportation.

“Welcome, gentlemen,” Lex, looking at the four different beasts with a warm smile. “I take it that you have already been introduced to the Inn, so I’ll skip all the small talk and get to the heart of the matter. Would you mind sharing your intentions with me? Now, normally, interrogating a guest like this is frowned upon inside the Inn, but the circumstances are a little special so I hope you forgive me for my actions.”

The four system users, a tiger, a monkey, an eagle and a snake, looked at each other, and then at Lex. There was a flicker of confusion in their actions.

Lex immediately realized that they hadn’t known about each other’s presence.

“This is highly unprofessional,” said the monkey, looking angrily at Lex. “I will be leaving a complaint about this with upper management.”

Lex smiled awkwardly, even as he wrapped his spirit sense around their bodies thoroughly, studying for the slightest sign of hostility.

“Please, I hope you will forgive me. But, there are certain people trying to cause an issue at the Midnight Inn right now, and we have reason to believe that you four are affiliated with them. If you could explain your intentions, or perhaps if you agree to spend a little time with me until the situation resolves itself, I will make it up to you.”

The four system users slowly began to move, distancing themselves from each other, but simultaneously surrounding Lex.

A soft, prickling sensation touched Lex’s face, and that caused him to sigh.

For the first time, Lex dropped his formality and looked at the group with reluctance. The Tyrant’s Mask appeared in his hand, and the moment it appeared, it brought with it a baleful aura so thick, it began to twist the air itself. It was the aura of all those he had killed while wearing that mask.

Lex had used it a lot while he was in Abaddon, which had caused it to accumulate such a thick aura of death. The reason, then, that he used this mask only sometimes is because the mask itself contained, and could occasionally create divine energy, since it was linked to the myth and legend of the Invincible Tyrant. That divine energy became a potent weapon in Lex’s hands.

“I really didn’t want to do this,” Lex said as he slowly pulled up the mask. At the same time, all four of the beasts got similar emergency quests, all telling them to survive!

Shocked, horrified, afraid, they tried to retreat, but there was no retreat. They could not leave the Inn, and they could not escape Lex. A system was a system’s weakness, so Lex hadn’t used his system to restrict them. Instead, his own spirit sense was a chain that bound them where he stood.

Desperation crept in and they thought to attack, but by then, Lex had already put on the mask. Speaking of which, he had one more weapon which accumulated divine energy – and it did so far quicker and in greater quantities than the mask. Against four Heaven Immortals who had systems, Lex summoned his Divine Butter Knife.

This wasn’t the Butter Knife given to him by the Inn, but the one he infused with the legend of the Innkeepers Butterknife. Ultimately, he planned on fusing the two. For now, this would do just fine.

*****

Z was waiting in the room for the Death Match to end, which was odd because he didn’t notice that the chameleon had returned. The chameleon, invisible, walked awkwardly, as if he was a puppet on strings, leaving the room. Slowly, he made his way back to the Manor replica.