Lord of the Myriad Worlds

Chapter 285: Five-Star Item Card — Even Heaven Grows Old

This special boss was the tardy, procrastinating type — but that was fine. Six-Star minus? That just meant extra gold cards for Li Yue.

Another line of text appeared.

[Within the next twenty-four hours, six members will arrive to join. They are: Head of Household Li Wei's cousin Li Feng, Head of Household Li Wei's uncle Li Guishan, Second Aunt Liang Yuzhi's younger sister Liang Yuying, Second Aunt Liang Yuzhi's childhood friend Annie, Zhao Xuanxuan's uncle Zhao Guozhu, and Leon's uncle Old John.]

Six people, right on cue. Aside from Old John, who seemed to be a familiar face, he didn't recognize any of the others.

Of course, names alone were hard to read.

By convention, players who entered a mission using their real names were either very inexperienced or new players without a code name — Zhang Jinjun was probably his real name, and Zhao Xuanxuan was likely hers as well.

Players who entered using a code name were typically mid-tier players, relatively capable — like Thomas and Leon.

But players who used neither a code name nor their real name, opting instead for a random name, were a cut above — like He Yuying.

And above even that was a tier more impressive still: players who used neither a code name, nor their real name, nor a random name, but instead inherited the name of a significant supporting character in the plot — like Li Yue and Liang Yuzhi, who had directly taken the names of the two women eliminated in the first month.

It looked ordinary on the surface, but it was actually quite rare.Applying these four categories to the new arrivals, things became clear immediately.

Li Feng and Li Guishan were almost certainly in the highest tier — not necessarily meaning their characters would receive any special treatment, but typically indicating they were deliberately assigned players.

Because a randomly matched player would never end up with those names.

Then there was Liang Yuzhi's sister Liang Yuying, her childhood friend Annie, and Zhao Guozhu — given the context and difficulty level, they were likely in He Yuying's tier.

And finally Old John — if this was the same Old John Li Wei knew.

The answer came quickly.

With the Radiation Storm erupting and the situation volatile, the main base wasted no time on formalities. Li Wei wrapped up the family meeting in a few brief words, and six figures materialized from the grey mist at the entrance.

The first person Li Wei spotted was indeed Old John — George's uncle from the beginner village, apparently from the Tactics Department.

The others were two men and two women, all seemingly Four-Star, all clearly capable, with impressive equipment. There was a sense of talent gathered in one place, advantage firmly in hand.

Li Wei didn't get up to greet them. He didn't say a word. He simply sat at the table and watched quietly.

He stayed silent, but others couldn't. Leon was the first to stand, waving warmly at Old John: "Uncle John! How was the journey? Everything alright?"

"Fine, fine — nearly got caught by the Radiation Storm on the way." Old John smiled slightly and stepped forward to embrace Leon.

Zhao Xuanxuan also rose, and immediately a wiry old man in his fifties came forward with careful flattery — Zhao Xuanxuan's uncle, Zhao Guozhu.

Liang Yuzhi didn't move. Didn't even glance over. She left her so-called younger sister Liang Yuying and childhood friend Annie standing there.

The two of them were perceptive enough to trot over on their own, offering compliments about how much more beautiful Liang Yuzhi had become in the years since they'd last met, or simply presenting a pile of gifts.

As if the famous Widow would come out to receive you. Please.

Liang Yuzhi gave a couple of dismissive grunts, and that was the extent of her participation.

"Xiao Wei — the Radiation Storm should peak around midnight. It'll ease off slightly by noon tomorrow. I suggest we split into two shifts for watch duty. I'll take the first shift; let Xiao Yue take the second. If anything urgent comes up, we deal with it together."

Liang Yuzhi spoke with the air of someone who gave orders, as though Li Wei as Head of Household barely registered. In her mind, she was the real head of this family.

But Li Wei understood her meaning. For certain reasons, from this point on it was better for them to maintain some distance. With so many eyes around, details mattered.

Being present versus not being present were two very different things.

Of course, Liang Yuzhi likely had a second layer of meaning: one or two of the new arrivals were probably thorny problems, and he should watch himself.

"Alright — we'll do it your way, Second Aunt."

Li Wei put on a modest smile. Not quite a puppet emperor behind a curtain, but close enough.

"Good boy. So obedient."

Liang Yuzhi smiled with satisfaction. "Thomas, Leon, Xuanxuan — the three of you are on my shift. Plus my dear sister and Annie. Xiao Yue — no objections?"

"Of course not, Second Aunt. Whatever makes you happy."

Li Yue spoke quietly, her voice cold. The two women's auras collided in the canteen like a storm front rolling in — the kitchen aunties standing in the corners were so startled they barely dared breathe, not understanding what had just happened. These two had been perfectly normal, so why had they suddenly become so terrifying?

Yes — in that moment, Li Yue and Liang Yuzhi had both unleashed their killing intent without reservation. The pressure was absolute.

In a word: a show of dominance.

Once Liang Yuzhi led her group out for watch duty, Li Yue cast a cold glance at Old John — enough to make the Four-Star player flinch.

"Brother — the six of us can cover the other shift together. What do you think?"

"Fine by me."

"Then I'm going to rest, brother."

She gave Li Wei a brilliant smile and left.

Only then did Li Wei slowly stand. He patted the back of the thoroughly soaked Zhang Jinjun, who had just spent the past few minutes facing what felt like two bosses head-on. He knew they were allies and couldn't actually do anything to him — but his body had reacted on its own.

"Old Zhang — get some rest."

"Ah? Yes, yes!"

Zhang Jinjun fled. Li Wei turned to Old John, gave him a nod. Old John immediately bowed respectfully. "My lord Baron — please allow me to excuse myself."

In moments, only three people remained in the large canteen.

Li Wei. And his nominal cousin and uncle — the two of them were father and son in the story's context.

They had been calm since they arrived. Even the pressure from Liang Yuzhi and Li Yue's outburst hadn't affected them.

So if Liang Yuzhi's warning about thorny problems was accurate, these two were it.

At this moment, Li Wei's "uncle" Li Guishan — a man in his sixties — smiled. He wore plain clothes but carried a gentleman's walking cane, not a speck of dust on him, bearing composed and distinguished. His eyes in particular were deep and commanding. He stepped forward slowly, came to stand before Li Wei, and straightened Li Wei's collar. Then he patted him on the shoulder, said nothing — but the gesture conveyed everything: pride in a worthy heir, an old man's heart finally at ease.

The next instant, something shifted in those eyes — a trace of weathered sorrow, as though a memory had surfaced. He still said nothing, but the atmosphere became heavy and mournful.

"Xiao Wei — last month, I buried your parents. They couldn't hold on in the end. But seeing that you're still alive and doing well... I think they would be at peace."

What on earth. This old schemer is playing out a storyline on me?

Li Wei felt a chill inwardly, but couldn't figure out what the man was after. Even if he pulled out this storyline thread — so what? You're not going to turn everything upside down.

This was an apocalypse setting. He had built this base from nothing. Even if the news was genuinely sad, it wouldn't throw him off balance.

So Li Wei didn't perform anything. He didn't need to. He simply kept silent — that was enough. No misstep.

Then Li Guishan added: "Xiao Wei — my condolences. I just saw your Second Aunt Liang Yuzhi, but I didn't see your Second Uncle, or your cousin Li Jiao. Where are they?"

"They're dead."

"What! My younger brother — how could you..." The old man actually began to weep.

Li Wei watched coldly. Go ahead and perform. He wasn't in a hurry.

"Dad!"

The cousin Li Feng stepped forward and helped the tearful Li Guishan to a seat, patting his back, producing heart medicine — the whole performance, very convincing.

Li Wei watched and waited, trying to work out what these two were after. Coming in with theatrics right from the start, no Conspiracy Card needed — what was this play?

But disappointingly, a few minutes later, Li Feng helped Li Guishan off to rest. That was it. What on earth were they up to?

Li Wei was genuinely confused.

Then, the next instant, two lines of text appeared silently.

[Family Member Li Guishan has used a Five-Star Item Card — Even Heaven Grows Old. If he triggers a storyline involving the loss of a family member and overwhelming grief within the next month, he will be permitted to act outside the Head of Household's authority and do certain things he wishes to do — on the condition that it does not harm the camp's interests.]

[Head of Household Li Wei has also witnessed his grief, felt pain in his heart beyond words, and has tacitly permitted this.]

What?

What the —

Li Wei was stunned. He immediately went after them — only to find that Li Guishan had somehow already opened the sealed rooftop door, produced what appeared to be a powered fixed-wing hang glider, and launched himself westward with a whoosh.

In the middle of the Radiation Storm?! That thing isn't affected?

Li Wei stared, genuinely dumbfounded.

What are you going west for?

"Little brother — there's a strong wind outside. Come back in. Don't worry about your uncle — he just needs to go for a fly and clear his head. He'll be fine soon."

Li Feng pulled Li Wei back inside, speaking complete nonsense with a completely straight face.

Li Wei gave him one look, then went back to the fifth floor. Li Feng closed the sealed door behind them. The next instant, a Five-Star Sincerity Card was activated.

"Li Wei — I think we should talk. That man is from the Commerce Department. A Four-Star Lord with real authority, about to advance to Five-Star. In fact, if he hadn't been deliberately holding back his level to grind a certain title, he would have advanced long ago. I won't hide it from you — he's gone to Scar Glenn's camp. Their camp is five hundred kilometers west of yours."

"Last month you took out the Flame Duke, which was essentially cutting off Scar Glenn's third leg. The Commerce Department is furious. That old man went there to 'accidentally lose' all the intelligence about your camp on their side — or he'll use a Five-Star Conspiracy Card to lay everything out clearly: your personnel composition, everything. He can even help Scar Glenn farm Universal Gold Cards like mad over the next month."

"This is dangerous behavior and a serious violation. At the end of the month you can impeach him and have him eliminated outright. As long as your boss collects the evidence, the case is airtight. If it goes through, his Four-Star territory will be confiscated within three months. Severe punishment. But there's a catch — it's like a man with terminal cancer volunteering to be a suicide soldier."

"His Four-Star territory is on the verge of bankruptcy due to mismanagement, and he has no interest in doing cross-border missions. In short — you understand. Exploiting loopholes like this can't be prevented. This is an open scheme. What can you do about it? You can say it's entirely his fault — but you'll still take the hit."

"Your boss Night Owl can't do anything about it either. Before the end of the month, no rule can constrain him. A Five-Star Item Card combined with a plot exploit — that's just how powerful it is."

"So I'm extending a sincere invitation on behalf of the Logistics Department. We'd like to work with you. You don't need to change sides, you don't need to betray your boss — you just need to cooperate with Ron. What do you say?"