"Comic shop!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Di instantly realized why the comic shop, despite being an Outer Realm power, had remained inactive during this joint operation.
Teacher Guo also sketched the facade of the comic shop on the blackboard.
"I believe everyone has guessed by now, the first to notice our world as the Death Row Inmates, was precisely the Outer God managing the comic shop.
As a visitor, He came here and stayed in the Corner Depths, observing the development of our world.
He is in a special state of neutrality and hasn't reported our specific situation to the prison, nor has He mentioned the matter of the [Left Arm].
However, He has certain personal interests.
Monsters that He deems as having potential, or those that are special or suited for the comic, He would contact individually and recruit them.
Marked monsters would see the comic shop and be able to obtain a comic unique to themselves by entering.
Once accepted, the pituitary space forms a passage structure akin to the Abyss, allowing the individual to leave the Corner depths when sufficiently developed and officially join the comic shop.
I was also a comic recruit chosen by Him.
However,
with Mr. Kraft's help, I learned a way to resist the comic and master the comic.
Using this method, I gathered steadfast comic holders and established the initial "Vortex Town."
As a group of students under my lead achieved exploration results in the Mutated Dungeon, Vortex Town was recognized by the Corner as the first special organization dedicated to resisting the Outer Realm.
The time came,
Mr. Kraft personally appeared and signed a special betting agreement with the comic shop.
The agreement pertains to the war we just concluded.
The arrival of the Lame Walker wasn't coincidental nor targeted at anyone, but was specially "invited" by the comic shop, carrying a shackle structure on Him.
The content of the betting agreement was quite simple.
Our entire Middle Layer currently doesn't have a single deified presence, not even a pseudo-god, as it is still in the early stages of development, given that the Corner System has existed for less than a century.
If we can face and fight off a forcibly crossed lower-level Death Row Inmate from the Outer Realm divine entity with our current personnel reserve.
If we can achieve victory, the betting agreement will take effect.
The comic shop will never disclose the information of the [Left Arm] in our world, and will report to the prison that the search for this plane is complete, preventing any Mad God from arriving for a long period.
Moreover,
He and the comic shop will no longer actively intervene in the development of the Corner, preventing occurrences like the Mutated Dungeon.
That's what we've won in this campaign.
We've gained the right to knowledge, room for development, and capital for independence."
Mr. Question Mark raised his hand to ask, "What if we lose?"
"The comic shop would cooperate with the Lame Walker to comprehensively root into our world, special personnel would be taken by the comic shop, and the rest would become prey for the Lame Walker's progeny.
The left arm of the Great Being would be seized and handed over... the Corner would cease to exist, the Human World would transform into a nest of the Lame Walker."
Since Mr. Question Mark asked, Luo Di also raised his hand to inquire, "The warrant against me should be canceled too, right?"
"Yes, with the agreement in effect, the comic shop's stance has slightly shifted toward us and will quietly await the final selection results of the entire Corner.
Additionally,
any monster interested in contacting the comic shop can come to Vortex Town to register with me.
The comic system has the potential to aid the growth of certain monsters to some extent, which we don't oppose."
Luo Di continued to ask, "What stance do those monsters who accept the comic and betray the Corner hold now?"
"They still belong to the comic shop, but their life or death issues won't have much consequence."
"Understood."
Having received his answer, Luo Di can focus entirely on his personal plan and soon execute it, especially since the entire arm is with him.
Just as Luo Di revealed a sly smile, Lebeite, sitting beside him, also raised his hand to ask:
"The selection mechanism of the Corner, only one person will eventually be chosen, right?"
"Theoretically, yes.
However, the [Left Arm] that has fallen here can provide many 'qualifications.'
Through nearly a century's fermentation, the existence of the Left Arm has caused unknown changes in the deep layers of the Corner, where countless opportunities exist.
As long as one can go to the deeper layers, even if not chosen as the Prison Director's candidate, one can still possess powerful abilities and a unique expression of Divinity, possibly gaining something we are unaware of.
Once the selection ends, the caliber of our world will rise to a new level, allowing us to stand in this chaotic cosmos."
Lebeite still puzzled, asked: "Wouldn't Mr. Kraft get ahead of all of us?"
"That wouldn't happen... Mr. Kraft's positioning is quite enigmatic, although I've had considerable dealings with him, I still don't know his true identity.
All his activities seem to revolve around the stable development of the Corner."
In my view, rather than being a deep-level monster, he's more like an alternative expression of Corner Will.
In short, everyone present has a chance to come out on top in this selection. Currently, we have three people holding the lead advantage here.
Luo Di, who obtained the "qualification" through special channels, Gust, and Mr. Question Mark, who acquired an Outer Divine Status and deciphered and mastered the Lame Walker's powers.
In any case, the situation in the Corner is now stable. There should not be any Outer Realm invasions for a long time, so everyone just needs to develop at their own pace.
This meeting is just about over. Due to Chef Hunter's severe injuries requiring a period of recuperation, the cafeteria will be closed this week, and the official celebration banquet will be postponed to next week.
Furthermore, considering everyone needs rest and Teacher Jia Wen's physical reconstitution, all courses this week will be suspended, and formal classes will start from next week.
If there are any questions about this incident, feel free to come find me in the office at any time."
The meeting adjourned.
This expansion of the world view left most of the people present, including the teachers, temporarily seated.
Unexpectedly, a being that nearly wiped out the Corner turned out to be just a lower-level death row inmate, and even in a state of confinement.
Originally, we thought the Corner Depths was the end of Fear, but it seems there's still a long way to go.
At this moment,
Wu Wen suddenly stood up and loudly announced, "Tonight, I will be hosting a large outdoor barbecue at the villa area. Various meats, vegetables, drinks, and a variety of games have all been prepared in advance. If anyone's interested, feel free to come over."
"I'll help make the pumpkin ice drinks! If there's anything to chop, I can help out."
Pumpkin Fran was the first to stand up and offer help.
The atmosphere immediately lightened, and everyone's thoughts shifted from the blackboard's polyhedron structures back to the present, with all the teachers expressing they would attend.
Luo Di, who initially wanted to leave early to handle personal affairs, was gently tugged by the corner of his shirt by Wu Wen, who softly said:
"Tonight's gathering is quite rare. After it's over, I'll accompany you to handle that personal matter.
Also, aren't you frequently helping out in the cafeteria? If all the teachers are coming tonight, the maids might get overwhelmed, so please lend a hand."
"Alright."
Midnight, abandoned villa area.
Hundreds of bottles piled on the ground, the heavily drunk Gust wanted to lick the Question Mark but was completely restricted by some kind of game rule.
He could only find Luo Di, incessantly boasting about his past glorious feats and his future plans for tongue collection, saying he wanted to collect the tongues of all death row inmates in that Abyss dungeon.
Luo Di, utterly exhausted, barely listened.
Since returning to the villa area, he hadn't stopped—chopping vegetables, skewering meat, barbecuing—and most of the barbecue he tasted was fed by Wu Wen.
Seeing that everyone had almost finished eating,
Wu Wen set up a high-definition camera on the lawn, raised her hands, and loudly suggested:
"The barbecue party is almost over, how about we take a group photo? It's rare that all of us can gather like this without worries."
The slightly tipsy Teacher Guo was the first to stand out in support.
With Teacher Guo's positioning, everyone gradually moved over, presenting a strange yet beautiful picture under the special influence of alcohol.
The young Maximus, with his wife and son, appeared rather dignified despite having drunk, as if posing for a family portrait.
Pumpkin Fran, similarly affected by alcohol, had his pumpkin head turn as ripe as ever, squeezed next to Hunter, wanting to put an arm around but appearing fearful, ultimately resorting to making a peace sign on Hunter's shoulder.
Over by Gust, without Jia Wen's obstruction, he had dashed over immediately.
Strangely enough, this time he behaved himself without any extra moves, standing uprightly.
Mr. Question Mark, to ensure everyone was present, took out that Divine Status with a hole, letting some of the virus material inside seep out.
As always, he kept his head wrapped in a cloth bag, concealing his true face.
Dommo, Katayama, and Song Huiwen, as the earliest students, gathered by Teacher Guo's side, the classic student-teacher pose.
Yu Ze originally wanted to stand with his fellow countrymen but found that area overcrowded, so he ended up beside Song Huiwen, standing next to Teacher Guo.
The Grandmother gathered all Sisterhood members, including former member Wu Wen and the unique male member Luo Di, to stand together.
Luo Di stood in the center, held at the front by ten arms, Wu Wen and Hua Yuan stood on either side, while Yu Lu dangled suspended by a rope at the back.
3,
2,
1!
The moment the flash went off, the scene shifted.
An seemingly well-behaved Gust suddenly flung his tongue towards Mr. Question Mark, captured perfectly by the camera.
On Hua Yuan's side, she fiercely glanced at Luo Di, cradled by the Grandmother, while Wu Wen seemed unconcerned, wearing her characteristic smile.
Hunter took the initiative to place his injured arm on Fran's shoulder.
The slightly restrained Katayama, prodded in the back by Teacher Guo, instantly stood upright, wearing a very stiff expression.
The family of the Invisible Manor, inexplicably, burst into laughter at the photo moment, especially Maximus, who laughed the hardest.
The entire Screaming Inn also appeared in the frame, with the Green Gate situated just at the bottom right of the viewfinder.
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