Chapter 706: The Night is Deep, but Some Cannot Sleep…
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 706: The Night is Deep, but Some Cannot Sleep…
In the outside world, the moment the stream featuring Lifaeya and me cut to black, the viewers following the event immediately erupted into a flurry of discussion.
However, no matter how much they talked, they couldn't make the people in the frame reappear.
In principle, streams during the Joint Exam weren't supposed to be cut off without cause, so the concept of manually pausing a stream was never explicitly stated.
Even if one figured out the function, they would quickly realize that the pause only lasted about an hour. One hour of private time per day was one of the "hidden rules" of the Joint Exam.
If one looked closely, there were quite a few hidden rules this time. For instance, the trigger rules for the "Wanted" tracking were the first to be discovered. Then there were the logical rules for disarmament, and the personal privacy rules regarding the exploration of Knowledge Seeds… Many rules were either encouraged or discouraged, but all of them had to be figured out on one's own.
Although every participant in this Joint Exam had their own personal stream perspective, not everyone’s view was actually watched. Whether a stream was popular depended entirely on whether it focused on the "hot spots" of the exam.
The conflict between the teaching assistants—a "many-versus-one" scenario—was naturally a massive draw. Although the TAs were technically just "side dishes" in the context of the Joint Exam, they still represented the peak combat power of the non-transcendent level from various academies!
And yet, this group of people had conspired to surround and suppress a single individual. While many viewers felt that such bullying was distasteful, they were equally curious to see if the person being besieged could pull off a reversal on the spot!
The progression of events had lived up to the audience's expectations!
So many people surrounding one person, yet they couldn't even gain the upper hand. This was a massive slap in the face to the collective of teaching assistants.
The breakout sequence that followed was an even more dramatic turning point. Lifaeya’s sudden betrayal and her pounce that instantly neutralized the first Holy Angel to catch up had bought Assistant Xiao Han more than enough time.
Finally, using the momentum of the hunting party to turn the tide and force the TA group to disintegrate had many viewers cheering in excitement. Of course, there were also those disappointed that they didn't get to see Xiao Han go on a killing spree or watch the blood flow like a river…
Everyone thought that was the end of it. Night had fallen, and it was clearly time for a debrief. But just as they touched upon a sensitive topic, the stream was cut!
Who could stand that kind of cliffhanger?
By the time the stream resumed, the scene had already turned into an outdoor eating show!
* * *
"If you ask me, this Final Joint Exam is just 'okay.' This is the first large-scale promotional test for the Power Network; there's no need to overthink it. It's like the issues I pointed out earlier—the skill configurations lock down individual development, and the same goes for class choices…"
"Um, is it really okay for us to be offering such a scathing critique of the Power Network?" Lifaeya paused mid-bite. Didn't she remember the stream was back on?
"What's there to be afraid of? The Power Network has gone through many versions. You probably haven't seen the earliest builds; they were worlds apart from what we have now. Only by identifying the problems can there be better progress." I waved my chopsticks with a smile, looking every bit like a grand strategist critiquing the world.
"In the Witch Academy, you might be the only one who dares to say that…"
"Anyone can say it. The mentors actually welcome constructive feedback from testers. Of course, brainless comments are unnecessary—like asking for new 'OP' skills to raise the attack ceiling. That’s completely pointless. Raising the power ceiling is just another layer of template nesting dolls. Personally, I think the main issue with the Power Network this time is that the configuration between classes and skill trees is too rigid."
"The synergy between skills is lacking… just stacking skills from different directions is too monotonous. Plus, there are too few skills."
"Actually… I think this configuration might be a way to encourage teamwork?" Lifaeya offered her own thought.
"When you put it that way, I suppose so. But a team isn't a mode everyone pursues. There are plenty of lone wolves out there."
Lifaeya and I chatted extensively about these topics, though we occasionally drifted into other gossip.
I had to admit, Lifaeya was still the same Lifaeya. She was very invested in gossip and was quite adept at using her Knowledge Seed to surf the web, keeping her well-informed on real-time news.
It wasn't until we finished our camping dinner that our leisurely time came to a temporary end. We began cleaning and organizing the utensils. However, with our spellbooks sealed, we couldn't even use a Cleaning Spell, so we had to go to a nearby river to wash up.
After finishing the chores:
"Are you sure you don't need my tent? I actually prepared several. I haven't even used one a day."
"No, no. I'll sleep in the tree."
"You're sure?"
"How about we sleep together?" Lifaeya suggested.
"You'd better sleep in the tree."
"Eh? Wait, you're just going to heartlessly toss me into a tree like that?"
"Mm-hmm~ Otherwise, I can't exactly let you into my tent, can I? At most, I can give you some mosquito-repellent incense. Want some?"
"I'll take some, thanks~"
In the pitch-black night, a few brief lines of dialogue drifted through the air as the hours slipped away.
Outside the stream, barrages of comments floated across the screen, though unfortunately, the subjects themselves couldn't see them.
—Wait, they're going to sleep this early?
—Isn't a witch's nightlife just beginning? Am I the fake witch, or is Xiao Han the fake one?
—Another day of watching Xiao Han go to bed on time. This schedule… it’s so damn healthy.
—Today’s 'Sleeping Han' portion complete. Checking out, closing the stream!
—It’s obvious Lifaeya the cat isn't sleeping. A total victory for the night owls!
* * *
But on such a peaceful night, not everyone could fall asleep.
Lifaeya, for instance. Today was the first time in a long while she had bared her past so openly, touching the most fragile parts of her heart.
Though she had acted nonchalant during their evening talk—especially when she claimed she had moved on and didn't need her family's "charity"—she hadn't expected herself to actually say those words.
Now that Xiao Han was asleep, she was alone in the night. The darkness once again brought back memories of her family's "charity."
What were they giving?
They were offering the one thing she desired but could never reach… freedom.
And yet, she feared freedom.
The family's shackles were like an invisible collar, tightly gripping her throat.
But at its root… it was simply that she couldn't envision a life after achieving Transcendent status. She could only foresee that if she lost the family's shackles now… that kind of freedom was equivalent to standing in opposition to all the families.
Her refusal of the family's charity this time might have come from a mysterious surge of courage, but part of it also stemmed from her fear of freedom.
At this moment, she clearly felt what her mentor had once told her regarding the impact of Ley Line Shackles on an individual.
Ley Line Shackles weren't a tangible image, but an invisible bond. They were the rules by which the world operated society and civilization, built upon the foundation of emotions born from human society: kinship, love, friendship. These were the most basic prototypes of the shackles. So, what were the shackles?
Using kinship as a bond, concepts of family, upbringing, and indoctrination are derived, eventually forming the ultimate state of the family unit. This is then corrupted by interests, replacing the bond of affection and distorting the original concepts, trapping people within their bloodline. This is the Shackle of Kinship.
Using love as a bond, instinctive desires are derived, building the family unit with responsibility as the foundation, economics as the pillar, and the next generation as the continuation of the legacy. Eventually, it is still twisted by human nature, shaping one tragic life after another, trapping people within their emotions. This is the Shackle of Love.
Using friendship as a bond, interpersonal relationships are derived, constituting the modes of interaction between people: trust, loyalty, betrayal, reliance, attachment, suspicion… trapping people within others. This is the Shackle of Friendship.
But a person cannot remain trapped in the past forever. Although Lifaeya always thought it was impossible, using various methods to prove she was still too immature.
But one should judge by actions, not intentions. She had rejected the family's terms, and those words had been an impromptu outpouring. A heart yearning for freedom always reveals itself inadvertently; she simply wasn't ready to face the unknown and the unexpected.
The greatest gain from this "betrayal" was that it allowed her to see clearly. The deal that had previously tempted her—the chance to escape her family's shadow that she so desired—was essentially a negation of all her hard work.
The family wasn't granting freedom from her perspective; they were dispensing freedom as charity from theirs.
But this impromptu performance had made her realize one truth… so, freedom could actually be given as charity… but is freedom given by others truly freedom?
For a moment, Lifaeya couldn't quite figure it out… but for things she couldn't understand, she could perhaps ask her mentor.
The fact that her mentor was still willing to smooth over any obstacles in the academy for her proved that she hadn't been given up on. If that was the case… she felt she hadn't reached the point where she should give up on herself.
* * *
In the deep of the night, Lifaeya wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep.
The teaching assistants who had been scattered by the hunting party during the day had gathered once again in the dead of night.
Only this time, compared to their last meeting, there was an added air of dejection…
They couldn't understand how someone could improve so quickly. Could someone truly be an all-rounder?
When power wasn't restricted, they didn't dare move against her. Now that power was restricted, they still couldn't kill her.
The combat experience they took such pride in hadn't given them an absolute advantage.
They thought about many problems, even questioning the rationality of the Power Network. But they never considered that their reliance on their own spellbooks and their rigid combat styles were just like the current, imperfect Power Network—stubborn and stagnant.
Even a "dead thing" like the Power Network would innovate through generations, but as living beings with active minds, they were trapped in the past by the experiences they had grown accustomed to.
The night was deep, and the next day was silently approaching.
"Everyone, let's turn off the streams for a bit…"
At that moment, someone spoke up.
There were smart people among the TAs as well, and they took the interference of the live stream very seriously.
For people living in the modern era, figuring out unknown functions was common.
Thus, they had discovered the hidden rule that allowed them to turn off the stream for one hour a day. Although they had originally wanted to find a way to shut it off permanently, they had to settle for this.
As the streams clicked off, everyone knew that the following conversation would involve "restricted" topics that couldn't be broadcast.
"The mission failed. We didn't kill Yang Yuehan."
"But our lives were spared, weren't they?" someone said suddenly, plunging the group into silence.
The mission failed… but their lives were spared.
What kind of talk was that?
"Don't talk nonsense," someone retorted.
"Yang Yuehan isn't a Transcendent Witch. Even if she died permanently, it's impossible for it to drag us all down to the point of being buried with her."
"What about Yang Yuehan's transcendent girlfriend? Can we stop avoiding reality?"
"People who ascend to the Transcendent level don't care about old sentiments. Our families have tested this many times. Look at those who leave our world; barely any return. Even if they do, they don't protect their original families. A girlfriend… heh~ a relationship that doesn't even have a blood bond… why would she care?"
"Stop arguing. The failure of the mission to kill Yang Yuehan was due to force majeure. It counts as… an explanation that isn't an explanation…"
"Um… did we really have a way to completely kil—"
"Ahem! I don't know, and you don't know, so the answer is no." Someone quickly interrupted the speaker.
"Fine…"
In truth, they really didn't possess the artifacts or means to completely kill someone to the point where even a Resurrection Spell wouldn't work.
After all, the power of a Witch Contract was no joke.
But that didn't mean there weren't loopholes. However, facing such a perfect contract, even attempting to find a loophole would require extraordinary measures.
It was already the latter half of the League Hunting Exam, and these people were clearly waiting for something.
If it were just to kill one person, they wouldn't be this united.
As for things like the "dignity" or "face" of the teaching assistants—the moment they chose to bully someone with superior numbers, they lost the right to mention such things.
Therefore, there was a deeper reason behind all this.
"There are only two days left until the hunt ends, right? You were the ones who proposed this ambush. We thought you were ready. Are you going to tell us now… that you're actually not?" a TA from the Witch Academy side questioned.
"There is a way, of course… but we have to follow the contract. Besides, you can't blame this entirely on us, can you? Who knew their efficiency would be so poor…"
"Who? Can you stop speaking in riddles? If it weren't for the family… who would want to participate in a mission where we're kept in the dark?" a member of the Beast Academy spoke up bluntly.
"If you don't understand, shut up. Ask less and listen more!"
"Always the same. You have to give us something to look forward to! What are we waiting for?"
"I can only say that this League Hunting Exam isn't that simple. There's a high probability of an accident. It's as simple as that. Do you understand?"
"An accident? What kind of accident?"
"How should I know? Maybe… some academy is unhappy with us and wants to cause some trouble."
"An academy is unhappy with us? Who would dare be unhappy with a coalition of so many top academies?"
"……The Abyssal Demons…?"
The moment those words were uttered, everyone fell silent.