Chapter 956: The Layout Begins: Heading to the Expansion Realm
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 956: The Layout Begins: Heading to the Expansion Realm
Once Millian signaled to me that the negotiations were complete, the final roster was confirmed.
They were ready to follow me out of the academy and into the Expansion Realm at a moment's notice.
Both Millian and I were in close contact with the City Lord of Ninglan New City. Because she had to stay in the Expansion Realm long-term, Ninglan Qiuyue’s relationship with the academy wasn't a simple student-school dynamic. She kept a constant eye on academy affairs; aside from direct instructions from the faculty, most of her information came through her communications with Millian.
Naturally, Ninglan Qiuyue had been notified of my arrival in advance, and Millian had already touched base with her. Once the group arrived in the Expansion Realm, they could immediately begin basic cooperation.
Still... at the end of the day, the Baking House was a tiny club that had yet to truly expand. All they could really bring to the table were empty promises. Even with Ming Xueming—a representative of a pro-Witch family faction—along for the ride, she couldn't facilitate massive trade deals all at once.
But... wasn't Pei Huan there too?
She was the technical representative handpicked from Yi Rui’s team to enter the Expansion Realm!
Resources and supplies weren't the only ways to grow powerful. Granted, without those resources, getting off the ground in the early stages would be difficult.
For Millian, however, the timing was perfect.
The Baking House had a massive stockpile of resources accumulated from the last time the Expansion Realm was open. It was wealth that unfortunately couldn't be spent within the academy, but the Expansion Realm was a different story entirely.
Ming Xueming and her cohorts were backed by Core World families and the pro-Witch faction of the academy's Jack-of-all-trades Club. One could only imagine how thoroughly they had prepared.
But I had prepared just as much for Millian.
Moreover, Ming Xueming and the others were going there under our leadership. We weren't sending them there just to let them fly as high as they pleased on their own.
"Let's wait for Sister Bai," I said. "Once she arrives, we can head out."
Since the matter was settled, there was no need to rush the final moments. We headed to a nearby commercial street to rest for a while.
While the others were relaxing, I sat down next to Millian and casually cast a soundproofing spell, enveloping the two of us in a private bubble.
"Sister Xiao Han, what is this?" Millian’s expression turned serious. She knew this meant I had something important—very important—to tell her.
"The Game World... there’s been a small accident," I told her.
I had already disclosed the existence of the Game World to Millian. Information about it was known even to people at Ming Xueming’s level; though that was mostly false intel, I couldn't leave Millian in the dark.
However, there was no need to give Millian fake information. I had indeed extended my reach into the Game World, though it wasn't my main body. The other families, however, were convinced that the clone I sent there was my main body.
Furthermore, I had displayed the absolute crushing power of a Domain Order there, wiping out dozens of Outsiders in a single strike. Even if they weren't Transcendents, the sheer terror of that feat was undeniable.
This only deepened their conviction that the "me" in the Game World was the real one.
Heaven knows how shocked Millian had been when she first heard the news! Her only regret was that she couldn't be there to help shoulder the burden for me.
Now that I was bringing up the Game World again, she was curious why I chose this specific moment, and...
"What kind of accident, Sister Xiao Han? Is there anything I can do to help?"
"The 'small accident' has already been dealt with. A minor thing like that doesn't require your intervention," I said with a smile, waving it off.
As I spoke, I pulled out a storage card. It looked like a standard, common-use storage card, but it was actually a highly specialized piece of equipment. It was designed to hold many other storage items—essentially, spatial nesting.
Storage equipment can be placed inside other storage equipment, though there’s usually a risk of instability with low-quality or volatile spatial items.
"This is..."
"Inside are various types of storage equipment," I explained. "They’re all trophies I seized from the Outsiders I killed in the Game World. I’ve roughly categorized the contents. I’ve already taken what I need; the rest... consider it your startup capital for the Expansion Realm."
"This... so many?!" Millian gasped at the sheer number of storage items inside the card.
The items were visibly diverse, each with a different style. It was a real eye-opener for her. Of course, if she were to open them one by one... her jaw would likely hit the floor.
A significant portion of those Outsiders were desperadoes whose own worlds had been destroyed. Even those who weren't were pawns of various Void powers; their personal fortunes were anything but shallow.
"Yes. Once you reach the Expansion Realm, find a large enough space to take inventory and appraise everything. These are all materials from outside this world—essentially non-renewable resources. Do not set a price hastily until you fully understand a material's value."
"Understood!"
Millian’s breathing grew heavy. she understood these principles, of course, but since I had gone out of my way to emphasize it, she knew she had to take it even more seriously.
After slowly digesting the news, Millian tentatively pulled out an inconspicuous belt. It was a storage item, but when she inspected the resources inside, she was stunned once again.
Resources were piled like mountains. Even if the exact value was hard to determine yet, the sheer volume was staggering. With such a massive "airdrop" of resources, she suddenly felt that her plans for the Expansion Realm could afford to be a bit more aggressive.
"I’ll leave the professional details to you. I won't micromanage," I said, dissolving the soundproofing spell.
These resources weren't essential to me. It was better to let Millian handle them. If I needed something later, and Millian’s team could resolve the hassle for me, then it was a win. After all, money makes the world go 'round.
Seeing that I was finished, Ming Xueming was the first to notice.
As a "follower" on this trip, she had to keep a close eye on my every move. In her world, intelligence work was paramount. Unfortunately, all she could see was the Teaching Assistant Xiao Han giving Millian something and offering a few instructions.
However, she also noticed other subtle movements. It seemed some people involved in intelligence work were watching them.
It was inevitable. After all, what they were about to do... was something others desperately wanted but couldn't achieve.
At the thought, a faint smile played on Ming Xueming’s lips. Suddenly, the price they had paid previously felt insignificant. Only one word came to mind: Worth it.
At that moment, I caught Ming Xueming’s gaze and gave her a symbolic smile. I wasn't surprised by her scrutiny. It wasn't just her; I could sense many others observing from the shadows. A quick glance was enough to tell who had sent them.
They were clearly getting anxious.
"By the way, Millian, what’s the status of the Jack-of-all-trades Club’s claim against our Baking House members for damaging their secret realm?" I asked casually.
"They originally wanted to push the issue, but in the last two days, their attitude has completely flipped. I suspect Ming Xueming’s side exerted some pressure to bury it," Millian replied.
"After all, in principle, that secret realm never belonged to the Jack-of-all-trades Club. It was a joint venture between the Witch Secret Realm Club and them, essentially developed under family orders. The Jack-of-all-trades Club doesn't want to lose their chance to enter the Expansion Realm just to spite us."
"So, the Witch Secret Realm Club will still try to hold us accountable?"
"Most likely. When Ming Xueming approached us, someone from the Witch Secret Realm Club came as well, but I didn't give them an opening. I only gave the chance to Ming Xueming."
For Millian, this was partly following my lead and partly a tactic to drive a wedge between the Jack-of-all-trades Club and the Witch Secret Realm Club. While it was a minor rift for now, once the riches of the Expansion Realm began to tempt them, that crack would only widen.
"But don't worry, Sister Xiao Han. If it's just the Witch Secret Realm Club, it's not a big deal. The pressure is much lighter than before. Even without me, Tan Han and the others won't let themselves be bullied," Millian added quickly.
However, after she finished, she noticed that my expression wasn't one of relief or indifference.
"Sister Xiao Han... are you... unhappy with how I handled it? Or..."
"Oh, no. I just think it’s a bit boring. Now I don't have a reason to blow up their secret realms anymore," I said, shaking my head at Millian’s cautious inquiry.
"Sister Xiao Han, do you mean... you wanted them to come looking for trouble unreasonably?"
"Mhm. My Ancient Remnant Ice Clone can't stay in that secret realm forever. It needs a legitimate way to appear in this world to stir up... ahem... well, you don't need to know about that part, Millian."
"I understand." Millian caught on instantly. Even if she didn't know the specifics, the slip of the word "stir up" was enough to trigger infinite speculation!
Stir up what?
An Academy War?
After all, Sister Xiao Han had told her that an Academy War would be starting soon. Now that she was laying the groundwork in the Expansion Realm, combined with the migration of the Glacial Throne Secret Realm...
Millian realized she was imagining things she almost didn't dare to contemplate!
"Alright then~"
I didn't bother to ask what exactly Millian "understood." I just knew she had filled in the blanks with a lot of mental gymnastics; her heart rate had spiked, and she was showing signs of aggressive excitement.
The reason I stopped chatting with Millian was that I finally saw that familiar figure!
"Sister Bai! Over here~" I called out. My tone was worlds apart from the one I had used with the others.
If I had previously seemed like a detached, high-level strategist, I now looked like an ordinary girl rushing into her girlfriend’s arms. The contrast was enough to leave several onlookers in shock.
"Sister Bai~ It’s time to go~"
"Did Xiao Han not prepare anything?" Sister Bai’s gaze swept over the group, though she didn't say much. As long as these people didn't turn into third wheels and interfere with her time with Xiao Han, she didn't care.
Still, looking at them... twenty or so people. It was quite a crowd.
However, Bai Yu knew that Xiao Han had a perfectly valid excuse. Xiao Han was going to set up a Dream State Soul Essence Preparation Workshop in the Expansion Realm. Dean Mei certainly wouldn't object, so what was wrong with bringing a few people along to help?
"Um... excuse me, but since we’re going to the Expansion Realm, why are we meeting here? Wouldn't it be more convenient to go directly to the Teleportation Hall?" Ming Xueming walked over.
She didn't dare address the Transcendent Mentor Bai Yu directly, so she spoke to Millian instead.
"The Teleportation Hall uses a permanent channel connecting the two worlds. For a group of only twenty, there’s no need to go through all that trouble. Mentor Bai Yu will personally open a temporary channel to take us there."
Millian had asked this question before and received that answer. In reality, bringing this many people was a "tacitly permitted" behavior; parading them through the official gates would be a bit too blatant. It was a matter of saving face.
It was like asking why a Transcendent Mentor doesn't file a formal application every time they leave the academy's curtain wall. They just leave. The academy isn't going to say anything.
Ming Xueming didn't press further. She realized her question had been a bit foolish.
Once the most important Witch had arrived, the group moved to a sparsely populated underground parking area. Bai Yu reached out and tore open a spatial rift that led directly to the Expansion Realm.
The connection between the Core World and the Expansion Realm was strong enough that even standard spatial teleportation could bridge it, but students were forbidden from entering privately.
"By the way... there are people watching us over there. Are you sure it’s okay? If they report us, even if we have connections, it could still be a nuisance, right?" Ming Xueming asked, trailing at the back of the group, still feeling uneasy.
"Why worry about that? If they want to report us, let them," Millian said dismissively, her confidence bordering on arrogance. "If a mentor actually bothers to investigate, they’ll find that this was personally authorized by the Academy Dean."
They had to report their departure, of course. Since they were mostly students, some had to notify their own mentors. In that regard, the special permit from Dean Mei Lind was enough to blind anyone!
A permit personally signed by the Dean was not something a student could forge.
With absolute confidence, the group of twenty vanished from the Witch Academy.