I've Become the King of Villains in the Game

Chen Lun interpreted the premonitions of the cards based on the feedback from the Divination.

"Divination isn't a hundred percent prediction of fate, it merely glimpses into a corner of the future, so you two shouldn't take it as absolute," Chen Lun said softly as he set down the cards.

Lang Bo and Hawkins exchanged glances, a mix of joy and worry evident on their faces.

The words of Mr. Jack had been quite clear: their future was to be a happy one, but the separation after thirty-three years... that might suggest death.

For only death could part them.

What worried them was that their beloved dog, Frida, would die in the seventh week of next autumn... meaning it had less than ten months to live.

"Mr. Jack, about Frida... can you help her? I can offer you more payment," Hawkins asked nervously, pulling the Springer Spaniel, who had been lying at Mr. Jack's feet, back into his arms and looking up.

When he heard the word "payment," Chen Lun felt a touch of pleasure, inexplicably lifting his spirits.

He attributed this sudden joy to his willingness to help others.

'Change the fate of a dog...?' Chen Lun thought.

According to the Divination, he had glimpsed into the future of the Springer Spaniel; it was not to die a natural death but was to succumb to an accident.

An intuition told him that if he could alter the dog's destiny, there might be some unexpected benefits.

"Frida... yes, her death is related to construction, renovation, and tiles. When the time comes, you could try to keep her away from such settings, away from similar objects. Perhaps that way, her outcome could change," Chen Lun said, his eyes swirling with mists as he looked at the conspicuous red diamond on the table.

Upon hearing this, Lang Bo and Hawkins were stunned.

They immediately remembered the discussion from the previous night—they had planned to sell Hawkins' apartment next summer, renovate Lang Bo's apartment, and live there for a while.

Could it be... if they really went through with it, Frida might die in an accident during the renovations?

Lang Bo and Hawkins exhaled deeply, their hearts still thumping with residual fear.

"Mr. Jack, thank you very much for your advice... we understand," Mr. Lang Bo said gravely, glancing at Hawkins.

"When we renovate, we must take good care of Frida, perhaps we can settle her in another property."

"Oh Lang Bo, why don't we just sell both apartments here and move somewhere else?" Hawkins suggested, stroking his dog's fur.

Lang Bo paused, then nodded with a smile.

"Good idea, let's do that," he agreed.

Chen Lun raised his tea cup and drained the last gulp of fruit tea, pausing with his fingers slightly.

[You peeked and influenced the fate of Hawkins' dog "Frida," fully utilizing the powers of "Beast Tamer" and "Diviner." Your understanding of fate deepens, earning 1000 Experience Points, 2 Skill Points, and 1 Attribute Point!]

Chen Lun set down his tea cup, somewhat startled.

'Is this the reward for delving deeper into my supernatural powers...?' he pondered.

The forum had only a few posts of this kind, indicating that such situations were extremely rare among the player community. Thus, he had concluded that it would be quite difficult for players to advance in this manner. Players were accustomed to the substantial rewards from completing missions, and few would be satisfied with this kind of slow, "self-cultivating" leveling.

It required a lot of time and effort, not to mention an in-depth study of one's own faction, current Sequence, and mysterious connections to gain insights that could trigger such rewards.

The conditions were far too stringent.

This seemed to be a unique path of advancement for the NPCs in the game, unrelated to them as players.

'The native inhabitants of this world find it extremely challenging to advance in the Mystic Realm, relying on mysterious accumulation—knowledge, combat, and insights, and the indispensable corresponding Sequence Mysterious Substance.

Each of these is an extremely precious treasure.'

Chen Lun thought, feeling somewhat emotional.

'In contrast, players cover most of their mysterious accumulation with experience points, which simplifies the process tremendously... as long as they meet the specific conditions and have the prerequisite knowledge, they can advance.'

But perhaps it is for this reason that the NPCs with supernatural abilities in this world, who have undergone numerous trials and advanced step by step, are much stronger than the average player.

Those who can become Mid Sequence and even ascend to High Sequence, to some extent, could be considered "protagonists." Whether in terms of strength, intellect, strategy, or fate, they are top-notch.

The advancement of Sequences becomes progressively more difficult.

Especially the transitions between each level, from Low Sequence to Mid Sequence, from Mid Sequence to High Sequence...

When in Low Sequence, possessing mysterious knowledge and sufficient accumulation is enough to advance.

But once aiming for a breakthrough to Mid Sequence, a supernatural transformation, besides the prerequisites of knowledge and accumulation, one also needs the corresponding Mysterious Substance and a specific ritual.

This kind of ritual, for the player community, is akin to a "class-change quest."

'My Experience Points just reached 100k, Skill Points are a bit surplus at 24, but there are currently no skills to upgrade, so I'll save them... I have 7 Attribute Points, I'll use them all.'

Chen Lun thought and evenly distributed the Attribute Points between Endurance and Intelligence, bringing both to 36 points.

One step closer to being a Hexagon Barrel Warrior!

Klang...!

At that moment, a faint sound of hammering on the iron gate came from outside the courtyard.

Mr. Lang Bo quickly stood up, went to the wall where a fixed intercom was hanging, and pressed the button.

Shh...

"Hello, may I speak to Mr. Hawkins? He's not at home, and someone sent me to find him here... I am Noah, here to complete the portrait commission for Mr. Hawkins,"

Noah's voice came through the intercom, and Chen Lun smiled faintly.

"Oh yes, I'm Hawkins, my apologies... Mr. Noah, please come in,"

Hawkins approached Lang Bo and spoke apologetically.
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Subsequently, he and Lang Bo went out together and brought Noah inside.

"Hey, Mr. Jack."

Noah bowed and squeezed through the door into the living room, scratching his head as he greeted Chen Lun.

The hound Frida barked furiously at this "giant," only to be silenced by Hawkins.

"I calculated the exact time you would arrive."

Chen Lun said with a smile.

"You really have a firm grasp on destiny..."

Noah set down his tool bag, brushed the snowflakes off his shoulder, and chuckled.

Lang Bo and Hawkins strongly agreed with this statement.

"It's just a simple deduction of the time it takes to walk from next door to here."

Chen Lun shrugged.

Everyone laughed.

"Do you two know each other?"

Lang Bo asked.

"Oh, yes, Mr. Lang Bo... We are members of the same team, you can continue to reach out to us for commissions."

Chen Lun took the opportunity to produce two business cards and handed them over.

Mr. Lang Bo looked at them and read, "Circus Comprehensive Office," with a subtitle indicating they accept various commissions such as painting, divination, beast taming, and providing security and escort services, among others.

"Since you are gentlemen from the same office, your skills must be very advanced... We have already witnessed Mr. Jack's divination skills, which are truly breathtaking!"

Hawkins complimented Noah while examining the business card.

He initially intended to commission a portrait of himself, but now he suddenly changed his mind.

"Mr. Noah, I would like to alter the commission, naturally, the commission fee will also be increased accordingly," Hawkins said.

He grasped Lang Bo's arm and patted Frida's head, smiling at Noah:

"Please help us paint a family oil portrait together, thank you."

"No problem, Mr. Hawkins."

Noah skillfully unzipped his tool bag, took out the easel, set it up, and covered it with canvas.

Hawkins and Lang Bo sat in front, leaning closely together, with the hound Frida obediently crouching between them.

Yet its eyes occasionally glanced over at Chen Lun, uncontrollably drawn to him.

"Mr. Noah, could you possibly make me look a bit... well, a bit more handsome in the creation?"

Hawkins was a bit embarrassed, chuckling a few times.

Noah seemed surprised but still nodded earnestly.

"Of course."

"Thank you."

Hawkins breathed a sigh of relief, flashing a brilliant smile.

Chen Lun glanced at them and sighed inwardly.

If Hawkins could become a Transcendent of the Constellation Faction, it seemed many issues could be resolved, but that was hardly realistic.

Setting aside the certain threshold required to enter the Mystic Realm, even if one truly became a Transcendent, advancing to "Sequence Six - Witch" would not be easy.

Furthermore, the Mystic Realm was fraught with dangers and filled with deceptions... Sometimes, being a mortal might be the best choice.

Chen Lun didn't stay there to disturb Noah's painting, silently leaving the living room for the corridor.

He noticed that the walls of the corridor were adorned with many paintings.

'Lang Bo and Hawkins are both influential people in the Inner City District, and they generally enjoy collecting such artworks…' Chen Lun thought.

As he walked, he admired these precious paintings under the ceiling lights.

Suddenly.

Chen Lun stopped in his tracks, his gaze captured by one of the paintings.

It was a long scroll oil painting, seemingly depicting a silent dinner.

Seven indistinct figures, men and women, were dining around a table.

Chen Lun stared at this painting, his expression one of astonishment as he silently read the name in the corner of the oil painting—

"Dinner of the Seven Gods"

The artist was Clarence.

Beneath the signature was a stamp, marked with the word "Copy."

'Clarence…'

The name was very familiar; Chen Lun instantly recalled what the Silver Dragon Witch, Your Majesty, had mentioned about understanding the deeds of "Clarence."

Was it this person who painted it?

The seven men and women depicted having dinner in the oil painting were clearly the Seven Righteous Gods…

In the center sat "Father of Flames," with "Moonlight Matriarch" scooping soup and "Radiant Queen" resting her chin in deep thought to either side, "Rose Lady" and "Mud Elder" conversing quietly on the left, and "Eternal Sleeper" asleep and "Mr. Jing Yao" silently drinking wine on the right.

'Why would such a painting on mysticism be in the home of mere mortals…?' Chen Lun frowned.

'And it's too dangerous, involving paintings of the Gods!'