Chapter 79: The Displaced (Part 1)

Even before deciding to sell the Jiulong Serum, Lu Yan had already predicted that, given the chaotic state of the Cyber version’s order, once the serum appeared, it would inevitably attract attention.

He had prepared multiple contingency plans for that outcome.

In the Cyber version, while ordinary Spirit Energy users had a unique edge in physical body enhancement, their spiritual defenses were extremely weak. Even Spirit Energy users only possessed slightly stronger souls than the average person.

With Lu Yan’s Tier-One Spell Compendium, he had access to a multitude of techniques like Mind Control and Illusions—more than enough to easily subdue Spirit Energy users, allowing him to operate discreetly and minimize risks.

But after today’s experience at the gladiatorial arena, Lu Yan’s thoughts began to shift.

As his cultivation rose, his spiritual perception constantly warned him of danger lurking in the Middle and Upper City.

In this insane version, if that unknown threat came from the Universal Conglomerate—or even worse, from the God of Intelligence—could hiding in the underground really ensure his safety?

The Universal Conglomerate held near-absolute control over this version. Unlike capitalists who still needed to extract labor, under the conglomerate’s regime, ordinary people didn’t even qualify as tools.

If they ever decided to act, they could wipe out the entire underground with ease. In the face of such overwhelming force, even hiding would be futile.

Faced with unpredictable crises, going on the offensive might not be wise—but passively hiding and waiting for the version update was an even worse choice.

Even if he survived this time, what about the next update? How would he handle the next threat?

Rather than sitting around waiting for death, it was better to use the Lower City factions to proactively gather information. If the environment shifted again, he’d have early warning.

And right in front of him, Shack was clearly the perfect candidate.

Shack’s skull, crushed hard against the metal floor, had torn apart the metal skin engraved with Spirit Energy codes. His facial features had been flattened, revealing distorted bone that gleamed with a metallic sheen beneath torn flesh.

Such an injury would’ve been fatal for most people. But for someone like Shack—who had undergone full-body Spirit Energy augmentation—it was only a minor wound.

His spine, ribs, and skull had long been replaced with Stellar Alloy during modification—a material with high Spirit Energy compatibility and extraordinary durability.

Unless that alloy could be broken, he was almost impossible to kill.

But more than the wounds, it was Lu Yan’s power that filled Shack with terror.

The sudden, overwhelming pressure of Spirit Energy descending out of nowhere—it felt no different than what Shack had seen from the Upper City elites.

Those beings might still look human on the surface, but their entire bodies had been rebuilt, making them nothing like true humans. They were inhuman constructs.

Lu Yan was the same. Shack couldn’t even see a Spirit Energy tattoo on him, yet Lu Yan’s effortless manipulation of Spirit Energy was enough to suppress him completely.

And then there was the Jiulong Power Serum, a priceless treasure.

All these signs combined into a single terrifying conclusion that surfaced in Shack’s mind—

“He’s an elite Spirit Energy user from the Upper City! Maybe even… a displaced one from another city!”

The Universal Conglomerate ruled over everything in the Cyber version, but they hadn’t always controlled every city from the start.

Before they gained dominance over Spirit Energy sources, the world had been filled with countless corporate factions, each vying to rule cities through brutal conflict.

Eventually, the Universal Conglomerate rose from that chaos, absorbing or destroying most of its rivals.

The executives of those defeated companies had two choices—integrate into the conglomerate and become part of the new order… or flee to other cities to survive in obscurity.

Even after seizing total power, the conglomerate’s internal departments continued to fight for dominance. Some rose to the top; others failed and were forced into exile.

Such individuals were known as Displaced—former high-level corporate executives who had lost their positions. These people often possessed power far beyond anything in the Lower City, along with unimaginable advanced technology.

Lu Yan’s behavior fit the profile of a Displaced perfectly.

That thought made Shack’s body tremble uncontrollably.

People from the Upper City had never seen the Lower City as their equals—especially those highly modified elite Spirit Energy users.

Shack had once witnessed one of them extract a person’s soul and toy with it like data.

They would inject a digitized soul into an AI brain, construct a perfect fantasy world, and then insert whatever scripts they liked.

—One soul might believe he had transmigrated to another world, endured hardships, and become a god-king… only to be defeated and humiliated by a goblin crossing realms. That’s when he’d realize he was nothing more than a hydrogen-based being, and his godhood was all an illusion.

—Another might believe he had become the greatest warlord of a nation, controlling an army of millions and a family that ruled the economy. Yet, when facing a simple peasant uprising, everything he built crumbled, and he lost it all.

—Or maybe one found himself in a culinary world, growing stronger by eating. He would defeat countless opponents to become world champion—only to take a bite and discover the entire world was just a giant cesspool, and the food was just freshly served feces. The culinary paradise? Just a fantasy before the stench woke him up.

Reality needed logic, but these AI-generated dream worlds did not.

Just imagining the horrific storylines those souls endured made Shack’s own spirit shudder.

In the hands of such people, death was the kindest possible ending.

With that in mind, Shack no longer dared resist.

“F-Forgive me… for offending you…” he said.

The broken voice came not from his mouth—his head was still embedded in the metal floor—but from his abdomen, his vocal systems hijacked just to beg for mercy.

“I’m willing to compensate you. I humbly beg for your forgiveness…”

Lu Yan gave Shack a curious glance.

He had a vague idea Shack was imagining something completely different from the truth—that was probably why he was so terrified.

But to Lu Yan, that wasn’t a bad thing.

He had never intended to kill Shack. That would only bring unnecessary trouble.

It was far more useful to suppress him with power and then bind him through the benefits of the Jiulong Serum.

Only then could he extract the most value.

Lu Yan slowly lifted his right foot from Shack’s skull and sat back down on the sofa. The overwhelming pressure of Mana Suppression dissipated.

Instantly, the suite echoed with agonized cries.

Shack’s subordinates hadn’t received alloy enhancements. Under that crushing pressure, most of them had shattered leg bones, the white marrow piercing through torn flesh—a truly grisly sight.

Shack had barely caught his breath when his face darkened, ready to bark orders—until he saw Lu Yan raise his right hand.

Snap!

A crisp finger snap echoed through the room. The invisible wave of Mind Control Magic swept silently across the entire suite.

In the next moment, all sounds vanished.

Shack’s subordinates, who had been groaning in pain, suddenly froze. Their eyes all locked on Lu Yan’s hand, their expressions blank and identical.

A chill stabbed through Shack’s heart.

Before he could even react, Lu Yan’s gaze lit up with divine brilliance—piercing straight into Shack’s soul.

And in that calm, unhurried voice, he spoke:

“Now… it’s time for you to show your value.”

(End of Chapter)