"You..."

BANG!

Before the man could even finish his sentence, countless bits of machinery went flying. Shattered alloys and components burst in every direction.

In one moment, the man had completed his full-body Mechanical Armament.

In the next, Lu Cang had pierced straight through it.

"I think it’s safe to say you’re not stronger than me."

A wild smile spread across Lu Cang’s face.

This was Future Preview.

’Finally, I don’t have to worry about this or that. I can finally use my full strength as I please, do whatever I want.’

BOOM!

In a flash, Lu Cang had grabbed him with one hand!

Just as he had done with Mokri, he lifted Teng Gai into the air by his throat.

"Who... are... you?"

"Don’t ask such meaningless questions, O King of Tengge."

Teng Gai: "Why do you want to know about... this matter..."

"Why?"

"Haha, good question!"

"I was waiting for you to ask me that!"

"The reason I’m doing this is, of course... because it was on the way."

Lu Cang’s voice was filled with excitement and glee. "I was on my way to Tengge for a bit of tourism, you see. I wanted to experience your local culture, and then I remembered this little thing, so I figured I’d take care of it."

"After all, you can’t just wander around when you’re playing a game, right? You need a main quest, at the very least."

Lu Cang seemed to be spouting complete nonsense.

Hearing his answer, Teng Gai was utterly baffled... ’What in the world is this guy talking about?’

But Lu Cang was filled with delight.

Under the effects of Future Preview, he could finally say all these things.

He could chat freely with his enemy without fear of being killed in a counterattack. He could tell the enemy his thoughts and plans without worrying about retaliation.

A feeling of catharsis washed over Lu Cang.

After getting that off his chest, Lu Cang spoke in a relaxed tone, "Alright, talk. Tell me everything you know about the Doomsday."

"And I might just let you live."

Dangling in mid-air, Teng Gai strained his neck and said, "You think I actually believe you’ll let me go!"

A relaxed smile appeared on Lu Cang’s face. "If you don’t believe me, I can make a deadly oath. If you die within seven days of telling me these secrets, I will drop dead myself within 24 hours of your death. I can form a Life and Death Contract with you. How about it?"

"You..."

The King was stunned into silence by Lu Cang’s promise.

Lu Cang held all the cards right now. He could end his life at any moment. Even if he wanted to extract information, there were other methods he could use.

There was no need to make such a lethal vow.

He could even turn this oath against him.

If he killed himself within seven days of revealing the secret, Lu Cang would die along with him.

’He’s a madman.’

The King gripped Lu Cang’s hand. "COUGH, COUGH... F-Fine."

"If you have that kind of conviction... I can tell you!"

"Just let me down first!"

Lu Cang released his grip, and the King dropped to the floor.

He was a man with deep-set, chiseled features, as if carved from stone. He reached up and straightened his neck.

A Mechanician’s body isn’t actually that weak. In fact, due to the physical demands of building and controlling machinery, they are often physically stronger than Mages.

But compared to Lu Cang’s strength, his "not-so-weak" body could only be described with one word: pathetic.

"First, let’s... let’s make the contract!"

The King held a hand out toward Lu Cang in a halting gesture.

"No problem."

Lu Cang clenched his fist, and a sheet of Contract Paper materialized.

At the same time, a liquid substance flowed out from under his feet, gradually forming a Ritual Array used for forging a Life and Death Contract.

Words seared themselves onto the Contract Paper.

"There..."

The King snatched the Contract Paper and examined it, word by word.

But... he couldn’t find a single loophole.

It was exactly as Lu Cang had said. If he died within seven days, Lu Cang would die too.

No matter how he died...

’This man really must be insane.’

’But it’s also possible he’s a Death Warrior sent by some faction, one who must complete his mission by any means necessary.’

’But could a Death Warrior be this strong?’

’So strong that even a Level 6 Mechanician like me couldn’t resist him in the slightest.’

’The man must be at least Level 7.’

"Fine, I’ll form the contract with you."

As a Light flared, the Ritual caused the Contract Paper to turn into blood-red ash, which then merged into their bodies. Once the Ritual was complete, the contract was forged within them.

"It’s less that we predicted a doomsday..."

"...and more that this place was already doomed to destruction."

Lu Cang’s voice was cold. "Doomed to destruction? And how would you know that?"

"Heh heh, for that, I must mention the Mechanician who came to visit our kingdom over a hundred years ago."

"That Level 7 Mechanician?" Lu Cang asked.

"That’s right. It was Lord Rien."

"He told me of a coming destruction. And it wasn’t just the destruction of Lorren... but the destruction of the entire Secret Sea."

Hearing this, Lu Cang froze. "The entire... Secret Sea?"

’Isn’t that Range getting a little too big?’

’At first, I thought it was just Lorren facing disaster, but then I found out the entire Secret Sand Archipelago would be affected.’

’So I followed the trail of this prophecy all the way to Tengge.’

’And now you’re telling me the entire Secret Sea is going to be wiped out?’

’Damn, if I keep investigating, is someone going to tell me the whole world is ending?’

’Is this some kind of joke?’

"Ha, I didn’t believe it at first either."

"Not until he placed the Secret Scroll of the Doomsday Prophet, along with the prophecy of the Doomsday itself, into my hands."