Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat!-Chapter 285: Rules of the Game
Ethan followed LongerThanLuffy down two streets.
They turned twice before ducking into a tavern, where they booked a private booth and stepped inside. Only then did LongerThanLuffy finally speak.
"How did you get to Carnage Fac—"
Ethan cut him off sharply. "Some things are under system surveillance. Don't say it out loud."
LongerThanLuffy blinked, confused. He didn't understand why Ethan was being so cautious.
But Ethan knew better—he'd seen firsthand what happened to those who underestimated the system's watchful eye, and he had no intention of repeating their mistakes.
Survivor Faction and Carnage Faction players couldn't share secrets between factions. And they definitely couldn't trade. If the system flagged a cross-faction transaction, you'd be wiped back to Level Zero on the spot.
Your EXP gains would tank, chat functions would be locked, trades completely frozen, and your city reputation would be nuked into the negatives so hard you'd never recover.
In other words—your account would be bricked. And you couldn't even delete it and start over.
In his past life, Ethan had seen it happen. A Survivor Faction player sold a ring to a Carnage Faction member.
Both players were instantly reset to Level Zero, their EXP gains were slashed by fifty percent. Every system function was disabled for 365 days—no talking, no party invites, no trading, no guilds…
The punishment was brutal—designed not just to penalize, but to humiliate and isolate you from the rest of the game's community.
LongerThanLuffy might not get the whole system surveillance thing, but he wasn't stupid. He knew some lines couldn't be crossed—or even mentioned—between factions.
So he switched gears. "Where are you now? Made it to Silverwood territory yet?"
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Who the hell are you?"
The man grinned. "Name's Emery Shaw."
When Ethan's frown deepened, he chuckled and added, "Probably doesn't ring a bell. But…
You chased me from Ember City to the outskirts. And… nearly caved my skull in. That you remember."
Ethan's head snapped up.
He shot to his feet, glaring down at the man, voice low and dangerous. "You."
"Me." Emery leaned back, grinning. Nothing like the ragged mess Ethan had met before.
Back at The Den's entrance in Ember City, the guy had been wearing flip-flops, ratty red shorts, and no shirt.
The guy's bizarre getup had been impossible for Ethan to forget.
And now, seeing his in-game ID—LongerThanLuffy, paired with his real-life ability to stretch his limbs like some kind of rubber man… It reminded Ethan of an old cartoon he'd watched as a kid.
As the memories flickered through his mind, Emery leaned forward with a grin. frёeωebɳovel.com
"C'mon, no need to look at me like I'm about to stab you."
Ethan snorted. "Should I look at you like a friend instead?"
"We could be friends," Emery shot back, seizing the opening.
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
Oddly enough, he didn't sense any trace of hostility from the guy.
Then he remembered his old suspicion—that Emery had been rescued by Celeste back then.
Was he like her? Another plant?
But that wasn't something he could just ask. Not without risking Celeste's cover.
Emery watched Ethan's silence with amusement.
"Celeste told me you were sharp," he said finally. "Said if I ever ran into you, I could trust you.
Also said you'd never believe me, though…"
He trailed off, deliberately leaving space for Ethan to bite.
Ethan didn't take the bait. Just stared, unblinking.
Emery sighed, equal parts frustrated and impressed.
"Yeah, she wasn't wrong. You're a brick wall."
He rubbed his neck. "Alright, fine. She gave me two things to say—proof you'd actually listen."
"First: 'A duel's a duel. No holding back.'"
Ethan's eyebrow twitched.
That phrase—whispered in his ear during a sparring session—had been between him and Celeste alone.
Emery smirked at his reaction and kept going.
"Second: You beat the hell out of her on the road back to Ember City, In that Predator Beast X of yours. Just the three Military guys and Lyla in the car.
First hit was a kick to her right cheek. Then you punched her left tit so hard it swelled up for days—
Ethan held up a hand. "Enough.
He believed him now.
Those details? No faction spy could've dug them up. And as for that sparring phrase… Celeste would've had to say it herself. Otherwise, there was no way anyone else could've known.
And what happened inside that Predator Beast X—Ethan losing control and beating Celeste? The people present would never betray her.
If Leo, Victor, or Williams had sold Celeste out, her cover would've been blown long ago.
And besides…
The fact that her left breast had swollen up as a result of his punch, only two people knew about that: Ethan and Celeste.
Not even Lyla was aware.
"Alright… enough," Ethan cut in, his expression twisting. He hadn't expected Celeste to share that detail with Emery.
'She must've been desperate for me to trust him.'
"How is she?" Ethan asked, unable to keep the edge from his voice.
Despite everything—the schemes, the mind games, he still worried about her.
Most of her actions back then had been the result of Dissenters' brainwashing, warping her into something she wasn't.
At the question, Emery's face darkened.
"She's…" He shook his head. "Under internal review. Officially, she's Doe possessing Celeste's body. Only we know Doe is dead. That she's still herself."
Ethan frowned. "Then why the hell does she need 'reviewing'?"
Emery's jaw tightened. "'Review' is just a nice word for torture. Tests. Experiments. The shit they're putting her through—"
A flicker of genuine fear passed through his eyes.
Ethan didn't need details. The look said enough.
Emery exhaled sharply, shaking off the thought. "Forget it. That's not why I'm here."
"I went to Harmony City last week, and I was supposed to meet you. Staked out your place for days. But you never showed. Heard you left town.
I Figured you'd already started moving, so I came back. You're at Silverwood hidden territory now, right?"
Ethan gave a single nod.
