Doomsday Wonderland Vol. 14: Cloudwalk Heights [Complete]

1730: The Dreaming City Behind You

"This is a product of my ability."

A silver-white orb, about the size of a human head, spun around on Eight-Heads De's fingertip, like a pre-doomsday basketball trick. But between his finger and the orb, there was a thin sliver of air keeping them apart.

"I'm not afraid to be honest with you. These orbs are my personal message relays. My combat ability isn't great, but this power of mine is unique. Right now, I can produce seven of them. Once I make the eighth, I'll have to rename myself Nine-Heads De."

He lifted his finger slightly, and the orb floated upward, hovering above them. Through the thin bamboo curtains surrounding them, the shadows of Chimeric City's residents and the hurried shuffle of feet flickered in and out, the sunlight filtering through like scattered fragments, giving the space a gentle, rippling warmth.

Despite his fame, Eight-Heads De's home was as modest as the others, occupying just a narrow strip along the road. It was enclosed by walls on either side, with two large bamboo curtains hanging down to form the entrance. The place was simple, but sitting beside the flowing crowds, in the soft waves of light, it felt perfectly warm and peaceful.

Lin Sanjiu sat cross-legged on a thin rug, a cup of tea resting on the rough stone table before her. This Special Item, which refilled itself after being consumed, wasn't particularly rare in the Twelve Worlds Centrum. In the short time they'd been talking, two thirsty children had already come by to ask for a drink.

"I became a broadcaster out of interest and because I was born for it," Eight-Heads De explained. "The messages sent out by my seven heads can connect to any system that transmits signals and be relayed through it. So, even if I'm not a registered broadcaster on a system, you can still hear my show on, say, the Yellow Ear system."

Any communication system?

Lin Sanjiu's thoughts hadn't fully formed before Eight-Heads De anticipated them, clearly used to this question. "Yes, even the internal communication systems of passing ships will transmit my broadcasts. You used something called a cell phone in pre-doomsday society, right? If I want to, and if the signal reaches, my voice can come through everyone's phones."

Lin Sanjiu realized Eight-Heads De's ability to help her find someone was far beyond what she'd imagined. As long as Yu Yuan was near any signal transmission, he was practically within arm's reach. Only later did she notice that in her mind, the subject of that thought was Yu Yuan, not Ji Shanqing.

"Why don't you just register as a broadcaster on those systems?"

Eight-Heads De waved dismissively. "Too much hassle. Regular users are fine, but broadcasters need system approval for their content. If it doesn't meet their standards, you have to revise it until they're satisfied. This way, I piggyback off them, and they can't do anything about it. Now they've just accepted my existence."

"These orbs can also function as high-level broadcasting devices, capable of targeted transmission within a set range." Eight-Heads De chuckled, forming a fist and mouthing something silently. Instantly, from five or six houses away, his voice echoed faintly. "Old Ding, there's one more person for tonight's mission. Be ready."

With your eyes closed, it sounded exactly like Eight-Heads De himself was standing dozens of meters away.

"Tonight's mission?" Lin Sanjiu leaned forward, intrigued.

This must be why Eight-Heads De wanted to hire her. It seemed like it wasn't just a fight, but a full-on group brawl.

Eight-Heads De's smile faded. He raised his hand, and the silver orb stopped moving, its color dimming as if switched off.