Chen Tian nodded casually, acknowledging Kang's greeting. He didn't even move, just stood there, and casually waved his right hand.
Whoosh!
A single-seater sofa with an antique design, like it was pulled by an invisible rope, glided swiftly behind him.
Chen Tian lazily sat down, crossing his legs, as if he were in his own living room.
He casually pointed his thumb at Johnny, who was behind him, still bewildered and looking around in awe, and said in a flat tone, as if giving an order to a waiter:
"Send him back."
Kang the Conqueror (that was him) raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on Johnny, with a curiosity like someone examining an antique.
"Oh? This... burning fellow?" He stroked his smooth chin, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Alright."
He stood up and agilely walked around the massive desk.
He didn't immediately operate any instruments; instead, he rummaged through the pile of clutter on the desktop, which looked like a disaster zone. Files, gears, and unidentified metal objects were pushed aside by him, making clinking and clanking sounds.
"Ha! Found it!" Kang, like a child who had discovered treasure, happily pulled out a rather old-fashioned tablet from a hidden drawer under the desk; it was still covered in some dust.
He blew off the dust, weighed it in his hand with satisfaction, "Old friend, it's been a long time since I used you."
Then, he turned his head and carefully scrutinized Johnny again, as if confirming some code.
Next, he plunged into the ocean of bookshelves nearby, his tall figure almost submerged by the heavy tomes, with only the rustling sound of turning pages audible.
After a while, he emerged holding a tome so thick it could be used as a weapon, and, comparing the symbols and diagrams on it, he carefully input some coordinates onto the old tablet.
Buzz!
A familiar orange-yellow rectangular portal silently opened in the center of the room, its frame flowing with stable energy.
Kang clapped his hands cheerfully, as if he had completed a trivial task: "Done!"
Johnny looked at the door, then at Chen Tian, who was calmly sitting on the sofa, and then at Kang, who had a proper smile that hinted at endless mystery. His face was filled with the hesitation of "Is this really reliable?"
He pointed to the portal, his throat a bit dry: "Uh, this... are you sure it leads to my World? Not some... time trap or monster cafeteria?"
Chen Tian didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, still staring at his clean fingernails, as if the secrets of the Universe were inscribed on them.
He waved his hand casually, a hint of impatience in his voice:
"Go ahead. He wouldn't be bored enough to play tricks on a 'little thing' like you, who in his eyes is equivalent to... well... a speck of dust, or a roadside ant. It's a waste of time."
Johnny instantly turned to stone!
"(⊙_⊙)?!" His entire body leaned back exaggeratedly, his features scrunched up, his eyebrows twisted into a knot—a perfect replication of the classic "old man looking at phone on subway" meme!
Ant? Dust? A roadside ant?!
Johnny roared furiously inside, I! Johnny! The star of the Fantastic Four! The coolest superhero in the Fantastic Four! In the eyes of these two big shots... I'm just a damn ant?!
A strong sense of shame and indignation welled up in his heart, but the next second, as he recalled Chen Tian giving Ellios a "middle part" with one punch, and this very unusual looking Kang in front of him...
That shame and indignation instantly vanished.
His mouth twitched twice, and he finally slumped his shoulders in resignation, the flames on his shoulders dimming a bit.
"Alright..." Johnny mumbled dejectedly, "In front of you two... I guess I really am just an ant..."
He hung his head, not daring to look at Chen Tian and Kang again, fearing he might hear an even more cutting remark. He quickly swooped down, transforming into a flash of Fire, and "whoosh" he darted into the orange-yellow portal, disappearing from sight.
Within the vast circular library, only Chen Tian and Kang remained.
A silent, tranquil atmosphere permeated the air.
Chen Tian remained lazily slumped in the sofa, seemingly indifferent to everything around him.
Kang, on the other hand, watched him with interest, the gentle smile at the corner of his mouth seeming to deepen slightly, and the gaze behind his glasses became profound and unfathomable.
Chen Tian casually waved his hand, and the plate of cookies on a distant table seemed to be lifted by an invisible hand, floating steadily in front of him.
He picked up a piece, took a bite with a crunch, his actions so natural as if this truly were his territory.
Crunch.
The crisp sound of Chen Tian biting the cookie was exceptionally clear.
The gentle smile on Kang's face deepened further, and he put down his teacup: "In all this time, you are the first to know that my dwelling is within Ellios."
Chen Tian raised his chin, swallowing the cookie: "I am the first, but not the last."
Kang's eyes suddenly lit up!
He ripped off his glasses, walked quickly to Chen Tian, and sat directly on the edge of the large desk, leaning slightly forward, with undisguised excitement: "How did you know?" His voice was filled with pure curiosity.
Chen Tian didn't answer, picking up another cookie, his gaze casually sweeping over the various machines and ancient books around him.
Kang pressed on: "Do you know anything else?"
Chen Tian finally looked up at the Black man close by, his tone flat: "Hmm. You shouldn't be the real 'Kang the Conqueror.'"
"Ha!" Kang slapped his thigh suddenly, as excited as a child who had guessed a riddle. "Indeed! What those high-level gods said about you being an outsider was absolutely right!" He leaned his head forward curiously, "Tell me, how did you figure it out?"
Chen Tian raised an eyebrow:
"Simple. The TVA never came to my World. Not until that 'Paradox' under you, who was desperate for a promotion, went and caught Deadpool for performance metrics." He paused, a hint of mockery at the corner of his mouth,
"At first, I just felt something was off. Then I thought, if it really were that ambitious 'Kang the Conqueror' who boasted about conquering all timelines, an existence like me would definitely be his biggest thorn in the eye, a thorn in his flesh."
"And what happened?" Chen Tian scoffed, "I wiped out the Eye Demon in my World, that was big enough a commotion, right? The TVA only 'arrived late.' What's even more ridiculous is that I crushed Paradox, this department head, and the entire TVA security team didn't even dare to fart!"
He looked into Kang's eyes, his conclusion clear:
"What does this show? It shows that the so-called 'Kang the Conqueror' is afraid of me! He simply doesn't dare to provoke me!"
Chen Tian leaned back slightly in the sofa, his posture relaxed, but his words were like knives:
"And you..." He looked Kang up and down, his gaze sharp, "You face me with not a shred of fear in your eyes, only curiosity and inquiry. You are not that tyrant at all."
"So," Chen Tian gave his final judgment, "you are merely a... 'substitute' he left here."
The smile on Kang's face froze for a moment.
Immediately, it wasn't anger, but an even stronger, purer desire for knowledge that burned in his eyes!
He stared intently at Chen Tian, as if to dig out the secrets deep within his soul, his gaze, thirsting for knowledge!
Kang was so excited his body trembled slightly, his eyes shining terrifyingly: "Then, can you tell me, who, exactly, are you?"
Chen Tian snuggled deeper into the sofa, his voice a bit lazy: "Me? Arbitrators, Adjudicator, leader of the Red Room, Chen Tian. You probably know all this."
Kang shook his head repeatedly, like a student chasing after a teacher with questions: "No, no, no! I'm curious about you yourself! And your companions!"
He eagerly pointed to the vast sea of books around them, "I've searched through the timelines of the infinite multiverse, every corner! You're not there! And there's no trace of your companions either! Not a single shred! You're like... variables that appeared out of thin air!"
Chen Tian yawned, his finger moving casually, and another cookie from the plate on the table floated over: "Hmm. In the Ancient One's words, I am I, the only one."
Kang took a deep breath, his thirst for knowledge almost overflowing, and he still wanted to dig deeper: "But..."
Chen Tian's palm, resting on the armrest of the sofa, lifted slightly. A simple gesture, yet it carried an undeniable authority, instantly interrupting Kang's chatter.
"No need to ask so much." Chen Tian's voice was flat, "I came here for only one thing."
He looked up, his gaze like a tangible needle, piercing Kang:
"'Kang the Conqueror'... where is he?"
Kang was momentarily stunned by his gaze, the excitement on his face fading, his brows deeply furrowed.
He was silent for a few seconds, then slowly shook his head: "I don't know." He spread his hands, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and... vigilance, "There are countless Kangs, spread throughout infinite realities. But there is only one Kang the Conqueror. He... can arbitrarily control, replace, or even erase any one of 'me.' He is everywhere, yet nowhere to be found."
Chen Tian nodded, shifting into a more comfortable position, "Understood. So, the meaning is, kill all the 'Kangs.' The one who survives will naturally be him?"
Kang's body tensed imperceptibly for a moment, then relaxed, a peculiar smile appearing on his face, like mockery, "Theoretically, yes. But—" He deliberately drew out his words, "You can't do it."
Chen Tian raised an eyebrow, finally showing a hint of interest in his eyes: "Oh?"
Kang pointed to the boundless bookshelves around them, each symbolizing a vast timeline: "Do you know what the infinite multiverse means? It means infinite possibilities, infinite parallel realities! Therefore, the number of Kangs..."
He paused, then emphasized, "It's also infinite! How can you kill all of its infinite clones?"
He stared intently into Chen Tian's eyes, trying to catch a hint of wavering: "Unless..."
Chen Tian's body, leaning back on the sofa, remained motionless, but a knowing, even playful, curve appeared at the corner of his mouth as he spoke the forbidden word for Kang:
"Unless... you take that position that controls the source of all stories?"
His gaze swept over Kang, his tone as calm as if he were discussing a trivial matter:
"Take the throne of the 'God of Stories'? Omniscient and omnipotent, creating and destroying with a single thought?"
In that instant!
The entire vast circular library fell into a deathly silence.
The air seemed to solidify into heavy lead.
The smile on Kang's face completely froze, his pupils suddenly constricted, and his hands, resting on his knees, unconsciously clenched into fists.
The look in his eyes towards Chen Tian was no longer curiosity and scrutiny, but endless shock!
"You..." Kang's voice was dry and hoarse, trembling with disbelief, "You actually... know even this taboo?!"
Chen Tian didn't speak.
But his gaze from behind his eye patch was like a cold probe, piercing deep into Kang's nerves!
That invisible pressure made Kang's breathing momentarily stagnant.
Kang took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the churning horror, his throat dry: "...Yes, that is indeed a method. But the 'method' I spoke of is not it." He stiffly raised a hand and pointed at the ceiling.
Chen Tian: "Oh?" His voice betrayed no emotion.
"You know a lot," Kang's speaking speed quickened, with a hint of urgency, "Then you should also know, you are not the only 'unique' one! High-level Gods are also unique! The Five Great Creation Gods, the Living Tribunal, and... above them, the Beyonder! And... above the One (OAA)!"
Chen Tian's brow beneath his eye patch moved almost imperceptibly: "OAA?"
Kang nodded heavily: "Yes. If you can persuade Him, He only needs a single thought to completely erase the concept of 'Kang the Conqueror'! Restarting? That's a minor matter!" He gave a bitter laugh, his tone filled with deep powerlessness, "But it's useless. OAA does not actively appear, and no one can find Him! He simply won't bother with such 'minor matters'."
Chen Tian pondered briefly: "Why don't you mention the Beyonder? He should also be able to do it."
"The Beyonder? Hahahaha..." Kang's laughter suddenly rang out, carrying an indescribable strangeness and... schadenfreude?
"He can certainly do it! Easily! But that existence—" Kang's smile abruptly vanished, his eyes fixed on Chen Tian, enunciating each word, "—only! Does! It! On! A! Whim!"
He leaned slightly forward, his voice lowered, but like a thunderclap:
"Do you think your appearance—a living 'variable' that doesn't belong to any established story!! A madman who doesn't even care about the Five Great Creation Gods..."
That Beyonder, who seeks novelty and excitement, and fears nothing more than peace, would he be... thrilled! to meet you?!"
Boom!
Chen Tian suddenly sprang from the sofa! The force of his rise caused the sofa to slide back half a meter!
An invisible, violent aura instantly exploded!
The air in the entire library seemed to distort!
"What did you say?!" Chen Tian's voice was like shattering ice, "The Beyonder... is eyeing me?!"
Kang completely relaxed, even leaning back, spreading his hands, his face resuming that calm, slightly mocking smile of one who sees all:
"Kang the Conqueror is never foolish." He stared at Chen Tian, slowly adding, "You... understand what I mean."
The library was dead silent.
Chen Tian didn't speak.
His gaze from behind his eye patch was cold, piercing the air, fixed firmly on Kang's face. That invisible pressure made Kang's throat constrict, his breathing momentarily stopping.
Kang's provocation, he understood it. Did Kang the Conqueror want to use someone else to kill him? Or did he want to see how he would deal with the Beyonder, a greater problem?
Thoughts flashed through Chen Tian's mind.
The Beyonder... that madman.
Strength? In a direct fight, he could effortlessly flatten a multiverse, truly troublesome.
But personality?
Chen Tian instantly recalled the comics he had read before he transmigrated. This guy was the ultimate prankster!
When righteous, he shone brightly; when evil, he had no bottom line. The most crucial thing was... he loved to play!
He wouldn't personally step in and fight Chen Tian to the death.
That would be too boring.
What did the Beyonder love to do most?
Secret Wars!
Catching heroes and villains from countless Universes, locking them in a battlefield like fighting crickets, watching them kill each other—that was the Beyonder's twisted pleasure!
And he himself would often take on a seemingly fragile human form, hiding in the shadows, enjoying this "grand show" directed by him. At that time, his... physical body was as fragile as paper.
Having figured out the key, the explosive aura around Chen Tian suddenly dissipated.
He didn't even change his posture, as if the sudden outburst was just an illusion.
"Hmph."
A soft hum of unclear meaning.
Chen Tian's body relaxed, and he sat back down in the single sofa. His movements were fluid and natural, as if the sudden outburst was just a stretch.
He crossed his legs, his posture even more languid than before.
"Got it." Chen Tian's voice returned to that irritatingly bland tone, "The old guy wants to see me made a fool of."
His fingers unconsciously tapped the armrest of the sofa.
"Kang the Conqueror..." Chen Tian paused, his tone revealing undisguised annoyance, "He's lucky."
He looked up, his gaze sweeping over Kang's face, which was filled with complex emotions:
"That bastard who loves to watch shows... has a higher priority."
Chen Tian's words had not yet faded.
"Whoa, whoa~" A youth's voice, utterly frivolous, suddenly exploded in the dead silence, carrying undisguised mockery, "I've become Chen Tian's higher priority? What, are you going to kill me?"
Chen Tian and Kang's gazes instantly locked onto the source of the sound!
In the corner of the room, a black-haired White youth wearing a White jacket and White jeans just appeared out of thin air, as if he had been standing there all along.
He wore an evil, cynical smile on his face, and with light steps, walked directly towards Chen Tian.
"Tsk tsk tsk," the youth tilted his head, staring at Chen Tian, his eyes like he was appraising an interesting toy, "So this is Chen Tian, who scared Death Woman into running everywhere, and even made that coward Kang the Conqueror secretly 'submit his resume' to me?"
He stopped a few steps away, shrugging exaggeratedly and spreading his hands, "Not much, really."
Chen Tian extended a finger and casually lifted a corner of his right eye patch.
His azure blue pupil was exposed to the air, and wherever his gaze fell, space emitted a groan of unbearable strain!
That gaze, directly fixed on the White-jacketed youth!
"A projection?" Chen Tian's voice scraped like ice shards, "Doesn't your true body dare to come?"
"Ha—!!!"
The Beyonder's projection's eyes widened sharply, his mouth stretched exaggeratedly to his ears, his smile twisted and excited!
"Good! Good!" He clapped his hands, as if watching the most spectacular performance, "Seeing through the essence with a single glance! This energy perception... truly exhilarating!"
He licked his lips, revealing his stark White teeth, his voice filled with extreme malice and excitement:
"True body? Hehehe..."
"As for the true body... of course, it's gone to prepare a 'grand gift' for you and your lovely Arbitrators companions!"
Boom!
Chen Tian suddenly stood up! His movements were as fast as tearing space!
The light in the entire library seemed to collapse towards him!
"Gone to my World?" Chen Tian's voice was low, every word like a heavy hammer striking Kang's heart.
"Bingo!" The Beyonder's projection snapped his fingers, crossed his arms over his chest, and arrogantly lifted his chin, his eyes flashing with destructive, playful light, "You guessed right!"
"Get ready, Chen Tian!" His voice rose, like a declaration, "This time..."
"It's not those little tricks of superheroes fighting villains that I used to play!"
"But..."
"Your Arbitrators..."
"Versus..."
"...The entire! Multiverse! Of Villains!!!" Each word exploded like thunder!
"Pfft—!!!"
Chen Tian was expressionless, and facing the direction of the projection, he clenched his palm in the air!
The Beyonder's projection, along with his excited and twisted smile, was instantly crushed by an invisible, absolute power!
Turning into the finest quantum dust, without even a ripple!
As if it had never appeared!
Chen Tian retracted his hand, his eye patch falling, covering that azure blue pupil.
He didn't even bother to say another word of nonsense.
He turned.
His right hand, facing the void ahead, fingers like hooks, suddenly tore!
Screech—!!!
The incredibly tough space barrier of the library, strong enough to withstand spacetime turbulence, was forcefully torn open like ragged cloth, revealing a huge, hideous, pitch-Black gap with chaotic energy flowing from its edges!
A furious spacetime storm roared out from within!
Chen Tian stepped into the rift, his figure disappearing into the twisted darkness and storm.
Only a final cold sentence remained, echoing in the silent library, like the whisper of the God of Death:
"Wait."
"Until I find you."
"And crush your true body."
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)