"So powerful?"

Lin Yu felt slightly astonished as he listened to Sleepless Sky Huoxing's description.

No wonder Sleepless City's technology developed so rapidly, yet the status of the Peerage Nobility remained unshaken.

With such things passed down through the family, no matter how technology advanced, how powerful enhancement surgeries and various items became...

The Peerage Nobility always controlled the greatest force of violence in Sleepless City through the "Chosen Ones" and "Divine Artifacts."

Combined with those secret "alchemy" arts that served as the foundation for all technology, it was indeed enough to allow the rule of the Peerage Nobility to continue.

"Sounds terrifying, and it's actually not simple either," Sleepless Sky Huoxing said. "In my sister's hands, its effectiveness might be somewhat diminished, not as terrifying as when my mother uses it, but we still have to be careful—at least, we need to keep her far away when killing Alt Mercury."

"Otherwise, even if we succeed, she might just resurrect him."

"Can it resurrect people too?"

Lin Yu was shocked once more.

"Didn't I say? It can even 'store' the flow of time. In other words, she can achieve small-scale time reversal affecting a single individual," Sleepless Sky Huoxing explained. "Within a few seconds of death, she should be able to bring someone back." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Lin Yu nodded slightly.

That's actually not too bad then; we just need to control things for a few seconds.

This thing is probably still more powerful when used in combat.

It's just a pity that items of this level probably won't end up in the hands of Players.

"Thanks for the information. I'll have my people be careful."

As Lin Yu spoke, he mentally noted this information.

"Anyway," Sleepless Sky Huoxing suddenly said again, "Our interests are aligned now, and we've been pretty honest with each other. Can we consider ourselves friends?"

Lin Yu didn't know why Sleepless Sky Huoxing suddenly said this, but after a moment's hesitation, he nodded.

"I suppose so."

"Hey, great!" Sleepless Sky Huoxing revealed a brilliant smile. "You finally fell for it!"

"What?"

Lin Yu was taken aback.

"Once you admit we're friends, your corpse after you die can be controlled by me! That's my alchemy!"

Sleepless Sky Huoxing said with a sly, fox-like smile.

Lin Yu looked at Sleepless Sky Huoxing, then curled his lip.

"You're lying."

Sleepless Sky Huoxing was very surprised. "How could you tell?"

"I'm wearing the Mind-Peeping Eyepiece."

Lin Yu pointed to his own eyes.

Sleepless Sky Huoxing immediately restrained her emotions; in the view of the Mind-Peeping Eyepiece, her entire person seemed to turn into a block of wood. "You have this thing too?"

"Got lucky and acquired it before."

Lin Yu said vaguely.

After all, Furbollo indeed didn't have this item, but fortunately, he seemed to have many opportunities to obtain it.

However, as expected, this thing was just a mass-produced item. It might be fine in other worlds, but it wasn't very effective against the Superiors here in Sleepless City.

Everyone had corresponding countermeasures.

Of course, Lin Yu didn't rely entirely on this thing either.

Even if Sleepless Sky Huoxing completely suppressed her emotional energy from showing, Lin Yu still had his own micro-expression observation skills honed over many years of practice.

"You were happy to make a friend but felt a bit embarrassed to express that happiness, so you made this joke with me, right?"

When Sleepless Sky Huoxing heard Lin Yu's words, she pursed her lips.

"Darn it, Furbollo, you're really not a good guy... You're worse than a pink candle in a trash can that looks like a sausage!"

She stood up and clapped her hands. "But, I really am happy to make a friend—though, let's end our chat here for today."

"I need to return to the Sleepless Night Family. Any later, and the servants at home will notice I'm missing."

"You should also return to a conspicuous place on the surface. According to my analysis, it shouldn't be long before Huo Le sister revokes your wanted status and suspicion, then sends someone to pick you up."

Listening to Sleepless Sky Huoxing's words, Lin Yu felt a bit of curiosity.

"How are you going back?"

"Through the underground pipelines. These are pipelines used to transport various 'Great Wasteland cave gases'... Various metal-element gases and ancient sulfur gases from the caves are important catalysts and raw materials. There's a huge demand for them in various alchemy experiments, so this pipeline connects directly to the Great Wasteland on the outside and to the Inner City on the inside. It's very convenient and extremely secretive... though most people don't know about it."

"Of course, even if they knew, it would be hard to utilize."

Sleepless Sky Huoxing said.

"Why is it hard to utilize?"

Lin Yu couldn't help but ask.

"On one hand, every manhole cover has strict monitoring. Once moved, it triggers an alarm to prevent poor people and Great Wastelanders from stealing gas. The one you came in through had been removed by me."

"What about the other hand?"

Lin Yu asked again.

"On the other hand, it's not safe inside the pipeline either."

Lin Yu became somewhat solemn.

"What's unsafe about it?"

Could there be regular patrols of people or machines inside, or were the gases themselves harmful?

But Sleepless Sky Huoxing just pointed at herself.

"Because this pipeline has me in it—it's my exclusive passage for coming and going."

"Of course, I don't use it for free. If I encounter gas thieves, I deal with them along the way... Nowadays, in the eyes of those gang members and criminal groups, this pipeline has become a kind of taboo."

"In earlier years, there were occasional gas thieves, but those who came never left, and the people who died inside... no one knew how they died. It's already become a place like an urban legend, with rumors like 'Forbidden Zone of Life' and such being spread."

Sleepless Sky Huoxing giggled.

"But actually, that's a very arrogant way of putting it. After all, I just don't allow humans inside..."

As she spoke, Sleepless Sky Huoxing walked over to the pipeline outside and knocked on it.

"Thump! Thump!"

The pipeline trembled slightly, and several rats scurried out from inside, quickly jumping down to the ground below and starting to run around in panic.

"Compared to me, these rats and such are the original inhabitants of this pipeline. I respect the ecology here—and, I also pay them 'rent.'"

Sleepless Sky Huoxing said, taking a piece of bread from her pants pocket, tearing it open, and scattering it on the ground.

Lin Yu watched as those strangely fat rats swarmed up, scrambling for the bread, bumping against his shoes like little carts, not quite knowing what to say.

"You're quite compassionate."

Hearing Lin Yu's praise, Sleepless Sky Huoxing waved her hand.

"It's alright. If I were hungry, I'd eat them too—that's what ecology is."

Sleepless Sky Huoxing left behind another sentence that made Lin Yu feel incredibly surprised, then turned to leave.

"Well then... see you on my birthday, Furbollo."

"Don't forget my gift!"