Chapter 113: A New Q&A Begins
Within White Cloud City, the Enforcement Corps was composed of elite members from the three major clans as well as smaller clans that had pledged allegiance. The common trait among them was that they were all soul masters, with the weakest being Soul Elders (Rank 30+) and the strongest Soul Kings (Rank 50+).
There were, of course, stronger candidates, but for law enforcement, excessive power wasn't necessary. With Ye Cheng overseeing the city, no formidable soul master would dare cause trouble, and as for weaker ones, these officers were more than enough to keep them in check.
The primary purpose of the Enforcement Corps was to maintain order and prevent rogue soul masters those used to running rampant elsewhere from bringing their bad habits into White Cloud City.
Ye Cheng was determined to keep his domain free of the filth and chaos that plagued the outside world.
With the Enforcement Corps established, Ye Cheng also set up departments for tax collection, finance management, and other administrative roles.
After a period of careful planning and delegation, his subordinates took charge of their respective duties, and White Cloud City's governing structure was finally taking shape.
For the first time, it had the appearance of a proper, flourishing city.
At last Ye Cheng had a home.
No longer a wandering drifter, he finally had a solid foundation.
"Time for Another Q&A…"
Now that things had stabilized, Ye Cheng thought back to the previous Q&A session, realizing it had been quite some time since then.
Meanwhile, Neptune's clone had been undergoing the Sea God's Nine Trials for over half a year.
He had now reached the sixth trial, progressing far faster than Tang San had in the original story.
This was expected, as divine trials varied based on the individual, and Neptune's strength and talents had streamlined the process significantly.
At this rate, his ascension to godhood was imminent.
With both his true self and his clone steadily progressing, Ye Cheng decided it was time to acquire another alternate identity to further increase his power.
"What Kind of Persona Should I Create?"
He pondered.
"I already have two heroic personas… maybe this time I should make a villain?"
"An Apocalyptic Demon King?"
"A tragic antihero?"
"Or maybe a 'The World Is Too Filthy' nihilist type?"
"...No, too ambitious. A persona of that caliber would require an astronomical amount of recognition.**"
"If even a Sea God persona only reached 24% completion, something grander would probably not even break 0.001%."
After considering several options, he rejected them all.
"Forget it. I should focus on something practical for now. No need to aim too high just yet."
"I've been planning to establish an academy…"
"In that case, why not create a persona focused on nurturing talents?"
Muttering to himself, Ye Cheng gradually refined his new identity.
After completing the persona's backstory, he ran multiple simulations through the system to eliminate any inconsistencies.
Once he was satisfied, he finally activated the Q&A system.
A New Q&A Begins
DING!
The entire Douluo Continent every sentient being suddenly heard the familiar chime.
No matter what they had been doing, they immediately stopped.
Even those engaged in life or death battles paused instinctively.
Since the Q&A system was mandatory, there was no way to opt out.
With the Q&A window hovering in their vision, trying to ignore it would only be a distraction.
So, most people chose to stop and watch, waiting for the session to conclude before resuming their activities.
Of course, some stubborn individuals continued doing their own thing
But they were the minority.
A Personal Q&A Poison Douluo Selected!
This time, the screen displayed a personal Q&A session.
A green haired elder appeared on the screen.
Even his eyes were an eerie emerald green, giving him a strange, unsettling presence.
Some sharp eyed viewers quickly recognized him.
[Huh? This time it's Poison Douluo being questioned.]
[Poison Douluo? You mean the Titled Douluo known as 'Jade Scaled'?]
[Right! His martial soul is the Jade Scaled Serpent Emperor, which is why his title is 'Jade Scaled.' But since he's a poison expert, people just call him 'Poison Douluo' instead.]
[I wonder what kind of question he'll get?]
[Usually, personal Q&As are related to the individual's abilities or experiences…]
The comment section was flooded with speculation and curiosity.
Dugu Bo Torn Between Hope and Fear
Meanwhile, the man in question, Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, appeared outwardly calm
But deep down, he was filled with both excitement and terror.
He hoped for a simple question that he could answer correctly.
If he got it right, the reward would likely be something he desperately needed.
Past personal Q&As had granted rewards tailored to the recipient's deepest desires
Like how Ning Fengzhi had received the evolution of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda into Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda…
Or how Tang Yuehua had gained the ability to compensate for her martial soul's deficiencies.
For Dugu Bo, his greatest desire was a cure for the poisonous backlash of his own martial soul
Or better yet, a way to permanently remove the hereditary poison afflicting his entire family.
If he answered correctly, there was a very high chance that this would be his reward.
But if he got it wrong
The punishment could be devastating.
Previous wrong answers had resulted in horrifying penalties.
The success rate for answering correctly was less than 30%, meaning 7 out of 10 participants failed.
And the punishments were never light.
For Dugu Bo, the worst case scenario would be losing a rank of soul power.
His current cultivation was the only thing keeping his poison from killing him.
If he lost even one soul ring, he might immediately succumb to his own toxins.
The irony was almost laughable.
Feared as Poison Douluo, a master of toxins yet he himself was slowly being killed by his own poison.
And worse he had no way to cure himself.
The Question Appears
As he struggled with his emotions, the question finally appeared.
[Question: Who is the greatest poison master among all soul masters?]
Option 1: Poison Douluo Dugu BoOption 2: Serpent King Ye ZhanqingOption 3: Jade Eyed Venom Toad Luo FeilongOption 4: Medicine King Sun ZhongjingOption 5: Death Scorpion Lavender
Correct Answer Reward: A method to eliminate the poison afflicting your body.
Incorrect Answer Penalty: One random soul ring will be permanently removed.
Dugu Bo fell silent.
If he had to choose blindly, he'd instinctively pick himself.
After all, he was the only Titled Douluo known for poison.
But the question's wording was tricky.
What did "greatest poison master" mean?
Did it refer to the strongest venom? The most refined techniques? The most inescapable poisons?
With so many possible interpretations, he hesitated
Because making the wrong choice could cost him his life.
(End of Chapter)
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