Chapter 168: Forum Content
Chapter 168: Forum Content
Chapter 168 Forum Thread
Elius realized that merely becoming Longinus' partner was nowhere near enough to access the core of the organization.
Taking the conventional promotion path—showing good faith, racking up achievements, and earning trust—was way too slow.
Placing hope in "proving oneself to xxx" was tantamount to handing over the initiative, something neither she—nor her original self behind her—was willing or even could be bothered with.
Inheriting the same temperament and way of thinking as her original self, Elius was far more accustomed to keeping the initiative firmly in her own hands.
Now, as Elius sought to replace Hekate's seat among the organization's inner circle, she naturally thought:
Should she strive to earn Longinus' acceptance?
—No. On the contrary, she would make Longinus come begging for her participation and assistance!
So, how should she pull this off?
Tapping her fingers absentmindedly on the desk, Elius lifted her emerald-green eyes, gazing thoughtfully at the oil painting on the wall.
From the "Society of Universal Deconstruction" in the Prophet's memories to Longinus, Hekate had consistently held a key position—and her greatest trump card was nothing but the mirrored reflections she controlled.
It was by relying on these highly concealed, maze-like painting portals as a backbone that Longinus' roots could silently spread across the Nine Dimensions, ensuring maximum security and ease for member gatherings, communications, and travel.
Now that Hekate, the "false god creator," was dead, Longinus would urgently need an insurance measure to ensure the mirrored reflections continued to serve them stably and loyally.
At Yi Fengchu's direction, Ernos had yet to reveal her regained consciousness and defection, still maintaining the "Eternal Paintings'" normal operation. Thus, Longinus' need wasn't yet desperate—there was still room for deliberation and weighing their options.
But Elius thought she might give things a push from behind, pushing Longinus into a more dire situation—
One so urgent that even if they distrusted Elius, they would have no choice but to smile and invite her into the upper echelons, laying bare many of their not-exactly-top-secret intel before her.
"Ernos."
Meanwhile, the voice of Fate said with a chuckle by the Attendant Deity's ear, causing her to abruptly open her violet eyes and fixed a cold stare on the intricate network of painting passages.
"It's time to cause some trouble."
...
A few days later, a post popped up in a corner of the forum.
>> Gods' Playground >> Casual Chat
"Serious Talk" Boss Seems to Have Kicked the Bucket—Should I Start Job-Hunting?
No.0 (OP):
First, some context~ As everyone knows, the Nine Dimensions are home to countless mysterious organizations, and OP just happens to be a member of one.
Sounds mysterious and impressive, right?
No.1 (OP):
And, just like in novels, OP's organization also has its own unique ideals, working tirelessly toward some grand, mysterious goal...
But none of that has anything to do with OP.
Because OP is just a clueless grunt worker who got roped in while clueless!
No.2:
Sounds interesting, pulling up a chair for the drama~
No.3:
I call floor!
No.4:
LMAO OP mood—who isn’t just another ordinary NPC in the big picture?
No.5:
Normal is underrated ()
Being obsessed with grand ideals in the mystical world? Sounds like either an anime hero or a villain!
No.6:
Lowkey curious—OP claims to be an ordinary wage slave, so how’d they wind up in the organization? Usually, these secret orgs have pretty strict standards, no?
No.7:
+1, seems like OP isn’t exactly a nobody either.
No.8 (OP):
Well, don’t read too much into it... No matter how secretive an organization is, it still needs mundane, hardworking worker bees—low-level support staff handling ordinary tasks, right?
No.9:
Newsflash: OP is an evil organization’s support staff grunt!
No.10:
An actual support staff grunt reading this is feeling this in my soul (heartbroken)
No.11:
Sigh, *pats OP*. Us wage-slave NPCs got it tough (*lights cig*)
No.12 (OP):
For confidentiality reasons, I can’t go into too much detail. Let’s just say, due to some special reasons, this organization needed a lot of people good with art...
And OP happened to be a broke and orphaned art student who’d received anonymous scholarships from an internal member since middle school. Without OP knowing, they were probably observed for years before unexpectedly catching their sponsor’s eye—then, right after graduation, they randomly got the job.
No.13:
Uh... "Favor" sounds nice, but let’s be real—it’s more like OP’s family situation made them easy to control, no?
No.14:
Honestly, if I were in a secret society, I’d also find recruiting someone like OP the most hassle-free.
No.15 (OP):
So, you can all see what position OP holds in the organization, right? (facepalming bitterly)
#16:
Got it—utterly expendable bottom-tier status ()
#17:
OP, you’re really going through it. Here’s a hug, sis/bro—vent if you need to~
#18:
But the fact that OP has managed to survive this long, still lively and mentally stable enough to post, just goes to show that blessed are the clueless. Pretty lucky too...
#19:
Stealing some of OP’s luck~
#20 (OP):
? You want this kind of luck?
#21:
Hard pass. I’m good as a freelancer right now, living the easy life~
#22:
Hey hey hey, let’s not hijack the thread!
So, OP, what’s the deal with your boss’s sudden death mentioned in the title?
#23:
Same question. In an organization that flirts with danger, casualties and turnover are pretty normal, right?
#24:
Jumping in—even for the most ordinary players in the amusement park, it wouldn’t be strange to see someone laughing and chatting one day, only to be reduced to a black-and-white memorial pic the next...
#25 (OP):
No no no, for anyone else, it’d be normal. But for my former superior, it’s just straight-up weird!
Because my superior was a big shot—let me censor the description a bit—someone whose rank was no lower than that of a Recorder or an Inquisitor, someone who could throw down against other heavy hitters without flinching...
#26 (OP):
From what I know, my superior had held a high position in the organization for centuries, and her own existence dated back even further. But recently, she ghosted without a trace, not even leaving behind a cry for help... Don’t you think the organization might be about to implode?
#27:
Damn, OP’s spilling tea!!
#28:
Oh my god, if what OP says is true, then the organization’s hierarchy is seriously high-level, not some backwater club...
#29:
Right now, I only have one thought: Do I have clearance for this?
#30:
Is OP trolling?
#31:
Yeah, right. “My superior is some top-tier powerhouse”—sounds like a played-out cliché. You guys actually believe this?
#32:
Replying to the above: If OP were pushing some “powerhouse falls in love with me” fanfic or some basic power-wank, it’d obviously be fake. But OP unexpectedly hit us with “my super-strong superior suddenly died,” which doesn’t smell like cap...
#33:
Exactly. If OP wanted attention, they could’ve made up any other plot that’d go viral. But OP seems genuinely worried about whether to dip, which... feels like been there, survived that ().
#34:
OP, spill the deets on your superior’s death?
#35 (OP):
To those who think I’m making this up, I won’t waste time arguing. Just treat it as entertainment and don’t disrupt my conversation with other forum friends, okay?
#36 (OP):
The details of my superior’s death are need-to-know only within the organization. None of us know the specifics. All we know is that she was heading to a high-level meeting, walked into the transit hub as usual, and then... nothing.
It wasn’t until the organization sent investigators to grill us that we realized: Something bad must’ve happened.
#37:
Damn, silently taking out a big shot like that... That’s some elite-tier scary.
#38:
Let’s be real, OP. Your organization might be in the crosshairs. GTFO now (fist bump).
#39:
Could there have been an ambush in the “channel”?
#40 (OP):
But here’s the thing—our organization’s transport channels are souped-up, essentially Fort Knox-level safe, hidden, enclosed spaces. And my superior was the one who controlled those channels.
No cap, if anyone was safe, it should’ve been her.
#41:
A clean, quiet hit in an isolated, hidden space—the very “safe” zone she controlled and knew best... That’s terrifying.
#42:
Who could the killer be? This style is way too bold!
#43:
There's probably only one possibility—the killer's power far exceeds OP's boss's...
№44:
The more you think about it, the scarier it gets. OP, maybe you should just get out of there?
№45:
We always say "quit, don't stick it out"—OP, just quit already!
№46 (OP):
Ahhh I want to run too! Sitting at my desk every day, I can practically feel the tension building! But quitting isn't that simple...
№47:
True, these secretive organizations are always strict about entry and exit.
№48:
One wrong move, and OP might get whacked with the old "you know too much" line before the storm even hits ( )
№49 (OP):
Friends, could you maybe not tell horror stories to a shaking corporate drone?
Deal? Deal.
№50:
Okay.
№51:
Hang tight, OP! Pulling up a chair in this thread to witness your escape-and-survive story!
№52:
Moving in +1
...
№95 (OP):
Help, I was waiting for HR to calm down so I could resign, but when one problem ends, another begins...
№96:
OP's back?
№97:
Spotted a live OP~
№98:
What happened? Sounds like things aren't looking good!
№99 (OP):
Remember how I mentioned our organization's special transit routes?
They've been flawless for centuries, but after my superior's death—maybe because their controller disappeared—these channels went completely haywire!
№100 (OP):
Dozens of agents got trapped inside or lost in the now-chaotic space. Paths that once reliably connected Point A to Point B started branching into nowhere zones, throwing everything into chaos... In the end, we had to forcibly shut down nearly half the channels just to get people out.
№101:
Sounds like a total cluster...
№102:
Praying for OP (lights virtual candle)
№103 (OP):
The scarier part? Staying in the "channels" for over two hours causes living beings to start changing—skin turning like paper, bodies becoming weightless and two-dimensional...
№104:
WTF, they turned into paper people?
№105 (OP):
Basically (wry laugh). Thankfully, the transformation is reversible after recovery time. Otherwise, they'd be trapped there forever.
№106:
...We're telling you: OP, grab any chance to bail!
№107:
Agreed. Just did a fortune reading for OP's organization—the result was "extreme danger"...
№108:
Though my tie to OP isn't deep enough for 100% accurate results, this is definitely not a good sign.
№109 (OP):
Ughhhh I gotta wait a bit longer. Everything's too unstable now, and the higher-ups are locking things down. Don't want to get caught in the line of fire.
№110 (OP):
Uggghhhhhh I don't wanna get disappeared!!
№111:
Virtual hug for OP. Fellow wage slave here—I totally get it...
№112:
#QuitOrDieTrying
№113 (OP):
Huh? Wait—
#114:
Huh?
#115:
What’s up now?
#116 (OP):
I always thought that after our boss died, our team would be left to fend for ourselves or reassigned to other departments... But I just got word—a new boss is coming?
#117:
Yikes... hard to say if this is a lifeline or a curse.
#118:
An outsider boss dropped in during this chaotic moment is definitely no ordinary figure...
Especially considering the scale of OP's organization, its leadership must already be full of heavy hitters.)
#119 (OP):
Yeah, I did some digging.
#120 (OP):
Apparently, the new boss was originally just someone the organization had just started working with. But she stepped in to fix the chaos in the "passageways," restoring their normal operation. So even though the organization isn’t very familiar with her, they were forced to recruit her to take the position, offering her quite a sweet deal.
#121:
Wow, "getting the organization to proactively invite her as a department head"? Feels less like a boss-employee dynamic and more like mutual cooperation and checks and balances...
#122:
Sounds like another heavyweight.
#123:
Hmm, but something feels fishy to me.
#124:
Yeah, the issue is... doesn’t the new boss’s arrival seem a little too perfectly timed?
#125:
+1. Plus, the new boss isn’t even someone the organization knows well, yet due to circumstances, she’s jumped straight to being one of the higher-ups... Almost like fate’s handing her the perfect opportunity.
#126 (OP):
I hear everyone’s buzzing about this too. You can tell the organization doesn’t trust the new boss, but they’re backed into a corner—no one else can solve the problem.
#127:
Sounds like the organization and the new boss are maintaining a balance on a knife’s edge.
#128:
But with an outsider leader like this, might OP’s chances of resigning become smoother?
#129:
Good point. After all, the new boss probably isn’t deeply loyal to the organization or its so-called grand mission, right? Maybe she’ll let OP off the hook more easily?
#130:
! Oh snap!!
#131:
Hmm... The fortune-telling for OP’s fortune has changed. This might actually be good for OP.
#132 (OP):
No way?!!
#133 (OP):
Sniff sniff, my never-before-met new boss, I’m all in...
#134:
OP, don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Maybe try to find out what the new boss is like, what her soft spots are, so you can suck up to her?
#135:
Praying for OP—hopefully she’s not a total tyrant...
#136 (OP):
Thanks for the advice! I’m on it—wait for my update!
#137:
Go get ’em, OP! (You got this!)
...
#201 (OP):
Reporting back: I’ve met the new boss a few times now.
#202:
How’s it going?
#203:
So curious about this new boss who rose to power amid the chaos—what’s she like?
#204 (OP):
How to put it? In rumors, the new boss is notorious, with a rap sheet even scarier than the previous boss. It had me nervous for a long time.
But after actually interacting with her... I think she’s actually adorable, as delicate as a porcelain doll!
#205:
OP...you haven't taken your Chinese medicine?
№206:
Refined, doll-like...can these words really coexist with "notorious"??
№207:
Didn't realize OP had these lustful tyrant tendencies! Don't be blinded by a powerful person's beautiful appearance!
№208 (OP):
No, you all just don't get it!
After actually meeting her, my new boss gives me this mysterious, timeless yet serene impression. Except for occasional glimpses of something eerie deep in her eyes, she's much more approachable - truly like a meticulously crafted doll, nothing like the evil and violent rumors!
№209:
This...this is definitely being bewitched...
№210:
Such obscure descriptions, can't even imagine what this new boss looks like.
№211:
I can't understand, sry.
№212 (OP):
Most importantly, my new boss never uses those toxic workplace mantras like "the organization has high expectations, you must work harder to repay it" or "though it's a holiday, we're providing training you should be grateful for". This is the best! (T_T)
№213:
Ugh, just reading this makes my fists clench.
№214:
So the old boss talked to OP like this? No wonder OP isn't mourning her death at all...
№215 (OP):
Talking about this makes me tear up - the previous boss was a super controlling dinosaur type, plus her Ability was related to mind control, truly the worst possible leadership combo ()
№216 (OP):
In comparison, new boss spends 80% energy battling upper management, doesn't mess with us workers, no overtime demands, no weekly progress reports - just leave when your shift ends. She talks with grace and kindness too.
I cautiously brought up resigning, and she took it in stride, telling me not to worry and I'd be free soon...
№217:
Damn, I'm falling for her just hearing this - what worker could refuse this type of boss?!
№218:
I see - bad rep outside (?) but treats OP and ordinary people well.
№219:
Hiss...elegant, ancient, doll-like...
№220:
These keywords remind me of someone...
@CallMeForARaid, what do you think? Like who we met in that last dungeon?
№221 CallMeForARaid:
Holy shit, it's exactly like that one! (screams)
№222 CallMeForARaid:
Mind if I ask OP, is your boss red hair and green eyes?
[System: This post has been self-deleted by user.]
№223 CallMeForARaid:
Nvm, just thinking about it triggers my PTSD, not feeling well, leaving...
№224:
Did some A-rank dungeon pros just fly by?
№225:
Why was a post deleted?
№226 (OP):
I didn't see it clearly either.
№227:
Considering it triggered PTSD in #222, OP's boss probably isn't actually benevolent...
№228:
True, OP's rose-tinted glasses are too thick, this "perfect new boss" might just be post-resignation euphoria...
№229:
Or maybe new boss genuinely treats subordinates well? OP's fortune did improve after all.
№230 (OP):
Ahhh can't believe someone who might know my boss saw this on this huge forum, freaking out now...
Gonna delete for safety, might post updates later~
№231:
Huh? So abrupt! Gonna miss you OP!
№232:
But considering OP's special situation, deleting is probably the smart move.
#233:
Exactly, I wanted to remind OP earlier to be careful about being seen by members of the organization.
#234:
I hate to say goodbye, but it's time to part ways. Bye, OP~
#235:
Goodbye OP, good luck with the new job!
...
[System Notice: At OP's request, this thread has been deleted due to privacy reasons.]