Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat - Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Deceptive Moves

Ethan’s hand glided over the silky fabric of Lyla’s nightgown, tracing up to her neck. His fingers tangled gently in her hair.

“We… we’re going to be late… for class!” he teased, his other hand landing a playful smack on her rounded curve.

“Mmm…” Lyla felt the heat of his touch and the warmth of his breath brushing against her ear.

Her body shivered, caught between pleasure and nervous anticipation. She squirmed in his arms, desperately trying to ground herself. But when the tension inside her finally broke, she trembled violently, her voice escaping in a soft, melodic gasp. Her strength left her completely.

Even her arms, which had been tightly wrapped around Ethan, slackened as she slipped downward, boneless and flushed.

Ethan froze, startled by her sensitivity.

Moments later, Lyla’s face burned red as a wave of embarrassment overwhelmed her. She pushed him away, flustered.

“I… I’m going to freshen up!” she stammered before hurriedly making her way upstairs. But as she reached the staircase, her shaky legs betrayed her, nearly causing her to stumble.

She gripped the banister tightly, not daring to look back at Ethan, and fled up the spiral staircase as though running for her life.

Watching her retreating figure, Ethan glanced at the edge of the dining table, which for some reason now had a dark patch, as though something had spilled there.

“I didn’t even do anything,” he muttered to himself, though his thoughts betrayed him. Images of the moment replayed in his mind, tempting and vivid.

Upstairs, he could only imagine what Lyla was doing behind the closed door.

A short while later, Lyla returned, her expression a mix of awkwardness and determination. Ethan had already tidied up and was waiting for her.

When their eyes met, her cheeks flushed again, and she shot him a glare. “Hurry up, we’re going to be late for class!”

Despite her tone, her embarrassment was clear, and her face grew even redder as she spoke.

Ethan, simply rubbed his nose and avoided teasing her further. He opened the door, and the two of them stepped out of the villa, one after the other.

—

At school, it was another boring day for Ethan.

The buzz around campus was all about last night’s guild war. Ethan, the mastermind behind it all, listened quietly as a bystander, smiling but offering no comments.

—

That evening, Ethan logged back into the game and spent five hours traveling on foot. At last, he reached Springhaven. The moment he stepped into the city, a system notification popped up.

Ding!

[System Notification: You are the first player to reach Springhaven. Reputation with Springhaven +200.]

Ding!

[Zone Announcement: Player **** is the first to reach Springhaven. All city functions are now unlocked.]

Smiling to himself, Ethan immediately equipped the Disguise Mask that Gregor Darnell had given him.

Ding!

[Disguise functionality activated. Please select your disguise type: Player, NPC, or Monster.]

“Player,” Ethan chose.

Ding!

[Player disguise confirmed. Please select a player name to copy.]

“Overlord,” Ethan said with a mischievous grin.

Ding!

[Copy successful. Disguise Mask usage -1. Remaining uses: 11. Duration: 3 hours.]

[During the disguise duration, you cannot access the original player’s assets, equipment, or items. Any items obtained during this period can be traded or transferred. However, all items acquired during this time will transfer to the original player when the disguise ends.]

As the notification faded, white mist enveloped Ethan’s body. When it cleared, he raised his hand to inspect himself. Sure enough, his appearance had changed to that of Overlord, complete with a mage’s robes. Even his displayed name matched.

Satisfied with the disguise, Ethan hurried toward the Property Office, his heart racing.

Halfway there, a realization struck him like a lightning bolt. The system prompt had said the disguise only lasted three hours. That wasn’t enough time to make it back to Harmony City. If he didn’t adjust his plan, he’d be handing Overlord a free fortune!

Cursing under his breath, Ethan turned back and made a beeline for the teleportation hub. Reaching the array, he activated the control panel and tested his options.

The teleportation array to Blackridge was still unavailable, but the option to return to Harmony City had finally opened. It seemed Gregor Darnell wasn’t sabotaging him after all.

It was likely that the main city hadn’t been fully activated yet, which explained the restricted teleportation. With Harmony City now accessible, Ethan felt a wave of relief. He wouldn’t have to reveal his real identity to complete his schemes. If worst came to worst, he could abandon this region entirely. Still, missing the chance to frustrate Overlord gnawed at him.

Shaking off the thought, Ethan made his way back to the Property Office. Without wasting time, he approached the receptionist and began selecting plots of land. By the end, he’d spent a staggering 9,980 gold to purchase 14 prime locations in Springhaven.

Meanwhile, far away in Zone 1370’s starter village, Overlord’s system notifications were going wild.

Ding!

[Congratulations! You have purchased Plot #1 in Springhaven…]

Ding!

[Congratulations! You have purchased Plot #2 in Springhaven…]

At first, Overlord was bewildered.

But as the messages continued to roll in, each detailing the acquisition of valuable land under his name, his confusion turned to elation. A veteran gamer, he understood the massive potential of in-game real estate. Properties bought cheaply from the system could skyrocket in value, sometimes increasing a hundredfold, mirroring real-world real estate trends.

After being utterly humiliated by Renegade Alliance the previous day, his guild shattered, his loyal followers beaten back to Level 1, and his equipment stripped, he had been on the verge of a breakdown.

But now? This unexpected fortune felt like a lifeline. With so much prime land under his control, Overlord was already imagining his triumphant return to power. He saw himself rising above his past defeats, absorbing smaller guilds, and building a sprawling empire.

He even entertained the thought of breaking free from the financial backer who had been manipulating him for years. With enough resources, he could finally forge his own path.

His renewed energy was evident to his subordinates, who watched in shock as he dove headfirst into monster packs, fighting with an intensity they had never seen before.

“What’s gotten into the boss?” one muttered. “He usually hangs back to leech experience…”

—

Twenty minutes later, Ethan exited the Property Office and headed straight for the teleportation hub. The trip back to Harmony City cost him a hefty 20 gold. Were it not for his substantial savings, he might’ve been forced to abandon this entire scheme.

Once in Harmony City, Ethan approached the Town Hall, though he worried about how to meet the City Lord. Ordinary players couldn’t simply stroll into such places without a specific quest. Attempting to force their way in would result in being executed by the guards and tossed into the dungeon.

To his surprise, the Captain of the Guard, Roland Carter, was stationed at the entrance.

The moment Roland spotted Ethan, now disguised as Overlord, he wasted no time escorting him inside.

Apparently, Gregor Darnell had left orders: for the next ten days, any player who came to the Town Hall was to be granted immediate access to meet him.

Ethan realized this arrangement was designed specifically for his task. With no other players expected to show up during this window, Gregor had cleared the path to ensure Ethan could complete his objective without interference.

Still, the undercurrents of NPC politics intrigued him. What exactly was Gregor gaining from this maneuver?

Once in Gregor’s office, Ethan didn’t waste words. Using his Overlord disguise, he handed over the deeds to the land he’d purchased in Springhaven.

Gregor accepted the documents without much ceremony. He barely spoke, likely avoiding drawing the system’s attention.

After finalizing the transfer, Ethan removed the Disguise Mask.

Ding!

[Congratulations! You have completed Part 1 of “Gregor Darnell’s Request.” Reputation with Gregor Darnell +150. Current Reputation: 0.]

Hearing the notification, Ethan chuckled. “So I started in the negatives with him, huh?”

Despite completing the task, Gregor’s demeanor shifted. His previously lifelike interactions gave way to a cold, mechanical presence. It was as if the system had reasserted control over him, dampening his humanity.