Tree King: What? I've become the Abundant Pharmacist?

Chapter 422 I Will Not Lose

Kroc Film Park.

The train crew entered the frontier and explored the land of the Shadow of Death.

"Back here again. The gold mines have chosen such an eye-catching location..."

Looking around on March 7th, there was no one else there but them.

"This guy is overreacting, does he really think he's a big star?"

"Nobody here?" Walter Young surveyed his surroundings. "The hounds chased away the tourists, but now they're nowhere to be found..."

"Everyone, be on your guard. The other side has clearly come prepared."

"He's here."

Huang Quan stared straight ahead, his eyes filled with indifference.

Suddenly, an image appeared on the large screen in front of us, which was the logo of placer gold.

The blue-green Ace of Spades.

"Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished dreamers, tycoons, 'Watchmakers' and family guests—"

"And there's the famous, nameless passenger from the Starry Sky Train! Welcome to the Interstellar Peace Corporation's show!"

"Gold Sand, what are you trying to do?" Xing shouted.

Sand Gold paused for a moment, not answering Star's question, but talking to himself instead.

"We're a bit late, everyone on the Starry Sky Train, and this... 'uninvited guest' over here."

“We’ve come to keep our appointment, Mr. Sandgold. According to etiquette, you should also show up.” Walter Young gripped his cane tightly.

"Of course I will. But before that, I'd like to give you a proper introduction to tonight's main character."

Sand Gold stepped out from behind the scenes and onto the stage.

"The protagonist?" March 7th asked in confusion.

"Please welcome with applause—Ms. 'Star Core'."

As the sound faded, they were greeted by a grand Easter egg sound effect.

"We're not here for a talent show." Xing was no longer in the mood for jokes.

Even March 7th was surprised; the usually lively star had disappeared.

"Let me remind you, this stage and the identity of the pioneers should have nothing to do with catching the real culprit." Walter's tone was serious, and the Star of Eden in his hand was ready to be unleashed.

If anything seems amiss, the gold should be prepared to be torn apart by gravity.

Sand Gold shook his head. "No, it's related, of course it's related. Otherwise, why would I go to such lengths to gain your trust and invite you all here?"

"Because she is the only person who directly witnessed all three murders, she is the best candidate to prove that the claim 'there are no casualties in dreams' is just empty talk!"

"Three murders?" March 7th wondered.

There have only been two murders, all told?

Besides, Miss Robin's death had nothing to do with Star, right?

“Excellent question, Miss March. The third murder is about to occur. Right here, at Krok Film Park…”

"A truly grand death."

“What exactly do you want to do?” Walter Young asked.

“You, you, you, and you… Everyone will die—and it’s all because of you, Miss Starcore…”

"You will personally embody 'death' here."

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Xing shouted.

“It’s very simple.” Sand Gold snapped his fingers.

"I will detonate the stellar core within you, creating a small 'accident' in Pinocchio..."

"Bang! The entire park will be reduced to a shattered dream. Then, before the family can react, I will become the navigator of the company fleet."

“Bluster won’t work on us. If you could really do it, you would have had plenty of opportunities before,” Huang Quan said.

"You're betting with me? Fine, I'll bet you too. I bet I'll win big and prove the oath of 'harmony' is a complete joke with an unprecedented explosion."

"Of course, you have another option: you can choose to kill me. This will be the third murder case."

"So everyone, don't hesitate any longer. This is no longer Pinocchio, but the arena of the Gulu sheep."

"It's either you or me who lives."

“But even if the star core is detonated, you won’t survive!” March 7th asked loudly.

"Who said I was going to live?"

"I came from the deserts of Tsigania. For sixty copper coins, people branded me, shackled me, sent me to the rack, and buried me in the yellow sand..."

"But the sun couldn't kill me; instead, the quicksand sent me to the embrace of the academy and the company. Remember, I didn't win by chance; I've never lost."

“Because I have no option to lose, including this time.” Sand Gold’s eyes were bloodshot.

He cannot lose, and he will not lose.

Regardless of who dies, his goal has been achieved.

If the death can be confirmed, Pinocchio's reputation, built up over many years, will collapse overnight.

Upon learning of his death, the company's fleet immediately entered the fray and overwhelmed Pinocchio with overwhelming force.

Therefore, he had planned his own death from the very beginning.

This is a true gamble with your life, every single time.

Sandstone continued, “Let me share a proverb with you: ‘Sleep is a rehearsal for death.’ Why does life sleep? Because we are not yet ready to face death.”

"Every night's dream is akin to facing death, just as you and I are right now, resigned to our fate, retreating into sleep. And 'death'... will come in response to our ramblings."

"Friends, the game has begun. You can't refuse—"

"There is no reason, and there is no room for maneuver."

“The same applies to pioneering.” Walter Young’s face showed an unprecedented seriousness.

"In that case..."

"The dice have been rolled—everyone, are you ready to reveal your cards?"

Images of placer gold appeared on the big screen.

He slowly rose up, and three dice fell to the ground.

A fiery spear materialized in Xing's hand, its burning tip aimed at him.

Sand Gold scoffed, "The lousy stones of the city builders..."

"One article..."

When Sand Gold saw Star's Flaming Spear, he suddenly stopped talking.

He slowly rose into the air, and golden light descended from the sky.

"I'll place my bet."

"I'll take the gamble."

"I will win."

"I let fate turn its wheel, I gamble everything, and I survive every life-or-death situation."

"All is dedicated to—the King of Amber!"

As the sound faded, the gold dust in Sand Gold's hand was completely crushed.

A terrifying and immense protective force instantly overflowed, enveloping Sand Gold's entire body.

"Come on, let's see who has the last laugh."

"Let's go all out!"

Sand Gold laughed loudly, and clouds made of chips slowly appeared in the sky, falling like a heavy rain.

"Oh no!" Walter Young shouted.

As the torrent of chips poured down, Walter Young raised his cane, shielding March 7 and Star.

In an instant, the Star of Eden erupted with a dark purple gravitational vortex, forcibly twisting the falling golden chips into a spiral-shaped energy flow.

"Chance!"

"Flame Spear, charge!"

Xing seized the opportunity, raised his Flame Spear, and charged out.

"Me too!"

With Walter's protection, March 7th drew his bowstring and fired an icy arrow that transformed into solid ice.

The gold dust hung in mid-air, and the amber-colored protective power condensed around him into a prism-like barrier, each facet reflecting a different battlefield image.

Star's Flame Spear charged in on the left flank, while March 7's Ice Arrow exploded on the right flank.

"Gravity is not a one-way cage!" Sand Gold laughed wildly and flipped his wrist. The chips controlled by Walter suddenly collapsed in the opposite direction, turning into thousands of golden rays that shot towards the train.

Xing Meng then stepped back, his fiery spear spinning into a crimson star trail, and molten metal raindrops etched scorch marks onto the ground.

On March 7th, the six-phase ice wall burst open with spiderweb-like cracks under the impact of the rays. The cold air and the protective light collided fiercely, and the rising mist instantly enveloped half of the stage.

"star!"

Walter Young shouted and slammed his cane into the ground.

The core of Eden Star cracked open, revealing a black hole-level gravitational field.

Xing's pupils suddenly brightened, and the amber divine body on the Flame Spear trembled violently, causing the burning flames to intensify.

"Charge!"

The next second, Xing's figure appeared next to Sand Gold.

The flaming spear, burning fiercely, pierced straight towards him.

With a "bang," Sand Gold's figure swayed, and the protective barrier fluctuated for the first time, the golden prism emitting a crisp sound like shattering glass.

"And this girl too!" The ice arrow of March 7th took the opportunity to penetrate the gap in the defense, and the ice crystals spread along Sand Gold's wrist, freezing his fingers, which were holding the broken Sand Gold stone, into a bluish-purple color.

"The starlight that is preserved will eventually return to nothingness."

Huang Quan's voice pierced through the roar of the explosion, her hand already gripping the hilt of the knife.

Seeing this, the gold dust in the sky smiled, its blood-stained lips curving upwards.

“I knew it, ‘Commander’—you would definitely call.”

Huang Quan stepped forward, and as the blade was slowly pulled out, her entire body began to fade, and time stood still.

"May we weep for the departed, our tears falling like rain, filling the river..."

"Like a surging tide, leading you home."

As the sound faded, the entire Crook Park turned black and white.

Just as the blade was about to strike, countless translucent phantom images of children rose from the ground.

Upon seeing this, Huang Quan froze, and the knife in his hand unconsciously slowed down a fraction.

Children held hands and circled the battlefield, their innocent chorus drowning out the roar.

"With the roots of the oak as the eye, and the blood of the family as the string—"

"Tong Xie" means harmony in this context.

A bottomless cavern splits open in the center of the stage, and the dreamer's youthful figure appears, stepping on dreamlike bubbles, gently tapping the ground with a scepter.

"Stop."

An invisible force field solidified the blade of the underworld, and the children's pupils reflected the entire dreamscape of Pinocchio.

Huang Quan's expression turned serious. It wasn't the Dream Master who blocked her blade, but these children.

"The company's gamblers, do you think death can shake Tong Xie? Shake the family?"

"joke."

The dreamer's scepter pointed at the gold-flecked wound, and gold dust drifted from between his frozen fingers, the protective light rapidly dimming.

Sand Gold looked at the dreamer and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha, since you can't shake it, what are you afraid of?"

"Afraid of my death?" Sand Gold turned his head, his bloodstained eyes looking at him.

The dreamer's face was ashen. "Let me tell you, Pinocone is a family asset, and always will be."

"Are you betting with me?" Sand Gold looked at him.

"I accept your bet."

As soon as the words were spoken, all of Pinocchio's televisions began broadcasting the current scene live.

Sand Gold spread his arms wide and announced loudly towards the camera:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the shocking third death of Pinocone is about to occur."

"This is not speculation, but prophecy."

"And the person who died this time was me."

Sand Gold raised his revolver and pointed it at his head.

"Dream Master, guess how many bullets are here?"

"I'll just tell you straight, 6."

"Bullets tainted with nothingness."

As soon as Sand Gold finished speaking, he pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Just then, the dream stopped.

The next second, the bullets fired from the pistol disappeared, and instead, the gold-plated pistol appeared in the dreamer's hand.

"How is this possible?" Sand Gold exclaimed in disbelief.

Just then, countless children's faces appeared behind the gold dust.

The chorus of children's phantoms turned into a mournful wail, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on every face.

The seven-colored light fell, which was the harmony composed of similar sounds.

Sand Gold suddenly felt a splitting headache and his body became heavy.

As the seven-colored light disappeared, Sand Gold lost consciousness and transformed into a golden light, falling from the sky.

It crashed to the ground, creating a huge crater on Kroc's stage.

“Remember, gambler,” the Dreamer’s voice echoed throughout the heavens and earth, “In Pinocchio, even death is the property of the family.”

"The company has no chance of getting involved."

The gold dust slowly crawled out of the giant pit, muttering, "No, I haven't... lost yet..."

His entire body was tattered, even his handbag was completely broken, and his tear-stained mask was mixed with impurities and gems, scattered all over the ground.

Sand Gold clenched his fists, trying to stand up again, but he couldn't.

"I can't lose... I won't lose..."

"I...I think I've lost..."

After the last sentence was uttered by the gold dust, a long silence followed.

A tear slid down Sand Gold's cheek.

"How could I possibly lose?"

"Sister, Mom, Dad..."

"I'm sorry, Kakavasha, I think I've lost..."

Tears slid down her cheeks, drifting in the air until they landed under the right eye of the mask.

"Stubborn and obstinate".

The dreamer looked impatiently at the gold dust, while simultaneously glancing at the train crew and the underworld.

"Everyone on the Starry Sky Train, this is a conflict between the family and the company. You have no need to get involved and be used as pawns by those with ulterior motives."

"Leave now, and the family will not tolerate your past actions..."

Before the dreamer could finish speaking, a hand suddenly pierced through his body.

His eyes widened, and he turned around in disbelief, only to see Xingxiao appear behind him at some point.

"Finally, I've been waiting for you. I've been waiting for this scene for so long, Dream Master... oh no, I should say, Infinite Commander."

As the sound of Xingxiao echoed in the dream, the dreamer's body began to rapidly collapse, becoming tainted by rainbow-colored light.

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