Chapter 1390: 2 The Star of Carnival [Please Subscribe to the Official Version]

Chapter 1390: Chapter 2 The Star of Carnival [Please Subscribe to the Official Version]

Madness.

This was Jia Yan’s evaluation of the planet beneath his feet.

Most of the genius monsters on this entire planet seemed to be somewhat deranged—some to the extent that they couldn’t even distinguish between who was human or not.

As Jia Yan passed by a monster gathering, he saw a crazed Dignitary attacking a Secondary Genius, only to be struck into pieces in one blow. Yet, even with only his head left rolling on the ground, he continued to laugh wildly in apparent joy.

To an outsider, one might think he had actually won the fight.

“Huh?”

Jia Yan walked by a towering building and was just about to step inside when he suddenly caught a faint whiff of a peculiar scent.

The fragrance was pleasant, almost intoxicatingly rich.

With just one breath, he felt himself becoming light-headed.

“Something’s not right!” Jia Yan sharply jolted back to his senses.

Looking up at the sky, he noticed pinkish clouds drifting within the planet’s high atmosphere. Initially, he’d thought these clouds were merely decorative, but upon closer inspection, they appeared to be perpetually emitting faint traces of pinkish substances.

It was precisely from inhaling these pink substances that Jia Yan had started feeling unusual.

“I must not breathe this in…” Jia Yan resolved in his mind to avoid absorbing it further.

But the trace amount of pink substance that had already entered his body appeared to be entirely absorbed by an organ specific to his Evolutionary Creature physiology, yielding some inexplicable benefits in the process.

“Huh… Could there actually be some advantages to this for me?”

Jia Yan hesitated, then decided to drop his reservations, allowing his body to continue absorbing the pink substance as he moved through the air.

His avatar, devoid of a conventional mind, wasn’t affected at all by the substance regardless of how much it absorbed.

He stepped into the building in front of him, which was labeled a “Genius Bar.”

Jia Yan knew what a bar was—or at least understood the translated term. However, in the world of the Strong Ones, such establishments weren’t exactly what Earth people understood them to be. Similar spots could be found across the regions of the Universe Jia Yan had traveled through, but their offerings were beverages tailored to the Strong. The more powerful someone was, the more distinct the concoctions became. Some drinks were potent enough to intoxicate even a Semi-permanent Star Powerhouse.

Jia Yan rarely frequented such places, but this time, he needed information.

Upon entering, the noise inside was far louder than it had been outside.

“Haha, two High-level Geniuses have arrived! Shall I show you the way?”

A Dignitary drenched in drunken stupor stumbled toward Jia Yan, laughing heartily as he offered assistance.

Jia Yan scanned his surroundings and spotted a Dignitary monster resembling a bartender, seemingly unaffected by the surrounding pink clouds, quietly observing the rowdy scene with an aloof demeanor. Instantly, he pointed toward the creature.

“You, over there, I need your services,” he said.

The calm monster seemed startled for a moment at Jia Yan pointing her out, but after noticing he was not particularly threatening, she relaxed and approached him.

“Senior, what kind of service would you like me to provide?” she asked. Her voice was unexpectedly that of a female, indicating she was a female monster.

“Give me a drink. Also, I have some questions to ask you,” Jia Yan said, displaying the Genius Yuan stored in his Smart Brain.

Seeing the Genius Yuan in Jia Yan’s possession, the female monster’s eyes briefly gleamed, though her expression remained composed as she nodded silently.

The drink was promptly delivered, but Jia Yan ordered nothing more, as he wasn’t fond of such beverages.

In truth, his Genius Yuan reserves weren’t abundant. Though the amount he had would be considered immense for an ordinary Dignitary, Jia Yan’s current standing was far above that of a typical Dignitary, so he needed to spend carefully.

“Tell me, what is going on with this planet? Why is everyone here like mad geniuses?”

Jia Yan gestured toward a group of monsters nearby who were singing and dancing chaotically.

This was the first time Jia Yan had encountered such insane Strong Ones. They reminded him of the reckless youth on Earth who would lose themselves in bars.

“Senior, don’t you know anything about this planet before coming here?” The female Dignitary monster seemed surprised as she glanced at Jia Yan curiously.

“Uh, no, I just arrived in this area of the Starry Sky. When I noticed there was a planet here, I decided to rest for a while, but I hadn’t expected such a scene.” Jia Yan shook his head.

“Senior, this planet is called the Star of Carnival. It’s a haven for Geniuses looking to drown their sorrows and relinquish their worries. As you’ve seen, there are almost no rules here—many Geniuses come here seeking oblivion. The mortality rate here is as high as thirty percent.”

“The Star of Carnival, huh?” Jia Yan nodded slightly. The name seemed fitting.

“So, apart from drinking themselves into madness, are the clouds here also a factor?” Jia Yan asked the Dignitary monster pointedly.

“Hmm? Oh, you’ve noticed that too! Yes, apart from the alcohol, there’s another unique element here—the very clouds themselves. And it’s not just the clouds: the ground, the buildings, even the plants here all have similar effects. Any typical creatures who come here are destined to experience a surreal, euphoric episode.”

After listening to the female bartender’s explanation, Jia Yan finally gained some insight into the secrets of the Star of Carnival.

She also revealed that behind the operations of the Star of Carnival was a faction called the Group of Futile Life.

As for the strength of the Group of Futile Life, it was deeply concealed and unlike ordinary Genius Forces. She did, however, mention an incident where a High-level Talent Semi-permanent Star Genius became enraged after failing to achieve inebriation on the Star of Carnival and fought with the Group of Futile Life—only to end up dead.

“Thank you.”

After obtaining the information he sought, Jia Yan turned and left the bar.

The revelry behind him continued unabated.

Jia Yan listened as the massive and eccentric Geniuses roared and laughed madly behind him, a faint sadness welling up in his heart.

The fact that such powerful beings would come to this place to drown their sorrows suggested that, deep down, their hearts were far from joyous. Every Strong One who made it to the Genius Battlefield was an exceptional Genius in their own right, yet here they were—all seemingly burdened by untold stories.

“Sigh. Perhaps I’m not the only one facing a difficult path forward.”

Jia Yan shook his head and left the area.

He had simply stumbled upon this place by chance. Now that he understood what it was, he had no intention of lingering. He planned to find a quiet spot to rest briefly before leaving.

Jia Yan didn’t believe he would fall into the same despair and abandonment as these Geniuses.

Yet it seemed that some presences on this planet had no intention of letting him leave in peace.

“Hmm…”

As Jia Yan walked along a pathway on the planet’s surface with no other monsters in sight, he sensed several shadows tracking him from behind.

“Come out.”

Jia Yan halted his steps and spoke coolly.

With him also stopped a Secondary Genius avatar, whose form was larger than Jia Yan’s current body. As Jia Yan turned and spoke, the avatar glared menacingly at the figures behind them.

Before long, four monsters emerged from the dim twilight.

They were all Secondary Level beings, two with High-level Talents and the remaining two with Intermediate Talents.

“Friend, you seem unfamiliar. Earlier, you asked about some curious matters in our bar—were your intentions truly innocent?”

One of the High-level Talents directly raised the crucial question to Jia Yan without any superfluous words.

“Innocent? Hah, if you overheard my entire conversation with that bartender, you’d understand that I’m just a passerby. I don’t want to cause any trouble, so please don’t misinterpret me.”

Jia Yan’s eyes flickered with a strange light as he spoke, carefully avoiding any provocation.

“Very well, I believe your words. I hope you do nothing to contradict them next. Wish you an enjoyable stay on the Star of Carnival.” The High-level Talent powerhouse offered a faint smile before retreating into the shadows.

The night had settled over this half of the planet.

Jia Yan watched as the four monsters moved farther away until they finally disappeared. His gaze shifted, and he resumed walking.

“They seem to be more than just members of that bar’s staff—could they be part of the rumored Group of Futile Life? But why did they confront me with those words? Could it be that the Group of Futile Life has rival factions as well?”

Jia Yan’s curiosity and questions regarding this planet grew increasingly abundant.

However, since this was the Dark Realm, he found no answers, even from online inquiries.

Disheartened, Jia Yan pressed onward. Once he was certain no one was following him, he arrived at a kilometer-tall building advertised as a hotel. After paying a sum of Genius Yuan, he secured a place to rest.

What Jia Yan didn’t realize was that his presence had already been reported to the Star of Carnival’s command center.

“Hmm? Are you saying there’s another potential spy here?”

“He can resist this planet’s effects without specialized equipment… No… that creature doesn’t seem to be his main body. His true form appears to reside within some metallic structure, likely a unique Species. But that beast accompanying him is even more peculiar. It shows no resistance or defense mechanisms against the planet’s unique substances yet remains unaffected…”

“Whether he’s a spy or not, we should capture him for research—samples like this are incredibly rare.”

“No, no, no, have you forgotten what happened last time we killed an undrunk Dignitary? We provoked a major figure from a significant Genius Force. If it hadn’t been for the intervention of the Dark Realm’s major kings, the Group of Futile Life might have been wiped out. Unusual individuals like these must not be dealt with recklessly.”

A few Intermediate Talent Semi-permanent Star Strong Ones, along with one High-level Talent of the same level, gathered for discussion.

Their discussion revolved around a figure displayed on a massive screen—none other than Jia Yan’s current form in his Conceptual Ship as a Crow.

The avatar was also visible on the screen.

“Huh, this creature seems familiar. Isn’t it from the North Group? Yes, I’ve seen it before.”

Thank you to the reader ‘Steady Wolf’ for the gift of 1,000 Starty Coins! Also, thanks to readers ‘luoke000,’ ‘Hard-To-Think-Of-A-Name,’ ‘StarryMeteorRain,’ and ‘Fantasy Martial Emperor’ for their support. Thank you!