Chapter 423 - Law of Narrative Weight
Atlas sat upon his floating throne, with Edrik standing quietly behind him. The barrier surrounding the island slowly began to open as the guest they had been waiting for finally approached the island’s airspace.
A carriage came into view, pulled by several white horses. The horses looked like they were running, even though they were clearly moving through the air, flying rather than touching the ground.
The sound of clopping hooves echoed loudly, shoe against shoe, answering one another in rhythm, despite the fact that they were galloping through the air.
It was a carriage that looked... unnecessarily extravagant, at least in Atlas’s opinion. Especially since he already knew exactly who was sitting inside.
Soon, the carriage turned and came to a precise stop right in front of Atlas. The carriage and the horses stood firmly in midair, as if solid ground existed beneath them.
The carriage driver, fully clad in armor from head to toe, stepped down and gave a respectful bow toward Atlas. He then opened the carriage door, allowing the guest to step out.
A man emerged, with long black hair tied neatly behind his back. He wore a robe of white, mixed with cool, icy blue tones.
"Han Feng offers his greetings to Lord Atlas," the man said calmly.
Atlas briefly glanced at the carriage and the way Han Feng stood on empty air as if it were ordinary ground.
"Welcome to Gacha Haven, Han Feng," Atlas replied. "That carriage looks pretty impressive. Do you happen to have two of them?" he added.
"Lord Atlas, you are free to borrow it whenever you wish," Han Feng answered. "Though I believe it is not as fast as your own carriage."
"Yes, sure, I know that," Atlas replied casually.
He then gestured toward the central area of the island. "Luna is already waiting. Follow me," he said, before moving ahead.
**
Atlas stood beside Han Feng inside the room, where Luna and Ember were already present. Edrik was there as well, standing near the seat that Atlas would normally occupy.
"Well, Han Feng, for the initial phase, I think it will be better if the three of us talk first. Luna is here too," Atlas said calmly. "I am sure it will take some time for the others to fully accept you. That said, I have already explained things to them. The agreement stays the same. As a trial member, you will have fewer privileges compared to the others."
The man gave a slight bow before replying, "I understand that, and I truly appreciate it."
"Hello, Han Feng, haha," Ember said cheerfully, waving enthusiastically from her seat.
Atlas then took a seat, with Han Feng following suit. "Thank you for the welcome," Han Feng added politely.
"Well, you use the Ice element, right?" Ember continued, leaning forward with interest.
"That is correct, Lady Ember," Han Feng replied. "I have a high affinity with Ice, although my system ability works quite differently from that element."
The discussion continued as Luna began to explain the next point.
"There is one very important reward from this event, Atlas," she said. "Previously, our alliance was built purely on agreements and mutual trust. After everything is finished, you will gain an actual feature to build your own alliance. You will be able to set rules, agreements, and even authority over the lords within your alliance."
Atlas nodded slowly. "With this alliance system, I believe it will be much easier to develop our alliance, especially when new lords want to join us."
"I agree," Luna replied. "And we only need to wait one more week for it to become available."
Atlas then turned his full attention back to Han Feng.
"So, Han Feng," Atlas said calmly, "tell me about the important matter you wanted to bring up earlier."
The man smiled faintly and gave a polite bow toward Atlas.
"Lord Atlas, I understand that trust within an alliance is not something that can be built easily," Han Feng said. "Because of that, I would like to begin by openly revealing my system ability to you, here and now."
"Oh..." Ember responded, leaning forward slightly. "Interesting."
"You are the only one whose abilities we have not seen in battle yet," Luna added.
"Yes," Han Feng replied. "Although my system ability does not have a grade as high as Elder Bolin’s, it is one that has an effect that truly... alters reality in a meaningful way."
Atlas immediately gave him his full attention upon hearing that.
"My system ability is SS-Rank: Law of Narrative Weight," Han Feng continued.
"Interesting," Atlas responded. "At a glance, it sounds similar to what Tessa possesses."
Luna nodded in agreement.
"Do you intend to explain it to us, Han Feng?" Luna asked.
"Yes, my lord," he answered without hesitation.
"Many lords believe this world runs on numbers," he said quietly. "Levels. Damage. Victory."
Han Feng paused for a moment, as if carefully arranging the simplest way to explain an ability that was, frankly, anything but simple.
"But it does not."
Atlas remained silent.
"My world runs on narratives," Han Feng continued. "Who survives. Who returns. Who is remembered."
"Explain it more simply, Han Feng," Atlas said.
"Yes," Ember added. "What exactly do you change with this narrative thing?"
"I do not change anything," Han Feng replied calmly. "I merely make the system unable to pretend it forgot. Especially those who should have suffered defeat, or even death."
Atlas frowned. "Death? You can interfere with death itself?"
The man paused briefly, then nodded. "Yes, my lord."
"If their deaths are delayed often enough," he continued, "witnessed enough times, made heavy enough to ignore..."
He tapped the table once.
"...then the world itself hesitates to finalize it."
Silence filled the room.
"So," Atlas said at last. "Give me the short version. No twisting words."
A faint smile appeared on the man’s face.
"Near me," he said calmly, "death is not a decision the world makes lightly."
Atlas grew visibly more irritated. "Han Feng, explain it in human language."
"Okay, my lord," Han Feng replied calmly.