"Although I cannot fulfill your wishes in certain aspects, I can still grant them in others."
Melbourne's words always carried a lingering sense of danger.
Before Duan Chen could react, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his hand.
Duan Chen lowered his head, dazed, and looked at his hand.
There, on his palm, was a star pattern resembling a Rubik's Cube, which was emitting a faint, dark blue-black glow.
He instinctively asked,
"What is this?"
Melbourne smiled beside him.
"This is what you imagined. Don't hesitate."
Duan Chen felt his spirit tremble and couldn't help but raise his gaze, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"Truly?"
"Of course, it's true."
Melbourne never deceived.
He then formally addressed the matter.
"This is a temporary contract between us. Through this, I can briefly stay by your side, traversing time and space."
"However, I will not offer you assistance. Conversely, if you encounter any danger, even if you summon me, I will be unable to appear, nor will I respond. Do you understand?"
Melbourne's words were entirely reasonable. Though somewhat cold and unfeeling, Duan Chen immediately nodded.
"Rest assured, I understand."
A bright smile spread across Melbourne's lips.
"It is good that you understand."
"Since you understand, it saves me much explanation."
"Then, please, help yourselves."
"Does anyone wish to exchange some curious items with me?"
Melbourne's demeanor towards the others became exceptionally friendly and kind. Perhaps it was because he could leave, or perhaps it was due to the connection formed.
In any case, his attitude was unexpectedly amicable. However, everyone knew what kind of wolf was hidden beneath his sheep's clothing.
Thus, they hastily shook their heads, rejecting Melbourne's offer.
Melbourne, rejected, did not appear disappointed. He merely cast a few deep gazes at them.
Then, with a gentle smile, he raised his hand and waved lightly. All the curious items they had gathered and laid out before them vanished.
Upon witnessing this, Yuan Yuan's eyes involuntarily showed distress. He opened his mouth, but then recalling where he was, he immediately closed it.
Melbourne watched this scene with amusement and suddenly spoke.
"Actually, it wouldn't matter if I gave these little things to you. After all, these little things don't quite match the style of my home's interior decor."
The curious items that could provide positive effects were referred to as mere "little things" by him.
However, Duan Chen knew there were no free lunches in the world, so he listened calmly.
Duan Chen glanced at his other teammates.
He noticed that while their faces showed a flicker of desire, none exhibited greed beyond redemption.
It was clear they understood the immense trouble and danger that would follow if they made such a decision.
Duan Chen couldn't help but feel relieved.
He didn't fear slow-witted teammates, nor those with weak talents, nor those with insufficient combat prowess. What he feared were teammates who, knowing the dangers, would still rush headlong into them, not realizing their own folly, and yet arrogantly believing themselves superior to Zhuge Liang.
That wasn't merely leading people into a pit; it was burying them directly within it.
This thought flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but chuckle. When faced with Melbourne's offer, he responded firmly.
"Although we are all tempted, there is no need for Mr. Melbourne's kind offer."
Melbourne did not insist that they select curious items. Instead, he simply smiled faintly and waved his hand. The entire Rubik's Cube cabin began to faintly shimmer.
He spoke, ushering them out.
"You may leave now. If you don't leave soon, you will assimilate with my cabin."
They scrambled out of the cabin's vicinity and returned to the outside. As the last person exited the Rubik's Cube cabin, it instantly transformed into a house of micro-particles, spinning rapidly as it burrowed into Duan Chen's hand.
Even Duan Chen was momentarily astonished.
He stared at his hand, unable to comprehend how such a large house could have entered it.
Yuan Qingqing curiously asked from the side.
"Do you feel anything on your hand?"
Of course, he felt nothing.
No pain, no itch.
And certainly no sensation of injury.
As for the small pattern on his hand, after the microscopic Rubik's Cube cabin took up residence, it completely stopped glowing, becoming a pattern like a genuine tattoo.
It was as if he had merely gotten a tattoo in the secret realm.
Just as Duan Chen was about to speak, Melbourne's voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Kid, your consciousness space is quite interesting. I'll be staying here for a while to analyze some of the memories you previously showed me. As for you, you'd best leave this place soon."
After saying this, Melbourne fell completely silent, unresponsive to any further calls.
Duan Chen looked up at his teammates, who were looking at him with anxious worry due to his sudden silence. He opened his mouth.
He smiled.
"It's alright, don't worry. Everything will be fine."
Then, he recounted his conversation with Melbourne to his teammates.
After he finished speaking, most of them turned their gaze towards Hill.
Hill understood their implication but scratched her head with a troubled expression. She then directed her gaze to Meng Shalia, who stood silently beside them, posing like a mummified statue.
Meng Shalia did not utter a single word.
Her silent demeanor made it seem as if she were truly just a sculpture. Hill had to retract her gaze and, after some thought, stammered her reply.
"If you're asking about my other teammates, they should be arriving soon. Shall I summon them?"
"That would be troublesome for you."
Duan Chen agreed.
It wasn't that he wanted to burden his teammates, but he feared that if they didn't leave soon, other unpleasant events might occur.
This secret realm, from beginning to end, was a colossal deception. Aside from a few hard-to-obtain herbs, there were virtually no other resources.
It would be better to leave as soon as possible.