Chapter 17: The Jade Emperor

Agent 013 looked around the massive hallway, greeting each celestial deities and celestial gods passing by. This would be his second time going inside the Jade Emperor's court palace.

He can still remember his first time confronting the Jade Emperor that happened many thousand years ago. He was once called, Qian Beichen, a human that cultivated until he became a demi-god, one level until his ascention to the celestial realm.

Qian Beichen was rejected by his own country after bringing disaster to his clan, causing thousand of deaths to those who had touched or seen him. He raised himself alone in the mountains, never meeting humans nor animals since they would die at a sight of him.

One day, a princess fell down on a cliff after an internal struggle in the palace. He lost his eyes and broke his leg. Qian Beichen pitied him and eventually took care of the princess.

The princess is kind hearted and mischievous, she likes to try grabbing Qian Beichen even though the man forbids her from doing so. Soon, the two fell in love with each other, they keep on yearning for each other's touch but can never do so.

Qian Beichen cultivated crazily, he wanted to get strong and fight his way to the celestial realm, find a way to dispel his death curse. When he was about to ascend to the celestial realm, a group of assassins managed to track the princess and severely wounded her.

Unable to touch his lover, he watched as she died slowly right in front of his eyes. The princess said something but Qian Beichen is too unstable to hear it. He didn't continued his ascension and started killing the perpetrators.

Due to his anger, his inner demons controlled him. Qian Beichen uncontrollably killed millions of people and destroyed everything he sees, earning a title of the death god from the celestial gods.

Qian Beichen is just about an inch away from destroying the world when he forcefully woke up and suppressed his inner demons. He voluntarily took out his heart and died by his own hands.

The celestial realm was in chaos when Qian Beichen appeared by the Underworld. They are afraid that Qian Beichen will slash his way to the celestial realm since the Underworld is connected to it. All gods and deities asked the Jade Emperor to exterminate Qian Beichen's soul but the emperor declined it.

It was unknown why the Jade Emperor gave Qian Beichen two options; One, he would be sent to the place of endless suffering and never to reincarnate. Two, he would work as an Agent System in the Underworld Agency for all his life.

At first, Qian Beichen wanted to choose the former but something in the latter attracted him. Like Li Bai, he felt that he would regret it if he didn't choose it.

Chuckling, he made his way inside the court palace and waited for the servants.

A magnetic voice reverberated in the whole room. The Jade Emperor looked up from his imperial seat, casually playing the tea cup by his slender fingers.

"You've come."

Agent 013 rolled his eyes. 'Of course, you called me.' The man saw the small gesture and simply chuckled.

"I can just tell my brother about this news but I wanted to see how you are faring."

"Well, Your Majesty, I'm still alive and kicking. If not for your younger brother being a brat that he is, I would've gladly choose to suffer endlessly since I see no difference." Agent 013 smiled insincerely and adjusted his glasses.

The emperor chuckled and didn't take an offense. "Alright, Qian Beich—"

The man cut the sentence off, "Agent 013 or Thirteen...please, Your Majesty."

"Thirteen, as you know, Li Bai is currently on that broken world where you are assigned with. However, it's not a mistake." The emperor seriously said, looking straight at the frowning man.

"I don't understand. Li Bai is not suited to be I'm there. He's too weak and might die shortly." Agent 013 didn't want to implicate anyone nor hurt someone ever again.

"Yes, but the broken world accepted him, did it not? I was surprised when I felt that world suddenly regained small amount of stable energy when Li Bai entered it. Much like when you died in your previous world."

Yes, Qian Beichen's existence is practically a bug and the world trued to reject him. However, it failed to reject Qian Beichen and became a broken world.

However, Li Bai is different. He had somehow managed to give the broken world a stable energy and it continually sucks the energy out of Li Bai.

"The broken world sensed Li Bai's soul and by its own will, it replaced Li Bai's contract to itself."

Agent 013 frown became deeper, "Stable energy...you mean Li Bai's soul? Li Bai will die there! I don't approve of this!"

The Jade Emperor shook his head, "We can't forcefully take him out or else Li Bai and the world will collapse."

Taking a deep breath, the emperor continued, "However, the system tasks finished can strengthen Li Bai's soul and will not die from the broken world's absorption. Until the world became stable, Li Bai must stay there."

Agent 013 nodded. This is also fine. There are many ways of stabling the broken world. If they can find all the factors that made the world broken, Li Bai didn't need to supply the world with his soul.

"I shan't linger any longer. I bid my farewell to Your Majesty." Agent 013 bowed down and turned around fast.

The Jade Emperor watched the forever straighten back of Agent 013 and silently thought to himself, smirking as his youngest brother came into his mind.

'When will he know the truth? I'm excited to what will happen to my youngest brother once Qian Beichen knew he's the princess.'

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Small theater:
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Li Bai: So the world is sucking my soul right?

Agent 013: Right.

Li Bai: *suddenly fell silent*

Agent 013: ???

Li Bai: I want to ask, what part of my body does the world suck my soul from?

Agent 013: Li Bai, I swear to god—