This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist

Kayden's first piece of intel was chilling:

- "The Oak Owls are skilled in cultivation. Anyone entering their floating islands will likely come into contact with a plant seed called Pigeonweed. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire

- This seed is undetectable to most species because it's present in the island's water supply. If you've ever eaten their food or drunk their water, the seeds will have entered your system.

- Pigeonweed doesn't harm you outright, but if you try to harm an Oak Owl, 20% of the damage you deal will rebound onto yourself.

- Worse, if you kill an Oak Owl while parasitized, your skin will turn red, marking you as an enemy to all Oak Owls. The duration of this status depends on how many you've killed and their rank."

Rita finally understood why Lucia had been so insistent about her juice being imported from Yalan City.

But it was already too late.

While Rita hadn't drunk the juice Lucia offered, she had casually purchased and sampled local delicacies during her first visit to Eternal Night Fortress.

In fact, she'd made a habit of trying dishes from all 36 major cities. As a result, Pigeonweed was almost certainly lurking in her body.

It was essentially the equivalent of being "red-named" in a video game after killing other players—except this was a one-sided penalty, and she hadn't even noticed!

Kayden mentioned that even Hecipah hadn't found a way to deal with Pigeonweed. Apparently, Hecipah had been parasitized during her early years of wandering, and even now, decades later, she was still affected.

The kicker?

Only those already parasitized could retain knowledge of Pigeonweed. If an unaffected person heard about it, they would quickly forget.

Even warnings like "don't eat Oak Owl cuisine" didn't work; the more you told people not to do something, the more curious they became.

Kayden concluded, "This piece of intel is free. You need it more than I need the money."

The Second Piece of Intel

Kayden's second piece was less about survival and more… horrifyingly bizarre:

- "Anyone, regardless of species, who's willing to pledge themselves to an Oak Owl under the Four Seasons Nest in Four Seasons City, will grow wings like the Oak Owls and gain the ability to fly.

- Even if you part ways, the wings won't disappear but will shrink to a minuscule size, representing the love that once existed."

Rita: "How small are we talking?"

Kayden: "About the size of the spicy wings you treated me to last time."

Rita: "...Can they be cut off entirely?"

Kayden: "Nope. If you chop them off, they'll grow back."

At that moment, Rita's mind conjured a terrifying headline:

"I Made Millions a Year Running a Fried Chicken Shop After Breaking Up with an Oak Owl."

Rita couldn't help but ask, "What happens if you get back together?"

Kayden: "The small wings will remain, but you'll grow a new pair of full-sized wings."

Rita: ...

Even as a Blue Star native, she found this too ridiculous to process.

Information Passed to the Special Affairs Bureau

Both pieces of intel, purchased for 50 gold coins, were absent from the Special Affairs Bureau's files.

As soon as Rita left the alchemy shop, she notified Shadow.Q, who agreed to reimburse her expenses.

Shadow.Q's response: "Great catch. Don't make a habit of it."

Rita couldn't help but laugh. She had told Kayden something similar as she left the shop.

Hunting Time

Rita returned to the deep seas outside Yaslan City, reverting to her original form to hunt aquatic monsters. She spent six hours underwater, biding time until her [Disguise!] skill came off cooldown.

When it was ready, she disguised herself again and headed toward Eternal Night Fortress.

Following Kayden's directions, she found the rundown tavern on a gourd-shaped island and met Gota, a young undead who looked about Kayden's age.

Gota's Demeanor

Unlike Kayden, Gota's aura was entirely different.

While Kayden radiated resilience and a love for life despite her hardships, Gota exuded an air of constant vigilance.

From the moment he saw Rita, his sharp eyes evaluated everything about her: her strength, wealth, motives, likes, dislikes, and even whether she was easy to deceive.

Rita handed Gota the slip of paper Kayden had given her.

His expression softened slightly as he motioned for her to follow.

The two left the noisy tavern and navigated a series of winding paths before stopping under a tree.

After scanning their surroundings with various tools and skills, Gota finally spoke. "What kind of intel are you buying?"

Straight to the Point

Rita had no interest in small talk with strangers. "Everything about Eternal Night Fortress. Tell me what you consider worth selling. Give me half first, set your price, and I'll evaluate its value. Once we agree, I'll pay, and you'll give me the rest. Deal?"

Gota seemed satisfied with her directness. "You'll need to narrow it down. If I start on Eternal Night Fortress, we'd be here for days."

"Then tell me about the clock tower," Rita replied.

The Price of Secrets

Gota nodded. "The tower has only one entrance. From December 15th to 17th, during the Oak Owls' Hazelnut Festival, the fewest guards will be stationed there.

"As for more details about the tower itself… 300 gold."

Sensing Rita's hesitation, Gota added, "I'm not trying to scam you. You're Kayden's friend, so I'll be honest: other intel about Eternal Night Fortress is cheap—no more than 50 gold per piece.

"But anything related to the tower? Always three digits. It's not information you can get without long-term access to the Oak Owls."

Rita had already decided to buy it. "Do you have to enter the tower to see [Fate Out of Sync]?" she asked.

"Yes."

Rita handed over the 300 gold without further delay. "Go on."

Gota's Revelation

Pocketing the gold, Gota stepped back, keeping a cautious distance before speaking.

"The area around the clock tower is protected by a formation. Whether you're aiming for the clock face or the tower's peak, there's only one way in: the tower's sole entrance.

"Inside, the tower contains the destiny nodes of the Oak Owls' long history. Once you enter, you'll randomly find yourself in one of these nodes.

"Complete the trial, and you'll reach the tower's peak—the closest point to the moon in all of Lania Kaia."