145: escape

A slowly writhing "wall" made of a mixture of flesh, crystal, and off-white matter appeared before them.

On the wall, giant eyeballs rotated aimlessly.

Their terrified reflections were cast in the pupils.

The assault trooper was somewhat bewildered.

"Where's the path? Where's our door?"

His companion's face was ashen.

"It... It ate the door?"

This world, as if sensing the "food" about to escape, instinctively sealed off the exit.

Thump!

Another heartbeat.

This time, it was heavier and clearer than before.

The entire off-white ground heaved violently, like the belly of a living creature.

The crystal forest in the distance erupted in a piercing shriek, and the black river boiled, surging over its banks, corroding even the ashes in its path.

"Prepare for battle!"

Leon roared, slamming his great shield to the ground, and a golden Holy Light barrier firmly protected everyone within.

The trouble had just begun.

On the writhing wall, the eyeballs all focused on them.

The next moment, dark purple rays shot out from the pupils, dense as rain, fiercely bombarding the Holy Light barrier.

"Boom boom boom--"

Each impact caused the barrier to tremble violently, and Leon's face grew a shade paler.

"Tong!" Shadow One growled.

"Understood!"

Tong's eyes suddenly became a chaotic void, and he pressed his hand to his sword hilt, an invisible wave spreading out.

"Mind Unleashed: Myriad Illusions!"

Dozens of ash-formed, bone-bladed monsters charging at the forefront suddenly froze.

In their perception, the enemies before them suddenly transformed into countless figures, attacking from all directions.

"Charge!"

Shadow One's figure instantly vanished from his original spot.

The next second, he appeared behind a monster.

The short blade cut a cold arc, and the monster shattered in response, reverting to a pile of ashes.

But more ashes gathered on the ground, and new monsters coalesced in the blink of an eye.

They were endless, inexhaustible.

"This won't do!"

A Spirit Pivot Sword Envoy shouted, "Our spiritual power will be exhausted!"

"We must open a breach!"

Leon gritted his teeth, maintaining the nearly shattered Holy Light barrier.

Shadow One's figure weaved through the monster horde, calmly observing his surroundings.

The space here was extremely unstable, with weak points everywhere.

But these weak points were also constantly shifting and changing with the world's heartbeat.

"Everyone, gather around me!"

Shadow One's voice rang out in the communication channel.

Everyone immediately tightened their formation around his position.

The "Shadows" moved on the periphery, clearing the attacking monsters in the most efficient way.

The Spirit Pivot Sword Envoys, in turn, combined their sword formations, continuously unleashing massive crescent-shaped Soul Cry Slashes, clearing large open areas.

The Radiant City's clerics chanted prayers, and the power of Holy Light transformed into swords and chains, continuously purifying and binding the enemies.

"Tong, find the most stable spatial node, three o'clock direction, about one hundred thirty meters away!"

Shadow One's voice was terrifyingly calm.

"Found it! But it's very unstable, it can only last for three seconds at most!"

Tong yelled, blood already staining his chin.

"That's enough."

"Commander Leon, use your strongest power to blast it open!"

Leon understood, and he raised his great shield high.

The sun rune on the shield shone to its brightest, as if a true sun was about to rise.

"In the name of the Radiant City--Holy Light Judgment!"

A thick golden beam of light, carrying purifying sacred flames, fiercely blasted the position Tong indicated.

Boom!!!

A charred hole was blasted into the writhing wall, and space violently twisted.

The twisted space formed an unstable tunnel, at the end of which a corner of the Red Soil Plateau outside was visible.

"Go!"

Shadow One's figure was the first to rush out, followed closely by the others.

Just as the last few members of the team were about to burst through the opening, the distant purple heart suddenly pulsed!

Thump!!!

An irresistible, terrifying suction came from behind, and the entire world began to collapse inward.

The last two Holy Knights, to cover their companions, were instantly dragged back by that force, and before they could even scream, they were swallowed by the endless darkness.

Leon looked back, his eyes bloodshot, but he could only grit his teeth and rush out of the gap.

...

The world spun.

It seemed like a long time had passed.

When everyone's feet were back on solid ground, they had returned to the eerie dark red land of the Red Soil Plateau.

Everyone collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

The relief of surviving was replaced by sorrow before it could even fully surface.

Shadow One counted the numbers; over four hundred people went in, and less than two hundred came out.

He looked up at the sky.

In the sky, there was no sun, only a crimson full moon, emitting an ominous light.

"This... Is this night?"

The surviving assault trooper asked blankly.

Shadow One raised his wrist and glanced at the date on his tactical terminal.

His face was somewhat dazed.

Leon also noticed his abnormality, struggled to crawl over, and saw the time on the terminal.

His face instantly became paler than the ashes on the ground.

"How long... how long were we in there?"

The assault trooper asked tremblingly.

Leon's lips moved, but no sound came out.

Shadow One slowly spoke.

"Thirty-seven days."

The assault trooper screamed, almost collapsing.

"Thirty-seven days?! What a joke! We were in there at most... at most three days!"

Before his words finished.

Whoosh—!!!

A sharp, ear-piercing alarm sounded!

The entire forward operating base was instantly activated.

Cold metal muzzles uniformly turned, and hundreds of crimson targeting beams fell upon the disheveled survivors.

"Don't fire!!"

A voice came from the city wall.

The garrison Commander, after clearly seeing Shadow One's and Leon's faces.

"It's Lord Shadow One! And the Knight Commander of Radiant City! Quick! Medical team! Our own people are back!"

He shouted with a trembling voice, rushing down the city wall and running towards them.

"Sirs! You're finally back!"

"The day after you went in, that rift..."

Shadow One raised his hand, stopping his next words.

"Immediately connect to the Alliance High Command, and also to Radiant City."

"Disregard all protocols, highest authority."

The Commander was awed by his presence and instinctively stood at attention.

Shadow One glanced at him, speaking word by word:

"Report to them that behind the rift in the Red Soil Plateau, it is not a secret realm."

"It is a corrupted, hungry, and instinct-driven plane embryo, left with only the instinct to devour."

He paused, adding the last sentence.

"We must deal with it."

"Otherwise, the entire Woma World will become its food."

......

Black Wind Plateau.

The last stronghold of the Three-Eyed Race and the Dark Star Empire.

A suffocating atmosphere solidified here, and tattered banners wailed in the biting wind.

The remaining Dark Star Empire and Three-Eyed Race allied forces, like stray dogs, gathered here.

Most of them had their territories destroyed, their kin dead in battle, leaving only a heart full of hatred and unwillingness.

Maergan stood on a high platform, looking down at those below.

Beside him were Giant Statue Overseer Ba'er and several other level six veteran lords.

This was almost their last high-end combat power.

They had spent a month finally gathering all the forces still capable of fighting here.

Maergan spread his arms, his voice echoing in the evening wind.

"Gentlemen."

"Look at yourselves, then look at the people around you."

"What do we have left?"

No one answered.

In the deadly silence, only hatred burned silently.

Maergan smiled, his laughter full of madness.

"That's right! We have nothing left!"

"Therefore, we fear nothing!"

The vertical pupil on his forehead glowed brightly with purple light, its eerie glow sweeping across the entire area, igniting the last spark of madness in everyone's heart.

"Now, our final journey of revenge is about to begin."

"Are you ready to embrace the grandest destruction?"