484: Chapter 419: Setting a Trap to Lure the Enemy, a Fake Supply Team

The news of Vice Commander Chen Tianchou's arrest caused an uproar at the Expeditionary Force headquarters. A General and Vice Commander of the Expeditionary Force had actually colluded with the Void Sect and betrayed the Human Race. The High Command ordered a strict blackout on the news, and Vice Commander Chen Tianchou was secretly detained in a special prison under the Inspection Department, awaiting trial by military tribunal.

However, his capture did not put Lin Zhou at ease. During interrogation, Vice Commander Chen Tianchou confessed everything he knew—Karon was recommended by him, the plan to attack the supply line was approved by him, and he helped the Void Sect divert patrol teams and delay investigations by the Military Law Department. But when asked if the Void Sect had other strongholds in the New Universe, his answer was: "I do not know. I am merely a chess piece, not the player."

Lin Zhou read the interrogation records three times over. Vice Commander Chen Tianchou was a chess piece; who was the chess player? The Void Sect's White-Robed Bishop and three Cardinals had already fallen, but above them, were there even more Advanced existences? Or was it that the Void Sect didn't need a "person" to play the game at all—the Return to Nothingness itself was the chess player.

He did not continue to delve into it, because he knew the Void Sect would not stop their actions just because Vice Commander Chen Tianchou was arrested. Their strongholds in the New Universe had been cleared out, and their strongholds in the Old Universe had also been destroyed, but they still had believers hiding in the shadows. These believers had lost their high-level command, but they would not give up just like that. What would they do? They might seek crazy revenge, they might continue to attempt to open the Gate of Return to Nothingness, or they might... attack the supply line.

That's right, the supply line. Karon was dead, Vice Commander Chen Tianchou was arrested, but the Void Sect was still there. They knew Karon and Vice Commander Chen Tianchou were exposed, but they didn't know how much intelligence Lin Zhou had grasped. They would think the plan to attack the supply line could continue, as long as they changed the method and changed the batch of people.

Lin Zhou decided to set a trap.

He found General Rex and proposed his plan.

"General, the Void Sect still has remnants in the New Universe. They have lost their high-level command, but they will not stop here. They will continue to try to attack the supply line because that is the only way for them to collect energy from the Return to Nothingness."

"What do you want to do?"

"Set up a fake supply team to transport a batch of fake supplies. Hidden within the supplies will be a replica of a Return to Nothingness energy core—not real Return to Nothingness energy, but something simulated by the Fire of Civilization. The replica will emit an aura highly similar to that of Return to Nothingness energy, enough to deceive the Void Sect's detection."

"What if the Void Sect takes the bait?"

"Their remaining strength shouldn't be too great. I estimate ten to twenty people, possibly including one member of Cardinal Rank. I will lead men to ambush within the supply team, and once they appear, I will wipe them out."

General Rex pondered for a moment. "And the risks?"

"The risk is that if they don't take the bait, or if more people come than expected, we might fall into a passive position. Therefore, we need reinforcements. General, I need you to dispatch a rapid response force to stand by nearby."

"Approved."

Lin Zhou began the deployment. He had Li Mo create a replica of a Return to Nothingness energy core—fist-sized, dark red, with distorted runes flowing on the surface, almost identical to a real Return to Nothingness energy core.

[Return to Nothingness Energy Core Replica · Data]

- Source: Simulated by Fire of Civilization

- Appearance: Dark red crystal

- Energy Fluctuation: Highly similar to Return to Nothingness energy

- Function: Bait

- Concealment: Excellent

He had Qin Qing select twenty elite soldiers to disguise themselves as a transport team. The soldiers wore ordinary rune armor and piloted an old transport ship. The "supplies" on the ship were dozens of boxes of chaos crystal—real chaos crystal, used to increase credibility. The Return to Nothingness energy core replica was hidden in the deepest part.

[Fake Supply Team · Data]

- Number of people: 20 (disguised as transport soldiers)

- Equipment: Ordinary rune armor (no Fire of Civilization coating)

- Supplies: Fifty boxes of chaos crystal, one Return to Nothingness energy core replica

- Route: Eastern section of the Silent Corridor (Karon's defensive zone)

- Time: Night

Lin Zhou brought the real elites—Wang Meng, Qin Qing, Su Yueyao, Chen Xuan, and the Dragon Vein Golden Scale—to ambush near the transport ship. The projection of the ark of civilization was compressed to the minimum, its deep blue light almost invisible in the Void Realm. Su Yueyao's moonlight contracted to within ten meters around her, illuminating only the path under her feet. The Dragon Vein Golden Scale coiled in Lin Zhou's Divine Kingdom, its aura concealed by the Fire of Civilization.

[Ambush Team · Data]

- Number of people: 5 + Dragon Vein Golden Scale

- Equipment: Civilization Armor · Enhanced Version, Rule Plague Purification Talisman

- Position: Approximately fifty kilometers behind the transport ship

- Distance from supply team: Fifty kilometers (maintain distance to avoid detection)

The fake supply team set off into the night. The engine sound of the transport ship rumbled low in the Void Realm, and the ship's lights flickered. The twenty elite soldiers were dispersed throughout the ship, some in the cockpit, some in the cargo hold, and some patrolling on the deck. Their movements were natural, their expressions relaxed, as if they were truly just an ordinary transport team.

Lin Zhou's ambush team followed far behind. The deep blue light of the ark of civilization's projection was almost invisible in the grayish-white fog, and Su Yueyao's moonlight only illuminated the path under her feet.

At two in the morning, the transport ship entered the eastern section of Karon's defensive zone—the area where three previous transport teams had gone missing.

Lin Zhou's heartbeat quickened.

"Captain, the detector has a reaction." Li Mo's voice came through the communication link, laced with a hint of nervousness.

"What kind of reaction?"

"Return to Nothingness energy fluctuation. Weak, but strengthening. Direction... about ten kilometers ahead of the transport ship."

"They are there."

The transport ship continued forward.

Ten kilometers... eight kilometers... five kilometers...

When the transport ship was only three kilometers away from the source of the energy fluctuation, a dozen dark red points of light suddenly appeared in the grayish-white fog. The points of light moved rapidly, surrounding the transport ship.

[Void Sect Remnants · Detection Data]

- Quantity: Approximately 15 people

- Rank: LV500 - LV800

- Equipment: Dark red robes, Return to Nothingness energy weapons

- Behavior: Encirclement

"Captain, they have appeared." Qin Qing's voice was tense.

"Wait. Wait for them to board the ship."

The encirclement tightened. Fifteen Void Sect believers rushed out of the fog and landed on the deck of the transport ship. Their faces were pale, their eyes were two balls of dark red flame—the same as the Void Sect members seen before. The leader was a middle-aged man wearing a dark red robe with dark gold patterns embroidered on the cuffs. His Divine Rank was approximately LV900.

[Void Sect Remnants · Minor Leader]

- Rank: LV900 (Mid-Tier Divine Power, Mid-stage)

- Identity: Subordinate of a Cardinal

- Skills: Return to Nothingness Erosion, Void Devour

- Goal: Seize the Return to Nothingness energy core

"Search!" the minor leader ordered.

The believers rushed into the cargo hold, rummaging for supplies. When they found the Return to Nothingness energy core replica, a gleam of excitement flashed in the minor leader's eyes.

"Found it!"

"Attack!" Lin Zhou ordered.

The ambush team rushed out from behind. The ark of civilization projection suddenly expanded, and deep blue light illuminated the entire transport ship. The Dragon Vein Golden Scale poked its head out from the Divine Kingdom, and its Dragon Breath engulfed two believers. Su Yueyao's moonlight spread out, silver-white light shrouding the believers; their dark red flames flickered in the moonlight, becoming dim.

[Battle · Data]

- Void Sect Remnants: 15 people

- Kills: 5 people (Dragon Breath + Moonlight)

- Captives: 0

- Our Losses: 0 (light injuries)

The minor leader saw Lin Zhou, and his expression changed drastically. "It's you!"

Lin Zhou didn't waste words, the Sword of Civilization in hand, slashing towards the minor leader. The minor leader dodged, but the sword light was too fast, cutting off his right arm. Dark red blood sprayed, and the right arm fell to the ground.

[Minor Leader · Status]

- Divine Rank Integrity: 100% → 70%

- Right arm: Severed

"Surrender. Your stronghold has already been destroyed, and Vice Commander Chen Tianchou has been arrested. The Void Sect is finished."

The minor leader sneered. "Vice Commander Chen Tianchou is just a chess piece. The Void Sect will never be finished."

He burned his remaining Divine Rank, turning into a streak of dark red light, fleeing into the depths of the Void Realm.

Lin Zhou did not pursue. He walked to the corpses of the believers engulfed by Dragon Breath, squatted down, and lifted their dark red robes. Under the robes was the standard armor of the Expeditionary Force. On the shoulder straps were military Ranks—Second Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain. They had once been officers of the Human Race.

Lin Zhou was silent.

"Captain, these people..." Qin Qing walked over, her voice trembling slightly.

"Polluted by the Void Sect. Their Divine Rank was eroded by the Return to Nothingness energy, and their consciousness was devoured, turning them into Puppets." Lin Zhou stood up, "They were not willing."

He looked in the direction the minor leader had fled.

"That person, he was willing."

"Captain, are we not pursuing?" Wang Meng asked.

"He will come back. Or, we will find him."

Lin Zhou turned and looked at the transport ship.

"Move the supplies back to the fortress. Take these sacrificed officers back and bury them properly."

"Yes."

Returning to the fortress, Lin Zhou submitted the battle report to General Rex.

[Fake Supply Team Luring Enemy · Report]

- Bait: Return to Nothingness energy core replica

- Target: Void Sect remnants

- Result: Ten killed, zero captured, minor leader escaped with heavy injuries

- Seized: Several Return to Nothingness energy weapons, two secret letters from the Void Sect

- Our Losses: Zero

General Rex looked at the report, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Another one got away."

"The minor leader is not a Cardinal, his Rank is only LV900, not a big threat. But the organization behind him is the real threat."

General Rex stood up and walked to the window.

"The Void Sect... exactly how many people are left?"

"I don't know. But as long as there are people who fear death, who fear the Void, the Void Sect will be reborn."

"Then what should we do?"

"Defend the New Universe and develop the Way of Civilization. Let more people understand that living itself has meaning."

General Rex was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Lin Zhou, you have changed."

"Changed?"

"Before, you only knew how to kill. Now, you know why you kill."

Lin Zhou did not answer.

He walked out of the command post and stood on the city wall.

Qin Qing followed him.

"Captain, what are you thinking about?"

"Thinking about those polluted officers. They were once guardians of the Human Race. Now, they have become Puppets of the Void Sect."

"They were not willing."

"I know. But their deaths are the crime of the Void Sect."

Lin Zhou looked towards the Chaos Star Domain.

"The Void Sect must be completely eradicated."

"How to eradicate them?"

"From the source. The Return to Nothingness energy is the source of the Void Sect's power. If the source of the Return to Nothingness energy can be cut off, the Void Sect will lose its Foundation."

"The source of the Return to Nothingness energy is the Return to Nothingness itself. How can the Return to Nothingness be cut off?"

Lin Zhou was silent.

He didn't know. But perhaps there was an answer in the memory fragments of The Transcendent. He needed time to find it.

"Captain, rest. There is still a mission tomorrow."

"Hmm."