500: Chapter 435: Secret Surveillance Reveals Black-Clad Society's Stronghold

The silver-white light of the teleportation Formation dissipated at the edge of the Third War Zone. Lin Zhou walked out of the teleportation Formation alone, his presence completely masked by the Fire of Civilization. He had brought no one—Wang Meng, Qin Qing, and Iron Face had not come. Facing a Lieutenant General and Vice Commander of the Expeditionary Force, bringing too many people would only make it easier to be exposed. What he needed was infiltration, not a frontal assault.

[Lin Zhou · Disguise Status]

- Form: Fire of Civilization simulating the presence of an ordinary Lieutenant.

- Divine Rank Display: LV300 (Actual LV6700).

- Identity: Probationary Staff Officer of the Third War Zone Logistics Department (forged credentials).

- Carrying: One Fire of Civilization Seed, one Origin Stone of Space, one Justice Fire Seed.

The environment of the Third War Zone was completely different from the Seventh War Zone. Being close to the core area of the New Universe, the concentration of Void energy here was only five times that of the outside world, the stability of the laws was high, and space rifts were rare. In the starry sky, one could see the stars of the New Universe, bright and warm. But Lin Zhou knew that hidden beneath this seemingly calm area was a secret passage leading to the edge of the Old Universe's Void.

According to Li Mo's analysis, the entrance to the secret passage was on an abandoned asteroid at the edge of the Third War Zone. The asteroid was about fifty kilometers in diameter, its surface covered with thick rock and ice, showing no signs of life. However, the spatial law detector showed a stable spatial folding point inside the asteroid.

Lin Zhou flew toward the asteroid. The Fire of Civilization completely masked his presence, to the point where even the spatial law detector could not capture his existence. He landed on the asteroid's surface, crouched down, and pressed his hand against the rock. The Fire of Civilization seeped into the rock, extending downward.

[Detection · Result]

- Inside the asteroid: Hollow.

- Spatial folding point: Stable.

- Folding direction: Edge of the Old Universe Void.

- Nearby life signs: About twenty people.

- Energy fluctuation: Void energy (medium intensity).

Lin Zhou found a crack leading inside and squeezed through. The crack extended downward for about one kilometer, reaching a hollow area inside the asteroid. Before him was a dim space, about five kilometers in diameter, with a rock dome at the top and artificially laid stone slabs on the ground. In the center of the space was a massive spatial teleportation Formation; the Formation was already activated, and dark red light flowed through the runes. Around the teleportation Formation stood about twenty people wearing black cloaks. Their cloaks lacked dark gold patterns, being purely black—they were Black-Clad Believers, middle-level backbones of the Void Sect.

[Black-Clad Believer · Data]

- Number: About twenty people.

- Rank: LV500 - LV700.

- Identity: Void Sect Black-Clad Deacons.

- Equipment: Black cloaks, Void energy weapons.

- Behavior: Maintaining the teleportation Formation.

In the center of the teleportation Formation stood a person. He was not wearing black or red, but the uniform of an Expeditionary Force Lieutenant General—Zhou Tianxing. He looked to be sixty or seventy years old, with graying hair, a dignified face, and eyes like a hawk. His divine Rank was LV4500, and his aura was as deep as an abyss.

[Zhou Tianxing · Observation Data]

- Divine Rank: LV4500 (Peak high-tier divine power).

- Void energy traces: None on the surface.

- Fire of Civilization perception: Strong reaction.

Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization pulsed violently in his palm. Deep within Zhou Tianxing's divine Rank was a massive ball of dark red light—thicker and more concentrated than Karon's, than Vice Commander Zhao Lingyun's, and than any Void Apostle's. His degree of Fusion with the Void far exceeded everyone before him. He was not being corrupted; he was actively coexisting with the Void.

"Swordcaster, the teleportation Formation has been calibrated," a Black-Clad Believer reported to Zhou Tianxing.

"Good," Zhou Tianxing's voice was low. "Has Major General Huo En arrived?"

"He has. He is already waiting inside the anchor point."

"Tell him that we are still short ten Origin Stones of Space. Let him wait a few more days."

"Yes."

Zhou Tianxing turned and walked toward the teleportation Formation. Lin Zhou stepped out from the shadows, the Sword of Civilization in hand.

"General Zhou."

Zhou Tianxing stopped and looked back. The moment he saw Lin Zhou, his expression did not change at all—no surprise, no tension, only a faint, condescending scrutiny.

"Lin Zhou. You arrived faster than I imagined."

"You knew I would come?"

"You investigated Major General Huo En, you investigated Zhou Yongnian, and you investigated the flow of funds. It was only a matter of time before you found me." Zhou Tianxing turned around to face Lin Zhou. "I originally thought it would take you at least another week to find this place. It seems I underestimated you."

"Why do this? You are a Deputy Commander of the Expeditionary Force, a Lieutenant General. Why would you defect to the Void?"

Zhou Tianxing was silent for a moment. "Because, I saw the future. The Void devours everything, and the Universe will eventually return to nothingness. Humanity's resistance is just a death struggle. Rather than struggle, it is better to conform."

"Conform? Conform to the Void?"

"The Void is not the end; it is a rebirth. When everything returns to the Void, a New Universe will be born from it. This is the Reincarnation of the Universe, an irreversible law."

"The Transcendent resisted it, and God King Wang Zhenyue resisted it. They did not succeed, but they did not give up either."

"They failed. And I will fail too. But at least I have tried."

Zhou Tianxing raised his hand, and a dark red beam of light shot toward Lin Zhou. Lin Zhou swung his sword to cut the beam while charging at Zhou Tianxing. The sword light struck Zhou Tianxing's shield, causing it to vibrate and crack.

[Combat · Data]

- Zhou Tianxing Rank: LV4500.

- Lin Zhou Rank: LV6700.

- Gap: Lin Zhou has a slight advantage.

However, Zhou Tianxing's combat experience far exceeded Lin Zhou's. He did not engage in a head-on fight but retreated toward the teleportation Formation. The Black-Clad Believers swarmed up, blocking Lin Zhou's path. Lin Zhou swung his sword, killing three Black-Clad Believers, but more rushed up. By the time he broke through the siege, Zhou Tianxing had already stepped into the teleportation Formation, and dark red light enveloped him.

"Lin Zhou, the awakening of the Lord of Nothingness is unstoppable. You cannot stop it."

His figure disappeared into the teleportation Formation.

Lin Zhou rushed to the teleportation Formation, but the Formation had already closed. He crouched down, and the Fire of Civilization seeped into the runes, attempting to track the destination of the teleportation.

[Tracking · Result]

- Destination: Edge of the Old Universe Void, Lord of Nothingness anchor point.

- Teleportation Formation status: Temporarily closed, needs recharging.

- Charging time: About one hour.

Lin Zhou did not wait. He took out an Origin Stone of Space and activated his own teleportation Formation. Silver-white light enveloped him, and he pursued in the direction of the anchor point.

But Zhou Tianxing had already gone far. When Lin Zhou reached the anchor point, he only saw Major General Huo En's corpse—silenced by Zhou Tianxing, his divine Rank shattered, and his divine fire extinguished. Inside the anchor point, Zhou Tianxing was nowhere to be found.

[Anchor Point · Status]

- Major General Huo En: Fallen.

- Zhou Tianxing: Escaped.

- Anchor point contamination level: 60% (Same as before).

- Awakening countdown: About six months.

Lin Zhou stood in the anchor point, silent for a long time. Zhou Tianxing had run, but he could not run far. The Lord of Nothingness had six months until awakening; he would definitely return. Lin Zhou turned and returned to the fortress.

Qin Qing was waiting for him at the command center.

"Captain, Zhou Tianxing..."

"He ran. But his identity has been exposed, so he won't get far." Lin Zhou pulled up the Star Map. "Issue the order to put out an arrest warrant for Zhou Tianxing. At the same time, strengthen patrols around the anchor points. He will come back."

"Yes."

Lin Zhou stood on the city wall, looking in the direction of the Chaos Star Domain. In the gray-white mist, the dark red light spots were growing larger. The awakening of the Lord of Nothingness was drawing ever closer.

"Captain, what are you thinking about?" Su Yueyao walked over.

"I'm thinking about the 'Reincarnation of the Universe' that Zhou Tianxing mentioned."

"Do you believe it?"

"I don't. The Universe has its birth and death, but civilization does not. As long as there are people who remember, civilization exists."

Su Yueyao took his hand. "Then let us remember."

Lin Zhou looked in the direction of the New Universe. The Fire of Civilization of one hundred thousand towns was like a sea of stars in the night sky. As long as the fire remained, the people remained.

"Six months from now, the decisive battle."

"Mm."