83: A "system" falling from the sky and reverse deception

Not long after Wen Youyi gave the order to retreat, a sudden anomaly occurred in the sky above Black Wind Mountain!

The soaring blood light and resentment, far from being completely disrupted by the earlier harassment, had instead, under the Blood Fiend Cult Leader's desperate urging, coalesced into a thick, dark-red beam of light. It violently pierced through the low-hanging clouds, shooting straight into the heavens!

The beam lasted for roughly ten breaths, as if offering endless pain and despair as a sacrifice to some unknowable entity. Then, the beam abruptly contracted and dissipated. The demonic cultivators on the altar collapsed in exhaustion as if drained of all strength. Even Blood Fiend himself appeared haggard, his face pale, yet his eyes gleamed with fanatical anticipation.

Almost simultaneously, within the temporary command post of the Grinding Sword Valley, the star core fragment in Wen Youyi's embrace transmitted an unprecedented, intensely warning throb!

[Warning! High-priority 'Inner Demon Beacon' detected as activated! Energy source: Black Wind Mountain. Marker Level: Three (Regional Focus). Estimated 'Scavenger' response time: Twelve shichen to three natural days.]

A stream of cold, mechanical, utterly emotionless information forcibly flooded into Wen Youyi's mind!

The sensation was similar to the fragmented information he had received earlier in the Black Swamp ruins, but clearer, more complete, carrying an indisputable air of authority, as if from some supreme System announcement!

Wen Youyi's face instantly turned deathly pale, his back soaked in cold sweat.

"Scavenger"!

He was all too familiar with this term! In the world's foundational settings, this was the armed force dispatched by the "Creation Heavenly Court" to eliminate "BUGs"—that is, "viruses" like them who attempted to resist the harvest!

"What's wrong, Youyi?" Senior Brother Zhang, noticing his abnormality, quickly asked.

Wen Youyi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the tempest in his heart, and briefly recounted the information he had just received.

"What? 'Scavenger'? Response time of three days at most?" Zhao Tiezhu exploded upon hearing it. "Perfect timing! I'd like to see if this 'Scavenger' has three heads and six arms!"

"Tiezhu, calm down!" Wang Wu's expression was grave. "Anyone specially sent by 'the ones above' to eliminate threats must possess strength far beyond our imagination! Probably at least Foundation Establishment Stage, maybe even higher!"

Senior Brother Li voiced his worry with a heavy heart: "Our base has just started. We have no power to resist this!"

An atmosphere of despair and tension filled the cave. The joy of just discovering the "Spirit Stone WIFI" was instantly scattered by this sudden, catastrophic disaster.

Wen Youyi forced himself to calm down, his mind operating at an unprecedented speed.

"Wait... The information says 'response time,' not 'arrival time.' This implies the 'Scavenger' might not be permanently stationed here and needs to be dispatched from elsewhere? Also, 'Regional Focus'... It means our previous small actions, combined with this blood sacrifice 'beacon,' have successfully drawn 'their' attention, but it hasn't reached the highest alarm level yet?"

He carefully pondered every word of that information stream, trying to find a sliver of hope.

"Also, this information... who sent it to me? Why can the star core fragment receive it?" Wen Youyi suddenly seized a crucial point! This information didn't seem like a broadcast to all cultivators; it was more like... a System prompt targeted at him personally?

Could it be... that the star core fragment, to some extent, could intercept or mimic part of the communication authority of the "Creation Heavenly Court" System?

An even bolder, almost insane idea took shape in his mind!

"Everyone!" Wen Youyi looked up, a light rekindling in his eyes—the kind of desperate resolve a gambler has when staking everything. "We might... have a chance!"

"A chance? What chance?" Everyone looked at him.

"A chance... to con 'the ones above'!" A sly glint flashed in Wen Youyi's eyes. "Think about it. Since 'the ones above' rely on a 'System' to manage this 'pasture,' can we try... sending some false information to this System? Or, pretend to be part of the System's own people?"

"Pretend to be people from 'above'?" Senior Brother Zhang gasped. "This... can that work?"

"We won't know until we try!" Wen Youyi took out the star core fragment, sensing the fluctuations within it—fluctuations that shared the same origin as this world yet subtly transcended it. "This thing is mysterious. It can block detection, construct the 'Mind Web,' and now it can receive 'System announcements'... I think it likely possesses high authority itself, or can mimic that authority!"

He immediately sat down cross-legged, immersing his entire consciousness into the star core fragment.

"Senior Brother Zhang, help me record the energy fluctuations! Everyone else, guard me!"

Wen Youyi no longer tried to comprehend the vast fluctuations. Instead, he concentrated all his will, imitating the "format" and "tone" of the information stream he had just received, attempting to construct a new, fabricated information stream:

[Instruction Confirmed: Inner Demon Beacon (Black Wind Mountain) Energy Source Analysis Report.]

[Analysis Result: Beacon energy composition abnormal, contaminated with unknown interfering energies (Note: Suspected residue of 'Filth Qi Pills,' 'Soul-Shaking Powder'). Beacon stability compromised, validity questionable.]

[Recommendation: Suspend dispatch of 'Scavenger.' Prioritize local data verification and pollution source cleanup. Repeat, suspend dispatch...]

He inserted the "Filth Qi Pills" and "Soul-Shaking Powder" used in the earlier harassment as "evidence of interference," trying to muddy the waters and cast doubt on the validity of this blood sacrifice "beacon," thereby delaying the dispatch of the "Scavenger"!

This was an extremely risky move! If exposed, it could attract higher-level attention and a swifter, more devastating strike!

Wen Youyi's Mental Energy was consumed at an unprecedented rate. His face grew paler, sweat pouring down like rain. He carefully guided this entirely fabricated "false report," attempting to "upload" it to that intangible "System" through the star core fragment.

Once, twice... Each attempt felt like a stone sinking into the sea.

Just as his Mental Energy was about to be exhausted, when he could barely hold on—

The star core fragment gave a sudden jolt!

An almost imperceptible fluctuation, perfectly matching the format of his fabricated "false report," silently spread out from the fragment as its center, instantly merging into the surrounding heaven and earth spiritual energy and disappearing.

[Instruction sent... Permission verification in progress... Verification passed (Star Core permission override). Information logged into pending queue, priority: Low. Estimated processing delay: Three to five natural days.]

Another brief, cold feedback message flowed into Wen Youyi's mind.

He abruptly opened his eyes, gasping for breath, his entire body feeling drained, yet his face showed the wild joy of someone who had narrowly escaped disaster!

"Suc...succeeded! It's delayed! The 'Scavenger' dispatch has been delayed! We've gained at least three more days!" His voice was hoarse but brimming with excitement.

"Really?!" Everyone was shocked and overjoyed, hardly daring to believe their ears!

The boss actually conned "the ones above"? With a fake "System report"?

"Incredible! Boss, you're too incredible!" Zhao Tiezhu was so excited he almost picked Wen Youyi up and spun him around.

"It's only a temporary delay." Wen Youyi waved a hand weakly, but his gaze was sharp. "'The ones above' aren't that easy to fool. This is just exploiting a loophole, taking advantage of the rigidity of their System procedures and the special permissions of the star core fragment. We must make good use of these precious few days!"

He looked at everyone, his tone resolute:

"First, immediately strengthen the concealment measures for Grinding Sword Valley. Senior Brother Zhang, deploy every available shielding Formation!"

"Second, accelerate the repair and reinforcement of the 'Spirit Stone WIFI.' This is the foundation of our future survival and counterattack!"

"Third, continue monitoring Black Wind Mountain. Let's see what 'reward' the Blood Fiend Cult actually received after their sacrifice!"

He caught his breath, revealing a bitter smile. "Also, everyone, be prepared to run at any moment. This 'keyboard warrior' might have accidentally poked a hole in the 'firewall' just now. It's temporarily patched, but it'll be discovered sooner or later."

The hearts everyone had just settled were raised again, but looking at Wen Youyi's determined eyes, weak as he was, they inexplicably felt full of confidence once more.

Following a boss who dares to con the "Heavens themselves," what is there to fear?

Let's just do it!

(End of Chapter)