63: Plans outside the small world

Even Gold-level offerings almost suffered losses. Behind those Beastmasters... what exactly is it?

Outside the Barren World, a command platform built from special alloys and covered with various monitoring screens slowly floated in the air.

On the monitoring screens, the light spots representing the examinees' life signals were extinguishing and turning red at an alarming rate.

The area representing the Beastmasters' activity was a dazzling crimson, like a constantly spreading plague, devouring the green light spots representing the examinees.

“Report! Observation points #17, #23, and #41 have lost contact! Before the signal last disappeared, strong mental shockwaves and spatial interference were detected!”

“Report! Team 7... all signals lost! Last located in the 'Rotten Bone Swamp' area!”

“Report! An abnormally powerful energy fluctuation has been detected in the 'Iron Gobi' area, suspected... suspected to be a Transcendent-level energy reaction! But the target flashed and vanished, making it impossible to lock on!”

Each cold report was like a heavy hammer, striking the hearts of every officer in the command center.

The atmosphere was stiflingly oppressive.

Huge casualty figures constantly updated on the screen, representing the loss of countless young lives and the sacrifices of teachers.

A middle-aged officer's face was ashen, his fists clenched, cracking.

He stared intently at the area on the screen representing the 'Iron Gobi', which had just erupted with an abnormal energy reaction before quickly returning to calm, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's.

“So many people have already died! Does the higher-ups still have no orders?!”

He slammed his fist onto the control panel, and the alloy emitted a dull groan.

“Are we supposed to just watch as the children are torn apart one by one by those beasts, dragged away as sacrifices?! Is this a Professional Association entrance exam or a slaughterhouse?!”

His chest heaved violently, his eyes filled with undisguised urgency and anger, but deeper still was the helplessness of being unable to defy orders.

Taking a deep breath, he forcibly suppressed his turbulent emotions, his voice hoarse with suppressed anguish.

“Order! All surviving invigilating teachers and observers, immediately abandon all rescue missions, prioritize self-preservation, and gather at the 'safe house' coordinates! Repeat, abandon rescue, prioritize self-preservation! This is a death order!”

“Yes!”

The adjutant's voice also trembled.

“Also...”

Zhao Tieying's gaze swept across the screen, landing on several green light spots flickering with special golden borders, his tone complex.

“Activate the highest-level 'Observation List' and focus on monitoring all examinee signals carrying 'star markers'!

“Especially... those 'key targets' on the list! Ensure their positioning signals are stable, even if only one remains! Be ready at any time for... 'special channels'!”

“Understood!”

The adjutant immediately complied.

Zhao Tieying's gaze once again turned to those golden light spots, his heart chilling.

He knew better than anyone that placing the “Professional Association Entrance Exam” in this small Barren World, designated “X-7,” was no accident.

Behind this was the Professional Association's high-level executives' extreme covetousness for something “deep” within this world.

And the Beastmasters' all-out war, along with that fleeting glimpse of terrifying power, had completely transformed this carefully planned “selection” into an out-of-control meat grinder.

Somewhere outside.

In a hidden observation chamber, a huge holographic screen was divided into several displays, with the core showing the spatial rift of the Barren World and the command platform's monitoring data.

The light was dim, with only the cold glow of the screens illuminating two faces hidden in the shadows.

“Zhao Tieying's request for aid has come again.”

A slightly effeminate voice spoke, with an indifferent tone as if it had nothing to do with him.

“He's about to lose his temper. Casualties below are heavy, especially among those 'eyes' responsible for surveillance; many have been lost.”

“As expected.”

Another old and authoritative voice responded, like a rock.

“Sacrifice... is a necessary price. Only when the chaos is great enough can what is behind the 'door' appear. We spent so much effort, sending many professionals into the 'Barren World' and never finding It. This opportunity, the Professional Association entrance exam, must not be missed!”

“What about those 'star markers'? How are the 'seeds' doing?”

The effeminate voice asked.

“Most signals are stable. The descendants of a few old fellows, as expected, all entered with 'shadows' and are more than capable of handling the current situation.”

The old voice carried a hint of certainty, as if in control of the whole situation.

“Especially the boys from the Nangong family and the Zhang family, their performance... is quite interesting.”

“That Zhang family boy seems to have a few 'things' with him that are hard to see through.”

“Hmph, these aristocratic families always want to take advantage.”

The effeminate voice carried a hint of sarcasm.

“But that's good too. With these 'hard bones' around, it will further stimulate the Beastmasters' priestly order behind them, and even... draw out 'Them'.”

“The 'resonance' of the spatial rift is intensifying. When the 'door's' fluctuations reach their peak, that will be our time to 'harvest.' Sending subordinates in now would only alert the enemy and make those 'big fish' hiding deeper retreat completely into their nests.”

“Order Zhao Tieying to hold his post. Without the highest directive, not a single soldier is allowed to step into the rift!”

“Tell him his duty is 'observation,' not 'interference'! The examinees' 'trial' is far from over.”

“Yes, 'Speaker.'”

Inside the Barren World, beside Lin Feng and Qin Yuyan... “Boom! Boom! Boom!”

The roars of the beast tide were like billions of thunderclaps rolling across the earth, shaking one's internal organs out of place.

On the horizon, the dust of death obscured the sky and sun, like surging black waves, crushing everything with an aura of destruction.

The air was filled with a strong stench of blood and earth.

“They... they're coming! It's all over! We're dead for sure!”

Chen Xiaohu collapsed to the ground, his face pale, his teeth chattering, only desperate murmurs remaining.

Qin Yuyan bit her lower lip tightly, almost drawing blood.

The Ice Crystal Phoenix sensed her master's resolve and let out a clear cry, weary yet exceptionally high-pitched. It stubbornly straightened its scarred body, and faint ice-blue light flowed over its wings, like a candle in the wind, refusing to be extinguished.

Lin Feng's eyes were as cold as the abyssal depths of the polar regions. He took a step forward, standing firmly in front of Qin Yuyan and the Ice Crystal Phoenix, his slender figure seemingly trying to support the collapsing sky alone.

Behind him, the three beasts—Alien Queen, Rift Splitter, and Abyssal Venom—were like three primordial demonic mountains rising from the ground. Their ferocious, violent, and destructive aura surged skyward without reservation!

The three auras intertwined, actually forcing open a domain filled with slaughter and death amidst the overwhelming pressure of the beast tide!

Their three gazes were like tangible blades, firmly locking onto the few exceptionally massive and ferociously powerful demonic beast vanguards at the forefront of the beast tide!

Just at this critical moment... “Buzz!!!”

An indescribable, irresistible, terrifying pressure erupted without warning from the deepest part of the Barren World, like an ancient giant god awakening from slumber!

This pressure transcended Gold-level, surpassing all mundane understanding—it was truly Transcendent-level!

The entire world suddenly lost its color!

Space groaned under the unbearable weight, twisting and trembling violently!

The solid ground undulated like waves!

The sky, that grayish firmament, suddenly cracked open like fragile glass, revealing hideous, gigantic black fissures that spanned the horizon!

Deep within the fissures was a heart-stopping void that seemed to swallow everything!

Countless purple, destructive bolts of lightning furiously leaped and exploded along the edges of the fissures!

A primal fear, originating from the instinct of life itself, instantly seized the heart of every living creature on the battlefield!

Whether it was the furiously charging demonic beasts or the desperately resisting humans, their movements froze, their souls seemingly congealed!

And the very foundation of the entire world seemed to be tottering within the cracks in the sky!