A soft sound rang out. A viscous, ink-like shadow slipped from the back of the Man in Black's head, darted through a crack faster than the perception of time, and plunged straight into his nape.

The Man in Black's savage grin froze. ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) His swollen body deflated like a punctured balloon, every rampaging energy halting in an instant.

The ferocity, panic, and madness in his eyes drained away in a flash, leaving only empty, ashen gloom.

Purple Iris's blade-intent spread soundlessly, covering every inch of the arena like a spiderweb, yet caught no further anomaly.

She stared at the Man in Black's lifeless vertical pupils and shook her head.

“Forget it. Leave him.”

A brief hush fell across the dueling ground; only the soft click of crimson droplets cooling and solidifying on the metal floor broke the silence.

Ye Liangchen stepped forward, eyed the limp body, and frowned. “Looks like he'd been carrying a suicide measure all along?”

Bai Cheng offered no reply.

She felt the people from those Special Channels weren't as simple as she'd assumed.

Three King-level Employees in one Survivor squad?

No—Special Channels shouldn't have Employees. That meant those “Employees” were actually other Survivors.

“They formed a team and sneaked into the Ten Thousand Frequency Hegemony Tournament?” Bai Cheng mused.

Their goal remained unclear... “If they could slip into the Tournament, we'll probably meet them again inside the Infinite Realm,” Leng Ningxue analyzed.

“Mm, whatever,” Bai Cheng nodded. “It's over; time to leave.”

Beside her, Ye Liangchen dissolved his fusion state and declared at once, “I concede.”

He knew the gap between their strengths was simply too wide.

Originally, even expecting defeat, he had wanted to seize the chance for a bout.

But now—glancing at the three King-level Employees beside her—he only tasted bitter resignation.

Better to give up.

As Ye Liangchen yielded, pillars of light blossomed inside the arena and bathed everyone.

The next second, they reappeared outside the field.

Simultaneously, the information on the screen updated:

【Channel #521 has voluntarily surrendered. As the last Survivor, it claims all rewards from runner-down!】

【Congratulations to Channel #2 for earning the champion's reward!】

【Note: You may remain inside the Stellar Arena to enjoy a victor-only bonus!】

“Eh?” Yu Nian stared at the screen, puzzlement flickering across her pretty face.

“There's actually an extra reward?”

Though ten thousand channels had dueled at once, the group had reached the Station near noon; after the finals, dusk was falling—Silent Night would arrive soon.

Yet Bai Cheng lifted her gaze: the stars seemed to sparkle brighter as darkness approached.

“Stellar Arena...” Bai Cheng murmured. “Seems tied to those stars.”

“Right. Wonder what the reward will be,” Ye Liangchen said, walking over with a smile.

“Then let's wait a bit,” Bai Cheng agreed.

No one was in a hurry.

No one was more excited than Liu San and company.

They had believed Bai Cheng would win, yet the reality still thrilled them.

“Thanks to Miss Bai Cheng, we bask in your glory—we're about to soar!”

A sidekick chimed in, “Yeah! We followed your advice and kept our gas engine—now we can switch straight to electric!”

Bai Cheng waved it off. “We're all from the same channel; no need for thanks.”

As the journey stretched on, she had noticed companions dwindling.

After this contest, how many Leaders would enter the Infinite Realm?

They died or were absorbed; she was almost alone.

Ye Liangchen, overhearing, glanced at Liu San in surprise. “You're from the same channel as Bai Cheng?”

Liu San nodded proudly. “Miss Bai Cheng looked after us the whole way.”

Ye Liangchen frowned but said nothing.

Bai Cheng wasn't leeching off all of Channel #2?

With her power and speed... how could the same resources also raise a Liu San?

While he brooded, Leng Ningxue spoke.

“After this, the so-called Ten Thousand Frequencies probably won't even number a hundred.”

“The road ahead will be perilous; a single channel can't stand alone. You've the runner-up reward—why not merge Channel #521 into our Channel #2? We can watch each other's backs.”

The suggestion startled Yu Nian, who bobbed her head. “Exactly! You're volunteering, not being annexed—no slavery, and Xiao Cheng's with us!”

Their persuasion gave Ye Liangchen pause.

Merger meant his Outpost City would no longer fear threats from Channel #1—benefits outweighed drawbacks.

He weighed the choice.

By now, the sky had darkened; the stars blazed.

Then everyone saw starlight gather, shooting countless hair-thin white needles toward the arena.

The needles coalesced into seventeen glowing orbs.

Bai Cheng counted: exactly seventeen people present, Employees included.

“These are meant for us.”

She stepped to the nearest orb and touched it.

Warmth flooded her body.

Her strength ticked up—ever so slightly.

The sensation was familiar: the same exp gain she'd felt on the train while seated on the Bone Throne.

“This starlight grants experience!”

With that, she stepped fully inside the orb, wrapped in dense stellar light.

The others brightened and rushed to their own orbs, absorbing the exp.

The starlight granted more than the Bone Throne, and it would apparently last the whole night!