“What does this coordinate represent?” Yu Nian frowned.

“I've never seen a mark that big on the detection console...” Leng Ningxue added, equally curious. “And it's not moving—it looks like a lifeless object.”

“We don't have a choice,” Bai Cheng said grimly. “We have to finish the next mission.”

For everyone, this assignment might actually be a good thing.

At present, every member was stuck at the peak of Guardian; they needed experience points to break through.

Their opponents were only special Survivors from #1 Channel, and the strongest among them was merely King rank.

Given Bai Cheng's current strength, they could handle it easily.

Danger was the last thing on their minds.

“Then let's move,” Bai Cheng declared, striding to the screen.

She tried to contact Liu San first.

Perhaps because of the system's influence—or because they were all hunters in this mission—the system considerately provided a video-comm function so the three teams could coordinate.

It showed the system wanted the mission completed as fast as possible.

And since video was possible, maybe they could even support one another.

Bai Cheng had no patience to explore the feature; she needed to know the others' situation now.

The signal fought through interference before connecting. A voice arrived, edged with frost and howling wind: “Miss Bai Cheng? We're... in Frigid Snow Mountain!”

“Damn that place again—the blizzard's worse than last time, visibility near zero... Target? Unknown! There's only a blurry, constantly moving shadow on the map!”

Next came Ye Liangchen's feed; the instant it opened, clammy heat seemed to pour through, along with the ceaseless drumming of rain on leaves and distant beast-roars.

“I'm in Deathly Rainforest—where are you?” Ye Liangchen's voice was low.

“Target unknown; the signal's darting around deep in the Rainforest—looks like a Survivor from a Special Channel.”

Bai Cheng's heart sank.

All three teams had been flung back to the deadly “newbie” maps they'd survived before—yet every pursuit target was now unknown.

No coincidence; more like a malicious reset... or an even crueler advanced trial.

“Stay in touch, stay careful. We finish this fast.” Bai Cheng ended the call and locked her gaze on the huge blip on the map.

The train lurched across ash-covered ground, skirting rivers of molten rock and bottomless fissures, heading for its target.

As the distance closed, the citadel carved into the highest, steepest volcanic throat sharpened into view. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

When the train finally halted beneath the towering walls in the thickening night, the sight stunned them all.

A pale, almost demonic full moon hung directly above the city, its cold light draping the supposedly lifeless place in silver.

In the moonlight the walls looked taller and intact; every battle-scar they remembered had vanished, replaced by a chill metallic gleam.

From deep inside drifted long, wild wolf-howls that cut the night and chilled the soul.

“Infinite City...” Yu Nian whispered, disbelief in her voice. “Impossible—when we left, this place was...”

Bai Cheng remembered clearly.

In that earlier mission they had fought a savage battle inside this stronghold of the Infinite Marauders.

The greedy, brutal raiders had died or fled; the core zone was destroyed, the power hub crippled.

When they left, it had been a dead, smoking ruin.

Now it lived.

Not merely lived—it looked more “prosperous” than ever.

Even through the thick windows and walls they could feel the city's restless “life.”

Not healthy prosperity, but a noisy, feverish vitality reeking of iron and blood.

Torchlight formed winding serpents along the parapets; silhouettes crowded watchtowers.

From within rose a din of voices, clashing metal, coarse shouts, faint music and wild revelry, all braided with the occasional wolf-cry into a scene at once bizarre and electric.

Lights blazed, buildings stacked like the jaws of a moon-woken leviathan.

Why?

Why had the ruined Infinite City returned, more lavish and surreal than ever?

They had been hurled back to the ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) “starting line,” targets unknown, while this city—meant to be history—stood as the mission's abrupt, illogical terminus.

The pulsing dot on the map lay dead center of the metropolis.

“Never imagined the target shown on the console would be an entire city.”

Bai Cheng drew a breath of sulphur-laden, ash-flecked air, surprise flickering across her face.

“Infinite City... wonder what sort of people are gathered inside now.”

If they were merely special Survivors from #1 Channel, fine; if thousands of Infinite Marauders waited... though their strength was now like ants beneath her heel.

Yet so many lives—innocents who'd done her no wrong—might force her into the role of butcher.

The thought unsettled her, but only slightly.

If they blocked her path, she would not flinch.

“Didn't expect our destination to be here,” Yu Nian murmured, eyes fixed on the peak-hugging city.

The train eased to a halt, just as it had back then, beneath the towering steel wall.

Before, Bai Cheng's group would have searched for a way to open the gate.

Not now.

Bai Cheng signaled; Purple Iris shot skyward.

Lightning ripped the dark, and with a thunderous clang the iron gates split open.

“We're still some distance from Infinite City,” Bai Cheng ordered. “Purple Iris, Huang Yu—stay with the train.”

“Yes, Miss.”

The rest melted into the night and advanced on Infinite City.