Bai Cheng's gaze quickly met Liu San, Ye Liangchen, Yu Nian, and the others. No words were needed; consensus was reached purely through eye contact.

Although the man's story was certainly shocking and the logic seemed self-consistent,

the hidden unknowns and risks far outweighed the “System Missions” they had come to know throughout their journey.

Trusting a “Remnant of the Previous Generation” of unknown origin who was currently drawing on the Power of the entire Outer Domain's terrain?

Pinning their hopes on his subversive claims and unknown method of escape was tantamount to casting their own fate into complete darkness.

Moreover, if what he said was true—that the System was an “Outer God” and they were “pawns”—where could they go if they abandoned their mission and trusted him now?

Retreating to the Outer Domain, which was completely controlled by the System, only to await possible erasure or be calculated into becoming a Marauders?

None of these were the paths the group desired.

If his words were false, he was the true mastermind, and his intentions were unfathomable.

In contrast, completing the mission—the goal explicitly given by the System, which they had followed and grown stronger by—was at least a clear and visible path with successful precedents.

Even if the road ahead was a trap, they had to uncover it themselves, rather than having their foundation shaken by a few words now.

Bai Cheng stepped forward, her Scythe still raised. Her aura grew more focused, signifying that a decision had been made.

She looked at the man bound by chains on the stone platform, her voice calm yet resolute:

“Your story is fascinating, but unfortunately, we cannot believe you based solely on your side of the story.

We have our own path to follow and our own mission to complete.

What the System is, and what the truth of the Infinite Realm is, we will verify ourselves.”

Yu Nian immediately scoffed, “Exactly! Who knows if you're just stalling for time or trying to trick us into doing something for you? We're not three-year-olds!”

Ye Liangchen ran his finger along his blade, his gaze as sharp as a knife: “Enough talk. Our mission is to eliminate the source of the anomaly in the #1 Channel. You are that source.”

Liu San silently adjusted his breathing, a King-level aura subtly circulating around him, indicating a combat stance.

The refined smile on the face of the man on the stone platform did not vanish, but the last flicker of light in his eyes, which had held the intent to communicate, was completely extinguished.

He slowly swept his gaze over this group of determined, increasingly murderous King-level Survivors, as if watching moths flying toward their predetermined fate.

He sighed softly. The sound was almost inaudible amidst the hum of the rushing energy, yet it carried a sense of near-pity.

“Good advice falls on deaf ears... so be it.”

The moment his voice fell silent, the atmosphere of the entire valley abruptly changed!

The strange sense of enhancement and the stripping away of restraints still existed, but now, they were mixed with a chilling, bone-deep hostility.

The viscous energy in the air was no longer just background noise; it seemed to be driven by those recently opened eyes, subtly beginning to exert pressure on Bai Cheng and the others. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The man remained seated, his body motionless; even the chains did not tremble.

But the unfathomable aura around him was no longer just a vague sensation; it had materialized into a palpable, heart-stopping presence.

It was as if he himself was the valley, the extension of the will of the rushing energy.

“Since you have chosen to trust the smooth path that He paved for you...”

The man's voice remained calm, yet utterly devoid of warmth. Every word was like a cold stone thrown into stagnant water,

“Then let me see how much weight you pawns, so carefully selected, truly carry, and whether you are worthy... to reach that final chessboard.”

“Buzz—!!!”

The moment his voice dropped, the countless Dark Gold Chains connected to his body suddenly erupted with unprecedented brilliance!

The fiery red of magma, the ghastly white of frost, the deep green of the forest... three distinct energy radiances surged and intertwined with intensity never seen before.

Instead of simply flowing toward a single point, a portion violently split off,

like a commanded torrent, pouring into the rugged rocks, the Deep Blue Crystal Clusters, and even the air itself surrounding the low valley!

“Watch out!” Qing Niao shouted sharply, being the first to sense the change in the surrounding environment.

They saw the dark mossy substance covering the surface of the black rocks that had absorbed the terrain energy wriggle and proliferate wildly,

instantly transforming into countless Activated Tentacles covered in spikes and dripping with slime, biting at them like venomous snakes from all directions!

The ground trembled, and more rocks cracked open, from which crawled out Grotesque Monsters forcibly fused from magma, frost, and twisted plant limbs.

They had no clear features; only Energy Cores pulsed wildly in their chest cavities, emitting silent roars as they lunged at the group.

In the air, the Deep Blue Crystal Clusters shattered one after another.

But the fragments did not scatter; they hovered in mid-air.

Under the pull of the energy, they spun at high speed, forming areas of incredibly sharp Death Storms, slicing through space and locking down movement.

The entire bowl-shaped low valley instantly transformed from a silent energy convergence point into an activated trap filled with lethal malice!

And that man was the absolute core and master of this trap.

Bai Cheng's eyes narrowed; she knew words were useless, and only a fight to the death remained.

She raised her Scythe high, and black light surged:

“Break through the blockade and attack the core! Qing Niao, you and I will lead the assault! The others clear the Small Fry and provide cover!”

The battle erupted thunderously in the depths of this valley, stripped of the System's gaze.

Qing Niao's wings tore through the air, generating a sharp whistling sound.

The Lightning Spear condensed in his hand was the first to pierce the last rotating Crystal Cluster Storm, carving a brief path for Bai Cheng behind him.

Leng Ningxue's Frost Domain intertwined with Ye Liangchen's Emerald Blade Light, freezing and shattering the Grotesque Monsters crawling out of the rocks.

Yu Nian, Liu San, and the others covered each other, eliminating the Activated Tentacles attacking from the sides and rear.

Every step forward was accompanied by a fierce consumption of energy and a desperate counterattack from the environment.

The valley seemed to possess life, and the man was its beating heart.

Finally, they broke through the layers of obstacles and stepped onto the edge of the slightly raised stone platform.

The chains hummed underfoot, and the rushing energy almost materialized into a fierce gale, causing their clothes to flap loudly.

The man remained cross-legged in the center, his eyes closed, seemingly deaf to the fierce battle raging around him.

While controlling the Power of the Terrain, he also seemed to be constrained by these forces, bound in place and unable to move.

But relying solely on the Power of the Terrain to deal with over a dozen King-level fighters ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ like Bai Cheng was clearly impossible.

“Now!” Ye Liangchen roared, his figure turning into an afterimage, his blade aimed straight at the man's throat.

Liu San's Ice Cone, Chi Yan's Flame Impact, Leng Ningxue's Frost Chains... several attacks simultaneously struck the man's vital points from different angles.

This was the Combined Strike the group had been preparing, aiming to defeat the enemy in a single blow!