Backstab

A rare video conference in the Nightmare World begins.

In Beacon City, seven gold-level plague doctors and White Plague gather. In Silvermoon City, there are ten gold-level light knights alongside Eric. Finally, five gold-level demon hunters are present in Stonemist City.

Combining Eric's group, there are a total of twenty-three gold-ranked individuals, nearly matching the strength of the Federation. This power is everything in this world. However, as the plague doctor and Bai Yi describe the situation, the leaders of the other two cities show clear hesitation.

No one can breach the space blockade at the edge of the Nightmare World, and no one can be sure it will ever be broken.

The first three dangerous items in the S series are present with the Plague Doctor. The Black Death pathogen signifies that the Beacon Fire Kingdom is barely surviving, and it will face extinction with the continuous emergence of S series dangerous items. Resolving the Black Death Curse will merely extend the kingdom's survival.

Bai Yi observes the silent assembly and speaks calmly: "According to current information, the ancient god is injured. As time passes, variables will increase. When the god's injuries heal, none of us will survive."

"How did you obtain this information?"

A sharp, hoarse voice cuts through the tension—it's the golden superior from Shiwucheng, his cold eyes boring into Bai Yi through the screen.

Bai Yi meets the gaze without answering. His handsome face twists unnaturally, distorting as his teeth protrude and his eyes turn pitch black, scarlet lines creeping across his features. An aura of superiority radiates from him, causing the seven gold-level plague doctors to stand in alarm, their energies poised for defense.

Buzz!

As the stripes on Bai Yi's face ripple, each scarlet eye filled with silence and greed locks onto the surroundings, instilling fear in anyone caught in their gaze.

The plague doctors lose their composure; their auras explode, various energies intertwining in the air, shaking the parliament hall. The figures on the screen flicker, nearly overwhelmed by the tide of terrifying energy.

Bai Yi extends his hand, allowing a hideous face to peel away, revealing the A-031 Embrace of Pain—an object well-known to the high-ranking officials of the Nightmare World.

The tense atmosphere freezes as over twenty gold-ranked individuals—including Plague Doctors, Knights of Light, and Demon Hunters—stare in shock.

What have they just witnessed? Someone is wearing a dangerous object! An A-Class dangerous object! How could this be done safely?

If the gold superior were to don A-031, he would surely die without a chance to resist. Yet the room is silent. Only Eric, the old city lord, slowly puts his sword back into his space ring and looks at Bai Yi with appreciation, as if to say: "Look at our dawn's genius. Surprised, are you?"

"Do you have any questions?" Bai Yi asks calmly, toying with the Embrace of Pain.

He has studied many dangerous objects, but why does he cling to 031? Is it merely because he captured it?

Certainly not. Amid the myriad dangerous entities, only this one represents a more advanced disaster.

The disaster object indicates that its original form still exists, meaning this is merely a projection. Yet its effects are extraordinarily potent; it can perfectly disguise itself as any entity—everything from its aura and energy properties to its appearance and genetics is flawlessly camouflaged, with no restrictions.

Once the Embrace of Pain contacts an entity, it can imitate and disguise itself at will.

Now, 031, which cannot encounter the ancient gods, has taken on their appearance. This indirectly affirms Bai Yi's speculation: the ancient god is not as potent as once believed. It is possible that sub-time and space cannot accurately simulate a true god.

Most likely, the ancient god's status has diminished. In the original timeline, the ancient god was pursued by beings from dimensional turbulence, which would have left it in a weakened state.

Additionally, in the Nightmare World, the characteristics of true gods do not manifest. A dead ancient god may be imitated, but it cannot wield the powers it once had, and its strength will diminish as the narrative progresses until it ultimately dies and reincarnates.

Currently, the situation appears dire. The fewer than three million residents of Fenghuo have already traversed at least eight-tenths of this cycle of reincarnation.

Thus, while the current god might still be a top-tier entity in the Nightmare World, it is no longer invincible and can be hunted.

Many gold-ranked individuals remain silent. The demon hunter who posed the initial question rises and asks calmly, "What do you want us to do?"

The Knights of Light share hopeful glances, fully aware of the implications of the mask imitating a god's face. The characteristic of 031 is contact—this mask has interacted with the real god, who has shaped the fate of Fenghuo and sealed their fate.

The unusual aura surrounding the plague doctors dissipates as they look to Bai Yi and state, "We will follow your lead, Mr. Bai Yi."

Amid the astonished gazes of the powerful figures around him, Bai Yi smiles and places the faceless mask back onto his face.

As the mask settles, the restlessness brought by his dark side fades. The mask fears evil thoughts, and once these thoughts are restrained, the malice becomes docile.

Bai Yi's face returns to its normal state. He looks at Eric, who appears relieved, and decisively addresses the followers of the ancient gods: "If the god does not wish for us to live, then let us make Him feel the wrath of mortals."

"Except for those maintaining order, all personnel are to be dispatched to eliminate all those favored by the gods who are below the gold level."

"Capture those above gold if possible, and show no mercy to those who resist."

Shiwucheng.

The setting sun casts a desolate light over this lifeless city, emphasizing its dilapidated state.

"Hoo~ Hoo~"

Heavy breathing echoes as a young human with fierce eyes rushes into a room, panic evident in his demeanor. He quickly shuts the door, leans against it, and clutches the sword wound on his abdomen, sliding to the ground as he gasps for breath.

The buzzing of electricity crackles through the air. Weakly, the young man picks up a walkie-talkie with his other hand, managing a wry smile. "Damn, what bad luck! Are these demon hunters insane? Did I offend them?"

The crackle of the intercom grows louder. "You might not believe this, but do you remember the two Dawnbreakers who came in with us?" Charles says solemnly.

Pu Sheng pulls a potion from his pocket and drinks it, feeling his internal injuries slowly heal. He breathes a sigh of relief and replies, "Huh~ What? Don't tell me those two are responsible? We came in together!"

Charles responds, "Guess."

Pu Sheng exclaims, "This isn't fair! It's only the third day!"

Charles, now in Beacon City, looks at his fellow plague doctors before rushing to catch up with the temporary team leader tasked with hunting a gold-level believer of the ancient god. "Good luck to you. Including us, only eight of us are left on the run. Those brainless ones have already been captured."

Rubbing his abdomen, Pu Sheng finds that his injuries have nearly healed. He asks, "What should we do? The demon hunters' weapons reek of danger. I'm running low on potions. At this rate, I won't last much longer."

"Currently, I only know that the White Plague's target is also the ancient god. Beyond that, I'm in the dark. You're on your own. Don't reach out to me again," Charles replies.

Zizizizi.

Pu Sheng stares at the useless communication device in his hand, muttering curses under his breath. "Shit! Is this how you play it?"

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of rapid footsteps draws near, and an overwhelming aura locks onto his location once more.

Pu Sheng stands up, calculating the time—less than a minute until the group catches up.

Gathering his strength, he crashes into the stone wall on the left side of the house as the aura approaches.

Boom!

The wall collapses, and Pu Sheng dashes away, pursued by the unmistakable breath of a demon hunter closing in on him like a shadow.

A fierce glint flashes in Pu Sheng's eyes as he prepares to strike, but suddenly he feels something. His knees buckle, and he falls to the ground, skidding forward and leaving deep grooves in the earth.

Finally, he stops in front of a middle-aged man a thousand meters away, raising his hands high. "Master Demon Hunter, don't kill me! I'll cooperate! I'll do whatever you want!"

Before him, a high-ranking demon hunter slowly sheaths his knife and commands, "Speak!"

The demon hunter behind him approaches quickly, stifling a laugh at the sight of Pu Sheng, who has been struggling for at least three hours, now kneeling in submission.

What the hell is this?

Pu Sheng exhales in relief, grateful to be alive. His eyes flicker with determination. "I report that one of our members has infiltrated the Plague Doctor Organization!"

Silvermoon City, Headquarters of the Knights of Light.

Eric sips his tea, blowing gently on it before exclaiming, "What kind of tea is this?"

"Blood cherry tea, made from the leaves of the dangerous C-413 blood cherry tree. It enhances physical functions and purifies magical energy," the waiter explains carefully.

Eric nods. "Any side effects?"

The waiter hesitates, lowering his head. "Every time it kills a sentient creature, a new leaf condenses."

Eric regards the pot of tea with new wariness. What's the difference between this and cannibalism? He sets down the teacup and gestures for the waiter to leave.

Feeling the magical energy within him reach its peak, he decides to drink the blood cherry tea in one gulp and begins to absorb the surrounding magic.

The concentration of magic here is a hundred times greater than in Dawn, surpassing even the effects of the Spirit Gathering Array. Bai Yi has allowed him to preserve his strength, making this an opportune moment for a trial.

While breaking through to legendary status may be challenging, Eric feels he can push beyond his current level of seventy-seven.

As the magic gathers, a formidable fighting spirit rises from the building, enveloping the underground city.

Residents look up, awe filling their eyes as they gaze at the Knights of Light's headquarters.

Eric's aura reaches its zenith. After reaching the gold level, warriors and assassins must comprehend their own rules, the foundation for competing with mages.

He senses his own rules loosening. The timeline intercepted by the Nightmare World is rooted in the age of the ancient gods, where breakthroughs were significantly easier than in the Federation era.

Beyond just magic concentration, the rules of heaven and earth also play a crucial role. The divinity of the gods grants authority over certain rules.

Though exiled, these rules remain intact, albeit in an abnormal state. This anomaly complicates the comprehension of the world's rules for living beings.

While the Nightmare World's rules are not as complete as those in Xia's world, they are still robust. Eric feels the steady alignment of his own rules with the world's.

His magic power, dormant for over a century, begins to surge.

Boom!

With a thunderous roar of magic, Eric suddenly opens his eyes. His powerful aura spikes but then gradually wanes.

The breakthrough has failed.

Disappointment mingles with relief. It's the end. When blood and energy reach their limits, further progress is impossible.

Warriors and assassins differ from mages and alchemists. The latter rely on knowledge, magic, and spirit to advance, their strength growing with experience.

In contrast, warriors and assassins build on their physical foundations. The more robust their blood and energy, the farther they can go.

Understanding one's own rules is contingent on physical condition. For those like Eric, stuck in the golden age due to the limits of their time, unless something can rejuvenate their bodies, this is their final chapter.

He gazes out at the dim city, his eyes turning murky and profound.

A hundred times the concentration of magic and more refined rules are still insufficient. After this attempt, he won't try again. It's time to relinquish his legendary ambitions.

From here on, Eric will do everything for the Federation.