Chapter 179 Silence

The waters of the Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm) were utterly silent.

Seconds passed, and still, nothing stirred.

Why hadn't the Celestial Sheath strike arrived?

Had his countdown been off? Or had those outside failed to receive the message of his plunge into the Frozen Lake?

Gu Shen noticed Han Dang's upward gaze. He hadn't once looked towards the Frozen Lake above... Supernaturalists with mental abilities possessed incredibly keen intuition, and even the slightest unusual movement would trigger Han Dang's awareness.

"Why hasn't 'Innocence' landed yet?"

Gu Shen's mind was stretched to its limit, pondering the reason.

He noticed the churning black tides around the Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm), and the familiar light raining down from above... the supernatural signature of Han Dang's [Truth] domain.

He had always believed he was inside the Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm).

But that didn't make sense. If Jing Shanyan was "dead," then the Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm) should have collapsed.

"If I'm within Han Dang's [Truth] domain..."

"Then there's only one reason why 'Innocence' hasn't landed yet."

"It's not that my countdown is wrong."

"It's that the flow of time within this domain is different from the outside world!"

Jing Shanyan's "death" and the existence of the Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm) were contradictory.

His countdown reaching zero and 'Innocence' not landing were also contradictory.

"These contradictions all point to Han Dang's domain, or more precisely, the second 66 Law that has emerged within it."

Gu Shen was silent for a second.

Then he looked up at the man on the throne and said softly, "So... your second Law is [Verity]?"

Gu Shen had witnessed phenomena where the flow of time differed from the outside world.

Apart from Chen Mo, with his [Time Dilation] ability.

The only other thing with such an ability was the "Devil" within the Ruler of Truth.

When all "impossibilities" had been eliminated.

No matter how absurd.

The remaining "possibility" was the truth.

Han Dang sat on his high seat, smiling silently. He withdrew his gaze from above the Frozen Lake and focused it back on Gu Shen.

Gu Shen spoke again, "So, your second Law is [Verity]."

"Indeed."

Han Dang smiled. "My second Law is [Verity]. No wonder you're the [Key] that the Ancient Text Society has been waiting for for so many years. Jing Shanyan was tortured for dozens of days before guessing the truth, while you only took two minutes."

Only took two minutes.

Not because Gu Shen was so brilliant.

But because he held the real [Verity] in his hand.

Gu Shen's mind became incredibly calm at that moment.

Because he knew his countdown wasn't wrong... it was just that the original 100 seconds had been forcibly extended due to the different flow of time. Was the time flow here ten to one?

No, Han Dang's [Verity] couldn't be more powerful than the Devil.

In any case.

This conversation would soon come to an end.

'Innocence' would descend, and everything would be destroyed.

"I don't know how to open the so-called 'barrier'."

Gu Shen had sorted out all his thoughts. He said calmly, "Are you really sure that the information you saw in Jing Shanyan's mind is the truth?"

The most effective lies were half-truths.

Gu Shen truly didn't know that the Star Cluster Project had another layer, a "barrier."

But at that moment, he had confirmed Jing Shanyan's identity as an Ancient Text Society remnant in his heart.

"The truth doesn't matter, because what I just said is all true."

Han Dang shook his head.

"I really did upload their consciousnesses."

"If you don't open the barrier, they will all die. The lives of these escapees don't matter, but what about Mu Wanqiu and the others? Their spirits will also be exiled into the void."

"So, if you really don't care, then let them all die, because I don't care either."

Han Dang stood up from his throne.

He had kept his promise.

When Gu Shen came to the Frozen Lake alone, he sent Mu Wanqiu and the others out... The reason he did so was because what he sent out were just empty shells.

"What about Zhu Wang? Zhu Wang's consciousness has also been 'exiled' by you, right?"

Gu Shen suddenly said, "So your teacher died like this, and you don't care?"

The slender figure shrouded in dark mist stood as still as a stone statue.

Gu Shen summoned a wisp of blazing fire.

He tapped his finger and detonated it. This small wisp of blazing fire illuminated the dark Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm), and completely scorched away the mist surrounding "Zhu Wang."

Revealing only a numb, soulless body.

The nutrient pods that Jing Shanyan built using the Star Cluster Project were not supply pods at all, but soul exile pods. Once someone sat inside... their spirit would be directly exiled.

That batch of "criminals" suspected of being members of the Ancient Text Society were executed in this way!

Clearly.

Zhu Wang had also sat inside.

"What do you understand?"

Han Dang said coldly, "With teacher's character, he would definitely prefer the current ending... He only needs to enter the nutrient pod, close his eyes, and welcome the end of the real world. If the plan succeeds, he will see the real 'Oasis' in the spirit world."

Gu Shen's expression was somewhat complicated.

So, Zhu Wang was tricked into it?

Because Jing Shanyan was controlled, the only person who knew the truth about the Star Cluster Project was Han Dang.

The situation within the Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm) was clear.

It seemed that Han Dang had completely given up on the idea of ​​conflict with the enforcers, and he had pinned all his hopes on the Star Cluster Project.

Zhu Wang, a titled esper of that level, was originally supposed to just enter the nutrient pod for rest, but without any precautions, he was pulled into the dream... and became a member of the "Star Cluster."

Han Dang stood up. He saw the cold and sorrowful look in Gu Shen's eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Sorry."

Gu Shen said softly, "I just think you're quite pathetic."

"Pathetic?"

Han Dang's eyes immediately filled with anger. He arrived in front of Gu Shen almost instantly. A violent wind rose in the Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm), and raging waves surged. The cold lake water, five hundred meters below the surface of the Frozen Lake, suddenly turned silver-white, and countless frosts spread throughout the [Verity] domain, forming webs.

The outer nutrient pods even began to freeze.

"Because you don't even believe that the 'Star Cluster' Project is real." Gu Shen asked expressionlessly, "Otherwise... why don't you upload your own consciousness?"

These words, like a plain and unadorned knife, pierced into Han Dang's deranged mind.

Han Dang stood there in a daze.

But for a madman, a knife piercing the heart was far from enough.

"Since you made a choice for Zhu Wang, then why don't you do the same for yourself?"

"Could it be that you're really waiting for me?"

Gu Shen said calmly, "Now that I'm here, I can swear in my identity as the [Key] that if you upload your consciousness, I will open the 'barrier' in the deep sea. If you want your consciousness to ascend, I can send you to ascend."

"Haha."

Han Dang suddenly laughed.

He laughed heartily, staggering and swaying. The movements were exaggerated. "Do you take me for a fool? You don't even know what the 'barrier' is..."

"Does that matter?"

Gu Shen said the same words that Han Dang had said before.

He said quietly, "Does my identity as the Key, or the existence of the barrier, still matter at this moment? You don't even believe the 'barrier' exists. Even if I say it does, you wouldn't believe it."

The second knife.

"So, the reason you wanted to meet me was just to reassure yourself."

Gu Shen said coldly, "You also know that you're already insane... your mental strength can't control [Verity]. You're a runaway. It's not surprising that a runaway would do anything."

"Nonsense!!!"

The laughter on Han Dang's face, which was still laughing heartily, suddenly disappeared.

He grabbed Gu Shen's shoulders with both hands, his entire face burning with black flames. At that moment, he seemed to overlap with the "Devil." He roared and roared, his voice like thunder, "I'm not crazy! I'm not a runaway!!!"

The [Verity] domain was burning madly at that moment.

A large amount of disordered source matter was boiling in the Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm).

This dark domain suddenly became as bright as day, and then suddenly became extremely dim... The two domains overlapped, like reality and illusion, constantly alternating, constantly disappearing.

Han Dang angrily met Gu Shen's eyes.

In Gu Shen's pupils, he saw a burning flame.

In that flame, his own extremely crazy image was being reflected.

He took two steps back in fright.

Gu Shen still didn't say a word.

His eyes were very complicated.

He saw the pathetic appearance of Han Dang after being swallowed by [Verity]. Would he become like this in the future if he used the measuring stick without restraint?

A weapon that transcends cause and effect will inevitably bring about a swallowing that transcends cause and effect.

Even Pluto could not escape this disaster.

How could Han Dang possibly break free?

"Am I crazy?"

"I'm not crazy."

Han Dang staggered all the way to the nutrient pod cluster. The uploaded consciences of criminals were slumbering in the pods. He finally stopped in front of an empty nutrient pod.

That was the nutrient pod he had reserved for himself.

"I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy."

Perhaps it was because the "self" reflected by Gu Shen's blazing fire was too disgusting.

Han Dang decided to prove that he was not out of control.

He opened the empty pod.

Just as Han Dang was about to sit down.

Gu Shen's pupils contracted, and an extremely terrifying "pressure" spread throughout his mind!

But the devastating blow came too quickly.

[Innocence] finally arrived at that moment. Just as the Legion Commander said, even after being weakened by passing through five hundred meters underground, it still erupted with unparalleled destructive power.

Wherever [Innocence] passed, it pierced through a long and extremely deep line. This line detonated the huge Frozen Lake. Millions of tons of frozen lake water were directly vaporized, and billions of pounds of steam expanded and diffused, creating a huge, outward-surging "sinkhole." The central point of this "sinkhole" was the Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm).

Han Dang suddenly raised his head.

But he didn't even have time to complete the "raising his head" action.

The entire Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm) was shattered in a tenth of a second, followed by his [Verity]. The little bit of sanity he had managed to recover was completely annihilated in this terrifying blow.

After [Innocence] landed.

Tens of thousands of li above the Frozen Lake, steam rolled. After a brief delay of several seconds, a huge "mushroom cloud" rose. The main craft rapidly ascended after launch, traveling to high altitude at the fastest speed, but Xue Zhu, sitting inside the main craft, still felt the violent shock.

The [Immeasurable Scale] domain spread, enveloping the main craft high in the sky.

Old Master Gu's expression became very solemn.

The impact of the air wave completely "set" the main craft on the dome of the sky. Due to the consumption of a large amount of source matter for the launch of [Innocence], the main craft's energy was slightly strained, but after detonating the Frozen Lake, the huge impact directly and powerfully pushed the heavy source energy craft up three thousand meters.

The voice of [Deep Sea] echoed in the main craft.

"Damage to the bottom of the pod, energy barrier wear rate 78%, immediate repair is recommended."

Lin Chou looked somewhat blank.

The modified "Storm Release Equation" caused the Celestial Sheath fragment to explode with hundreds of times the power. Back then, during the "explosion incident" at the Tundra Prison, the main craft could easily withstand the fragment storm.

Now, the wear rate of 78% was still the result after Old Master Gu's [Immeasurable Scale] domain resisted.

Looking down from a high altitude.

The entire Frozen Lake was pierced by this sword that pierced the sky.

[Innocence] penetrated deep into the bottom of the Frozen Lake, and countless air waves were still rolling and spreading.

After ensuring that the main craft was safe, Old Master Gu entered the command post's connection system as soon as possible, "Members of each team, quickly report the situation."

"A1 is fully staffed, no abnormalities."

"A2 is fully staffed."

[Deep Sea] performed a large number of simulations, drawing a very conservative "warning limit." Although [Innocence] detonated with an unprecedented explosive effect, everyone outside the warning line was safe. The air waves rolled and pushed forward layer by layer.

At the distance outside the warning line, the material strike would not cause any damage.

What was truly terrifying was the "characteristic strike" after the fission of the Celestial Sheath fragment.

"What is the situation at the target coordinates now?"

The Legion Commander's voice entered the main craft.

"My 'Immeasurable Scale' domain is being rapidly consumed... After [Innocence] detonated, the Frozen Lake area is undergoing a large amount of 'source matter' ablation, and it is currently impossible to descend to check." Gu Qilin's voice was solemn: "According to the [Deep Sea]'s simulation, the area within a thirty-kilometer radius after the Celestial Sheath weapon strike will become a 'supernaturalist' no-go zone."

"The simulation results are basically accurate."

The Bi Wang Quanjie (Azure King's Realm) at the target location was likely destroyed. This level of lethality might be able to penetrate a Tier 6 source armor, but it would not be fatal. Theoretically speaking, Gu Shen, whose countdown was accurate, could perform a 'perfect resistance' with preparations.

The Legion Commander took a deep breath and murmured, "According to calculations, if Gu Shen 'resists successfully', he will float up from the 'sinkhole' within three hundred seconds."

"All we can do now... is wait."

After the Celestial Sheath descended.

The whole world was silent.

Every enforcer was immersed in the "shock" brought about by this era-defining weapon.

Three hundred seconds passed quickly.

Gu Qilin and Xue Zhu on the main craft waited patiently.

The Legion Commander, Gu Nanfeng, and everyone else on the ground were also silently counting down.

Three hundred seconds passed.

The giant air waves rolling around the Frozen Lake were still spreading, but looking down from the main craft directly above, it was already clear that there was a small "black spot" in the center of the air waves where [Innocence] had fallen.

If you descended, you would find that the small black spot was a huge sinkhole.

Three hundred seconds later, Gu Shen had not appeared.

All of [Deep Sea]'s simulation calculations were extremely accurate, except for this point, which it had not accurately calculated.

Another three hundred seconds of silence passed.

Gu Shen still hadn't appeared.