Reverse flow of the Yellow Springs

When they received this terrible news, Li Yelai and Xiao Kuangwang were traversing the primeval jungle, escorting a migrating group from the Panshi settlement towards the Haichao settlement.

Since Li Yelai swiftly wiped out five hunting teams and successfully cracked their communication secrets.

This once vast and dangerous land is no longer dangerous to humankind.

The migration went surprisingly smoothly. Even the supernatural creatures that would normally rush towards humans at the mere smell of them disappeared after the mimicry soldiers came to their door to collect their food.

However, this brief period of peace was abruptly shattered by a sudden and urgent intelligence report.

The investigation team from the Fengzhu gathering area brought intelligence that the Calamity Heirs have breached the coastal defenses and begun to infiltrate inland.

At that moment, Li Yelai was inspecting a stream where traces might have been left. The instant he learned the contents of the intelligence, an inexplicable anger surged within him.

"Those...good-for-nothings! Idiots in the Dead Sleep Palace!" Li Yelai felt his blood pressure soaring.

A forbidden zone! An ancient civilization that monopolized the entire continent, enjoying the vast territory and abundant resources brought about by spatial distortion!
They couldn't even hold the front line, allowing a bunch of bastards with average strength of only second or third awakening to break through their heavily fortified coastline and spread inland.

As a human champion, Li Yelai has encountered all sorts of powerful and bizarre enemies.

Each forbidden zone has its own advantages: the runic technology of the Heavenly Realm, the blessing techniques of Black Origin City, and the meridian array of Demon Abyss Mountain.
But this was truly the first time he had so profoundly questioned the actual fighting capacity of a restricted area.

Even if the abilities of the Calamity Heirs are special and they possess that disgusting group advancement mechanism, their current basic level is just that—at most, they can only reach the strength of the second or third awakening.

Even if their numbers are like locusts swarming across the land, as long as the defenders are of sufficient level and use the right tactics, a few experienced fifth and sixth awakenings working together in formation can efficiently clear out the massive number of low-level calamity offspring without taking any damage themselves.

Theoretically speaking, the current surge of calamity is not enough to throw a restricted area like the Dead Sleep Palace into disarray, let alone allow them to breach its defenses!
But what the hell is this news?

Infiltrating inland?

Could it be that the territory is too large and there are flaws in the defense line?
Seriously? Is the Dead Sleep Dungeon civilization really that weak? They know their defenses are long, so why don't they send in more troops?
Li Yelai was so angry that the veins on his forehead were throbbing.

He was not only annoyed by the incompetence of the penalty area, but also by the chain of negative consequences brought about by this incompetence.

The planned great migration of human populations will take several more days to complete the convergence of all settlements and final preparations.

The unexpected spread of the war inland will inevitably lead to stricter monitoring and sweeps of the inland areas by the restricted zone authorities, and the activity density and alert level of the hunting teams will be greatly increased.

In this situation, the difficulty of leading nearly three thousand humans across the restricted territory without anyone noticing, as originally planned, has increased exponentially!
"You're saying that the Forbidden Zone of the Lost Lands is so weak, even though they're both Forbidden Zones?" Li Yelai said to Little Mad King. "Back in the Heavenly Realm, when they captured me, a Fourth Awakening cultivator, I was chased to the point of having nowhere to run. How did a bunch of Calamity Heirs, who are at most Third Awakening, manage to infiltrate? Did they spend all their energy bullying pure-blooded humans? A bunch of insects!"

Even though Little Mad King couldn't speak right now, he still really wanted to complain; there were just too many things to complain about!

Little Mad King remained silent, his clear yet bewildered eyes fixed on him. He gripped Little Mad King's wrist slightly tighter than usual, as if silently agreeing with his opinion.

Li Yelai took a deep breath of the damp, cold air in the forest, forcing himself to calm down.

Getting angry now will not solve anything. The urgent task is to reassess the situation and adjust the plan.

He gently patted the back of Little Mad King's hand to indicate that he was alright.

After completing their escort mission for the migrating team, Li Yelai and Xiao Kuangwang did not stop for a moment and immediately rushed back to the Panshi settlement to meet up with Chu He, who was in command.

When they met Chu He in the cave that served as their temporary command post, the usually composed human leader had an unprecedentedly grim expression.

"Old Li, you're back just in time," Chu He said. Before Li Yelai returned, he had personally risked his life to conduct reconnaissance in the front lines. With the help of the animal-hide communication artifacts left behind by Li Yelai after he deciphered them, he obtained more detailed and alarming information than was circulating outside.

His heavy gaze fell on the huge map spread on the rough stone table, and he drew a shocking large circle with his finger.

"Our plans... must change. The war is spreading far faster than anticipated, and it has already reached here!"

"The reaction from the restricted area was swift this time. A large number of legions have been mobilized and are carrying out a scorched-earth policy. To prevent the causative agents from spreading using any flesh and blood, they are indiscriminately slaughtering all animals within the cleanup area, and even... suspected infected civilians within the restricted area!"

His finger pointed heavily at the area circled in red on the map, his voice low and deep: "But this inland region has a complex environment, with mountains, jungles, and underground caves crisscrossing it. If even a single stray fish is not completely eradicated, the Calamity Inheritors can quickly return with their terrifying rate of infection! Therefore, this area... is destined to become a bloodbath, and a protracted war of attrition is inevitable!"

That area has seriously threatened their planned evacuation routes! An indescribable sense of irritation and anger surged into Li Yelai's heart again, but he forcibly suppressed it and forced himself to remain calm and analyze the situation.

“At least…” Li Yelai took a deep breath: “According to the current intelligence, the Calamity Inheritors can only infect ‘flesh-and-blood creatures.’ If they can even transform plants, fungi, and even inorganic matter… that would be truly despairing.”

Killing swarms of insects, green-skinned orcs, the Styx River, and the Calamity's offspring are all mechanisms that can easily snowball.

In particular, the orcs and Fiends are among the most troublesome species. The former spreads and reproduces through their own spores, while the latter is an infection source capable of twisting the most ordinary flesh-and-blood beings into psionic units.

"Sigh... why did such a huge blunder have to happen at this crucial moment?" Chu He sighed heavily. "We only have a few days left before our final reunion and departure!"

"Did you go and investigate yourself to find out exactly how the restricted area's defenses were breached?" Li Yelai asked. "It couldn't have been a direct breakthrough, could it?"

"No, that's not it. Based on the information I intercepted from the parchment communications and some scattered conversations at the front..." Chu He replied, "It is said that when the Calamity Heirs first appeared, the Forbidden Zone did not fully understand their characteristics. When dealing with the corpses of the first batch of Calamity Heirs or infected creatures, they attempted to conduct mystical research, hoping to trace their origin and develop targeted purification arrays or weapons."

"But they didn't expect... that the corpses themselves also retained a powerful infectious agent. The humans in charge of the research in the restricted area were infected and mutated during contact and study, and successfully escaped to the wilderness outside the defense line..."

Chu He's voice carried a hint of helplessness: "Then... as you know, this lost land has little else, but the number of extraordinary creatures and ordinary animals is outrageous... to the point that even the forbidden zone itself doesn't have time to cultivate it."

"Two hours, just two hours! Tens of thousands of Calamity Heirs, whose strength has reached the third awakening level, burst forth like a plague behind the defense line! Large numbers of human settlements in the restricted area and animal populations in the wilderness were swept away and infected in an instant. By the time the restricted area defenders reacted and began a frantic encirclement and suppression, these newly born Calamity Heirs, with their numerical advantage, had already begun to scatter, crash, and flee, spreading the spores of death to a wider area."

"When I arrived at the edge of that area, even just from a distance, the number of Calamity Heirs I saw with my own eyes was no less than 30,000, and this is likely just the tip of the iceberg."

"Followed by this, the Deathly Sleep Palace launched a full-scale mobilization in its fury. Through the animal-hide network you left behind, I overheard the mobilization orders, which showed that they had deployed at least eighty-two main legions to begin this scorched-earth policy of killing the innocent rather than letting the guilty go free, determined to completely eliminate any flesh and blood that might become a breeding ground for future calamities."

“In fact, through those animal parchments, I have received several summons from hunting teams or patrol teams belonging to different nobles, ordering all nearby teams to assemble in the designated war zone. Fortunately, the battlefield is currently in chaos, and the command system seems to be somewhat disordered as well, so they have not yet noticed the abnormality of our several ‘lost’ teams. But this chaos… will not last long.”

Chu He said seriously, "Once they stabilize the situation, they will inevitably discover that the five hunting teams have lost contact, and their families may react even faster."

"When that time comes, the Forbidden Zone will definitely discover our existence. The five overlords died mysteriously, and even when faced with the harassment of the Calamity Heirs, they will spare the power to eliminate us first."

"Moreover," Li Yelai continued, "once they discover that I, the human champion, am here, the Supreme will enter directly."

"Yes, and it won't be just one!" Chu He reminded him, "Your record is too incredible. If I were the king of the Dead Sleep Palace, I would also withdraw my troops to kill you, the champion, first."

For a moment, the two were speechless, for time was truly running out for humanity.

"What's the progress so far?" Li Yelai asked.

"The evacuation from the Rock Gathering Area is basically complete, but about a third of the population from the Wind Bamboo Gathering Area is still on their way. It's expected to take another two days," Chu He replied. "The Tide Gathering Area is our port, and the Casting General is currently undergoing final assembly and adjustments at the fastest speed possible."

Li Yelai's gaze locked onto the area where the tides gathered on the map.

It is still some distance from the area affected by war and corruption, but this so-called safe distance is extremely fragile in today's rapidly changing situation.

If the restricted area legion continues to expand its scorched-earth policy, or if the speed of the calamity's infiltration exceeds expectations, it is only a matter of time before the tidal gathering place is exposed to the threat.

No, to be more precise, as the Fiendish Spawn spreads inland, the entire region will no longer be safe.

Even if the Underground Palace of Death is slow to react, it will inevitably mobilize a large force and establish layers upon layers of new defenses, attempting to contain the calamity within a specific area. This process will undoubtedly disrupt humanity's long-planned escape, and may even... expose them directly to the gaze of the forbidden zone!
"We can't proceed as planned any longer! Change strategy immediately! Prioritize ensuring the safe arrival of all personnel at the Tide Gathering Site! Order the Wind Bamboo Gathering Site to speed up. If necessary, we can abandon some non-core resources. Human life comes first! Once all personnel are on board and the warships have completed their final adjustments, set sail immediately. Not a moment can be wasted!"

"Don't worry about fuel. With our channels and those of Ark, we can get fuel anytime, and it can even reduce our weight. The most crucial thing now is to break out of the restricted area before our main force is completely drawn to the Calamity Heirs, or before our presence is discovered!"

"We must prioritize getting through this most dangerous period. If the settlement is discovered before the ship is even built, then we will truly be trapped with no way out and no hope left."

"At the same time, we must prepare for the worst and develop contingency plans. If the scorched-earth policy in the restricted area, or the direction of the spread of the calamity, truly threatens the tidal gathering area... we must take the initiative and divert their attention before the gathering area is exposed!"

"We still have a considerable number of mimicry soldiers, as well as the parchment communication network that we have already cracked."

"If necessary, we can send out celestial soldiers to create chaos in directions away from the gathering of the tides, attack the outposts of the restricted area, and even... imitate the orders of certain nobles to release false requests for help or enemy information in their internal communication networks, actively guiding the forces of the restricted area in the wrong direction."

"We'll set sail as soon as the ships are built!"

"As for the restricted areas, maritime patrols, or island defenses we might encounter along the way... we'll just break through! It's just a checkpoint guarded by a powerful overlord; I'll clear the way!"

Meanwhile, while Li Yelai and Chu He were discussing their plan, the siege of the Death Sleep Palace against the Calamity Heir also reached a stalemate.

Initially, due to a lack of intelligence, the most appropriate countermeasures were not formulated.

This led to the uncontrollable spread of the scourge, causing the defense line to expand further and further, even necessitating the opening of a second front.

In this situation, the dominant power on the front lines focused its attention on the hunting teams.

"Thorn and Red Eyes, haven't they arrived yet? Damn it, they're so desperate to hunt down pure-blooded humans that they've even disregarded the safety of the Holy Palace!" A powerful figure of Thorn's kind frowned. "Call them over. The Holy Palace needs them!" (End of Chapter)