You said mechs were going to fight monsters, but instead you're destroying stars with your bare

Chapter 193 The Mist Slips Through Fingertips
For his first attempt, Li Zhe chose the most direct method—

Sit back and wait for the rabbit.

He arrived at the cavern that served as the core of the trap ahead of time, completely immersing himself in the darkness and waiting quietly.

However, until the moment the "Tian Gang" and "Zhu Que" teams were "lured" in according to the "script," the cave was still empty and unchanged.

In the end, he could only watch helplessly as the two elite teams, freed from the "trap" barrier, advanced unimpeded and utterly defeated Xu Lei and Yi Ze, who were supposed to be "bait".

"It seems that this trap requires specific 'preconditions' to be triggered."

After summarizing his experiences of failure, Li Zhe came to a conclusion.

On his second attempt, he changed his strategy.

He no longer waited passively, but took the initiative to "replicate" all the key moments in the second cycle.

He first "accidentally" revealed information about the "Vermilion Bird" squad to Xu Lei and Yi Ze at a "perfect time".

Then, in a tone of helplessness, he led them into the perilous canyon.

Everything was proceeding smoothly according to his meticulously crafted "script".

However, when he went back into the cave, it was still empty.

The "cannibal garden" that should have appeared is still nowhere to be found.

"Where exactly... did things go wrong?"

Li Zhe's brows furrowed tightly.

He felt as if he were trapped in a logical dead loop, unable to find the most crucial "variable" no matter how he reasoned.

……

Tried again and again, failed again and again.

Li Zhe is like a traveler trapped on a Möbius strip, unable to find a way out no matter how hard he runs.

That feeling of helplessness—seeing hope right before his eyes yet being forever out of reach—almost drove him mad.

But he didn't give up.

Because he knew that once he gave up, he would be truly and eternally lost.

"There must be some place that I've overlooked."

After dozens of failures, Li Zhe forced himself to calm down and re-examine all the clues.

He replayed every detail of the second reincarnation in his mind, frame by frame, like watching a movie.

From his first conversation with Xu Lei and Yi Ze to his command of the "Tian Gang" squad to conduct "reconnaissance".

Then he guided the two teams into the canyon...

He scrutinized every step repeatedly, trying to find that slight, almost imperceptible "anomaly" that he had overlooked.

at last……

When his memory replayed the moment when the "Ghost Force" infiltrated the D-2 area, that simulated island filled with classical garden style, and wiped out the "Wu Yue-Qinglong" squad.

A detail he had always taken for granted suddenly pierced the fog in his mind like a bolt of lightning in the night.

That trap!

That "cannibalistic garden" trap that he personally set up to "wipe out" the Azure Dragon Squad!
"Could it be that……"

A bold and absurd guess instantly sprouted in his mind.

The appearance of the World Tree Seed and that trap are connected in some way...

Causal relationship?!
Once the thought came to mind, I couldn't suppress it any longer.

An unprecedented glint flashed in Li Zhe's eyes.

He knew he might have already fallen into this damned cycle...

Core secret!

So, in the next cycle, he no longer dwelled on the "One Line Sky" canyon.

Instead, they focused all their attention on the picturesque simulated island of District D-2.

This time, he didn't send the "worker bee" team to set up the "cannibal garden" trap. Instead, he chose a more direct and violent method.

He personally got involved.

While the "Azure Dragon" and "White Tiger" teams were still enacting an artistic "battle of the gods" in that bamboo forest.

A platinum-gold mech, exuding an aura of holiness and majesty, descended silently onto their battlefield like a god descending to earth.

"Have you... finished fighting?"

Li Zhe's voice was calm yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

"Now that everyone's done, it's my turn."

……

The outcome of the battle was a foregone conclusion.

Faced with Li Zhe's almost unreasonable and absolute strength, the two so-called ace teams were as vulnerable as two lambs to the slaughter.

In less than a minute, he completely "wiped out" them with an almost crushing victory.

When the last team member turned into a white light and teleported back to the respawn point.

The entire garden returned to a deathly silence.

Li Zhe sheathed his battle blade and hovered silently in mid-air.

He didn't rush to leave, nor did he collect the [World Tree Seed] which was used as a "quest item".

He simply waited quietly.

Waiting for that possible...

"variable".

Time passed by minute by minute.

The surrounding scenery remained unchanged.

The Seed of the World Tree still lay quietly in its original spot, emitting a soft green light.

Li Zhe's brows furrowed slightly.

Could it be... that my guess was wrong?

Just as a sense of disappointment rose in his heart—

"Om-"

A faint yet unique spatial energy fluctuation suddenly flashed past from the depths of the ground beneath his feet!

Then it simply vanished without a trace, leaving no visible problem whatsoever...

Li Zhe stood there, his brows furrowed. The hope that had just been ignited in his heart was instantly extinguished, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head.

"Failed again..."

He muttered to himself, his voice filled with barely concealed exhaustion and frustration.

This was already the umpteenth time he had tried to uncover the secrets of the [Seed of the World Tree].

Every time he thought he was about to touch the edge of the truth, that damned "variable" would slip away from his fingertips in a way he couldn't understand, leaving no trace.

It was as if a mischievous ghost was recklessly mocking his incompetence.

"Commander, should we conduct the seventeenth replay?"

Zero's imitation of Star's cool voice echoed in Li Zhe's mind.

He remained as calm and efficient as ever, without a trace of emotion.

But Li Zhe detected a hint of helplessness in his voice that even the AI ​​itself hadn't noticed.

“Reviewing the situation…” Li Zhe shook his head with a wry smile. “What’s there to review? We’ve already tried every possibility.”

In the dozens of cycles that followed, Li Zhe tried almost every method he could think of...

(End of this chapter)