This time I chose Paladin.

Chapter 324 The Tower of Reversal

Interference from the Netherworld is commonplace here. The Caligan crystal may not be the source of the interference, but it is likely related to it, creating a kind of amplification effect between the two.

Their journey became less smooth as small patrols of the Returning to the Church began to appear more frequently. These followers were of a significantly higher rank, better equipped, and carried out their actions with a well-trained and ruthless air.

They weren't patrolling aimlessly; they were deliberately searching for potential outsiders, which caused the three of them considerable trouble.

After quickly eliminating another five-man patrol, Bai Yu found a rudimentary leather map on one of the corpses. It marked several checkpoints and patrol routes, with a continuous mountain range—Main Message Mountain—marked in striking red in the center.

"The defenses are very tight." Bai Yu's voice remained calm, but his eyes were serious. "Trying to break through would alert the enemy."

Nie Weiyang unfolded the map, his gaze falling on the marker for the main Xunshan Mountain. Unlike the Xunshan Mountains in his memory, the outline of this mountain range was deliberately depicted as more majestic and precipitous, like a natural fortress.

He raised an eyebrow.

“An invitation from the Sun God,” he said. “Or a provocation.”

“It seems the destruction of the ‘Sacred Tree’ has brought the Sun’s attention to us…” Russell scratched his head. “Tsk, I should go check out that tree in that cave. I’m really curious—”

“If you saw it, you wouldn’t be happy,” Nie Weiyang said. “It’s not a tree at all; it’s just a way of desecrating life.”

He put away the map and gazed at the distant horizon.

There is a mountain range there, vaguely resembling the undulating spine of a giant beast.

Xunshan.

“We must try our best not to do what the enemy wants us to do,” Nie Weiyang said. “Even if we still need to enter Xunshan, we cannot do so openly. New Sun God…”

Nie Weiyang tried to guess what impressions his former enemies had of the new leader, but he was still completely confused. After all, these people's understanding of the new leader was not clear to begin with, and he was still relaying it through a layer of thought.

But this new Sun Lord is probably not a target to be trifled with.

“We need to get into its heart,” Nie Weiyang said.

"The heart?" Russell asked, puzzled.

“A city,” Nie Weiyang explained. “The main mountain is vast and has a complex internal structure, containing the ruins of a pre-civilized city.”

The second administrator's role only works around linked shelters, but there are no shelters here. However, it doesn't matter, it's all the same.

“Before that, do some reconnaissance.” Nie Weiyang looked at Bai Yu. “Go open the map and share it with Russell. We need to know the specific layout, patrol patterns, and key nodes.”

"Be careful, there may be mind readers here, and more than one. If you are discovered, run away immediately and don't worry about us."

Bai Yu nodded silently, his figure melting into the light, and he stealthily headed towards the direction of the main mountain.

Russell, using the terrain and his ability to communicate with animals, followed at a distance, searching for a suitable rendezvous point. Meanwhile, eagles soared and rose high in the sky, approaching the clouds... Russell walked slowly, shifting his gaze to the eagles, scanning the entire airspace above Main Message Mountain.

“There are many birds…” he murmured, “...but they are not in good condition.”

Nie Weiyang walked beside him and nudged him, pulling him over a low ditch: "That's right, that's the Return Sect's aerial surveillance. Be careful not to be discovered."

As the distance closed, the full view of Main Message Mountain gradually became clear.

Its mountain is a mountain range formed by several steep peaks, and obvious traces of human excavation can be seen on the surface: huge tunnel entrances, platforms built against the mountain, and some structures that look like defensive fortifications.

Some runes were drawn on the steel, with blood smeared below, and a ghostly green light flickered. The pre-civilization technological creation was tainted with the bloody aura of a cult, and a strange feeling wafted over.

Nie Weiyang is finding it harder to stealth now, since he lacks special skills and can only rely on technique. However, technique can't completely eliminate his inexplicable weight, so his stealth ability is actually much lower than when he first restarted. Of course, his direct combat ability has increased even more dramatically. Three hours later, Russell seemed to sense something; he crouched down and reached his hand towards the ground.

Several round spiders emerged from the short grass and quickly crawled onto his hand.

He gently stroked the strangely patterned spider, closing his eyes in deep thought. After a moment, he opened his eyes and said to Nie Weiyang, "My little darling's sensory information indicates that the interior of this mountain range has been almost hollowed out, with an extremely complex structure, like a giant three-dimensional maze."

“In the central area there is an abandoned pre-civilized city, which is quite large, but most of the area has been occupied and transformed by the Returning Church.”

Russell speaks very quickly.

"The patrols are very dense, and there are fixed sentries and energy detection devices. Bai Yu couldn't get close to the central area, so he released my little darling. Most importantly..."

He paused, then looked at Nie Weiyang: "They are in the central area, and the energy they sense is unusually 'clean.' It's as if the chaos there has been rejected, and there's a feeling of... similar to the 'order' you have, but it's very weak and deliberately hidden."

"Hmm?" Nie Weiyang raised his eyebrows, his expression unreadable. "Very good. We'll take action tonight."

As night falls, Mount Divinity resembles a giant beast crouching in the darkness, with twinkling lights on its slopes and in its tunnels—traces of Return Church activities.

With the help of the route Bai Yu scouted and Russell's communication with the nocturnal creatures, the two of them, like ghosts, bypassed numerous checkpoints and infiltrated the mountain through an abandoned pre-civilization pipe.

The pipe was about ten meters wide, perhaps qualifying as a tunnel, though it was unclear what it was originally used for. It was covered in thick dust, with some sections collapsed and others stained with dried blood, but the overall structure remained stable.

The area wasn't deserted, but the two used the noise of animals as cover, silently passing through several small, ruined passes. After several tens of minutes, light finally appeared ahead—

The two cautiously peeked out.

Even Nie Weiyang was somewhat shocked by the scene before him.

They were on the hollow rock face of a huge mountain, below which lay a city sleeping in darkness.

The city's architectural style is typical of pre-civilization, towering, simple, and full of geometric beauty, but many buildings are damaged, with eerie, huge vine-like metal structures and ghostly green totems of the Returning Church entwined around them, giving people a sense of decay and decline.

In the city, figures could be vaguely seen moving about, and the footsteps of patrols and faint chanting echoed in the empty underground space. A large procession moved through the city, some carrying flags, some waving incense, performing endless prayers.

But what's truly remarkable is not these things, but rather—

—In the distant city center, a colossal armored figure knelt on one knee, facing a massive machine as tall as a tower. The figure was humanoid, yet stood a full fifty meters tall, while the machine…

...like a miniature, upside-down tower planted in the ground.

—The Tower of Reversal.

At that moment, Nie Weiyang had a sudden inspiration.

He suddenly recalled the warning sent by the Glory Space Station last time:

[Go backwards... Don't... [sizzle—]...]

[Attention! Attention! ...Attention...You are in danger...Go backwards...Do not...]

Meanwhile... the second administrator in the mental realm raised his hand, and the assassin and the paladin looked at him together, at the mindless black snake phantom wrapped around his arm.

Deep beneath the distant ocean, in a strange and mysterious world, an enormous black serpent slowly moves.

Its coiled, collapsed tower lies silently upside down in the seabed.

(End of this chapter)