Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

Ian stopped and stood on a broken mountain ridge.

In the distance, along the edges of several twisted nests, insect shadows constantly wriggled in and out.

He looked up at the sky, wanting to quickly understand this world. In fact, the most direct way was to elevate his will and come into contact with the world's will.

With his current understanding of rules and the strength of his soul, he can easily sense the fluctuations of will in a medium-sized world.

But... as he looked at the huge pale purple crack in the sky, he could vaguely sense a vast and cold will watching over the world through the crack.

"The Mother Nest..." A cold glint flashed in Ian's eyes.

The Heart of the World in Essock is undoubtedly under close surveillance by the Will of the Nest at this moment, and any attempt to make contact with it will be immediately detected.

"The risk is too great; we can't alert it yet."

Ian withdrew his gaze and disappeared into the shadows of the ruins; he needed to gather intelligence himself.

The information provided by High Priest Karendil was obtained by the Silvermoon Council from external observations and the two elders, so the perspective was limited and the information may not be entirely accurate.

The laws of gravity silently converged, the flow of air around him was forcibly smoothed out, and the heat was trapped inside his body, not leaking out even a trace.

He flashed and stopped three kilometers away from an insect nest.

The nest before them resembled a giant beehive, its surface riddled with holes, from which Zerg constantly entered and exited.

Most of them are "majestic peaks," carrying purplish-black ores and chunks of flesh and blood.

Occasionally, one can see even larger "velociraptors" patrolling the area, their blade-like forelimbs gleaming coldly.

Ian's senses spread silently, like an invisible net, quietly covering an area of ​​hundreds of kilometers.

Every Zerg's movement trajectory and every energy fluctuation was clearly presented in the perception.

"Start from the edges..." he thought to himself.

Outside the nest, a male beetle that was carrying ore suddenly froze.

Its compound eyes still reflected its companions in front of it, but its body was no longer under its control.

The next instant, the body temperature soared, and starting from the inside of the shell, the cellular structure disintegrated and vaporized in a fraction of a second.

There was no sound or light, only a small clump of ashes falling and being scattered by the wind.

The male beetle vanished into thin air, as if it had never existed, and the swarm of insects around the nest showed no reaction.

They lack individual consciousness and completely obey the instructions of the hive mind; they will not trigger an alarm unless there is a large-scale anomaly.

Ian's eyes remained calm as he continued the test.

The second one, the third one, the fourth one... each time with an interval of one to three seconds, the location and the target are random.

Five, ten, thirty... the insect nest remained calm.

The giants continued carrying loads, the velociraptors continued patrolling, and only occasionally would a few insectoids pause, their compound eyes scanning the surroundings blankly.

It seemed to be wondering if a companion was missing.

But without issuing any instructions, the hive mind quickly resumed its mechanical actions.

Ian gradually increased the number, fifty at a time, one hundred, three hundred...

He began trying to clear a small area at a time, in the southeast corner of the nest, where hundreds of males had gathered together and froze.

The body's internal temperature rises simultaneously, and vaporization occurs at the same time; the entire process is silent.

The area instantly became "empty," but the surrounding swarm of insects still did not react. Only a few male beetles blankly bypassed the empty space and continued to carry away the insects.

Ian began trying to clear the area at a faster pace, and soon the quantity exceeded one thousand at a time.

On the west side of the nest, at a mineral accumulation point, thousands of drones disappeared within seconds.

The Hive Mind finally noticed the anomaly.

Buzz! A wave of fourth-level will energy spread from the depths of the nest, sweeping across the entire area.

This means the mother insect in the nest has sensed something is wrong; her offspring are disappearing rapidly.

Ian felt a chill run down his spine and immediately stopped all movement. He was also amazed to find that even a random nest of queen insects could reach level four.

The laws of gravity were completely contained, the heat was completely sealed off, and the whole person turned into a stone.

A wave of will swept over him, pausing for a moment, as if wondering why the number of Zerg in this area was decreasing.

However, no abnormal life or attack energy was detected, and the fluctuation quickly moved away, continuing to scan other areas.

One minute later, the fluctuation of will returned to the depths of the nest, and everything returned to calm.

The swarm continued its work as if the earlier anomaly had never occurred, except that tens of thousands of drones were missing from the nest.

Ian slowly exhaled, his eyes deep.

"The test results are in..."

Cleaning up to 1,000 devices at a time, with an interval of more than 30 seconds, will not trigger an alarm.

If the quantity exceeds this limit, or if the cleanup speed is too fast, the Hive's will will detect it.

However, merely "noticing" him is not enough to "lock on" him; if you use a domain to conceal him, the time can be extended.

As long as it remains concealed enough and does not reveal its existence, the Hive's will will only consider it as "abnormal local damage" and will not immediately determine it as an intrusion.

They didn't make a move that day. It was still a nest, and if they killed the queen, the Void Nest outside the world would definitely notice.

"That's enough." Ian moved again, leaving the nest.

Over the next three hours, he explored four Zerg lairs.

Each one has a similar structure: the surface is the breeding area and the engineering area, while the underground contains more complex passages and energy nodes.

However, he found no trace of the "Crystal Core Bug" in any of the four nests.

Those core Zerg who can transform the origin of the world are clearly being protected in deeper areas.

He soon arrived at the fifth lair, located in the ruins of a collapsed mountain range. It was twice the size of the other lairs, and the number of velociraptors patrolling the surface had increased significantly.

They could even sense several peak level three auras roaming inside the nest.

Ian stopped five kilometers away, his sense of gravity penetrating through layers of rock and extending downwards.

One hundred meters, three hundred meters, five hundred meters... Deep underground, the insectoids have already dug it out.

Countless passages crisscross, like an upside-down maze, where large quantities of ore are mined, piled up, and awaited transport to the surface.

At the deepest part of the maze, about 800 meters above the ground, there is a natural energy node.

Ian was secretly pleased; he had finally found it.

Around the node, at least a thousand "crystal worms" were densely packed together.

They are slightly smaller than the male peaks, but their carapaces have a translucent crystalline texture, and inside their bodies, the dark purple energy is extremely concentrated, having condensed into a liquid-like substance.

But these insects, seemingly tireless, continue to gnaw and transform the primordial energy seeping from the nodes.

Each crystal nucleus is like a breathing energy battery.

Outside the Crystal Core Insect Swarm, there were four exceptionally powerful auras, belonging to the fourth-level insect race.

It is larger than a velociraptor, its carapace is covered with ferocious bone spikes, and its compound eyes gleam with a unique light of intelligence.

They did not move, but simply stood quietly around the energy node, like the most loyal guards.

Ian withdrew his senses, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. "Never mind, let's leave them alone for now..."

Two of the thousand Crystal Core Insects are guarded by Level 4 Zerg. Forcing their way in is not impossible, but it will inevitably alert the Void Mother Nest.

Once the mother hive realizes that someone is eyeing the source, subsequent plans will be difficult to implement.

He needed a more prudent approach; he should first check out the Esok stronghold.

Ian's figure transformed into a gray streak, hurtling towards the direction of the energy explosion on the horizon.

He became increasingly interested in the abilities of those "Summoners".

Three thousand kilometers away, in a secluded valley.

The valley is flanked by steep rock walls, the surface of which is covered with carved caves and fortifications.

At the entrance, several simple watchtowers stand, with figures in tattered leather armor on guard at the top.

The atmosphere was heavy, filled with the smells of blood and herbs. Occasionally, wounded Esoks could be seen lying on the ground, receiving bandages from their companions.

They look humanoid, but have a few whiskers swaying on their necks or chins. Most of them are thin, their faces are full of fatigue and fear, but deep in their eyes, there is still a stubborn flame.

Deep in the valley, there is a simple wooden house built of logs and stones.

The room was dimly lit, with only a single candle flickering on the table.

Haina sat on a wooden stool, his body ashen, with a faint aura of psychic energy flowing across his skin, and a layer of mental mist surrounding him.

The head has no facial features, only a blurry cloud of mist, with a tightly closed vertical pupil in the center of the mist.

The dozen or so black tentacles on its chin writhed unconsciously, and the suction cups opened and closed with a faint hissing sound.

He rested the tentacles at the ends of his hands on his knees, feeling terrible.

About half a year ago, he sensed a vast, gentle, and vibrant will in the void rift.

That will was like a giant tree growing, its roots reaching into the void, greedily drawing energy.

Hainer immediately realized that their opportunity had arrived!

He attempted to communicate with that will, releasing a carefully prepared "distress signal".

In the signal, he described the "tragic situation" of the world of Exoc, which had been invaded by the Zerg, causing widespread devastation and suffering to its inhabitants who fought back but were repeatedly defeated...

He concealed the fact that the Exoks were "psychic devourers," portraying his own side as "innocent victims."

He hoped that the will would send powerful beings to fight the Zerg, ideally resulting in a stalemate.

At that time, he and his clansmen will be able to reap the benefits.

Even... it can devour the soul of the "strong one" sent by that will, replenish its spiritual energy, and restore its strength.

But to his disappointment, that will was very cautious.

After exchanging only a few words and confirming the coordinates of the Exok world and the Zerg threat, the connection was broken.

They left no promises or revealed their origins, as if... they were just there to gather intelligence.

"Damn tree roots, don't let me find your world!"

The tentacles on Haina's chin tightened suddenly, and the suction cups stuck to the edge of the wooden stool with a soft "click".

His vertical pupils slowly opened, revealing scarlet, ferocious eyes. "What exactly are those insects?"

This problem had been bothering him for a whole year.

The Exokines call themselves "Void Hunters".

The Exokines call themselves "Void Hunters".

For tens of thousands of years, they have wandered among the rifts between realms, relying on their talents as "Awakeners of Realms".

Like a silent ghost, they select worlds one by one, projecting their mental murmurs through the cracks.

They bewitch the intelligent beings of those worlds, create worship, and cause chaos. When enough souls are sacrificed, they can tear open the rift and descend in their true forms.

To corrupt the entire world with psychic energy, devour all souls, and strengthen itself.

They had always believed that, apart from the terrifying "Will of the Abyss" from thousands of years ago, there was no being stronger than them in the void.

Until a year ago, the sky suddenly cracked open with countless fissures, and endless insects swarmed in.

Unlike other creatures, they do not have souls, emotions, or desires.

They have only the most basic instincts: to devour, reproduce, and expand.

The Esok people's specialty, "mental pollution," has no effect on insects.

"Damn it, those bugs don't even have a 'mind' to be corrupted!"

They share a single, unified "terrifying consciousness"—cold, vast, and incorruptible.

Several members of the tribe attempted to forcibly contaminate the area, but were immediately met with a terrifying backlash, their brains exploding on the spot.

Left with no other choice, Haina and the other Realm Summoners began to organize their people to fight back.

But there are too many insects. If you kill one, a hundred will swarm in. If you kill a hundred, you will attract an endless swarm of insects.

Their psionic attacks can kill the insects, but they consume too much energy. What they fear even more are the high-ranking insectoids.

Haina witnessed firsthand how a level four Zergling tore three Realm Summoners to shreds.

The psionic bodies of those Summoners were as fragile as paper under the Zerg's blades; their chin tentacles were torn off, their vertical pupils were pierced, and their mental mists were violently dispersed...

Then, the corpses are dragged away by the swarm of insects and used as nesting material.

"Damn bugs..."

As Haina thought about these things, fear rose in his heart again. He slammed his tentacle on the wooden table, causing the candle to shake violently.

In the candlelight, there were several obvious wounds on his gray body. The wounds were not bleeding, but only pale purple spiritual energy was slowly draining away.

That was a week ago when he was sprayed with acid by a "Shadowwing Bug," and it hasn't fully healed yet.

"No, we still need to 'seek help' from the void." A ruthless glint flashed in Haina's crimson vertical pupils.

He got up and walked to the corner of the cabin, where there was a simple altar made of several stones engraved with runes.

In the center of the altar lay three dried skulls, their eye sockets empty, yet faint traces of spiritual energy remained on their surfaces.

These are the skulls of three believers from another world.

A year ago, Haina bewitched a tribal chief in a small world through a rift. The chief sacrificed the souls of three hundred people from his entire tribe to create an anchor point for Haina's arrival.

But just before he was about to tear open the rift and descend in his true form, the Zerg arrived.

That small world also became prey for the Zerg, and Hainer was forced to sever the connection and escape back to Esok.

"We must find another world..."

His chin tentacles slowly extended and wrapped around a skull. His scarlet vertical pupils lit up, and psionic energy began to flow in, rapidly depleting the soul within the skull.

He was going to send another "distress signal" into the void, and this time, he would make it sound even more tragic and desperate.

He wanted to make any powerful person who received the signal want to get a share of the spoils.

As for whether he would live or die after arriving, Haina's tentacles tightened, and fine cracks appeared on the surface of his skull.

"It all depends on your luck."

The entrance to the valley is ten kilometers away.

Ian stood in the shadow of ruins, the gravitational senses silently enveloping the entire valley.

He saw the Esok people; they were indeed humanoid, but something was very wrong with them.

The aura of psychic energy emanating from his body, the tentacles on his chin, the twisted limbs at the ends of his arms, and the faint fluctuations of mental pollution.

Like a low-frequency noise, it continuously spreads thoughts of chaos, fear, and fanaticism.

Ian's eyes narrowed slightly. "This is the Summoner? Or rather, the Corruptor."

The gravitational senses continued to extend, locking onto the wooden house deep in the valley, where Haina was seen.

I saw that dark, twisted body, with scarlet vertical pupils and tentacles wriggling under its chin.

They also "saw" the altar in the corner of the wooden house and three dried skulls.

As Hainer began channeling psionic energy into the skull, Ian keenly sensed something amiss.

The frequency of that psychic energy was undergoing subtle changes, as if adjusting its "wavelength" in an attempt to match a distant "receiving point".

"Inter-world communication..." Ian's heart stirred, and a deep light flashed in his eyes.

This is not just a simple talent; it is the ultimate understanding and application of the barriers of the world, the rifts of space and time, and the essence of the soul!

It's important to understand that the distance between worlds is extremely vast, and the rules of each world are subtly different.

The spacetime rifts at the edge of the world are also the void zones of the world's rules, where interference and consumption are minimal.

The principle behind long-distance teleportation arrays is to find the shortest path through the spacetime rifts at the edges of these worlds, bypassing one world after another to reach the destination.

The Esok, or the Worldcallers, are like experts who specialize in "interdimensional travel".

They know how to locate other worlds in the void and how to transmit spiritual signals through rifts.

They know how to use "soul sacrifice" to build a stable arrival anchor.

This knowledge is of immeasurable value to Ian!

He took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and continued to lock onto Haina with his gravity sensory perception, observing his every move.

The psionic infusion lasted for three minutes.

The skull developed more and more cracks, and finally, with a "crack," it shattered completely and turned into dust.

Haina's crimson vertical pupils dimmed for a moment, and his chin tentacles drooped limply.

"Failed again..."

Over the past three months, he has tried dozens of times to send distress signals in all possible directions in the void.

But apart from that "will of the giant tree," there was no further response.

Either the surrounding worlds have already been conquered by the Zerg, or... those worlds simply dare not respond.

After all, the Exokines' reputation as "phantom devourers" wasn't good in the Nether Rift.

"Damn it..." Haina slumped back onto the wooden stool, slapping the ground with his tentacles in frustration.

at this time,

A faint yet incredibly clear "otherworldly fluctuation" suddenly entered his senses.

Haina suddenly looked up, his scarlet vertical pupils suddenly lighting up!

The fluctuations were unfamiliar and subtle, but they were definitely coming from the "outside world"!

Someone is responding to his distress signal!

"finally……"

Haina's jaw tentacles writhed excitedly, his suckers opening and closing with a rapid hissing sound.

He immediately focused his mind, adjusted his psionic frequency, and tried to establish a connection with that fluctuation.

But what he didn't know was that outside the valley, in the shadows of ruins...

Ian slowly withdrew the trace of "order fluctuation" he had deliberately released, a smile playing on his lips.

Such intense malice!

Hehe, that's interesting.