Full health is the kill threshold, no matter if you're a god or a demon!

Since Ascalon's teleportation array was not activated, Liu Nian could not teleport directly there. He could only teleport to the Heart of the Gear first, then ride the mechanical Tyrannosaurus through the first level of the Underdark, and re-enter the silent, magic-suppressing rock passage that was so quiet that only the echoes of footsteps could be heard along the fork in the road he remembered.

When the magnificent underground cavity and the silent ancient city came into view again, the sense of awe stemming from the weight of civilization and the sorrow of time was not diminished in the slightest.

As soon as he stepped onto the narrow stone steps at the edge of the cliff, an aged, dignified voice, tinged with obvious surprise, resounded deep within his soul:

"Young warrior, your return is faster than I expected... and the radiance of your soul is many times stronger than when you left. The speed at which you have leveled up... is truly astonishing."

The semi-transparent figure of the spirit of the late King Hector quietly appeared in mid-air, still wearing the ancient royal robes and crown, but at this moment, his gaze upon Liu Nian was filled with inquiry and disbelief.

Liu Nian stopped and looked up at the ancient tomb keeper.

He had always had a question in his mind, and now he took the opportunity to ask, "Your Majesty Hector, I'm a little curious. According to the rules of this world, after losing the main city and having one's racial mark erased, everything related to it should disappear, and the survivors should become wild monsters. Why were you able to survive in this... special way?"

Hector's soul trembled slightly, as if some important memory had been touched upon.

He paused for a moment, then slowly said, "This involves certain 'recordation' and 'recognition' mechanisms at a deeper level of Cyber ​​Hell. Not all existence is completely annihilated with failure. Some individuals who reach a sufficient level and bear enough 'historical weight' or 'civilizational imprint' will have their 'information' collected and preserved by some higher rules... Perhaps, it can be understood as a kind of alternative 'immortality'."

Liu Nian's heart skipped a beat, and he tentatively asked, "Is the 'record' you mentioned similar to... 'Cyber ​​Chronicles'?"

Hector's soulfire suddenly brightened several degrees, and for the first time, his voice showed a clear emotional fluctuation: "You...you know about the 'Cyber ​​Chronicles'? You've come into contact with it?"

"Yes," Liu Nian said frankly, "I... am recorded on it."

"What?!" Hector's figure swayed violently, almost losing his balance, revealing the shock in his heart. "You...you were included in the 'Cyber ​​Chronicle' so early on?! This...how is this possible?!"

He quickly calmed the turmoil in his soul, his tone becoming incredibly complex: "I am indeed above that, but that was inheriting the throne of the eighth-level main city of Ascalon, bearing the final imprint and authority of the entire civilization, recorded as a kind of 'inheritance' and 'responsibility.' But you…" He scrutinized Liu Nian from head to toe, as if trying to re-evaluate the young man, "You were forcibly 'seen' and 'recorded' by the rules based purely on your 'individual potential' and 'deeds,' without acquiring any authority commensurate with your rank… This is completely different! It means that your 'potential,' as determined by the rules of that level, is… a huge variable capable of disrupting the future!"

Liu Nian frowned slightly: "Will being recorded cause trouble?"

"Trouble? Ha..." Hector let out a sigh that was hard to decipher. "More than just trouble. For most powers, a potential seed that has not yet grown up but has already been marked in the 'Character Record' is an extremely precious yet extremely dangerous resource. They will try every means to bring you under their control. The most common, and also the gentlest, method is 'marriage'."

"A marriage alliance?" Liu Nian was taken aback.

"Indeed. Those high-ranking races with deep foundations and ancient superpowers would never allow a future giant to wander outside, becoming an enemy or an uncertain factor." Hector's voice carried a hint of coldness. "They will send a female (or male) member of their race who holds a high position and possesses both talent and beauty to enter into a marriage contract with you, firmly binding your interests to theirs. If you refuse..." He paused, "then, eliminating a potential, uncontrollable threat would be a more logical choice. In the history of Cyber ​​Hell, many exceptionally talented geniuses have either been forced into marriage and lost their freedom, or died young."

Liu Nian's eyes were slightly cold.

This is a cyberpunk version of "Catching a Son-in-Law Under the Banner"?

It seems that this logic applies to almost any world.

He's currently a character who's "good-looking" but has no real background...

Liu Nian temporarily noted down this information, then turned to another question that puzzled him: "About the secret realm. A secret realm I recently experienced felt... rather unusual."

He briefly described the difficulty and rewards of "Silent Fortress Anaxim," especially the choices made when finally facing the Arachne cocoon form.

Even with Ektor's ancient and serene mind, when he heard that Liu Nian had killed a legendary lich, subdued an eternal-level magical pet, acquired ownership of the floating city, mastered an eternal-level psionic core, and subsequently triggered a world-class geological change event, his illusory face showed an almost "dull" expression.

After a long while, Hector seemed to find his voice again, his soul fire flickering uncertainly: "You... your experience... is beyond 'unusual.' This is... a 'trial from hell!'"

"A trial from hell?"

"Yes, the deep defense mechanisms of Cyber ​​Hell will impose special 'tests' on certain individuals with enormous 'variables'," Hector's tone became extremely serious. "These tests often take the form of highly difficult and risky secret realms or events. Their apparent purpose is to provide opportunities and challenges, but they conceal an extremely sinister underlying objective—to eliminate those who transcend the norm!"

"The transcendent?" Liu Nian caught the attention of this new term.

Hector gazed intently at Liu Nian, his soul radiating an incomparably solemn light: "An existence like you is a 'Transcendent.' This refers to an individual whose potential, growth rate, and even the essence of life have surpassed the concept of 'eternity'! In the countless years of Cyber ​​Hell's long history, only twelve 'Transcendents' have been clearly recorded!"

He paused, his voice echoing with a distant resonance: "And ultimately, only five survived, successfully ascending to the pinnacle and establishing an immortal foundation. They are the rulers of the five major factions who now govern the vast territory of Cyber ​​Hell, overlooking the cycle of reincarnation: the Lord of Eternal Day, the Emperor of No Light, the Empress of the Empire, the Ancestral God of the Savage Lands, and the Lord of the Deep Sea!"

"Your appearance, your experiences, and especially your ability to survive and profit from that kind of extermination test aimed at 'Transcendents,' make me 100% certain that you are the thirteenth Transcendent!"