Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

Chu Xuan stretched out his finger and tapped a ripple on the invisible shield of the main god.

"Did you notice that the black ash just fell onto the rocks normally, without reacting chemically with the rocks and the soil? And that soil and rocks are the same as the soil we are standing on." Chu Xuan pushed up his glasses and said calmly, "When the main god releases the reincarnators, it must choose a safe location, so it arranged this sloping stone wall for us, meaning that the black ash in the sky may be harmful to the human body."

"But from my observation, this ash has physical properties. It doesn't penetrate rocks, and it doesn't react chemically or physically with the ground. It can even be blown away by the wind instead of ignoring the laws of physics. And obviously, for a reincarnation team like ours that hasn't had any new members, we have enough means to avoid this ash falling on us—but the main god still arranged a stone wall for us to avoid the ash."

With a 'thud,' a strand of hair was torn in two from the middle by Xiao Honglu.

"So, you mean the Supreme God isn't reminding us to avoid this black ash..."

“Yes,” Chu Xuan nodded. “What the main god wants to remind us of is the act of ‘avoiding the ash.’ What poses a real threat to us is not the ash itself, but the energy generated when we use tools and techniques to avoid the ash—clearly, either this world is full of energy-absorbing monsters, or using energy will invite attacks from the local intelligent beings.”

"Option one is unlikely, so we'll ignore it for now. If option two is true, it proves that the world is currently in a state of extreme tension and war. The land outside does look like a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but that's only a post-apocalyptic wasteland from the perspective of mortals. Those truly powerful races, the main protagonists of the war, are probably high above the clouds right now."

Chu Xuan raised his head and looked up at the red sky above. Thick layers of clouds obscured everything, making it impossible to see anything behind the scenes with the naked eye.

"It's unlikely that the Supreme God would place us in a world where human civilization doesn't exist. So there must still be mortals in that world. And the Lord of the Rings world is precisely such a world where all races have creators, but mortals, though favored by the Supreme God, have no true god to protect them. If that world were to undergo a distortion, and many powerful races were to wage war at the call of the gods, then it would naturally lead to the current result."

“But your reasoning is based on the premise that this world is related to the Lord of the Rings world…” Xiao Honglu still wanted to argue.

Then, Alice, who had been idly observing for a while, patted his head.

"So Chu Xuan, you must have a way to verify it, right?"

“That’s right.” Chu Xuan admitted without hesitation. “In the end, these are all inferences based on insufficient information. Perhaps there are no alien races outside at all, just a group of mortals with advanced technology or magic fighting each other in the sky. But since the main god mentioned the One Ring three days ago, I think that even if this world has no connection with the One Ring, it must have some common characteristics.”

His gaze shifted, looking at someone.

"Unfortunately, my research on the Tower of Babel fragments is still in the exploratory stage, and I am currently unable to deploy an alternate dimension to protect personnel with low combat power. Although most members of our team are equipped with protective gear, not everyone can perfectly control the energy flow to completely conceal themselves. Therefore, we need a probe."

"Simply put, it's about throwing out a brick to attract jade, and fishing in troubled waters, right?" Zheng Zha sighed, but as the crimson broadsword appeared in his hand, the blood in his heart quietly boiled. "I'm familiar with this kind of thing."

“Very good. With your fourth-tier life force, even if you encounter an overly powerful enemy, you should be able to escape unscathed on this planet. So let’s cause as much trouble as possible, we…” Chu Xuan hesitated for a moment, glancing at Alice. “Alice will assist you in the battle to prevent any unforeseen changes. The rest of us will take cover while you disrupt the surrounding energy, and then determine whether we need to search for the native humans of this world based on subsequent developments.”

Xiao Honglu added, "We also need to figure out what the 'Star Cup' is."

This time, Chu Xuan did not answer.

Because in the very next moment, the invisible shield created by the Supreme God quietly collapsed!

—An unknown world view, Game of Life Zero, officially begins!

Section 2: The Warm and Hospitable Residents

The count is zero, the action begins.

When the protective shield created by the Supreme God for the Reincarnators silently vanished, a terrifying and massive hurricane suddenly arose out of nowhere across the vast and desolate wasteland!

That was Zheng Zha's breath, an artificial natural disaster created by a transcendent being drawing upon his own energy field. On this desolate land, long scarred by calamities, the 'black storm,' feared by countless living beings, was formed solely by his will. And when he unabashedly released the powerful aura of his transcendent life, allowing his strength and spirit to intertwine and spread outwards, the raging storm swept wildly in all directions!

The scarlet sky swayed, and leaden clouds swirled and rolled.

As Zheng Zha stood conspicuously in mid-air like a bright, burning star, Alice, who was traveling with him, silently concealed her presence within the black storm he had unleashed. She watched as the other members of the Central Continent Team silently moved away from underground, creating a path under the cover of Zheng Zha's massive display of power. However, her attention was more focused on Zheng Zha, who had fully activated his top-tier vampire bloodline at the fourth level and was unleashing his power with abandon.

Something's not right.

The main god's mission is wrong, the current world is wrong, and Zheng Zha's reaction is also wrong.

The first two can be ignored for now, as Chu Xuan has already explained the publicly available details quite clearly. However, Alice knows very well that the reason Chu Xuan arranged for her to assist Zheng Zha in battle is because Chu Xuan noticed Zheng Zha's abnormality. And not only Chu Xuan, but even Alice herself noticed that inconspicuous yet striking anomaly in Zheng Zha.

There was a certain sense of detachment about him, a sense of alienation from the whole world and the whole team. It was as if he had gone to some secret realm alone and lived there for thousands of years. His expression carried a sense of antiquity and vicissitude that did not belong to him, a mere mortal who had lived for less than forty years.

He is still Zheng Zha, but he may not be the same Zheng Zha as before. This undeniable point is connected to the sudden change in the main god's mission, suggesting that the current situation may be related to his transformation.

[It's not a possibility, it's a certainty. However, the specific changes still need further investigation. Chu Xuan's sudden mention of the 'Tower of Babel fragments' at the end has three... no, two meanings. First, he suspects that this change is related to the Tower of Babel fragments; second, he has already examined the fragments and can at least roughly confirm that they are currently in a stable state.]

Is this little bit of information not enough to be of help right now...?

Alice lowered her eyes and silently circled around Zheng Zha, following the inner ring of airflow within the storm. She had already fully analyzed the black, gray snow falling from the sky from the very beginning—it was some kind of complex and chaotic energy residue, remnants of an ordered energy structure that had been utilized to the point of no return, much like industrial waste gas. And its main effects were twofold.

First, this black ash can be considered a kind of unstable chemical raw material, possessing a certain degree of corrosiveness to organic matter. Second, because it is itself a chaotic energy residue, it can interfere with detection-type spells to some extent.

This interference was minimal and utterly insignificant to a behemoth like Zheng Zha. However, it could provide some assistance to the other reincarnators as they discreetly departed. This discovery corroborated Chu Xuan's hypothesis of a 'War of the Gods.' Furthermore, judging from the extent to which this energy entity was utilized, the civilization that became a protagonist in the war possessed combat power at least equivalent to that of a supernatural being!

and so!

Suppose a massive war-mongering entity exists on this land. What would they do if they discovered a huge, undocumented energy source suddenly appearing within their territory?

Should they simply bombard the enemy with a wide-area strategic strike? No, they won't. Any entity that craves or is deeply embroiled in war will instinctively seek intelligence as much as possible when faced with an unknown enemy. The reconnaissance troops they dispatch will inevitably represent the mainstream, or even the most advanced, warfare technologies of their civilization.

A civilization embroiled in years of war would certainly not lack in reconnaissance and retrieval. And with Zheng Zha so openly displaying his presence, he will inevitably face the first probing attack from the hostile natives of this world! And since that's the case—

With a slight twitch of her fingers, invisible, colorless, traceless, and shapeless puppet-like threads extended outwards along the wind's path amidst the raging storm. Several powerful life forms reacted the instant they touched the outer ring of the storm, and she detected them. After marking her prey and linking the other end of the puppet threads to the target she needed to alert, she once again slipped into stealth.

Regardless of what changes have occurred to Zheng Zha, at least one thing is certain—his essential life essence, soul structure, and principles of will and action have not changed significantly. Therefore, Zheng Zha remains Zheng Zha, still the captain of the Central Continent Team, and a reliable partner for the reincarnators.

Let me see clearly in this battle how much of a difference there is between you and before.

....................................

A faint tremor ran through Zheng Zha's heart as he unleashed his power and fulfilled the duties entrusted to him by Chu Xuan. Suddenly, a row of data appeared in his perception through a secure channel.

—[Located 34 kilometers south, 15 degrees 7 minutes east, three irregular life forms were detected on the surface. Their sizes range from 100,000 to 150,000 cubic meters, with masses around 20,000 tons. Several large energy reactions were present inside; readings are unknown. Location has been marked…]

Twisted rays of light swirled within his eyes, piecing together to form a series of three-dimensional models. Several alien creatures, covered in tentacles and segmented limbs, resembling failed experiments from a biochemical laboratory, were clearly identified, each marked with several energy sources within them. When Zheng Zha looked in that direction, the energy reactions within the markings surged dramatically!

Concealment, close in, and close-range artillery fire—those chaotic segments and tentacles were not useless; they were bio-weapons used to disrupt energy reactions in the dark, gray environment, greatly reducing their own presence! By the time Zheng Zha noticed the rapidly rising energy readings, the enemy thirty-four kilometers away had already reacted. And the next moment, from the edge of the storm, thirty-four kilometers away, two beams of light suddenly shone!

Close-range beam cannon fire, arriving in an instant.

The temperature along the central axis of the shelling was around 120 million degrees Celsius; attempting to measure the energy level was a foolish and meaningless exercise. The grazed rocks melted instantly and then rapidly evaporated, and within this minuscule, incalculable time interval, the tip of the shell was already before Zheng Zha!

The White Knight's arrows are of a certain level, but lack variation and dexterity. They are merely a simple release of energy.

But this thing looks like it belongs to an elite soldier!

Zheng Zha's mind raced, and the ambient-temperature fusion engines within every cell of his body simultaneously activated. At the pinnacle of his mutated vampire bloodline, a pair of deep crimson bat wings suddenly unfurled behind him. The vampire skills he had obtained from the Supreme God and analyzed immediately took effect, and a deep crimson mirror shield fully formed before him!

As energies collided, the fact that the mirror shield didn't break immediately foreshadowed the futile nature of the attack. Maintaining caution, but not contributing much effort, Zheng Zha focused primarily on analyzing the internal energy structure of the shell as it arrived. He immediately deduced the accurate conclusion: 'This is a highly sophisticated biological weapon, not a natural product.'

then.

— [Direction: North, 6 degrees 6 minutes west, distance: 7 kilometers. Concealed high-speed object detected. Movement method unknown. Expected contact in 4 seconds...]

Alice's report rang out accurately once again. Zheng Zha raised an eyebrow slightly. Despite not using his full strength, he had kept all his senses sharp, yet he hadn't noticed the high-speed object approaching within seven kilometers! Only when his will shifted, directing a small portion of his attention towards that direction, did he vaguely perceive subtle material wave phenomena. This further fueled his already slightly boiling blood.

These were just insignificant natives, mere scraps, at best elite soldiers, yet they had managed to bring him such a pleasant surprise. This made him yearn for the truly powerful higher forces in this world—as he pondered, his hands and feet moved without hesitation. The next moment, the mirror shield he had used to deflect the energy beam barrage suddenly shifted at an angle, and a torrent of blazing light swept across the earth!

'boom--'

The ground was easily torn open, creating a narrow chasm stretching approximately ten kilometers. From the end of the chasm came piercing screams, like the chirping of insects. A streamlined alien creature with arthropods and bladed armor was forced out of its hiding place, the magical winds protecting its form dissipating outwards. The bombardment had already achieved some success, shearing away more than thirty percent of the clearly not naturally formed armor, exposing a large amount of bluish-gray flesh that was constantly melting and healing.

Your spear has broken your shield.

Then the intelligence can be roughly confirmed.

[Vital energy, reaction speed, and attack power are all within the range of A-level to AA-level enhancement. There is no activation of the genetic lock, nor is there any simulated activation of the genetic lock.]

[It adopts a bio-enhancing approach, without mechanical components or runes, indicating that mechanical technology is not dominant in this world. While a magical civilization may have developed, the evidence is currently insufficient. The inhabitants of this world are likely a pyramid-shaped civilization dominated by super-powerful individuals—or, in this world, civilization is a byproduct of extraordinary life forms.]

Then, there's no need to worry.

A crimson greatsword appeared beside him, and Zheng Zha immediately grasped it. The next moment, he flashed across seven kilometers to the side of the alien creature. With a single slash of the longsword, he cleaved the insect-like monster and the spatial structure itself in two!

Resistance is futile; even if a supernatural being uses only a tiny fraction of its power, the effect it can exert is far beyond what ordinary beings can imagine.

But even mortals that cannot even react will not choose to sit idly by and wait for their doom.

With a 'splatter', bluish-gray blood splattered, the scattered blood reforming in mid-air into tiny biological venom needles. At the cost of burning some of their cells, the splattered needles surrounded Zheng Zha in a manner perfectly aligned with an ideal spatial matrix. Then, those needles shattered completely against an energy shield formed from crimson bat wings.

A ring of scorching flames erupted with dazzling light. Centered on himself, Zheng Zha conjured a nuclear explosion with his bare hands, yielding approximately 100,000 tons of explosive power, and inserted it into the still-healing alien body that had been split in two. The intense heat and blazing light, enough to vaporize all flesh and blood, perfectly fulfilled its mission.

—'Kill a high-ranking demon to gain 500 reward points; no side quest rewards.'

The voice of the Supreme God rang in Zheng Zha's mind. Before Zheng Zha could even sigh that the A to AA grade enhanced life form that could crush most of the team members was now only worth the price of a Licker during the Resident Evil era, his hands and feet reacted first—he casually pinched out two unstable energy balls, and half a second later, a twin mushroom cloud rose up somewhere more than 30 kilometers away, following the Supreme God's announcement.

The world became noisy, and then quieted down again.

Three consecutive low-yield nuclear explosions directly destroyed the black storm created by Zheng Zha's aura. However, when he subconsciously glanced around, he unsurprisingly didn't see Alice's concealed figure—a secure communication link still connected him and Alice, allowing him to confirm his companion's presence. But just as he breathed a sigh of relief, intending to tell Alice about his discovery, a strange noise from the top of the sky and Alice's slightly more hurried voice made him instinctively turn his attention to the sky!

—[Extremely high energy reaction directly above! A winged humanoid creature, estimated to be approaching us rapidly, is located 1200 kilometers away!]

He saw a pure white meteor streak across the dark starry sky, falling straight towards his forehead from the top of the heavens with the force of an apocalypse!

Section Three: The Mirror-like Six Wings, Lamenting the River Styx

Zheng Zha's pupils shrank to a tiny dot, and intricate rings of crimson vampire runes appeared on the whites of his eyes. His brain accelerated dramatically, triggering a pseudo-time slowdown. His blood boiled, and his body and will simultaneously entered a state of heightened agitation, as if fueled by a fire.

The sense of time accelerated a hundredfold. The pure white form falling from the sky could then be clearly distinguished.

[The silhouette is of medium build, female, with wings on her back that have a small wingspan; they appear more like a weapon or decoration than a means of flight...]

The gaze shifted, and the other party's clothing was simple and difficult to discern due to the energy flow; visually, no weapon-like object could be observed at the moment. But the speed of this descent alone was enough to keep most human civilizations, unable to escape the gravitational pull, living in a dream world with their prized nuclear weapons.

[The speed is incredibly fast, currently around Mach 300... Damn, is it going to crash into this land and create a Junggar Basin? The energy level is comparable to a large fusion reactor operating at full power. Judging from the energy reaction alone, it's definitely at the level of a supernatural life form, and since it can fall at nearly 100 kilometers per second, it means its physical attributes have definitely reached that level as well.]

I'll have to put in some effort...

Zheng Zha gripped his crimson greatsword tightly, his attention focused, when he suddenly heard Alice's remote intelligence sharing in his mind. His pupils contracted, and the next moment, the blood-red wings on his back abruptly closed, transforming into a spherical shield that completely covered his body!

—[Spatial changes detected...]

The next moment, Zheng Zha heard a clear voice, but it did not belong to any language he knew.

——'Elf Spell: Heavenly Shift'

The spatial structure about 100 meters above his head suddenly shattered, and the white falling star that was hundreds of kilometers away just a moment ago appeared above Zheng Zha's head as it fell rapidly! The spatial gate opened by the spell collapsed and cracked in an instant due to the high-energy and high-speed matter penetration, and the black spatial rifts torn out in the sky like a spider web sealed off tens of thousands of cubic meters around Zheng Zha!

Intense heat, blazing light, and black and red flames that swallowed even sound itself—time within a hundred kilometers swelled slightly when the white star collided with the red sphere. A massive energy bubble suddenly formed, vaporizing the hemisphere's surface, which was one kilometer in diameter, while rapidly expanding outwards, turning the land into lava, the lava into flames, and red and black ash winds sweeping in all directions.

Amidst the surging energy waves, Zheng Zha opened his eyes. He sensed that the defense he had hastily erected was operating with an unexpected level of stability. Despite predictions that it would only withstand a maximum of 80% of the damage, and that his own mass would be reduced by at least 15%, the Bloodwing Shield remained intact after absorbing the attack. Even its internal runic structure was completely intact, ready to be reactivated at any moment!

Was the opponent holding back? No, he didn't detect a significant decrease in the incoming energy.

So……

[Have I gotten stronger again?]

The strange events that defied normal logic confused him, preventing him from immediately responding to the opponent's repelled attack.

And the next moment.

He still couldn't recognize the plural form, but the language, which could be clearly understood through the translation of the main god card, rang out.

"—That's truly rare. Despite being a vampire, it's unfazed by direct sunlight. Is it a newly emerged variant, or a lost secret weapon?"

"To withstand Uriel's full-force attack without sustaining any damage, you are indeed an opponent worthy of our utmost effort to defeat."

Initially, only one individual was observed falling, but when Zheng Zha spread his crimson wings, three winged female creatures, largely similar yet subtly distinct, appeared in his vision. They vaguely formed a formation, adopting a defensive posture despite being the one who initiated the attack. As Zheng Zha observed them, the energy reactions within them grew increasingly intense.