Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

"I was just fooling you," the girl said calmly. What flowed from her chest was not crimson blood, but an artificial filler made to resemble blood. After collecting enough information, this filler had become a gel-like substance that bound the energy body. Together with the converging magic lines, it completely sealed the angel who had fallen into the trap inside.

The production line in the Grand Library produced twenty-three dolls; eight were destroyed in the battle, leaving fifteen survivors. However, including those from Shanghai and Penglai, there were only sixteen dolls remaining at most. So, where did the last one go?

It's obvious, right here.

It was merely bait, and that bait has now served its purpose. As the runes on the back of its neck disappeared in the dim light, the intelligent light in its eyes also vanished.

At the same time, a small crimson dot lit up in the sky.

—The cannon has landed.

Author's Note:

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

This volume is getting a bit long... After the events of the sixth day are over, it feels like it will have to be split into two volumes.

Section 52: A Familiar Feeling

If someone could have looked down from a distance, after the cannonball struck, they would have seen a circular area of ​​ground, nearly six kilometers in diameter, simultaneously cave in from the point of impact. Large amounts of crustal material and organic matter were propelled into the sky by the shockwave, forming a murky cloud over the outskirts of the city.

The cloud continued to rise and then spread, transforming into a huge, mushroom-like shape. This caused an earthquake of approximately magnitude four to five, which destabilized the Earth's crust in certain areas.

Alice's figure then appeared above the point of impact, hovering silently. She made a simple gesture, and a fierce wind swirled around her, dispelling the smoke that had been obstructing her vision, allowing her to see the battlefield in its entirety.

Artillery fire—very powerful.

The small patch of ground directly hit by the macro cannon was completely destroyed, leaving only a vast lava lake. Apart from the small squad of mechanical soldiers used to protect the Kesslers and their son and to relocate them when the battle intensified, her entire legion had been wiped out in this lava lake. Perhaps some usable spare parts could be found with some effort, but she clearly wouldn't waste her time on that.

Her gaze fell upon the very center of the lava pool, where a vortex of chaotic energy flow existed. Although the spatial structure had been largely restored, disordered gravitational fields and random rays still raged through the atmosphere. Even now, if she were to force her way into that area, she would be hindered by these chaotic clutters, and would become as if she were stuck in quagmire, unable to move.

If she was like this, then the angels who were directly hit by the macro cannon were even worse off.

The power of this artillery strike had been deliberately weakened; it wouldn't be very strong, at least not enough to directly penetrate the earth's crust and create an artificial active volcano. But even this weakened power was still a heavy blow to the angel, which had not yet crossed the transcendental boundary and whose etherealization was hindered—its structure was shattered, and it lost seventy or eighty percent of its energy. Even if it was still alive, it would only be barely clinging to life.

Alice watched it quietly.

“Angel,” she said, her fingers, wrapped in magic threads, trembling slightly.

"I originally thought your individual combat strength was stronger than I expected, but I was wrong. I haven't even used my full strength yet, and you've already failed. Obviously, this doesn't match the current difficulty. So, apart from the world's destruction in a few days, your numbers should also give us a surprise."

She dispelled the oncoming heat and wind, gliding lightly towards the angel's remains using the gravitational field. The sacred and ethereal form was already shattered, its wings broken, and more than three-fifths of its mass was lost. Only a semi-transparent entity that looked like the upper body still barely existed, emitting a faint white light.

She gently landed on the boiling lava, and the lava beneath her feet quickly solidified under the sudden burst of low temperature, turning into charred black solid blocks of rock. These blocks expanded rapidly outwards, extinguishing nearly half of the lava pool in a very short time.

She reached out her hand, her fingertips touching the angel's head.

"I want to know everything, so please tell me."

A wisp of light emanated from her fingertips, and a spell to explore memories was immediately constructed, ready to be used in the next moment.

However, before that...

She heard a sound, a faint whisper, barely audible, yet clear enough for her to hear clearly.

The girl's face suddenly turned as white as snow at that moment.

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

Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away, inside the Eden Church where the remaining team members were located, Xiao Honglu stared intently at the tablet in his hand—a tool left to him by Zhao Yingkong before she left, containing a wealth of information from Alice, as well as information on controlling the North American satellite network. It took him considerable time to fully digest this information and understand the perilous future his group was about to face.

Five days later, or more precisely, at the end of the sixth day since they arrived in this world, a cataclysmic event from the sky will destroy civilization on the surface—an unprecedentedly powerful solar storm, a stream of extremely high-temperature heat erupting from the sun's interior due to a superflare. It will obstruct Earth's orbit, causing this tiny planet to be thoroughly cleansed of every piece of land and ocean on its surface by its rotation as it passes through that intensely hot region, experiencing temperatures of tens of thousands of degrees Celsius.

Driven by this cataclysmic event are a group of energy beings with angelic appearances, or even those that can be directly defined as 'angels'. They are invisible and elusive; at least for now, there is no way to detect them. Certain electromagnetic radiation of a specific frequency might reveal them, but the actual effectiveness remains unknown.

The Awakened Ones are their pawns, or byproducts. For some special reason, these angels value certain young Awakened Ones, presumably because the reason may be related to the myth of creation—after five days, the world will be destroyed, and only the chosen children will be qualified to survive the catastrophe and usher in a new era under God's guidance.

The World Government was aware of the impending destruction of the world by the solar storm. They prepared by establishing large-scale shelters in the mountains, the sea, and underground at the North and South Poles in an attempt to withstand the twenty-four-hour solar blast. However, they knew nothing of the unseen beings known as angels, and were therefore doomed to failure. All survivors would undoubtedly be purged by the angels after the apocalypse; after all, the original Book of Revelation describes the destruction of the world in seven stages, which could be simplified to seven days, adding to the time before destruction for a total of thirteen days.

The survival requirement for the Zhongzhou team is to survive for twelve days in this world.

[So that's how it is. There really is still a glimmer of hope?] Xiao Honglu gently tugged at a strand of black hair on his forehead, using the slight stinging sensation to activate his brain.

Death is essentially an angel, a product of papal mythology. If they follow the papacy's legends, then the destruction process will inevitably last seven days. All they need to do is find a suitable refuge before that time, and survive until the angels purge that refuge.

Indeed, solar storms can destroy the world. However, the Earth's crust provides excellent protection, effectively resisting high-temperature jets and electromagnetic radiation. If this disaster had arrived without warning, a sudden attack, that would be one thing. But since the world has those who have foreseen the apocalypse and its approximate manner at least fifty years ago, it would be a gross underestimation of the world's intelligence if the world government couldn't even devise a strategy to deal with it.

This year is 2009. Fifty years ago, in 1959, many of the world's powerful nations began to compete in developing and researching space technology in an attempt to explore the stars... The government of this world may have wanted to take this opportunity to escape Earth and avoid this catastrophic disaster on another planet. However, the barren nine planets dealt them a fatal blow, so they must have abandoned this plan.

—Or it could simply be that their technical skills are inadequate.

However, even with the Awakened Ones in this world capable of predicting future disasters and deeply trusted by the World Government, history has unfolded almost identically to our own modern history. To call it a coincidence would be an insult. So… indeed, the Grim Reaper… the angels keep a tight rein on human civilization. Those underground shelters must be subject to their surveillance as well. After all…

The governments of this world are still unaware of the existence of angels.

[Therefore, the seemingly safest refuges at the North and South Poles have become the most likely targets for priority action. After all, safety is relative—the glaciers and oceans, which the World Government considers to offer the greatest protection against solar storms, will certainly be effective. Those will likely become the most populated refuges for survivors. But if they become the most densely populated areas, will they become the first targets for angel attacks? After all, these underground, underwater structures… are far less susceptible to damage from unexpected events than surface structures.]

No, this might just be me overthinking things. Anyway, let's consider this a preliminary plan. With this information, surviving the first seven days of the solar storm shouldn't be difficult. However, the problem lies in the days that follow...

He turned his head and glanced at the newcomers sitting properly in the preaching hall. Clearly, after last night's mess, these newcomers were now quite quiet. They wouldn't cause trouble, wouldn't act on their own initiative, and were much better than some of the more experienced ones who would disappear without a trace.

—Oh, at least Zhao Yingkong greeted him.

His thoughts involuntarily drifted back to a few hours earlier, to the scene when Zhao Yingkong gave him the tablet and related information, and informed him that she planned to leave to deal with some 'personal matters'.

He still remembered trying to persuade the assassin girl to stay with the most sincere words he had ever used in his life—'Sister Zhao Yingkong, we're a team! Shouldn't we help each other and work together to overcome this difficulty?'

He had thought he would succeed, because he had seen the girl stop in her tracks, her expression shifting uncertainly. But the next moment, her pretty face suddenly became resolute.

"I have to go. I can't... right now." Her voice was firm, but for some reason, it trembled slightly. "I can't even tell if I am anymore..." She shook her head vigorously. Then she turned and left.

The moment she stepped out of the church, the sound that emanated from her lips, skillfully focused and directed into Xiao Honglu's cochlea, made the boy, who was trying to make a final effort, stop in his tracks.

There's something wrong with one of us, not you, not even the captain... but I'm not sure if it's me, so I have to leave. And the rest... you have to identify him! Otherwise, we'll all die!

The assassin girl's footsteps faded into the distance with the faint echo of her voice. She hadn't taken more than a few steps after leaving the church when her figure vanished in an instant, as if merging into a shadow.

Xiao Honglu's thoughts then snapped out of his memories and returned to reality.

[If there's a problem with the people who stayed here, what could it be? And who is the one with the problem?]

Why did Zhao Yingkong know that someone here was suspicious, and why was she unsure if she was?

What exactly happened to her?

A series of questions surfaced in his mind, troubling him and interfering with his thoughts. He knew something had happened, but he didn't know what had happened. The inadequacy of his intelligence channels was a serious obstacle, yet the problem was, he simply couldn't figure out where to find such information.

"There's something wrong with someone in the team"—this was a message Zhan Lan had also conveyed to him through a telepathic link. Perhaps the team's current near-collapse is somehow connected to this "someone." But until that person is found, this conjecture remains just wishful thinking.

[Who might be the problem? The only senior members remaining in the church are myself, Zhan Lan, and Saito Ichi. If Zhao Yingkong is telling the truth, then I'm fine. But if I had to choose between Zhan Lan and Saito Ichi…]

Could it be Saito Hajime? He's been acting all mysterious and enigmatic since the beginning of this horror film. But before this… no, he was definitely a bit strange in Ju-on, but not to a degree. I remember, before this movie started, I could see right through him… he was just craving knowledge, no, using the facade of craving knowledge to mask some of his inner memories. Because I've been in a similar state before… so if anything has changed about him, it must have happened after this horror film started!

[Very likely...no, way too likely. More than the culprit, he's a scapegoat pushed out of the picture. Comparatively, Zhan Lan is far more suspicious.]

[Furthermore, Zhao Yingkong may not be telling the truth; perhaps she's deliberately creating a diversion...]

He rubbed his head vigorously, not caring about losing his hair. A small tuft of hair detached from his skin and fell to the ground.

Something's not right... I'm being a bit too suspicious. If I keep thinking like this, the problem will become very serious. My thoughts are actually pushing the team apart, and that won't do...

Hopefully, the battles to come will be effective and become a catalyst for uniting the team. Otherwise... it will be really difficult for us to make it to day twelve.

He sighed deeply, refocusing his attention on the Eden barrier within the church. The intelligence he had gathered earlier, along with his communication with Patchouli, had revealed the methods to strengthen the concept of the 'Lost Eden.' His immediate priority was to ensure the barrier functioned as Alice had envisioned, effectively binding the angels. Then, he would eliminate it.

[Perhaps I could have the newlyweds help... They shouldn't be involved in the core of the ceremony, but at least they could be useful for heavy lifting like moving equipment. It's not good to keep them idle; they need to be kept busy.]

Xiao Honglu quickly made a decision. He glanced at the newlyweds and immediately devised a distribution plan in his mind.

Five men and three women, one lawyer died. Four are left who can still do the physical labor.

Let the women continue taking care of the main characters, and as for the men... hopefully they'll be a little more efficient.

Without further hesitation, he raised his hand and waved to the newlyweds.

"Gentlemen, I have some things to attend to and I hope you can help me out." He smiled and looked at the newlyweds with a friendly expression. "I assume you are all free right now. Brother Wang Renjia, Brother Yang Le, Brother Li Laoshi, and... Brother Wang Xiaoxiao."

Chapter 53 The Bearer

It must be said that with the help of the newcomers, the project's progress accelerated significantly in a short period of time. Xiao Honglu was, after all, still a child. Even with the enhancement of his Three-Eyed Clan bloodline, a substantial increase in his physical attributes, and some telekinetic abilities, he was still just a child.

Short arms, short legs, physical disadvantages.

It's not that he can't handle the materials used to enhance the ritual, it's just that... he's too inefficient at it.

Moreover, as a seasoned veteran, it would indeed be beneath him to leave free labor unused and do the moving himself. After obtaining information from Alice's side, he was clearly more confident than before. As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated." Although he couldn't say he had a complete understanding of the enemy and himself, he at least knew the direction to take.

Therefore, he also planned to take this opportunity to observe the performance of the newcomers. After all, they might become true companions later, so it wouldn't hurt to assess them in advance. Although those who could enter the world of reincarnation each had their own inner conflicts, the Supreme God probably wouldn't let too many useless people in. Every newcomer certainly had their own unique strengths; it was just a matter of whether they could be discovered.

Xiao Honglu felt that he could still play the role of a talent scout.

He directed the new recruits as they set up, while simultaneously observing their actions. Because this wasn't the first time he'd evaluated the newcomers, he was moving much faster than expected.

[First, there's Wang Renjia… well, let's just call him Wang Xia, as he himself said. Sure enough, a veteran is a veteran; he's highly adaptable, knows when to advance and retreat, and follows orders. I heard his position in the army was reconnaissance… well, I remember those who can be reconnaissance soldiers are the elite of the military. Although I'm not entirely sure why he went into despair and entered the Main God Space, he must have his reasons… We don't need to interfere too much.]

He glanced at Wang Xia, who was placing river symbols in the preaching hall—Eden was supposed to have four rivers flowing from it: the Euphrates, the Tigris, the Gihon, and the Pishon. These four rivers nourished the land within the garden and brought the prosperity of Eden to the outside world. He noticed that the silent veteran paused noticeably when he looked at him, then looked up at him and nodded.

Keen perception.

Xiao Honglu returned a friendly smile, lost in thought.

"Hmm, he's a very promising newcomer from every angle. Although we don't have a huge need for reconnaissance skills thanks to Alice's help, let's wait and see. If he can get through the first few days, I'm willing to be his introducer."

[It's just a bit of a pity that Brother Zheng Zha seems to have some prejudice against him for some reason. Is it because of that guy named Chu Xuan...? I don't understand why he would be so wary of a dead man. Although Brother Zheng Zha said he didn't want to resurrect him, he'll probably change his mind later... I'll challenge him then.]

His gaze shifted, quickly sweeping over the others. Compared to Wang Xia, whom he valued most, he didn't care much for the others, but since the evaluation had already begun, it was only natural to finish it as well.

—Li Laoshi had already given up much hope for this middle-aged white-collar worker, Xiao Honglu. Xiao Honglu could confidently say that he had seen through the man's true nature.

Perhaps he has special talents in certain areas, such as human resources or data processing—but judging from his speech, demeanor, and overall demeanor, this man's edges have long been worn down by society. To put it nicely, he's shrewd and worldly; to put it bluntly, he's timid and lacks any sense of responsibility. He doesn't dare to speak loudly, doesn't dare to be the first to express his opinion, and doesn't even dare to contradict anyone… Such a person is unlikely to be a help. Unless some major changes occur later.

But this is the world of Final Destination. Although the nature of death has been deciphered, the possibility of unexpected events is still much greater than imagined. If something happens that could cause a significant mental upheaval... it would probably be a death trap for a newcomer.

He sighed inwardly.

Compared to Li Laoshi, Yang Le, this young man from the streets, was much better. At least he was pragmatic; after Xiao Honglu assigned them tasks, he took on almost all the most strenuous work. Although he was still somewhat inferior to Wang Xia, who was truly capable, didn't talk much but was never idle, he at least showed a willingness to improve.

[The character and temperament of this young man can be set aside for now. If resources become available later, it wouldn't be unreasonable to provide him with some guidance and training.]

Xiao Honglu didn't have any particular opinion about unemployed youths who drifted through life. After all, he was only twelve years old this year, and most of his short life had been spent being studied by medical experts in hospitals. Therefore, if the other party could demonstrate more outstanding qualities, he wouldn't have any further objections.

So, there's one person left.

Wang Xiaoxiao