Infinite terror invades all heavens

Chapter 92 Buddha's Light Shatters Dreams and Cooperation (Part 2)

"Switch to using mirrors for team communication," Shiva Gantian continued, "Arot, are you still there?"

In a broken mirror in the corner of the room, Arot's figure slowly emerged. The assassin's expression was also solemn, clearly still shaken by the battle just now: "Yes. My mirror space can establish temporary communication links, but each one can only last for three minutes and requires a lot of mental energy."

“That’s enough.” Shiva Ganten nodded. “From now on, all important communications will be conducted through Arot’s mirror. Daily communication will use the minimum amount of mental energy for telepathic communication, and the location must be changed immediately after each telepathic communication.”

He turned to look at Yukina, who was slumped to the side, still in a daze, and his voice suddenly became stern: "Yukina! This is the third time! Since the arrival of the Central Continent Team, why have the opponent's psychic users always been able to hide from your scans? I need an explanation, a reasonable explanation!"

Xue Nai trembled, raised her head, her pale face full of bitterness and confusion: "Captain, I really don't know. My mental scan covers a radius of more than 500 kilometers, and its accuracy can lock onto the vital signs of a single person. But every time the Zhongzhou team appears, it's as if they appear out of thin air, and there are no abnormal fluctuations within the scan range."

She bit her lip, trying to organize her thoughts: "Normally, regardless of the type of large-scale detection capability, whether it's mental scanning, energy perception, or technological radar, it should generate some kind of detectable fluctuation when it's activated and maintained. But the Central Continent Team's detection methods seem completely static, as if they've been there from the beginning, but we just can't 'see' them."

“Unless,” Agrava suddenly interjected, his voice low, “the other side is not using active scanning as we understand it.”

Everyone looked at him.

The ascetic slowly said, "Before the Central Continent Team's three raids, I vaguely sensed a kind of gaze. It wasn't the arcane fluctuations of magical detection, the energy ripples of supernatural perception, or the electromagnetic signals of technological devices. It was more like a pure gaze."

He paused, seemingly searching for the right words: "It's like someone standing far away, observing us with a telescope. The telescope itself doesn't emit any energy; it just passively receives light. So at first, I thought it was an illusion, or the spying of a powerful being native to this mission world."

Shiva Ganten's eyes narrowed: "You mean, the Central Continent Team possesses some kind of beyond-line-of-sight, completely passive observation method? Like satellite imagery? But that requires the satellite itself to exist, and it also requires data transmission..."

“We don’t necessarily need satellites,” Muhammad suddenly said. As a technologically advanced expert, he possessed an exceptionally rich knowledge base. “Theoretically, if we had a device that could penetrate the atmosphere and conduct direct optical observations, coupled with ultra-high-speed information processing capabilities, we could indeed achieve completely passive beyond-line-of-sight surveillance. But that kind of technology would require us to be at least a hundred years ahead of the world.”

Silence fell over the room.

Technology that's over a hundred years ahead of the rest of the world? What does that mean? It means the Central Continent Team might possess equipment from a world with even higher technological levels, or even technology from the future!

Shiva Ganten took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Xue Nai, if another battle breaks out, you only need to do two things: First, maintain the mental link within our team; second, deploy the largest possible mental barrier to interfere with any possible external detection. You don't need to actively scan, understand?"

Xue Nai nodded vigorously: "Understood!"

Shiva Ganten's gaze shifted to Imani, who was crouching in a corner, his eyes vacant, uttering unconscious sobs. This Hulk bloodline enhancer was in extremely poor condition, not only because he had been injured in the battle, but also because Xue Nai had forcibly increased the intensity of her mental control in the emergency, causing his self-awareness to be almost completely suppressed.

A crazy plan took shape in Shiva Ganden's mind.

“Xue Nai,” his voice was eerily calm, “if it comes to the final moment… I mean, if we’re going to activate the Holy Grail Array and fight the Central Continent Team to the death… I want you to detonate all the emotions within Imani, and then use the abilities you gained in that Mind Flayer City to forcibly seize control of his body.”

Yukina's pupils constricted sharply: "Captain, if that's the case, Imani..."

“He will go completely insane, and may even suffer a soul breakdown.” Shiva Ganten said expressionlessly, “But at least, before he goes completely insane, he will become a mad beast that only knows how to kill. A beast that can temporarily entangle the core combat force of the Middle Continent Team.”

He stared at Xue Nai: "Can you do it?"

Yukina's expression shifted several times before finally settling into a deathly calm: "...I can do it."

“Very good.” Shiva Ganten turned to Blackjack. “Have the nodes of the Grail Circle been checked? Also, when will Imhotep arrive? Has he not sensed the power fluctuations of the Sunbeams yet?”

The voice beneath the Blackjack mask hesitated slightly: "A special ritual has been performed to summon Imhotep, and he has responded. He should be on his way. As for the nodes of the Grail Circle..."

He paused, his tone becoming serious: "I randomly placed the plague aura around some nodes, and seventeen of them showed signs of being triggered. But the nodes themselves were not destroyed, and the magic array structure remains intact."

Shiva Ganden narrowed his eyes: "What do you mean?"

"That means the Central Continent Team has likely discovered some of the node locations, but they haven't destroyed them; they've only marked or monitored them," Blackjack said in a deep voice. "Given the efficiency and precision they demonstrated in their previous two attacks, it's impossible that they haven't found a single node. The only explanation is that they guessed we were going to use a large-scale magic array, so they're playing along, preparing to strike at the crucial moment when we activate the array."

Shiva Gandhana's fingers tapped the ground unconsciously, producing a dull "tap-tap" sound. His eyes gleamed with a bloodshot light, as if he were rapidly calculating something.

"What happened to the extra nodes I instructed you to set up?" he suddenly asked. "If we activate the magic array immediately, how many nodes do we need to retain at the very least to ensure its normal operation?"

Muhammad paused for a few seconds, then calculated and gave his answer: "According to the original plan, we set up four hundred main nodes and twelve hundred secondary nodes. If we only consider the basic functions of the magic array, namely absorbing life and soul energy and activating the summoning of heroic spirits, we need to retain at least two hundred main nodes and six hundred secondary nodes. But in that case, the coverage area of ​​the magic array will be reduced to one-third of the original plan, and the energy absorption efficiency will also decrease by at least 50%."

"And time?" Shiva Gantian pressed. "If we start shifting the nodes and rearranging them now, how long will it take?"

“At least forty-eight hours,” Muhammad said with a wry smile. “And it will leave obvious energy traces, which the Central Continent team will definitely find.”

Shiva Ganden closed his eyes, and the energy around him began to fluctuate erratically. His blood-red robes fluttered without wind, and one could vaguely see countless illusory shadows struggling and churning on his body!

The shadows took on various forms: some were dignified Buddhas, some compassionate Bodhisattvas, some glaring Arhats; others were ferocious beasts, twisted monsters, and even bizarre, indescribable shapes that defied common sense. Among them, the Buddhist and Taoist-related phantoms seemed to resonate with some unseen source of faith, their forms becoming increasingly real and vibrant, as if they might break free from Shiva Ganden's body at any moment and become independent entities!

At the same time, the beasts, monsters, and bizarre figures began to retaliate fiercely, clashing violently with the Buddhist and Taoist phantoms.

Fine cracks began to appear on the surface of Shiva Ganden's body, and blood seeped from the cracks, staining his blood-red robes even darker.

"Captain!" Yukina exclaimed.

"Shut up!" Shiva Ganten roared, suddenly opening his eyes!

In those eyes, the left eye shone with pure golden Buddhist light, while the right eye was a chaotic, blood-red frenzy. The two forces clashed fiercely within him, making his entire aura extremely unstable.

"puff--"

He finally lost control and spat out a mouthful of blood. The blood fell to the ground and made a hissing sound, burning small pits into the stone slab.

But as he coughed up blood, the restless phantoms gradually calmed down and were pushed back into his body. Shiva Ganten's aura stabilized; although still weak, it was at least no longer on the verge of spiraling out of control.

"Captain, in a world where the faith in Buddhism hasn't been completely eradicated, it's best not to borrow too much of their power," Agrava said in a low voice, his tone filled with worry. "Back in the Dragon Tiger Gate world, the faith and essence we seized using Li Yan's anti-Buddhist campaign were too high. Those powers haven't been fully tamed, and if they're stirred up in an environment rich in faith, it could easily trigger a backlash..."

Shiva Gantian waved his hand to indicate that he understood, but his gaze remained fixed on Blackjack, as if trying to see through the plague doctor.

Blackjack felt a chill run down his spine from the stare, and his voice trembled slightly beneath the bird-beak mask: "Captain... Captain?"

“Half.” Shiva Ganten suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse. “You said that as long as you have half of the node, you can activate the Grail Circle without affecting the essence of summoning Heroic Spirits, only shortening the duration of the Reality Marble, right?”

Blackjack paused for a moment, then quickly nodded: "Yes! Although the duration will be shortened to one-third of the original, as long as the magic circle is successfully activated, the essence of the summoned Heroic Spirit will not be affected, and the Reality Marble can be deployed normally, but..."

"Just what?"

“It’s just that the energy supply is insufficient, and the inherent barrier may not be able to maintain stability, and there is a risk of premature collapse.” Blackjack said with a forced smile, “Moreover, if I am still in the state of being possessed by a Heroic Spirit when the barrier collapses, I may suffer severe backlash, or even… a drop in my realm.”

Shiva Ganten remained silent for a moment, then suddenly took out two items from his storage space and threw them in front of Blackjack.

The first item was a broken, golden triangular cube, only the size of a fist, its surface covered with ancient engravings and cracks, yet still exuding a certain sacred and majestic aura. The second item was a card with a dark gold swirling pattern on the back, and an image of a blue-gray giant depicted on the front.

“This is…” Blackjack’s breath hitched.

“Relics,” Shiva Ganten said coldly, “and the summoning cards for his exclusive weapon. With these two items, you can guarantee the strength of the Servants you summon.”

"As for the problem of insufficient energy in the Realm of Inherent..." A hint of madness flashed in Shiva Ganten's eyes, "There is a way to solve it. I will provide you with enough fuel in my own way."

He didn't specify the method, but Blackjack, looking into Shiva Ganten's eyes, which were a mixture of Buddhist light and bloodlust, suddenly shivered and dared not ask any more questions.

Just then—

"call--"

Inside the underground storage room, a cold wind suddenly swept through without warning. It carried sand, a stench of decay, and an ancient, sinister aura.

The yellow sand swirled and coalesced in the center of the room, gradually forming a blurry human shape. When the sand dissipated, a tall figure appeared before everyone, wearing a tattered priest's robe, with skin as withered as a mummy, but eyes burning with eerie green flames.

Imhotep was the high priest of ancient Egypt and the instigator of the Ten Plagues.

As soon as he appeared, his gaze first swept over Blackjack, who was holding the Sun Sutra, lingering for a moment on the book that exuded a strong sacred aura. Then, his gaze turned to Shiva Ganden.

Extreme disgust and vigilance were uncontrollably revealed in those dark green eyes.

“A blasphemous aura…” Imhotep’s voice was hoarse and dry, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together. “In such chaos and disorder, how could anyone contain the power of so many different gods without collapsing? If this were my time, the Egyptian gods would have issued a divine decree ordering all the priests to join forces to annihilate you, and even your soul would be thrown into the belly of a scarab beetle, never to be reincarnated.”

Instead of getting angry, Shiva Ganden grinned, revealing a smile that was a mixture of madness and mockery: "God? Even gods are not eternal. Look at me, how many kinds of divine aura and faith do I possess? Eastern Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats, Western angels and demons, and even some long-forgotten, indescribable beings—aren't I still living just fine?"

His smile faded, and his expression turned serious: "Imhotep, we can help you restore your complete body, and we can even work together to resurrect Anklua."

Imhotep's deep green eyes flickered: "Conditions."

“A portion of the cursed power of the Ten Plagues, and the right to access the energy of the Egyptian ley lines.” Shiva Gantian said succinctly, “We need to use the chaos and death caused by the Ten Plagues to initiate a ritual, and we also need the energy of the ley lines as the foundation of the ritual.”

Imhotep fell silent. His withered fingers tapped unconsciously on the priest's staff in his hand, which, even though it was now dilapidated, still contained a powerful death magic.

“The power of the Ten Plagues is not entirely under my control,” Imhotep said slowly. “It is the cursed power of the gods, and I am merely the initiator, not the master. I can only guarantee that during the Ten Plagues, I will channel some of the cursed essence of three of them—the Plague of Locusts, the Plague of Darkness, and the Plague of the Firstborn—to you. As for the ley line energy, that is possible, but only after Anzuru has been resurrected.”

“We will fully cooperate with your recovery,” Shiva Ganten nodded. “But the sacred flask of Ansuuna’s internal organs can only be given to you after we have fulfilled the previous conditions. That’s the bottom line.”

Imhotep's eyes blazed with ghostly fire, and a terrifying pressure of death spread out, causing the temperature in the entire basement to plummet.

The Indian team members suddenly felt short of breath, as if countless cold hands were choking them.

But Shiva Ganden did not retreat an inch, and the power of the Blood Buddha rose from his body, standing in opposition to the pressure of death.

After a standoff of about ten seconds, Imhotep suddenly withdrew his oppressive aura, a sinister smile creeping across his gaunt face: "Fine. But all of you must sign a contract, swearing an oath with your souls. Anyone who breaks this oath will suffer the eternal torment of being devoured by scarabs."

As he spoke, he raised his hands and began to chant an ancient and obscure Egyptian incantation. His hands moved rapidly in front of him, forming one exotic mudra after another.

Finally, all the hand seals coalesced in the air, forming a strange pattern composed of a scarab beetle, a sun disk, and the Eye of Death.

The seal of the contract.

Without hesitation, Shiva Ganden stepped forward and placed his right hand on the center of the pattern. The pattern shone brightly, transforming into a brand that disappeared into his palm.

"It's your turn," Imhotep said, looking at the rest of the Indian team.

Blackjack, Agrawa, Xuena, Muhammad, Ram, and Imani, who was controlled by Xuena, stepped forward one by one to leave their soul imprints on the seal of the contract.

When the last person completed the contract, Imhotep nodded in satisfaction. He looked up at the dilapidated ceiling of the basement, as if he could see through layers of soil and buildings to the ancient city outside.

"Then, let the cooperation begin." Imhotep's voice carried a mixture of anticipation and madness. "Let the ten plagues descend, let death spread, let this city that has betrayed the gods wail in fear."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure turned into yellow sand and disappeared into the air.

Inside the basement, only the members of the Indian team remained, along with a heavy silence.

Shiva Ganden looked at the slightly warm contract mark in his palm, his eyes flashing with bloodlust, and muttered to himself:

"Zhongzhou Team... Zheng Zha... This time, we're going to play it big."

Chapter 93 Capital Acquisition and the Beginning of Xianqin

New York, late at night.

Inside what appears to be an ordinary warehouse-style office building in Lower Manhattan, deep within the building's foundations, in a dimension invisible to the naked eye, a chilling energy fluctuation is surging.

Chu Xuan stood in the center of the basement.

His true consciousness, in the form of an electronic ghost, is currently wandering among tens of thousands of data network nodes in the skies above the North American continent.

A deep blue mechanical energy pulsed across his body like breathing as Chu Xuan gazed at the complex array slowly rotating on the ground in front of him.

That was a national-level monster card transmutation array he constructed by combining the alchemy from "Fullmetal Alchemist", the dark transmutation technique from "Yu-Gi-Oh!", and the knowledge of cultivation arrays he obtained from Zhu Peng.

The array is nine meters in diameter and consists of seven nested geometric shapes. The outermost layer is an alchemical circle and triangle, the middle layer is the cloud and thunder patterns of cultivation runes, and the innermost layer is the twisted and eerie dark symbols from the Yu-Gi-Oh! system. Three completely different supernatural systems are forcibly mixed here, conflicting and balancing each other, forming an extremely unstable dynamic balance.

"Om..."

At the center of the array, a chaotic vortex of energy, constantly changing colors, is slowly expanding. Within the vortex, countless distorted faces can be vaguely seen. These are the fragments of souls and lingering emotions of people who went bankrupt, lost their jobs, and became homeless in the financial storm orchestrated by Chu Xuan over the past two weeks, scattered in despair.

Pain! Despair! Anger! Confusion!

There is something deeper and darker: hatred for the system, powerlessness against fate, and curses against those in power!

At this moment, the alchemy array is undergoing a strange change.

“An unusual surge of energy has occurred, the source of which is unknown.”

Chu Xuan raised his right hand, his five fingers spread, and the dark blue mechanical energy probed into the energy vortex of the alchemy array like tentacles.

It is not a pre-programmed process for collecting painful souls, nor is it a planned transformation of emotional energy.

It is a more grand, more obscure force, like the very tide of the times itself.

"The tides of the times...swept along by destiny..."

Chu Xuan repeated the two words in a low voice. His consciousness instantly connected with the subprograms of the artificial intelligence Zero, which were located deep within the servers of major financial institutions, as well as the seventeen military satellites over North America, three hundred and twenty-eight ground monitoring stations.

A deluge of data is pouring in.

He saw it.

In the trading floor of Wall Street, the greed and fear that flashed in the eyes of those suited elites were something they themselves were unaware of.

On a street in a slum, a homeless man huddled in a cardboard box, unconsciously twitching and groaning in his sleep.

In a middle-class neighborhood, a child cries blankly in front of a house that was seized overnight, clutching a teddy bear.

There's something deeper: the grating friction of the entire social system as it operates, like rusty gears; the enormous, cold, cannibalistic machine that alienates people into numbers, devalues ​​life as assets, and rationalizes, institutionalizes, and even profits from suffering.

The alchemy array is spontaneously absorbing the machine's breath.

"I see."

Chu Xuan pushed up his glasses. "It's not individual suffering. It's the process of suffering itself being institutionalized, a sociological phenomenon where despair is systematically produced, packaged, and distributed."

"The monster card crafting technique of ancient Egypt was essentially the plundering and solidification of legends, fears, and the collective unconscious, while capital is precisely the most efficient machine for systematically creating collective despair."

The energy vortex at the center of the transmutation array suddenly contracted violently!

All the pained faces, the lingering emotions, and even the fragments of souls that had not yet been fully absorbed were forcibly compressed to a critical point.