Published: February 11, 2025
The shadow shook its head, still wearing that strange and mysterious expression.
"I remember the number of humans that have disappeared here recently. The corpses outside are not enough, and here, the soil on the ground shows obvious signs of being freshly turned, with evenly spaced distances between them. I don't think you're so bored that you'd deliberately bury your food like this," Ye Zhongming said to the shadow, explaining for his companions.
"If you really are the Nine-Winged Crow, then we've already witnessed your abilities in spatial manipulation. You can create so many black holes for long-distance teleportation, allowing so many monsters to be transported here, and even your own avatars can come through those black holes."
"Also, when you sacrificed those monsters, you revealed your extraordinary methods. To be honest, I was quite shocked. So, although I don't completely believe that your true body can come through the Life Stone, I don't dare to take the risk because I can't defeat your true body."
Ye Zhongming's words left everyone astonished; they hadn't paid attention to these details, especially regarding the number of missing evolvers. When Ye Zhongming had previously inquired or observed, they were all nearby but never thought in that direction.
The traces on the basement floor were not very obvious. Although there was some light here, it was uneven. Coupled with the fact that this monster admitted to being an avatar of the Nine-Winged Crow, it drew everyone's attention away from these details.
"Moreover," Ye Zhongming continued, looking at the monster, "even if you're just an avatar, I believe you don't want to die. You stayed here not only to learn about Earth but also for other purposes. Upon discovering that we came here, you didn't escape or leave but seemed to be waiting for us. Now, you can tell us your purpose."
Ye Zhongming had become accustomed to treating these beings as equals with high intelligence, preferring to see them as humans who merely looked different. Once he did that, he began to notice many clues.
In the past, he would have thought that this was simply the monster's trap, with the ultimate goal being to kill everyone. But now, he no longer thought that; he felt that this monster had ulterior motives.
The monster smiled, or at least that was how Ye Zhongming perceived it.
"You are very clever," the monster said, moving its body as tentacles plunged into the ground. In the places where the fresh soil was, the mud and stones rolled, revealing dozens of lifeless corpses. They stood there like mummies, showing no signs of life.
"I don't know what it is, but I can sense that you've played tricks on me. No matter where I run, you can always find me." The shadow monster turned its head, expressing that it had discovered the Qiming Mark.
"So I decided to have a talk with you. Whether in our world or yours, this is a way to solve problems."
The shadow's words were filled with a sense of humanity.
"It definitely wasn't possible before; I was injured, and my Life Stone hadn't been cultivated. I didn't have the qualifications to talk with you. But now it's possible; my strength has recovered. Although I can't fight against so many of you together, I believe I still have a chance to escape, and even if I get killed, my true body can come to avenge me."
The shadow paused before pointing at everyone. "I'm not lying to you. If I die, no life of the same level can stop the Life Stone from activating. Even if it's not the same world, as long as the energy is sufficient, there will be no problem. In fact, the energy is sufficient."
It glanced around at the corpses, clearly referring to them.
The humans fell into silence, judging the truth of this matter and speculating on the conditions the monster might require.
"I know you want our world, which is on the verge of collapse, right?" The shadow began to reveal its thoughts.
"But you don't have any ninth-level beings, so you can't contend with my true body."