[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-after-the-sky-fell":3,"chapter-after-the-sky-fell-after-the-sky-fell-chapter-73":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","After the Sky Fell",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2280929,4462,"Chapter 73","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-73",73,"\u003Cp>Seeing the collapsed building, Li Yi couldn’t help but recall the first time he’d entered the ruins with Lao Ya and his gang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, it was a building much like this one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder no one lived in these buildings—they were truly dangerous; even Zhang Lei, the battalion commander of the Investigation Bureau, had vanished. He was a master who had opened his spiritual sense, a pillar of Tianchang City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group didn’t go deep into the building; they stopped right at the entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because not far ahead of them stood a newly erected cordon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t go any further. Once you cross the cordon, your signal disappears. One of my teammates crossed it by less than ten meters, turned around, and vanished. It was bizarre.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yue immediately spoke up, halting the others’ advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of joke is this? Someone vanishes after crossing less than ten meters?” Wang Jian widened his eyes, stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yue said, “Do you think I’d lie to you? I have a hunch—something special inside this building interferes with the brain, inducing hallucinations. That’s why everyone who entered vanished; they were deceived, seeing and encountering only illusions. That’s why the building trapped them all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That possibility exists, but it’s unlikely. The battalion commander is someone who opened his spiritual sense—he’s nearly impossible to deceive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Jian furrowed his brow, feeling Liu Yue’s guess wasn’t accurate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yue sighed, “You’re right. It makes sense that we, Qi Refiners who’ve opened our spiritual senses, could be deceived—but the battalion commander? That’s hard to explain. But if something inside can deceive even him, rescue is nearly impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you tried sensing the building’s problem using an energy field perception method?” Li Yi suddenly spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hm?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, everyone turned to look at Li Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What method is that?” Wang Jian blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Liu Yue’s eyes lit up instantly. “Wait—maybe we can try. I understand what Li Yi means. If this building truly has an issue, the energy here must be unusual. We might detect something. But sensing surrounding energy requires entering meditative stillness. Most won’t do it here—it’s too dangerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If someone watches over you, there’s no need to worry,” Li Yi said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true. I’ll try.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yue acted swiftly. He saw this as a viable option, stepped forward, sat down right beside the cordon, closed his eyes, and immediately entered meditative stillness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let him try. We’ll watch,” Wang Jian said, not opposing—he thought they should dare to attempt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi said nothing now, not wanting to disturb Liu Yue’s meditation. He merely observed his surroundings, waiting for results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yue entered meditative stillness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, a faint wind suddenly stirred inside the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, no one paid attention, thinking it normal. But soon, Li Yi noticed something wrong—the wind grew stronger, and his vision blurred, as if something had clouded his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something’s wrong. Get out of here!” He snapped to awareness, shouting, then retreated rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a bizarre thing happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Jian and Chen Hao stood utterly still, like rigid corpses, motionless. Liu Yue remained in his meditative posture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them responded to Li Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wang Jian?” Li Yi shouted again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wang Jian didn’t move. And something even more inexplicable occurred—the path behind them had vanished, replaced by endless darkness. Li Yi, who had been preparing to retreat, froze in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is this possible? Are they fine, and am I the one who’s broken?” Li Yi’s expression shifted wildly—he couldn’t comprehend this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just moments ago, everything was normal. He’d been standing outside the cordon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could a gust of wind change everything so drastically?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wang Jian, Chen Hao, can you hear me? Something’s wrong here.” Li Yi rushed to their sides, reaching out to slap them awake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment he extended his hand, he recoiled in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flesh on the back of his hand had vanished—rotted away in large patches, revealing gleaming white bone. And not just him—Wang Jian and Chen Hao’s faces had also lost portions of flesh, exposing pale skulls, horrifyingly grotesque.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time passed, more flesh vanished. If this continued, all their flesh would disappear, leaving only skeletons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this process seemed irreversible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Li Yi panicked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because this scene was even more bizarre than when he’d first entered Ghost Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Am I going to die here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden, inexplicable fear gripped Li Yi. He now saw that the flesh on one of his hands had completely vanished—only bone remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he felt no pain—as if it were all perfectly natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Yi had a feeling: if all his flesh vanished, he would truly die here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could this all be an illusion?” In his panic, this thought surfaced in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were an illusion, that would be good. But what if it wasn’t?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching his flesh slowly vanish, the fear of death intensified. He didn’t know what to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Between life and death lies great terror. Congratulations—you’ve entered the illusion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, a voice suddenly sounded beside Li Yi’s ear—cold, haughty, tinged with disdain, as if reluctant to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who? Who’s speaking? Who are you?” Li Yi startled, shouting loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked left and right—only Wang Jian, Chen Hao, and Liu Yue remained. No one else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Born-evil Earth Prisoner, don’t shout so loud. Shouting won’t hide your inner fear,” the voice continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi calmed slightly, then realized: “Born-evil? That phrase sounds familiar… Wait—you’re the resentment trapped in that half-coin? I knew burial goods were tainted. Last time, I nearly died at your treacherous hands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, if it weren’t for your family—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice cut off abruptly, as if touching some taboo, then immediately shifted topic: “Boy, do you want to live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You want to help me? But you’ve always tried to kill me,” Li Yi said suspiciously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice said, “There are too many born-evil Earth Prisoners. My current state won’t last long, and I can’t kill many. You’re born with deep demonic nature—you’ll inevitably fall into demonic cultivation. As long as you live, you’ll help me kill more Earth Prisoners. If you die now, it’s a waste. Where else would I find someone with such deep demonic nature?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this even appropriate?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of “deep demonic nature”? Live so you can kill more people?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listen—was this even human speech?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough. Time is short. Before your flesh vanishes completely, if you don’t find a way, you’ll be trapped forever in this illusion, reduced to a skeleton. Don’t worry—I won’t kill you this time. I still want to witness you fall into demonic cultivation,” the voice snorted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi’s expression shifted, then he gritted his teeth: “Fine. I’ll trust you once. How do you plan to help me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First, find the source of the illusion. Don’t stay here. These people beside you won’t wake up—they’re too weak, their spiritual souls insufficient. They don’t even qualify to enter the illusion; they’re just standing here waiting to die. If not for some terrible curse protecting you, you’d be dead too,” the voice said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi’s heart tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The resentment in the coin had revealed much in just one sentence—and he had some terrible curse on him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When had this happened? Why didn’t he know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you waiting for? Do you want to wait until all your flesh vanishes before acting? If you move quickly, you might still save your teammates,” the voice urged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi shuddered, dared not waste another second, and dashed forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The building’s layout hadn’t changed—it remained the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Left,” the voice guided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi turned left and kept walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he took two more steps, his face changed—he saw a clothed humanoid skeleton standing motionless ahead, completely devoid of flesh, utterly clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph. A poor fool who died here. Ignore it. Keep moving,” the voice scoffed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi averted his gaze and quickened his pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go upstairs,” the voice directed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi followed the voice’s guidance, moving swiftly through the building. His speed increased further—his flesh vanished more and more. Now he could see the pale white bone of his thighs exposed. If he didn’t act soon, he was finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ascended the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the steps, he saw another skeleton.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clothing on the skeleton was familiar—it must have belonged to an investigator who vanished in this building. He could move within the illusion, but here, his journey ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t want to end up like this,” he thought, dread rising, and he sped up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop. Turn left, then go straight—you should see the source,” the voice reminded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi halted abruptly, then looked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the ninth floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering, he immediately saw many people here—but none were whole; all were skeletons, some still with patches of flesh, not yet fully reduced to bone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These skeletal figures seemed alive. As soon as Li Yi appeared, they all turned their heads to look at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their hollow, eyeless sockets somehow clearly perceived Li Yi’s form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are these the investigators who entered before?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he walked, he observed. Through their clothing, he began to suspect.\u003C\u002Fp>",1522,"2026-06-20T01:26:56.586Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0ace80da104a2c3661603b904e86e91af4df9177559d1222e593a4dc4794b8ed","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-74","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-72",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-the-sky-fell-cover.jpg"]