Chapter 571: Mass-Producing System? Hatchery?

At this moment, Great Black Heaven's defense against the outside world had sunk to its lowest point.

"Now!"

How could Qin Hao possibly pass up this kind of once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

He had been storing up power, waiting for this very moment.

"System! Full-power devour!"

The system, having long merged with over a dozen fragments, had its devouring ability multiplied countless times compared to its original.

A gray vortex, no longer gentle but filled with overbearing force, carrying a conceptual-level suction, fiercely bit into the unstable Great Black Heaven.

"No…… you…… can't……"

The residual consciousness of Great Black Heaven tried to resist, but it was already too late.

It, whose logic had collapsed, could not possibly maintain its stable form.

Its existence was like a dam riddled with millions of cracks.

And the system's devouring power was the flood that burst the dam.

That huge black shadow was bit by bit pulled, twisted, and sucked into the vortex.

The process was astonishingly fast.

Just a few seconds.

That terrifying hunter that had nearly driven the Yanhuang Universe to desperation vanished completely just like that.

The port returned to its original state, leaving only the patrol ship's hull, pitted and corroded.

In Qin Hao's mind, the system's alert tones flooded the screen wildly.

【Devouring high-integrity target……】

【System is completing……】

【System integrity rising: 24.8% → 30% → 35% → 40%!】

The progress bar finally stopped at the astonishing figure of 40%.

A primordial energy and fragmented memories, vast beyond imagination, surged into Qin Hao's body and soul.

He felt his grasp over the rules had risen another great step.

At the same time, a new prompt popped up on the system panel.

【System integrity reached 40%, unlocking a new core ability.】

【Ability Name: Shadow Shuttle.】

【Ability Description: The host can temporarily detach the universe from the physical dimension and travel in the interstices of the rules (conceptual space). In this state, it cannot be detected, is immune to most physical and rule-based attacks, and its duration is proportional to energy consumption.】

Qin Hao's eyes flashed with sharp light.

This is a divine skill for self-preservation and infiltration!

This is precisely an advanced version of Great Black Heaven's ability to ignore physical barriers.

With this, their safety will increase exponentially.

"Lao Wu, well done."

Just then, the entire fortress began to shake violently.

"Large numbers of Execution Bureau fleet are jumping in! Our fortress has been discovered!"

Qin Si's urgent report came through.

Great Black Heaven's dying struggle surely sent out a distress signal.

"Don't panic."

Qin Hao was now full of confidence.

"Take the logic anchor we came for, let's go."

"System, activate Shadow Shuttle!"

A dim gray light shrouded the entire Yanhuang Universe.

The next second,

That massive patrol ship gradually faded in the harbor, turned transparent, and finally vanished completely.

At the moment it vanished,

Thousands of pure-white Execution Bureau warships jumped out of hyperspace, encircling the resource depot.

But they were a step too late.

The prey had already evaporated into thin air.

In the conceptual space of the rules' interstices.

The Yanhuang Universe drifted like a ghost ship amidst the surrounding bizarre abstract lines and color blocks.

This is the shadow of the real universe, a realm imperceptible and untouchable by ordinary life.

After confirming they had completely shaken off their pursuers, Qin Hao then guided the universe back into the physical dimension.

This is a barren, lifeless star region, far from any known routes.

The crisis was temporarily resolved.

They not only successfully seized the stable logic anchor urgently needed to repair the universe, but also handily eliminated a powerful foe and gained a formidable new ability.

The harvest was immense.

Inside the Core Hall, after a brief celebration, everyone began the most important task: analyzing the spoils.

"I am organizing Great Black Heaven's memory fragments."

Qin Si's expression turned unusually grave: "The information is chaotic, but astonishing."

"What did you discover?"

Qin Hao asked.

"The Enforcement Bureau still has those system hunters; their relationship isn't what we thought."

Qin Si projected several fragmented images.

"Mahakala is not the native life of this cosmic sea; it and all system holders come from the same place."

"It calls that place... the incubation ground."

"Incubation ground?"

This word makes everyone feel a bit creepy.

"Yes."

Qin Si's voice low: "According to memory, the incubation ground is a place for mass-producing systems. Then these systems are deployed into various newborn, low-level universes."

"The purpose of the system is to stimulate host civilization to accelerate evolution, growth, plunder resources, devour other civilizations..."

"It's like raising gu."

"When the host civilization grows to a certain extent, or after devouring enough other gu, it becomes a qualified product."

"Mahakala is one of the few qualified products that graduated from the incubation ground."

Qin Hao's heart sank.

"What about the unqualified ones?"

"They become nutrients."

Qin Si's voice trembled: "The host graveyard we saw earlier... those are all failed experimental specimens. Their final energy and rules were all reclaimed by the incubation ground."

A horrifying truth is being gradually unveiled.

"What about the Enforcement Bureau?"

Qin Wu's voice hoarse.

"They are guards."

Qin Si pointed to another fragmented memory image: "The Enforcement Bureau is not the master of this cosmic sea; they are hired gardeners or cleaners by the incubation ground."

"Their duty is to maintain basic order of the test field, prevent experimental specimens from causing excessive destruction, and clean up the waste—namely the residue left after being devoured."

"Also... responsible for transporting raw materials to the incubation ground."

The final image appeared.

"That is a fleet of the Enforcement Bureau, dragging a dead universe, slowly sailing toward a huge shadow at the end of the void."

"That shadow is the incubation ground."

The truth is revealed.

"The mighty Enforcement Bureau is actually just a pack of watchdogs."

"And these system hosts, who thought they were fighting for destiny, are merely consumables in a grand and cruel experiment."

Qin Hao remained silent for a long time.

This pressure makes one feel suffocated.

"His enemy is not the Enforcement Bureau, not other hunters, but that unimaginable terrifying existence behind everything—the incubation ground."

"He finally understood what the trap Xuan Du spoke of was."

"The system's ultimate goal converging into one is probably not achieving supreme supremacy."

"But rather to send the fattest gu to the incubation ground's table."

"Dad..."

Qin An worriedly looked at his father, feeling his father's inner heaviness.

Qin Hao slowly raised his head.

"The pressure in his eyes did not turn into despair, but instead transformed into an unprecedented fierce fighting spirit."

"What about the lab mouse?"

"Even a lab mouse, when pushed to the extreme, will bite."

"Since this whole world is a cage..."

He gazed at the vast cosmic sea.

"Then let's smash this cage to pieces!"