Chapter 1665: Something's off

Emperor, that guy... has been inside for a long time already...

Inside the fortress, over two hundred Fifth Stage Awakened Ones split into two major factions, gathering beside Hei Di and the Chimera Emperor.

Though there is a faint opposition, both sides tacitly maintain distance, all looking toward the fortress core.

By rights, they should have already started fighting each other.

Although they are on the same side, to a Star-Destroying Level, the Fifth Stage beginners and Fourth Stage in both teams are just walking points.

But holding the same thought, the two Star-Destroying Levels at this moment act as if they don't see each other, focusing only on "that one".

"Has it been ten minutes..."

"The restriction is about to end..."

He nodded.

The hulking Chimera Emperor now resembles a guardian beast, eyes thoughtful as it gazes at the tightly shut stone door.

From when they feigned submission and gathered at the fortress, Lin An has "disappeared".

Not saying he gave them no orders at all—he didn't even say much.

It's as if they don't exist, like air.

This is not normal.

Even if Lin An truly is a Shatter-Star Level and completely disregards them, the mission still needs to be done, right?

If the mission isn't completed, and they don't take them to kill those Fifth Stages outside, even a Shatter-Star Level will die.

"Emperor, is that guy afraid we'll see something?"

"He's been hiding at the exchange point... that's obviously guilty!"

"In my opinion, we might as well just rush in!"

"Capture him and take control..."

"Otherwise, if that guy keeps hiding, we'll easily be suspected later!"

As they spoke, a Fifth Stage resembling an upright lizard raised its hand, slowly clenching its claws, as if to crush Lin An to death in its grip.

Like the Fifth Stages under Hei Di, he also doesn't understand why the Emperor would be so "respectful".

By rights, after this group "defected" to Lin An, if he truly had great power, he would inevitably show some of it.

And now...

Clearly, they guessed right! That guy is just a bit odd, but his true strength is probably around War Star Level!

"Yeah! Emperor!"

"Although we've cut off surveillance, the other Star-Destroying Levels don't know what happened. But if the restriction is lifted, we'll still be staying here..."

"We might actually end up being besieged instead!"

Standing behind the Chimera Emperor, a zombified werewolf's eyes are full of worry.

Where there is advantage, there is disadvantage.

They plan to follow Lin An, using the terror of the Shatter-Star Level to feign tiger's might and hunt other Fifth Stages.

Likewise, if those outside Fifth Stages discover the foulness inside, they too will be swarmed and attacked!

Therefore Lin An must "make a move", maintaining the deterrent power of the Shatter-Star Level!

If he doesn't act, they will all try to control Lin An and fake the power of a Shatter-Star Level!

To put it bluntly, when they chose this plan of maximum gain, they even want to deter others more than Lin An does!

"We can't move him yet."

Unlike the underling Fifth Stages chattering among themselves, at this moment the Chimera Emperor controlled by the green dragon head gazes with unfocused eyes toward Hei Di's faction.

Although Lin An's behavior also makes her a bit irritated, it further confirms her judgment.

But, we must not act rashly.

First, due to apprehension, without absolute certainty, she truly fears Lin An might be a Shatter-Star.

The thoughts of such a top-tier existence are beyond their ability to gauge.

What if, what if the Shatter-Star Level is that perverse, and enjoys toying with them?

Second, Hei Di.

Knowing Hei Di is even more cautious than she is, she has no doubt that if she dares to act, Hei Di will definitely be the first to jump out and "show loyalty".

With that thought, the Chimera Emperor simply suppresses the restless urges of her people.

"Be patient and wait!"

"If the restriction ends and that one still doesn't come out, we'll then consider going in!"

Impatience spoils grand plans.

She still has this bit of patience.

"Lord Hei Di, outside the fortress there are already Fifth Stages approaching within one thousand li of the perimeter."

He frequently glances sideways, looking toward the outside of the fortress.

Following beside Hei Di, several Fifth Stage members of the Black Star Empire are now somewhat tense and uneasy.

According to their detection, about three hundred War Star Levels have already appeared around the fortress.

Although three hundred isn't many, and the crucial Star-Destroying Levels haven't shown up yet, this all conveys a message.

Those Fifth Stages that fled have probably already reached an agreement!

Alliance, suspicion, probing!

Under normal circumstances, after the first wave of probing fails, those Fifth Stages that fled absolutely dare not come running back.

Under Hei Di's orders, they immediately dealt with the probes sent by others, then entered the fortress in the guise of being threatened into surrender.

Doing this will absolutely frighten those outside.

Let those people mistakenly think Lin An really is a shattered star level.

But looking at the current situation, the remaining Fifth Stages weren't frightened.

A three-hundred-person team, at least it's a star-destroying alliance between two sides...

"It's the first one who escaped and leaked the news."

Expression calm.

Facing the tension of the subordinate Fifth Stages, Hei Di did not show more worry at this time, as if he had anticipated it earlier.

Among the first batch of probing Fifth Stages, someone ran away first.

Therefore they later pretended to be Lin An to kill others, and the effect wouldn't be very good.

Given the scheming level of those Fifth Stages, definitely someone could guess what he and the Chimera want to do.

However, these are not important.

What is important is.

"Black Lock... exchange... shouldn't appear shattered star level..."

Hands behind his back, Hei Di gazed deeply at the closed stone door.

Unlike what most people think—that Lin An entered the exchange point for so long because he was afraid to contact them—he was pretending to be dead.

In Hei Di's mind, every move of Lin An reveals a strange aura.

"Is there anything that needs to be exchanged?"

"Do you have a lot of points?"

"If he really is a shattered star level... what does he plan to do... and why disguise himself so weakly, so clumsily?"

One after another problem lingered in Hei Di's mind.

He subconsciously looked at the controlled Fifth Stage captives.

That is their gift to Lin An.

Not killed.

More than twenty.

Even if Lin An really is a star-destroying level, killing him would still yield over twenty points reward.

Sounds few, but Hei Di believes this is also a non-negligible number for a star-destroying level.

Points are too precious, and far from being as easy to obtain as they appear.

Not exaggerating, the amount of points is their life countdown! It is the fire of their civilization's continuation!

Although from the Fourth Stage begins, no... from the Third Stage begins, after they possess extraordinary power, their lifespan and bodily limits can easily surpass the original lifespan limit.

A hundred years old is still young; as long as they are uninjured, Fourth Stages can live several hundred or even thousands of years, no problem!

But under the Apocalypse, living to the lifespan limit is fundamentally impossible.

How long they can live depends purely on when the system descends a super disaster!

Therefore, points that can delay the Apocalypse's progress are what decide their life and death!

The mission is already difficult; disasters and catastrophes are even more terrifying!

Therefore Lin An probably never even considered why these Fifth Stages hardly exchange equipment, and even less enter core exchange items.

The reason is simple.

That is they simply cannot bear to, dare not exchange!

Almost all Fifth Stages, upon obtaining points, will immediately use them to delay progress, not daring to waste even a bit.

Especially for the Rule System, their civilization behind them can live one more day, perhaps giving hope for more strongers to appear, and the strength to resist the Apocalypse will increase by a point.

Moreover, for all civilizations, they don't even want to face any disaster.

Even if they can cope, they must spend points to drag it on!

Very simple logic.

Even the smallest disaster will cause deaths, especially the various disasters erupted by the system; any kind will cause irreversible harm to civilization.

Even if only half die at once, it still looks like many survive. But for the whole civilization, it is an unbearable tragedy and destruction of future potential.

Therefore in Hei Di's eyes, Lin An, who stays in the exchange core all the time, is simply too strange.

What else can be exchanged?

What else needs to be thought about?

The dazzling exchange list is basically meaningless.

Any Fifth Stage, when using the Apocalypse Net, can exchange only one thing.

That is.

Life.