Chapter 371: No Way to Retreat

Indeed, there is this possibility.

Lin An remained silent, merely gesturing for Gao Tian to continue.

After lighting another cigarette, Gao Tian boldly voiced his speculation:

"Lin Dui, it's like this."

"We have four clues at hand."

"First, the zombies are 'protecting' the High Tower. This indicates that there must be some unknown presence inside controlling them by some means."

"Second, there is strong interference near the High Tower, preventing us from eliminating the zombies via aerial strikes without casualties, and our spiritual power is also affected."

"This amounts to forcing us to attack from the ground."

"Such means, this is too much like a psychic power mutant."

"Third, the time of death for a Third-Level Peak Awakened One is roughly around twenty-seven days, which roughly matches our plan."

"Fourth, I've heard of this creature called the Amoeba Worm. Similar to a brain-eating worm, they gather inside biological brains. Combined with this world's emotional frenzy, your ability inexplicably fails."

"So."

Gao Tian's eyes flashed with deep unease as he slowly voiced his speculation.

"Lin Dui, I think it might be a trap."

"That Third-Level existence surely couldn't have failed to think of leading all armed forces to counterattack the zombie horde! Therefore his actions must be the same as ours."

"After spending a little time integrating humanity."

"He led a large force to the vicinity of the zombie horde, then charged into the High Tower."

"When he and the Amoeba Worm fought to the death..."

After a brief pause, a strange flicker passed through Lin An's eyes; he roughly guessed what Gao Tian wanted to say.

"Gao Tian! Keep going."

"Gulp."

Saliva swallowed.

Gao Tian's gaze fixed on the Death God Crystal at Lin An's neck as he took a deep breath:

"Emotional frenzy, absorbing emotions to enhance power..."

"I remember."

"Huang Shaohua once said! The Amoeba Worm we entered is a punishment dungeon; logically there shouldn't be any privileged strengthening as a reward."

"But if we change perspective!"

"Isn't the emotional frenzy not meant for us!?"

The more he spoke, the more excited he became.

Gao Tian couldn't help but stand up:

"Lin Dui, have you ever wondered why your ability fails, and the Death God Crystal fails?"

"Mo Ling explicitly said that the humans in this world are indeed alive."

"Therefore."

"The emotions they produce must exist; otherwise the system wouldn't need to give an explanation of emotional frenzy."

"Where have those produced emotions gone?"

"Lin Dui! I'm thinking, isn't it not only you who have a means to absorb emotions to strengthen power?"

"The Amoeba Worm! This creature, suspected to be a psychic mutant, also has it!"

"Under various hints and restrictions, it is luring us to lead large numbers of humans toward the High Tower."

"I recall you telling me that the system wouldn't give a suicide mission."

"Then the Amoeba Worm could not possibly have surpassed Third-Level Peak strength from the start, otherwise how could we complete the task? We might as well wait to die."

"I'm thinking, taking the First Level as a watershed."

"A First-Level Awakened One can't bring many humans to the High Tower! Then after the Amoeba Worm absorbs human emotions, its strength will only increase slightly."

"A Second-Level can lead many; conversely, the Amoeba Worm's strength will increase again!"

Some of his words were incoherent.

Gao Tian's train of thought became increasingly clear.

Lin An felt a chill in his heart; he understood what Gao Tian wanted to express.

All along, he had overlooked that this dungeon's difficulty is dynamic!

"If First-Level can enter, it means the system judges that First-Level can also survive; they just haven't found a way to do so."

"Third-Level can also enter, but Third-Level will also die, indicating that the hidden danger of this dungeon keeps increasing!"

"It varies from person to person."

"Then this factor, feeding back to other conditions, becomes the number of humans led."

"Just like the principle of Lin An absorbing emotions to strengthen power."

"Gao Tian wanted to say, the Amoeba Worm has seized the power of emotions, causing Lin An to be unable to absorb emotions!"

"If a First-Level brings ten thousand humans to the vicinity of the High Tower, the Amoeba Worm's strength becomes 10,000."

"If a Third-Level brings thirty million..."

"the Amoeba Worm's strength becomes 30,000,000!"

"The more humans brought, the more terrifying the danger inside the High Tower becomes."

"But if too few humans are brought, there's no way to break through the zombie horde surrounding the High Tower."

Under Lin An and Gao Tian's brief explanation, Xiong Hanzi also understood their speculation.

A chill ran down their spines.

He couldn't help but turn his head to look outside the car, a chill running down his spine.

"Lin Dui."

"What Gao Tian means is that the people we're bringing are essentially charging the amoeba worm, strengthening its power!!?"

Gao Tian clenched his fists, his voice bitter as he spoke his final conclusion:

"Lin Dui."

"In that case, the three major privileges given by the system have a reasonable explanation."

"Heightened emotions are used to strengthen the amoeba worm's power."

"Language communication is to facilitate our integration of various forces."

"If technological weapons aren't weakened, it's a hint that we should rely on technological weapons!"

"So."

"I think what we're doing is wrong."

"The system hasn't given a deadline for completing the mission."

"I'm wondering if the true way to complete this dungeon mission is to let us gradually gather forces and restore humanity to a civilized era."

"Firm their beliefs, lead disciplined, well-trained soldiers to slowly clear the zombies."

"That way, we can avoid the amoeba worm absorbing human emotions."

"In short, after a long struggle, we will ultimately liberate this world."

"In short, after a long struggle, we will ultimately liberate this world."

"Can a prolonged struggle rekindle the fire of civilization in this world?"

"But we don't have that much time."

"In the real world, the matter of Long'an Base defending against the zombie tide is imminent."

"So, is this the reason Chu An envisioned that the Savior System believes it will most likely die?"

"A mission that requires a lot of time, giving tenfold time flow speed."

"But we don't have the time."

"Under this conflict, the hope of completing the mission is completely cut off."

"Lin An stood there dazed, involuntarily recalling Chu An's words."

"(After the corrupt empire collapses, a new system is born.)"

"What this means is to let oneself break the world's original order and lead humanity back to a civilized society?"

"Then train determined warriors to storm the high tower?"

"But what does it mean that death is rebirth?"

"Impossible."

"He doesn't have time to do it this way!"

"In the car, Gao Tian kept panting."

"The intense sense of oppression made it hard for him to breathe."

"At this point, the high tower is only a day's journey away."

"And they have already cut off their retreat."

"No way to retreat."