Chapter 418: Speculation and Action

What is the cause?

Is it the inherent "energy cost" of the time-reversal process itself, inevitably draining the realm's foundational energy like friction generating heat?

Or is it the series of "paradox experiments" they conducted—particularly storing matter from this realm in an independent temporal pocket dimension, causing some minute "tearing" or "disturbance" to the world?

Gao Jie Ming's inner inclination favored the latter possibility.

The reason is straightforward: before our reinforcement force arrived, Frost's Vanguard Army had already fought for over a hundred reincarnation cycles in this reincarnation realm.

If each time reversal caused such noticeable decay, this sign should have been sharply detected by the wizards outside dozens of cycles ago—not waited until now.

Of course, it's also possible both factors are overlapping.

That is, time reversal itself causes minor energy loss, while our experiments are like carving new scratches onto fragile glass, amplifying the effect.

"We need more data, and longer-term, more systematic monitoring," Gao Jie Ming admitted during the tactical meeting. "In the earlier cycles, we lacked baseline records of environmental constants; the current baseline is still unstable. We need at least one or two more complete reincarnation cycles before we can preliminarily judge the trend and rate of decay."

Frost endorsed this judgment.

He ordered the combat sequence wizards to continue following existing strategy, maintaining pressure on the Scythe Skulls, while creating more experimental windows for research.

The logistics and research sequences were to fully commit to deep analysis of existing data and refine the next cycle's more precise monitoring plan.

Beyond these busy tasks, Gao Jie Ming himself had another crucial verification to perform.

He needed to see with his own eyes what had become of the "sources" of those "samples" he had stored within his internal pocket dimension after time reversal.

Had they perfectly healed, as if never severed?

Or had they left behind irreversible scars?

Or—had something stranger occurred?

He requested permission from Frost to conduct an external reconnaissance, presenting a detailed plan: to revisit, one by one, the Scythe Skull strongholds or battlefields recorded in the memory crystals where large quantities of samples had been collected, for on-site inspection.

Frost did not object.

Seeking truth is the wizard's innate duty, especially when it directly relates to understanding the nature of Reincarnation.

He merely, for safety's sake, imposed additional conditions.

"You may go, but you must have companions," Frost's tone was unyielding. "Also, I will imprint Star Marks upon you."

He extended his index finger; the tip glowed with a concentrated, solid-like silver starlight.

Three points of starlight sank into Gao Jie Ming's and the two assigned companions' foreheads—the defense and energy manipulation specialist Roland, and the reconnaissance and spatial concealment expert Vivian.

"This spell automatically blocks one attack of up to Level Eight strength," Frost explained. "More importantly, whether triggered or not, if it shatters, no matter the distance, I can instantly locate and arrive. Do not stray beyond the limit of my perception, understood?"

"Understood, Commander," the three replied in unison.

After reviewing the relevant memory crystals, Gao Jie Ming locked his first target on an abandoned Scythe Skull city over ten thousand kilometers from the main camp.

According to intelligence, this city was strategically abandoned during the early stage of the wizards' invasion, but later reoccupied by a Scythe Skull reconnaissance unit and converted into a forward outpost.

During a mid-scale sweep in the previous cycle, the wizard forces cleared this outpost; the combat wizard "collected" over a thousand complete corpses of Level One to Level Three low-grade Scythe Skulls.

These samples now lay classified and stored within his internal pocket dimension.

The sample sources were clear, coordinates precise, and the environment relatively simple—perfect as a first verification site.

To prevent any Reincarnation -related anomalies caused by his own experiment, Gao Jie Ming, the very next dawn after the battle ended, quietly departed the noisy camp with Roland and Vivian.

Roland raised a nearly invisible energy shield, enveloping the three—not only for defense, but also providing optical camouflage and partial aura concealment.

Vivian led the way ahead, her form flickering between clarity and blur, as if merging with the surrounding spatial fluctuations, continuously scouting optimal paths and potential risks.

The three did not use long-range teleportation; instead, they advanced via high-speed flight combined with short-range spatial jumps, to avoid alerting the Scythe Skulls.

Along the way, the landscape was desolate and oppressive.

The earth was scarred with the wounds of battle.

Charred craters, crystallized soil, twisted metal wreckage, and scattered fragments of Scythe Skull carapaces already beginning to weather under wizardry.

The air carried a faint energy radiation and an indescribable sense of desolation—the lingering breath of countless lives that had perished upon this same land.

"This land—unusually fragile," Vivian murmured suddenly; her spatial perception was far keener than ordinary minds. "The 'resilience' of space seems to be weakening. The stability in certain areas—something's off."

Hearing this, Gao Jie Ming carefully scanned the ground below with his spiritual sense.

Indeed, in regions where energy clashes had been especially intense, the "fibers" of space appeared unusually brittle, as if a light tug could tear them apart.

Gao Jie Ming rubbed his chin. The wizards' spells during prior battles had never produced this effect—was this a problem inherent to the realm itself?

With no immediate explanation, Gao Jie Ming suppressed his doubts and continued onward with the two ahead.

After half a day of rapid travel, the silhouette of the target city finally appeared on the horizon at dusk.

It was a nest-style city in classic Scythe Skull design.

Towering spiral spires, built from biological matter and minerals, resembled giant cocoons, connected by aerial walkways like spiderwebs.

The ground was dotted with countless holes and entrance tunnels of unknown function.

The entire city displayed a deep brown, nearly black hue, lying like a slumbering giant upon the earth beneath the setting sun's glow.

Yet now, the city was unnervingly silent.

No flying units patrolled; no figures moved on the ground; even the expected pheromone network emitted no active signals.

"Intelligence was accurate—they evacuated cleanly," Roland assessed. "Residual energy signatures are weak; no signs of large-scale life concentration. But—stay cautious. There may still be isolated survivors or automated defense mechanisms."

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