Chapter 215: Human Traitor

Lin Yifan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

Ai Rui Li Ya's words were harsh, but they indeed pinpointed the current crisis.

He turned his head toward Su Xiao xi, who was nervously clutching his sleeve, her eyes full of worry.

"Brother Yifan, what should we do?" Su Xiao xi whispered.

Lin Yifan gently patted the back of her hand, signaling her to relax, then looked at Ai Rui Li Ya and said in a low voice:

"Princess Ai Rui Li Ya, since you are willing to help us, could you tell us the specifics of the Boundary Stone? We truly need to get there as soon as possible."

Ai Rui Li Ya's lips curled slightly, revealing a faint satisfied smile:

"That's more like it! Trust me, it can't be wrong!"

After speaking, she turned and said, "Follow me; I know a shortcut that not only avoids most of the other races' patrols but also saves you half the time to reach the Boundary Stone's location."

"But…"

She paused, her gaze sweeping between Lin Yifan and Su Xiao xi, "You have to keep up with my speed."

Before the words finished, the green light wings behind Ai Rui Li Ya unfurled again, and with a light flutter they lifted her into the air.

Lin Yifan, seeing this, immediately hoisted Su Xiao xi onto his back, activated the Swift Wind Boots, and followed closely behind.

Fortunately Ai Rui Li Ya was still decent, clearly slowing her pace; otherwise, Lin Yifan, still carrying Su Xiao xi, might not have been able to keep up.

The three hurried along, passing through dense jungle and rugged mountains.

Along the way, Lin Yifan noticed the number of other races around increasing noticeably, but strangely, they all seemed to ignore Ai Rui Li Ya, even actively giving way.

"Why don't they dare approach you?" Lin Yifan couldn't help asking.

Ai Rui Li Ya answered without turning her head, "The Overwhelming Pressure of the Nature Elves is like a natural predator to lower‑rank other races. Unless they're fed up, they won't provoke me lightly."

Lin Yifan nodded thoughtfully.

It seemed Ai Rui Li Ya's status and power were indeed extraordinary.

About an hour later, the three arrived at an open valley.

In the valley's center stood a massive black Stone Stele, its surface covered with ancient runes, emitting a faint eerie glow.

Around the Stele, dozens of other races were locked in fierce combat, blood and severed limbs scattered on the ground.

Among them were members of the werewolf tribe they had previously slain, and these were clearly much stronger than the one they had encountered before.

Especially the leading werewolf, nearly three meters tall, its hair resembling rows of spikes, making anyone who saw it feel a chill down the spine.

"That's the Boundary Stone!" Su Xiao xi exclaimed.

Lin Yifan, hearing this, immediately looked toward the direction she indicated.

He saw a altar about ten meters high, upon which a large gray‑white stone block stood.

In the center of the stone block, a yellow crystal the size of a goose egg was embedded.

The crystal's glow wasn't intense, but with a single glance Lin Yifan could sense its extraordinary nature.

However, Lin Yifan at that moment had no mind to focus on the Boundary Stone, because his attention was wholly drawn to a figure beside the Stele.

It was a tall man clad in silver armor, wielding a long sword wreathed in flames, single‑handedly battling several powerful other‑race warriors without a hint of disadvantage.

"That... a Human?" Lin Yifan rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

Ai Rui Li Ya snorted coldly, "That's the Flame Knight Lai En; he can no longer be called a Human, for he is a traitor among Humans and has long pledged allegiance to the Dark Elf clan."

"He guards the Boundary Stone to prevent other races from approaching, aiding the Night Elf tribe in seizing the stone."

"Oh, right!" Ai Rui Li Ya flicked her hair, saying somewhat sheepishly:

"I forgot to tell you, actually Night Elves and Nature Elves both belong to the Elf race, but Night Elves willingly fell and pledged to the Dark God, whereas Nature Elves belong to the Dawn Alliance of the Light God."

"Thus, our Nature Elves and Night Elves are now mortal enemies, and the Dark God has a Dark Temple; the werewolf tribe is one of its members."

"Since you came with me, the Dark Alliance will treat you as a member of my Dawn Alliance and will surely try to kill you; you'd better be careful!"

Dark Temple?

Dawn Alliance?

I didn't expect that beyond racial divisions, there were also factional divisions.

But at that moment, Su Xiao xi on Lin Yifan's back suddenly asked:

"What about Humans? Which side are Humans on? You just said Lai En pledged to the Dark Temple; are Humans also part of the Dawn Alliance?"

"That's not the case!" Ai Rui Li Ya smiled, "Humans have a low racial tier, but their reproductive capacity is strong, and although they are innately weak, they are a rare developmental race capable of self‑cultivation."

"Thus Humans are quite powerful; while they can't compare to organized alliances like ours, they are a strong race capable of independent development."

"Humans are hostile to the Dark Temple, so they align with our Dawn Alliance; naturally, Humans who side with the Dark Temple are traitors!"

Lin Yifan and Su Xiao xi finally understood.

However, Lin Yifan was even more curious: since so many other races were vying for the Boundary Stone, why didn't Humans come?

Previously, the Initial Domain hadn't been free of other races; he didn't believe Humans were unaware—this batch of Survivors were Humans.

Even if they weren't from the same planet, they were the same race; yet they didn't help, which was truly baffling.

And Ai Rui Li Ya, seeing Lin Yifan's expression, guessed his thoughts and smiled:

"Are you curious why Humans didn't come?"

Lin Yifan paused, but since his thought had been guessed, he had nothing to hide and nodded without hesitation.

Ai Rui Li Ya smiled, "Don't overthink it; it's not that Human elites don't want to come, they simply can't."

"The Initial Domain has an absolute restriction: members of the same race as the Survivors currently present cannot enter the Initial Domain."

"And for us other races who can enter the Initial Domain, there is also an absolute limit on Life Tier; only those whose Life Tier is up to two tiers below the Survivors' highest Life Tier may enter."

"Speaking of it, your District is rather unlucky; in other Districts the Survivors' highest Life Tier only reaches Excellent Human, whereas yours has an Extraordinary Second Tier, so the other races entering your area this time mostly have Life Tiers at Transcendent Fourth Tier."

"In a sense, we other races fighting for the Boundary Stone in the Initial Domain are also one of your calamities; you must protect your own Boundary Stone, or all Survivors in your District cannot continue surviving and will become an Attachment species of the race that obtains the stone—that is, the Effort."

"Then why can he get in?" Lin Yifan frowned, pointing at Lai En and asked.

Aeria shrugged, saying helplessly, "Because he has already betrayed the Humans, he is no longer counted among the Human race!"

"Also, although Lian is young, his strength is great; among all the non‑human races present, he is the strongest, on par with my own strength."

Lin Yifan's face turned as black as a pot bottom, and his gaze at Lian was filled with deep disgust.

He truly didn't understand why anyone could betray their own tribe.

For a traitor like this, he just wanted to kill him quickly!

But alongside his anger, a heavy worry lingered in his heart.

Even a Human strongman like this has become a pawn of the non‑human races; the Humans' situation must be grim.

And the Survivors are even more frail; only a few could possibly hold the District when the time comes.

But now he can't worry about that; securing his own Boundary Stone is the priority.

He then asked, "What do we do now?"

Aeria's eyes flashed with a hint of cunning, and she said nonchalantly, "Simple: I'll draw Lian's attention, and you seize the chance to approach the Boundary Stone."

"Remember, the Boundary Stone for you Human Survivors can only be truly activated by Human blood; the non‑human races can only control the stone, not awaken its power."

"For that reason, once you try to approach the Boundary Stone, every non‑human present—whether from the Night Temple or the Dawn Alliance—will focus fire on you, because for any of them, gaining a District's slaves is a windfall."

"My status may earn the Dawn Alliance members a little face, but when it comes to this profit, they will give me no favor, so you must rely on yourself!"

"Once you succeed in activation, you will not only obtain permission to control this District, but also briefly wield its power, allowing you to drive all those non‑humans out."

"You won't be in danger, right?" Lin Yifan asked with some worry.

Aeria let out a light laugh, her face full of confidence, and said:

"Don't worry, a mere traitor can't trouble me."

With that, she flickered, turning into a green flash that rushed straight at Lian.

Lin Yifan didn't dare to hesitate; he hoisted Su Xiao xi and hurried toward the Boundary Stone.

However, when they were only ten meters from the Boundary Stone, a dark silhouette suddenly attacked from the side!

"Careful!"

Lin Yifan twisted sharply, barely evading the strike. Looking closely, it was a massive werewolf.

It was the leader of this werewolf pack!

"Damn it!" Lin Yifan gritted his teeth, darting to the side to dodge the werewolf's blow.

"Weak Human, you actually dare to approach the Boundary Stone—seeking death!"

The werewolf let out a cold low growl and lunged again.

Lin Yifan felt a headache coming; this werewolf's strength was extraordinary, and he couldn't match it head‑on.

Moreover, as the werewolf attacked him, the other non‑human races also halted their fight and swiftly surrounded him.

"Brother Yifan, this won't work!" Su Xiao xi shouted anxiously from behind, having observed the surroundings through a gap.

"If you're surrounded, it's not just the Boundary Stone—your life will be in danger."

Obviously, before the Boundary Stone, both the Night Temple and the Dawn Alliance are his enemies!

Lin Yifan frowned, his head throbbing for a moment.

At that moment, Su Xiao xi untied the rope binding her and the rope securing a large iron pot, then leapt off Lin Yifan's back.

Lin Yifan furrowed his brow and said anxiously:

"Xiao xi, what are you doing?"

"Brother Yifan, I'll hold them off for you!" Su Xiao xi said with a grin:

"You know, I have no combat ability, but I possess a special defensive skill; as long as I don't take the initiative, I'm invincible!"

"I'll hold them here; you seize this chance to rush for the Boundary Stone. Only then can we possibly snatch the stone from all these non‑humans."

Lin Yifan didn't know the limits of Su Xiao xi's protective skill.

But in this situation, he truly had no other option!

Even dragging Ruan Qingtan and Hong Shaoqiang over would be of no help.

So he could only grit his teeth, agree to Su Xiao xi's plan, and say quickly:

"Then you must be careful!"

The other non‑humans had intended to surround Lin Yifan, but the pack of werewolves, for reasons unknown, blocked them.

The leading werewolf sneered:

"You are the strongest in this District, Lin Yifan?"

Lin Yifan was stunned by the words and asked, bewildered:

"Why do you all know who I am?"

He realized that every non‑human, upon seeing him, could call his name and knew he was the District's strongest.

It was as if his name and title hung over his forehead!

The werewolf, however, scoffed with a hint of amusement:

"Is it surprising? Never mind, since you're about to die at my hands, I'll kindly clear up your confusion!"

"Actually, each of you Survivors in the Initial Domain has your own window, which shows all your actions outside the Shelter."

"We even set up a gamble, betting how many of you can walk out of the Initial Domain alive. You, Yifan, performed quite outstandingly."

"To think you were singled out by the Red Moon while still in the Initial Domain—whether it's bad luck or luck, surviving the Red Moon's corruption does show some skill."

"I'm Jack, a man who respects the strong, so today it's one‑on‑one. If you can beat me, I'll lead the werewolf clan out of this contest; if you can't, you have no way out but death!"

"But you have another option: sign a slave contract with me and become my slave!"

Lin Yifan heard that and laughed outright!

Whether we win or lose is another matter!

A slave?

Impossible!

Besides, who would fight him?

This concerns the entire District, the future of tens of thousands of people; how could he possibly gamble with an alien?

But this is a good opportunity!

Lin Yifan's eyes flickered slightly, then he cheerfully nodded and said:

"Alright! Then let's have a proper match today; if I lose, I'll be willing to become your slave…"

But as soon as the words fell, Lin Yifan instantly activated the Eternal Freeze Domain, and his whole body turned into a flash of cold light, vanishing right before Jack.