Chapter 285: Twisted Rules

Lin Yifan heard the figure "100,000 steps", his pupils suddenly contracted, and the arm holding Ruan Qingtan tightened a few more degrees unconsciously.

"100,000 steps? That's not a challenge a Human can complete!" he gritted his teeth, "Moreover, this tower is already contaminated, the rules have probably been distorted long ago; can we really make it through alive?"

Yin Mian was silent for a moment, then whispered, "Perhaps… we don't need to finish it."

"What do you mean?" Lin Yifan frowned.

Yin Mian pointed to the darkness on either side of the steps, his voice dropping further, "The tower's rules are still operating, but they've been eroded by Kexi energy, so… we might be able to 'cheat'."

"Cheat?" Lin Yifan was startled.

"Right." Yin Mian nodded, "For example, using certain special means to skip some steps outright, or… find loopholes in the contaminated rules."

Lin Yifan squinted, thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "You mean we can use those Stitched Monsters?"

A hint of approval flashed in Yin Mian's eyes, "Smart. Those monsters are dangerous, but their very existence is a product of the rules' distortion. If we can exploit them, perhaps we can find a shortcut."

Lin Yifan lowered his head to glance at Ruan Qingtan in his arms; she had slipped into a drowsy sleep from mental energy overexertion. He inhaled deeply and said gravely, "Alright, let's try it!"

He turned to look at Hong Shaoqiang and the other teammates behind him, whispering, "No matter what happens in a moment, don't panic, stay close to me."

Though the others didn't understand, they nodded resolutely.

Yin Mian pulled a pitch‑black rune stone from his chest, brushed it lightly with his fingertip; the stone shattered instantly, turning into strands of black mist that coiled around his arm.

"Stay close to me!" he shouted low, lunging hard toward the edge of the steps!

Lin Yifan didn't hesitate, clutching Ruan Qingtan and following closely behind.

Just as they were about to step off the steps, the black mist on Yin Mian's arm suddenly spread, forming a pitch‑black bridge that spanned the void and connected directly to higher steps!

"Go!" Yin Mian growled low.

Shocked, the others immediately followed.

Yet, the instant they stepped onto the black‑mist bridge, the darkness below boiled suddenly, and countless Stitched Monsters let out sharp shrieks, lunging madly at them!

"Run!" Lin Yifan roared.

The group sprinted with all their might, while the black‑mist bridge behind them kept cracking under the Stitched Monsters' bites.

"Hold on a little longer!" Yin Mian gritted his teeth, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Finally, just before the bridge collapsed completely, everyone managed to leap onto the higher steps!

"Huff… huff…" Hong Shaoqiang collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily, "This… this is way too thrilling!"

Lin Yifan looked back and saw the darkness below receding like a tide, the Stitched Monsters roaring resentfully, yet unable to catch up.

"How many steps… did we skip?" he asked.

Yin Mian wiped his sweat and estimated, "At least 50,000 steps."

The others inhaled a sharp breath of cold air.

"So that means if we climb another 50,000 steps we'll clear it?" someone said excitedly.

Yin Mian shook his head, "It's not that simple. We cheated; the rules will definitely backfire."

As if confirming his words, the entire staircase suddenly shook violently, and the surrounding walls began oozing dark red liquid, flowing down like blood.

"Damn!" Yin Mian's face changed abruptly, "The rules are starting to correct themselves!"

Lin Yifan clutched Ruan Qingtan tightly, saying gravely, "Then we have no choice but to force our way through!"

He looked up toward the top—

At the end of the endless steps, a massive door could be faintly seen.

Through the doorway, a scarlet light shone.

Lin Yifan stared fixedly at that door, an alarm ringing loudly in his mind.

The scarlet glow seemed alive, twisting and writhing with the steps' tremors, as if some indescribable entity were peering at them through the crack.

"That door… feels off," Yin Mian's voice was low, "The original endpoint of the second layer shouldn't be like this."

"But now it's been contaminated," Lin Yifan clenched his fists, "We have no choice but to move forward."

The steps behind them were collapsing inch by inch, darkness swallowing in like a tide. The Stitched Monsters' roars grew nearer, as if they would break free in the next second and drag them into the abyss.

"Go!" Lin Yifan shouted low, clutching Ruan Qingtan and charging upward first.

The others gritted their teeth and kept up, each step feeling like treading on a blade's edge. The steps' tremors grew more violent, and the dark red liquid on the walls had converged into thin streams that ran down the steps, delivering a burning sting when it touched the skin.

"This blood… is poisonous!" Hong Shaoqiang muttered, the spots on his arm splashed by the liquid rotting rapidly.

"Don't touch it!" Yin Mian quickly tore a piece of his garment, wrapped it around the wound, "Hold your breath, try not to let the liquid contact your skin!"

Lin Yifan sidestepped a flowing line of blood, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He glanced down at Ruan Qingtan in his arms; her complexion was as pale as paper, brows knit tightly, clearly feeling the external danger even while unconscious.

"Hold on a little longer…" he whispered to her, sounding more like he was speaking to himself.

Finally, they surged to the door.

The patterns on the door twisted grotesquely, as if countless screaming faces were forcibly fused together. Scarlet light spilled from the crack, casting wavering shadows on the ground that writhed like living things.

Yin Mian reached out to touch the door, but as soon as his fingertip met the surface, it recoiled sharply, his face turning grim: "The door is cursed."

"Can it be broken?" Lin Yifan asked.

"We can try, but it'll take time." Yin Mian pulled a silver‑white rune from his chest and pressed it onto the door. The moment the rune touched the panel, it emitted a shrill screech, then ignited and turned to ash.

"No, the curse is too strong," Yin Mian gritted his teeth.

The steps behind them had collapsed down to only a dozen or so, and the Stitched Monsters in the darkness were almost within reach.

"There's no time!" Hong Shaoqiang said anxiously.

Lin Yifan inhaled deeply, then suddenly handed Ruan Qingtan to Yin Mian: "Take good care of her for me."

"What are you doing?" Yin Mian frowned.

Lin Yifan gave no reply, but walked straight toward the door, both hands pressing against its panel.

"Lin Yifan!" Yin Mian barked sharply, "Don't act recklessly!"

But Lin Yifan ignored him. He closed his eyes, his internal energy surged wildly, and a faint golden light glimmered on his palms.

"Since the rule tells us to finish climbing the steps, then we'll 'finish' climbing," he said softly.

The next second, he suddenly exerted force!

"Boom—!"

The whole door shuddered violently, scarlet light flashing wildly as if some being were enraged. The twisted human face on the door let out a silent scream, and dark red liquid gushed out from the cracks!

"Lin Yifan! Retreat quickly!" Silver Face roared.

But Lin Yifan remained motionless, his arms' muscles tensed, veins bulging.

"Give me—open!"

"Crack!"

A fissure split the door panel.

Immediately after, the entire door was forcefully pushed open amid a harsh tearing sound!

Blinding scarlet light poured out like a flood, instantly engulfing everyone.

In the final moment as his consciousness was devoured, Lin Yifan only heard Silver Face's shocked whisper:

"You actually... forcibly rewrote the rule?"

Then the world fell into a blood‑red haze.