Chapter 144: Ant

"It's so hot!"

Da er dun wiped the sweat from their forehead.

For some unknown reason, after digging again, it felt increasingly hot.

Sweat increased dramatically.

"What's going on? Why is it suddenly so hot?"

Ba Ke shouted loudly, guessing, "Could it be that we've dug near a volcano?"

"What should we do? Change direction?"

Di Jie was also suffering from the heat, asking anxiously.

"Boss, what should we do?"

Lin En didn't panic like the three of them, but instead sought Lin Ke's orders.

This matter is quite suspicious.

Not long after the camp mission prompt was completed, it suddenly became hot.

To claim there's no relation between them, anyone with common sense wouldn't believe it.

Furthermore, Lin En clearly remembered that the only variable in the boss's focus—the third Reconstructed Ecosystem experiment—was temperature.

Becoming hotter, unless someone is roasting it with fire, means the temperature is rising.

Therefore, Lin En was certain that the one who completed the camp mission must have been the boss.

After all, when leaving the underground laboratory and tunnels of the River-center Sandbank...

The boss had everyone leave early on purpose, but he himself only went to the riverbank two or more hours later.

During that time, he surely made some arrangements.

These are Lin En's speculations, of course impossible to say outright.

Lin En therefore phrased the inquiry vaguely.

What he was actually asking about wasn't the heating issue, but rather the Meng Luo team, whose attitude was growing increasingly indifferent.

and the mercurial Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, as well as her team.

Especially Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, Lin En became more wary.

Often, one need not fear deep scheming, but rather those who are prone to sudden extremes.

Lin En couldn't figure out the boss's attitude toward Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke and Meng Luo, as well as their teams.

Thus he spoke up, asking indirectly.

"Just do what needs to be done."

After glancing at Lan Ni. Tai Le, who had fallen silent upon receiving a wristwatch notification, Lin Ke gave a seemingly nonsensical answer.

Lin En immediately understood.

If we should cooperate, we cooperate; if we fall out, we fight.

He nodded, giving Ba Ke and Da er dun a look.

The Benevolent Brother Group immediately understood the meaning and quietly raised their alert level.

The Social Anxiety Group followed suit.

In fact, compared to Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke and Meng Luo, Lin Ke was more on guard against Lan Ni. Tai Le.

At most, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke and Meng Luo would openly fall out, start a conflict, and clash head-on.

If Lan Ni. Tai Le were to backstab at a critical moment, that would be bad.

"Rest assured, I do what I say."

Lan Ni. Tai Le noticed Lin Ke looking at them, and with a meaningful gaze, quickly understood the reason and said a sentence to express their stance.

Although one might say her attitude is very firm, it isn't shown.

Moreover, the wording is vague and ambiguous.

Generally, such talk is just to deceive and cannot be trusted.

Lin Ke, however, believed it.

The wariness toward Lan Ni. Tai Le remains, but the priority has shifted above Meng Luo, second only to Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke.

"What exactly have you done?"

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, the exasperated Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke turned and strode toward Lin Ke, shouting at him, "How did it suddenly get this hot? I hate heat! Did you do something?"

Lin Ke calmly replied, "What does that have to do with me?"

"You know it yourself."

Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke's face showed a manic expression, giving the feeling she was about to lose control: "Don't think that just because you deny it, the matter is over. No one is a fool who will be brushed off by you!"

Lin Ke said seriously, "I've never treated anyone as a fool, but I truly am unaware."

"Hmph!"

Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke glared fiercely at Lin Ke, finally suppressing her inexplicable anger, walked to her team members, and shouted loudly, "Hurry up and dig upward, or else if we don't escape we'll be baked into jerky!"

Fortunately, she was just emotionally agitated, not losing rationality or having a frenzied outbreak.

Even when angry, she remained restrained.

Meng Luo, who had been silent since resuming the tunnel digging, now chimed in, "We'll do it together."

The two teams immediately changed the tunnel's direction, from an upward arc to a diagonal upward cut.

"Lin Ke, what about us?"

Mo Li, who was in charge of the tunnel digging, seeing this, asked for Lin Ke's opinion.

"Just like them, together with them."

Lin Ke did not stick to the original plan, but insisted on continuing to dig forward.

Instead, they adapted on the fly, choosing to return to the surface earlier.

The temperature kept rising; staying underground any longer could very well bake them into human jerky.

"Good."

Mo Li responded, immediately leading the team to change the digging route.

The several teams that had grown estranged once again joined hands.

Their cooperation remained seamless, and they could still pool their strength.

There was no more idle chatter, only tranquility and silence.

On the surface.

Mountain basin.

The Pureblood Will team smoothly entered the basin, quickly seized advantageous terrain, and began searching.

Several teams from the opposing camp, moving faster, also arrived at the basin's outskirts at this time.

Pureblood Will searched for half a day, finding only a few abandoned concealed fortifications, tunnels, and communication trenches, with not a single person in sight.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"How could there be not a single person?"

"Search, keep searching for me!"

"Even if they fled to heaven or dove into the earth, I want them found!"

Pa Lie. Po Xi Wei Er lost composure, shouting loudly, appearing almost mad.

From the moment they received the news, they rushed over nonstop.

Along the way, they also discovered someone blocking Linke Grand's escape route.

Linke Grand couldn't escape even if he grew wings.

How could they not find anyone?

Pa Lie was so angry his head felt ready to burst, nearly losing his wits.

But his outburst of anger, rather than calm reflection, a single remark, enlightened Lu Na. Ke Long Na.

"So they've gone underground."

Looking at the ruined remains of the collapsed concealed fortifications, Lu Na. Ke Long Na curled the corner of her mouth in a cold smile: "I'd like to see just how good you are at digging tunnels."

Saying this, Lu Na summoned several 'subordinates' and ordered: "Blow this place open for me, blast downward—dig as deep as you can."

"Yes."

Those few 'subordinates' asked no reason, obeying the order unconditionally.

They immediately sprang into action, laying timed self-detonating fire mines according to the calculations.

However, before the detonation, perimeter guards reported that their own side had been surrounded by several opposing teams.

This threw all of Pureblood Will's actions into disarray.

"What?"

Pa Lie. Po Xi Wei Er bellowed loudly,

"What does it mean we're surrounded? Translate it for me—what the hell does it mean we're surrounded? Who the hell dares to surround us?"

"Stay calm, Pa Lie."

From receiving the news, to the forced march, to getting the notification that the forward camp's mission was completed, and then entering the mountain basin, Na Shen. Yue Han Xun, who had remained silent all along, finally could bear it no longer, stepped forward, and rebuked Pa Lie. Po Xi Wei Er:

"You look like this—have you completely lost your mind? If you keep going like this, you'll not only be useless, but you'll also severely damage the reputation of the Po Xi Wei Er family!"

"I..."

Pa Lie. Po Xi Wei Er widened his eyes, his eyeballs seeming to bulge out; obviously he hadn't listened, his anger having overflowed, and he opened his mouth to retort.

"Pat—"

Na Shen. Yue Han Xun directly hurled a water-ball spell that struck Pa Lie's face, cooling his head.

"You..."

"Pat—"

"Damn!"

"Pat—"

Three times in a row.

Just as Pa Lie opened his mouth, Na Shen. Yue Han Xun hurled another water-ball at his face.

"Have you calmed down yet?"

Na Shen. Yue Han Xun ignored Pa Lie's angry gaze and said coldly, "If you're not calm yet, I'll switch to ice balls to make you calmer."

Pa Lie took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger at Na Shen. Yue Han Xun's rude action.

If it weren't for the fact that he is currently pursuing Na Shen. Yue Han Xun's sister, Pa Lie would not tolerate Na Shen. Yue Han Xun repeatedly slapping him in the face.

"Looks like you've calmed down."

Na Shen. Yue Han Xun said indifferently, "Since you've calmed down, think carefully: is searching for Linke Grand more important, or dealing with the enemy's encirclement more important?"

"Neither matters anymore!"

At this moment, Lu Na. Ke Long Na walked over from the abandoned underground concealed works, brows furrowed, expression grave, saying: "You all carefully sense the temperature—something feels off."

"Huh?"

Na Shen. Yue Han Xun made a doubtful sound, carefully sensed, compared, and made a judgment: "Indeed, the temperature is rising, and it's rising extremely fast."

As he spoke, a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead.

"Something's wrong—something must have happened!"

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Na Shen. Yue Han Xun's expression grew even more solemn: "Moreover, it's surely related to the completed camp mission—first halt all actions, gather everyone, then we'll talk."

Around, there was no fire, and no first-tier wizard device could raise the temperature over such a large area.

Among recent events, only the completion of the Positive Side Camp's mission could have caused such a great impact.

Na Sha easily linked the temperature rise to it.

This matter must be handled as a priority.

After all, people can really die of heat!

By then, if one didn't die in battle but instead died of heat, it would be quite embarrassing.

When an accident suddenly occurred and the situation became urgent, Pa Lie no longer acted willfully or threw a tantrum.

Instead, he earnestly cooperated with Na Sha and Lu Na, gathering all members of the Pureblood Will together.

To cope with any possible drastic changes.

And he organized the members to alternately use water magic to cool everyone down.

The opposite bank of the great river.

The effeminate man, the pale-skinned fat man, the icy woman, the burly man— they were so hot they could no longer remain hidden.

They all ran from their hiding places to the riverbank to cool off.

The outskirts of the basin.

Just as the opposing side camp's several teams had just formed an encirclement, they had to halt further action.

Attack was no longer possible.

They could only barely survive by using various means to cool down.

Elsewhere.

Other teams were no different, without exception.

Because in every place of this world, the temperature was rising simultaneously, sharply increasing!

Every remaining wizard apprentice felt the change in temperature.

All were thrown off rhythm by the drastic change.

Lin Ke and the others, with great difficulty, dug through the tunnel to the surface, only to find the situation had not improved.

The surface temperature was not much lower than underground.

"Hot! Hot!"

Ba Ke wanted to test just how high the ground temperature was, where the heat was visible to the naked eye, so he recklessly took off one boot and touched the ground with his bare foot.

He immediately jumped up from the burn.

Just like ants on a hot pan, he spun around in circles.

"If the temperature keeps rising like this, people will die of heat."

Ba Ke began to howl.

As if he had grown a crow's beak.

In an extremely short time, the temperature rose from unbearable heat to a super-high temperature utterly unsuitable for human survival.

Everyone's wristwatches vibrated again.

Academy notice:

The Positive Side Camp achieved victory in the faction confrontation.

Just as they thought this notice came out of the blue,

Several hundred beams of white light descended from the sky.

All wizard apprentices were completely transferred out of this world.

All their schemes came to nothing.

In the boundless star sea.

A huge, colorfully radiant light gate stood towering in the vast vacuum.

Upon the light gate's base, as wide as a super-large plaza, there were more than four hundred light clusters.

Each light cluster held one eliminated apprentice— either grimy-faced, missing limbs, or with a large hole in the chest and abdomen.

Various conditions abounded.

The only thing they had in common was that they all retained their sanity, watching through a huge screen everything happening in the 'world'.

Several hundred beams of white light were projected from the huge screen.

Instantly, several hundred more light clusters appeared on the light gate's base.

Having dispelled the discomfort, Lin Ke immediately looked around to confirm whether the environment was safe.

Then he carefully glanced at the latest notice on his wristwatch.

Next, he turned his attention to the huge screen to observe the changes in the 'world'.

The flow of time in the 'world' seemed to have sped up.

Lin Ke felt as if he were watching a video at fast-forward, with the 'plot' accelerating rapidly.

He saw,

The effects of the sudden temperature rise had already spread throughout the world.

Water sources were drying up at a visible rate.

Plants became wilted and listless.

Giant carnivorous animals were the first to suffer from water loss due to the heat, rushing to the river and lakeside to drink frantically, trying to quench their thirst and cool down.

Many giant beasts died along the way.

Either dying of thirst or killing each other.

The water shortage became increasingly severe.

Vast areas of plants died.

Herbivorous animals lacked food and collapsed in droves.

Small carnivorous animals lost their food source and became food for medium-sized carnivores.

Large carnivorous animals began disregarding casualties and hunted medium-sized carnivores.

Gigantic carnivorous animals were so famished they could not move, only able to await death.

The "world"'s destruction is right before our eyes.

Lin Ke's mood suddenly became extremely complex.

Even though he always had a sense of detachment, he could never fully integrate into the wizard world.

The impact of killing on him seemed no different from playing a slaughter‑role game character in his past life.

But watching a "world" — even one on the brink of collapse — accelerate toward destruction because of his own plan.

This feeling is hard to put into words.

Lin Ke no longer felt any secret joy at completing two main quests in a row.

At the world's origin.

The giant screen had no place for a "live broadcast".

The God Slayers' jade‑like bone hue gradually faded, about to revert to the desiccated bone state before awakening.

Driving the God Slayer's Sword, which had transformed into a furnace, to sear the world's origin was no small burden for the God Slayers.

Moreover, beside it was a worm tightly bound to the world's origin, which unsparingly converted the lingering divine power and the life force forged from over a thousand years of accumulated source power to resist the furnace's sear.

This undoubtedly increased the God Slayers' consumption.

However, the God Slayers did not care about these consumptions.

He had never actively sought power.

Until hundreds of white lights descended from the sky, taking all the otherworldly visitors away.

The two flames flickering in the God Slayers' eye sockets suddenly paused.

After a moment, the flames resumed flickering.

The God Slayers slowly raised their heads to look upward.

He seemed to see two golden eyes, about the same size as this world's eyes at its peak.

Indifferent, merciless eyes.

At this moment, the God Slayers truly awakened.

Given his nature, how could he easily believe an otherworldly visitor and carry out the so‑called "Annihilation‑style Salvation" plan?

He seemed to have been implanted with a suggestion: as long as the logic was self‑consistent, he could fully accept it.

As it turned out, his own thoughts had been controlled.

Facing the immense golden eyes, the God Slayers felt they had reverted to being an ant.

An ant that can be toyed with and crushed at will.

And to manipulate his "existence" is just like those gods of old.

Indifferent and merciless, watching myriad beings perish.

"Hahahaha……"

The Worm God broke free of its bonds, emitting a piercing, mocking laugh: "You and I are both ants."

The God Slayers waved a hand, and the furnace‑state God Slayer's Sword automatically turned into pure black wings, carrying the God Slayers upward into the sky.

Ants can be deceived, can be crushed.

But before dying, they must make a sound.

I'll release two chapters today. Chapter 38 might be added later today or tomorrow. I originally wrote a Don Quixote‑style charge scene, but after careful thought I still can't arrange it that way—it feels a bit off. Well, that's that. Thanks to all readers for their continued support.

(End of chapter)