The metal wall gleamed with a cold light, and the floating lamp cast diamond-shaped spots of light between the two people.

When Lin Yi pushed open the encrypted door of the Corridor of Fate, a dark figure was standing with his back to him in front of the viewing window.

The extradimensional storm churned into a purple vortex outside the bulletproof glass, stretching his shadow long and thin, like a string that might snap at any moment.

"Do law enforcement officers of advanced civilizations enjoy this kind of scenery?" Lin Yi locked the door with his backhand, the heels of his tactical boots striking the ground with a crisp sound.

He noticed the shadowy figure's shoulders tense slightly—a sign of alertness—but the figure didn't turn around. Instead, it pulled its hood down further, revealing half of its face that flickered in the purple light.

"This place can monitor energy fluctuations in three dimensions simultaneously." The shadowy figure finally turned around, a scar snaking across his left cheek like a snake. "You chose a smarter spot than I expected."

Lin Yi didn't reply, but walked directly to the stone table and sat down.

The holographic projection embedded in the tabletop unfolded automatically, revealing three key fragments that slowly rotated in a blue light—the spoils he had intercepted from Night Owl's former subordinates that morning. "The way you looked at me last night when I was inspecting the energy pipes was off," he said, tapping the stone table lightly with his fingertips. "Like you were confirming something."

The shadowy figure unconsciously stroked the hilt of the dagger at his waist with his fingertips.

It was an ancient-looking weapon, its blade swirling with dark patterns not of this earth. "To confirm if you're a worthy partner," he said, pulling up a stone bench and sitting down with the efficiency of years of missions. "The way Night Owl activated the Matrix exceeds the erasure protocols of advanced civilizations."

"He doesn't want to end the chaos, he wants to become a new god." Lin Yi finished the sentence for him, his gaze locking onto the other's pupils.

The shadowy figure's pupils contracted for a moment—a reaction to being told what to do.

Three days ago, Long Wu infiltrated the interdimensional black market and obtained intelligence that clearly mentioned Night Owl was collecting "dimensional batteries," which was now being verified by the Shadow.

Suddenly, the sound of porcelain clashing came from the other side of the stone table.

Xuanmingzi emerged from the shadows at some point, his withered fingers pinching half a tea cake and tossing it into the purple clay teapot.

His Taoist robe was scorched, a remnant of last night's battle against the Night Owl's clone: ​​"Young friend, you should remember how these 'enforcers' of advanced civilizations crushed my Kunlun Ruins' teleportation array three hundred years ago." He looked up, his wrinkles etched with icy coldness. "Their 'agreement' was colder than the Night Owl's madness."

Lin Yi ignored Xuan Mingzi's words and instead pushed one of the key fragments across the stone table.

The golden patterns on the fragment's surface suddenly lit up for a moment, as if awakened by something. "This is a key forged with human will; your advanced civilization couldn't create it." He softened his voice, as if revealing a secret. "Night Owl wants it to connect all dimensions as a battery, and I need your technology—" He pointed to the star map in the holographic projection, "like the spatial confinement technique you used to seal off Kunlun Ruins, or the coordinate instrument that can locate the remnants of the First Will."

The shadowy figure's gaze fell on the key fragments, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

Enforcers of advanced civilizations shouldn't exhibit such human emotional fluctuations, but at this moment, a burning glint flashed in his eyes—an interest in the "uncontrollable variable." "The core remnants of the First Will," he suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse, "I need you to help me find it."

The remnants of the Old God's consciousness still linger in the dimensional rifts. If Night Owl gets his hands on it... He didn't finish his sentence, but simply gripped the dagger tighter.

"Deal." Lin Yi agreed almost immediately. "But in exchange, you have to help us retrieve the remaining three keys." He flicked the holographic projection, and the image switched to a diagram of the Night Owl Matrix. "Your people are familiar with the defense systems of advanced civilizations, and Long Wu's vanguard needs your decryption program."

The shadowy figure stared at him for three seconds, then suddenly laughed.

The scar, as he grinned, resembled some kind of grotesque medal: "No wonder Night Owl always mentions your name." He drew his dagger, leaving a spark on the table; the dark patterns suddenly glowed with a ghostly blue light. "In half an hour, my people will send the incomplete scroll of the Spatial Imprisonment Technique to your terminal."

\"bite--\"

Su Qing's voice suddenly spilled from the personal terminal on Lin Yi's wrist, accompanied by static.

Her data column, which should have been a stable sky blue, now resembled a crumpled ribbon, twisting into gibberish between the two: "The key... is acting strangely." Her voice grew softer and softer, finally fading into a whisper, "Someone is remotely activating it."

Lin Yi's pupils suddenly contracted.

He suddenly grabbed the key fragments on the table. The golden patterns were creeping toward the edge at a visible speed, like countless golden threads being pulled in a certain direction.

When he looked up, the dark figure had already stood up, the dagger pointing at the extradimensional storm outside the window—there, at the center of the originally purple vortex, a familiar wisp of pitch black was seeping out.

"It's the Night Owl's spiritual imprint," the shadowy figure's voice was as heavy as lead. "He planted a backup plan in the key."

Lin Yi pressed his thumb on the quantum computer, and the communication was instantly connected with Long Wu: "Stop advancing immediately!"

Night Owl touched the key! He turned to the shadowy figure, his gaze sharp as a knife. "Your technical data, I need it now."

The shadowy figure didn't speak, but simply pulled down its hood.

His hair was pure silver-white, gleaming coldly in the purple light.

He placed his palm on the stone table, and the dark-patterned dagger suddenly sank into the surface. The holographic projection instantly exploded with countless data streams—technical blueprints of advanced civilizations, flowing through the air at speeds incomprehensible to humans.

"Here you go." He pulled his hand back, the dagger reappearing at his waist. "The coordinates of the First Will's remnant are on the last page of the atlas."

Lin Yi quickly scanned the data stream, a look of wild joy flashing in his eyes.

He grabbed the key fragments and stuffed them into the tactical pouch on his chest, the metal chain burning against his skin. "Let's go." He gestured with his chin to the shadowy figure. "Back to central base. I need your men to analyze this data on-site."

The shadowy figure followed him toward the door, pausing as it passed Xuanmingzi.

The old Taoist priest stared intently at the dark vortex outside the window, his teacup shattering in his hand: "Young friend, don't believe it..."

"I've never trusted people." Lin Yi paused in his act of pushing the door open. "It's this battle that we must win."

As the door closed behind her, Su Qing's data stream suddenly coalesced into a complete human figure.

Her fingertips lightly touched the back of Lin Yi's hand, as cold as snow: "The key's unusual movement... might be related to the First Will."

Lin Yi looked down at her, and for a moment, the features of the data figure overlapped with those of the girl in his memory.

He grasped the blue light in his hand, the warmth of his palm stabilizing Su Qing's features: "After this battle, we'll find the answer together."

The alarm in the corridor suddenly went off.

Long Wu's roar burst out from the quantum computer: "Boss!"

That bastard Night Owl sent twenty clones to block the rift!

Even my sword got dull from all that cutting—

Lin Yi quickened his pace, with the dark figure close behind.

The two figures' shadows stretched out like two sharp swords on the metal wall, pointing directly at the portal at the end of the corridor.

There, the technological blueprints belonging to advanced civilizations were still burning hot in his personal computer, while the fragments of the key pressed against his heart, beating like war drums with each heartbeat.

"Let them wait." Lin Yi smiled at the personal terminal. "Our reinforcements have arrived."