Chapter 418 Speculation and Action
What is the reason?
The inherent "energy consumption" of the time reversal process itself, like the heat generated by friction, inevitably depletes the basic energy of the plane.
Or did their series of "paradoxical experiments"—especially storing matter from this plane into a cavern in an independent spacetime—cause some kind of minor "tear" or "disturbance" in the world?
Jemin was more inclined to believe the latter possibility.
The reason is straightforward: before their reinforcements arrived, Frost's vanguard legion had been fighting in this cycle of time for over a hundred cycles.
If each time time reversal causes such a significant decay, then this sign should have been keenly observed by the wizards outside dozens of cycles ago, instead of waiting until now.
Of course, it cannot be ruled out that it is the result of the combination of two factors.
That is, time reversal itself has a slight loss, and their experiment is like scratching a new mark on fragile glass, amplifying this effect.
“We need more data, and longer-term, more systematic monitoring.” At the tactical meeting, Jemin admitted, “In the previous rounds, we lacked baseline records of environmental ‘constants,’ and the baseline we have established is not yet stable. We need at least one or two more complete cycles before we can make a preliminary judgment on the trend and rate of decay.”
Frost agreed with this assessment.
He ordered the battle-order wizards to continue with the existing strategy, maintaining pressure on the Scythe-Skull Clan, while creating more experimental windows for research.
The logistics and research teams are fully committed to in-depth analysis of existing data and refining the next round of more sophisticated monitoring plans.
Besides all this busy work, Jemin himself had an even more important verification to do.
He wanted to see for himself what the "samples" he had taken into his inner world had become after time had reversed, and what their original "source" in this plane had become.
Is it perfectly healed to the original body, as if it had never been cut?
Or did it leave an indelible scar?
Or... has an even stranger phenomenon occurred?
He requested Frost to go out and explore, and presented a detailed plan: to revisit the Scythe-Skull Clan strongholds or battlefields where large numbers of samples had been collected, based on the coordinates and descriptions in the record crystals, and to conduct on-site investigations.
Frost did not object.
Seeking the truth is the sacred duty of a wizard, especially since it is directly related to understanding the nature of reincarnation.
He only made the additional conditions out of security concerns.
“You may go, but you must be accompanied by someone.” Frost’s attitude left no room for argument. “In addition, I will leave ‘Star Marks’ on you.”
He extended his index finger, and a point of concentrated, almost tangible, silver starlight shone from the fingertip.
Three points of starlight entered the foreheads of Jemin and the two level-six wizards assigned to accompany him—Roland, who was skilled in defense and energy manipulation, and Vivian, who was adept at reconnaissance and spatial concealment.
“This spell can automatically withstand an attack of level eight strength,” Frost explained. “More importantly, regardless of whether it is triggered or not, once it is broken, no matter how far apart we are, I can instantly locate and arrive at it. Don’t stray too far from the limits of my perception range, understand?”
"Understood, Commander," the three replied in unison.
After checking the relevant record crystals, Jemin set his sights on an abandoned Scythe-Skull City tens of thousands of kilometers away from the main camp.
According to intelligence, the city was strategically abandoned in the early stages of the wizard invasion, but was later retaken by a scythe-skull reconnaissance force and converted into a forward outpost.
During a medium-scale sweep in the previous round, the wizarding forces cleared this outpost, and the combat wizard "collected" more than a thousand complete corpses of low-level Scythe-Skull Clan members, ranging from level one to three.
These samples are now lying in his internal cavity, categorized and arranged.
With a clear sample source, accurate coordinates, and a relatively simple environment, it was the perfect first verification point.
To prevent any discrepancies in the cycle of reincarnation caused by his experiment, at dawn the day after the battle, Jemin, Roland, and Vivian couldn't wait to quietly leave the noisy camp.
Roland erected an almost invisible energy shield, enveloping the three of them. It not only provided defense but also served as optical camouflage and a degree of aura concealment.
Vivian led the way, her figure sometimes clear and sometimes blurry, as if she were one with the fluctuations of the surrounding space, constantly scouting for the best path and potential risks.
Instead of using long-distance teleportation, the three of them traveled by combining high-speed flight with short-distance spatial jumps to avoid alerting the Scythe-Skull Clan.
The scenery along the way was desolate and oppressive.
The land was scarred by the battle.
The charred craters, crystallized soil, twisted metal debris, and scattered fragments of the Scythe-Skull Tribe's carapace, already weathering under the influence of witchcraft.
A faint energy radiation and an indescribable sense of desolation permeated the air, the lingering scent of countless lives that had perished on the same land.
“This land…is unexpectedly fragile,” Vivian suddenly said softly. Her spatial perception was much more acute than that of ordinary people. “The ‘resilience’ of space seems to be weakening, and the stability in some places…is a bit off.”
Upon hearing this, Jemin used his mental energy to carefully scan the ground below.
Indeed, in some areas where energy conflicts are particularly intense, the "fibers" of space seem exceptionally fragile, as if they would break with the slightest tug.
Jemin stroked his chin. The magic the wizard had used in the previous battle definitely didn't have this effect, so was it a problem with this plane itself?
Unable to think of a reason for the time being, Jemin could only suppress his doubts and continue on his way with the two people in front of him.
After traveling at a brisk pace for most of the day, the outline of the target city finally appeared on the horizon at dusk.
It was a nest-like city with a distinctive sickle-headed tribal style.
The towering spiral towers, constructed from a mixture of biomass and minerals, resemble giant pupae, while the aerial corridors connecting the towers resemble spider webs.
The ground is covered with a dense array of holes and passageways of unknown function.
The entire city was a deep brown, almost black color, resembling a sleeping giant lying on the earth in the afterglow of the setting sun.
However, the city was eerily quiet at this moment.
There were no patrolling aircraft, no activity on the ground, and not even the pheromone network that should have been spreading could detect any active signals.
“The intelligence is correct; the enemy has evacuated very cleanly,” Roland assessed. “The residual energy reaction is weak, and there are no signs of large-scale life gathering. But… be careful; there may still be a few scattered individuals or automated defense mechanisms remaining.”
(End of this chapter)
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