The downpour poured relentlessly.
Across the pitch-black sky, countless electric snakes writhed wildly, while thunder rumbled without end.
—It was as if the world were ending.
"..."
Inside the Dark Room, Bai Zhi frowned slightly as he watched the apocalyptic scene outside through the window.
In essence, the Transit Hub was a Semi-permanent Place established by those World Guardians who had retreated into the World Tomb.
But if even a place like this had developed such a serious problem... was it related to that Exploration Mission?
As if recalling something, Bai Zhi took out the gilded card Yu Xing had sent him from his Inventory and held it up for a closer look.
The system listed this card's Quality as none, and its description contained only a few brief lines stating that it was a token for entering some place. Considering how urgently Yu Xing had gathered Elite Members earlier, could what was happening now be connected to that so-called Exploration Mission?
If that was the case... a dead zone?
Just as Bai Zhi was pondering this, someone suddenly knocked on the door. Immediately afterward, the voices of Qi Guang Meng Xing and the others sounded from outside.
"What exactly is going on? Didn't they say the Transit Hub was absolutely safe?"
After entering the room, Qi Guang Meng Xing still looked deeply shaken.
"You're overthinking it. There's only relative safety—where could there possibly be absolute safety?"
Bai Zhi looked at Qi Guang Meng Xing and Hei Fengye as they entered from outside, his expression noncommittal.
"Where's Lancer? Didn't he come with you?"
"Uh, I went to look for him just now, but he wasn't in his room. Maybe he went out earlier—"
A sudden clap of thunder interrupted her.
In the abrupt white flash that illuminated the world, Qi