Lin Yuan nodded slightly to Qiniya, the guardian standing nearby, then stepped without hesitation into the space gate, which shimmered with a hazy glow.
Seeing this, Dia and the other three followers immediately went in after him, one by one.
The instant they passed through the space gate, a powerful sensation of spatial distortion swept over them.
Lin Yuan felt the world spin around him, as though he had been shoved into some kind of rapidly spinning tunnel.
Fortunately, his physique was now far stronger than before. The discomfort lasted only an instant before quickly fading.
When he opened his eyes again, the world around him had changed completely.
The bustling hall of the Universe Mercenary Alliance, full of futuristic metallic surfaces, had vanished. In its place lay a desolate land beneath a silent night sky.
This was...
The Thunder World, the World Lord World infamous throughout Canglan Planet!
By now, the Thunder World examination had been underway for more than a month.
Lin Yuan knew full well that the opening of the World within a World—the event that would send the entire Black Dragon Mountain Star Sector and even the surrounding sectors into a frenzy—was fast approaching.
But a meal had to be eaten one bite at a time. Before joining that true high-stakes gamble, they first had to take care of the Universe Trainee Mercenary examination.
"Three Wind-Thunder Stones and one Single-Horned Iron Rhino horn each..."
Lin Yuan looked around. Nothing met his gaze but a boundless wilderness.
He rubbed his brow helplessly, a trace of bitterness rising in his heart, and sighed. "I miscalculated. We came in too quickly. We should've bought a map of the Thunder World first."
"Master, I have one."
A steady voice came from behind him.
The Three-Eyed Dia stepped forward, flipped his wrist, and took a faintly glowing electronic map screen from his Space Ring. He respectfully handed it over.
"I bought it from a vendor while waiting in line outside the Mercenary Alliance. It cost 100 Black Dragon Coins."
Dia reported honestly.
He was rather dull and not good at haggling. It was obvious he'd been ripped off, but at that moment, the 100 Black Dragon Coins had been worth every bit.
"Well done, Dia!" Lin Yuan's eyes lit up. He patted Dia's shoulder without holding back, took the map, and quickly scanned it.
With precise coordinates to guide them, things would be much easier from here on.
"Let's go! First, the Longsuo Mountain Range!" Lin Yuan declared, settling on their route.
Of course, he was also thinking that the Thunder World was beyond the law. If they ran into any foolish, unlucky adventurers along the way, they wouldn't mind playing Star Pirates for a while.
Killing and looting were perfectly normal here.
The five of them transformed into streaks of light, tore through the night, and sped toward their destination.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, a month had passed since Lin Yuan and the others entered the Thunder World.
Their team had been astonishingly efficient during that month. Everyone had already gathered all the materials required for the examination.
On the first day after entering,
they had just reached the outskirts of the Longsuo Mountain Range and hadn't even started looking for Single-Horned Iron Rhinos when they ran into a squad from the Hundred Tiger Tower.
Who could've guessed that Lin Yuan's side hadn't even meant to kill them, but the other side had attacked first? The outcome was obvious.
After dealing with them, they looted three ready-made Single-Horned Iron Rhino horns from their Space Rings.
On the fifth day,
Lin Yuan and the others, now deep in the Longsuo Mountain Range, finally found a small group of straggling Single-Horned Iron Rhinos.
There was no suspense. After a swift and decisive ambush, they easily collected the remaining two horns. That fulfilled the first examination requirement.
For the next half month or so, Lin Yuan led his team straight into the extremely harsh environment of Wind-Thunder Canyon.
The wind howled there year-round, and lightning struck down like a torrential rain. It was exceptionally dangerous, but also the only place where Wind-Thunder Stone could be found.
While gathering Wind-Thunder Stones, they ran into several groups from the Hundred Tiger Tower and the Black Cloud Society. Whether by chance or bad blood, the encounters kept happening.
Members of these powerful organizations were used to throwing their weight around in the Thunder World. When they saw Lin Yuan's unaffiliated team, they instinctively wanted to take a bite out of them.
As expected, the same scenario played out again.
These "couriers" who had delivered themselves to their door not only contributed a large amount of Universe Coins and equipment, but also completely made up the shortfall in Wind-Thunder Stones Lin Yuan's team needed.
The examination items they had to turn in
had been gathered without a single fight on their side.
After completing the mission, Lin Yuan didn't rush to leave the Thunder World and report back.
The Mercenary Alliance examination was just an appetizer. The real bloodshed had yet to begin.
Afterward, Lin Yuan and the others made camp in a hidden underground cave near the edge of Wind-Thunder Canyon. They rested and waited for the right moment.
Sitting cross-legged on the dry rock, Lin Yuan's eyes shone with anticipation. Yet even as he looked forward to what was coming, a trace of puzzlement rose in his heart.
Lin Yuan thought to himself, A major storyline like the Thunder World and the opening of the World within a World hasn't triggered even one mission? That's so strange.
It was strange—very strange.
But Lin Yuan was easygoing by nature. When he couldn't figure something out, he didn't dwell on it.
Whether the system gave him a mission or not, he was determined to go to the World within a World!
The treasures inside would make him a fortune.
More importantly, if he acquired enough resources, he could fully awaken the terrifying power sleeping among his trump cards—the battle strength of an Immortal Army Lord!
Once he mastered that power, he'd truly have the strength to do as he pleased throughout the Black Dragon Mountain Star Sector.
With that thought, Lin Yuan took a deep breath and cast aside every distracting thought.
He closed his eyes and guided the Origin Force within his body along an extremely ancient and overbearing path, continuing to cultivate that heaven-defying secret art—the God-Demon Unity Technique.
Until—
Three days later!
"Rumble, rumble, rumble~~~~!"
A deeply muffled, terrifying roar, as if coming from the very depths of the world, suddenly erupted without warning!
Immediately afterward, the earth throughout the Thunder World began to tremble violently.
The tremors weren't confined to any one region; they swept across the entire landmass! The wind fell still, and the thunderclouds high above seemed to be torn apart by some even more terrifying force.
Tens of thousands of Universe Adventurers spread across every corner of the Thunder World stopped what they were doing.
Some had been fighting, others searching for treasure, but now all of them stared around in alarm and confusion.
"What's happening? An earthquake?"
"But this is a World Lord World. How could there be an earthquake?"
"My god, is this World Lord World about to collapse?! Run!"
Panic spread through the adventurers like a plague.
However, the panic didn't last long~
Soon, adventurers near Wind-Thunder Canyon saw an unforgettable sight through the billowing dust.
Deep within Wind-Thunder Canyon, the space in the air above, once blanketed by violent lightning, seemed to be torn apart by a pair of invisible hands. A vast, deep, dark black hole was slowly taking shape!
An incredibly pure surge of Universe Origin Energy, mixed with the aura of treasures that drove people mad, poured out of the black hole!
"Is that—the World within a World?!"
A young man from some powerful organization screamed at the top of his lungs.
His shout instantly set the entire Thunder World ablaze!
The world erupted!
All fear gave way to greed. Countless adventurers, their eyes red, surged madly toward the black hole like moths to a flame.
At the same time, news of the event was sent back outside at the speed of light through various special communication methods.
The moment the leaders of the Black Dragon Mountain Star Sector's Holy Lands, organizations, and families received the news, their eyes lit up with greed. They immediately set out for the Thunder World.
Inside the hidden cave.
"Lin Yuan, that's... the World within a World! The energy readings are extremely high, and the entrance has stabilized!" The voice of the Intelligent Life Ika rang in Lin Yuan's mind, carrying a rare note of excitement.
Lin Yuan slowly opened his eyes.
He stood up and sensed the now completely frenzied Wind-Thunder Canyon beyond. He heard the distant roars of the crowd, yet his expression remained as calm as still water, as though he had expected all of this.
With a casual wave, he stored the bags on the ground in his Space Ring, then said to Dia and the other three behind him, "Let's go."
With that, Lin Yuan blurred and took a step toward the cave entrance.
But the instant his foot touched the ground—
A deafening mechanical boom suddenly rang out in his mind!
[Mission: "Enemy of the World"!]
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