[Mission: Enemy of the World!]
[Comment: The World within a World has been completely exposed to everyone. The Two Great Holy Lands, the Four Great Organizations, and the sixteen great families are all poised to act! Who will have the last laugh in this gluttonous feast?]
[Objective: Obtain the first three core treasures left behind by the Thunder World Lord Kabu—the three-layer password, the bank account, and the Lord-level Evolution Serum!]
[Note: If even one of the three items above falls into someone else's hands, the mission will be considered a failure.]
[Rewards:]
[Light Secret Art: Tribulation Light]
[Mechanical Battle Armor: Star Abyss]
[Life Gene Level increase: 10x]
The mission had come after all.
Lin Yuan stood where he was, his gaze deep as he slowly savored every word on the mission panel.
Nearby, Dia, Yan Jin, and the others stood respectfully at either side like statues.
Although they didn't understand why Lin Yuan had suddenly fallen into thought~
their master hadn't moved, so they remained as motionless as deadwood.
A moment later.
Lin Yuan's lips curled slightly. "Heh."
The wording of this mission was interesting.
It didn't identify any specific "enemy," yet every word hinted at a desperate situation.
"Enemy of the World."
If he decided to claim World Lord Kabu's most treasured possessions for himself, there was no question he would automatically stand against every faction and become the sole public enemy in the storm surrounding the World within a World!
Especially when it came to the first three treasures.
They were the most coveted prizes for the geniuses and higher-ups of all the major powers and influential backgrounds.
The Inheritance Crystal Ball containing the "three-layer password" in particular—Brolin, the Ninth Prince of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, would cling to it like a rabid dog.
Although Lin Yuan, who knew the story, understood that the crystal ball was actually empty and World Lord Kabu had fooled everyone.
But...
Even if he went to tell Brolin right now that there was nothing inside, who would believe him?
It was a dead end.
The difficulty of the mission was unprecedented.
That meant Lin Yuan wouldn't just be facing dozens or hundreds of people. He'd be up against an endless army of adventurers from every major faction, bent on killing him!
Any ordinary Star Level cultivator would have despaired at this mission, even an exceptional genius with a domain.
"Unfortunately, I'm not ordinary."
Lin Yuan smiled, a dangerous excitement flickering in his eyes.
"I'll complete the mission, and I'll take every treasure too!"
What did he have to fear from a mere ten thousand adventurers who had entered first?
The earliest anyone who could pose a genuine threat to him would arrive was after the major factions outside realized what was happening and sent in their million-strong armies through the Thunder World entrance.
And that wouldn't happen for another ten days!
Besides, the rewards from the system were simply too generous.
"Originally, I just wanted to quietly dig up a 'few' Universe Crystals in the World within a World and make a little money," Lin Yuan sighed inwardly. "But the rewards it's offering are just too good."
At this stage, Lin Yuan's combat power was off the charts, but his weaknesses were obvious too—his most glaring deficiencies were top-tier secret arts and protective armor that could save his life.
Tribulation Light and Star Abyss were exactly the timely gifts he needed.
And that wasn't even mentioning the ultimate reward, enough to make countless powerful beings green with envy: a "tenfold increase in Life Gene Level"!
In the universe of Swallowed Star, the Gene Multiplier was the most crucial talent determining the upper limit of a powerful being!
For this tenfold gene multiplier, it was worth becoming the Enemy of the World—even if it meant making a hole in the heavens.
By then, an audacious, even downright insane plan had fully taken shape in Lin Yuan's mind.
"Let's go."
Lin Yuan collected himself and said a single word.
"Master, are we heading straight to the entrance to the World within a World?" Yan Jin followed behind him, watching his back as an ominous premonition inexplicably rose in his heart.
"No."
Lin Yuan stopped and glanced back at him, his tone so calm it was almost shocking.
"We're going to... block the way."
Since the system's comment was "Enemy of the World," and since he was destined to stand against everyone,
there was no need to waste time.
He would make those two words, "enemy of all," a reality from the very start!
The treasures were destined to be his, so there was no need for anyone else to enter.
Meanwhile.
Deep in Wind-Thunder Canyon, Thunder World.
After urgently reporting the news of the World within a World's emergence to the higher-ups of their respective factions, the vanguard forces of every faction had gone completely berserk.
More than ten thousand Star Level adventurers surged toward the black-hole entrance glowing faintly in the deepest part of the canyon, like wolves that had caught the scent of blood.
They were all ravenous, pushing their speed to the limit!
Everyone wanted to be first. Everyone wanted to be the lucky one to enter the World within a World first and seize World Lord Kabu's treasures!
"Brothers from the Hundred Tiger Tower, charge! We can't let anyone beat us to it!"
"Black Cloud Society, hold formation! We're moving in fast!"
"Brothers from North Dragon City, get into the realm now! Anyone who blocks us dies!"
"We of Three Axe Mountain can't fall behind either! Charge!"
The leaders of the various factions bellowed themselves hoarse over the howling wind.
The energy fluctuations from more than ten thousand Star Level powerhouses gathered together made the surrounding space tremble faintly.
Not one of them slowed their pace. Their eyes were fixed solely on the black hole that promised endless wealth.
Closer!
Closer!
But just as the adventurers at the very front were almost upon the black-hole entrance, close enough to sense the rich primordial energy spilling out from the World within a World—
a sudden change occurred!
"Whoosh—"
Without warning, a dazzling white light burst to life in front of the black-hole entrance!
It was so pure, so overbearing, that it seemed ready to tear the retinas from their eyes!
Then—
"BOOM!!!"
A thunderous crash erupted, like a heavenly bolt of lightning exploding beside their ears.
A violent shock wave swept in every direction, hurling hundreds of Star Level adventurers at the front straight into the air and sending blood spraying from their mouths.
As the dust settled,
everyone stopped in horror and stared ahead.
A vast, bottomless chasm, several kilometers long, had appeared across the canyon floor, which had been flat moments before!
The chasm lay like an uncrossable precipice, separating everyone from the entrance to the World within a World.
"Who was it?!"
Among the crowd, Thatchson, the leader of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire's contingent, grew furious. He stepped forward, Origin Force surging around him, and roared.
Everyone present wore grim expressions.
According to the unspoken rules observed by all the major factions, before anyone had actually seen the treasures within the World within a World, everyone was supposed to maintain a tacit peace and enter as quickly as possible.
Which reckless madman would dare break the rules at a time like this?!
Silence.
After a brief silence, a calm, indifferent voice, brimming with arrogance, drifted from the other side of the chasm into the ears of the ten thousand adventurers.
"Who it is doesn't matter."
Everyone looked up sharply.
A tall, slender figure was already hovering above the immense chasm, though no one knew when he had appeared.
In one hand, he held an unusual weapon that radiated dazzling white light—Spine of Sky Light.
The blade pointed diagonally toward the ground, its light flickering.
Lin Yuan looked down at the massed crowd, his gaze as cold as if he were looking at a swarm of ants.
"What matters is..."
His voice wasn't loud, yet carried on Origin Force, it rang clearly in the depths of everyone's mind.
"Cross the line, and you die."
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