Chương 118: Hành tinh cô tịch

Tinh thần lực gần như cạn kiệt, Thời Tinh thở gấp, cố hít lấy hơi dài.

Cuối cùng thì tinh thú trắng cũng đã chết.

Trong cảm nhận của cậu, tầng đáy biển tinh thần như đang sôi trào, dòng năng lượng rối loạn cuồn cuộn dữ dội. Thời Tinh đã mất kiểm soát nhiều lần, nên việc đầu tiên sau khi giết chết tinh thú là phải lập tức khống chế bản thân.

Hai lần Trì Diệu bất chấp nguy hiểm nắm lấy tay cậu... muốn nói chẳng để lại chút ám ảnh nào thì không thể.

May mà, phản ứng sau cùng lại tích cực.

Cái cảm giác bị tinh thần lực lôi kéo đi mất kiểm soát, dưới cảnh báo luôn treo lơ lửng trong lòng, càng khó tái diễn.

Chỉ cần phát hiện manh mối, cậu lập tức siết lại tự chế ngự.

Thời Tinh giữ mình bình tâm trong vài giây, mà mọi người quanh đó cũng đều ngẩn ngơ. Ờ thì... tinh thú đâu rồi?

Không... biến mất rồi sao?!

Trước đây, mỗi lần Thời Tinh hấp thu năng lượng của tinh thú, ít nhiều vẫn để lại chút tàn dư máu thịt. Nhưng lần này khác.

Thân thể sụp đổ và hoàn toàn tiêu tán, tuy chỉ cách nhau một bước, nhưng bản chất lại là hai chuyện hoàn toàn khác. Một cái là năng lượng bị rút đi, thân xác vỡ vụn. Còn cái kia... là cả vật chất cũng bị xóa sạch, tiêu biến không còn dấu vết.

Có thể làm được đến mức này sao? Cậu đã mạnh đến vậy rồi ư?!

Phí Sở sững người, không chỉ riêng anh, mà những sĩ quan được huấn luyện đầy đủ cũng đều bị biến đổi mang tính bản chất ấy dọa cho kinh hãi.

"Tinh Tinh, em có sao không?"

Giọng Nhĩ Nhã truyền ra từ bộ liên lạc. "Tinh thú chui ra chị vẫn luôn chú ý, phải đến hơn hai mươi con. Bên phía Điện hạ, chị còn thấy có chiến hạm bị xé nát."

Lời cô khiến tất cả bừng tỉnh.

Liên lạc viên vội mở bản đồ tọa độ chiến hạm, lập tức thấy mấy chấm xám hiện lên. Anh khó khăn báo cáo: "Có bốn chiến hạm đã chuyển xám, không còn dấu hiệu sống."

"Hai tiểu đội ở hậu phương, chiến hạm trúng công kích có đặc trưng của tinh thần lực biến dị."

"Hệ thống phân tích, tổng cộng có hơn hai mươi con tinh thú cấp cao."

Quá nhiều.

Thời Tinh khép mắt trong chớp mắt, giọng khàn khàn nhưng chắc nịch: "Quay lại chi viện, Phí Sở chỉ huy."

"Rõ." Phí Sở đáp.

Khi họ lao đến chi viện, trên chiến hạm của Trì Diệu đã đầy rẫy những vết hằn năng lượng, chứng tích rõ rệt của những đòn công kích tinh thần lực.

Nhĩ Nhã lần này hiếm hoi tỏ ra chủ động, vừa đến liền nhắc Thời Tinh: "Đám ở giữa toàn là tinh thú biến dị, cấp bậc không hề thấp, chị xử lý không nổi. Tinh Tinh, em phải cẩn thận đấy."

"Vòng ngoài có vài con tinh thú bình thường, để tiểu đội Ứng Canh mang theo vài người qua, cùng tôi xử lý đi?"

"Được, người thì để Ứng Canh phân công."

Thời Tinh nhanh chóng liên lạc với Trì Diệu: "Điện hạ, em sẽ mở một màn chắn đặc biệt, cần chiến hạm của chúng ta phối hợp áp sát một bên."

Trì Diệu nhận lệnh, lập tức để Dịch Chấn Cường vạch tuyến. Chưa đầy một phút, sơ đồ đã được sĩ quan liên lạc chuyển đến Thời Tinh. Kế hoạch là hai phút nữa toàn bộ chiến hạm sẽ đồng loạt lùi lại.

But realistically, it won't even take two minutes. Thời Tinh barely has time to sense a powerful surge of distorted mental energy before he quickly erects a barrier to shield the two ships.

According to Diệp Tuấn's arrangement, the escort ships immediately follow Thời Tinh's barrier, forming a defensive line and temporarily holding back the distorted monsters.

[Warship yh7646323 disabled, all personnel must evacuate immediately]

[Warship pl3453004 damaged, gas leak detected, personnel must evacuate urgently]

Alarms blare urgently. Thời Tinh orders: "Ứng Canh, deploy mechs to secure the evacuation!"

Trì Diệu decisively: "If a warship is to be evacuated, all personnel must retreat. Intact ships should replace it at the front."

"Understood."

"Understood."

"Understood."

Only then does Thời Tinh report that the white monster has been killed. But after the exhausting battle, erecting another large barrier has drained most of his remaining mental energy.

During the troop movement, another incident erupts. The monsters emerging from the spatial distortions created by the white monster are all high-level variants, causing the barrier to collapse faster than expected.

The barrier fails, and a fierce pursuit begins.

Fortunately, Nhĩ Nhã from the outer perimeter returns in time with a mech, able to supplement Thời Tinh's depleted mental energy.

But without Thời Tinh's combat power, the chaotic mental energy from the distorted monsters becomes overwhelming. The entire team can only fight while retreating, holding out until he recovers.

What comforts Trì Diệu slightly is that even exhausted, Thời Tinh remains obedient, always sticking close to his flagship, willingly hiding within the protective barrier.

It's unclear how much time has passed, but to avoid the special abilities of the monsters causing irreparable damage to the barrier system, they've always been maneuvering outward. When Thời Tinh recovers a bit of mental energy, the team has already approached a desolate planet.

With over twenty monsters, they've only taken down two or three, with the rest still persistently tailing them.

After discussion, a new battle breaks out right outside the desolate planet.

This time, with Thời Tinh's barrier and to reduce pressure on the planet's rear base, the goal is to eliminate as many emerging monsters as possible.

With everyone's coordination, the fleet suffers varying degrees of damage. Thời Tinh absorbs energy from two monsters, but whether due to their high rank or other reasons, the mental energy from them has a terrifying effect on him, making his mental sea surge violently. Absorbing just two, Thời Tinh nearly loses control, so he dares not continue, only focusing on maintaining the barrier to protect the entire team.

But there are times when he can't react in time.

The high-level distorted monsters are far smarter than usual, not easily killed.

Just as the ninth one is taken down, a message from the communicator arrives—Phù Thanh is injured.

Trì Diệu immediately orders: "Land."

"Lure the remaining monsters into the planet, use the terrain to eliminate them."

On this planet, air circulates, allowing Trì Diệu's innate abilities to fully manifest.

The area also has dense forests. The climate here is harsh, either violent storms or torrential rains, originally unsuitable for supporting intelligent life. (In reality, the planet is uninhabitable, deemed incapable of sustaining high-level intelligent beings.) But thanks to the terrain's shelter, they can both hinder the monsters' advance and deploy complex formations that require precise coordination with the terrain to maximize effectiveness.

A series of "understood" echoes.

The fleet begins landing.

Two or three monsters charge in, and as they enter the atmosphere, sharp winds like blades slash at their ears, mouths, and eyes. Two nearby monsters are immediately torn apart by Trì Diệu's innate abilities, their cores exposed. Thời Tinh seizes the opportunity to finish them off. The remaining one, seeing the unfavorable situation, turns and flees.

"Into the forest! Damaged ships and wounded personnel land at the rear. Remaining ships maintain hovering status, ready to respond if high-speed monsters attack."

Following Trì Diệu's orders, the fleet descends in layers.

Nhĩ Nhã checks Phù Thanh's condition before returning to Thời Tinh, whispering: "The distorted mental energy struck him, damaging the outer mental sea. Only you can heal him effectively; I'm not as good."

Thời Tinh nods: "I know, first deal with the immediate situation."

"Mhm."

Thời Tinh glances at the warship's position, then orders: "Phù Thanh, you land. Hand over command of the squad to the vice captain."

"Understood." Phù Thanh replies.

"Understood." Phí Sở, the team commander, also confirms.

Initially, Phù Thanh wanted to stay and command from above, but after Thời Tinh's arrangement, his ship slowly descends into the dense forest.

Strangely, after waiting in ambush for over ten minutes, no monsters chase them.

Thời Tinh and Phí Sở exchange glances. Supreme General Diệp Tuấn, in the communication channel, gasps in astonishment: "What's going on? Could it be they're not coming anymore?"

Phí Sở bluntly remarks: "Not like them at all."

Ứng Canh chimes in: "These are all high-level monsters; they're strong and fast. Do you think they're ordinary monsters?"

Phí Sở muses: "That's true."

Trì Diệu says nothing, issuing no new orders; the formation remains unchanged. After nearly ten more minutes, Trì Diệu releases his innate abilities, and Thời Tinh senses a change in the wind's speed.

After probing with his power, he indeed detects no signs of monsters. Trì Diệu then orders: "Diệp Tuấn, send unmanned ships to scout."

The results show the monsters are still gathered outside the atmosphere, neither entering nor leaving.

Trì Diệu asks: "How many are left?"

"Wait a moment." Diệp Tuấn replies.

An unmanned ship is destroyed during the probe, and the full image is transmitted back. In total, there are still nine monsters.

Nhĩ Nhã keenly asks: "Where did this white one come from?"

Thời Tinh and Trì Diệu examine the footage, confirming this one wasn't seen during the previous battle.

Nhĩ Nhã continues: "It looks similar to the white one that was killed." Then she asks: "Have you encountered it before, Tinh Tinh?"

Thời Tinh studies it carefully, concluding: "It's shorter than the other. I've never seen it; from start to finish, it's always been that tall white monster blocking me."

Trì Diệu falls silent, then orders: "Wounded personnel land. Nhĩ Nhã handles treatment. Diệp Tuấn contacts the planet's base, check the situation there."

"Thời Tinh..." He's about to say more when Phù Thanh interrupts: "I can still hold on. Thời Tinh's mental energy is nearly exhausted; no need to waste it on me."

If they heal Phù Thanh, they'll lose Thời Tinh's barrier protection in the next monster attack.

Trì Diệu agrees: "Just endure for now. Thời Tinh stays on the ship, awaiting orders."

"Understood." Thời Tinh replies.

A while later, Supreme General Diệp Tuấn reports in the communication channel: "This planet's signal is really weak."

Phí Sở explains: "Desolate planets are inherently like this; the atmosphere is always filled with strange impurities affecting signals."

Trì Diệu: "If possible, ask them to send weather records of this planet."

"Understood." Diệp Tuấn replies.

Over ten minutes later, Diệp Tuấn reports: "The distorted monsters outside the barrier are almost completely eliminated. Lục Lê and Trang Nguyên Nhân are leading the team to finish off the remaining low-level monsters." "Since we went out, all distorted monsters followed the four teams, leaving none behind."

Trì Diệu frowns: "Are you certain there are no monsters left?"

Diệp Tuấn answers: "Confirmed."

The dynamic image transmitted back to the main planet shows that after Trì Diệu and Thời Tinh dealt with the distorted monsters, the remaining normal monsters were easily handled by the army. The fleet passed through, cutting through the monsters like slicing vegetables.

Thời Tinh notices something, asking in surprise: "Did I see monsters trying to escape?" The footage shows the encirclement should have been a pursuit, not a direct confrontation like this.

Trì Diệu replies: "No mistake. The commanding monster is dead; they can't win, so they want to flee."

Thời Tinh wonders: "Can't we stop them?"

Trì Diệu explains: "One white monster has been killed; there's no guarantee another won't appear tomorrow to lead them. If we let the normal ones escape now, they won't go far and will likely be recalled tomorrow. It's better to kill them all at once to avoid future trouble."

Thời Tinh understands. Only now does he realize Trì Diệu understands the monsters' habits better than he thought.

A while later, they send an unmanned ship to scout again, seeing the monsters gathered outside the planet, neither advancing nor retreating.

Phí Sở says: "They're waiting for reinforcements."

Trì Diệu: "Or waiting for us to show up to ambush in space."

Diệp Tuấn: "Not impossible."

Ứng Canh: "But in general, since they're not attacking now, what should we do?"

Trì Diệu thinks for a moment, then orders: "Land. Find a place to rest."

The team's mental energy is depleted, and they can't charge out even if they want to. Since the monsters aren't attacking, they might as well endure this stalemate for now.

All ships land in unison.

"Growl, growl grrr!"

"Roar, roar rooo!"

A black monster is "arguing" with a short white one.

"Growl!" The black monster is furious.

"Roar!" The white monster is also furious because its companion has died.

Originally, it was only here to guard the nearby planet, relaying information to the pack. It never expected to return and find such a scene—its tall white companion killed.

Although the tall white monster didn't treat it well, they were still the same color.

"Growl!" The black monster roars, as if saying: "Troublesome. The place below is so dangerous; if you want to go, go yourself!"

"Rooo!" The white monster retorts: "Don't go. We can't win. If you're so good, why don't you go!!"

Finally, the short white monster is slapped away by the black one.

The black monster ignores it, turning to "discuss" with other monsters that just communicated. After a while, one receives the task and starts heading toward a direction in space, sending a long howl to transmit the signal far away.

The black monster forces the white one to dive into the atmosphere to work. Initially resisting, it's beaten twice before obediently obeying.

"Roar."

"Rooo u u."

It grumbles while working.

Phí Sở reports: "Our team has six fatalities. Four others, their remains have drifted into space. The remaining two have been sealed in the ship's freezer. If energy allows, we'll return them to the Empire."

Hearing this, Thời Tinh feels breathless.

"If... energy isn't enough, then what?" His hand trembles as he signs the list. Each name on it is familiar. The images of training together still linger clearly in his mind.

Suddenly, a warm hand takes his, gently soothing. Seeing who it is, Phí Sở bows respectfully.

Trì Diệu adds: "If energy isn't enough, cremate on the spot and bring the ashes back. That's the standard procedure. If being pursued, discard the body to save energy."

Actually, Thời Tinh has learned these rules, but this is the first time he's truly faced them. His mind is still chaotic, momentarily forgetting.

The notebook is taken from his hand. Trì Diệu says softly: "Let me." He quickly signs, then returns it to Phí Sở with a subtle signal. Phí Sở then steps back to arrange.

"Feeling better?" Trì Diệu looks at Thời Tinh.

Phí Sở had chosen a secluded spot in the forest corner; now only the two are left. Trì Diệu gently pulls Thời Tinh back, both hiding behind tall trees.

Thời Tinh is in a daze, nodding then shaking his head, slightly flustered: "I know all that... it's just, just now I suddenly forgot. I'll pay attention next time."

Actually, these rules weren't learned a year ago; they were taught since entering the military academy. It's just that at the border, except for the last time, he'd never lost a teammate. And that last time... all teammates were buried in the monster's belly. At that time, his mental sea was exhausted; no one came to ask about the aftermath.

So, as a commander, this is the first time Thời Tinh has faced this directly.

Suddenly, a soft laugh rings out. Trì Diệu says: "Why so tense?"

After a pause, his voice turns stern: "Moreover, who told you to ask me all that?"

Thời Tinh blinks, dazedly looking up: "Then... what does Your Highness want to ask?"

Trì Diệu crosses his arms, his gaze fixed. The moment their eyes meet, Thời Tinh senses something different, a hint of awkwardness. Just as he's about to speak to break the silence, Trì Diệu's low, steady voice echoes: "I want to ask... do you need a hug now?"

Thời Tinh freezes for a moment, then forces a smile. He's not happy, but he feels the concern from His Highness.

"Don't smile anymore. If you don't want to, don't force it."

Thời Tinh nods, eyes slightly red, extending his hand. Trì Diệu obviously knows; he even asks: "What are you reaching for?"

"A hug."

The familiar scent from Trì Diệu envelops him, making the trembling in Thời Tinh's bones gradually stop.

Trì Diệu initially sees nothing, but when he wraps his arms around Thời Tinh, he realizes how tense his body is.

Thời Tinh hugs him tightly. Trì Diệu wants to say something, but phrases like "you'll get used to it" or "next time you'll know" feel like accusations, not comfort. Finally, he just silently pats Thời Tinh's back, offering wordless encouragement.

Silently counting a few beats in his heart, when it's time to let go, Thời Tinh reluctantly does so. Now, both are needed by the team; they can't delay any longer.

"I'm fine now, thank you, Your Highness."

"Do we need to say thanks between us?"

This short reply makes Thời Tinh laugh. But the smile doesn't last, as his sensitive perception tells him something is wrong. Frowning, he says: "You're injured?"

When his mind isn't scattered, Thời Tinh realizes there's still distorted mental energy on Trì Diệu.

"It's nothing, just on the surface..." Before he finishes, Thời Tinh hastily checks, removing all the distorted mental energy.

He's about to heal it, but Trì Diệu holds his hand, his deep voice reminding: "Save that energy for Phù Thanh."

Thời Tinh pauses, then obediently nods. The mental energy isn't much, so it must be used wisely.

The wounds on His Highness's body, though making him wince, aren't serious.

Just as the two are about to return to the team, they hear a call from outside: "Your Highness! Tinh Tinh!"

Another issue needs their attention.

Phù Thanh's injury is worse than Thời Tinh thought; fortunately, he's here.

Removing the distorted mental energy covering the outer mental sea, Thời Tinh kneels, supporting himself with one hand.

The calls for him echo from all directions. He takes a deep breath, waving his hand: "It's nothing serious."

But because of the contact with distorted mental energy, his outer mental sea is extremely turbulent.

This started after absorbing the white monster; his condition has been unstable. When calm, he can still control it, but whenever he touches the monsters' mental energy, the sensation surges.

Thời Tinh doesn't understand the reason and plans to discuss it with Nhĩ Nhã later. He asks Phí Sở to call her, then continues healing Phù Thanh.

After a year and a half, the gap between their ranks is evident. The reality is clear: Thời Tinh healing Phù Thanh is far more effective than expected, fast and thorough.

"I'm fine now. You don't need to treat the external wounds, right?"

Fearing Thời Tinh will expend too much mental energy, Phù Thanh stops his hand from healing the chest wound.

Thời Tinh looks at it, shaking his head: "This wound is tainted with distorted mental energy; self-healing will be slow. Treating external wounds costs little energy, and it'll heal quickly."

Sure enough, after a moment, the distorted mental energy is removed, and under Thời Tinh's mental energy cover, the wound stops bleeding and closes.

"Your external wounds are clean now; just use medicine for the rest."

"Your Highness's two teams still need treatment; I'll go over there next."

Phù Thanh nods. Just as he stands up, Nhĩ Nhã arrives, along with the two Lam Tinh members.

In Dịch Chấn Cường's team, two soldiers are severely wounded; in Diệp Tuấn's team, one is lightly wounded.

While healing, Nhĩ Nhã listens to Thời Tinh recount the events. After treating the wounds tainted with distorted mental energy, she takes over for Thời Tinh, who is nearly exhausted.

"There are many possibilities; I'm not sure. Do you feel uncomfortable?"

Thời Tinh shakes his head: "No, it's just..."

Nhĩ Nhã raises an eyebrow.

Thời Tinh lowers his voice: "I'm a bit scared... it's too turbulent. I'm afraid I can't control it."

"Hmm, I get it."

The first time she could absorb a monster's mental energy, Nhĩ Nhã also experienced fear toward herself.

After thinking, she says: "If you're not uncomfortable, there are a few possibilities. One is that your power is growing. Your mental sea is different from ordinary people; naturally, your growth process is also different. Maybe the outer layer has just awakened, and it's about to grow further, which isn't impossible."

"The other possibility might be the biggest—all the instability comes from the stage you're going through."

"Recently, you've absorbed too much monster mental energy, and your growth stage is approaching... that's why..."

"Anything can happen."

"As long as you're not uncomfortable, it should be fine."

Thời Tinh nods blankly, unsure if this is good or bad.

Looking up at the sky, he's stuck on this desolate planet, with monsters outside. But this time, maybe the outcome will be different?

A Lam Tinh member is about to undergo a growth stage, a healer...

Just thinking about not having to swallow monster cores, not needing to use energy stones to replenish energy anymore, his mental sea will stabilize and solidify like an Empire member's, not easily damaged... Thời Tinh feels immense anticipation.

Probably so.

Regaining his spirits, the soldiers are treated. Thời Tinh calls people to confirm. Dịch Chấn Cường checks the mental seas of both, fully aware of Thời Tinh's abilities, but the shock of having a super high-level Lam Tinh member on the battlefield is still significant.

Dịch Chấn Cường repeatedly thanks them, and the two injured soldiers keep calling out "Little Highness, Little Highness" nonstop. Thời Tinh feels a bit embarrassed but, as the team's backbone, he forces himself to remain composed.

Healing the soldiers also brings another benefit—they'll be braver in battle. Knowing that mental sea injuries can be healed, they won't be overly cautious when facing monsters, giving it their all.

This isn't just Thời Tinh's thought; Dịch Chấn Cường, Diệp Tuấn, and the old generals also realize this, immediately relaying it to the entire army.

A while later, as everyone recovers some mental energy, the team finds a nearby cave. The entrance is kept intact; inside, they use mental energy to carve deeper, forming an artificial cave. Everyone rests inside temporarily, and the cave entrance is sealed with a mental barrier, completely hiding their presence.

Teams that have been surrounded by monsters usually do this.

Except for the small flagship, the compact warships with folding wings can all be brought inside. The design already considered such scenarios; the wings can fold, and the ships are stacked on top of the barrier with support.

The flagship is kept in the forest below.

To avoid damage to the flagship when unattended, all medicine, nutrient solutions, energy, and essential supplies are stored in a small space-compressed box carried by each person.

Inside the cave, after discussing plans, Trì Diệu makes the final decision: "By 2 AM, everyone's mental energy should recover. Then we'll leave the desolate planet and return to the main planet."

Their team still has combat power, but it must be at full mental energy.

Receiving the order, Diệp Tuấn immediately sends a message to the main planet.

While operating, he frowns: "Strange, can't find the original signal station of the main planet."

"Let me try another location."

After fiddling for half an hour, still no results. Diệp Tuấn's face darkens with annoyance.

Through the full hologram of the mountain range, he reports to Trì Diệu with bad news: "Your Highness, our signals might have been blocked by some unknown means."

Thời Tinh briefly senses something amiss in his mind but can't quite grasp it.

Phí Sở curses: "Damn it, is it another monster's innate ability?"

"Why are you all looking at me like that?!"

Nhĩ Nhã calmly: "Nothing, just noticed that."

Trì Diệu nods: "Your guess is likely correct."

Phí Sở: "..." then curses again.

Thời Tinh goes out to scout but shakes his head: "No energy fluctuations in the air."

He's not sure if it's really that.

Diệp Tuấn cautiously suggests: "If it really is innate ability, the patrol range must be narrowed. Otherwise, going too far might lose contact with those in the cave."

Trì Diệu nods, understanding.

The order is given succinctly. Soon, several inflatable sleeping bags are opened; the injured soldiers are told to rest. The Empire's physique is robust, and after treatment, a good sleep allows for quick recovery.

Thời Tinh hears Trì Diệu call him.

He approaches, seeing His Highness sitting by a sleeping bag, gently lifting his chin to signal him to rest.

Thời Tinh softly says: "Actually..."

Trì Diệu cuts him off: "Don't talk. Go to sleep. The more you rest, the faster your mental energy recovers. I'm here watching; rest assured."

Thời Tinh's mental energy is only half recovered. After thinking, he bargains: "Then let me treat Your Highness first, then I'll sleep."

Seeing his persistence, Trì Diệu agrees.

Thời Tinh climbs into the sleeping bag. When busy, he doesn't notice, but as soon as he lies down, he yawns. The light in the cave is a bit harsh, but suddenly, a hand covers his eyes. Trì Diệu's gentle voice echoes: "Sleep."

Those two words carry a strange power, making Thời Tinh fall into a deep sleep.

While the monster pack hasn't yet entered the Twin Star system, later, news from deep space arrives.

Led by a brown monster, it roars several times after hearing the news.

Soon after, four white monsters step out from the ranks. They're not as tall as the dead white one, but their forms are very similar.

"Roar."

"Start."

The four monsters stand in four directions, all using mental energy.

Soon, ripples like water spread from their bodies, merging into a massive tunnel.

The brown monster leads the way, followed by nearly a hundred others shuffling in.

But to maintain the tunnel, the four white monsters can't retract their mental energy.

Each time a monster passes through, the spatial distortion rule strikes back at them.

Clenching their teeth to resist until the last one enters, the four white monsters' cores shatter, their bodies exploding and dying.

At the other end of the spatial distortion, the black monster outside the desolate planet has been waiting for a long time.

As soon as it sees the brown one, it roars: "Roar rooo～～ You finally arrived!!!"

Thời Tinh doesn't sleep continuously. Two hours before departure, he wakes up, surprised to find his mental energy fully recovered, his mental sea even more turbulent than before.

Only then does he realize that this turbulence has significantly increased his recovery speed.

Waking up, his heart still races. The surroundings are quiet, but his heart is filled with unease, as if something has happened.

"What's wrong?"

Trì Diệu hasn't slept yet, still keeping watch over him.

"Did something happen?"

Hearing the negative answer, Thời Tinh takes a sip of water, telling himself he's overthinking.

With two hours left, after fully sobering up, he insists Trì Diệu rest as well. Initially refusing, Trì Diệu can't resist his stubbornness and climbs into the sleeping bag Thời Tinh just vacated.

Nhĩ Nhã is the first to wake up. As Trì Diệu lies down, the patrol team returns. Thời Tinh wants to go out and check, but is immediately stopped by Trì Diệu.

Considering his easily distracted mental energy, Thời Tinh doesn't insist.

Two hours later, the team prepares to leave.

After confirming multiple times that nothing is wrong outside, Thời Tinh follows Phí Sở, walking in the middle of the formation out of the cave.

The moment he steps out, something feels off.

Using Trì Diệu's innate abilities to observe, in the pitch-black night, he sees nothing.

His perception also detects nothing unusual.

The more empty it feels, the more uneasy he becomes.

"Huh? Why is one sensor not displaying? It was working just now."

A technician voices his surprise.

Phí Sở points behind: "Check over there; maybe it's been exposed too long and is less sensitive."

Sensors sometimes are affected by temperature differences.

The technician nods and heads back. Thời Tinh, almost unconsciously, follows a few steps.

As his innate abilities automatically activate, he suddenly notices something strange on the technician's white uniform—tiny red dots.

They're very small, densely packed, floating on the surface of the fabric, even changing positions continuously...

Wait, red dots?!

Instantly, Thời Tinh realizes he's missed something.

The red mist, the same one that once trapped him, the mist created by the white monster.

At that time, he thought it was a barrier, so he tried to break it. But upon truly breaking it, Thời Tinh realizes the red mist isn't like a solid barrier; its energy structure is completely different. Just touching it with mental energy reveals it's gaseous, even easier to dispel than he thought.

But! Throughout all his battles—from attacking to fleeing today—he's never seen the white monster create this mist. Clearly, it's not its ability; it proves there's another white monster nearby, one he hasn't detected yet, or...

His thoughts freeze for a moment. Thời Tinh remembers the footage from space—the short white monster.

The two are identical in appearance.

It's entirely possible they're the same species.

So, there's another white monster nearby, with unknown abilities and location...

"Be careful! Don't go any further, retreat now!!"

All these thoughts flash in an instant. The moment he notices the red mist, his warning shout echoes almost simultaneously.

The moment he finishes speaking, Thời Tinh's mental energy suddenly fluctuates violently—something he doesn't understand.

Nhĩ Nhã immediately notices, shouting: "Tinh Tinh, be careful! Your mental energy is dispersing more and more!"

Thời Tinh's growth stage is in its final phase, expected to last only a few more days.

At that moment, Trì Diệu senses the frantic heartbeat through their link and turns around immediately.

The red mist dissipates, and a white monster lunges out, crushing a person to pulp. Thời Tinh almost hears the bones breaking. It raises its head, howling piercingly at Thời Tinh's back.

In Thời Tinh's eyes, the red mist formed by mental energy erupts, instantly sweeping through space.

"There are monsters! Be careful!!"

Phí Sở barely has time to shout before he grabs Thời Tinh's waist and runs.

Initially, he meant to run to Trì Diệu, but Thời Tinh's shout changes his direction instantly.

"Run up the mountain! They're targeting me; they won't harm me. Your Highness and them need time to prepare!"

If monsters charge into the team, they won't distinguish friend from foe, crushing whoever is in their path.

Phí Sở hesitates for less than a second, understanding Thời Tinh is right, and sprints up the mountain.

"They really have monsters with innate abilities that can cut off energy. Open your barrier now!"

His voice carries mental strength, echoing through the mountainside: "All open barriers, prepare for battle! Abandon communication devices; they're useless now. Repeat, communication devices are now useless!"

Trì Diệu lets go of his communication device. Before Thời Tinh's voice reaches him, he's already ordered "all units prepare," but as Thời Tinh said, communication devices have completely failed.

Phí Sở carries Thời Tinh on his back, only now realizing the physical difference between Empire members and Lam Tinh members.

"Give me a view; I can defend." Thời Tinh says.

Phí Sở immediately lifts him onto his shoulders. Thời Tinh is surprised but finds the position stable.

"Where to?" Phí Sở asks.

"Climb the mountain. The red mist below has innate abilities blocking energy. I need to see the full picture."

"Sit tight."

The moment he finishes speaking, Thời Tinh's mental energy pierces through a monster. He barely pays attention to his turbulent mental sea, focusing solely on one thought: destroy these monsters as quickly as possible.

A monster charges up; in just two seconds, it's completely gone.

That was a direct attack. Phí Sở was mentally prepared to repel it, but the monster opens its mouth and lunges from the air... vanishing right before his eyes.

Phí Sở is momentarily stunned, his mind blank. Witnessing a monster turn from solid to nothing in an instant, he doesn't know whether to be terrified by the attack or by Thời Tinh's power.

Destroying matter and turning it back into energy... what kind of power is this?!

But Phí Sở has no time to think.

"Great job, Tinh Tinh! Hold on tight!"

As he says this, Phí Sở can only feel that either he's insane or the world has gone mad.

Maybe... both.

"Where are you guys?" Trì Diệu's voice booms, carrying mental strength.

"We're climbing the mountain; the red mist below blocks energy. Your Highness, please prepare!"

Thinking of something, he adds: "If you see a white monster like the one that attacked today, kill it no matter what. Spare no effort. I suspect that's its innate ability."

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

In this situation, all communication relies on the most primitive method—shouting.

Sensing his mental energy fluctuating abnormally, Thời Tinh shouts: "Scram!"

This shout isn't language; it's a wave of energy. It carries an unusual might, stunning the monsters for a moment before Thời Tinh drains them.

"No!" Phí Sở snaps. "You're expending too much energy. Climbing to the peak, adding five or six more monsters like this, and you'll run out!"

"Then what? I destroy their heads? Leave their bodies for them to slowly recover?"

Monsters are famously resilient; losing their heads only temporarily halts their thinking. With their bodies intact, they can regenerate.

Phí Sở is speechless, his first reaction... admiration. Thời Tinh, how can he think of this?!

Good heavens, destroying heads...

But his body reacts before his mind: "Fine, do it. Trust in yourself!"

Then, before his eyes, a bizarre scene unfolds. Countless monsters, their heads vanishing in the blink of an eye, bodies falling like rain.

After years of warfare, he dares to say this is the most shocking scene he's ever witnessed.

Too terrifying... yet also too unbelievable!

"How many more monsters to reach the peak?" Phí Sở yells as they scramble up.

"Just four or five more."

Phí Sở can't help but shout in amazement: "Damn it, how many monsters are there anyway? Weren't there only nine left?"

"We've taken down nearly nine already!"

"I can't sense the number of monsters; my energy can't spread. It's like there's a force blocking me."

Thời Tinh hears this and firmly states: "It's the red mist. Only this innate ability can block energy. To know how many monsters there are, we have to reach the peak."

All the way up, one monster after another loses its head. Phí Sở, who's never watched a horror movie, feels his heart nearly leap out of his chest. Apart from that, he... can still endure.

Thời Tinh mutters: "Can I also do this later? Use mental energy to destroy all monster heads?"

Clearly, he feels something different about himself. He can't put his finger on it, but when using his powers, he's much more agile.

Before, to destroy a monster's body, he had to drain its mental energy, absorb its core. But now, as long as he senses the mental energy flowing in their bodies, he can disintegrate that part.

Phí Sở's eyes well up with tears, and he exclaims: "Tinh Tinh, you're amazing!"

This was originally a desperate move, but it's also a way. If they can't win, maim them first, then deal with the aftermath.

Phí Sở, Thời Tinh, and Trì Diệu lead a small team, almost simultaneously reaching the peak. The moment they set foot there, everyone is stunned.

Under Diệp Tuấn's command, the escort ships immediately surround in layers, erecting barriers. But... that's no longer important.

Because the number of monsters is horrifying.

In the pitch-black night sky, dozens, even hundreds of monsters hover, coldly observing them from above.

At that moment, Phí Sở deeply feels the insignificance of humanity.

Trì Diệu pulls Thời Tinh close. Thời Tinh doesn't know when he opened his mouth, also stunned by the horrifying scene before him.

Thời Tinh confirms: "These are the distorted monsters approaching."

"There must be one with spatial abilities among them... it's opening a spatial tunnel."

Otherwise, they couldn't have arrived so quickly.

In other words, if reinforcements don't arrive in time, and they stubbornly resist, the entire team might be wiped out.

"Your Highness, Little Highness, we're here!" From the foot of the mountain, Dịch Trấn Cường's team is still shouting.

"Don't come up."

"Don't ascend!" Trì Diệu and Thời Tinh shout in unison, stopping them.

The two exchange glances. Beyond Trì Diệu's expectations, Thời Tinh speaks first: "Who's leading? Don't rush to attack. If there's anything to negotiate, bring it out."

That's a special energy wave that can transmit intent to communicate with monsters.

His words align with the wave, making not only Trì Diệu understand but also the monsters immediately comprehend.

A brown monster steps out from the ranks, standing at the front. Below the mountain, the sounds of battle still echo.

Thời Tinh coldly shouts: "Let your monsters below come up! If not, today we'd rather die together than accept any of your conditions!"

He continues: "You want a powerful Lam Tinh like me? How long have you been searching for someone like me?"

"I haven't even completed my growth stage. If I die along the way, how can you face your king?"

The moment he finishes, the brown monster indeed roars: "All retreat, gather in the sky!"

Soon after, over ten monsters take off, joining the formation in front, like drops of water merging into a waterfall.

Trì Diệu's hand unconsciously tightens, but Thời Tinh lightly scratches his palm as a signal.

Understanding, Trì Diệu relaxes.

"We advance a bit more." Thời Tinh whispers to him.

Trì Diệu nods, guiding him forward two steps.

At the same time, Thời Tinh erects a barrier. Except for the brown monster, all others are pushed back a bit, but the barrier quickly vanishes. Only a distance is maintained between the two sides. The brown monster senses it but says nothing, silently watching Thời Tinh.

He's too familiar with this feeling, identical to when "speaking" with the white monster—full of arrogance.

Diệp Tuấn, Ứng Canh, and Dịch Chấn Cường's teams reach the peak, gathering behind Trì Diệu and Thời Tinh. Looking at the dense monsters in the sky, everyone holds their breath. The number is overwhelming compared to their team.

The brown monster speaks: "That's enough. Retreat further and it'll be too far."

Thời Tinh nods: "Alright."

It doesn't descend; instead, it says directly: "057 has already told you, we want you to join us."

Thời Tinh asks: "Why me?"

The brown monster replies: "You have the ability."

"What do you want me to do?"

"You'll know when you come."

Still not saying clearly.

Thời Tinh doesn't beat around the bush or haggle like last time with the white monster; he firmly states: "Fine. But spare my teammates and give us some time to say goodbye. With so many of you, even if we resist, it's futile. If you don't release my teammates, I'd rather die fighting with them."

The brown monster thinks for a moment, as if sighing: "Humans..." Then, almost indifferently, it adds: "Fine."

Thời Tinh nods. Seeing the pack of monsters, he suddenly feels weak, leaning on Trì Diệu as they walk. Thinking that the monsters didn't understand human hearts, the previous trick worked once, maybe it'll work again.

"How many are there?" Thời Tinh asks.

Diệp Tuấn answers with a number that stuns everyone: "113."

Thời Tinh takes a deep breath. Then he says: "I just talked to Phí Sở. This is the plan: I'll use my powers to destroy their heads first. When they lose the ability to think, you all advance, chop their hearts, extract the cores, and that's it. Got it?"

Everyone who's reached the top is prepared; those who can board the warships have done so. When everything—the plan, formation, and attack signals—is arranged, Trì Diệu looks deeply into Thời Tinh's eyes and asks: "Can you break multiple heads at once?"

Thời Tinh gives a forced smile. His mental sea is abnormally active, but he decides not to tell Trì Diệu. He doesn't want him to worry.

His lips move, about to speak, but instead, he blurts out: "Otherwise, just hand me over to them..." Actually, that might be the safest way.

The moment he says that, Trì Diệu sharply slaps his forehead, gritting his teeth: "Don't talk nonsense."

Thời Tinh holds his head, crying out, then gives Trì Diệu a bitter smile. Seeing the rare seriousness in his eyes, he knows Trì Diệu has dismissed that possibility.

He takes a deep breath, the first time not making Trì Diệu angry, only obediently saying: "I'll try."

Trì Diệu is about to say more when Thời Tinh stops him: "If we die together, at least it's romantic."

That's what Trì Diệu once said. In this situation, death might be the only outcome.

The two look at each other; Trì Diệu gently shakes his head and smiles. Thời Tinh doesn't understand why he can still laugh at this moment. But because he does, Thời Tinh also smiles.

Trì Diệu says: "Alright, do it."

With so many monsters, if Thời Tinh has an accident, these four teams won't be able to leave safely. In a way, this makes sense.

Everyone boards the warships. Only Trì Diệu doesn't need to due to his innate abilities.

A few minutes later, Thời Tinh stands alone before the pack of monsters. He asks: "Do I need to board a warship?"

"No need. We've prepared flight gear for you; you won't need to carry anything."

"...Alright."

"Then how do I move?"

The brown monster glances back; a black one steps out: "Ride it. Together we'll go get your gear."

"On this planet?"

"No. But to move you short distances in space, we can still do it."

Thời Tinh's heart stirs. This means among this pack, there are many high-level variants, even some with spatial abilities to take him through short distances in space. Of course, it could also mean they'll open another spatial gate. Thinking of this, he indeed sees many white monsters among the pack.

Thời Tinh nods. The black monster is about to descend to let him ride, but he refuses, directly using Trì Diệu's innate abilities to fly. Only, as he thinks of what's about to happen, his fingers at his side tremble slightly.

As he flies to the brown monster, a loud shout echoes from behind: "Now!" Thời Tinh was prepared; he raises his hand immediately.

The pack of monsters is shocked, but it's too late. His mental sea is operating at its limit, erupting with unprecedented power. The brown monster before him shatters, and Thời Tinh realizes he only managed to disintegrate its head—the refined control needed for such precise attacks is beyond him.

But there's no time to think. Monsters charge at him from all sides; his guard snaps. Instinctively, Thời Tinh releases all his mental energy, no longer controlling how many monsters he absorbs.

He hears someone calling his name from behind, but the sound is distant and muffled.

The surging energy is like a storm, and he can't avoid it, nor is he allowed to. Behind him are his team, his people... and the person he loves.

He absolutely cannot retreat.

The moment this thought flashes, Thời Tinh's entire body erupts with another surge of mental energy. The chaotic energy clings to his mental power, rushing toward the monsters.

The front monsters all go berserk, immediately launching attacks. Mental energy condenses into a white light under innate abilities, roaring toward Thời Tinh, wanting to devour him whole.

Thời Tinh's first reaction is to erect a barrier behind him. The barrier suddenly rises, violently flinging everyone down the mountain, as no one expected it and the force and speed were too great.

"Thời Tinh!" Trì Diệu's roar echoes, carrying more than just anger—pain, too.

But Thời Tinh no longer hears. In his eyes, everything in the energy-filled space is distorted and warped, and all scenes seem to slow down, just like when he died before.

The mental energy surges like a tide, white and dazzling, slamming into his mental sea. Too much, so much that Thời Tinh is shaken like a wave, his head tilting back.

Is this the end? But... he hasn't even completed his growth stage.

He still hasn't lived his life to the fullest.

In the palace, the lam cakes and shrimp he likes are already prepared by the court officials, waiting for his return.

His teammates still need him as a shield; he can't fall.

More importantly... the person he loves is still waiting.

Your Highness...

Your Highness.

In his subconscious, he softly calls out, but a gentle female voice echoes from somewhere. It's the voice from his dreams—the priestess of Lam Tinh.

- "I have nothing to give you, so I'll give you one sentence."

- "No matter what, never fear your own strength."

That strength... can it go further? He needs to become stronger.

The moment this thought flashes, Thời Tinh realizes there's still something blocking in his mental sea, and it seems he can control it. The chaotic energy is clinging too tightly, but he can restrain it.

Following his will, the chaotic part contracts inward, not daring to spill out.

Thời Tinh realizes he can control the mist at the edge of his mental sea—a direction of control he's never considered or tried before.

The moment he retracts the mist, a power surges from his body, uncontrollable. So the mist was restraining the chaos!

All these thoughts, regrets, and the surge of chaotic energy explode at once. The moment he's struck by the monster's mental energy, his body tilts forward.

The next moment, his body sees all attacks directed at his expanded mental sea dissipate, turning into nothing.

Any monster touched by mental energy melts like snow in the sun, turning into energy particles, surging back to him.

Trì Diệu is pulling Phí Sở up when he witnesses this scene.

Over a hundred monsters, like candles melting in a fire, vanish simultaneously, no matter their distance from Thời Tinh.

Trì Diệu instinctively wants to rush forward, but Phí Sở holds him back: "Don't go there!"

In that instant, the pack of monsters, like sand blown away by wind, completely disappears, leaving no trace.

Energy surges in the sky and earth, familiar yet strange. Familiar because Thời Tinh has done it before. Strange because now all energy is pouring toward him, forming a massive energy field with a scale and level never seen before.

No one can approach. Just keeping themselves from being blown away requires all their strength.

The energy swirls, sand and rocks flying; everyone immediately raises their barriers. Phí Sở is no exception.

In the space twisted by the energy field, they can only vaguely see Thời Tinh's figure—right in the center of the storm.

In Thời Tinh's eyes, all the white energy condenses into his body. He knows he can't absorb all of it.

But he can't control it anymore.

Like a runaway carriage, he's completely out of control, only able to open his eyes wide and watch the process unfold.

The moment before all energy converges, Thời Tinh looks back; Phí Sở is holding Trì Diệu back, and he feels a bit at ease.

The next moment, the white light engulfs his body.

Thời Tinh looks at his hand; it starts to crack and disintegrate from the fingertips. Soon, his entire body will be like this.

Thinking that, he closes his eyes, not wanting to see.

But there's no pain. Instead, someone gently pats his back.

"You've finally arrived. To us, it's just a blink of an eye, but to you, it must have been a long time, right?"

Thời Tinh freezes, opening his eyes to see the Lam Tinh priestess from his dreams—the beautiful woman.

He's stunned...

As if reading his thoughts, the priestess smiles gently: "Don't worry, this isn't a dream; it's real."

"Except your body can't follow the laws of time, especially with such high-level rules. So even though you've passed this stage, you can only exist as an energy body in this time."

Thời Tinh looks at his hand. Yes, this is the perspective of Trì Diệu's innate abilities.

"Priestess!"

The child in the dream hugs the priestess's leg, calling out.

Thời Tinh looks down, finally seeing clearly this time. He finally understands why he was so shocked in his dreams before.

That child... is also an energy body.

Thời Tinh looks up again, and the scene before him is identical to what he saw in his unreal dreams.

So the hazy air color in his dreams is actually these energy currents.

As he thinks this, the priestess smiles again, her voice carrying a hint of warmth: "You've grown so much."

Thời Tinh doesn't speak, his mind in chaos. He wants to ask so many things, but all he can say is: "Can I go back?"

The priestess nods gently: "Yes, but not now. When your body recovers, you can go back."

"Then..." Thời Tinh looks at the child beside her, then at her, and finally at the empty sky where the monsters were. "What about them?"

The priestess's expression turns serious. "They're still there, waiting for you to grow stronger."

Thời Tinh takes a deep breath, feeling a surge of determination. "I will grow stronger. I promise."

The priestess smiles, her eyes shining with pride. "That's my student."

In the distance, the energy field begins to stabilize. Thời Tinh knows his time here is limited. He must return soon.

As the priestess fades, Thời Tinh feels a pull, like an invisible thread reeling him back. He closes his eyes, feeling the familiar energy—Trì Diệu's innate abilities, wrapping around him.

When he opens his eyes, he's back in the cave, lying in the sleeping bag. Trì Diệu is still sitting beside him, watching over him.

"You're back." Trì Diệu's voice is hoarse, his eyes red-rimmed.

Thời Tinh sits up, his body feeling heavy. He looks at his hands—they're solid again. The energy field, the monsters, everything seems like a dream.

"How long was I gone?" he asks, his voice trembling.

Trì Diệu doesn't answer. Instead, he pulls Thời Tinh into a tight hug, his voice muffled: "Don't scare me like that again."

Thời Tinh hugs him back, feeling the warmth and strength in his arms. He knows he's safe now.

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Thời Tinh closes his eyes, feeling the steady beat of Trì Diệu's heart. For the first time in a long time, he feels truly at peace.