At 2:35 PM, Haiyan Island was completely shrouded under dark clouds. A violent storm raged as towering waves crashed around the island's perimeter. The air carried an unfamiliar metallic scent of blood, making it feel like they were no longer in the world of the living.

A black suspended train tore through the fierce winds before landing with a deafening roar on the abandoned military base's outer rail tracks, sparks flying as dust billowed into the air.

"That was close."

Chen Sixuan stared at the fluctuating radar readings with lingering fear. "Something in the ocean was definitely tracking us just now. Fortunately... we managed to clear the marker in time."

"This place no longer distinguishes between day and night," Lin Xian said. "Those things can appear anytime. And they're too densely packed - one misstep and we'll face more than just a monster swarm hunting us."

The rusted blast doors of the military bunker creaked open as the Infinite train slowly entered the submarine base through the old supply tunnel. The engine's roar disturbed years of accumulated dust, sending echoes reverberating through the massive cavern.

"Are we spending the night on this island?"

Monica entered the cockpit from behind, looking at Lin Xian. "After knowing you for so long, this is the first time I've seen you so uncertain."

Lin Xian shook his head. "We've entered a hunting ground for abnormal entities, with a world-class lurker among them. I genuinely don't have a better plan to get everyone out safely right now."

"Perhaps you're just too tense." Monica's gaze drifted from Chen Sixuan to the tracks ahead as the train retreated deeper into the mountain. "Even if the volcano erupts or a tsunami hits, it's just another inescapable crisis for us. Since Doomsday began, we've been living on the edge of life and death. How is now any different from before?"

Ding Junyi, who had been listening, relaxed her furrowed brow and chimed in: "I agree. When we reach the mountain, there will be a path forward. We've survived countless desperate situations - I believe we'll make it through tonight too."

Lin Xian nodded silently before letting out a faint smile.

"That's a good mindset. Alright then—"

He summoned Viola, who quickly made her way through the train cars to the cockpit. Lin Xian began issuing orders: "Viola, I need you to take control of all drones and Falcon Sea Group's equipment to establish defensive lines at Haiyan Prison. Also, have Laine's people retreat underground immediately."

Ding Junyi looked at him. "You're relying entirely on robots for defense?"

"Correct." Lin Xian's response was decisive. "But the priority isn't defense - it's targeted cleansing."

Lin Xian studied Viola as he analyzed: "With so many abnormal entities surrounding the island, human resistance would be meaningless. Anyone marked would just become a trigger. So Viola's mission is to ensure no wandering monsters breach the underground base. If necessary..."

Lin Xian's gaze turned cold. "Blow up the passage connecting Haiyan Prison to this base and bury us alive down there!"

Viola tilted her head slightly before responding: [I have understood your deployment requirements. Initiating arrangements immediately.]

She turned and left without hesitation.

"That's not bad," Monica remarked. "We might actually get a peaceful night for once."

BOOM!

As soon as she spoke, violent tremors suddenly rocked the train. Dust rained from the ceiling of the old supply tunnel as lights flickered erratically. A deafening shockwave reverberated through the Infinite train's interior.

"Earthquake?!"

"Likely Mount Garland." Lin Xian frowned deeply. The quake lasted about thirty seconds without causing major damage, but its intensity and duration had clearly increased from previous occurrences - an ominous sign.

"Seems that undersea volcano is on the verge of eruption." Ding Junyi looked at Lin Xian. "Didn't you say this place is also situated on a volcanic vent?"

"Yes."

Lin Xian nodded. "Just a geothermal well, but it's probably connected to Mount Garland along the same mid-ocean ridge volcanic chain."

As the dust in the tunnel gradually settled, Lin Xian took a deep breath and continued piloting the Infinite train deeper through the passage. They soon reached the radiation-marked doors at the end of the tunnel. When Lin Xian used his mechanical supernatural power to remotely activate the doors, a blast of scorching heat erupted forth, instantly vaporizing all moisture on the train's surface.

"This place is boiling too!"

Lin Xian's expression darkened as he guided the train through the opening. The light ahead gradually turned crimson as the tracks wound along the edge of the massive Deep-3 geothermal nuclear device's heat well. Through the windows, they could see the enormous shaft above glowing with molten light that illuminated the entire geothermal well. Even before disembarking, Lin Xian and the others could feel the intense heat radiating from it.

"Increased activity means that drill and emplacement device will shut down or even be destroyed once they reach their tolerance limits," Lin Xian explained. "When that happens, all thermal sources around Haiyan Island's surrounding waters will disappear. That's the real problem."

"So you're certain that thing will attack Mount Garland, causing a dormant volcano to reactivate?" Monica asked.

Lin Xian sighed. "Frankly, I don't care whether Mount Garland's abnormal activity is related to the Foundation's nonsensical experiments."

The Infinite train entered the nuclear submarine base's loading platform. After parking, Lin Xian turned to walk toward the rear cars while telling Monica: "But one thing is certain - with that device operational, we're the fishermen. Without it, we become the bait sitting atop nature's fishing hook. At that point, even without Dark Marks, we won't escape."

Lin Xian made his way through several cars until reaching Car 3, where he expected to find Ding Junyi. Instead, he located her in Car 4, busily working near several tomato seedlings. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed the small flower atop Ding Junyi's head gently swaying while emitting a faint supernatural glow.

Curious, Lin Xian moved closer—then froze. The tomato plants before Ding Junyi had sprouted numerous pale green vine-like tendrils that were rapidly climbing and entwining at visible speeds. Under Ding Junyi's control, the vine tips suddenly developed razor-sharp blood-red thorns. The vines moved like human hands, swiftly transforming and growing until they completely covered the cultivation pod's walls, blocking out all light.

"Your plant-based abilities have progressed this far?" Lin Xian finally spoke.

"What you see is just a small portion." Ding Junyi had noticed Lin Xian's arrival but seemed grateful he hadn't interrupted. As the vines completed their circuit, they suddenly began withering and retracting, releasing streams of pale green mist. Ding Junyi raised her palm, conjuring an ink-green sprout that rapidly absorbed the mist.

Lin Xian watched in amazement—then was completely caught off guard when Ding Junyi turned and blew the pale green mist directly into his face. A minty coolness washed over him before his vision blurred and ears rang. Ding Junyi's beautiful features multiplied before his eyes.

He shook his head, regaining clarity after a few seconds. Bewildered, Lin Xian stared at Ding Junyi. "What...?"

"Solanaceae plants can produce tropane alkaloids that cause stimulant hallucinations, mental confusion, and distorted time-space perception," Ding Junyi explained calmly. "Historically used for anesthetics, though overdoses can induce coma or death."

She met Lin Xian's gaze steadily. "Recently I've been studying abnormal entities' evolution. Their biological force fields don't resemble supernatural abilities—more like evolutionary programming encoded into DNA. As if... they inherently possess them. Yet we know ordinary abnormal entities aren't true organisms, but manufactured living tools."

Lin Xian frowned slightly. "What's the connection?"

"Doesn't it strike you as odd?" Ding Junyi continued. "Back in Xilan City, only that S-level possessed such biological force fields. Yet now even the most common abnormal entities have them. What caused this rapid advancement?"

"I thought the monsters were just evolving?"

Ding Junyi shook her head. "We've observed dark creatures evolving and adapting, but there's a misconception. Snow demons and snow fiends thrive in snowy conditions;

split-tailed horrors and Red Bones operate during Haiyan Island's daylight—but we've never seen fog spiders active in daylight or dragonflies in snow. Do you see my point?"

Lin Xian frowned, falling into deep thought at Ding Junyi's words—so much so that he forgot his original purpose for seeking her out.

When he remained silent, Ding Junyi stated directly: "My theory is this evolution occurs upstream, not downstream. Meaning whatever intelligent entity manufactures abnormal entities—or higher beings of the dark civilization—are continuously learning, evolving, and repairing. Then through some DNA programming method, they impart this evolutionary capability to newly created abnormal entities. Ordinary abnormal entities inherently lack such mechanisms."

Lin Xian blinked in surprise. "I follow. But how does this relate to that... what was it?"

"Tropane alkaloids."

"Right."

"My point is the dark civilization may be completely different from what we imagine. These abnormal entities we see might resemble our mechs and drones—[equipment] manufactured using carbon-based biological tissue from humans and Blue Star organisms. [Flesh-armor] for war and colonization. Viewed this way, A-level or S-level entities could all be this. Because I believe entities wielding such advanced civilization's power should possess intelligent forms—not those Cthulhu-esque monsters."

"Second, applying this understanding, I've combined my biology knowledge to explore how Blue Star's ecosystem's plant and animal genetics can expand my plant-based supernatural abilities. Though... the first point is key. The second just means I've grown stronger. In critical situations, I can now control battlefield conditions—which should help you."

Lin Xian was stunned by her first point. The Phoenix Society had entertained similar theories, but likening abnormal entities to [mech equipment] was novel and startling. Her second point also surprised him—plant abilities could be used this way?

"Releasing plant properties to incapacitate enemies?"

"Much more. If you want to understand, I can start with plant taxonomy classifications."

"No need." Lin Xian broke into a sweat—that could take forever. But he grasped her meaning: she'd developed numerous plant ability applications.

Ding Junyi pocketed her hands, regarding Lin Xian calmly. "Essentially, I wanted your recognition of my recent work."

"Highly recognized!"

"Thank you." Ding Junyi smiled slightly.

Lin Xian wiped his brow. "Professor Chen mentioned your blood vine showed changes?"

Ding Junyi nodded. "Through supernatural contact, I've found this disaster plant differs markedly from others—likely due to its traits. This blood vine possesses near-limitless proliferation capabilities."

Lin Xian looked baffled. "Infinite proliferation? What's the use?"

"Strictly speaking," Ding Junyi said impassively, "not much."

Lin Xian: "..."

Ding Junyi led him to Car 3, opening the blood vine's cultivation pod—significantly larger than those housing the Silver Dragon Ten Thousand Mistakes and Hell Black Vegetables, kept separately.

The blood vine's crimson thorns glinted with an unnatural metallic sheen. Most eerily, when Ding Junyi removed the light shield, the vine began subtly writhing like a living creature—a far cry from when Lin Xian first retrieved it from White City. The sight made his scalp prickle.

Noticing his reaction, Ding Junyi touched the pod's surface. "Infinite proliferation means this plant can surpass cellular limits to grow boundlessly. My division tests show no boundaries to its expansion."

Before she finished speaking, the vine rapidly extended tendrils toward her finger before swelling violently under her control—from finger-width to bowl-thickness. Its thorns multiplied and lengthened until faint force field arcs crackled along its surface!

Lin Xian was floored. "You're saying this thing could grow larger than a skyscraper?"

Ding Junyi nodded. "Yes."

"Still useless?" Lin Xian countered. "If edible, wouldn't it provide infinite starch?"

Ding Junyi paused, then conceded: "Well, I hoped for traits like Silver Dragon Ten Thousand Mistakes that could shift battle outcomes."

"Simple solution." Lin Xian looked at her directly. "Use the blood vine as your weapon while researching it. Wouldn't that make it useful?"

Ding Junyi's eyes lifted as she considered this for two full seconds before pocketing her hands again. "That's good. I'll seriously consider it."

Lin Xian exhaled—at least some good news. He prepared to discuss his plans when Ding Junyi suddenly said:

"Actually, the blood vine's infinite proliferation revealed something new. Its growth isn't biologically or genetically based, but something else. This raises a radical question about all disaster plants' and Forbidden Artifacts' power sources..."

Lin Xian felt a headache coming. "Go on."

Unaware of his impatience, Ding Junyi continued calmly: "Experiments suggest the blood vine's proliferation might operate across time or spatial dimensions beyond our direct interaction. If correct, this means... this plant"

"Exists beyond three dimensions!"