The crimson world resembled a bloody nightmare. Lin Xian stared at the hellish scene before him, rooted to the spot as boundless fear and sorrow rampaged through his heart without him even realizing it.

In the hellscape before his eyes, he felt incapable of mustering any strength to resist or struggle. His spine tingled with numbness, and the images he saw were all of himself being torn into bloody fragments, dying in agony. He witnessed his teammates around him struggling, screaming in despair as they sacrificed themselves...

"Stop looking!"

A voice like a mighty bell instantly crashed into Lin Xian's rapidly crumbling reason. He only felt an icy arm pull him away from the blazing crimson hell within his line of sight, and he nearly suffocated.

Gasp!

Lin Xian took a sharp, deep breath as he recovered, his face deathly pale. He stood shocked in place, looking at Chu Yan before him. "Dark infestation?!"

"Worse than that." Chu Yan turned toward the window, raising her hand to seal all the gaps along the window frame with nano-spray particles. Immediately, the chilling feeling in the room diminished significantly.

"After the Star Abyss disturbances began, dark tides started accompanying the crimson, causing affected areas to enter the Polar Night zone faster than before. In other words, the efficiency of the Star Abyss's expansion has increased."

Chu Yan explained to Lin Xian, "Moreover, this crimson coverage turns areas into absolute death zones, spawning abnormal creatures never detected before—not S-level, not human horrors. Anyone exposed to this environment will see their SAN values plummet rapidly, accompanied by physical cancerous mutations. In as little as 20 minutes, your immune system completely collapses. Even with a dark energy resonance device, you can't block it."

Lin Xian frowned immediately upon hearing this. "When did this crimson appear?"

"Three days ago, the same night we lost contact with you. The Star Abyss began large-scale disturbances, and the crimson descended. Now the Skybreaker Ship and the evacuation forces from Dawn Center are trapped at the Qionggu Strait, that is, the Gulf of Alaska, with heavy casualties. The commander has already ordered Dawn City to evacuate. Dawn Center will move at maximum mobility after daybreak. Our North American Joint Front, along with the Interstellar Military and Night Stalkers, have initiated radiation search and rescue plans to assist rescue teams everywhere in regrouping as quickly as possible."

Chu Yan looked at Lin Xian with a serious expression. "The deterrence balance has failed. All of humanity is fleeing to the poles to build defenses!"

Lin Xian fell silent, his eyes flickering. He didn't understand. The dark civilization had withdrawn from the Star Abyss, assassinated the Sword Bearer, and Hua Xiaoling had made contact—all these actions made them think deterrence existed, or existed on some level. But now the Star Abyss had suddenly begun accelerating its invasion. What exactly had happened in between?

"So how much time do we have left?" Lin Xian asked quietly.

"The timing is uncertain. The crimson's spread frequency follows the dark tides, but its reach and frequency vary. If we go by the Polar Night's expansion speed, we have over a year. But the dark tides cover all areas outside the polar daylight every day, so theoretically..."

"Just one night?"

"Yes."

Lin Xian's gaze sharpened, and he looked toward the window again. "Are you in danger?"

Chu Yan also turned toward the window. "Interestingly, buildings provide physical blocking effects against this crimson. So if you stay inside buildings or vehicles, the impact is less than 5% of being outside. That counts as good news, provided you're not targeted by the monsters within the crimson. Those things don't seem affected by dark marks."

Lin Xian frowned upon hearing this and said immediately, "But if this area gets swallowed by the crimson, the only option is to find a way to leave quickly. That means humanity's range of activity is completely stripped away?"

"Correct."

"Damn it!" Chu Yan cursed under her breath. "That's just like the nuclear winter with radioactive dust."

"Pretty much. Our research team is thinking along those lines too."

"When can you return to the Phoenix Society?" Chu Yan asked Lin Xian. "I want to talk with Professor Ye."

Lin Xian looked at Chu Yan, his eyes flickering, then said, "Two days at the earliest, provided I don't die here tonight."

"What about your team members?"

"Two blocks away. Can't contact them. Don't know if they're alive or dead."

"Signal jamming?"

"Completely nonexistent. We can only wait until after the dark night ends, then assemble at the predetermined rendezvous point and leave this area. With both the dark night and crimson present, there's currently no chance of survival." Lin Xian asked, "What about your side? What exactly happened?"

Lin Xian took a deep breath and, under the dim glow of the cold light, recounted everything about Haiyan Island and the situation all the way to Hawaii Island to Chu Yan. He also discussed his conversations with Hua Xiaoling and the theories proposed by Ding Junyi.

Perhaps because Chu Yan's spiritual consciousness was affected by the crimson zone, even Lin Xian could empathically feel a suffocating chill. When Lin Xian finished speaking, he noticed Chu Yan didn't seem particularly surprised by Ding Junyi's speculation about enemies and allies sharing the same origin. He immediately realized that Ye Lan and others in the Phoenix Society must have already discussed this aspect. After all, the Phoenix Society's research on crystal lattices was quite advanced, and combined with the original Angel Project data, it wasn't strange at all that their researchers would have deeper discoveries.

Instead, after Lin Xian mentioned Hua Xiaoling, Chu Yan suddenly said, "Did she invite you to join the Foundation?"

"No, why do you ask?" Lin Xian inquired.

Chu Yan pressed a device on her arm, and a projection gun slowly rose up, then used a holographic screen to project onto the air in front of them.

The screen continuously scrolled through profiles and identity information. Lin Xian's expression immediately turned serious upon seeing it.

"Cheng Yu, Gender: Female, Phoenix Society High-Energy Physics Research Institute Scientist, Background: Former core member of CERN, led the dark matter detection project 'Project Night Owl.' After joining the Phoenix Society, responsible for analyzing Star Abyss material properties, successfully developed the first-generation dark energy shielding coating. Missing since Doomsday, August 21st."

"Mike Shaw, Gender: Male, North American Southeastern Front Commander/Phoenix Society Mech Support Force Advisor. Commanded the 'Raging Waves Defense Line' for 72 hours against the first large-scale abnormal tide after Doomsday, buying crucial time for the North American Joint Front's evacuation. Defected with a 40,000-strong unit to join the Sanctum organization on Doomsday, July 19th."

"Su Lin, Gender: Female, Former Federation Ethics Committee Chair/Social Philosopher, Founder of Post-Doom Ethical School after Doomsday. Her work 'Humanity's Anchor Points in a Dying Civilization' laid the foundation for ability user human rights legislation. Presided over the creation of the 'Wartime Ethical Convention for Ability Users,' advocated for banning ability user human experimentation tragedies within the Federation, called 'Socrates of the Dark Age' by civilians. Taken away by a mysterious unit on September 3rd, later confirmed to have joined the Foundation organization."

"Du, Gender: Male, Ashen Serpent Motorcade Leader, European Transcendent-class ability user, motorcade population 5,300. Entire motorcade missing since August 13th..."

Lin Xian watched the scrolling profiles, his expression growing increasingly grave. These people were clearly not ordinary individuals;

among them were senior scientists, philosophers, military commanders, high-level ability users, leaders of large motorcades or organizations, and even many important personnel from within the Phoenix Society organization. The reason these people were recorded here was almost uniformly the same.

Defection!

Or perhaps it shouldn't be called defection, but rather these people had all chosen the Sanctum's side.

"What happened to these people? How could they suddenly, when everything was fine..."

"Brainwashing."

Chu Yan looked at Lin Xian. "The Night Stalkers Unit 1 of the North American Joint Front and Phoenix Society, responsible for protecting high-value personnel, are both investigating this situation. It's concentrated within the last two months. From these individuals' movement patterns, we've discovered many hidden Sanctum sleeper agents within the Phoenix Society. Some people were directly approached too."

Lin Xian frowned. "Such direct subversion—didn't you take preventive measures?"

"You're thinking too simply." Chu Yan shook her head and sighed. "From our investigations, some of these people participated in certain forum exchanges among survivors, some obtained special materials, others experienced changes during scientific research, and some merely played a particular game. These are all simple individual actions, but the outcome is the same."

"Playing a game? What game?"

"That's not really a game;

at best, it's an AR experience game. Our people recently came into contact with it too and are studying it. They found it wasn't developed by humans;

it's more like a... Forbidden Artifact." Chu Yan said.

Lin Xian's brow furrowed. "Civilization preview..."

"It seems what Hua Xiaoling gave you is the same." Chu Yan remarked.

Lin Xian shook his head in confusion. "But I don't understand. Is it that easy to subvert these people? I've encountered quite a few before, including Julius we faced, and Chen Yanxiu from Sacred Revelation spouted some nonsense about a 'great unification' theory to me too. These Sanctum methods seem utterly unattractive to me, except for those scared witless by the apocalypse using them as an ostrich hole. How could they subvert so many people, and all elites?"

"Perhaps... the answer lies within what Hua Xiaoling gave you." Chu Yan looked seriously at Lin Xian. "Right now, the human camp is jittery. Many don't know what's happening. The Sanctum is definitely conducting some operation. Many of our departments are analyzing the obtained materials, and some who were passively contacted by the Sanctum have reported upward—they all heard that 'great unification' theory. Many have been influenced. Professor Ye has the Night Stalkers department studying this game, but now with the crimson descent plus this internal collapse crisis..."

"Some people worry the human camp is about to disintegrate?"

"Defection isn't just about losing people." Chu Yan said. "Ordinary people are one thing, but these individuals are leaders, wise minds, and strong fighters within the current human camp. Their departure makes everyone ponder one question: what is the truth? What did the Sanctum see? Do they truly possess methods to save the world or prevent human civilization's extinction? If they've really made contact with the dark civilization, more people will become restless."

Lin Xian said, "Especially the capitulationists, the peace factions?"

"Right."

Lin Xian pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Hua Xiaoling told me that thing can help understand the truth about the dark civilization. Perhaps the answer really is inside. I'll study it carefully these next few days, see what kind of bewitching potion these Sanctum folks are brewing."

"You won't be affected?"

"Do you think I would be?" Lin Xian said meaningfully. "Don't you know me well? You know all the secrets of my Mechanical Heart."

Chu Yan's eyes flickered slightly, then she averted her gaze. "But I don't know Hua Xiaoling. I don't know what they're conveying to the public."

She looked up at the profile of the woman named Cheng Yu. "She was once Professor Ye's student, a staunch materialist. Her family was killed by Red Human Ghosts, including her 12-year-old son. I met her a few times;

she was either in the research lab or the Night Stalkers' database every day. Her team researched how to resist the dark infestation almost recklessly. Although she wasn't talkative, I could see determination and conviction in her eyes. But such a person unexpectedly joined the Foundation without any warning—the Foundation that supported the Crimson World in creating Red Human Ghosts. In my eyes, that's more terrifying than an S-level abnormal entity."

After speaking, Chu Yan fell silent for a while. Lin Xian looked at her, then said, "Look on the bright side."

"What?"

Lin Xian said, "The dark civilization needs the Sanctum to help it with 'subversion.' From a certain perspective, that also means the dark civilization doesn't have the ability to directly destroy or take over Blue Star. Or perhaps they want to be more cautious. Whatever the purpose, this is actually good news, right?"

Chu Yan slightly furrowed her brows, then she saw Lin Xian stand up, wearing a calm smile.

"If someone wants to step on ants or destroy an ant nest, they wouldn't bother with division, support, and subversion tactics, right?"

Chu Yan paused upon hearing this. Lin Xian's smile seemed to suddenly strike a chord within her. The gloom in her eyes lessened slightly, and she looked at Lin Xian with a slight upturn of her lips. "Now that the crimson has descended and the world is about to be destroyed, you still see it this way?"

Lin Xian raised a finger to interrupt, speaking seriously. "The crimson descending is one thing;

the world ending is another. The two aren't causally related. Blue Star has existed for billions of years—what hasn't it seen? It's just about how we humans save ourselves. We haven't reached the end of the road yet."

Chu Yan looked at him. "What do you plan to do?"

"I'll head to South America immediately to rendezvous with Dawn Center. I obtained a Forbidden Artifact here, said to enable Star Abyss walking. Maybe I can try it within the crimson, take a good look at what this world-ending crimson is all about. My Director Ding has a habit I really like—she says take life and death lightly, and even the most terrifying dreams can be explained by science. We haven't reached the point of being dimensionally reduced yet."

Chu Yan nodded, looking at Lin Xian. "Then be careful. If there are problems..."

"I'll contact you anytime." Lin Xian looked around the house under the gloomy cold light;

a chilling aura of death made him shiver involuntarily. He then said to Chu Yan, "My current situation seems much better than yours. You're the one who needs to be careful about safety. You can contact me through Grace anytime;

no need to wait for my mental link with you."

"Oh, one more thing." Before leaving, Lin Xian suddenly said to Chu Yan, "The Southern Celestial Gate should be used when needed. The darkness has already played its card;

we must also..."

"Respond in kind."