The atmosphere in the living room was oppressive, with everyone's eyes occasionally glancing at Pei Yan, who was lying flat on the sofa and asleep, while Pei Jin, Xia Yu, and others who came out of the bedroom covered him and the similarly unconscious Elder Lin with blankets.

"Gu Chu, what do we do next?" asked Jiang Feiyang, who was responsible for the lookout by the window, as he looked at the Demon Race outside, who seemed to have sensed the tense atmosphere here and were nervously spying.

"Stay calm and wait a little longer. There's something peculiar going on here. Once Pei Yan and Elder Lin wake up, we'll figure out the truth and then make a plan." Gu Shenghui rubbed his faintly aching forehead and murmured, "Even if we want to hold someone accountable, we must be fully prepared. If they're really behind it and we're careless in the enemy's territory, we could be doomed. Be cautious!"

Under Gu Shenghui's orders and reassurance, the group's restless and angry emotions were once again alleviated. Time quietly passed while everyone waited with anxiety and unease. During this period, the Demon Race had sent people to inquire if there were any abnormalities or need for assistance, but they were sternly rejected by Wang Wenze, who was responsible for the lookout. The Demon Race soldiers, bewildered by the cold attitude of the previously friendly Investigation Department agents, reported the situation back.

Half a day later, Elder Lin, having mostly recovered his strength, slowly woke up, and a day later, Pei Yan, lying in bed, opened his confused eyes.

Watching Pei Yan sitting at the dining table, receiving a mechanical doppelganger's massage for his splitting headache while sipping thin porridge, everyone forgot their grievances against the Demon Race for a moment, as their eyes fell on his right eye.

Noticing everyone's gaze, Pei Yan, whose body was still sore, looked up in confusion and asked, "What are you looking at?"

"Do you feel any abnormality in your body?" Zhao Yuanhu asked as he took a dressing mirror from his storage ring and handed it over.

"How could there be none?! The meridians in my body are so swollen it hurts, as if my body is about to fall apart." As he spoke, Pei Yan took the mirror from Zhao Yuanhu and, upon seeing his face, immediately frowned, finally understanding what everyone was curious about.

In the mirror, his previously normal right eye now displayed a bizarre pattern. The white of the eye was split down the middle, black on the left and white on the right, while his pupil resembled a Tai Chi Map. However, unlike the usual black and white Tai Chi Map, its yin-yang eyes were red and blue, emitting an enchanting glow. As his gaze shifted, the Tai Chi Map slowly began to rotate.

"Did you not notice any problems with your eye? Your vision isn't impaired?" Pei Jin sat by the dazed Pei Yan, cautiously pressed his right eye, and inquired with concern.

Pei Yan shook his head, handed the mirror back, rubbed his eyes, and tried to calm down. After a moment, he looked at Gu Shenghui and asked, "Have the Demon Race shown any reaction in the past two days?"

"Yes, but it's been a normal reaction. They're uneasy about our sudden heightened alert level. Tell us what happened back then!" Gu Shenghui realized Pei Yan didn't want to explain his physical issues in detail and didn't press further, asking instead.

Pei Yan scooped up porridge with a spoon while explaining, "The last fragment had issues. Someone tampered with it. At the most crucial moment of absorption, it erupted with energy it shouldn't have had, shattering the balance in my body and nearly costing me my life."

If Pei Yan had been alone this time without Elder Lin and others' assistance, he might have immediately died on the spot, his body completely handed over to Lin Junzhao. Thinking about his exhausted state at that moment and being caught off guard into unconsciousness, anger welled up in Pei Yan's heart. But upon further thought, he forcibly suppressed this anger.

Noticing the changes in Pei Yan's expression, Gu Shenghui understood his thoughts and continued to ask, "What do you think about this matter?"

"I can't figure it out. I really can't understand why they targeted me. Even if it was to abandon me after crossing the river, you would do it after the task was complete, right? Now is the most crucial time for cooperation. I really can't see the point in them targeting me." Pei Yan drank the last of his porridge and licked his lips, puzzled.

"Could it be an accident? Maybe the thing was just defective?" Wang Wenze raised an eyebrow and speculated upon hearing this.

While tearing bread from the plate and stuffing it into his mouth, Pei Yan replied, "Unlikely. Others might not compare to the rest of you here, but when it comes to absorbing source fragments, I believe no one here is more experienced than me. This thing was clearly tampered with and done very subtly. Even the person inside me was fooled without careful examination. The timing of the burst was perfect, just when I relaxed after almost completing the fragment's energy absorption. It left me defenseless! If it was a flaw in the source fragment, how could it be so coincidental?"

"How is that esteemed one's condition!" Su Xiang, who had been silent and detached due to his origins from Divine Desire, suddenly asked after arriving here.

Pei Yan glanced at Su Xiang warily. He was quite wary yet helpless against him due to Lin Junzhao's influence, so he responded blandly, "Your esteemed one is fine, thank you for the concern."

At this moment, the voice of Lin Junzhao suddenly echoed in Pei Yan's mind. Moments later, his face darkened, and reluctantly, he added, "She said that once this matter is resolved, she'll have a talk with you alone. She won't forget your loyalty!"

Upon hearing this, Su Xiang's face lit up, and he discreetly withdrew as everyone else gave him harsh looks and said nothing more. Seeing the two finish their conversation, Mei Simiao chimed in, "Regardless, this matter needs to be clarified! Old Gu, what's your view?"

"Invite them over, and let's see if they dare to come. If they dare, we'll confront the issue directly and decide based on their reactions!"

"Wait!" Pei Yan suddenly interrupted.

"What? Is there a problem?" Xie Chujun was quite displeased with Pei Yan's interruption of superior orders.

"If it really was them, it would surely lead to a fierce battle. I think we should delay the invitation by half a day, allowing me to fully grasp my new abilities and absorb the equipment Engineer Li gave me first."

Upon hearing this, Gu Shenghui and others exchanged glances and nodded, "That's also alright. Elder Lin needs some time to fully recover." Gu Shenghui glanced outside, then turned back and looked around silently, "Set the invitation for tomorrow morning. Everyone rest well tonight and be combat-ready!"

"Yes!"

After a unanimous reply, everyone in the room went back to making preparations, while Pei Yan, under his sister's watchful eyes, slowly finished the patient's meal prepared for him. Feeling content, he stretched and headed downstairs to the basement.