CHAPTER 389: THE SOUL-EATING MOUND FULL OF HOLES

Chapter 389: The Soul Devouring Tomb Leaking Like a Sieve

Within the Reincarnation Graveyard managed by Jiang Ye's Administrator 4444 clone, there was also a mist-shrouded area enveloped in fog.

Originally, he had planned to take the risk and explore it directly...

But now that he knew about the existence of the Mist Train, he decided to wait and see if he could obtain the Mist Train before entering to explore.

However, according to Salvation's explanation, the Mist Train couldn't actually leave the mist—it could only be accessed using Teleportation Stones.

Therefore, Jiang Ye's idea of using the Mist Train to explore the mist within the Reincarnation Graveyard became somewhat unrealistic.

He planned to dispatch a group of clones to explore that mist area alone...

While also hoping to find Crow Eggs within that mist.

If he could hatch a little crow, that would be even better.

However...

Jiang Ye had thought that when Salvation heard the term "Crow Eggs," his expression would show some reaction.

But the face of Xing Xiu on the light screen showed almost no emotional fluctuation.

He directly shook his head and said: "That's an egg destined never to hatch... though it's not completely dead either. Strictly speaking, it counts as an offering I presented to the Moon Phase Clock."

As Salvation was about to advise Jiang Ye not to set his sights on that Crow Egg since it was meaningless, before he could speak, he heard Jiang Ye ask again:

"If it's an offering to the Moon Phase Clock, why would it be placed on the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】?"

With just this one sentence, Salvation was momentarily stunned: "How do you know that?"

But he quickly realized: "It must be that the image data from that time wasn't properly handled, allowing you to notice clues, right?"

Jiang Ye nodded and asked again: "So the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 where the Crow Egg is placed sustains the Moon Phase Clock?"

"Where exactly is the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 located? If someone takes the Crow Egg from it, would that accelerate the arrival of the Ninth Day?"

Salvation looked at him and nodded seriously: "Most likely, yes."

"So, if you don't want the Ninth Day to arrive immediately, you'd better not casually touch that Crow Egg."

"As for where the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 is... actually, I don't know either. However, I and several apartment bosses collectively control some 'passages' that can lead to the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】." ȑ₳ＮŏΒÈ𝘴

"The first passage is in the blood pool that sustains the Moon Phase Clock, controlled by me. The other 26 apartment bosses also know about it—it's essentially the most public common passage."

"The second passage is privately controlled by me, located within the mist."

"The third passage is in the 【Soul Resting Mound】 of the 0000 Apartment, controlled by Administrator 0000."

"The fourth passage is in an apartment ruin controlled by Boss K."

"The fifth passage is just my speculation—I suspect the red-lit elevator controlled by Boss A also has a passage pointing to the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】."

"The sixth passage—me and the 26 apartment bosses unanimously suspect—is in the 4444 Apartment, either in the underground graveyard or the Reincarnation Graveyard. After all, the appearance of the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 is quite similar to grave mounds in a graveyard."

"Originally, when Zhou Qiming was still in our hands, we planned to have him search for this sixth passage, but... let's not talk about that now."

"These six are basically all the known passages under the apartment faction."

"Other factions might also control other passages that can directly lead to the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】."

When Jiang Ye heard this, he felt somewhat speechless: "Since the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 is leaking everywhere like a sieve, how dare you place the Crow Egg on it?"

"Aren't you afraid someone might rush in and steal the Crow Egg?"

His description momentarily stunned Salvation.

But soon, Salvation explained:

"Do you think this 'sieve' that's leaking everywhere is something anyone can just enter as they please?"

"Soul Devouring Tomb... as the name implies, this place truly 'devours souls'!"

"Any player entering it would instantly have their blood drained and their soul utterly destroyed!"

"So I advise you not to set your sights on the Soul Devouring Tomb either!"

I see...

But...

"Soul utterly destroyed? Then how did you place the Crow Egg inside?"

Salvation emphasized: "I said 'players' would have their 'souls utterly destroyed.' Divine birds like crows can barely survive within the Soul Devouring Tomb."

"Of course, it's only barely surviving. Even if a crow enters and exits the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 once, it becomes weakened and requires careful recuperation."

"That's why I said that Crow Egg placed on the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 cannot hatch into a crow."

Alright...

However, Jiang Ye thought of something else and directly asked: "What you just said about 'draining blood' and 'soul utterly destroyed'—is there a causal relationship?"

"If a player beforehand alters their blood, for example by injecting 【Blood Poison Corpse Water】, and then goes to the Soul Devouring Tomb where there's no blood left to drain, would they still experience 'soul utterly destroyed'?"

"Yes." Salvation answered very directly. "Players injected with 【Blood Poison Corpse Water】 would still have their souls utterly destroyed. And their manner of death would be even more miserable than players who get their blood drained."

"However, the Defenders' Alliance seems not to have given up yet—they're still refining the Blood Poison Corpse Water and continuing experiments."

"Including having already used players carrying Luminox Larva offspring to enter the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】—they still die."

"Oh right, the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 also counts as an extreme environment. When Luminox Larva offspring enter it, they instantly enter Cryptobiosis state, meaning they turn into black engine oil form..."

Salvation casually mentioned experiments the Defenders' Alliance had already conducted to prevent Jiang Ye, who currently possessed the Luminox Larva, from wasting effort.

However, this information he revealed shocked Jiang Ye!

Because...

According to Boss Q's account, Luminox Larva offspring can survive and even reproduce for a period in ordinary extreme environments before entering Cryptobiosis state.

And Jiang Ye had already witnessed before—

Offspring larvae in the 【Reincarnation Graveyard】 also instantly enter Cryptobiosis state!

Then...

Could it be that the true location of the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 is within the Reincarnation Graveyard?

This is highly possible!

After all, Salvation just said that the appearance of the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 resembles grave mounds.

He and other apartment bosses also suspect that the underground graveyard or Reincarnation Graveyard might have passages to the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】...

They think they're "passages," but it's very likely that the origin place of the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 is actually within the Reincarnation Graveyard!

Holy shit? If this speculation is correct...

Then what's leaking like a sieve would be his Reincarnation Graveyard!

Those powerful players controlling passages could all enter the Reincarnation Graveyard?

But fortunately, the characteristics of the 【Soul Devouring Tomb】 would make those players die on the spot...

Not just anyone can exploit the holes in this "sieve."

After gathering more information from Salvation, Jiang Ye completely ended these negotiations.

The mist dissipated, and the barrier blocking vision and sound was quickly deactivated by Jiang Ye.

He directly walked out from the barrier with one Salvation mecha clone.

Meanwhile, Lin Jing, Feng Cheng and others who had been "chatting happily" looked at him with surprise and suspicion.

Not seeing Wu Wang, Jiang Ye frowned and called out toward the air: "Xiao Wang?"

Sure enough, the next second, a black cloak appeared out of thin air, unfolding to reveal Wu Wang's figure.

Wu Wang's expression now appeared relatively calm, and he quickly obediently stood behind Jiang Ye, continuing to serve as background decoration.

The Salvation mecha glanced at him and simply stood behind Jiang Ye as well.

One on the left, one on the right—two imposing figures.

Making the gazes directed at Jiang Ye feel tremendous pressure!

Jiang Ye, however, didn't comment on this and directly asked Lin Jing:

"You should have reached some conclusion from your discussions, right?"

Lin Jing's eyes flickered, then he proactively walked toward Jiang Ye and handed him a map:

"These people arrived at the black ice domain earlier than us, and because they're more numerous with more methods, they created a relatively complete map."

"Additionally, there are some 'big shots' who crossed regions here, also marked on the map with green dots."

"The chess grids they consider worth exploring are also marked on the map with red dots."

"Besides this, they admit that exploring the black ice domain wasn't because they happened to encounter it, but because they received instructions from their respective regional 9999 Apartment administrators."

"However, the information given by different regional 9999 administrators to them varies, meaning—"

"25 cross-regional players were respectively assigned to explore 25 chess grid spaces."

"The map shows that 12 cross-regional players are already in position in their respective chess grids."

"9 remain who haven't entered the black ice domain."

"As for these four..."

Lin Jing glanced at Feng Cheng and the others, then continued reporting to Jiang Ye:

"According to their account, they suspect the 9999 administrators aren't actually 'promoting' them, but using them as pawns."

"So they didn't follow the 9999 administrators' arrangements to explore their assigned chess grids."

"Instead, the four formed a team, deciding to jointly uncover the secrets of this black ice domain."

"Additionally..."

Lin Jing paused, hesitating for a moment.

But soon, his gaze became firm:

"According to their account, our A District should also have a 'big shot' who received 'instructions from above.'"

"However, the situation with A District's 9999 administrator is special..."

"Feng Cheng originally thought I might be A District's representative who received instructions, so earlier, he deliberately tested me."

"But I can assure you—I haven't received similar instructions like they have."

When Lin Jing made this assurance, the look he gave Jiang Ye was particularly firm.

However, the corner of his eye subtly glanced backward.

And Ouyang happened to be standing behind him...

From this angle, Ouyang couldn't see Lin Jing signaling Jiang Ye with his eyes.

But Jiang Ye could see Ouyang's expression...

Speaking of which, Ouyang... he was proactively released by Lin Ling...

Now, Lin Jing's meaning was clear—he suspected Ouyang!

Jiang Ye suspected that Lin Jing's suspicion of Ouyang didn't only emerge after encountering Feng Cheng and the others.

Perhaps there was some other hidden agenda between these two!

However, Jiang Ye didn't intend to interrogate Ouyang immediately.

His gaze passed over Lin Jing and met Feng Cheng and the others, his eyes filled with contemplative expression.

In that instant, Feng Cheng and the others stiffened.

Only White Coat appeared relatively relaxed...