A palpable silence descended, and the hound extermination crew's gazes shifted toward Scott, whose expression had hardened. Sensing the odd change in the voidweaver’s demeanor, Daiki fell silent. He observed quietly, stealing glances at the nihilistic blotches obscuring the ship.

Scott, however, was lost in thought. My original variant has already crossed the Point of No Return, so whoever Hurly and the others killed must be someone who had previously taken out the variant in this timeline, he speculated. But how the hell did that yellow-eyed freak get here? Could it be a coincidence? Scott dismissed the idea with a shake of his head. He didn’t believe in coincidences, not anymore. Nearly everything he had encountered felt orchestrated by some unseen force, nudging him toward an unfathomable goal. Whether he agreed or not seemed irrelevant.

“Are you okay, buddy?” Slim’s voice cut through his thoughts over the party channel.

Scott looked up at the skeleton. “Yeah, thanks. No point in worrying about things we know so little about.”

“You’re starting to sound like Orion,” Zara teased with a playful smile. “Something’s definitely wrong with you.”

Orion, Slim, and Scott chuckled, shifting their attention back to Daiki.

Orion took a step forward, stroking his chin as his eyes fell on the masked cultivators behind Daiki. “Can you send one of your subordinates over here? I’d like to confirm something,” he said with a smile.

Daiki’s face tightened, a growing sense of unease welling within him. He couldn’t explain why, but he had the distinct feeling that whoever approached this glasses-wearing human would not return the same.

“Is there a problem?” Orion asked, noticing the beastman’s hesitation. “I just want to check a few things—it won’t take much of your time,” he added, still smiling.

“Your eyes and qi tell me otherwise,” Daiki retorted. “There’s no telling what you might do to...” His words faltered as a staff appeared in Orion’s hand. Is he planning to fight us? Daiki’s heart raced, and he instinctively braced himself for combat. But before he could act, Orion began tapping the ground with the staff, sending subtle tremors through the earth. Then, just as suddenly, the staff vanished, leaving Daiki more confused than alarmed. That’s it? he wondered, glancing back at his subordinates, noting that their qi and physical states were unchanged.

Daiki turned his focus back to Orion, about to speak, when he saw the mage extend his right hand.

“Alright then, come over,” Orion said, beckoning.

Who is he talking to? Wait... what? Daiki’s mind froze, but his body began moving forward of its own accord. What sort of wicked technique is this? Panic surged as his legs carried him unwillingly toward Orion. His subordinates remained still, confirming his suspicion that whatever Orion had done earlier had restrained them as well.

“What are you doing?” Scott suddenly asked in a private channel.

Without turning, Orion chuckled. “What I do best—gathering data.”

“How dare you humiliate me like this?” Daiki growled, continuing to walk, his eyes blazing with fury. Yet beneath that fury, fear simmered.

“I did ask for your permission to speak with your subordinates, didn’t I?” Orion said, grinning. “Since you value them so much, it seems best to get my answers from you instead,” the mage added.

“You won’t…” Daiki’s mouth slammed shut, silencing him. He stopped directly in front of Orion, powerless to resist.

Orion chuckled softly as Daiki’s body crouched until the mage loomed over him. “No disrespect, my friend. You’re quite tall, you see. Let’s have a nice conversation, alright?”

Fury burned in Daiki’s eyes, but he could do nothing as Orion placed his index and middle fingers on his forehead. I hate these foreigners… Daiki cursed as darkness slowly crept over his mind. His vision glazed, a calming obscurity caressing his senses, and before long, everything faded into black.

With a jolt, Daiki snapped his eyes open, his breath ragged. What was that? he wondered, mind racing with unanswerable questions. He looked around, searching desperately, but there was no trace of the foreigners. The light-devouring shadows were gone, and to his horror, so was the flying ship. His subordinates had vanished too.

What in the heavens is going on? Panic swelled within him as his thoughts spiraled. How could everything disappear in just a few seconds? This is absurd… or am I trapped in some kind of illusion? His features twisted with growing dread. Suddenly, the ring on his finger trembled, and before he could react, a feminine voice echoed through his mind.

“Daiki! Daiki! Can you hear me?” the voice demanded.

I’m not imagining this, right? That’s Suni’s voice, he thought, his free hand instinctively touching the jade ring. “My lord, your humble subordinate is here,” he replied, his tone submissive.

“Where is ‘here’?” Suni retorted, irritation mixed with relief in her voice.

What does she mean? Daiki’s brows furrowed. I should be the one asking that, he thought. I haven’t moved, but where has everyone else gone? He scanned the surroundings more closely, and his frown deepened. In his haste, he had overlooked the fact that there were no shattered trees, no footsteps, no signs of anyone’s presence but his own.

Wait, where am I? Panic surged again as he glanced around. Without warning, he bolted toward a massive tree, scaling its peak within seconds.

“Daiki, where are you?” Suni’s voice rang out again, growing more impatient.

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Standing atop the towering tree, Daiki opened his mouth but found himself speechless. How did I get here? he thought. Though the surrounding peaks and lush vegetation resembled the sacred mountains of the Cult of the Crimson Sun, an eerie sight met his eyes: a vast expanse of bloody mist stretched endlessly before him, blanketing the valley and everything beyond.

“Daiki, are you there?” Suni’s voice echoed again, sharper this time. Her irritation was unmistakable. “Where are you?” she demanded, her tone brooking no delay.

“My lord, I… I’m at the periphery of Bloodmist Valley,” Daiki replied, unable to mask the apprehension creeping into his voice.

A gasp escaped from the ring, followed by a heavy, palpable silence. After a few tense moments, Suni spoke again. “Make your way back to the cult. Fast! Do not let those old monsters sense your presence,” she warned, before the connection cut off.

Without hesitation, Daiki leapt to the ground, releasing a burst of speed that tore him away from the ominous mist and deeper into the wilderness, fleeing the cursed valley.

Meanwhile, not far from where Daiki had awoken, the hound extermination crew trekked cautiously through the unfamiliar wilderness. Their sharp eyes darted around, alert to every detail of their surroundings. The crimson mist hung heavy in the air, carrying with it a sickly sweet, metallic aftertaste. Occasionally, distant roars echoed through the forest, though the beasts remained unseen. For the most part, an eerie silence reigned over the area.

Orion, moving with the curiosity of a child in a candy shop, flitted from one strange piece of vegetation to another, collecting samples with gleeful precision. Despite his fascination with the flora, he never lost track of his companions.

“I still don’t get why we had to come to this place,” Zara muttered over the party channel, sipping from a water bottle. “Are we even on the right path?” she asked, passing the bottle to Ember.

“If that tiger’s memories are accurate, then yes,” Orion replied, securing another strange insect with a shiny abdomen into a sample vial before tucking it into his inventory.

“I mean, it’s you, so I shouldn’t be surprised… but I still can’t believe you can read people’s memories, buddy,” Slim chimed in, his gaze wandering aimlessly through the swirling mist. His feet moved steadily forward, though he appeared lost in thought. “How does someone even learn to do something like that?”

Orion chuckled, collecting another sample. “An inquisitive mind, combined with patience, perseverance, and the right resources, can achieve a surprising number of things. I could teach you, if you’re interested. It’d be fun.”

Before Slim could respond, Zara cut in. “Okay, before you two bond over memory invasions, can someone remind me why we’re heading to this stronghold again?”

“The most dangerous place is often the safest,” Ember said, glancing at Orion before he could answer. “Especially in peculiar circumstances.”

“Exactly,” Orion added with a smile. “Given our current situation, stepping into a conventional city in this timeline would be a disaster. But here, in a place with a deadly reputation, we’re safe. Anyone who might come after us would think twice before stepping foot here.”

Zara sighed. “So that just means… only the crazies will come after us.” She swatted away a curious insect, sighing again.

“That’s the fun part,” Orion whispered with a grin, pocketing another sample.

“The biggest problem with our situation is that champions are alerted to our presence as soon as we get within a certain distance,” Plume said, her voice heavy with frustration. “The gods have made it nearly impossible for us to find any peace. It’s only a matter of time before we run into someone we shouldn’t, and there will be nothing we can do about it,” she grumbled.

“Indeed,” Orion nodded, thoughtful. “But on the bright side, it’s only a matter of time before I figure out the mechanics behind it. Even the powers of the gods have principles—whether conventional or unorthodox. We just need enough data.”

“There you go with—” Zara started to reply, but Scott suddenly stopped, halting the group in their tracks.

“It’s quiet,” Plume commented on the party channel.

“Too quiet,” Ember added, her tone sharp.

The hound extermination crew carefully surveyed their surroundings, but nothing seemed out of place.

Then, the sound of footsteps broke the silence—but instead of coming from a single direction, they echoed from multiple points, as though a group was closing in from all sides. Within moments, rugged figures in fur clothing emerged from the dense foliage. Their eyes gleamed with bloodlust, and the greed on their faces was palpable as they sized up the infamous party.

“This is the tenth group to try and take our heads since we entered this valley,” Plume muttered on the party channel, readying herself for battle.

But before anyone could act, a distant explosion rocked the area, followed by tremors that shook the ground beneath their feet. Curiosity flickered in the eyes of both Scott’s team and the bounty hunters, yet no one moved. Then, a chilling cry pierced the air—a mournful wail, like that of a distressed infant, coming from somewhere far off.

The expressions of the bounty hunters instantly shifted from aggression to dread. Without a word, they turned and bolted in the opposite direction, fear driving them to flee with all the speed they could muster.

Scott and his companions exchanged bewildered glances. The eerie wailing sounded again, this time closer and more intense. Before they could fully process the situation, screams erupted from the directions the bounty hunters had fled—followed by sudden, unsettling silence.

Moments later, soft footsteps echoed from multiple directions. The group turned toward the sounds. An old man with flowing white beard and dressed in immaculate, glistening robes emerged from the east, his face serene. From the north, a scarred man wielding a blood-stained sword stepped into view. To the west, identical twin women in purple, slightly revealing robes appeared. And from the south came a plump man perched atop a colossal, wailing turtle.

The air between the four cardinal points buzzed with motion as the bushes rustled, followed by the sound of groans and scattered shuffling. Soon, mangled, bloodied corpses stumbled into view, moving with the sluggish gait and determination of the undead.

The old man stroked his goatee, smiling warmly. “Amitofuo,” he greeted them, his tone calm and amiable. “What brings you to this treacherous forest?”

Silence hung heavy in the air as Scott and his companions kept their focus on the champions surrounding them, their eyes sharp and ready.

The elder’s smile didn’t fade as he continued, “I’m known as Fang Mi Shi,” he said, gesturing toward the twins. “These are the Silo sisters,” he introduced, before pointing at the rotund man and the turtle at his side. “That’s Big Bao and Wailu,” he added. His gaze then shifted to the most bloodthirsty figure in the group. “And this is the successor of the Sword Demon,” he finished, paying no mind to the zombies skulking in the shadows.

“Now, would you care to introduce yourselves?” Fang Mi Shi asked, but silence met his question, as before. His expression remained unbothered, still friendly, as he prepared to speak again. “Let’s not be—”

“That’s enough,” one of the twins interrupted, irritation sharp in her voice. “This pointless chatter will get us nowhere,” her sister added, echoing her frustration.

“Let’s finish this before anyone else catches wind of them,” Big Bao chimed in, his voice slurred as if drunk on the finest wine.

As his words lingered in the air, the hound extermination crew sprang into action. Zara and Slim turned toward the twins, while Ember set her sights on Big Bao and his wailing turtle. Orion, giggling uncontrollably, removed his glasses and locked eyes with Fang Mi Shi. Scott, however, focused on the Sword Demon’s successor. Only Plume remained still—until she suddenly planted her feet firmly into the ground, as if rooting herself like a tree.

“I was hoping our encounter wouldn’t come to this, but alas…” Fang Mi Shi declared while shaking his head.

The mangled zombies shrieked, their piercing cries slicing through the thick mist that blanketed the area, and then they charged toward the hound extermination crew.