Shadow Hack
chapter-404

"You mean to say there are many man-made arrangements on this island?"

Li Yunmu didn't understand much, but it wasn't important for him. He only paid attention to one line.

The "man-made" mentioned by the system didn't clarify whether it was actually done by humans or not. It was a broad concept, but regardless of whoever the planner was, it did not mean that everything had been planned by someone.

[Yes, the changes occurring presently have all been anticipated by the planner.]

"Then what is their goal? You just mentioned that it was some sort of defense mechanism?"

The more Li Yunmu learned, the more confused he became.

[According to the deduction, the planner should be looking for a successor. No, it would be more accurate to say that he choosing a successor.

[They exploited the outsiders to consume the energy of the purple mist passage so it would collapse and the island would unite to defend against intruders. As for why it was said that the planner was choosing a successor, the answer is very simple. Since the island is shut off from the outside world, the successor will have to face the combined resistance of all the living creatures on the island, and only after obtaining the boundary stele will they be considered a real successor.]

This time, the system said everything in one breath, explaining all the stuff with great clarity. Finally, Li Yunmu understood what was happening.

But understanding it was one thing. After all became clear to him, he couldn't help but curse the planner in his heart.

What is this joke about choosing a successor? It's clearly a method to harm others!

"Then according to you, if we wish to return to the Origin World, someone must obtain the boundary stele and become the successor?" L i Yunmu asked.

[Yes. Only after becoming the successor will you find the method to open the path back to the Origin World. However, there is another way.]

"What is it?"

[Absolute power. When you possess absolute power, you will be able to destroy the border between the two worlds with a punch. At that time, regardless of however large this world is , you can go wherever you want,] the system said in a calm voice, not failing to entice Li Yunmu to cultivate the concept of absolute power.

It gave him a sudden thought, and he quickly asked, "System, your previous master, was he a madman crazy about absolute power?"

To his surprise, the question caused the system to turn silent for a long time before explaining, [Host, you are mistaken. The system's previous master was incompetent; he couldn't last for three months after obtaining my assistance.]

Li yunmu almost spit out a mouthful of blood.

It was his first time hearing about the system's history. Previously, it hadn't spoken a word about it, yet now it told a little about itself.

It could be assumed that it was because the system had already been upgraded to the fifth level. On top of that, he knew that it's intelligence was on extremely high level, to the point that perhaps it didn't have any sentiments. But Li Yunmu's recent performance had probably obtained its approval.

Thus, the system decided to share some things about its past.

"How many years ago did you have your last master? And how many of them did you have before me?"

For a short while, Li Yunmu forgot about the crisis which Zheng Quan and his group were facing and seized the opportunity to ask more questions.

[Host, you are 156th master. The previous master was chosen two hundred and ninety years ago. It was ten years before the dimensional shooting star had fallen on Earth, causing the human civilization to enter the Dark Ages…..

[Unfortunately, the previous master was incompetent and died prematurely; otherwise, the Dark Ages wouldn't have been so bad.]

The system revealed a lot of information, but Li Yunmu heard and understood only one thing. He asked in astonishment, "So you were to play the role of defender for humans of Earth?"

It wasn't that Li Yunmu was indulging in wild fantasies, but the fact that the system had appeared ten years before the Dark Ages that brought about that question.

After all, right when Earth was on the verge of going through a heavenly transformation, the system appeared a few years early, choosing him. If it couldn't be considered the defender of Earth, then what was it?

The system's next reply almost made Li Yunmu faint. It was completely different from what he had imagined.

[Host, you are mistaken. The system appears every time the Earth is on the verge of facing a catastrophe not because it acts to defend the people of Earth, but that the system wants to make use of the opportunity of chaotic time to cultivate the host quickly. Chaotic times are the optimum time for the system.]

Li Yunmu was completely flabbergasted by the system's reply. It wasn't the defender and also not the savior, but it's words were absolutely correct—there were indeed not many dangers during peaceful times.

As he was thinking of continuing with questioning the system about its origins, another transformation happened on Zheng Quan's side.

Under the threat of being slaughtered by the twenty-six giant scorpions, regardless if it was Zheng Quan or Zhang Yuan's group, neither of them had any option besides escaping into the jungle.

Clearly, it wasn't a good idea, but they didn't have any choice.

"Pollen, what about that ghost silk pollen, quickly take it out. We will escape inside the woods."

Zhang Yuan almost went crazy.

Initially, everything was under his control, but following the sudden collapse of the purple mist passage, all of it changed.

The most frightening thing was that not only couldn't they retreat as their path to the Origin World was severed, a group of terrifying homicidal scorpions had risen up to kill them.

Even Zhang Yuan who possessed the strength to enter the top ten in residential region fifteen could barely kill one before he would have to escape because the rest of the enemies were just too terrifying.

Their extremely thick carapace made sure that no one could kill them in a short time. Moreover, they also possessed a pair of pincers which could easily cut an iron rod in two.

Their tail ends were extremely venomous as well. As long as it stabbed anyone's body, the venom would immediately spread through their body like water. It couldn't be rated just as highly toxic, but easily fell into the category of extremely toxic.

The venom of this category could even damage the constitution of great flux experts, let alone normal flux experts.

Just based on this fact, Zhang Yuan and Zheng Quan lost all thought to resist. And there wasn't one, but twenty-six the scorpions present.

Entering the jungle was the only way to escape. It was probably the outcome which the planner had desired, at least that was what Li Yunmu thought.

Although Zhang Yuan and the others knew that there were numerous giant ants and other unknown dangers in the jungle, but they had no other course of action. Their only hope was the ghost silk pollen which Zheng Quan had mentioned previously. They quickly took out the pouches and scattered the pollen on their bodies.