Chapter 951 (1/2)

Han Yazhu knew it was petty of him, but he secretly wished that the sinkhole that had opened up beneath the quarry would have continued to spread. After witnessing the challenge, he realized more than ever that Zone Seven needed all the help that they could get.

Donnyton’s Squads… those pinnacle experts that fought against Randidly Ghosthound… They had left a deep impression on him. Until some other group was able to field a comparable team of experts in battle, Donnyton would remain an unshakable power on Earth.

As it was, Han would need to be satisfied that the gulf of blackness that abruptly opened up in the wake of the final explosion consumed the entirety of the quarry. The nearby cliff collapsed down into the darkness of the hole, but the mountain on which Donnyton’s residential district was based was ineffable. In the face of oblivion, it stood firm.

From what Han could tell, there was some small damage to the North portion of the production district, but it was all slight. Some of the lands had sunk about a foot or two, but more people weren’t swayed by that. They only felt fear over the possibility of this event occurring again in the future.

The shockwaves of battle had weakened the bedrock under the town, and healing such wounds were difficult. But most people couldn’t believe that the battle above could have really caused such deep damage below. More likely, there was already structural weakness that the battle exacerbated.

Yet when Han used his Perception Skill to view deep within the whole, he saw a series of inexplicable tunnels.

Or the network that would be created by a vast tree, Han reflected inwardly. But he didn’t dare vocalize that theory. If it were true...

During the course of the few hours that Han observed the hole, the strange rock mage that Donnyton employed was revived from the dead by Surgeon Northwind and given gallons of high-quality Mana potions. He then proceeded to dutifully reinforce the area around the sinkhole and investigate how deep the damage to the ground went.

Han dispassionately watched the man run ragged, circling the crumbling edge of the sinkhole. It was an unenviable time to be a rock specialist in Donnyton. He turned to Xia. “We should not be this close. It is still dangerous. If something were to happen-”

Frowning, Xia didn’t even bother to turn and face him as she spoke. “You know as well as I that we both have enough mobility to avoid anything dangerous. But… can’t you feel it? There is something in the air around this sinkhole… It carries a trace of him. If we return, we must carry with us a hint of that trace.”

Han kept his face neutral even as he was cursing his luck inside. Of all of the three pieces of Xiang Le, it was his own rotten luck that saw him babysitting Xia. She was the most willful and unpredictable of them, making it difficult for Han to toe the line between giving her the respect she was due and preventing her from getting herself killed.

She did not seem to realize her own fragility. Even now, Han suspected that her low strength made her unable to understand how disastrous the power displayed in that final fight was to Zone Seven’s hopes of becoming a superpower.

In this case, Xia was likely correct on both counts. It appeared the spread of the sinkhole had reached its high water mark. In addition, several of Donnyton’s Squads were nearby, preventing them from approaching any closer. No one wanted someone to go into the hole unprepared for how deep it might be. There would be no imminent threat of danger to them today.

In addition, Han could feel it too. Part of Randidly Ghosthound’s image still lingered here. Yet Han Yazhu did not believe that copying that power would be easy.

The System gave people power, but it was still a small thing before the might of a whole world.

What Randidly Ghosthound was able to do was to capture the power of a world, the power of a story. It could not be earned through special actions. The System would not provide that mastery.

It is a power one has to bleed for, Han knew.

As for the feel of the air… Han’s expression stiffened. It was heavy with blood and humid air The huge hole seemed to breathe, producing a strange vibration that sounded like faintly audible from their current distance. Likely, it was almost deafening when one stood right next to the hole.

Rather than a natural phenomenon, it almost seemed like this whole was a scar inflicted upon Donnyton by Randidly Ghosthound. Similar to this sinkhole, Han recalled the empty blackness of the monster’s maw, covered by the thin layer of skin. Shivering, Han turned away. “I believe we have gathered all that we can. Is there any more meaning to remaining here?”

Xia ignored his question and asked one of her own. “What is Donnyton’s stance on what happened? Will the final rung of the challenge still occur?”

Han shook his head. “Donnyton has announced that this rung was Randidly’s win. However, due to the arena being destroyed, they had no choice but to postpone the final rung. Therefore, the status of the challenge sits at an indefinite draw.”

“A draw? Who are they kidding.” Xia’s tone was bitter. “No one who watched that battle believed it to be a draw.”

It is surprising she understood enough to see that. Yet she has no fear of the future of our Glorious Zone...? Han wondered. Then he inwardly shrugged. Truly, the actions of Xiang Le were unpredictable. They were the head, while he was just a lowly ambassador. Perhaps there was no need for his earlier panic.

Folding his arms, Han considered the teams of Donnyton elite moving slowly to the edge of the sinkhole. It had been a few hours since it appeared, meaning that it was likely around midnight. Yet they were already making preparations to explore this new arrival. If nothing else, Donnyton certainly was tenacious.

“And Randidly himself?” Xia asked. “If possible, I would like to arrange a meeting with him. Considering the status of his relationship with Donnyton…”