Chapter 730: The Invasion of Shadows

Monster… Monster…

That… that is a real monster…

An unprecedented evil…

When that old building flickered into view behind Lu Xin, every Executioner trembled slightly.

A gut instinct for evil and the bizarre alerted them immediately to the corruption of Lu Xin—or rather, the monsters hidden in the building. No doubt, this was exactly what they yearned to judge.

There was no alternative, no margin for error.

At the same moment, his Sister was terrified, huddling behind Mom as if trying to hide completely.

She stole glances at the various forms of Lu Xin, each expression evoking countless dreadful memories.

Even Mom’s face tightened as she stared gravely at the old building looming behind Lu Xin.

As for Father, he shrank his body and silently hid in Lu Xin’s shadow.

Rustling…

They surged forward suddenly, each reaching into their coat.

Earlier, countless Judgment Swords had been melted by Lu Xin, yet many Executioners still arrived. In perfect unison, they drew their swords and looked up at Lu Xin, their eyes brimming with excitement and eagerness.

In the sky, the Red Moon—and those eyes—seemed to shine even brighter.

The entire city—in fact, the whole Second Satellite City—was bathed in a scarlet glow.

Countless Executioners converged from every direction toward the Second Satellite City.

From a higher vantage, the entire Wasteland teemed with Executioners.

They resembled an army encircling Qinggang Satellite City No. 2, surging in from every direction.

Countless Judgment Swords gripped in their hands, their silver gleams reflecting an eerie light.

Everywhere one looked, the world seemed to tremble, invisible ripples quaking incessantly.

……

……

“You demand judgment? Then I’ll serve you judgment…”

“But judging others sometimes comes at a cost, so…”

Facing the seemingly endless throng of Executioners, Lu Xin stood before the old building with cold indifference in his eyes.

If you must describe it, his indifference concealed a spark of excitement, anticipation, and barely contained madness. He watched as group after group of Executioners advanced, their bright Judgment Swords in hand, before slowly raising his own hand.

“Slay them all…”

“…”

At the moment his words rang out, the doors of the old building swung open with violent force.

In the next instant, the building began to swell dramatically—as if made of rubber—and visibly expanded.

As it expanded, an immense pressure became apparent…

When that pressure peaked, countless figures of “Lu Xin” surged from the doors, windows, and hallways.

With a myriad of expressions, they charged at the advancing army of Executioners.

Rumbling…

In an instant, two distinct forms of Mental Power collided.

A nightmare had invaded the reality of Qinggang.

Chaotic bursts of Mental Power turned Qinggang into a spectacle of fireworks; every ear was filled with bizarre laughter, the sound of flesh tearing, anguished screams of tormented souls, and the weeping of ghosts.

“Cover your ears, quick, cover your ears…”

“Whatever you do, don’t look outside…”

At Red Moon Elementary School, in a room on the first floor’s east side, the Old Security Guard shouted frantically to warn the terrified Children.

It seemed as though the entire world trembled, as if endless monsters roared beneath the ground.

Yet this room remained perfectly still.

……

……

“The Mind Palace… it really is a Mind Palace…”

Meanwhile, outside Qinggang City, the Old Director of the Orphanage was visibly excited, having uncovered a secret.

Though hundreds of kilometers from Lu Xin, he seemed to see him clearly.

Everything happening to Lu Xin filled him with astonishment.

The dejected Number Seven looked toward Qinggang; even from afar, she could sense the terrifying Mental Power emanating from that direction.

At that moment, however, she nearly lost the ability to speak.

The Old Director cheerfully explained to her, as if eager to share his excitement:

“The trial was a success…”

“He discovered what he truly wanted and affirmed his identity as a human…”

“And this success inevitably revealed the secret that made him human…”

“It is precisely because of that secret that my experiment could continue…”

“…”

He gestured as if delivering a speech, arms spread wide, excitedly addressing Number Seven:

“I discovered that old building long ago, but I never dared to enter it.”

“Because I never knew its nature or the logic it obeys.”

“I know it’s tied to the bizarre events surrounding Number Nine, but I don’t know the exact connection.”

“Now I understand—it is the Mind Palace…”

“Hehe…”

He burst into laughter like a child who had found candy: “Who would have thought?”

“The Mind Palace is a treasure possessed only by the Fantasy King on the fifth step.”

“It represents his inner self, a stable mental framework.”

“The Mind Palace, built on a person’s core, embraces every virtue and vice, releasing and imprisoning them at will.”

“I’ve long been curious about who employed such a method that allowed him to remain stable despite bearing such a dreadful burden and immense pressure, all while appearing calm to outsiders.”

“I still don’t know who orchestrated it all, but I understand his method now.”

“So, someone built his Mind Palace back then.”

“It’s amazing—a Mind Palace that emerged in reality long ago, nearly in perfect harmony with it.”

“…”

“And then?”

Amid the Old Director’s contented laughter, Number Seven weakly asked, “You even have control over something so terrifying?”

“Terrifying?”

The Old Director turned to Number Seven and smiled, “This is the truth…”

“Truth isn’t frightening; the unknown is…”

“Moreover, I don’t covet this secret. I find solace in the potential such subjects possess—the only way we can face the unknown, and only these Experiment Subjects can lead us to true success against what is coming…”

“…”

“So Executioners can be afraid too…”

In front of Red Moon Elementary School, Lu Xin firmly grasped his fate and, for the first time, unleashed his malice.

After all, these Executioners despise malice, don’t they?

Yet, judging by their reaction, when they first detected their own malice, they were excited and thrilled.

But when they truly confronted their malice, their response didn’t live up to expectations…

Some disintegrated the moment they met their malice.

Others gradually showed expressions of terror.

Some had already collapsed to their knees…

The power of judgment was utterly ineffective in the face of real malice.

Just as humans can never judge beasts.

And the Pollution Logic Chain of the Midnight Tribunal essentially comes in two forms.

One method triggers guilt through inner self-reproach, passively contaminating the soul.

The other forcibly contaminates with overwhelming Mental Power.

Now, the first method becomes completely ineffective once one reconciles with the past.

The reason is simple.

Admitting that malice resides within is nothing.

But being able to contain it without hurting others is far more noble, isn’t it?

Of course, sometimes malice needs to be let loose—otherwise, they’d really think they don’t understand how to commit evil.

……

……

“Hoo…”

Pondering these words, Lu Xin looked into the distance, toward a point even farther than the edge of the Executioners.

He cared little for the Executioners; now, he yearned to know where the Sword Bearer was.

“Executioners are endless…”

A soft voice spoke—it was Mom. She gracefully came to Lu Xin’s side and said:

“And the most dangerous is not them.”

“…”

As she spoke, she looked up at the pair of eyes in the sky.

Ever since the old building appeared, those eyes had edged ever closer to Qinggang.

At first glance, they seemed almost in contact with Qinggang.

More precisely, those eyes fixed on the old building, reflecting its shadow in perfect detail.

Bit by bit, not missing any detail.

Soon, other features—like a nose and a mouth—began to emerge within those eyes.

And as these features appeared, they gradually outlined the shape of a person.

Lu Xin.

That face even faintly resembled Lu Xin’s.

“It’s the Dark Queen.”

Mom explained softly, “She’s trying to steal your secret.”

“I should have known; when your secret began surfacing, she was the first who couldn’t help herself.”

“She must have been plotting ever since the Heaven’s Kingdom Plan was set into motion.”

“She positioned a mirror in Qinggang’s sky and has been watching you ever since.”

“Every time you unleash your power, she steals a piece of your secret. Now, it’s reached a critical juncture.”

“She must be delighted—if you unleash your full power, she’ll steal all your secrets.”

“But if you don’t give it your all, you won’t be able to protect that little girl with the broken leg from judgment…”

“So, what will you do?”

“…”

As Mom spoke, she gently reached out and grasped Lu Xin’s hand.

In that moment, his vision shifted.

Instantly, he saw more—those eyes in the sky, or rather, that mirror.

Within the mirror, his face was reflected.

But it wasn’t truly his face; it was a projection of Mental Power.

The more details there were, the clearer the projection became, revealing every change in his inner spirit to the other side.

Staring into the mirror, especially those eyes, a cold smile slowly spread across his face.

“Buzz…”

At that moment, the mirror sensed Lu Xin’s gaze.

Previously, whenever it met his gaze, it would immediately vanish from sight.

Like a sneaky onlooker who retreats as soon as he’s noticed.

But this time, perhaps sensing a critical moment, the mirror didn’t shy away—instead, its surface rippled, and the face within, one strikingly similar to his, slowly opened its mouth…

Rustling…

The next moment, a corpulent Mental Monster burst forth from its mouth.

Like a little giant, it plummeted onto the ground outside Qinggang’s High Wall, silently gazing at it.

That was only the first; countless Mental Monsters soon tumbled out of that mouth.

One after another, in an uncountable multitude…

They swarmed like an endless horde of Mental Monsters, surrounding every city in Qinggang and launching a fierce attack in an instant.

Meanwhile, among the Executioners already flooding into Qinggang City—with many of their ‘selves’ tainted by malice—distorted waves of mental turbulence began emerging, spurred by despair.

In the Wasteland outside Qinggang, a towering shadow emerged—a statue clad in armor, leaning on a massive sword. Beneath the armor, eyes slowly opened, their grey depths shining with a light that could pierce souls.

“Wail…”

Elsewhere, along a small road in the Wasteland, seven Knight Orders attacked from every direction.

Each rode a modified off-road motorcycle and donned a grimy leather jacket, the back of which bore a spade emblem, half-buried in dust.

They dared not approach Qinggang City—this mental meat grinder of a battlefield—and instead halted at a safe distance.

“The investigation plan has officially been launched…”

After a brief moment of silent communication, they all pressed a small silver box mounted on the front of their motorcycles.

“Clatter…”

As light burst from the box, strands of black chains materialized before them.

Rustling…

These black chains, like colossal pythons, suddenly pierced the void as if breaking through layers of glass.

They appeared directly in every Satellite City in Qinggang, ensnaring the Ability Users trying to maintain order.

……

……

Feeling the pressure from all around, Lu Xin fell silent for a moment.

Then he shook his head lightly and said, “This isn’t judgment…”

“This is merely an invasion.”

“When facing an invasion of Mental Monsters, there’s no need to overthink…”

“Just slay them all, isn’t that enough?”