Chapter 819: The Awakening of the Abyss

Rumble, rumble…

A landslide on the cliff sent a tremendous, muffled boom echoing along the body of the Sleeping Mountains, its source lost in the distance.

But from the area where Lu Xin and his companions now stood, they were too far away to catch the sound of the explosion.

Moreover, they had all been dragged into the Abyss, severing their connection to reality.

Yet when that dull, terrifying blast reverberated toward the Energy Matrix of the Underground Palace around the Sleeping Mountains, a massive tremor of power shook them. Every sentient being—even the raging Tyrant Legion—abruptly halted their actions, overwhelmed by the violent shock and tremors triggered by a surge in Mental Power.

“Sizzle…”

Next to the Jeep, the First Chief Researcher in a white coat saw sparks flickering from the control console beneath his fingers.

Startled, he jerked his hand away from the console.

Then he watched as the screen transformed into a tangled mess of rippling patterns. In that instant, the Illusory Power he had been straining to harness—using every ounce of strength to repair and counter the devastation delivered by the Moon Eclipse Research Institute to the Abyss—collapsed. Like floodwaters bursting through a dam, it unleashed its ferocious side, entangling with the institute’s own barrage.

Two forces that should have clashed instead merged into one even more violent impact.

Creak…

The Abyss, a realm woven from mental energy rather than solid matter, now emitted the heavy creak of a structure buckling under immense strain.

In the next moment, everyone felt as if they were hurtling downward.

The Third Layer of the Abyss—already teetering on collapse from the institute’s assault—crumbled even faster under the combined shock, like dominoes swept away by a raging storm.

Countless cracks began to spread across the ground beneath their feet.

The Abyss, whose creatures and structures had always twisted and contorted to evoke a sense of unreality,

had at least once provided the reassuring feel of solid ground.

But now, that ground was fracturing, exposing massive wounds.

Some fissures revealed glowing, molten lava beneath, while others plunged into a gloomy, bottomless darkness.

Rumble…

Every onlooker was enveloped in a tension born of uncontrollable chaos.

Then, from a particularly massive crack deep below the earth, a deep, unnerving rumble emerged—as if a colossal drill were ceaselessly boring through stone right beneath their feet.

They could feel that bone-rattling tremor eroding their sense of safety, threatening to burst forth underfoot at any moment.

And in the very next moment, the answer arrived.

Just as panic began to grip everyone, something frantically drilling upward from the depths heaved a massive chunk of material from the edge of a fissure, stretching high into the air and reaching toward the Red Moon above.

It was a gigantic tentacle.

A single, colossal tentacle—almost a hundred meters in diameter—whirled wildly in mid-air.

Whoosh!

At the sight of this tentacle, whether it was the Abyss Worm, the Coronated Clown, the eerie beings unleashed by the First Researcher, the Circus performers scurrying onto the battlefield, the Tyrant Legion cloned from Lu Tianming’s very substance, or even the expressionless Nothingness Girl,

all felt a deep, primal shudder of dread and terror.

…

“So it was him…”

At that same moment, Lu Xin caught sight of the tentacle through the countless crevices in Mom’s gaze.

He suddenly recognized it.

He had seen it before.

Back when Mom had led him deep into the Abyss to witness what was called the “Primordial” Ultimate.

Although it appeared dead, whenever someone neared, countless flesh buds erupted from its body—transforming into monstrous tentacles amid a powerful summons.

The terror he felt then was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

At that time, Mom had summoned every ounce of strength to pull him away.

Both had suffered immensely before finally escaping the Abyss and evading its grasp.

According to Mom, that creature was confined to the deepest layer of the Abyss and could never follow them into reality.

Not even the first layer of the Abyss was within its reach.

But now, he saw the earth fracturing, as despairing tentacles slithering out from the depths of the cracks…

They soared upward, desperately reaching for the Red Moon…

“You…”

Lu Xin finally understood what Mom had been planning.

Until now, he had been so shielded by her that he had barely processed the flood of information in his mind.

He knew nothing of Mom’s plan with Director Xue or its finer details.

Yet, at that moment, witnessing the emergence of the “Primordial” tentacle at the first layer of the Abyss, clarity struck him.

Everything made sense in an instant…

He realized that Mom’s actions were not random…

They were deliberate, for having been tainted by its power, he could even feel its intense hatred toward the First Researcher…

“Buzz…”

In the presence of that deep, primordial aura, his mind convulsed violently.

The appearance of the “Primordial” heralded an overwhelming shock and an almost tangible presence…

That force slammed into the information in his brain, awakening a hidden clarity within him…

The data he had absorbed over thirty long years began to disintegrate rapidly.

He could feel an almost infinite stream of information flowing through him, laced with unfathomable symbols and meanings.

Lu Xin was overwhelmed by a sense of astonishment unlike anything he had ever felt.

…

…

“Not good, we must withdraw…”

At the same time, every eerie creature within the Abyss sensed an intense surge of fear.

A cry of despair erupted.

The Black-Clad Bishop and the First Chief Researcher in white locked eyes, each seeing hopelessness reflected in the other.

In the next moment, the Old Researcher, without hesitation, clutched his Trump Card.

Clang…

The Trump Card vibrated with a violent tremor.

Moments before, it had drained all things of their true essence and color, sending everyone spiraling into the Abyss. Now, this very Trump Card—depicting a Red Moon—was rapidly restoring reality and color to the world around them.

Then, as the world spun wildly, everyone was thrust back into reality.

Smack…

The instant they returned to the real world, the First Old Researcher recoiled as if burned, discarding the Trump Card.

Plop, plop.

He even noticed the surface of the Trump Card beginning to swell subtly.

It was as if something within was tapping against its surface.

Fortunately, this slight pulsation was brief and soon vanished without a trace.

Yet, the Old Researcher found himself overcome with despair once more.

He understood the omen all too well.

The greatest Trump Card of the First Researcher had been rendered useless.

The primordial power had already seeped into the first layer of the Abyss.

Though it had not yet gained enough force to break into reality,

its infiltration of the first layer meant that none among them could ever enter the Abyss again, and anyone even remotely connected would be relentlessly tracked by the “Primordial.”

Being repelled and hunted by the power of the “Primordial” was one thing.

But more worrisome was that their mere presence might awaken the deep, slumbering “Primordial” below.

He had already mentioned that they had killed the Primordial.

That was the truth.

Yet the critical point was that the creature at the very bottom of the Abyss had not learned how to die…

So it lingered there, forever unyielding and impossible to ignore.

…

…

“Madmen…”

While the Old Researcher trembled in terror, the Black-Clad Bishop radiated pure anger.

His eyes burned red, almost to the point of bleeding, as he roared in despair and fury, “We trained the Second Generation Researchers because the tainted real world needed stability, yet we couldn’t spare a hand to repair the Genesis Hard Drive…”

“But to think that the Second Generation we nurtured turned out to be nothing but madmen…”

“You have no idea the sacrifices we made to bring about this current situation.”

“And yet you dare destroy it…”

“It’s so much easier to destroy than to build…”

“…”

“Hahahahaha…”

“Hahaha…”

Responding to him was the raucous laughter of the Coronated Clown, who suddenly doubled over in mirth.

Laughing until he clutched his stomach.

Amid the Black-Clad Bishop’s fury, his laughter rang out like he’d just stumbled upon a fortune—mocking and reveling in the chaos.

Even Lu Xin sensed Mom’s emotion beside him.

His mind had only just recovered from the shock of the Primordial’s presence, as if awakening from a deep sleep, as he watched it all unfold.

As for the chaos around him, he could only guess at what was happening.

For this entire series of events had been orchestrated by Mom, the Moon Eclipse Research Institute, and perhaps others in their confrontation with the First Researcher. Shielded so completely by Mom’s protection, he had been spared any harm.

At the moment he finally tasted freedom, all he could hear was the voice of the Black-Clad Bishop.

…

…

“You are truly despicable…”

The Black-Clad Bishop’s voice cut through the disarray and panic, heavy with a suppressed sorrow.

His gaze turned to the true culprit—the Keeper of Fate.

His teeth clenched in savage anger as he declared, “We knew you weren’t to be trusted from the start. That’s why we made you witness the fate of the Sword-Bearer who refused to cooperate with us. Let it be known—even the Ultimate perishes for betrayal…”

“But to think you still dared to betray us…”

“And to think we would soon eliminate the second one…”

“…”

While he spoke, Lu Xin suddenly shuddered and, with a swift whoosh, looked ahead.

The black particles in his eyes surged to a fevered peak.

Before he could process any more, the Black-Clad Bishop melted into Nothingness, showing no sign of submitting or yielding.

With chilling detachment, he produced a playing card emblazoned with an Eye and clutched it between four fingers.

Then, with a sharp snick, he tore it in half.