The gifts were moved to the national treasury.

Shen Tang visited the palace where Xiao Jin, Jia Lan, and Xue Yinzhou stayed.

Though nothing seemed changed, without its owners, the entire palace felt desolate and empty.

She specifically ordered the palace to be preserved, forbidding anyone from altering it.

After giving the instructions, she insisted on visiting the battlefield.

The System advised, [Host, what happened has already passed, try to let it go... Xiao Jin has self-detonated, he cannot be resurrected. Why subject yourself to further pain?]

Shen Tang understood, but she remained relentless. She wanted to see for herself; if truly nothing could be found, then she’d abandon the hope completely.

The battlefield had been cleared, the recent brutalities left no traces behind.

Though there were some scattered corpses attracting beasts, once the troops arrived, those beasts fled with their tails between their legs.

Just as expected.

Shen Tang found nothing.

The war erased all traces, leaving behind nothing.

However, the System remarked curiously, [Well, if it were an ordinary Beastman self-detonating, there might not be traces. But Xiao Jin was a strong Primordial Beast Tier Beastman, this area should retain some energy traces from his self-detonation, even after several days... But I sense nothing at all.]

Upon hearing the System’s words, Shen Tang’s deadened heart began to beat rapidly; was it possible he hadn’t self-detonated, or not completely detonated?

Unfortunately, without spiritual power now, she couldn’t discern any clues.

Suddenly, Shen Tang said, "System, activate scene reenactment."

[Host... are you sure?]

Witnessing a loved one’s death again is beyond what ordinary people can endure.

Shen Tang resolutely said, "I am sure!"

The scene before her eyes rapidly changed, countless figures reappeared on the barren land, echoes of roars and screams filled her ears again, the smell of smoke and blood seemed to pervade her nose once more.

Suddenly, a loud boom echoed, the sky split open.

Looking up at the scene’s reappearance, Shen Tang felt her heart tearing painfully again, her face paled once more, but she still grit her teeth and said, "Slow it down, replay it again."

[Alright, Host.]

This time, Shen Tang had Lu Xiao take her airborne, to the position where the Star Gate originally appeared.

The Star Gate exploded once more.

The explosion lasted a few seconds.

Although the time was short, it felt unbearably prolonged.

At the moment of explosion, the world was filled with white light, nothing could be seen. Even though it was just a simulated Illusion Realm, the glaring light made it hard to discern what truly happened within.

But Shen Tang still tried her best to watch, not missing a single detail.

The System couldn’t help but feel heartache, though it couldn’t fully comprehend human emotions, watching a loved one die repeatedly, becoming unrecognizable from the explosion, was truly the ultimate torment for the soul.

Just as the System was about to speak for persuasion, Shen Tang suddenly said, "I saw a shadow."

Her voice was hoarse and cold, "Slow it down, replay it again!"

The System was puzzled, given the energy wave generated by the explosion, how could any outsider appear? Surely the Host was mistaken?

But if the Host requested it, the System wouldn’t refuse.

This time, it slowed the scene to the minimum speed.

This time.

Shen Tang finally saw clearly!

Within those few seconds of the explosion, indeed a shadow suddenly appeared.

A tall figure wearing a laboratory protective suit descended onto the battlefield.

One hand in his pocket, while a floating Crystal Core was held by the other.

[Identity confirmed, Experiment D—No. 233]

[Death confirmed, recovery successful.]

[Experiment concluded perfectly.]

He tapped on his earpiece, swiftly completed the message transmission, then vanished and left.

The whole process lasted only a few seconds. Amidst the explosion’s impact, the battlefield was in utmost chaos, no one noticed this insignificant episode.

Shen Tang’s eyes turned instantly red; she recognized that what was taken was Xiao Jin’s Crystal Core!

Was this part of their experiment?

What do they intend to do by taking Xiao Jin’s Crystal Core?!

"Xiao Tang’er, what did you see?" Shen Li noticed Shen Tang’s poor complexion and staggered body, hastily held her into his embrace.

He knew she must have witnessed something via the System again.

Lu Xiao brought the two down onto the nearby hilltop.

Shen Tang felt like she was drowning, finding it hard to breathe; it took quite a while before she choked out, "I... I just restored the battlefield scene via the System, during the explosion... Xiao Jin’s Crystal Core didn’t vanish, it was taken away by someone!"