Huh??

What... what does this mean??

Logically speaking, the "absolute safety" effect of [Salvation Domain] should not only block damage but also block pain, right?!

But Li Si said...

He felt the pain from [Pain Sharing] from the very beginning?

Meaning... the pain caused by the Giant Toad's gastric acid essentially exists.

It's just that the effect of [Salvation Domain] shields this pain?

So, Chen Cang and Jiang Ye, who were also inside the [Salvation Domain], didn't feel the pain...

And then all this pain was given to Li Si by [Pain Sharing]?

Jiang Ye really finds this hard to believe.

If you, buddy, were enduring pain, could you possibly look this utterly unfazed?

Just as he questioned this in his heart, he heard Li Si speak again:

"When I was still a Moon Person, I specifically trained my ability to endure pain."

"Many people think that thoughts determine actions."

"But through personal experience, I have very clearly understood—"

"Our thoughts, or more accurately, our 'brains,' are shaped by actions."

"Just like an experiment abroad, in an era without navigation, the brains of taxi drivers in a certain city were different from normal people in the spatial perception area."

"Just like people who have undergone long-term professional training, such as athletes, their brains also have parts that differ from normal people."

"Also, like in martial arts novels, martial artists who practice with heavy loads for a long time can become as light as a swallow."

"All these prove one thing—long-term, fixed behaviors can not only shape the body but also reshape the brain."

"I, through long-term torture and pain, made my brain's perception of pain become dull."

"Or it can also be understood that my pain perception threshold has been raised very high."

"So the pain that ordinary people find unbearable is, to me, nothing much."

Wow...

This explanation, to be honest, isn't the first time Jiang Ye has heard it.

When they dug up Yang Wenchao at the Burial Ground, Jiang Ye also wondered why Yang Wenchao didn't instinctively fear the Light faction like ordinary dark-type players.

Yang Wenchao's explanation and Li Si's current explanation coincide perfectly.

In Jiang Ye's heart, doubts still remain.

The most incomprehensible part is the "absolute safety" state of [Salvation Domain]...

Is it that this safety state itself has some hidden problems?

Or is this guy Li Si secretly playing some tricks?

If the [Salvation Domain] skill was released by Li Si.

Then Jiang Ye would suspect Li Si without hesitation.

But the problem is, this skill was released by himself, targeting himself and Chen Cang.

Since it was a skill he personally released, his suspicion of Li Si inevitably lessened.

But if he forces himself to think one layer deeper, he can't help but feel—

Could it be that Li Si intentionally made him release the skill to reduce his suspicion?

For a moment, Jiang Ye's thoughts were in disarray.

Li Si didn't give him time to continue thinking either, speaking at an extremely fast pace:

"Although this explosion was unexpected, the 'Newborn' being blasted into the air might be a good opportunity!"

"I previously checked Chen Cang's Data Panel. Among his gorgeous data panel, there is the S-level talent [Blood Element Affinity], and the S-level skill [Blood Prison Contract]."

"Perhaps he can try, while separated from the Giant Toad's gastric acid, to use [Blood Prison Contract] on the 'Newborn'?"

Jiang Ye truly didn't have time to think more.

Not that Li Si didn't give him time, but the explosion in the Giant Toad's stomach didn't give him time.

As the explosion's aftermath dissipated, the "Newborn" giant sphere that was blasted into the air began to fall downward again.

Its falling speed was extremely fast; it wouldn't be long before it fell back into that pool of acid!

The Witch Gui Jiang Ye barely used the last wave of the explosion's residual force to give the "Newborn" another upward push, slowing its falling speed.

Then, as the Witch Gui, Jiang Ye shrank back into the [Heart Demon Nest].

When Chen Cang's consciousness returned, it was accompanied by another scream—

"Ah— Damn it?! It hurts it hurts it hurts so fucking much!!"

However, upon checking his body...

The parts of his body stained with gastric acid were not corroded.

The parts affected by the explosion didn't show even a trace of a wound...

This left him, who originally wanted to cut away the rotten flesh to suppress the pain, completely stunned for a moment.

"This... what's going on?"

The voice of the Witch Gui Jiang Ye soon rang in his mind:

"No time to explain! Li Si wants you to try using [Blood Prison Contract] on the 'Newborn'!"

Hearing the name "Li Si" again now, Chen Cang only felt anger: "I don't believe a damn word he says!"

"Wasn't it agreed that he would release the mechanical eyeballs to carry the 'Newborn' giant sphere? Why did that bamboo tube explode? Where are the mechanical eyeballs inside that bamboo tube?"

The Witch Gui Jiang Ye had no choice but to explain rapidly:

"According to Li Si, he was also schemed against by someone."

"That bamboo tube is essentially like a safe, a storage-type item for storing important things."

"It was when Li Si obtained that storage item that he was schemed against..."

"So the important items he stored were directly destroyed, triggering this explosion."

"According to him, he is also a victim. When there's a chance in the future, he will definitely explain the reasons to you and personally apologize."

"Now, our time is tight..."

Chen Cang certainly also knew time was tight.

He was falling, and the giant sphere was also falling.

Soon, they would fall back into the acid water.

Also because time was so tight, Chen Cang didn't have enough time to think.

He endured the pain, waved his hand grandly, and one Wall of Thorns after another erected, building a ladder to the sky.

Of course, this ladder made of thorns was also falling because it had no support.

But their existence provided Chen Cang with relay points.

He kicked his legs rapidly, like a martial arts hero in wuxia novels who could use qinggong, soaring straight up into the air!

Until his hands forcefully pressed against the bottom of the falling giant sphere.

He casually raised a finger, his sharp nail scratching across his palm.

And then came...

a stream of furious curses: "What the— hell???"

"No way? Bro?? I... can't cut my palm, and I can't draw blood anymore?!"

"What the hell? Is this also the effect of that shield blocking damage?!"

"This is too messed up, right? It just blocks all the damage, but it can't block the pain, can it??"

Actually, if Chen Cang thought carefully, he would realize—

When he first dived into the acid water, he didn't feel pain.

It was after being "seized" by the Witch Gui.

Or more accurately, after that bamboo tube-triggered explosion...

he started to feel pain.

But the situation right now was too urgent; he simply didn't have the time or energy to think about these things.

He just kept ranting in frustration: "Using [Blood Prison Contract] requires my fresh blood!"

"Now! The shield you gave me prevents me from drawing blood, what should I do?!"

This situation was naturally directly relayed to Li Si by Jiang Ye.

Li Si remained calm as ever:

"Simple, just remove the [Salvation Domain] now."

"..."

Jiang Ye fell silent: "And after that..."

Li Si: "After that, we can still use my [Salvation Domain]. My skill has passed its Cooldown and can be used."

Jiang Ye could certainly calculate that Li Si's skill could also be used.

But the problem was...

If he removed the [Salvation Domain], he would also sever the connection with the Witch Gui!

Then he would lose contact with Chen Cang again!

However, Li Si seemed to see through his thoughts and said bluntly:

"I know what you're worried about—"

"But since I have Chen Cang's [Target Anchor], I naturally have a way to contact him again!"

"Hurry up! If we miss this opportunity, this 'Newborn' might not be able to be born!"

Jiang Ye clearly felt that Li Si didn't want him to think more.

This made him increasingly suspicious...

That bamboo tube-triggered explosion was part of Li Si's plan!

But even with suspicion, he had to admit that Li Si was right—

Time was indeed too tight!

Chen Cang in the Giant Toad's stomach kept releasing Walls of Thorns, barely delaying the fall of the giant sphere and himself.

Finally, Jiang Ye didn't dare to delay any more time.

Chen Cang's mind heard the voice of the Witch Gui Jiang Ye:

"Next, I will remove your shield for 10 seconds."

"10 seconds later, I will release a new shield for you."

"Can you try to complete the [Blood Prison Contract] on this 'Newborn' within these 10 seconds?"

At this point, Chen Cang was also vaguely starting to sense something was off.

If [Blood Prison Contract] could work on the "Newborn," why didn't you say so earlier?!

Then when he was sitting on the "Newborn," before being covered by the "shield" and could cut himself for blood, why didn't you let him try [Blood Prison Contract]?

Damn it, you just had to wait until the "Newborn" was blasted into the air to use [Blood Prison Contract], right??

And that explosion...

and the bamboo tube that supposedly stored the mechanical eyeballs...

Chen Cang was growing more and more suspicious!

According to Li Si, that explosion was caused by someone tampering with his bamboo tube...

He was also a victim because the mechanical eyeballs were destroyed too.

But what if this explanation was a lie?

Are mechanical eyeballs that easily destroyed?

And if the mechanical eyeballs weren't destroyed...

Then where did the mechanical eyeballs that disappeared in the explosion go?

It just so happens that it was after the mechanical eyeballs disappeared that he was told to use [Blood Prison Contract] on the "Newborn"...

Damn it! The more you think about it, the weirder it seems!

However, before he could even agree.

The Witch Gui in his mind urged again:

"At most, I'll give you 30 seconds! The countdown starts now!"

"30... 29... 28..."

What the hell?!

Forcing me onto the stage, right??

Does this mean if I don't use [Blood Prison Contract] on this "Newborn," you won't even give me the shield after 30 seconds?!

Chen Cang hated this feeling of being forced to do something before understanding the situation.

However, even though he hated it...

His final choice was still to cut his palm with his nail.

After blood seeped from his palm, he pressed it against the bottom of the giant sphere again.

He then assumed a posture of holding up the giant sphere with his palm, falling together with the giant sphere.

And the reason he still chose to use [Blood Prison Contract] on this "Newborn" despite suspecting Li Si was hiding something and scheming...

was mainly due to his trust in the [Protagonist Halo].

Chen Cang believed that all those who wanted to scheme against him would ultimately fail and suffer losses instead!

No matter what Li Si was scheming.

In the end, it would definitely pave the way for him, becoming an opportunity for him as the "protagonist"!

The blood seeping from his palm rapidly spread across the entire surface of the giant sphere, forming a unique pattern of blood-colored lines.

These blood-colored lines were not dense, completely different from the blood-colored patterns on those mutants.

At a glance, it indeed looked like a subtle contract pattern.

However...

Just as this [Blood Prison Contract] was about to be completed...

In this seemingly boundless space of the Giant Toad's stomach.

As if from the void, a bluish-grey long tongue suddenly descended again!

It looked exactly the same as the long tongue that previously bound the entire "giant sphere" and brought the "giant sphere" from the Forest of Oddities to this place!

So this is... the Giant Toad's tongue?!

What the hell?? The Giant Toad's tongue directly reached into its own stomach?!

Is this reasonable??

Or is it...

What he thought was the Giant Toad's stomach is actually not the Giant Toad's stomach, but just a boundless ocean of acid water?

Just as Chen Cang thought this, he felt the world turn upside down!

The acid water originally located "below" seemed to pour towards him and the giant sphere as the world turned upside down at this moment!

The giant sphere that was falling "downward" was now falling "upward"!

At this moment, up and down were reversed!

Overwhelming acid water poured down crazily as if a hole had been torn in the sky...

And at this very moment, that bluish-grey long tongue once again restrained the giant sphere!

This time, even Chen Cang himself was pressed against the giant sphere by the long tongue's restraint, as if flattened into a piece of paper...

The extreme pain of being flattened at this moment was naturally also shared with Li Si and the Cheng Lin version of Jiang Ye through [Pain Sharing].

Yes, because Jiang Ye had removed the [Salvation Domain], he also shared the pain at this time.

So even though he lost contact with the Witch Gui, he quickly judged from this pain—

"This feeling... as if being flattened by a tremendous force..."

"This..."

This feeling of being flattened even made it hard for him to breathe, somewhat unable to speak.

However, his meaning was clear—

Now, it should be Li Si's turn to act!

Whether it was using his so-called method to contact Chen Cang, or using [Target Anchor] to use [Salvation Domain] on Chen Cang again...

The facts were indeed so.

Li Si soon took out the [Target Anchor] crystal chip again.

However, this time, before he could do anything to the chip...

He saw that fingernail-sized dark purple crystal chip, as if also subjected to tremendous pressure, instantly began to crack inch by inch!

Soon, it shattered into dark purple sand in Li Si's palm...

This... this??!

Jiang Ye quickly reacted—

"Could this be... the Giant Toad making a move?" 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Li Si's face, covered by his eyes, couldn't easily show emotional changes.

But the heaviness in his voice when he spoke was unmistakable:

"Most likely... it's the Giant Toad!"

"[Target Anchor] is destroyed, we've completely lost contact with him..."

"Then from now on, we can only rely on the [Protagonist Halo]!"

"..."

Jiang Ye was speechless for a moment, fell silent briefly, tried hard to adjust his breathing, endured the pain, and then asked quietly:

"Did you anticipate long ago that him using [Blood Prison Contract] on the 'Newborn' would likely provoke the Giant Toad to act?"

"And where exactly did that pair of eyeballs that disappeared in the explosion go?"

"You... have you really lost contact with Chen Cang?"