Chen Cang had felt a bit of a sense of crisis earlier when he saw He Yuliang's talent being similar to his own.

However, now, a heaven-sent opportunity had landed in his hands.

And He Yuliang even needed to go through him just to leave the Blood Pool and Forest of Flesh space.

This greatly satisfied his vanity, and he secretly felt that He Yuliang's SSS-grade [Luck] might very well be inferior to his [Protagonist Halo].

Chen Cang had also figured something out...

The SSS-grade talents in this era might be somewhat different from the SSS-grade talent he obtained during the Doomsday Apartment era.

At least in his view, the SSS-grade talents produced in this era might be somewhat discounted.

While the rarer SSS-grade talents from the Doomsday Apartment background directly crushed this era's!

With this mindset, he didn't really take He Yuliang seriously anymore, and his tone when speaking was blunt and impolite:

"You two, while the time for the [Salvation Domain] is still active, quickly use the 'Salvation' judgment."

This zero-frame startup was a bit abrupt.

He Yuliang was slightly stunned, and a hint of hesitation actually arose in his heart.

If it was his own decision, of course he could trust his [Luck]...

But Chen Cang urging him and Du Yuheng to perform the 'Salvation' judgment...

This looked more and more like someone trying to target him while he was "near death," didn't it?

He Yuliang couldn't help but frown, his eyes suspicious as he said, "The two of us performing the 'Salvation' judgment... may I ask what does that have to do with you?"

These words weren't very polite, but Chen Cang didn't hold it against him. After thinking for a moment, he directly explained:

"Because later, I also want to use the 'Salvation' judgment to randomly obtain the Rebirth state."

"So I want to see your situation and use it as a reference."

Upon hearing this, He Yuliang was shocked!

He thought to himself, this guy's guts are way too big!

He dared to gamble on luck because he had SSS-grade [Luck], and [Paradox Protection] adjusted random probabilities for him.

On the surface, it was "gambling on luck," but in reality, it was simply the God of Fate directly giving the best result.

He dared to be willful because he had an SSS-grade talent as a safety net.

But Chen Cang... where did he get the courage??

Was this guy perhaps an idiot? Did he think the probability of randomly getting the "Rebirth state" was high?

After thinking for a moment, He Yuliang tentatively asked:

"So you mean..."

"The 'Salvation' judgment between me and Du Yuheng is just a trial run for yours and Li Si's 'Salvation' judgment."

"If I randomly get the 'Rebirth state' and successfully evolve into a moon infant..."

"Then you'll follow the example and also randomly get the 'Rebirth state' and evolve into a moon infant?"

Chen Cang nodded seriously. "Correct!"

"And I'm not afraid to tell you—the Birth of the Moon Infant in the previous announcement was solely facilitated by me."

"As long as you truly can randomly get the 'Rebirth state,' I will naturally help you become a newborn moon infant."

"So you also don't need to feel that being treated as an experimental subject is some great humiliation..."

"After all, only if everything goes smoothly for you can I follow the example. So I will naturally do my best to help you."

These words truly made He Yuliang's heart stir.

Originally, although he believed SSS-grade [Luck] could let him safely survive the 100-minute "near death" state.

Logically, he didn't seem to have one hundred percent confidence.

But now, logically, he also had a reason for surviving the 100-minute near death state.

This way, it was practically like having everything ready!

As for being treated as an "experimental subject"?

Hah, He Yuliang didn't care about that at all.

Putting it harshly, it was called an "experimental subject."

But putting it nicely, he was called "the first to taste the crab"!

As long as everything went smoothly, he could be the first to gain benefits!

And with him, under the effect of SSS-grade [Luck], how could things not go smoothly?

Thinking this, He Yuliang felt that with both [Luck] as his safety net and Chen Cang safeguarding him, this round of 'Salvation' judgment would definitely go one hundred percent smoothly!

Thus, he didn't dwell on it any longer and directly turned his gaze to Du Yuheng.

The meaning was very clear—please begin your performance.

However...

Du Yuheng seemed somewhat silent. With a sweep of his gaze, he suddenly blurted out, "Where's Cheng Lin?"

Jiang Ye thought to himself: Right here!

But the fact was, Cheng Lin indeed wasn't present.

No one knew that the doll in Chen Cang's hand was him...

And Chen Cang wasn't very concerned about Cheng Lin either.

He remembered telling Cheng Lin earlier to do whatever he needed to do, so he now said accordingly, "He didn't use [Salvation Domain] on himself to explore the Blood Pool, so naturally he went off to do whatever he needed to do."

"Oh right, wasn't there talk about contacting the abandoned Mental Hospital? Maybe he's already at the Mental Hospital?"

"..."

The tone of those words sounded a bit strange.

Du Yuheng appeared even more silent.

He seemed to want to say something, but there was a sense of hesitation, of wanting to speak but holding back.

In the end, he said nothing and instead turned to He Yuliang, saying, "Then... shall we directly start the 'Salvation' judgment?"

He Yuliang nodded, also offering a comforting remark, "Our [Salvation Domain] uses Cheng Lin's skill. Since the skill effect is still active, it means he's definitely fine..."

Jiang Ye also expressed agreement: Yes, I'm fine...

But the problem was—

His current Fire Theft doll state was essentially, perhaps, a mutated version of the [Faceless Mask].

And the effect of the [Faceless Mask] was originally to trigger a temporary mutation on top of the player's original foundation.

So the Fire Theft doll added another layer of mutation on top of the temporary mutation...

This...

At this moment, in his doll state, he had no way to check his own data panel.

And the data panel viewed from the Guiwen perspective displayed [Prometheus Doll]...

So, Jiang Ye actually didn't know...

Whether the SSS-grade talent [Salvation] originally belonging to the "Cheng Lin" identity, and the several skills corresponding to this talent, were still in a mutated state.

But based on his analysis and judgment...

There was a very high probability that the [Salvation] talent had already mutated.

The corresponding [Salvation Domain] should have mutated as well.

It was just uncertain whether this mutation also affected skills currently in use...

Simply put—

The [Salvation Domain] that Du Yuheng and He Yuliang were currently in might no longer be the effect described in the skill they saw...

And they might be completely unaware of this.

Through this, Jiang Ye suddenly realized—

Actually, the effect of the [Faceless Mask], besides mutations bringing more possibilities to player skills...

Also had a certain probability of producing effects that could screw people over.

For example, your skill, when shown to other players, had one effect.

But in the [Faceless Mask] state, it was another effect...

Players could completely use this information gap to harm other players.

Just like incomplete items had hidden pitfalls players didn't know about...

Thinking this, Jiang Ye was also particularly looking forward to the outcome of He Yuliang and Du Yuheng's 'Salvation' judgment.

Just as the two were about to shake hands to trigger the 'Salvation' judgment.

Li Si suddenly said to Du Yuheng, "The sun and moon are like knives, no blood marks are seen. That phrase, was it you who had Cheng Lin relay it to me?"

Du Yuheng was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

Then he signaled with his eyes to Li Si, asking if there was anything else he wanted to ask.

Li Si looked at their hands about to make contact and also fell silent.

Thus, Du Yuheng and He Yuliang successfully shook hands.

The radiance of the 'Salvation' judgment instantly enveloped the two.

The pure [Salvation Domain] actually formed two independent spaces simultaneously.

The two players, each in their own independent space, could even move freely.

And triggering the 'Salvation' judgment was equivalent to the originally independent two spaces making contact, even merging.

The 'Salvation' judgment was conducted precisely when the two independent salvation spaces merged.

At that moment, the two undergoing judgment simultaneously heard a prompt in their minds.

Asking them to choose between "trust" and "betrayal."

That's what the skill description said.

That's what players who had previously undergone the 'Salvation' judgment experienced.

However...

The prompt sound Du Yuheng and He Yuliang heard in their minds at this moment was somewhat different from other players who had undergone the 'Salvation' judgment...

[Ding!]

[The partner walking the path of salvation with you initiates a soul judgment against you! Please face your relationship squarely and make a choice within 3 seconds—]

[1. Trust]

[2. Betrayal]

[3. Forgive]

The entire prompt sound, the only difference from the normal 'Salvation' judgment was...

The original two options had become three!

Meaning an extra "Forgive" option appeared!

At that moment, the expressions of both Du Yuheng and He Yuliang changed slightly.

This was their first time undergoing the Salvation judgment.

So they also didn't know what the normal Salvation judgment was like.

Clearly, the skill description only had the two choices of "trust" and "betrayal"!

How come, in actual skill practice, there was an extra "Forgive"?!

Could this be a hidden skill effect?

But whether it was Cheng Lin or Li Si, why hadn't they told them about this before?

Cheng Lin could still be understood, because he had the [Salvation] talent; this skill was inherently given to him by his talent.

But Li Si acquired the skill later, which meant he must have undergone the 'Salvation' judgment!

So why hadn't he warned the two of them??

The key was, they only had 3 seconds to make a choice.

Otherwise, it would default to choosing "betrayal."

Three seconds wasn't enough time for discussion, even thinking felt insufficient!

The two locked eyes. He Yuliang spoke extremely quickly:

"Whatever the reason, choose according to plan!"

Du Yuheng also decisively responded, "I think the same."

Hearing this reply, He Yuliang breathed a sigh of relief and decisively chose—Trust!

He had been a bit worried that Du Yuheng would choose the hidden third option "Forgive."

But the moment he chose "Trust," he vaguely realized... 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

The third hidden option "Forgive" might be a preemptive judgment against the other party choosing "Betrayal."

If a player in the 'Salvation' judgment preemptively judged the other's "betrayal"...

But was unwilling to also choose "betrayal."

Yet choosing "trust" would cause harm.

Then they could choose "forgive."

Meaning they forgave the other's betrayal in advance...

This way, there probably wouldn't be the negative effects of choosing "trust."

Instead, this choice of preemptively judging the other's betrayal yet insisting on not betraying...

Might also bring players unexpected positive effects.

However, if the other party didn't choose betrayal, but one chose "forgive"...

Then perhaps, the effect would be different again.

After this round of contemplation, He Yuliang suddenly realized...

If he had chosen "Forgive" just now, perhaps the benefits would have been greater than choosing "Trust."

After all, he already knew Du Yuheng would choose "Betrayal"...

When preemptively judging the other's choice of "Betrayal," "Forgive" should be a better choice than "Trust" or "Betrayal."

Unfortunately, he only vaguely realized this after making his choice...

And after the 3-second judgment time passed, He Yuliang indeed fell into a near death state.

He had not a single ounce of strength left, collapsing with difficulty even breathing.

The sensation of this near death state was quite unbearable.

Physically, he suspected he might stop breathing at any moment and die...

Psychologically, the fear of death shadowed him, tormenting him constantly.

This agonizing feeling finally made He Yuliang feel a sliver of regret at this moment...

Had he played this round too recklessly?

He Yuliang, fallen on the ground, couldn't even speak due to the "near death" state.

He had thought Du Yuheng would proactively bring up the issue of the third option in the 'Salvation' judgment.

But he didn't...

Even when Li Si frowned and asked, "During the Salvation judgment just now, you confirmed again to proceed according to plan... did something unexpected happen?"

Du Yuheng lied without changing his expression, "No, it's just that during the judgment, it was inevitably a bit tense..."

Chen Cang didn't overthink it. He immediately crouched down to examine He Yuliang's so-called near death state.

Placing his fingers near He Yuliang's nostrils, he exclaimed in surprise, "This near death state really seems like the real deal... even his breathing is this weak."

"Can this state really last 100 minutes without dying?"

"Yes." Li Si nodded in affirmation, but then immediately made a request to Du Yuheng, "From the judgment just now, He Yuliang is near death, and you obtained the [Salvation Domain] skill."

"Is it convenient to show us your skill?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ye also became interested.

According to his speculation...

If his [Salvation Domain] had indeed undergone some substantial mutation in his doll state.

Then the [Salvation Domain] skill Du Yuheng obtained through the 'Salvation' judgment was highly likely to be the mutated version directly!

And...

Jiang Ye only realized this belatedly now.

Why was Du Yuheng's request merely to obtain the [Salvation Domain] skill...

At the time, Jiang Ye hadn't realized at all that his [Salvation Domain] skill could mutate!

But Du Yuheng might have already learned about this from his so-called "Deduction Mode"?

So, from the start, he was aiming for the mutated version of [Salvation Domain]!

Instead, he used the information gap that Jiang Ye didn't know [Salvation Domain] would mutate!

This guy was way too shrewd!

So now, facing Li Si's questioning, would he expose the mutated [Salvation Domain]?