The Moon Infant replacing the Old Moon...

This line of thinking, at first hearing, really does sound quite plausible.

After all, judging from the announcement, the reason the Old Moon shifted towards the Land of Exile seemed to be precisely because of the Moon Infant's birth.

Even the moons before had never been given a designation like "Old Moon."

Yet, that system-wide announcement called it the Old Moon.

So, since there is an "Old Moon," logically, there should also exist a corresponding "New Moon."

Following this train of thought, the "Moon Infant" mentioned in the announcement is very likely the "New Moon"?

Then it's perfectly normal for Li Ku to think this way—

Since the Old Moon has left the Qiankun Land.

Wouldn't it be perfectly logical to have the New Moon go to the Qiankun Land to create an artificial "solar eclipse" phenomenon?

But the problem is...

The few players who understand how the Moon Infant is born can obviously spot the flaws in this line of thinking.

The most direct flaw is—

There should only be one moon, right?

Even if the concept of "Old Moon" appears in the announcement, leading to the deduction of an unknown "New Moon"...

That would still only be two moons.

But the Moon Infant...

Although it is an extremely special existence.

The process of its birth can be replicated!

And being replicable means...

Moon Infants can be mass-produced!

Even in Chen Cang's conception, the near-death He Yuliang could soon transform into a Moon Infant.

Even he himself could become a Moon Infant...

And by utilizing the [Salvation Domain], many players could become Moon Infants!

Everyone a Moon Infant...

Then can this "Moon Infant"... still be considered a "moon"?

And that first Moon Infant that triggered the announcement...

From the announcement's perspective, it certainly seems quite special.

But from the perspective of Jiang Ye, Li Si, and Chen Cang, the three witnesses to the Moon Infant's birth, that Moon Infant didn't seem particularly powerful.

The Moon-Devouring Giant Toad could casually swallow it, nearly causing it to be stillborn;

Chen Cang, with just a casual [Blood Prison Contract], could bind it, making it unable to leave his blood;

And then there's Li Si, who definitely implanted two mechanical eyeballs onto that Moon Infant;

As for Jiang Ye, it goes without saying...

The Guiwen clone built the Heart Demon Nest within the Moon Infant.

The Cheng Lin-version clone felt immense disdain when parasitized by the Moon Infant.

Such a thing that anyone can casually mess with...

Can it truly be the "New Moon" that replaces the "Old Moon"?

Not only Jiang Ye, but Chen Cang and Li Si should also be skeptical.

It's just that the meddling they did to the Moon Infant isn't something they can openly discuss.

Chen Cang could only express it more euphemistically: "That Moon Infant... to be honest, it's just a bizarre creature born through the 'Rebirth state' of the [Salvation Domain]..."

"That thing, can it really replace the Old Moon and create a 'solar eclipse' phenomenon in the Qiankun Land?"

Li Ku pondered briefly, then quickly nodded and amended his statement:

"At present, it likely indeed cannot. But that doesn't mean it won't be possible in the future."

"Didn't I also say earlier? I have a vague idea regarding the Moon Infant."

"The reason it's vague is because I know too little about the Moon Infant."

"Perhaps the Moon Infant is not directly equivalent to the New Moon, but there should be some connection between them. Otherwise, that announcement wouldn't have..."

Li Ku stopped mid-sentence, as if suddenly struck by a thought, and fell into deep contemplation.

Wan Xin was about to press for details but suddenly remembered Lin Jing's warning and obediently kept his mouth shut.

Chen Cang frowned, also wanting to ask, but he too remained silent.

For a moment, the group fell into silence.

Until Li Ku snapped out of his contemplation, his face, usually paralyzed, now wore an unusually deep frown.

He didn't hide it, directly stating frankly: "I was just thinking... can that announcement necessarily serve as a basis?"

Hearing this question, Jiang Ye instantly felt a deep resonance.

Most of the other players, however, were unable to comprehend: "What do you mean? Can announcements be faked?"

"Impossible! Because the Moon Infant was indeed born, I could even say it was born right before my eyes."

Chen Cang couldn't really accept Li Ku questioning the announcement.

Li Ku didn't explain further, but instead asked Chen Cang again: "That born Moon Infant should be on you, right?"

"Uh..." Chen Cang was taken aback by the question.

Then, his expression turned somewhat awkward: "During my exploration of the Blood Pool, that Moon Infant somehow disappeared..."

"However, I have a special connection with the Moon Infant, and I'm certain it's temporarily fine."

"And it cannot leave my blood, so it will eventually return to me."

He said this with conviction, yet the other players looked at him with clear skepticism.

Their doubtful eyes clearly said: The Moon Infant, cannot leave your blood?

Buddy, aren't you being a bit too confident?!

Chen Cang frowned, deeply annoyed by those skeptical looks.

But he truly couldn't produce any evidence.

After a moment of thought, Chen Cang glanced at the near-death He Yuliang and said to the group: "I think you might be overestimating the Moon Infant because of that announcement."

"That Moon Infant itself was also transformed from a player entering the Rebirth state."

"If the Moon Infant's birth process can be replicated... then theoretically, all of us here can become Moon Infants."

"So the Moon Infant is merely a somewhat special type of player."

"And this category of players likely also has its strong and weak members."

"The first Moon Infant was just an experimental product. Although in name, it holds the title of 'first.'"

"But its strength might be inferior to later Moon Infants."

"Of course, you will definitely question my claim. But that's fine, once He Yuliang exits his near-death state..."

"Many things will become clear."

And now, there were less than 10 minutes left before He Yuliang exited his near-death state.

They only needed to wait a few more minutes to determine many things.

First, what Li Ku said—could the Moon-Devouring Giant Toad's tongue truly reach into this Blood Pool space?

Second, what Chen Cang said—could the Moon Infant's birth event truly be replicated in batches?

Finally, Jiang Ye was also pondering...

There were too many uncertain factors regarding He Yuliang.

Not just the possibly mutated version of the [Salvation Domain] that led to his near-death state...

But also his [Paradox Protection]!

So what state this guy will be in after exiting near-death...

Probably even Du Yuheng, who possesses the mutated [Salvation Domain], isn't sure.

And just now, Wang Lingling had already verified.

Even using her [Yin Yang Eyes] on He Yuliang failed to smoothly detect anything...

Time always seems exceptionally long when one is anticipating something.

During the waiting process, Chen Cang felt restless inside.

In his heart, he was still thinking about his lost right hand and the two bold ideas that had flashed through his mind.

He couldn't hold back any longer and tentatively asked the Witch Gui Jiang Ye in his mind:

"Senior, you say... if He Yuliang, after exiting near-death, gains some powerful ability..."

"Should I try using the [Prometheus Doll]'s [Fire Theft] on his ability?"

This question was clearly probing Jiang Ye's attitude.

Jiang Ye understood this. After a moment's thought, he replied in a neutral tone:

"It seems failing to seize that opportunity earlier hasn't taught you a lesson yet?"

"And didn't Li Si reveal to you that the [Prometheus Doll] is a Cursed Doll?"

"Without understanding the so-called 'curse,' do you really dare to casually use that doll's [Fire Theft] talent?"

"......"

Chen Cang was silent for a moment, then continued probing: "But Senior, just a mere curse... Do you think my [Protagonist Halo] might be able to directly confront that so-called curse?"

Jiang Ye thought for a moment, not giving a clear answer, and only asked: "It seems you're not planning to use the Deduction Mode to seek answers?"

Chen Cang also didn't give a clear answer.

But in his heart, he felt...

Since the Deduction Mode couldn't deduce the Moon Infant's birth.

And when Wang Lingling used her [Yin Yang Eyes] on Li Si and Du Yuheng, something also went wrong.

This proved that the so-called Deduction Mode wasn't omnipotent.

Some things simply couldn't be deduced by the Deduction Mode!

And he, Chen Cang, since he already possesses the [Protagonist Halo]...

Then, shouldn't what he believe in be "My fate is mine to command, not heaven's"?

Why should he believe in that Deduction Mode?

Of course, Chen Cang didn't completely distrust the Deduction Mode.

He just felt it was ultimately just an auxiliary ability.

And this auxiliary ability might not even be as good as his [Protagonist Halo]!

However, he didn't say these words to the Witch Gui Jiang Ye.

He was only tangled and hesitant, wondering whether to use the doll's [Fire Theft]...

And... on whom to use it?

He Yuliang exiting his near-death state might be a special opportunity.

But how to utilize this opportunity... he probably still needed to deliberate carefully.

Actually...

Not just Chen Cang, every player present waiting for He Yuliang to exit his near-death state had their own thoughts.

Even Jiang Ye, in his doll state, inexplicably felt—

As He Yuliang was about to exit his near-death state, his body seemed to have a faint stir?

Yes, it was his body, not his mind.

This body in doll state... was stirring?

Stirring about what?

Jiang Ye was somewhat puzzled, then suddenly realized—

Could it be that Moon Infant parasitizing inside him was stirring?

This doll was Jiang Ye's current body.

So that first Moon Infant was also parasitizing within this body.

Now, with a second Moon Infant suspected to be about to be born, this first Moon Infant was stirring?

Jiang Ye suddenly suspected...

Could the "curse" in Li Si's "Cursed Doll" refer not to him, but to the Moon Infant?

Before he could think further, when He Yuliang's 100-minute near-death state entered the final 3-minute countdown...

The Blood Pool, which had been in a boiling state with constantly bubbling crimson foam, suddenly, for some reason, calmed down.

The group of players waiting for He Yuliang's experimental results were abruptly startled.

"What's going on?? This Blood Pool... what's happening? Why did it suddenly change?"

"Could this change be related to He Yuliang about to exit his near-death state?"

Chen Cang's first reaction was: "Could it be that the Moon-Devouring Giant Toad is already prepared to swallow He Yuliang?"

Li Si frowned and denied it: "I remember that first Moon Infant, when it exited its near-death state, all mechanical eyeballs sank into the ground, including that unborn Moon Infant."

"Afterwards, it was like a seed, breaking through the soil from underground, growing a hair tree connected to the earth like an umbilical cord..."

"The placenta-like Moon Infant hung from the top of that hair tree, continuously growing upward..."

As he spoke, Li Si seemed to suddenly realize something, startlingly exclaiming:

"Could it be that the Misty Forest of Oddities is a necessary condition for the Moon Infant's birth?"

"To be precise, only the soil of the Misty Forest of Oddities can nurture a Moon Infant?"

"Or perhaps, even if the 'soil' of this Blood Pool space can also nurture a Moon Infant, the nurturing circumstances might be different from the previous one?"

As Li Si said this, his expression was quite grave, as if he also didn't know what would happen.

However, almost as soon as his words fell...

Two exclamations of pain rang out consecutively among this group of strong players—

"Agh— Ah—"

These were two cries of sudden, unexpected pain.

Coming from... Wang Lingling and Li Ku!

They saw Wang Lingling's pair of eyeballs, which had just awakened their Glyph Pattern ability, suddenly fly out of her eye sockets!

Then, as if beyond her control, they flew straight into the Blood Pool that was no longer bubbling!

In an instant, she bent over, covering her empty eye sockets, unable to suppress her painful moans.

Li Ku's situation was similar to Wang Lingling's.

His eyeballs also flew straight into the Blood Pool!

However, unlike Wang Lingling...

After his eyeballs flew out, the empty eye sockets left behind turned into deep, scar-like chasms like the other parts of his face!

It was as if that position originally had no eyes, but merely had a pair of eyes embedded in two cracks...

Moreover, having lost his eyes, he obviously wasn't in as much pain as Wang Lingling.

However, having lost his eyeballs, his lonely pair of eyebrows also furrowed deeply.

It seemed such a situation was completely unexpected for him.

Besides these, a third pair of eyes also flew into the Blood Pool.

That was...

The pair of pitch-black eyeballs belonging to the doll on Chen Cang!

In other words... the eyeballs of Doll Jiang Ye also flew out!

Flew into the Blood Pool!

This...

This bizarre scene directly stunned everyone.

But soon, following Li Si's words, they reached a conclusion:

"During the previous Moon Infant birth process, there was a situation where mechanical eyeballs sank into the ground..."

"So does this situation now indicate that a new Moon Infant will be born?"

This question was directed at Li Si and Chen Cang.

After all, only they participated in the Moon Infant's birth process.

The details naturally only they had more experience with.

However, both Li Si and Chen Cang looked rather grim.

Chen Cang thought for a moment, then pointed out the issue, confirming with Li Si:

"I did see it. At that time, that mechanical eyeball originally meant to erase me suddenly sank into the ground."

"And all the mechanical eyeballs in your team sank into the ground..."

"But I didn't participate in your experiment process, meaning I'm not certain—did the lab rat you used as an experimental subject create that phenomenon of eyeballs falling into the ground at the 97th minute?"

"Or did that phenomenon appear exactly at the 100th minute?"

Because Chen Cang was constantly monitoring He Yuliang's near-death state timer.

He was absolutely certain—

The three pairs of eyeballs sinking into the Blood Pool happened at the 97th minute of He Yuliang's near-death state!

It wasn't the 100th minute at all!

Li Si understood what he was asking. While checking He Yuliang's status, he gave his answer: "Of course it was—the 100th minute."