Before the purple saber-light had even faded, Purple Iris's silhouette flickered back like a ghost.

She tapped the metal shell of Liu San's train with her toes and vaulted toward another skeletal train closing in from the flank.

The driver of that train was a mummy-like creature wrapped head-to-toe in bandages.

But before its withered claws could counter, the entire carriage was cleaved sideways; rotting bandage scraps and gear parts sprayed across the sky.

In one exchange—just two slashes—Purple Iris had instantly disposed of the two special Survivors charging Liu San's train.

Liu San's face was frozen in shock; the two lackeys beside him practically dropped their jaws.

They all knew Bai Cheng's employee was strong, knew she was King-grade.

Yet they never expected those supposedly unbeatable fighters to be one-shot so effortlessly.

Looking back now, Liu San realized his worry had been completely unnecessary.

Five special channel Survivors—so what if another five showed up?

Up ahead, Blue Bird—tasked with the other three trains—had already struck.

With a flight advantage, this was his home turf.

Thunderclouds surged; King-grade pressure condensed into a tangible sonic boom.

Three bowl-thick bolts of lightning shot out; the oncoming trains were sitting ducks.

The next second, lightning exploded, shredding all three trains into countless fragments that rained down like °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° scattered flowers.

As for the special Survivors inside—if their trains were pulverized, how could they survive?

Meanwhile, Bai Cheng, unconcerned with the battle outside, kept her eyes on the screen.

After the kills, the system immediately popped a notice.

Bai Cheng arched a brow, puzzled. “Huh? They're different from the ones in Cloud-Sea Lonely City?”

Before, a kill was a kill—nothing but a quest-completion notice.

This time, though, the system voluntarily dished out info on these special channel Survivors.

【Congratulations on slaying an enemy from the special channel: +5 Rank Points, +1 000 EXP.】

【Channel Rankings are now open. Final rewards will be based on your standing!】

“No loot boxes at all?” Bai Cheng's brows shot up, her pretty face disgruntled.

Killing an ordinary leader would at least let her plunder all their supplies, right?

Yet these #1 channel hotshots dropped absolutely nothing?

The only difference was a slightly fatter EXP payout.

But for King-grade Blue Bird and Purple Iris, what good did that do?

Bai Cheng regretted it; she should've sent other employees instead.

Yet on-screen, both notices bore blue question-mark icons.

The first explained the special channel; the second detailed channel rankings.

With mild interest, Bai Cheng clicked them open one by one.

【special channel: A group of exiled natives volunteered to become “aliens,” gaining Train Conductor status and a unique cultivation method—devouring Survivors to grow stronger.

They harbor special goals tied to the world's essence, specifics unknown.

These anomalous travelers are grouped into one channel, only linking with others when events begin. Their designation: #1.】

Bai Cheng's face flashed a told-you-so look.

“So they really are Survivors from #1 channel!”

She easily grasped the gist.

In short, these natives had joined the transmigrators' ranks, earning the label “aliens” from their own kind.

【Channel Ranking:

1st: #2 Channel – Bai Cheng, 8 points

2nd: #521 Channel – Ye Liangchen, 5 points

3rd: ...】

The ranking itself didn't surprise her.

She'd just hit Cloud Heaven Sea and killed five #1 channel Survivors, plus three in Cloud-Sea Lonely City—first place was a given.

What shocked her was Ye Liangchen also killing five and snagging second.

“Looks like the other channels' leaders are pretty mediocre.” She'd expected a few dark horses.

Instead, they were around Ye Liangchen's level—or lower.

Though bad luck, not skill, might explain their standings.

“Tch—no #1 channel hunters, no ranking. Good or bad?”

Outside, the thunderclouds dispersed; Silent Night faded, everything turning as bright and calm as the day before.

The rising sun gilded the two slowly moving trains while clouds rolled aside, visibility clearing.

Dawn had broken; all crises were over.

Bai Cheng saw no need to dawdle and ordered Lan Xiaoyu to accelerate.

The detection platform re-locked their position. Just as Bai Cheng prepared to rest, she and Leng Ningxue noticed a cloud-sea anomaly outside.

At first they blamed speed for whipping the mist away.

But after a stretch of travel, they were sure the clouds were thinning.

Where once they'd ridden high like immortals in a celestial palace, now the dissipating mist made it feel as though the clouds might vanish entirely.

Soon the train would truly be suspended in open sky.

“Some kind of anomaly?” Leng Ningxue guessed.

Bai Cheng gave a non-committal nod, pressing to the window and staring at the ground emerging below.

Once the clouds vanished, nothing would block their view.

They would gaze straight down at the earth.

Cloud Heaven Sea, the terrain just before #8 Station and the last zone before Infinite Realm—what lay on its ground?

Would they see the real world beyond Infinite Realm?

Bai Cheng didn't know. She focused, waiting for the moment the clouds disappeared.

As expected, the sky cleared; the sea of clouds was gone.

The ground burst into full view—Bai Cheng's face filled with surprise.