Chapter 844: The Deep Layer World

844. The Deep Layer World

"This place feels off. Those black-robed figures are a major problem."

Little Guardian appeared beside Lin Ye. She had intended to alienate those black-robed figures into parasitic nodes, but when she tried, she discovered their mental energy was very strange, as if separated by an invisible membrane.

"Hmm, this is indeed unusual. First deploy the hidden parasitic network, then use the parasitic network to track the cult's trail."

Lin Ye prepared to first figure out the specifics of this place.

"Alright. Do we need to deal with those black-robed people?"

Little Guardian began to control the parasitic network and expand it outward.

"Handle them as the situation requires. At the same time, study the source of those black-robed figures' mental energy."

Lin Ye also began manipulating the parasitic network. He had developed some new ideas about the parasitic network recently.

"Okay."

Little Guardian vanished from the spot. Lin Ye still needed her to address many issues about the parasitic network while he continued strengthening his body.

While Lin Ye reinforced his body and adjusted the parasitic network, more black-robed figures appeared near the residential complex. They materialized inside the parasitic network with no spatial fluctuations around them.

Eve was still watching from the window. The complex was deathly silent, and the eerie atmosphere made her extremely uneasy.

'Huh, the mental energy of these black-robed figures seems to originate from somewhere deeper. This place looks like just a surface layer of the world…'

Lin Ye disposed of a few black-robed figures, but their mental energy vanished quickly.

Where their mental energy dissipated, Lin Ye discovered some voids that were "healing."

'Seems impossible to enter…'

It wasn't just a layer of space between them; it was separated by something far more complex.

"I want to go take a look over there. Can you stay here by yourself?"

Eve suddenly grabbed Lin Ye and said very seriously.

'Over there? She can enter it?'

Lin Ye didn't respond, only watching Eve with curiosity.

Eve closed her eyes, and after a few seconds her body disappeared from the room.

Lin Ye kept sensing Eve's condition and found that some sort of black substance had appeared inside her body.

He knew that substance very well.

'This is definitely related to the cult. Is the Deep Well Substance the key to penetrating this world?'

Lin Ye could not control the Deep Well Substance stored within him; he didn't even know what form those Deep Well Substances existed in. But he could use the Deep Well Substance inside those black-robed figures to open a passage into the deep layer world.

Under the parasitic network's influence, the nearby black-robed figures all gathered downstairs. A slit opened in a window automatically, and Lin Ye slipped through and jumped down.

Those black-robed figures formed several concentric rings of different diameters and began rotating around the center. As the Deep Well Substance within their bodies was consumed, a passage appeared in the center of the rings.

Lin Ye passed through the rings and entered the deep layer world.

'Is this the deep layer world?'

Lin Ye looked around. It was a ruined city, and the sky above was a dark red.

The parasitic network was severed. Once here, Lin Ye reverted to a fragile flesh ball.

Bang!

A gunshot sounded in the distance. Lin Ye leapt toward it and quickly sensed Eve running away.

A horde of terrifying stitched-together monsters chased Eve. She wore a black combat suit and fired backward while fleeing.

'Her power seems a bit stronger. The Spiritual Energy Concentration in the deep layer world appears lower.'

Lin Ye tried to use mental energy to secretly alienate those stitched-together monsters into parasitic nodes, but discovered a certain concentration of Deep Well Substance in the environment. This foreign material interfered with the mental energy's control over spiritual energy.

'Sounds like I have to use more primitive methods.'

Lin Ye charged at the stitched-together monsters and rammed into the nearest one's body.

By relying on close-range flesh and blood Alienation, Lin Ye quickly took control of that stitched-together monster's body.

Using the stitched-together monster's body, Lin Ye attacked the nearby stitched-together monsters. Perhaps because they didn't guard against their "own kind," those stitched-together monsters were soon all slaughtered.

Eve had already escaped. Lin Ye began to use the corpses of the stitched-together monsters to create small parasitic nodes.

'What exactly is this place? Why are there monsters everywhere?'

The small parasitic organisms spread locally, and Lin Ye realized that aside from Eve, there were no normal humans here—only vast ruins and various monsters roaming among them.

Eve had hidden in an underground parking lot. She still looked relatively calm.

"There should be even deeper layers. Judging by this layer, the deeper layers will be extremely dangerous."

Little Guardian appeared beside Lin Ye. Even here, she could not sense the surface layer's parasitic network.

"Let's develop here for a while, then consider whether to go deeper."

If this world really had many layers like an onion, Lin Ye had to weigh the risks of going further down.

As they went deeper, the Spiritual Energy Concentration in the environment might drop further, while the concentration of Deep Well Substance would likely increase.

Last time he adapted to the Black Sea environment only because of Special Ability; this time it was uncertain.

"Should we lure the cult members out?"

Little Guardian thought that would be safer.

"No. We don't yet have the strength to confront the cult head-on."

Lin Ye used the flesh of the stitched-together monsters to continually reinforce his body.

Monsters were everywhere; they were ready-made strengthening material.

"Wait, something's coming out! Very dangerous!"

Little Guardian suddenly warned.

Lin Ye didn't hesitate. He used Red Flash to instantly teleport to the underground parking lot, then used the still-fragile parasitic network to perform a Deep Dive ritual, bringing Eve into an even deeper layer of the world.

"Flesh ball? How are you here? What is this place?"

Eve never expected to run into Lin Ye here; she still hadn't figured out what was happening.

"Do you know what this place is?"

Lin Ye hadn't planned to converse with Eve because this was cult territory and anyone here could be a cult member.

That included this middle school student in front of him who could enter the deep layer world.

"...I'm not sure either. After that incident, I gained the ability to enter another world. Are you a being from another world?"

Eve looked at Lin Ye with intense nervousness.

"Yes, I'm a being from another world. Something very dangerous approached over there, and I had no choice but to move you here."

During their entry into the deep layer world, a large amount of Deep Well Substance surged into Lin Ye's body. Now his condition was rather ordinary.