He paused, his tone growing heavier. "And what we’re seeing now, this demon just born from the altar, is one of the best among them. After receiving its blessing, its soul and body have completely merged with Chaos Energy, undergoing a fundamental ’demonic ascension’ transformation. It’s no longer a mortal creature, but a true, living Tier Six Slaanesh Demon."
"As for what’s even higher..."
A hint of dread flashed in the veteran scholar’s eyes. "There are the even rarer, and more terrifying, ’Chosen of the Evil God.’ We won’t be discussing that kind of existence today."
Another Ninth-level Martial Artist, a burly man whose muscles looked as if they were forged from steel, chimed in, "What Qin Feng and his team have encountered is a Tier Six Slaanesh Demon that specializes in mental attacks. From the looks of it, its killing method is the ’illusion’ type, which is the hardest to defend against. These illusions directly evoke the deepest, most hidden obsessions in a living being’s heart."
"A person’s thoughts are the most complex and fickle things in this cosmos. Where there is light, there is darkness; where there is a will to protect, there is also hatred. This kind of attack, originating from within, is virtually impossible to defend against. Unless your Mental Power is so immense that you can crush the illusion it constructs like an egg, Fifth-level Martial Artists like Dragon Jade and the others, who haven’t yet truly mastered the ability for their Mental Power to affect reality, are completely unable to resist on a physical level. They can only be passively dragged into the illusion."
"Once dragged inside, their Mental Power will be continuously worn down and tormented in a world built from their own obsessions. They’ll lose the ability to distinguish illusion from reality until, finally, their Mental Power is completely exhausted, and they meet true death."
These words made the hearts of everyone present sink to the floor.
"Their Spiritual Power Index scores are all around 10. According to our database analysis on Slaanesh Demons, under this intensity of psychic erosion, they can probably last for about five minutes."
Feng Zhiyu made a calm assessment, and then he issued an indisputable order.
"Notify the ’veterans’ on the front line. Use Qin Feng as the timer. If Qin Feng can hold on, wait two minutes, then immediately initiate the rescue! I don’t care about mission points—I want all four of them back alive!"
"If... Qin Feng can’t hold on either, then the instant he falls, rescue them immediately! Don’t delay for even a second!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Ninth-level Martial Artist in charge of communications immediately relayed Feng Zhiyu’s orders to the covert team deployed in the Lost Star Realm.
"Acknowledged."
A cold, brief reply came from the front line.
In the conference room, everyone held their breath, their gazes locked firmly on the massive screen.
Every frame on it tugged at their heartstrings.
...
「The scene shifts back to the battlefield filled with depravity and madness.」
The moment his three teammates fell one after another, Qin Feng had already closed his eyes.
He didn’t look at the bizarre demon. Instead, he immersed his entire consciousness into his senses, attempting to lock onto the ghostly figure by tracking the surrounding Spiritual Energy fluctuations.
He believed that as long as he didn’t make eye contact, the [Imperial Army-Grade Mental Barrier Module] on his chest would be enough to withstand the enemy’s mental assault.
However, he was wrong.
The attacks of Slaanesh never play by the rules.
"Eye contact" was only ever a facade, a lure, an elegant and cruel "ritual" designed to make its prey lower their guard.
When the Slaanesh Demon’s figure once again appeared silently before Qin Feng, it didn’t even glance at his tightly shut eyes.
An invisible, yet terrifyingly immense wave of Mental Power—so powerful it could warp light—erupted from its body!
BZZZZ—!!!
The moment the golden [Mental Barrier Module] on Qin Feng’s chest came into contact with this psychic storm, the light emanating from its surface began to flicker violently, like a candle in the wind.
It held for less than a thousandth of a second.
CRACK!
A crisp sound, like shattering crystal, echoed in Qin Feng’s mind.
The standard-issue piece of Imperial Army equipment, worth thirty thousand Contribution Points, had its internal Spiritual Furnace instantly overloaded. Its core array completely disintegrated!
The sturdy line of defense was effortlessly torn to shreds.
Immediately after, that irresistible psychic torrent, filled with malice and temptation, poured violently and unimpeded into his mind.
"KYEHEHEHE—"
A sharp, lascivious laugh that seemed to scrape against the soul echoed madly in the depths of his consciousness.
"Let me see... let me see! A powerful ’Fearless’ warrior from the Empire... what could your deepest, innermost desire be? Supreme power? Eternal life? Or... something far filthier, something far more unspeakable? Kyehehehe—"
Everything around him changed.
The crimson-purple sky, the altar, the smiling demon... all of it vanished in an instant.
Qin Feng felt as if he had plunged into a stretch of cold, dead-silent space.
Before him, a figure he could never forget for all eternity floated silently.
Horns sprouted from its head and bat-like wings from its back. Its body was a mass of gnarled muscle, with dark black veins pulsing crazily across its surface like malevolent vines.
The once-familiar face was now etched with brutality, madness, and an endless thirst for slaughter.