Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1358: The Inescapable Space

Batu's voice abruptly echoed in everyone's minds.

In the next instant, Yang Xinxin's finger pointed towards the wall opposite them.

"Quick, look!"

Zhang Yi and the others swiveled their heads to gaze at the dilapidated wall. Once white, it was now marred by stains and ghastly, dark blood spatters.

Simultaneously with Batu's utterance, crimson characters began to materialize on the wall.

"【Asylum】Game Rules."

"First, the ward is occupied by numerous mental patients. They will aggressively target all living beings. It is imperative to maintain distance."

"Second, upon being spotted by a mental patient, you must maintain continuous eye contact. Your gaze will have a calming effect on them."

"Third, these mental patients will not inflict harm upon players, but they will render them inactive, entering a standby state where movement is impossible."

As they observed the ominous, blood-red script that had materialized inexplicably on the wall, Yang Xinxin swiftly grasped their precarious situation.

"It appears his ability falls under the rule-based category. That complication makes matters somewhat more challenging."

Rule-based abilities represented the most distinctive form of superhuman powers.

They were exceptionally potent, yet simultaneously exceedingly fragile.

Should the stipulated conditions be met, the ability's potential could ascend to extraordinary heights.

However, if those conditions remained unsatisfied, a rule-based superhuman would be no different from a liability.

Take Yang Xinxin herself, for instance.

Provided her 【Desire Angel】 arrow found its mark, even an Epsilon-level superhuman would fall under her control.

The critical prerequisite, however, was the arrow's successful impact, an exceedingly difficult feat to achieve. After all, most combat-oriented superhumans possessed the agility to evade her rule-based arrows, which lacked sufficient velocity.

Yang Xinxin mused aloud, "I comprehend now. For Martial Arena's ability, the trigger condition necessitates a player's voluntary entry. That's precisely why Brother's 【All Things Follow Traces】 detected no impending danger—because at that very moment, the ability was incapable of harming you."

Zhang Yi meticulously reread the game's stipulations multiple times, his expression hardening into an icy glare.

"An attempt to ensnare me? To grant them precious time, allowing them to unearth the treasure beneath the Demon Abyss first?"

Based on the game rules presented, if the elimination of all mental patients proved impossible, they would be confined for 24 hours before their egress from this Asylum.

An entire day's duration would provide ample opportunity for Gao Changkong and his cohort to gain a significant advantage.

In a critical juncture where every second was paramount, this presented a profoundly vexing predicament.

However, Yang Xinxin cautioned, "No, Brother, we cannot place blind faith in every word presented!"

She stated cautiously, "This is Martial Arena's domain. He dictates the rules, thus these so-called directives could very well be his deceptions. We must forge our own path to liberation, rather than remaining bound by his game's regulations."

"Furthermore, we must first ascertain the true nature of these so-called mental patients."

Old You inquired naively, "How arduous could the task of dispatching an NPC conjured by a Delta-level superhuman's power possibly be?"

Yang Xinxin surveyed everyone present, declaring with solemnity, "The difficulty of their elimination is not the pertinent question!"

"Even I can compel an Epsilon-level entity with my Desire Angel, provided the shot lands true."

"Rule-based abilities defy conventional logic and are not to be assessed by ordinary metrics."

Zhang Yi's eyelids lowered, and he let out a chilling scoff, "But I harbor no fondness for adhering to the dictates laid down by others. My preference lies in dismantling them!"

He harbored no inclination to passively comply with the adversary's imposed regulations.

Gripping his divine weapon, the ebony blade known as Holy Judgment, he swung it with ferocious intent towards the window, aiming to cleave through it in a single, decisive strike!

In the worst-case scenario, he would obliterate this entire Asylum, causing all its components to instantly vanish.

Yet, as his blade descended, the panorama before him underwent another inexplicable transformation.

The window, which had been within his immediate reach, began to stretch out infinitely. Irrespective of Zhang Yi's persistent efforts to advance, the intervening distance only widened commensurately.

"Whoosh!"

Zhang Yi promptly activated his spatial translocation ability, attempting to breach the confines of this fabricated realm.

However, following several successive translocations, he was met with the shocking realization that he remained firmly situated within the identical chamber.

"I am beginning to feel rather incensed."

Zhang Yi articulated, his brow furrowed in a deep frown.

He elevated the long blade in his grasp, and abruptly, a formidable power coalesced behind him.

A singularity unfurled, and a terrifying existential force enveloped Zhang Yi's entire being.

His intention was to forcibly rend this spatial construct asunder. Although he had never attempted such a feat, he was aware that the diminutive dimensions meticulously crafted by superhumans possessed inherent structural limitations.

With his superhuman ability index soaring to an impressive 18,000 points, could he truly be ensnared by a mere Delta-level adversary?

The sheer magnitude of the power exerted compelled Liang Yue and the others to involuntarily retreat several paces.

Ferocious dark void power coiled and swirled violently around Zhang Yi, enveloping his body and his long blade as if it were a tangible suit of black battle armor.

"Shatter for me!"

Clutching his long blade with both hands, Zhang Yi savagely slashed towards the space before him!

Rumble!!!

The entire world quaked fiercely under such potent force.

The scenery ahead seemed to contort, but before Zhang Yi and the others could rejoice, it gradually began to mend itself.

The hospital room reverted to its original state, still retaining that same somber, dilapidated appearance.

Zhang Yi's frown deepened.

"It didn't break. Could it be that he has already achieved Epsilon level?"

Considering Gao Changkong's presence, this was not an impossible scenario.

Yet, if that were the case, it would be far too dire.

With two Epsilons on their team, Garuda's Followers would undoubtedly present the most formidable opponents for this expedition, even surpassing the Lord of the Charnel Ground!

"Brother, that's not quite the correct interpretation."

Yang Xinxin interjected, addressing Zhang Yi.

As a superhuman governed by rules, she understood the peculiar nature of this ability quite well.

"Take a look at what he inscribed on the wall."

Yang Xinxin gestured towards the wall.

"If we assume these rules are veridical, then the Martial Arena lacks the capacity to end our lives. Otherwise, he would have acted already."

"Therefore, his sole objective is to ensnare us, to gain precious time for his own team."

"It's akin to how you, Brother, excel in defense. Even superhumans with an ability index considerably higher than yours find it exceedingly difficult to inflict harm, let alone death, upon you."

"Hence, I surmise the primary function of this 【Asylum】 space is 'containment.' By channeling all its power into sealing and trapping abilities, it can achieve the binding of a higher-level superhuman."

Zhang Yi nodded. "That does hold water. But now that we are unable to breach this space, how shall we escape?"

He was disinclined to squander any more time in this place.

Yang Xinxin offered a faint smile. Her countenance exuded a calm and self-assured demeanor, betraying none of the trepidation one might expect from a young maiden confronting the sinister and terrifying Asylum.

"As long as it operates on established rules, we simply need to discover a method to subvert those rules."

"Firstly, we must ascertain the true nature of these so-called 'mental patients'."