Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1364: The Observer

Following Yang Xinxin's experiment, a surprising discovery was made: after the soldier closed his eyes, the Shadow Figures indeed surged towards him rapidly.

However, they did not, as they had previously, attack and assimilate the soldier.

Yang Xinxin's eyes instantly brightened.

A subtle, confident smile graced the corners of her lips.

"Just as I suspected, it's effective!"

At this moment, Zhang Yi began to grasp the underlying principle.

"When rules clash, they still adhere to the Asylum's regulations. Thus, they will target anyone who looks at them and actively engages."

"But due to the 'will absolutely not harm' principle of Cupid's Arrow, they merely approach and refrain from launching an attack."

"This is why they remain in this state, stalled and unable to advance."

Witnessing this progress, a wave of elation swept through everyone.

"However, our objective isn't merely to prevent their attacks; it's to eliminate them and then escape the Asylum!" Zhou Ke'er voiced.

Hearing this, Zhang Yi turned his attention to Yang Xinxin.

"That makes sense. What's our next course of action?"

Yang Xinxin lowered her eyelids, supported her chin with her hand, and continued her contemplation.

"Firstly, the issue of Shadow Figures attacking people is resolved. If we bind them individually, they pose no threat."

"But if we aim to destroy them..."

While Yang Xinxin was deep in thought, anxious shouts erupted from the soldiers behind her.

"Bad news, more of those creatures have appeared!"

Zhang Yi turned to look. The situation had been manageable moments before, but the sight now sent a shiver down his spine.

At some point, Shadow Figures had begun materializing in all directions around them.

In front and behind, clusters of tall, gaunt, zombie-like Shadow Figures had already sealed off their path.

Some even began adhering to the walls, motionless when observed, clinging there like geckos.

Zhang Yi grumbled, "Didn't Lancelot say there weren't many of these things? How did so many suddenly show up?"

Yang Xinxin raised her gaze and stated calmly, "There's only one explanation: their group was attacked, and many were assimilated."

She glanced towards the encircling Shadow Figures. "I believe most of these are actually their assimilated people."

"What a bunch of incompetent, trouble-making fools!"

Zhang Yi rubbed his forehead and muttered a curse.

They had finally achieved a breakthrough, only for Lancelot and his companions to seemingly impede their progress.

Without hesitation, Yang Xinxin relayed her findings to Lancelot.

Naturally, she concealed her ability, merely suggesting to Lancelot that they could attempt to use one rule to counteract another.

Whether Lancelot possessed any rare superhumans with rule-based powers was of no concern to her.

Despite the proliferation of Shadow Figures, the confined space and their own numbers ensured that one-on-one surveillance could manage the situation.

"Xinxin, at most, how many Desire Arrows can you unleash right now?" Zhang Yi inquired.

Yang Xinxin responded, "Ten."

Ten arrows were insufficient to confront all the Shadow Figures present, which, at a glance, numbered at least a dozen.

Furthermore, more could potentially emerge.

Irritation flared within Zhang Yi's chest, but he managed to suppress it.

When challenges escalate, maintaining composure is paramount; otherwise, the situation deteriorates further.

"Perhaps I should test its ability myself?" the thought flickered through Zhang Yi's mind for a fleeting moment.

However, he dismissed the notion instantly.

He would not take such a gamble.

Rule-based abilities were exceptionally perilous; once within the domain of a rule, even the mightiest superhumans faced limitations.

Even if his strength guaranteed survival, sustaining a severe injury here would present grave danger.

For the time being, all his hopes rested solely on Yang Xinxin.

She did not disappoint Zhang Yi.

After less than a minute of deliberation, her eyes once again gleamed with ingenuity.

"I've got it!"

She immediately issued an order to the soldiers, "Gather all the Shadow Figures into a single location!"

The Shadow Figures, under the control of Cupid's Arrow, would stubbornly follow the soldiers, moving wherever they went.

Leveraging this tactic in conjunction with Yang Xinxin's ability, they swiftly corralled the twelve Shadow Figures present into a large, deserted conference room.

Zhang Yi and the others refrained from asking numerous questions, opting instead to observe Yang Xinxin's next move quietly.

Yang Xinxin then summoned Lu Keran. "Keran, do you have a camera? Or even spare phones would suffice."

Zhang Yi stepped forward. "I possess a video recorder. What model do you require?"

His Dimensional Space held few items beyond miscellaneous belongings.

During his extensive plundering of Tianhai City, he had not neglected supplies, retaining a cache of high-end imported equipment.

"Any model will do."

Zhang Yi produced a recorder and handed it to Yang Xinxin, who then beckoned Lu Keran to assist her.

A chair was pulled over, the camera positioned upon it, activated, and aimed directly at the Shadow Figures.

Noticing the questioning gazes from those nearby, Yang Xinxin offered an explanation.

"The game's core mechanic is 'observation.' As long as the Shadow Figures remain under surveillance, they are rendered immobile."

"However, human eyes tire and inevitably blink; that fleeting moment is the Shadows' window to attack."

"But if I can record them using a camera and transmit the footage directly into someone's consciousness via electrodes, blinking becomes irrelevant. This allows for continuous monitoring, thereby controlling their actions."

Upon hearing Yang Xinxin's ingenious plan, Zhang Yi and the others erupted in applause for its sheer brilliance.

"Absolutely ingenious! What a fantastic solution!"

"Transmitting the footage straight into the brain is a stroke of genius. I was contemplating using sticks to keep my eyelids propped open to stare them down!"

With Lu Keran's assistance, they successfully affixed electrodes to one soldier, establishing a real-time data link for the camera feed.

From that moment forward, the soldier became the perpetual watcher of the Shadow Figures.

Once the setup was complete, Lu Keran guided everyone out of the room, and the designated soldier followed.

Inside, the Shadow Figures remained stationary within the office, making no move to pursue.

"It worked!"

Zhang Yi let out a sigh of relief, a wide smile spreading across his face.

Yang Xinxin mirrored his smile. "Just as I predicted, my hypothesis has been validated."

"Now that the immediate threat of being pursued by Shadow Figures has been neutralized, we can focus our attention on devising a strategy to eliminate them and escape this game."

She promptly shared this breakthrough method with Lancelot, who was still grappling with the menace of the Shadows.

Old You, with a slight frown, inquired softly, "Xinxin, why reveal this to them? We could simply let them perish here. After all, they will be our rivals once we emerge."

The others turned to her, their faces expectant of her reasoning.

A subtle smirk played on Yang Xinxin's lips.

"Because I've come incredibly close to deciphering the underlying rules of this place."

"The Saitou rule appears to be genuinely constrained, not merely a facade. If it weren't, Gao Changkong's subordinate would possess the true ability to annihilate us. Their power level would exceed an index of 20,000, a probability that is astronomically low."

"The reason so many of us found ourselves ensnared is that his ability is limited to 'immobilization'; it lacks the capacity for true fatal termination."

"If that's the case, it would be more advantageous to enlist the aid of the Knights of the Round Table. United, we can surely devise a method to overcome this predicament."