Relying on Zhongli's spear techniques and combat experience, Sam Li easily defeated the monster.
Just as he was about to continue searching for the birdcage, he noticed something astonishing.
The creature he had just struck down was regenerating at an alarming rate. The wounds on its body closed rapidly, and even the crystalline blade shattered by his spear had reformed.
Could it regenerate endlessly?
"Ugh..."
The monster, fully restored, flexed its crystalline weapon before charging at him again.
Sam Li's interest was piqued. "I wonder if there's a limit to its regeneration."
He launched into a fluid series of spear strikes.
His weapon pierced through the monster's chest—only for the wound to heal instantly. He severed one of its legs—it grew back just as quickly.
Even when he shattered its head, a new one formed in mere moments...
Holding back his full strength, Sam Li closely observed the creature's regeneration. Before long, he identified a pattern—this regeneration wasn't limitless.
Each time he inflicted serious damage, the monster's power weakened slightly. The greater the injury, the more strength it lost upon regenerating.
"In terms of universal reason, if I summon the Celestial Star and crush it to dust, it should be unable to regenerate."
Without hesitation, he delivered a decisive strike.
With a powerful sweep of his spear, Sam Li obliterated the monster entirely, reducing it to a pile of shattered black crystals.
At the same time, a familiar voice echoed in his mind:
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have successfully slain a High-Rank Corrupted entity! Reward: 1,000 system points.]
A reward? An unexpected bonus.
Gazing at the remains, Sam Li mused, "So these creatures are called the Corrupted… and that was a high-rank one?"
That meant there were likely even stronger Corrupted lurking within this Hollow.
[System prompt: 15 minutes remaining until mission failure (Total mission time: 1 hour). Please complete the task as soon as possible.]
Time was running out!
The birdcage was inside the building at the end of the street—he needed to retrieve it immediately.
Just as he stored the Vortex Vanquisher in his inventory, a strange rustling noise reached his ears. At the same time, the air rippled with signs of intense energy fluctuations.
Sam Li scanned his surroundings.
On rooftops, in alleyways, inside buildings—Corrupted creatures were emerging from all directions.
"One, two, three, four… What is this, some kind of team-building exercise?"
It was clear that the battle's energy had drawn them in.
Individually, these creatures lacked the immense energy signature of the high-rank Corrupted he had just defeated, but their sheer numbers more than made up for it. There were hundreds—maybe more—approaching from every side.
If he had more time, Sam Li wouldn't have minded using them for extra combat practice, honing his mastery of Zhongli's spear techniques.
But right now, time was a luxury he didn't have.
As the swarm of Corrupted closed in, Sam Li didn't feel the slightest trace of fear. Instead, he grinned.
"Perfect. Let's test the power of Starshatter on you little weaklings."
The moment he finished speaking—
He crossed his arms over his chest, watching as the Corrupted lunged toward him. Then, in a calm, resonant voice, he murmured to himself:
"In this world of rising gods and demons, though I seek no throne, I understand the suffering of the people."
His deep voice echoed through the streets.
"Heavenly Motion: All Things in Balance!"
For a moment, the entire world seemed to freeze.
All the Corrupted halted their attack. As if drawn by some unseen force, they simultaneously lifted their heads toward the sky.
A flicker of starlight appeared.
Then—
A colossal meteor, radiating blinding brilliance, descended from the heavens, piercing through the very boundaries of the Hollow.
Meanwhile…
Outside the Hollow.
With the cooperation of numerous security personnel, Hoshimi Miyabi and Soukaku had finally completed their analysis of the Hollow.
"Hollow Designation: B44 (Tentative)"
"Disaster Level: B (Tentative)"
"Aether Concentration Level: B (Tentative)"
Warnings:
A large number of low-level Corrupted entities detected (exact count unknown). There is an 80% probability of high-level Corrupted presence.Non-specialists are strictly prohibited from entering the Hollow. Specialists must take precautions against Aether corruption before entering.Specialists should not enter alone—minimum team size: two.
…
With the Hollow analysis report finally completed, Hoshimi Miyabi handed the data file to a nearby security officer.
"Scan it and send it to headquarters," she instructed.
Then, turning to her partner, she said, "Soukaku, get ready to move out!"
Before they could enter the Hollow, they needed to equip various protective devices—some to enhance damage against the Corrupted, others to mitigate Aether erosion, as well as essential navigation and communication tools.
"Ugh, finally done? I'm starving…" Soukaku stretched her arms before effortlessly hoisting onto her shoulder the massive blade beside her—one nearly as tall as she was.
She needed no extra preparations. As long as she had her weapon and a full stomach, she was ready to go.
"Seriously, I regret not bringing some snacks," she muttered.
Hoshimi Miyabi: "…"
Suddenly—
A security officer shouted, "Look! What is that?!"
His alarmed cry immediately drew everyone's attention, and in unison, the security personnel looked skyward.
"You've got to be kidding… Did a satellite just fall?!"
"That's no satellite—it looks like a meteor! And it's heading straight for the Hollow!"
…
Frowning, Hoshimi Miyabi followed their gaze and saw it—a blazing "meteorite" plummeting toward the Hollow at breakneck speed.
The moment she laid eyes on it, her pupils dilated in shock.
Was that… really a meteor?
Before she could fully process what was happening, the meteor had already pierced through the Hollow's black veil.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion erupted from within, shaking the very ground beneath them. Several security officers lost their balance, nearly getting knocked off their feet.
Soukaku wobbled unsteadily before finally regaining her footing. "What the hell?! Was that an earthquake?!"
"It was caused by that meteorite!" Hoshimi Miyabi's face was filled with disbelief as she tightened her grip on the hilt of her tachi. Staring at the Hollow's entrance, she declared, "Something's off about that meteor—we're going in to investigate."
Still carrying her massive blade, Soukaku groaned, "It's just a rock. What's there to investigate? Ugh… I'm seriously starving."
But before she could complain further, the two of them stepped forward and entered the Hollow.
…
The moment they crossed the threshold, the monitoring equipment outside suddenly blared with urgent beeps.
The security officers scrambled to check the readings—only to be stunned by what they saw.
"No way… The Aether concentration and activity levels are dropping?! It's only at C-rank now!"
"That's impossible. The Hollow was just formed—if left undisturbed, its activity should have continued to rise. How could it already be entering a decay phase?"
"It couldn't have been Section Chief Hoshimi Miyabi or Soukaku—they just went in. There's no way they affected it this quickly…"
"Wait… Did that meteor somehow wipe out all the Corrupted inside? Did it suppress the Hollow's activity?"
"That's way too much of a coincidence… No way, right?"
…
The security officers exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions a mix of disbelief and shock.
Even they struggled to accept the absurd possibility before them.