190: ask

"Sir, if I may be blunt, this man is not worth trusting."

Outside the Ninth Star Prison, the Intellectual Brain watched Karmot being sent onto the return spacecraft and couldn't help but offer a reminder.

"I know."

Zhang Huaiyuan's expression remained unchanged, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Whether he cooperates or not, the result is the same."

"What do you mean?"

"If he turns over a new leaf and causes some trouble for those Outsiders as agreed, that's naturally a good thing."

Zhang Huaiyuan turned back into the Star Prison, narrating softly as he walked:

"If not, he will inevitably relay the information I just disclosed to those people."

"If certain things were spread from our mouths, it would seem like posturing. But if it's spread through him, it will more or less make those Outsiders wary and delay their actions."

"I see."

The Intellectual Brain responded in realization, "You want to buy time."

"Don't pick up Asroth's habits."

Zhang Huaiyuan scolded with a laugh, his gaze lifting slightly toward the end of the world.

He believed in his two partners.

And what he had to do was buy as much time as possible for them until they completed the 'Drawing the Fire from Under the Cauldron' plan.

"Let's go, time to meet that outsider."

After pausing for a moment, Zhang Huaiyuan returned to the bottom floor of the Star Prison, Cell 31.

The defenses in this space were even more stringent.

The power systems of these Outsiders differed significantly from those of Transcendents; ordinary psionic suppression towers had little effect on them.

Therefore, he had personally created a special suppressor targeting the cultivation techniques the other party practiced, which, combined with phase space suppression, was the only way to keep them locked up.

Inside the cell, a ball of flesh three times the size of an ordinary person lay slumped on the bed with a look of utter despair.

This time, Zhang Huaiyuan wasn't as polite as before. With a wave of his hand, he manifested a small cluster cannon and blasted the unsuspecting ball of flesh away.

"Ouch!"

After a miserable cry, the ball of flesh scrambled up unscathed. Seeing Zhang Huaiyuan standing outside the cell, he immediately snarled:

"You damned native kid, how dare you sneak attack your— Aah!"

Before he could finish, another beam swept across, though this time it was a small-caliber phase cannon.

Unlike the cluster cannon, the effects of this level 2 rules weapon were immediate.

A large chunk of flesh on the ball of flesh's arm was instantly blown apart, causing him to howl in pain repeatedly.

"I ask, you answer. Understand?"

Zhang Huaiyuan said expressionlessly.

According to the Intellectual Brain's observations, this fellow seemed to be a pleasure-seeker who bullied the weak and feared the strong, so he planned to get straight to the point.

"Un... understood."

Seeing that the weapon could actually hurt him, the ball of flesh's face paled, and he nodded repeatedly.

"This is a technological product called a lie detector. Simply put, if you tell a lie, it will sound an alarm."

Zhang Huaiyuan took out a strangely shaped doll and, with another wave of his hand, manifested ninety-nine Phase Disintegration Cannons, smiling:

"If you don't cooperate, then the next thing coming won't be a joke like that just now."

"I... I will definitely cooperate!"

The ball of flesh scrambled back a few steps in fear, forcing a smile that looked worse than crying. "Great one... please don't let your hand slip... ask whatever you want."

He wasn't joking; that smaller attack just now had hurt like hell. If it were replaced by these hundred obviously more terrifying ones, wouldn't there be nothing left of him?

"Very good, I like smart people."

Zhang Huaiyuan's voice lowered slightly, becoming increasingly oppressive.

"Tell me, what are the latest changes to your mission? Please answer within three seconds. 3... 2..."

As he spoke, with a thought, a deep blue light glowed within the floating Phase Disintegration Cannons.

"How did you know? Wait... stop!"

The ball of flesh's face changed, and he shouted in a hurry, "I can't reveal this to people of the trial world, or I'll be instantly obliterated!"

"Oh?"

Zhang Huaiyuan glanced at the doll in his hand; the nose hadn't grown longer. It was the truth.

It seemed that the outsider power had placed many restrictions on the trial takers.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and after a moment's thought, he spoke:

"Then let's change the way I ask. You only need to answer yes or no. Was your original mission a competitive one?"

"Yes."

The ball of flesh nodded, then glanced around as if thinking of something. "I can cooperate with you, but you need to promise me one condition!"

"Just a very small request!"

Seeing the other party frown, the ball of flesh added quickly, "It's too boring here. I don't ask for anything else, just that after I cooperate, you provide me with plenty of gourmet food and 100 beauties... ah, no, ten, ten will do!"

"Depends on your performance."

Zhang Huaiyuan raised an eyebrow, gave the other party a non-committal glance, and continued:

"Has the mission changed now?"

"Yes."

"Does it require you all to gather together to determine a winner?"

"No."

"Does the current mission require you to work together to complete it?"

"How did you know? Uh... yes, yes."

The ball of flesh blurted out, looking at him in astonishment.

Hearing this, Zhang Huaiyuan's heart couldn't help but sink.

What kind of mission would require these powerful Outsiders to gather and cooperate?

There were only two possibilities: one was to explore some high-risk ruin, and the other was... a final battle with this world.

"Is it for you to explore some ruin?"

"No."

The ball of flesh shook his head.

Zhang Huaiyuan's expression shifted. He glanced at the unchanging doll, waved his hand to put away the manifested weapons, and walked straight out.

Seeing this, the ball of flesh shouted hastily:

"Wait, kid... cough, Great One, didn't you just promise me that as long as I cooperated..."

"Intellectual Brain, connect him to the virtual world. Also, go to the research center, find ten Galaxy Beasts of similar size in heat, and throw them to him."

Zhang Huaiyuan paused and gave the orders expressionlessly.

"Furthermore, notify all departments to prepare for the final battle."

...