The final strand of miasma was pulled away—
Then vanished completely.
Only scorched earth remained, along with a suffocating silence that settled over the battlefield.
At the same moment, the watches on their wrists trembled.
[Natural Energy +10][Biological Energy +15][World Exploration: 2%]
Silence lingered.
Uchiha Mo and Uchiha Hideki exchanged a brief glance, and in that instant, a shared understanding passed between them.
Biological energy came from killing.
That much, they already knew.
But this—
Was different.
A single zombie had produced two types of energy… and in different amounts.
"…So this kind of creature," Mo said calmly, "is a hybrid resource."
Hideki nodded slightly. "If stronger ones exist…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Because both of them already understood.
This was efficient.
Very efficient.
The Main God rewarded energy accumulation—but the thresholds remained unknown.
Which meant—
Gather everything.
As much as possible.
Mo's eyes flickered faintly. If this had been the original Main God Space, such "farming" would never be this easy. But now, everything was broken.
And he—
Held authority.
The system couldn't regulate. Couldn't balance.
Because all of its energy was being used to repair itself.
"…Before that," Mo said, his gaze shifting slightly, "we need information. How these things form… and more importantly—where to find more."
Hideki adjusted his glasses. "…I'm curious as well."
At the same time, both of them turned toward the bushes.
Naturally.
As if it had always been obvious that someone was hiding there.
Uncle Jiu stepped out.
The last trace of concealment disappeared.
They had known.
From the very beginning.
Qiu Sheng followed behind him, his eyes wide as his gaze darted between the two youths and the corpse on the ground.
Uncle Jiu glanced at the remains, his expression darkening slightly before he cupped his hands in greeting.
"This humble one is Lin Jiu of the Maoshan Sect. Young friends… your skills are impressive."
He gestured toward the corpse.
"This creature is called a zombie. It forms after death—either from resentment or from absorbing yin energy over time. It feeds on the blood of the living."
Then his gaze shifted back to them, sharpening slightly.
"You both possess great strength… yet seem unfamiliar with such things. May I ask—where do you come from? And why are you here?"
Uchiha Mo didn't answer.
Instead, he asked his own question.
"Places rich in yin energy… produce more of these?"
Uncle Jiu paused briefly.
"…In theory, yes."
The conversation continued.
Uchiha Hideki remained silent, observing everything closely.
The language was unfamiliar—and yet, he understood it perfectly.
The Main God.
Direct translation.
Absolute.
But what interested him more—
Was Mo.
Fluent. Natural.
As if he truly belonged to this world.
Hideki's thoughts deepened.
So… everything he said before… was true.
Uncle Jiu frowned slightly.
They avoided revealing their origins, yet showed a clear interest in zombies.
Suspicious.
Very suspicious.
After a moment, he spoke again.
"Mass graves. Yin pools. Corpse-nurturing grounds. Places where miasma gathers—those produce zombies most easily."
"And those who die with resentment… may transform as well."
He pointed deeper into the mountain.
"This area… is not normal. Yin energy gathers here, graves have been disturbed, and bodies are missing."
"I suspect…"
"This is no longer a single zombie."
"But rather…"
"A corpse-nurturing ground."
"And possibly…"
"Something far more dangerous."
Silence followed.
A test.
Uncle Jiu watched them carefully.
Fear?
Retreat?
Hesitation?
There was none.
Uchiha Mo's lips curved slightly.
"Something more dangerous…"
His tone remained calm.
Curious.
Almost—
Excited.
Qiu Sheng blinked in confusion. "Master… why do they look happy?"
"Silence."
Uncle Jiu snapped, then turned his attention back to Mo.
"You intend to go deeper?"
"Of course."
Mo's expression changed instantly—serious, composed, and filled with righteous conviction.
"There are evil entities harming the people. We cannot ignore it. It is our duty… to eliminate evil."
Uncle Jiu paused.
If those words had come from a Taoist, he would have believed them without question.
But from these two?
Moments ago, they had been dissecting a corpse like researchers.
Now—
Righteous?
Doubt lingered.
But he made a decision.
He couldn't allow them to proceed alone.
"Then I will guide you," he said. "But understand—this place is dangerous. Be careful."
"Much appreciated."
Mo nodded.
Uncle Jiu said nothing further, but his gaze shifted slightly—a subtle signal.
Qiu Sheng understood immediately.
Watch them.
Closely.
"No time to waste," Uncle Jiu said. "Let's move."
A compass appeared in his hand as he distributed talismans.
The group began advancing.
Mo gave a subtle signal.
Hideki followed.
Distance maintained.
Eyes sharp.
Because this cooperation—
Was never trust.
Only—
Temporary alignment.