Someone in the group is missing. The person missing this time was someone everyone knew well. Sarl.
His disappearance sent ripples of unease through the entire team. As the most eccentric and attention-grabbing member of the group, one would expect quite a few people to be keeping tabs on him.
Yet, despite being someone whose behavior, personality, and even appearance were quite conspicuous, not a single person noticed when this individual suddenly vanished.
They didn't even know when he had left the group. It was truly bizarre.
The two guides frowned deeply, discussing Sarl's disappearance at length. Finally, they decided to temporarily disregard the two missing members, postponing any action until they returned to the battlefield base.
The team set off once more.
"Why do you think Sarl left the group alone? What could he possibly be up to?" Along the way, Saya frowned as she asked Lu Sheng and Tang Dun.
Lu Sheng replied indifferently, "Maybe he just slipped off to relieve himself. He'll probably be back soon."
"That's ridiculous..."
Saya looked utterly incredulous.
Tang Dun, however, nodded thoughtfully in agreement. "I think Lu Sheng's guess is quite plausible. If it were me, I wouldn't want anyone to see me relieving myself either."
Lu Sheng was obviously bullshitting. Truthfully, he was quite curious himself—how had Sarl managed to slip away from his mental surveillance without him noticing?
But upon reflection, while his mental power was exceptional among Level 11 practitioners, it wasn't unmatched among Level 12 experts. He hadn't been monitoring Sarl specifically, so it wasn't entirely surprising he'd managed to evade detection using some special method.
At least Lu Sheng didn't find it particularly strange.
"That Sarl was always a bit of a lunatic. It's only natural for a lunatic to do something out of the ordinary. Plus, he absorbed so many beast cores. His mind is probably filled with dark emotions right now. Who knows what kind of trouble he's brewing?Leaving the team is actually a good thing. It saves everyone from being on edge" Tang Dun chimed in from the side.
Lu Sheng nodded in agreement.
Honestly, Tang Dun's words were spot on. He'd never had a high opinion of Sarl anyway—his fate was none of his concern.
Saya felt the same way. He'd be thrilled if Sarl died out there alone. But then things took a bizarre turn.
After traversing the void for half a day, the group halted to take roll call. Another member was missing!
This time, three had vanished. Now, things were getting serious. The entire party buzzed with unease. Even among the elite of the Starry Sky, such a situation stirred panic.
Several people, who had been right beside them moments ago, vanished without a trace. And these missing people were all legitimate Level 12 powerhouses.
The strongest still present were also only Level 12. If others could disappear, could the next one be themselves?
Lu Sheng clearly saw fear rapidly spreading through the team.
"Something feels off..."
At the front, the middle-aged man serving as guide frowned deeply, exchanging rapid glances with his companions. "I fear the worst is unfolding. We may have drawn the attention of that entity."
The round-faced fat man understood exactly who "that entity" referred to, his expression darkening.
"Contact base. Request Level 13 to come assist us."
The middle-aged man nodded. "I've already notified them. Lord Haiji Dao is on his way." Hearing the name "Haiji Dao," the round-faced man's tense facial muscles visibly relaxed.
"If Lord Haiji Dao is coming, we should be fine. We just need to stall for time and meet him safely."
"I'll relay this news to them first to steady their nerves..."
"Alright."
"Looks like we've truly caught the attention of a Level 13 beast..."
Hearing the news announced by the two guides, Lu Sheng noticed that Saya seemed rather pleased. Upon reflection, he must have felt Sarl was gone for good.
Danton didn't seem particularly anxious either.
"Didn't they say a Level 13 would come to assist us? What's there to worry about?"
Tang Dun wore a carefree expression.
Saya chuckled in agreement: "Exactly."
Just then, Lu Sheng suddenly interjected, "What if we never see those Level 13 experts arrive? Even if they do come, are you so confident you could survive a battle between two Level 13 powerhouses?"
The moment Lu Sheng finished speaking, both Saya and Tang Dun's expressions shifted instantly.
Right.
How had they not considered this?
The guide had promised Level 13 experts would come to rescue them, but who knew when they'd actually arrive?
Whether they'd show up at all was still uncertain—it could easily be a lie to deceive them.
And as Lu Sheng pointed out, even if Level 13 experts did arrive, their survival was far from guaranteed.
The gap in martial cultivation widened dramatically at higher levels. A difference of two major realms meant a Level 13 powerhouse could probably kill them with a fart.
You can't expect the human side's Level 13 powerhouse to be careful not to crush ants underfoot during a fight.
"Damn it, so, according to you, we're still facing certain death?"
Saya's handsome face instantly fell, and Tang Dun's expression also turned grim.
Lu Sheng casually remarked, "Don't be too pessimistic. Just seize an opportunity to run when the time comes."
But clearly, his attempt at reassurance didn't do much to lift their spirits.
For the rest of the journey, Saya and Tang Dun remained deeply troubled, unable even to muster the energy for small talk.
Many others in the group shared their gloom.
The entire party advanced in silence, guided by the two pathfinders.
"We're less than halfway to the base now..."
"Everyone, take a breather. We're only a third of the way left to the base."
Yet unease continued to spread relentlessly. Because people kept vanishing from the ranks.
By the time the group halted for the fifth headcount, eight members had disappeared without a trace.
The expressions of the two guides had grown grim indeed. Below them, each person felt their own peril, maintaining a certain distance from one another.
This team, assembled from elite powerhouses across a dozen star sectors, was rapidly transforming into a herd of beasts driven by terror and suspicion.
Dozens of Level 12s. And yet they couldn't even pinpoint the source of their terror.
Only now did everyone truly grasp what kind of place the Interdimensional Battlefield truly was.
"No need to proceed further. We'll wait right here!"
The two guides gritted their teeth as they spoke. "Once Lord Haiji Dao, a Level 13, finds us, all problems will be solved."
Their expressions revealed this bizarre situation was likely their first encounter with such an anomaly.
Lu Sheng stood silently within the crowd. Yet his eyes burned with an intense, flickering light.
"This is interesting."