In the wastelands of Terra-2, the warlord Jacob Meisen—once a celebrated hero of the Angel War—betrayed the Civilization Belt.
And from the Sarkaz representative institution on Terra-2, a special aerial stronghold known as "Seshka," he brought out a sorcerous device—
the Nest Effigy.
This device can absorb corrosive matter and disperse it in the form of mist.
When the Nest Effigy is raised and the smoke spreads, all Originium-based technology within its range suffers severe interference, including but not limited to drones, communications equipment, and vehicles.
And that wasn't all.
The old hero even named his massive bandit force "Riftbreakers."
He led them to seize an Originium cultivation site and built what became the most dangerous armed raider group in Terra-2's history.
There's no doubt:Warlord Jacob left a profound mark on Terra-2.
After all—he was the founding ancestor of the Riftbreakers.
Even after the Civilization Belt successfully wiped him out, the three major Riftbreaker clans—Crushbone, Wolfpack, and Sand Raiders—still inherited his legacy.
Each views its relationship with the Civilization Belt differently.
Among them, after the Riftbreakers splintered, the most violent remnants—the Crushbone Clan—inherited the Nest Effigy.
They treat it as a strategic installation used to cover raids and plunder. So when the Nest Effigies stand in rows, it usually means the Crushbone Clan is about to launch a large-scale assault on nearby territory.
Which is to say—
The Nest Effigy is the Crushbone Clan's signature battlefield structure.
....
Located to the northwest of the Valley Passage, this was once a forward base built for Valley No. 4—a front-line installation managed by the Guild, and home to a bridge directly connecting to the Power-Supply Highlands.
But now, it has become a Riftbreaker camp.
"Leader, bless us! Future, glory!"
The violence-worshipping Crushbone Clan has grown even more fanatical, swearing loyalty to their leader—
Nephis.
The current leader of the Crushbone Clan.
A mysterious Adaklis woman, Nephis took what used to be a loose rabble and forged it into a disciplined, organized force of sabotage—openly hostile to civilization.
No one knows her true objective.
Even among the Crushbone Riftbreakers, all they know is this: their leader is powerful, deeply calculating, and capable of wielding the power of the Beyond and Angels.
She has even personally modified the Nest Effigy so it can grant greater strength to clan members.
Meaning: within the Nest Effigy's influence range, Crushbone members receive a combat boost.
Meanwhile, ordinary people who inhale the "smoke" begin feeling obvious respiratory discomfort, and may experience auditory or visual hallucinations.
These unbelievable methods have completely subdued the Crushbone Riftbreakers.
Any members unwilling to submit—anyone attempting rebellion—are purged internally.
Now, the Crushbone Clan is united like never before.
"Leader—the bridgehead fortification in the Hub Zone has been breached. The clan members encamped there are all dead."
A Crushbone infiltrator lurking in the shadows addressed the red-haired woman seated on her throne with utmost deference.
"The enemy is Endfield's Crisis Response Team… and that guy from the Wolfpack."
"I understand. Dismissed," Nephis said calmly.
Her deep crimson eyes showed no emotion, as if everything had unfolded exactly as she expected.
Long, slender ears. Black horns.
A tight black-and-white dress. Elegant high-heeled boots.
She resembled a thorned poisonous rose—
beautiful, seductive, and lethally dangerous.
"Finally… you've come?"
Nephis stroked her dark red crocodilian tail and curled her lips.
"My 'savior.'"
...
Situated in the southeast of the Valley Passage, this is the only route back to the Hub Zone.
Because a Riftbreaker leader had seized the bridgehead fortification with his men, no other Riftbreakers were guarding here—only scattered obstacles and a general air of wreckage.
"This passage is really narrow.
At first it's extremely tight—barely wide enough for a person. Walk a few dozen steps, and suddenly it opens up."
Hao Fan had just lived that line of poetry firsthand. But outside the passage wasn't some utopia—just a slightly wider canyon.
The road beneath their feet remained asphalt concrete. Along the roadside sat destroyed off-road vehicles.
Someone had tried to flee by car, only to be stopped by the Riftbreakers—car and driver smashed together.
"Honestly… I was on guard the whole time," Chen Qianyu said, sheathing her sword with a faintly disappointed tone. "I thought we'd get jumped in the tunnel."
Hao Fan kept his game map open, watching the fog of war peel back as they advanced, revealing new territory.
If he had a choice, he would have preferred to fully uncover the Hub Zone map before coming here.
What he'd explored so far wasn't the entire Hub Zone—maybe a bit more than half.
But things were urgent.
No time for completionism. One step at a time.
"Chen… you seem pretty fired up about fighting Riftbreakers," Hao Fan remarked, glancing at her.
"Is it that obvious?" Chen Qianyu froze for a moment, then smiled sheepishly.
"Hehe. It's been a long time since I've sparred properly… Those lackeys earlier didn't last. I'm kind of looking forward to meeting a real expert."
"Angels are tough," Hao Fan said, puzzled. "You're not looking forward to fighting Angels?"
He felt Angels were harder than fleshy Riftbreakers. Both were fearless, after all.
"Compared to Angels, I'd rather fight Riftbreakers," she said, gesturing as she explained. "Angels are like walking wooden training dummies—dangerous, sure, but their moves never change."
"Trading blows with 'wooden dummies' all the time gets boring… Real battle is emotion and will colliding beyond techniques!"
Hao Fan found himself unexpectedly understanding.
To someone like Chen Qianyu—an actual martial artist—fighting "bad people" beats fighting "monsters."
"Before coming to Valley No. 4," Hao Fan asked, "have you fought the Crushbone Clan before?"
"Hmm… let me think. I've dealt with Riftbreakers in the past, but Crushbone specifically… not much," she said, searching her memory.
"When I was little, there was one incident.
"I thought my training was good enough, snuck out, and ran into someone being attacked by Riftbreakers. I drew my blade to help.
"I didn't want to admit my master was right… but when real danger hit, I realized I truly wasn't strong enough."
"Someone passing by saved me."
Hao Fan's curiosity spiked.
"Someone who could save you, Young Hero Chen? Who was it?"
"Hey—don't say it like that," she said, dodging with a grin. "I wasn't born knowing how to fight. As for who it was… if fate wills it, you'll meet them."
She clearly didn't want to continue.
Then her brows knit, and she sniffed lightly.
"Do you smell something burning?"
"It's a Crushbone trick."
Up ahead, Wolfguard answered without turning around.
He sounded like he knew that scorched smell well.
And soon everyone saw the source with their own eyes—
Located in the center of the Valley Passage, it's a mandatory checkpoint on the way to the Valley Fortress.
But now, it was completely swallowed by a harsh, choking crimson fog.
"This fog feels oppressive… and what's that huge thing over there?"
At the station entrance, Chen Qianyu waved her hand in disgust, trying to fan the mist away—only to spot a bizarre structure shaped like a giant torch.
"...A Nest Effigy," Wolfguard said, his brow tightening.
"It's the Crushbone Clan's signature structure—well-known even among other Riftbreaker clans.
"Every level of boss treats it as a status symbol. It's also a totem that marks territory… The Crushbone Clan burns what they can't carry away, leaving arrogant proof behind."
"The Nest Effigy can burn almost anything. The Crushbone use fire and smoke to proclaim their temporary rule."
"When they rampaged through frontier zones, the route of their main force was always dotted with a chain of burned-out ruins."
Hao Fan now fully understood how sinister this thing was.
But what he cared about more was the crimson fog filling the air.
"Cough, cough—this fog isn't poisonous, is it?"
"...Close enough," Wolfguard said grimly.
"The Nest Effigy disperses mist-like corrosive matter and suppresses Originium devices… This fog is their camouflage—and their weapon."
He stared into the near-zero-visibility crimson haze, and his voice turned hesitant.
"But at this concentration, it's dangerous even to humans… Beyond-energy is extremely uncontrollable by nature. The Crushbone have become more radical than before."
Even as a Riftbreaker expert, he understood the Crushbone Clan—but he didn't yet know what had changed recently. He lacked up-to-date intelligence.
The amnesiac Administrator asked suddenly:
"What are corrosion and Beyond-energy?"
She'd heard those words again and again since waking, but didn't know what they meant.
So Perlica gave a rough explanation.
"Corrosion is a dangerous disaster caused by the Beyond. Their relationship is like magma and a volcano."
"As Wolfguard said, it causes many destructive effects. It's dangerous to people and to Originium devices."
Her expression was serious—almost as if, compared to Originium itself, corrosion and Beyond-energy were even more dangerous.
So Hao Fan, the ordinary guy in the group, said flatly:
"Then… we'll go around."
....
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