Keeping You Alive Only Drives Up the Price of Grain

"Void Realm turbulence? Void Realm passages?" Because this was niche knowledge, Igola wasn't surprised that Yaxiu didn't know it. "It's a relatively rare sorcerer disaster. When a sorcerer establishes a connection with the Void Realm through the Gate of Truth, certain unstable areas in the Void Realm backwash knowledge into the Gate of Truth, causing space in reality to become alienated by Void Realm knowledge." Igola gestured. "Just imagine the Void Realm as a huge block of jelly. A sorcerer enters inside the jelly through a straw, and usually everything is fine. But if a patch of the jelly rots and dissolves, the liquid inside travels along the straw into reality, corroding a hole through it... That is Void Realm turbulence. "As for Void Realm passages, the knowledge that flows into reality tends to want to return to the Void Realm. Most turbulences dissipate quickly, but some of the thicker streams of turbulent knowledge solidify into passages, attempting to return to the Void Realm. "However, unowned knowledge cannot open the Gate of Truth, so it keeps rubbing against the outside of the Void Realm, forming a one-half Void Realm passage." "One-half?" Yaxiu was thoroughly bewildered. "Then how does it become a complete Void Realm passage?" "Remember when I said a patch of the jelly rots?" Igola said. "That's why a sorcerer disaster like Void Realm turbulence rarely occurs just once or twice. They happen in batches all over the world. Any sorcerer who has visited that rotting area might trigger Void Realm turbulence locally, forming various one-half passages. "The target coordinates these one-half passages point toward are the Void Realm coordinates of the Gate of Truth. The closer the target coordinates of two one-half passages are, the more likely they are to combine, forming a complete Void Realm passage that allows travel between two locations in reality." It sounded a bit complicated, but Yaxiu grasped it using his meager knowledge of mathematics and geometry: One-half Passage A wanted to return to Void Realm Point C, forming passage AC. Meanwhile, One-half Passage B also wanted to return to Void Realm Point C, forming passage BC. However, because the Gate of Truth was closed, even if A and B stood outside the gate groveling like desperate simps, C refused to come out. At that point, A and B, fellow sufferers stranded at the edge of the world, locked eyes outside the gate and decided to ditch C altogether, joining together into a complete AB passage—living happily ever after. "In other words, the closer the Gates of Truth opened by two sorcerers are, the easier it is to form a Void Realm passage?" Igola nodded. "In theory, yes, but it's virtually impossible to manufacture passages using this rule." Yaxiu's expression turned solemn. "Then aren't sorcerers in tremendous danger? If they open the Gate of Truth in a rotting area, won't their bodies inevitably be swept into the Void Realm turbulence?" "Nope. Void Realm knowledge never harms sorcerers." "Why?" "They're afraid of sorcerers." Igola shrugged. "Even sorcery spirits run the moment they see us. Why would you think the knowledge that makes up sorcery spirits would dare to harm a sorcerer? "There's an interesting saying that to the Void Realm, we sorcerers are like plunderers. Knowledge that accidentally pours into reality is like refugees stumbling into enemy territory. They can't run away fast enough—how could they dare challenge vicious plunderers? "Void Realm knowledge tends to flee to places where sorcerers are scarce, like underground or into the sky, and then settles down to alienate the space, attempting to return to the Void Realm, thereby forming turbulences or passages." Igola made the disaster sound weak, helpless, and almost cute... Yaxiu glanced at the bustling registration booth. "Then is exploring a Void Realm passage dangerous?" "No idea!" Igola admitted candidly. "Not all Void Realm passages are complete, though. What do you think happens to the pioneers who walk into a one-half passage? "Still, if they find a passage leading to another nation and manage to return alive, that merit is certainly enough to commute their death sentences." Yaxiu raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't that sound pretty simple? Go take a look, and if you don't die, run back. It's just gambling on luck. Why would they need survival skills and evasion abilities?" Igola shook his head. "If the other side is an uninhabited wilderness, they can indeed return immediately. But if the other side is another country, the volunteers definitely won't be able to come right back." "Why? Do volunteers have to go through security checks when crossing the border?" "Think about it from another angle and you'll understand. Enemies from unknown nations could also find the Void Realm passage and cross into the Blood Moon Country. Wouldn't you take precautions in advance?" Yaxiu was about to ask how one could guard against unknown enemies, but he suddenly fell silent—this was a sorcerer's world full of miracles, where the only absolute was that nothing was absolute. Things that seemed nigh impossible to Yaxiu might be as simple as burping after a full meal to a high-ranking sorcerer. The disparity in knowledge created an insurmountable chasm between sorcerers, much like how Yaxiu still couldn't understand how the chip in the back of his neck managed to make him hold in a fart in non-restroom areas. "In the Blood Moon Country, there is a global surveillance miracle. The moment an outsider appears, the church will promptly notify the nearby Sin Hunting Hall. At the same time, the Blood Moon casts down a curse, preventing the outsider from using any spatial displacement or transmitting any messages for forty-eight hours." Igola crossed his arms. "When I was seven, an outsider appeared in Feimeng City, seemingly fleeing near the rearing institute where I lived. The Bloodmad Hunters tore the institute upside down..." "You're not from Kaimeng City?" Igola shrugged. "Once you've swindled almost all the fools in Feimeng City, you naturally have to open up a new market." A Void Realm passage was undoubtedly a major event that would shift the landscape, but it held no meaning for the prison break squad. In fact, it only made recruitment harder for them. What if they came looking for volunteers again tomorrow? What if there was a chance to return to society legitimately with head held high? This sudden offer of amnesty greatly dampened the morale of these resolute escapees. How were they supposed to do ideological work now? Just as Yaxiu was at his wit's end, preparing to grab some Lalafell to find inspiration, chaos suddenly broke out at the registration booth. "Pick me, please, I beg you, pick me! I'm 'Golden Beak' of the Woodpecker Gang! I'm proficient in all kinds of assassination methods! I really want to be a volunteer, please pick me, waaah—" "Water sorcery, gun sorcery, light sorcery, earth sorcery, demolition, trap miracles... Your sorcery factions do meet the requirements, but you only have One-Wing sorcery power, which doesn't meet the minimum admission threshold. Sorry." Hearing this, everyone couldn't help casting astonished looks at the tall man kneeling on the ground. Igola chimed in with an explanation. "Golden Beak is the top hitman of the Woodpecker Gang. His assassination targets included many prominent figures, councilors, politicians, and businessmen. The difficulty of his missions was definitely no lower than assassinating a Two-Winged Sorcerer. For him to become Golden Beak with only One Wing means his professional skills must be exceptional." Yaxiu recognized the man. "Isn't that Langna's 'friend,' Ronald Wade?" "Yes, and he's also a newcomer who arrived this month." Igola gave a subtle smile. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten close to Langna... Looks like he's realized something and is doing everything he can to save himself." "Save himself? Is he in danger?" "Do you know Langna's nickname?" "Yeah, 'Gourmet' Langna. The nickname comes from his peculiar fetish, right?" Although Langna's fetish was quite bizarre, this prison was an ultimate cesspool crowded with perverts in the first place. Right now, there was even an ogre sauntering around in front of Yaxiu, so Yaxiu could mention Langna's little hobby without any emotional fluctuation. "Most people only see the outside, but it goes far beyond that." Igola wagged his finger. "Langna doesn't even spare the inside." "How is that different?" "Very different. Even though Ronald doesn't have any wounds on him right now, the stuff inside him has already been eaten by Langna." "...Is that some kind of dirty, violent joke?" "Yaxiu, your words and actions make me wonder if the Four Pillar Cult is just a social club for greasy middle-aged men to unwind after work. Keeping you alive only drives up the price of grain," Igola retorted drily before revealing Langna's terrifying and grotesque little secret. Yet the more Yaxiu listened, the brighter his eyes shone. Looking at Ronald, who was still desperately pestering the recruiters over there, Yaxiu said, "Perhaps we've found our teammate."