Die, Replay, Repeat

This time, the boat sailed smoothly, without leaks or disturbances.

Fang Xiu sat quietly, deep in thought. It was becoming increasingly clear that the dead in the Land Between abided by strict rules.

Violating these rules meant losing the ability to trade or interact with the dead, further emphasizing the importance of following the Land’s strange laws.

Yang Ming, who had been holding back for what felt like an eternity, finally caved.

“Fine! Since you’re all dying to know, I’ll graciously explain my ability,” he declared, puffing out his chest.

No one responded.

Yang Ming’s face darkened, but he pressed on. “Alright, listen up. I technically don’t have a Domain—not like you guys, where your Domains change the world around you. Mine is far more unique. It’s called… I Am Domain! Do you even understand what that means?”

The silence stretched uncomfortably.

Yang Ming’s expression twitched before he finally continued.

“I Am Domain means I can channel the rules of the universe within a certain range, drawing upon the power! Every move I make carries the force of the world itself. It’s the ultimate ability—totally cool and absolutely unbeatable!”

“Oh,” Luo Qingxin said flatly.

“That’s it?” Li Xiaoru added, raising an eyebrow.

Xiong Tianguang shook his head. “You know, even most of my game characters were cooler than you.”

The dismissive comments hit Yang Ming like a slap. His excitement fizzled, and he slumped into a corner of the boat.

With a dramatic sigh, he lit one of his corpse-water-soaked cigarettes, the acrid, rotten stench immediately filling the air and causing everyone to grimace.

The boat continued forward, and soon, a faint shoreline came into view.

Beyond the shore stretched a barren wasteland. At its far edge stood an ancient town, its silhouette exuding an eerie, timeless charm.

Li Xiaoru pointed excitedly. “Look! There’s a town up ahead. Could that be Whitestone Village, the one Wei Xin mentioned?”

Before anyone could answer, Luo Qingxin spoke up. “Forget the town—does anyone else see those black dots floating over the wasteland?”

In the Land Between, the Grey Fog obscured much of their vision. No sun hung in the sky, and Specter energy saturated the air, making it difficult to see beyond a short distance.

Yet from the boat, the dark dots in the distance stood out faintly against the murky backdrop.

When the boat finally reached the shore, the group disembarked onto the barren terrain.

It was only then they realized what the “black dots” really were.

They weren’t dots at all—they were Specters. Thousands upon thousands of snake-like Specters slithered and writhed across the wasteland, forming a massive black tide.

The sight made their skin crawl, as if they were looking at a living nightmare.

The snake-like Specters were grotesque. Their shadowy, semi-transparent bodies resembled long serpents, with scales that shimmered faintly in the Grey Fog.

Some hissed and lashed out violently, while others hovered eerily, their glowing eyes fixed on the newcomers.

Fang Xiu was unsurprised.

The Land Between bordered the Other Side, and snake-like Specters were among the most abundant entities in that realm. It wasn’t unusual for them to spill over into this strange land.

As the group set foot on the wasteland, the swarm of Specters reacted immediately. Like predators sensing prey, they surged toward them, a relentless tide of malice and hunger.

It quickly became apparent that the Ferryman’s boat had possessed some protective power that kept the Specters at bay. Now that they had disembarked, that protection was gone.

The battle began almost instantly.

“There are too many of them,” Fang Xiu said calmly, his sharp gaze scanning the horde. The oppressive Grey Fog constantly drained their Spiritual Energy, making prolonged combat even more dangerous.

“We’ll take turns. Conserve your energy,” he commanded.

The group nodded, instinctively deferring to Fang Xiu’s leadership.

Li Xiaoru stepped forward first.

Her Domain, Infinite Conflict, was ideal for crowd control.

As her Domain expanded, the projection of an ancient battlefield appeared around her.

Ethereal soldiers clad in spectral armor rose from the ground, their weapons gleaming faintly in the fog. With a unified battle cry, they charged into the writhing mass of snake-like Specters.

The spectral soldiers clashed fiercely with the Specters, their weapons cutting through the shadowy forms.

Meanwhile, the group advanced cautiously, using the spectral army as a shield.

For several minutes, the plan worked. Specters fell one after another, their remains dissolving into the fog. A growing trail of corpses marked their slow but steady progress.

But the tide of Specters showed no signs of diminishing. For every one that fell, more seemed to emerge from the fog, their numbers seemingly endless.

“This isn’t fair!” Yang Ming whined, panting as he watched the scene. “Why does the town still look so far away? We’ve been walking forever!”

It had been ten minutes since their advance began, yet Whitestone Village seemed just as distant as when they first saw it.

Li Xiaoru’s forehead glistened with sweat. Maintaining her Domain while fending off the endless Specters and resisting the energy drain of the Grey Fog was taking its toll.

“Switch,” Fang Xiu ordered.

“Let me handle this!” Yang Ming volunteered eagerly, stepping forward with a confident grin.

Having just broken through to the fourth tier, he was itching to test his new power.

Yang Ming raised his hand dramatically. “Domain Activated: I Am Domain!”

Suddenly, Yang Ming’s body glowed with a golden light, as if he were clad in divine armor. The radiance gave him an almost celestial presence, making him look like a warrior descended from the heavens.

In his hand, he wielded a short blade forged from Mind Steel, shimmering with the same golden hue. Without hesitation, he charged into the endless tide of snake-like Specters.

SLASH!

His blade cut cleanly through one Specter, killing it instantly.

Yang Ming pressed forward relentlessly, moving like a human whirlwind. He carved through the horde with unstoppable energy, the golden light around him forming a protective barrier that deflected the Specters’ eerie attacks.

At first, the group watched in awe, impressed by Yang Ming’s flashy display.

But their admiration soon turned to frustration.

While the golden glow was impressive and Yang Ming’s strength undeniable, there was one glaring issue—he lacked any area-of-effect attacks.

He relied entirely on brute force and single-target strikes. Against an endless swarm, his method was inefficient and borderline pointless.

Before long, the snake-like Specters began closing in on the group, their numbers swelling dangerously.

Xiong Tianguang finally snapped. “Yang Ming, step aside! You’re making this worse!”

With a frustrated sigh, Xiong Tianguang summoned his flaming humanoid spirit, a towering entity engulfed in roaring flames.

The spirit raised its arms, sending waves of fire cascading across the battlefield. The intense heat incinerated dozens of Specters, creating a temporary safe zone around the group.

Yang Ming stepped back, visibly deflated. His earlier confidence was shattered, and he retreated to sulk near the rear of the group.

Even in defeat, Fang Xiu saw the incredible potential of Yang Ming’s Domain.

While Yang Ming’s abilities lacked versatility, his single-target power was unmatched. The golden glow surrounding him resembled Mindflare, the signature trait of fifth-tier psychics. Although it wasn’t as powerful as the real thing, it was still formidable.

In the world of psychics, the fifth tier marked a colossal leap in power. Fifth-tier psychics were immune to most Domain effects, making them nearly invincible to lower-tier opponents.

Their Mindflare ability nullified external influences, forcing enemies to rely on sheer strength to bring them down—a daunting task.

But Yang Ming’s I Am Domain was different.

Unlike conventional Domains, which manipulated the environment, Yang Ming’s Domain was entirely self-focused. This gave him an unparalleled ability to pierce through defenses and challenge stronger foes head-on.

With his enhanced strength, Yang Ming’s physical power likely rivaled—or even exceeded—that of some fifth-tier psychics. Coupled with his Specter Gadgets, he was shaping up to be a true force of nature.

Yang Ming was a Chosen One, destined to defy logic and rise against impossible odds.

A faint smile crossed Fang Xiu’s face. The brilliance of God’s Plan never ceased to amaze him.

While Chosen Ones like Yang Ming grew stronger effortlessly, others, like Fang Xiu, relied on wits and unconventional means to carve out their paths. But that didn’t bother him.

In the end, power was meaningless unless it fit the wielder’s purpose.

With Xiong Tianguang’s fiery spirit clearing the way, the group pushed forward.

Yet, despite their progress, the Whitestone Village remained as distant as ever.

The town seemed like a mirage, always just out of reach.

“Take a break. I’ll handle this,” said Luo Qingxin, her voice cold and composed.

She stepped forward, releasing a wave of icy energy. The frigid air condensed into thousands of razor-sharp ice spikes, which shot out in every direction, impaling countless Specters.

Under her cover, the group continued advancing cautiously.

Suddenly, a faint sound broke through the chaotic din of battle.

“Do you hear that?” someone asked.

It was the unmistakable sound of combat, coming from just beyond a nearby hill.

“Someone’s fighting?”

“Xiu, should we check it out?”

Fang Xiu nodded, and the group adjusted their course, heading toward the source of the noise.

When they crested the hill, they froze at the sight before them.

A middle-aged man, rugged and hardened, was locked in fierce combat with a frozen corpse.

The man’s body radiated a brilliant white light, and the snake-like Specters nearby were completely unable to approach him, as though repelled by an invisible force.

The battle between the man and the frozen corpse was intense, each blow sending shockwaves rippling through the air.

“That’s… Mindflare! He’s a fifth-tier psychic!” Xiao Chuxia exclaimed, her tone filled with awe.

Having witnessed a breakthrough to the fifth tier before, she immediately recognized the overwhelming power radiating from the man.

While Xiao Chuxia marveled at his strength, the rest of the group was transfixed by the man’s face.

Their expressions shifted from awe to pure shock, as though they couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

Even Luo Qingxin, typically unshakable, was visibly affected. Her icy demeanor melted for the first time in ages, and she trembled slightly.

Her lips quivered as she uttered, “Chief Commander… SIR!”

Notes

Translator's note: Well… I misunderstood. I thought if Yang Ming was the domain himself, he could bend the rules of the space around him.