# Chapter 40: Spiritual Resonance
The sky was covered with dark clouds, making the already evening weather even gloomier. A heavy rain was coming.
After bypassing the Dapushe Fortress, Su Xiao had been traveling south for about 7 hours, crossing a mountain range along the way. In this sparsely populated world, most areas were wasteland and forests.
This should have been an environment rich with wildlife, but along the way, Su Xiao only saw a few wild beasts. The beasts had almost been hunted to extinction by the alien races. There were quite a few birds though, since they were too small to provide much meat and were quite clever.
Baha was always scouting from above, searching for any possible human settlements. Unfortunately, after traveling this far, they hadn't seen a single person.
On the wasteland, a few crooked trees grew abruptly on the barren ground. Amu used these trees as materials to build a thatched shelter, preparing to take refuge there for the night.
Half an hour later, Su Xiao sat inside the thatched shelter, watching the rain curtain falling a few meters away, pondering the situation on the Xisi Star.
He wondered how the toad's progress was going. The Crawling Spirit was the key to seizing the World Core. As for its specific function, Su Xiao still didn't know, only having a rough guess.
The Holy Light Paradise faction and Death Paradise faction had been completely cleared out. The cult group had also been wiped out, but Su Xiao remained vigilant toward these religious fanatics.
Even if these fanatics summoned gods or evil gods before dying, it wouldn't be surprising. If they summoned an Ancient God, that would be even better—provided it wasn't a Seventh Rank one. Su Xiao wasn't yet a match for a Seventh Rank Ancient God. He was certain of this. Ancient Gods were basically the strongest echelon at their rank. Ugly as they might be, they were all very powerful, with no nonsense during battle and no begging for mercy before death.
The Apocalypse Paradise side should be in a miserable state. With their base camp withdrawn, only heaven knew what the enraged alien army would do. Crimson Tasha had indeed been thoroughly taught a lesson by Su Xiao, but against the contractors of Apocalypse Paradise, she could regain her dignity as a big boss. Her Blade Art: Blood Kiss was practically a main tank killer.
A world war fought to this extent was a first for Su Xiao. Previously, he had always competed with contractors from other paradises for the World Core. This time, the enemy had changed to aliens.
Thinking of this, Su Xiao opened his task list and checked the second war mission.
[War Mission 2: World Core]
Difficulty Level: Lv.61
Mission Briefing: Obtain the World Core.
Mission Information: Must first obtain the Crawling Spirit before executing this mission.
Mission Time Limit: 12 natural days
Mission Reward: Determined based on battle contribution, minimum reward is Golden Skill Point ×1.
Mission Penalty: Forced execution.
Tip: If your side fails to obtain the Crawling Spirit, the Hunter must compete for it within this world.
Tip: If your side fails to obtain the Crawling Spirit, causing mission failure, the mission failure penalty will change to only 20% of merit settlement rewards.
Tip: Based on comprehensive assessment of war contribution, combat power, earned merits, etc., after the exploration team obtains the Crawling Spirit, it will be teleported within 1 meter of the Hunter. If obtained, the Hunter must properly safeguard and use it.
Su Xiao currently had 4,076 merit points. No contractor on his side had more than him. Combined with his actions in killing enemies and covering the retreat, he had earned the right to safeguard the Crawling Spirit—provided they could obtain it.
The key now was whether the exploration team could seize the Crawling Spirit. If not, it was unclear what would happen to the three exploration team members, but Su Xiao wouldn't be forcibly executed.
If his side's exploration team failed to obtain the Crawling Spirit and ultimately lost the World Core struggle, the contractors on the Ten Thousand Beasts Continent wouldn't be forcibly executed. Instead, their merit rewards would be greatly reduced, only receiving 20%.
What did that mean? Su Xiao currently had 4,076 merit points, but would only receive rewards based on 815 points after settlement.
Failure on the Xisi Star didn't mean Su Xiao had no chance at all to seize the Crawling Spirit. The Crawling Spirit would definitely be sent to this world. Then it would just be a matter of snatching it—though it would be very difficult.
The previous opportunity to return was granted both because his side had obtained 9 Space-Time Power condensates and because of the existence of the Crawling Spirit. Due to this somewhat uncontrollable possibility of failure, Reincarnation Paradise gave one chance—the opportunity to return with only 70% merit reward.
Staying meant wanting to challenge the 120% merit settlement reward. Higher returns came with higher risks.
If the toad successfully obtained the Crawling Spirit, Su Xiao's war mission would fail, and the penalty would be forced execution.
Su Xiao's next course of action was clear: continue south, penetrate deeper into this continent, thereby finding the location of the alien rear base, while trying to encounter human settlements along the way.
After planning this, Su Xiao lay down in the thatched shelter to rest. He was still injured and needed rest.
Amidst the pattering rain, Su Xiao gradually fell asleep.
Suddenly, Su Xiao felt a strange pulling sensation, somewhat familiar.
"Wake up, powerful human. Wake up. We need your help, please."
A calling voice appeared beside Su Xiao's ear. His eyes suddenly opened. White petals drifted past his vision.
On a sea of flowers, a woman dressed in a white gown, with a very holy aura, floated before Su Xiao. This woman was so holy she seemed like a goddess.
Su Xiao's hand instinctively reached for the sword hilt at his waist but grasped nothing. He immediately realized this was some kind of dream.
After this thought appeared, Su Xiao felt puzzled. Even the Nightmare Ancient God Nigadi hadn't managed to drag him into a dream, yet this holy-aura woman had succeeded.
"Think carefully about why you're here. You'll remember. Empty your mind, let..."
The holy goddess stopped mid-sentence because Su Xiao had grabbed her neck and pulled her down from her floating state.
"Using an item as a medium... spiritual resonance, huh."
Su Xiao's hand tightened. The "holy goddess" he had grabbed by the neck suddenly turned into a cloud of mist.
Su Xiao's eyes opened. He was still lying in the wooden shelter. Beside him, Bubu Wang had one hind leg raised high, sleeping in a very distinctive posture.
"Bubu."
Su Xiao pushed Bubu Wang. The dog, who had been looking for a bathroom in his dream, woke with a start. He had already found the toilet in his dream and was about to relieve himself happily.
Bubu Wang ran to the dark wasteland to nourish nature.
An alien had dragged Su Xiao into a dream. No, it should be that while he was sleeping, it had invaded his dream. Unfortunately, Su Xiao was immune to mental control, so the alien could only try to confuse him step by step, which was why it was so polite.
Su Xiao began checking the packages carried by Bubu Wang and Amu. These two packages contained items that couldn't be stored in the storage space or couldn't be taken out of this world.
Soon, Su Xiao found a black fleshy lump. This thing was beating like a heart. It was an item obtained from killing Poison Claw.
Su Xiao picked up the black fleshy lump. Just as he was about to crush it to see its internal structure, he sensed a mental force trapped inside.
"Amu, time for a midnight snack."
Su Xiao tossed the black fleshy lump to Amu. The somewhat drowsy Amu opened his mouth, about to toss it in.
"Roast it."
"Moo?"
Amu scratched his head and went to start a fire.
"I mean no harm. Please don't treat me like this, even if I am an alien."
A voice converted from mental wave fluctuations came from inside the black fleshy lump. Su Xiao didn't speak. Amu skillfully started a fire and began roasting the black fleshy lump.
"Fine, I admit it was very rude to resonate with your mental power without permission, but I really mean no harm. Your mental power is incredibly strong, and you're also carrying a 'King's Heart.'"
Su Xiao still didn't speak. This holy goddess seemed like the type easy to interrogate. Su Xiao was sure she wasn't from the alien side. Even if she were an alien, aliens weren't this cowardly.
The flames roasted the black fleshy lump. The "holy goddess" trapped inside began to panic. She felt these people weren't joking—they really were going to roast her.
"I come from the Muguang Missionary Ground. We are about to face destruction. Please rest assured, we don't worship gods. Our doctrine is continuation—continuing humanity, preventing extinction by aliens. Even though I'm half-alien and saying this might not be trustworthy, it's the truth."
The "holy goddess," with no other choice, could only explain her origins.
"Muguang Missionary Ground?"
"We're in the center of the continent, the area with the most aliens. A few days ago, the aliens suddenly united. Their internal conflicts disappeared—just suddenly vanished. We lost our last chance. Now, including me, there are no more than ten people alive in the Muguang Missionary Ground. The warriors of Muguang City are all dead, but the Muguang Missionary Ground is very safe."
Hearing the "holy goddess's" words, a smile appeared on Su Xiao's face.
"Where is the Muguang Missionary Ground?"
Su Xiao felt this was a good place—near the alien base camp and safe enough. Provided this "holy goddess" wasn't lying.