Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 597: Trapped in the Fragment of Time and Space_1

"Can't get out?" Wang Linchi raised an eyebrow. They were currently in a spacetime fragment that had already been cleared, with no rift life present.

"Yes, Elder Wang. It's likely due to spacetime fluctuations that have thrown the entire spacetime fragment into disarray, forming a temporary membrane."

"If we forcibly break this membrane, it could easily cause fluctuations in the Spacetime Rift," a summoner who had followed them in explained.

"Spacetime Rifts can't fluctuate arbitrarily. So, the Great Elder had me come here to sign off on something, right?" Wang Linchi also smiled. Credit to them for concocting such a watertight reason.

However, Wang Linchi didn't expose their intentions; after all, he was playing along.

"Correct. It was indeed a lapse on some people's part, and the Great Elder had to intervene."

"But rest assured, Elder Wang, the problem has been solved," the other person replied promptly, speaking with absolute certainty.

"I believe you when you say it was caused by a lapse. But that the problem is solved? You think I'd believe that? We're all still trapped in here. Don't you feel even a shred of guilt saying 'the problem is solved'?" Wang Linchi retorted. That's just blatant lying. They could at least try to be a bit more subtle.

"It's not the problem that's been solved, but the person who raised it. The cover-up can be handled next," another summoner hastily added.

"Aren't you all a bit too arrogant? Aren't you afraid of retribution one day?" Wang Linchi said. He knew they were definitely lying. For such a major issue, 'solving' the person who raised it would make no difference whatsoever. In the Federation, anything involving a Spacetime Rift is a major incident. The scenario they described could never happen. If someone truly caused a problem with a Spacetime Rift, it wouldn't matter if they were a relative of the Great Elder, or even the Great Elder himself—they would be thoroughly investigated. When one's own life is on the line, even the most powerful individuals must be held accountable.

The South Rotating Spacetime Fissure had indeed experienced spacetime fluctuations. However, these were not due to a lapse or an accident; it was a harmless operation conducted by the Federation targeting Wang Linchi. The method used to trap Wang Linchi was primarily based on deception, designed to delay him for a sufficient amount of time. Only if Wang Linchi discovered the truth and resorted to force would the entire spacetime fragment be used to imprison him. However, they had a comprehensive deception plan, designed with a high degree of authenticity. It was unlikely Wang Linchi would detect anything amiss, even though they had prepared for a potential combat scenario within the spacetime fragment.

"We're not afraid. If retribution truly comes, we deserve it. Anyway, we eat well, drink well, and enjoy life. Who knows, the Spacetime Rift crisis might escalate someday, and we'll all be gone," one of the summoners declared with a defiant air.

It's no wonder you're only in the Council and not the Elder Group... Wang Linchi mused. These individuals are quite something, probably handpicked by the Elder Group. They certainly have a way with words, very pleasing to the ear. It's clear they've meticulously studied my psychology, choosing them as conversational partners to pass the time.

After their exchange, Wang Linchi felt he was increasingly seeing the Elder Group as irredeemably corrupt.

Time ticked by, second by second, with no issues on Wang Linchi's end.

Meanwhile, the Elder Group and the Council were working at a feverish pace.

"How are things progressing?" the Great Elder asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.

How could he not be? If anything went wrong, they could lose everything. Dealing with a visitor from a Different World required the utmost caution, no matter the circumstances.

Elder Jia You sat down, took a deep breath, and then said, "Eighty percent of the energy offloading has been completed."

"It's just that the strong artificial intelligence is proving difficult. The main issue is the sheer number of areas it's integrated with."

"If it's completely taken offline, it will affect numerous Federation operations, so that part is still ongoing."

With Wang Linchi's assistance, various sectors of the Federation had transitioned to automation. Supported by the strong artificial intelligence, Great Sage, and various smart machines, the Federation's productivity had significantly increased. Furthermore, the Federation's overall operations had become highly intelligent, relying heavily on this strong artificial intelligence. If it were shut down, the entire Federation's operations would grind to a temporary halt.

"How long will it take? Of the initial ten hours, less than three remain," the Great Elder pressed.

Elder Jia You made a quick estimation and nodded. "It should be possible. At most, another two hours to achieve a complete shutdown."

"However," he added, "we must deal with the visitor from the Different World quickly. Any prolonged delay will inevitably lead to problems."

Hearing this, the Great Elder felt a measure of relief. As long as it was within the plan, it was acceptable.

However, dealing with Wang Linchi was no simple task. His origins were unknown, and his true strength remained a mystery.

"What's the status on dealing with the Heroic Spirit, King Heaven Equivalent?" Elder Jia You then asked.

They were proceeding cautiously, naturally taking even Wang Linchi's Heroic Spirit into account. Otherwise, any misstep here could lead to significant trouble.

"The Third Elder hasn't reported back yet. However, given that King Heaven Equivalent has only undergone seven awakenings, he doesn't pose much of a threat." The Great Elder wasn't concerned about this.

Indeed, King Heaven Equivalent was of Unparalleled Quality and capable of fighting above his level. However, the Third Elder's Heroic Spirit was also of Unparalleled Quality and had awakened ten times. More importantly, it originated from an era far older than King Heaven Equivalent's. With these advantages, King Heaven Equivalent was no match.

"Capture or kill?" Elder Jia You asked.

"Capture if possible. If not, then we consider killing," the Great Elder replied, leaving some leeway.

In his eyes, 'Wang Xianyu' was a visitor from a Different World, but the Heroic Spirit, King Heaven Equivalent, was not. Therefore, he preferred not to kill the Heroic Spirit if avoidable, keeping it as a potential fallback. If the plan against the visitor from the Different World failed, they could still potentially negotiate or maneuver through King Heaven Equivalent.

Elder Jia You nodded in agreement. As for being unable to capture him, that would be a joke—unless the Third Elder deliberately chose to kill him. The sheer disparity in power alone would leave King Heaven Equivalent incapable of resistance. Both Heroic Spirits were of Unparalleled Quality, but King Heaven Equivalent was considerably weaker. There was no way he could overcome a three-awakening-level gap to defeat the Third Elder's Heroic Spirit. Furthermore, the Third Elder didn't just have one; he had a primary Heroic Spirit with ten awakenings and a secondary one with nine. Their combined combat power far exceeded their opponent's. If they were to lose this engagement, they might as well abandon their plan against the visitor from the Different World entirely. If even the Heroic Spirit proved problematic, the summoner himself would undoubtedly be even more so.

About half an hour later, the Third Elder finally returned.

"King Heaven Equivalent has been dealt with. He's currently being held temporarily in the Spirit-Banning Prison. We'll handle him properly later," the Third Elder said as he entered, appearing quite relaxed.

Seeing this, the Great Elder and Elder Jia You both breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that everything had gone according to plan.

"It's a good thing these visitors from Different Worlds are usually separated from their Heroic Spirits. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been nearly this easy," the Third Elder admitted, a hint of lingering apprehension in his voice.

Even though it was a decisive victory, the power King Heaven Equivalent unleashed was truly formidable, especially his ability to wield the power of Mount Tai. This power wasn't merely the physical weight or imposing presence of the mountain; it also embodied the profound prestige of imperial power and Divine Authority.

"King Heaven Equivalent isn't his complete form. His true form is the Dongyue Holy Emperor. Besides mastering life and death, he also embodies the symbols of imperial power and Divine Authority. If he were truly at ten awakenings, the number of Heroic Spirits capable of contending with him could be counted on one hand," the Third Elder stated.

"And even then, at best, they could only fight him to a draw. To actually defeat him would require a coordinated siege," he added.

This statement stunned the other two. Was it truly that outrageous? How could a Heroic Spirit from the Jing Dynasty possibly surpass one from the Ancient Times? But on second thought, it seemed plausible. After all, this was the only Heroic Spirit known to have spanned three dynasties.

"Let's not dwell on this. It's almost time. We need to hurry to the South Rotating Base," the Great Elder said, not wanting to get sidetracked by the matter of King Heaven Equivalent. In his mind, the overall situation was already decided.

"The others should have already headed there. By the time we arrive, the strong artificial intelligence should be nearly shut down. Even if it hasn't been completely deactivated, its computational power will be drastically reduced, rendering it no significant threat," Elder Jia You stated.

The Third Elder naturally had no objections, and the three of them departed together.

This operation didn't solely involve the Elder Group; they had also invited all the top summoners aware of the Annihilation Disaster to assist.