Chapter 355: Battling the Ruler Again
Tu Ran returned to the ability introduction panel of [Shadow Storage] and reviewed it. Other than the level having upgraded from intermediate to advanced, the description and precautions remained unchanged. Whether it could accommodate living creatures would require her own experimentation.
She picked up a tree branch, lit it, and tossed it into the space.
The fire burned fiercely until the branch was reduced to ashes, only then did it extinguish.
There was oxygen.
When the ability was at the intermediate level, she had conducted the same experiment, but as soon as the branch entered, the fire went out immediately.
Even so, she still hesitated to put Pangpang inside.
She decided to use more professional equipment—an air detection device, standard-issue for every Federation pioneer and essential for exploring the Threshold.
She had tossed it into a corner and never used it, but today it finally came in handy.
After the test, the composition and ratio of gases in the space were not significantly different from those in the real world.
Relieved, Tu Ran waved her hand and sent Pangpang into the space.
The scene inside the space appeared in Tu Ran’s mind, accessible to her anytime she wished to observe it.
Pangpang showed no signs of discomfort after entering the space. On the contrary, it sniffed its way toward the piles of food she had stored there. Torn between wanting to eat and feeling too shy to do so, it glanced around, searching for her.
“If you want to eat, just eat. Get rid of them as quickly as you can,” Tu Ran instructed. Now that there was oxygen in the space, the food couldn’t be preserved for long. With so much stockpiled, only Pangpang could help consume it all.
Receiving her permission, Pangpang immediately sat down and began devouring the food.
Meanwhile, Tu Ran rummaged through a large box filled with ability-related items stored in the space and pulled out a small wooden box.
Inside was a shimmering inner core accompanied by a card detailing its function.
[Mirror Image
Description: Do you want to become that dazzling person (he/she/it)? Consume this inner core and lock eyes with the person (or creature) you wish to emulate. Like a mirror, you will reflect their appearance.
Level: Intermediate
Note 1: Inner and outer traits are equally important. While your appearance will mimic the target’s, your inner essence will also align with theirs. Any extraordinary abilities they possess will become yours, but your own abilities will vanish until you revert to your original form.
Note 2: Due to the mirroring nature of this transformation, the strength of extraordinary abilities will not be equally distributed. If the target is weak, you will be stronger; if the target is strong, you will be weaker.]
Tu Ran lowered her eyes in thought for a moment before tilting her head back and swallowing the inner core.
In the world ruled by the Rulers, all creatures looked identical. Her human appearance stood out too much. Without disguising herself to look like them, she would be immediately discovered, just like the last time, and would accomplish nothing.
The Ruler creatures were far too bizarre in appearance—no amount of clothing or makeup could make her convincingly pass as one of them.
Among all her abilities, only [Mirror Image] could allow her to completely transform into their form.
As for the fluctuation in power between her and her disguise… perhaps it could work to her advantage as well.
With everything prepared, Tu Ran bid farewell to the two Qiyus.
Before leaving, her gaze lingered on the Qiyu with ability, and she issued a warning. “Stay away from humans.”
The Qiyu looked at her blankly, clearly not understanding.
Tu Ran sighed. “Humans taste bitter, are hard to chew, and are poisonous. Eat them, and you’ll die.”
The Qiyu’s eyes widened in alarm.
This time, it seemed to understand.
Satisfied, Tu Ran looked away, wasting no more time. She silently activated [Space-Time Manipulation], taking Pangpang, who was in her space, and departing.
Tu Ran’s destination remained the same: the Haenden Star System.
She needed to replenish her mental power.
She desperately needed to replenish it.
However…
A patrol squad of green-eyed warriors holding enormous steel forks was walking toward her.
The blue ripples of the portal she emerged from instantly caught their attention.
Stepping through the portal, Tu Ran found herself face-to-face with them.
Tu Ran: Why? Why does the portal always open in such a blatant spot?!
She quickly scanned her surroundings and used [Teleportation] to move into the narrow gap between two massive buildings to her right.
The gap was only wide enough for one person to pass through.
The patrol team quickly followed, pausing for a moment outside the gap before deciding to investigate.
There were eight of them in total. Two stayed outside to keep watch, while the remaining six formed a line and entered the gap one by one.
Due to the immense height of the two buildings, the gap was devoid of light, casting everything into darkness. The first person in line drew a circle in the air, which emitted a dazzling light. He held it in the palm of his hand, and as he moved forward, it illuminated the entire gap.
Tu Ran, positioned above them, stretched her limbs against the walls on either side, suspended like a spider overhead. She couldn’t help but wonder how they managed to create such a bright light with a simple motion. She had observed closely earlier, but couldn’t make out the method.
The six members of the team moving deeper into the gap didn’t notice Tu Ran above them.
Of course, they wouldn’t notice her. She had activated her invisibility. As long as her eyes didn’t appear, no one could detect her.
It wasn’t until the sixth person moved directly beneath her that Tu Ran gently released her hold, silently descending behind him.
Then, with a swift motion, she grabbed his head and twisted it. A sharp crack echoed from his neck.
His neck was more fragile than Tu Ran had expected. With such a simple twist, it snapped, and his body slowly toppled to the ground.
Tu Ran was momentarily startled. This was nothing like when she had tied the orange-eyed leader’s arm into a knot, like a crab’s legs; the flexibility was on a completely different level. Could it be that the green-eyed creatures’ flexibility changes when they evolve into yellow-eyed ones?
But none of that mattered right now.
Although his neck had snapped, their eyes met, and [Mirror Image] activated successfully. Tu Ran transformed into his appearance.
Tu Ran quickly caught the body of the fallen green-eyed warrior, along with his head, and tossed them both into the space.
At that moment, she was now the green-eyed warrior. All her abilities were nullified, and [Invisibility] faded, causing her shadow to appear in the light.
Tu Ran performed the actions with precision, but the team ahead of her only heard a creaking sound. When they turned around to check, Tu Ran had already taken the warrior’s place.
“What was that sound?” The green-eyed squad leader moved his light ring closer to Tu Ran.
The remaining four members also turned their attention to her.
“My weapon accidentally brushed against the wall,” Tu Ran explained, tapping the steel fork she held against the wall. The sound it made was similar to the “crack” they had just heard.
The squad leader glanced away and continued walking forward without suspicion.
Tu Ran breathed a sigh of relief. Her heart had nearly leapt out of her chest. It wasn’t because of the sound, but because she had suddenly realized she didn’t know the language of this species.
Fortunately, [Mirror Image] had worked flawlessly.
Tu Ran followed behind the squad, keeping at the back, until they reached the end.
The end was marked by a high wall that seemed endless.
The squad leader began to doubt himself. He used the light ring to shine on the wall and then backtracked to inspect the path they had taken. His furrowed brow revealed his confusion. He clearly couldn’t understand why they hadn’t found the suspicious individual.
