Lin Feng's expression grew solemn.

A bold guess suddenly occurred to him: Was it possible that Legendary Class Change Books dropped through normal channels simply didn't exist?

Or rather, even if they did appear, were they quietly erased by some force before they could reach an Awakened's hands?

In ninety years, with a population base in the tens of millions and an event with a one-in-a-hundred-thousand probability, mathematical expectation suggested it should have happened dozens of times at least.

Moreover, his own first-turn Legendary Class had dropped from a Level 1 Shadow Rabbit.

This meant that even the lowest-tier common creatures in the Nightmare World could drop Legendary Classes.

Yet the result was that there were none. It wasn't bad luck; it was that the rules didn't allow it.

The existence controlling the operating rules of the Nightmare World was deliberately suppressing the growth ceiling of Blue Star's Awakened, even cutting off the 'Legendary Class Change Books' that could break that ceiling at the source.

The fact that he possessed a Legendary Class absolutely could not be leaked.

Once the news got out, would that 'Great Terror' secretly suppressing everyone's ceiling turn its gaze directly toward him?

Lin Feng felt a faint chill down his spine.

This secret had to rot in his heart; he couldn't let anyone associate Legendary Classes with him.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the chill in his heart, to deal with the matters at hand first.

He placed his hand on the territory core, and with a thought, clicked on 【advanced wonder Assistance】.

A golden light shot out from the core, scanning his entire body. It lingered for about two breaths before receding.

【Detecting... Lord Lin Feng: Class Multiplier 300%, Lord Template 90%, Skill Beacon Fire Despair 60% (must be triggered to take effect), wonder Multiplier 90%. Total Multiplier: 540%. Requirements for Destiny Awakening met.】

【Based on Lord Class, Special Village Establishment Order, and Hero Template, the assisted Destiny Awakening effects are as follows—When the Lord's total multiplier within the territory reaches 500%, it can be actively toggled on or off.】

【Heavenly Destiny Beacon Fire】

Guaranteed to trigger upon attacking (including parrying). Effects are as follows:

(1) If the target's current Health or Shield is above 30%, they are placed in the 'Heavenly Fire Immolation' state for 60 minutes. This cannot be dispelled or immuned.

Immediately deducts 30% of the target's current Health or Shield.

While the state persists, the target's maximum Health is locked at 70%. Even if they receive healing later, it cannot exceed this limit.

(2) If the target's current Health is less than or equal to 30%, the target is directly executed.

(3) During the first 60 seconds of the state, healing effects are nullified. After 60 seconds, healing is halved.

(4) Special Bonus: For enemies who have not undergone Destiny Awakening, the bonus effects of (1) and (2) are doubled.

Note: Natal weapons can undergo Destiny ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) Awakening, but the Lord's level must reach 41.

Lin Feng stared at those few lines of text, his pupils dilating sharply.

He thought his Eye of Probability was already heaven-defying enough, but Heavenly Destiny Beacon Fire gave him a profound understanding of what 'qualitative change' meant.

For a full-health enemy, the first hit took away 30%, leaving 70%. Their max health was then locked at 70%, and healing was nullified for the next 60 seconds.

And for enemies without Destiny Awakening, the execution threshold was 60%.

Lin Feng read the description several times, unable to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Any attack—including normal attacks and skill attacks—as long as it was an 'attack,' would guaranteed trigger Heavenly Destiny Beacon Fire.

Area-of-effect attacks worked too. If Beacon Fire Prairies exploded over an area, every person would have their health deducted, their cap locked, and their healing banned for 60 seconds.

No wonder Destiny Awakening was a qualitative power. Whoever obtained it could unify the Nightmare World. This was too broken!

Lin Feng took a deep breath and withdrew his hand from the territory core.

He turned back to Jiang Yelan and said, "Find a place to rest here tonight."

Jiang Yelan glanced at him and nodded. Without asking questions, she turned and walked toward the door.

Lin Feng called out to her again: "By the way, have Liu Ming transfer all the Great Qin Elite Soldiers and Meng Yi's group over. Also, arrange a batch of logistics personnel and craftsmen. Tomorrow, the crystals you escort back from the Dragon's Lair can be placed directly in the Hangu Pass warehouse."

Jiang Yelan acknowledged him, and the sound of her footsteps gradually faded down the wooden stairs.

Lin Feng walked over and sat on the bed.

The bed boards were a bit hard, but the bedding was new, folded neatly, and emitted a faint scent of soapberry.

He leaned his Wildfire Spear against the bedside, loosened the collar of his firm rock leather armor, and leaned against the wall at the head of the bed, looking out the window.

Moonlight shone through the window, spreading a layer of silver-white across the floor.

In the distance, the walls of the Great Wall shimmered with a cold, blue-gray light under the moon.

Lin Feng closed his eyes, the description of Heavenly Destiny Beacon Fire still scrolling repeatedly through his mind.

60-second healing ban, max health locked at 70%, effects doubled against those without Destiny Awakening, triggered by any attack.

He suddenly opened his eyes, the curve of his lips no longer suppressible.

Fourth-turn Lords being stuck at Level 40 was due to the rules themselves limiting them.

And the existence limiting them might have never wanted anyone to reach that level from the very beginning.

His smile slowly faded, replaced by a deep, heavy solemnity that pressed between his brows.

He thought of the Apostle in Sylvia's memories, of that dark portal, and of the even larger world behind it.

Lin Feng took a deep breath and suppressed these thoughts.

There was too little information; guessing was useless.

Tomorrow, he would return to Blue Star to have a good talk with Director Zhou.

With the General Bureau's ninety years of accumulated data plus the Memory Fragments he found in the Dungeon, perhaps he could piece something together.

He closed his eyes again, his breathing gradually steadying.

...

Great Xia, Jinghai. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

The morning sun spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the office, dyeing the dark brown wood floor a warm gold.

Zhou Guosheng sat in the office of the Nightmare Affairs General Bureau, his desk piled high with documents.

He picked up his teacup and took a sip. The tea was already cold, and the bitterness bloomed on his tongue, making his brow furrow a few degrees deeper.

He held a fountain pen, the nib hovering in mid-air above a document.

He was reviewing a report: a medium-sized Blue Star nation, whose main forces were located in the North Pole Region and ranked in the thirties in strength, was applying to have its village-level territory surrender to the Great Xia Main City.

As the alien armies continued to erode the territories of various Blue Star nations in the Nightmare World, more and more medium-sized nations could no longer hold out.

They used spare Village Establishment Orders to build new villages near the Great Xia Main City and then surrendered directly, becoming vassal territories of the Great Xia Main City.

In this way, even if all their other territories were captured by the alien races, their Blue Star nation would not perish.

Of course, the price was not small. Resources, purple equipment, rare materials—every surrendering nation handed over a substantial 'introductory gift.'