Of course, the shadow phantom wasn't a fool.

He himself had some suspicions...

Could this current situation be an act deliberately performed by the Formation Master and Heavenly Net?

Just to make him absorb Heavenly Net's two Mist Monster bodies into his own form?

If his already broken body had to be cut up again...

It was really hard to accept!

Moreover, how could Heavenly Net be so certain that once inside his body, they wouldn't be affected by the Array Disk?

Thinking this, the shadow phantom said bluntly:

"I know what you're thinking, but it's useless—"

"Once your two Mist Monsters merge with my body, they'll become my burden."

"At that time, the Formation Master's Array Disk can affect me..."

As he said this, the shadow phantom actually lacked confidence.

Because he knew that even if his body carried the two Mist Monsters as dead weight, he was still different from ordinary players.

The formation's effect on him should be quite limited.

Sure enough, Heavenly Net seemed to know this situation too.

The Mist Monster urgently said:

"You're overthinking it!"

"The Ghost Valley Soul Shepherd Formation isn't enough to teleport you away from the Forbidden Zone!"

"Just let me merge with your body, just let me stay within the Forbidden Zone..."

"I can ensure the Forbidden Zone keeps spreading!"

Speaking, the Mist Monster seemed to glance at the shadow phantom's broken body, then urgently added:

"I know what you're worried about—"

"Jiang Ye took away part of your body, you're afraid this situation will repeat with me?"

"But think carefully, my situation is different from Jiang Ye's!"

"Essentially, Mist Monsters are also monsters, while Jiang Ye, no matter how mutated, is still a player!"

"Hurry up and decide! If we delay further, that old thing's Array Disk might really send me away!"

Yes, the shadow phantom vaguely sensed—

Somehow the Formation Master operated the Array Disk, only hearing intermittent stuttering sounds before, but now it sounded slightly smoother.

It seemed like it was really about to be repaired.

If it were Jiang Ye facing Heavenly Net's urging, he probably wouldn't agree.

After all, Jiang Ye was somewhat rebellious.

When mysterious, unclear seniors eagerly begged him to do something, he instinctively felt it wasn't good.

But the shadow phantom was different from Jiang Ye.

The shadow phantom knew how to adapt to circumstances, while also being somewhat of a bully who preyed on the weak but feared the strong.

This Heavenly Net...

The shadow phantom actually didn't understand him.

In fact, throughout the entire Doomsday Apartment, few players understood him.

But the shadow phantom caught that in the recent urging, Heavenly Net called the Formation Master "old thing"!

This tone was quite disrespectful!

So undoubtedly...

This Heavenly Net was at least a senior who could show a cold face to the Formation Master!

Moreover, this guy actually wanted the Forbidden Zone to keep spreading...

Such a crazy idea wasn't something ordinary people could have.

And he actually achieved it...

To be honest, facing a strong player of this level, the shadow phantom instinctively didn't dare resist much.

He hesitated briefly, but ultimately made a decision.

After all, raising monsters was beneficial to him.

Especially Mist Monsters, which had a nourishing and repairing effect on his body!

Even in the worst-case scenario...

If these two Mist Monsters really had problems.

The shadow phantom felt that, at worst, he could try finding the Guiwen Master.

The Guiwen Master restrained him, but restrained Mist Monsters even more.

Thinking this, the shadow phantom warned the two Mist Monsters:

"If I discover you're playing tricks with me..."

"I'll hand you over to the Guiwen Master!"

Speaking, without waiting for Heavenly Net's response, the two Mist Monsters already on the shadow phantom's stomach were completely accepted by his body. 𝐑αℕо𝔟ƐꞨ

The originally hollow, large stomach was partially filled by the Mist Monsters, but still remained somewhat empty.

After this fusion, nothing actually went wrong.

The shadow phantom didn't feel anything unusual.

Only the Array Disk floating in the air buzzed more intensely.

As if venting some angry emotion.

Simultaneously, an extremely angry voice came from the Array Disk:

"Hah? Guiwen Master? You have the nerve to mention the Guiwen Master?"

"Do you think the Guiwen Master would treat you well after knowing you split Jiang Ye and deliberately promoted the Forbidden Zone's spread?"

"And you two! Are you still going to keep hiding, watching the Forbidden Zone spread with your own eyes?"

This voice sounded somewhat inexplicable.

But the shadow phantom immediately thought of the disappeared chubby guy and old woman.

The shadow phantom's gaze swept around.

He hadn't seen those two in this Forbidden Zone.

He had wondered if they might have already died in the Forbidden Zone?

But thinking carefully, those with permission identities shouldn't die so easily.

Moreover, those two strong players themselves understood the Forbidden Zone's situation.

Since they dared explore the Forbidden Zone, they must have relied on something.

Now hearing the Formation Master's angry voice, the shadow phantom instantly became alert...

But a voice came from within his body again:

"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and run!"

Right...

But, could he escape?

The shadow phantom glanced at the Array Disk.

Forget it, regardless, run first!

So, carrying the two Mist Monsters merged with his body, he rushed toward the direction he ran last time—toward where Jiang Ye was.

He didn't look back, but heard behind him the voice of the old woman who had disappeared for a long time.

As always, a dry, hoarse voice with a grave tone:

"Should we leave the Forbidden Zone first, then plan carefully?"

The Formation Master seemed to reply angrily.

But the shadow phantom ran too fast and didn't hear the rest.

Perhaps the two Mist Monsters brought him benefits—his running speed was clearly faster than last time.

But the shadow phantom soon noticed something wrong!

Remembering there was still a Mist Monster in his body, he proactively mentioned the abnormality:

"I've run this route once before."

"My running speed this time is faster than last time."

"But with similar running time, I feel my little shadow phantom is still very far from me!"

"And..."

And there were some other abnormalities he couldn't articulate.

The shadow phantom felt puzzled.

But the Mist Monster in his body instantly solved his confusion:

"It's very simple—"

"The Forbidden Zone's spread isn't just simple expansion from the edges outward."

"Rather, the entire Forbidden Zone's range is stretching!"

"You can simply understand it as a dough—initially 10cm in diameter, then stretched by a rolling pin to 20cm diameter."

"During the stretching process, the space above the Forbidden Zone changes due to the stretching."

"You're moving against the stretching direction, so superficially, you're heading toward the center."

"But actually, the stretching effect of this dough is pushing you away from the center!"

"Of course, the Formation Master over there is also being pushed outward..."

The shadow phantom felt shocked hearing this, simultaneously realizing:

"You know quite a lot about the Forbidden Zone?"

Heavenly Net didn't respond to this, so the shadow phantom asked again:

"So my little shadow phantom is at the center position?"

This time, Heavenly Net spoke to explain: "Probably not."

"I just used the center as an example for explanation. Actually, no one knows where the Forbidden Zone's center is."

"But you should have heard—"

"There are living beings at the Forbidden Zone's center."

The shadow phantom wanted to ask more, but the voice inside urged:

"Has your speed reached its limit? Can you go any faster?"

"..." The shadow phantom reluctantly accelerated again.

But Heavenly Net seemed still unsatisfied: "This still won't do, your speed is still less than the Forbidden Zone's spreading speed!"

"Nothing can be done, this is my limit!"

The shadow phantom's eyes shifted, suddenly testing: "This Forbidden Zone spreading effect seems caused by your two Mist Monsters?"

"If we sacrifice one Mist Monster, can we slow the Forbidden Zone's spreading speed?"

Heavenly Net didn't respond, but inwardly sneered: Slow the Forbidden Zone's spreading speed?

He wished the Forbidden Zone would spread faster and faster!

Best if it flooded the entire Doomsday Apartment before the Ninth Day Major Reshuffle!

But he didn't say these words aloud.

The shadow phantom asked again: "Right, I was just thinking about running before, but now hearing your meaning..."

"You want my speed to exceed the Forbidden Zone's spreading speed... so you want me to do something?"

"..." Heavenly Net inwardly cursed this idiot, but ultimately explained:

"Is this hard to understand? I want you to find the Forbidden Zone's center!"

The shadow phantom nodded.

The unknown Forbidden Zone center was more likely to hide the Forbidden Zone's biggest secret.

And there were living beings there?

Perhaps that was where the Forbidden Zone's opportunity lay?

But then the shadow phantom wondered: "The Forbidden Zone center isn't easy to find, right?"

Mainly because the Forbidden Zone's environment was too bizarre.

Even though the shadow phantom had vision beyond ordinary people's normal sight, he could only identify objects in the snow-white field of view.

For example, he could see the Array Disk, see Xiao Bai, see the Mist Monsters...

He could even see the separated Jiang Ye carrying part of his body.

But beyond these physical objects, what he saw was also snow-white.

In this snow-white environment without reference points, it was hard to distinguish direction.

Finding the Forbidden Zone center probably wouldn't be easy.

But Heavenly Net suddenly said:

"Is that brain of yours just for decoration?"

"Didn't I explain this clearly to you just now?"

"The entire Forbidden Zone has a pushing force from the center to the periphery, causing creatures currently in the Forbidden Zone to constantly move outward."

"The Formation Master moves outward, you move outward, and your little shadow phantom should theoretically move outward too!"

"In this situation, moving toward your little shadow phantom, you should theoretically catch up with him."

"But you haven't! That means—"

"The 'pushing force' you and your little shadow phantom feel is opposite!"

"Think carefully, why would the pushing force be opposite?"

"Simple, because the Forbidden Zone center must exist between you!"

Right...

The shadow phantom wasn't truly stupid, quickly realizing—

The movement effect of the Forbidden Zone's spread was the perfect time to determine the center under these disorienting circumstances!

If the pushing force from the Forbidden Zone's spread really radiated from the center in all directions...

Then these pushing forces would point in all directions.

In this situation, the method to determine the Forbidden Zone center was—

Find the critical point where two pushing forces were exactly opposite!

And this critical point was on his path chasing the little shadow phantom!

Realizing this, the shadow phantom was instantly ecstatic!

But he soon realized—

If his speed couldn't exceed the Forbidden Zone's spreading speed...

Then he could never find that critical point no matter what!

This... what should he do?

He just couldn't increase his speed!

The shadow phantom instantly thought of the Formation Master's Array Disk.

If he could borrow that Array Disk's displacement ability...

Perhaps there was hope?

Meanwhile, in the Ghost Valley Soul Shepherd Formation that the shadow phantom escaped from.

The long-disappeared chubby guy and old woman indeed appeared at the Array Disk's call.

But their figures looked somewhat blurry, somewhat flickering.

As if they were still just "projections," and the projection effect was poor now, causing the projection image to stutter and blur...

However, regardless of the image, their voices came out normally.

The old woman and chubby guy expressed wanting to leave the Forbidden Zone first, then make plans.

But the Formation Master, who previously swore to stop the Forbidden Zone's spread, now felt they shouldn't miss this opportunity.

"Heavenly Net's two Mist Monsters have already merged with the Multitude Night Shadow."

"Unless the Night Shadow voluntarily leaves, probably no one can forcibly remove him from the Forbidden Zone!"

"So even if we leave the Forbidden Zone, we can't solve this Forbidden Zone spreading crisis!"

"Instead, perhaps we can seize this opportunity to find the Forbidden Zone center!"

Speaking, the Array Disk flew toward where the old woman was, suddenly asking solemnly:

"Where's Yuan Qiu? With her [Free Movement], she can go directly to the Forbidden Zone center, right?"

The old woman hooked her fingers, shaking her head: "In the Forbidden Zone, I can't contact her."

"And this also means that even if she went to the Forbidden Zone center, I still couldn't sense or contact her."

The Array Disk still buzzed, seemingly venting impatience.

The Formation Master's voice became even sharper:

"So why didn't you let her enter the Forbidden Zone together?"

The old woman didn't respond.

Nearby, the chubby guy gazed toward the Array Disk, his eyes dark and unclear.

Suddenly, he turned sideways and snapped his fingers toward Xiao Bai's direction.

By now, Xiao Bai's black hair had completely turned white.

Coupled with her entirely snow-white appearance, she looked like a pure snow woman nearing death.

She had long fallen unconscious, missing even Heavenly Net's appearance.

Now, she showed no reaction at all.

Until a card turned into ice crystal.

She was sealed in mirror-clear ice crystal in her pure snow woman form.

Then, the ice crystal flew back to the chubby guy's hand.

His expression now lacked the simple honesty from when he played dumb and ate the tiger.

His gaze falling on the Array Disk again, he said solemnly:

"I suppose your true body isn't in this Array Disk either."

"Then you naturally have plenty of means to make Yuan Qiu voluntarily go to the Forbidden Zone center."

"Yuan Qiu's side has been basically fine since she became a Privileged One."

"Instead, for us to go to the Forbidden Zone center now, we can only rely on you."