Ugh, the slower I write, the lower my efficiency drops. I swear I could fall asleep standing up right now...

... The markings on this banner were quite intricate, seemingly imbued with profound secrets, but what truly captured Ye Chen's attention was that the pattern on the flag was identical to the fire mark on his own forehead!

Around the fire mark on the banner, there were six smaller dots, arranged in a Liuhe formation, enveloping the central mark. One of these dots was blood-red, like a searing flame, while the other five were white.

The entire world seemed to fall silent. All the cheers and applause were shut off, isolated in another dimension.

In Ye Chen's sight, only the banner's pattern and those six dots remained... These six dots slowly began to rotate in his vision.

Then, the fire mark on his forehead slowly materialized, radiating intense heat. The red dot on the banner flared brightly, suddenly transforming into a beam of light that shot out, striking his forehead with a speed Ye Chen couldn't evade.

Misty and indistinct... Vast and chaotic...

Ye Chen’s entire being was submerged in a mysterious state—neither fully awake nor asleep. He didn't know how long it lasted until the voice of the Ruin System's Main God echoed in his ears: "Congratulations, you have obtained the qualification to inherit the Mark of Fire.

Reward: Fifty thousand points! Next, you may proceed to the ninth floor of the Primordial Spirit Tower, where you will acquire the true imprint of the Mark of Fire.

If you can refine and merge it, you will gain recognition as the master of this ruin!" "The Mark of Fire?" Ye Chen's spirit instantly snapped awake. The banner before him was still fluttering, but it no longer held that mystical aura for him.

He frowned and quietly queried the System Main God in his mind, "What Mark of Fire?" The Ruin System Main God smiled faintly: "You should know that we are a civilization from the Second Solar Era, the Mesopotamian civilization, experts in gastronomy. The greatest ambition of the Sages of our civilization was to create food so divine that even pigs eating it would attain godhood!

Speaking of diet, it is inseparable from flames. In the era of the Progenitors, we were descendants of Fire Deities.

This Mark of Fire is indirectly linked to the control and utilization of our civilization!" "Fire Deities?" Ye Chen furrowed his brow slightly, finding this civilization reminiscent of the Atlantean civilization, which revered the God of Light, with all their technology and faith revolving around light. The Ruin System Main God nodded: "Everyone in our race possesses the Mark of Fire, with varying depths of awakening.

Only by awakening the Mark of Fire can one govern the remaining ruins." Ye Chen pondered: "Are you saying I have awakened the Mark of Fire now?" The Ruin System Main God shook its head: "Not yet. You merely possess the qualification to awaken.

Whether you can awaken depends on whether you can successfully merge the true imprint of the Mark of Fire from the ninth floor of the Primordial Spirit Tower into your body." Ye Chen’s eyes flashed: "You created this Reincarnation World to select inheritors of the Mark of Fire? If so, why not simply give everyone a chance to awaken directly?" The Ruin System Main God chuckled softly: "This awakening ritual is not child's play.

Failure results in being counter-assaulted by the Mark of Fire, leading to the complete incineration of consciousness. After the last great war, a portion of our kin left behind descendants on the Divine Star (known to modern people as Earth).

Although generations of proliferation might weaken the bloodline of the Mark of Fire, a single awakening call can restore it." It seemed to sense Ye Chen's suspicion and smiled: "This banner is a summoning medium. Anyone carrying the Mark of Fire within them will be awakened and thus gain the qualification to accept the inheritance.

Those without the Mark of Fire will feel nothing upon viewing it." "Has everyone seen it?" Ye Chen frowned. The Ruin System Main God shook its head: "Only upon reaching fifty thousand points is one granted a chance to see it.

If there is no reaction, after accumulating 100,000 points, the medium will be arranged again in a mission world for the inheritor to view one more time. If there is still no sensation, it proves this person truly has no connection to our race.

Otherwise, no matter how diluted the bloodline, two viewings are sufficient to awaken." Ye Chen nodded slightly, gaining some understanding. The creator of this ruin only wished to bequeath it to his descendants.

Thus, no matter how hard others tried, even accumulating vast amounts of points, they could never claim ownership of the ruin. Furthermore, to prevent the ruin from falling into the hands of weak or incompetent descendants, the point reward system was deliberately intertwined with human nature.

The masses were pawns, the mission world was the chessboard, and the creator was the strategist. Ye Chen and the others struggled to kill a high-level zombie, yet later, by simply decomposing the virus and distributing it, they immediately received massive points.

Moreover, the situation outside the storage room, which should have been a certain death, was overturned when Ye Chen broke down and rebuilt, transforming into a new human after becoming a zombie, leading them to slaughter the zombies instead. Simply put, to break down and rebuild to become a new human requires special conditions: a confluence of emotions—affection, resentment, sorrow, rage—erupting simultaneously, offering a slim chance of breakthrough!

In such perilous environments, few could reach the apex of these emotions. Without genuine affection, there is no sorrow, and thus no resentment or rage—only fear!

It would have been easy for any other squad to be completely wiped out. A person who has survived in the apocalypse for so long cannot maintain the passionate fervor when facing the gruesome fangs of a zombie; naturally, they would not grieve, rage, or despair for others.

The Reincarnation World tests one's heart. If, in a moment of desperation, someone abandons their comrades to flee alone, they might very well face a more terrifying monster the next instant.

Conversely, someone who fights side-by-side with companions, unafraid of death, might find that monster suddenly crushed by a system fluctuation or simply vanishing. The so-called points are not awarded for killing monsters, but for every action and performance throughout the journey!

Thinking this through, Ye Chen felt the creator of this ruin possessed a truly magnificent and terrifying mind. Swish!

As the final second of the seven days elapsed, the figures of Ye Chen and the others in the plaza vanished abruptly. ...

Upon a vast expanse of land stood an imposing black tower, thousands of meters in diameter, soaring into the heavens. Beneath the black tower, numerous figures sat resting.

Swish! Six figures materialized out of thin air.

The people resting nearby paid them no mind, not even bothering to glance over; people completing missions outside and teleporting in was an everyday occurrence. Ye Chen looked up at the towering Primordial Spirit Tower before him, his eyes flashing with sharp light.

He led the way inside, quickly reaching the first floor. Upon entry, the system automatically scanned their information, and once their accumulated points qualified, they were permitted to enter the first level.

This first floor was quite spacious, bustling with people. There were various virtual entertainment venues where, for a fee in points, one could purchase the most beautiful women and the finest wines.

Ye Chen glanced around casually, paying them little attention, and headed toward the second floor. "Where are you going?" Bai Long asked Ye Chen curiously.

"To complete a mission. Once successful, I can gain recognition as the master of the ruin," Ye Chen said vaguely.

He wasn't entirely confident about inheriting the Mark of Fire, as he knew the Mark of Fire inside him originated from that mysterious underground magma world and was not inherently his own. "What mission?" Yue Heng asked in surprise.

Ye Chen didn't elaborate, saying casually, "It's related to the inheritance." The others asked no more. Zhuge Fan inquired, "Is the mission difficult?" Ye Chen replied, "I don't know yet." As they spoke, the group reached the stairs to the first floor.

Just then, a man emerging from an entertainment venue spotted Ye Chen's face, quickly rubbed his eyes, and then gasped in shock: "Th-that’s the wanted criminal from the Blue Mountain Guild!" When Tony died, he had issued a warrant for Ye Chen, posting his portrait and information on the Primordial Spirit Tower bulletin board—it was common knowledge. Every time this warrant was issued, it cost 1,000 points, causing a sensation each time.

Acquiring points required completing at least two main line missions, demonstrating their immense value. Soon, news of Ye Chen spread like wildfire throughout the Primordial Spirit Tower.

Many people who had been casually chatting or resting flocked over out of curiosity upon hearing the news. Those on the first floor sighed with regret when they saw Ye Chen and the others ascend to the second floor, as their clearance level did not permit them to go higher.

As Ye Chen and the others walked the second floor, the surrounding people instantly recognized them and trailed behind at a distance. Noticing the strange gazes cast his way, Ye Chen frowned slightly but ignored them, continuing straight toward the third floor.

"Look, he's heading to the third floor!" "Didn't the wanted poster say he was a newbie entering the Reincarnation World?" "Have you noticed? He can actually reach the second floor.

What level of mission did he complete?" Many murmured in astonishment and suspicion, subconsciously feeling the wanted poster calling Ye Chen a newbie was utter nonsense! Could a novice reach the second floor?

Accessing the second floor of the Primordial Spirit Tower required at least 1,000 points! Soon, under the watch of the crowd, Ye Chen and his group walked toward the third floor, passed through unimpeded, and disappeared from view.

Everyone was stunned, unable to believe their eyes. The third floor.

"Bauer once mentioned that after Tony died, he put a bounty on you. It seems you've become famous," Bai Long said with a hint of schadenfreude, chuckling.

Ye Chen glanced at him: "Enough nonsense." Bai Long pouted. "Stop right there!" Just then, a sudden, loud shout in a string of Russian cut through the air.

Ye Chen didn't understand it, so he paid no heed and kept walking forward. ...

Darn, couldn't get a train ticket, so the return is postponed till tomorrow. I'm taking a long nap today and will try to update tonight—can't say exactly when.

I only slept six hours yesterday, and adding the two chapters I saved up, I’ve written eight chapters by now. My mind is a bit hazy; this trip alone is going to clock in over 10 hours...

Everyone, check back tomorrow morning. A

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