Chapter 145: Strange Image Space
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
The giant crocodile’s teeth clicked together.
Drool slowly dripped from its enormous jaws as it lowered its head toward Shen Yu.
Pinned beneath the creature, Shen Yu could feel his heart pounding violently.
The crocodile opened its mouth wider.
Wider.
Wider.
Shen Yu stared at the terrifying jaws descending toward him.
Then, instinctively, he raised his head and pushed it against the crocodile’s upper jaw.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
The enormous jaws slammed together.
But Shen Yu’s head remained intact.
The helmet Sandy had given him had stopped the bite.
The seemingly ordinary helmet had actually withstood the terrifying force of the crocodile’s jaws.
Shen Yu’s eyes widened.
The live-stream barrage immediately exploded.
Dragon Knight in Jeeping: Wow!
"Is Sandy’s equipment really that powerful?"
Undead Nightingale Kaien: What the hell is this thing?
Crocodile Catcher Susen: This crocodile is way too much!
"It looks like it transformed from a person!"
"First it transforms!"
"Then it splits!"
"How is anyone supposed to get past this?"
"Are we just stuck here?"
The crocodile’s jaws remained locked around Shen Yu’s head.
Shen Yu immediately began striking its eyes with his gloved hands.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Unfortunately, his physical strength was still limited by his E-Rank talent.
Against a monster of this level, his attacks were almost meaningless.
The crocodile simply closed its eyes.
Then—
Its scales began to ripple.
A strange vibration spread through its body.
Buzz...
Buzz...
Buzz...
The vibration entered Shen Yu’s mind.
His consciousness suddenly became hazy.
A strange thought began forming inside his head.
Take off the helmet.
Take off the gloves.
After entering the door...
Take them off.
Take them off.
Buzz...
The strange vibration grew stronger.
Shen Yu’s vision blurred.
Then—
Everything went black.
When he opened his eyes again—
Shen Yu was standing outside Room Seven.
He stared blankly at the flickering television in the corridor.
"What the hell?"
"What happened?"
He looked around in confusion.
Time turned back?
Did I return to the moment I entered the door?
His eyes narrowed.
Is this my ability?
He immediately rejected the thought.
His ability was supposed to be charm.
Could it be the crocodile’s ability?
But how could a crocodile possess so many abilities?
Transformation.
Duplication.
Mental manipulation.
Time reversal.
Illusions.
It was absurd.
The live-stream barrage surged again.
Shen Yu stood outside the door.
Then he subconsciously removed the helmet and gloves.
He looked up at the television.
The screen showed him dining with Menloa and Malin.
Then other scenes appeared.
Scenes involving Sandy.
Scenes that were far more intimate.
Shen Yu stared at the screen.
A strange sensation surfaced in his heart.
Why does this feel familiar?
But something was wrong.
Did I really experience these things?
Based on his current situation, this should be the first time he had met Malin and Menloa inside the dungeon.
Lucian had said they were his teammates.
And logically, his teammates should be people from his own country.
So why did the dinner shown on the screen feel as though it had really happened?
And the television had shown him being intimate with Sandy.
But just before entering the station, Sandy had been hungry and they hadn’t experienced anything like that.
So it definitely hadn’t happened yet.
Then why does it feel familiar?
Could it be that I haven’t experienced it...
But I’ve seen it?
When?
Shen Yu stared at the screen for a long moment.
Then—
He threw the helmet and gloves onto the floor.
Without hesitation, he walked deeper into the corridor.
Joie City Defense Department
The atmosphere inside the Defense Department headquarters had completely collapsed.
"It’s over."
"What the hell is that crocodile?"
"It can split."
"It can control people’s minds."
"It can even reverse time!"
"How is anyone supposed to defeat something like that?"
Yening slumped in her seat.
Her expression was filled with despair.
Hoyong’s heart had also sunk.
He could only sigh helplessly.
The live-stream barrage was filled with messages saying:
It’s over.
Goodbye.
Why did they encounter such a perverted monster halfway through the dungeon?
Lucian remained silent.
She couldn’t shake the strange feeling she had whenever she looked at that creature.
That figure on the rooftop...
The crocodile...
Somehow, it felt familiar.
Far too familiar.
Chapter 101: The Third Stop — Future StationStrange Image Space — Part Three
The live-stream barrage became even more frantic.
Freedom fighter: It’s done!
"It’s done!"
"Shen Yu’s opponent is even more terrifying!"
"I think he’ll be the first one to die!"
"In this dungeon, nobody can escape!"
Strict Farmer: Let me calculate.
"Transformation."
"Duplication."
"Psychic control."
"Time reversal."
"Isn’t this crocodile basically the boss?"
Heritage Application: Must apply!
"Must apply!"
"Oh wow..."
"It seems our golden source is going to die unjustly."
The viewers were convinced the dungeon was impossible.
Room Seven
Shen Yu once again entered the strange image space.
He stared at the familiar building.
Something inside him felt strange.
He instinctively looked upward.
At the top of the building—
A figure was staring down at him.
"Oh."
"Back again?"
The playful voice echoed through the darkness.
Then the figure laughed.
"Hehe."
"You don’t have your protective equipment this time."
"Do you think you can survive again?"
Shen Yu’s expression became increasingly suspicious.
The voice...
Something about it...
He knew it.
But before he could figure it out—
The black shadow rapidly changed.
It split.
Its shape distorted.
Then—
It transformed into a giant crocodile.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
The enormous creature stepped across the building walls.
Each step left a deep footprint.
Its body flickered.
Then split.
One crocodile became two.
Boom!
Boom!
The two giant crocodiles crashed down.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
Shen Yu instinctively took several steps backward.
But then—
A strange sensation suddenly passed through him.
Familiarity.
This scene...
He had seen it before.
Instead of retreating—
Shen Yu suddenly charged forward.
"Boo!"
"Boo!"
The two crocodiles landed heavily.
Crater-like depressions appeared beneath them.
One blocked Shen Yu from the front.
The other blocked him from behind.
Shen Yu’s expression darkened.
"Damn it."
"Why does this scene feel so familiar?"
A chill suddenly surged across the back of his head.
His right eyelid twitched.
He instantly dropped to the ground and rolled.
The crocodile behind him pounced.
Just as before—
It disappeared in midair.
Shen Yu’s pupils contracted.
It’s becoming even more familiar.
Is it a clone?
An illusion?
Splash!
Before he could think further, another giant crocodile charged toward him.
Its enormous body slammed him to the ground.
Its jaws opened.
They closed around Shen Yu’s head.
The familiar icon appeared within his vision.
[Perfect Timeline]
Shen Yu instinctively wanted to activate it.
But suddenly—
He froze.
A thought struck him like lightning.
Wait.
Wait a minute.
His instinctive reaction...
The thought that even if he reset the timeline, it wouldn’t help...
The familiarity...
Everything suddenly connected.
Shen Yu stared at the giant crocodile’s open mouth.
A bold possibility formed in his mind.
I’ve experienced this before.
But his Perfect Timeline was still available.
That meant this wasn’t his own ability.
The crocodile...
The crocodile could reverse time.
It could create illusions.
It could recreate the same scene.
It could make him experience the same moment again and again.
Shen Yu stared directly into the creature’s eyes.
"Do you recognize me?"
"Could it be..."
"You?"
"Hehehe."
The crocodile’s jaws opened wider.
Shen Yu’s eyes narrowed.
Then the creature spoke.
"Shen Yu."
"Die."
The jaws began closing.
And at that exact moment—
Shen Yu suddenly remembered the affection CG he had just unlocked.
The one with the elderly man.
Sandy’s father.
Sandy had said only one thing.
No matter what future comes, I’ll accept it.
No matter what happens to him, I’ll accept it.
Because he is my father.
Shen Yu’s eyes widened.
Future...
Future Station.
Future you.
His gaze shifted toward the enormous jaws.
You are the future me.
Is that what this means?
Will you accept the future?
The giant crocodile opened its mouth wide.
Darkness filled Shen Yu’s vision.
Instead of resisting—
Shen Yu closed his eyes.
Then he deliberately stepped forward.
Straight into the crocodile’s mouth.
He expected a foul, cramped, disgusting mouth.
Instead—
His body suddenly slipped forward.
The darkness disappeared.
Puff.
Puff.
Puff.
Shen Yu felt as though he had entered a bright, slippery slide.
He slid rapidly through a tunnel filled with daylight.
Then—
Everything stopped.
Shen Yu opened his eyes.
He was standing behind Room Seven.
He looked around.
He had returned to the corridor.
His eyes widened.
"Well done."
"As expected of me."
"As expected of me."
At the far end of the corridor, the giant crocodile slowly stood upright.
Its mouth closed.
Its body began transforming.
The creature gradually changed into Shen Yu’s appearance.
The two identical figures stared at each other.
Then—
The other Shen Yu raised his hand.
He gave him a thumbs-up.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Then his body vanished in a flash of light and shadow.
Clang!
Room Seven instantly opened.
Shen Yu stared at the doorway.
Above his head—
Something slowly descended.
He raised his hand.
A transfer card fell directly into his palm.
Shen Yu looked at it.
The path to the next stage had finally appeared.