Genshin Impact: The Road to Reversal

Chapter 542 Catastrophe is Approaching (Part 2)

Peruvier pressed her lips together, her sharp, slanted pupils scanning her surroundings as if assessing potential threats. Claire stood beside her, her red hair blazing, her nervousness barely concealed, but her excitement was palpable.

"The day has finally come," Claire said nervously, her fists clenched against her chest.

Peruvieri nodded: "Yes, once we pass the trial, no one in the world will dare to look down on us anymore."

At this moment, the examiner guarding the secret realm came before everyone.

He made a loud noise, and the scene immediately fell silent.

"Quiet down, everyone!" The examiner's voice was loud and clear, and his authority instantly subdued the entire room.

In an instant, all eyes were on him, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

"You must already know the rules of the trial! Stepping through this gate means you are responsible for your own life and death! The secret realm is fraught with danger! You can only rely on yourselves, or you can choose to team up and work together! Now, think it through and sign the life-or-death agreement before stepping through the gate! As for those who are afraid, we will not force them. Based on these 20 years of training, you can join the military and continue your training."

The examiner's words, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirred a subtle unease among the crowd. Some looked resolute, while others showed signs of struggle.

Soon, someone stepped forward and solemnly pressed their handprint on the contract that stipulated life and death, then stepped into the bizarre and wonderful door without looking back.

Peruvieri looked at the ominous doorway to the secret realm, then at the figure being swallowed up, and her fists clenched involuntarily.

Once the first one appeared, a second, a third… more and more people made their choice. Most chose to sign the waiver, facing the unknown trial. Only a handful succumbed to the immense pressure, bowing their heads and silently walking to the other side, their faces filled with shame.

"Let's go too."

Peruvieri's voice was deep and firm as she stepped forward and pressed her handprint onto the contract that symbolized death and opportunity without hesitation.

Seeing this, Clementine took a deep breath and followed suit, pressing her handprint.

The two exchanged a glance, said nothing more, and walked side by side, like two shadows plunged into a torrent, resolutely stepping through that bizarre and wonderful door.

……

“Look, they’re going in,” Karen whispered.

On the cliff, she and Mo Yan watched all of this.

The light converged behind them, engulfing their figures. As the last person entered, the entire arena fell silent, save for the howling wind.

"They... should be alright, right?" Karin asked worriedly.

“If something had happened, I wouldn’t have become a paladin,” Mo Yan said, his arms crossed.

"Well, that's true." Karin scratched her head. "But to be honest, I really want to see what's inside the secret realm."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the soldier who had led him there suddenly stepped forward.

"Gentlemen, based on Lord Phoenix's instructions, please follow me to another location."

"Oh, are you leaving already?" Karin asked, startled.

The soldier shook his head: "Please don't misunderstand. In order to make it easier for everyone to observe the entire trial, I will lead you two to other observation points. Of course, this is also Lord Phoenix's intention."

"I see, then let's hurry up!" Karin said excitedly.

The two followed the soldiers along a path to a magnificent building.

The building is made of ice bricks, and beyond the corridor comes a closed arena.

The two leaned against the ice railing and looked up. The magical screen above the arena was clearly projecting the scene inside the secret realm.

It wasn't a single perspective, but rather multiple images presented simultaneously, like a surveillance screen, showing the different contestants' encounters in the secret realm.

In some scenes, contestants are battling ferocious ice beasts, with roars and the clash of weapons filling the air; other scenes show contestants trudging through extremely harsh blizzards; still others capture conflicts between contestants vying for limited resources or tokens, exposing the greed and cruelty of human nature.

"No, you can really see inside!" Karin exclaimed in surprise, then looked at the screen, afraid of missing any details.

At this moment, Mo Yan also began to watch intently. This was indeed an excellent "premium seat," providing a direct understanding of the cruelty and unpredictability of the trial.

His gaze swept across the screen, locating Peruvier and Clementine. They were currently struggling to climb the mountain against the wind and snow.

……

Meanwhile, on the other side.

On the edge of the glacier, in the freezing cold, Phoenix and Arecino fought side by side. As the last Sangyang warrior fell in the jungle, the defensive battle temporarily came to a halt.

"Phew." Phoenix looked at the corpses of the Sangyang warriors scattered on the ground and breathed a sigh of relief. "Pathetic. With such a small force, they dared to try and conquer my glacier? They are underestimating us too much."

Phoenix flicked the ice shards off her sword, her tone laced with disdain. She glanced around, making sure no one was alive, before giving the soldiers her next instructions.

"Clean up the battlefield, reinforce the defenses, and check the surrounding area again. Even so, we cannot let our guard down. The Sangyang people will not give up easily. Next time, it may not be so easy."

"Yes!"

All the soldiers spoke in unison, except for Arecino, who seemed distracted.

Her blood-red longsword hung low, blood dripping from its tip. Her gaze swept over the corpses, then fell upon the distant, faintly visible banners belonging to Sang Yang's forces, her heart heavy.

Because she knew very well that this was just the beginning; a much larger and more brutal storm was brewing. The true elite of the Sangyang people had not yet been deployed, and the torn spacetime was the abyss that would ultimately devour everything.

Phoenix noticed her silence, walked over to her, and softened his voice: "What's wrong, Arecino? You've been a little restless since earlier."

Arecino snapped back to reality, meeting Phoenix's heterochromatic eyes. She opened her mouth, the warnings about the future and sacrifice swirling on her tongue, but she ultimately swallowed them back down.

"It's nothing, it's just that it's too easy and makes me feel a little uneasy." Her voice was a little dry, and she deliberately avoided Phoenix's probing gaze, looking down as she wiped the blade of her sword. "Sang Yangren... shouldn't only have this many tricks up his sleeve."

Phoenix looked at her thoughtfully, then smiled and said, "You're right. The worst thing in war is underestimating the enemy. In the past few days, the Sangyang people have occupied a large part of Lin Hui's territory in a very short time. Although the Glacier is guarded by the Three Saints, they should know our strength. I have a feeling that an even greater disaster is watching us."