Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat!-Chapter 362: The Desert’s Secret

What Uncle Jed called Star Infusion was precisely the change Ethan felt within himself. Tiny white specks of light had appeared across all his fascia and muscles. When he moved, each speck seemed like a separate control point. It was as if his entire muscular system had been reformatted—or rather, all his strength had been linked together in a single network.

One motion affected the whole. If any single speck exerted force, all the others would flash in response, transmitting power. The flashes moved in quick succession, rippling through him like a wave of starlight.

This novel sensation amused Ethan. All at once, he widened his stride and sped up. The three people inside the tent were thrown backward by the sudden jolt, nearly toppling over. At that moment, Ethan was like a rampaging bull, pulling the rope as he began to run faster and faster. The tent, tied to the steel plate behind him, bounced and lurched as though it were riding a rollercoaster.

"Holy cow... that little rascal!" Uncle Jed, swaying precariously, finally managed to unzip the tent flap. He leapt out and bounded forward until he reached Ethan’s side.

To his surprise, Ethan was running with his eyes closed. A thought struck him—Was he asleep?

But Ethan wasn’t sleeping. He was immersed in his Soul Sense, utterly absorbed, watching the silver specks flicker inside him like starlight dancing across a dark sky. He felt as if he could watch them forever.

Then came a sharp pain in his neck. The starlight vanished, replaced by darkness. His last thought was, ’Damn it...who hit me?’

After an unknown stretch of time, Ethan slowly opened his eyes. Overhead, countless stars glimmered across the vast sky. For a moment, he lay there, dazed. The throbbing in his neck quickly brought him back to reality.

"Uncle Jed... you old geezer!" he growled, springing to his feet.

Not far away, the tent stood quietly. Uncle Jed, Nora, and Dot were sitting together, talking. From time to time, Dot’s silvery laughter drifted over to him. When they heard his shout, all three looked up.

"Uncle Ethan, come quickly, come quickly!" Dot waved, her smile bright in the starlight.

Seeing her, Ethan couldn’t stay angry, though he felt mildly annoyed. When Dot had first met him, she’d called him Big Brother. Somehow, his seniority had now been promoted to Uncle.

He shot Uncle Jed a glare, eyes sharp, then turned to Nora. The moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away.

"What are you staring at? Get some food out," Uncle Jed barked in his usual commanding tone.

"Isn’t there some in the back?" Ethan asked, referring to the scorpion they’d caught earlier.

"It’s been out in the sun all day. It’s nearly spoiled. Let’s have something different," Uncle Jed said.

Ethan rolled his eyes, ready to retort, but when he saw Dot’s eager expression, his heart softened. Just then, his stomach rumbled. He sighed, then scanned his Mindscape. His eyes brightened. But first, he checked the solar battery—still over half charged.

He pulled out an induction cooker. A pot appeared next, which he set carefully in place. He poured in purified water and a fragrant hotpot base. A red and white steam began to swirl as the broth heated.

One by one, he laid out washed vegetables, frozen lamb rolls, fatty beef slices, pork rolls, and an assortment of dipping sauces. The array of foods was something Uncle Jed and the others had never seen in their lives.

"Ethan, are there really so many delicious things outside the Sea of Death?" Uncle Jed asked, eyeing the spread.

"And... are all these things from beyond the Sea of Death?" Nora added, curiosity bright in her eyes.

Ethan thought for a moment, weighing his words carefully. "How much do you know about this world?" he asked.

They didn’t understand why he’d posed the question. And he couldn’t just make up a story. These were all high-tech products from Earth. If he claimed the world beyond the Sea of Death was full of such wonders and they ever went to see it for themselves, they’d find out he’d been lying. Even if he was back home by then, the idea of someone a billion light-years away muttering Ethan is a liar made him shudder.

"Outside..." Uncle Jed looked up at the night sky. A distant, almost sorrowful longing settled over his face. "That’s...a legend," he murmured. "My father told me that our family, back in the time of the Great Ancestor—my distant forebear—was exiled here. He was the first to set foot in this desert."

Ethan tilted his head, thinking. "The Great Ancestor... How many generations back was that?"

Uncle Jed rubbed his beard, as if trying to remember. "Including me, I reckon it’s been about nine generations."

So that was it. Ethan did a quick count in his mind. Nine generations born and buried in this wasteland. No wonder Uncle Jed sounded so resigned—he was, for all intents and purposes, a true native.

According to the old man, the land beneath their feet was called the Umbral Continent. This planet was known as the Umbral Star. The continent teemed with countless species—humans were the weakest among them. Yet once, long ages ago, humans had ruled everything here. For reasons no one could recall, they had fallen into decline, becoming the object of hatred for every other race.

No one knew exactly when the Sea of Death appeared. But any who were exiled here—or who wandered in by accident—could never leave. At the Sea’s edge, an immense barrier loomed. Humans couldn’t pass through it. Other races couldn’t enter.

"You’re saying that barrier lets humans in but not out, and lets other races out but not in?" Ethan interrupted, frowning.

"Yes," Uncle Jed confirmed. He watched Ethan fall silent, deep in thought.

"Why?" Ethan asked after a moment. He picked up a slice of meat, dipped it in sauce, and took a bite. Then he swallowed a mouthful of iced beer. "If what you say is true...is this so-called Land of Exile really just an exile? Have you ever considered that the Sea of Death—and that barrier—might actually be a way to protect humanity?"

The words hung in the air. Uncle Jed froze, his hand halfway to his mouth. Then the piece of meat slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground with a soft plop. He stared at Ethan, mind racing.

Even Nora fell silent, her expression tense as she turned the idea over. Only Dot kept eating, nibbling green vegetables from the clear broth. She’d never seen such food. Not just her—even Uncle Jed looked bewildered. Only Nora, who’d been the young lady of the Vance family, had occasionally tasted what they called "green vegetables" in her childhood.

Even then, it was a rare luxury. The City Lord of Clearspring City himself couldn’t eat them every day. When they were served, it was only a few yellowed leaves on a plate. So when Ethan took out an entire basket just now, it had left them all stunned.

Now, Ethan’s speculation shook them even more. If he was right, the outside world they’d always dreamed of might instead be a place of death.

"You’re saying that some powerful being drew a line around this desert, set up that barrier, and did it all to protect the human race?" Uncle Jed finally asked. A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Ethan only nodded, neither confirming nor denying. Seeing this, Uncle Jed laughed. "You’re really dreaming. If such a powerful being wanted to protect us, why wouldn’t they choose somewhere beautiful—mountains, rivers, grasslands? Why pick this godforsaken desert where even birds don’t bother to crap?"

Nora nodded in agreement. Ethan just shrugged. He didn’t know either. But in truth, he was wondering if the desert itself held a secret treasure. Perhaps the one who built the barrier had hidden some final hope for humanity here—a chance for a desperate counterattack. And maybe no one had found it after all these years.

As he considered it, a thought crept over him. ’Could it be that my arrival here isn’t just an accident? That the treasure—or secret, or divine artifact—is waiting for me?’

The idea made his heart race. He felt a laugh bubbling up, and before he could stop it, it escaped.

"Heh heh..."

His sudden chuckle startled both Nora and Uncle Jed out of their thoughts. They turned and stared at him, their eyes a little wary.

"Uh...eat, eat, eat..." Ethan muttered, trying to cover. He waved his hand, and a bottle of freshly squeezed peach juice appeared on the table. "Oh, right—Dot, drink this."

"Uncle Ethan, what’s this?" Dot leaned over the bottle, her wide eyes blinking as she studied the pale liquid.

"It’s juice—peach flavored. Nora, you have some too." He poured another glass and held it out to her.

Nora looked down at the glass in front of her chest, then lifted her gaze to his face. She hesitated before taking it from his hand. Bowing her head, she whispered a soft, almost inaudible "Mm..." Then she raised the glass and took a tentative sip.

Almost instantly, her cheeks turned crimson. Ethan frowned, confused. ’What’s wrong now?’

He sat back down and reached for his beer, hoping to cool off, but his glass was gone. A moment later, realization dawned—Nora was holding it. The same glass he’d been drinking from. He’d picked it up without thinking and poured juice into it.

No wonder she was acting so flustered. Ethan nearly slapped his forehead. He let out a long sigh and thought miserably, ’Well...I really didn’t mean to.’

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