They started working even before it was time to clock in?

Alexander's method was straightforward. With millions of duplicates, he couldn't even wait for the final end time. 

He entered the cycle, then triggered the natives' Rampage State, straightforwardly using money to bribe them to find clues, and if they couldn't find clues, they would kill.

There wasn't much time left, and the duplicates began to seize every minute to plunder. At least a dozen duplicates reached the ghost king realm every minute. Occasionally, there were fluctuations in the breakthrough to the Imperial level by the duplicates.

Reaching the Emperor level was evidently more challenging. After all, there wasn't much time left. In most cycles, let alone not finding clues, even if they were found, there was no time to crack them.