《My Apocalypse Territory》


 Chapter 1 - 1: Starting with a Broken System

    In the dimness, Tang Yu slowly opened his eyes, a wave of soreness spreading through his body.


    He barely managed to prop himself up as dust mixed with small shards of stone trickled off his body.


    "Am I... still alive?"


    In his memory, the Demonized Beasts surged like a tide, breaking through the Sanctuary''s defenses, and countless survivors perished amidst screams, turning the world blood-red.


    This was the apocalypse. It had arrived a month ago.


    He was about to graduate then, had already found a job, just waiting to officially start, and yet, disaster struck without warning.


    Red mist filled the sky, the ground split open with massive chasms, and creatures named Demonized Beasts crawled out from the Abyssal Rifts, massacring humanity.


    These Abyssal Rifts marked the advent of the apocalypse!


    On that day, Tang Yu happened to be on the school campus and witnessed firsthand the ground cracking open to swallow an entire building, while the teachers and students around were utterly terror-stricken, each one being torn to pieces by the Demonized Beasts amidst the screams. At that time, he was relatively far from the Abyssal Rift, avoiding the first wave of slaughter by the Demonized Beasts, and, by sheer luck, encountered a large group of survivors fleeing the chaos, which, after many twists and turns, brought him to this small Sanctuary.


    With an endless number of Demonized Beasts, even the full strength of the Military could not match them. Humanity retreated step by step, barely managing to protect certain significant areas.


    And the Sanctuary represented the last line of defense for humans.


    This small Sanctuary was established using a resort as its base, housing thousands of survivors, and was the safest place within tens of miles. Although not as secure as large Sanctuaries guarded by the Military, it possessed firearms, ammunition, human strongholds, and was located far from Abyssal Rifts. When Demonized Beasts occasionally attacked the Sanctuary, they would be dealt with swiftly.


    This was what he had thought, until the Demon Tide surged and drowned the Sanctuary. Only then did he realize that the Sanctuary, in this apocalypse, was so... fragile.


    Tang Yu surveyed his surroundings.


    On either side, collapsed houses formed a recess, leaving him uncovered, inadvertently saving him from disaster. A touch with his hand revealed a blood-red palm; this wasn''t his blood but the blood of an unlucky soul pierced through the chest and lungs by an iron pipe beside him, staining the ground red.


    This was not the only one.


    Through the gaps, Tang Yu could see the corpses strewn outside, more tragically than the unlucky soul pierced by the iron pipe.


    Tang Yu felt a pang of sorrow.


    He had survived by luck, but it did not mean much. As an ordinary person, without weapons and not being an Awakener, encountering even the weakest Demonized Beast would be enough to take his life.


    "If only I were an Awakener..."


    Those with good aptitude awakened naturally, while those slightly less gifted might awaken under the pressure of adversity, becoming Awakeners capable of self-preservation in the apocalypse.


    Some people, with average aptitude, couldn''t awaken through their own efforts. However, it wasn''t entirely hopeless; the Sanctuary had a kind of special auxiliary Awakening Device that could help survivors awaken. But Tang Yu found himself in a difficult situation; his aptitude was at the lowest end, lacking any qualification for awakening.


    There were many like him, and when danger struck, it was almost a death sentence.


    "So, am I just supposed to wait for death?" Tang Yu muttered to himself, feeling a sense of unwillingness, but seemingly resigned to fate.


    Suddenly, a shiver ran through him.


    "Ding-dong! Doomsday Lord System activated. Please, Lord, establish a Lord''s Castle as soon as possible to define the Territory range."


    What was that sound!


    He should have heard something just now. Was it possible that a Demonized Beast had discovered him, or was it just auditory hallucinations?


    "Ding-dong! Please, Lord, establish a Lord''s Castle as soon as possible..."


    The voice came from his mind; this time, Tang Yu was certain this mysterious voice did exist.


    The voice was mechanical, just looping over and over in his mind. He soon realized he could either block the voice or ask it questions mentally. Though the information was limited, at least he understood what it was.


    A system!


    Tang Yu recalled the name "Doomsday Lord." It was a game he used to play to pass the time before the apocalypse. Excited, the concept of systems was not unfamiliar to him; rather, it was something he knew very well, his mind easily conjuring hundreds of novels with systems.


    Instantly, he thought of the plots of those novels, then philosophy, then life, and finally the game itself.


    Doomsday Lord was essentially a third-rate strategy game, roughly set in a fantasy apocalypse setting, where the world was breaking down, humanity was on the brink of extinction, and the castles built by the players preserved the last spark of humanity, requiring the players to...


    Tang Yu shook his head abruptly; in the face of life and death, he was thinking about a game background!


    "System, since you''re a system, at least let me awaken!"


    "Cannot."


    "Give me some bodyguards, or summon a group of subordinates?"


    "Cannot."


    Tang Yu: "..."


    At least give me a plan to solve the current crisis!


    "Ding... ding-dong, when establishing a Lord''s Castle, two Puppet Guards will be provided to solve the Lord''s present crisis."


    "Then let''s do it immediately, build it now!"


    "Ding-dong! Establishing a Lord''s Castle requires the Lord to choose a location and pay one hundred units of Source Crystal. It''s detected that the Lord doesn''t have any Source Crystal, and thus cannot establish a Lord''s Castle."


    "..."


    He had something to say, unsure if it was appropriate!


    Other systems typically offered a starter gift package, but this broken system offered nothing, not even the main base¡ªit had to be built by oneself, without resources! He had never seen such a thing in all his years of playing strategy games!


    Now then, where was he supposed to find one hundred units of Source Crystal?


    Source Crystal was an extremely precious strategic resource, with a small chance of forming within a Demonized Beast, and some claimed naturally occurring Source Crystal Veins existed in the wild. Both were hard to obtain, only available to Elite Combat Personnel or Awakeners. Tang Yu was merely a low-level survivor, who could neither own Source Crystal nor had ever seen it.


    Under normal circumstances, he would never acquire it.


    But now...


    Tang Yu thought for a moment and realized there was a slim chance... Since the Sanctuary was breached, the place where Awakeners lived must have left behind some Source Crystal.


    He didn''t know if this guess was correct, nor if there were one hundred units of Source Crystal left behind, but for this slim hope, he had to fight!


    Taking a deep breath, calming his complex thoughts, "The Awakeners and high-ranking members of the Sanctuary lived in the villa district on the hillside, part of the Sanctuary''s central area. I intended to escape inward during my flight, now that my position is close to the center of the Sanctuary, not far from the villa district, which is an advantage. The disadvantage is..."


    Tang Yu smiled bitterly, his body already weak, without any weapons, a disastrous start indeed, with only the system to rely on, which could not be of help for now.


    Then he patted his cheeks, looking determined.


    Fortunately, where he''d been buried, the stones weren''t tightly packed. Tang Yu searched around and observed the environment outside, ultimately finding a relatively large gap through which he crawled out.


    Ahead was an open area, originally set up with numerous makeshift houses and tents. Now, of course, it was a chaotic scene, with many corpses left in fragments, remaining only in parts, the stench of blood thick in the air.


    Yet, he saw few Demonized Beasts'' corpses, knowing the entire Sanctuary had little resistance against the Demon Tide and was easily overrun.


    Holding his breath, he cautiously moved forward, checking multiple times with every few steps.


    The blazing sun hung high, with sweat dripping from his nose, evaporating upon hitting the ground. Tang Yu panted carefully, luckily finding fewer Demonized Beasts than he had imagined; he only saw a couple from afar, seemingly gnawing on something.


    Skirting around the ruins, hiding in the bushes, Tang Yu did everything possible to avoid the Demonized Beasts. Thankfully, the entire Sanctuary''s ruins having just undergone slaughter, the pervasive stench of blood effectively masked his scent, depriving the Demonized Beasts of their most potent tracking tool.


    Advancing step by step, gradually, the villa district was almost within reach.


    ...


    Approaching the villa district, the surroundings were even more ravaged, with ruined houses everywhere.


    Charred marks from explosions, bullet craters left in the ground, walls torn asunder, every sign spoke of the fierce battle fought here.


    Tang Yu saw numerous bodies, human Awakeners, and Demonized Beasts mixed together, resembling a chaotic scene.


    He cautiously stepped forward, squatting to search through a body''s remains.


    The pungent smell swirled around his nose, hands already smeared with blood, yet Tang Yu didn''t care. Half crazed, half calm, he rummaged through.


    A Type 54 pistol. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Along with two magazines.


    Combined with the short dagger he found earlier on his way here, these were the best weapons he could locate. He knew these arms were hardly effective against Demonized Beasts, but the cold metal in his hand still increased his sense of security considerably.


    In the distance, he also noticed some firearms, seemingly intact, but they lay in open spaces, making them risky to obtain. With caution as his principle and Source Crystal as his primary goal, Tang Yu decided not to take unnecessary risks.

 Chapter 2 - 2 Build a Castle!

    "So this is the Source Crystal."


    In his hand, a small translucent white crystal stone appeared to be the most beautiful gem in the world. Before the apocalypse, having such a crystal was enough to find a partner!


    It was the first time Tang Yu saw it, yet he was certain it was a Source Crystal, not a diamond. Holding it tightly, he could feel a warmth, an astonishing energy hidden within.


    This Source Crystal, checked by the system, contained about one unit of energy. It was not found on the Awakeners, who were even poorer than Tang Yu imagined. Or perhaps they hadn''t carried anything with them. Despite searching the corpses of several Awakeners along the way, he hadn''t found anything valuable.


    The Source Crystal was extracted from the Demonized Beasts. He dissected the heads of several Demonized Beasts'' corpses but only managed to dig out this one. His dissection skills had improved quite a bit.


    Tang Yu started to worry if he could gather one hundred units of Source Crystals. If these Awakeners were indeed too poor or some had escaped with the crystals, it would be a huge loss for him.


    As time ticked away, he found some food, filled his stomach a bit, and continued his search. The conditions in the villa area were better. After searching through most of the villas in this area, he had tucked ten or so Source Crystals in his pocket.


    "Unfortunately, these Source Crystals are far from enough. Hopefully, in this last villa, I can find enough Source Crystals."


    It was a standalone villa, occupying a larger area and more luxurious. It was the last villa Tang Yu could search in the eastern part of the villa area. The whole villa area was divided into east and west sections. Although the west section covered a larger area, there was a considerable distance between the two sections. If he couldn''t gather enough Source Crystals in the east section and had to go to the west section, the danger would increase significantly.


    Tang Yu carefully walked into the villa garden when suddenly.


    "Beep beep! A source crystal energy reaction exceeding one hundred units detected within a hundred meters ahead, please retrieve it quickly... Beep beep! Detected..."


    The system''s voice echoed in his mind, and Tang Yu almost cried out in surprise. This poor system with no system spirit actually responded. Hearing the contents of the voice, his face immediately lit up with joy.


    "Heaven hasn''t abandoned me!"


    Though the villa was large, it was more severely damaged. Along the way, the ground had deep craters from explosions, and the garden''s trees and grass seemed roasted by fierce flames, leaving only ashes everywhere.


    Tang Yu entered through a broken wall and saw the devastation inside. One bedroom door was ajar, and he could vaguely see a broken safe inside with glittering lights.


    "Found it!"


    He quickly stepped forward, reaching the bedroom door, but suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    His pupils contracted sharply!


    In the bedroom, beside the broken safe, was a Demonized Beast about the size of a wild boar, with brown fur extending outward like steel spikes. The beast was facing away from Tang Yu, gnawing on something unknown.


    Creak, creak, the sound was particularly loud in such an environment. Tang Yu held his breath, not daring to make a sound.


    He recognized this strange creature in front of him, a Demonized Beast!


    Compared to humans, animals affected by the red fog might demonize, forming new kinds of Demonized Beasts. The one before him now was a Demonized Beast formed from an ordinary mouse, a Demonized Steel Rat!


    In the hierarchy of Demonized Beasts, it was at the bottom. However, it still posed a deadly threat to Tang Yu!


    Instinctively wanting to retreat, he unexpectedly found that the Demonized Steel Rat had already noticed him. With a squealing sound, the entire body, like a brown flesh ball, charged straight at Tang Yu.


    The brown flesh ball moved extremely fast, and the steel spikes on its skin gleamed coldly. After a brief hesitation, Tang Yu knew he couldn''t escape!


    His only chance of survival was to kill the Demonized Steel Rat and get the Source Crystal!


    This thought flashed through his mind, and suddenly, Tang Yu calmed down.


    He stared intently at the approaching Demonized Steel Rat; in his eyes, all he saw was the moving brown figure.


    Thirty steps, twenty steps, ten steps...


    Tang Yu gripped the gun with both hands, the dark muzzle aiming at the approaching Demonized Steel Rat!


    "Bang bang bang bang bang bang!"


    Flames burst from the barrel of the pistol, each bullet carrying intense kinetic energy, striking the Demonized Steel Rat.


    Tang Yu had no shooting practice. But maybe because of the very short distance or due to his intense focus, five shots hit from a magazine full of bullets.


    The fur of the Demonized Steel Rat was torn in several places, with dark green blood oozing from its wounds. It had been severely injured, shrieking in pain. Yet, the Demonized creature showed tenacious vitality, and the gleam in the Demonized Steel Rat''s eyes remained fierce.


    Unmindful, it continued charging at Tang Yu!


    Tang Yu''s fierceness flared up, and dropping the empty handgun, he pulled out a short knife, opened his eyes wide, and began stabbing desperately.


    Slash after slash, blood splattered, his arm and chest were stained in colorful patches, but Tang Yu felt nothing, only exerting force continuously.


    Regaining his senses later, Tang Yu didn''t know how many slashes he had made, as the Demonized Steel Rat lay in a pool of blood long ago.


    "Huff huff~"


    Tang Yu panted heavily, feeling his arms swollen and sore, his clothes tattered, and especially the knife-wielding arm having steel-spike-caused wounds. Any slight movement brought sharp pain.


    He didn''t have time to relax when suddenly his face changed again.


    Growls of Demonized Beasts came from outside the house.


    Tang Yu knew that the gunshots just now had attracted more Demonized creatures.


    A humanoid Demonized Beast, entirely gray-black and over two meters tall, with sharp claws on its hands, appeared in Tang Yu''s sight.


    A giant fiery red scorpion followed closely behind.


    A huge black snake, emitting green gas, appeared.


    Tang Yu''s expression became extremely grave. Any of these three Demonized Beasts was far more formidable than the earlier Demonized Steel Rat.


    He wasn''t a match for them!


    Tang Yu turned and ran, regardless of the pain in his body, lunging toward the Source Crystal, reaching out to press on it.


    "Beep beep, one hundred and twenty-five units of Source Crystal detected, Lord has one hundred and forty-one units of Source Crystal, establish Lord''s castle?"


    "Establish, quickly!"


    Source Crystals disappeared as points of light, like the most brilliant fireflies. Tang Yu felt a pang of heartache, as it was perhaps the most "money" he''d ever had in his lifetime.


    The dazzling light and, in an instant, it seemed like a breeze swept through, and the place underwent a tremendous change.


    The previously wrecked interior of the villa was gone, replaced by a scene of classical decor.


    The ground was covered with red carpets, and magnificent chandeliers hung from the ceiling.


    On the walls, either exquisite murals were mounted, or it was inlaid with large crystals.


    The indoor tables and chairs emitted a light wooden scent, made from some unknown timber, and there was even a wide, soft leather sofa perfect to lie on like a bed.


    Several lifelike sculptures were present.


    A basketball-sized crystal floated in the center.


    Tang Yu was almost stunned into silence. Was it necessary to be so lavish? During the apocalypse, indulging in such luxury could erode his strong willpower. This was simply... too embarrassing!


    Though the hall was indeed luxurious, he knew the most critical issue was still the threat posed by the three Demonized Beasts outside.


    Tang Yu shifted his attention to the back. Where the villa''s main door used to be, a large three-meter-high, four-meter-wide gateway had formed. At the moment, standing by the open gate were two Puppet Guards, clad in blue and white armor, masked, holding long spears, resembling imposing Gate Gods.


    Tang Yu understood that these were the puppet guards included when establishing the core castle, as mentioned by the system.


    Through the gate, the outside world still remained in its original chaotic state, forming a stark contrast with the luxurious hall inside the door.


    Tang Yu was still quite tense. These three Demonized Beasts seemed formidable, and he wasn''t sure about the strength of these Puppet Guards, or whether they could handle the three Demonized Beasts.


    Without a word, one of the Puppet Guards stepped back a few paces, guarding the castle gate.


    The other Puppet Guard took a stance and, as the swift fiery red scorpion approached, suddenly moved!


    The Puppet Guard''s figure blurred, the next moment it appeared in front of the scorpion, the air exploded, and the spear tip penetrated layer upon layer of barriers. Before the fiery red scorpion could react, its carapace was completely breached.


    From below to above, a spear through the head! Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first Demonized creature, dead!


    But it wasn''t over yet!


    Finishing off the scorpion, the Puppet Guard went on the offensive. Though clad in full-body armor, it moved quicker than any Demonized Beast Tang Yu had ever seen. The entire body turned into blue lightning, and with a few leaps, it reached the other two Demonized Beasts.


    The sound of the spear slicing through the air was thunderous! The Puppet Guard''s combat style was simple and brutish. One hack, one stab, and such simple attacks were incredibly terrifying when augmented with unparalleled speed and power.


    In the blink of an eye, the humanoid Demonized Beast''s skull was smashed, and the huge black snake was skewered with a single thrust!


    At this moment, only a few seconds had passed. The two Demonized Beasts still maintained their prior charging postures. Upon death, they rolled forward with inertia, and their mixed blood smeared long tracks across the ground.


    The whooshing sound of the spear slicing through the air seemed to linger nearby. For a moment, Tang Yu was stunned. Were these three Demonized Beasts too weak?


    But he knew the issue wasn''t the Beasts being weak; rather, the Puppet Guards were genuinely powerful, far surpassing any Awakener he had ever seen!


    These Puppet Guards were simply incredible! Tang Yu thought spending one hundred units of Source Crystal was truly worthwhile; please give me a few more, would you?!


    The three massive Demonized Beast corpses lay outside the castle gate, and an invisible fluctuation emanated from these dead Demonized Beasts. A small portion dispersed into the air, while a larger part drifted toward Tang Yu''s direction.


    Tang Yu''s eyes widened, a look of excitement involuntarily spreading across his face.

 Chapter 3 - 3 Soul Power

    He could clearly feel a force, like a clear spring, continuously pouring into his body.


    This was the soul power dissipated after the death of a Demonized Beast!


    Absorbing and refining soul power could make one stronger.


    But only Awakeners could absorb soul power! This was the key for Awakeners to continue evolving and leave ordinary people far behind.


    However, Tang Yu was aware of his situation; his aptitude was extremely poor. Not to mention absorbing soul power, even the device that assisted in Awakening couldn''t help him Awaken.


    At this moment, he clearly felt a force flowing into his body, then gathering in a certain part of his body.


    What else could this be but soul power?


    Tang Yu decided to consult the system.


    "Ding-dong! The Lord''s aptitude is indeed extremely low, classified as E-level. However, after binding with the system, the Lord gains the ability to absorb and refine soul power without needing to Awaken."


    "Moreover, Puppets are territory units that cannot absorb soul power themselves. As long as the Lord is within the range of dissipating soul power, this portion of soul power will naturally be absorbed by the Lord."


    "Additionally, the higher the territory''s level, the faster the Lord can absorb and refine soul power."


    Tang Yu had also heard that if an Awakener killed a Demonized Beast from too far away, they couldn''t absorb the soul power.


    Someone once thought about using powerful hot weapons to kill Demonized Beasts. However, not only was the cost too high, but the soul power was almost impossible to absorb. Over time, many Awakeners were unwilling to use these things unless absolutely necessary.


    Tang Yu sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and let his mind immerse. He had a fleeting sensation of being in a pitch-black, enclosed space, with only the central spot having a glowing orb emitting a faint light.


    This was the essence of soul power!


    In an instant, Tang Yu understood. This mass of soul power was composed of countless small light particles, gathered together to form a light cluster, radiating a surging origin power.


    It was the first time he directly felt soul power, and also the first time he was preparing to refine it.


    Tang Yu was not confused; it felt like an innate instinct. His consciousness controlled the rotation and compression of the soul power.


    Some light particles separated from the light cluster, flew to the edge of this dark space, and dissolved slowly, merging into his limbs and torso, into his internal organs. In an instant, his body seemed to become stronger.


    Tang Yu seized this feeling and continued refining this mass of soul power. As the process became increasingly proficient, the refining process also became faster. The soul power light cluster gradually shrank, turning into small light particles that got absorbed into every cell in his body.


    After a long while, Tang Yu opened his eyes. At this moment, he felt mentally refreshed, his eyes were bright and energetic, and his body had become robust and powerful. By slightly clenching his fist, he could feel the surging power passing from the interior of his body to his palm. Even the scars on his arm were slowly healing.


    Tang Yu was surprised; no wonder people said the first refining of soul power had the best effect. It truly was exceedingly effective. Faced with that Demonized Steel Rat again, he felt confident he could handle it easily.


    ...


    With the crisis averted, Tang Yu finally had time to take a good look at the newly constructed Lord''s Castle.


    From the outside, the Lord''s Castle wasn''t big, only somewhat larger than the previous villa, just a micro-castle at best. The outer walls were silver-white, with deep blue, spired roofs, like a picture from a dream.


    The castle had two floors. The first floor was a complete hall, and the second floor was the Lord''s rest area, with a bedroom, study, and bathroom, all fully equipped. As for the furniture chosen, he couldn''t tell the brand but could sense they were of superior quality.


    Tang Yu soaked his entire body in the pool. This bath was larger than his previous bedroom. The misty water in the pool was fragrant, and soaking in it was so comfortable it nearly made him murmur softly.


    After the apocalypse, he spent most of his time exposed to the elements, and when he had shelter, it was in makeshift wooden huts or old tents. Now, things had taken a turn for the better.


    The hundred Source Crystals spent on this were indeed worth it!


    Especially with the two diligent Puppets and the Crystal Ball floating in mid-air, the hundred Source Crystals were much more worthwhile!


    Tang Yu summoned the Crystal Ball. The basketball-sized Crystal Ball floated before him.


    The Crystal Ball was similar to radar. It could monitor and alert within the territory''s range.


    The territory was currently at its most basic state, with a small range, but it included the east and most of the west villa areas. However, any movement in this area would be displayed on the Crystal Ball.


    From the Crystal Ball, Tang Yu saw several red dots indicating the Demonized Beasts still lurking in the east area. Thinking of how he had walked without being discovered by the Demonized Beasts, he was relieved. Just one mistake earlier, and he would have been torn apart by the Demonized Beasts.


    Of course, it wasn''t just this Crystal Ball. When Tang Yu opened the system panel, he also saw a territory map where those red dots were visible. However, the Crystal Ball displayed the picture more detailedly, even incorporating the terrain within the territory range.


    Tang Yu immediately got up, grabbed his equipment, and set off with Puppet No. 1 to clear the surrounding Demonized Beasts, leaving Puppet No. 2 to guard the castle.


    "The last one, No. 1, stand by."


    In front of him was a Demonized Rotten Wolf, with green eyes and a decaying body. Its strength aside, its appearance was enough to evoke fear.


    But not for Tang Yu because no matter how strong or weak the Demonized Beasts he encountered during the day, none could withstand a shot from Puppet No. 1. He had cast aside his former fear of the Demonized Beasts.


    After refining enough soul power, all Tang Yu had in the face of the Demonized Beasts was a fighting spirit!


    The Demonized Rotten Wolf leaped high, its mouth wide open, a rancid wind blowing in his face.


    Tang Yu, holding a short knife, concentrated and calmly acted. As the Demonized Rotten Wolf lunged closest to him, he pushed off with his right foot, dodging and plunging the short knife through the wolf''s insides.


    He turned and continued to swing the knife.


    Swish swish swish!


    After several stabs, the wounded Demonized Rotten Wolf, already unable to move, finally fell dead.


    Another rush of soul power was absorbed into his body.


    "Huff, huff~"


    Tang Yu panted slightly. The entire fight only lasted a minute, but it was exhausting, physically and mentally.


    Yet he felt a great sense of accomplishment.


    For a normal Awakener, there would be a qualitative improvement in physical fitness at the moment of Awakening. He had not experienced this process, but through absorbing and refining soul power, his physical fitness had increased. Killing this Demonized Rotten Wolf represented his possession of ordinary Awakeners'' standards.


    Perhaps even higher.


    Tang Yu looked at the short knife in his hand, now with a curled blade, and slightly frowned. The knife was too small, cumbersome against the Demonized Beasts. With tougher Demonized Beasts, carving through their hide with a blade this sharp would be difficult.


    He needed a more convenient weapon.


    The sky was already dim: the howls of Demonized Beasts rose and fell from the distant mountains and forests.


    The outermost area was beyond the Crystal Ball''s detection range. Tang Yu decided not to continue clearing it; after a whole day, he was exhausted. If not for his improved physical condition, he would have collapsed on the bed long ago.


    Tang Yu returned to the City Lord Hall with his spoils of war. Puppet No. 2 stood loyally by the door.


    The spoils were plentiful, especially since this time he searched without restraint, uncovering many items hidden by Awakeners.


    For example, a Desert Eagle.


    The Desert Eagle was a well-known gun, with significant power but not practical. Firstly, it was too heavy; secondly, its recoil was too strong. It was likely the private collection of some wealthy individual before the apocalypse.


    Now it was different, with Tang Yu having an Awakened constitution. The recoil that made it uncomfortable for ordinary people to use before the apocalypse wasn''t much of an issue for him now. Instead, the Desert Eagle''s firepower was perfect for dealing with Demonized Beasts. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He also found plenty of food, especially the rare tobacco and alcohol in the apocalypse, but more food had been destroyed in battles. Watching this made Tang Yu genuinely heartbroken, prompting him to immediately stuff a handful of snacks into his mouth.


    These snacks, once insignificant, were now items only the elite could afford in the apocalypse. Tang Yu suddenly felt a need to thank the Demonized Beasts. Without this Demon Tide, where would he have acquired a hundred units of Source Crystals to build such a Lord''s Castle, and get whatever he wanted from the Sanctuary?


    ...


    That night, the stars were dazzling.


    Tang Yu always felt the air after the apocalypse was much better than before, such that even the stars, rarely seen previously, were now visible.


    He suddenly thought of his parents far away, wondering if they were safe. At the initial stage of the apocalypse, when phones could still barely communicate, Tang Yu had called his parents, who were over a thousand kilometers away, and learned their location was relatively safe. It was said the military intended to establish a Sanctuary there.


    In retrospect, Tang Yu was a bit worried. He wasn''t sure if the Sanctuary had been smoothly established or whether everything was alright.


    Originally, he was just an ordinary survivor struggling to survive, with no way to traverse the perilous wild over a thousand kilometers. At most, he could only silently pray for his parents'' safety.


    Now, things were different. With the system, Tang Yu felt hopeful. Perhaps not now, but as long as he developed the territory and enhanced his strength, he believed that one day in the future, he would definitely be able to cross the kilometer-long distance to that distant city.


    That day was undoubtedly not far.


    Tang Yu lay in bed. That night, he slept peacefully. With Puppets No. 1 and No. 2 guarding him, he didn''t have to worry about hearing cries of agony upon waking, or constantly keeping his nerves tightly wound, ready for the next escape.

 Chapter 4 - 4 Survivors (Part 1)

    The main feature of the game "Doomsday Lord" was its wide variety of buildings, some of which seemed to have no apparent purpose. Until the apocalypse erupted, he hadn''t yet completed constructing all the buildings from the list.


    Tang Yu opened the building list. The buildings included core buildings, resource-type buildings, military buildings, defensive buildings, and specially classified buildings. All these required Source Crystals and corresponding resources, such as wood and stone.


    The initial Lord''s Castle had been a stroke of luck. At least he didn''t have to haul a bunch of materials around. If he seriously had to do that, Tang Yu might have already perished.


    Currently, the only building in the Territory was the solitary Lord''s Castle; no other constructions had been erected.


    Tang Yu first opened the core building list. Core buildings were the most crucial in the Territory, unmatched by any other. For other types of buildings, the quantity was unrestricted, but core buildings were different. No matter how high the Territory''s future level or how wide the radiation range, there would always be only one core functional building.


    There were four types of core buildings: tavern, market, workshop, and research center.


    The tavern could recruit followers. Cost: two hundred units of Source Crystal, one hundred units of wood.


    The market could provide resources, blueprints, even rare items. Cost: three hundred units of Source Crystal, one hundred units of wood.


    The workshop could manufacture equipment and tools. Cost: five hundred units of Source Crystal, one hundred units of stone, one hundred units of iron.


    As for the research center, it could improve or even develop blueprints. Cost: one thousand units of Source Crystal, one hundred units of wood, one hundred units of stone, one hundred units of iron.


    Though the research center was a core building, its prerequisite was a level two Territory, meaning the core castle needed an upgrade first. Of course, seeing the cost, Tang Yu already lacked the desire to build it.


    Though the others were slightly cheaper, he currently had just over one hundred units of Source Crystal, not enough to even construct the cheapest building.


    This was unfriendly to him. Tang Yu felt a sense of urgency. The Sanctuary had recently suffered a Demon Tide attack, proving that this place, although far from the Abyssal Rift, was not safe. Another Demon Tide could strike any time. This time there wasn''t even a decent defensive line. Even if No. 1 and No. 2 were mighty, faced with an endless supply of Demonized Beasts, Tang Yu felt it was dangerous.


    Territory development was urgent!


    The sky was still dim, covered with a silvery veil of light. Suddenly, a slice of pale light appeared on the eastern horizon, illuminating half the sky. The orange-red dawn spread across the land, lighting it enough to reveal the ruins and rubble.


    ¡­ It was too miserable!


    With that, Tang Yu hesitated even to claim himself a Lord of any significant size.


    "Let''s set a small goal first, at least develop the Territory to the scale of a small town."


    With a good night''s sleep, Tang Yu''s energy and physical strength had restored to their peak.


    He began leading No. 1 to clear out the surrounding Demonized Beasts.


    Overnight, a few more Demonized Beasts had wandered into the Territory. In the morning, Tang Yu even found a Demonized Beast''s body lying at the castle gate.


    Demonized Beasts within the Territory were easy to deal with. Regardless of size or those adept at hiding, they couldn''t escape the system''s map. No. 1 quickly took care of these Demonized Beasts.


    Tang Yu found a tourist guide map. This was originally a vacation resort. After being converted into a Sanctuary, it retained its basic structure. Tang Yu''s eyes fell on the hotel by the central square. Before the apocalypse, it was reportedly a hotel of rather high caliber.


    The hotel had a cold storage even before the apocalypse. After converting into a Sanctuary, it became a food storage center. Even though Tang Yu hadn''t been inside, he knew well. Upon arriving at the Sanctuary, he heard many of the lowest-tier survivors talking about it. Their deepest wish was to walk inside and see if the cold storage really held mountains of food as the legends said.


    Mountains of food, Tang Yu didn''t believe, but he had no doubt that there was food in that hotel!


    Tang Yu marked the hotel as a focal point for future searches, aiming to store more food. Even if no other survivors were competing with him in this Sanctuary anymore, what if Demonized Beasts destroyed it while unattended?


    Recalling the previously found food, ruined beyond recognition by Demonized Beasts, made Tang Yu''s heart ache.


    ...


    At this moment, the hotel, in the underground cold storage.


    Several survivors lucky enough to escape from the Demon Tide looked terrified.


    One in the front gripped a gun in both hands, firing several shots, but wore a bitter expression.


    There, a six-footed, crimson Demonized Beast, standing over two meters tall, was munching on a corpse it held in its mouth.


    The bullets hit the beast''s red hide, astonishingly bouncing off without causing even the slightest harm. The beast continued to gnaw on the corpse, completely ignoring the group.


    Witnessing this scene left Chen Haiping nearly despairing.


    The survivors behind him were shaking, their faces pale. Moments ago, one succumbed to pressure, fleeing madly, only to end up with half their body chewed up, hanging from the Demonized Beast''s mouth, while the others were too terrified to move.


    Chen Haiping fared slightly better. Being an Awakener who had fought Demonized Beasts before, he remained calm enough to think, yet no matter how he pondered, he couldn''t find a way out.


    The crimson beast was just too terrifying. Handgun bullets lacked firepower, but seeing them bounce off entirely was something he had never witnessed before.


    The Demonized Beast remained still, and Chen Haiping dared not act first. From the speed it showed when attacking the fleeing survivor and the power with which it forcibly tore open the cold storage door, he realized this beast was far mightier than himself. Even the strongest Awakener in the Sanctuary might not match it.


    He didn''t move, merely swapping his empty handgun for a military-grade machete. The blade was sharp, exuding a chilling aura. Despite knowing he wasn''t a match, Chen Haiping refused to sit and wait for death. Even if he perished, he wanted to slice off a piece of this beast! S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crimson Demonized Beast spat out the chunk it was chewing, bloodlust gleaming in its eyes.


    Chen Haiping gritted his teeth, raising the blade slightly.


    Suddenly, boom!


    A violent tremor came from above, dust falling. Chen Haiping was shocked, then saw the crimson Demonized Beast suddenly turn, becoming a red blur, racing outside the cold storage.


    "Did... did it leave?"


    They were bewildered, yet truly felt the relief of having narrowly escaped death. Some survivors were so overwhelmed that their legs gave out, dropping to their knees.

 Chapter 5 - 5 Survivors (Part 2)

    Along the path winding down the mountainside, Tang Yu walked with extreme caution. This area was already beyond the territory''s monitoring range, and from time to time, demonized beasts would suddenly leap out... only to be smashed into pulp by Number One.


    In front of the hotel was an open space, which had previously been occupied by numerous temporary sheds taking up most of the square. But now, these sheds had all collapsed.


    Number One killed the demonized beasts attracted by the noise, while Tang Yu followed behind, slicing open the heads of the dead beasts to see if there were any Source Crystals inside.


    Soon enough, a few shiny Source Crystal Stones were in his hand.


    "It always feels like hunting beasts yields more Source Crystals than searching the homes of those Awakeners. It''s hard to believe those Awakeners are so poor. A whole villa district of Awakeners only contributes a little over a hundred units of Source Crystals. How tragic."


    After clearing the surrounding demonized beasts, Tang Yu instructed Number One while following closely behind, entering the hotel.


    Suddenly, a shadow from the ceiling attacked. Before he could make sense of it, he heard a loud bang, accompanied by intense vibrations. As the dust gradually settled, before him lay the unrecognizable corpse of a demonized beast, reduced to pulp. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu swallowed his saliva.


    He couldn''t tell if he was more intimidated by the demonized beast or by Number One''s violent actions... But, Number One, if you keep smashing things like this, won''t you end up demolishing the whole building?


    While thinking this, suddenly, Number One gripped the long spear with both hands, the spear tip slanted upward, faintly pointing into the distance.


    Tang Yu became vigilant too.


    This was Number One''s defensive stance, indicating full preparedness for imminent danger! Even back then, when facing those three obviously formidable demonized beasts, Number One had held back some strength.


    Following the direction of Number One''s vigilance, soon, a red silhouette rapidly enlarged in his vision.


    ...


    Inside the cold storage.


    The survivors were breathing heavily, having narrowly escaped with their lives.


    "Are... are we saved?"


    "That''s great!"


    "Let''s get out of here quickly!"


    "But what if that demonized beast is still out¡ª"


    Boom!


    Another loud bang occurred, more intense this time, like a demolition crew working upstairs. Some survivors staggered and fell to the ground.


    This uproar was only the beginning, with continuous crashing and roaring sounds. The survivors'' faces turned pale as they felt the ground shake, fearing the hotel might collapse at any moment.


    What''s happening?


    What on earth is going on?


    What should they do now?


    The survivors didn''t understand.


    Chen Haiping''s face was heavy, with a faint suspicion in his heart, though he found it hard to believe.


    The tremor didn''t last long and quickly subsided.


    A few survivors exchanged anxious glances. Those who wanted to leave earlier now found themselves unable to speak, fearing the return of the demonized beast.


    At this moment, there were noises at the already breached entrance, and the survivors held their breath, eyes wide open.


    ...


    In the battlefield.


    Blue and red lights interwove, causing the walls to collapse and the ground to crack wherever they passed.


    Tang Yu watched the battlefield intently, preparing to remotely direct Number Two to assist. Suddenly, he noticed the blue light gaining the upper hand. Although he couldn''t clearly see the movements, the blood scattered on the ground told him the demonized beast was wounded!


    As a combat-specialized advanced Puppet, Number One had an extremely high combat instinct. Seizing the opportunity, the spear tip began to spin violently, instantly seeming to freeze the surrounding air. The wind was stirred up, smoke and dust swirling, resembling a small tornado.


    The next moment, the wind stopped.


    Number One retracted the spear, with the crimson demonized beast lying on the ground, a hole on its forehead, bright red blood gushing out.


    "Finally, it''s over."


    Tang Yu looked at the chaotic scene, the hotel now punctured with several breaches and likely a hazardous structure, and let out a sigh of relief.


    This crimson demonized beast was the strongest he had ever encountered. Fortunately, Number One was reliable. Tang Yu realized this demonized beast wasn''t much inferior to Number One in strength and speed, but Number One''s Puppet attributes, with its godly defense and endurance, clearly overwhelmed the crimson demonized beast.


    Walking down the corridor, Tang Yu arrived at the underground cold storage, originally the Sanctuary''s food storage facility.


    At this time, the cold storage door was destroyed, and the pile of debris behind the door was like trash, torn to pieces.


    In the dim light, Tang Yu heard heavy breathing.


    They were alive, survivors!


    Tang Yu instantly froze for a moment.


    ...


    "It''s humans, not demonized beasts!"


    The survivors, upon discovering the newcomers, breathed a sigh of relief.


    Chen Haiping observed more closely. One was a young man in clean casual attire, while the other was fully clad in armor, face obscured, but with armor stained in blood.


    He initially suspected that the commotion above was due to someone fighting the demonized beast. Seeing these two, his first reaction was that someone had dealt with the terrifying demonized beast¡ªalthough the notion seemed far-fetched to him. For such a terrifying demonized beast, heavy weaponry seemed necessary. But, given the current circumstances, this was the likeliest scenario.


    However, seeing these two, Chen Haiping began to doubt his theory.


    Neither the cleanly dressed young man nor the blood-stained warrior emitted any aura of an Awakener. Without being Awakeners or using heavy weaponry, he couldn''t believe these two could confront such a terrifying demonized beast.


    Did the demonized beast inadvertently leave without encountering them?


    He voiced his doubts.


    Tang Yu, hearing the question, furrowed his brows, "Terrifying demonized beast? Are you referring to the one outside? Of course, it''s dead."


    Dead?


    The other ordinary survivors gasped, then burst with uncontrollable joy.


    Chen Haiping dashed out of the cold storage to the ground floor, initially still cautious, but as he reached the main hall, he saw the crimson demonized beast, its body full of wounds, lifeless.


    His eyes widened in disbelief.


    The armored mystery warrior, carrying a spear stained with blood, matched the demonized beast''s fatal wound on the forehead!


    "Could it really be them who killed it?"


    Observing the chaotic scene, with the main hall''s floor cracked, walls collapsed, Chen Haiping realized the hotel would have collapsed if not for the supporting columns. The intense vibrations made sense now. The crimson demonized beast''s strength was beyond his expectations, but those who killed it must be even mightier!


    He no longer considered Tang Yu and the other as ordinary people¡ªordinary individuals could never possess such power!


    Chen Haiping knew that the strength of Awakeners had distinct tiers.


    More precisely, Awakeners would have a significant physical boost upon reaching a certain threshold by absorbing and refining soul power. Among the original Sanctuary''s Awakeners, he was considered upper-middle, yet he remained a First Layer Awakener.


    This meant, despite being stronger than average Awakeners, he hadn''t hit the critical point. He knew the Sanctuary''s most formidable individual had already breached the second threshold, reaching the third Awakening layer.


    Across the Sanctuary, or even from what he had heard, only one had achieved the third layer. That person perished in the Demon Tide, but Chen Haiping had witnessed the destruction caused by their actions, which wasn''t even this severe.


    So, were these two much stronger Awakeners?


    Chen Haiping was startled by his own deduction, but it was the only explanation that made sense. Due to the vast power difference, he couldn''t detect Awakener auras from them, mistaking them for ordinary people.


    Furthermore, unless someone was a super-strong individual, how could that young man''s clothes remain spotless? Only a super powerhouse could roam the wilderness unsoiled.


    It had to be this way!

 Chapter 6 - 6 Building a Sanctuary?

    Coming out, it was one person and one puppet; going back, a few survivors followed behind.


    These people carried large sacks of grain on their backs¡ªgrains gathered from the cold storage and other hotel areas. For a sanctuary that once had thousands of survivors, this amount of grain was scarce. Tang Yu knew most of the grain had already been destroyed during the demon tide.


    Tang Yu naturally accepted this grain. He originally thought some survivors might be jealous of this batch of grain, since they were the ones who discovered the cold storage first. However, he was overthinking.


    These grains were unowned, just like picking fruits in the wild. Although there is indeed the saying of first come, first served, needless to say, if Tang Yu didn''t come, these survivors'' bodies would have long turned cold. Even if he did take them by force, probably no one would dare say anything.


    It was no longer the time when the apocalypse just broke out, when some still believed that worldly rules and morality could bind the strong. Those naive enough to think so likely wouldn''t survive until now. What could bind the strong were either more powerful individuals or the strong''s own bottom lines.


    Even so,


    Tang Yu still gave these survivors some grain as a reward for transporting it, which immediately boosted their energy significantly.


    He couldn''t help but sigh, thinking about the benefits of having someone to order around.


    Number One was strong, but couldn''t help much with transporting, as the grain wasn''t packed neatly in boxes but scattered in various bags. No matter how strong Number One was, it couldn''t carry much at one time. On the contrary, these survivors working together and using some tools improved efficiency quickly.


    Walking and chatting along the way, Tang Yu soon got to know these people.


    Their identities were quite similar to his. They were survivors lucky enough to escape doom when their sanctuary was destroyed by the demon tide. Among them, the leader was a middle-aged man named Chen Haiping, an awakener. So Tang Yu began to inquire about how the sanctuary was destroyed.


    For him, he only knew the sanctuary was destroyed by the demon tide, but was ignorant of the specifics. Chen Haiping, being an awakener, must know more. For the future development of his territory, Tang Yu felt he needed to be informed.


    Chen Haiping didn''t think much about it.


    In his heart, Tang Yu and Number One were powerful figures from another place, who had saved them. Naturally, he answered everything in full detail.


    He just smiled bitterly, "There used to be a sanctuary here, but it was breached by the demon tide two days ago. Almost all survivors were wiped out. Besides us few, probably not many made it alive."


    "Demon tide? It''s indeed terrifying, but for such a large sanctuary, even if it couldn''t withstand the demon tide, retreat should still be an option, right?"


    Chen Haiping''s expression turned even more bitter, "Retreat? Do you know how long the sanctuary''s defense line held against the demon tide?"


    "Three minutes." He held up three fingers. "Only three minutes! Let alone retreating, some survivors didn''t even know what happened before they were suddenly killed by demonized beasts."


    Tang Yu''s face showed surprise.


    This was not feigned. He originally thought the sanctuary was destroyed after a fierce battle, but apparently that wasn''t the case at all!


    "I used to be a team leader in the sanctuary. When the demon tide happened, I was resting in my residence. Upon hearing the alarm, I immediately rushed to the defense line. But before I arrived, I saw the demonized beasts pouring into the sanctuary like a flood."


    Recalling, Chen Haiping continued, "The defense of the sanctuary wasn''t weak. Although originally a small sanctuary, our strongest awakener was in the third layer and had also luckily awakened a special ability. Such strength would be considered as an expert even in a large sanctuary. In ours or neighboring small sanctuaries, he was well-known."


    "Plus, with the machine guns, explosive packs, and other weapons on the defense line, even if we couldn''t withstand the demon tide back then, we absolutely shouldn''t have been breached so easily." Chen Haiping took a breath, an unusual anger showing on his face. "The reason for this was that Wang Tai, the original director of the sanctuary, when things looked bad, abandoned the sanctuary and fled directly."


    "Not only that, Wang Tai, upon fleeing, took away subordinates loyal to him from the defense line, and even a significant portion of the guns and ammunition! These weapons and ammunition were originally distributed by the Lindong military to support small sanctuaries like ours. Yet, that Wang took away most of them, leaving the defense line riddled with gaps, which the demonized beasts breached easily."


    "Even the strongest awakener was killed by a sneak attack from a demonized beast. I was lucky enough to dodge a bullet, but besides Wang Tai''s people, probably it''s just us who managed to survive by sheer luck."


    Selfishness might be an innate human trait, which stood out even more in the apocalypse.


    Before coming to the sanctuary, Tang Yu was with a group of hundreds of survivors. But by the time the entire group reached the sanctuary, less than a hundred survived.


    Many died by the demonized beasts, but even more died directly or indirectly at the hands of other humans.


    Tang Yu had no position to speak about it, facing such matters; he often watched coldly, which was why he survived until now.


    He also wasn''t in a position to blame Wang Tai. Perhaps when facing the impending destruction of a sanctuary, Wang Tai''s choice could not be entirely wrong. However, for those abandoned, resentment was inevitable.


    As one of the abandoned, Tang Yu felt some anger but not as much as he had imagined.


    Perhaps it was because he survived and even activated the system, or perhaps anger was only needed by the weak, while he desired to control his destiny.


    After speaking freely, Chen Haiping felt much of the suffocating sensation in his chest dissipate. He no longer dwelled on past matters. The problem of survival was what he should consider now.


    After moving one batch of food, alongside Tang Yu in several consecutive trips, they soon transported all the hotel food to the villa area.


    However, after a few trips, Chen Haiping sensed something was off.


    He initially thought Tang Yu and Number One were strong individuals from a large sanctuary and had just passed through here, perhaps planning to leave soon. But gradually, from their chats, he realized these two had no intention of leaving. This clean young man planned to establish a sanctuary here.


    Establish a sanctuary?


    He initially thought the other party was joking. However, after moving the grain, the other party hired them to transport some abandoned stones and wood. Although Chen Haiping couldn''t tell what they were for, he sensed these two experts seemed to be serious?!


    He had just mentioned a sanctuary here was destroyed by the demon tide, but... S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Apparently, everything he said had been for nothing!

 Chapter 7 - 7 Crisis Under the Night

    Night fell, silent and still.


    In a relatively intact villa, several survivors sat together by firelight.


    "Do you think those two really want to establish a Sanctuary here?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous, building a Sanctuary is no easy feat. Besides, it''s just the two of them. No matter how strong they are, building a Sanctuary is not just about strength."


    "Forget about those two, let''s think about ourselves. What should we do? This place is no longer safe. How about we head to Lindong Sanctuary? It''s a large Sanctuary with stationed troops. Once we get there, we won''t need to worry about Demonized Beasts attacking us."


    Someone suggested, but others were not optimistic.


    "Lindong Sanctuary is indeed a good place, but how do we get there? It''s sixty kilometers from here, as the crow flies. If we could easily reach Lindong Sanctuary, I wouldn''t have chosen to stay in this small Sanctuary in the first place."


    This statement left others looking dejected.


    Originally hiding in the underground cold storage, thinking it was safe, they were almost killed by a Demonized Beast. If not for those two experts passing by...


    Someone suddenly said, "It would be great if those two experts went to Lindong Sanctuary too, then we could follow them."


    "Hmph, they''re thinking of building a Sanctuary. Why would they go to Lindong? Even if they did, they might not take us with them. I think it''s better to figure out if we can go to those smaller shelters nearby."


    "But why can''t we stay here? Those two experts clearly said that as long as we stay in this villa area, we can be assured of our safety."


    However, few people believed this.


    In their minds, Tang Yu only had two people, and they hadn''t shown themselves yet. Not to mention, if danger really appeared, would those two experts come to the rescue? Even if they did, they might not make it in time. Their skepticism about the two building a Sanctuary was mainly because there were too few people. No matter how powerful, they couldn''t cover all bases.


    They understood deep down that there was no reason to ask strangers to protect them, yet rationally knowing this, emotionally, everyone hoped someone would save them when danger struck.


    This was merely a human survival instinct.


    In the end, Chen Haiping ended the topic. "Rather than thinking about this, it''s better to practice shooting or wielding a sword. Even if you can''t achieve an Awakening, you can still give yourself a better chance of survival."


    On the table, a candle flickered weakly.


    Chen Haiping was wiping his weapon, ready to say something else, when suddenly his expression changed.


    "Be careful!"


    Chen Haiping immediately grasped the handle of his machete, his gaze wary, looking outside the villa''s floor-to-ceiling windows.


    Two eerie green lights glowed in the night, incredibly chilling.


    "It''s a Demonized Beast!" someone screamed in terror.


    "Didn''t they say the Demonized Beasts in this area were cleared out?" someone expressed confusion.


    "I knew it. They only have a few people; how could they possibly guard against Demonized Beasts? Demonized Beasts roam everywhere. Without sturdy city walls and complete defenses, there''s no such thing as a safe resting place!"


    Chen Haiping didn''t speak, merely gestured for the others to retreat. He knew this thin floor-to-ceiling window couldn''t possibly block a Demonized Beast.


    Suddenly... boom!


    The entire villa shook violently, and the candle fell to the ground with a clatter.


    Some people were dumbfounded, others screamed in terror. Only Chen Haiping, who had been staring at the Demonized Beast, barely glimpsed a figure descending from the sky, crushing the Demonized Beast into the ground. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chen Haiping finally saw clearly. It was the mysterious expert wearing armor from earlier in the afternoon, effortlessly stomping the Demonized Beast to death.


    The others gasped. They hadn''t seen what happened, but the result... such a terrifying Demonized Beast squashed like a mere insect.


    Several people''s expressions were complicated. Earlier, they hadn''t trusted Tang Yu, talking behind his back, assuming he was just using them as labor, unconcerned for their survival. But now...


    As soon as the Demonized Beast appeared, it was stomped to death by the Armored Expert with a single step. They couldn''t see the expert''s face, but his silhouette was forever etched in their pupils, unforgettable.


    Puppet No. 2, responsible for guarding the Territory, did not leave. Instead, he drew a long spear from his back, thrusting it into the nearby bushes.


    The spear shot like lightning!


    Swift and fierce!


    The people inside the villa hadn''t reacted yet when they saw the spear''s tip, like skewered meat, impale another small Demonized Beast.


    Another Demonized Beast was hidden among them!


    Many survivors were filled with lingering fear. They didn''t know what kind of Demonized Beast it was, only feeling that the world was too dangerous.


    But Chen Haiping took one look and couldn''t move his eyes away!


    It was the thorny insect!


    Known as the night assassin!


    Chen Haiping knew of them because the strongest Awakener at their former Sanctuary was killed by a surprise attack from a thorny insect. If not for that ability user erupting with power at the moment of death and perishing together with the thorny insect, just one of these creatures could have wreaked havoc on their defenses.


    Yet this thorny insect had no chance to resist, hanging like skewered meat on the spear.


    Chen Haiping''s breath quickened, his eyes widened round, the day''s shocks could last a month or more.


    No. 2, dragging the thorny insect, disappeared straight into the night, leaving behind these survivors, eyes wide open, silent for a long time.


    A few minutes later, these people finally came back to their senses from the shock.


    "We... survived?"


    "Yeah," someone replied, looking in the direction where No. 2 disappeared, remorseful. "Maybe... we shouldn''t have doubted them. Remember, they said as long as we stayed here, worked for them, they''d assure our safety, and provide us with ample food. I''m thinking maybe we should stay here."


    "Yeah, in this apocalypse, it''s the same wherever we go. Staying here, at least we can eat our fill."


    ...


    On the Territory map, two red dots gradually faded. Beside them, a few yellow dots, representing neutrality, flickered and finally turned into green dots representing allied forces.


    The green dots didn''t mean those people now fully trusted him. Trust between apocalypse survivors didn''t come easily. Yet this shift already signified a certain level of recognition.


    That was enough!


    Tang Yu arrived in the open space behind the castle. At his feet, piles of scrap wood were stacked. This afternoon, he had survivors transport food, then move the wood to the villa area with the help of No. 1 and No. 2.


    "Finally, we can build the first Territory structure."


    The Lord''s Castle wasn''t considered a true Territory building but was connected to the Territory level as its Core. This was already the second day since obtaining the system, and only now did he have enough resources to establish the first structure, which felt painfully slow to Tang Yu. It was all thanks to these survivors; otherwise, sacrificing No. 1 and No. 2''s time hunting Demonized Beasts for transport work would have delayed progress even more.


    He opened the construction panel and selected the tavern.


    Build!


    "Ding-dong! Building the tavern will consume two hundred units of Source Crystal, one hundred units of wood."


    Before him, as if drawn by an invisible force, the wood laid on the ground levitated, constructing the tavern''s framework.


    Subsequently, the Source Crystal in his pocket transformed into specks of light, merging into the framework. Just like when the City Lord Hall was built, the tavern''s skeletal form changed drastically, morphing into an ancient-style tavern that appeared before Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu eagerly walked into the tavern.


    The tavern was small, only one story, covering no more than fifty to sixty square meters. Inside were a few tables and chairs, a counter, and Tang Yu even saw the shelves behind the counter lined with alcohol.


    It resembled a genuine, ordinary tavern rather than the opulent Lord''s Castle, but this was just a facade. The tavern''s true function was recruiting adventurers.


    This was exactly what Tang Yu needed¡ªby paying a certain price, he could enter into Contracts with adventurers, gaining their loyalty.


    No matter the goal of developing the Territory or achieving other plans, a sufficient workforce was essential. Among them, trustworthy people were especially crucial.

 Chapter 8 - 8 Summon

    After the tavern was built, a glowing exclamation mark appeared on the icon of the already constructed tavern, displaying the tavern''s function introduction.


    In the game, he had built a tavern, but this was reality after all, and Tang Yu worried that the rules might be different. Just when he was troubled by not knowing the differences, he happened to discover this feature introduction.


    Without hesitation, Tang Yu clicked on the function introduction.


    [In the tavern, the Lord had the right to summon adventurers once daily for free. After using the free privilege, to summon adventurers again, he must spend five hundred units of Source Crystals.]


    [The qualifications of summoned adventurers were divided into D, C, B, A, and higher than A. The higher the qualification, the higher the adventurer''s growth attributes. However, the higher the qualification of the adventurer, the lower the summoning probability. Upgrading the tavern could increase the probability of summoning high-qualified adventurers.]


    [Adventurers had five basic professions, namely, warrior, mage, clergy, assassin, and musketeer. The strength of the summoned adventurer was not fixed. A Level 1 tavern could summon adventurers at the Fifth Tier Awakening Tier and Foundation Peak. Upgrading the tavern could increase the strength limit of the summoned adventurers.]


    [After summoning an adventurer, the Lord could choose whether to recruit based on needs. If chosen, a contract would be signed with the adventurer. A Level 1 tavern had only three Follower Contract slots. Upgrading the tavern could increase the number of followers who could sign contracts.]


    [The Lord''s first summon would definitely summon an adventurer with qualifications above B level.]


    The rules did not differ much from those in the game, so Tang Yu felt relieved.


    Why did he choose a tavern as his first building, if not because the tavern was the greatest help to him at this time!


    Especially the first recruitment benefit, which was sure to summon an adventurer with B-level qualifications or higher, was truly exciting to think about.


    Tang Yu, familiar with the quirks of card games, knew that saying "above B-level" meant neither A-level nor S-level would appear, but for him, a B-level qualified adventurer was already a great help.


    B-level qualification might sound average, but considering how he hadn''t seen a single A-level qualified adventurer in the game for nearly a month, he knew how rare this probability was.


    Especially since the gaming system had materialized into reality, Tang Yu speculated that the qualification grading might be the same as modern human grading. It''s just that, in reality, the means of detecting qualifications were still quite backward, only barely able to gauge a person''s general qualification, unable to specify a clear qualification division.


    He originally had an E-level Awakening qualification, and most Awakeners were D-level. Perhaps only the favored ones who awakened at the apocalypse''s beginning could have qualifications above B-level. Moreover, adventurers had professions, skills, and complete career systems, completely overshadowing reality where Awakeners knew nothing and could only rely on basic attacks.


    Tang Yu shook off his chaotic thoughts and focused his attention on the upcoming summoning ritual.


    "Come on!"


    Tang Yu took a deep breath, opened the system, and chose to summon.


    In the tavern''s center, a large circular array appeared, engraved with dense runes.


    The runes spun and merged like clock hands, and a shimmering light emanated around the array, gradually contracting like a halo.


    It was coming.


    The adventurer''s profession and strength to be summoned were all unknown!


    Tang Yu held his breath!


    As the halo shrunk to its smallest, a beam of purple light burst forth.


    Purple? Purple light!


    Tang Yu''s heart uncooperatively skipped a beat twice, and he counted silently in his mind...


    White light represented D-level qualifications.


    Green light represented C-level qualifications.


    Blue light represented B-level qualifications.


    That purple light...


    This must be luck!


    The purple light transformed into a human shadow. The adventurer wore a tattered cloak, obscuring their appearance. Tang Yu observed for a while and realized it was a female adventurer.


    "Ding-dong! Adventurer Eileen, Qualification A, Profession: Mage, Does the Lord confirm signing a Follower Contract (primary) with her?"


    Was there even a need to ask?


    "Confirm!!"


    ...


    In a dilapidated wooden hut, a cloaked person sat on an equally shabby wooden bed, holding a battered book, reading with focused attention.


    Barren walls, this was Eileen''s home.


    These days had lasted for several years. From the initial confusion to the present, Eileen had grown very accustomed to such days. For her, no environment could surpass the importance of the book in her hands.


    It was a Magic book''s foundation.


    Eileen had found it under her bed, besides her parents'' relics, it was the sole possession at home.


    Woo¡ª S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A sharp alarm echoed throughout the city, and Eileen was taken aback, sadness flickering across her face.


    It was the alarm for the Black Tide''s arrival, too familiar, like an imprint on her soul.


    Three years ago, the same alarm sounded. The Black Tide struck, and her parents, working outside the city, never returned.


    That year, she became an orphan. From that moment, her once fairly complete home began to crumble.


    In her grief, Eileen awakened, comprehending the element''s power and astonishingly discovering she could wield ice abilities. This was the power only mages possessed, mages being powerful and noble, holding far greater status than ordinary warriors.


    But mastering ice abilities was only a prerequisite for becoming a mage; Eileen had no means to learn Magic.


    In this city, she knew only the City Lord''s faction possessed books on Magic, books so precious Eileen knew she couldn''t possibly obtain them unless she swore allegiance to the City Lord. However, the City Lord was an extreme aristocrat. He always believed that only the noble bloodline could wield the power of Magic¡­


    Eileen shook her head; she could only survive alone in the slums.


    Without a stable income, living alone, being so young, in a place as cutthroat as the slums, Eileen led a very tough life. Fortunately, she had awakened, her physique, perception, and other abilities surpassing ordinary people, allowing her to gradually survive in such a place.


    Until once, from the cracked bedboard at home, she found a broken Magic Book.


    The Magic Book''s content was intermittent; Eileen had no Magic foundation either. Yet with this, her understanding of Spells advanced rapidly, comprehending one Spell after another.


    "Phew~"


    Eileen exhaled, stepping out of the small wooden house.


    She donned her hood, the large cloak covering her body completely. After living in the slums for years, this had become Eileen''s habit. In this mixed bag of a place, the best way for a solitary girl to survive was to conceal herself.


    The slums were located at the city''s outermost area, littered with disorderly homes as far as the eye could see. Further away stood the towering city walls, where Eileen could see several soldiers rushing to their designated positions.


    Beyond the walls was a gray sky; ever since she could remember, the world had always appeared in this color. Eileen hid her most important book on her person; nothing valuable remained at home. After some consideration, she decided to check the situation.


    At this time, chaos reigned due to the alarm, with many people running aimlessly.


    Suddenly.


    Boom!


    A blinding firelight erupted in the distance, plumes of smoke rising with rumbling noises. The towering city walls collapsed!


    Eileen''s eyes widened in shock; the city''s walls had always appeared indestructible to her. Even during the fierce defensive battle three years ago, no walls had collapsed. But with this Black Tide assault, right at the start, the wall had fallen.

 Chapter 9 - 9 The First Follower

    "No!"


    "Help!"


    The slums had their characteristics: too many people and narrow streets.


    Once the city walls were breached, everyone scattered like headless flies. Countless monsters poured through the breach, a dark mass like a tide, and in the blink of an eye, residents had already perished at the hands of those monsters.


    The Outer City District was no longer safe. Some clever individuals planned to flee to the Inner City; at this moment, only the inner city walls remained intact, still protected by advanced professionals. The Inner City was indeed much safer. However, Eileen had no intention of heading to the Inner City. On ordinary days, only nobles and big merchants could enter the Inner City. In such an emergency situation, it was even less likely for the poor to be allowed entry.


    The best strategy was to find a place to hold out.


    Eileen was very familiar with the slums. She quickly located a spot suitable for defense, backed by the city wall, with sturdy buildings nearby and some distance from the breach¡ªa place that could be considered the best option in a short time.


    The horde of monsters appeared before her eyes.


    Eileen had often heard about them from her parents, but this was her first time seeing these monsters. They varied in appearance, but their common feature was their ferocity, ugliness, and the fearsome aura they emitted. It was said these were dark creatures sent by the Evil God to invade the world.


    A swarm of spiders lunged over. They were the size of infants, covered in dark purple, dripping corrosive ooze from their mouths with a hissing sound.


    These were the lowest-ranked Demon Spiders, yet still terrifying. Their venom had an intense corrosiveness, and many warriors would be severely injured if caught off guard.


    Eileen''s mind flashed with information on common dark creatures. Then she extended her hands to gather the surrounding Ice Element, taking action for the first time since her Awakening.


    The temperature dropped instantly, as Ice Crystals formed in her palm.


    Bang! Crash!


    The ice crystal pierced through the Demon Spiders, then shattered, sending fragments flying and freezing one spider after another to the ground.


    For dealing with these weak in strength yet numerous dark creatures, mages like her had an advantage.


    However, there were too many Demon Spiders, an endless source of them, with the screams of humans occasionally piercing through the air.


    One minute passed.


    Two minutes.


    Five minutes...


    Backed against the city wall, this spot was relatively safe, having not encountered the terrible monsters within the Black Tide. However, even dealing with just these Demon Spiders had Eileen looking pale. Her Magic Power was nearly depleted, the situation hadn''t improved the slightest, and she saw that the soldiers on the wall were almost entirely wiped out.


    It was horrific!


    Three years earlier, she only knew the Black Tide was terrifying, yet it wasn''t until now that she deeply felt this sense of powerlessness...


    In the distance, the Inner City was amidst flames of war, while the Outer City had long since fallen silent. Eileen didn''t know how many survivors were left in the Outer City, but she understood that she could no longer cast any spells, about to end up like the devoured dead.


    Was it unwillingness...


    If she hadn''t Awakened three years ago, she might have died long ago; however...


    The Demon Spiders pounced toward her, their venom corroding her cloak, drizzling on her skin, and causing intense pain that surged through her nerves.


    Eileen instead became calm...


    Ding¡ª


    Her calm eyes rippled with a slight wave.


    "... Would you like to become a follower of the Lord? Yes/No?"


    A golden scroll appeared before her, seeming to dispel the endless darkness.


    A shift in time and space.


    Eileen''s vision blurred, the overwhelming Black Tide vanished, the sounds of battle and screams disappeared, and what appeared before her was a tavern.


    "I¡­"


    She was astonished to find she felt no pain at all. Though her robe was still in tatters, her skin was unharmed, and all her injuries completely healed. She even noticed that her Magic Power was fully replenished in an instant, restored to its best state.


    Am I dreaming...


    Eileen pinched herself lightly, quickly realizing that everything was real. This wasn''t Heaven or Hell; as the Contract indicated, this was another world.


    She had arrived here as a follower, where everything would begin anew.


    The soft glow of orange lantern light enveloped her. The surroundings were silent. Eileen lifted her gaze and finally locked eyes with a young man not far away, whose face was adorned with a gentle smile.


    She was startled for a moment, then stepped forward and knelt on one knee.


    ...


    The illusory figure on the Rune Array transformed into reality. The girl''s clothes were tattered, the original large cloak had become strips of cloth fluttering around, stained with blood of many colors.


    Tang Yu saw that the girl seemed to still be in a daze. He prepared to step forward, but then his raised foot suddenly stopped in mid-air...


    As a Lord, facing his first follower, and it was a girl no less, what should he say at this moment?


    Tang Yu was a little troubled by not preparing a script beforehand and couldn''t ask Baidu, so perhaps... Hello, comrades. Comrades, you have worked hard?


    That didn''t seem suitable.


    His peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of the wine on the bar. Tang Yu''s eyes lit up, and he walked forward to grab a bottle, handing it over.


    "Fancy a bottle?"


    Just then, Eileen stepped forward and knelt on one knee.


    The atmosphere was incredibly awkward...


    A few minutes later.


    Eileen followed behind the Lord, still feeling as if in a dream.


    First narrowly escaping death, then being summoned to this world and infused with information from the Contract''s power in her mind, she didn''t feel any discomfort; the language, common sense, and such in this world seemed instinctive in her daily life.


    Because of this, she was surprised, and now, under the Lord''s guidance, she arrived at a castle.


    As a child growing up in the slums, Eileen had never seen anything like this. The castle was resplendent, yet she was covered in dirt, feeling as if she were sullying a beautiful painting by entering it.


    She dared not step inside, but the Lord led her in, leaving dark footprints on the floor until arriving in a spacious, bright room.


    "This is the bathroom... Clothes are on the rack over there. They might not fit, so just make do for now... As for food, I''ll prepare some; it should be ready when you come out..."


    The door clicked shut, but Eileen''s mind continued to echo with the Lord''s words; before her was such a beautiful room.


    Her expression was still somewhat dazed. Recalling her life, ever since her parents passed away, life had plunged into darkness, bullied and ostracized, surrounded by ill-intentioned people. Yet today, she felt warmth again.


    Eileen blinked, tears welling in her eyes. She removed her clothes and stepped into the warm bath. Water rose over her knees, and the Lord''s gentle smile flashed in her mind.


    Gradually, Eileen sat down, the water rising above her shoulders, washing away the grime.


    She closed her eyes, and in her heart, a new resolve formed.


    ...


    Tang Yu hummed a tune as he busied himself in the kitchen.


    He couldn''t actually cook, at most just able to boil some noodles. Luckily, the castle''s household appliances were advanced. He tinkered a bit and managed to prepare something.


    Returning to the second-floor bathroom door, he looked at the closed bathroom door, listening to the sound of water splashing inside, and for a moment, Tang Yu found his heart racing.


    Although Eileen''s cloak was broken, she''d been through mud, looking quite pitiful. He hadn''t really seen what she looked like, only listened to her voice, which was crisp and pleasant.


    He thought Eileen would take a long time in the bathroom, but soon, accompanied by the sound of the door opening, mist expanded outside.


    Suddenly, Tang Yu found himself expectant.


    A clean, white foot appeared in view, looking like the finest ivory. As his gaze moved upward...


    Tang Yu involuntarily swallowed his saliva.


    Eileen appeared as if she''d stepped out of a painting; she had sky-blue hair, almost reaching down to her waist, with droplets of water clinging to the ends that hadn''t fully dried. Her small face was flushed, her skin fair and smooth, resembling radiant ice crystals.


    The oversized men''s coat draped over Eileen concealed her slender frame, but her pale thighs nearly exposed to the air, seemed to twist with some restlessness... S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For a moment, Tang Yu felt his blood surge, realizing he might need a boost of nutrition.

 Chapter 10 - 10 Moving Squad

    The next day, the weather was clear.


    Tang Yu stretched lazily and walked out of the castle. There was a new resident here last night, making the whole castle feel much more lively.


    After breakfast, Tang Yu and Eileen went to the small garden in front of the castle.


    Eileen, at this time, was wearing a beige long dress, the hem gently fluttering in the wind, exuding a youthful vibe.


    Tang Yu searched for the clothes overnight. After all, he wasn''t into women''s clothing, so there naturally weren''t any women''s clothes readily available in the castle. After Eileen took a bath, she had to make do with a coat from the rack, and the image from last night still lingered in Tang Yu''s mind.


    Although the summoning result was somewhat unexpected, Tang Yu did not forget why he summoned Eileen here in the first place.


    She was his first follower and would be his most beneficial helper.


    A mage with A-grade qualifications!


    "Did you rest well last night?"


    Eileen lightly hummed in response.


    Such a life was unimaginable to her before, but at this moment, she was ready for everything.


    Soon, at the Lord''s request, Eileen demonstrated her power. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From that damaged Magic Book, she had mastered two spells.


    One was the Ice Crystal, and the other was the Ice Storm.


    As she raised one hand, the Ice Crystal formed, shot out, pierced through the trunk of a distant tree, and blue Frost spread from the breach, quickly turning the entire tree into ice-crystal color.


    Tang Yu observed.


    Eileen''s strength was about at the Second-tier Peak of Awakening, which was rare. From the Contract, Tang Yu also learned a brief information about Eileen and knew that the little girl had not had it easy. Although she had awakened three years ago, she had not received systematic spell guidance, nor did her world have monsters leveling up. Her strength came through meditation.


    Step by step, she reached this level of power by relying on meditative methods she figured out herself. Tang Yu knew it wasn''t easy but also understood it was challenging.


    This strength couldn''t compare to Number One and Number Two. However, mages had their own advantages. Besides, Number One and Number Two were just puppets, and no matter how intelligent they were, they could only be used as weapons, whereas Eileen was a living person with A-grade qualifications and limitless potential.


    Tang Yu also speculated that perhaps because of Eileen''s high qualifications and exceptional ice element affinity, her skin, far from becoming coarse and yellow from her difficult past, became increasingly smooth and crystal-clear due to the constant improvement from the elements.


    ¡­


    On the other side, early in the morning, Chen Haiping and others had already woken up and were preparing to cook porridge.


    In the apocalypse, waking up early was considered a luxury for ordinary survivors. After all, ordinary survivors could not eat their fill every day, so there was no breakfast to speak of. Instead of getting up to starve, it was better to sleep more since one wouldn''t feel hungry in dreams.


    But today, each of them woke up early, their mouths watering. Tang Yu gave quite a bit of food yesterday, and the variety was rich. They could enjoy porridge with some bacon and pickles, which was enough to make them happy!


    Don''t think they were hiding in a cold storage meant for storing grain. The place only stored ordinary rice, and they had escaped in a hurry without any tools. Not starving to death was already a blessing.


    But today... After devouring a bowl of rice porridge, a survivor patted his belly, smiling contentedly, "Why is it that ordinary rice porridge tastes so fulfilling?"


    "Because you''re fat," a companion jeered, "Fat people are easily satisfied."


    "Nonsense! Who was it just now who almost dipped their face into the bowl eating?"


    A group of people quarreled noisily but without any anger.


    With energy, they had the mind to joke around, even Chen Haiping, an Awakener. Although he could fill his stomach in the past, he wasn''t a trusted aide of Director Wang Tai, and his daily meals were still not as good as now.


    With a comparison, they realized that the present times were immensely valuable.


    Chen Haiping led the survivors to Villa No. 3, and beyond that was the restricted area. Tang Yu had warned them yesterday that the innermost area of the villa district was off-limits, and they naturally wouldn''t be curious enough to explore.


    Curiosity kills in the apocalypse, a universal truth.


    "Why hasn''t Mr. Tang arrived yet?"


    "Call him Director Tang. We will be working under Director Tang. We need to behave well. With Mr. Tang''s generosity, he surely won''t treat us poorly. If Director Tang truly establishes the Sanctuary, we''ll be the founding members."


    Tang Yu had already discussed work matters with them yesterday¡ªjust transporting various materials. Though it was manual labor, it wasn''t dangerous, and there was no better job in the apocalypse. The compensation mentioned yesterday included food and essential daily supplies, which was already quite generous.


    They had hesitated before, but now they were determined to work diligently under Tang Yu. Their perception changed immediately. Although they still thought establishing a Sanctuary seemed unlikely, no one dared say Tang Yu was overestimating himself. They couldn''t leave this place anyway. Besides, if the Sanctuary was built, their quality of life would improve significantly with Tang Yu''s generosity.


    Thinking this made them eager to start working.


    "Director Tang is here!"


    Someone suddenly shouted.


    They saw Tang Yu approaching from a distance, dressed in a tracksuit, with a short knife at his waist. Behind him, Number One looked the same as yesterday.


    Suddenly, they were surprised to see Eileen following Tang Yu''s footsteps.


    At this moment, besides wearing a beige long dress, Eileen also had on a loose, hooded outerwear. Eileen didn''t feel warmth. Instead, the long years in the slums made her accustomed to hiding herself, even though the outerwear couldn''t fully cover her.


    A few survivors almost stared, entranced, but quickly lowered their heads.


    Perhaps they mistook the delicate Eileen for a pretty face, only Chen Haiping sensed a faint mysterious aura from Eileen.


    These auras were similar to those of an Awakener, yet different.


    Chen Haiping shook his head, stopping his speculation, and then stepped forward to discuss today''s arrangements with Tang Yu.


    Puh puh swish!


    Suddenly, Chen Haiping heard an odd sound, his expression froze, and he looked up in the direction of the sound.


    Under the blue sky, a dark cloud was approaching. As he focused, he realized it wasn''t a cloud but countless flocking Flying Demonized Beasts creating a terrifying scene.


    "It''s Demonized Sparrows!"


    Chen Haiping blurted out.


    These creatures were local sparrows on Earth, demonized under the influence of the red mist. Among demonized beasts, they were the lowest tier, even weaker than the Demonized Steel Rat.


    Yet he grew more anxious. Apart from their weak individual strength, Demonized Sparrows typically moved in flocks, vast in number. Glancing over, Chen Haiping estimated no less than dozens or hundreds in the dense mass. More importantly, these demonized beasts could fly!


    Exactly what Chen Haiping worried about: While Armored Experts were strong, they couldn''t fly or have large-scale offensive means, which meant they couldn''t utilize their full strength against the Demonized Sparrows.


    This was dangerous!


    In the blink of an eye, the flock of Demonized Sparrows flew over the villa area, spotting them, diving down like a dark cloud descending from the sky.


    At this moment, escaping to a fortified room was the only chance to avoid disaster, but the Flying Demonized Beasts were swift, making escape too late.


    "Is there really no way..."


    Chen Haiping used a handgun to kill two Demonized Sparrows, but the dark cloud didn''t seem to diminish, and his heart sank even more.


    Tang Yu noticed this situation, yet his eyes shone bright.


    The tasks for the transport team were already arranged, and now with Eileen as a main force, the development speed of the Territory would undoubtedly accelerate. However, whether the second system building could be established today depended on the Source Crystal.


    At this moment, the self-delivered Demonized Sparrows seemed adorable indeed. The significant contribution these Demonized Sparrows would make to the Territory, he vowed to remember.


    Behind him, Eileen had already extended her fair palm, and white mist condensed into Frost.

 Chapter 11 - 11 Eileens Strength

    In an instant, it was as if the sky had suddenly changed color. A moment ago, it had been overcast with dark clouds, but now it seemed to be covered with a layer of blue ice crystals.


    No, not covered...


    Chen Haiping felt a piercing chill come over him. Visible to the naked eye, a point of blue light burst forth in the midst of the jet-black sparrow swarm, expanding rapidly. In just a moment, nearly ten demonized sparrows were frozen into ice sculptures, and the rest, affected by the chill, were tottering.


    Not far away, Eileen''s pretty face was serious, her hands raised high. An ice-blue ice crystal arrow, as thick as an arm, was condensing inch by inch, then shot out violently, creating ripples in the air.


    The ice crystal shot into the sparrow swarm and exploded, ice shards flying in all directions, with a fierce chill surging out...


    It was ice-type superpower!


    Chen Haiping never expected that this seemingly delicate girl was, in fact, an incredibly rare Awakener with a Special Ability.


    Out of a hundred Awakeners, not even one would possess such a Special Ability!


    It was something predestined, something Chen Haiping could only envy. Yet, Eileen''s strength still took him by surprise.


    From his previous perception, Chen Haiping had only assumed Eileen was an Awakener of little power. But now, watching Eileen, who wasn''t even out of breath, casually conjuring ice crystals and wiping out this batch of demonized sparrows, he felt an indescribable shock.


    For a newly Awakened ability user, no matter the ability, unleashing it once or twice would already be the limit. He had also seen the Sanctuary''s number one, that ability user with the power of fire blast. Although immensely powerful, it was not sustainable.


    By comparison, Eileen remained calm and collected. Whether condensing the chill into ice crystals or controlling their directed explosion, this girl still had energy to spare!


    Chen Haiping would likely never understand what a professional system, Magic, or even High-level Puppets were in his lifetime. This was not his fault, for even Tang Yu himself only understood them on a superficial level.


    ¡­ S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eileen breathed a light sigh, calming the magic power surging within her.


    Compared to the intense shock inside Chen Haiping, she was... quite happy at the moment.


    Everyone has a different definition of happiness. For some, it''s the joy after a fine meal; for others, it''s the thrill of a "five kills" "Super God." For Eileen, realizing her own value and being able to help the Lord was what made her truly joyful.


    After the demonized sparrow swarm died, an invisible ripple emanated, flowing incessantly into her body like rivers converging into the sea.


    In an instant, Eileen''s crystal-like eyes widened.


    This was...


    She had awakened three years ago, but before discovering that incomplete Magic Book, Eileen hadn''t found a way to enhance her power. Even though she could sense the strange energy around her body, her control over the Ice Frost Power was extremely weak.


    Upon discovering the Magic Book, she comprehended the mage''s most basic ability, meditation.


    Meditation was the most fundamental method of increasing power. Other professions also had similar methods, which Eileen had heard about. However, the pure energy that surged into her body after killing the demonized sparrows was something she had never imagined before.


    This power was so pure!


    With just a little refining, it could be transformed into her own strength, faster than the rate of meditation by countless times, and with no side effects at all.


    After three years of meditation, her power had reached the Second-tier Peak of the Awakening Tier. At the previous meditation rate, she might successfully break through to the third layer in six months. But now... Eileen believed that with more of this refinable energy, she might directly break through to the third layer.


    Such a speed seemed like a dream.


    Eileen recalled the Lord telling her yesterday that there would be a surprise called soul power when killing demonized beasts.


    So this was soul power...


    ¡­


    After dealing with this batch of courier demonized sparrows, Tang Yu was quite happy as well.


    These demonized beasts were weak and had a low probability of yielding Source Crystals. However, the large numbers made Tang Yu quite pleased as he prepared to start the crystal excavation operation.


    On second thought, he realized he was no longer alone. He had just established his first transportation team, which he could now call over to excavate the crystals and make full use of resources.


    But Eileen, who appeared timid initially, looked different now. When she first arrived yesterday, she was bewildered and panicked, walking on tiptoe on the castle''s gleaming floor... Yet now, facing these demonized sparrows, she appeared completely unflustered.


    Tang Yu understood. While Eileen might be young and lack battle experience, she did go through a tough castle defense fight just yesterday. Compared to that, these demonized sparrows were nothing.


    With a successful start, Tang Yu continued with his original plan, clearing out demonized beasts from the resort area, while also searching for any remaining usable items from the original Sanctuary.


    Not until dusk, when the sky turned yellow, did Tang Yu return to the villa area.


    Counting the Source Crystals in his pocket, Tang Yu smiled. Next up was the most exciting construction moment.


    Commonly known as Consuming Crystal time.


    Just as a few survivors were pushing carts from afar.


    In the middle section of the villa area, a pile of debris resembling a small mountain of garbage had formed. Most of these were wreckage from damaged buildings, concrete boards with steel bars, and many broken tools. Whether before or after the apocalypse, these were things no one wanted. But for Tang Yu, they were exactly what he urgently needed.


    "Move everything to Villa Number Three," he pointed.


    Tang Yu indicated the inner side of the villa area, where Villa Number Three lay. Beyond it were Villa Number Two and a castle, with the castle set some distance from the high-hanging cliff at the back. Once an abandoned wasteland, it now served as the perfect place for Tang Yu to place his core buildings, the safest location.


    Tang Yu intended for this location to be his forbidden area. By blocking off the front gap, he could seal it tightly. Although others couldn''t access the core buildings without Tang Yu''s permission, he still chose to isolate them from the reach of survivors to avoid unnecessary trouble.


    Before long, several survivors dragged a huge pile of scrap to the front of Villa Number Three.


    Villa Number Three was already quite dilapidated, littered with bullet marks, claw scratches, and even blackened spots from explosions. With the scrap pile added in front, it looked even more like a garbage heap.


    This wouldn''t do... Tang Yu shook his head slightly. After completing the main core buildings, this Territory needed proper management. If he wanted to develop it into a Sanctuary, its external appearance couldn''t be so shabby. He didn''t want to walk out of the castle every day to such a miserable sight.


    Leaving the pushcarts and sending the survivors away, Tang Yu called Numbers One and Two to help move the valuable "scrap" to the vacant lot behind the castle.

 Chapter 12 - 12 Workshop

    After all the commotion, the sky had completely darkened.


    "Beep beep! Detected two hundred and thirteen units of available wood."


    "Detected five hundred and forty-nine units of available stone."


    "Detected one hundred and ninety-eight units of available iron."


    "Detected five hundred and thirty-five units of Source Crystal."


    Tang Yu smiled; with such resources, it was enough to construct either a workshop or a building in the market.


    Out of the four core buildings, half were quickly assembled.


    Standing on the open space behind the castle, one could see the lights of the castle not far away, particularly striking in the dark night. Yet no Demonized Beasts were attracted; after two days of clearing the surrounding Demonized Beasts, the number left within the resort''s territory was already minimal, and there hadn''t been a red dot on the territory map all day.


    After some thought, Tang Yu decided to establish the workshop first.


    Both the market and the workshop were significantly useful, but comparatively, once the workshop was built, it could start functioning immediately, whereas the market... Tang Yu estimated that with the limited Source Crystal at hand, there was no budget to build any market!


    He opened the construction panel, selected the core building area, and chose to build the workshop.


    "Ding! Building a workshop, consuming five hundred units of Source Crystal, one hundred units of stone, and one hundred units of iron. Do you confirm?"


    "Confirm!"


    From the small mountain of waste materials around, countless materials levitated, suspended in mid-air, and the Source Crystal in his pocket disintegrated, emitting a faint light like a long dragon made of fireflies, weaving these materials together.


    Soon, a building five meters high and covering over two hundred square meters appeared before Tang Yu.


    Even though it was the second time seeing this scene, Tang Yu still felt astounded. This was an unparalleled force, and he didn''t know what the system truly was. Although it could project a voice into his mind, genuine interaction was impossible. His seamless usage mainly stemmed from his gaming experience before the apocalypse.


    However, the real system was not always the same as in games. Previously, Tang Yu noticed some differences from the game at the tavern, indicating that past experiences could not be blindly borrowed. Some buildings from the late period he hadn''t even constructed in the game, and when the time came, he might be at a loss.


    Shaking his head, these matters still seemed far off. Developing the territory in reality was much harder than in the game; at least, acquiring building resources and Source Crystal happened much faster in the game than now.


    He wasn''t too dissatisfied though.


    The workshop''s exterior bore no special distinction, resembling an ordinary small workshop before the apocalypse. The previous tavern was the same, looking plain; not bad, but far from as splendid as the castle, seemingly lowering its class at once.


    Out of curiosity, Tang Yu walked into the workshop.


    The workshop was completely enclosed, without any windows, and only after opening the door did he see that it was lit inside. The floors and walls were uniformly monotonous, and the entire room was empty, except for a large black box placed in the middle. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The black box was square, wrapped in a black shell, with openings at both ends. After searching around, Tang Yu finally found something resembling an operation panel.


    It ought to be the operation panel.


    Tang Yu checked the workshop''s function introduction, which was much simpler than the tavern''s. It was merely about putting materials into the input port, then operating on the panel, and finally retrieving equipment from the black box''s output.


    A Level One workshop came equipped with basic blueprints, including basic weapons for all professions, basic Longsword, basic Magic Wand, basic musket, basic dagger, and Basic Holy Hammer. Defensive equipment included several types like the most ordinary light armor, heavy armor, leather armor, and robes.


    Apart from weapons and armor, the most important section was the Rune section.


    Runes were special symbols carved with Source Power, capable of bearing special powers. Even the most ordinary Sharp Rune etched on a common sword could make it as sharp as cutting through iron like mud.


    Although the Level One workshop''s equipment blueprints were ordinary, they could bear the power of one Rune unit, substantially upgrading the quality of all equipment.


    Similarly, among the basic blueprints of the Level One workshop, there were also the most basic Rune blueprints.


    The Basic Sharp Rune, which could slightly enhance the sharpness of weapons.


    The Basic Mana Rune, which could slightly amplify the mana of the holder.


    The Basic Armor Rune, which could slightly improve the protection level of armor.


    Though few in number, they were fully functional.


    As long as there were enough materials, a complete set of equipment could be assembled. Even though in the game this was just ordinary beginner''s gear, Tang Yu believed, once obtained in reality, it would sufficiently surpass alloy weapons, stab-proof vests, and similar gear by a significant margin.


    The materials for manufacturing equipment were similar to constructing buildings, mostly iron and Source Crystal. If it was making armor, sometimes some fur was needed, like Demonized Beast pelts.


    Fortunately, some building materials were left, and quite a lot of Demonized Beast pelts had been collected these days, initially with no use found, they had been piled up to the point of rotting.


    Tang Yu placed the materials into the input port and selected the equipment he wanted to make on the operation panel.


    The operation was mindless and very simple.


    [Manufacturing Basic Sharp Rune, consuming five units of Source Crystal.]


    [Manufacturing Basic Mana Rune, consuming five units of Source Crystal.]


    [Manufacturing Basic Longsword, consuming five units of iron, five units of Source Crystal, one Basic Sharp Rune.]


    [Manufacturing Basic Magic Wand, consuming five units of wood, five units of Source Crystal, one Basic Mana Rune.]


    [Manufacturing Basic Armor Rune, ¡­]


    [¡­, ¡­]


    ...


    Lindong Sanctuary.


    Compared to other small shelters, which were cloaked in darkness at nightfall, many areas of Lindong Sanctuary were still lit.


    Wang Tai, dressed as an ordinary survivor, watched the flow of people, including some Awakeners in fine equipment, and felt a sense of deep discontent.


    He had once been the head of a shelter, with dozens of Awakeners under his command and countless resources. But now, he was no match for even some mercenaries at Lindong Sanctuary!


    Having escaped from the Demon Tide, with over half of the dozen or so direct subordinates he brought dead or injured, by the time he stumbled into Lindong, only two of his direct subordinates were left. Others had elite mercenary teams with five or six Awakeners and firearms and other weapons. He had neither manpower nor weapons, nor did he have any Source Crystal, which had significant value in Lindong and could serve as universal currency, because he had left it in his former shelter due to the hasty escape.


    The sanctuary had already been annihilated by the Demon Tide. He neither could nor had the ability to establish another shelter. But if he could retrieve those Source Crystals hidden in the villa, he''d still have a chance to rise again. However, having just survived the perils of the wilderness, Wang Tai realized that with just him and his two remaining subordinates, they probably wouldn''t even make it halfway to the resort before dying. Moreover, after arriving in Lindong, if he ended up empty-handed, it was uncertain whether his two direct subordinates would stick with him.


    Wang Tai''s face fluctuated between different expressions.


    At this moment, an unremarkable middle-aged man approached from a distance, and Wang Tai immediately plastered a fawning smile on his face.


    The middle-aged man remained expressionless and merely stated, "What you mentioned, the boss has agreed. We''ll set out first thing tomorrow morning, with me leading the team. I hope what you said is true, otherwise, you should know what might happen."


    Wang Tai, hearing this, didn''t express any dissatisfaction, but instead showed joy, "Of course, of course, how dare I deceive President Lin? But tomorrow, I''ll have to rely greatly on Captain Han."


    Han Jing glanced over, "No problem." Then he left right away.


    Wang Tai watched Han Jing walk away, clenching and unclenching his fists.


    With his strength alone, there was no way he could reach the resort. But if he could find a powerful backer, things would be different. Fortunately, during this escape, he made a significant discovery. Using this piece of information, he managed to establish a connection with President Lin, who was a boss-level figure, ranking among the top three in influence in Lindong!


    This time, to verify the information he provided, President Lin even dispatched Han Jing, a top expert almost reaching the fourth layer of Awakening, to lead the team. With such a team, reaching the resort was as good as certain, no matter how many leftover Demonized Beasts from the Demon Tide still lingered there or what unique situations they might encounter along the way; everything would be crushed under absolute strength.


    When the information was verified, he would have truly established a connection with President Lin, gaining leverage in Lindong, and secretly retrieving the hidden Source Crystals at the resort to use as initial capital for future development in Lindong.


    He still had a chance to rise again!

 Chapter 13 - 13 Finding an Expert

    The following day, at the break of dawn, a faint golden light filtered through the clouds, casting a golden glow across the sky.


    Tang Yu sat cross-legged on the bed, slowly opening his eyes.


    The first half of the night was spent sleeping.


    Inside and outside the castle were like two different worlds. Outside lay a mess, the air filled with the continuous stench of various corpses. Even though he had become accustomed to such a life, it was still unpleasant.


    The inside of the castle was different.


    The air was exceptionally fresh, more invigorating than that of a lush, dense forest. The temperature was also very suitable. It was midsummer outside, hot even at night, but inside the castle, it felt refreshingly cool, with a comfortable large bed. All these factors contributed to Tang Yu''s excellent sleep quality. Added to the Awakener''s formidable recovery power, only four or five hours of sleep sufficed to recover from a day''s fatigue.


    The second half of the night was spent in cultivation.


    This involved refining soul power.


    Normally, refining soul power was quick, but Tang Yu had absorbed a substantial amount throughout the day. He even inexplicably felt a false sense of being full from the intangible soul power. This caused him to spend a lot of time refining it all and converting it into his own strength.


    "It already reached the strength of the First Layer Peak of the Awakening Tier. With just a sufficient amount of soul power, I could break through into the Second-tier of the Awakening Tier. At this speed, even those high-aptitude Awakeners couldn''t compare."


    This was to be expected. No matter how high others'' aptitude, their strength progression relied on real battles, whereas he was like a cheat, accompanied by an Awakener equivalent to the Fifth Tier of the Awakening Tier, who didn''t even compete for soul power. How could the speed of progress not be fast?


    After breakfast,


    Tang Yu changed into equipment recently produced by the workshop: a bright steel longsword and a black combat uniform with red stripes.


    The combat uniform was made of leather armor, not the kind that half-covered, half-exposed, common in games. In reality, wearing such equipment wouldn''t provide defensive power +++. If he wore those game-equipment pieces that barely covered strategic parts and faced Demonized Beasts, Tang Yu would have nothing to say but "ha-ha."


    The combat uniform was exceptionally comfortable. He initially thought wearing it in the heat would be sweltering, but the workshop''s high-tech proved otherwise. The combat uniform was lightweight and breathable, offering a smooth and natural feeling during movements.


    Made from the hide of a scarlet Demonized Beast, the defense of the combat uniform was robust. Even a steel longsword would struggle to make a small cut on the uniform¡­ this demonstrated the material difference, considering basic longswords were made from ordinary iron.


    Tang Yu checked himself in a mirror inside the castle, very satisfied with this combat uniform.


    "It just feels a bit flamboyant."


    ...


    The survivors got up early, having savored the benefits. By working, they could trade for ample food, which made them very pleased. Among the food traded yesterday were two canned meats, causing many survivors to weep tears of joy, as they hadn''t tasted meat in so long.


    "It''s Director Tang!"


    Someone called out, then rubbed their eyes suddenly.


    In the distance, the three familiar figures approached, with Tang Yu in front, followed by the armored expert, and the girl seen yesterday. Besides the armored expert, others almost didn''t recognize Director Tang and the girl, who could emit ice crystals!


    In the distance, Director Tang wore a black combat uniform with red stripes, a longsword at his waist, gleaming in the sunlight.


    Behind him, the armored expert appeared as a loyal guard, carrying a long spear and following silently.


    To his side, Eileen wore a similarly styled black Mage robe with red stripes, the hood hiding her face. The robe''s breadth covered her small stature, and from the sleeve extended a delicate hand gripping a tapered, spiraled branch¡ªthat must be a Magic Wand!


    The three approached slowly.


    Surrounding them remained uncleaned Demonized Beast corpses, dried blood, and damaged buildings.


    The high-hanging sun seemed to rise from behind them.


    At that moment, the world seemed to lose its colors, leaving only the sight of three slowly advancing figures.


    "Gulp."


    Someone involuntarily swallowed saliva.


    Such attire resembled cosplay characters at an anime convention, outlandish for the apocalypse, apparently inconvenient for action, yet seeing Director Tang''s trio adorned this way, the crowd thought it remarkably harmonious, as if everything were meant to be.


    Director Tang''s trio resembled warriors returning in glory from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.


    ...


    Even amazed by such gear, the survivors acted appropriately, knowing what to ask and what not to. Soon, they dispersed to work.


    Chen Haiping did not leave.


    The work of a porter paid well, but Chen Haiping refused to idle away, waiting for death.


    He became an Awakener relatively late, yet advanced diligently step by step. His strength steadily improved, ranking among the Awakeners in the Sanctuary. However, during the Demon Tide''s attack, the Sanctuary fell, making him realize his weakness, powerless against true disasters.


    After witnessing the powerful strength of Director Tang and others, Chen Haiping became more eager to grow stronger.


    He aimed to hunt Demonized Beasts!


    He also hoped to contribute to the Sanctuary''s establishment! S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He wished for the Sanctuary to be built, yet he knew a Sanctuary couldn''t solely rely on a few experts. His strength might be limited, but as a combatant, he believed he could contribute more than merely carrying some stones.


    Chen Haiping expressed these thoughts and awaited Director Tang''s response.


    Tang Yu fell into deep thought.


    He initially hadn''t planned so much, merely days ago struggling as a low-level survivor in this apocalypse for survival. The castle''s establishment was initially for self-preservation, yet for a Territory to develop, detailed planning was ultimately needed. Having a system didn''t mean he could just buy and build arbitrarily to create a complete Territory.


    Chen Haiping''s points made sense. The Territory Map provided warnings against Demonized Beasts, yet relying solely on No. 1, No. 2, and followers wasn''t sustainable. Experts should serve as the Territory''s trump card, not routine force, and Tang Yu desired followers to find time to enhance their strength.


    Furthermore, Territory development necessitated survivor additions. As the number of survivors increased, both defense and management required trustworthy personnel.


    The Territory should have a Patrol Team as a regular force.


    Through observation over the past two days, Tang Yu gained some understanding of Chen Haiping. This man had served in the military, had decent marksmanship and combat skills, possessed some principles and conscience, yet was not rigid in action. Most importantly, on the Territory Map, Chen Haiping''s dot was green, and that sufficed.


    "I agree to your request. While the Sanctuary isn''t complete and positions aren''t fully assigned, continue patrolling and guarding against Demonized Beast attacks, improving your strength in the process. After all, with First Layer strength, you can only handle the most basic Demonized Beasts."


    Chen Haiping forced a smile, unable to argue, listening to Director Tang continue, "Let me find an expert for you to learn some techniques against Demonized Beasts."


    An expert?


    He wondered. Was it the armored expert? If he could learn from the armored expert, undoubtedly, his strength would rapidly improve.


    The next moment, he saw a towering figure approaching from afar.

 Chapter 14 - 14 Outsider (Part 1)

    "Luo Zhe."


    "Sir, I''m here."


    The voice was deep and powerful. As the words were spoken, a tower-like strong man approached from a distance. His steps seemed slow, but his speed was fast. In no time, the man walked behind Director Tang and slightly bowed.


    The strong man stood two meters tall, with brown crew-cut hair, dressed in black heavy armor, and carrying a great sword as tall as himself. His helmet was held at his side. As he approached, an enormous oppressive force weighed heavily on Chen Haiping.


    Chen Haiping''s pupils narrowed.


    This oppression wasn''t due to an aura; from Luo Zhe, he still could only sense a faint aura. However, this oppressive force stemmed from the momentum, a momentum possessed only by those who had emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.


    This suffocating Blood Evil Qi assaulted his nerves, making his scalp tingle.


    He recalled his years in the military, the special unit soldiers he had seen, those who had truly been to war and killed. Chen Haiping had felt such a ferocity from those men, but now, compared to the tower-like strong man before him, it paled into insignificance!


    This was undoubtedly a super expert!


    ...


    The tavern had one free summoning opportunity each day, usable in the morning or evening. Yesterday, Tang Yu only summoned an ordinary D-level adventurer, so he didn''t sign a contract. However, this morning, he summoned Luo Zhe.


    With an A-level aptitude preceding him, Luo Zhe''s C-level aptitude was not considered good. Nevertheless, what Tang Yu valued was Luo Zhe''s strength.


    He did not know how many layers the Awakening Tier had; he only knew that the Awakening Tier was approximately divided into three levels. The first level was the Foundation Realm, from the First Layer of Awakening to the Fifth Tier of Awakening, which was the current strength of the followers that the tavern could summon, and the second level was the Body-shaping Realm.


    Luo Zhe had once been a master at the Peak of the Body-shaping Realm. In theory, Tang Yu shouldn''t have been able to summon such strength, but Luo Zhe was seriously injured in a battle against the Black Tide, reducing his strength to the Fifth Tier of Awakening and leaving him disabled, never to return to the battlefield.


    Until he was summoned here, under the power of the contract, Luo Zhe''s injuries healed. Although his strength remained at the Peak of the Foundation Realm, breaking through to the Body-shaping Realm was very simple for him. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Years of injury suddenly healed, and Luo Zhe''s momentum erupted uncontrollably. Tang Yu, having the contract connection, didn''t feel uncomfortable, but Chen Haiping bore the brunt of it.


    His face was pale, yet his eyes glinted with excitement. You could see a hint of impatience on his face.


    He was eager to learn the techniques against the Demonized Beasts, wasn''t he?


    ...


    A convoy arrived at the entrance of the resort.


    Two off-road vehicles and a minibus.


    The car doors opened, and figures disembarked. These people were well-equipped, holding firearms, wearing bulletproof vests. As soon as they got out of the car, they dispersed immediately, keeping a lookout around.


    Wang Tai got out of the car, followed by his two direct-line subordinates.


    As he looked at the nearly ruined resort, Wang Tai''s heart bled once more.


    Before the apocalypse, he was a major boss, and this Green Shadow Resort was his property. When the apocalypse broke out, he just happened to be nearby. With privately stashed firearms and a group of loyal subordinates, Wang Tai quickly formed a team and gradually developed the resort into a sanctuary.


    However, a single Demon Tide wiped everything out!


    Fortunately, he still had the chance to make a comeback... Wang Tai approached the middle-aged man, his face beaming with a smile, "Captain Han, we''re quite close to that Source Crystal Mine now, but the road ahead is mountainous and difficult. Do you think we should rest here for a while?"


    Han Jing squinted, scanning the surroundings. It was indeed as Wang Tai described¡ªa sanctuary destroyed by the Demon Tide. However, that wasn''t his concern. He was only interested in one thing: whether the Source Crystal Mine truly existed.


    The Source Crystal Mine was the information provided by Wang Tai.


    After the apocalypse, Earth''s dramatic changes brought many new phenomena. The Source Crystal Mine was one of them, a vein rich in Source Crystals. Even mining a small part of it would surpass hunting hundreds of Demonized Beasts, a temptation Lin Wei couldn''t resist.


    Han Jing, having served Lin Wei''s interests for over a decade, understood his boss''s thoughts. He pondered briefly, "Second squad, scout the nine o''clock direction, third squad, scout the three o''clock direction, the others, remain on standby."


    The remaining personnel surrounded the vehicles, setting up guard.


    Wang Tai gazed into the distance, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.


    He was obviously aware of the value of a Source Crystal Mine; if the sanctuary still existed, how could he hand it over? Fortunately, he managed to gain some benefits, Wang Tai''s gaze shifted, pondering how to retrieve what he had hidden in the villa without anyone''s notice.


    At this moment, the third squad, having just left, unexpectedly returned, two of them clutching two terrified survivors.


    "What''s going on? How can there be survivors here?" Han Jing asked.


    Wang Tai shook his head, indicating he didn''t know. He was equally surprised!


    ...


    Wang Zhou and another survivor trembled as they faced the big men surrounding them.


    They had only come to gather usable supplies after the Demon Tide. Suddenly, so many armed brutes appeared, each one fierce and unyielding. They didn''t dare to resist and were caught right away.


    "Speak up, who are you? Why are you here? What are you doing? Tell me everything honestly, got it!"


    A team member pointed a gun at them, questioning loudly.


    Wang Zhou paled, and the other survivor was even more lifeless, his pupils dilated, limbs twisted as if scared senseless, "Heh... hehehe... hehe."


    Seeing the big man about to shoot, Wang Zhou somehow summoned up the courage and knocked out his companion, "Wait, wait, wait! I''ll speak. He''s a fool, I''m the normal one, I''ll say."


    He calmed his mind and quickly began, "We''re survivors from the Green Shadow Sanctuary..."


    "Survivors? Tell the truth! The Green Shadow Sanctuary was destroyed by the Demon Tide long ago!"


    Scared witless, Wang Zhou''s face twisted like a pretzel, almost about to cry, yet he couldn''t explain the bitterness in his heart, "We really are survivors from the Green Shadow Sanctuary, wait... let me finish. When the Demon Tide came, we hid in the underground storage room and luckily escaped."


    Wang Tai frowned, stepping forward to inquire, "Hiding in the underground storage room? How long were you there, and didn''t you encounter Demonized Beasts when you came out?"


    "Hiding... we hid for about two or three days, then, starving, we came out. As for the Demonized Beasts, I don''t know; when we came out, it was like this outside." Wang Zhou stammered.


    These armed men were clearly not ordinary survivors, aggressive and unfriendly... Wang Zhou knew that even if he told the truth, his chances of surviving were slim. It was better to hide some key information in the hope that Director Tang would come to their rescue.


    Whether Director Tang would save them, Wang Zhou wasn''t sure. In the apocalypse, ordinary survivors were the least valuable, but rather than trusting that these armed men would spare them, he chose to believe in Director Tang, who had treated them well these past days.


    Han Jing stood aside, listening to the ongoing interrogation, then glanced at Wang Tai.


    "Are they survivors from your sanctuary, do you recognize them?"


    Wang Tai shook his head, "Just a few ordinary survivors. I have no impression of them. If they were Awakeners, maybe I''d remember."


    Han Jing pondered.


    From the interrogation results, aside from these two, there were other lucky survivors, but their strength posed no threat. Still, out of caution, he instructed, "Take these two with us, and since there are other survivors, round up all these little mice."


    ...


    Meanwhile.


    Outside the castle, on an open field.


    Having scoured around without finding any Demonized Beasts, Tang Yu returned alone.


    As the number of Demonized Beasts decreased, the efficiency of hunting them had dropped significantly. Initially, several beasts could be encountered in a few minutes, but now searching for half an hour might not yield a single one, so he no longer followed the hunting team. Instead, he returned near the castle to find a place to train.


    Awakeners needed training, especially after a significant increase in their own strength. To better control it, Tang Yu needed to spend some time training.


    At that moment, his body assumed an exceedingly awkward position, the training suggestion given by Luo Zhe after being summoned that morning.


    A preparatory movement for Combat Skills.


    Suddenly, a notification appeared in his mind.


    "Ding! Your people are in danger, please note..."


    "Ding!..."


    "Ding!..."


    Tang Yu was dumbfounded.

 Chapter 15 - 15 Outsider (Part 2)

    The system had this function? How did he not know!


    However, now wasn''t the time to consider this question.


    Tang Yu opened the system panel and indeed found more detailed records in the log.


    He saw the names of those two survivors in danger, and after thinking for a moment, he remembered that these two had been dispatched in the morning to search for resources in the eastern area of the resort.


    But now, they were in danger?


    The system didn''t provide a more detailed explanation.


    Tang Yu tried asking the system, but the answers were the same repetitive phrases.


    He also had a guess; it was definitely not an encounter with demonized beasts. Aside from the fact that the demonized beasts within the resort had already been cleared out, if they had encountered demonized beasts, the two would have been long dead, and there wouldn''t be any dangerous state. So, clearly, these two were either injured or in a coerced situation.


    Tang Yu hurriedly conveyed the information to Eileen and Luo Zhe through the contract power and called on Number Two to set out immediately.


    ...


    Han Jing led a group of team members into the resort, and along the way, they indeed saw traces of human activity.


    As for Wang Zhou''s words, he didn''t fully trust them... The boss had assigned this task to him, not because he was the strongest, but because he had worked for the boss for many years and was deeply trusted. Therefore, Han Jing had always been very cautious, wanting to eliminate any potential factors that could interfere with the task.


    Observing all the way, Han Jing sneered in his heart.


    There were quite a few demonized beast corpses within the resort, many left behind during human resistance when the demon tide wiped out the sanctuary. However, Han Jing observed carefully and could tell that some demonized beasts had only been killed recently, not on the day the demon tide occurred. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This indicated that the survivors who lived weren''t all ordinary as Wang Zhou claimed. Perhaps the other party expected their Awakeners to rescue them?


    Han Jing found this thought quite amusing.


    In his team, besides him, there were also two third-layer Awakeners, five second-tier ones, various firearms, and even heavy weaponry. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that even when facing a small sanctuary, his team wouldn''t flinch.


    This was the difference between large and small forces, a gap that ordinary survivors with narrow visions couldn''t understand.


    "But this is good; if those people come to us voluntarily, it saves him the trouble of searching. This mission allows for no errors. Anyone who might leak the information has only one outcome."


    From the very beginning, Han Jing had sentenced these survivors to death, even though he knew they had nothing to do with the Source Crystal Mine. It was just unfortunate that their operation needed to be kept secret from the start. Besides, the proximity to the Source Crystal Mine meant Han Jing had to eliminate any accidents to prevent it being discovered later. They could only blame their bad luck, including...


    He glanced imperceptibly at Wang Tai, who was leading the way, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.


    "Captain Han, up ahead is the villa area, which is the center of the resort. We haven''t encountered other survivors along the way, so it''s likely the remaining people are there."


    Wang Tai was unaware of Han Jing''s thoughts.


    He was only thinking that after this trip, he''d fetch the resources, and with that bigwig''s connections, he might thrive in Lindong.


    Han Jing gave a faint response, moving to the head of the team and suddenly looking up with an awareness.


    There, two figures were standing against the sunlight, coldly observing them from the hillside.


    Han Jing smiled.


    He had overestimated these survivors.


    Only one Awakener.


    If the other party sensed their aura, would they be scared stiff, he wondered?


    "Captain, look at how they''re dressed; they must think they''re someone important,"


    a team member laughed from behind with a mocking tone.


    Han Jing also felt contempt in his heart.


    Those two on the hillside, a man and a woman, one in battle armor and the other in a magic robe, appeared quite impressive. But did they really think they were a Saint Seiya by wearing Golden Holy Clothes?


    Real good equipment was about practicality.


    The gray combat suit he wore, including the combat vest, arm guard, battle boots, helmet, and so on, didn''t seem conspicuous but were the pinnacle of Lindong Sanctuary technology.


    This was the equipment that could really save lives, not just appearance!


    Han Jing waved his hand, "First Squad, go capture those two."


    Several Awakeners hurriedly ascended the steps.


    This distance wasn''t far for Awakeners.


    Midway up the hill, standing on the lawn, Tang Yu gently shook his head, motioning for Eileen not to act yet.


    The Awakeners were getting closer.


    From their expressions, it seemed as if the two of them were already at their mercy.


    Was it really so?


    Tang Yu also smiled.


    He naturally sensed the formidable group below.


    Whether by aura or numbers, they were exceptionally strong. It was the most powerful Awakener team he had encountered since the apocalypse.


    Perhaps these people had an extraordinary background.


    Perhaps they had a hidden agenda.


    But none of that mattered. What mattered was he had already seen the two "civilians" in poor condition.


    Han Jing focused on Tang Yu and Eileen, eager to see their reaction.


    By then, his team members had covered two-thirds of the distance, and the two still stood there, neither acting nor fleeing.


    Were they petrified with fear?


    Or despairing?


    "Boom!!"


    A building on the right exploded, debris flying everywhere, and a figure came rocketing out, stepping on the ground like cannon fire!


    The figure moved with lightning speed, the nearest team member¡ªstill focused on the hillside¡ªdidn''t even see it coming before being struck like by a high-speed truck. The person was flung sideways, their chest visibly caving in, blood spraying along the trajectory.


    Han Jing was stunned.


    Though he was the strongest and reacted the fastest, it was still too late!


    The figure was too rapid, and he could barely glimpse it clad in blue and white armor.


    Armor?


    Han Jing doubted his eyesight!


    The figure collided with and sent two more team members flying before reaching the bound survivors.


    Now he saw clearly; it was indeed someone wearing blue-and-white armor, whirling a long spear to instantly cut the ropes binding the survivors without causing them any harm.


    This was a master.


    Han Jing instantly assessed.


    No wonder these survivors had confidence; he had no intention of fighting this person. As a human, no matter how strong, one couldn''t escape the threat of firearms. A master might dodge a few bullets, but once a barrage formed, danger would rise sharply, especially with those two ordinary people.


    He delighted in seeing others, painstakingly close to success, plummet to a bottomless abyss.


    "Fire!"

 Chapter 16 - 16: Who on Earth is This Big Shot!

    With his command,


    the team members were preparing to lift their guns.


    "Boom!"


    A figure rushed into the crowd behind him, and because of the dense formation, a sweep of the spear sent several team members flying instantly.


    The scene turned into chaos.


    Han Jing''s eyes were wide with fury.


    The little accident earlier was still within his tolerance range.


    But now, just a glance showed that many of his team members were either dead or injured.


    How could these wild survivors have such strength?


    And how could they move so stealthily, without him even detecting the slightest Awakener aura?


    Tang Yu didn''t intend to give him an answer.


    Number One and Number Two were not Awakeners after all.


    He stood there, intentionally discovered, not for show, but had already commanded Number One and Number Two to sneak over silently.


    He watched as the scene below turned into turmoil.


    Two survivors, barely escaping, fled swiftly¡ªno one paid attention to them anymore.


    "Take action."


    A few Awakeners rushing up sensed something off below.


    They didn''t stop, instead, they accelerated.


    Eileen gripped her magic wand and extended her hand.


    At the top, three ice crystals coalesced, forming an inverted triangle.


    The ice crystals shot out, their tails trailing specks of frost.


    The ice crystals reflected a mix of astonishment and fear in the eyes of the Awakeners opposite.


    These people were quick to react, rolling or leaping, using various methods to avoid. However, Eileen''s control over the ice crystals was strong, not only could she direct the ice crystals to explode on target, but she could also control their direction within a certain range.


    "Crack!"


    The ice crystals burst, and although these Awakeners dodged in time, they weren''t killed instantly. Yet, many were frozen by the emitted chill, a layer of white frost spreading over their limbs.


    Before they could catch their breath, more ice crystals shot towards them.


    Their faces grew increasingly panicked, their bodies, more rigid.


    They couldn''t last more than a few seconds before collapsing one by one, like frozen statues.


    Below,


    Han Jing''s group was ultimately very elite, quickly stabilizing the situation.


    "Second Squad, Third Squad, encircle and fire."


    "Rat-tat-tat¡ª¡ª"


    Han Jing finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing his limits. Given the two''s performance, even if he advanced, he feared he would gain nothing. However, their biggest advantage here was firepower.


    Awakeners might have limitless potential, but for now, human firearms still held a significant advantage, especially against human flesh that wasn''t very thick.


    Han Jing''s expression suddenly turned rigid.


    Facing the incoming bullets, these two armored guys neither dodged nor avoided, yet the next moment, the bullets that hit the armor bounced off!


    Bounced... bounced off?


    Han Jing couldn''t believe it. Were these two wearing real armor?


    No, even real armor couldn''t withstand bullets, and moreover, none of these bullets left any marks on the armor!


    What on earth was this armor?


    Han Jing had worked for his boss for many years and had seen all sorts of strange things, especially after the apocalypse, where his boss held great power in Lindong. Even the good stuff from the science academy, they had the opportunity to get their hands on it.


    But even the science academy didn''t have armor that left no white marks after being hit by bullets, right?


    As thoughts raced through his mind, someone had already approached.


    The spear swung out, the air exploded.


    Han Jing''s scalp tingled, deeply feeling the threat of death!


    Relying on his extensive combat experience, Han Jing misstepped, twisting his body to narrowly avoid an attack.


    The spear crashed into the ground, cracking it inch by inch.


    Han Jing had no idea who he was facing, this person''s strength was completely beyond his expectations!


    He was already feeling fear.


    The task assigned by the boss was important, but if they were all dead, what would be the point of the task?


    The mission to explore the Source Crystal Mine actually had nothing to do with these people.


    For the first time, Han Jing felt a pang of regret.


    He threw a smoke bomb, dexterously maneuvering, using his team members around him as bait, he shook off Number One and immediately sprinted away.


    If Han Jing was like this, the other team members were in an even more miserable state.


    With the captain escaping, what was there left to fight for?


    Especially when someone saw the deputy captain with Awakening third-layer strength being skewered like a kebab by a spear, their courage was shattered, having lost the will to fight desperately.


    "A devil¡ª"


    Some fled frantically.


    Others realized they couldn''t escape, their expressions turning mad.


    A team member grabbed a rocket launcher, shouting, "Die!"


    A rocket streaked away, trailing flames.


    The running Han Jing smiled joyfully, thinking the armor might withstand bullets, but surely not rocket launchers!


    He couldn''t help but praise his team, yet his steps didn''t halt.


    The timing for the rocket was perfect; Puppet Two had no time to dodge.


    The next moment, Puppet steadied itself.


    "Boom!!!"


    Smoke and dust filled the air.


    Gradually dispersing.


    A figure reappeared in everyone''s view, still standing firmly, apart from some gray-black marks on the front half of the spear.


    Han Jing had already lost hope.


    These couldn''t be wild Awakeners!


    Wild Awakeners didn''t have this kind of power, nor this kind of equipment!


    He already had suspicions; these people were likely sent by other big shots, with the goal definitely being the Source Crystal Mine!


    They had underestimated them!


    Fortunately.


    Being hit by the rocket had nonetheless caused this person some trouble, while the other devil chased the others, giving him a chance to escape.


    As long as he reached the parked vehicles, drove far away, those two devils couldn''t catch up.


    Even if the mission failed, the situation here had to be relayed to the boss.


    Han Jing glanced around, only himself and another clever team member, along with Wang Tai, had made it here.


    Out of a team of twenty-odd people, only the three of them could escape; it was pitiful.


    For a moment, he resented Wang Tai, if not for knowing Wang Tai was still of some use, he would have dealt with him first.


    Up ahead, they could already see the three vehicles parked at the entrance of the resort.


    Han Jing exhaled in relief.


    The team member and Wang Tai, lagging behind, also sprinted faster, seeing a glimmer of hope.


    "The lord said, stop ahead."


    From behind the vehicles, two people emerged.


    One wore ordinary survivor attire, the other, a suit of black heavy armor. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thick and oppressive.


    Wang Tai recognized one of them, formerly an Awakener from his Sanctuary, but the other made him tremble.


    Not only because of the armor but also the Blood Evil Qi and the abyss-like aura, Wang Tai felt like a small boat in a storm, his face pale.


    Luo Zhe''s Fifth Tier aura was fully unleashed.


    The long-honed Blood Evil Qi, combined with deeper Awakener aura, erupted together.


    It seemed as though even the wind stood still at that moment.


    Han Jing also turned pale.


    Such power was matched by only a few top-ranked elites in Lindong.


    Who on earth sent these people?


    Han Jing didn''t know, yet he wasn''t willing to sit back, grasping his dagger, ready to fight to the death.

 Chapter 17 - 17 Abundant Supplies

    The battle lasted only a short time.


    In the previous minute, gunfire echoed nonstop, but in the next second, peace returned as if nothing ever happened.


    Wang Zhou and another survivor were gasping for air after their brush with death.


    The other survivors, who were lucky enough not to have wandered far, received the notification and immediately hid back in the villa area.


    At this moment, they listened to Wang Zhou as he recounted his harrowing experience.


    It was mostly Wang Zhou speaking. Although his companion had recovered, his face remained pale. In contrast, Wang Zhou, who looked like he was about to cry earlier, now wore an expression of excitement. The others looked at him with odd expressions.


    "You don''t know, those people had menacing looks, with gun barrels pointed right at my head. I was fearless, though, perfectly calm."


    "At that moment, a master fighter appeared beside us like the wind, cutting our bonds with a swift motion. Those blocking enemies were instantly brought down..." Wang Zhou suddenly paused, "It seemed like there were two master fighters, maybe twins, but that''s not right¡ªboth wore helmets, so I couldn''t see clearly. But the master fighter was amazing; those seemingly powerful people were just paper tigers in front of him, completely vulnerable..."


    The more Wang Zhou talked, the more excited he became, and the others listened spellbound.


    Although they hadn''t seen what happened, they could imagine the prowess of the master fighter.


    This group had so many guns and weapons; just hearing the gunfire made them pale.


    Yet, the master fighter was able to move through such a hail of bullets freely.


    Having such a master in the Sanctuary was truly, so fortunate!


    ......


    Tang Yu propped his face, assuming a contemplative stance.


    The battle came suddenly. Though the enemy was defeated, he reflected on the shortcomings in the skirmish.


    He still lacked some vigilance.


    Had the enemy not deemed these two survivors valuable, they might have already been terminated.


    He hadn''t expected to suddenly encounter such an outside Awakener team.


    In the apocalypse''s wilderness, various survivor teams generally remained wary but not hostile. Not everyone was relentless and vicious; even with interests at stake, it warranted careful consideration¡ªa strike would inevitably lead to losses.


    These people, however, acted rashly, without even a quarrel, and so they met their doom. This experience taught him the virtue of caution and humility; one must not be too arrogant.


    Tang Yu found this reasoning sound, as he had always conducted himself with modesty.


    "Territory development needs to accelerate, especially in defense matters. They got too close to the territory border this time, which is very unsettling..."


    He mused, "This group, being significant, went missing here, which could stir up trouble. Luckily, not everything was troublesome; the yields were substantial."


    Han Jing''s group had casualties and injuries following the clash.


    Most were killed by No. 1 and No. 2, as these Puppets executed with extreme violence, leaving no chance of survival when directly hit by their might.


    Tang Yu had joined the combat, taking out a rampaging Awakener with a shot.


    It was his first time killing a person.


    He felt no discomfort.


    He used to hear that killing a person could cause nausea, vomiting, and weak knees.


    He realized this wasn''t true. Having undergone a month of apocalypse, he witnessed no shortage of bloody scenes; he merely lacked final practical exposure, which was now complete.


    Regarding the survivors, Luo Zhe extracted information from them.


    "The Source Crystal Mine, no wonder..."


    Tang Yu was very eager about this Source Crystal Mine.


    He understood better than anyone the value of Source Crystals; exploiting the mine would undoubtedly propel the territory into rapid development.


    The prospect was delightful, but reality was harsh.


    The territory had only a handful of people¡ªa couple of cats, metaphorically speaking; there weren''t even enough hands for hauling, let alone miners existent! Furthermore, the Source Crystal Mine, though nearby at three or four kilometers, was still out in the wild, in the forests, a place of great danger...


    "So, we can only look at, not mine, this Source Crystal Mine?"


    Tang Yu felt dejected.


    Wait...


    Suddenly, he remembered Wang Tai, the former Sanctuary Director, whom Chen Haiping recognized at the end.


    Wang Tai seemed resolute, presumably aware that he had no chance of survival, so he committed suicide before an interrogation was even carried out.


    However, Wang Tai''s two direct subordinates weren''t as decisive. Luo Zhe immediately had them watched, denying any chance of self-destruction. Subsequently, under skilled interrogation, the two subordinates divulged even the color of their underwear.


    They revealed that Wang Tai came here not just to guide Han Jing and locate the Source Crystal Mine but also had his own purpose.


    He apparently wanted to retrieve a cache of essential supplies.


    The two knew only as much, mostly inferred from Wang Tai''s usual behaviors and habits.


    Wang Tai had a habit of stashing supplies.


    Tang Yu felt this highly plausible. Wang Tai fled recklessly back then, having no time to take supplies with him, which the two subordinates confirmed.


    Once their usefulness was exhausted, Tang Yu handed them over to Luo Zhe to deal with.


    Releasing them wasn''t an option.


    This group was still too much of a threat to him. As for the big shot behind them in Lindong, Tang Yu wasn''t overly worried; his current concern was over Wang Tai''s supplies.


    "Where could they be hidden?"


    ......


    In the villa area, the west zone.


    Unlike the east zone, this was also the core area of the entire mountain resort. Previously, Wang Tai lived in villa No. 1 in the west zone.


    He had searched this villa before but hadn''t found anything of value; he hadn''t thought much of it at the time, but now it seemed abnormal... How could Wang Tai''s residence lack valuables? He was in too much of a hurry to pack while fleeing!


    Putting himself in Wang Tai''s shoes, Tang Yu thought about storing things at his residence, like the castle, which had a small storeroom filled with collected Source Crystals.


    Wang Tai''s items might also be in the villa he lived in, though surely hidden away.


    The villa covered a large area. After circling it once, Tang Yu felt there were two promising spots: either in the villa''s small front garden or in the basement.


    The basement was empty at that time, previously having stored some food, which Tang Yu had taken.


    "No. 1!"


    The Puppet Guard appeared beside Tang Yu. He pointed to the basement walls, directing, "Smash these walls, but watch the force. Don''t bring the place down."


    With a rumble, No. 1 turned into a humanoid bulldozer. In the blink of an eye, the once relatively neat basement was reduced to rubble, surpassing the damage caused by demonized beasts outside.


    Amid the wreckage, one hollowed-out space stood out.


    "Indeed, there is a deeper basement!"


    This basement was smaller in area, but what met the eye were all supplies. Not just the basic food, but luxurious items like tobacco and alcohol, even a great batch of weapons, all sorts of dazzling goods...


    "This is a jackpot!"


    The basement contained a lot of food. Tang Yu also noticed a refrigerator hooked up to a diesel generator still running.


    Inside, he found a variety of vegetables and different kinds of meats.


    At this point, he didn''t care how long these meats had been stored or if they were fresh. Merely considering the variety of ingredients, it wasn''t any less abundant than before the apocalypse! S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wang Tai, that rascal, certainly knew how to enjoy life.


    Fortunately, all these goods were now his. Tang Yu felt grateful for Mr. Wang''s selfless contributions.


    Food occupied a large part of the basement, a small part was household items, and the rest were mostly firearms.


    Ordinary handguns and rifles no longer impressed Tang Yu much, yet he found pleasant surprises in this stockpile of military supplies.


    Two light machine guns greatly enhanced the defense setup of the Sanctuary.


    Although currently, the territory had nothing akin to a decent defense setup.


    "However... just these items wouldn''t justify Wang Tai going through so much trouble to secure this cache, and these items take up considerable space. If Wang Tai wished to evade Han Jing''s notice, he couldn''t move this many things."


    "The most valuable items should be in..."


    Tang Yu looked toward a corner where there was a safe.


    A secret room, items stored in a safe¡ªTang Yu didn''t need to think hard to know there must be precious items inside.


    It was a high-end safe, boasting strong protective features, at least pre-apocalypse. Now, it easily got busted open.


    Inside awaited a heap of shiny Energy Crystals.


    Tang Yu held his breath, it was his first time seeing so many Energy Crystals.


    Just how many were there? A thousand units, two thousand, or even more?


    "The system detected 5,255 units of Energy Crystals."


    The system''s cold voice sounded in his mind, yet Tang Yu found it extraordinarily pleasant at that moment.


    From now on, he was wealthy¡­ a person with Source Crystals.


    Thank you, Wang Tai.


    Besides Energy Crystals, the safe contained some rather advanced demonized beast materials, like sharp claws, thick fur, and others.


    Some things seemed to be exclusives of the apocalypse; Tang Yu couldn''t identify them at first glance.


    Like a crystal, the size of a basketball, pure white and transparent throughout.


    Like a brick-sized metal piece, indistinguishable from ordinary bricks.


    Tang Yu examined each material, one by one, before placing them back in the safe. In the end, he decided to just take the entire safe.

 Chapter 18 - 18 Population Constraints

    City Lord Hall.


    Tang Yu reclined on the soft sofa, stretching lazily, as if he were about to sink into it.


    "What a decadent life..."


    The urgent gap in Source Crystal supply had been solved, and Tang Yu felt much more at ease.


    Making money by hunting beasts was becoming less effective, as every hunt for Demonized Beasts required a lot of time for searching.


    It was quite embarrassing.


    While others were eager to stay away from Demonized Beasts, Tang Yu was single-mindedly looking to encounter them.


    He now somewhat understood why this place was called distant from the Abyssal Rift.


    Apart from the unexpected Demon Tide, the number of Demonized Beasts here was indeed not many.


    The focus of work had shifted to resource search in the wild, and Tang Yu held no expectations for Demonized Beasts anymore.


    In his mind, Luo Zhe contacted him through the Contract, sending a message.


    Chen Haiping was looking for him.


    He paused, then remembered he had just asked Chen Haiping to tally the firearms and ammunition left by Han Jing''s group, and the recent bounty had made him forget all about it.


    "So..." Tang Yu considered for two seconds, "bring him over to the castle."


    ...


    "To Villa No. 1?" Chen Haiping was a bit surprised.


    Villa No. 1 was always a forbidden place, only Director Tang and his few teammates had the privilege to enter. He knew he was far from matching those experts, yet to say he wasn''t envious was impossible.


    Now, did he also qualify?


    Once in the Sanctuary, he was excluded for not being one of Wang Tai''s direct line subordinates, but now, in just a few days, he had gained Director Tang''s trust.


    Chen Haiping was touched.


    He was also curious about what Villa No. 1 contained to make it a restricted zone.


    Following in Luo Zhe''s footsteps, Chen Haiping walked past Villa No. 3, Villa No. 2...


    "The surrounding environment doesn''t seem different, apart from being cleaner..." Chen Haiping contemplated, suddenly his thoughts stuck, stalled.


    "Could it be my eyes playing tricks?"


    Not far away, where Villa No. 1 originally stood, a castle towered instead.


    The castle wasn''t large, only occupying slightly more land than the original standalone villa, yet all the villas here shared a style, and this sudden change to a castle made Chen Haiping believe he couldn''t be mistaken.


    This absolutely wasn''t here before!


    Getting closer, the castle appeared even clearer, with silvery white walls and a deep blue spire roof, everything looked so unreal.


    Chen Haiping hesitated for a moment, finally reaching out to knock on the outer wall.


    Quite solid, a solid structure...


    The castle gates were open.


    He followed Luo Zhe, stepping inside.


    As soon as he crossed the threshold, it was as if he had entered another world.


    Outside, it was the height of a hot summer, with a breeze carrying an oppressive heat, stirring up a desire to unleash destructive impulses.


    Once he stepped into the castle, crossing what seemed like a boundary between two worlds, everything felt different!


    All the heat dissipated, replaced by an extremely comfortable temperature, akin to soaking in a stream, with a cool breeze brushing his cheeks.


    Even the air was filled with a comforting fragrance.


    Chen Haiping felt his pores open, and days of fatigue diminished significantly.


    He knew it was an illusion, but the environment was just too comfortable.


    "Is there air conditioning here? But an air conditioner wouldn''t make it this comfortable..."


    He thought, noting that the sensation of his feet against the floor felt odd.


    The floor was covered with a red carpet, fragrant wooden furniture, and wall lamps like embedded crystals...


    Chen Haiping doubted his own senses. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    "Director, the tally of confiscated firearms and ammunition is complete. In total, there are twenty-three various pistols, fifteen types of automatic rifles, one portable rocket launcher with five remaining rockets, and several grenades, along with over a thousand rounds of ammunition."


    Speaking of these weapons, Chen Haiping smiled, "With so many firearms, it will be much easier to rebuild the defenses of the Sanctuary."


    "That''s true, and there''s more. I also have two light machine guns, several automatic rifles, and found something interesting..."


    "Something interesting?" Chen Haiping asked in confusion, then saw Tang Yu retrieve a long object from under the table, "This is... a sniper rifle! M99 semi-automatic sniper rifle! Finding this is incredible. With this weapon, we might even be able to snipe some dangerous Demonized Beasts from a distance!"


    This type of firearm was deadly to humans and could cause significant damage to Demonized Beasts. Used effectively, it could increase combat options significantly.


    "Indeed." Tang Yu nodded, "So this sniper rifle will be yours from now on."


    "Mine? This is too valuable." Chen Haiping couldn''t believe it.


    Tang Yu pushed the sniper rifle towards him.


    "Your marksmanship is impressive. This sniper rifle can only realize its true value in your hands. If you feel unworthy, consider it a loan from me. Use this sniper rifle well to kill Demonized Beasts, so it doesn''t go to waste..."


    This sniper rifle, if left with him, would merely be a display piece. Luo Zhe and Eileen, not to mention wouldn''t use it, wouldn''t need such a weapon.


    Weapons, if not used to their potential, were just decorations.


    Coincidentally, among these people, Chen Haiping was adept with guns. Tang Yu had witnessed Chen Haiping use a pistol to kill a Demonized Beast.


    "Alright." Chen Haiping took a deep breath, "I won''t let you down, Director, and certainly won''t waste this sniper rifle."


    He solemnly put away the sniper rifle, then suddenly recalled something, "Director, those people before were sent by a big shot in Lindong. Now that they''ve suffered losses here, that big shot likely won''t let it rest easily."


    He was worried, seeking Tang Yu''s strategy.


    "Strategy? Don''t worry, that big shot isn''t a military leader and doesn''t have an army. No matter how strong, as long as a modern army doesn''t come charging, there''s no issue. Besides, since those people were lost here, the Lindong figure would need time to understand the situation, a round trip, and that might take plenty of time. In short, don''t worry."


    Chen Haiping was somewhat anxious, yet glanced at Tang Yu, then at Luo Zhe, and found neither showed any sign of concern. On the contrary, Luo Zhe looked ready for battle.


    He initially wanted to suggest relocating the Sanctuary, but now couldn''t voice it.


    The big shot in Lindong, with strong forces, was far beyond what their group could currently compare to. However, Director Tang did not appear to act without confidence.


    From the very beginning, he thought the idea of establishing a Sanctuary was too bold, yet step by step, until now, he believed Tang Yu had the capability.


    Perhaps...


    Director Tang still had a hidden trump card to deal with that big shot in Lindong?


    Chen Haiping couldn''t figure it out, but he was willing to believe.


    He never thought of leaving.


    Leaving here might remove the worry of the Lindong big shot, but Chen Haiping didn''t want to continue lingering in such a world.


    Some things needed someone to do.


    Helping Director Tang establish the Sanctuary, whether for fame, profit, or his belief, he wanted to try.


    Failure wasn''t scary, losing humanity''s awareness and living like a walking corpse was frightening.


    Unable to convince Director Tang to relocate, Chen Haiping could only do his best in his duties.


    Training survivors'' shooting skills to improve the Sanctuary''s defense strength.


    The rest was up to Director Tang''s hidden cards and destiny.


    "... However, Director, we still have too few people, these firearms can''t even be fully utilized."

 Chapter 19 - 19 I Have an Idea

    The number of people was too few, a problem that had always troubled Tang Yu.


    Not only was it impossible to effectively utilize these guns, but an even more critical issue was the limited number of movers, which restricted the speed of material acquisition.


    Tang Yu tapped his fingers on the table, "We need to find a way to attract more survivors instead of just waiting passively."


    Originally, the Sanctuary had survivors arriving from time to time. The team of survivors he had once been with had come here upon learning about the Sanctuary. However, this was uncertain, and with the resort in its current state, there might not be any survivors arriving.


    Chen Haiping thought for a moment, "Perhaps we can use radio broadcasts."


    "Radio broadcasts? Wasn''t communication cut off later?"


    Chen Haiping organized his thoughts and explained, "Communication didn''t truly get cut off. After the apocalypse, certain special components appeared in the air, which caused electromagnetic waves to attenuate significantly during transmission, making signal transmission extremely difficult."


    "In the early period of the apocalypse, signal transmission was already weakened, but it was still barely possible to receive signals back then. Later, this weakening effect became stronger, and about a dozen days ago, it suddenly increased sharply, causing communications to be almost cut off now."


    "I say almost because the current signals have difficulty reaching other Sanctuaries, but if we focus on emitting signals from the Sanctuary to a certain distance, it''s still possible. I remember there is a signal tower in the resort."


    Tang Yu nodded to show he understood, "The previous Sanctuary messages were sent out through this signal tower, right?"


    But unexpectedly, Chen Haiping shook his head.


    "The information was spread by the government. In the early days, the government called on various parties to establish Sanctuaries and airdropped supplies to many Sanctuaries, including food and ammunition, giving smaller Sanctuaries the ability to resist Demonized Beasts."


    "Accepting survivors was also a government requirement. Wang Tai accepted thousands of survivors due to government pressure, but as communication was cut off later, the government''s influence gradually diminished, and Wang Tai''s relief to survivors was also reduced again and again¡­"


    This was news Tang Yu hadn''t known before; he hadn''t realized there were so many reasons behind establishing the Sanctuary.


    With the plan set, he felt it still wasn''t enough.


    Radio wave transmission range was not wide enough, and there were also specific receivers like radios, which many survivors didn''t have.


    More channels needed to be expanded.


    "I suddenly have a novel idea. Old Chen, do you remember before the apocalypse, walking down the street, you would see billboards everywhere? I''m thinking, we could actually advertise."


    "Advertise?"


    Chen Haiping looked confused.


    Luo Zhe was full of bewildered question marks.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Behind Villa No. 1 was a large area of space.


    Previously, a tavern and workshop had been established there.


    This time, Tang Yu intended to set up a market next to the tavern.


    The market would not only allow the purchase of resources but occasionally refresh rare materials, forging blueprints, skill runes, and more. It was one of the three key items for Territory construction in the Basic Period.


    "Building the market consumes three hundred units of Source Crystal, one hundred units of wood."


    From the outside, the market looked like a small shop.


    The interior environment was similar, with only a counter that was divided into ten sections. Every day, these ten sections would refresh different goods.


    Wood resource pack (one hundred units) price: ten Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: ten


    Stone resource pack (one hundred units) price: twenty Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: ten


    Iron resource pack (one hundred units) price: fifty Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: ten


    Fire Wolf King''s fur, price: two hundred and fifty Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: one


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Basic Warrior Puppet blueprint, price: six hundred Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: one


    "Found it!"


    Tang Yu felt a burst of joy in his heart. The blueprint for the Basic Puppet had a fairly high initial refresh rate, yet he hadn''t expected it to appear the first time.


    Worthy of that great European royalty bloodline of mine!


    With this blueprint, the workshop could produce Warrior-type Basic Puppets. The Puppets created had the strength comparable to Awakening Tier First Layer¡ªnot only possessing some combat intelligence but also being unkillable as long as the Core remained intact. Such a Puppet, when it came to real combat, was stronger than an ordinary Awakener.


    However, his interest in this blueprint was not due to the Puppet''s combat power.


    It was as a workforce.


    Such Puppets, strong and tireless, could work hard without complaint. If not for their intelligence not being Advanced enough and their actions being somewhat limited, he wouldn''t even need to form a transport team.


    The three core buildings that a Level 1 Territory could construct had already been completed. Tang Yu thought the several thousand Source Crystals in hand needed careful planning.


    The remaining materials couldn''t be used to build anything right now. During this time, they could plan for the development of the Territory, selecting the most beneficial buildings from among many Territorial constructions for the current situation, and then proceed with construction.


    ¡­


    A small town located tens of kilometers away from the resort.


    The small town had only two entrances and exits; the rest were fenced with reinforced concrete walls, looking like a massive black beast, entrenched from afar.


    At the town''s entrance, people were bustling about. There were ragged survivors arriving from afar and some fighters carrying guns or blades returning from seeking resources or hunting Demonized Beasts.


    This was Lindong Sanctuary, the largest Sanctuary in the Lin City area!


    Lindong Sanctuary, Lanxi Villa.


    It was originally an upscale residential area in Lindong County, now turned into the residence for Lindong''s officials.


    The stream flowed gently, and in a villa next to the creek, a middle-aged man gazed out the window, his brow slightly furrowed.


    In the distance, the sunset rolled in the red clouds, half sinking into the dim horizon. Far away, survivors were returning one after another. The wilderness at night was the most dangerous; any team capable of returning to the Sanctuary in time wouldn''t choose to spend the night outside.


    Including the team he had sent out.


    The route from Lindong to the Source Crystal Mine was relatively safe, holding no threat for Han Jing''s team as he had estimated. Whether they found the Source Crystal Mine or not, they should have already returned to the Sanctuary by now.


    And now... Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is there any news?"


    Lin Wei seemed to talk to himself, but a shadow suddenly appeared behind him. This figure''s face was indistinguishable, and with a hoarse voice, it slowly replied, "Still no news."


    "Do you think it was them?"


    By "them" Lin Wei referred to the few big shots in Lindong holding similar status to him; only these people warranted his attention.


    The shadow behind hesitated, "Probably not. The ones sent out this time were all trustworthy, with no possibility of a leak, plus the wilderness is vast, and there''s more than one way to travel from place to place. Even if the others wanted to set an ambush, it wouldn''t be easy."


    "But... Wang Tai on that side is unpredictable. We don''t know if intel might have leaked from him."


    Lin Wei sneered, "He wouldn''t dare, nor would he have the opportunity to leak. However, daring to bargain with me, he''s quite bold."


    "Dispatch a search team and scrutinize the route thoroughly. I want the most detailed information!"


    An aura emanated from Lin Wei.


    Han Jing and the others'' lives didn''t concern him, but he would take control of the Source Crystal Mine at any possibility!


    "With the Source Crystal Mine, Old Man Lu, I won''t have to cater to you anymore!"

 Chapter 20 - 20 Is This the Sanctuary?

    They looked up.


    The sun hung high.


    Not far from the territory stood a small village, where a few young people were gasping, faces full of fear.


    "Just now... it was so dangerous, I could even smell the foul stench of that demonized wolf, feeling like I was about to meet my end there any second!" A young man with glasses still had a lingering fear.


    A young girl next to him had already collapsed onto the ground, "You''re lucky, I almost got pounced on by that smelly wolf."


    The girl had freckles on her face, and her looks were just average, disheveled and grimy, yet as she gasped for air, her chest heaving, she had a certain allure.


    "We really have to thank Brother Xiaopeng, as expected from an Awakener."


    "Of course!" Lu Xiaopeng brushed his messy hair and struck a boxing pose, "I''m an innate Awakener, naturally more rare and powerful than those Awakeners who rely on auxiliary devices! How could ordinary demonized beasts be my match..."


    "But Brother Xiaopeng didn''t defeat that demonized wolf..." the freckled girl suddenly said weakly.


    Lu Xiaopeng''s face fell immediately.


    When he had just awakened, he was high-spirited, fantasizing about punching demonized wolves, kicking demonized tigers, stepping towards the peak of Awakeners, yet reality gave him a direct blow.


    Thinking of the demonized wolf they had just encountered on the road, it didn''t seem that strong, yet he simply couldn''t beat it.


    He could clearly follow the speed of the demonized wolf with his eyes, but he just couldn''t dodge, even with the strong physique of an Awakener, he still got injured in multiple places. If not, the group wouldn''t have had to flee in such a sorry state.


    Fortunately, they managed to lose the demonized wolf after some time and hadn''t encountered any other demonized beasts for the moment.


    After resting for a while, they began to assess their surroundings.


    It was a village, very quiet, and it didn''t look like there had been any demonized beast activity nearby, making them all breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Where should we go next?"


    Upon hearing this, everyone''s faces turned blank; someone sighed, "Yeah, we used to just follow the main group. But now, after getting separated, we''ve not only lost our direction, but our safety isn''t guaranteed. If it weren''t for Brother Xiaopeng''s awakening, we would probably still be hiding in that dark place."


    Their food was running low, continuing to hide would only delay death. But to reach a sanctuary, only by truly stepping out of their hiding place did they understand the outside dangers. Not to mention they didn''t even know how to reach Lindong, just that few dozen kilometers were enough to fill them with despair.


    "Wait, look over there!"


    The glasses-wearing student suddenly pointed towards the distance. The group looked up¡ªit was a regular bungalow, not different from the other dilapidated houses here.


    "There''s nothing..." Lu Xiaopeng''s indifferent gaze suddenly froze. He widened his eyes, staring at the large characters painted in black oil paint on the bungalow wall.


    "Green Shade Sanctuary, located 3.5 kilometers to the northwest. It offers abundant food and a safe living environment; survivors are welcome."


    Green Shade, the name of a former resort.


    After the apocalypse, most sanctuaries retained their original location names. For instance, Lindong Sanctuary was established on the foundation of Lindong County.


    Tang Yu, having no knack for naming, naturally just kept the sanctuary''s original name.


    Names weren''t important; what mattered was attracting survivors. Compared to sanctuaries named "Hot Pot City," "Third Subway Entrance," or "Fafa (Supermarket)," "Green Shade" wasn''t too bad...


    Lu Xiaopeng read these words aloud, and the others exchanged looks.


    "Green Shade Sanctuary? Is there a sanctuary nearby?"


    "But why would the sanctuary''s... sign be written in such a place? It gives off a strong sense of unreliability?!"


    "The handwriting is a bit ugly, but it should be real. Green Shade... I''ve heard it somewhere before. Oh right! There''s a Green Shade Resort nearby; it should be the sanctuary the sign refers to."


    After discussing, they decided to check out this supposed Green Shade Sanctuary.


    With no food and no strength, they wouldn''t make it to Lindong Sanctuary in this lifetime anyway, so they could only see what this Green Shade Sanctuary had to offer.


    The village wasn''t far from the sanctuary, and they encountered few demonized beasts along the way.


    Lu Xiaopeng and his classmates relied on their rich experience in evading demonized beasts, journeying with some scares but no danger, finally arriving at the entrance of a resort.


    Several large characters painted in oil stood here as well: "Green Shade Sanctuary welcomes you!"


    However.


    As they looked at the resort, half of the gate had collapsed, and the surrounding walls looked as though they had been trampled by fierce beasts, almost unrecognizable.


    "Is this supposed to be a sanctuary?!"


    Lu Xiaopeng shouted, feeling deceived.


    "No," the glasses-wearing student noticed something else, "Look over there, there are barbed wires and damaged firearms; maybe there really was a sanctuary here."


    The others caught the undertone in their classmate''s voice; there had been one, meaning now there wasn''t. Combined with the current miserable state before them, they all envisioned a scene: the sanctuary being breached by demonized beasts, that kind of tragic imagery.


    "So do we still go in?" The freckled girl was a bit scared; she felt that deep within the resort might lurk terrifying demonized beasts.


    Ultimately, it was Lu Xiaopeng who made the decision, "Let''s go in and have a look. I don''t think there''s much likelihood of a terrifying demonized beast here. Don''t you think that the number of demonized beasts we''ve seen along the way has decreased?"


    These classmates were mere ordinary people, not particularly brave, getting scared whenever they saw a demonized beast from afar, almost stopping their heartbeats without even counting how many they had met.


    Lu Xiaopeng was different, being an Awakener, even if he couldn''t defeat a demonized wolf, he had some strength in him, naturally more composed. Although he hadn''t counted how many demonized beasts they had encountered, he noticed their frequency had indeed lessened.


    The glasses-wearing student thought for a while and said, "I agree with going in to take a look. Even if the sanctuary doesn''t exist anymore, we might still find some food."


    The group stepped into the resort.


    The outer part of the resort just had demonized beasts cleared out; most places remained in their original state¡ªcollapsed buildings, congealed blood, and some limbs not yet cleared away.


    Lu Xiaopeng and his classmates were pale, but fortunately, it wasn''t their first time seeing such a sight, so they felt... okay!


    Someone noticed something unusual.


    "Look, there are tracks, and over there is a demonized beast''s corpse, with some parts taken away; there are survivors here!"


    "Also over there, signs of cleanup; it seems this sanctuary endured a crisis but survived. Yet, seeing the surroundings, the sanctuary suffered great losses, so it might not be very safe." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their primary reason for seeking a sanctuary was to find a place safe enough.


    However, being nearly destroyed, even if survivors were alive, could it still be called a sanctuary? Clearly, it had encountered a demon tide, suggesting a chance of another inevitable future demon tide!


    In an instant, they all had such thoughts.


    But since they were already there and there were survivors, whatever their choice, they decided to assess the situation first.


    The group moved forward, as the deeper they went into the resort, the more traces of human activity they noticed. By now, it was apparent the area had been cleared, with no demonized beasts or human corpses to be seen.


    Still, they found it odd not to see a single soul.


    "Listen, there''s a sound!" Lu Xiaopeng said quietly, pointing to a corner not far away.


    Indeed, strange sounds sporadically came from somewhere out of sight ahead.


    Were they survivors, or demonized beasts?


    They cautiously advanced, finally peeking around a corner, witnessing a scene in the distance.


    There were two unknown "species," their bodies covered in black iron armor, torsos rotund like balls, arms much larger than a regular person''s, appearing immensely powerful.


    The Iron Skin Monsters were wielding a longsword, swinging it with force. A massive stone was split in two, crashing to the ground with a thud. Yet, the Iron Skin Monster didn''t stop, continuing to wield the longsword, cutting the massive stone into pieces of manageable size.


    The entire process was crisp and neat!


    That seemingly ordinary longsword was like a divine weapon, slicing through stone as if without resistance. Lu Xiaopeng could even see clearly where the stone was cut¡ªit was as smooth as a mirror!

 Chapter 21 - 21 Its time to reveal the tip of the Territorys iceberg

    Lu Xiaopeng and a few classmates were dumbfounded.


    "What is this? Could it be some peculiar-looking Demonized Beast?!"


    "Or maybe it''s a creation of black technology? Has the era of robots arrived?!"


    "Can black technology produce such advanced robots? Look at those two Iron Skin Monsters, their movements are very smooth, with no fixed trajectory, and their arm joints are extremely flexible. This is far more advanced than the robots being developed before the apocalypse. Even if many new materials have been discovered and certain technologies have rapidly advanced, creating such robots is still impossible... So there''s only one truth, it must be some ability user''s power!"


    "Ability user!"


    Someone gasped.


    Ability users were extremely rare, almost legendary. Some survivors had never even heard of ability users!


    The special abilities possessed by ability users were either powerful or bizarre, covering all aspects.


    The existence of these abilities seemed to naturally break the coffin lids of scientists; no matter the ability, it seemed anything was possible.


    If it was the masterpiece of an ability user, they felt it was not hard to accept.


    ...


    Dusk was like water.


    The vacation resort had an air of revitalization, and as Lu Xiaopeng walked along the road, he occasionally saw some busy survivors, but more often, those amazing Puppets.


    After being discovered by the survivors here and revealing their identity, Lu Xiaopeng and his classmates decided to stay for a while.


    The reason was simple: here, they could work in exchange for food.


    In an apocalyptic world where food was extremely scarce, it was already quite good to get returns for their efforts. And when they learned that the pay wasn''t just sufficient rations, but even the possibility of getting meat if they performed well, their eyes widened, and they involuntarily licked their lips.


    In the past, life was hard, and food was limited; getting full was an impossible luxury.


    Lu Xiaopeng thought that must be the reason he hadn''t been able to defeat that Demonized Wolf.


    He was incredibly excited for the upcoming dinner time, and for the sake of food, he worked tirelessly, carting dozens, if not tens, of chips of gravel, and by now had gotten used to the routine.


    In the small plaza in front of the villa area,


    In the center stood a lifesize bust of an Ancient Greek woman, with unique stylistic curves of Ancient Greece.


    However, Lu Xiaopeng''s attention was not on the bust, but rather on the piles of stones in front of it, forming small mountains.


    The originally empty plaza now seemed somewhat crowded and chaotic.


    Lu Xiaopeng saw other survivors, those were the "old-timers" of the Sanctuary.


    He stepped forward and greeted them, asking, "Do you know why we are moving these stones?"


    The survivor, also pushing a cart of gravel, shook his head. "Not sure, but why do we care? As long as we have food and drink every day, it''s pretty good."


    He recognized Lu Xiaopeng as the newbie Awakener and thought for a moment, "Maybe Director Tang plans to build something, who knows, but Director Tang surely has his plans."


    "Could it be to build a dirt wall, which isn''t bad, at least it feels safer. But a dirt wall won''t stop many Demonized Beasts unless it''s a real city wall. I hear large Sanctuaries have built city walls that are very safe."


    "Yeah." The survivor also sighed, "But, building city walls for a large Sanctuary costs a lot of manpower and resources, plus various large machinery. Small Sanctuaries can''t even think about it. We can only use what''s available and build a simple defense line at most."


    "Don''t worry, with Director Tang and several top experts around, ordinary Demonized Beasts can''t threaten the Sanctuary."


    He comforted Lu Xiaopeng, the Awakener.


    "Top experts..."


    Lu Xiaopeng was curious.


    He hadn''t seen Director Tang but had seen a hulking man like a tower, who gave him a strong sense of oppression. It was said this man was Director Tang''s strong right hand, but he had no idea how strong he was.


    Despite this, Lu Xiaopeng remained concerned about the Sanctuary''s security.


    This place had previously encountered a Demon Tide attack, so wouldn''t it face a Demon Tide again?


    Would there be danger when resting at night?


    Director Tang and his team were powerful, but the Sanctuary itself lacked defensive fortifications and had no alert capability.


    He voiced his concerns, but the survivor just smiled, "One night, we faced a Demonized Beast attack, and guess what happened? The expert brother descended from the heavens, stomping the Demonized Beast to death, even instantly killing an assassin-type Demonized Beast lurking nearby."


    "Director Tang once said, as long as you stay inside the villa area, safety can be guaranteed. I didn''t believe it before, but now I do. Of course, I wish the Sanctuary could build a defensive line against Demonized Beasts, but with our current manpower, we can only take it slow."


    Lu Xiaopeng nodded. This was indeed the predicament of the Sanctuary. For now, the best hope was to use these stones to construct a more stable dirt wall.


    At this moment, a shout came from the villa area''s entrance.


    Chen Haiping walked out from inside, holding a megaphone, "Attention everyone, now all of you move beyond the yellow line. I repeat, everyone move beyond the yellow line!"


    Lu Xiaopeng was stunned for a moment and looked at the ground. There was indeed a yellow line that stretched from the edge of the plaza at the villa area''s exit, extending to both sides, seemingly enclosing the entire villa area.


    What''s going on?


    ...


    Castle, top-floor balcony.


    Tang Yu leaned against the rail, feeling the wind blowing.


    Standing here, with the dim light of dusk, he could overlook the entire villa area.


    The castle was no longer the previous two-story, miniature model. Upgraded to a level-two castle, it not only had a larger area but also five floors, looking majestic.


    What Tang Yu cared most about was not the change of the castle but the scope of the Territory.


    The level-two territory centered around the castle, covering over half of the resort below and extending directly into the northern mountains above. Through the territory map, Tang Yu could even see the other side of the mountain cliffs, dotted with red points marking enemies, likely Demonized Beasts within the mountains.


    The forest was more dangerous, not only with Demonized Beasts but also pre-apocalypse animals, animals affected by the red mist and Demonized, but also a few unaffected, surviving through brutal competition and undergoing mutation into Mutant Beasts.


    Additionally, post-apocalypse, the flora grew wildly, and extraordinary phenomena continuously emerged. Even if some strange dangerous places appeared, Tang Yu wouldn''t find it odd. Conversely, the more complex and unpredictable the place, the more likely good things might appear, such as the Source Crystal Mine Wang Tai discovered by chance, located in the mountains.


    He also sent Luo Zhe and Eileen to explore the forest, concluding that the forest had far more Demonized Beasts than outside, coupled with complex terrain. Mining that Source Crystal Mine still had a long way to go.


    "Now, let''s focus on developing the Territory."


    Even with high-end combat power, the present Territory could only ensure day-to-day safety.


    Just days ago, it faced a Demon Tide attack, and Tang Yu worried about the possibility of facing another Demon Tide. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Currently, the Territory had few buildings, mainly ruins and debris, less than the poorest small Sanctuary, not to mention developing into the state a Territory should be.


    Tang Yu opened the attributes panel, his gaze falling on the construction of a defensive building¡ªthe city wall.


    "It''s time to show the tip of the iceberg of the Territory."

 Chapter 22 - 22 Miracles

    At the entrance to the villa area, a group of survivors were whispering among themselves.


    The notice came too suddenly, and there was no explanation, leaving them to speculate about what was really happening.


    Xiaopeng also couldn''t figure it out, with a vague, crazy guess in his mind, followed by a shake of his head and a sigh.


    Chen Haiping stood outside the yellow line as well, his mind replaying the words Tang Yu had just said...


    It felt unbelievable!


    Suddenly, the ground trembled.


    Stones piled into small mounds rolled down one by one, yet fell very systematically around the yellow line, as if drawn by some unnamed great force.


    Soon, these stones dissolved one by one, sinking into the ground.


    The next moment, rumble!


    The trembling grew more intense, accompanied by the falling pebbles, a black wall gradually appeared, slowly rising.


    One meter.


    Two meters.


    Five meters.


    Ten meters!


    In just a few breaths, a magnificent wall stood before their eyes!


    The black wall seemed to be a seamless whole, without any trace of bricks or stones, towering ten meters high, four meters wide, and heavy and profound like a giant black beast crouching there!


    Standing before the wall, everyone profoundly felt their insignificance.


    Chen Haiping stood silently by the gate.


    He understood Tang Yu''s intentions. After seeing the castle, he believed the leader possessed a special ability to construct buildings in a short period, perhaps a variation of earth series ability, or perhaps a stranger form of construction ability.


    When Director Tang informed him of the upcoming construction of the wall, he was quite surprised. However, even then, covering such a large area of the villa district with a small surrounding wall seemed challenging.


    But now!


    This black, heavy, and majestic wall far exceeded anything a dirt wall could describe; it was a genuine wall, capable of withstanding demonized beast attacks!


    Even our previous Sanctuary only had a barbed wire fence with more of an alarm than a defensive function... sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Chen Haiping was so shocked, the other survivors looking at this towering wall had expressions so exaggerated that they could become emoticons.


    They had no idea what words to use to describe their current feelings!


    Was this the legendary ability user?


    But, the ability users they''d heard of were far less powerful, constructing a wall enclosing the entire villa area single-handedly.


    Such a feat was nothing short of a miracle.


    No, a divine miracle!


    The survivors went wild, witnessing a miracle!


    More so, they felt joy in knowing their Sanctuary was no longer unsafe with such a wall!


    Suddenly, loud roars echoed from afar, one after another.


    These were demonized beasts from afar, drawn by the commotion of the wall rising, rushing this way.


    Among them, a blue and red figure was exceptionally fast, leading the charge.


    It raced up the hillside and in the blink of an eye, was near the villa area''s entrance!


    Survivors'' faces changed color.


    The terror of demonized beasts was a nightmare for ordinary people, making their faces turn pale instantly.


    Xiaopeng looked around, discovering he was the only Awakener among them.


    If he didn''t step forward now, who could?


    So what if it was just a demonized wolf?


    Last time, he faced one, though the result was best not mentioned. But now... he would make this demonized wolf see what it truly meant to be a natural Awakener!


    Xiaopeng rolled up his sleeves and took a big step forward.


    The demonized wolf was getting closer!


    Its blue fur was clear, with red flames burning on it.


    This demonized beast was larger in size, far exceeding a typical demonized wolf, resembling a small container truck.


    Xiaopeng froze. This demonized beast felt, seemed... different than the one he''d encountered before?


    He glanced at himself again.


    Small arms and legs, without a real weapon, was he really going to rely on his fists?


    The red and blue giant wolf advanced closer, an aura of terror like a tide surged forward.


    At that moment, he had the urge to cry, "Brother Wolf, don''t be so aggressive, okay?"


    Xiaopeng wanted to run, but looking at the survivors behind him, among them were familiar classmates...


    He gritted his teeth and held firm; even if he couldn''t confront the blue-red giant wolf, couldn''t he at least stall it?


    As long as he could stall the blue-red giant wolf for a while, waiting for the expert support from the Sanctuary, then he would also be a man who had contended with a terrifying demonized beast, worthy of the title of natural Awakener!


    With such thoughts, Xiaopeng took a step forward.


    Let me be the one to stall...


    "It''s Captain Luo Zhe!"


    Suddenly, cries of excitement from the survivors erupted behind him.


    Following the sound, Xiaopeng saw a sturdy man clad in armor, wielding a heavy sword, striding from not far away.


    Xiaopeng had a deep impression of this man, having seen him when he first arrived at the Sanctuary. It was said he was the captain of the Sanctuary''s Patrol Team, with considerable strength.


    Xiaopeng could feel the aura from Luo Zhe, indeed a master he couldn''t rival, but... he looked at the blue-red giant wolf, like a small container truck, and couldn''t help but feel that even a burly man like Captain Luo would seem small in front of such a beast.


    Could he really handle it...


    Luo Zhe stepped forward, facing the increasingly approaching, towering demonized beast, his expression unchanged.


    He suddenly stepped forward, the stone slabs of the small square immediately cracking into spider-linelines from the pressure.


    The next moment, Luo Zhe shot forward like a cannonball, the heavy armor on him as if it weighed nothing.


    Fifty meters...


    Twenty meters...


    Ten meters...


    The survivors behind held their breath, with the brave ones focusing intently on the battlefield, while the timid ones had long closed their eyes.


    The giant wolf approached, its sharp claws larger than a human''s whole body, burning with flames that left charred paths in their wake.


    Luo Zhe''s gaze sharpened, both hands gripping the sword.


    "Die¡ª"


    A layer of red light enveloped the heavy sword, like a dense aura that couldn''t be dispelled!


    Combat Skill: Blood Slash!


    The red light swept across the blue-red giant wolf''s claws and then its waist and abdomen, Luo Zhe''s figure already appearing on the other side of the beast.


    A whimper followed, the giant wolf collapsed heavily, struggling for a moment before finally succumbing.


    Having dealt with the blue-red giant wolf, Luo Zhe''s expression remained unchanged as he steadily advanced.


    The remaining demonized beasts drawn by the great commotion were not as strong as the blue-red giant wolf. Even grouped together, they posed no threat to Luo Zhe, quickly being slain one by one, leaving only the carcasses of the demonized beasts, a testament to the rather fierce battle that had transpired here.


    Xiaopeng: "..."


    Was it over just like that?


    A powerful, incredibly so, even the strongest demonized beast he''d ever encountered, was killed with a single blow?


    Was the gap between Awakeners supposed to be this vast, how could he, a natural Awakener, face such disparity?


    Watching Luo Zhe''s fierce departing figure, Xiaopeng felt a burning fervor in his heart.


    It was then he remembered the mysterious Director Tang of the Sanctuary.


    Initially, when he''d heard Director Tang wanted to rebuild the Sanctuary on this ruin, he thought it was pure fantasy.


    But now, with this wall, and men like Captain Luo...


    The Green Shadow Sanctuary was far more powerful than he''d imagined.

 Chapter 23 - 23 Making the Awakening Headband

    Rubbing his throbbing head, Tang Yu sighed lightly.


    Building the wall was much more troublesome than he had imagined.


    In the past, constructing buildings just involved designating a location, consuming materials, and automatically constructing the system building.


    The wall was different. An entire wall was composed of countless "unit walls," and the consumption during construction was also determined by the number of "unit walls."


    He had a stock of Source Crystals, but the consumption of stone materials was extremely high. If not for the basic Puppets responsible for demolition work, relying only on the survivors without adequate tools, it might not be possible to build such a wall even after a week.


    However, the trouble wasn''t the consumption, but the designation of locations.


    When constructing buildings normally, Tang Yu stood beside the construction site and didn''t feel much. But when constructing the wall, with the extensive scope of the wall, no matter where he stood, there were always areas out of sight. Tang Yu simply stood on the balcony of the castle''s top floor, controlling the wall construction through "remote control."


    This feeling was very strange, like standing from a higher perspective, overlooking and feeling the Territory.


    As a result... Tang Yu felt a little dizzy.


    Was it due to insufficient spiritual power? It seemed he needed to take it easy in the future.


    ...


    While Tang Yu was constructing the wall, Luo Zhe had slain the invading Demonized Beasts.


    At this moment, Eileen also had a solemn expression.


    She held a kitchen knife, her eyes fixed firmly on the ingredients before her.


    These ingredients were not from the batch Wang Tai had hoarded but were top-quality ingredients that Tang Yu had opened from a resource pack. They were diverse, including those flying in the sky, swimming in the water, running on the ground, as well as vegetables and fruits, all available.


    Upon first contact with these ingredients, Eileen was completely stunned.


    Not to mention seeing such ingredients before; many of them she hadn''t even heard of. She had heard of the nobles in the Inner City hosting banquets with lavish food, but even at those banquets, there weren''t such a variety of rich ingredients.


    She was a bit nervous that the Lord entrusted her with such precious ingredients.


    This was her task, and Eileen was even more serious about this than dealing with Demonized Beasts.


    She opened the complete cooking recipe collection beside her. The cookbooks the Lord had given her had been flipped through several times in the past two days, and she found them profound.


    Although she had been self-reliant before, where did she have ingredients to cook with? She studied extraordinarily seriously.


    In the kitchen, Eileen followed the cooking steps in the book. Although it was her first time, her actions were not slow.


    Soon, plate after plate of dishes was served on the dining table.


    When Tang Yu came downstairs, he saw Eileen, wearing a plain white T-shirt and shorts, with a green apron tied in front, standing charmingly by the dining table like a neighbor''s girl.


    Compared to when they first met, Eileen was now more lively and cheerful, occasionally showing a smile, though she was still a bit reserved, insisting on waiting for him to sit down before sitting at the dining table.


    This table of dishes was very sumptuous. Although they were just ordinary home-cooked dishes, they were a feast for the senses, and the aroma lingered in the air even before approaching.


    This was the best meal Tang Yu had seen since the apocalypse. He could hardly believe that Eileen, having only studied for two days and cooking for the first time, could make such delicious food. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This talent... she could go to the battlefield, cook in the kitchen, and occasionally double as an air conditioner to cool down. Comparatively, only knowing how to cook instant noodles, Tang Yu felt immensely ashamed.


    "Hmm, this braised pork is not bad..."


    Tang Yu ate a piece, then looked at Eileen''s somewhat slender figure, and passed a few more pieces over.


    Actually, he wanted to call Luo Zhe over as well, but Luo Zhe was probably the busiest person in the Sanctuary. After his body recovered, he had thrown himself into the Territory''s activities, going out early and returning late every day, fighting against Demonized Beasts. Although Tang Yu also sent food to Luo Zhe, what he ate probably didn''t matter to him.


    Before the apocalypse, he would surely be a workaholic who forgot to eat and sleep.


    Both were Awakeners, and an Awakener''s appetite was higher than that of ordinary people. It wasn''t a big deal if there was no expenditure, but once engaged in intense battles, Awakeners needed to consume more energy to replenish their expenditure.


    A table of dishes was soon devoured.


    Eileen was very delighted. Even though she had cooked it herself, she couldn''t describe the feeling that touched her taste buds until she tasted it for real. She never thought one day she could eat such delicious food.


    She felt very fortunate to have come here.


    Tang Yu felt very blessed.


    In the apocalypse, living in a safe castle and eating delicious food was something many directors of small shelters couldn''t enjoy.


    ...


    After finishing the meal, each of them had their tasks.


    Without needing to go out and explore at night, Eileen took full advantage of the time to enhance her strength. Besides refining soul power, what she did every day was read that damaged book on Magic.


    Tang Yu had also read this book, but for him, it was no different from a heavenly book. It wasn''t that he didn''t recognize the characters; in fact, this type of spellbook didn''t use ordinary characters but characters capable of carrying special powers.


    This type of text was very unique and difficult to replicate, which also led to the scarcity of Magic book types. Reading this kind of text didn''t require recognizing the characters, but rather understanding and comprehending them.


    Clearly, Tang Yu didn''t have that talent.


    He never counted on his own talent anyway. With cheats in hand, who needed talent? Could talent be put on the table?


    Lately, Tang Yu hadn''t been hunting Demonized Beasts, given his average combat strength in the team. He thought it would be too much of a waste of time to go out hunting; instead, there were many more things to do in the slowly recovering Territory.


    Such as enhancing the foundation of a Sanctuary...


    Now the Territory already had walls. Ten meters in height was sufficient to block most Demonized Beasts. With the high hardness provided by the system, the wall''s resistance to Demonized Beasts and even Demon Tides had greatly increased. A basic defense line had taken shape.


    Now Tang Yu needed to prepare the Awakening Device.


    This device could be considered standard for a Sanctuary. On the one hand, the Awakening Device increased the probability of awakening among survivors, providing the Sanctuary with more Awakeners. On the other hand, while making the Awakening Device might not be difficult for a Sanctuary, it was extremely challenging for an ordinary team of survivors.


    Tang Yu also knew the manufacturing method; it wasn''t a secret.


    In the early days of the apocalypse, when communication hadn''t been cut off yet, scientists had already researched methods to promote awakening among ordinary people. This method was soon publicly announced by the authorities. It was the existence of the Awakening Device that allowed many small shelters with weak defensive power to survive repeated Demonized Beast attacks.


    This rudimentary Awakening Device was a headband.


    Tang Yu took out ten Source Crystals of similar energy values. These were the first materials needed for the Awakening Headband. Just these ten Source Crystals could stump many survivor teams.


    To improve the quality of the headband, he used Source Crystals with an Energy value of 2, which had a chance of forming only within Second-tier Demonized Beasts.


    He also obtained Demonized Beast blood, Bone, and other materials from high-level Demonized Beasts.


    Tang Yu soaked the Source Crystals in blood for at least three hours, then selected suitable Bones, carved them into headband shapes, and drilled ten holes for embedding the Source Crystals on them...


    Carving was not his expertise. Since aesthetics weren''t required, Tang Yu spent most of the day putting effort into it, feeling a sense of achievement looking at the Bone barely formed into a ring shape.


    The process was quite peculiar, resembling a cult ritual... Tang Yu understood. Human scientists'' research on Demonized Beasts and Source Crystals was still very rudimentary; using them appropriately was already impressive. Talking about appearances? That was impossible.


    Such a rudimentary Awakening Device also had its flaws. Not everyone with the potential to awaken would surely awaken with the help of the Awakening Headband. It was more of a probabilistic matter, though relatively high.


    According to Tang Yu''s understanding, only those with high enough talent could naturally awaken without external aids. Over time, more survivors would awaken, though many people couldn''t wait until then. The Awakening Headband triggered certain mechanisms to achieve the purpose of awakening.


    "This headband can be handed over to Chen, let him handle it. We can stick to most Sanctuary''s rules. After all, it consumes Source Crystal energy, and it can''t be provided to survivors for free."


    Survivors who use the Awakening Headband must either pay Source Crystals or sign a Contract with the Sanctuary. If they don''t awaken, they remain basic survivors. Once awakened, they must serve the Sanctuary unconditionally.


    Even so, survivors still flocked to it. Compared to the temptation of becoming an Awakener, everything else seemed insignificant.


    To become stronger, if they couldn''t afford the money, they might as well sell themselves...


    After finishing the Awakening Headband, Tang Yu was about to draw a map encompassing the whole Territory for strategic planning when he suddenly noticed something was off. After careful observation, he found several red dots appearing in the Territory.


    These red dots were slowly moving.


    They were coming from the entrance of the resort.


    They were already blending in with the green dots.

 Chapter 24 - 24: Disguise? Nonexistent

    As the population of the Sanctuary increased, it gradually became lively. Especially for the survivors who witnessed the city walls rising from the ground, they experienced shock, but also felt a sense of pride in being a member of the Sanctuary.


    In the future, a new Sanctuary would be built here, and there would be more and more survivors. They would be the first batch of builders.


    "This is it, looks like there''s a Sanctuary here."


    Outside the resort, a few figures appeared. Their clothes were tattered, resembling survivors fleeing a disaster. However, there was something distinct in their speech.


    The leader held an M4 assault rifle in his hand and a Type 54 pistol at his waist. He looked up at the resort and said, "We were instructed to find a missing squad. According to our investigation, that squad''s route would pass through this Sanctuary. Based on the information we have, the Green Shadow Sanctuary was already destroyed, but it seems now..."


    He squatted down, examining the surrounding traces, "There are clearly signs of survivor activity here. So, possibly in this Sanctuary, we might find the clues we are looking for."


    "The boss is right, but how should we investigate? Directly capture an important figure among the survivors for questioning?"


    Someone suggested, but soon they denied it themselves.


    The four of them were not exactly experts, with only two Awakeners among them. They lost two teammates on the way from Lindong to here. Compared to their missing squad, which was powerful and included some third-layer Awakeners, they decided that being cautious was necessary.


    They did not believe the squad''s disappearance was related to the surviving survivors of Green Shadow.


    Everyone looked at Third. Third had a more agile mind; he was always the think tank of the team and was expected to have a solution.


    Sure enough, Third, the bespectacled man, chuckled lightly, "Our goal is to find clues about the missing squad, which does not conflict with the survivors of Green Shadow Sanctuary. Or I should say, we ourselves are survivors."


    Seeing that some people still didn''t understand, Third shook his head, threw down the rifle in his hand, and gestured to his ragged clothes, "Look at me like this, isn''t this just like a survivor fleeing a disaster?"


    A survivor fleeing a disaster would naturally want to enter a Sanctuary logically upon seeing one. Once they got into the Sanctuary, it wouldn''t be hard to contact important figures or find clues from other survivors.


    Finding clues in this way held no risk.


    The few of them laughed, seemingly seeing the dawn of completing their task. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As they entered the Sanctuary, they saw nothing but ruins. It had indeed been attacked by the Demon Tide, proving that the information they got was correct, thereby increasing their confidence in finding clues.


    Everything that followed seemed to be within Third''s expectations.


    They disguised themselves as survivors who accidentally discovered the Sanctuary, revealing just the right amount of joy mixed with caution upon seeing "kindred spirits," and were soon led inside by a survivor from the Sanctuary.


    The one responsible for guiding incoming survivors was Wang Zhou. Having witnessed total annihilation of militants and miracle city walls, he was considered a veteran figure with substantial seniority in the Sanctuary. Those people held a strong sense of belonging to the Sanctuary.


    Considering more and more survivors would arrive at the Sanctuary, Tang Yu estimated there would be a need for someone to take on the role of a guide, introducing the rules of the Sanctuary to newcomers, and showcasing the strength of the Sanctuary. Registration and cataloging of incoming survivors could be managed alongside these responsibilities.


    For now, it wasn''t as complicated, just a matter of simply guiding and introducing the Sanctuary to the incoming survivors. As the Sanctuary''s scale increased, a series of rules would need to be perfected, including personnel registration, specialties, work arrangements, etc. The current situation already gave Tang Yu a headache thinking it out. To create a specific framework, a professional would be necessary. He could only pin his hopes on the survivors coming in the future, hoping some would possess real talent.


    Among the survivors first rescued with Chen Haiping, Wang Zhou was relatively smart, bold, and... talkative.


    He was assigned to this guide position.


    He led the newcomers, a smile on his face.


    The abundant meals these days had gradually made his body put on weight. In his own words, he said he was regaining some of the style he had back then.


    Wang Zhou gestured at the nearby buildings and said, "You see many buildings here are damaged. What does that represent? It represents the fierce battles our Sanctuary has experienced, our glory! Just like scars on a warrior''s body represent honor, these marks on our Sanctuary represent our strength."


    "You must know that was a Demon Tide, Demonized Beasts everywhere, but it was our Sanctuary that held them back. You might not believe it, but at that time, our top experts from the Sanctuary battled through the Demon Tide, going in and out seven times. Such scenes, tsk-tsk, they really made one''s blood boil. If I were an Awakener, I certainly couldn''t hold myself back from charging in."


    Wang Zhou fluently spouted nonsense.


    The people behind exchanged glances, feeling bewildered.


    This information was overwhelming and differed greatly from what they were told. Wasn''t it said that this Sanctuary was destroyed by the Demon Tide and that the leader, Wang Tai, escaped with his men? But now, were there top experts who battled the Demon Tide relentlessly? Don''t tease them about lacking experience; even in Lindong, they''ve encountered numerous experts, but fighting through Demonized Beasts? That couldn''t be!


    They just didn''t know, while most of what Wang Zhou said was entirely made-up, he did seriously consider that if another Demon Tide were to come, with Director Tang and others around, along with the towering city walls, it wasn''t impossible to fend it off.


    The entire resort wasn''t large;. Walking and pausing their way through, Wang Zhou introduced it like a tourist sight. They soon found themselves on the steps leading to the villa area, from where the towering, majestic city walls could already be seen, resembling a giant beast lying on the earth.


    "Do you see? Do you see!" Wang Zhou pointed at the city wall, with a look as if saying you''ve seen so little, not believing it.


    "This is our Sanctuary''s strongest defense, a ten-meter-high city wall! The entire wall completely encircles the villa area. No matter from which direction the Demonized Beasts attack, they will inevitably be blocked outside the wall, even during a Demon Tide. It''s no exaggeration to say, our Sanctuary fears nothing more than a Demon Tide!"


    Wang Zhou was hugely spirited at this moment.


    The most terrifying aspect of the Demon Tide lay in the sheer number of Demonized Beasts¡ªa dense mass surging forward. Even if firearm attacks could be dealt with, they couldn''t stop the advance of the Demon Tide. A normal defense line wouldn''t last long before being engulfed by it.


    The city wall was different!


    Standing ten meters high, taller than a three-story building, with no support available, most Demonized Beasts couldn''t cross this height. Though a few terrifying ones might leap onto the wall, their threat level was greatly reduced.


    Once the Demon Tide was stopped by the city wall, other survivors could stand on it and launch attacks from above, making the confrontation with the Demon Tide much easier.


    The four-member team disguised as survivors initially felt a sense of superiority coming from a large Sanctuary, but upon seeing this city wall, they were immediately stunned, standing dumbfounded in place, eyeing the majestic city wall with wide eyes, their minds in a whirl.


    As a Sanctuary with a population of tens of thousands, Lindong naturally had ongoing city wall constructions; those consumed massive manpower and resources. Yet, here? Even if the wall was smaller in scale but built to such a height, they couldn''t imagine what methods were used to achieve this.


    The four exchanged perplexed glances.


    With such a city wall coupled with decent defensive forces, repelling a Demon Tide wasn''t impossible.


    Moreover, looking at the appearance of the wall, it couldn''t have been constructed in a short time, which made the previous information claiming the Green Shadow Sanctuary was destroyed by Demonized Beasts just days ago seem highly suspicious.

 Chapter 25 - 25: Where Did the Flaw Occur?

    With a belly full of questions, the four of them followed Wang Zhou into the villa area, continuing until they arrived at a rather secluded villa.


    The villa''s interior, previously filled with corpses and cluttered objects, had been cleared out, leaving it feeling empty and desolate. There were a few damaged spots on the walls, conveying a sense of ruin and bleakness.


    The team of four felt something was off about the environment but had no time to ponder. Upon entering, a strong sense of oppression weighed heavily on their hearts, leaving them struggling to breathe.


    Inside the villa, apart from Wang Zhou, who led them there, were two other people.


    One was a young man dressed in casual attire.


    The other was a muscular man who resembled an iron tower; the loose shirt he wore looked like a tight-fitting garment on his body.


    The muscular man stood behind the young man, exuding an intense Blood Evil Qi. It was terrifying to the extreme, and they could feel that this oppressive aura came from the iron tower-like muscular man.


    What was going on?


    They didn''t understand; they were refugees, survivors seeking shelter. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Generally, even if a Sanctuary wasn''t welcoming to survivors, it wouldn''t immediately show its power in such a way, especially considering there were two Awakeners among them, which any Sanctuary would welcome with open arms.


    Something was definitely not right.


    The young man in casual attire, with his hands behind his back, swept his gaze over them, "So, what''s your purpose for sneaking in here?"


    The pupils of the four tightened slightly; they weren''t sure where they had slipped up, or perhaps...


    The leader of the four tried to butter up, "Brother, we''re originally survivors from Nanling Town, constantly hiding and fleeing outside. This time we found the sign of your Sanctuary and wanted to seek shelter. We, we have no other motives."


    He felt uneasy, but he was also certain that the missing squad had an inevitable connection with this Sanctuary.


    This had made the Sanctuary more vigilant against outsiders.


    Just like this time, the leader felt they hadn''t shown any flaws.


    Originally survivors in the wild, their disguise was quite natural.


    He felt the Sanctuary probably wasn''t suspicious of them, just maintaining vigilance, conducting routine checks. Using the expert''s Qi oppression to unsettle them, then interrogating, they might accidentally reveal the truth.


    Fortunately...


    The leader felt relieved as they had undergone some training. They were also resolute, showing no flaws.


    This meant they should be safe now.


    Thinking this, the leader continued his flattering demeanor, only to find the person opposite still expressionless.


    It was as if they didn''t care what the response was.


    He then heard Tang Yu continue, "Of course, whether you speak or not doesn''t matter. I know clearly who you are. What I want to know now is for what purpose Lin Wei sent you here?"


    "Well, you have the right to remain silent and can remain so indefinitely, because¡­" Tang Yu spread his hands, "I''ve already killed so many, a few more like you don''t matter."


    The leader, who was tall and strong, found maintaining the fawning smile increasingly difficult and stiff at this moment.


    They knew who Lin Wei was; he was their superior''s superior, the biggest boss behind the scenes.


    Yet, he held onto a sliver of hope, without evidence, it was merely a guess. These two couldn''t just act directly... could they?


    The leader couldn''t be sure and continued to persist.


    As for taking action or fleeing, he never considered it. Just the pressure from the iron tower-like man was enough to immobilize them. If it came to a fight, they probably wouldn''t last a single move.


    This was a master, far beyond their match.


    At this moment, a bespectacled young man among them walked out with a wry smile, "Let me speak."


    "Third, you¡­" The leader looked incredulous.


    The bespectacled young man gave them an apologetic look, "Boss, Second, and Five, what''s the point of holding out now? We were just in a hiring relationship with our superiors. They sent us to investigate; we tried our best. We even sacrificed two people for this. We owe nothing more and don''t need to risk our lives."


    He took a deep breath, "Do you think staying silent will ensure our safety? Remember, this is the apocalypse; life is the cheapest thing. Even if we die, do you think the secrets will remain? No, even if we fall, our superiors would just send other teams; the result would be the same."


    Third, the bespectacled man, saw things clearly.


    After speaking, he confessed their purpose to those at the Sanctuary without any reservation.


    The others remained silent.


    To say they were loyal wouldn''t be true.


    Initially, they persisted only out of a fluke, believing they hadn''t been discovered.


    Even when Tang Yu mentioned Lin Wei''s name, they thought it might just be a ploy to scare them.


    Admitting it would mean being caught infiltrating the Sanctuary and facing dire consequences.


    But denying, insisting they were merely fleeing survivors, might allow them to blend in successfully.


    That was their thought.


    The bespectacled youth had initially thought the same but understood more clearly.


    What the other party said wasn''t just intimidation. Even without evidence, even if it were just suspicion, in an era where killing was like slaughtering chickens, annihilating them would not require any hesitation.


    Only by confessing could they earn a slim chance of survival.


    However, the young man still wondered in his heart, where had they slipped up?


    ...¡­


    The team planning to infiltrate the Sanctuary didn''t know much.


    They had less understanding of Lin Wei and his forces compared to the information extracted from Han Jing''s team previously.


    Tang Yu also understood well; Han Jing was Lin Wei''s trusted subordinate, while this team might just be an insignificant squad under Lin Wei''s command.


    This squad naturally didn''t know confidential information like the Source Crystal Mine. Their mission was merely to search for the previously missing Han Jing''s team.


    However, the squad sent for this mission wasn''t the only one.


    From the information obtained from the bespectacled youth, there were at least seven or eight such teams assigned to different areas for investigation. This team was responsible for investigating this specific area.


    "This meant that their disappearance would surely draw Lin Wei''s attention, and the Sanctuary would eventually come into their sights."


    Such a scenario was predictable for him.


    Han Jing''s team members were already wiped out in various ways, but as long as Lin Wei regarded the Source Crystal Mine with enough importance, he would continually send people to investigate, discovering the truth would just be a matter of time.


    However, for Tang Yu, time was the most critical factor.


    Although Lin Wei was high up in the Lindong Sanctuary, unable to command the army, he had countless Awakeners under him. Currently, Lin Wei''s force certainly surpassed the Territory. However, in the apocalyptic times, the difficulty in communications meant that authority alone couldn''t convey messages effectively.


    Arresting this squad, while the news of their disappearance reached Lin Wei''s hands, dispatch the reconnaissance personnel, then the reconnaissance personnel conducted their investigation¡­


    The back-and-forth would consume considerable time.


    By using this time, Tang Yu had confidence in elevating the Territory''s construction to the next level.


    These squad members shouldn''t be wasted; they could be sent to work as miners. The efficiency of Awakeners at hard labor exceeded that of ordinary people by far.


    Tang Yu recalled Han Jing''s group with some regret. Having third-layer Awakeners as laborers would have been fantastic.


    However, he understood well; employing Han Jing''s group as miners was too dangerous. As Landlord Tang, he would tread the path of caution and would not take undue risks.

 Chapter 26 - 26 Preparation

    "What! You want to go to the Lindong Sanctuary, that''s too dangerous!"


    Ever since Tang Yu decided to visit the Lindong Sanctuary, Chen Haiping had been visibly agitated.


    It was understandable; having just provoked the bigwigs at the Lindong Sanctuary, it seemed like courting death to walk right into their lair.


    Tang Yu waved his hand, "Don''t be so agitated, don''t be so agitated, Lin Wei doesn''t know me. Even if they find the clues of Han Jing''s disappearance here in the future, at most they''ll narrow down the target to our sanctuary. At the Lindong Sanctuary, I''ll just be one of the many indistinguishable survivors."


    "Besides, Lindong Sanctuary is the only large sanctuary around Lin City, with more information and resources. Only by going there do we have a chance to know how much power Lin Wei has amassed. We can''t just allow them to investigate while we sit and wait, right?"


    "I''ll go."


    Luo Zhe wasn''t a man of many words.


    Tang Yu shook his head.


    Although Luo Zhe was indeed reliable, both he and Eileen were not from this world. Even though the contract had imparted much common knowledge, it couldn''t compare to twenty-odd years of a normal person''s life experience. Going to Lindong to gather information would be less effective.


    If it were only about gathering information at Lindong, sending Luo Zhe would have been fine.


    But Tang Yu''s visit to Lindong was not just to learn about Lin Wei''s power. That was secondary; he also wanted to understand the changing world through Lindong.


    In the early days of the apocalypse, when communication was still possible, Tang Yu had been able to get some information from across the country. But as communication broke down, information became scarce, let alone when the threat of the demonized beasts grew, and survival itself became a challenge. As an ordinary person, he paid even less attention to other news.


    Now it was different.


    He had the power to protect himself and wanted to develop. Even with the system, he couldn''t just shut himself off from the world.


    The system was his advantage, something Tang Yu naturally intended to use well. He had no foolish ideas of self-reliance; why shouldn''t he use his cheat?


    But one couldn''t rely entirely on the system for everything.


    From Han Jing and others, Tang Yu had already learned that Lindong''s scientists, through studying new things after the apocalypse, had made significant discoveries and inventions.


    This was the difference between large and small sanctuaries.


    It was also a testament to human wisdom.


    Using the system as the foundation and combining it with human scientific thinking and logic was the direction for future territory development.


    Moreover...


    Tang Yu''s thoughts drifted afar.


    Lindong, being a large sanctuary, might have collected information from all over the country. At Lindong, he might be able to find news of the sanctuary where his parents were.


    These tasks could not be entrusted to others. Only by sifting through the chaotic information himself could he find the key he sought.


    As for safety...


    Chen Haiping''s concerns were not unfounded; he was, after all, an outsider who knew only the tip of the iceberg of the territory''s true strength and resources.


    That''s why he worried.


    Going to Lindong, Tang Yu naturally wouldn''t be going alone. Bodyguards were definitely needed, and more time was required to prepare all kinds of equipment and tools.


    Even in the worst situation, he could still guarantee a full retreat.


    ...


    Time flew by.


    In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.


    During these days, the territory developed steadily and orderly according to the plan.


    The team led by Luo Zhe and Eileen had searched through the surrounding towns, not only finding some quite useful items but also discovering a few survivors who were bitterly hiding and struggling to survive.


    These survivors, without a doubt, had been brought to the territory.


    Combined with some survivor teams barely capable of acting in the wild, or who came by after learning about the sanctuary through various channels, one way or another, the entire sanctuary now had close to a hundred survivors.


    In these days, Tang Yu had also strengthened the monitoring of the territory.


    After capturing that four-member team, it took another two days to capture another team attempting to infiltrate stealthily.


    The efficiency of these teams was evidently lacking, which made Tang Yu feel quite reassured.


    After these two teams, no more teams were discovered.


    He estimated that the area around the sanctuary had probably been marked as a danger zone by those recon teams. Perhaps there were some traces left, as Eileen and Luo Zhe occasionally found tracks of survivors'' activities while they were out.


    It was quite likely a trail left by a recon team.


    "It''s a pity, I still lack the most critical item for going to Lindong."


    Tang Yu could ensure a safe retreat from any perilous situation because of a certain item.


    The Return City Scroll.


    In the early stages of the game, it was very common and could even appear in first-level markets, and it wasn''t expensive¡­ In the game, this thing might only save some travel time, but in reality, it was an absolute lifesaving divine artifact.


    He had been waiting eagerly for the market''s daily refresh opportunities.


    Yet annoyingly, when he needed it most, it never appeared.


    Tang Yu refreshed today''s market.


    His eyes widened, and he beamed with joy.


    It wasn''t the Return City Scroll he saw, but this item was also a divine artifact in reality.


    Backpack (10 Slots).


    In the game, a backpack merely expanded the backpack slots, and not by much.


    Reality was different; this backpack looked like a normal small-sized backpack, yet inside it was a different world. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The ten-slot backpack had ten spaces, each one cubic meter, totaling ten cubic meters of space, making it a must-have divine artifact for both home and travel, and more nefarious ventures.


    Without hesitation, Tang Yu bought all three space backpacks from the market stock, nearly depleting his Source Crystals.


    In these days, he had built the market, upgraded the Lord''s castle, constructed city walls, and bought blueprints and the backpack from the market.


    Yet the daily income was only a mere hundred or so units of Source Crystals, not a small amount but far from covering expenses. Tang Yu looked at his Source Crystal reserves and saw they were nearly exhausted.


    More importantly, there weren''t many system buildings, only a few.


    Landlord Tang felt quite distressed.


    He glanced at the space backpack in his hand, suddenly brightening up with a new idea for a source of income.


    ...


    The sky was clear, like a furnace, with the scorching sun baking the ruined earth. The air seemed to be suffused with¡­ a stench of sweat?


    Avoiding the sweat-drenched laborers at work, Tang Yu, accompanied by two Puppet Guards, slipped out of the sanctuary quietly.


    His target lay several kilometers away at the Source Crystal Mine.


    He had long coveted this Source Crystal Mine but had no means of mining it¡­ The hills were teeming with demonized beasts. Although he had ventured in, he had only been harassed endlessly before even locating the Source Crystal Mine. Mining it in such a situation was far-fetched indeed.


    Well, having survivors mine was naturally out of the question.


    But if it was just a matter of violently crushing rocks and storing the extracted Source Crystal ores in space backpacks, Tang Yu found it feasible.


    Taking a side path from the resort, there was a mountain road that wound behind the resort''s hill.


    Tang Yu traversed along the mountain road.


    On one side was a steep cliff wall, while the other side bordered a cliff above a small stream. The sanctuary''s water supply mostly came from this stream after the apocalypse. Fortunately, the stream hadn''t been particularly polluted before the apocalypse ¡ª at least the stream water hadn''t turned red or yellow in some bizarre color.


    Number One and Number Two walked alongside him like Gate Gods, and Tang Yu leisurely observed the surroundings.


    The mountain road was narrow, merely two lanes wide.


    At a glance, nearly half of the road surface was covered by grass,


    These grasses sprouted from the soil beside the concrete road, growing with wild abandon. Some had already shot up to one or two meters tall, while others grew from the gaps in the concrete road, their tenacious vitality forcefully cracking the entire road. Anyone who had stayed hidden after the apocalypse without stepping outside might notice.


    This world had changed beyond recognition.

 Chapter 27 - 27 Giant Tree

    Based on the information obtained earlier, the Source Crystal Mine was only a few kilometers away from the resort as the crow flies, located in a certain area in the forest behind the castle.


    The forest was vast and filled with countless Demonized Beasts.


    A few days ago, he walked down this mountain road, and in the middle section, there was a relatively gentle gap where one could enter the forest...


    "However, taking this detour was too far, wasted time, and Number One and Number Two, as Guardian Puppets, had limited activity range, unable to leave their territory too far. It''s better to go directly."


    On the side of the road near the forest was a towering mountain wall, overgrown with vegetation, densely intertwined. Even an Awakener, without extensive climbing experience, couldn''t make it up.


    In his mind.


    Tang Yu directly gave an order to Number One.


    In an instant, spiderweb-like cracks appeared under Number One''s feet, and its entire body shot up towards the sky, forcibly creating a path through the dense shrubbery.


    For a moment, broken branches and leaves fell like rain, crashing onto the mountain road, creating a mess on the ground.


    Tang Yu''s mouth twitched slightly as he looked at the path cleared through the mountain wall and then at the rope hanging down from above... Indeed, violence was the best solution to difficulties.


    ¡­


    Outside the forest, the sunlight was scorching and unbearably hot.


    Inside the forest, it was a completely different story.


    Trees grew vigorously, trunks and roots crisscrossed, branches and leaves lush, as if stepping into a primeval forest, with sunlight blocked out. Not only did the light become much dimmer, but even the temperature must have dropped several degrees.


    Undoubtedly, these changes occurred only after the apocalypse.


    Each tree seemed to have taken growth hormones, and in some densely packed areas, Tang Yu even saw branches intertwined together in an inappropriate embrace!


    Perhaps it wouldn''t be long before even if the plants became sentient, Tang Yu wouldn''t be surprised. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The forest was very silent, with only the occasional rustling sound caused by the wind brushing past the treetops.


    The chirping of insects and birds was no longer heard, and Tang Yu was actually curious as insects seemed to have disappeared post-apocalypse... As for birds, at least he had seen the Demonized Bird polluted by the red mist, but insects, he indeed had not seen.


    They were supposed to be the most common creatures, yet indeed there hadn''t been a report of insect mutations. Could it be that insects were too weak and got wiped out?


    Tang Yu felt that couldn''t be true. Insects had top-notch reproductive and adaptive abilities. He was more worried that if insects got Demonized and some mutations occurred, they might be more difficult to deal with than ordinary Demonized Beasts.


    Then, Number Two, who was walking on the right side, suddenly stepped forward, reaching out to grab a green vine and squeezed it hard.


    With a snap.


    The vine burst open, and yellow-green liquid splattered all over, making a sizzling sound.


    Tang Yu was stunned.


    "Is this... a snake?!"


    He was startled; if he had been alone, he certainly wouldn''t have dared to enter such a forest.


    Outside, apart from a few assassination-type Demonized Beasts, most were not difficult to spot. However, in the forest, like this snake, which retained its original animal hunting habits even after Demonization, became much more dangerous in such complex environments.


    This was just a relatively weak Demonized Snake.


    "Unfortunately, the meat of Demonized Beasts is mostly inedible. If it were a Mutated Snake, it would be a different story."


    It seemed like the beginning.


    As he gradually delved into the forest, more and more Demonized Beasts appeared before Tang Yu.


    Some native Demonized Beasts retained their original appearance, while others mutated, becoming bizarre and grotesque.


    Giant Demonized Rabbits larger than tigers and leopards, Demonized Squirrels with three tails, and even more grotesque entities crawling out of Abyssal Rifts, mostly unseen before...


    He thought that in the future, if given the chance, he could number these Demonized Beasts and give them names. Otherwise, encountering them without being able to identify them would seem quite uneducated.


    ¡­


    The environment in the forest was complex, and the location of the Source Crystal Mine was also uncertain. Tang Yu wandered for a long time without finding the Source Crystal Mine.


    "Could this information be false? But would Wang Tai dare to trade a false message with the Lindong boss?"


    Tang Yu pondered.


    Regardless of the message''s truth, the forest''s danger level was such that Han Jing''s team wouldn''t last long even if they ventured in, let alone find the Source Crystal Mine.


    It''s said that even Wang Tai and his team only saw it from a distance while fleeing.


    He suddenly paused.


    Saw it?


    In this forest, with such dense trees already obstructing vision, how could they see it?


    He felt like he had received false information!


    Suddenly.


    A large patch of bright light appeared ahead, and Tang Yu rubbed his eyes, quite sure it was sunlight.


    "How could sunlight be in this forest? Could it be outside the forest already? That''s impossible, considering how slowly one moves through the forest. According to the position, this should just be the forest''s edge, far from crossing to the other side, so then..."


    He stepped forward quickly, with sounds of impacts coming from both sides as Numbers One and Two dealt with some harassing Demonized Beasts.


    The front suddenly became clear.


    A pit appeared in sight, with sunlight pouring in, causing a shimmering sparkle.


    It was a giant pit, with the bottom covered in gleaming white stones¡ªminerals containing Source Crystals, Rough Stones.


    Unsurprisingly, it was a bare mine.


    The Source Crystal Mine was already stunning from afar, especially under the sun, as the stone blocks reflected a gleaming white light. But Tang Yu''s gaze remained fixed on the center of the giant pit.


    There stood a gigantic tree.


    Truly deserving.


    The forest''s trees were already quite towering, yet they couldn''t compare to this one.


    The giant tree rooted itself at the Source Crystal Mine''s center, with underground roots intertwined like winding dragons.


    The tree''s branches were plentiful, but rather than the usual lush green, the leaves were seemingly transparent white.


    Tang Yu fixed his eyes, seemingly seeing networks running through the transparent leaves.


    The giant tree seemed dreamlike.


    In comparison, the Source Crystal Mine below paled in its brilliance.


    Shaking his head, Tang Yu refrained from probing the tree further.


    The giant tree didn''t appear dangerous, and as for how it mutated, that could be explored later¡ªafter all, the tree wouldn''t disappear. For now, it was best to move the Rough Stones away first.


    He didn''t want to get too close to the tree, only finding a spot at the edge of the giant pit where Rough Stones were abundant.


    With Numbers One and Two guarding his side, Tang Yu took a handful of round balls from his pocket and threw them out forcefully.


    The Basic-Type Warrior Puppets, it had to be them!


    In midair, accompanied by a slight sound, the balls, the size of ping-pong balls, continued to deform and expand until they became puppets with round torsos and thick arms.


    As soon as the puppets landed, Tang Yu immediately controlled them to mine¡ªBasic-Type Warrior Puppets didn''t have this action programmed, but it was simple, like clearing stones at the resort usually with swings and strikes. There was no worry of damage, as Rough Stones, along with ordinary rocks, were thrown out.


    The Rough Stones were quite large, but contained little Source Crystal. If using an ordinary backpack, not much could be carried. However, Tang Yu had a Space Backpack.


    Piece by piece, Rough Stones were packed into the backpack.


    The puppets'' movements were rather commotion-heavy, like stirring up a hornet''s nest.


    From beneath the giant tree, in its root entanglement, countless Demonized Beasts surged out.


    In a massive wave of black, they fiercely rushed forward.


    Tang Yu frowned, "There are quite a few, but fortunately, it''s not necessary to repel all these Demonized Beasts, only to hold on for a while."


    Leaving Number Two to guard the surroundings, Number One darted with lightning speed into the midst of the Demonized Beasts.


    The silver spear in Number One''s hand moved like a dancing dragon, darting and sweeping rather than stabbing with precision. Where it passed, Demonized Beasts were either mortally wounded and bloody or completely blasted into a mist of blood.


    There was no opponent that could withstand a single engagement.


    This was the upgraded Guardian Puppet.


    With each Territory upgrade, the two Guardian Puppets would also receive a significant boost.


    In terms of strength, even Luo Zhe, who had broken through the Body-shaping Realm, couldn''t compare with these two puppets. If it weren''t for their limited activity range, Tang Yu would have dared to confront the boss at Lindong Sanctuary with them.


    A bit of a waste.


    With the Demonized Beasts'' death, a continuous flow of soul power surged into Tang Yu''s body.


    Each Demonized Beast''s soul power might have been a trickle, but now, it felt like a rushing river.


    For a moment, though not yet refined, he felt a sense of fullness.


    Truly, there were too many Demonized Beasts!


    If he were hunting on his own, even with Awakening Second-tier strength, against First Layer Demonized Beasts, he needed to be cautious. After battling each Demonized Beast, a considerable amount of rest was required, not to mention facing the dangers of the encounters.


    He somewhat understood why some people, despite awakening for a while, still stayed at the same power level, not that they weren''t putting in effort, but because... they simply couldn''t defeat the Demonized Beasts!


    Tang Yu smiled.


    To level up, going without cheats wasn''t an option.


    Indeed, this was the true usage of Guardian Puppets.

 Chapter 28 - 28: The Food Problem

    Returning to the territory, the blazing sun still hung high in the sky.


    The time spent outside wasn''t long, and it was still possible to enjoy a hot lunch.


    At this moment,


    Tang Yu looked disheveled.


    The combat suit made from high-grade demonized beast fur had a deep scratch at the waist, a mark left when a demonized beast got too close and swiped with its claw.


    This scratch was so deep that it almost pierced through the combat suit, and even Number Two barely got there in time to save him.


    There were too many demonized beasts at the time, and Number One only managed to distract a portion, leaving the rest charging toward him.


    That scene was full of ferocious demonized beasts, and Tang Yu felt it was no less severe than a Demon Tide.


    He hurriedly loaded the rough stones of the crystal ore into his backpack. By the time they retreated, the basic warrior puppet, serving as a miner, had already been dismantled into parts.


    "Too dangerous..."


    Tang Yu frowned. The number of demonized beasts indeed exceeded his expectations. He speculated that it might be because of the giant tree with transparent branches.


    When they finally left, the demonized beasts did not pursue them relentlessly but instead returned to the base of the giant tree.


    "But... this crystal ore has to be put on hold for now. There are probably more demonized beasts beneath the giant tree. If they all charge out, even Number One and Number Two wouldn''t be able to handle it."


    He felt satisfied.


    Looking at the three space backpacks in his hands, Tang Yu''s gaze was intense.


    These rough stones contained varying amounts of Source Crystals. He didn''t even need to extract the Source Crystals from the stones and went directly to a storage room in the castle.


    Clatter.


    All the rough stones were poured out, instantly filling up the small storage room.


    The value of Source Crystals detected on the panel kept rising.


    596.


    2,635.


    6,963.


    11,596.


    "18,351.9!!"


    Tang Yu took a deep breath; this was a fortune!


    How many Source Crystals did Wang Tai accumulate over a month? Just over five thousand; it was unbelievably poor! Perhaps that was why his sanctuary was overrun, even the demonized beasts couldn''t stand it!


    Even if Wang Tai had Source Crystals, they were useless to him, as he had no means to utilize them!


    Everyone knew how precious Source Crystals were. The officials had long disclosed the information that demonized beasts might contain Source Crystals, yet ordinary people could only use them as diamond rings when they got their hands on one.


    Tang Yu estimated that small and medium-sized sanctuaries couldn''t utilize Source Crystals. Perhaps only large sanctuaries, through research, could develop some means to use Source Crystals, although they were probably still quite crude. Officials collected Source Crystals primarily for research purposes.


    He was different, though. He could spend Source Crystals to summon followers, rejuvenate markets, and construct buildings...


    Not only had he gained a large amount of Source Crystals, but at this moment, his body was also filled with an abundance of soul power, almost to the point of overload.


    During the late stages of mining, Tang Yu''s body even started to reject the soul power¡ªit was a feeling of being so full that he couldn''t swallow any more.


    It was the first time he realized there was a limit to soul power absorption. Once he refined this batch of soul power, Tang Yu believed he could level up at least one more tier.


    While Tang Yu was lost in a daydream, the castle''s sensing system chimed.


    This was akin to a doorbell, but much more advanced. It could identify individuals and relay information without any operation needed, which was remarkably convenient. To this day, he still didn''t know where the recognition system was installed.


    Soon, Tang Yu saw Chen Haiping with a worried expression.


    "Director, if the population keeps growing like this, our food might not be sufficient."


    Although Chen Haiping was assigned to the patrol team, he had been doing clerical work these days due to the lack of suitable personnel in the territory. They had to make do with whoever was available.


    The territory didn''t have many people. Even though Chen Haiping was overwhelmed, he still managed to organize the survivors'' statistics properly.


    Early this morning, when he compared the remaining food with daily consumption and growth rates, he couldn''t stay calm!


    If the population kept increasing, the remaining food in the shelter might not last long!


    "Not much food? How long can we last?" Tang Yu asked.


    Chen Haiping replied with a bitter smile, "Calculating based on the current population, we can last about half a month. But every day, the population in our shelter is growing. Based on this, we can probably only sustain ourselves for ten days at most."


    "Moreover, we''ve exhausted all the resources we can find within the resort. As for the outside, it''s only Captain Luo''s team exploring every day, and the food they bring back is not much, far from enough to cover daily consumption."


    Chen Haiping left some things unsaid: the meals Director Tang prepared for the survivors were indeed too lavish¡ªnot only filling but also with meat and vegetables. Even though it couldn''t compare to pre-apocalypse life, it made others envious among other shelters.


    He wasn''t saying it was bad; there just needed to be a precondition¡ªample food supply. Once all the food was consumed, Chen Haiping dared not imagine whether the entire shelter would collapse immediately.


    "In the previous shelter, what was the food source like?"


    Chen Haiping thought for a moment, "The food source before mostly came from external searches. But back when the apocalypse just broke out, every search yielded good finds. Now, most of the surrounding areas have been scoured, so Captain Luo''s searches result in little gain."


    "Captain Luo also hunted a lot of demonized beasts, but unlike wild animals, the majority of the meat on demonized beasts is inedible. It''s difficult to distinguish which parts are safe to eat and which are poisonous, so hunting demonized beasts isn''t a viable solution either."


    He took a breath and continued, "Initially, Wang Tai had prepared ample grain and ordered some quick-growing, easy-to-sustain crops to be planted in the valley. I remember there were sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn. But those crops were destroyed by demonized beasts. Moreover, much of the grain stored in the resort was also destroyed, leading to our current shortage." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If we wanted to plant crops again now, it might be too late. Even if we drastically reduced our food expenditure, it would still..."


    He looked quite frustrated.


    If only he had noticed the food issue earlier, they might have been able to find a solution. Now, despite racking his brains, he couldn''t think of any way.


    Tang Yu, after hearing this, wasn''t worried.


    The two main challenges for a sanctuary in the apocalypse were safety and food issues.


    He hadn''t paid much attention to the food for the shelter because he wasn''t worried. No matter what, running out of food was impossible.


    The difference lay in how to acquire food.


    Should he let Luo Zhe take the space backpack and go out to find food? That seemed troublesome as well.


    Buy a food resource pack from the market? Too expensive! He himself would squeeze every Source Crystal for value, so how could he use it on something like this? For his enjoyment, perhaps, but for the survivors'' supply, he''d think twice.


    After contemplating, his eyes suddenly lit up. "Who said it''s too late to plant crops? It''s definitely possible, and we can still have a bountiful harvest!"

 Chapter 29 - 29 Farm

    "Bountiful harvest?"


    Chen Haiping was startled.


    Could it be that Director Tang didn''t understand farming, so he thought growing crops was easy? Even without considering whether they could survive, the crops would have matured long after the Sanctuary had perished.


    However, seeing Tang Yu''s confident demeanor, Chen Haiping felt that couldn''t be the case; every time the director had shown such a demeanor, when had he not been assured?


    He felt a bit dizzy for a moment.


    "No rush, no rush, let''s go to the place where crops used to be planted first."


    Between the two villa areas, there was a gap, and walking through the small path in the middle of the villas led to a valley.


    This was the original place where crops were planted.


    The valley was surrounded by steep peaks on all sides except for the entrance. Beyond these layers of mountains was a forest, and because of the rugged terrain, it wasn''t any easier for demonized beasts to cross these peaks than it was to breach a city wall.


    Therefore, as long as the mouth of the valley was guarded, this place was quite safe.


    It was no wonder Wang Tai chose to plant crops here.


    Upon entering, one could see pieces of farmland that had been cultivated, and occasionally some growing crops could be seen.


    However, most of the area had been trampled by demonized beasts, leaving chaotic traces all over the ground. Even though Chen Haiping had already instructed someone to clean up a bit, it was still a mess. The lack of sunlight and poor soil nutrients, compounded by a lack of fertilizer, meant that the crops already weren''t growing well. After the demonized beasts'' damage, these crops were virtually ruined.


    "These crops indeed can''t be salvaged, but..."


    He thought the place was genuinely good, with insufficient soil fertility and a lack of sunlight? Long growth cycles for the crops?


    These weren''t issues; all that was needed was a secure place, not only to defend against demonized beasts but also to guard against survivors.


    In the future, when the crops mature, if they were grown in an open, difficult-to-manage place, Tang Yu couldn''t guarantee some survivors wouldn''t have ulterior motives.


    He never underestimated the inherent flaws of humans.


    So.


    Next.


    Tang Yu selected an area, opened the system panel, and swiped to the resource building list.


    Chen Haiping had been following and appeared somewhat anxious.


    He couldn''t figure out what method Director Tang planned to use.


    However, the food problem could not be delayed any longer.


    Suddenly, he saw Tang Yu''s expression turn serious, his gaze fixed on the messy land before them, with his hand stretched out.


    What was he...?


    Chen Haiping''s heart tightened, his eyes locked onto that piece of land.


    The next moment, countless wood pieces flew into the air from the open space¡ªthese were branches scattered by the demonized beasts'' destruction. Many stones also gathered together, and soon a three-story mill-like building appeared in the clearing!


    "This!!"


    Even though it wasn''t the first time he''d seen this scene, it was different from when the city wall was built.


    The sight of the city wall rising was grand, but it lacked complexity, whereas the mill''s windmill bore intricate patterns he couldn''t comprehend.


    Chen Haiping looked at Tang Yu''s extended hands.


    It was as if.


    These hands.


    Had turned into invisible large hands, sculpting the entire building.


    And the speed was incredibly fast!


    This kind of capability exceeded his imagination.


    Such a level, he couldn''t fathom.


    After the mill was formed, the transformation didn''t stop.


    These invisible hands smoothed the ground, spreading from the mill''s center outward. The churned earth leveled, and rows of furrows appeared, quickly transforming the chaotic land into cultivated fields.


    Eight acres of farmland, plus a central mill, was the entire farm!


    This whole transformation happened in the blink of an eye. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Farm construction complete, costing 500 units of Source Crystal, 150 units of wood, and 50 units of stone."


    Both wood and stone were available.


    Spending a mere 500 Source Crystals could support over a hundred survivors in the Sanctuary, and there was excess to spare.


    This was for long-term development.


    Landlord Tang felt it was too cheap, being a man with over 10,000 Source Crystals. If it weren''t wasteful to build more, he might have filled the entire valley with two more farms; when crops matured, that bountiful sight would be quite spectacular.


    The power of habit was strong.


    After witnessing many shocking events, Chen Haiping''s shock tolerance had surged.


    Wasn''t building a house just that?


    During the apocalypse, building houses with a hack wasn''t rare, was it?


    As the main manager of the Sanctuary, he was now more concerned with practical issues, "Director, are there any special features of these farmlands?"


    "These farmlands contain special energy, making it easy to grow crops here, and they also promote growth."


    "The speed..." Tang Yu pondered for a while, "Somewhere between ten to dozens of times faster; it depends on what''s planted."


    In fact, he didn''t understand; he was just making it up.


    The farm''s purpose was to accelerate crop growth. As for the principles or soil changes... Anyway, he knew the soil was no longer ordinary, and the crops could mature quickly, which was enough.


    Did the rest matter?


    Tang Yu continued, "In any case, first arrange for the survivors to plant crops, as the nutrient-rich soil here makes for an easy job that can be given to well-performing survivors."


    Chen Haiping nodded in agreement.


    Even with his shock tolerance, he almost couldn''t handle it.


    Accelerating crop growth by ten to dozens of times would have been a fantastical notion before the apocalypse, and even now, it felt unbelievable.


    Others might not dare to believe it.


    Chen Haiping had stayed there for some time and knew Tang Yu wouldn''t joke about such important matters. He was now calculating how much food these fields could provide for the Sanctuary.


    He quickly realized he couldn''t compute it.


    Even with just a tenfold growth rate, it was more than enough to supply nearly a hundred survivors, and even if the numbers increased tenfold, it wouldn''t be a problem.


    Even in the future, if the Sanctuary grew larger and more survivors came, with these farmlands, food would never be in short supply.


    If one farm wasn''t enough, there''d be two, three, or even more.


    No wonder Director Tang always had full confidence in establishing a Sanctuary.


    Before today, Chen Haiping thought there was hope for a small Sanctuary here, but after witnessing Director Tang effortlessly raising walls and transforming fields, he realized that even developing into a medium-sized Sanctuary with tens of thousands of people wasn''t impossible.


    There were experts, city walls, and food here, so in some ways it already outperformed a medium-sized Sanctuary.


    With the pressing food problem resolved, Chen Haiping planned to call two trustworthy survivors to come and plant seeds.


    He suddenly remembered something, furrowing his brow, "Director, as more survivors come to the Sanctuary, managing them has become difficult, especially with the unrestrained and hard-to-control newcomers. If this continues, problems might arise."

 Chapter 30 - 30 Institutional Reform

    "Oh? Has someone already caused trouble?"


    "Not really."


    Chen Haiping shook his head, "I just feel that some people are slacking off at work. The main issue is that there are too many survivors now, and we''re lacking managers. We can''t fully understand the situation. Although there haven''t been any big problems so far, in the long run, this will be detrimental to the development of the Sanctuary."


    "Not only that, but I also suspect that some people are hoarding food during meals, which is causing daily food consumption to be higher than expected. I discovered this only this morning while counting the food supplies, but it''s definitely not a one or two-day issue."


    The Sanctuary''s system was originally very crude, and you could even say there was hardly any system at all.


    The daily arrangement for survivors was actually just giving them a general direction. There was no clear workload, work audit, or anything like that.


    It was the same during meal times. Due to the large number of survivors, we now use a communal meal strategy, which is quite filling and much better than the food at an average Sanctuary. But obviously, for some people who are inherently greedy, no matter how much others give, they will never be grateful or satisfied.


    With that said, Chen Haiping couldn''t do much about it.


    At the end of the day, he used to be a soldier, and even though he reached the rank of sergeant, dealing with these issues left him feeling quite helpless. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu understood.


    The Sanctuary was in the construction phase, with a myriad of problems needing immediate attention, and Chen Haiping clearly had to prioritize these issues.


    This was still because there were too few trustworthy people.


    He, Eileen, and Luo Zhe were the core leadership of the Territory.


    Chen Haiping was in the secondary level of leadership.


    Then there were a few reliable survivors, who mostly held important positions or were in the management staff, but it was clearly not enough. As the number of survivors in the Territory increased, the need for trustworthy personnel would grow.


    This was because the Sanctuary''s foundation was inherently weak. In other Sanctuaries, even if they weren''t official ones, those who managed to establish a Sanctuary always had a large group of followers. These Sanctuaries had populations, resources, relatively complete operating systems, and were able to absorb outside survivors continuously.


    Meanwhile, the Territory could hardly be called a true Sanctuary yet, and it could not have enough deterrence against outside forces like other Sanctuaries.


    Especially since among these outsiders, many were unruly Awakeners.


    Tang Yu looked at the Territory map, at the small dots representing survivors.


    Apart from the first two groups of survivors who arrived at the Sanctuary, the rest were mostly yellow dots, with some green dots, and a few red dots as well.


    It was quite glaring.


    These red dots weren''t members sent by Lin Wei for investigation, but troublemakers among the survivors.


    Perhaps these individuals hadn''t yet done anything harmful to the Sanctuary, but the red dots indicated that these people harbored hostility toward the Territory.


    Dealing with these people was quite troublesome¡­ Well, he wouldn''t admit that it was because he found it troublesome that he hadn''t dealt with it yet. It must have been because he was busy with the Territory''s construction and didn''t have the time.


    Now, with the Source Crystal, the Return City Scroll issue should be resolved quickly.


    Before heading to Lindong, let''s settle these minor issues first.


    "How about this, old Chen, you draft a notice and post it up. Feel free to write whatever specifics you want, then find some time to do a census of the survivors. No need to rush; give some people time to prepare, so when the time comes, we can collect the returns with interest. Hmm, that''s about it."


    Chen Haiping covered his face.


    He felt like his burden had once again become heavier.


    ...


    On the outskirts of the holiday resort, in a small forest.


    Ding Qiang had set up a rocking chair under the shade of a tree, lying there comfortably with a sausage in his hand, slowly savoring it.


    "This taste¡­ It''s delightful. I never realized sausages could taste this good before."


    In the distance, a loud rumbling sound could be heard. It was the Puppets demolishing rock.


    It was the time of day for transporting materials.


    Yet Ding Qiang continued to lounge there leisurely, as if the work had nothing to do with him.


    He was certainly resistant to the Sanctuary''s arrangements. As a dignified Awakener, he should be treated as an honored guest wherever he went, yet here he was assigned to such menial work. He even thought this place could hardly be called a true Sanctuary.


    A few survivors in number, and a city wall that was baffling¡ªif it weren''t for the food here being far more plentiful than elsewhere, he wouldn''t even give this place a second glance¡­ Perhaps there had indeed been a Sanctuary here, but it was later wiped out by Demonized Beasts, which would explain the abundance of food.


    Ding Qiang was still somewhat apprehensive about this place. At least those stone-mining Puppets looked quite extraordinary, likely the product of some ability user. If not for that, he wouldn''t even adhere superficially to the Sanctuary''s arrangements.


    Suddenly, a young man with yellow hair came running breathlessly, "Boss¡­ Boss, something''s wrong¡­"


    "What are you panicking about! At worst, it''s just the discovery of us secretly stealing food from other survivors; it''s no big deal. Your boss here is an Awakener, not afraid of this so-called Sanctuary." Ding Qiang glared at the yellow-haired youth, face filled with arrogance.


    The youth caught his breath, looking up admiringly.


    As expected of the Awakener boss, he spoke with such authority. In contrast, he felt ashamed for getting flustered over a little bad news. Since the boss said so, there must be nothing to worry about regarding the recent bad news as well.


    "Boss, it''s not that¡­ The Sanctuary¡­ The Sanctuary posted a notice, saying they would reform the system by dividing survivors into permanent and mobile personnel. Permanent personnel must follow work assignments, and future food distribution would be based on work performance, offering greater benefits, but anyone failing to meet work requirements would face penalties, including removal of benefits¡­"


    "As for mobile personnel, the Sanctuary imposes no restrictions on them, as long as they don''t violate Sanctuary rules. It also states that the Sanctuary will periodically issue tasks, which mobile personnel can complete to exchange for resources. The tasks supposedly include exploring surrounding areas and collecting specific items¡­"


    The yellow-haired youth did not notice that the more he said, the darker Ding Qiang''s face became, until it was completely black.


    ...


    The small square in front of the villa area was always the liveliest place in the entire Sanctuary. Every day, most of the wood and stone was transported here by survivors, and during breaks, many survivors would gather to chat. It was one of the few leisure activities after the apocalypse.


    The Sanctuary allowed for proper rest, understanding that ordinary people couldn''t work nonstop all day long. As long as they weren''t deliberately slacking, Tang Yu didn''t mind.


    In fact, the work intensity here was something most survivors could handle, and the work compensation far exceeded other places.


    At this moment, a survivor pushing a cart came in, noticing a notice posted on the bulletin board beside the Gate, containing what seemed to be important information, with many survivors already gathered around it.


    Zhao Xingping quickly pushed a full cart of materials to the designated location and hurried back to the square, eager to see what the notice said.


    He had arrived at the Sanctuary two days earlier, unlike many outsiders who came through their own resources; he was just an ordinary person, without the fortune of joining a team with Awakeners. Yet Zhao Xingping felt lucky, still recalling that day he hid in a dark corner, enduring the hunger pangs and a Demonized Beast looming not far from his shelter.


    At that time, he was filled with fear and anxiety, until¡­ Captain Luo appeared and sliced the Demonized Beast into two with a single sword stroke. Soon after, he was taken to the Sanctuary, becoming one of its ordinary survivors.


    He could eat three meals a day and even enjoy vegetables and meat. It all felt like a dream.


    He didn''t know how to repay the Sanctuary''s kindness, so he could only make every effort to do his job well.

 Chapter 31 - 31 Benefits?

    Pushing through the crowd, Zhao Xingping finally saw the contents of the announcement.


    [Notice Regarding the Sanctuary''s Latest Arrangement for Survivors]


    "In light of the increasing number of survivors at the sanctuary, new arrangements are now being made."


    "The sanctuary will categorize survivors into permanent residents and transient personnel. Permanent residents include but are not limited to municipal staff, patrol teams, and regular workers. Permanent residents must comply with the work arrangements of the sanctuary and will enjoy higher benefits, such as housing allocation and medical guarantees, among others."


    "Among them, Awakeners, those with combat skills, or firearm experience can apply to join the Patrol Team, which offers higher benefits. However, they must also fulfill their obligations."


    "Those with management experience can apply, and after passing an interview, can become municipal staff with corresponding benefits."


    "The sanctuary imposes no restrictions on transient personnel, but similarly, transient personnel do not receive any benefits. If transient personnel wish to acquire supplies, they can use Source Crystals to purchase from the sanctuary or exchange for supplies by completing tasks periodically published by the sanctuary."


    After reading the announcement''s contents, Zhao Xingping pondered while slowly walking out of the crowd.


    Many people around were discussing it.


    Some survivors appeared worried, "The sanctuary no longer provides a full meal, does that mean we''ll go hungry again in the future?"


    "Probably not," responded a hesitant companion, "Didn''t it say that after becoming permanent residents of the sanctuary, the benefits are higher? We''re sure to become permanent residents."


    "Though that''s what it says, how much are these benefits really? With the communal meals gone, I always feel uncertain about it."


    Zhao Xingping approached and greeted the two.


    They were all people working in the sanctuary, recognizing each other even if not familiar.


    Zhao Xingping disagreed with their views, "The sanctuary said it would provide food based on performance. If you simply calculate based on the past workload, you''ll find that we''ll receive more food than before."


    "Not only that, it said that as long as we work hard, not only can we eat to our fill, but also eat better, with more food varieties, even tobacco and alcohol. It''s exciting just to think about it."


    After thinking it through, the other two nodded in agreement.


    From this perspective, the reform in the sanctuary was beneficial for them.


    "However, it said we must obey work arrangements. The sanctuary wouldn''t use us as cannon fodder, would it? Like using us as bait to attract Demonized Beasts." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this, the survivor seemed to recall some regrettable past experience and shivered involuntarily.


    Zhao Xingping laughed heartily, "Take it easy, life is like this**. If the sanctuary wants to force us as cannon fodder, it could have done so long ago, and we wouldn''t be able to resist. Why go through such complicated steps? From my point of view, this reform is simply because there are more people in the sanctuary now and it can''t be managed as casually as before."


    Though they hadn''t been in the sanctuary for long, how the sanctuary treated survivors was visible to all.


    Zhao Xingping continued, "Plus, you saw in the announcement that as permanent residents, we also have medical guarantees. Medicine! Once we survivors fall ill, the sanctuary is actually willing to provide us with medicinal treatment!"


    His voice carried a slight tremor.


    In the apocalypse, many survivors didn''t die from Demonized Beasts nor from hunger, but from illnesses that couldn''t be treated effectively and timely in the harsh environment, with minor ailments escalating to serious illnesses, causing death in pain.


    Everyone understood the value of medicine!


    It was far more precious than food!


    To fight for a small potion, even causing deaths, wasn''t uncommon in the wilderness.


    A sanctuary that could provide medicinal treatment to ill survivors was something Zhao Xingping had never heard of.


    It seemed unbelievable to him, yet also very... fortunate.


    ...


    Villa area, in front of the castle garden.


    "Director, it''s alright for the others, but will there really be people joining this Patrol Team?"


    The Patrol Team had the highest benefits but also the most stringent requirements.


    Generally, sanctuaries have similar defensive forces, but aren''t as strict, mainly for internal patrol and oversight, and assisting in defending against Demonized Beasts from outside.


    However, on the announcement.


    Requirements like those Director Tang added, regularly participating in activities to hunt Demonized Beasts, completing a certain amount of training weekly, and periodic assessments with dismissal for those who don''t meet standards...


    Chen Haiping thought it was a joke.


    Engaging in battle with Demonized Beasts was inherently extremely dangerous, in desperate situations some survivors might choose to join, but in the sanctuary now, as long as one isn''t lazy, they can get enough to eat and wear. How many people would choose to join the Patrol Team in this case? Chen Haiping had his doubts.


    Currently, the Patrol Team counted only four people.


    Captain Luo Zhe, himself, and two ordinary people with barely acceptable marksmanship, made up the entire Patrol Team. Among them, it was mostly Captain Luo Zhe searching for supplies outside and hunting Demonized Beasts daily, occasionally followed by him on these hunts.


    Chen Haiping felt those most suited to join the Patrol Team were the Awakeners. Only they possessed the capability to resist when encountering Demonized Beasts outside. Unfortunately, these Awakeners, once they mastered their powers, became arrogant and distanced themselves from the sanctuary. Why should they risk their lives for its sake?


    During Wang Tai''s period in the sanctuary, the peak force famously had seventy to eighty Awakeners, yet less than half truly obeyed Wang Tai.


    Chen Haiping also observed in recent days that among the current sanctuaries'' Awakeners, apart from a few with good characters, or those who successfully awakened with the sanctuary''s help, the rest were likely parasites hindering the sanctuary''s development.


    In such circumstances, Director Tang still demanded completion of certain training volumes, regular assessments, and dismissal for inadequacy.


    Chen Haiping thought it was madness.


    "Old Chen, don''t be skeptical, there''ll be at least a handful, and that''s a squad in itself. Naturally, there''ll be a second, third, and numerous others. That''s how the Patrol Team''s scale will rise."


    "But even Awakeners can choose carrying jobs. With their strength, they can easily earn enough rewards. Why would profit-driven people join the Patrol Team?"


    Luo Zhe, beside him, was incensed, "These people are like cowards, what use are they!"


    Useless?


    Tang Yu would say they had their uses. After all, they''ve been fed for so long to set an example, haven''t they?


    The pig has been fattened; time for slaughter.


    Without comparison, how could the sanctuary exhibit its strength?


    Tang Yu stopped Luo Zhe, then looked at Chen Haiping, "The Patrol Team has unique roles. Only because there are few members now, it''s easier to join. In the future, it won''t be easy... You must know, whether for organizing regular hunts or completing sufficient training, these are exclusive benefits of the Patrol Team."


    "Benefits???"


    Chen Haiping was immediately bewildered.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [2018 Wishing all dear students a Happy New Year, good health, and all the best... (rest of the 8,888-character greeting omitted ¡û_¡û)]

 Chapter 32 - 32 We Are Not False

    It was night, silent and still.


    The whole Sanctuary seemed to have an indescribable atmosphere.


    As if a storm was brewing!


    Suddenly, a gust of wind rustled through the treetops, lifting fallen leaves high before they suddenly fell.


    Inside a relatively intact villa, the lights were dim, reflecting even darker faces.


    Ding Qiang took a deep breath and spoke first, "Everyone has seen the notice from the Sanctuary, right? What do you think?"


    "What else can we think? A Sanctuary with only a few Awakeners trying to order us around, is that possible? I believe everyone here shares my thoughts."


    "Right! How could we be at the Sanctuary''s beck and call? What''s with this patrol team nonsense, asking us to go out searching for supplies and follow orders? They want us dead! We barely made it to this area where Demonized Beasts are rare, and it''s best if we never see another one again. Having enough to eat and drink every day is just fine. There''s no way I''m fighting Demonized Beasts!"


    "Forget the patrol team, even a regular transport team can''t expect me to join. We are Awakeners; we are treated as honored guests wherever we go. The fact that we''re willing to stay here is remarkable enough, and they still want us to work, ha!"


    "But according to the notice, if we don''t become permanent members of the Sanctuary, we won''t get as much food, and even our housing will be allocated to those who join. Are they planning to kick us out of this villa?"


    Under the flickering firelight,


    A few people looked gloomy.


    They naturally believed that everything belonged to them.


    Anyone who tried to take their things was an enemy!


    Seeing the shared anger of those before him, Ding Qiang couldn''t help but smile.


    These people were Awakeners, aligned with him all along. He had previously worried some might be undecided, but it seemed they were all quite dissatisfied with the Sanctuary.


    His confidence rose from fifty percent to seventy percent.


    "So everyone, if we don''t want to lose what we have now, we need to negotiate some terms with the Sanctuary."


    "Negotiate? How? No matter what, it''s still the Sanctuary..."


    "Sanctuary? No, it''s just a small organization with a few Awakeners."


    If it were a true Sanctuary, even a small one, it would be beyond their challenge. Initially, they were intimidated by the Sanctuary''s name.


    Soon, someone thought carefully and realized Ding Qiang was right. This so-called Sanctuary was undeserving of its name, with only a handful of people in management. Even if they were all Awakeners, so what? They were Awakeners too, and when it came to numbers, they might not be fewer!


    "Ding is right, just a few Awakeners; we are Awakeners as well. No matter which organization we join, we are warmly welcomed. This lousy organization wants us to transport things, that''s one thing, but now it even wants to take our share of the food. Well, they''d have to deal with my knife first, which has killed Demonized Beasts!"


    This statement immediately aroused the envy of others.


    Not all Awakeners had killed Demonized Beasts. Most Awakeners, even before the apocalypse, were ordinary people, many of whom hadn''t even killed a chicken. Fighting Demonized Beasts? That was a joke!


    Indeed, killing Demonized Beasts could absorb soul power, thus strengthening oneself; this was no secret. However, reality was not a game; each person only had one life. It wasn''t a simple matter of leveling up by fighting monsters; every move was a gamble with one''s life.


    Win, and one would soar to the skies from then on.


    Lose, and one would turn into a pile of bones.


    More Awakeners chose to flee. Demonized Beasts were too terrifying. With their physiques, they could run faster than ordinary people and had a better chance of surviving. With that in mind, why risk life and limb fighting Demonized Beasts?


    Just to become stronger? That was too intangible!


    In the past, they had understood that hard work and study would lead to advancement, but how many actually did it!


    Among those present were a few Awakeners who lacked the courage. Suddenly, seeing that one of their companions had killed a Demonized Beast was extraordinary. With such a teammate, why fear those few Awakeners from the Sanctuary?


    This was indeed a Man who had killed Demonized Beasts!


    "That''s right, we are qualified to negotiate with the Sanctuary! If the Sanctuary gives us enough status and resources, fine. But if it doesn''t, don''t blame us for being rude!"


    "Well said, this Sanctuary is annoying. Coming up with that nonsense of not even allowing us to touch the ordinary survivors. I''ve held back for days. Don''t blame me if I''m not polite. Today, I must thrive!"


    Emotions ran high! sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But there was still a calmer Awakener who spoke, "We can''t be careless. After all, those who dared to establish a Sanctuary here are probably also Awakeners who have killed Demonized Beasts. We should be a bit cautious."


    Seeing the moment was right, Ding Qiang spoke again, "Exactly, we can''t let our guard down, but there''s no need to overestimate the other side. I have already investigated the combat power of the Sanctuary. Please take a look."


    He threw out three cards with the names of three individuals.


    Chen Haiping.


    Captain Luo.


    Director Tang.


    "These three are the ones we need to pay special attention to."


    Ding Qiang picked up the card with Chen Haiping''s name, "This person, I''m sure you''ve seen him often. You''re all Awakeners and can sense auras. You naturally know this person''s aura intensity, right?"


    "Indeed," someone said gravely, "Chen Haiping''s aura intensity is high. Frankly, none of us could match him. He is likely the top expert in the Sanctuary."


    "Chen Haiping''s aura has the highest intensity among the Awakeners in the Sanctuary, but the other two shouldn''t be underestimated."


    He picked up the card with Captain Luo''s name, "Captain Luo, real name unknown. This person''s aura isn''t as strong as Chen Haiping''s, but his presence is terrifying. You understand presence, right? The difference between those who have killed and those who haven''t is vast. Captain Luo is probably ruthless, and since he dares to search for supplies, his strength shouldn''t be underestimated."


    "Lastly, there''s the mysterious Director Tang. I''ve only seen him from a distance. He looks ordinary, without the presence of a strong person, but we can''t be careless. I suspect that those Puppets at the Sanctuary are Director Tang''s doing."


    "An ability user?" someone softly said.


    Many people had similar suspicions in their hearts.


    Suddenly, the scene fell silent.


    The meaning of an ability user might not be understood by some, but those present believed they understood.


    In battle, if one could only fight straightforwardly while the other had mysterious and powerful abilities, the outcome was obvious. In the apocalypse, if Awakeners were masters in the eyes of ordinary people, then ability users were masters in the eyes of Awakeners!


    Masters favored by the heavens!


    "If Director Tang is an ability user, what should we do? Those Puppets seem troublesome, and if there are many of them, it''ll be difficult."


    Ding Qiang chuckled softly, his smile exuding an effortless sense of control.


    "Indeed, ability users are hard to deal with, but we aren''t without an ability user ourselves."


    Everyone exchanged looks, confused.


    If they had an ability user, why would they need to sit here discussing secretive matters?


    "We indeed don''t have any ability users among us, but today, a person named Peng Bo arrived at the Sanctuary. That person is an ability user. As to whether he would assist us, you''ll understand once you''ve met Peng Bo..."


    Ding Qiang''s tone was certain, "He is one of us."


    ...


    Time rewound to the afternoon.


    Peng Bo swaggered down the street, with every survivor he met avoiding him from a distance.


    He felt quite helpless; it was just a scar on his head that made him look fierce. Did it warrant this reaction? Did trust between people no longer exist?


    For survivors living in the apocalypse, trust between people certainly didn''t exist. Especially for someone like Peng Bo, who appeared vicious. It was said that some people purposely got tattoos and scars to look fiercer. This slightly chubby person was probably one of those, an Awakener no less, not someone to mess with.


    Survivors had already heard of this and quickly lowered their heads, hastening away.

 Chapter 33 - 33: Just Wash and Go to Sleep

    Peng Bo patted his head, unconcerned.


    He was used to this kind of thing, accustomed to the point of it being second nature, so there was nothing much to make a fuss about. He was now on his way to a construction site. According to the Sanctuary''s person in charge, as long as he worked hard, he could eat his fill, and even have meat to eat. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Don''t be fooled by the fact that he was an Awakener, having awakened an ability to manipulate sand and stones to form armor on his body. Only he knew how miserable he had been living these days.


    He had the strength to fight Demonized Beasts and found quite a bit of food, but he simply couldn''t keep up with his consumption rate.


    Naturally a glutton, and even more so after the Awakening, he had hardly ever been full these past days. Just hearing that he could have his fill, and even meat, made his mouth water.


    At this moment, a survivor approached him.


    "What, you have something to discuss, why go to the little grove on the side to talk?!"


    Peng Bo originally refused, thinking that he couldn''t just go to a small grove just because someone suggested it.


    However, after the person whispered to him for a while, he still followed him to the grove to discuss something big that could get him more food.


    "Help you guys? And then I''ll be able to get more food from the Sanctuary?"


    But the Sanctuary had already promised that meals would be plentiful.


    "What, you say a dignified ability user, a person of noble status, shouldn''t just listen to whatever the Sanctuary says, it''s got some logic to it if you put it that way."


    After the discussion.


    When Peng Bo walked out of the grove alone, his head was still spinning, and his steps wobbled.


    There was some logic in what the person said, especially the temptation of food, leaving him no reason to refuse, yet he still felt something was off.


    Do it?


    Not do it?


    Peng Bo was torn inside.


    Involuntarily, he walked farther and farther.


    Suddenly, a roar erupted, startling him into alertness.


    "Is that a Demonized Beast?"


    He glanced around, his body assuming a defensive stance, while the surrounding sand and stones began to flow, ready to cover him at any moment in the direction of his will.


    The roar echoed again, and this time Peng Bo understood¡ªit was coming from some distance away. He thought for a moment, cautiously advancing, hiding behind a building to peer in the direction of the roar.


    "What is that..."


    A Demonized Beast with a sharp horn on its head, stout limbs, and bulging ribs appeared before his eyes.


    The Demonized Beast was at least the size of an armored vehicle, even at this distance, it exerted a powerful oppressive aura that nearly made Peng Bo unable to breathe.


    "Such a terrifying Demonized Beast, even with my sand armor, I couldn''t withstand a single strike from it."


    This was a Demonized Beast he absolutely could not provoke. Although it was close to the Sanctuary and the Demonized Beast might harm other survivors, after all, he knew his limits. Rather than rushing up to meet his demise, it was better to quickly report it to the Sanctuary''s management and let them handle it.


    Peng Bo was already inclined to withdraw, but suddenly his eyes focused.


    He saw that the terrifying Demonized Beast seemed to be... retreating?!


    How was this possible!


    At this point, he noticed that in front of the Demonized Beast stood a warrior dressed in armor and wielding a longsword.


    This person originally looked towering, yet before the Demonized Beast, appeared incredibly small. But such a diminutive human was actually forcing the Demonized Beast to repeatedly retreat.


    He never knew until now that Demonized Beasts could also retreat!


    The next moment,


    The Demonized Beast seemed enraged!


    A fierce wind whipped up, slapping against the surrounding buildings, leaving mottled scratches. Some of the more fragile structures, under the sweeping wind, shattered like tofu blocks!


    Peng Bo''s eyes widened, and he instinctively stepped back.


    He once heard a rumor that among Demonized Beasts, there were those capable of using special abilities, much like the ability users among Awakeners.


    These types of Demonized Beasts were even stronger, more bizarre, and more terrifying!


    The beast before him, without a doubt, was one that could wield Wind Blades.


    Peng Bo''s gaze remained fixed ahead, his sweaty palms clenched tight!


    What happened next left him utterly stunned.


    The armored Awakener stood unshakable amidst the knife-like whirlwind; when Wind Blades struck the dark armor, not even a scratch was visible.


    It seemed the Awakener no longer wanted to wait; with a stride he surged forward, raising the gigantic sword high, and slashed down fiercely.


    The sound of the giant sword tearing through the air was even more violent than the Demonized Beast''s own ability-created frenzy.


    Just the sound alone rattled his eardrums.


    Peng Bo covered his ears, immobile, eyes glued to the chaotic battlefield, seeing


    A line of blood spurt from the Demonized Beast, splattering onto the ground and even gouging small pits!


    "This, this, this!!"


    The battle was intensely fierce, even tearing through an adjacent building, but it came quickly and ended just as fast.


    Peng Bo walked on his way back, his mind more chaotic than before.


    That image, of the warrior in armor standing beside the Demonized Beast with sword in hand, was deeply imprinted in his eyes, as an invincible presence!


    Once he came to himself, he remembered the business decisions he had hesitated over just now, and negotiating conditions with the Sanctuary? Requesting a more honorable position? A dignified ability user should at least be on par with the Sanctuary Director in the Sanctuary, right?


    To hell with it!


    With a Man like this, and still thinking of negotiating with the Sanctuary? He might be straightforward in mind, not foolish or oblivious, but there''s no way he''d help those people with their scheme.


    Negotiating terms? Better wash up and sleep!


    He didn''t care about those people''s plans. If he had the time to fuss, he''d rather work a bit more and have a fuller meal in the evening, which would be just splendid.


    ...


    The next morning, early.


    The Sanctuary didn''t arrange work for the survivors; many gathered in threes and twos and went to the small plaza to wait.


    Many had become so familiar with the bulletin board''s content that they could recite it backward. To most survivors, each point on it concerned their future survival, their future benefits; some survivors had long since analyzed each item in detail.


    Most people already had a decision in their hearts.


    To them, making such a decision wasn''t difficult; it was merely a procedure, with better benefits, and most were joyous inside.


    Yet in the field, a minority of survivors wore uncertain expressions, seeming heavily preoccupied, then suddenly displaying excitement as if their passions were stirred by some soon-to-be-realized goal.


    Ding Qiang, concealed within the crowd, casually scanned the scene, noticing the several Awakeners involved in the conspiracy last night were all prepared.


    They exchanged subtle gestures, sharing knowing smiles.


    Ding Qiang searched throughout the crowd, finally finding Peng Bo in a corner. As expected, there was not a single figure nearby, survivors kept their distance, and Ding Qiang, satisfied at heart, saw the sinister smile on Peng Bo''s face.


    Indeed, Peng Bo was also dissatisfied, otherwise, why else would he smile so malevolently?


    With Peng Bo, an ability user, counterbalancing the Sanctuary Director, his confidence surged from seventy percent to ninety.


    It was in the bag!


    Shortly afterward,


    Two survivors carried a desk over from the villa area, placing it with a thud near the bulletin board at one side of the city gate.


    Chen Haiping stood next to the desk, paper and pen in hand, looking at nearly a hundred survivors present.


    In a matter of days, the Sanctuary had grown from nothing. Initially just a few people, it now housed hundreds of survivors. From the initial mess, to the now cleaned-up vacation resort...


    Even if his contribution was minor, Chen Haiping felt proud inside.


    He had watched this Sanctuary be built up little by little with his own eyes, and it would develop even better in the future. Becoming a genuine Sanctuary, or even a medium-sized one, or a large one.


    Though it seemed far-fetched, Chen Haiping thought it was possible.


    His confidence did not come from himself, but from Director Tang.


    Clearing out surrounding Demonized Beasts,


    Ensuring the grain supply for the Sanctuary,


    And in just a few breaths, building a grand city wall!


    Such a Sanctuary, in this desperate land, was a vessel of hope.


    Chen Haiping felt fortunate to be a member of this Sanctuary, an original member, able to witness firsthand its construction.


    However, he knew the Sanctuary''s development faced more than these challenges, beyond the thorny issues of Demonized Beasts and food, other less severe problems, when expanded to the Sanctuary level, could not be taken lightly, either.


    Now, he needed to handle the current issues first, hoping that with the Sanctuary''s restructuring today, some pests could be cleared away.

 Chapter 34 - 34 Provocation

    ```


    Chen Haiping stepped forward, "In the apocalypse, every minute and every second was precious. I''ll keep it brief: no matter what choice you survivors make, the Sanctuary would always be a barrier protecting humanity from the invasion of the Demonized Beasts. In the time ahead, I hope everyone lines up in an orderly manner. Whether you become permanent residents or transient personnel, register some basic personal information here first."


    "When registering information, those who wish to become permanent residents of the Sanctuary, according to personal wishes and professional abilities, may apply for various positions. Soon, the Sanctuary would conduct simple assessments for applicants..."


    After Chen Haiping finished speaking, the scene was silent for a while, and then some survivors prepared to step forward and line up.


    Suddenly.


    A voice filled with resentment, as if having suffered a great grievance, burst from the crowd.


    "The notice says that after becoming permanent residents, we must obey the work arrangements of the Sanctuary. How do we know if the Sanctuary will assign us to work that will send us to our deaths!"


    The survivors who were about to line up suddenly halted.


    Not everyone trusted the Sanctuary. Even some who survived because of the Sanctuary''s rescue might not be very grateful.


    This was human nature.


    And this comment precisely voiced the concerns in their hearts.


    Chen Haiping''s face turned somewhat dark. His gaze swept over the crowd but did not find the speaker''s trace.


    Clearly.


    They had come prepared, already hidden among the crowd, waiting for an opportunity.


    Chen Haiping had thought today''s events wouldn''t go smoothly but never imagined some people would be so anxious, causing trouble even before the registration began.


    What exactly did these people want!


    His face became serious. "The Sanctuary wouldn''t assign anyone to a mission meant for death or an impossible task. If you have doubts, don''t believe, or cannot endure the institutional binding, you may stay as transient personnel."


    "Heh, sounding nice, but if you don''t become permanent residents, don''t obey your orders, you cut our food supplies and expel us from the Sanctuary! Is this really giving us a choice!"


    The sharp voice resounded again.


    It stirred unrest in the crowd, causing survivors to whisper, and the scene slowly spiraled out of control.


    Chen Haiping''s gaze was fierce.


    This time, he identified the owner of the voice.


    An Awakener: precisely one of the few he paid particular attention to.


    He was about to say something.


    A faint voice drifted in.


    "This is a Sanctuary."


    "Here, you must abide by the rules. If you can''t, then please leave smoothly."


    "Now is registration time; the notice is clear about your power of choice, but here, I must add one thing..."


    "You have no right to question."


    Like a breeze sweeping across the face.


    Yet carrying a bone-chilling coldness.


    The survivors held their breath.


    Following the voice, they saw three figures walking out from the villa area.


    Leading was a young man in sportswear, followed by a burly big man and a girl in a cloak.


    "It''s Captain Iron-faced Luo!"


    "And the Ice Goddess!"


    Luo Zhe was the most commonly seen by survivors, and because he often wore a stern face, he gradually earned this nickname.


    Eileen... Survivors had not seen Eileen in action, but her cold demeanor, along with a glimpse of her delicate features hidden beneath her hood, made them feel she was untouchable.


    This was a nickname used in private discussions; no one dared to call it in person.


    With Demonized Beasts around the Sanctuary becoming increasingly scarce, most newcomers had no chance to see the two in action.


    Only those who initially arrived at the Sanctuary had witnessed that terrifying power and held Luo Zhe and Eileen in genuine admiration.


    At the forefront was Tang Yu, whom many had not seen, but they could guess he was the Sanctuary Director.


    Ding Qiang''s gaze carried some seriousness.


    It was his first time observing this mysterious Sanctuary Director up close.


    He had never underestimated the Sanctuary. To accomplish today''s task, he had already devised several plans.


    Suddenly, he was stunned.


    "Why is there no Awakener''s aura? Director Tang was just an ordinary person?!"


    He couldn''t believe it. How did an ordinary person become a Sanctuary Director?


    Then Ding Qiang smiled.


    If Director Tang, one of the Sanctuary''s three strong leaders, was just an ordinary person, then the probability of their success could rise from ninety percent to one hundred.


    Steady!


    On the other side, several people were observing.


    "Third, why did you reject Ding Qiang so directly when he came to us yesterday?"


    The bespectacled young man called Third adjusted his glasses. "What otherwise? Follow those fools and negotiate with the Sanctuary?"


    The big man beside him sounded a bit regretful, "But you shouldn''t have refused so decisively. What if they succeeded, wouldn''t we lose out?"


    The bespectacled young man shook his head, "If we wavered and the Sanctuary treated us as part of Ding Qiang''s group and took care of us, then..."


    He stopped speaking.


    Being forced to become captives, the group surely felt dissatisfied. However, the bespectacled young man was more rational. The power the Sanctuary wielded was not as simple as it appeared. Merely the towering walls and those Puppets revealed the foundation of the Sanctuary.


    Even if all this were the work of ability users, it only highlighted how terrifyingly strong these ability users were.


    ...


    By this time, order gradually stabilized.


    Survivors began to step forward to register, and a substantial line soon formed in front of the writing desk.


    In secret, Ding Qiang frowned.


    Originally, he thought that after that mess behind the scenes, it would stir up some emotions in the survivors. Yet, surprisingly, so many survivors still chose to trust the Sanctuary.


    As an Awakener, he did not understand the hardships of ordinary survivors. Fortune had led them to the Sanctuary, and it was a well-provisioned Sanctuary; doubt or not, these people wouldn''t hesitate.


    For nothing else, just for the food that could fill their bellies.


    Though slightly unexpected, he wasn''t disheartened.


    Getting survivors to lose trust in the Sanctuary was only a preliminary plan.


    Success would undoubtedly save much trouble; even if not, he believed he could plant a seed of doubt in the hearts of many survivors.


    Next, he had plans A, B, and C!


    This was his years of planning experience: many preparations led to certainty!


    Ding Qiang let out a subtle smile.


    He slowly stepped out, followed by several other Awakeners.


    He spoke loudly, "Wait, I have objections."


    "I don''t care what systems you have in the Sanctuary, but if you think a few simple words would make us Awakeners work for you, that''s not enough sincerity."


    "Our demands are not high. In reference to other Sanctuaries, as Awakeners, we should at least have positions similar to Guest Elder, be given the deserved courtesy... On normal days, our activities shouldn''t be restricted; we need richer food and assigned quarters. Of course, we will contribute, such as managing survivors or resisting when Demonized Beasts attack."


    Manage survivors? To them, it was not labor; instead, it was a chance to squeeze profit from the survivors.


    As for resisting Demonized Beasts? Ding Qiang had plans for that too. Anyway, a token effort would suffice; if the Sanctuary couldn''t hold, he wouldn''t hesitate to be the first to flee.


    Such things, he was very familiar with.


    In the small Sanctuary where he once stayed, when Demonized Beasts slaughtered survivors, he had already fled with the Sanctuary''s food supplies.


    After saying this, the other Awakeners who had prepared themselves voiced their agreement.


    "Yes! The benefits must be higher. The food you provide should be double or triple for it to be sufficient."


    "And housing: As Awakeners, one villa per person isn''t too much, is it? Without us Awakeners guarding, where would the Sanctuary find safety?"


    Ding Qiang looked assured, waiting for the Sanctuary''s response.


    The survivors lining up also had their attention drawn.


    Many discerned that Ding Qiang was undoubtedly linked to the earlier dissenting voice.


    They also noticed it was an opportunity to present demands to the Sanctuary; calling it a threat was not an overstatement. Yet most survivors still hoped Director Tang would agree.


    Although Ding Qiang''s demands were a bit excessive, his words were not without reason. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Director Tang didn''t agree, lacking a sufficient number of Awakeners, how would the Sanctuary resist the Demonized Beasts?


    The most critical element for a Sanctuary was to have a secure environment, and the root of safety was derived from the Awakeners, right?

 Chapter 35 - 35 Who Gave You Confidence?

    Ding Qiang''s words were like a sharp blade in the eyes of many survivors, cutting into the vital point of the Sanctuary.


    Some survivors stood firmly on the side of the Sanctuary, believing that there should be no compromise. More people, however, wavered, and in secret, Ding Qiang had several lackeys stirring up emotions.


    It was as if a powerful force pressed heavily on everyone''s hearts.


    Chen Haiping''s face looked terrible. He hadn''t expected these people to be so well-prepared. He wanted to say something, but didn''t know how to open his mouth.


    At this moment.


    By the city gate.


    Tang Yu''s gaze swept across these Awakeners one by one.


    He didn''t speak, just walked forward step by step.


    The sound of his heels on the stone slabs wasn''t loud, but it was unexpectedly clear, resonating in everyone''s ears.


    The scene became quiet in an instant.


    Only Tang Yu''s footsteps and the survivors'' slight breathing could be heard.


    Finally, Tang Yu stopped walking, now only a few meters away from the Awakeners.


    Among these people, there were a total of seven Awakeners, making up half of the external Awakeners at the Sanctuary.


    Those barely managing to survive in the wilderness, those qualified to reach the Sanctuary by their own power, mostly had one or two Awakeners, which resulted in a relatively high ratio of Awakeners at the Sanctuary.


    Even so, seven Awakeners, placed at any small Sanctuary, were still a formidable force.


    That was how it was for a normal Sanctuary.


    Unfortunately.


    Tang Yu had a cold expression, "Who gave you the confidence?"


    "Who gave you the confidence to think that without you, the Sanctuary couldn''t fend off the Demonized Beasts?"


    "And who gave you the courage to dare stand here and negotiate terms with me?"


    Ding Qiang was stunned. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This situation was not what he had anticipated.


    Especially.


    The voice was faint yet carried an aura that engulfed him, as if gripping his throat.


    He was immediately irritated.


    An ordinary person who wasn''t even an Awakener...


    Ding Qiang caught the side glance of the Awakeners beside him and also glanced at Peng Bo not far away, regaining his confidence. Since terms couldn''t be agreed upon, then they would have to show the Sanctuary that they were not only entitled to negotiate terms but were also on equal footing¡ªno, even surpassing the strength of the Sanctuary!


    Conveniently, Peng Bo was walking over at this moment, and he smiled, "Director Tang, weren''t you just asking where my confidence comes from, then I''ll tell you..."


    Before he finished speaking.


    Peng Bo walked to Ding Qiang''s side, then... took a step forward past him, coming to stand in front of Tang Yu.


    Were they about to confront each other head-on?


    Seeing Peng Bo''s fierce expression, Ding Qiang thought inwardly, eager for Peng Bo to make a move.


    Yet in the next moment, Peng Bo spoke, and his voice, compared to his fierce appearance, surprisingly sounded somewhat naive?


    Ding Qiang wasn''t sure if this was an illusion, but then he heard Peng Bo say, "Director, I want to sign up for the Patrol Team. I heard the Patrol Team''s food is the best, is this true? And I also heard there are extra rewards for missions. Whatever, I''m the first to sign up anyway."


    "Oh, by the way, is there a reward for signing up first?"


    Peng Bo rubbed his hands together, looking somewhat... adorable in his contrast?


    Ding Qiang was already dumbfounded, his mind a blank.


    This storyline was not right.


    Peng Bo, this ability user, was clearly his trump card, but what had he just heard? Peng Bo wanted to join the Sanctuary?!


    The strongest combat power on his side had, in the blink of an eye, become part of the other side. This feeling made Ding Qiang so stifled that he wanted to cough up blood.


    He glared angrily at Peng Bo.


    Originally, in his plan, if his side''s strength was on par with the Sanctuary, then they would negotiate terms well with the Sanctuary, ideally figuring out where the Sanctuary stored food, and then slowly plot. But if they found that the Sanctuary''s strength was not that great, they would make a direct move, seizing the Sanctuary for themselves.


    This was Plan A and Plan B.


    He thought these plans were foolproof, but he hadn''t expected Peng Bo to defect. He couldn''t fathom why, in such a favorable situation, Peng Bo would choose to stand with the Sanctuary¡ªdidn''t Peng Bo have grievances against the Sanctuary?


    Yet Ding Qiang knew that now, they were already at a disadvantage.


    No matter, there was still the final Plan C.


    He took a deep breath, looking at Tang Yu, "Director Tang, I admit your tactics are superior, managing to secretly win over Peng Bo. The terms can be slightly lowered, but just as I said, we Awakeners have our dignity. If you only want us to work ourselves to the bone, then I, along with my Awakeners and many dissatisfied with the Sanctuary, will just have to leave and find another place."


    This was his final plan, retreating to advance!


    Ding Qiang believed the Sanctuary''s weakness was having too few Awakeners. Even with Peng Bo''s joining, so what? As strong as an ability user might be, he was still just one person, unable to manage everything. Besides, they had seven Awakeners on their side!


    Without Awakeners, what would the Sanctuary use to fend off Demonized Beasts? Without survivors, how would the Sanctuary transport materials every day?


    Now that he considered himself at a disadvantage and had lowered the terms, shouldn''t the Sanctuary side agree?


    No matter what, they were Awakeners. Once conflict broke out, even if the Sanctuary had the upper hand, they couldn''t guarantee there wouldn''t be losses, right?


    Tang Yu shook his head slightly as if sighing.


    "It''s weakness that limits your imagination. How about this, if you can withstand one strike from Luo Zhe''s sword, I will agree to all your conditions. But if you can''t withstand it..."


    Ding Qiang was furious.


    Weakness?


    He looked at Luo Zhe standing silently beside Tang Yu.


    Aura not strong, merely a newly awakened Awakener. Even if Iron-faced Luo''s combat skills were superb and his aura powerful, it was too much to say he couldn''t withstand a single sword strike!


    No, let alone withstanding one strike, even in a real confrontation, he might not lose!


    After all, he had slain three Demonized Beasts! He completely disregarded ordinary Awakeners!


    This was his true confidence, stemming from his own strength!


    Ding Qiang took out his weapon, a sharp machete, "I accept it, just don''t regret it!"


    On the other side.


    Luo Zhe also took out his weapon, a massive heavy sword.


    Such a heavy sword, to many, seemed incredulous. Even among Awakeners, not everyone could lift it; even if they could, could they really use that weight in battle?


    Peng Bo retreated a few steps, widening his eyes, observing the legendary "Man" up close.


    Whoosh!


    Luo Zhe moved, taking just a light step forward, and with the heavy sword, cleaving downwards with wind pressure.


    Ding Qiang''s eyes widened, only feeling a breeze passing by, as if... nothing had happened.


    Suddenly, his body felt somewhat rigid, his thoughts gradually turning cold. Lowering his head slightly, he saw a line of blood stretching from the right side of his waist straight to the left shoulder.


    This...


    His thoughts were already fading into darkness. Only the Awakeners around him could see that the line of blood extended, as if painted, before bursting suddenly, with blood spraying out.


    In a flash, Ding Qiang died right before their eyes.


    The other Awakeners were immediately scared out of their wits.


    This was a newly awakened? The fiercest Awakeners they''d seen weren''t this fierce! Old Ding had slain Demonized Beasts, yet couldn''t withstand even one move. Wouldn''t they meet the same end?


    Blood was still pouring from Ding Qiang''s waist. They took one last look, then turned and fled, not bothering with their subordinates.


    They fled in different directions, and downhill from the small square, there were several routes to take. They knew they weren''t a match for Luo Zhe and might be quickly caught.


    But there were so many of them. No matter how fierce Iron-faced Luo was, he couldn''t perform the Avatar Technique, could he? It was all about who had the bad luck to be chosen by Iron-faced Luo.


    A few who had plotted together, yesterday still swore brotherhood, each felt victory was assured but now fled for their lives in the blink of an eye.


    No one cared about the others'' fates, even hoping their companions would run a bit slower to draw Luo Zhe''s attention, allowing them to escape alive.


    One Awakener sporting a bushy beard kept an eye on the movement behind him, seemingly noticing no one in pursuit, his heart lightened. Suddenly, a plump figure blocked his path.


    "It''s a mining puppet."


    The bearded one snorted derisively. Mere puppets, and a mining one at that, dared block him?


    He conceded he wasn''t a match for Iron-faced Luo, but he had no fear of a puppet!


    The bearded one unleashed his full strength, aiming to swiftly destroy the puppet and then flee far away without encountering that terrifying Iron-faced Luo again.


    Wielding an axe, he swung fiercely with the sound of slicing through the wind.


    Quick speed and great strength!


    The plump puppet didn''t react in time, and the axe lodged in its center!


    The bearded one grinned, ready to sidestep and pass around what he presumed to be an already broken puppet, but suddenly a massive recoil from the axe nearly caused him to lose his grip.


    It was only then that he realized his supposedly fatal blow had only left a small crack on the mining puppet, which, even for a puppet, hardly counted as damage.

 Chapter 36 - 36 You Know Nothing About Power

    The events occurred too abruptly, leading many survivors to believe the Sanctuary could only resign itself to compromise.


    In the next moment, however, they saw that one of the Awakeners who wanted to negotiate with the Sanctuary had died, and the rest had scattered in retreat.


    Dead?


    They were shocked, unable to clearly see what had unfolded.


    Just when they thought the Sanctuary would seize the moment to drive out this group threatening it, Iron-faced Luo sheathed the Heavy Sword and stood behind Director Tang once more.


    They were somewhat puzzled.


    Indeed, they were mere ordinary survivors, always at the bottom wherever they went, but they weren''t foolish. Since the Sanctuary had already taken action and made enmities, there was no reason to spare the remaining individuals.


    The thought barely formed.


    The survivors then witnessed those fleeing Awakeners being herded back in disgrace.


    These Awakeners were now in tattered clothes, some severely wounded, struggling to hold themselves up as they coughed blood.


    Behind each Awakener was a rotund Puppet, following closely.


    Observant survivors noticed that blood dripped from the Longsword held by the Puppets.


    They were very familiar with these Puppets; weren''t these the same Puppets used daily to cut rocks into pieces before assigning them the task of carrying them?


    They always thought the weapons wielded by the Puppets were sharp, but no one had imagined these Puppets could be this powerful.


    It seemed that the fleeing Awakeners were no match for the Puppets.


    How long had it been? Each Awakener faced only one Puppet, yet in such a short time, the Awakeners were defeated, and there were many more Puppets in the Sanctuary.


    No wonder the Sanctuary wasn''t bothered by these threats.


    There were experts like Captain Iron-faced Luo, and in situations where Captain Luo was stretched thin dealing with too many Demonized Beasts, there were these Puppets.


    It appeared they had underestimated the complexity of establishing a Sanctuary.


    The survivors, watching this farce, couldn''t help but swallow nervously.


    They felt trepidation but did not perceive the Sanctuary as brutal; instead, some believed the Awakeners reaped what they sowed, only wasting food by staying alive.


    The captured Awakeners stared resentfully at Tang Yu.


    The bearded Awakener roared, "Come on! Kill me! This pathetic Sanctuary, with hardly any Awakeners, can''t escape being wiped out by Demonized Beasts. I''ve seen many such pluggy Sanctuaries. Haha, I''ll be waiting for you below!"


    He laughed wildly, as if finally finding a way to vent his feelings.


    Meanwhile, other Awakeners wept bitterly, begging the Sanctuary for mercy.


    Tang Yu, expressionless, signaled Chen Haiping, "Continue registration. Mm, anyone wishing to join the Patrol Team can apply with Luo Zhe."


    The bearded man continued to roar, "Patrol Team? Haha, do you think other Awakeners would die for you?"


    He was adamantly sure.


    Other Awakeners, although not siding with them, wouldn''t join the Patrol Team, serve the Sanctuary''s commands, or die for it; apart from Peng Bo, who was secretly recruited, who would join?


    Impossible!


    Suddenly, a voice came from the side, "No Awakeners joining? Ridiculous, do you represent all Awakeners? Moreover, I am a noble natural Awakener!"


    The bearded man looked carefully; it was a young man whom he vaguely recognized as one of the Sanctuary''s Awakeners, but after some brief interactions, he realized they were not aligned, so he didn''t delve much further.


    Unexpectedly, he stood out.


    The notice was explicit, joining the Patrol Team meant venturing out to face Demonized Beasts, obeying commands¡ªthe commander being the formidable Iron-faced Luo, defiance was impossible, so they had to comply. Facing Demonized Beasts, potentially at the front line, facing life-threatening risks.


    And still, they wished to join the Patrol Team?


    Were they out of their minds?


    Not only Lu Xiaopeng but several survivors, in the bearded man''s incredulous gaze, stepped forward to apply for the Patrol Team.


    Not only Awakeners but also ordinary survivors.


    The bearded man couldn''t comprehend.


    Lu Xiaopeng, cursing, said, "People like you can''t understand the might of Director Tang and Captain Luo. Demonized Beasts? What of them! Only a pathetic Awakener like you would be scared. Oh well, you''re so pathetic, you probably won''t understand even if I explain, better not waste my breath."


    The bearded man: "..."


    He turned into a pitch-black face.


    He didn''t seem to have wronged this person before, yet the other was spewing so much that it hit him squarely in the face, unable to dodge or fight back, with mining Puppets glaring menacingly behind him, his face had turned blanched sporadically.


    With ups and downs and a myriad of twists, these ordinary survivors'' emotions swayed until, when things calmed, their confidence in the Sanctuary inadvertently grew by a few percent.


    Survivors loyal to these Awakeners were now trembling in terror, their leaders extinguished in the blink of an eye left them desperate and regretful.


    This was Tang Yu''s goal, to weed out those with ulterior motives, simultaneously squeezing out their last remaining value.


    It was quite perfect.


    Of course, he knew transforming the Territory into a true Sanctuary and ensuring survivors had a genuine sense of belonging to the Sanctuary was far from reach, but there was no rush; after all, there was plenty of time.


    With no more disruptive Awakeners, the registration proceeded smoothly; most survivors obviously chose to become permanent residents of the Sanctuary. Those who chose not to join either distrusted the Sanctuary or couldn''t endure the Binding, but at least they honestly signed names, ages, and other basic information on the registration form.


    Clearly, they were frightened.


    Once registration completed, work commenced anew.


    Apart from the previous transport team, now there were also the construction team and the smallest planting team.


    In all work teams, welfare would increase, but similarly, food distribution was based on work performance.


    Currently, there were slight inadequacies in management staff. Tang Yu planned to group these survivors, three to four per group, and performance would be evaluated collectively.


    It wasn''t a random grouping but rather based on past performances; diligent workers were grouped together, and the lazy ones were grouped together.


    Such as the ordinary survivors who followed Ding Qiang and his group previously.


    Ding Qiang and the others were used as an example, but there was no need to waste the ordinary survivors; they were reorganized into two or three groups, and as punishment, Tang Yu significantly lowered their welfare. Unless they worked hard and diligently, they shouldn''t hope to fill their stomachs. As for whether they''d slack off, as long as they didn''t want to starve, they''d have to supervise each other and bicker among themselves.


    Meanwhile.


    Chen Haiping called upon several trustworthy survivors to assign work to the others.


    Suddenly, the ground began to tremble slightly.


    Chen Haiping''s face changed.


    This familiar feeling, he had experienced it just days ago.


    Tang Yu spoke, "Let the survivors return within the city walls."


    Many survivors were slow to react, not understanding why they were being sent back inside the walls when everything seemed fine.


    The tremors intensified, and the pebbles on the ground began to shake, with a rumbling sound echoing from afar.


    The noise was like thunder, incessant.


    Numerous survivors turned pale as they witnessed countless figures appearing at the ends of their vision in the distance.


    These figures appeared bizarre, varied in size, and some even flew in the air. But without exception, these Monsters all charged towards the Sanctuary.


    "It''s the Demon Tide¡ª"


    The Demon Tide was undoubtedly the most terrifying name in the apocalypse; countless Sanctuaries had been destroyed by it. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many survivors had only heard of the Demon Tides, never witnessed them. Now, facing the demonized beast horde, they realized completely just how insignificant humans were amidst such horrific disasters!


    The bearded Awakener, who had been full of despair and dismay, now glimpsed the approaching Demon Tide, delight spreading across his face, "Ha, haha, your Sanctuary, who would''ve thought it would be destroyed so soon!"


    He knew he wouldn''t survive, but it didn''t matter, seeing others turn pale filled him with delight.


    He wasn''t even afraid of dying!


    For the first time, the bearded man found himself so brave. He looked up, wanting to see Tang Yu''s expression, only to find Tang Yu appeared calm, with a hint of pleased amusement as he turned to look back at him, a hard-to-decipher smile playing on his lips.


    "Ha, you know nothing about power."

 Chapter 37 - 37 Defensive Building Confronting the Demon Tide (Part 1)

    At this moment, whether ordinary person or Awakener, they were all panicking.


    Facing the endless tide of demonized beasts, the Awakeners were no better off. They all understood that with their strength, breaking through the Demon Tide was far beyond their reach.


    The scene became chaotic at one point, but fortunately, the gate was wide enough, and there weren''t many survivors, so these people quickly made it inside the walls.


    Some leaned against the cold walls, gasping for breath, their eyes vacant.


    Even with these towering walls, they had little confidence whether they could withstand the assault of the Demon Tide.


    "There are flying demonized beasts too, the walls can''t block them!"


    "Even if the walls hold for a while, the Demon Tide is overwhelming. With so few Awakeners here, even if the demonized beasts stood still for humans to kill, they couldn''t be defeated. How can humans contend with this?"


    "It''s over, it''s over. I thought we could live a stable life in the Sanctuary. Who would have thought, if I knew, I wouldn''t have come¡­"


    Despair enveloped everyone''s hearts. Suddenly someone realized they hadn''t seen Director Tang and other high-level figures from the Sanctuary.


    Could it be they escaped?


    Some couldn''t help but doubt. Indeed, they couldn''t break out, but the Sanctuary leaders were powerful, especially with someone as strong as Captain Luo. Breaking out wasn''t entirely impossible, right?


    Thinking of this, these people grew even more disheartened and even began to harbor resentment.


    Then someone shouted, "They are still outside!"


    Some looked through the gate, while others came to the battlements, seeing the approaching Demon Tide swarming toward the Sanctuary. The old historical buildings, weakened by the previous tide, finally collapsed completely under this tide.


    But in such circumstances, Director Tang and others remained unfazed, standing in the small square as if to face the demonic tide with their small, fleshly bodies!


    How majestic!


    The survivors who saw this scene felt ashamed, realizing they had wronged Director Tang and others, who did not intend to flee but instead stood at the front line to resist the Demon Tide!


    Yet some couldn''t understand why Director Tang and the others hadn''t retreated to the walls. Did they want to die heroically knowing they were outmatched?


    The survivors looked at Tang Yu with admiration.


    Under the watchful eyes of the puppet, Kong, who was left outside, looked at Tang Yu as if he were a dead man.


    Tang Yu gazed at the Demon Tide.


    A vast black mass, like waves.


    The roaring and thundering... just this scene alone made most survivors almost crumble.


    Even Awakeners, when faced with such a scene, could hardly hold their weapons steadily, let alone engage in combat with demonized beasts or resist the Demon Tide.


    This was an apocalypse, leaving a trail of ruins in the Sanctuary''s path.


    Once, the Green Shadow Sanctuary faced the same fate.


    In the face of the Demon Tide, no one could remain unafraid.


    However...


    After all, he had experienced one Demon Tide and survived, achieving the feat of a "Demon Tide Survivor."


    This time, facing the Demon Tide was indeed spectacular, and his heart beat a bit faster, yet it wasn''t fear he felt, but excitement and joy.


    If you asked other survivors what the Demon Tide meant, ninety-nine out of a hundred would say it signified destruction, and the last one would be too scared to speak.


    Tang Yu disagreed. How could the Demon Tide signify destruction? Clearly, it represented wealth!


    Even though he had amassed over ten thousand Source Crystals, making him a boss-level figure, no amount of Source Crystals was too much. They were more precious than pre-apocalypse banknotes, especially for a household lord like him.


    Looking at the surging demonized beasts, Tang Yu nearly drooled.


    "If calculating with a ten percent Crystal drop rate¡­"


    Tang Yu counted on his fingers, realizing he couldn''t calculate it with the mathematics knowledge he''d returned to his physical education teacher.


    "Old Chen, you guys go inside first, Eileen, you go back too."


    Chen Haiping and a group of survivors who had joined the Patrol Team were still outside.


    Perhaps because the high-level figures of the Sanctuary hadn''t retreated, it was quite commendable.


    Tang Yu noticed many Patrol Team members'' legs trembling, biting their teeth into perseverance. Among them were ordinary people, while some Awakeners, taking advantage of their speed, were the first to rush into the city.


    Indeed this first batch of Patrol Team members was worth training.


    At the city gate, the alloy gate fell, blocking the people''s sight.


    Some survivors shivered under the wall corners, while others climbed the walls, staring tensely at the distant Demon Tide.


    Chen Haiping distributed guns to the Patrol Team members, who aimed their barrels into the distance. Despite holding these human wisdom crystallizations of hot weapons and standing on tall walls, they still lacked confidence.


    Eileen''s clothes fluttered, her magic wand erect before her, her expression emotionless as always, but a keen observer would notice her gaze never left Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu took a deep breath, his eyes surveying, his calm yet confident voice spreading across the field.


    "Though our Sanctuary may not have many people, may be small in scale, we have confidence and the capability to ensure that every survivor abiding by the Sanctuary''s rules is free from demonized beast harm!" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that, a familiar building list appeared before Tang Yu. He mentally controlled it to move to the defensive building page.


    "Build Arrow Tower *4, consuming 800 Source Crystals, 1,200 wood, 800 stone, 400 iron."


    "Build Cannon, consuming 1,000 Source Crystals, 200 wood, 200 stone, 500 iron."


    Tang Yu spread his hands open, palms up, as if holding something.


    "Rise!!!"


    Rumble!


    The abandoned materials in the small square were drawn over, wood, stone, iron melded together by an unseen force, transforming mysteriously.


    From the foundation, to the tower body, and the top.


    Four towers stood on either side of Tang Yu, like they were printed out of thin air!


    The black tower walls were like basalt, extremely heavy, a black opening extending from the tower top, cold arrows protruding.


    These were Arrow Towers, the Black Castle Lord''s most basic defensive building.


    Though cheap to build and slightly more majestic than ancient Arrow Towers, they were not to be underestimated.


    Every arrow shot from the Arrow Tower was energy-concentrated, solidified, and rune-processed, making Super Rune Arrows with unparalleled destructiveness and penetration!


    While the Arrow Towers were built, behind them, a louder sound echoed.


    A Cannon, black and metallic, with a mouth big enough for a basketball, was also instantly completed.


    The survivors on the walls stood speechless with amazement.


    With a wave, structures resembling Arrow Towers and Cannons were constructed.


    Both the speed of construction and the scale were dreamlike to them!


    Like a miracle!


    The few survivors who had seen the wall being built felt unsurprised, capturing the speechless survivors around them, spitting animatedly about how grand the wall''s construction was back then. Compared to that, a few Arrow Towers and Cannons were mere child''s play.

 Chapter 38 - 38 Defensive Building Confronting the Demon Tide (Part 2)

    """


    After the formation of the cannon, a red glow began to gather visibly at the muzzle.


    The Awakeners present felt a massive energy accumulating at the cannon''s mouth. They were secretly alarmed, as such an energy, once exploded, would certainly obliterate anything nearby without a trace.


    The brilliant red light spewed from the muzzle, arcing high across the sky like a meteor, and smashed down into the Demon Tide with a roar.


    At this moment, the Demon Tide had reached halfway up the mountain, only about one or two kilometers from the Sanctuary. The red light crashed down, accompanied by violent tremors and booming explosions, resonating in every ear. Orange-red flames blossomed within the Demon Tide, like stamens leaping in lava. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Beautiful, yet deadly.


    The Demonized Beasts at the very center instantly turned to black ash, without a trace remaining... Tang Yu felt a pang of regret, as the materials from Demonized Beasts were at least worth some money.


    The high temperatures, shockwaves, fiery damage, and immensely powerful energy that exploded in an instant cleared a large hole in the black, oppressive Demon Tide.


    Although the cannon''s firing speed was not fast, after a few shots, the entire Demon Tide seemed like a tattered cloth. The once suffocating pressure it imposed on the survivors now seemed not so terrifying.


    Of course, the survivors knew this was only a temporary illusion, or perhaps, Director Tang''s abilities were too formidable. Such a casually gathered cannon could inflict such casualties on the Demon Tide.


    Among them,


    those like Chen Haiping, who had experienced the Demon Tide and survived by luck, understood all too well.


    Many Sanctuaries destroyed by Demon Tides caused less damage to the Demonized Beasts until their final moments than this single strike did.


    The crisis was far from over, as Demonized Beasts had already leaped onto the small plaza, only a few hundred meters from Tang Yu, with numbers still staggering.


    A humanoid Demonized Beast with blood-red wings and a horned head emerged from the Demon Tide, moving at extraordinary speed, covering tens of meters with a single flap of its wings.


    Ordinary survivors did not understand, but the Awakeners on the city wall wore grave expressions. From this winged Demonized Beast, they sensed an extremely formidable aura.


    This was a team destruction-level Demonized Beast.


    Often a whole team composed entirely of Awakeners, encountering such a level of Demonized Beast in the wild, would be completely annihilated, with no survivors.


    All Awakeners, whether part of the Patrol Team or not, knew in their hearts that even if they all joined forces, they might not be a match for this Demonized Beast. Although the cannon was powerful, its speed was ultimately slow. With the speed of this team destruction-level Demonized Beast, it was nearly impossible for the cannon to hit it.


    Swish¡ª¡ª


    An ear-piercing sound almost pierced their eardrums, and the Awakeners were stunned to see a hazy cloud of blood mist appear in the field.


    Blood mist?


    Where was the team destruction-level Demonized Beast?


    What the f*ck happened? How did this team destruction-level Demonized Beast disappear in the blink of an eye, leaving only a cloud of blood mist slowly dissipating?


    Their minds stalled, and then another sound arose. Some sharp-eyed Awakeners saw a black shadow flash by in the air.


    The black shadow pierced through layers of obstacles, leaving a barely visible white streak in the air. At the end of the black shadow, a relatively powerful Demonized Beast at the forefront of the Demon Tide exploded into blood mist.


    The speed was too fast for even the eyes of the Awakeners to see clearly.


    Someone was watching closely at the nearest Demonized Beasts and finally captured a glimpse of the scene.


    An arrow pierced the head of a Demonized Beast; under the effects of strong penetration and compression, the entire Demonized Beast was first deformed and then completely shattered, turning into a cloud of blood mist.


    This feeling was as if a Demonized Beast was just a balloon.


    One poke and it burst!


    The ordinary survivors were left speechless, mouths agape, air rushing in and choking them uncomfortably, yet they still watched intently. None of them ever imagined that a Demonized Beast could be dealt with so easily!


    In front of the city walls,


    Tang Yu was feeling a pang of regret again, wondering if they could conserve some energy, or leave some spoils of war for them!


    .......


    The most terrifying aspect of the Demon Tide lay in its numbers.


    Although the Arrow Towers and cannons were extremely powerful, the Demon Tide continued to inch closer to the city walls.


    Tang Yu retreated to the edge of the city walls, choosing a spot and constructing an Arrow Tower beneath his feet.


    As the Arrow Tower rose, Tang Yu was lifted up, then lightly leaped onto the city wall.


    Luo Zhe also leveraged himself onto the city wall. Left below, besides the few Awakeners, were only a few basic Puppets.


    The few people turned pale instantly.


    Boom!


    The Demonized Beasts surged onto the small plaza halfway up the mountain, roaring, rapidly colliding with the city walls.


    The survivors were terrified, fearful that the walls might not hold.


    Someone half-covered their eyes, peeking down, "Thankfully, these walls are solid."


    "No, wait." Someone sharp-eyed shouted, startling their companion.


    Pointing below, they said, "Not only are the walls fine, but the Demonized Beasts'' claws are broken from the impact!"


    So many Demonized Beasts, they had been worried whether the walls could withstand them. It was known that the Demonized Beasts had sharp claws and sturdy bodies, capable of toppling a building, so these tall walls might not be very secure.


    But who would have thought that as the Demonized Beasts crashed into the walls in succession, the city walls remained unscathed, while some Demonized Beasts were injured, others dazed from the impact. The scene turned chaotic, resulting in beasts trampling over each other.


    This seemed to be... a stampede.


    Tang Yu felt lingering fears, grateful he was up there. Just before, staying in the front lines was more about absorbing some soul energy!


    As Lord, he could absorb the soul energy of the Demonized Beasts killed by the defensive structures, albeit in smaller quantities¡ªperhaps only ten to twenty percent¡ªbut that was quite sufficient.


    Atop the walls, Chen Haiping began organizing Patrol Team members to retaliate.


    Firearms were distributed, and although these individuals had poor shooting skills, aiming was unnecessary under such circumstances.


    Rat-tat-tat¡ª¡ª


    Muzzles spat flames, and bullets ripped into the Demonized Beasts, causing spurts of blood.


    Lu Xiaopeng was surprised, "So these Demonized Beasts really have very thick hides."


    Having just seen the Arrow Tower effortlessly blowing a Demonized Beast into blood mist with a single arrow, he thought these beasts were relatively weak, but now it seemed otherwise.


    Dealing with a regular First Layer awakened Demonized Beast, unless hitting a vital point, the beast might not die even after emptying a clip, given its life force.


    If it were a Second-tier or third layer Demonized Beast, it would be even more daunting, with only sniper bullets being relatively effective.


    Lu Xiaopeng glanced aside, seeing Chen Haiping setting up a sniper rifle. With a single shot, a powerful Demonized Beast had a bowl-sized hole blown in it but, without hitting a vital point, continued struggling instead of dying.


    He then looked to the other side, where the Arrow Tower was continuously firing, each arrow taking a Demonized Beast down. Occasionally, some that were tougher needed another arrow at most.


    The Arrow Tower not only packed a mighty punch but could also aim for vital points. This was just... Lu Xiaopeng struggled to describe it, but such an ability seemed outrageous, leaving no room for survival.


    In the Demon Tide, some powerful ones leaped onto the city walls, almost causing casualties. Luckily, on the wall, Luo Zhe and two Puppet Guards each defended a section of the wall, swiftly focusing on and eliminating any strong Demonized Beasts that managed to leap over.


    Relying on the wall for defense, with Arrow Tower and cannon firing, the Demon Tide, capable of destroying the Sanctuary, was being gradually depleted.


    The survivors collapsed to the ground, weak from relief.


    Patrol Team members, limbs weakened, leaned against the parapet. Looking at the Demonized Beasts'' corpses spread below, they still found it hard to believe.


    The Demon Tide... was resolved just like that.


    """

 Chapter 39 - 39 Consuming Crystal

    The demon tide came and went as quickly as a diligent courier, leaving behind love and warmth.


    Fortunately, Source Crystal, as a universal currency of the new era, was surprisingly robust in ways Tang Yu hadn''t expected. Even under the relentless assault of cannons and arrow towers, these Source Crystals remained intact. In fact, because the demonized beasts'' bodies were either destroyed or shattered, collecting Source Crystals became quite convenient.


    Could it always be like this... what nonsense!


    He still felt a twinge of pain for those materials. Not only could they be used to craft equipment, but more importantly, soon he would be heading to Lindong. With such a large sanctuary in Lindong, there must be a marketplace, right? Tang Yu was looking forward to making a profit.


    Additionally, some of the material from the more powerful demonized beasts was relatively well-preserved, so Tang Yu ordered his men to collect these materials while he calculated the earnings from this battle.


    The demonized beasts brought so many Source Crystals; the profits were certain. Nevertheless, this wave did incur some losses.


    Merely constructing these defense structures alone cost two thousand Source Crystals, not even counting the materials. Moreover, the defense structures consumed energy when attacking.


    Where did this energy come from? Of course, it came from Source Crystals. Tang Yu stored some Source Crystals in a small warehouse in his castle, intended for the energy consumption of the defense structures. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have waited until now to build them.


    Tang Yu remembered there was a structure at Territory Level 3 called the Energy Patio, which could absorb free-floating Source Energy in the air to replenish the defensive structures'' energy. Until this building was constructed, these defense structures were indeed big consumers of crystals.


    At least money was made, leaving Tang Yu in a delighted mood. Adding to that the previous plundering at the Source Crystal Mine, he had accumulated quite a lot of Source Crystals. Before heading to Lindong, he intended to spend them wisely.


    Other survivors were also in high spirits.


    They had survived the calamity.


    The city gate had reopened, and some bolder survivors went up to closely inspect the demonized beast corpses.


    "Oh my, they''re huge! Even such large demonized beasts were killed!"


    Ordinary survivors had never come so close to demonized beasts before. Immediately, some poked them and found that they were quite hard.


    So many terrifying demonized beasts attacked, yet the sanctuary managed to take care of them successfully.


    And it was a sanctuary with fewer than a hundred people.


    Who would believe such battle achievements if word got out? Although most of the credit went to Director Tang, it didn''t stop it from becoming a bragging right for them!


    In the past, many ordinary survivors could only muddle through life day by day, but things were different now. As long as they made an effort, they could eat well every day. Moreover, knowing the sanctuary''s capabilities, even the demon tide couldn''t harm them. In this apocalyptic world, except for large sanctuaries, was there any place safer?


    Unconsciously, survivors began to feel a sense of belonging to the sanctuary, genuinely feeling lucky to have come here.


    ...


    After the demon tide ended, Tang Yu didn''t slow down. He handed the tasks outside to Chen Haiping and Luo Zhe, while he made his way alone to the rear of the castle, to the area for constructing system buildings.


    Among the core suite, the tavern, workshop, and market had already been built, leaving only the research institute.


    Tang Yu had Units One and Two transport materials back and forth until he finally saw the panel indicate that the construction conditions were met.


    "Construct Research Institute, consuming one thousand units of Source Crystal, one hundred units of wood, three hundred units of stone, and three hundred units of iron."


    As with previous times, a three-story building quickly appeared before Tang Yu.


    He walked inside.


    The research institute contained all kinds of research equipment. Looking around, Tang Yu found that he recognized very few of them¡ªperhaps just one or two, like a beaker which he recalled from high school experiments... or maybe it just looked similar; after all, it was just a cup.


    None of that mattered. What mattered was the research institute''s function. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As an important functional building, the research institute held an indispensable position.


    It included features like blueprint research, blueprint enhancement, and blueprint modification. Theoretically, as long as the institute had enough knowledge and Source Crystals, it could independently develop any blueprint it desired.


    Though that seemed far off.


    For now, with the research institute at a low level, Tang Yu did not plan to invest too many Source Crystals. Mainly, he wanted to use its blueprint modification function.


    For example, the basic longsword, the only blueprint included with the workshop, was very limiting. What if someone wanted a saber or a different weapon altogether?!


    The blueprint modification function could convert a longsword blueprint into a combat saber blueprint. The level remained unchanged¡ªit was still basic equipment with a rune, just more versatile in its applicability.


    Moreover, the basic materials for the longsword blueprint were iron materials. After blueprint modification, demonized beast materials could be added, like demonized beast claws, bones, etc. Although the blueprint level wouldn''t change, the better materials used would naturally result in more effective weapons.


    Tang Yu first modified a combat saber blueprint, then designed a whiteboard shield blueprint and a firearm ammunition blueprint, all lacking runes. With blueprints available, the workshop could mass-produce them.


    Having finished at the research institute, he didn''t proceed with any more construction. Instead, he headed to the market.


    He didn''t choose to construct more system buildings, not because they weren''t needed... but because he felt too fragile.


    To go to Lindong Sanctuary, he first had to refresh and draw the Return City Scroll. Logically, the refresh rate was quite high in the initial period, yet somehow he never managed to draw it. Yesterday, in fact, he upgraded the market to Level 2, increasing the counter''s refresh slots from ten to twenty. But even after several tries, he still couldn''t draw the Return City Scroll.


    Each refresh cost five hundred units of Source Crystal. Even though he was a big shot with over ten thousand Source Crystals, after a few attempts, he didn''t dare to continue. This was no longer just consuming crystals; it was gambling with his life...


    Tang Yu felt that yesterday''s luck had been against him. After dealing with the parasites in the sanctuary and tackling another wave of demonized beasts today, his luck should have turned around. As long as he drew a Return City Scroll and did some preparations, he could set off for Lindong.


    First, he glanced at today''s refreshed items; some had quite high value, albeit beyond his budget. Those zeros following the price made him think he''d need to become a true magnate with over a billion Source Crystals to consider those items. Otherwise, both his heart and eyes would ache.


    Simply couldn''t afford it.


    Swipe!


    Starting from the first slot, items refreshed one by one.


    Intermediate Wood Resource Pack (five hundred units) Price: forty-nine Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: five.


    Fei Lian (Weapon) Production Blueprint Price: three thousand Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: one.


    ...


    ...


    Otherworldly Fruit Price: one hundred Source Crystals.


    Remark: A very delicious fruit.


    Remaining quantity: fifty.


    Skill Rune Stone (Burning Sky and Boiling Sea) Price: one million high-purity Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: one.


    ...


    On the first refresh, as expected, even the shadow of a Return City Scroll wasn''t seen. However, there were some decent items like the Fei Lian weapon production blueprint... As for blueprints, if his supply of Source Crystals allowed, Tang Yu would have bought plenty of them. You never lose when buying them¡ªthey can retain value, and at worst, the research institute could use them to synthesize new blueprints.


    Regrettably, his Source Crystals were very limited.


    Other items, like Otherworldly Fruit, just showed how bizarre the items from the upgraded market were becoming. However, the probability of high-grade items appearing increased significantly as well, like the skill rune stone... It was the market''s first appearance of a skill rune stone, but Tang Yu remained unfazed and ignored it.


    One million? And high-purity Source Crystals at that?


    He couldn''t even come close to affording a million, let alone such a thing as high-purity Source Crystals¡ªhe hadn''t even heard of it!


    The first attempt yielded nothing, so Tang Yu took a deep breath. "Don''t panic, don''t panic. Even something worth a million appeared, which means I''m essentially lucky. A few Return City Scrolls are nothing to worry about!"


    ...


    A few minutes later, Tang Yu was pale, breathing heavily, and sweat was clearly visible on his face.


    He no longer remembered how many times he had refreshed, but those few little Return City Scrolls refused to appear. Could it be that their value was so low that they fell into the domain of luckless players, unreachable even by luck?


    More frustratingly, in all these refreshes, he managed to get some good items by sheer luck. The prices were reasonable, and they were highly beneficial to him at this stage. To put it simply, the temptation was great, and he couldn''t resist, so he... kept buying.


    Refresh after unknown refresh, with many purchases in between, within mere minutes, the Source Crystals in his hands had shrunk by half or more.


    This was even worse than online shopping!


    At least online shopping involved buying what you most wanted, but this wretched market? It constantly paraded glamorous products to tempt him. At this rate, without buying the Return City Scroll, he feared he''d have to return to his previous impoverished state.


    This wouldn''t do!


    Tang Yu returned to the castle, bathed, changed clothes, and burnt... paper, lacking incense. He could only use a piece of paper rolled into an incense-like shape for now.


    Once again, he came to the market.


    "Sanqing, Lord Buddha, goddess of fortune, king of luck, Senior Bai... whoever it is, I beg for the power to draw the Return City Scroll!"


    Tang Yu closed his eyes and then opened them.


    His fingers formed a sword shape as they came together.


    Swipe!


    Starting from the first item slot, a white brilliance flashed, and the items transformed into entirely new appearances.


    Advanced demonized beast bone.


    Spring water brimming with tremendous life force.


    Basic knowledge about practical applications of Source Energy.


    High-level Beam Gun blueprint.


    Scroll to enhance summoning probability...


    All top-grade items!


    Tang Yu sorrowfully realized it seemed to be time for significant trouble again.

 Chapter 40 - 40 Reading Makes Me Happy

    I didn''t know if it was luck or misfortune.


    The last time goods refreshed, perhaps it was his prayers that worked, a Return City Scroll appeared, along with countless goods that made him envious.


    It could be said that at least half of the twenty product slots were top-grade.


    Unbelievable...


    Tang Yu had an urge to buy, buy, buy, unable to stop himself.


    In the end, he restrained himself with great willpower, mainly because... even if he spent all his Source Crystals, he couldn''t buy everything he wanted. But among them, he gritted his teeth and bought two items.


    Basic Knowledge of Source Power price, 500 Source Crystals.


    Note, it discusses basic knowledge of Source Power and its applications.


    Remaining quantity, one.


    High Probability Summoning Scroll price, 2500 Source Crystals.


    Note, use in a tavern to increase the probability of summoning a high-potential adventurer (Note: there is still a possibility of summoning a D-level potential adventurer)


    Remaining quantity, one.


    Basic Knowledge of Source Power was a book that, from its appearance, looked no different from a regular compulsory education textbook.


    This book, very cheap, a mere 500 Source Crystals.


    The introduction stated it was a book about Source Power, and in Tang Yu''s view, its importance surpassed even those items priced at thousands or tens of thousands of Source Crystals.


    The appearance of the Abyssal Rift brought about the apocalypse, yet the earth-shattering changes worldwide were closely related to another thing.


    Source Qi!


    Tang Yu had heard a theory that, supposedly, before the apocalypse, Source Qi had already begun to emerge, and it had been discovered by scientists who called it a groundbreaking discovery. However, for various reasons, the discovery of Source Qi was not disclosed to the general public, and only after the apocalypse did people gradually become aware.


    There was another theory that Source Qi was brought by the Abyssal Rift, more precisely, it was the connection of the Abyssal Rift to the Otherworld that allowed Source Qi to spread to Earth.


    Tang Yu didn''t know which theory was correct or if they were both wrong. But undoubtedly, Source Power possessed the nature of energy, but it was more than just that; its nature could change and extend infinitely.


    Whether it was human Awakening, the Source Crystal Mine, mutant plants, and other changes appearing after the apocalypse, they were all inseparable from Source Qi.


    However, unfortunately, this was a power entirely different from the previous scientific systems.


    The value of Source Power was self-evident, yet people''s understanding of it was minimal. It was a treasure lacking the key to access it, and even the treasure itself remained unknown.


    Scientists once doubted the existence of Source Qi.


    This thing couldn''t be detected by instruments, nor could it be effectively proven. Even Awakeners couldn''t perceive Source Power, only ability users could feel a kind of free-floating element in the air, coinciding with the special energy within their bodies.


    This proved the existence of Source Qi and Source Power.


    Hence, the status of ability users was elevated.


    Similarly, Source Crystals contained abundant Source Energy, and thus Source Crystals became the most valued hard currency...


    Even though Tang Yu was just a mere survivor, he knew about Source Power, but that was the extent of it.


    Researching and utilizing Source Power? Impossible!


    Small and medium-sized Sanctuaries didn''t have the conditions for that, and even ability users were just at the instinctual stage of using their Source Energy.


    Tang Yu once asked Eileen and Luo Zhe, and although they had a little understanding of Source Power, it wasn''t much.


    Take Eileen, for example, who comprehended the Ice Crystal and Ice Storm spells from a damaged spellbook. These belonged to the development and application of Source Energy. Even though it was a preliminary application, it was much better than relying on instinct.


    Instinctively using Source Energy might create a huge spectacle, yet in reality, due to a lack of refinement, the power wasn''t strong, and consumption was tremendous. If Eileen unleashed her entire ice power, freezing her surroundings with layers of frost, it might only last for a few seconds.


    That spellbook involved the development and application of Source Energy.


    Tang Yu had also looked at it but found it incomprehensible, like reading a celestial script, even though Eileen read it with great interest daily. Why couldn''t he do it!


    Advanced Mathematics wasn''t this brutal!


    Luo Zhe was the same; although his knowledge surpassed Eileen''s, Luo Zhe wasn''t a Mage, and the Warrior profession was equivalent to an ordinary Awakener. Tang Yu had learned Combat Skills from Luo Zhe, though he hadn''t mastered them. What Luo Zhe knew didn''t even require using Source Power, relying only on Qi Blood Power to trigger them.


    Luo Zhe''s understanding of Source Power was equally limited.


    Holding the book of Basic Knowledge of Source Power, Tang Yu slowly opened it.


    Suddenly, he paused.


    Each page of the book contained few words and some illustrations, yet he widened his eyes and discovered those words were crooked, and the illustrations had a weird style, clearly something he couldn''t comprehend.


    Could this be like the spellbook, where he couldn''t understand it at all?


    It was supposed to be the most basic! S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu concentrated his mind on these words, and suddenly, an understanding formed in his heart.


    "Source, the origin of all things, the root, the most essential power..."


    As long as he focused on each word, corresponding information surfaced involuntarily in his mind. This was not about the text but directly transformed into a comprehensible meaning for him.


    Tang Yu focused entirely, completely immersed in the vast ocean of the book.


    Learning made me happy!


    ...


    "You are the first batch of warriors in the Patrol Team, and the essential words have already been spoken by Director Tang. I have only two things to say, obey orders and... become stronger!"


    In the valley behind the mountain, a cleared area had now become the training ground for the Patrol Team.


    Luo Zhe was as stern-faced as ever, looking at these young recruits before him.


    There were nine members in the first group to join the Patrol Team, including four Awakeners and five ordinary people with combat skills.


    This number already exceeded Tang Yu''s expectations. Among the Awakeners, apart from Peng Bo and Lu Xiaopeng, the other two were survivors previously rescued by Luo Zhe, who were lucky to awaken successfully after using the Awakening Headband.


    By international convention, they were automatically enrolled in the Patrol Team, yet they showed no reluctance. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have insisted on standing guard at the gate before.


    The nine people listened to Luo Zhe''s words, showing looks of surprise.


    It wasn''t because of the training. Patrol Teams in other Sanctuaries only maintained the Sanctuary''s law and order and helped when Demonized Beasts attacked. Training was impossible, as even Awakeners might not have enough to eat regularly with the food supplies. Who would be responsible for the increased food consumption with training?


    However, it was different here. Members of the Patrol Team knew that this was not an ordinary Sanctuary. Yet, what surprised them... was that Iron-faced Luo said so much at once. This was unprecedented since they had entered the Sanctuary.


    They felt flattered all of a sudden.


    "The essence of training is to fully exert everyone''s combat strength. Looking at your slack postures, forget guarding the Sanctuary; even in a one-on-one situation, who among you can defeat a Demonized Beast?"


    Peng Bo weakly raised his hand.


    "Two? Three? Or a Second-tier Demonized Beast?"


    Peng Bo weakly lowered his hand again.


    "But with training, those mindless Demonized Beasts can be fought three against one by a general Awakener, and even ordinary people can cut off a Demonized Beast''s head in the midst of battle."


    Members of the Patrol Team breathed heavily.


    They joined the Patrol Team for various reasons, some to repay kindness, others for benefits, but undoubtedly, after witnessing Director Tang crushing the Demon Tide with a wave of his hand, they were full of expectations for the Sanctuary''s development. Similarly, choosing to join the Patrol Team meant being in constant presence of life and death; they were inherently not satisfied with the status quo.


    Even those few ordinary people who couldn''t awaken weren''t content to live like ordinary survivors, waiting to die while getting by on meager meals.


    Lu Xiaopeng felt the deepest connection. Even as a naturally awakened one, he wasn''t a match for an ordinary Demonized Beast. But if training allowed him to fight three against one, wouldn''t that fulfill his dream of punching Demonized Wolves and kicking Demonized Tigers?


    Absolutely wonderful!

 Chapter 41 - 41: The Daily Training of the Patrol Team

    In the clearing, members of the Patrol Team had Luo Zhe''s demonstration echoing in their minds, their eyes shimmering.


    Just a moment ago, Luo Zhe, using the strength of a First Layer Awakener, held an iron rod and managed to smash a huge rock to pieces in a single blow.


    When did First Layer Awakeners possess such terrifying destructive power?


    They didn''t doubt Luo Zhe''s words; it was just that Iron-faced Luo had also demonstrated his full strength, and that power... Compared with that, shattering a huge rock was, indeed, exerting far less force.


    "Through training, a person can fully utilize their combat strength, and by mastering more advanced Power Manipulation Skills, they can exert far beyond their own level of power," Luo Zhe explained.


    "We call these Power Manipulation Skills, ''Combat Skills.''"


    The members of the Patrol Team''s eyes gleamed.


    Power Manipulation Skills, Combat Skills, these were things they hadn''t even heard of before. It was as if they suddenly found themselves at the gateway of a new world, their breathing growing heavy.


    "The technique I just used is a Combat Skill, called ''Heavy Slash,''" Luo Zhe explained as he held the steel rod and slowed down the motion from before, "Learning a Combat Skill is not easy. First and foremost, you need to become proficient in these movements. Once you have mastered these movements, even if you can''t truly learn the Combat Skill, it will still significantly enhance your combat capabilities."


    These movements, taken individually, looked awkward, but if one could complete them in a short span and link them together, they exhibited a kind of indescribable beauty.


    Fluid, natural, and full of power!


    They began to try imitating the movements. Despite the difficulty, each one of them was determined to persevere. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They never expected to come into contact with Combat Skills, let alone have the chance to learn them. The benefits of joining the Patrol Team were far beyond their expectations. They all felt incredibly fortunate. If they hadn''t joined the Patrol Team, wouldn''t they have missed out on Combat Skills altogether? They thought about how the Awakeners who hadn''t joined the Patrol Team must be green with envy upon learning about this.


    Of course, they wouldn''t say a word, as this was a secret of the Patrol Team. Just the thought, however, was enough to fill them with excitement.


    Aside,


    Luo Zhe was watching and correcting their movements, nodding in approval.


    ''Heavy Slash,'' this particular Combat Skill, is a basic type, but as a universal Combat Skill for the Warrior profession, its adaptability is incredibly broad. Including the preceding movements of the Combat Skill, in the city he used to inhabit, every soldier was required to learn them.


    Even though their foundations were weak, with several clearly lacking combat experience, they knew how to exert effort, which made them talents worth developing.


    Seeing this, Luo Zhe contemplated and then released his aura, pressing down on the individuals.


    Several members of the Patrol Team, who were diligently practicing the motions, turned pale and nearly collapsed. However, under such intense pressure, the movements they had struggled to perfect suddenly became much more accurate.


    ...


    After lunch, Peng Bo rubbed his swollen belly, burping with satisfaction.


    The morning''s training had been intense, especially for him as the sole ability user. Captain Luo''s outward projection of terrain affected him more and consumed more energy, so much so that he had experienced a breakthrough in his appetite just by noon.


    Peng Bo was thrilled!


    Hardship? What was that? His only hobby was eating, and his greatest hobby was eating even more.


    After the high-intensity consumption in the morning, his appetite suddenly surpassed his previous limits. Before, he would either be not fully satisfied or, though full, not really expended much energy, so his appetite was not much different from any ordinary food lover''s. It was only at today''s lunch that his capability truly showed.


    He left the other members of the Patrol Team far behind, and even several Awakeners couldn''t compete with him.


    When he heard that there was a special activity in the afternoon, Peng Bo arrived early.


    He obviously wasn''t the only one with that idea. Although Captain Luo had given them some rest time, one by one, all the members of the Patrol Team still arrived at the clearing and began practicing those odd poses again.


    "Captain Luo is here!"


    Someone called out, and Peng Bo turned from his awkward pose to see Captain Luo carrying a huge box.


    This box was large and extremely heavy. As soon as it was placed on the ground, it landed with a clang, stirring up a cloud of dust.


    "This is?"


    The box was opened.


    Peng Bo''s eyes widened. Inside were sets of brand-new equipment, including swords, firearms, and other weapons, as well as a full set of black-striped combat uniforms.


    Luo Zhe pointed at the equipment, "This is one of the benefits for the Patrol Team, a full set of equipment prepared for you."


    Peng Bo''s eyes lit up, and he immediately picked up a gleaming longsword, making a casual slash.


    Swoosh!


    The shriek of the wind cutting through the air could be heard, and Peng Bo could barely feel any resistance from the blade. He stumbled, and with a swish, the longsword struck a large boulder nearby, half of the blade already buried within the stone.


    "Hiss¡ª"


    It wasn''t just Peng Bo; the other Patrol Team members couldn''t help but gasp. They saw clearly how Peng Bo hardly exerted any force and, moreover, he hadn''t even stood firm, so the force of the strike wasn''t strong. But that mere force was enough for more than half of the sword''s blade to penetrate the rock.


    Someone tried to touch the hilt and gave it a slight push, and the entire blade sank completely into the rock, leaving only the hilt exposed.


    The Patrol Team members: "..."


    These weapons were too brutal; they had never seen such sharpness before!


    Why were most Awakeners not a match for Demonized Beasts of the same level? Aside from their insufficient combat skills, the largest factor was the weapons! The cold weapons used by the Awakeners, when slashed against Demonized Beasts, sometimes could barely cut through. In such cases, how could they possibly be a match for the Demonized Beasts?


    Even cold weapons forged by modern techniques, those of truly high quality, were not this sharp. They might be adequate against ordinary Demonized Beasts, but against Second-tier or third-layer ones, probably, it would take considerable effort to breach the beasts'' defenses.


    They knew that after joining the Patrol Team, the Sanctuary would distribute weapons, but no one had expected the weapons to be this sharp, qualifying them as Divine Weapons!


    The Patrol Team members were lost in fantasy.


    Wielding such weapons, they could easily break through the scales or fur of Demonized Beasts, making killing them much simpler!


    Everyone''s faces showed excitement.


    No wonder they had seen Director Tang dressed in a black combat uniform, no wonder Captain Luo always wore heavy armor; some people had been unable to understand, but now they realized, this was real equipment for the apocalypse, truly powerful!


    They felt fortunate.


    The responsibility of the Patrol Team was to deal with Demonized Beasts, and originally they were quite nervous and worried, but now, with such equipment, facing the Demonized Beasts, they were no longer prey...


    But instead, hunters!


    Everyone happily changed into their equipment. After putting on the combat uniforms, the comfort and the ease of using their powers filled them with delight.


    And they didn''t yet know, this was only the Basic Type of equipment.


    After the team assembled, Luo Zhe nodded his head, "You have ten minutes to familiarize yourselves with the equipment. Afterwards, follow me outside to clash with the Demonized Beasts; this will be this afternoon''s training session."


    .......


    Outside of the Sanctuary, the gate of the former resort villa.


    All members of the Patrol Team, dressed in black-striped combat attire with swords at their waists and rifles on their backs, appeared much more formidable with this uniform equipment, rising several notches in presence.


    Formerly, they seemed to be just ordinary combat personnel of the Sanctuary, but now, they had ascended to the level of elite soldiers from a large Sanctuary.


    Luo Zhe''s target this time was a county city ten-odd kilometers away.


    The county city was not small and had plenty of resources. He had been there several times before but could not transport back much due to a shortage of manpower. This practical training for the Patrol Team was also their first mission outside, and Luo Zhe had specially requested a small truck, intending to haul back more items.


    The team slowly progressed, each person''s face maintaining alertness and excitement.


    Every Patrol Team member had experience surviving in the post-apocalyptic wilderness, but this time was different from the past. Before, they would try every means possible to avoid Demonized Beasts, but this time they were to actively seek out and engage the Demonized Beasts.


    Both tense and excited.

 Chapter 42 - 42 What Exactly Happened

    In the distance, a few Awakeners in tattered clothes and disheveled hair gazed at the well-equipped Patrol Team members with complex expressions.


    These few individuals belonged neither to those who hindered the Sanctuary with Ding Qiang nor to those willing to be bound, thus not becoming permanent residents of the Sanctuary.


    As transient personnel, they could freely accept employment tasks issued by the Sanctuary every day in exchange for rewards.


    This arrangement allowed them to get by and even eat their fill, leading relatively decent lives.


    ...That was what they consoled themselves with before seeing the Patrol Team members.


    Upon seeing the Patrol Team''s gear, they felt utterly pitiful.


    "The Patrol Team gets way too good treatment," one complained, "Normally everyone just carries a melee weapon; having a pistol means you are team leader level. But look at them, each one has a rifle, and they''re all uniformly dressed. Isn''t that a bit too much!"


    "So what!" another Awakener retorted enviously. "These uniforms are just for show. We''re in the apocalypse, who cares about uniformity? They think they are part of some grand Sanctuary army! Real armies wear bulletproof vests or stab-proof gear. What use are these outfits? Just wait, once they make a round outside, their clothes will be just as tattered."


    "Exactly. And no matter how well equipped they are, it''s survival that matters. We didn''t join the Patrol Team because it''s too dangerous. Going out to gather resources or even hunting Demonized Beasts could easily cost you your life. If the Demonized Beasts were so easy to kill, would we still be stuck at the First Layer of Awakening?"


    The others fell silent.


    Upon becoming Awakeners and learning that killing Demonized Beasts could enhance their strength, many were restless with excitement¡ªit was just like leveling up in a game to reach the peak of life. Influenced by online novels, some youth believed in ''one step ahead is every step ahead,'' and right after their Basic Awakening, they wished to swiftly kill Demonized Beasts to be at the forefront of the Awakeners.


    But then... they were quickly dispelled of that notion.


    Lacking refined combat skills and suitable weapons, how could an ordinary Awakener match a Demonized Beast?


    They were well aware of this and had seen far too many confident individuals die at the claws of Demonized Beasts instantly. By now, they had long lost the courage to confront Demonized Beasts directly. Instead, their skills in fleeing were honed to perfection.


    "Let''s follow and see, I don''t believe they can kill the Demonized Beasts. Iron-faced Luo is powerful, but he''s only one person. He can''t possibly manage everything, especially considering there are ordinary people in the team. I want to see how many of them can make it back."


    ...


    Lu Xiaopeng held his longsword, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding low buildings.


    The team was about to enter the county city, and sparse buildings began to appear, making the environment even more dangerous. Demonized Beasts could pounce from any corner at any moment, and a delayed reaction could easily spell death, even for an Awakener.


    "Clang!"


    A soft noise came from a nearby store, followed by several shadowy figures dashing out at an incredible speed, quickly closing the distance.


    Lu Xiaopeng felt panicky; facing several Demonized Beasts at once was a first for him. Even surrounded by many teammates, his instincts made his mind swirl, unsure of what decision to make.


    "Raise your guns, shoot."


    Captain Luo''s calm voice came through, and Lu Xiaopeng quickly regained his senses, raised his gun, aimed it ahead, and the gunfire spat out flames.


    After the initial panic, the others also reacted quickly, raising their guns to shoot.


    Their marksmanship was poor¡ªLu Xiaopeng had never handled firearms besides in college military training, and his shooting was terrible. But now, with the Demonized Beasts so close, accurate aiming hardly mattered, and the bullets thudded into the beasts'' hides.


    These several Demonized Beasts looked like oversized rats, much larger than a Demonized Steel Rat, but they were still ordinary Demonized Beasts. Under the relentless gunfire, the beasts quickly fell and struggled painfully on the ground.


    The Patrol Team members were no longer panicking. Holding their guns steady, they aimed at the vital spots of the Demonized Beasts and delivered the fatal shots.


    Soon, the Demonized Beasts completely lost any signs of life.


    In the distance.


    The trailing group of Awakeners were also shocked.


    One envied, "As expected of firearms, especially rifles, the lethality is different."


    "They can absorb soul power at this distance, right?"


    "Soul power! That means, after this trip, the Awakeners in the Patrol Team will probably become much stronger. I''m so envious; I wish I had joined the Patrol Team earlier. I still don''t know what it feels like to absorb soul power."


    "Pfft! Look how many bullets they used to kill these few Demonized Beasts. Do you think they can keep using this method?"


    One Awakener scoffed, pointing out the Patrol Team''s weakness.


    Indeed, the Patrol Team members had limited marksmanship, and the killing of the few Demonized Beasts relied on the cover of a wide barrage of bullets, not knowing how much ammunition was wasted. Bullets were already scarce, and some Sanctuaries had completely useless firearms. They were curious to see just how long such wasteful use of bullets could be sustained.


    Then,


    The Patrol Team continued to advance, with the experienced Luo Zhe leading. The team executed their movements methodically, affording themselves enough reaction time whenever Demonized Beasts charged at them.


    The team members, gaining experience, held their rifles with steadier hands.


    Fire, reload, fire.


    One by one, the Demonized Beasts fell dead.


    The Awakeners behind them: "??!!"


    Why could they always detect the Demonized Beasts in advance!


    Why haven''t they run out of bullets yet!


    Why are they so excited, is absorbing soul power really that exhilarating!


    Lu Xiaopeng and other Patrol Team members were unaware of the plethora of thoughts brewing in the minds of several distant Awakeners.


    After truly killing Demonized Beasts and absorbing their soul power, their courage had significantly bolstered... These Demonized Beasts, though frightening in appearance, were merely experience fodder. As such, there was nothing to fear.


    Around another corner, a four-legged Demonized Beast with antlers spotted the Patrol Team and charged at them with a ferocious roar.


    Lu Xiaopeng looked toward Luo Zhe, and this time, they were not instructed to fire but heard, "This Demonized Beast is roughly at the Awakening First Layer, very suitable for your training, who wants to come?"


    Training? One-on-one combat with a Demonized Beast?


    So this was the special training Captain Luo had mentioned!


    "I will!"


    Lu Xiaopeng stepped forward, only to see several other Awakeners opening their mouths, only to swallow their words, visibly having the same idea but being just a step slower.


    .......


    Distant Awakeners couldn''t understand what was happening.


    "What are they doing?"


    "It looks like they want to fight the Demonized Beast one-on-one?"


    The speaker could hardly believe his own words. A one-on-one fight with a Demonized Beast? That must be a joke!


    Even at the same level, unless armed with firearms, several Awakeners teaming up against one Demonized Beast could still face lethal danger, yet now, they were giving up hot weapons in favor of cold ones, aiming for a one-on-one fight with a Demonized Beast?


    Is that stupid?


    They watched intently.


    In the distance, other members of the Patrol Team, including Iron-faced Luo, stood back, supporting only one person armed with a longsword stepped forward, seemingly intending to face the Demonized Beast alone.


    "Do all Patrol Team members have such hubris? I know that guy; his name is Lu Xiaopeng. He always boasts about how strong he is, but in reality, he can''t even defeat the most ordinary Demonized Beast. How come he has the courage to face a Demonized Beast alone now!" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I bet ten seconds, and that guy with the surname Lu will be sent scrambling by the Demonized Beast."


    "Heh, ten seconds, you''re giving him too much credit. If he handles this poorly, it won''t even take three seconds before he''s down, and Iron-faced Luo might not even make it in time to rescue..."


    However, the speaker cut off mid-sentence, not because he suddenly choked on his saliva, but because the scene unfolding in the distance was truly beyond his comprehension.


    At first, Lu Xiaopeng''s tentative attacks had succeeded in provoking the ferocity of the Demonized Beast.


    The Demonized Beast attacked fiercely, and Lu Xiaopeng dodged in panic.


    In just a few seconds, the situation seemed perilous, but ultimately, Lu Xiaopeng, with no escape, was pounced on by the Demonized Beast, and then... the Demonized Beast died.


    They appeared to see a flash of silver light slicing through the Demonized Beast''s head, nearly splitting it in two.


    What on earth happened?!


    Why couldn''t they understand!

 Chapter 43 - 43: Awakening Tier, Basic?

    Time had already reached the afternoon.


    Tang Yu put down the book and stretched his stiffened body. He had never imagined that he, always a student, could become so absorbed in his studies, completely engrossed in the book "Source Power Basics" without noticing the passage of time.


    But the gains were tremendous, he had now understood, what exactly was Source Power!


    It was an indescribable force, yet it permeated every aspect, including the construction of runes, which was also closely related to the understanding of Source Power.


    "Totally worth it..." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu''s mind descended into his body, ceaselessly exploring, until finally at a place infinitely deep within, he found a faint glimmer of light.


    That was Source Power...


    Source Power existed within every Awakener, but only ability users could feel their own Source Power; Awakeners couldn''t.


    At first, Tang Yu guessed that only after Awakening a Special Ability did one possess Source Energy within the body, but after reading this foundational text, he realized that wasn''t the case at all.


    As long as one was an Awakener, Source Power was inevitably present within the body.


    However.


    The reason ordinary Awakeners couldn''t feel the presence of Source Power within them was simply because the amount was so small that it was completely imperceptible!


    It was only after he finished the book and gained some understanding of the nature of Source Power that he groped his way to discovering the Source Power deep within his body.


    He could even mobilize it... Of course, this was of no real use, since ordinary Awakeners had much less Source Power than ability users and couldn''t leverage the Source Power in the air; the little Source Power within them only served an initiating function. To really harness its power, he still had to cultivate properly.


    He realized that even for Warrior Series skills, some required Source Power to use.


    For non-ability users, it was only upon reaching the third realm within the Awakening Tier, the Source Condensation Realm, that one had a substantial amount of Source Power to utilize.


    Foundation Realm, Body-shaping Realm, and Source Condensation Realm, these were the three minor realms within the Awakening Tier.


    This also constituted basic cultivation knowledge.


    From the book, Tang Yu learned that the Foundation Realm, from the First to Fifth Layer, laid the most crucial foundation.


    The Body-shaping Realm, from the Sixth to Ninth Layer, primarily refined the body.


    The Source Condensation Realm, from the 10th to 12th Layer, as the name implies, was about condensing Source Power.


    And the last layer of the Awakening Tier, the Thirteenth Layer Perfection.


    This was the entire process for an Awakener, seemingly long but, in reality, it was all about honing the foundation.


    Tang Yu originally thought that, having cheated a few times and possessing the strength of a Third Layer Awakener, he somewhat counted as a minor expert, but after gaining more understanding, he dared not think like that anymore.


    Within the Awakening Tier, each realm''s advancement was a bottleneck, not just a matter of simply absorbing soul power to break through.


    It seemed the higher one climbed, the fewer the divisions between the realms, from Fifth Layer to Fourth Layer, and then to Third Layer, but in reality, the further up one went, each additional layer of Awakening became more difficult, requiring more resources.


    According to the book, if one''s talent wasn''t sufficient and luck wasn''t on their side, it wouldn''t be surprising to be stuck at a minor bottleneck for two or three years.


    And the reason the three realms were combined into the Awakening Tier was not to pad the word count, the key reason lay in the fact that with each increase in the Tier, there was a chance to awaken a Special Ability; this was the origin of the Awakening Tier.


    The entire Awakening Tier was still just a foundation!


    Tang Yu felt somewhat disconsolate.


    No wonder, in the early stages of the apocalypse, he had heard about modern armored armies suffering heavy losses against Demonized Beasts, which he found hard to believe at the time. Now, thinking about it, even Demonized Beasts at the Fourth or Fifth Layer were already quite threatening, what about higher ones?


    Every layer of Awakening represented an elevation in the life order. Demonized Beasts at the Body-shaping Realm or Source Condensation Realm, undoubtedly, would become very terrifying, not to mention those surpassing the Awakening Tier!


    At this level, Tang Yu had never heard of it, but he believed it absolutely existed in this world, otherwise, how could the army suffer such heavy casualties, with an entire corps being crippled? How terrifying must that be?


    If there were Demonized Beasts of such level charging at the Sanctuary, then even a large Sanctuary might not necessarily be safe.


    He felt a sense of urgency in his heart, not knowing whether his parents, far away in another province, were safe.


    "Now that I have the Return City Scroll, I can go to the Lindong Sanctuary, and I hope to find some related information there. However, I need to prepare a bit more."


    Yesterday, after refining his soul power, he now had the strength of a late third-layer Awakener. He originally thought that with this strength, he would definitely be more than capable in the Lindong Sanctuary.


    In reality, it was a breeze for Han Jing and his group to come here from Lindong, and with their route map, Tang Yu''s journey to Lindong should also not encounter too much danger.


    But he feared the unexpected.


    He now knew that being a third-layer Awakener was just being an Ordinary People. What if he encountered beasts of the Body-shaping Realm or Source Condensation Realm, or even stronger Demonized Beasts? Even with a Return City Scroll, would he have enough time to use it?


    Tang Yu wasn''t sure.


    He needed to enhance his strength, not in terms of brute force, but rather, to improve his ability to react to danger.


    After some hesitation, Tang Yu set his sights on a building in the system panel.


    The training camp!


    Among the system buildings, there were many that he coveted, such as the Energy Patio that provided energy to the Territory. With an Energy Patio, it wouldn''t just be about supporting two mere Arrow Towers and a Cannon, even ten times that amount, the energy supply would be more than enough.


    Besides that, there were also Warehouses, Spell Factories, Detection Towers, Altars, and other buildings with special functions. He coveted each one immensely, but they were also very expensive. After long consideration, Tang Yu decided to construct the training camp first.


    With such careful planning, before the apocalypse, he could definitely be rated as one of the top ten good men...


    Training camps, unlike core buildings, are public facilities.


    Therefore, Tang Yu decided not to place the training camp behind the castle. Anyway... With building walls and cannons being such miraculous occurrences, constructing a training camp could certainly be considered normal.


    Eventually, he chose a piece of open land in the middle of the villa area.


    It used to be planted with many trees, which became even sturdier after the apocalypse, but now, they had all been cut down, leaving a bare piece of wasteland... Tang Yu had to admire his foresight for not letting the survivors cut down trees. Where else could he have found such a large space for construction?


    It took the survivors quite some time to transport the building materials, and it was only when it started to get dark that they managed to gather enough.


    Once they had chosen the location, in no time at all, with a series of loud noises, a huge building appeared.


    This building covered an immense area, even bigger than the already second-tier castle, with a pyramid shape that was very impressive.


    The construction of this building consumed a lot of materials, almost depleting the building materials... Now in the entire vacation village, except for the villa area, almost every salvageable building had been dismantled. Transporting materials now required hauling them from nearby villages and towns, which was a lot less efficient, and also required the accompany of the Patrol Team.


    Material crisis suddenly became the new concern following the Source Crystal crisis.


    Fortunately, there weren''t many Source Crystals left in hand, and even if he wanted to build, he couldn''t... Thinking this way seemed to be somewhat incorrect.


    Tang Yu fell into deep thought.


    Around him, the crowd of onlookers who had finished transporting materials all let out exclamations of surprise, expressing their admiration.


    This time, no one was shocked. After experiencing major events, the survivors in the Sanctuary had grown accustomed to Tang Yu making big moves from time to time. Now, seeing this, it was indeed spectacular and magical, but... wasn''t this very normal?


    They each went back to work diligently.


    Onlookers? Not at all. They preferred to work more in the time they had. Now their food was linked to their workload. Full from eating, they also wanted to eat better, and even if they were eating well, they could aim for an upgrade in their clothing.


    It was said that the Sanctuary was recently planning to build a bathhouse, and soon they would be able to abandon their current dirty and smelly condition, of course, this too required work credits.


    Lured by the promise of a better life, the survivors were filled with enthusiasm.

 Chapter 44 - 44 Finally Got a Task Wow

    The training camp is divided into five tiers, each with various training setups.


    Tang Yu was well aware that an Awakener with rich combat skills and experience was far stronger than those who relied solely on brute force.


    Unfortunately, even after several days of training under Luo Zhe''s guidance, he was barely scraping by as the bottom of the barrel.


    He hadn''t even mastered the most basic Combat Skill, Heavy Slash.


    Even though his equipment, which was considered top-grade among beginner gear, had become sharper after the update and could easily breach the defenses of Demonized Beasts, his lack of combat skills was a major drawback. Fighting one-on-two or one-on-three against Demonized Beasts of the same level was already challenging for him.


    If it were Luo Zhe, dealing with ten Demonized Beasts of the same level wouldn''t be a problem at all.


    But Luo Zhe''s years of combat experience were something Tang Yu couldn''t learn. To fight for a few years? He wouldn''t last a few days before he''d have to "send himself off" with a somber tune.


    Tang Yu knew his own limits.


    Under normal circumstances, the only way to improve combat experience was through accumulation, so he built the training camp to take an unconventional rapid approach.


    He found that he couldn''t survive without "cheating" anymore.


    It was all too sad to discuss.


    Tang Yu entered the training camp, where the first and second floors were the most spacious, offering basic training facilities akin to those seen before the apocalypse, though somewhat more complex, functional, and effective here.


    For example, the most basic resistance machines and punching power gauges were similar to those available pre-apocalypse, but could pre-apocalyptic equipment withstand the strength of an Awakener?


    Obviously not.


    Still, Awakeners needed to train, especially to better control their own strength. If training equipment was available, there was no doubt the effects would be substantially better.


    Not to mention, training could also improve one''s physical attributes. This was like getting extra attribute points on top of those gained from levelling up, accumulating day by day, further widening the gap between Awakeners of the same level.


    Tang Yu, naturally uninterested in the first two floors, briefly checked them out before heading upstairs directly.


    The third and fourth floors housed special training equipment.


    For instance, the rapid runway looked like a mere ten-meter track, but stepping on it revealed a much different reality: the track was nearly endless, and running on it brought unbearable oppressive forces from behind, such as sensations of fear and death, pushing the user to run swiftly and tap into their latent potential.


    It was a choice between being worn out or scared to death.


    Besides, there were the Reaction Space, Gravity Room, and Dream Shooting Range among other training devices, all dazzling to Tang Yu.


    He didn''t plan to try these; his goal was the Spirit Space located at the very top, the fifth tier.


    As for the first to fourth tiers, he intended to open them to the public.


    He had thought through the specifics: the first and second levels would be free for the Patrol Team, and if members of the Patrol Team wanted to use the third and fourth levels, they would need to spend their Contribution Points... which were part of their salaries. By letting these individuals exchange points for supplies, it would avoid spending Source Crystals.


    Not only that.


    Once the Sanctuary had more survivors in the future, the entire training camp could be opened as a paid facility. For instance, transient personnel in the Sanctuary or Awakeners not part of the Patrol Team who wanted to train and get stronger would need to spend Consuming Crystals!


    Relying on hunting Demonized Beasts for Source Crystals was not a sustainable long-term strategy, nor was mining from a Source Crystal Mine indefinitely. However, if he could expand the reputation of the Sanctuary, it would continuously attract external Awakeners, who would then bring in Source Crystals.


    Outsiders spending on his territory who ran out of Source Crystals would go out to hunt Demonized Beasts and, feeling underpowered, spend again in the training camp... This was a brilliant cyclical model that could continuously generate revenue for the Territory, like repeatedly harvesting crops, Tang Yu envisioned his storage filling up with Source Crystals.


    Relying on others'' efforts was the way to prosper!


    Shaking off these slightly impractical thoughts for now, Tang Yu finally reached the fifth floor.


    In contrast to the eye-catching training facilities of the other floors, the fifth floor was quite plain, with just three rooms, each empty except for some incomprehensible runes drawn on the walls.


    This was the Spirit Access Room, limited to one person per room.


    Tang Yu entered one of the rooms, sat down cross-legged, and the runes on the walls glowed faintly. Suddenly, the whole room seemed to tremble, his thoughts stretched infinitely, and when he regained his senses, he found himself in a gray, hazy space.


    This was the Spirit Space, a realm between illusion and reality.


    Here, multiple training modes were available. The most basic training mode allowed for setting up enemies, such as fighting with Demonized Beasts without fear of death, offering a space to engage in battle freely. Only here could he rapidly enhance his combat experience.


    Besides, there were Endless Mode, Battle Space, Trial Tower, Virtual Secret Realm, and more, though many of these modes were grayed out, clearly not yet available at the current training camp level.


    Tang Yu chose individual training, planning to first set up a few Demonized Beasts to test his limits. He hadn''t yet tried to see how many he could handle when going all out.


    Suddenly.


    "Ding-dong! Lord identity detected. Would you like to initiate Lord-exclusive mode?"


    What mode?


    Tang Yu was perplexed. He hadn''t heard about any such mode in the Spirit Space, and it wasn''t mentioned in the manual. Moreover, if he wasn''t mishearing, this voice was appearing directly in his mind, not from the training camp. It must be the system''s voice.


    He decided to ask about it.


    "Lord-exclusive mode is only available to Lords, providing a customized training environment. Under Lord-exclusive mode, completing tasks will yield rewards."


    Tang Yu ignored that explanation.


    His attention was fixed on two words.


    Tasks, rewards.


    He felt tears well up in his eyes!


    What were the standard offerings of the system? Of course, tasks and rewards! But this damned system hadn''t given a penny, no gift package to start off with, no beginner''s benefits. Even the funds for building the city had come from his own pocket. If not for the luck of finding enough source crystals, he would be dead by now.


    He had thought tasks and rewards were out of his reach, yet here they were reappearing. Even if it was just within the training camp, he didn''t care. The rewards were enough!


    "Ding-dong! Would you like to initiate Lord-exclusive mode?"


    "Yes!"


    "Ding-dong! Lord-exclusive mode initiated. Now entering scenario one, generating tasks..."


    [Task One: Survive thirty minutes, reward: Skill¡¤Sky Breaking Slash]


    [Task Two: Slay ten demonized beasts two levels above oneself, reward: Skill¡¤Instant Movement]


    [Tip: Before entering the scenario, you may freely choose equipment. The chosen equipment must be basic.]


    There were two tasks in scenario one: slaughtering demonized beasts two levels above him¡ªhe was an Awakener third layer, so he must slay Fifth Tier¡ªTang Yu thought it unlikely he could achieve that.


    However, the other task, surviving for half an hour, seemed... not that difficult, right? S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu was tempted. The rewards were skills that could be learned directly, and these two skills were evidently more advanced than basic combat skills like Heavy Slash.


    No sooner had this thought crossed his mind,


    than he found himself in a vast forest. Before he could even take in his surroundings, a sharp pain overwhelmed his nerves, and he lost consciousness. The next moment, he was back in the gray, indefinite space.


    "Dead, am I dead?"


    Tang Yu gasped for air, sweat dripping from his forehead. His heart pounded ceaselessly, his pupils dilated, still not fully clear-headed.


    This was the Spirit Space. Besides not actually dying, all other sensations were real.


    The moment of death he just experienced was so bewildering, but the impending doom felt extremely real, including that piercing pain, which seemed to linger in his body, causing his muscles to tremble continuously.


    After all, Tang Yu was just an ordinary person. Though life in the apocalypse had been tough, he hadn''t suffered severe injuries, nor was he the kind to get used to pains casually. Even though he had braced himself for dying in the Spirit Space, this time, it was too sudden. The fear, the despair, lingered deep in his heart.


    He stayed in the gray space for nearly half an hour. During that time, Tang Yu thought about entering the first level again, but hesitated and lacked the courage to re-enter.


    Time quietly slipped by, yet everything in this gray space seemed eternal.


    Tang Yu opened his eyes, closed them, and gritted his teeth...


    "I''m going for it!"


    Re-entering the first level to survive, Tang Yu didn''t even bother to check his surroundings. He immediately rolled away from his original position, and upon looking up, he saw a large shadow moving among the giant trees.


    It was a colossal black spider, at least as big as a car, its mouthparts gleaming coldly, numerous eyes coldly watching him.


    Suddenly, Tang Yu felt terrible!


    Such a huge spider, even if he was armed to the teeth, even if his Longsword was sharp enough to penetrate its defense, the question was, could he reach it?


    No wonder the task was to survive!


    Tang Yu now really wanted to ask, Mr. Spider, can we negotiate a peace?

 Chapter 45 - 45 Wrongly Blamed Them...

    Evening fell, and the afterglow of the setting sun scattered across the hills before gradually fading away.


    At this hour, it was the end of the workday for the daily survivors. With nightfall, the danger escalated dramatically, but Tang Yu wasn''t the cold-hearted type to completely exploit every ounce of the survivors'' worth.


    After all, if they died, he would be the one losing out.


    There were survivors idle and bored in the evening who requested to continue working, leaving Tang Yu both amused and frustrated; naturally, he rejected such requests.


    The survivors who had completed their day''s work gathered in small groups at the plaza, waiting to receive their food rations while chatting and boasting.


    Suddenly, someone shouted, "The Patrol Team is back!"


    It was the Patrol Team''s first external mission, known to every survivor in the Sanctuary. Unlike some other patrols that exploited the survivors, this team wasn''t like that. With Ding Qiang and his ilk gone, the overall atmosphere at the Sanctuary was good; most survivors sincerely hoped for the safe return of the Patrol Team.


    "They''re here, they''re here!"


    Zhao Xingping stood among the crowd, looking out with a few fellow survivors he got along with. Several people in the Patrol Team were familiar faces to him. As the team approached, he felt nervous¡ªmany sanctuaries would send teams outside, but often they would return incomplete, and Zhao Xingping feared this Patrol Team might end up the same.


    "One, two, three... everyone''s back!"


    As the team drew near, someone meticulously counted the Patrol Team members and found no one missing, which instantly lifted the spirits of those present.


    Zhao Xingping also noticed that although the Patrol Team members looked a bit dishevelled, they were hardly injured. The most severe injury was a minor one to an arm, which would heal in less than two days given an Awakener''s constitution. He even felt that there was something different about them upon their return¡ªthey couldn''t quite put his finger on it, but it seemed they... had more confidence!


    Although the survivors gawked, they knew it was not the time to disturb the returning Patrol Team members, so they made way for them to pass and resumed their conversations, waiting for the audit of their work and the distribution of food.


    "Hey, it looks like more people are coming back."


    Zhao Xingping heard someone nearby make this observation and looked towards the distance, only to see several figures supporting each other and staggering towards the Sanctuary¡ªit didn''t look promising.


    "Aren''t those the Awakeners? What happened to them?"


    Zhao Xingping wondered. Though their situation seemed not life-threatening, they looked far more miserable than the members of the Patrol Team. Had these Awakeners undertaken some dangerous mission?


    For a moment, Zhao Xingping felt admiration for these Awakeners. Although they hadn''t joined the Patrol Team, they had still made their contributions to the Sanctuary. He realized he might have misjudged them...


    He watched as they walked inside the city walls.


    However, Zhao Xingping didn''t know that these Awakeners were cursing inside. They had merely followed from a distance, walking paths the Patrol Team had already cleared, yet somehow, they still encountered Demonized Beasts and were chased all the way, almost not making it back.


    The few felt dejected, feeling the world was unfriendly...


    ¡­


    Lu Xiaopeng was thrilled; today, he had killed three Demonized Beasts, although he still fell slightly short compared to the Fatty Peng beside him¡ªjust a few beasts short. But he was full of confidence and decided to refine his soul power tonight. On the next external mission, he was determined to outdo that gluttonous fatty.


    Of course, before that, he planned to have a full meal, take a bath, and ideally stretch out on his bed. He was so tired he didn''t even want to move his toes.


    Suddenly, the team in front stopped, and Lu Xiaopeng, not paying attention, bumped into Fatty Peng in front of him. Fatty Peng didn''t even respond this time. Lu Xiaopeng looked up and realized everyone was standing in front of an imposing building.


    "Isn''t this a wasteland? Did we take a wrong turn?"


    Lu Xiaopeng racked his brain but was certain he hadn''t taken a wrong turn, and it seemed this area had indeed been wastelands before; yet now, it had completely transformed¡ªall thanks to Director Tang.


    Thinking of Director Tang, Lu Xiaopeng could only admire him deeply; he was truly a role model for Awakeners. His biggest dream had merely been to become a skilled Awakener, capable of punching Demonized Wolves and kicking Demonized Tigers. But Director Tang had just annihilated a Demon Tide.


    There was no comparison... as long as he surpassed this fat guy next to him, that would be good enough.


    "This building is a training camp specially set up by the boss; inside, there are all kinds of training equipment. These facilities will benefit your training..."


    Lu Xiaopeng and the other Patrol Team members all showed expressions of anticipation. If there was a building dedicated to training, wouldn''t that mean they could improve their strengths even faster?


    "...So, you have an hour to eat and rest. In one hour, meet in front of the training camp''s gate."


    "!??"


    Lu Xiaopeng was stunned. What did Captain Luo say? It seemed like they were to continue training in an hour?!


    This was practically demanding their lives. After spending half the day practicing those tough moves, and the rest outside with their nerves tightly wound, he had thought he could finally relax like a salted fish in bed, but it seemed he had been too naive.


    But difficult as it was, it was not possible for them to refuse. They had finally managed to latch onto the sanctuary''s benefits¡ªCombat Skills, Equipment, and now, the training camp. Everyone was holding their breath, wanting to keep getting stronger.


    Slack off? Having come this far, and endured so much hardship, how could they possibly stop just before this training opportunity?


    With a mix of pain and eagerness, they quickly returned to their quarters. Not to mention, it was necessary to properly rest during this one hour.


    ...


    One hour later, the members of the Patrol Team quickly gathered at the entrance of the training camp, and under Luo Zhe''s lead, they entered in single file.


    The first thing that caught their eyes was the variety of training equipment on the first floor¡ªthe cold touch and iron-blooded appearance were immediately attractive to the team members. In Tang Yu''s eyes, these equipments were ordinary, but that was only when compared to the higher-level facilities. If compared to pre-apocalypse training facilities, these were leagues beyond.


    The team members quickly moved forward, trying out the training equipment and revealing expressions of amazement.


    Especially the few Awakeners.


    Since their Awakening and increase in strength, training equipment had been out of their reach. Pre-apocalypse equipment was meant for ordinary people, maybe strongmen at most¡ªthese were nothing compared to Awakeners. Typically, they could only resort to exercises like gymnastics; using training equipment? They would break it just by pinching, rendering it useless.


    But now, Peng Bo stood in front of a strength tester, his strength was considered the strongest among the Awakeners, and yet, even after exerting the effort of eight meals, he could only move it slightly, causing him to even start doubting his own strength.


    "This will be your training ground from now on; the first and second floors are open to the Patrol Team for free." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The team members grasped the implications. For those not in the Patrol Team, using this equipment came with conditions. Clearly, this was another benefit for the Patrol Team, making them further grateful to be part of it.


    Some also realized that since only the first and second floors were free, there must be more floors above. The building clearly wasn''t just two stories, so, what was the difference between the equipment there and here?


    "Third and fourth floors have more advanced training facilities, which were created by the director using special methods. However, these facilities are limited and costly to use. Whether one can use these third and fourth floor facilities will depend on individual contributions."


    This wasn''t actually Luo Zhe''s exact words but rather what Tang Yu instructed through a contractual message after he finished establishing the training camp.


    The first and second floors were free for the Patrol Team to emphasize their benefits and enhance their sense of belonging and loyalty. But giving everything too easily was often unappreciated; keeping back half would give the team members enough motivation.


    Tang Yu commended himself for his astuteness.


    The Patrol Team members thought they would train on the first and second floors tonight. At that moment, Captain Luo added, "As the first group of members to join the Patrol Team, you have a special privilege. Tonight, each person can train on the third and fourth floors, which will also give you a better understanding of the facilities there, allowing you to plan for more strategic improvements in the future."

 Chapter 46 - 46 A Few Minutes

    Regarding what kind of training facilities were on the third and fourth floors, the Patrol Team members had some expectations but also some doubts.


    Director Tang''s abilities were very powerful. Not only could he create constructions full of immense power like the Arrow Tower Cannon, he could also produce the delicate equipment found on the first and second floors. Previously, people thought Director Tang''s abilities were related to the Earth Series, as he could create buildings out of thin air. But now they felt that Director Tang''s abilities were far broader in scope than that, and if one had to describe it, ''Creation'' would be more fitting.


    Creating buildings, creating equipment, creating items.


    Ability users'' powers were strange and varied, and theoretically, it wouldn''t be strange for any ability to emerge, even those related to time, space, destiny, creation... However, before witnessing them firsthand, most people considered these abilities to be mere legends. It was only in their opinion that if someone truly possessed the ability of creation, it would be someone like Director Tang.


    These powers were indeed defying the natural order, but they weren''t without restrictions.


    Many people had noticed that Director Tang needed to collect materials before constructing a building.


    Furthermore, even with creation, it had to follow certain rules. Take the defensive constructions like the Arrow Tower and Cannon; they already existed. They believed that Director Tang first conceptualized these referential buildings and then enhanced them through his power, resulting in the terrifyingly powerful Arrow Towers and Cannons.


    There was a traceable logic to all of this, including the training equipment on the first and second floors, which also bore the shadow of the pre-apocalypse.


    Because there were limitations, they found it normal.


    That''s why when Captain Luo said that the training facilities on the third and fourth floors could help them rapidly improve their strength, they were quite skeptical in their hearts.


    At this stage, to improve their strength, aside from absorbing soul power, one would either have to improve through combat experience and techniques or by pushing one''s own potential to the limit. But neither of these could be achieved by simply training with equipment.


    Unless it was battling with Demonized Beasts.


    Just like today, after actually fighting, the members of the Patrol Team felt that they had made quite a lot of progress. But aside from that, what kind of training facilities could achieve this?


    The facilities on the third floor were not as numerous as those on the first and second floors. After checking them out, the Patrol Team members were even more puzzled. Their eyes went round in confusion. What was this? How was it used? What was the use?


    It was not like the first and second floors, where not a single one of them understood!


    Luo Zhe hadn''t actually used the facilities either. However, as a follower, his authority in the territory was second only to Tang Yu. He knew a thing or two about the training camp''s equipment.


    He came in front of the high-speed track, briefly explained the purpose of this device, and then asked, "Who wants to try it out first?"


    Peng Bo looked at the track that was only ten meters long, his face full of confusion. Then he looked at the others, who all had the same expression. He felt reassured.


    Although he was uneducated and couldn''t understand the intricacies here... as long as the others also didn''t understand, that was okay. However, what was the use of a track of this length?


    He was tempted to give it a try when he saw Lu Xiaopeng stepping forward once again and walking straight into the range of the high-speed track.


    He watched intently, trying to see any changes.


    The track activated, and the strange patterns drawn on the ground lit up. Other than that, there didn''t seem to be any changes¡ªsave for Lu Xiaopeng''s figure, which seemed a bit blurred... No, Peng Bo noticed a significant change. Lu Xiaopeng''s complexion was getting paler.


    At first, there was a baffling transformation, as if he had received some fright, sweat sliding down his forehead, his expression getting more and more terrified. In the next moment, Peng Bo saw him lean forward and plunge into a run, swinging his arms wildly and dashing forward frantically.


    This... Just running was one thing, but what''s with this horrified expression?


    He didn''t understand, nor did the others.


    As time passed, Lu Xiaopeng''s face grew paler, but his speed kept increasing. Eventually, with a ''ding'' sound, the track ceased operation, and the next thing Peng Bo saw was Lu Xiaopeng''s body going limp and collapsing on the ground.


    "That didn''t take long, yet he looks so drained."


    He approached Lu Xiaopeng, poked him, and was met with an angry glare from Lu Xiaopeng.


    Peng Bo shook his head, then stepped onto the track. A few minutes later, he too emerged with a pale face and lay on the ground, his belly fat undulating, looking even more miserable than Lu Xiaopeng.


    The other members of the Patrol Team who had not yet had the experience were even more confused. They felt particularly ignorant today, whether it was in terms of combat skills, equipment, or this training camp¡ªthere was a lot they did not understand.


    Luo Zhe stepped forward and manipulated a blank panel beside the track. The others saw a human silhouette emerge on the panel, shadowing a figure running swiftly with various data flickering around it.


    "This is..."


    Aside from Peng Bo and Lu Xiaopeng, who were too exhausted and wanted to be as inert as salted fish, everyone else crowded around to take a closer look at the panel.


    "This is the recording of their running just now, along with these numbers. They seem to be speeds, but how could there be such a huge increase?" S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Could it be that they didn''t start running at full speed?"


    "Bullshit!" Lu Xiaopeng struggled to speak. "Do you... see me... as if I wasn''t running... at full speed?"


    The others exchanged glances. Indeed, from the beginning, the two of them were sprinting like mad, which was evident from their expressions and movements. But logically, running at full speed should make one''s pace slow down over time, not increase.


    Moreover, what they couldn''t comprehend was why both Lu Xiaopeng and his companion initially looked overly frightened?


    However, not understanding was not an issue; they had already noticed that the sprinting track could stimulate a person''s potential, allowing one to run faster and faster within it.


    "I''ll go."


    "I''ll go!"


    They jostled to go next, completely oblivious to the pitiful glances from Lu Xiaopeng and Peng Bo on the ground.


    A few minutes later, the first one came out, lying on the ground, lifeless.


    It seemed that the time spent in there wasn''t dependent on personal strength, so those contestants who had already experienced it and turned pale were simultaneously frightened and curious about how long the following contestants could last.


    "Three minutes..."


    "Three and a half minutes..."


    "Four minutes, that''s impressive."


    "Only two minutes, bro, you''re not up to it."


    When Tang Yu came down, he discovered this bizarre scene but did not disturb the Patrol Team members and went straight out of the training camp.


    However,


    Under the clear sky, a group of people sweating profusely with gleaming eyes continuously counting time, was this really... all right?


    ...


    After leaving the training camp, Tang Yu didn''t return to the castle but instead walked outwards.


    Though he felt mentally drained, he had no desire to sleep.


    In just half a day, it seemed like a lifetime had passed for him.


    Having experienced death over and over again ¨C whether by venom corrosion, being impaled by sharp limbs, or being bisected at the waist... Tang Yu felt he could compile an encyclopedia of elaborate deaths.


    He wasn''t sure how many times he had died in the Spirit Space; from the initial fear that prevented him from entering, to later, when his senses were still stuck in the last moment of death, his mind had already chosen to enter again.


    It was not an Awakening of some attribute but, although the intense pain of the injuries and deaths was still there, the clear sense of progress was addicting.


    Just like refining soul power.


    It was a pleasure.


    Painful, yet joyful...

 Chapter 47 - 47: Didnt Bring a Weapon?

    Many times, Tang Yu thought about giving up.


    He had the system, powerful followers, and Puppet guardians. Even with his own strength being somewhat lacking, he could still stand firm in this apocalypse.


    Yet, he clenched his teeth and persevered.


    In the Basic Period of the apocalypse, facing the Demonized Beasts, the fear that surged in his heart. Afterwards, facing the Demon Tide at the Sanctuary, that sense of powerlessness and despair.


    He didn''t want to feel that way again. Indeed, he now had many advantages, but these should not become reasons for his laziness... Since he had the system, he must not let this opportunity go to waste!


    The upcoming trip to Lindong, Tang Yu didn''t want to be someone who was just a drag on the team, even if... after completing extremely intense training, he might probably still just be a support person.


    Standing on the pockmarked land, Tang Yu carefully felt his own strength.


    In terms of combat experience, he might not compare with Luo Zhe yet, but he didn''t know just how much he had improved. Not to mention, now when facing Demonized Beasts, his heart, was no longer perturbed in the slightest.


    Even Heavy Slash, which had always been stuck on the last step and he hadn''t been able to complete, he had successfully performed under immense pressure.


    Suddenly, Tang Yu stopped in his tracks, his eyebrows raising.


    Having experienced countless life-or-death situations, he had developed a different kind of sensitivity to danger.


    His gaze fell on a mound of dirt not far away, where two Demonized Beasts with red eyes and gray-brown bodies, somewhat like oversized lizards, emerged from behind the pile.


    This was a type of hunting-oriented Demonized Beast... Although Demonized Beasts lacked intelligence, they possessed high combat instincts. If survivors were not alert, the Demonized Beasts would pounce out the moment the survivors approached the mound, and bite the survivors to pieces.


    Clearly, the two Demonized Beasts did not understand the reason Tang Yu had discovered them, but the combat instincts ingrained in their bones compelled them to change their approach. The two Demonized Beasts pounced from the left and right.


    Tang Yu''s hand touched the hilt of his sword, then he suddenly smiled and let go.


    These two Demonized Beasts, with strength at the Second-tier Awakening, even a typical Third-layer Awakener facing these two Demonized Beasts would not have an easy victory, but...


    The Demonized Beast on the left raised its front paw, pushing off with its hind legs to pounce first.


    The foul wind hit, and in his pupils reflected the increasingly large gray-brown claws. Tang Yu''s expression remained unchanged, he merely took a slight step back, making no other move.


    The claw swept past Tang Yu''s chest, the strong breeze bulged his collar, Tang Yu remained still... This distance, this speed, he was too familiar with, he could easily judge the attack position of the Demonized Beast.


    These experiences, he had exchanged with his life. An inch short, life lost; an inch too much, unnecessary effort. Until later, when he stopped fleeing and instead proactively sought out battles with Demonized Beasts... Let alone just two Demonized Beasts, even against hordes of Demon Tide, Tang Yu still surfed the waves. After all, once he had gotten used to the pain in the Spirit Space, nothing much mattered anymore.


    Right now, there were only two Demonized Beasts, perfect for testing the results of his training.


    The other gray lizard made its way behind Tang Yu, its whole body leaping forward. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the next moment, just as the lizard was about to strike, Tang Yu quickly squatted down.


    The lizard lost sight of Tang Yu in its eyes, crashing directly into the other lizard, pressing against the belly of that one. In an instant, the two lizards clung together, tumbling far away.


    Lizard: "???"


    ...


    Atop the city wall, two survivors on watch duty scanned every inch of the area beyond the wall. Despite the darkness, nearly unable to see anything, both fulfilled their duties with due diligence.


    For Liang Hao, who had arrived at the Sanctuary early on and witnessed every bit of its development, this was a job filled with a great sense of honor. However, they were unaware that such vigilance was, in actuality, rather pointless.


    "Today''s our last shift," one said, "Tomorrow, we''ll switch with members of the Patrol Team. Sigh, if only I had awakened and hadn''t had such a weak constitution, I would''ve definitely applied to join the Patrol Team."


    "Right? And to think some Awakeners don''t want to join the Patrol Team. They have no idea how strong the foundations of the Sanctuary really are. Just look at the Patrol Team heading out today, all in fine uniform equipment. I bet those who didn''t join are green with envy and regret by now."


    As they spoke, they continued their surveillance when suddenly, Liang Hao ran to the rampart and peered into the distance, "Is there something stirring over there?"


    The outside world was shrouded in darkness, barely illuminated by moonlight, allowing only faint glimpses of distant scenes.


    Another grabbed a monocular and looked in the indicated direction. "Let me see... it''s Demonized Beasts! And someone''s there!"


    Someone!


    Liang Hao was shocked and was about to sound the alarm when he heard his companion cry out, "It''s Director Tang! Director Tang is fighting the Demonized Beasts!"


    Director Tang?!


    The survivors at the Sanctuary never doubted Director Tang''s strength. Still, not a single one had actually seen Director Tang in action. They were more inclined to believe that feats such as constructing buildings and even erecting Arrow Towers to exterminate packs of Demonized Beasts required premeditation and the use of a big move in a burst of power.


    Haven''t they seen Director Tang always prepare the building materials before constructing anything?


    As survivors of the Sanctuary who had arrived early and seen Director Tang more frequently, they naturally speculated like everyone else about his strength¡ªperhaps it was the brute force of Captain Luo, or the cunning use of powers like the Ice Goddess to kill Demonized Beasts¡ªor perhaps¡­


    He paused the foot that was about to trigger the alarm when he heard another cry of astonishment from his companion.


    "Director Tang has not drawn his sword; is he unarmed? Oh no, those two Demonized Beasts are pouncing on him, and Director Tang is facing them barehanded!"


    Barehanded?


    Liang Hao was taken aback.


    An Awakener, only just capable of confronting a Demonized Beast with fine equipment, would be utterly unable to kill one if unarmed. In contrast, Demonized Beasts had sharp claws and teeth¡ªnatural weapons capable of inflicting lethal injuries on Awakeners.


    He hesitated, uncertain whether to sound the alarm or not.


    Then he heard his companion shouting again, "Director Tang dodged the attack! Director Tang used just a small amount of effort to shift a great weight! Woah, Director Tang has thrown a punch, and the Demonized Beast was sent flying out. NICE!"


    Liang Hao, looking frustrated, snatched the monocular from his companion''s hand.


    In his field of vision, the silhouette subtly swayed, dodging the Demonized Beast''s offensive. Liang Hao couldn''t make out the beast''s movements, but Director Tang''s actions were crystal clear to him. Against two Demonized Beasts, Director Tang barely made any significant movements at all.


    A sway of the upper body, a short slide step, a tilt of the head¡ªthese movements were not quick, in fact, they might even seem slow to the average person. Yet, it was this slow motion that effortlessly evaded the Demonized Beast''s attacks. In Liang Hao''s eyes, Director Tang seemed like a Beast Tamer teasing wild beasts.


    Heaving become absorbed in the scene himself, he pushed away his companion who tried to wrestle back the monocular, and said, "Sure enough, it''s Director Tang, delivering a perfect two-hit combo to the lizard beast''s weak point, dealing it a critical strike!"


    "The lizard beast has become enraged, yet Director Tang had already anticipated everything. With a turn, he made the lizard beast''s attack miss entirely. The force of the attack blew Director Tang''s clothes, and that silhouette, it seemed to speak of an invincible loneliness..."

 Chapter 48 - 48: Departing for Lindong

    The next day, the weather was clear.


    Tang Yu placed a black backpack on the passenger seat and drove a SUV slowly.


    Everything was ready, they were heading for Lindong.


    Tang Yu was looking forward to seeing what the Lindong Sanctuary, rumored to house hundreds of thousands of survivors, would look like.


    He had heard many rumors about Lindong.


    It was a sanctuary that had been established early in the apocalypse. When communication was still possible, broadcasts had called for survivors to make their way to Lindong on their own.


    The military had naturally dispatched numerous rescue teams to bring survivors to Lindong, which is why Lindong Sanctuary had a population of several hundred thousand people.


    However, the military''s resources were limited, so they could only selectively send out rescue teams. The group of survivors that Tang Yu had been a part of had been too far away from the rescue teams and had missed them. Consequently, they had been forced to settle for the next best thing and head to the Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    These smaller sanctuaries were also established by the military calling for their construction to provide a haven for those who missed the military rescue. The military also provided these sanctuaries with a lot of supplies.


    But.


    As the environment of the apocalypse worsened day by day, the military eventually stopped sending rescue teams... They couldn''t afford to send out a team and only rescue a few survivors while losing a large amount of ammunition and supplies. Even with stockpiles, the military couldn''t afford such wastage.


    Even the supply drops had become fewer and fewer. At least since Tang Yu had established his territory, he hadn''t seen any military supply planes; he could understand, given the increasing number of Demonized Beasts, including Flying Demonized Beasts. Humans no longer dominated the skies.


    The wilderness outside the sanctuaries might, after a few more months or years, gradually lose the traces of the once thriving civilization.


    The medium and small sanctuaries were also in a difficult situation.


    Only large sanctuaries like Lindong still retained a significant amount of human civilization and technology, much of which was Tang Yu''s target.


    "And Lin Wei, the potential BOSS..."


    Lately, his territory hadn''t captured any scouting personnel, and it seemed there were no activities of such persons in the wilderness either; Tang Yu had almost forgotten about them.


    With the current defensive strength of his territory, Tang Yu was unconcerned, but being targeted was not a pleasant feeling. He felt aggrieved and decided to give the other party a taste of this unpleasant feeling.


    The vehicle slowly drove out of the territory.


    Along the way, various changes caught his eye.


    The roads in the villa area had been cleared, with only a few dried blood stains and cracked grounds narrating the ordeal they had faced.


    Around, many survivors were busy not just transporting materials but also repairing buildings. They fixed some slightly damaged villas; the severely damaged ones, however, were completely demolished. The cleared spaces were used to construct temporary houses, and the rest was left for him to build systematic structures in the future.


    After leaving the holiday resort, the road conditions deteriorated, making the drive quite bumpy, and he could gradually see traces of Demonized Beast activity around.


    Fortunately, the vehicle was an off-road vehicle that had been modified, reinforced with a layer of welded steel. Although it wasn''t aesthetically pleasing, its defensive capability was solid¡ªit could withstand the attacks of ordinary Demonized Beasts for a while.


    Truly deserving of the top ten deliveryman Wang Tai, who provided money, equipment, personnel, and even the modified off-road vehicle for the trip.


    The noise made by the vehicle attracted a Demonized Beast that approached, ready to step forward; in the next moment, a gun barrel protruded from the rear window.


    Bang!


    A burst of flame erupted, and the head of the Demonized Beast burst open like a watermelon.


    Tang Yu did not stop and continued driving.


    In the backseat, a young man with an ordinary appearance held a firearm that was still emitting smoke.


    This morning, using a high-probability Summoning Scroll, he summoned a follower, an A-tier Assassin profession...


    Named, Grey Blade.


    He had no real name; since joining the assassin guild years ago, he had discarded his own name and adopted a codename, Grey Blade, which, like him, was nondescript.


    The sense of Grey Blade''s presence was even lower, and unless one was careful, his existence could easily be overlooked. This Concealing Breath Technique was unique to the Assassin profession.


    Grey Blade''s strength was at the Fifth Tier; this level of strength was not considered strong in the assassin guild. However, his mission completion rate was remarkably high, and his reputation impeccable... As an Assassin, his main weapon was the dagger, but Grey Blade managed to complete many difficult missions relying on plentiful tactics.


    Poisons, explosives, firearms¡ªhe was proficient in many, and even without a Musketeer''s gun power boost, he managed to blow apart the head of a Demonized Beast with his Rune Fire Gun.


    Sitting in the passenger seat was Eileen. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Originally, he had intended to bring Eileen on this trip.


    A follower had to be left at the territory just in case something happened that could be communicated to him through the Contract.


    So Tang Yu could travel without worries.


    Among these people, Eileen often went out to hunt Demonized Beasts, and her strength had just broken through to the Fifth-Tier Awakening.


    The speed could be described as extremely fast. This is the advantage of having A-level abilities.


    Although Tang Yu did not constantly level up, he had cheated multiple times and absorbed a lot of soul power... His qualification and territory level were linked. If he had A-level qualifications to absorb and refine soul power with that speed and efficiency, he would probably have reached the Fifth Tier by now.


    Eileen''s strength was undoubtedly significant in the apocalypse, but their destination was Lindong, and potential enemies were still a concern.


    Tang Yu had never underestimated Lin Wei. Although Lin did not command military power, he managed to become a major force in Lindong. Surely, he wielded great power, and the Awakeners under his command were undoubtedly strong.


    Relying solely on Eileen¡ªeven with his many preparations¡ªstill felt somewhat insufficient.


    Fortunately, the newly summoned follower, Grey Blade, was also remarkably strong.


    He was adept at assassination and gathering intelligence among other skills, which would be quite beneficial in Lindong.


    However,


    the follower Tang Yu most looked forward to summoning was¡ªwait, not a son¡ªa nanny profession.


    ...


    Although the straight-line distance between the territory and Lindong was only sixty kilometers, in reality, it was clearly more than a hundred kilometers when traveling.


    The journey was not always at high speed; instead, it involved frequent stops. Sometimes, they encountered roads completely blocked that required them to get out of the vehicle to clear a path. Other times, overgrown trees blocked the roads, and Tang Yu had no choice but to detour.


    It took several hours before they approached the vicinity of Maple Leaf Town. After passing through Maple Leaf Town, they were very close to the Lindong Sanctuary.


    They encountered no significant dangers along the way, which suggested that the route map taken from Wang Tai and his people was reliable.


    Perhaps it made sense, considering that Lin Wei''s mixed teams of Awakeners and civilians could travel from Lindong to the territory. With three experts in his car, they should not indeed face the worst-case scenario of encountering an unstoppable Demonized Beast.


    Approaching Maple Leaf Town, buildings on both sides of the road began to increase, and the environment started to grow more complex.


    Demonized Beasts approached occasionally, with Eileen and Grey Blade each covering a side.


    Gunshots rang intermittently, and Ice Crystals bloomed one after another.


    Tang Yu frowned as the Demonized Beasts seemed to be increasing in number.


    Throughout their journey, they had encountered multiple Demonized Beasts appearing simultaneously. However, things were different now; these Demonized Beasts seemed attracted by the noise here, continuously coming from afar.


    Something was amiss.


    Logically, as they were nearing the Lindong Sanctuary, where battle teams fought with Demonized Beasts daily, the number of beasts should have been fewer. But, it seemed like they had run into a nest of Demonized Beasts.


    "Something''s wrong."


    He harbored some suspicions.


    At this point, the emerging Demonized Beasts grew stronger, and the pressure increased substantially.


    Tang Yu pondered and saw a tall building not far away. Suddenly, his eyes lit up.


    ...


    Grey Blade got off the vehicle and made some noise to shake off the pursuing Demonized Beasts.


    It was impossible to kill them all; under normal circumstances, Tang Yu might have been interested in hunting Demonized Beasts to fill his depleted coffers. However, the situation was currently too suspicious, and he wasn''t keen on risking a crisis for a bit of money.


    Knowing it was futile to continue fighting,


    Tang Yu grabbed the railing and leaped, moving through the stairwell like a nimble monkey, quickly reaching the top of the building.


    The three spread out, each taking a direction on the rooftop to observe the surroundings and ensure they did not miss any valuable information.


    "Over there, there are people."


    Following Eileen''s direction, Tang Yu saw fiery explosions sparkling in the distance.


    The distance was great, but the eyesight of Awakeners was remarkable. Soon, Tang Yu saw several figures frantically fleeing around the blast area.


    These individuals were moving swiftly; it was clear they were all Awakeners. This was obviously an elite battle team... Tang Yu also had information about Lindong; ordinary battle teams usually had only one or two Awakeners. The weaker ones might consist solely of ordinary survivors. Only elite teams, all comprised of Awakeners, could operate far from the sanctuary.


    However, this team was in a bad situation. In just a moment, some of the slower members of the team had been mercilessly killed by the encircling Demonized Beasts, while the stronger ones continued desperately fleeing.


    The pursuing Demonized Beasts were powerful; just from their speed, they included creatures from the Second and Third Tiers.


    These people were in a precarious situation.


    Tang Yu made this judgment, and the next moment, a blurred shadow flashed at the edge of his vision.


    Those still fleeing Awakeners fell to the ground in pain, some with half of their bodies gruesomely torn.

 Chapter 49 - 49 Above the Awakening Tier

    The elite squad had clearly been annihilated, in just a few short seconds.


    Tang Yu was shocked.


    According to the map, Maple Leaf Town was marked as a two-star low-danger zone, far from being considered hazardous, yet an Advanced Demonized Beast had appeared.


    Such a Demonized Beast posed a certain threat to their own squad, not to mention, with such a powerful creature present, there was no guarantee that even more formidable Demonized Beasts wouldn''t appear.


    "Did you all see it clearly?"


    Eileen was somewhat hesitant; although she had a vague idea of what she had seen, it was difficult for her to describe what kind of monster it was.


    A solemn look appeared on Grey Blade''s face, "This Demonized Beast''s strength is probably at the Fifth Tier, and it''s fast. Its appearance and attack style are somewhat akin to a Hunter, but much stronger."


    Tang Yu nodded.


    As expected of someone with rich assassin experience, his observational skills were indeed first-rate.


    Based on Grey Blade''s description, Tang Yu immediately envisioned the attack methods of this Demonized Beast. Even if he was less powerful, with the aid of tools, he could find some ways to cope.


    Wait a minute...


    "How do you know about Hunters?"


    Something seemed off. Although the Contract indeed instilled knowledge of this world into his followers, it shouldn''t have gone as far as to show them movies, right?


    Grey Blade nodded as if it were obvious, "Of course from movies, Lord. Your world''s movies are truly miraculous. Many of the plots are so gripping I simply can''t stop watching. Especially some of the murder techniques, they are unheard of to me, greatly broadening my horizons. Wow, if I had seen these movies back in the day, I might already be a top-tier assassin..."


    It was as if he had opened the floodgates of conversation; Grey Blade suddenly became very chatty.


    Tang Yu held his forehead.


    He felt like his perception of Grey Blade was collapsing; a cold-faced assassin had suddenly turned into a movie buff.


    He was quite impressed with Grey Blade, who had been summoned just that morning and had already learned how to operate smartphones and computers. If he remembered correctly, many devices were still password-protected.


    But this was good in a way. It was clear that Grey Blade was professional, and even in terms of movie reviews, his expertise wouldn''t be wasted just because he was in a different world.


    ......


    This observation.


    Clearly, Maple Leaf Town had become very dangerous for some reason.


    However, on their way to Lindong, Maple Leaf Town lay directly on their path. It wasn''t that they couldn''t take a long detour, but the apocalypse was fraught with peril everywhere.


    Taking a detour would cost them half to a full day''s time, and it wouldn''t necessarily be much safer. Instead of doing that, it would be better to clarify the source of danger in Maple Leaf Town and then pass through a relatively less dangerous area.


    The three of them leaped across the rooftops of buildings, the strong wind blowing in their faces, and the streets below occasionally revealed the figures of Demonized Beasts.


    Tang Yu felt emotional; this could definitely be considered running along rooftops. He wondered if the ancients who imagined such scenes ever thought that one day humans would be able to do this too, not through the progress of technology, but through the transformation of the world.


    Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind - could it be that scenes of knights coming and going freely were actually present in the ancient world?


    Finally finding a tall building, he saw no higher structures in the vicinity.


    Standing on the edge of the high-rise''s rooftop, he could overlook most of the town.


    His gaze swept across the distance and quickly landed on a spot far away, where a faint red mist could be seen between the buildings.


    Just as he thought!


    Though the mist was faint, Tang Yu was certain it was identical to the mysterious red fog he had seen at the very beginning of the apocalypse!


    This was an Abyssal Rift.


    Newly emerged and not marked on the map, this was why the area, originally only a two-star danger level, had seen a sudden increase in the number of Demonized Beasts.


    He finally realized why he hadn''t caught any scouting teams sent by Lin Wei in recent days, nor had he seen the other side knocking on his door, it wasn''t because his reconnaissance efforts were insufficient, it was because the other side had been completely blocked.


    He had thought before that Lin Wei, after all, was a big shot in Lindong, and his efficiency in handling things couldn''t be this low.


    So many days had passed, the other side should have also established a target, and at the very least, they would have a direction for investigation. However, when they dispatched their capable subordinates, they were informed that the road was blocked, how frustrating that must be.


    Tang Yu''s mood suddenly improved a lot.


    Soon, he began to consider his own situation.


    Scouting the Abyssal Rift? Of course, that''s impossible!


    The memory of the squad that had been tragically killed was still fresh, and even if they were stronger, who knew if there would be even more terrifying Demonized Beasts in the red mist... No, he felt it was certain there were, as there were even news of armies being wiped out in the red mist in the early days of the apocalypse!


    Moreover, there were no benefits, so after giving it some thought, it was better to avoid the Abyssal Rift and head to Lindong Sanctuary before making further plans.


    Now that he knew the location of the Abyssal Rift, Tang Yu could also choose the route to take, just slightly detour and pass on the other side of Maple Leaf Town.


    There were still many Demonized Beasts, but mainly avoided the Core Area, with the strength of the three of them, forcing their way through was not overly dangerous.


    Previously,


    He was also afraid that if they accidentally entered the Core Area of the red mist, they would not dare to cross Maple Leaf Town directly. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Avoiding reckless actions was the key to living longer.


    Suddenly, several loud booms came from the distance.


    The area enveloped in red mist filled with smoke and dust. In the Core Area, those buildings, as if explosives had been planted, collapsed in an instant!


    A red tentacle appeared from among the smoke and dust.


    This tentacle was huge, its length even taller than a high-rise building.


    It was seen being lifted high into the air, then crashing down forcefully.


    Boom, the ground split open where the tentacle passed, buildings collapsing instantly... this efficiency made the demolition teams look downright weak by comparison.


    This unknown, gigantic Demonized Beast seemed extremely brutal, or perhaps the area around it was too crowded, the two red tentacles thrashed about, turning the surroundings into complete ruins.


    Falling rocks came down like raindrops, spattering about, and some Demonized Beasts that couldn''t evade in time were crushed to death or injured.


    But thanks to the rampant destruction of this gigantic Demonized Beast, as nearby high-rises collapsed, Tang Yu and his companions could clearly see what the place looked like¡ªbeneath the rolling pale red mist, a giant crack over a hundred meters long and more than a dozen meters wide, like a gaping chasm, was terrifying to behold!


    This was the Abyssal Rift, and in fact, it was Tang Yu''s first time seeing it. At the beginning of the apocalypse in school, he had only seen the red mist from afar and heard the screams of people, before quickly fleeing; otherwise, he wouldn''t have survived up to this point.


    He also learned later that where there was red mist, there was bound to be an Abyssal Rift.


    The distant smoke and dust gradually dispersed, and looking into the distance, one could vaguely make out a blurry figure through the dust¡ªa gigantic insect-like creature, with the two bright red tentacles attached to the head of the Demonized Beast, resembling two long red whips piercing through the sky.


    Even with the large distance of half the town separating them, the terrifying pressure was still like a torrential wave, hitting them head-on. If it hadn''t been for his training in the Spirit Space, he, with the strength of the Third Tier of Awakening, wouldn''t know if he could even stand firm in the face of such oppression.


    At the side,


    Even Eileen and Grey Blade were pale.


    In their world, there were also certain extremely terrifying Dark Creatures capable of destroying cities, though they had never seen one.


    Today, they had seen a super gigantic Demonized Beast, which was probably on par with those City Destruction Level Demonized Beasts.


    This Demonized Beast had just crawled out of the Abyssal Rift, and the moment it landed, the entire ground shook thunderously.


    No wonder,


    The human military, with advanced technological weapons, was continually defeated by Demonized Beasts.


    Apart from the fact that the Abyssal Rift can''t be destroyed, it''s probably also because some of the powerful Demonized Beasts are too terrifying.


    Such strength, I''m afraid, is already beyond the Awakening Tier.

 Chapter 50 - 50 is also very dedicated

    Leaving Maple Leaf Town,


    Tang Yu still felt a lingering fear.


    Fortunately, the Demonized Beast didn''t show much interest in them, mere Ordinary People, and the three safely left Maple Leaf Town from the other side without incident.


    "The off-road vehicle was left in Maple Leaf Town..."


    Driving it was, after all, too noisy and the vehicle too cumbersome. To escape, they had to abandon it, and had it not been for everything they brought being stored in the Space Backpack, it would have been a severe loss.


    Even so, Tang Yu felt a bit guilty, as if he had let down Wang Tai''s spirit in heaven.


    Without the off-road vehicle for shelter and after killing quite a few Demonized Beasts blocking the way, Tang Yu and his companions gradually became travel-worn, looking no different from a typical battle team venturing outside.


    Suddenly, Tang Yu frowned, the sporadic cries for help coming from a distance.


    Someone was calling for help?


    Ahead, through the abandoned vehicles on the street, they could see a young woman running while shouting, chased closely by a thin, lanky man enraged.


    The young woman struggled to run and stumbled to the ground, her hair scattered.


    The gaunt man behind her was getting closer, the situation looking perilous.


    The woman looked pitiable; in such a situation, anyone with even a hint of compassion, particularly males, would find it hard to resist helping.


    Tang Yu glanced over, then stopped in his tracks...


    The three of them just stood to the side of the street, like indifferent onlookers.


    Not far away,


    the woman''s long hair fell around her, her expression one of desperation.


    Why,


    Why weren''t they coming over?


    Why didn''t they take the bait?!


    Why!!!


    She felt indignant.


    She kept shouting, but the three people in the distance remained unmoved.


    This was a trap, a ploy to lure in survivors.


    The members of the gang were lying in ambush around them.


    The young woman had also been captured by the gang and was made to satisfy their desires nightly. She had given up hope, but a few days ago, the gang planned to set a trap here and needed an actor, so she volunteered.


    She was promised that if she could lure a sufficient number of survivors into the trap, she wouldn''t have to suffer daily at the hands of those strong men. Moreover, any girls they captured could be under her management.


    The young woman was tempted. She had a vague understanding that this gang had powerful backers, and that offering up girls of beauty could earn rewards.


    She had set her sights on the three people not far from her, one of whom was a delicate-looking girl.


    If only she could get them hooked...


    The young woman continued her act, and although the gaunt man behind her slowed down, he had caught up and struck her with a slap. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a genuine slap, causing the young woman to cry out in pain.


    Her cries became more and more convincing.


    To act to such an extent showed real dedication.


    Unfortunately...


    Tang Yu''s gaze swept past the buildings on both sides of the street, knowing there was an ambush; he wasn''t stupid, so why would he go there?


    ...


    Inside a building, two people leaned against a window. From this angle, they could clearly see every move on the street below and yet remain difficult to be spotted.


    "Why haven''t they taken the bait yet? We haven''t made a single deal in two days. At this rate, we''ll be left out in the cold!"


    One of the men, with red-dyed hair, a smart guy, crushed his cigarette butt on the table and watched the ash rise, suddenly feeling a pang of regret.


    His companion was a bald big man who was obviously much more composed than the smart guy. "Don''t be anxious, after all, it''s a team that can survive in the wilderness; they''re bound to be somewhat cautious. Let the performance group put in more effort."


    Down on the street.


    An ordinary man was punching and kicking, cursing angrily.


    A young woman was performing a crying scene while pleading for help with the three people in the distance.


    Seconds were swift in passing.


    This bit of time didn''t amount to much, but under these circumstances, it seemed rather peculiar.


    The bald man started to frown, "Could those three be the ruthlessly selfish type of survivors?"


    "That shouldn''t be the case," the smart guy muttered, "Those three look quite young, probably naive students. Even in the apocalypse, a change of heart shouldn''t happen so quickly. As long as they haven''t been betrayed or set up before, such people tend to show compassion easily."


    Not everyone is hard-hearted in this apocalypse.


    Indeed, the apocalypse is harsh, and when survivors encounter each other in the wild, they are often wary.


    But humanity''s conscience isn''t so easily eroded in a short time. Most people wouldn''t risk their lives to save someone, but many are willing to lend a hand when it''s easy.


    The scenario they had set up featured a pursuer who was just a weak man; whether or not he was an Awakener, three against one seemed no challenge, unless...


    The smart guy showed a look of annoyance, "We must have been spotted, just not sure where we slipped up."


    Their trap had ambushers in the shops on both sides, gunmen in vantage points along the street. Even a capable Awakener would struggle to escape their encirclement.


    "Let''s take the initiative. Those three don''t look strong; we can''t miss this opportunity. But if they split and run, it will be tough to chase them. So, instruct the men to prioritize capturing the woman. As for the two men, kill if possible and no big deal if they escape."


    The bald man made up his mind, his expression ferocious, "If they sense something amiss and flee immediately, it would be hard for us to pursue, but since they''re still lingering and watching from a distance, then..."


    Suddenly, the bald man and the smart guy leapt down from the second floor. Shadows of several people wielding knives emerged from the shops along the street, all running towards them with grim laughter.


    Their group of more than a dozen had three Awakeners and firearms. This was the bald man''s confidence.


    Such force was enough to crush an ordinary combat squad in a direct confrontation, let alone...


    The bald man sneered inwardly. As they closed the distance, he sensed that only the girl among the three was an Awakener, and a weak one at that.


    With such power, daring to wait for them to approach was either folly or fearlessness.


    Better still, the girl was an Awakener.


    He smirked, certain of victory, "Everybody¡ª"


    Before he could finish his command, a sharp cry came from the sky.


    The bald man couldn''t help but look up, only to see a black monster bird, already looming above them. The creature had a humanoid torso, a sharp beak-like mouth, and a pair of wide, black wings spread behind it, as if covering half the sky.


    It was a terrifyingly powerful Demonized Beast!


    The bald man realized this the moment he spotted it.


    Fear coursed through him, and no longer caring about the prey close at hand, he thought to turn and flee, but the monster bird, having detected the clustered human presence, dived down!

 Chapter 51 - 51 Lindong!

    In an instant, a fierce wind swept by, slicing against their bodies like knives.


    Just one dive from the monstrous bird scrambled the group entirely.


    The bald man also fell to the ground, his body marked with uncountable wounds as if it had been slashed haphazardly; his clothes were torn and tattered.


    This was a creature that utilized the power of wind, a hundred times more terrifying than he had imagined!


    Beside him, the ordinary people had almost all perished, leaving only him and two other Awakeners still alive. However, they were severely injured and powerless to escape from this fearsome Demonized Beast.


    The bald man couldn''t understand why such a high-level Demonized Beast would appear near the "safe zone" not far from the Sanctuary.


    His heart was filled with reluctance.


    Surely, he was about to catch a top-grade woman; if he had offered her to the boss, he might have been promoted to the main team, and then...


    His eyes bulged round.


    Those three people in the distance were unscathed, standing exactly where they were.


    Why?


    The bird''s attack had a wide range, and he saw mottled marks on the ground around those three.


    The bald man couldn''t comprehend.


    At that moment, the monstrous bird also noticed the three standing individuals and dove down again.


    This time, the attack was more focused, and the Wind Blade almost solidified into a physical form.


    A sense of satisfaction surged within the bald man''s heart, but the next moment, his mouth slightly opened.


    He saw those three people dodge to a distance at a very high speed, a combination far from ordinary people and weak Awakeners that he had anticipated.


    Two of them pulled out handguns and fired repeatedly at the monstrous bird.


    "A mere handgun, how could it possibly harm this terrifying Demonized..."


    Blood droplets fell from the body of the Demonized Beast.


    His eyes widened again, bloodshot; was this beast one of those high-offense, low-defense types?


    If he had known earlier, he would not have run away but would have counterattacked directly.


    Bang!


    On another rooftop, their previously set gunman, in panic, also fired his gun; several bullets hit the Demonized Beast, but this time the monstrous bird was completely unharmed. Instead, one Wind Blade swept the gunman away.


    At that moment, Eileen lifted her Magic Wand, sending out Ice Crystals one after another.


    The beast was quick yet couldn''t entirely evade and got some frost condensed on its wings.


    Its speed slowed down...


    The bald man was so shocked he couldn''t speak.


    He saw the ordinary-looking man retract the handguns and draw out a dagger, gripping it with both hands.


    What was he planning to do?


    Grey Blade''s gaze was fixed on the monstrous bird, and as the beast dove down again, he leapt up.


    First stepping on the frame of a second-story window, then rapidly running up as if defying gravity along the wall.


    Combat Skill: Ghost Step!


    His body flickered in and out of sight, and with every step, he appeared several meters away.


    Swoosh!


    Grey Blade soared into the air, appearing instantly behind the monstrous bird, the dagger glowing eerily.


    Combat Skill: Backstab!


    The monstrous bird screeched but couldn''t shake off Grey Blade. The Wind Blades formed and struck at Grey Blade.


    Even so, Grey Blade seemed to have eyes on the back of his head. each time a Wind Blade approached, he would counter with a slash of his dagger, easily shattering the Wind Blade.


    After several attacks, blood sprayed from the monster until it finally crashed to the ground with a thunderous noise.


    At this time, Grey Blade''s figure appeared not far from the monstrous bird, already back on the ground.


    The bald man was in despair.


    It was merely an ambush; why did they encounter such a terrifying beast and even more, these people more fearsome than the beast!


    Having collected the materials and Source Crystals from their spoils, he then saw that among the people lying on the ground, aside from his group of three, the rest met a gruesome death.


    "Tsk."


    Tang Yu walked over.


    These days, life was really tough; no matter what business one engaged in, there was danger. Ambushes were no exception. These people were a case in point, having suffered due to insufficient reconnaissance of the terrain and environment, no risk assessment, and no crisis warning.


    Oh, not quite, they hadn''t thoroughly bitten the dust yet. Tang Yu decided to help them finish their last journey.


    A bald man looked at Tang Yu approaching, his face cycling through fear, anger, and despair, then suddenly he roared, "Come on, kill me then! Our boss won''t let you off!"


    "You have a boss?"


    The bald man gained some confidence from his words, "The strength of our boss is beyond your imagination. You should know that our organization is the famous Sca¡­"


    He never got to finish his sentence as he felt a liquid with a tinge of blood rising up his throat.


    His consciousness slowly blurred, and the bald man faintly heard the words of the young man in front of him.


    "¡­never mind, you all look quite poor, I''m not interested in knowing."


    ¡­


    Dusk, the setting sun, the sky gradually dressed in a robe of twilight.


    After a bumpy journey, they were finally approaching Lindong, and Tang Yu breathed a sigh of relief.


    Only a short stretch remained to Lindong. Here, they could gradually see signs of survivors'' activities, occasionally encountering some returning outside.


    It was calm along the way now; no one would choose to rob in such a place.


    Suddenly, the view ahead opened up, and a towering city wall stretched across the horizon like a black serpent; anyone who saw this sight for the first time would be struck with awe.


    Tang Yu was somewhat overwhelmed.


    Never mind the quality; this city wall was much more majestic than the small one around the territory.


    The territory''s wall merely enclosed a villa area and was so short, but this wall stretched endlessly, likely enclosing the entire Lindong County. The magnitude of such construction was astonishing.


    Above the wall, a row of soldiers with excellent equipment stood firm at their posts, their gazes surveying the distance.


    In front of these soldiers, large-caliber machine guns were mounted on the parapet, their dark muzzles aimed outward, ready to tear any approaching enemy into shreds with a barrage of bullets at the first sign of trouble. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Besides the machine guns, behind the soldiers and at intervals, there were mortars, howitzers, and cannons, their large muzzles pointed toward the distance.


    Not just the walls; on the open wasteland outside, several fortresses had been constructed, and Tang Yu could see their dark muzzles sticking out. Occasionally, when a demonized beast approached, flames would burst from these muzzles, swiftly killing the creatures.


    Such defensive power was formidable. Ordinary demon tides, which were catastrophic for small sanctuaries, were nothing for Lindong Sanctuary; every day, they eradicated more demonized beasts than in a single demon tide.


    It just so happened to be the time when the outdoor survivors were returning.


    There were well-equipped fighters, awakening Awakeners emitting a fierce aura, simply dressed scavengers returning from outings, and some outsiders who, after passing through numerous wildernesses, finally reached Lindong and cried tears of joy.


    The stream of people began to converge, bringing a rare bustling atmosphere to the apocalypse.


    Worthy of a large sanctuary, Tang Yu reflected.


    From a distance, a rumbling sound approached, growing louder as Tang Yu looked towards it. He saw a convoy speeding towards them, led by a modified Hummer with a battering ram on the front and steel plating welded to the body; the vehicle was armed to the teeth with two machine guns mounted on top.


    Following the Hummer were various other modified vehicles, forming a steel torrent as they approached from afar.


    Many survivors revealed envious expressions.


    A convoy was undoubtedly a symbol of strength in the apocalypse! Given the high cost of gasoline and the loud noise of vehicles, only those with sufficient wealth and power could afford to assemble a whole convoy.


    Some groups were well-equipped, with alloy weapons, shields, and firearms - undoubtedly elite squads. Even these people, looking at this convoy, couldn''t help but smile bitterly inside. Before the convoy appeared, they were the envy of other survivors, but with the convoy''s arrival, they seemed rather shabby in comparison.


    Beep-beep¡ª


    The convoy kicked up dust, constantly honking.


    Some survivors wanted a closer look at this impressive convoy but didn''t expect it to be so bullying; it clearly neared an area crowded with survivors by the sanctuary, yet the convoy showed no signs of slowing down, churning up dust and sand.


    Some showed disgust, but dared not say anything, only hastily clearing the way.


    "What kind of people are these, so domineering just because they are powerful!"


    A young man couldn''t stand it and spoke up irritably.


    But an older companion by his side looked tense, quickly pulling him back and whispering cautiously, "Are you courting death?"


    "What''s there to fear? This is Lindong Sanctuary; surely they wouldn''t dare to kill someone in front of the military?"


    "In the sanctuary, in front of the military, indeed, they wouldn''t dare to be too arrogant, but..." the older companion shook his head, "to people like us, unless we don''t want to make a living anymore, can we stay in the sanctuary forever? Besides, not every part of the sanctuary is under military watch."


    The young man''s face turned pale, and he hastily shut his mouth.


    "More importantly, do you know which mercenary corps this convoy belongs to?"


    The young man shook his head.


    Fear flickered in the older survivor''s eyes as he said in a trembling voice, "This convoy belongs to the Scarlet Hand, a large mercenary corps. They are the most ruthless and vindictive among all the large mercenary corps."


    The young man''s face grew even paler.

 Chapter 52 - 52: Observations

    Watching the convoy pass through the gates of the Sanctuary, Tang Yu clicked his tongue.


    "Being human, acting so arrogantly, it''s easy to invite retribution. By contrast, having such power, yet being so low-profile like him, is quite rare."


    Of course, Tang Yu didn''t have the inclination to meddle in others'' affairs.


    Still,


    He had come to Lindong and probably couldn''t avoid causing some trouble.


    Most of the survivors around here were locals from Lindong Sanctuary.


    These people would head out early every day and return at dusk, each seemingly showing some sort of identification before they were allowed to pass through the Gate.


    Others, like them, visiting Lindong Sanctuary for the first time, had lined up next to the Gate entrance.


    A simple shed had been erected there, with a banner hanging above bearing a few big characters: Identity Registration Office.


    There were also some guide signs and related explanations.


    Newcomers needed to register their details here before being permitted entry into the Sanctuary. The registration process wasn''t complicated, only requiring basic information such as name, age, gender, plus any special skills, all to supposedly facilitate the Sanctuary''s allocation of work.


    There were three queues at the registration office, two for the general public and one for special individuals.


    The special queue was reserved for Awakeners and professional talents, including medical staff, researchers, technical workers, as well as individuals with combat or leadership abilities, all of whom the Sanctuary was in short supply of. The Lindong authorities offered them considerable preferential treatment.


    The special queue, though it had fewer people in line than the other two, effectively served as a VIP passage, providing preferential access as well as a means of recruitment.


    Of course,


    Tang Yu thought that in addition to recruitment, many Awakeners were naturally hot-tempered; having them line up like refugees, meek and mild, alongside the other survivors could likely lead to conflict.


    Tang Yu, for his part, didn''t have a hot temper and fell in line behind the VIP queue.


    Eileen, who had grown up in poverty, naturally didn''t appear uncomfortable, while Grey Blade, as always, lacked a sense of presence... Well, that''s when movies weren''t being discussed.


    The three of them, even in the VIP lane, still attracted some attention.


    In this special passage, there were many professionals the Sanctuary was short of. However, like the other two queues'' survivors, they were ragged and looked like refugees. Only a very few Awakeners looked spirited, but compared to Tang Yu and his companions, they still seemed quite disheartened.


    Especially Eileen, who, despite wearing a hood that concealed her sky-blue hair, which was reminiscent of an anime character, her mere glance was enough to draw the eyes of those around her.


    Tang Yu had thought that some might come over to strike up a conversation or even provoke them, but that didn''t happen... Upon reflection, it made sense; most ordinary survivors didn''t even have the courage to look their way, and even the more confident Awakeners dared not cause trouble under the Military''s watchful eyes.


    He shrugged his shoulders.


    It seemed that showing off and slapping faces was unlikely to be triggered.


    The VIP queue wasn''t long, and since it had been over a month since the apocalypse, the number of new survivors arriving at the Sanctuary had dwindled. Soon, it was Tang Yu''s party''s turn.


    Sitting at the opposite end of the service desk was a man who looked like a military officer, who observed them briefly before saying, "Two Awakeners, one normal person."


    The man with the appearance of a military officer pointed at Eileen and Grey Blade, then pointed at Tang Yu. A young clerk beside him took out three forms: two for Awakeners to fill out and one for a regular person.


    Tang Yu touched the tip of his nose. He originally wanted to claim he was an Awakener, but he hadn''t expected that this military-looking man was essentially a human detector.


    Indeed, Awakeners could sense each other''s presence. It was obvious that Lindong Sanctuary wouldn''t carelessly let ordinary people mix into the special queue, so they arranged for an Awakener officer to do the sensing.


    Although Eileen and Grey Blade had concealed their presence, it could still be vaguely perceived, which left him in an awkward position. What exactly was this presence? Was it edible?


    He decided to remain silent. Proving his identity as an Awakener seemed like too much trouble. Before the apocalypse, he detested going through all sorts of bureaucratic procedures the most. It was better to hurry up and get out of here after filling out the form.


    He filled in the information casually and handed it back to the clerk.


    As expected, the military officer turned towards Eileen and Grey Blade and began to speak, "Do you have any interest in joining the Military? The Military has the best treatment in the entire Sanctuary, whether it be various benefits or subsequent enhancement of personal strength..."


    "Of course, joining the Military requires a series of assessments. If you''re interested, you can fill out an application form first."


    His voice was very mechanical, clearly having repeated the same spiel hundreds of times already.


    Without even thinking, Eileen and Grey Blade shook their heads.


    The military officer didn''t ask any further.


    In his mind, both Eileen and Grey Blade were just recently Awakened, not yet worth recruiting. He was just following standard procedure in asking.


    As for Tang Yu, the military officer inwardly shook his head. He could tell at a glance that Tang Yu wasn''t the type who fought often, but since he had come to register with two Awakeners, the officer let it slide that Tang Yu had listed "Combat Personnel" as his professional skill.


    ...


    Stepping into the Sanctuary felt like entering another world.


    The street facing the south Gate was very spacious. Even though ordinarily only Military vehicles could pass through, it was still bustling with survivors in various clothing coming and going, many of them hawking their goods like in a vegetable market.


    Especially now, when many outdoor survivors were returning, some people simply found a spot to trade what they had gathered that day.


    Tang Yu felt a bit dazed.


    The buildings on both sides of the street were undamaged and retained their pre-apocalyptic state. If it weren''t for the sallow faces of many survivors and their clothes, looking unwashed for days, he would have really felt like he had returned to the time before the apocalypse.


    At the City Gate, some survivors held nothing in their hands, just staring at the entrance. Sometimes, when survivors walked in, these people would hurriedly flock to them, while at other times they remained indifferent.


    A few survivors noticed Tang Yu and his companions, their eyes lighting up as they immediately approached.


    A scrawny young man in tattered clothes spoke up first, "Boss, boss, do you need a guide? I am originally from Lindong Town, I watched with my own eyes as the Sanctuary was built from scratch. I may not have other skills, but I am very familiar with this Sanctuary. I can show you around the entire Sanctuary for just two kilos of grain."


    Although the young man was shabbily dressed, he seemed more spirited than other survivors. Tang Yu considered for a moment then pulled out a palm-sized can of meat and tossed it over, "Is this enough?" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The scrawny young man clumsily caught the can of meat, his face filled with astonishment, "Enough, enough, no no, it''s too much. I was only talking about two kilos of the most ordinary grain."


    He seemed a bit overwhelmed, while the other survivors nearby looked envious and frustrated.


    Tang Yu insisted the young man keep the can of meat and began walking, asking as he went, "Tell me about Lindong Sanctuary, will you?"

 Chapter 53 - 53 Old Classmates

    The slender youth took out a clean cloth to wrap up the canned meat, then organized his words and began to speak.


    "The Lindong Sanctuary began construction on the third day of the apocalypse and has been around for over a month. It''s the largest sanctuary for hundreds of miles around Lin City, housing hundreds of thousands of survivors."


    "However, the Lindong Sanctuary isn''t as wonderful as the outside world makes it seem. Coming here doesn''t mean you''ll have an easy life," the slender youth said with a wry smile. "After all, there are too many survivors and food is limited. The amount of food the officials distribute each day is very small, barely enough to prevent starvation. If you really want to eat your fill, you have to find your own way."


    He pointed to a building not far away, its doors tightly locked at the moment.


    "That''s the labor market. Every morning, various short-term jobs are posted, such as building the city walls. But there aren''t many positions, and every morning the entrance to the labor market is packed with survivors. However, most people still can''t get a job."


    "Of course, Awakeners and professionals don''t have to worry about these things. Other ordinary people, if they can''t snatch up a job, some turn to being a guide like me. If they''re lucky enough to meet someone as generous as you, they can exchange for several days'' worth of food. Some people go out to try their luck, known as Scavengers. Sometimes they get lucky and find something valuable, but other times..."


    Scavengers...


    Tang Yu knew what these people were. On his way to the Sanctuary, he had seen many survivors with yellow, skinny faces. These people obviously couldn''t hunt Demonized Beasts, and even if they went out to search for supplies, they lacked the capability, only able to pick up what was left behind by some combat teams.


    How much could those things be worth? Besides, no matter how close to the Sanctuary or how much one followed the routes of combat teams, the wilderness could never be entirely safe. Sometimes, even if valuable items were found, one had to guard against others who might try to steal them.


    Indeed, life in the Lindong Sanctuary was not much better than anywhere else.


    Tang Yu felt a pang of sorrow.


    So many survivors... yet with nothing to do, it was such a waste of labor!


    In his own Territory, just the transport team alone needed more hands as the abandoned materials within the bounds of the former vacation resort were gradually exhausted. To acquire materials meant going farther afield. His Territory also contained a lumber yard and a quarry, but it was unrealistic to produce lumber and stone out of thin air like in a game.


    Even after setting up these resource buildings, survivors were still needed to help operate them.


    "You can''t force it, can''t be too demanding," he sighed. "Besides, what I lack isn''t just survivors. I also need Source Crystals, blueprints, high-level metal materials..."


    Thinking this way, he realized he was lacking in everything¡ªhe might as well change his name to Tang Que!


    Lindong County was neither too small nor too large.


    Hundreds of thousands of survivors poured into the Lindong Sanctuary, quickly occupying most parts of the county town. Many places were turned into tube houses to provide living spaces for survivors. Some buildings with low utilization rates were either leveled or repurposed.


    Aside from a few main streets, every other part of the Lindong Sanctuary was extremely crowded, creating a suffocating atmosphere.


    Led by the slender youth, they steered towards the main streets as he introduced some of the main buildings and facilities of the Lindong Sanctuary.


    "That building over there, which used to be a bank, is now repurposed into the Mercenary Task Management Center. Many combat teams planning to venture outside come here daily to check for suitable tasks. After completing tasks issued by the center, you can exchange points for numerous rewards, practically everything is available. That''s why the task center is the place many Awakeners frequent the most."


    Tang Yu rested his chin in his hand.


    Being an official institution of Lindong, it was no wonder the list of rewards at the task center had many appealing items. From basic food items to firearms, even rocket launchers and armored vehicles¡ªthese were weapons and equipment that made outside combatants green with envy, and among them were a few items that even Tang Yu found tempting.


    Awakening Potions.


    The Lindong Sanctuary''s research on human Awakening seemed to be at the forefront. Compared to the crude Awakening Headband, these potions had a greater auxiliary effect and fewer side effects. Although they were of no use to him, they were effective in boosting the external appeal of his Sanctuary, or in other words, its prestige.


    Tang Yu had deeper considerations.


    He didn''t need much of the Awakening Potion. With a research institute, a small sample could lead to the derivation of the Awakening Potion formula.


    In addition, the soul power container caught his attention.


    Such a vessel can actually absorb soul power?


    It was known that after Demonized Beasts died, their soul power would quickly dissipate if not absorbed. However, scientists in Lindong discovered a special crystal, which had a great affinity with soul power, and ultimately they developed these crystal vessels capable of containing soul power.


    Tang Yu''s eyes lit up; indeed, this trip to Lindong was very worthwhile.


    "Can I buy Awakening Potions and soul power containers with Source Crystals?"


    "You can buy Awakening Potions, but soul power containers can only be obtained possibly through the task center. Moreover, Awakening Potions are graded, and some high-grade potions are very difficult to buy."


    I can''t get them unless I complete tasks?


    He felt a bit frustrated.


    Doing tasks was out of the question; he came to Lindong to stir things up, not to perform tasks. Moreover, given the steep exchange prices for soul power containers, who knows how many tasks had to be completed to get one?


    "Is there really no other way?" Tang Yu still held a glimmer of hope. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The slender youth pondered for a moment, "Supposedly, the Black Market sells all kinds of precious items, and you can buy anything as long as you have Source Crystals. However, I''ve only heard about the Black Market and don''t know the specific details." He looked troubled, but indeed he was powerless to help.


    Tang Yu didn''t mind, after all, the guide was just an ordinary survivor.


    Anyway, as long as the Black Market existed, there would always be a way to find out more. The only question was whether the Black Market had what he wanted.


    He''d take it one step at a time.


    After the guide left, Grey Blade went up the street to gather information.


    Eileen, looking at the street vendors with a somewhat delighted expression, was left by Tang Yu to shop on her own.


    In the blink of an eye, only Tang Yu was left alone.


    Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind him.


    "Tang Yu?"


    He turned around and saw a young man with glasses and a crew cut.


    "Are you... Li Xiuming? Ming!"

 Chapter 54 - 54 News of the Black Market

    Li Xiuming, a university classmate.


    The two of them had a good relationship¡ªat least they shared the "Three Iron Bonds" of friendship: staying up all night together, failing exams together, and sharing meals together.


    However, Tang Yu almost didn''t recognize him. In his memory, Ming was quite refined and gentle, with longer hair than he had now. But at that moment, Ming appeared neat and sharp.


    It seemed as if they hadn''t seen each other for many years.


    In reality, just before the apocalypse erupted, they had met at school. But having gone through the life-and-death experiences of the apocalypse, it felt like several years had passed. Seeing that familiar face again, Tang Yu couldn''t help but reminisce about the campus life before the apocalypse, which was filled with youth and scholarly air.


    "Come on, come on, by the looks of it, you''ve just arrived in Lindong. Let me take you out to clean off the road dust."


    Li Xiuming saw the beginner''s guide that Tang Yu was holding and, without further ado, pulled him into a restaurant on the street side.


    This main road had several shops on either side¡ªnot many, but a complete variety.


    Restaurants, clothing stores, general stores, bars, and more¡ªwhat existed before the apocalypse still existed now, showing the prosperity of Lindong.


    There were also some shops that had an apocalyptic touch, like those selling homemade firearms, Demonized Beast materials, and even a Martial Arts Master from before the apocalypse who had opened a Martial Arts Hall in the Sanctuary¡ªreportedly, business was booming.


    ¡­


    They chose a seat by the window. Li Xiuming handed the menu to Tang Yu, "Here, take a look at this menu, Tang. These dishes can''t be found just anywhere. Don''t be shy with me."


    Tang Yu looked at the menu¡ªit was filled with ordinary home-cooked dishes from before the apocalypse, such as braised eggplant, spicy shredded potatoes, and home-style tofu, which indeed were quite luxurious post-apocalypse; many small Sanctuaries couldn''t even afford these dishes. Only places like Lindong County, with its variety of ingredients, could afford to make so many home-style dishes.


    Of course, the prices weren''t cheap. Tang Yu casually pointed to a few dishes, and the nearby waiter did a quick tally and said, "That will be twenty pieces, thank you."


    Sensing his confusion, Li Xiuming explained with a smile, "Twenty pieces means the equivalent of twenty pounds of food. Now the common currency in the Sanctuary is food tickets, with denominations of one, two, five, and ten pounds. Unlike the food tickets from decades ago, these resemble more the currency from before the apocalypse with the difference being that food tickets can be directly exchanged for food. Of course, a one-pound food ticket can only be exchanged for one pound of the most ordinary food."


    "Also, these restaurants now require payment before serving. There used to be people who would dine and dash; capturing them was futile as they simply didn''t have the money to pay, leading to unresolved cases. That''s why restaurants now require upfront payment."


    Li Xiuming rummaged in his pocket and pulled out two crumpled ten-pound food tickets, ready to hand them to the waiter.


    Tang Yu shook his head when he saw this. Although Ming was being generous, Tang Yu could still see a touch of pain in his eyes.


    He understood that Li Xiuming was just an ordinary person. In such circumstances, he might be doing slightly better than the average survivor, but not by much.


    These two ten-pound food tickets were probably all that Li Xiuming had saved up and were enough for an ordinary survivor to live on for a month. Tang Yu had no right to let Li Xiuming spend so much.


    "I''ll pay."


    He took out a Source Crystal and handed it to the waiter.


    Li Xiuming had wanted to speak, but seeing the Source Crystal, his expression became complex. "Wow, you actually have a Source Crystal. Must be an Awakener, huh? It''s a shame, despite trying the Awakening Headband initially and later the Awakening Potions, I just couldn''t awaken."


    Tang Yu didn''t know how to start the conversation.


    In the apocalypse, everyone wanted to become an Awakener. Even if they didn''t venture into the wild, being an Awakener gave them an advantage in their jobs over ordinary people. Who wouldn''t want to be an Awakener?


    From his perspective, he wasn''t in a position to give advice.


    Instead, Li Xiuming quickly smiled. "Forget it, I don''t mind anymore. Anyway, I at least have a steady job, my life is much better than that of ordinary survivors. Compared to them, I am still quite fortunate."


    "You, however, should not waste the talent of an Awakener. If you have savings, it''s best to buy some equipment from the official store, like firearms or military-issue alloy swords. I''ve heard from other Awakeners that they are quite handy."


    Tang Yu nodded.


    Li Xiuming spoke sensibly, and it was evident he sincerely offered his advice. However, these tips were only applicable to ordinary Awakeners, and Tang Yu had already surpassed this level. Moreover, as good as the military''s alloy swords might be, could they compare to what his workshop produced?


    Of course, Tang Yu didn''t voice these thoughts. After a pause, he asked, "Do you know about the Black Market? I''ve heard it has many good items."


    "The Black Market?"


    Li Xiuming thought for a moment. "As for the Black Market, I don''t know much. It was originally just a place where a few Awakeners traded some shady items, but gradually, it has grown into a small marketplace, much like the commodity market in the eastern district of the Sanctuary. However, the Black Market deals in goods useful to Awakeners, including equipment and spoils from the wild. Occasionally, some military-prohibited items even appear there."


    Tang Yu''s eyes lit up. Military-prohibited items meant that a soul power container could potentially be purchased at the Black Market.


    "Do you know where the Black Market is?"


    Li Xiuming frowned. "The Black Market is said to be in a concealed place within the Sanctuary, but I''m not sure of its exact location. However, I heard someone mention it once... I''ll ask around at work tomorrow."


    Tang Yu ordered two bottles of beer, and as they chatted leisurely, they shared their post-apocalyptic experiences.


    Li Xiuming hadn''t encountered much danger after the apocalypse; when it broke out, he happened to be working in Lindong County, which the military selected for a Sanctuary. By sheer luck, he continued working in the factory¡ªa job that was not so great before the apocalypse but now was envied by most survivors.


    A fixed job was rare in the Sanctuary, with a steady paycheck allowing him to eat well every day and perhaps save a bit too. Moreover, compared to the relief houses allocated to ordinary survivors by the authorities, the housing for fixed-position staff was much better.


    "You wouldn''t know, but when the Sanctuary was first established, we could hear gunshots every day. It was terrifying. Yet you managed to survive and thrive in such an environment," he sighed. "I don''t know about our other classmates. I''ve only met the class monitor and two others who also worked in Lindong like me. It''s only a coincidence that I met you, Tang, today. I wonder how many made it to the Sanctuary alive."


    Survival was a heavy topic. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Every day, survivors arrived at the Sanctuary, but many more died on the way.


    Of course, most of his university classmates were around Lin City when the apocalypse occurred. The people who made it alive to Lindong Sanctuary were not necessarily the few Li Xiuming met. But with hundreds of thousands of survivors in the Sanctuary, and life being so challenging, no one really had the means or energy to search for others unless deeply connected before.


    In the end, apart from a few close old friends, even without the apocalypse, meeting each other again after several years would make them strangers anyway.


    "Forget these depressing topics. Today''s your first day at the Sanctuary, Tang. Have you found a place to stay? If you don''t want to live in those relief houses, then you might need to visit the Housing Management Center to choose a house."

 Chapter 55 - 55 Already Saving a lot

    Housing Management Center.


    This place was bustling with activity, and every day, a large number of houses were available for rent.


    The relief housing wasn''t the sort of simple tents that Tang Yu had imagined. In fact, the Sanctuary didn''t have so much open space to set up tents. The general relief housing, where most survivors lived, consisted of quickly constructed tube buildings. The rooms were crude, with no beds, and a dozen or so people were jammed together sleeping on the floor.


    Those survivors with a bit of extra money all hoped to live in a better place.


    "The Sanctuary''s housing is divided into five grades, from one-star to five-star," Li Xiuming explained as they walked.


    "A one-star dwelling is just relief housing; we don''t need to discuss that. Two-star housing is similar to our college dormitories, with some having four people in a room and others having ten. These rooms were all refurbished. I live in a relatively good place, a dorm shared by four, but there are no toilets in two-star housing. You have to go to the public toilets on each floor, and you also have to queue for a shower."


    "Three-star housing is different, the biggest feature being that three-star dwellings have private toilets and bathrooms. It''s the kind of place that the vast majority of people aspire to live in, and even many Awakeners can''t afford it."


    "Four-star accommodations are suites that have electricity provided during fixed times in the evening, while five-star not only have 24-hour electricity but also internet access within the dwelling."


    Tang Yu felt that the officials in Lindong knew how to play the game, creating so many levels for housing.


    Moreover, the fact that they only rented out these dwellings ensured a steady inflow of money¡ªit was an endless cycle of financial growth, as the proverb went: ''You can''t cut all the leeks, for the spring breeze brings them back to life.''


    This was something he could take into account. He almost wished he could immediately take out a notebook and jot down this idea¡ªreal estate was incredibly profitable. Besides, with such a rental system in place, the Lindong officials could make money continuously, which was much faster than hunting Demonized Beasts and picking up Source Crystals.


    His Territory, if one day it expanded greatly, could perhaps also earn Source Crystals through real estate and other industries... When that time came, he would divide housing into ten different grades. For example, six-star dwellings might have air conditioning and heating, seven-star would come with refrigerators and ovens and all kinds of household appliances, and eight-star housing would...


    At that moment, Tang Yu felt as if his vision had extended even further. As long as he developed his Territory into a large Sanctuary, why worry about not having enough Source Crystals? Even drawing ten or a hundred times wouldn''t be just a dream anymore!


    The queue to handle rental affairs was quite long, forming a not-so-short line.


    Most of the people in line were Awakeners, and Tang Yu noticed that many of them seemed to know each other.


    The two of them took their place at the end of the line, patiently waiting.


    Suddenly, there was a commotion up ahead.


    "He actually chose a four-star dwelling. Tang, are you getting rich?" S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Brother Zhou, I heard you were planning something last time, seems like it was a success. Congratulations!"


    "Captain Zhou, did your team hunt a powerful Demonized Beast? I wonder if there are any materials from that Demonized Beast for sale?"


    At the front of the line, a sturdy man dressed in a jacket made from Demonized Beasts'' fur and carrying an ax on his back somehow even made Tang Yu feel a little threatened.


    The sturdy man humbly smiled. "It''s all luck, just luck."


    Despite Zhou Jianhong''s modest words, the look of respect from the other Awakeners when they looked at him shifted considerably.


    Living in a four-star residence indicated that Zhou Jianhong''s team had made a name for themselves within the Sanctuary, especially quickly with the well-informed individuals revealing their recent mission: hunting a terrifying fourth Layer Demonized Beast.


    Fourth Layer!


    Most of the people here were Awakeners, but the majority were only of the First Layer. Even though many had hunted some Demonized Beasts and reached Middle or Late Period strength, they were still just First Layer.


    The number of Second-tier Awakeners was fewer; they were essentially elite figures.


    Third Layer Awakeners were probably represented only by Zhou Jianhong at the scene. No wonder his team could hunt such terrifying Demonized Beasts. Even with everyone combining their strength and employing various weapons and equipment, success still denoted absolute power!


    If that was the case for Awakeners, then the employees of the Housing Management Center, particularly the young female staff, almost wished they could offer themselves to him.


    The counter staff was very efficient with their work. However, many who had finished renewing their lease didn''t leave; instead, they gathered around Zhou Jianhong. Some wanted to buy materials from the hunted Demonized Beast, some asked about the hunting process, hoping to emulate it, but most simply wanted to try their luck and get closer to him.


    Soon it was Tang Yu''s turn. The young woman at the counter asked him, "Renewing a lease or is this your first time?"


    "First time," he replied.


    The young woman handed Tang Yu a booklet, which detailed the different housing grades and their respective prices, but her gaze quickly shifted back to Zhou Jianhong not far away.


    With a look of infatuation on her face.


    Tang Yu flipped through the brochure for a while and then pointed to one page, "This one."


    "Oh, okay." The young woman responded absentmindedly, took the brochure to look, and her face turned strange, "You... didn''t turn to the wrong page, did you?"


    "No mistake, just this set."


    The young woman looked troubled, "This is five-star accommodation."


    She didn''t believe the young man before her could afford a five-star place. It was his first time at the housing management center, so he was either no longer part of the relief housing group or it was his first time at the Sanctuary. Regardless of the circumstance, he couldn''t afford five-star accommodation.


    "I''m well aware, thirty Source Crystals a month, with a minimum lease of one month."


    The young woman still didn''t believe him. Although she didn''t lose her temper, she began to despise the young man in front of her. Suddenly, she saw him reach into his pocket.


    What was he about to do?


    She was puzzled.


    But the next moment, the young woman''s eyes widened. She saw him take out a small bag of Source Crystals from his pocket.


    "This... you''re really renting a five-star room?!!"


    Perhaps too shocked, the young woman couldn''t help but raise her voice.


    "Five-star accommodation, I didn''t hear that wrong, did I!"


    "Let me see which squad is living in a five-star room."


    Many people looked over, spying Tang Yu and Li Xiuming at the counter, their first thought being disbelief.


    Everyone there was an Awakener, and they could sense that there was no awakener''s aura about either of the two. Two ordinary people renting a five-star room? It seemed like a bid for attention!


    However, when they saw the Source Crystals in Tang Yu''s hand, just kept in the most ordinary plastic bag, these Awakeners began to doubt their lives!


    Since when were Source Crystals so cheap that an ordinary person dared to carry so many? And the plastic bag wasn''t even tied shut. Wasn''t he afraid of accidentally trembling and having the Source Crystals spill out?


    This was simply... While they still struggled fiercely, aiming to live in a four-star place one day, someone else was nonchalantly tossing Source Crystals to live in five-star accommodation.


    In reality, many Awakener squads could afford thirty units of Source Crystals.


    However, this type of accommodation was akin to a luxury good. Having a three or four-star was sufficient; it wasn''t a necessity.


    Many Awakeners looked at Tang Yu with complicated expressions.


    So generous with money, he was either rich or foolish... but then, even if he were a fool, having thirty Source Crystals meant he was a rich fool.


    They were envious.


    Li Xiuming, who was following behind Tang Yu, was also shocked at this moment.


    When Tang Yu took out a Source Crystal at the restaurant, he had been surprised, thinking maybe Tang Yu was one of those Awakeners who did well in the wilderness and might have saved up a few Source Crystals. But now, looking at the shining Source Crystals in the plastic bag, he felt the world became somewhat unreal.


    "Tang, you can''t really be thinking of renting a five-star place for a month, can you? There''s no need for it. Even if you have the money, you shouldn''t spend it like this. With those Source Crystals, you could buy some decent equipment; that would ensure your safety in the wilderness. Wait until you have extra money, then come to rent five-star accommodation. For now, even three or four-star would be better."


    Even though the Source Crystals weren''t his, Li Xiuming still felt the pain. Most importantly, there was no need to spend money on this!


    Yet Tang Yu was innocent as well.


    He also found the price expensive, but wasn''t this quite economical? He was only renting a five-star suite, not a villa or anything. He wasn''t planning to stay in Lindong long, and didn''t want Lindong Sanctuary to just profit off his Source Crystals.


    This was already very economical.


    "Renting a five-star is indeed necessary. It''s not just for me; besides, five-star accommodations have internet access, and water and electricity are available 24 hours..."


    "You can go to an internet caf¨¦ to go online, and the four-star accommodations have an area that''s not much smaller than the five-star ones..."


    Li Xiuming sighed.


    He really couldn''t comprehend the world of the wealthy.

 Chapter 56 - 56: Im Just a Small Fry

    In the wilderness, somewhere.


    Several Awakeners proceeded cautiously.


    "Brother Tao, no danger, the Demonized Beast ahead has left," an Awakener holding a telescope quickly confirmed after observing for a moment.


    The others all smiled, "We''re really lucky this time; by my calculations, we''re not far from Green Shadow Sanctuary now."


    "Yeah, on previous trips, we always spent a lot of time avoiding Demonized Beasts, sometimes fighting them. Bad luck meant injuries, which also slowed us down. This time we''re lucky, saving us a lot of time; maybe we can exchange goods today instead of waiting till tomorrow."


    Upon hearing this, the team leader, Li Tao, also showed a relaxed expression.


    They were an Awakener squad from another small sanctuary, Creekwood Sanctuary.


    Creekwood Sanctuary was not far from Green Shadow Sanctuary, which facilitated exchanges between them.


    This time, they had brought some "specialties" and some surplus supplies from Creekwood Sanctuary to exchange with Green Shadow Sanctuary and also to exchange information.


    Li Tao, with Late Period Second-tier Awakening strength and ranked among the top three in Creekwood Sanctuary, led every expedition to ensure the smooth progress of their exchanges; he was also eager to get things done and return.


    After all,


    every minute spent in the wilderness was fraught with danger.


    "Enough chitchat, let''s hurry up and go; we can rest a bit at Green Shadow Sanctuary."


    Even while maintaining constant vigilance, their pace was swift; soon, they reached the outskirts of Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    However, at this moment, Li Tao was a bit confused.


    He had been to Green Shadow Sanctuary before, but wasn''t there something off about it now?


    As far as the eye could see, there were ruins everywhere.


    Li Tao stared at the shattered fences on the ground, faintly visible footprints of Demonized Beasts, and his face suddenly changed, "Be careful! Something might have happened at Green Shadow Sanctuary!"


    Incident?


    Incident!


    The others reacted quickly, ducking and taking cover.


    They hid behind a broken wall, warily watching their surroundings; however, one minute passed, then two minutes, then ten minutes...


    "Brother Tao, something seems off," a team member whispered, "If there really was an incident at Green Shadow Sanctuary, shouldn''t it be less quiet? Or has the incident already happened?"


    Li Tao''s face showed a trace of hesitation; after pondering for a while, he said, "Let''s be cautious and go take a look."


    The situation inside Green Shadow Sanctuary was not much different from what they had seen from outside. Li Tao could even name some of the ruined buildings; without a doubt, Green Shadow Sanctuary had faced a disastrous calamity, and all signs suggested that it had likely been hit by a Demon Tide.


    Li Tao''s expression changed.


    The Demon Tide had always been synonymous with terror; if the Green Shadow Sanctuary had been destroyed by the Demon Tide, what about their sanctuary?


    "But why is it so quiet here, wait..." Li Tao furrowed his brows, "There are no corpses of Demonized Beasts or humans!"


    If the Demon Tide had destroyed the sanctuary, even if the Demonized Beasts had left afterward, there should still be corpses left behind, whether human or beast. Only then did he recall that from the outside, the entire sanctuary''s defenses looked trampled as if by a Demon Tide, and he had also seen some traces of dried blood; however, he notably had not seen any human corpses.


    That didn''t make sense!


    How utterly non-apocalyptic!


    "Brother Tao, look over there, what is that?"


    In the distance, a creature with a round and plump torso and stout, powerful arms roamed back and forth.


    "Is it a Demonized Beast? Something feels off." Li Tao swallowed his saliva, noticing the plump creature looking their way. He instantly became cautious.


    He couldn''t sense any aura from the plump creature; obviously, it shouldn''t be a Demonized Beast, but the situation was too strange, and Li Tao dared not take it lightly.


    "Brother Tao, do you think that could be one of those legendary Mechanical Beasts or Puppets?"


    With a teammate suggesting this, Li Tao thought it seemed plausible.


    Thinking this, he also noticed some issues he had ignored before, "Green Shadow Sanctuary should have survived the Demon Tide, but the current situation indicates that Green Shadow Sanctuary suffered heavy losses, and probably not many survivors are left."


    "Yes." A teammate lamented, which unavoidably made them feel the sorrow of others'' misfortune, "Green Shadow Sanctuary had at least two to three thousand people, but now, we haven''t seen a single person along the way. There might not be many survivors left. So, Brother Tao, should we still go in?"


    They came here to exchange supplies with Green Shadow Sanctuary. Since Green Shadow Sanctuary had likely fallen, there probably weren''t any supplies to exchange.


    "Go? Of course we go; at the very least, we can find out from the survivors what exactly happened! Besides..."


    Li Tao pointed at the plump Puppet in the distance, "Green Shadow Sanctuary should still have some experts alive. Since this place is no longer safe, we can recruit these Awakeners to our Sanctuary."


    "Smart!"


    "Typical Brother Tao."


    "It''s a win-win. Those Awakeners would definitely want a safer place, and our Creekwood Sanctuary has more Awakeners, making our living environment safer."


    Someone rapidly approached from a distance. Li Tao smiled, "It seems our guess was correct; Green Shadow''s people have also spotted us."


    After all, they were outsiders. They didn''t move around but stood there waiting, while also maintaining the necessary vigilance¡ªwhen survivors meet in the wild, you always have to worry about betrayal.


    Although Creekwood and Green Shadow generally had exchanges, that still couldn''t guarantee complete safety. Of course, Li Tao didn''t think the heavily damaged Green Shadow Sanctuary would pose much of a threat.


    "We are from Creekwood Sanctuary, wanting to exchange with you..."


    Li Tao started to speak, then suddenly hesitated.


    Something felt wrong.


    Imaginably, the few survivors from Green Shadow Sanctuary had barely made it through the Demon Tide and should be in tattered clothes, possibly even injured.


    But the person approaching them wore a black combat suit, a longsword on his back, and a pistol hanging at his waist.


    Dressed in such equipment, he exuded an aura of being elite and powerful.


    Looking at themselves, wearing ordinary clothes and dusty from traveling twenty kilometers through the wasteland, it seemed, by comparison, that they were the ones who had struggled after their sanctuary was destroyed.


    This shouldn''t be!


    Why did the people from Green Shadow Sanctuary suddenly have such sophisticated equipment? S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Or was this person the current leader of the sanctuary, and that''s why he wore the best equipment?


    The approaching person looked puzzled, "Creekwood Sanctuary? Never heard of it, but whatever, I''ll take you to meet the person in charge. I''m just a grunt; I don''t handle these things."


    Li Tao: "??!"

 Chapter 57 - 57: Stay Calm

    Following the person named Lu Xiaopeng, Li Tao still felt somewhat dazed.


    This individual''s strength was likely in the late stage of the First Layer of Awakening, and although not comparable to his, it would still be considered decent in any small sanctuary. At least the three teammates behind this person all had weaker auras.


    Having such a person as a mere soldier was something Li Tao found hard to accept¡­ Perhaps, this was just a bluff by the other party?


    The way forward led to a villa district, a place Li Tao was familiar with. Along the way, he also saw other survivors, some transporting waste, some cleaning the roads, and others doing some construction work. None of this surprised him; Green Shadow Sanctuary had suffered serious damage, but equally, the survivors who had lived were excellent.


    "We''re almost there," said the person ahead.


    Li Tao responded absentmindedly, knowing that past this roadway and a short climb up some steps, he would see the villa district. After all, he had been here a few times before¡­


    Suddenly, he noticed his teammates beside him all gaping, staring ahead with stunned looks.


    Ahead?


    Curiosity stirred in Li Tao''s heart, and he looked forward.


    "A city wall! Why is there a city wall here? It definitely wasn''t here before. How did the people of Green Shadow Sanctuary build this city wall so quickly?"


    He saw the Awakener leading the way stop to wait for them and then pull out a cigarette from his pocket, swiftly lighting it up, "Done with the sightseeing? If we''re done, let''s keep going. It''s just a city wall; why make such a fuss? Stay calm!"


    Lu Xiaopeng waved his hand, exhaling rings of smoke.


    Li Tao followed the leader through the city gate, and observing the city wall from a close distance gave him a more profound sense of awe. With such a wall, even the Demon Tide probably wouldn''t be a concern.


    He felt a surge of envy.


    The number of survivors commuting in the villa district was slightly higher; each one was very busy. Li Tao also saw some patrolling personnel, each armed with firearms and clad in black combat suits.


    He now believed that such equipment was indeed standard issue for the soldiers.


    Soon, the guide pointed at a mansion. "Here we are."


    The villa had been repaired and hardly showed any signs of damage; it now served as an office for daily operations.


    After entering, Lu Xiaopeng saw Chen Haiping, who was calculating the work volumes of the survivors for the day. After greeting him, he called Li Tao and the others over, "Steward Chen, these people say they come from Creekwood Sanctuary¡­"


    Li Tao had some recollection of Chen Haiping, having met him before at Green Shadow Sanctuary. He was relieved, feeling that Green Shadow Sanctuary had become too unfamiliar.


    Yet, he paused in shock.


    In his memory, Chen Haiping''s strength was only mid to upper-tier in the sanctuary. Green Shadow and Creekwood Sanctuaries were roughly equal, and this level of strength would generally be in the First Layer Peak of Awakening, and with good luck, potentially breaking through to the Second-tier.


    However, Chen Haiping''s current aura was stronger than his own, reaching the peak of the Second-tier Awakening.


    Could he really be that strong?


    At that moment, Li Tao fell into a profound self-doubt, wondering "who am I," "where am I," and "why am I so weak."


    After a pause, he took a deep breath, decided to set aside everything unscientific he had seen in Green Shadow Sanctuary, and focused on completing the task first. Even if he couldn''t exchange for resources, he needed to exchange some information!


    He stated his purpose for the visit.


    "An exchange? That''s possible."


    Chen Haiping nodded.


    He had fully entered the role of the chief steward of the sanctuary.


    There was a time when he longed to be a warrior leading charges into battles. However, now, as an office worker, his strength increased even faster, which was consoling, perhaps.


    Li Tao brought his backpack to the front and took out a greenish fruit that resembled an apple, "This is a Green Fruit, a new variety of fruit that appeared after the apocalypse. It can be used to stave off hunger, and the Green Fruit Tree has a high fruiting rate. If you master the method of finding this type of tree, it can greatly alleviate the food pressure on your sanctuary. How about it, as long as your price is high enough, we can sell you the method."


    He quickly finished speaking and waited for Chen Haiping''s response.


    Ever since their sanctuary discovered that Green Fruits were non-toxic and could alleviate hunger, the food pressure was significantly relieved. He didn''t believe that people from Green Shadow wouldn''t be tempted. What worried him now was whether Green Shadow could offer enough after being struck by the Demon Tide.


    However, the next moment, Chen Haiping, expressionless, just casually uttered, "Oh," and then, "What else?"


    Just putting on a calm front!


    Li Tao thought, and then brought out many supplies, including materials from Demonized Beasts, various daily necessities, and some medicines¡­ Carrying so many scarce items from the apocalypse had gradually become an understanding between Creekwood and Green Shadow; typically they would trade their surplus supplies for needed ones.


    For instance, a certain type of medicine was very scarce in the apocalypse. It just so happened that Creekwood had enough of it but lacked others, so they would bring it out to see what Green Shadow Sanctuary had worth exchanging, and likewise, Green Shadow sometimes sent teams to Creekwood.


    However, these things¡­ S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chen Haiping pondered for a moment, "Honestly, our sanctuary doesn''t lack these items. We can purchase some of the medicines, but the rest aren''t necessary."


    Medicines and household items certainly couldn''t be produced by the territory itself. Previously, they were somewhat scarce and sometimes found but not transportable. However, ever since the introduction of the Space Backpack, it had become much more convenient, and Luo Zhe, when out scavenging, could simply sweep them up and carry them away.


    Both effortless and safe.


    Li Tao was puzzled and somewhat unable to accept.


    Chen Haiping then said, "Although we don''t need your materials, you can take a look at what we have."


    He then stood up and walked into another room.


    Li Tao followed him closely.


    He was curious to see what Green Shadow Sanctuary could offer.


    Upon entering, he realized that the room was already filled with many people, including the Awakener who had led them there.


    "Training Camp Levels 3 and 4 usage rights, one contribution point every two hours, Fatty Peng, I plan to go to the Training Camp tonight to have some fun. Are you coming?"


    "Of course, I''m coming. This time I''ll definitely last five minutes and leave you far behind!"


    "I just wonder what''s on the fifth level. They charge sixty contribution points for half a day, and the minimum charge is half a day. That''s outrageous¡­"


    Lu Xiaopeng was curious¡ªevery time Captain Luo wasn''t training on levels 3 and 4 but instead went to level 5. It doesn''t take much to guess that the training facilities there were extraordinary.

 Chapter 58 - 58: Can group purchases get a discount?

    Li Tao stood to one side.


    Although he understood every single word, when put together, he somehow couldn''t comprehend the entire sentence.


    He looked towards the most prominent part of the room, a large exchange list, which listed many items available for exchange.


    The majority were food items.


    Beef cans, pork cans, fruit cans, vegetable cans...


    Chocolate, spicy strips, biscuits... sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken, duck, goose, fish, pork, beef, and lamb were available. Li Tao also saw the prices listed for them, the Contribution Degree he didn''t understand, but there were also Source Crystal exchange prices. After looking at them, he felt they were indeed not expensive.


    "All these things can be exchanged? There''s such a variety of food, you could open a supermarket!"


    "Isn''t that obvious? Otherwise, what would they be doing here?" Peng Bo felt this person had too little experience, always making a fuss over nothing. He looked at the exchange clerk and pondered for a moment, "I''d like to exchange for a box of Snickers, two bottles of Red Bull, a pack of Qiaqia sunflower seeds, and also a bag of Lay''s Potato Chips... Seems like I''ve chosen a bit too much."


    Peng Bo frowned, "Chen, can you give me a discount?"


    The employee surnamed Chen saw Peng Bo''s fierce and formidable face and could only smile wryly, "Brother Peng, don''t joke around, every item here has to be logged. Any discrepancy, and I''ll be held accountable."


    Peng Bo also understood this, but he was just craving snacks. In the end, he reluctantly removed some of his choices.


    Lu Xiaopeng, standing nearby, showed a disdainful expression, "Like this, you still want to exchange for time at the training camp? Not happening."


    The clerk took out a special notebook to record the changes in Contribution Degree, which was a purely manual task and rather cumbersome.


    Fortunately, the Sanctuary''s population was not yet large, and those with Contribution Degrees were mainly members of the Patrol Team and a few other junior managers, still manageable.


    Tang Yu also knew this method was not ideal, primitive and not only troublesome but also prone to errors. However, without a network in the Territory, or any programming personnel, implementing a higher-tech exchange system was indeed a bit of a challenge.


    Chen recorded the changes in Peng Bo''s Contribution Degree, then pulled open a drawer.


    In front of him was a work desk, with cabinets on both sides, containing many drawers.


    He opened them one by one according to the classification of the items inside and took out the items Peng Bo had exchanged for, passing them over.


    Li Tao stood aside, watching everything clearly.


    Each of these drawers was clearly filled with food!


    He also noticed a freezer not too far away, still running on electricity; could it really be storing all that fresh meat?


    Lu Xiaopeng patted his shoulder, "I told you to stay cool, don''t look like your eyes are about to pop out of your head."


    Li Tao looked at him, unsure of what to say.


    Lu Xiaopeng pointed to the exchange list, "See, you''re from that creek... Creek what Sanctuary was it?"


    "Creekwood."


    "Right, Creekwood Sanctuary. So, here''s a piece of advice for you: don''t be like Fatty Peng, exchanging for pointless snacks. If you''re going to exchange, go for equipment. That''s where the real value lies."


    Li Tao looked towards the equipment list.


    Compared to the abundant variety of foods, there weren''t many items on the equipment list.


    Standard Longsword (Common): 15 Contribution Degree/30 Source Crystal.


    Standard Longsword (Enhanced Type 1): 30 Contribution Degree.


    Standard Longsword (Enhanced Type 2): 50 Contribution Degree.


    Standard Combat Uniform (Common): 15 Contribution Degree/30 Source Crystal.


    ...


    Li Tao stared blankly at these pieces of equipment and the prices tagged behind them.


    If those foods had seemed cheap to him, then these pieces of equipment were outrageously expensive.


    Perhaps these were the same weapons and equipment worn by the Awakeners from Green Shadow; he admitted they looked decent but couldn''t possibly be worth dozens of Source Crystals.


    Lu Xiaopeng, seeing his doubt, pulled Li Tao outside.


    He saw a survivor pushing a cart of scrap metal, called them over, and picked up a piece of discarded rebar. "Watch closely." He held one end of the rebar in one hand and a Longsword in the other, swiped it across, and with a flash of cold light, the rebar was cut into two pieces, clanging to the ground.


    "Seems like that''s not enough."


    Lu Xiaopeng placed two sections of rebar side by side and, with a swish, the steel rod broke into four pieces.


    "Again."


    He continued to arrange them together, this time simply placing them on the ground.


    Swish!


    Swish swish!


    He had become addicted to swishing.


    Li Tao''s eyes sharpened.


    As an Awakener who had fought with Demonized Beasts, he naturally knew what the greatest difficulty was.


    Those cold weapons from before the apocalypse weren''t very effective against Demonized Beasts.


    A seemingly decent blade wouldn''t last more than a few battles before it would nick.


    But that was a minor problem; the key issue was that it took a lot of effort to inflict deep wounds on Demonized Beasts in combat.


    If one were to switch to a sharp weapon...


    Li Tao could imagine it.


    What previously took great effort to pierce through the hide, with a sharp weapon in hand, could be sliced open easily, without needing to exert much force, and could lethally wound the Demonized Beast.


    Having energy to spare also made the fight much safer.


    In an instant, he thought of all the advantages of having such a weapon.


    Once again, he returned to the exchange room.


    Li Tao examined the exchange list more carefully, "Why do some pieces of equipment only list a Contribution Degree price and not Source Crystals?"


    "That," Lu Xiaopeng pondered, "is probably because... I forgot?"


    Chen Haiping finished his work at hand and walked in, "Only listing Contribution Degree means those items are not for sale to the public, they can only be exchanged by insiders with Contribution Points. Similarly, exchanging goods with Contribution Degree is much cheaper. For every unit of Source Crystals we submit, we receive a Contribution Degree as a reward."


    "How about it, are you interested in joining our Sanctuary''s Patrol Team?"


    He casually tried to entice him to switch sides.


    Li Tao''s heart ached.


    At first, when he saw the state of Creekwood Sanctuary, he wanted to recruit some Awakeners from here, but now he was the one being recruited.


    He did indeed envy the Awakeners here, but he still clung to his last shred of principle and hadn''t forgotten the purpose of his visit.


    Li Tao said, "Then I''ll buy a Standard Longsword of the common type."


    He rummaged through his possessions, scraping together about twenty Source Crystals, "Some of these are from second-tier Demonized Beasts, that should be enough, right?"


    Chen Haiping took them and after a brief look said, "That''s enough, the Standard Longswords aren''t here, wait for me a second."


    Soon, Chen Haiping brought over a Standard Longsword. Li Tao tried it out and found it to be incredibly handy. Even though he had spent all his Source Crystals, he felt it was worth it.


    His teammates envied him even more.


    They too wanted such longswords, but after looking at the price, they felt utterly hopeless.


    "Oh right, if you join our Patrol Team, you can get a set of equipment for free, including a standard longsword, a Standard Combat Uniform, and other gear like rifles and pistols," Chen Haiping suddenly remembered to add, "Of course, our Sanctuary sells these pieces of equipment long-term, there might be even more in the future. If you''re looking to buy, remember to bring enough Source Crystals."


    The others became even more envious.


    If it weren''t for the last bit of integrity holding them back, they might have changed camps right there and then.


    Li Tao felt he couldn''t stay any longer.


    Otherwise, he was afraid he wouldn''t be able to hold onto his principles any more.


    His visit to Creekwood Sanctuary brought many surprises, but in the end, he achieved his goal, even if he hadn''t managed to trade much...


    Looking at the longsword in his hand, he felt it was truly valuable.


    "So, to the folks of Green Shadow, we take our leave. I''ll report back to our chief in detail once we return and we might come again."


    Standing at the gate, Li Tao pondered one last time, "I just wonder if there''s a discount for bulk purchases?"

 Chapter 59 - 59 News of the Luoxia Sanctuary

    Lindong.


    Residence.


    Originally a hotel suite, it had a nice environment but had been converted into a five-star residence after the apocalypse.


    Tang Yu still didn''t know that Chen Haiping had already struck a deal for him. He was currently in the room, browsing through some information on the computer.


    Eileen had gone out shopping early in the morning, Grey Blade went out to gather intelligence, and Tang Yu was fully embracing his homebody nature.


    "No, no, still nothing..."


    Ever since he checked in last night, he had been using the computer to search for information, mostly trying to find out about the Sanctuary where his parents were.


    The network of Lindong Sanctuary was a local area network.


    There weren''t many online functions, mainly two.


    The first was a data query system. A lot of pre-apocalypse data had been recorded in the system. Useful or not, Tang Yu copied it onto a USB drive.


    A lot of this knowledge was the essence of human civilization. Even in the apocalypse, it might come in handy one day.


    And some were useful right then and there, like firearms blueprints.


    The blueprints were not precious; many could be found online before the apocalypse. However, having blueprints was one thing, but being able to manufacture the firearms was another.


    Tang Yu wasn''t worried about this. Through the science academy, he could spend a small amount of Source Crystals to transform these blueprints into workshop-compatible ones and then produce the firearms through the workshop. The science academy could also reverse-engineer actual firearms to create blueprints, but that would cost more Source Crystals.


    He chose the more economical method.


    The power of firearms was substantial, especially when the ammunition was changed to Armor-Piercing Bullets. The killing power against Demonized Beasts could be greatly increased. Even if it couldn''t handle the more powerful Demonized Beasts, as transitional equipment, it was more than sufficient.


    Tang Yu was using another function now, the War Forum.


    It was a communication forum set up by Lindong officials, simple in interface but rich in information.


    Tasks between survivors, particularly Awakeners, trading information, a lot was discussed there. Sometimes, the officials would announce important news as well.


    As Tang Yu browsed through, despite the speed, the sheer volume and lack of organization made it messy to sift through.


    [High-level Demonized Beasts spotted in the western suburbs of Lin City!]


    [Strong Demonized Beast suspected, size larger than a big truck!]


    [Buying Demonized Beast fur, as much as available, price negotiable.]


    [To the east of Clear Creek Town, a patch of forest has been identified as High-level Timber. Seeking teams for cooperation to harvest the timber. My team is ranked eighty-seven at the mission center. If interested in cooperation, please contact us as soon as possible.]


    [(Official) The science academy recently announced that they have achieved phase results in the study of Demonized Beasts and extracted a certain Transcendent Power factor, potentially applicable in the Equipment domain.]


    A dazzling array of posts appeared before his eyes, and even if it wasn''t what he was looking for, it was indeed eye-opening.


    This trip to Lindong was indeed necessary, and a large Sanctuary indeed had no comparison to a small one, whether in terms of personnel or heritage.


    Strong Awakeners had the ability to traverse wastelands to reach Lindong, resulting in a multitude of strong individuals, which made the Awakeners of small Sanctuaries mostly inferior.


    Had it not been for the Territory system, he would have preferred to establish a Mercenary Corps in Lindong.


    Tang Yu scrolled through, page by page.


    One post caught his eye.


    [Overview of Neighboring Provinces and Cities]


    The post was three days old.


    The poster was not official but was a user with the ID All-Knowing10086... The number added suggested the ID "All-Knowing" might already be taken, and there could be a waiting list for those numbers.


    This person was quite famous on the forum, and the post was a summary of messages from all sides.


    Tang Yu read on.


    Basically, every Earth Level city in the province had a large Sanctuary, and a few were combined for two cities.


    Besides, the post also marked some medium and small Sanctaries.


    But this wasn''t all.


    Many more small Sanctuaries couldn''t be accounted for, and some were so well-hidden that they only managed to survive the apocalypse riddled with Demonized Beasts because they stayed concealed.


    Tang Yu''s gaze landed on a point on the map.


    Marked with "Green Shadow Small Sanctuary," parentheses, already annihilated.


    The news was surprisingly accurate.


    Tang Yu was also somewhat astonished; this demonstrated that the All-Knowing 10086 indeed possessed real talent.


    He located the neighboring province on the map, where information on the area was much sparser, but fortunately, several large sanctuaries were marked.


    "Found it, Luoxia Sanctuary!"


    From the earliest days when communication was possible, his parents had mentioned the military building sanctuaries.


    That was the Luoxia Sanctuary, located in the suburbs of Luoxia City.


    There was a description in the post.


    This sanctuary was very large, reportedly housing over two million survivors, constructed jointly by the military from three nearby districts.


    Tang Yu felt significantly relieved.


    If the military''s strength at this sanctuary was stronger than Lindong''s, its safety was likely guaranteed.


    To this day, he had not heard of any large sanctuary being wiped out by demonized beasts.


    Although he was reassured, Tang Yu''s heart was still urgent¡ªhis parents'' safety did not mean life was easy.


    He knew all too well what life was like for ordinary survivors.


    But he also understood that haste was futile.


    With a thousand kilometers separating the two locations and countless dangers along the way, reaching the Luoxia Sanctuary would be extremely difficult. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Especially after encountering a demonized beast above the Awakening Tier in Maple Leaf Town.


    He realized all the more the world''s depths; to go to Lindong, he had to prepare many things, like a vehicle with both defense and speed.


    Previously when coming to Lindong, the off-road vehicle was not very useful, sometimes requiring him to get out and push obstacles on the road.


    Under those circumstances, traveling from his territory to the Luoxia Sanctuary, not knowing how many days and nights he would spend in the wilderness, added significantly to the danger.


    After much thought, Tang Yu let out a sigh and downloaded the map.


    This map contained a wealth of information, not only about sanctuaries but also marking some Abyssal Rifts.


    Not many, but still very precious.


    At the end, Tang Yu read the last line of the post.


    [For more detailed information, please visit the All-Knowing Office at 25 East Garden Road, new clients receive a 20% discount.]


    Tang Yu: "..."


    He noted the address and continued scanning the other content.


    Until evening.


    After dinner, Tang Yu, Eileen, and Grey Blade met at the predetermined location.


    Li Xiuming was already waiting there, dressed in black with a hat, sunglasses, and a mask.


    He hid behind a utility pole, looking exceedingly secretive.


    Tang Yu, speechless, approached and gently tapped on his shoulder.


    Li Xiuming nearly screamed, "F*ck, Tang, it''s you. You''re prepared, right? We''re heading to the Black Market. We need to keep a low profile, conceal our faces well, and try not to attract attention..."


    He rambled on, lifting his head to see Tang Yu and the two people following, presumably Tang''s teammates.


    All three were clad in black robes with hoods drawn and masks covering their faces; if not for hearing Tang Yu''s voice, he would have absolutely failed to recognize them.


    "...Wow, that''s quite the comprehensive gear."


    Tang Yu spread his hands, "It''s what you asked for."


    Led by Li Xiuming, the three of them twisted and turned until they finally arrived in front of a small house.


    How Li Xiuming remembered the way, having never visited before, was impressive.


    Tang Yu tried to recall the route they had just taken, his sense of direction failing immediately as his mind turned into a spiderweb of confusion.


    ...So, this Black Market is quite secretive then, probably.

 Chapter 60 - 60 Black Market

    In a small cabin, a middle-aged man was dozing off, completely bored.


    After Li Xiuming gave the correct password, the other party let them through.


    The bedboard inside opened up, revealing a hollow space.


    "Go inside, but remember the rules of the Black Market. This is the territory of the Four Great Mercenary Corps; if you stir up trouble, don''t expect to walk out in one piece." The middle-aged man warned.


    Li Xiuming shuddered.


    Tang Yu, however, didn''t pay it any mind.


    Verbal warnings? He thought a few fierce-looking big men would be more effective, although, to him, they posed no threat either.


    The passage sloped downward, with a series of steps.


    At first, it felt rather narrow, but gradually, it opened up into a wider space.


    After walking some distance, the space ahead suddenly became clear, as if transitioning from a narrow path to a wide road. The light grew much brighter, and the sounds of people''s clamor could be heard.


    Tang Yu looked up to observe.


    This was an underground tunnel, obviously of some age. Incandescent lamps hung along both sides, shining brightly. A red arrow was painted on one wall with bright red paint, indicating the direction to the Black Market.


    This place was probably an abandoned air-raid shelter, no wonder the Black Market dared to set up within the Sanctuary, having found such a location.


    The further forward they walked, the more survivors they began to see.


    Most were dressed similarly to them, either wearing masks or other disguises to conceal their faces.


    There were also some people who were different, openly wearing finely made gear, walking through the tunnel and attracting envious glances from those around them.


    Tang Yu wondered where these people had come from, guessing there must be other entrances to this place.


    That made sense; if everyone came through the passage they had used, by now, there would probably be a traffic jam, right?


    Ahead, a metal gate appeared with a sign that read "Welcome to Lindong Black Market."


    The corners of Tang Yu''s mouth twitched slightly.


    Were Black Markets this brazen nowadays?


    The metal gate was open, and several guards in black clothing were beside it, their gazes coldly sweeping over each person who entered.


    Tang Yu sensed them and found the weakest to at least have Second-tier Awakener strength, with the leader being a third layer Awakener. They must be the hands sent by the Four Great Mercenary Corps to keep watch.


    The Four Great Mercenary Corps were the only large-sized mercenary groups within Lindong Sanctuary, with far superior strength compared to ordinary mercenary teams. Even the team sent just to keep watch here had enough power to crush most mercenary teams.


    Indeed, quite impressive.


    He wondered how many gates this Black Market had.


    Was it the turn of each of the four Corps to guard, or did they pool their numbers together for the job? It felt like these guards could easily manage a table for mahjong and a table for "Fight the Landlord" without any trouble.


    He didn''t bother contemplating this question any further.


    Moving past the metal gate, the area opened up even more, with vendors hawking their goods everywhere.


    Some chose to sell their items directly to the Black Market, while others found a spot to set up a stall... this wasn''t free, however, as one had to apply with the Four Great Mercenary Corps and pay a certain stall fee.


    This was another quick way to make money, and Tang Yu''s eyes reddened with envy.


    "Let''s set a small goal first, to expand the Black Market to all the major Sanctuaries in the future!"


    He wandered around for a while, and the place was generally similar to a regular market, except for the differing items on sale.


    Munitions were common here, including high-powered individual weapons like Rocket Launchers, which were not sold in official supermarkets.


    Aside from earning them through mission points, these could only be bought here at the Black Market.


    No wonder the Black Market was so lively.


    Beyond that, there were many odd and strange items. These items could be genuine or fake, perhaps of dubious provenance, but that''s the Black Market for you¡ªit''s a place where you could find a bargain or end up with something worthless, and could even get into trouble because of your purchases.


    No matter what you buy, acknowledge the quality as your own risk. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That''s also the charm of the Black Market, with people coming every day, hoping to find a bargain, only to see many sobbing bitterly at the entrance tunnel.


    As a unique spectacle of the Black Market, it attracts quite a few onlookers every day.


    Tang Yu wasn''t interested in anything; he didn''t see either the Awakening Potion or the soul power container and was somewhat disappointed.


    Eileen and Grey Blade had purchased some trinkets, paying with Source Crystals.


    Even the Patrol Team had salaries, so as followers, they had even more Source Crystals in their pockets.


    Li Xiuming was just sightseeing, but it was quite an eye-opener for him.


    The group scattered, each strolling around on their own.


    Tang Yu spotted a stall that caught his eye.


    This stall was relatively large, with a wide variety of items on sale, and most importantly, he finally saw the Awakening Potion.


    It just wasn''t of very high quality.


    This was a medium quality potion, which was actually quite sought after. Most of what circulated on the market were the lowest grade, and someone was already looking at this potion, negotiating with the stall owner.


    He approached the stall.


    Next to him, a burly man greeted him with a smile, "Young brother, first time here?"


    Tang Yu paused, "Yeah."


    The burly brother continued, "Are you dazzled by what you see? Let me tell you, the goods here in the Black Market are good, but you''ve got to be cautious when making a move."


    Tang Yu had a strange expression on his face.


    He wasn''t surprised to be spotted - after all, he had been looking around curiously - but this was the Black Market, right? Shouldn''t people pass by coldly and indifferently? What was with this enthusiasm?


    It didn''t quite match the typical atmosphere.


    Tang Yu even found the man''s voice familiar, and on closer reflection, wasn''t this the captain with the surname Zhou, who rented the four-star housing?


    No wonder so many Awakeners recognized this man - turns out he came with an enthusiastic attribute.


    Zhou Jianhong hadn''t recognized Tang Yu, but seemed to sense Tang Yu''s confusion.


    "Don''t you think the Black Market should be a place to keep a low profile? Actually, there''s no need; just treat the Black Market as a normal marketplace."


    "How so?"


    "This Black Market, after all, is located within the Sanctuary. If the number of visitors were small, it would be one thing, but with so many people coming and going every day, do you think the authorities are unaware? If you ask me, the Black Market may not be publicly acknowledged, but privately, the officials actually give their tacit approval. There might even be some high-level figures involved in opaque transactions."


    Tang Yu thought that made sense.


    The Black Market wasn''t exactly hidden; even an ordinary person like Li Xiuming could find out about it.


    But this brother, being a powerful Awakener, knew much more. Tang Yu asked, "What about the Four Great Mercenary Corps? It''s said that the Black Market is managed by them."


    Zhou Jianhong was indeed enthusiastic, "That''s correct; since the authorities officially don''t allow the Black Market to exist, they naturally can''t be involved in managing it. And aside from a few big shots in Lindong, the strongest forces belong to the Four Great Mercenary Corps. Their names carry a lot of weight. I''ve been to the Black Market many times and never seen anyone dare to cause trouble here."


    After chatting for a bit more and learning that Zhou Jianhong knew quite a bit about the Black Market, Tang Yu inquired if he had a way to get hands on things like soul power containers.


    "I can''t get those, but you''ve come at the right time, brother. There happens to be an auction tonight in the Black Market, and some valuable items will be on sale. The auction should be starting soon, according to the time."


    After asking, Tang Yu said goodbye to Zhou Jianhong.


    He had circled the entire Black Market and finally found the location of the auction, deeper inside the air raid shelter... It wasn''t that he wanted to make a full round of the Black Market, but rather that the air raid shelter had many forks and twists.


    If it wasn''t for good luck, Tang Yu reckoned he might have had to circle around a few more times.


    The auction was just beginning, and upon arrival, he saw many Awakeners entering the auction hall.


    However, he didn''t go in; instead, he went to a deserted spot and took out several Standard Longswords from his Space Backpack.


    Then, he looked towards another place next to the auction hall, where it was labeled: item identification office for the auction goods.

 Chapter 61 - 61 Whats a Good Name?

    The identification office was a small wooden hut, serving the sole purpose of blocking the line of sight.


    The auction had already begun, and at this point, no one was bringing items for appraisal anymore.


    Tang Yu entered the hut and saw a middle-aged man, listlessly yawning out of sheer boredom.


    "Here to appraise auction items?" He lifted his eyelids slightly, seemingly surprised. At this hour, there were still people bringing items to the auction.


    Generally speaking, most auction items would have been confirmed the day before the auction began; even the later ones wouldn''t wait until now.


    Although surprised, the middle-aged man didn''t refuse.


    It was allowed by the rules. Up until the auction ended, items could be added last-minute, otherwise, he wouldn''t have stayed here at this time.


    "Yes." Tang Yu took out a longsword.


    The middle-aged man frowned and spoke with annoyance, "Our Black Market auction doesn''t accept just any item. The value must be at least ten Source Crystals. If it''s just scrap metal..."


    He hadn''t finished speaking when he saw the hand holding the longsword accidentally loosen.


    Whoosh.


    The longsword fell vertically and pierced straight into the ground, as if it were planted into a block of tofu, leaving only the hilt on the outside.


    "It''s fake, isn''t it?"


    The middle-aged man couldn''t sit still any longer. He quickly walked over, grabbed the hilt of the sword, and gently pulled it out.


    He scrutinized the sword, not even bothering with Tang Yu standing nearby.


    After a while, he looked up, "What a fine sword, this truly is a fine sword!"


    Tang Yu, however, was getting a bit impatient, "Can this sword be auctioned off?"


    The middle-aged man nodded repeatedly, "A fine sword like this, giving it to us for auction is the wisest choice. It will surely fetch a high price."


    "If that''s the case..." Tang Yu brought forward a large black hemp sack that he had been carrying behind him, and took out one standard longsword after another.


    Middle-aged appraiser: "(?£à?§¥?¡ä)!!"


    .......


    After paying a deposit, Tang Yu walked into the auction hall.


    Being located in an abandoned air-raid shelter, the auction could not possibly have the VIP rooms one might imagine; there weren''t even chairs. All attendees of the auction were finding spots to stand on their own.


    Tang Yu found a relatively quiet corner and waited silently.


    Soon, a young woman stepped up. She was the auctioneer for the evening.


    Her figure was voluptuous, her neckline wide open, revealing the snowy white skin of her chest at every inadvertent moment.


    Her entrance attracted the unwavering gazes of many men.


    Tang Yu watched her for a moment, then images of Eileen stepping out of the bathroom came to mind.


    He immediately lost interest in this type of vulgar woman.


    One by one, auction items were presented.


    This auctioneer certainly had some talent, managing to repeatedly stir up the atmosphere of the auction hall.


    "Next up for auction is a sword." She took a longsword passed to her by a staffer on the side; by now, the longsword was sheathed. The voluptuous auctioneer gripped the hilt firmly and drew the sword with a flourish.


    Under the lights of the hall, the longsword gleamed with a silvery sparkle.


    The Awakeners present, however, weren''t impressed. Someone spoke up, "Since when did a longsword get included in a Black Market auction?"


    "Exactly, even the Standard Battle Sabers designed by the science academy for the Military, if sold to the public, are priced at just two Source Crystals. A longsword, even if it''s the latest achievement of the science academy, wouldn''t be worth ten Source Crystals." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The others didn''t speak, but they were of the same opinion, all waiting for the auctioneer to explain.


    The Standard Military Combat Saber was not new to most of the Awakeners in the audience, and indeed, they agreed it was more practical than ordinary cold weapons when battling Demonized Beasts. However, they were skeptical that a cold weapon could be worth over ten Source Crystals. With that kind of money, they thought it wiser to purchase heavy weapons, which were far more effective against common Demonized Beasts.


    The alluring woman had anticipated this reaction and was not upset, "Please look."


    An employee brought over a weapon, and she continued, "This is a Standard Military Combat Saber. Everyone, please take a closer look."


    The staff member holding the saber handed it out for inspection to some of the Awakeners present.


    "Having looked it over, you''ll see that this is an ordinary Standard Battle Saber. Please pay attention and don''t blink..."


    The charming woman held the saber in one hand and a longsword in the other, and her demeanor instantly turned somewhat stern.


    She was a Second-tier Awakener; with a forceful effort, she brought the longsword down squarely onto the saber.


    "This..."


    Some of the Awakeners anticipated what was about to happen, yet they didn''t dare believe it.


    The next moment, with a clang, a piece of the saber hit the floor, the cut perfectly even, while the longsword, in contrast, remained sharp without a hint of rolling at the edge.


    Everyone in attendance, except for Tang Yu, was astounded.


    The Awakeners, who had battled through the years, understood what a weapon like this meant.


    The seductive woman revealed another mesmerizing smile, feeling it still wasn''t enough, "Don''t rush, everyone. The Black Market has prepared an even more meticulous test. Now, please bring up the prop."


    A few burly men carried a metal cage onto the stage. When they drew back the curtain, there was actually a ferocious Demonized Beast inside.


    "Hisss¡ª"


    In the venue, the few who had never encountered Demonized Beasts were immediately startled.


    No wonder the Black Market dared to charge a twenty percent auction transaction fee, such grand preparations; he himself was somewhat astonished, and yet, despite this, Tang Yu still felt pained thinking of the twenty percent commission he was about to lose.


    On stage, the voluptuous woman called an ordinary person to serve as the test demonstrator.


    The test demonstrator, longsword in hand, slowly approached the cage.


    This Demonized Beast had the strength of a Second-tier Awakener. Even though it was caged, it still made the cage rattle loudly with every blow.


    Many of the weaker Awakeners were tense, fearing that the cage would break open with an errant strike from the Beast.


    The next moment, the demonstrator stepped forward, gripping the longsword with both hands, thrusting it through the gaps in the cage.


    "Roar!"


    The Demonized Beast yowled in pain.


    Everyone saw clearly as the longsword plunged deep into the flesh of the Demonized Beast.


    With a push from the demonstrator, the longsword sliced through and blood sprayed. In moments, the fierce Demonized Beast, which could have been deadly to many Awakeners in the wild, ceased to live.


    Even those braced for the demonstration gasped.


    An ordinary person, wielding a longsword, had killed a monstrous, Second-tier Demonized Beast. Even though the Beast was trapped and without room to dodge or fight back, as Awakeners, they were well aware of the difficulty involved.


    How strong could an ordinary person be? If it were with a common weapon, even if a Demonized Beast was simply standing there to be stabbed, it might not inflict any serious harm.


    But now?


    Beneath this blade, the Demonized Beast was as fragile as paper. Had the Awakeners not been able to distinctly sense the Beast''s presence, they might have doubted its reality.


    But since the saber had broken and the Beast had died, then...


    Many Awakeners started to breathe heavily.


    The alluring woman walked back onto the stage. She chuckled softly, her voice sultry, "And now, let us begin the auction for this..."


    She suddenly paused, as if the seller hadn''t provided a name for the sword, "...Demon Slaying Sword, with an opening bid of twenty Source Crystals!"


    The alluring woman could never have imagined that an inadvertent act would lay the foundation for the future renowned Demon-slaying Longsword series.

 Chapter 62 - 62 888!

    "Twenty-one!" S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I bid twenty-five!"


    "Thirty Source Crystals, no one better compete with me!"


    "You think you can get this Divine Weapon for just thirty Source Crystals? Dream on! I bid forty!"


    As soon as the Demon-slaying Longsword went up for auction, the atmosphere had already reached a fever pitch without any need for encouragement.


    It wasn''t long before the price had soared to eighty Source Crystals, and only then did the momentum begin to slow.


    Tang Yu was stunned.


    He had thought a basic longsword would sell well in Lindong, but he had still underestimated how wealthy the Awakeners were.


    First-tier Awakeners were still quite poor, only able to contend with the weakest of the Demonized Beasts.


    Second-tier began to accumulate capital, with good luck earning two or three Source Crystals a day.


    Third-layer Awakeners had already entered the ranks of the masters, with ordinary Demonized Beasts posing no real threat...


    The Lindong Sanctuary was not short on hot weapons either. If used well, even an ordinary person could kill Demonized Beasts, unlike in small Sanctuaries where even bullets had to be counted closely.


    Moreover,


    many of the Awakeners present weren''t acting alone. Take Zhou Jianhong, for instance, captain of an elite Mercenary Team who controlled most of the team''s wealth. While that money couldn''t all be said to belong to him, using it to buy equipment beneficial to the team was perfectly normal.


    They didn''t hesitate to spend those Source Crystals!


    In the end, the first Demon-slaying Longsword sold for an astronomical price of one hundred and fifteen Source Crystals.


    Such an amount was something many Awakeners present could only dream of.


    Underneath his mask, Tang Yu''s mouth was nearly twitching with laughter.


    Not because of those hundred and some Source Crystals, but because he saw a business opportunity.


    This was just a standard version of the basic longsword; what if it were an enhanced type one or type two?


    Surely more Awakeners would be willing to dig into their wallets.


    Of course, stronger basic longswords were not something Tang Yu planned to sell just yet. Only when he had higher-tier blueprints would these items gradually become available.


    The Awakeners who failed to secure a Demon-slaying Longsword wore looks of frustration.


    Some had hesitated only to find the auction had already concluded.


    Some felt the price was too high and were reluctant to part with their Source Crystals.


    At that moment, the enchanting woman took the next auction item from the staff, "Next up for auction... is the second Demon-slaying Longsword!"


    The crowd once again erupted into excitement, and before the woman could even start the auction, Awakeners were already shouting bids.


    It was eventually snapped up by an Awakener for a price of one hundred and ten Source Crystals.


    Following close behind, the third and fourth Demon-slaying Longswords sold for prices over one hundred Source Crystals, though not as high as the first two.


    The last Demon-slaying Longsword even reached an impressive sum of one hundred and thirty Source Crystals.


    Before today, probably no one could have imagined that a cold weapon could be so valuable.


    The auction continued in full swing.


    Tang Yu also secured a few items.


    Such as Awakening Potions.


    Those that made it to auction were generally of the highest quality.


    He spent forty-five Source Crystals to purchase a set of three potions.


    That was already quite expensive, and few ordinary people who had not undergone the Awakening could afford it.


    He planned to give one of the potions to Li Xiuming.


    He had tried the lowest grade of Awakening Potion without success, but in theory, he could continue using higher-level potions, although the success rate would be much lower.


    One after another, items were sold, and the auction had indeed reached its climax.


    "Tonight''s auction is nearing its end, and next up for auction, is tonight''s grand finale item, the soul power container!"


    Displayed on the stage was a circular container, the size of a palm, resembling a carving made from the purest white crystal.


    This was the soul power container, capable of absorbing the soul power radiating from Demonized Beasts. Everyone knew that after slaying a Demonized Beast, an Awakener couldn''t absorb all the scattered soul power. To put it in gaming terms, with this device, one might gain extra experience points from battling monsters. And that was just one use of the soul power container.


    Apart from that, the collected soul power could be sold to wealthy Awakeners from the first or second generation, or used to refine a large amount of soul power to increase the chances of breaking through a bottleneck, and so on.


    Even though the container had its flaws, with the collected soul power gradually dissipating over time, it truly deserved to be a grand finale auction item!


    It was even more precious than the Demon-slaying Longsword and had only appeared for the second time since the establishment of the Black Market.


    The Awakeners in attendance had heavy breathing and cold gazes sweeping over others, observing who might become competitors.


    "The bidding for the soul power container will now start at 200 Source Crystals!"


    "I bid 201."


    "Two hundred and fifty!"


    "Two hundred and eighty!"


    The price climbed step by step, and the scene once fell into chaos with the auctioneer unable to discern who was shouting the bids.


    "Stop wasting time. I''ll bid 500!"


    A man with a hawk-like nose exuded a cold and fierce aura as his gaze swept over the crowd, seemingly disdainful.


    He did not hide his identity and was recognized by the other Awakeners in an instant.


    "That''s Dragon Slayer Chen Sheng. He''s the captain of an elite Mercenary Team that''s ranked within the top twenty at the mission center. Although his team is small, every member is a master... Especially Chen Sheng himself, who single-handedly slayed a formidable dragon-type Demonized Beast, earning him the nickname Dragon Slayer Chen Sheng!"


    "Dragon-type Demonized Beast? Are there really dragons in this world?" a newbie Awakener exclaimed in surprise.


    "It wasn''t a real dragon, but a huge lizard, as big as an armored vehicle, not only having the strength of a Fourth-Layer Awakener but also capable of breathing fire like a western giant dragon. And Chen Sheng, he alone slayed this terrifying Demonized Beast, which is why he is a top-ranked person in the Sanctuary!"


    An old-timer Awakener spoke with a sigh, revealing various secrets, eliciting awe from the newbie next to him, "You know so much, you must be a super strong Awakener too, right? Can you tell me about your combat achievements?"


    His face stiffened as he waved his hand, "Low profile, low profile."


    As Chen Sheng raised the bid significantly, many Awakeners were already unable to speak.


    They wanted to bid, but the high price of 500 Source Crystals was out of reach for many Awakener teams.


    But at that moment, the captains of some top Mercenary Corps began raising the bid.


    "Five hundred and fifty."


    "Six hundred! Give some face to the Fiery Fire Team!"


    "To hell with your Wang Wu, your Fiery Fire Team doesn''t have any face. My Divine Wind Team won''t buy it. I bid 660!"


    The price soared, gradually approaching 800 Source Crystals.


    Even though the captains of these top Mercenary Corps had received the news about the soul power container auction in advance and had gathered quite a few Source Crystals, they were feeling the pressure as the rising bids began to slow.


    This price had already surpassed the imagination of the newbie Awakeners.


    The old-timer Awakeners, assessing their own wallets, were also dumbstruck.


    Even the strong ones like Zhou Jianhong, captain of an elite team, had a grave expression at this moment, acutely feeling the gap between themselves and the very top teams.


    The price had reached 820 Source Crystals, and the captain-level figures could only add one or two Source Crystals at a time, slowly raising the bid.


    They were almost at their limit.


    At the same time, they were gauging their opponents'' bottom line.


    At this level, everyone knew each other and the differences weren''t significant, yet bidding a few more Source Crystals could change the final outcome.


    Some captain-level figures clenched their fists, eyes glued to the soul power container on the auction stage.


    There were also captain-level Awakeners who, faced with the rising prices and sweat dripping from their foreheads.


    Suddenly,


    "I bid 888 Source Crystals!"


    The voice wasn''t loud, yet it swept across the venue in an instant.


    Zhou Jianhong suddenly looked over and recognized that it was the young man he had a good chat with earlier!

 Chapter 63 - 63: A Longsword Triggers...

    "Who is that!"


    "How could they raise the price so much at once!"


    "I''m pissed! Who else has that many Source Crystals!"


    The crowd looked over to find a figure shrouded in a black robe, wearing a mask. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who is this person...


    Who on earth are they!


    Among the many top team captains present, none of them bothered to hide their faces, and the sudden appearance of this out-of-place individual made the scene seem as if it had momentarily frozen.


    "Hmm?"


    A Captain Level Awakener perceived and said, "Sneaking around like that, not even an Awakener, can they even produce that many Source Crystals!"


    The others also had strange expressions on their faces; a person without even the aura of an Awakener, no one believed they could pull out more than eight hundred Source Crystals.


    Stirring up trouble?


    But it''s been so long since anyone dared to cause trouble at the Black Market!


    The Black Market is the territory of the Four Great Mercenary Corps; even these Captain Level people had to stay in line with the rules, so isn''t this guy probably just an ignorant newbie?


    The bewitching woman also felt something was off.


    She did not speak up, but instead called over a staff member to verify if Tang Yu could produce that many Source Crystals.


    Everyone''s gaze was now focused on Tang Yu.


    Some looked disdainful, some sympathetic, and others appeared to be watching a drama unfold.


    "If no one else is bidding, then I''ll take it."


    It seemed the newbie still hadn''t grasped the situation, but in the next instant, they saw the newcomer produce a bag of Source Crystals.


    The Source Crystals were plentiful, stuffed into a not-so-large plastic bag, bulging in fullness, with some worrying whether the Source Crystals might burst the bag.


    A newbie?


    One hell of a newbie!


    Which newbie can produce so many Source Crystals!


    While they didn''t know the exact worth of the bag of Source Crystals, a rough glance suggested that its value was probably over a thousand.


    Couldn''t afford the bid?


    Is that possible?


    A staff member brought out a device specially designed to measure the energy value of Source Crystals, which quickly displayed a value of 1145.


    Many Awakeners saw this number and unavoidably took in a cold breath.


    The Captain Level figures too went pale; even those few who could have raised their bid now chose not to speak, for no matter how they competed, they couldn''t win.


    The auction finally came to an end.


    However, what remained in their minds was the image of that lightly composed figure in a black robe, along with that bag of Source Crystals that nearly blinded them.


    Some people were guessing, which top Mercenary Corps this person with a hidden identity belonged to.


    Not all top squads participated in this auction; some had already obtained soul power containers through other channels, while others simply didn''t need them¡ªnot out of disdain, but because they believed that using the Source Crystals in other areas would yield greater profits.


    Despite all their guesses, they couldn''t figure it out.


    Tang Yu''s voice didn''t match any member of the top-tier teams they were familiar with, and some guessed that the person in the black robe had deliberately altered their voice; these possibilities were making some of the more obsessive-compulsive people feel as if they were on the brink of collapse.


    ...


    In another location inside the abandoned air-raid shelter.


    This is a place only accessible to members of the Four Great Mercenary Corps.


    In one of the previously quiet tunnels, there now came a furious voice.


    "Idiot, I told you to keep an eye on the auction, and this is how you do it! The Demon-slaying Sword has been auctioned off before you even got the information; what use are you to me?"


    A bare-chested man with a thick chest hair and a full beard kicked the skinny young man in front of him, sending him flying a good distance.


    The skinny young man was also an Awakener of no small strength, but he dared not resist and bore the pain, standing up.


    The bearded man was not appeased and threw another heavy punch.


    The skinny young man closed his eyes.


    The next instant, the heavy punch landed on the tunnel wall beside the skinny young man, with a bang, spiderweb cracks spread out, and dust fell in showers.


    "Do you know how much my strength could have increased with a Demon Slayer Sword!"


    The bearded man inwardly cursed.


    As a captain of the Seventh Squad of Scarlet Hand, Shi Yanming was known for his overbearing actions. These past two days, his squad was on duty at the Black Market, and he naturally wanted to acquire some good items from the auction. He had sent his men to watch over it early on. If they could have brought him information about the auction items before it started, with his capability, he would definitely have been able to get his hands on the Demon Slayer Sword. But once it went to auction, he had to follow the rules.


    These were the rules set by the Four Great Mercenary Corps, and even he dared not violate them.


    However, the more Shi Yanming thought about it, the angrier he got. Over a hundred Source Crystals¡ªcouldn''t he afford them? If this useless subordinate had brought the news sooner, allowing him to rush to the auction, he at least could have obtained a Demon Slayer Sword. Then wouldn''t his Seventh Squad be able to overtake the Sixth Squad in a matter of minutes!


    "Useless! Go find out who auctioned the Demon Slayer Sword now! It certainly wasn''t developed by the science academy, otherwise, the boss would have known about it already and wouldn''t have let it come to auction here. Do you understand?"


    The skinny young man nodded repeatedly.


    Indeed, he had made a mistake. He hadn''t expected that items would still be brought for identification even after the auction had started. He only learned what he had missed when the Demon Sword was auctioned, and he hastily went to inform, but it was already too late!


    He must seize this chance for redemption. It was just a matter of finding out who the auctioneer was. Even if they had hidden their identity, as long as they were still in the Black Market, he would be able to drag them out!


    ...


    The commotion caused by the Demon-slaying Longsword was not limited to the Scarlet Hand.


    This weapon was of little help to the overall situation, and its ability to enhance team strength was also limited. However, it was undeniable that to an individual, this was a Divine weapon!


    Warhammer Vice Commander.


    This man appeared to be in his forties, a mature middle-aged person, but he was actually only in his twenties.


    Holding a Demon-slaying Longsword in his hand, he swung it a few times, "Not bad, indeed a good weapon. With this weapon, I would have the confidence to take on a Fifth Tier demonized beast alone, but this sword is better suited for the Commander, and I can only bear to part with it for now."


    "Lin Xu." The Warhammer Vice Commander patted the shoulder of a member beside him, "Keep a close watch on the person who auctioned the Demon Slayer Sword, and see if there''s another chance to buy such a Divine weapon."


    ...


    Science Academy.


    An old man with white hair and wearing glasses gently stroked the Demon Slayer Sword, as if he were caressing a lover.


    "Indeed, indeed..."


    "Teacher, what did you see?" The assistant beside him looked helpless.


    He knew his teacher all too well¡ªwhenever there was a discovery, this would be his reaction. But could you please speak up? Building up suspense like this isn''t very nice.


    He was also on the verge of going mad.


    The old man reluctantly put the longsword down, "This is what we''ve been studying all along, a kind of Transcendent Power factor."


    "Ah, you mean, how is that possible!"


    The young assistant couldn''t believe it. That thing was what Elder Sun and a group of scientists had been working hard at for a long time, barely unraveling its secrets. How could it simply be applied to a weapon?


    "Teacher, couldn''t it be due to the material or perhaps the ability of an ability user?"


    The old man patted the young assistant''s shoulder, "Lin, I''m not so senile that I misread data from instruments. As for abilities, that''s a more complicated domain, and I can''t make it clear either. But even if it were an ability, being able to involve Transcendent Factors and adhere to a weapon is no small feat."


    "Lin, you must understand that there are always bigger mountains beyond mountains, and people beyond people. Come with me, let''s go out."

 Chapter 64 - 64 Things are about to blow up!

    The auction finally ended, and the Black Market, devoid of further attractions, became dull and uninteresting.


    After meeting up with Eileen and the others, who had been wandering around, Tang Yu planned to leave as well.


    Suddenly, he furrowed his brows, sensing a malicious gaze.


    "Ming, you go ahead and split up from us."


    "What''s wrong, Tang?" asked Li Xiuming, noticing Tang Yu''s serious expression. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he hesitated for a moment before separating from Tang Yu and the others.


    He didn''t go far, merely blending into the crowd, his expression filled with concern.


    At the bend in the tunnel, Tang Yu caught a glimpse of a skinny young man out of the corner of his eye.


    The underground tunnel was narrow, and there were quite a few people moving in the same direction to leave the Black Market. However, Tang Yu sensed that the ominous gaze came from this skinny young man.


    Having been ambushed by Demonized Beasts countless times in the Spirit Space, his perception ability had long since become extraordinary. The young man''s gaze, in his view, was unmasked. It would have been odd if he hadn''t noticed it.


    A cold smile curled at the corners of Tang Yu''s mouth, and he deliberately slowed his pace.


    Suddenly, a group of people emerged from another tunnel junction. They did not conceal their faces and marched with an aggressive demeanor, making other survivors quickly move aside to avoid them.


    "Are those the Scarlet Hand members? What are they here for?"


    "I always feel these people have a hostile look. Could it be that they''re looking to trouble some survivor?"


    "Shush, keep it down. Do you have a death wish?"


    Led by Shi Yanming, members of his group approached.


    The skinny young man stepped forward and pointed at Tang Yu, speaking in a low voice.


    Upon glancing at Tang Yu, Shi Yanming saw a man in a black robe, hiding his face? But it didn''t matter; as long as the person was present, that was enough.


    He stepped forward with an unfriendly face, "Someone reported that you have stolen a Source Crystal. As an enforcer of the Black Market, it is my duty and responsibility to clarify the matter. Now, please cooperate with our search. If the results prove you haven''t stolen anything, I, Shi Yanming, will apologize immediately. Of course, if the results turn out to be true, or if you refuse to cooperate... heh heh heh, then I''ll have no choice but to handle it according to the rules."


    Behind him, his subordinates swept their gazes menacingly, each one snickering.


    After finishing his statement, Shi Yanming crossed his arms and seemed generously willing to wait for Tang Yu''s response.


    As a member of the Scarlet Hand, he rarely followed the rules so strictly, but he was not worried.


    If the other party didn''t cooperate, he would have a perfect excuse to take action, and no one could fault him for it.


    But if these three individuals consented to a search, Shi Yanming''s eyes drifted to Tang Yu''s waist, where a Longsword was fastened¡ªthat Demon-slaying Longsword would become his, and...


    Shi Yanming looked towards one of them.


    Although their appearance was unclear, they had revealed their voice during the transaction, and it was obviously that of a young woman, which would make the search quite interesting.


    He suddenly hoped that they would refuse to cooperate, and then, he would have a perfectly valid reason to search them.


    As for the results of the search, that was for him to decide.


    If it weren''t for the development of the Black Market, if he didn''t also have some regard for the members of the other three Mercenary Corps, Shi Yanming would have acted long ago.


    Unfortunately...


    He snorted coldly, filled with disdain.


    The other three Mercenary Corps were definitely eyeing the Demon Slaying Sword, but they were concerned about their reputation and did not dare to make a move!


    The other survivors in the tunnel kept retreating but didn''t leave; they too were curious about how things would unfold.


    "These three are doomed, actually targeted by the Scarlet Hand--the most domineering and unreasonable of the Four Great Mercenary Corps. These guys are finished."


    "Yeah, even top-tier Mercenary Corps sometimes have to suffer in silence when faced with the tyranny of the Scarlet Hand, let alone these three who clearly look like small fries."


    "Not necessarily," someone who recognized Tang Yu as the big spender at the auction said. "Anyone who can come up with thousands of Source Crystals might have the backing of a top-tier Mercenary Corps. It might not be one of those already famous, but even if it''s a newly risen team, their strength must not be underestimated."


    "So what," someone immediately retorted. "Even if it''s a top-tier Mercenary Corps, if targeted by the Scarlet Hand, they''re done for. After all, the Scarlet Hand has a subtly dominant position within the Four Great Mercenary Corps and only the other three can contend with them."


    "But what if these three are subordinates of a big shot from the Sanctuary?" A rookie asked.


    An experienced Awakener immediately came forward to explain, "Do you think the people of the Scarlet Hand are fools? As one of the four, they have an indistinct and unclear relationship with the upper echelons. They naturally know who cannot be provoked. The Scarlet Hand''s boldness now shows that they have made sure of their stance."


    The rookie grew disheartened, "Doesn''t this Black Market have even the most basic sense of fairness?"


    The experienced Awakener sneered, "Fairness? Fairness is dictated by the Four Great Mercenary Corps. It exists only among them. Do you know what the people of the Scarlet Hand did before the apocalypse?"


    The rookie looked bewildered.


    "The Commander of the Scarlet Hand used to be a mob boss. He gradually went legitimate, and many businesses in the area around Lin City, like foot bathhouses and karaoke bars, are his. You might have even patronized them. The members of the Scarlet Hand include many former gang enforcers. Do you expect these people to act fairly? Is that possible!"


    "So we can just watch them do whatever they want? Who would dare come to this Black Market in the future?"


    The experienced Awakener also sighed with regret, "Helpless? Who isn''t helpless! But many things can only be bought on the Black Market; for that alone, we''re compelled to come here."


    Among the crowd.


    Li Xiuming''s face was pale, and his hands trembled slightly.


    Zhou Jianhong looked worried, but he too could only watch the people from the Scarlet Hand, helplessly sighing.


    Lin from Warhammer Mercenary Corps glanced at both sides and finally shook his head.


    The feeling of being watched by many made Tang Yu frown.


    It was clear that the Scarlet Hand was looking for trouble, but what puzzled him was why.


    This hostility came out of nowhere.


    Shi Yanming took steps forward gradually revealing a smile.


    Tang Yu sighed softly. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps he had been too low-profile.


    He didn''t want trouble and despised it, but was he the kind of person who could tolerate being wronged?


    No!


    Tang Yu kicked out.


    Shi Yanming''s smile froze on his face, and caught off-guard, he was sent flying backwards, tumbling on the ground several times, ending up with a dirt-covered face.


    Silence fell in an instant.


    The members of the Seventh Squad of the Scarlet Hand never imagined that someone would dare to resist.


    Other Awakeners were equally unable to predict that before the fearsome reputation of the Scarlet Hand, there would be someone who dared to strike, kicking a member of the Scarlet Hand and sending a squad leader flying.


    The matter was about to escalate severely!

 Chapter 65 - 65: Lets Practice

    "Oh no, oh no, if they hadn''t resisted, at most they would have suffered a bit of humiliation, but now..."


    "Alas, the people of Scarlet Hand are too oppressive. If it were me, I too..."


    "Is life more important or is dignity more important?" a companion retorted.


    "...I would just endure and let it pass."


    The Awakeners whispered among themselves.


    Shi Yanming''s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.


    A renowned Fourth Layer Expert, and yet he was knocked over, how could he continue to mix in the Corps! And that guy from the sixth team would surely mock him!


    He had been careless!


    Shi Yanming was burning with rage, but he wasn''t stupid¡ªhe wouldn''t think of Tang Yu as just an ordinary person anymore. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even with carelessness, it wasn''t possible for a regular person to kick him far away.


    This was no ordinary person.


    Perhaps he used some method to conceal his presence.


    Shi Yanming sneered inwardly, thinking that this was just a No Rank technique. Even if a sneak attack was successful, it could not injure him.


    "But I won''t give you another chance. Next, I will pull your bones out of your body one by one."


    His face was ferocious.


    Behind him, the team members were excited. "The captain is getting serious. Since I joined the team, I''ve never seen the captain go all out."


    "Hey, you probably won''t see it this time either. The captain is serious because he''s angered, not because those three have the strength to make the captain go all out. Let''s guess how many moves this guy can withstand? I say three moves."


    "Three moves? The captain could take this guy down in one move."


    "No, no, no, I think it will take more than ten moves. You should know, the captain''s favorite thing is to play it slow."


    Behind her mask, Eileen''s gaze was icy cold.


    As soon as the Lord gave the order, she would turn these people into ice sculptures.


    In Grey Blade''s hand, the dagger flipped as he whispered, "My Lord, do you want me to bring you his head?"


    Tang Yu smiled faintly, shook his head, and instead walked forward.


    "I''ll do it myself. It''s a good opportunity to practice."


    "Practice?" Shi Yanming laughed furiously in response. "Who gave you the confidence that a sneak attack while I wasn''t paying attention made you someone significant?"


    The onlooking Awakeners were also shocked.


    This man was too arrogant. That was a squad leader from Scarlet Hand! Each squad of Scarlet Hand, taken separately, could rival a top-tier Mercenary Corps, and Shi Yanming was indeed a bona fide Captain Level figure. To use Shi Yanming for practice...


    They felt it was no longer necessary to watch further. Provoking Shi Yanming like this was not a wise action.


    However, their limited perspective constrained their imagination.


    Tang Yu, with only third layer strength, indeed was not comparable to Shi Yanming; but in the Spirit Space, he had killed countless Demonized Beasts stronger than himself. Now facing a decently strong opponent was just the right test for him.


    Shi Yanming rushed forward and swung a punch. The air exploded.


    This punch was so powerful that the air was pushed back layer by layer, and the Awakeners nearby even felt a strong wind blowing straight at them!


    Many had never seen such an expert in action. Their faces changed repeatedly and they stepped back continuously, fearing being affected.


    Tang Yu remained cool.


    With a simple side-step, he dodged the punch.


    He sighed slightly, "Your attack is too rigid."


    Shi Yanming kicked, sweeping across with great force.


    Before the apocalypse, a single kick could kill a tiger or leopard.


    But,


    Tang Yu''s face showed disappointment, "No spare force, no flexibility."


    He just leaned back slightly, avoiding the kick. Taking advantage of Shi Yanming''s spent moment and the gap before regaining strength, Tang Yu slapped his face.


    Slap!


    The sound echoed loudly in the enclosed underground passage.


    The onlooking gawking Awakeners were totally stunned.


    They couldn''t have imagined or dared to imagine such a turn of events!


    This figure in a black robe, was he stronger than a squad leader of Scarlet Hand?


    Especially that slap sound, just hearing it, they all felt their own faces painfully sting.


    They involuntarily looked towards Shi Yanming whose half of his face had already swollen up.


    With this slap,


    Shi Yanming staggered backward after being hit, completely dazed.


    Then, he became enraged.


    "You! Are! Seeking! Death!"


    His eyes bloodshot, his expression manic, he fiercely drew the twin knives from behind his back.


    With the twin knives in hand, Shi Yanming''s aura transformed drastically, exuding a cold and severe presence!


    These were his main combat weapons, and also his true state when slaughtering Demonized Beasts, both mad and calm...


    "Mad Knife Shi Yanming!"


    The observing Awakeners were all very nervous, feeling that the outcome would soon be decided.


    Li Xiuming couldn''t see the two combatants clearly and could only secretly pray.


    Shi Yanming moved, quick as a cheetah, his movements became even faster, and he struck out at Tang Yu with a knife.


    This was a lethal blow!


    He no longer held back nor did he think of tormenting Tang Yu. His attack was meant to kill!


    A chaotic aura swept through, causing the weaker spectators to turn pale.


    This was Captain Level''s power!


    Even the army would fear it!


    "Death¡ª" Shi Yanming''s eyes were bloodshot, and each swing of his knife left trails of afterimages.


    "The Scarlet Hand, huh..." Tang Yu''s expression remained calm. He could feel the intense killing intent, knowing a slight misstep would mean death.


    But...


    Why seek death?


    His basic longsword was unsheathed from his waist, firmly grasped in his hand.


    Faced with Shi Yanming''s frenzied assault, Tang Yu neither dodged nor evaded.


    Combat Skills?Heavy Slash!


    Whoosh!


    The sword light flashed.


    The seemingly impenetrable flurry of knife lights suddenly paused.


    Clang.


    Two pieces of the blade, cleanly cut, fell to the ground.


    At the same time,


    A scream rang out as Shi Yanming clutched his severed arm, falling to his knees, his body curling up like a large prawn.


    He was angry and terrified, his voice trembling as he shouted, "Kill, kill them all for me, use guns, shoot!"


    Members of the Scarlet Hand were well-provisioned, each equipped with firearms.


    Hearing their captain''s words, they reacted, lifting their guns, about to pull the triggers.


    The faces of the surrounding Awakeners drastically changed.


    In this narrow tunnel, with no cover and walls on both sides, a stray bullet could end them in tears.


    Even some of the stronger Awakeners quickly retreated.


    After all, a human body couldn''t withstand bullets.


    "Die!"


    The members of the Scarlet Hand looked fierce.


    The next moment,


    Accompanied by screams.


    The Awakeners watching fixed their eyes to see that those who had fallen were not the mysterious trio, but the members of the Scarlet Hand.


    Among these members, half were clutching their arms, blood dripping.


    The other half had parts of their bodies from their arms to their torsos turned into ice sculptures.


    At that moment, some perceptive Awakeners noticed.


    Beside Tang Yu, the two mysterious individuals who had been inconspicuous were each making a move, one holding several flying knives,


    The other, with hands empty, was not to be underestimated.


    Many people hadn''t seen clearly what happened in that instant, but piecing together the situation at the scene, it wasn''t hard to guess the cause and effect.


    It turned out that in that instant, the two mysterious individuals had acted first, catching the members of the Scarlet Hand off guard and incapacitating them.


    This trio was truly formidable!

 Chapter 66 - 66: Visitor from the Science Academy

    Tang Yu stepped forward and first delivered two kicks, knocking Shi Yanming to the ground. Despite the dirt, he began searching Shi Yanming''s body.


    The onlookers had strange expressions on their faces¡ªcould it be...


    Eileen looked helpless but kept her magic wand aimed at the team members, freezing them even more solidly.


    Grey Blade, however, looked excited and seemed eager to try.


    In a short while,


    Tang Yu stopped searching, a look of disappointment on his face.


    Grey Blade watched, equally disappointed, his face full of regret.


    The onlookers stretched their necks but were very disappointed, sighing.


    From Shi Yanming''s body, Tang Yu found only a few Source Crystals.


    Just a few.


    "So poor? Isn''t Scarlet Hand one of the Four Great Mercenary Corps? Aren''t you a squad leader? How did you get this position being so poor, sigh!"


    Implying that he was very unsatisfactory.


    Shi Yanming was furious!


    Several of his teeth had been knocked out, making his speech somewhat slurred as he glared at Tang Yu.


    "We Scarlet Hand, no, won''t let you go!"


    "Scarlet, big wall of Scarlet Hand, you can''t understand!" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Within the Mercenary Corps, there were merely twelve squads.


    His squad was only the Seventh Squad, ranked in the middle, the strongest were led by the Commander and the Deputy Commander, the first and second squads.


    This was the fame of their Scarlet Hand and the confidence with which they acted so recklessly.


    "So what?"


    Tang Yu was very helpless.


    So foolish? Communication had become impossible.


    He had initially thought, if Scarlet Hand could cough up tens or even hundreds of thousands of Source Crystals to ransom their people, he might have let these people go, but unfortunately...


    His longsword stabbed in.


    Shi Yanming''s eyes widened, seemingly unable to believe that Tang Yu was so bold and resolute.


    As consciousness gradually faded, the last thing he heard was a low sigh, "Blame it on your poverty."


    His face showed unwillingness as he finally fell backward, lifeless.


    From the remaining Scarlet Hand team members, Tang Yu could not find many Source Crystals either; perhaps these people were truly frightened by their poverty, which led them to rob on the street.


    So you see, poverty shortens life, not without reason.


    Tang Yu felt he had gained a new understanding of life.


    "Kill them, kill them. Keeping them won''t change the fact they''re poor."


    The Scarlet Hand team members each had expressions of terror, eyes wide open.


    Some begged for mercy, others cursed in anger, and some tried to stall for time, hoping for rescue from other squads of Scarlet Hand, but clearly, Tang Yu gave them no chance.


    If being so decisive, then why initially harm without killing, giving them false hope of survival?


    As they fell, each had a look of unwillingness.


    If Tang Yu could see the negative emotion value, it would surely be +999 above their heads.


    The faces of the onlookers who were Awakeners were also quite a spectacle.


    They were there to watch the show, standing around, no matter how rampant the Scarlet Hand became, the Black Market was still jointly managed by the Four Great Mercenary Corps and was located within the Sanctuary...


    It was legal to spectate in the Great Heavenly Dynasty, right?


    But now, they felt that the Sanctuary might be stirring up a storm.


    Some of the Awakeners had already secretly decided to stay put in the Sanctuary for the next few days, lest they encounter the frenzied Scarlet Hand in the wilderness and who knew what could happen!


    When they walked out of the Black Market gate, these Awakeners kept their distance.


    Wherever they passed, people in front blocked their way, all swiftly making room to the sides.


    Tang Yu felt that he was obviously a fresh face, so why did everyone avoid him like a venomous snake.


    He touched his face... Oh, it turned out he was wearing a mask, no wonder.


    Walking through this tunnel, there were many exits from the Black Market, but this time Tang Yu decided to choose a more spacious route, as the one he came by was really uncomfortable.


    Suddenly, there came a "taptap" sound from ahead.


    It was footsteps, and judging by the sound, there were quite a few people.


    Could it be people from the Scarlet Hand?


    Tang Yu thought, walking slowly, was just waiting to see if he could harvest another batch.


    In the crowd, a member of the Scarlet Hand''s Seventh Squad, who had missed joining the team due to diarrhea, looked overjoyed. Had reinforcements finally arrived?


    The other Awakeners looked grave... These people from the large mercenary corps moved quickly, but they also worried that the Scarlet Hand people wouldn''t take their anger out on bystanders because of this.


    However, the next moment, everyone''s faces changed in unison, for the people who appeared in front of them were not from the Scarlet Hand.


    The group wore uniform attire, disciplined and solemn. Once they approached, they stood straight, silent, but their formation seemed to be protecting the safety of an elderly man in the middle.


    "Flowing Color Uniform, it''s Military people!"


    "Why would the Military appear here?"


    "Are they looking to dismantle the Black Market? But no, the Black Market has been established for so long, and we''ve seen no position from the Military on it, could it be that the Military had not noticed it before?"


    Tang Yu was also puzzled, wondering how Military personnel could appear in this place.


    This was the Black Market, and even if its existence was tacitly approved by the Sanctuary officials, for them to come in wearing Military uniforms so openly didn''t seem appropriate. Shouldn''t they disguise it a bit? Otherwise, placing the Black Market openly would be better, and newcomers like him to the Sanctuary wouldn''t bother finding a Black Market and take all that trouble.


    While pondering, he saw the elderly man protected by the Military personnel step forward, "Young man, this is what you sold, right?"


    In the elderly man''s hand was a Demon Slayer¡­ oh, a basic longsword.


    Tang Yu was taken aback and did not deny it, as with the Military''s capability, it would definitely not be hard to find out.


    "That''s great, that''s great," the elderly man seemed quite excited. "How did you incorporate that special power factor into the longsword?"


    Special power factor?


    Incorporated?


    Tang Yu had a guess, but pretended to be confused on the surface, "Excuse me, sir, I don''t understand what you mean."


    Behind the elderly man, a young man, panting from running despite his youth and strength because he wasn''t an Awakener, caught up.


    Assistant Lin took a few breaths and then looked at Tang Yu with an unfriendly expression, "How can you be like this? My teacher rushes here amidst his busy schedule just to ask you a question, yet you play dumb."


    Tang Yu ignored the young man''s words.


    Lin was about to say more when the elderly man raised his hand to stop him and looked toward Tang Yu, "Young man, I know what you''re worried about. I, Sun Weiguo, personally guarantee that this matter won''t cause you trouble. Plus, I won''t ask for your method for free. Here''s what: take any of the Science Academy''s research results, whether techniques or materials, anything you''re interested in can be exchanged. If you have other conditions, you can name them."


    The elderly man was very generous, and the promises he made were substantial enough to turn the heads of anyone in Lindong, even those at high positions.


    But Tang Yu knew this was no empty promise.


    Because,


    he had heard of the old man''s name, Sun Weiguo, the Dean of the Science Academy. In just over a month after the apocalypse, he had already achieved several major scientific research breakthroughs.


    As the Dean, Sun Weiguo was naturally one of the top figures in the Lindong Sanctuary, but he was devoted to research and generally stayed out of other affairs, such as today''s outing from the Science Academy, which had been rare after the apocalypse.

 Chapter 67 - 67: Just Call It Rune

    This kind of dedication to research was something Tang Yu greatly admired, especially given the many contributions Elder Sun had made.


    Elder Sun spoke earnestly, always eager to understand the basics of longsword crafting techniques, yet he never used his authority in Lindong Sanctuary to coerce.


    Instead, he made promises.


    The science academy was undoubtedly the place in Lindong with the most valuable items, whether it be equipment, gadgets, or anything else. Even if Tang Yu didn''t need these things, proposing an exchange with Source Crystals was something Elder Sun would likely be very happy to agree to.


    To be honest, Tang Yu was tempted.


    There was no harm in taking out the longsword crafting process.


    The problem was... the basic longsword was created by the workshop, how would he know the specific techniques?


    Tang Yu shook his head slightly and found an excuse, "This longsword wasn''t made by me, but by a companion of mine who is a Master Craftsman. Unfortunately, he''s not in Lindong, and as for the specific crafting process, I really can''t say."


    Sun Weiguo felt disappointed, but he was not unprepared for this outcome.


    Tang Yu''s voice sounded young, and it wasn''t that he looked down on the young, but Sun Weiguo understood the complexity involved.


    Combining the Transcendent Power factors with specific objects was a project he and several experts had researched for a long time, barely scratching the surface of understanding.


    Even with some Special Ability that aided in the craftsmanship and integration of Transcendent Power factors, whoever could achieve this must have a profound understanding of the process.


    Otherwise, success would be unattainable, let alone crafting something like the Demon-slaying Longsword, which was at the peak of craft, an utter art form in his eyes.


    But Tang Yu was too young and had too little experience.


    If it were a Master Craftsman who used some special technique to achieve this, that would seem more plausible.


    In fact, weapons of similar quality to the Demon Slaying Sword could indeed be made by the science academy, but they utilized post-apocalyptic transcendent materials and relied on the quality of these materials, which was cost-inefficient and did not involve integrating Transcendent Power factors.


    Even less could they compare to the masterpiece before them.


    A treasure lay before him, yet the secrets within it remained elusive.


    Elder Sun, who had devoted his life to scientific research, looked somewhat forlorn.


    Then he heard Tang Yu continue, "Although I cannot reproduce the specific production process, I do understand a bit about it. Since Elder Sun, you wish to research this crafting technique, I can provide more basic... Demon-slaying Longswords, of course, not for free. I want Source Crystals."


    "Source Crystals are not a problem. Lin, go get a box of Source Crystals later..." Sun Weiguo''s old face, full of wrinkles, beamed with a brilliant smile like a blooming chrysanthemum.


    "Young man, do you know why the Transcendent Power factor, once extracted, dissipates especially quickly and under such circumstances, even if successfully integrated into weapons and equipment, the enhancement effect is not significant?"


    Tang Yu pondered for a moment.


    He couldn''t do Engraving Runes.


    But some principles of runes were also discussed in the basics of Source Power.


    After organizing his thoughts, he said, "It''s because there''s a lack of a carrier, so the power dissipates quickly, just like soul power, which must use the body as a carrier or a soul power container, otherwise, the soul power will quickly fade away."


    Dean Sun said, "We''ve also considered this problem, but if we want to integrate this Transcendent Power into equipment, we first need to extract it, so how can we have a carrier?"


    "What if the carrier isn''t a physical object?"


    "Not a physical object, yes, why does it have to be physical? But if it''s not tangible, what could the carrier be?" Sun Weiguo fell deep into contemplation.


    "I think that the carrier could be oneself. First, we need to prevent this power from fading away. We can start with the structure. Power dissipation is essentially diffusion, similar to the way soul power scatters. So, isn''t there a structure that can prevent this power from diffusing?"


    Tang Yu spoke more and more enthusiastically. Many of the concepts he had not fully grasped suddenly became clear.


    "The fundamental composition of strength is Source Power, a special power distinct from any we knew before, formless and intangible, yet truly existent. I believe that the genetic factors of this Transcendent Power are extensions of Source Power, and the structures that prevent this Transcendent Power from dispersing, I feel, should break away from the conventional two-dimensional and three-dimensional concepts, and perhaps not even be analyzed using the concept of dimensions. I think it is a non-oriented detached structure, which shouldn''t have just one consequence, but multiple, even countless ones."


    "Every power factor that extends from Source Power should have a corresponding structure, and we call this structure..."


    "Rune!!"


    "That makes sense, it really does! Kid, your speech could save us old folks from half the research process."


    Elder Sun became excited, murmuring to himself continuously, his eyes growing brighter and his face smiling like a blooming chrysanthemum. "The term ''rune'' is also good. If every power factor corresponds to a structure with a different shape, isn''t that just like text? Perhaps it''s a special language in itself. Hmm, this could be a separate research topic in the future."


    "Anyway, from now on, we''ll call these Transcendent Power factors runes."


    Tang Yu and Elder Sun continued their exchange.


    Science knows no boundaries and does not become obsolete due to a change in systems. Even when facing the apocalypse''s myriad of novelties for the first time, the thought process of a scientist is often much more advanced than that of the average person.


    Perhaps Elder Sun''s understanding of Source Power wasn''t as extensive as his, but as they conversed, Tang Yu found himself quite enlightened. Often, when he raised a point, Elder Sun''s thoughts were sufficient to branch into various aspects.


    No wonder they say that the world seen through the eyes of a genius is different from that of ordinary people.


    Ordinary people see the surface, but some perceive the essence.


    However, Tang Yu didn''t realize that in Elder Sun''s eyes, he was the true genius.


    On the side, Elder Sun''s assistant and student, Lin, was listening intently to their conversation.


    He tried hard to think but found that although he understood every word, what exactly were they talking about?!


    Despite being well-versed in Elder Sun''s research as an assistant, why couldn''t he understand?


    By the sound of it, the man before him should be quite young, too.


    Lin felt as if he had earned a fake doctorate.


    Lindong Sanctuary.


    Inside a large building.


    Several figures sat around a conference table in a heavy atmosphere.


    At the head was a middle-aged man with an air of authority.


    His name was Lu, General Lu.


    The true person in charge of Lindong Sanctuary.


    Lu Jianjun was over fifty, his hair graying, his expression serious as he pointed to an image projected by the projector next to him. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a scene of ruins covered in red mist, swarming with Demonized Beasts like an ocean.


    "This photo was taken at risk by our scouts in Maple Leaf Town. What it represents, I trust there''s no need for me to say more for you all to understand."


    "It''s an Abyssal Rift!"


    Those seated around the conference table were powerful elite in Lindong, each managing part of the administration at the very least. They had their own channels of information and naturally knew there was an Abyssal Rift in Maple Leaf Town.


    The emergence of an Abyssal Rift so close to the Sanctuary meant something very clear to them.


    For a moment, the executives in the conference room talked quietly among themselves.

 Chapter 68 - 68: Storm is Coming

    Lu Jianjun''s face was grim.


    After the apocalypse, communication had become difficult.


    This was especially true near the Red Fog Zone.


    Drones had already lost their function.


    Photographs were not as clear as before either.


    Many times, the images on the screen were taken by reconnaissance personnel who risked their lives to get close and explore, resulting in numerous sacrifices at Maple Leaf Town.


    "Everyone, take another look at these photos."


    The photos were taken from multiple angles of the Red Fog Zone. Some were unclear, but they all had one thing in common: they captured the Abyssal Rift.


    Lu Jianjun pointed at the screen and said, "This Abyssal Rift, according to experts'' estimates, is over 150 meters long."


    "What!"


    "150 meters!"


    All the big shots present slightly changed their color.


    Abyssal Rifts varied in size; the larger the rift, the more and stronger Demonized Beasts emerged from it.


    Abyssal Rifts were generally categorized by size: 50 meters, 100 meters, 150 meters, 200 meters, and so on.


    Most of the Abyssal Rifts discovered to date were 50 meters, meaning the rifts were over 50 meters but less than 100 meters long. However, this time, it was a 150-meter rift.


    Everyone''s faces looked grim.


    Individual soldier weapons often only posed a threat to smaller Demonized Beasts.


    A Fourth Layer awakened Demonized Beast could already cause significant losses to the army, and a 150-meter Abyssal Rift...


    The minds of those present shuddered at the thought.


    Even Demonized Beasts far surpassing the Fourth Layer might appear this time.


    "What are your thoughts regarding this Abyssal Rift?"


    Everyone looked around at each other; no one answered.


    Lu Jianjun was slightly disappointed and then said, "This Abyssal Rift is too close to the Sanctuary. The threat is too significant. I have decided to take the initiative to attack and eradicate the Demonized Beasts near this Abyssal Rift."


    "Taking the initiative?"


    "Isn''t that too risky?"


    "We can rely on the city walls to hold our ground."


    "City walls? This half-finished city wall can withstand a Demon Tide, but do you think, once the Demonized Beasts swarm over from the Abyssal Rift, that this city wall can hold them back?"


    Someone wanted to say it could, but they couldn''t get the words out.


    The senior members present understood that once a Demon Tide burst forth, it wouldn''t be an ordinary tide¡ªit would escalate to a second or third-level, or even higher.


    "Our Sanctuary is too close to the Abyssal Rift. Everyone here understands the nature of the Demonized Beasts¡ªthey''re attracted to the scent of humans. To the eyes of the Demonized Beasts, our Sanctuary with hundreds of thousands of people is like a bright campfire at night, strikingly conspicuous. With the Abyssal Rift continuously spewing out Demonized Beasts, once their numbers accumulate to a certain level and a Demon Tide erupts, that large Demon Tide will inevitably cause a forceful impact on the Sanctuary."


    "Using the city walls for defense does have its advantages. If it holds, that''s great, but who can ensure that the wall will withstand the Demon Tide? Who can guarantee that among those Demonized Beasts, there won''t be ones powerful enough to destroy the walls?"


    "Think about it, behind us are hundreds of thousands of survivors. If we fall, the disaster would be immense!"


    "I''ll mention another piece of data as well. The casualties among the Awakeners are three times what they used to be, and the income from Source Crystals, the completion rate of their missions, are not even half of what they used to be. I believe everyone understands why. If we can''t take preventative measures and eradicate those Demonized Beasts, the situation at our Sanctuary will become increasingly perilous."


    General Lu finished speaking.


    The room fell into an ominous silence.


    They were not fools, nor were they oblivious, but...


    Lin Wei, sitting near the front, suddenly spoke up, "What about the losses? Don''t forget, once a division in the north ventured into a heavily fractured area, nearly the entire division was annihilated. I wonder if General Lu still remembers that incident."


    Lu Jianjun surveyed the room, noting everyone''s reactions, and finally his gaze rested on Lin Wei, "Of course I remember, but don''t forget, this time, the distance to the Abyssal Rift is very short; there''s no need for long-distance combat or extended battle lines. As for the losses? I''ll take full responsibility! For this strike, my troops will play the main role, but I hope everyone else can also contribute manpower for a collaborative effort."


    "Nobody wants anything bad happening to the sanctuary," he said meaningfully, glancing at Lin Wei.


    At Lindong Sanctuary, the real armored forces belonged only to the troops under General Lu''s command.


    But the other higher-ups, before the apocalypse, were also influential figures with their own followers.


    After the apocalypse, these big shots recruited people, forming various teams that were not weak.


    In terms of equipment and overall strength, General Lu''s forces were undoubtedly the strongest.


    However, when it came to the number of Awakeners, it was not necessarily the army that had the most.


    The military recruited people with higher standards, usually requiring various checks, whereas some higher-ups were indiscriminate about whom they accepted.


    A 150-meter class Abyssal Rift could spawn Demonized Beasts of considerable strength; everyone understood that. Should any terrible Demonized Beasts break through the sanctuary''s walls, the losses would be immense.


    The higher-ups did not want the sanctuary to face problems.


    But equally, they were unwilling to see their own Direct Lineage Troops suffer losses.


    Since General Lu was willing to take on the main role, one by one, they expressed their support.


    Soon, after discussing the plan to attack the Abyssal Rift, the meeting ended, and the higher-ups left.


    The meeting room emptied.


    Only the projector continued to display pictures of Maple Leaf Town, showing its woefully battered state.


    "Cough, cough cough¡­"


    General Lu couldn''t help but cough out loud; he was not an Awakener, and with his age, his health was in decline.


    Emotional fluctuations often triggered coughs, a chronic issue for him.


    The face of the Guard Team''s captain changed immediately; he hurried forward, patting General Lu''s back, "Commander, drink some water first. There''s no need to get upset over these people."


    General Lu''s expression eased as he watched the direction in which everyone had left the door. "I''m not angry, just...sigh, disaster looms over us, yet everyone only looks out for themselves. If this continues, our human civilization, our sanctuary, is in jeopardy!"


    "Commander, there are still insightful people. You don''t need to worry too much."


    The recent meeting had also seen some high-ups showing immediate support, like the vice president representing the science academy and Secretary Wang... Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, led by Lin Wei, certain individuals always engaged in underhanded maneuvers.


    The captain of the Guard Team understood this well, also aware of how the commander had been tirelessly laboring for the sanctuary, his hair significantly grayed over time.


    "Commander, maybe we could¡­"


    "No," General Lu decisively rejected, "If the problem could be resolved that easily, it wouldn''t be a problem."


    General Lu was no fool.


    If killing Lin Wei could solve the problem, he would not hesitate to act.


    Unfortunately, killing Lin Wei wasn''t difficult; what was difficult was ensuring the sanctuary remained free from chaos.


    Being a leading local figure in the Lin City region, Lin Wei was significantly involved in the construction of the entire sanctuary.


    Most of Lindong Sanctuary''s food supply was also controlled by Lin Wei.


    That alone was not terrifying.


    What was terrifying was the immense power he held, combined with the control over critical food supplies.


    General Lu had once sent people to test the waters.


    Lin Wei had powerful Awakeners by his side, not weaker than his own captain of the Guard Team.


    He knew even more that Lin Wei had many moles planted within various crucial departments of Lindong Sanctuary,...


    General Lu stopped pondering these thoughts, shifting his focus instead to the Abyssal Rift.


    Regardless, the safety of the sanctuary was paramount.

 Chapter 69 - 69 Regional Danger Level

    Outside the city, at a stronghold of the Scarlet Hand.


    Commander Lin Mingjie had an arm around each of two numb-faced girls, constantly kneading under their clothes. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing that the Seventh Squad had been annihilated,


    he was not angry, but rather intrigued, "It''s been a while since anyone dared to provoke us like this¡­"


    Ever since that time, when he bloodily killed some sightless Awakeners, no one with that kind of guts had shown up again.


    Across from him,


    Vice Commander Scar was engaged in some kind of piston movement, now looking annoyed, "The trash from the Seventh Squad were actually killed by just three people!"


    "Indeed trash, Shi Yanming in a one-on-one fight couldn''t even touch the opponent''s clothes, completely disgracing the face of our Scarlet Hand. If it were a lack of strength, it would be one thing, but that person, showing only third layer Awakening strength, still wasn''t a match¡ªthat Shi Yanming deserved to die."


    "But¡­"


    Lin Mingjie''s tone shifted, the playful smile vanished, suddenly becoming cold, "The dignity of the Scarlet Hand cannot be lost. Since there are again people who don''t know whether they''re alive or dead, we must remind these Awakeners of their initial terror."


    He pinched hard, causing the girl he was holding to contort her face in pain, but she dared not cry out. She could only bite her lip, enduring silently.


    "Boss, I''ve already had someone investigate those three people. It shouldn''t take long before we get results. Humph, they probably think that, hiding in the Sanctuary, we wouldn''t dare touch them."


    Scar sneered, "As soon as we identify those few, I''ll go immediately to capture them. No matter where they hide, they can''t escape!"


    Lin Mingjie did not respond but instead refused, "No."


    "Boss, those guys have slapped our face, we can''t just let this go!"


    "Of course, we can''t just let this go. I will make them understand what it means to wish for death, but¡­"


    His expression darkened, "That weapon has attracted a lot of attention, including from the Dean of the Science Academy. Although this old man is not much of a threat, it''s best not to offend him, especially at a critical moment like this."


    "What should we do then?"


    "We better not make a move inside the Sanctuary, but I just received news that there will be a major event at the Sanctuary tomorrow. During that, the mission center will hire a large number of Awakeners with very high rewards. With the abilities of those three, they will definitely participate."


    "As for the mercenaries doing the mission, they will be assigned to different areas. Go and give Supervisor Jiang at the mission center a heads-up to keep an eye out for us¡­"


    Scar chuckled, "Got it, got it, worthy of being the boss."


    He licked his lips, seemingly already foreseeing the end of those three Awakeners.


    ...


    After a conversation with Dean Sun, Tang Yu gained a lot.


    Not only broadening his horizons but also deepening his understanding of Source Power significantly.


    Besides those benefits, he could say he had established a relationship with the Science Academy.


    The equipment he brought this time, including basic weapons like longswords, combat sabers, and daggers, had already been sold to the Science Academy. Although the unit price might not be as high as at an auction, Tang Yu knew the high prices at the auction were due to exceptional circumstances.


    Once he brought out more equipment, the prices would inevitably drop, even though there would still be substantial profit. However, those mercenaries might not necessarily be able to afford it.


    During the auction, the bidding, in the end, had many Awakeners raising the price by one Source Crystal at a time, clearly reaching their limits... The wealth in these mercenaries'' hands was ultimately limited. Selling equipment could, at most, be done two or three more times.


    The Science Academy was different, possessing a large number of Source Crystals. Even if nothing else, Tang Yu could still sell weapons to the Military through the Science Academy, even if just at a price of twenty Source Crystals each, he could make a fair amount.


    "This time, forget it, I don''t have that much equipment on hand. Next time I come, I must make a good profit."


    Tang Yu was not worried that after the Science Academy developed results, it would affect his future business.


    The workshop used five units of Source Crystal to engrave one basic rune, which was already the limit.


    "If the science academy could achieve some research results, then they would realize, well, it''s cheaper to buy them.


    The quality is also quite outstanding.


    The transactions with the science academy were not just a few thousand Source Crystals.


    Tang Yu spread out the map in his hands.


    This was a very detailed map that included the entire territory of the Great Heavenly Dynasty.


    Of course, the map had focal points, the most detailed being this province, followed by neighboring ones.


    This map was specifically requested by Tang Yu.


    All-Knowing 10086 could draw a map, but official ones were certainly more detailed.


    On this map, not only were many Sanctuary locations marked but also the danger levels of numerous areas.


    One star meant basic safety, like the areas outside Lindong Sanctuary which soldiers patrolled and cleaned daily.


    Two stars represented a low-risk area; the route from the territory to Lindong for example, most of which passed through two-star areas, so the danger was not very high¡­ well, at least before the Abyssal Rift appeared in Maple Leaf Town.


    Three stars were for medium-risk areas, which described most of the wilderness.


    Four stars indicated a high-risk area; areas where Advanced Demonized Beasts occasionally appeared, making them very dangerous. Ordinary combat teams entering these areas often faced total annihilation.


    Five stars indicated extreme danger, such as Maple Leaf Town before.


    Six stars meant certain death.


    Tang Yu''s gaze became sharp; six-star areas were very rare, yet there was such a place on this map.


    At the border of two provinces.


    That was an area densely packed with Abyssal Rifts, dozens and possibly hundreds of them, spaced maybe a few kilometers or tens of kilometers apart, stretching across the region, turning it into a death zone.


    Even the military could not traverse such a six-star danger area.


    Tang Yu was relieved to have obtained such a map.


    Otherwise, even if not plunging headlong into it, he wouldn''t know which way to detour, given the extensive coverage of this region.


    His mood was also quite heavy.


    Only now did he realize that the situation around Lin City was relatively better, while some areas were full of Abyssal Rifts, making the danger levels high.


    In those areas, small Sanctuaries were almost extinct, and even larger Sanctuaries struggled to survive.


    ...


    During these days in Lindong, his main task was to gather information, which didn''t fill every day.


    Fighting monsters was unnecessary, as Tang Yu spent his days in front of a computer, browsing forums, feeling as though he had returned to a familiar period in his life.


    Early in the morning, Grey Blade had already gone out to gather information, a task he was familiar with and had quickly adapted to modern tools, which Tang Yu found reassuring.


    After freshening up, he planned to stroll the streets with Eileen to see if they could find any bargains.


    However, as soon as he reached the main street, Tang Yu sensed that the atmosphere was different.


    At this time, most combat personnel would have already left, and there weren''t many pedestrians on the streets¡ªordinary survivors without income-generating work didn''t tend to wander the streets, as it would just be a needless waste of energy.


    Many survivors, wearing swords or carrying firearms, hurried along.


    These people were all heading in the same direction, and upon checking, Tang Yu realized that direction was indeed towards the mission center."

 Chapter 70 - 70 Task Code: Encirclement and Suppression of Demon Nest

    "Have you heard? The Task Center issued a large-scale mission, our very first large-scale mission ever!"


    "Knew about it for ages. Rumor has it the rewards are super generous, killing an ordinary Demonized Beast gets you at least double the usual points."


    "Let''s move it, hurry up and take the mission, it''ll be a disaster if we''re too late."


    "What''s the rush? It''s a large-scale mission, there''s no limit on the number of participants. I heard it starts at ten sharp. Instead of hastily accepting the mission, it might be better to buy some essential Equipment. You don''t really think this large-scale mission is just giving away points, do you?"


    Along the way, he overheard conversations like this.


    Tang Yu was somewhat perplexed; the large-scale mission was clearly just announced this morning. Last night, when he was browsing the forum, there hadn''t been any mention of this.


    By the time he arrived at the Task Center, the place was already bustling with noise.


    It could be said that upon the task''s announcement, most registered Mercenaries within the Sanctuary had come.


    Inside the Task Center, it was packed like sardines.


    Tang Yu frowned.


    The place was even more crowded than a Spring Festival travel rush, especially since these survivors dealt with Demonized Beasts every day and who knew how long it had been since they last bathed.


    He felt as though he could smell a pig cage.


    It wasn''t that he couldn''t stand it¡ªit was just that he had little interest in the task to begin with.


    "My Lord, shall I..."


    Tang Yu gave Eileen a glance and emphatically shook his head.


    Clearly, the girl was not as calm as she claimed to be and felt somewhat anxious about the environment.


    Being squashed in such a crowd was not just about dealing with burly men... If anyone should jostle, it should be me instead.


    In just a short while, he heard numerous startled cries from female survivors, evidently, not a few "salty pig hands" had been laid on them.


    Tang Yu couldn''t help but wonder if some of the survivors inside weren''t there to grab the mission but rather to take full advantage of being a "big salty pig hand"?


    Yet, every now and then, cries of surprise from male survivors also made their way through the crowd, which was rather strange.


    "Let''s go take a look over there."


    The Task Center''s service points were mainly on the first floor, flanked by transparent glass.


    As Tang Yu moved to one side, he still couldn''t enter, but he could see the mission details on the central display board.


    Highlighted in red text with enlarged font.


    [Large Mercenary Mission: Eradicate the Demon Nest]


    An Abyssal Rift has opened in Maple Leaf Town, posing a grave threat to the safety of the Lindong Sanctuary. The Lindong authorities will wage a proactive strike to eradicate the Demonized Beasts surrounding the rift. This operation will require the cooperation of numerous Mercenaries.


    Requirements: ****


    Rewards: ****


    "So it''s because of the Abyssal Rift, no wonder."


    The reward points were plentiful, and the authorities had even opened up many previously unavailable exchange items for this mission.


    A blatant temptation.


    Many fighters were green with envy.


    But Tang Yu was not optimistic about their chances. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though the Military would be the main force in this war and the Mercenaries were to play a supporting role, many seemed to forget that this was a large-scale battle with a multitude of Demonized Beasts that might even include Advanced Demonized Beasts constantly emerging.


    For strong teams, this was a great opportunity, but for some fighters, those who weren''t even Awakeners, participating in such a battle likely meant being nothing more than cannon fodder.


    "Lord, should we sign up?" Eileen asked.


    Tang Yu shook his head, "Let''s skip this frenzy."


    If it had been before, he might have undertaken the mission to earn points for a soul power container, but now it seemed unnecessary.


    "However, we should still take a look at this battle. The forces under the Lindong high-level leadership will be participating, it will be a good opportunity to gauge Lin Wei''s strength."


    ...


    At ten on the dot, the mission acceptance window closed.


    Outside the gates, a multitude of fighters gathered.


    Some wore protective equipment crafted from Demonized Beast hides and held Standard Battle Sabers provided by the Military, others wore tattered clothes and wielded rusty swords and blades.


    Fortunately, there were none so desperate that they showed up weaponless, ready to charge into battle bare-chested.


    Perhaps the people at the task center couldn''t bear to watch anymore, and had those people brushed aside.


    Tang Yu didn''t stay with these individuals. After leaving the city gates, he found a place with Eileen and Grey Blade and slowly waited.


    Rumble!


    The steel city gates gradually parted to the sides, revealing the spacious streets inside.


    On ordinary days, the gates would only be partially opened to allow two vehicles to pass side by side, but now, they were fully open, and even the streets were off-limits, void of any pedestrians.


    Accompanied by low roars, a tidal wave of steel gradually came into view.


    "That is...!!"


    Mercenaries outside the city gates had already spread to the sides, each staring dumbfounded at the gateway, unable to avert their gaze.


    Tang Yu''s emotions were equally hard to calm.


    Back when he first came to Lindong, the motorcade of Scarlet Hand was quite impressive, but compared to the steel tidal wave before his eyes, it was like the difference between an ant and an elephant.


    Several armored vehicles took the lead, slowly driving out.


    Tanks in formation followed closely behind, with dark barrels slightly raised, displaying the power of steel and fire.


    There were also various vehicles and equipment that Tang Yu couldn''t name...


    Dust filled the air as the steel tide rolled in.


    Such an army, in the past, could only be seen on television.


    Outside the city gates,


    Many combat personnel showed excited expressions. With such an armored force present, no matter how fearsome the Demonized Beasts were, it seemed they''d turn to ash in the blaze of gunfire.


    Soon, management personnel at all levels were assigning tasks to the mercenaries.


    In this operation, the mercenaries'' main responsibility was to ensure the safety of the military vehicles and to cooperate with the military in the event of a Demonized Beast attack.


    It wasn''t difficult in theory.


    Firearms have a long range and extensive coverage, and the Demonized Beasts who could break through the firearm defense line to reach the front lines were likely few in number.


    They only needed to eliminate any isolated Demonized Beasts within the defensive zone.


    In this mission, the points for killing Demonized Beasts were two to three times the usual amount, and many were hoping for more beasts to make it to the front lines so that they could earn additional points on top of the base rewards.


    But this was only true for the majority of freelance mercenaries.


    Elite squads and members of the Four Great Mercenary Corps had more autonomy.


    They could move freely and hunt for Demonized Beasts at will.


    Members of the Scarlet Hand were excited; such a mission was akin to racking up points for them.


    These people chatted loudly, drawing envious glances from the freelance mercenaries nearby.


    Scar, the vice-commander, however, was somewhat restless.


    "What! You''re saying there''s no news?!"


    The blonde-haired member making the report was also puzzled; for their Mercenary Corps, investigating a few individuals was not difficult.


    Since Tang Yu''s arrival in Lindong and what happened thereafter, they had been able to gather many pieces of information.


    Even if not in great detail, they knew about the three people¡ªtwo men and one woman¡ªand had a general idea of their appearances. They even knew about the relationship between Li Xiuming and Tang Yu, but people of the Scarlet Hand didn''t care much about such a common person.


    The blonde-haired member conveyed the descriptions of the three people to Supervisor Jiang at the task center and then... had not received any effective news since.


    "How can there be no news? Could it be that Jiang, after receiving so many Source Crystals from us, dares to give us the runaround?" Scar scoffed coldly.


    The blonde-haired member shook his head, "No no, Supervisor Jiang did send word, but the message stated that the three individuals had not registered as mercenaries."


    Scar: "..."


    He clenched his teeth, nearly suffocating with frustration.


    If they hadn''t registered as mercenaries, of course, they wouldn''t be able to take on tasks.


    But in this day and age, were there Awakeners who hadn''t registered as mercenaries? Especially those three people, he had to admit, they did have some strength.


    Scar couldn''t understand it.


    His expression was frosty.


    "We can''t let those clowns continue prancing around freely. Issue a Scarlet Hand Wanted Order..."


    His gaze turned to the distance, eyes flickering with a cold light.

 Chapter 71 - 71: The Power of Firearms

    Outside the city.


    On the rooftop of a not-so-tall building, Tang Yu was using binoculars to observe the city gate.


    There were no grand speeches of commitment before battle; mercenaries were allocated and mixed into the infantry formations of the army, while the armored formations also slowly moved forward.


    Whoosh¡ª


    A sharp whistling sound came from afar.


    Tang Yu was startled and looked afar.


    In the sky, several small black dots appeared.


    The black dots were moving extremely fast, trailing flames, and although they had just been seen rising from the Sanctuary, in the blink of an eye, they had already reached the airspace above Maple Leaf Town.


    Boom!


    Boom boom!!


    Boom boom boom!!!


    Intense flames flickered.


    Clouds of dust rose into the air.


    Buildings collapsed, and the ground trembled.


    From a distance, those clouds of smoke looked like a blossoming flower, enveloping the entire Maple Leaf Town within it.


    Tang Yu took a sharp breath.


    This was the power of thermal weapons, and perhaps only nuclear bombs could be more spectacular.


    No matter how tenacious the life force of the demonized beasts was, most of them could not survive such violent explosions.


    Especially around the Abyssal Rift, where demonized beasts were densely packed, this wave of clearing the field exploded the output.


    At the city wall,


    A group of mercenaries was dumbfounded.


    Modern people had never seen such a grand spectacle, and even during the apocalypse, this scene was a first for the vast majority.


    Before long, the expressions on many faces went from stunned to ecstatic.


    This wave of missiles must have destroyed the majority of the demonized beasts; perhaps by now, there would be few demonized beasts left around the Abyssal Rift, and all they needed to do was to clean up some stragglers.


    These points were too easy to earn.


    In the command vehicle, Lu Jianjun was looking at the screen inside the vehicle.


    The screen wasn''t clear, and from time to time, it lost signal, but the current display was the explosion in Maple Leaf Town.


    Compared to the joyful expressions of most people, his face was still stern.


    After the apocalypse, due to interference, missile positioning was difficult. It was only because Maple Leaf Town was close and the number of demonized beasts was large that they could use the missiles without much precision.


    Even so, with each missile launched, Lu Jianjun felt a pang of distress.


    There wasn''t much stock left.


    Manufacturing was out of the question, not just due to technical problems... Before the apocalypse, producing high-tech goods involved raw materials and components from all over the world, but now, even communication was a problem, so where could they find those materials?


    Let alone missiles, even tanks and helicopters were currently impossible for Lindong to produce.


    It was already good enough that they could be repaired.


    "Commander, are we preparing to enter Maple Leaf Town?"


    An officer asked.


    Lu Jianjun hesitated for a moment, "We can''t underestimate the demonized beasts. First, dispatch a reconnaissance team to scout Maple Leaf Town."


    The officer saluted and turned to leave.


    Lu Jianjun suddenly called out to the officer, "Tell them to be careful, to come out alive."


    Alive.


    Two words.


    But a very heavy topic.


    After the apocalypse, lacking reconnaissance methods, the reconnaissance soldiers on the front lines often suffered the most severe losses.


    Lu Jianjun was aware of this.


    But he had no choice.


    He had to think about the overall situation. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If only the science academy could develop a method of remote reconnaissance.


    After some casualties were incurred, news quickly arrived.


    Inside Maple Leaf Town, as expected, most of the demonized beasts had died in the explosions, and although there was still a considerable number left, the threat had been greatly reduced.


    This was within the estimated range.


    "Prepare to enter Maple Leaf Town, all personnel increase vigilance, fire at will upon demonized beasts."


    The rumbling iron torrent moved forward, crushing everything in its path.


    The commotion, naturally, attracted the remaining demonized beasts.


    The tank''s main cannon roared, striking directly, reducing even advanced demonized beasts of the Fourth or Fifth Layer to smithereens.


    Maple Leaf Town, outskirts.


    The buildings here had not suffered much from explosions, most were still intact, though the walls were overgrown with moss, which at first glance, gave a sense of historical depth.


    Demons beasts occasionally burst out from the streetside buildings.


    The cracking of gunfire echoed incessantly.


    Some demonized beasts also leaped towards the front of the troop and were slain by the Awakeners and some mercenaries in the military.


    There were more people than beasts, and mercenaries competed fiercely out of a hungry thirst for battle.


    Occasionally, some combatants were injured or killed by the attacks of demonized beasts, which was expected. The formation moved forward slowly, gradually heading towards the Abyssal Rift.


    ...


    Maple Leaf Town.


    Atop a building.


    Tang Yu held a telescope and observed in silence.


    He was not looking at the battle situation, but rather, searching for someone.


    The official Lindong team, led by the Military in the center, other senior teams placed on both wings.


    Tang Yu was looking for Lin Wei''s team.


    "Found them!"


    According to information provided by Grey Blade, Tang Yu discovered the team that met the criteria.


    This team, composed mostly of infantry, was actually quite formidable. They were essentially all Awakeners, who could easily push aside any obstructive abandoned vehicles, and even when encountering powerful demonized beasts, they would be easily slain through their coordinated efforts.


    After some thought, Tang Yu took out an item that resembled a mirror from his Space Backpack.


    [Detection Lens: Can remotely survey an area, gauge enemy strength, and mark enemies, with marks lasting one week]


    This was one of the items Tang Yu had gathered after several refreshes of the market.


    This sort of consumable item was most suitable for him now.


    It had a great effect and was cheap... ah, the latter point is key.


    Besides reconnaissance, such an item also served a marking function.


    Tang Yu figured that after dealing with the Abyssal Rift this time, Lin Wei would likely find a Territory.


    He would probably come knocking directly.


    However, if all this were under surveillance, then that would be rather amusing.


    "Eileen, your Perception ability is the highest. You do it."


    Eileen nodded, taking the lens.


    Her pupils turned a pure ice blue, her wide Mage robe billowed without wind, and her hood fell, revealing her cascading sky-blue hair.


    In her hands, the lens glowed faintly.


    Tang Yu stood to the side, looking in the same direction, and happened to catch a glimpse of the delicate collarbone below Eileen''s neck and the... detection lens held in her hands.


    Slowly, an image emerged on the lens.


    As if from a bird''s-eye view, the camera zoomed in from afar, with Lin Wei''s team clearly displayed in the lens.


    Although the team didn''t possess heavy weaponry like tanks or artillery like the Military, it had plenty of secondary equipment, such as armored vehicles and heavy machine guns.


    More so were the well-equipped Awakeners, each with energy reactions already visible in the lens.


    Nothing was concealed.


    The view finally settled on a middle-aged man.


    Tang Yu was certain that this was Lin Wei himself.


    At this moment, Lin Wei was not inside an armored vehicle but was walking slowly, surrounded by several guards, as if taking a stroll.


    The energy reactions of these guards were displayed under the lens, and indeed they were very high.


    As for Lin Wei himself...


    That guy, he was playing his cards close to his chest.


    During the observation,


    the team advanced slowly, not because of the hindrance from demonized beasts but because Lin Wei was intentionally maintaining a slow pace.


    Tang Yu could see Lin Wei''s ulterior motives.


    But for him, that was not important, as long as he could ensure that Lin Wei''s main forces were under control, that would be enough.


    It''s a pity that they didn''t have long-range offensive capabilities; otherwise, a sneaky attack would have been quite spectacular.


    A direct confrontation was certainly not an option.


    No matter how confident Tang Yu was, he would not delude himself into thinking that the three of them could charge into Lin Wei''s team.


    It''s better to be a quiet observer.

 Chapter 72 - 72: Are You Dead?

    Chen Yi killed the Demonized Beast with a single slash of his Combat Saber, then ordered someone to crack open the beast''s skull, revealing a Source Crystal before their eyes.


    He couldn''t help but show a gleam of joy in his eyes.


    "The third one, haha!"


    "Captain, here." The young man handed the Source Crystal to Chen Yi, then asked a bit shyly, "Well, Captain, about this¡­"


    Chen Yi laughed heartily, "Keep up the good work, I''ll hold onto these Source Crystals for now, and we''ll distribute them when we get back to the Sanctuary. Don''t worry, there are plenty of Demonized Beasts, we''ll get lots more Source Crystals."


    His mood was very pleasant, which made him generously open-handed.


    As far as he was concerned, this mission was like an easy extra-credit question.


    They had encountered many Demonized Beasts, but many, after being bombarded by artillery fire, arrived before them barely clinging to life.


    These Demonized Beasts could be slain without them barely lifting a finger.


    Consequently, the spoils of war naturally belonged to them.


    Chen Yi was excited, considering his first mission an encounter of destiny, truly fitting of the protagonist.


    He had always believed that he was the main character.


    His parents were gone, and he had a sister and a house.


    Even though his sister weighed 180 pounds.


    Even though the house was just a cramped space of a dozen or so square meters, nothing could stop the fact that he was the main character.


    Three days ago, he was merely a low-level survivor. Though his living conditions were better than a relief shelter, his lack of strength and savvy meant he was always outcompeted for work.


    Full of hope, Chen Yi stepped out of the Sanctuary to become a Scavenger.


    Of course, that wasn''t how he saw it.


    He went out in search of opportunity.


    And indeed he found it.


    That day, as he wandered aimlessly and got lost, going further and further, he happened upon two terrifying monsters in combat.


    He didn''t know much about Demonized Beasts, but he did know that it was rare for them to fight each other.


    This was a battle between a Demonized Beast and a Mutant Beast.


    Both monsters were terrifyingly powerful, capable of easily flipping vehicles and their trampling could crack the very ground.


    The two monsters were evenly matched, and in the end, both were badly wounded and on their last breath.


    Chen Yi was astonished; scenarios he had only dreamed about in novels were unfolding before his very eyes.


    Perhaps too excited, in an instant, he Awakened. He, whom the Awakening Headband had no effect on, had Awakened at that very moment.


    He became a glorious Awakener.


    After his Awakening, Chen Yi grew even bolder.


    After several cautious approaches, confirming that both monsters were truly on their last legs, he bravely stepped forward and killed them both.


    These two beasts provided him with vast soul power; just by refining this soul power, he had achieved the strength of a First Layer Peak Awakener.


    He had bypassed the Basic Period''s struggles in one fell swoop.


    Chen Yi even harvested materials from the two beasts, especially from the Mutant Beast, which proved even more valuable than that of the Demonized Beast.


    With this, he earned a considerable amount of Source Crystals and even managed to equip himself with new gear.


    Tough and elastic hides, a Standard Battle Saber commonly used by the Military.


    His combat strength skyrocketed, and in the following two days, he went out to hunt Demonized Beasts, smoothly advancing to Second-tier Awakening.


    In Lindong, he could already be considered somewhat of an expert.


    Chen Yi was even more proud at heart, such a rapid advancement rate was unmatched by many in Lindong.


    Before long, he had formed his own Mercenary Corps, taking in underlings...


    "In the future, I will surely become the number one expert in Lindong."


    Chen Yi had no doubts and suddenly saw a light again, noticing another Demonized Beast appearing not far off.


    With a broken leg, its breath was weak.


    He shouted, "Step aside, I''ll do it!"


    Brandishing his saber, he was ready to strike down this Demonized Beast.


    Suddenly, the ground shook.


    Chen Yi felt a little unsteady.


    In front of him, several dilapidated buildings collapsed with a thunderous crash.


    He widened his eyes in horror as he looked into the distance.


    There,


    the ground turned to sand, sinking layer by layer as if a vortex made of earth and sand was forming.


    In the center of the vortex, two red tendril-like appendages drilled out.


    These tendrils were enormous, appearing like whips reaching for the sky, their sweep fractured the ground into gullies, and the rising dust towered four to five stories high.


    "What on earth is that?!"


    Countless people panicked.


    They saw that, following the two tendrils, a massive body also emerged from the vortex.


    This body was larger than an entire building, like the most terrifying Demon God, coldly looking down upon them.


    In its presence, humans seemed no more significant than ants.


    So minuscule.


    "Captain¡­ What kind of monster is this, is it also a Demonized Beast?"


    The members'' teeth were chattering.


    Chen Yi was panicked, but to maintain his image as a towering team leader, he forcefully tensed his face, retaining a relatively calm demeanor.


    "What''s there to be afraid of, and besides, there''s the military; yes, the military is here, this monster will be bombed to smithereens in minutes!"


    As if to prove his words true,


    several armed helicopters flew in from afar.


    On both sides of the aircraft, the anti-tank missiles, whooshing as they were launched,


    struck the colossal Demonized Beast with white smoke trails directly hitting it.


    Flashes of fire sparkled.


    "Yes! It hit!"


    "That must have killed it!"


    Some cheered.


    Some were anxious.


    All fixed their eyes on that distant, colossal Demonized Beast.


    "Roar!!!"


    Dust and smoke...


    No, before the smoke even cleared, two red fleshy tentacles swept out from within it,


    like swatting at flies.


    Bang bang! Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the sky,


    two helicopters exploded into balls of fire, leaving nothing but scattered fragments falling from the air.


    The remaining helicopters, seeing the bad turn of events, hastily ascended to gain altitude, attempting to retreat.


    But how could their speed compare with those incredibly agile fleshly tentacles?


    In mid-air, the red whips danced.


    Explosions of fire bloomed.


    Reflecting the panicked expressions of everyone.


    In Maple Leaf Town, a makeshift command center had been set up.


    Lu Jianjun''s face looked terrible.


    Having already conducted reconnaissance, he had not expected a Demonized Beast to be hiding beneath the sand, let alone one of such immense size.


    If this Demonized Beast managed to break through their lines, the losses would be immeasurable.


    "Have the results come out yet? What is the energy level?" he asked.


    Beside him,


    a middle-aged man operating the equipment, drenched in sweat, stammered, "Extremely, extremely high."


    "How high?"


    "Un-, unmeasurable; it''s far beyond the limits of our detection."


    This device, developed by the Science Academy, was used to detect the energy levels of powerful Demonized Beasts.


    Now, it was of no use.


    Lu Jianjun knew they were facing the worst-case scenario.


    "Contact the base and deploy the remaining missiles," he ordered.


    "Yes!"


    The Contact Person immediately took the command.


    A moment later, several dark spots rose into the sky from Lindong Sanctuary, traveling swiftly.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!!!


    The entire view was filled with piercingly bright light.


    All that could be heard were the deafening explosions.


    Compared to before, many Awakeners standing at the edge of Lindong, watching from afar, were shocked.


    Now, situated within Maple Leaf Town and closer to the blast, they felt the power of these explosions all the more personally.


    Powerful!


    Terrifying!


    If they had been any closer, they would likely have been impacted as well.


    And that Demonized Beast, taking a direct hit, no matter how strong, was surely doomed!


    Chen Yi laughed heartily, seemingly venting the horror from within, "You see, I said with the military here, there''s nothing to fear. Today we just need to pick up the leftovers, and we can earn enough points to not only move up to an elite squad but perhaps even a top-ranking one."


    "Leader Yi¡ª"


    The team members let out cheers, only to abruptly stop.


    One by one, they gawked in horror, looking past their team leader.


    Chen Yi''s back was drenched in cold sweat as he stiffly turned around, only to see...


    Off in the distance, amidst the dust and smoke,


    the colossal Demonized Beast, even though its carapace was pocked and scorched black in numerous places and many thick, viscous fluids oozed from its body,


    looked miserable.


    However, this Demonized Beast...


    was! still! alive!

 Chapter 73 - 73: One Shot

    Shocked, panicked.


    Originally, this battle had been going smoothly. Most of the Demonized Beasts had perished in the artillery fire, and Awakeners only needed to cooperate with the military to exterminate the remaining beasts.


    Perhaps shouting "666" a few more times.


    It wasn''t supposed to be difficult.


    That''s what everyone thought.


    Until the appearance of that gigantic Demonized Beast, they still hadn''t despaired. With the crystallization of human technology, there were tanks, cannons, and missiles. How could it be impossible to deal with a single Demonized Beast?


    Yet reality proved utterly powerless.


    Their emotions fluctuated dramatically, from full of hope to current despair.


    Chen Yi''s squad was comparatively forward in the lineup. Originally, he was thrilled by the opportunity to pick off more Demonized Beasts, but now, he wished he could quickly run back to Lindong.


    Standing here gave him no sense of security at all.


    It felt like he could be crushed into powder by the red flesh-whip at any moment.


    "What tier is this Demonized Beast exactly?" A team member couldn''t help but mutter to himself.


    "Don''t know, but it probably far exceeds our expectations. Who knows how many tiers there are in the Awakening Tier?" someone else added.


    They were unclear about the tier division of the Awakening Tier.


    However, in their perception, the aura of the gigantic Demonized Beast was terrifyingly immense.


    It felt like massive waves surging, while humans were like standing on rocks facing a colossal wave, utterly insignificant.


    Even though they were several kilometers away, that overwhelming sense of oppression still made it hard for them to breathe.


    Their bodies trembled, and a strange scent drifted from various places.


    Even running away became a luxury.


    ¡­


    Command Center.


    Everyone was dumbstruck.


    After taking damage, the gigantic Demonized Beast became even more ferocious, roaring as it stepped forward.


    Its movements seemed slow, but with the beast''s size, each step covered dozens of meters.


    Unstoppable.


    As the gigantic Demonized Beast drew nearer, someone snapped to, "Quick, escort the leader to safety!"


    Lu Jianjun slammed the table, "What joke is this? In the face of danger, if we leave, what happens to the Sanctuary, and what about the hundreds of thousands of survivors?"


    His subordinate pleaded, "Leader! The second artillery battalion is ready to fight to the death, but you are the linchpin of the Sanctuary; you can''t afford to take risks!"


    "What nonsense are you speaking! Do you want me to become a deserter?"


    The gigantic Demonized Beast drew closer step by step.


    From inside this temporary command post, they could already feel the tremblings of the ground.


    Lu Jianjun looked into the distance.


    It wasn''t just the gigantic Demonized Beast; emerging continuously from that sandy vortex were other Demonized Beasts.


    They had originally hidden underground, having evaded the bombing by missiles. Now, they were all emerging.


    Lu Jianjun couldn''t help but ask himself, do Demonized Beasts have intelligence?


    If not, how else could one explain this deliberate, conscious behavior of hiding.


    He shook his head, pushing the thought aside.


    At this moment, the situation had become severely dire. The Sanctuary, which had had the upper hand, was now in imminent danger!


    Inside the command center, many looked tense and worried, but no one chose to flee.


    Perhaps out of fear, they were still standing their ground.


    This was their duty and responsibility as soldiers.


    Lu Jianjun swept his gaze across, took a deep breath, "It''s not time to give up yet, whether for ourselves or for the hundreds of thousands of survivors behind us. We can''t give up. Have the analysis team quickly find this giant beetle''s weak point, and also, get the special combat team moving, prepare to use the experimental Model 1 Energy-gathering Cannon."


    ¡­


    Rooftop.


    Tang Yu watched the gigantic Demonized Beast unleash its power, silently speechless.


    The strength beyond the Awakening Tier was unexpected.


    Originally, he had thought this Demonized Beast would be powerful, but he hadn''t expected it to block even missiles.


    Even though the gigantic Demonized Beast seemed seriously injured, in his Perception, the opponent''s aura hadn''t weakened much.


    Was Lindong Sanctuary done for?


    Tang Yu wasn''t sure.


    Against such a powerful enemy, he felt helpless too. If this Demonized Beast attacked his Territory, he would probably have to abandon his home and leave.


    If his Territory was elevated one more level, creating higher-level defense buildings, perhaps he could qualify to face this kind of Demonized Beast.


    He felt a sense of urgency.


    It was still poverty that limited his power.


    After returning this time, he needed to quickly open up the market in Lindong to earn enough Source Crystals.


    Additionally, if he could upgrade his Territory by one more level, he might try using the defense buildings to eliminate the Demonized Beasts near the Source Crystal Mine.


    That could be another way to make money.


    He thought.


    He saw a team of Military Awakeners pushing forward.


    The tank''s main cannon thundered; many high-level Awakeners in the military fought fiercely, clearing a path.


    In the center of the team, there was a flatbed truck welded with a bulky device.


    This was a piece of black tech weaponry still under experimentation, cobbled together by the Science Academy¡ªthe Energy-gathering Cannon.


    Tang Yu had discussed it with Dean Sun before.


    Simply put, it involved extracting energy from the Source Crystals and then firing it after condensing and concentrating it.


    The kill zone might not be extensive, but the penetration power was sufficient. This had also become a research direction for the science academy after the apocalypse.


    Pre-apocalypse firearms, originally designed for use against humanity, were inadequate against Demonized Beasts, which had increasingly stronger defenses. Missiles were designed for precise long-range strikes, but now, even precision strikes had become challenging, let alone having insufficient power.


    When they reached a certain distance, several operators began to manage the device.


    Energy was extracted from the Source Crystals one by one, lighting up the scale indicator on the Energy-gathering Cannon.


    "Energy charged at 10%..."


    "Energy charged at 20%..."


    The super-sized Demonized Beast seemed to perceive the threat and turned its direction toward them.


    At the same time, more Demonized Beasts surged, crashing against this Military team.


    Indeed, these Demonized Beasts were controlled!


    The battle was fierce, with lives lost constantly. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The super-sized Demonized Beast was getting closer.


    From a distance, artillery boomed, blasts illuminating on the Beast''s shell, but it did nothing to stop its advance.


    "How much energy is charged?"


    "Fifty percent."


    "Quicker!"


    "This is already the limit; any faster and the entire Energy-gathering Cannon would burst."


    At that moment, on the ground near the super-sized Demonized Beast, countless pebbles rose, condensing into huge rocks, crashing down towards the Energy-gathering Cannon like cannonballs.


    The special ops team captain roared, sprouting wings from his back, flying up into the sky.


    His wings, sharp as knives, sliced the huge rocks in half, crashing them down around him.


    Other Awakeners and ability users also displayed their Divine Skills, intercepting these flying rocks.


    Several armed helicopters flew in, their mounted missiles targeting and boomingly shattering the rocks.


    "Energy charged at 80%..."


    "Energy charged at 90%..."


    Clack, clack, the entire Energy-gathering Cannon emitted a creaking sound of being overwhelmed.


    At that moment,


    The super-sized Demonized Beast drew even closer, a red fleshy limb raising high, ready to smash down viciously.


    The special ops team captain took a deep breath, flying up alone, his wings slashing against that limb.


    The next moment, the limb trembled, and the captain, like a human cannonball, was thrown back, smashing into the ground and creating a crater, his life or death unknown.


    Another fleshy limb also rose, ready to sweep down.


    A helicopter, out of missiles, piloted by someone with a resolute look, rammed directly into the limb.


    Boom!


    The limb crashed down, deflected slightly by the helicopter''s impact, landing not far from the Energy-gathering Cannon.


    The ground was crushed into a trench, dust obscuring the figures of the entire team.


    However, neither the Awakeners nor the operators showed fear, and none fled.


    There was only one chance.


    No one wanted to fail at the last moment; they could not afford to fail!


    In the distance, on the rooftop,


    Tang Yu took a deep breath.


    "Let''s go, let''s also fight the Demonized Beasts."


    He felt he had to do something, even if he couldn''t help much.


    He still had to do something.


    Simply because,


    The blood had not yet cooled.


    In that moment, some capable and spirited Awakeners too intercepted the Demonized Beasts, significantly reducing the pressure on the Military special ops team, freeing up more hands to harass the super-sized Demonized Beast and buy that little bit of time.


    The casualties of the special ops Awakeners grew, and the Energy-gathering Cannon finally completed charging.


    A thick beam of light shot out, blindingly bright as if it were a star shining.


    At the same time, accompanied by the painful roars of the super-sized Demonized Beast.


    The light dissipated.


    Tang Yu saw that the Beast, from its lower jaw to its back, had a gaping hole penetrating it completely.


    The terrifying aura quickly dispersed.


    Tang Yu also let out a sigh of relief.


    Only to see, after firing its only shot, the hastily assembled Energy-gathering Cannon began to emit black smoke, apparently scrapped.


    Just one shot.


    Therefore, this was only an experimental model and was far from stable.


    Moreover, Tang Yu also saw the shortcomings of this type of Energy-gathering Cannon.


    High consumption, short range were minor issues, but most importantly, the charging time for the Energy-gathering Cannon was too long, and the fixed way of firing meant it only had a chance of hitting such super-sized Demonized Beasts.


    Against the more agile and small ones, even if only at the Body-shaping Realm, it would be difficult to hit.


    The biggest problem was solved,


    Yet the danger persisted, the remaining Demonized Beasts still plentiful.


    At the Lindong Sanctuary Alliance Army''s side, most of the mercenaries had been scared by the super-sized Demonized Beast into losing their senses, and now, with no more terrifying aura to suppress them, many turned and fled.


    They no longer cared about the mission.

 Chapter 74 - 74: Unkillable? Doesnt Exist

    Ratatat¡ª


    Gunfire echoed chaotically.


    This time, it seemed even more disorderly.


    A small squad with a mounted machine gun had killed a few Demonized Beasts when suddenly, a window shattered on the second layer, and a mantis-shaped Demonized Beast burst through, slaughtering its way out.


    The razor-sharp limbs flashed like knives, instantly dismembering the squad members, and the heavy machine gun was sliced into pieces.


    Elsewhere,


    A tank fired its main cannon, obliterating a powerful Demonized Beast, when in the next moment, a large lizard spewed fire from its mouth, engulfing the entire tank.


    The high temperature turned the tank''s armor cherry red; after the large lizard had spat fire for a while, it turned and left.


    Although the tank appeared intact on the outside, clearly, the people inside were no longer alive.


    Scenes like this unfolded in many places.


    Pfft!


    Tang Yu pulled his longsword out of the body of a Demonized Beast and looked at the blade coated in thick blood, he flicked his wrist slightly, and the sword trembled, splattering the blood away.


    In an instant, the blade was clean, as if it had never been stained with blood.


    This must be what they mean by "killing without seeing blood"... uh, slaughtering beasts without seeing blood, that is.


    But something felt off.


    Noisy sounds came from ahead.


    More Demonized Beasts?


    Tang Yu gripped his sword and concentrated on the street ahead, ready to score another double kill.


    He saw about a dozen Awakeners running frantically. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Among them, one looked familiar¡ªit was that team captain surnamed Zhou!


    To run into him again was quite fateful.


    Zhou Jianhong shouted, "Run, run! There''s a Demonized Beast behind us that''s invincible with Mana!"


    Invincible?


    Tang Yu was puzzled.


    Zhou Jianhong was not weak. Tang Yu even perceived that among the fleeing Awakeners, some had even stronger abilities. Their desperate escape must mean that the pursuing Demonized Beast was exceptionally powerful.


    But if it was such a strong Demonized Beast, these people wouldn''t necessarily be able to escape, right?


    Soon,


    The pursuing Demonized Beast came into view.


    It was several clusters of grayish-black, half-transparent... unknown objects?


    Tang Yu had never seen such strange Demonized Beasts before. They had no definite shape, walked as if floating lightly, or rather, seemed to be actually floating.


    However, the aura of these Demonized Beasts was mostly in the Second and Third Layer, not too strong.


    Just as these Demonized Beasts appeared, several clusters of grayish-black Ghostly Souls also floated into view from the other side of the street.


    Zhou Jianhong and the others'' faces changed.


    "Damn it, why are there such Demonized Beasts over there too!"


    "We''re done for."


    "Quick, let''s get away from that side, there''s still hope."


    The Ghostly Souls that appeared from the other side were the closest to Tang Yu and the others, and they quickly floated over.


    Tang Yu raised his sword, ready to confront them.


    Zhou Jianhong looked urgent, "Young man, run! These Demonized Beasts can''t be killed!"


    Beside him, a man with a hooked nose snorted disdainfully, "Overestimating his abilities."


    A Ghostly Soul floated towards them.


    Tang Yu flicked his wrist, and his longsword swung down from above, slicing the cluster of Ghostly Soul in two.


    He felt no resistance...


    Tang Yu concentrated, and where his longsword had sliced through the Ghostly Soul, faint ripples appeared.


    Like the sword had skimmed the surface of a lake, creating ripples.


    But it was unable to cause any harm to the water.


    This was a Demonized Beast without a physical body!


    Tang Yu''s attack was futile, but the Ghostly Soul did not stop because of it. Its entire form stretched out, and the once unidentifiable object now formed the shape of a hand.


    It reached out towards Tang Yu from thin air.


    Such an attack was sudden and hard to guard against.


    Zhou Jianhong shouted, "Be careful!"


    Next to him, an Awakener shook their head with a sigh, "It''s over, it''s over. The attack method of the Ghostly Soul is bizarre. At this close range, there''s no escaping."


    The man with the hawk nose turned his gaze away. "If that were just an ordinary Second and Third Layer Demonized Beast, we would have slain it already. Sadly, when facing this kind of incorporeal Demonized Beast, even a Divine weapon proves useless."


    In his hand, he held the Demon-slaying Longsword, an envy of numerous Awakeners during this time.


    However, Chen Sheng, faced with this Demonized Beast of not particularly strong strength, was still helpless.


    Cold weapons were useless, firearms were useless, all they could do as several squads was to flee in defeat.


    Meanwhile,


    Tang Yu wasn''t completely unprepared. Seeing a group of Awakeners with not weak strength also fleeing in disarray, he knew this kind of Demonized Beast should not be judged merely by its apparent strength.


    His body twisted to dodge the Ghostly Soul''s attack.


    He stepped back, holding his sword with both hands, concentrating with bated breath.


    He raised his longsword and brought it down fiercely.


    Heavy Slash!


    Vitality circulated throughout his body, pooling into his hands before spreading along his weapon.


    Boom!


    The strike was forceful and heavy.


    It smashed against the Ghostly Soul and then onto the ground.


    Debris flew everywhere.


    Among the Awakeners, even the strongest Chen Sheng was taken aback.


    He had thought Tang Yu and the others were just weak Awakeners, but unexpectedly, they had unleashed such tremendous strength.


    "With such power, it could kill any ordinary Third Layer Awakener''s Demonized Beast in one hit. What a pity..." He felt a bit regretful that a powerful expert like Tang Yu might die here and advised, "You better run quickly before those Ghostly Souls complete their encirclement, otherwise, you''re really going to die here."


    Tang Yu sighed as well.


    Looking at the Ghostly Soul in front of him, whose color had faded significantly.


    The Heavy Slash was effective. The blow, fueled by the vital energy of his whole body, successfully damaged the Ghostly Soul.


    However, being made of energy, the Ghostly Soul still immunized itself against most of the damage from the Heavy Slash. Tang Yu estimated that it would take two to three Heavy Slashes to kill such a Ghostly Soul.


    Impossible!


    This had to be draining him!


    Nevertheless,


    Tang Yu floated back.


    The other Awakeners thought Tang Yu had finally decided to retreat. They didn''t laugh at him; in fact, they too had tried various methods, and some of the weaker ones had even lost their lives.


    Eileen, it''s up to you now," said Tang Yu.


    Zhou Jianhong and other Awakeners were stupefied again.


    Why not just flee together? There was no need to confront these Ghostly Souls. Even with significant strength, it wasn''t something to be taken lightly; a small mistake could result in death.


    Chen Sheng snorted coldly, "Still overestimating their capabilities."


    They no longer paid attention, ready to escape through the gap in the Ghostly Souls'' encirclement.


    They then saw the girl in the black robe, who responded with a nod.


    Eileen grasped her Magic Wand, and instantly, one Ice Crystal after another condensed in front of her.


    With her growing strength, she could now condense more Ice Crystals at once, and each contained considerably more energy than before.


    The Ice Crystals shot out.


    Each targeted a Ghostly Soul.


    The Awakeners were stunned, witnessing an ability user who was also of the Elemental Series.


    "Maybe there''s hope!" someone excited.


    "We still have to see the strength of this ability user," said the rational ones.


    "No, if it were fire damage, perhaps it could kill these Ghostly Souls. But forming Ice Crystals is essentially still physical damage, it''s useless," Chen Sheng was not optimistic.


    The Ice Crystals penetrated the Ghostly Souls, sending ripples cascading outwards.


    In the disappointed eyes of the Awakeners,


    There was a crack, and the Ice Crystals shattered.


    In the field of vision, a dazzling blue light blossomed.

 Chapter 75 - 75: Feeling Like Missing Out on a Hundred Million

    "Captain Chen is right," the Awakener said, suddenly opening his mouth wide.


    That flash of blue light burst forth, and layers of ice crystals formed.


    The Ghostly Soul tried to struggle but was soon covered by the ice, turning into a sculpture of ice.


    With a clank.


    The floating Ghostly Soul ice sculpture fell to the ground, rolling twice before coming to a complete stop.


    Eileen stretched out her hand, fingers closing together, clenching into a fist.


    Then, with a snap, the ice sculpture shattered into pieces on the ground.


    "Move it, move it, what are you waiting for?"


    Another Awakener saw his companion suddenly stop and looked puzzled.


    Look, his companion pointed.


    The man looked and saw some ice crystal fragments on the ground.


    It''s just ice crystal fragments, what is so strang... He suddenly froze; that area was where there were many Ghostly Souls before, but now, there were only ice crystal fragments.


    "Where is the Ghostly Soul?" he asked dumbly.


    "Of course it''s dead, body utterly destroyed."


    Chen Sheng was also shocked.


    As a Captain Level Expert, he saw more clearly than the average Awakener.


    Why was he so sure initially that Ice series ability users, too, have no way against the Ghostly Souls... Indeed, Ice Crystals piercing through was almost as ineffective as bullets, and he didn''t expect that these Ice Crystals could also explode.


    One might say he didn''t dare to think so.


    There were quite a few ability users in Lindong, and after exchanging with some of them, Chen Sheng understood that once abilities left the body, they were very hard to control.


    There were ability users who wondered, for abilities like Fireball, if after casting it, they could control the direction of the Fireball, wouldn''t that greatly increase the hit rate?


    But when they researched it, they found that control was extremely difficult. Even when the ability had not yet left the body, controlling it was like riding an unbridled wild horse, not to mention after it had separated.


    Perhaps ice powers are a bit more stable than fire, and controlling Ice Crystals to explode wasn''t impossible.


    But what shocked him more,


    was that he clearly saw, after freezing the Ghostly Soul into an ice sculpture, it could still be controlled to shatter... The energy had already been released by that time, yet it still retained a primer for control.


    The more Chen Sheng understood, the clearer he saw the difficulty in this.


    It was only theoretical, but today, he witnessed a possibility.


    ...


    After the Ghostly Soul died, its entire form dissipated, leaving behind a Source Crystal and another type of unknown crystal drop.


    It was a bit like looting treasures from slain monsters, with the Source Crystal having a certain drop rate, but this unknown crystal was a sure drop from every Ghostly Soul.


    Based on many years of gaming experience, Tang Yu speculated that this must be some kind of material.


    And probably quite precious at that.


    Originally, the goal of coming to Lindong Sanctuary had been nearly achieved, and he had planned to return, but after discovering these crystals, he couldn''t help but farm the monsters for a while longer.


    In addition to these Ghostly Souls, there were quite a few Demonized Beasts that would drop some important materials, but unfortunately, they were often unidentifiable.


    That was maddening.


    It felt like missing out on a fortune.


    After returning, he felt he needed to collect more information in this area.


    For instance, post-apocalypse new species of plants, new types of ores, all sorts of special materials, etc., perhaps he could compile an encyclopedia.


    When the time came...


    He could sell the encyclopedia to the Awakeners, provide them with opportunities to gather materials, and then, as the Awakeners made money, they would spend it in the Territory, forming a cycle...


    Tang Yu felt he was too genius.


    Wealth rolling in.


    As time passed, the human defense lines gradually stabilized.


    Due to the appearance of exceptionally large Demonized Beasts, and many hidden beneath them, human losses were much greater than anticipated.


    After the daunting presence of the ultra-large Demonized Beasts dissipated, many Awakeners fled like mad, but the soldiers still held their ground firmly, maintaining this fragile line of defense.


    There were also powerful Awakeners who rose to fight with the Demonized Beasts.


    Teams like Zhou Jianhong and Chen Sheng, after dealing with the threat of the Ghostly Souls, no longer retreated, but instead, they demonstrated their fighting prowess, slaying many attacking Demonized Beasts.


    Tang Yu also did not leave, partly killing Demonized Beasts to earn some Source Crystals, and partly, contributing in his own way.


    Under circumstances within his power, he did not mind lending a hand to others, including the interception of Demonized Beasts and the slaying of Ghostly Souls.


    Of course, only when it was within his power, without threatening his own interests, and only when he was willing...


    Just like before the apocalypse, Tang Yu wouldn''t dare to help an old person who had fallen on the street because doing so was beyond his capability; he had no ability to protect himself from being extorted in such situations.


    It was why he wanted to possess power¡ªto be free, to do as he pleased. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To kill.


    Or to save.


    To follow his heart.


    ...


    Due to the fact that the Awakeners in the team were all strong, the position where Tang Yu stood saw the front line gradually advancing.


    Soon, other teams of Awakeners joined in as well.


    There was comfort and ease in numbers when dealing with Demonized Beasts.


    Especially for some less powerful Awakeners who breathed a sigh of relief.


    Chen Yi arrived among the team, panting heavily.


    Fear that he could not shake lingered on his face.


    Only he himself was left of his mercenary team.


    Originally, they had moved to the front of the line to gather more Source Crystals but didn''t expect it to become a death warrant.


    "Thank goodness, I survived. It should be safe now, but the losses are too great!"


    Chen Yi cursed inwardly.


    It was all going so well; how could it suddenly turn out like this!


    Hadn''t the Military sworn by their oaths to encircle and suppress the Demon Nest? Yet, they ended up being defeated by the Demonized Beasts!


    Especially because he fled in such a panic, the spoils of war, including Source Crystals and some rare materials, were lost somewhere.


    This was the most miserable he had felt since he started his career.


    He was supposed to be the protagonist!


    Suddenly,


    his gaze sharpened.


    He focused on a Longsword.


    "Demon-slaying Longsword," he murmured to himself.


    If he could get his hands on a Demon-slaying Longsword, his strength would surely increase tremendously, perhaps enough to break through to the third layer of Awakening and enter the ranks of the experts.


    Chen Yi''s eyes burned with zeal.


    However, reason told him that whoever possessed a Demon-slaying Longsword was invariably a Captain Level figure.


    He couldn''t afford to provoke them.


    Wait...


    Observing carefully, he noticed that among the present Awakeners, two wielded Demon-slaying Longswords. One was the famous Mercenary Captain in the Lindong Sanctuary, Chen Sheng, whom he recognized; but the other was just an ordinary-looking, somewhat handsome man.


    No, not an ordinary man.


    Chen Yi had seen him kill Demonized Beasts, but his strength did not seem that formidable.


    Definitely not a Captain Level figure; he would recognize the leaders of those top squads.


    But if he was not, then how did he come to possess a Demon-slaying Longsword?


    Chen Yi thought of a possibility.


    It could be the seller of the Demon-slaying Longsword, the mysterious figure wanted by the Scarlet Hand.


    In an instant.


    His heart couldn''t help but race with thuds.


    He remembered this morning, as a Mercenary Captain who had traded with the Scarlet Hand before, he received a message.


    The Scarlet Hand''s wanted order.


    Five hundred Source Crystals.


    "I''m about to strike it rich. Surely, those who survive great disasters are blessed..."


    Chen Yi stared at Tang Yu''s back.


    He pressed a button on a communicator in his chest.


    After thinking for a moment, he took out the only bottle of water he had left, unscrewed the cap, and poured some white powder into it.

 Chapter 76 - 76: Come on, Finish a Bottle

    Chen Yi came up to Tang Yu, his smile piling on. "Big brother, we''re so lucky to have powerhouses like you to deal with the Demonized Beasts. Otherwise, we would''ve been dead by now. I really don''t have much on me, just this bottle of water to offer. You must be thirsty after fighting so long¡ªI hope big brother won''t refuse. It''s just a small token of my appreciation."


    He reached out to pass the water bottle.


    The water in the bottle swayed, and he himself felt a bit thirsty.


    Chen Yi bowed his head, trying hard to remain calm.


    It was his first time doing something like this, and he was completely inexperienced, but he felt he had no other choice. For those five hundred Source Crystals, it was worth a shot!


    As for Tang Yu?


    If anyone was to blame, it was because they messed with the Scarlet Hand; they were bound to die sooner or later. So better to die by his hand.


    After these five hundred Source Crystals were contributed, he, Chen Yi, would remember it.


    While thinking this, the water bottle he offered was still not taken after a long time.


    Chen Yi was getting anxious. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A quick glance revealed Tang Yu looking at the bottle of water as if lost in thought, not knowing what he''s considering.


    Why hasn''t he taken it yet?


    Take it,


    Take it,


    Drink it already!


    Then,


    He saw Tang Yu pull out a bottle of iced tea and guzzle it down.


    Already drinking,


    Drinking very contentedly.


    But it wasn''t his bottle of water.


    Chen Yi was dumbfounded.


    Why would this man have a bottle of iced tea? He saw the condensation on the bottle¡ªthis was a chilled beverage!


    He was internally spitting blood.


    Drinking a bottle of frozen drink after intense exercise¡ªhe hadn''t experienced that taste in a long time!


    Now he felt even more thirsty, but what mattered more...


    Chen Yi looked at the bottle of water in his hand, not knowing what to do.


    He was completely bewildered.


    It wasn''t just Chen Yi.


    Other Awakeners, seeing the beverage in Tang Yu''s hand, also had eyes wide open.


    Some made the sound of swallowing saliva.


    Tang Yu, upon hearing this, brightened up.


    He immediately opened his backpack and took out another bottle of iced tea, "Look here, look here, hey, a frozen beverage, only one Source Crystal per bottle, you won''t be cheated if you buy it, you won''t regret it, and against Demonized Beasts, you''ll be able to fight longer and stronger."


    His voice echoed in the ears of the resting Awakeners around him.


    Chen Sheng looked at the bottle of iced tea, turned his head, and suddenly felt his mouth dry.


    He stood up, still with that stern expression, approached Tang Yu, hesitated, then spoke in a negotiating tone, "Can it be a little cheaper?"


    Tang Yu was taken aback.


    There really was business to be done.


    In that case...


    "Two bottles for three Source Crystals. Can''t go any cheaper than that."


    "Deal."


    Chen Sheng took out the Source Crystals, grabbed the two bottles, and left.


    As he walked, he seemed to realize something wasn''t right.


    Forget it...


    It wasn''t important.


    He twisted open the cap and gulped it down.


    In an instant, he felt utterly invigorated.


    The Source Crystals were well spent!


    After Chen Sheng, two other Awakeners painfully bought drinks from there.


    Of course, it was one Source Crystal per bottle.


    Only then did Chen Sheng realize the problem, and his face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.


    He didn''t confront Tang Yu though; one Source Crystal wasn''t something he lacked, and what mattered most was keeping face.


    He dearly missed his long-gone PE teacher.


    ...¡­


    Having earned a few more Source Crystals, Tang Yu was in a much better mood.


    He started to think whether he should open various convenience stores in the wild, after all, there were plenty of rich people in this world.


    Especially those like Chen Sheng, with both money and great math skills, would definitely be very popular customers.


    The kind of customers that could cheer up a shopkeeper.


    At this time,


    Tang Yu seemed to only just notice Chen Yi standing beside him.


    He picked up the half bottle of iced tea left, "Come on, you happen to have a bottle of water yourself, let''s drink water instead of liquor, that''s pretty good, come on, let''s down a bottle."


    Chen Yi forced a laugh, his hand holding the water bottle frozen mid-air, uncertain whether to go forward or retreat.


    "I know you''re thirsty too, come on, down a bottle, don''t be shy."


    Tang Yu looked at Chen Yi with a smile that was not quite a smile, his tone suddenly turning cold, "If you don''t finish this bottle, then you''re really not giving me face."


    Grey Blade stared coldly at him from behind, causing Chen Yi to break out in a cold sweat. "No, I¡ªI don''t want to waste this bottle..."


    "If you don''t drink, how will I know the effect of that white powder you added to the water?"


    "What white powder? I don''t understand what you''re talking about."


    Chen Yi grew more panicked.


    But Tang Yu didn''t waste any more time and signaled Grey Blade with his eyes.


    Grey Blade snatched the bottle of mineral water and tried to pour it into his mouth.


    Chen Yi struggled, his expression full of terror.


    This scene


    had already caught the attention of the surrounding Awakeners.


    At first, someone frowned, disliking Tang Yu''s conduct, but due to the strength of Tang Yu and the other two, they didn''t speak up.


    But now, seeing Chen Yi''s expression, these Awakeners also started to feel doubtful.


    Perhaps there really was something wrong with the water?


    Indeed,


    as the bottle''s mouth got closer, Chen Yi screamed, "No, no, don''t make me drink that!"


    This bastard actually did poison it?!


    The faces of the Awakeners around them changed.


    After finding out what had happened, they all grew indignant.


    They were fighting Demonized Beasts at the front, but to think someone was playing dirty tricks behind the scenes¡ªeven if they weren''t the target, it made them angry.


    What if one day, they were the ones to be covertly attacked?


    "State your purpose."


    Grey Blade sneered ominously.


    His right hand formed a claw, gripping Chen Yi''s shoulder; with just a little force, Chen Yi cried out in pain and could no longer keep his composure.


    "Ow ow ow, I¡ªI''ll tell you, it''s the Scarlet Hand''s wanted list."


    "Scarlet Hand''s wanted list? This is bad!" Zhou Jianhong''s complexion changed. "Young Brother Tang, if Scarlet Hand issued a wanted list, there could be many Mercenary Corps who become their eyes."


    He was somewhat worried.


    He had also roughly guessed the identity of Tang Yu and the other two but hadn''t expected Scarlet Hand to go to such lengths for revenge.


    Tang Yu, on the other hand, was unconcerned.


    Ever since he had killed people from the Scarlet Hand, he had been prepared for this.


    Back then, there had been no choice... after all, the Seventh Squad was too poor.


    Plus, he felt wronged by the situation. It was the Seventh Squad that had struck first, and they didn''t pay...


    As he contemplated,


    suddenly,


    Tang Yu''s hair stood on end, a sense of immense danger enveloping his heart.


    Without a second thought, he rolled on the spot.


    The head of Chen Yi, who was standing in a direct line with him, exploded.


    Blood and brain matter splattered everywhere.


    Some Awakeners stared in shock.


    Bang!


    The sound of a gunshot followed.


    People quickly realized, "It''s a sniper!"


    Tang Yu, too, felt a chill in his heart, realizing that if it weren''t for his many life-and-death experiences in the Spirit Space, he might have been the one hit.


    Even Eileen and Grey Blade would not have been able to rescue him in time.


    After all, that bullet had been targeted at him and the first to sense anything would naturally have been himself.


    Looking in the direction of the gunshot,


    at a distance,


    a figure stood on the rooftop of a building, behind what was clearly a sniper rifle.


    The barrel quivered.


    The bullet flew out.


    The sniper, failing to assassinate with stealth, attempted a forceful kill!


    Eileen was surrounded by a chill.


    In her eyes, calm as a lake, a rare anger arose, like waves surging on Mirror Lake.


    She held her Magic Wand, and an Ice Shield composed of hexagonal ice crystals instantly formed.


    Magic¡¤Ice Shield!


    This was one of the skills Eileen had recently mastered.


    The Ice Shield intercepted the path of the speeding bullet.


    Bang!


    The sniper rifle''s bullet contained immense kinetic energy; yet, the Ice Shield that seemed to be just cast from fragile ice only showed a small dent where the bullet struck.


    Breaking through the Ice Shield was still far from possible.


    At a distance,


    the sniper, peering through the scope, was almost popping his eyes out.


    How could a mere Ice Shield block a sniper rifle''s bullet?


    After all, even a steel plate could not withstand it.

 Chapter 77 - 77: To Chase or Not to Chase

    Rooftop of the building.


    The leader of the twelfth squad of the Scarlet Hand, Luo Qiu, stood with his hands behind his back, silently waiting for the outcome.


    This time he was lucky to have received the news of those three clueless Awakeners.


    The Seventh Squad had fallen at their hands. Even though the twelfth squad was weaker in overall strength, Luo Qiu wasn''t worried at all.


    "The members of the Seventh Squad were too stupid, not making good use of their resources, even opting for single combat, no wonder they ended up so miserably dead. I won''t foolishly collide head-on with those people. No matter how strong they are, they can''t withstand a sniper rifle bullet."


    Luo Qiu glanced.


    The sniper, Simon, was focusing and aiming.


    Soon, a gunshot rang out.


    Luo Qiu felt excited. If he could kill those three clueless survivors, his position in the eyes of the boss would surely rise, and the twelfth squad might replace the Seventh Squad, receiving more resources from the group.


    After the first gunshot.


    Quickly,


    Sniper Simon fired two more shots.


    Luo Qiu stood behind, counting the gunshots, "Is it over?"


    But Simon didn''t answer, only kept aiming, and soon fired another shot.


    At this moment, Luo Qiu sensed something was wrong.


    Three people, if hit, there shouldn''t have been a fourth shot.


    Or maybe one shot missed.


    He looked at Simon and saw sweat droplets sliding down Simon''s forehead.


    "Simon, what''s going on?" Luo Qiu frowned, "Don''t tell me you missed? Aren''t you known for not missing within two kilometers?"


    Simon''s tone was slightly trembling, "No, it was blocked."


    "Blocked? Are you joking? Can Awakeners block bullets from a sniper rifle? You must be kidding!"


    Luo Qiu frowned, walked to the edge of the rooftop, and picked up binoculars to observe below.


    He heard the gunshot, and then, it was blocked by a floating, ice-blue Shield.


    Really blocked?


    Luo Qiu muttered, suddenly, he saw a figure rapidly approaching from below, on the street.


    This was one of the three Awakeners, known for his use of daggers and rapid speed.


    With several leaps, he crossed over several scrapped vehicles obstructing the street, closing in fast.


    Luo Qiu shouted, "Forget about there, someone''s coming, hurry, deal with the one below first!"


    Simon adjusted the rifle.


    Bang!


    The bullet spun out, breaking through layers of air resistance.


    Luo Qiu watched the Awakener approaching rapidly from below.


    The Ice Shield ability user was still far away, this time, they could kill him, right?


    Soon he widened his eyes.


    The man was in the bullet''s trajectory just a second ago, but in the next, like a ghost, he suddenly appeared not far away.


    The bullet missed!


    Simon held his breath, aimed, fired.


    Missed!


    Fired!


    Missed!


    ...


    If it were just once, it might be the other party''s luck, but avoiding it time after time, even a fool could see something was off.


    By now, Grey Blade had reached the bottom of the building.


    He looked up, didn''t take the stairs, but stepped on the exterior walls and ran up as if defying gravity.


    It was clearly against gravity, yet he treaded as if on flat ground.


    Luo Qiu''s eyeballs almost popped out again.


    Awakeners can''t defy gravity like this, can they? Or is there a power called ''wall stepping''?


    Luo Qiu panicked.


    The graves of the Seventh Squad hadn''t even grown grass yet, and he was well aware of the consequences of being approached.


    "You''re known for never missing, calling yourself the ''Grim Reaper in white,'' and you haven''t hit even once, you¡ª"


    He cursed, picked up an automatic rifle, and sprayed bullets downward, "Die!!!"


    Facing the bullet barrage.


    Grey Blade remained unfazed.


    His wrists shook, twirling two daggers, amazingly blocking all the bullets.


    Swoosh!


    In his final leap, he landed firmly on the rooftop, his black cloak fluttering.


    Simon''s face showed shock. He set down the sniper rifle, took out a modified pistol, ready to fire.


    The next moment, a Flying Knife shot out, and he lay face up.


    Everything happened in a flash.


    Only then did the Awakeners of the Twelfth Squad realize.


    "Kill him!"


    Luo Qiu roared.


    The people of the Scarlet Hand were all ruthless and did not flinch.


    Or perhaps, they thought just one man was not formidable.


    They wielded knives and swords, attacking Grey Blade from all directions.


    However, Grey Blade''s figure was ghostly.


    With a flash, he appeared behind one of the Awakeners, dagger stabbing in swiftly.


    With another turn, the blade slashed across a throat, and a member of the Scarlet Hand unwillingly fell.


    Others were fearful.


    Others cursed angrily.


    Grey Blade''s face remained expressionless, and he did not speak, only harvesting each life with maximum efficiency.


    This was his customary method in killing.


    Before long,


    only one person was left in the entire Scarlet Hand''s Twelfth Squad.


    Captain Luo Qiu.


    Luo Qiu was completely terrified, lacking any confidence to confront further.


    He screamed and leapt off the rooftop.


    "Is this? Trying to commit suicide?"


    Grey Blade frowned¡ªat jumping from the high roof of more than ten stories, without a point to leverage, even he would not fare well.


    Especially since this man, only had a Third Layer Awakening.


    Grey Blade came to the edge of the rooftop and saw Luo Qiu, halfway through his fall, surrounded by bursts of lightning.


    The lightning swirled around him.


    His descent suddenly slowed, and then, propelled by some force, he rapidly flew forward.


    He turned out to be an ability user! S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    In the distance.


    On the street.


    Tang Yu sighed as he looked at Chen Yi''s body.


    "I was hoping to find out some things, but now it seems..."


    Standing by his side, Eileen, who held a Magic Wand cautiously, pointed into the distance, "My lord, look over there."


    Zhou Jianhong and the other Awakeners followed her gaze, "He''s trying to commit suicide by jumping off a building."


    Someone thought further and inhaled sharply.


    Undoubtedly, those on the rooftop were people from the Scarlet Hand.


    Which meant, within such a short time, a team of the Scarlet Hand was wiped out by that ordinary-looking youth? And even forced one of them to jump off the building in suicide?


    What kind of power was that?


    They looked at Tang Yu differently.


    No wonder he was so unconcerned; he actually had the confidence.


    However, the next moment.


    Everyone''s eyes widened, "This... an ability user? He escaped? And they can even do that?"


    Luo Qiu''s body was wrapped in lightning, and he sped away as if levitating.


    Grey Blade did not give up either, leaping down the building as well.


    The Awakeners gaped.


    Grey Blade in midair did not have any means to slow gravity, but he seemed to treat air as stepping stones, leaping repeatedly in the air.


    As if he were stepping on solid ground!


    Utterly astonishing!


    The two swiftly moved away and gradually disappeared from sight.


    Tang Yu pondered for a moment, then said, "Eileen, let''s follow them."


    The two sprinted at high speed.


    Zhou Jianhong and the other Awakeners felt despondent.


    They were just fighting Demonized Beasts, and now it suddenly turned into a life-and-death pursuit.


    "Should we follow?" someone asked.


    "That''s the Scarlet Hand; let''s forget it, in case there''s retaliation..." This one was fearful.


    "Bullshit! If it weren''t for Young Brother Tang, we''d still be chased by Ghostly Souls, and whether we could have survived is another question. Yet the Scarlet Hand dares to attack other mercenaries during a mission, which is a serious violation! No matter what, I want to follow and see!"


    Zhou Jianhong spoke with resolve. Suddenly, he saw Chen Sheng running towards the distance.


    Puzzled, he couldn''t help but shout, "Captain Chen, where are you going?"


    "Chasing."


    Chen Sheng uttered curtly.

 Chapter 78 - 78: More Than Others?

    At the forefront, Luo Qiu''s body was wrapped in lightning as he hovered and moved swiftly.


    Although he only possessed the strength of the third layer of awakening, his speed surpassed most of the super experts in Lindong.


    Behind him, Grey Blade had already hit the ground and was chasing closely behind, his figure flickering.


    This was the First Group.


    Tang Yu and Eileen, as the Second Group, were also in relentless pursuit.


    Initially, Tang Yu was not very fast, and as he saw Luo Qiu about to vanish from sight, he thought for a moment and activated a one-time use speed scroll.


    A mysterious force enveloped his body.


    In an instant, his entire body felt light and ethereal, as if floating in bliss.


    As he ran, his entire being felt much more joyful.


    This was the charm of having money.


    Crystal-Consuming Men could do anything.


    Behind.


    The Third Group.


    Zhou Jianhong, Chen Sheng, and the other awakeners also thought of catching up to see the situation.


    Maybe they could lend a hand, or at the very least, witness the outcome of the event.


    But suddenly, something didn''t feel right.


    "How come the distance is getting farther?"


    Zhou Jianhong shouted, running strenuously.


    Chen Sheng let out a cold snort.


    He exerted his strength and suddenly widened the gap from Zhou Jianhong.


    Just when he thought he was closing the distance,


    Ahead, Luo Qiu and Grey Blade had already disappeared from sight, and even Tang Yu and Eileen were increasing their lead, about to vanish as well.


    Chen Sheng''s face turned dark.


    ...¡­


    "Huff~Ha~"


    Luo Qiu was panting.


    He felt the source energy within him was nearly depleted.


    But when he glanced back, he saw the figure behind him still closely pursuing.


    Especially since he could feel his source energy almost exhausted, his speed nearly impossible to maintain, while that person still maintained high speed.


    "How is that possible! When I burst forth with all my strength, even the boss and the deputy commander couldn''t catch up, how can that person be so fast!"


    "Could it be, that this is an ability user who has awakened some sort of speed enhancement ability?"


    "And why is the opponent''s endurance so formidable?"


    He clenched his teeth.


    Suddenly, his view opened up, and an abandoned factory appeared before him.


    "I''m almost there!"


    Luo Qiu felt a surge of hope within him and squeezed out the last of his potential, his ability bursting forth once again.


    Like a gust of wind, he charged into the factory.


    "Boss, save me¡ª¡ª"


    Luo Qiu shouted, finally breathing a sigh of relief.


    Having reached this place, belonging to their Scarlet Hand territory, it meant...


    He was safe now. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, Luo Qiu really wanted to see the expression on the face of the awakener daring to chase him here when they discovered this was a Scarlet Hand stronghold.


    He wanted to turn around to see the pursuer behind him.


    Suddenly,


    A sharp pain shot through his chest; he froze, only then realizing that a flying knife, from an unknown time, had embedded itself in his body.


    It had pierced his heart from the back and protruded from his chest, the knife tip chillingly cold.


    "How could this..."


    Luo Qiu''s eyes widened in disbelief, catching a glimpse of the pursuer, who had unexpectedly closed in close behind him.


    One hand still held the posture of the knife throw.


    With regret, his body leaned forward and fell.


    His consciousness gradually faded.


    The last sound he heard was an angry roar from above.


    ...¡­


    Lin Xiujie''s eyes nearly burst with rage.


    One of his important subordinates had been killed right under his nose!


    The death of the Seventh Squad commander he could disregard, but Luo Qiu''s death pained him.


    Although Luo Qiu was the weakest among the twelve squad leaders, he possessed a very decent Special Ability and was sufficiently loyal. Nurtured properly, he could have become the third or even second strongest member of the Scarlet Hand.


    Yet he was killed by a nobody.


    "Die!"


    Lin Mingjie grabbed a machine gun from nearby and began to shoot wildly from a higher position.


    Grey Blade swiftly dodged, taking cover behind some abandoned large machinery.


    Bullets whizzed by, striking the machinery and sending sparks flying with every impact.


    At that moment, Tang Yu and Eileen also followed in pursuit.


    Initially, with just Grey Blade alone, Lin Mingjie hadn''t recognized him. But upon seeing Tang Yu and the others, he immediately realized they were the trio he had put a bounty on!


    Old grudges and new hatred intertwined, making Lin Mingjie even more furious.


    "Shoot them all, don''t let them get away!"


    Other members of the Scarlet Hand, hearing the commotion, also rushed out. They were now firing their various firearms continuously.


    The sound of gunshots was relentless.


    Echoing through the abandoned factory.


    Grey Blade, dagger in hand, tried to break through, but even though he could dodge bullets and deflect them with his dagger, he couldn''t withstand the barrage of gunfire.


    "Lord, what do we do? It seems we''ve poked the hornet''s nest."


    A few members of the Scarlet Hand, with firearms in hand, slowly approached.


    They aimed to get around the cover and shoot from the side.


    While others continued the relentless barrage of gunfire, preventing Tang Yu''s trio from showing themselves.


    "I''ll handle this."


    Eileen, holding her Magic Wand, quickly took in her surroundings with a brief use of her Perception.


    The next moment, amidst the advancing Scarlet Hand members, a chill descended, a storm whipped up, and snow turned into sharp blades.


    Spell! Ice Storm!


    The few who screamed in agony were soon engulfed by the Ice Storm.


    Lin Mingjie''s brow furrowed as Eileen''s Ice Storm made him feel a sense of trepidation.


    He then quickly thought and shouted to his subordinates down below, "Special Abilities have a range limit. Keep your distance and continue the suppression fire."


    Commander Scar, standing beside him, remarked, "It seems these three really aren''t weak. No wonder the Seventh Squad was entirely wiped out by them. However, their mistake was coming here. If not, dealing with these three would have required quite the effort."


    "Tsk, tsk, not sure if it''s bad luck or they''re just overestimating themselves."


    Scar shook his head.


    Below, members of the Scarlet Hand stopped approaching, continuing the gunfire on one side, while on the other, a few pulled the pins on grenades and threw them far.


    "Damn!"


    Tang Yu and his companions quickly moved to another cover, and immediately after, there was a loud explosion where they had just been.


    His head ached.


    Not just because the Scarlet Hand had overwhelming numbers and the advantage of terrain. This was like being on high ground where one could freely deal damage, especially when that side had an overwhelming numerical advantage.


    Although, for the time being, the Scarlet Hand couldn''t do much to them.


    But likewise, they couldn''t advance and couldn''t get up close. It was truly unbearable...


    Tang Yu glanced at the wide-open gates of the factory.


    If they wanted to leave, the Scarlet Hand couldn''t stop them. The best course of action now would be to retreat first, then figure out a way to sneak back into the factory to leverage their individual strength advantage...


    But to be ambushed so fiercely and then retreat,


    he couldn''t stomach the indignity!


    Why should they be beaten at all for nothing!


    Tang Yu opened his Space Backpack, considering which item could be of use.


    Small Sealing Technique Scroll.


    Pass!


    Defense Enhancement Scroll.


    Pass!


    Source Energy Bomb.


    That doesn''t seem right either.


    A Detection Lens... that could be kept.


    Tang Yu went through the items in his backpack one by one, his eyes lighting up when he came across a pile of small spheres.


    [Unopened Basic Warrior Puppets]


    Tang Yu asked Eileen to form several mirrors out of ice to observe for a moment, then grabbed the small spheres and threw them with force.


    The spheres flew out.


    Members of the Scarlet Hand were shocked, "Watch out, grenades! Evade!"


    Those who were at the landing spot of the spheres scrambled frantically to both sides, throwing themselves to the ground, and after a wait, the expected explosion did not occur.


    "Trying to bluff us?"


    As he thought about getting up, he realized a shadow was looming over him.

 Chapter 79 - 79: Team Annihilation

    The Scarlet Hand member, who had fallen to the ground, sneered inwardly. Perhaps the opponent didn''t even have grenades and needed to stall for time.


    Unfortunately, although this disturbance had stopped him from suppressing fire, he still had countless comrades. Those three were merely making their last struggle.


    Just as he was about to get up, suddenly his vision darkened.


    A round-bodied creature appeared before him.


    "What is this creature?"


    Pu-chi!


    The longsword fell, and the member was instantly killed.


    The same fate befell not just him.


    Although most of the Scarlet Hand members possessed Second-tier Awakening capabilities, they couldn''t defend against the puppets'' sharp weapons when caught off guard.


    After an exchange, several were killed, and the remaining Scarlet Hand members started to counterattack.


    Suddenly, another round object was thrown over; these spheres expanded and transformed mid-air, and soon, robust puppets with round bodies and strong arms thunderously hit the ground.


    Some Scarlet Hand members, unfortunately positioned, were even mounted by the heavy puppets as they landed. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They panicked.


    "What on earth is this?"


    "Shoot! Shoot! Quickly shoot!"


    "What''s happening? Even breaking their arms and legs doesn''t work, they still move aaah¡ª"


    Screams followed shortly.


    While basic puppet strength wasn''t strong, their nature of fearlessness toward death meant that unless severely damaged, their mobility wasn''t affected.


    One puppet, pitted from a barrage of shots, was unaffected and sliced a Scarlet Hand member in two.


    Another damaged-body puppet suddenly hugged a member and detonated its power core.


    In this chaos, the basic warrior puppets could exchange one for one or even one for two against the Scarlet Hand members.


    This wave was not a loss.


    Above, Lin Mingjie looked stunned.


    Just a moment ago, everything was under control, but suddenly, the situation had completely changed.


    "Did our information have anything about releasing puppets?"


    Scar thought about it and shook his head, "No, this is likely a trump card they''ve kept hidden. Unexpectedly, among those three, there were two ability users."


    The rarity of ability users was known to all.


    If it were some common abilities that didn''t significantly boost combat, they could ignore them.


    But these two abilities, one being ice and the other being puppets, were top-notch abilities.


    Lin Mingjie felt envious.


    "Fortunately, these two will die here today; otherwise, with their powers, they might become true superpower wielders."


    "Get down there too, and make sure they don''t escape."


    Lin Mingjie instructed the two squad leaders behind him.


    The two squad leaders nodded and leaped down from a height equivalent to two or three floors.


    Mid-air,


    A figure flashed by, and one of the squad leaders burst into blood flowers, originally making a suave landing, instantly plummeted headfirst down.


    He never got up again.


    The other squad leader landed and vigilantly looked around, "Who ambushed me, damn it, come out!"


    He soon saw Tang Yu emerge from behind some discarded equipment.


    And he even waved at him.


    At the same time, Tang Yu threw a spherical object.


    "Heh."


    The Scarlet Hand squad leader sneered inwardly. According to his observation, these puppets weren''t strong; they succeeded only through surprise, killing them off-guard. But now, he was prepared.


    He swung his combat saber.


    ¡ªJust destroy it before the puppet could unfold, then it''s just a pile of scrap metal.


    Boom!!!


    Things didn''t go as imagined; instead of forming into a puppet, the sphere exploded instantly!


    Engulfing him in fierce flames.


    Clearly, he had no chance to ponder why this scenario was different.


    ...


    Above.


    Lin Mingjie and Scar now wore cautious expressions.


    The young man who had just struck down the squad leader was now moving around them, his presence intermittently near and far.


    Pfft!


    A wound was sliced open on Scar''s arm.


    "Boss, what should we do, this guy is too fast, how can he be so fast, we are supposed to be almost on the same level in terms of power!"


    Grey Blade entered combat mode, and naturally, his power also erupted.


    However, though they were purportedly of similar strength, their opponent, alone, managed to suppress both of them.


    Lin Mingjie''s gaze grew solemn.


    "You must be an ability user too, with a speed boost ability, truly considered a top expert. Unfortunately, such an ability is insufficient¡ª"


    As he spoke, his skin turned bronze, and his body swelled, bursting the upper part of his clothes, revealing his exaggeratedly explosive muscles.


    His special ability.


    Muscle Transformation!


    A type of transformation series.


    Every aspect of his physical quality was greatly enhanced.


    "Got you now!"


    Lin Mingjie stomped on the ground, the metal plate dented downwards, and he charged with a ferocious momentum.


    An ordinary person would be scared stiff by this momentum.


    Scar could no longer keep up with the pace, just clicking his tongue, "To think that someone could force the boss to use his transformation ability, that''s pretty impressive."


    The two engaged in close combat.


    Clashing together with a series of thuds.


    Scar watched dazzled.


    Suddenly, Lin Mingjie''s offensive faltered, he staggered back, a deep slash across his chest.


    Had he not been in the midst of a transformation, that slash would have been enough to seriously injure him.


    But at that moment, Lin Mingjie''s eyes were filled with fear.


    He felt like prey.


    And his opponent, the hunter.


    "With such skill, you can''t possibly be a freelance Awakener! Who exactly are you! I get it now, you must be someone that old ghost sent, trying to take us down secretly!"


    Lin Mingjie tried to escape, but speed was Grey Blade''s forte. If it had been a head-on fight, he might have held out longer, but losing confidence only led to more errors in the battle.


    In an instant, his body was covered with wounds.


    Realizing he couldn''t escape, he gritted his teeth and erupted with his last burst of strength.


    A desperate strike!


    With an ax, he cut Grey Blade across the waist, but before he could rejoice, he saw the halved Grey Blade split into two figures, charging at him from both sides.


    In that moment of shock.


    A dagger had already pierced into his heart.


    Completely shattering it.


    ...


    Meanwhile, seeing his boss couldn''t hold up, Scar naturally had no thoughts of stepping forward to help.


    After all, even the two of them combined couldn''t win, so he might as well take this opportunity to run away.


    He sneaked away from the side of the factory.


    A low chant sounded.


    "Freeze."


    Cold air surged from all directions.


    Scar found his movements growing slower and slower despite his struggles, but then, a longsword pierced straight through him from behind.


    Tang Yu withdrew his longsword, his wrist shaking slightly as he flicked the blood from the blade.


    He then looked down at Scar on the ground.


    "This time, it shouldn''t be too bad financially, right?"


    ...


    A few streets away from the Scarlet Hand''s base.


    Lin Wei was in the middle of his team when a subordinate came forward to report.


    "Boss, a gunfight broke out near Industrial Road, looks like mercenaries are engaged in a battle."


    Lin Wei waved his hand, "Don''t bother with it, that''s Old Man Lu''s headache..."


    Suddenly, he frowned.


    Industrial Road... sounds familiar, where have I heard it before?


    Then he remembered.


    Mingjie had told him there was a Mercenary Corps base outside the city, near Industrial Road.


    "Guard team, and the first Corps members, come with me; everyone else, keep moving forward."

 Chapter 80 - 80: One More Trap Before Leaving

    Scarlet Hand''s treasure vault.


    Tang Yu flipped open a box, "Cold weapons, not interested, not interested."


    Then he opened the second box, "Firearms, barely passable, let''s pack them up first."


    The third box¡­


    The fourth box¡­


    This vault, storing various supplies of the Scarlet Hand, especially Source Crystals, was also packed in boxes.


    This completely overturned Tang Yu''s perception of the Scarlet Hand.


    He originally thought they were quite poor, but in reality, they were unexpectedly wealthy.


    So this robbery was very valuable... Ah, spit it out, how could this be called robbery, it''s clearly rightful spoils of war.


    Tang Yu and Grey Blade busied themselves, moving some valuable spoils into the Space Backpack.


    Eileen was not here.


    After cleaning up this Scarlet Hand outpost, the three naturally searched it inside and out.


    Besides this one vault, the Scarlet Hand had another "vault."


    It held those girls they had captured, the "vault" of girls.


    When first seen, the scene was indeed unbearable to witness. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not only were they stark naked, but there were also many special tools that tormented the girls immensely.


    It was a shocking sight.


    In fact, Tang Yu was mentally prepared to encounter some symbols of the dark side of humanity here, yet seeing it with his own eyes still felt unbearable.


    It''s like watching a horror movie, many brave people are completely unaffected by the movie, but if some terrifying event happened in reality, happening close to themselves, perhaps, few people could remain calm.


    What''s more, this was the first time he had witnessed such a scene.


    After these girls were rescued, some committed suicide on the spot, the rest, Tang Yu had Eileen take them out through another gate.


    Of course, he wasn''t escorting them to the Lindong Sanctuary, there were quite a few girls and they were slow, who knows how long it would take to walk back to Lindong.


    Lending a hand to Tang Yu was no issue, but he was a man worth several... several Source Crystals per minute, how could he waste precious time here.


    Thus, he had Eileen find a military team nearby, casually drop them off, without even showing his face, just leave them in memory of Lei Feng or anonymously.


    Doing a good deed without leaving his name, next time he summoned adventurers, wouldn''t he necessarily be the king of luck?


    While pondering this, he continued to pack the supplies into the Space Backpack.


    Some boxes were too big, he needed to figure out a way to process them before they could fit.


    Finally, all the supplies were packed, suddenly Tang Yu felt something vibrating in the backpack.


    Taking it out, it was a detection lens.


    The kind that had been used.


    And this vibrating type of alert was triggering an alarm message.


    He looked at it, the detection lens displayed many small dots, some of which were quickly heading his way, not much distance left.


    "This display is marked with Lin Wei''s men, what is Lin Wei doing here, looking at the speed, it seems like he''s in a hurry."


    Tang Yu couldn''t figure it out.


    If the military knew there were mercenaries in conflict here, they might send someone to check, but what does Lin Wei have to do with the Scarlet Hand?


    If you really have to say, Lin Wei''s surname is Lin, and the commander of the Scarlet Hand also has the surname Lin, but there are many people in the world named Lin...


    "Wait!"


    Tang Yu carefully recalled the appearances of Lin Wei and Lin Mingjie, perhaps, maybe, probably, actually quite similar.


    His expression suddenly became odd.


    He glanced again at the detection lens, at the many small dots now gradually approaching the abandoned factory.


    Suddenly, he had a bold idea.


    ¡­


    Lin Wei sat in an armored vehicle, his main combat force, the first Corps, swiftly advancing ahead, and his closest confidants, also the strongest guards, half of them always by Lin Wei''s side, the other half acting as a mobile force, annihilating some strong demonized beasts.


    The team moved rapidly.


    Yet Lin Wei was somewhat uneasy.


    The Scarlet Hand was indeed related to him.


    To be precise, the commander of the Scarlet Hand had a very close connection with him.


    Years ago, due to an accident, he later accidentally learned he had an illegitimate child who was out there.


    Compared to his uneducated eldest son, this illegitimate child, whether in character or ability, was more to his liking.


    However, with a dominant maternal family, Lin Wei could only keep this hidden.


    But he also covertly funded Lin Mingjie, helping him establish a career.


    After the apocalypse, his wife and son in Beiting had been out of touch early, and his younger son just happened to be in Lindong.


    He never disclosed his identity, instead letting Lin Mingjie develop on his own, eventually establishing the well-known Scarlet Hand Mercenary Corps in Lindong Sanctuary.


    One of the forces secretly prepared by Lin Wei.


    No one could have suspected, even though Elder Lu had doubted that there had been dealings between Scarlet Hand and him, he definitely couldn''t have anticipated that this was a force completely under his control.


    Because of this, he was somewhat anxious.


    Especially since, according to the forward scouts, the battle seemed to be very intense.


    Soon,


    Lin Wei arrived in front of the abandoned factory.


    There was no longer any movement inside.


    The doors were wide open, but due to the factory''s tightly sealed outer walls, the interior was dim, and not much could be seen, like a giant beast ready to devour.


    Lin Wei frowned and waved over his subordinates.


    A group of people guarded him, cautiously moving toward the inside of the factory.


    An Awakener turned on the searchlight, and Lin Wei could see clearly.


    His face slightly changed.


    Inside the factory, there were bodies everywhere, some frozen into ice blocks, some seemingly blown up, their bodies charred black, and even more that appeared to have been slashed to death, their bodies mutilated.


    Was Scarlet Hand finished?


    No, that''s not right!


    He did not see Lin Mingjie''s body.


    "Everyone, check thoroughly, I want to know what happened here."


    Just as a group of Awakeners was about to disperse, suddenly someone pointed out into the distance, "Boss, there''s something over there!"


    Lin Wei followed the direction of the gesture and saw two chubby things, likely Puppets, carrying someone toward the deeper parts of the factory.


    The person being carried was bloody, yet Lin Wei recognized him instantly¡ªit was his second son, Lin Mingjie.


    "Pursue, rescue him immediately!"


    Many Awakeners from the First Corps hurried forward, but Lin Wei feeling it was not enough, dispatched some experts from his guard team.


    These people were incredibly fast, covering half the distance in the blink of an eye.


    Suddenly, several spherical objects flew from the depths of the factory.


    The leading members of the guard team changed expressions and dodged.


    The spheres landed, unfolding into several large, chubby Puppets, and immediately started fighting with the Awakeners from the guard team.


    These Puppets were of course no match and were quickly dealt with; however, this delay allowed Lin Mingjie to be dragged a considerable distance away.


    Especially since the ground was uneven, and being dragged like this made the bouncing even worse, Lin Mingjie''s face seemed even more terrible.


    A kind of ghastly pale like that of a dead man?


    These expert Awakeners hurriedly pursued.


    Suddenly, a few more spheres flew from the depths of the factory.


    "This damn..."


    With experience, these expert Awakeners didn''t dodge; instead, two of them took out swords and slashed.


    Boom!


    A Source Energy bomb exploded, engulfing the leading two Awakeners in high-energy flames.


    Lin Wei''s face turned dark.


    He did not know if it was anger or rage.


    "Third Squadron, Fourth Squadron, Fifth Squadron, all of you go, flank from both sides, don''t give the people hiding a chance."


    Several squadrons of Awakeners took the command and advanced. The hidden enemy was still trying to obstruct them through various means, but they seemed somewhat powerless.


    Soon, several Awakeners caught up with the two Puppets carrying Lin Mingjie and easily rescued him.


    But quickly, someone''s expression turned drastically, unable to stop themselves from shouting, "Dead, is he dead?"


    Lin Wei heard this and staggered.


    His face turned somewhat pale.


    He suddenly thought of something and yelled, "Quick, everyone come back!"


    Boom!!!


    A deafening explosion sounded, and flames surged all around.


    It reflected on Lin Wei''s ghastly pale face.


    He could no longer care about those who had been dispatched, only able to retreat quickly to the outside under the protection of numerous guards.


    He didn''t even dare to take the main gate, fearing another ambush, and ordered someone to forcefully break through the factory''s outer wall and rush out.


    In the last moment, Lin Wei glanced back.


    His gaze fell on Lin Mingjie, engulfed by the explosion.


    He also seemed to see, in a deeper part of the factory illuminated by the firelight, a few figures, smiling and waving at him.


    A mouthful of old blood spurted out.

 Chapter 81 - 81: 81 chapters Looking at the Sky

    Territory, in front of the castle.


    Several blue light circles lit up, followed by a flash of light, and three figures appeared.


    It was Tang Yu and his companions, just returned from Lindong.


    Having sent Eileen and Grey Blade away, Tang Yu lay back on the large bed in his room, looking up at the ceiling.


    "Ah, three days apart feels like an entire season..."


    "There''s really something about the feel of this big bed that makes it hard to leave."


    Suddenly remembering the clothes he was wearing were dirty, Tang Yu frowned but continued lying down.


    After all, the castle had an automatic dust removal and Purification feature, along with various fully and semi-automatic facilities, which would have been a blessing for anyone lazy before the apocalypse.


    It''s just a pity his laziness was almost cured by the apocalypse.


    "I wonder how Lin Wei is doing, whether he''s dead or not..."


    Despite saying this, Tang Yu knew Lin Wei was definitely not dead.


    He had realized from the moment Lin Wei led a group of Awakeners, he had no intention of standing his ground.


    Fighting a small instance of Scarlet Hand was tough enough; with Lin Wei''s side having more and stronger Awakeners, he wasn''t planning on making things difficult for himself.


    Better to wait until he had the home field advantage, then he could play however he wanted.


    But just walking away... he felt somewhat reluctant.


    Fortunately, inside the treasury of the Scarlet Hand, they found a large amount of explosives.


    Things just fell into place.


    Lin Mingjie became a classic example of being duped.


    He rested for a while.


    Tang Yu went to the storage room and took out a small box containing Source Crystals.


    Looking at the Source Crystal values jumping on the panel, Tang Yu''s mood lifted even more.


    Life is beautiful because there''s money to spend.


    To make life even better, one needs to spend someone else''s money.


    The Source Crystal tally finally stopped at a five-digit number starting with eight.


    Seeing this amount of Source Crystals, Tang Yu... fell into contemplation.


    It wasn''t that he was unhappy, but he felt perhaps his talent for making money was somewhat skewed.


    Hunting Demonized Beasts was supposed to be the most legitimate way to earn Source Crystals, but upon reflection, since the establishment of his Territory, the Source Crystals he''d earned from Demonized Beasts might indeed be very few.


    Instead, it was several windfalls that became his main source of income.


    "This won''t do, I must focus on hunting Demonized Beasts, earning Source Crystals, expanding the market, and taking the proper path... How could someone as serious as me have skewed money-making talents? It must be an illusion."


    Tang Yu already had several ideas in mind.


    Firstly, the Source Crystals definitely needed to be spent.


    Over eighty thousand Source Crystals, along with those earned by Luo Zhe leading the Patrol Team in recent days, coupled with the occasional ones from the Territory''s defense structures killing Demonized Beasts, all together should amount to around ninety thousand.


    This was undoubtedly a huge sum of money.


    However, it would also be quickly spent, as upgrading buildings or constructing new ones in the Territory could cost thousands or even tens of thousands, so these tens of thousands of Source Crystals wouldn''t last long.


    It needed to be spent on key aspects...


    "First, we need to upgrade the castle level as many important buildings require a level three castle to unlock..."


    More importantly, upgrading the castle would significantly expand the Territory''s reach, and based on his estimates, it could spread to the side of the Source Crystal Vein near the back mountain.


    He''d long coveted that Source Crystal Mine.


    Unfortunately, when he went there with Number One and Number Two, they couldn''t gain any advantage.


    Even then, the ones that rushed towards them were just a small portion of Demonized Beasts hidden under the giant tree roots. How many Demonized Beasts were actually at the bottom of that pit, Tang Yu could not know.


    Even if Number One and Number Two were strong, they couldn''t clear them out; moreover, with the base number of Demonized Beasts being high, there would inevitably be many Advanced Demonized Beasts. Referring to the situation around the Abyssal Rift, Tang Yu felt that being able to come back safely last time might really have been just good luck.


    And this time, Tang Yu was determined to be fully prepared.


    For example, he built a series of defensive structures around the pit.


    It was beautiful; he always loved planting defensive structures in front of the enemy''s base when playing strategic games. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So...


    He summoned the long-unseen system panel and selected the most crucial category, upgrade the castle.


    "Ding! Upgrading from a Level 2 Castle to a Level 3 Castle will consume 10,000 units of Source Crystals. Do you wish to upgrade? Yes/No?"


    He then confirmed with his thoughts.


    The next moment, Tang Yu was startled.


    Standing within the castle, he felt no tremors, yet inexplicably, he could sense the castle changing.


    The original layout had not altered, but many buildings had been constructed on the exterior of the existing castle, joining together to form a complex of castle structures.


    And all this, Tang Yu did not see with his naked eyes; it was as if he was supposed to know it as such.


    "Ding! Level 3 Castle, new function unlocked: Remote Control."


    [Remote Control: When the Lord is not within the Territory, he can still remotely operate, such as constructing Territory buildings, visiting functional buildings, etc.]


    Tang Yu''s eyes lit up.


    Heaven knows how heartbroken he was for wasting the daily summoning opportunity at the tavern during his days traveling to Lindong... Even though, given the tavern''s summoning probability, he couldn''t actually summon adventurers to his satisfaction.


    But with this function, things would be much more convenient in the future, even though he would mostly be secluded in his Territory. Still, occasionally he needed to go out.


    "So, that kind of indistinct perception towards the Territory is the ability of remote control."


    Tang Yu examined the Territory map in the system panel and suddenly found that he no longer needed to check through this panel, but by closing his eyes and sensing carefully, the map of the Territory would emerge in his mind.


    Including numerous little greenish-yellow dots.


    This map was even clearer than before, with some contours of the terrain within the Territory.


    Suddenly reminded of something, he moved his thoughts and a crystal ball floated over.


    Originally, this crystal ball was used for detection and alert, and it displayed much more detailed images than the Territory map.


    And this time...


    As he controlled it, the crystal ball lit up, and a scene emerged.


    It was no longer a map, but a complete visual, as if viewed from above, covering the entire Territory.


    "Looks like I can zoom in a bit more¡­"


    Controlling the perspective to zoom in, Tang Yu saw survivors working, members of the Patrol Team patrolling with firearms, and even spotted a few Demonized Beasts wandering further out.


    Through the crystal ball, Tang Yu''s gaze could reach every corner of the Territory.


    After a full rotation, the lens of the crystal ball returned over the castle.


    Tang Yu zoomed in the lens, wanting to fully enjoy the beauty of this castle.


    Then...


    The lens passed through the castle walls and appeared in a room.


    Inside, the air was misty.


    Tang Yu was dumbfounded¡ªdid this lens also come with a wall-penetrating function?


    And what kind of place was this that also came with fog? Was there such a place inside the castle...


    His eyes suddenly widened.


    It seemed like he could hear the sound of water flowing nearby.


    Inside the room, in the bathtub, there was a graceful figure with blue hair and skin whiter than snow.


    Tang Yu couldn''t help but focus his gaze.


    He saw the mist spreading out, blocking his line of sight like a beam of Holy Light, particularly dazzling.


    He looked heavenward.

 Chapter 82 - 82 Full Measure

    Tang Yu lay in bed, staring at the ceiling with a vacant gaze.


    The Territory had finished upgrading, and what came next to consider was the choice of construction.


    There were quite a few new buildings unlocked by the third-level Territory, such as the Energy Patio, Spell Factory, Altar, Spell Tower, and so forth.


    The Energy Patio was a must-build; to fend off the Demonized Beasts with defensive buildings, this thing was indispensable. Otherwise, for every shot the Cannons fired, the stock of Source Crystals would decrease, how irritating would that be?


    This kind of early investment, at any rate, would not result in a loss once built.


    "Additionally, a warehouse must be constructed..." he muttered.


    This building was unlocked at the second-level Territory.


    With a warehouse, Tang Yu no longer needed to have survivors carry materials every time a building was constructed, which was not only a hassle but also too restrictive.


    Now, as long as there were ample raw materials in the warehouse, it was possible to build system constructions at will.


    "As for core buildings," Tang Yu thought for a while and decided it would be fine to upgrade the tavern first.


    He immediately set out, with his first destination being the small plaza in front of the city gate.


    He had long since decided to place a warehouse here, suffering only from a lack of funds.


    Walking here, Tang Yu noticed many new faces within the Territory, seemingly more populous than before he left.


    The new faces couldn''t recognize Tang Yu, but those familiar survivors immediately identified him, enthusiastically introducing to the newcomers that he was the director of the Sanctuary.


    Then he enjoyed the admiring gazes of the new survivors... although those gazes were not meant for them.


    "Chen, hurry them to move the materials into the warehouse, the faster the better..."


    After busying himself with these matters, Tang Yu arrived in front of the tavern.


    With remote control, he could upgrade the tavern even while staying inside the castle.


    However, Tang Yu always felt that being on-site felt more engaging.


    The level 2 tavern still appeared unremarkable and didn''t occupy much space.


    But as the castle had expanded, it had already reached nearby, and it was estimated that upon upgrading another level, it would probably have to include the tavern and other core buildings within it.


    It seemed like there was no problem with that...


    "Elevate the tavern to level three first, increase the summoning probability, then save up for some good luck, hoping to summon a decent adventurer this time."


    "Ding! Tavern upgraded to level three."


    [The probability of summoning adventurers with high qualifications has increased, and it is now possible to summon adventurers at the peak of the Source Condensation Realm.]


    [The number of Follower Contract slots has increased to nine.]


    [New feature unlocked: Ability to store daily free summoning opportunities, and to enhance the chance of summoning high-qualified adventurers by fusing summoning opportunities.]


    Tang Yu was startled; it seemed a new feature had been added.


    In the game, upgrading the tavern to level three didn''t come with any new features.


    This fusion feature... Tang Yu tried investing Source Crystals, and rather than immediate summoning, it turned into available summoning opportunities.


    "Fusing three summoning opportunities greatly increases the chances of summoning a C-grade qualified adventurer..."


    "Fusing twenty summoning opportunities greatly increases the chances of summoning a B-grade qualified adventurer..."


    "Fusing... cough cough."


    Tang Yu gave it a try, and even after fusing sixty times, there was no displayed probability of summoning an A-grade qualified adventurer, let alone a great chance.


    It seemed that A-grade qualifications could not be attained purely through Consuming Crystals; lineage and character were the key.


    And in these two aspects, he should, probably, potentially be sufficient.


    "A great chance, according to the system, is 99%. Mathematically speaking, this fusion undeniably pays off. Without using a fused summon, a level 2 tavern would likely need around eight or nine summons to call forth a C-grade qualified adventurer. Although a level 3 tavern has improved probabilities, it definitely takes more than three tries."


    Tang Yu didn''t care for C-grade qualified adventurers, but B-grade was different.


    In reality, there was no concept of dismissing contracted followers; for long-term development, Tang Yu still hoped to sign contracts with some adventurers who had sufficient potential.


    B-grade qualifications met his criteria.


    However, Tang Yu was somewhat puzzled as to why there was such a high probability instead of it being one hundred percent, making it clear so everyone would be better off.


    Maybe this was like the saying, "The great Dao has fifty, heaven evolves with forty-nine, leaving one to escape," but that didn''t seem right either. The chance of summoning an adventurer with low aptitude was something he didn''t want at all!


    Just now, he had invested sixty Source Crystals for summoning attempts to try to fuse probabilities.


    A total of thirty thousand.


    He couldn''t afford to splurge anymore.


    These sixty summons could be divided into three sets, fusing twenty times each, which would yield three more trustworthy individuals.


    Tang Yu didn''t summon immediately.


    Instead, he returned to the castle, took a bath, burned incense... Thanks to the Patrol Team''s multiple pioneering searches for materials, the Sanctuary now had plenty of such sacrificial items that could come in handy.


    He walked into the tavern, poised himself, and prepared his chant.


    Summon.


    The Summoning Array formed from the fusion of twenty summoning attempts looked even more mystical and splendid, as if... to match the grand spending on Consuming Crystals, even the Summoning Array had dressed itself up in a costume.


    On the first attempt, a blue light emerged.


    A towering figure with a slicked-back hairdo appeared within the Summoning Array.


    Undoubtedly, the second appearance was also represented by the blue light, indicative of a B-grade aptitude.


    A figure in black clothes, with a bamboo hat, appeared in the Array.


    The third attempt...


    ... S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After three consecutive summoning attempts, Tang Yu felt completely drained, although the results were as expected¡ªthree Bs. However, the feeling of spending a fortune in such a short time was something he had never had the chance to experience before.


    After summoning three followers, Tang Yu had Eileen and Luo Zhe take them to clean up and change into proper clothes.


    After all, no matter their aptitudes, the adventurers he summoned had quite tragic encounters.


    Eileen nearly drowned in the Black Tide.


    Luo Zhe became disabled resisting the Black Tide.


    Grey Blade also fell into a very unfortunate situation due to some reason.


    The same went for these three new adventurers.


    Soon after, Tang Yu held a simple welcome ceremony in the castle, formally welcoming the three new followers as members of the Territory.


    He looked at the first one.


    The towering follower with slicked-back hair.


    His name was Shay, and at this moment, he was dressed in a black suit. If he put on sunglasses, he would look exactly like a senior thug from the Black Society. What surprised Tang Yu, however, was that this large and sturdy man, whose build was no less than Luo Zhe''s, was not a warrior; he was, in fact, a Musketeer.


    Shay was definitely a warrior who had been sidetracked by being a Musketeer.


    The second was the youth who had been wearing the bamboo hat... which was now removed. His name was just a single character, Kong.


    His occupation was a warrior, but he was very different from Luo Zhe; he wasn''t bulky at all and seemed small and thin standing next to Shay. However, Kong''s gaze was incredibly sharp.


    He carried three swords of different lengths and sizes on his back; he was a Swordsman.


    Deeply versed in the Sword Dao.


    The third follower, though also of B-grade aptitude, finally proved his royal luck.


    His occupation was Clergy and one who excelled in healing at that.


    Among the five major occupations, Mages and Clergies were quite rare, and most Clergies specialized mainly in combat.


    Fortunately, this time he successfully summoned a healer.


    Clergy Winnie.


    Seeing her ample bosom, Tang Yu knew that the healing capacity would be substantial.


    Absolutely full to the brim.

 Chapter 83 - 83: Lets Conduct an Assessment

    These three followers all have decent strength.


    Among them, Shay and Winnie had both reached the peak of the Fifth Tier and were stuck at the bottleneck of the Foundation Realm, while Kong was a Seventh Layer Awakener at the Body-shaping Realm.


    Among the three, Tang Yu planned to assign Shay and Kong to the Patrol Team, and once they became familiar with the operations, they could lead their own team and expand the territory clearance projects.


    As for Winnie, being a valuable Healing Series Priest, she was naturally needed wherever there was a demand.


    In fact, they could set up a medical team with Winnie... From what he knew, aside from Healing Series Spells, her medical skills were also extraordinary.


    Healing Series Spells required specific qualifications to learn, and though medical skills were not easy to learn either, there still was hope.


    After the welcoming party,


    On the first day, Tang Yu did not assign any specific duties to the three new followers and let them get acquainted.


    Winnie walked hand in hand with Eileen.


    Shay was also very curious about the new world.


    Finding out that the training camp had training facilities, Kong went straight there.


    It seemed that in the future, he would need to make a chart for the followers, detailing professions and strengths, to better assign work.


    Only, he was not good at this.


    Tang Yu stroked his chin, deep in thought.


    Having dealt with these matters, he finally had time to catch up with Luo Zhe about the recent changes in the territory.


    "The number of survivors has broken through three hundred as of yesterday. We have collected plenty of supplies other than food, including daily necessities and medicine, enough to support the current population of the territory."


    "Additionally, the construction of the villa district is essentially complete. As the number of survivors increases, the focus of the territory''s construction has shifted outside the city. However, most of the survivors prefer to cram inside the city walls rather than live outside."


    "For the specific details of construction, Lord, you could ask Chen Haiping; he has detailed statistics."


    In these past few days, after Tang Yu had left the territory, he had mostly left everything to Luo Zhe and Chen Haiping.


    From what he could see now, the two of them had handled the affairs of the territory very well, making it feel almost as if his presence was not needed.


    A tinge of subtle sadness struck him.


    "Eh, wait, the population has actually broken through three hundred? I remember when I left, it had just surpassed one hundred."


    He had only been away for a short time, how could the whole territory have undergone such earth-shaking changes?


    When he was stationed in the territory, was there ever so much change in three days?


    "Mainly because the survivors from one Sanctuary joined, increasing the number of survivors significantly."


    "Oh? An entire Sanctuary''s survivors moved here?"


    There were several large and small Sanctuaries around, of course, none as significant as those like Green Shadow Sanctuary or Creekwood Sanctuary. Most smaller Sanctuaries had only a few hundred survivors.


    A Sanctuary was just a place of refuge, far from meeting the true standards of a Sanctuary.


    The number of these survivors wasn''t enormous, but it was not insignificant either.


    The Sanctuary Director stood at the pinnacle of power, controlling the life and death within the Sanctuary. Although, in Tang Yu''s view, the life of such Sanctuary Directors was not necessarily better than that of the ordinary survivors on his side, for some people, it was better to be a big fish in a small pond.


    Getting them to abandon their power and integrate into another Sanctuary was not something everyone was willing to do.


    "Because their Sanctuary was about to be eradicated by the Demonized Beasts, they had no choice."


    Luo Zhe slowly explained the situation, "This Sanctuary was located in a county only ten kilometers away. I had led teams to search a few times before, and we never found it. This time, it was their survivors who went out to look for food but were discovered by the Demonized Beasts, and the entire Sanctuary fell into crisis."


    "... After the issue was resolved, those survivors were transferred to our Sanctuary."


    Luo Zhe put it simply.


    However, some of the wording hinted at Tang Yu that the process was not so smooth.


    Perhaps, when that small Sanctuary was about to be breached by the Demonized Beasts, Luo Zhe and his Patrol Team rushed in to rescue those people, and the survivors were grateful.


    Yet, when Luo Zhe wanted to bring these survivors to the territory, it would inevitably be resisted by the former Sanctuary''s authorities... Even though the Sanctuary was no longer safe after this Demonized Beast attack.


    Some still did not want to give up their power.


    The apocalypse is a world where limited resources are contested, not limited to food and medicine, but survivors are also a resource.


    Men were forced to go out to collect food, sometimes even used as bait to attract Demonized Beasts, while women, needless to say, could be taken advantage of.


    This was all seen as resources, and Luo Zhe wanted to take them away, which would inevitably lead to obstruction.


    Conflict was unavoidable.


    Of course, Tang Yu guessed that the Sanctuary Director and those high-ranking obstructions were probably already buried with grass three feet tall on their graves by now... This was not surprising, given that plants grew rapidly after the apocalypse; it might even be taller than three feet now.


    "Mm, that''s feasible, simple and crude."


    In the apocalypse, why bother with reasons when you can use fists?


    Efficiency is what mattered most.


    Luo Zhe continued, "Lord, there have also been quite a few survivors recently who want to join the Patrol Team. Since you haven''t returned yet, this matter has been paused. How should we handle it now?"


    "How many people want to join the Patrol Team?"


    "There are about twenty or thirty people, at least. Before, there weren''t many who wanted to join, but now that they see the benefits, they all come flocking!"


    He snorted coldly.


    Tang Yu pondered.


    The Patrol Team was indeed short-staffed and needed new blood, but it wasn''t a public restroom that anyone could just enter on a whim.


    After all, the Patrol Team was the Sanctuary''s public defense force, and it needed to maintain enough prestige.


    "In that case..."


    "Let''s hold an assessment, including a written and a physical test. Only those who pass can join the Patrol Team."


    Luo Zhe nodded and immediately went to prepare for it.


    ...


    In Green Shadow Sanctuary, although there were only a few hundred survivors living there,


    as the Patrol Team continuously expanded outwards, the reputation of Green Shadow Sanctuary gradually spread.


    A number of nearby Sanctuaries, including some Freelance Awakeners, heard that Green Shadow had strength, resources, and equipment.


    Many Awakeners even came due to its fame.


    "I think they''re just blowing it out of proportion!"


    Two survivors arrived at Green Shadow Sanctuary that day.


    One was tall and skinny, and the other short and chubby. It was the tall skinny man who spoke.


    "Big brother, you can''t say that. Green Shadow must have good equipment; otherwise, our trip here would be in vain," the short chubby man spoke reassuringly.


    "It''s your fault! Why did you have to provoke that Mutant Beast? Otherwise, we wouldn''t have lost our weapons there!"


    The short chubby man looked as wronged as a 200-pound little boy.


    As they entered Green Shadow Sanctuary, they saw many busy survivors.


    The tall thin man had already found out the ways to obtain equipment in Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    You could either buy it with Source Crystals or earn it by completing tasks issued by the Sanctuary.


    He stopped an Awakener who was passing by.


    "Excuse me, how do I get to the Employment Center?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Awakener, initially somewhat impatient, suddenly felt the aura of the tall skinny man, turned pale, tightened his legs, and involuntarily pointed to a distant area, "It''s in the eastern section of the villa area. Go straight ahead, it''s the third villa in. Or maybe I should take you there?"


    The tall skinny man declined and left with the short chubby man.


    The Awakener who had been asked for directions and his companion looked in the direction of the two, shocked.


    "Those two just now, they were the Iron Hammer Brothers, right?"


    His companion nodded, "Yes, the Iron Hammer Brothers¡ªone of the strongest Freelance Awakeners around here. They''re named after their weapons, two large iron hammers. It''s said their strength surpasses many Sanctuary Directors."


    "Not just that." The Awakener who was asked for directions continued, "They even went to Lindong Sanctuary, but to grow stronger, to hone themselves, they chose to leave and live in the wilderness every day. Those are real powerhouses."


    "Such powerful figures coming to the Sanctuary; they must be here to buy weapons. We''ve had many of such visitors these days, but I never expected even the Iron Hammer Brothers to come. Our Sanctuary must be developing really fast."


    He spoke with a bitter expression, "Had I known, I would have joined the Patrol Team back then. Perhaps by now, you and I would also possess considerable strength."

 Chapter 84 - 84: Show You How to Show Off

    The tall, thin man and the short, fat man arrived at the Employment Center and already saw numerous Awakeners coming and going.


    As one of the rare official buildings in the Green Shadow Sanctuary, the Employment Center had been expanded significantly. For instance, makeshift sheds had been erected around the villa, and the villa''s external walls had been breached, making it feel much more spacious.


    But it looked a bit unsightly.


    Tang Yu noticed this as he passed by. If he had extra money, he could consider commissioning a custom building to serve as future office space. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Iron Hammer Brothers weren''t bothered by this.


    They had been to many Sanctuaries, and most of what they saw were in various states of despair.


    Green Shadow, although a bit underpopulated, had to be acknowledged for the completeness of its facilities.


    Especially the city walls they had just seen.


    "Big bro, big bro, the walls of this Sanctuary look even more imposing and magnificent than what we''ve heard. This Sanctuary''s strength must also be exceptional, big bro, you really need to keep your temper in check."


    "Do you have to tell me that!"


    The tall, thin man snorted coldly and slapped the short, fat man on the head.


    The short, fat man shrank back with a look of grievance on his face.


    Upon entering the Employment Center, they saw that it was divided into two sections: one was for receiving and handing over missions, and the other was a newly opened area for purchasing supplies and equipment.


    The tall, thin man walked over, "I want to buy two big Iron Hammers. How many Source Crystals?"


    He gestured the size of the Iron Hammers he wanted.


    "Iron Hammers?" the clerk Chen was taken aback, "We don''t sell Iron Hammers as weapons. Look over there, we only have Standard Longswords, Standard Battle Sabers, and Standard Combat Uniforms."


    The tall, thin man followed Chen''s direction, and indeed the list of purchasable equipment was very limited.


    But hadn''t he heard that one could buy any equipment here?


    That truly was just a tall tale!


    "However..." clerk Chen continued, "Iron Hammers are quite an unpopular weapon. If you want one, you could apply to the Sanctuary for a custom order..."


    "How many Source Crystals!"


    The tall, thin man slapped the table as the short, fat man quickly pulled him back.


    Chen glanced at the tall, thin man, his expression unchanging, "To order custom equipment, merely spending Source Crystals isn''t enough; you also need to complete a certain number of Employment missions."


    "This is so complicated! Isn''t there another way?"


    "There is. If you can join the Patrol Team, you can exchange the Team''s Contribution Degree for a chance to order custom weapons."


    The tall, thin man turned and walked away.


    The short, fat man followed closely behind.


    The two then moved to another area to look at the Employment missions.


    The tall, thin man furrowed his brow, "To get to the point of ordering custom equipment, we need to complete those difficult missions, which is not easy for us, not to mention that you''re without a weapon now and your combat effectiveness is greatly reduced."


    The short, fat man was about to say something.


    Suddenly, noise came from the door.


    A young man dressed in a black full-body Combat Uniform entered, followed by a number of Awakeners who seemed to be waiting for something.


    The young man pasted a notice on the wall and, looking at the excited Awakeners in front of him, cleared his throat, "As for the recruitment of the Patrol Team, a definitive decision has been made. The details are on this notice. Remember not to get too excited, and don''t celebrate too early."


    The young man left.


    Others immediately crowded forward.


    "The Patrol Team is finally recruiting. I''ve waited so long for this day!"


    "Joining the Patrol Team to kill Demonized Beasts, I finally have a chance to become a master!"


    "Let me see what it says here, wait, there''s a trial to join the Patrol Team?! Wasn''t it direct entry last time?"


    "Trials? Written and combat tests, what the hell is a written test?"


    The scene was chaotic.


    The tall thin man and the short fat man exchanged glances, both somewhat puzzled.


    This Patrol Team position seemed to be a highly coveted one?


    Could it be because the Patrol Team was significantly profitable?


    Both men couldn''t help but feel some disgust.


    The profits of the Patrol Team, of course, came from exploiting the survivors. In all the Sanctuaries they had visited since the apocalypse, many such instances had occurred.


    They had thought that the Green Shadow Sanctuary should be a relatively standardized one, yet it turned out it had such issues too.


    They weren''t speaking out of ordinary survivors'' interest; instead, they felt that Awakeners wielding their strength not to fight the Demonized Beasts but to oppress ordinary survivors, that kind of Awakener, couldn''t be very strong.


    They were quite disappointed in this Patrol Team.


    Suddenly, someone patted the tall thin man''s shoulder.


    The tall thin man was startled, only to see a big man standing next to him, dressed in a black suit, sporting a slicked-back hairstyle, and with a towering figure.


    This big man was so large, it seemed like he even blocked the light.


    The tall thin man looked at himself and then at his foolish brother, thinking that perhaps only his height combined with his brother''s weight could barely compare to this big man.


    The man in the black suit said with a grin, "Are you two here to sign up for the Patrol Team selection?"


    The tall thin man was about to deny it.


    Then, another familiar-looking Awakener chimed in, "Of course, who here doesn''t want to join the Patrol Team? The Patrol Team has great benefits, and with a great master like Captain Luo, just getting in might mean that in ten days or half a month, I could be called a master too."


    As he spoke, he was clearly lost in a deep fantasy.


    But the tall thin man was somewhat puzzled, "How does joining the Patrol Team make one a master? Aren''t you guys joining for the great benefits inside?"


    "The Patrol Team certainly has great benefits. For example, after joining, you would get a whole set of Advanced Equipment, such as Longswords and Combat Sabers or Combat Uniforms. If you were to buy this set of equipment, it would cost you at least a few dozen Source Crystals, which could be a lifetime''s earnings. But join the Patrol Team, and you get a set handed to you. Tell me, aren''t those benefits drool-worthy?"


    The tall thin man nodded.


    The short fat man nodded as well, involuntarily wiping away non-existent drool.


    "Why would the Sanctuary give the Patrol Team such good benefits? Well, one reason is for the Patrol Team to guard the safekeeping of the Sanctuary. Another point is that this equipment is used to fight Demonized Beasts and to increase one''s strength, not just for show."


    "Not only that, but members of the Patrol Team are the only ones qualified to use the Advanced training equipment at the training camp, which I''ve heard helps greatly in boosting strength."


    "Moreover, the Patrol Team regularly organizes hunting trips outside to hunt Demonized Beasts. I see you''ve just come to Green Shadow and must think that hunting Demonized Beasts, being so dangerous, how could it be considered a benefit? But for the Patrol Team, it is indeed a benefit. The dangers of hunting Demonized Beasts are real, but Patrol Team members have luxurious equipment and guidance from a great master like Captain Luo. If you can''t handle Demonized Beasts, you might as well be dead."


    The Awakener said this with much confidence.


    "I am definitely confident to join the Patrol Team and become a great master, and if you guys can join too, then we''ll be comrades-in-arms in the future."


    "But..." he glanced at the tall thin man, "this brother here doesn''t seem to have much strength, you''ll have to work hard."


    The Awakener then glanced over at the other side at Shay, who was solidly built and dressed in a black suit, "This big brother here seems to have a good sense of strength. You just came to Green Shadow, right?"


    Shay thought for a moment, then nodded.


    The man continued, "That''s right, you look promising, big brother. After you join the Patrol Team, let me take you under my wing..."


    Listening to this Awakener, and looking at the registration point ahead where a line had formed, Shay suddenly felt lost.


    What had he come here for? It seemed it was to enjoy the lively atmosphere, but how did it suddenly turn out like this?


    Beside him, the Iron Hammer Brothers were even more bewildered.


    Had they ever said they wanted to sign up? Had they mentioned wanting to join the Patrol Team?


    Certainly not!


    Yet apparently, this Patrol Team was indeed different from what they had imagined; it was, in fact, surprisingly beyond expectations.


    Hunting Demonized Beasts had become an activity for the Patrol Team.


    Every member was aiming to increase their strength.


    This successfully piqued their curiosity.

 Chapter 85 - 85: The Breath of Life

    "The assessment of the Patrol Team is set for tomorrow. As for today, let''s finish up the remaining tasks now."


    Tang Yu counted the issues still needing resolution on his fingers.


    He had agreed to be a hands-off Lord, but he ended up as busy as a dog.


    The development of the Territory was gradually getting on track, and various systems were becoming more comprehensive, resulting in him signing nearly half an hour''s worth of documents.


    Including the acquisition and distribution of resources, survivor statistics, personnel changes, and the recent recruitment for the Patrol Team, and so on.


    As the director of the Sanctuary, he couldn''t be ignorant of these matters.


    "But these are still manageable..."


    Tang Yu just glanced over them; Chen Haiping and Luo Zhe handled the details.


    Some things, however, needed his personal attention.


    "The recruitment for the Patrol Team means that the Sanctuary''s firearms might not suffice. The workshop could only produce bullets before, but luckily, we downloaded quite a few firearms blueprints in Lindong, stored on a USB drive. Just take it to the research institute, and with a small amount of Source Crystals, we should be able to convert them into models that the workshop can produce..."


    "And that Awakening Potion, the research institute should also be able to deduce the production formula from the finished product. However, this consumption might be quite large, so the deduction of the potion formula can be postponed for now."


    There''s another thing.


    Compared to Lindong Sanctuary, our Territory''s external information channels are still too limited.


    If it weren''t for this trip to Lindong Sanctuary, he would have had no idea about the changes in the outside world... Having this system and this Territory, there''s infinite potential for development, but he would not underestimate human intelligence, especially in a disaster. Either you are devoured by the disaster or you rise from it.


    Tang Yu pondered.


    "We need to establish an intelligence agency, focusing on information collection not just around the Territory but from Lindong. This agency will acquire information from Lindong and report back to the Territory, giving us a stable channel to understand the outside world."


    This plan was feasible, and he already had someone in mind. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu, with Number One, his supreme bodyguard, left the holiday villa.


    As he walked, he observed the terrain and soon sketched out a simple map.


    It might be a little ugly¡ªafter all, Lord Tang''s talent didn''t lie in drawing¡ªbut that wasn''t important. What Tang Yu wanted to know wasn''t the map itself, but rather how much the Territory had expanded after the upgrade.


    Whether through the Territory map or the Crystal Ball, taking a personal tour was ultimately more illuminating.


    And to build some Arrow Towers along the periphery.


    These, too, he came to the site to construct rather than controlling remotely.


    Tang Yu had experimented before, building structures remotely uses up more mental energy. He hadn''t forgotten that time when, in order to build a wall, he almost drained himself.


    Now, his control over the Territory had deepened, and the mental strain during construction was less. Even if he was in Lindong, controlling the rise of buildings wasn''t impossible; Tang Yu just thought it''s better not to push his luck.


    So he came to the site in person.


    Selecting the right spot, he pointed, and chunks of Stone emerged from the Void, solidifying in an instant to form a ten-meter-tall Arrow Tower.


    Such Arrow Towers, distributed in a semi-circle around the holiday villa, amounted to six that Tang Yu built.


    "With these, there won''t be any more trouble from Demonized Beasts within the range of the holiday villa, and we can better proceed with peripheral construction."


    Anyway, building a wall was out of the question¡ªthere wasn''t enough Stone. Only by constructing defensive buildings could we maintain those relatively safe days.


    As for the Demon Tide... well, there''s still a small wall, which should be sufficient.


    Having dealt with these, what remained to be built was the Energy Patio.


    "Although this thing can supply energy wherever it''s built, it''s still a very valuable structure and needs to be placed somewhere safe."


    .....


    In the castle, within Eileen''s room.


    Winnie was changing her clothes.


    When she was first summoned, she had been somewhat bewildered and did not want to keep Lord waiting for too long, so she hastily changed into a set of clothes and went to meet with the Lord.


    As a result, the clothes were too tight, and she did not feel comfortable wearing them.


    "Try this one."


    Eileen took out a seemingly larger piece of clothing from the wardrobe for Winnie to change into.


    Even though it was quite a loose-fitting top, it seemed to take on the meaning of a tight shirt once on her, as if it were ready to burst forth.


    Eileen looked on with a bit of envy, but Winnie''s face showed some distress.


    She asked, "Is it still too tight?"


    Winnie tugged at the clothing and shook her head, "The clothes are fine, it''s just that, that chest-binding thing, it still feels too tight."


    She was very frustrated because even wearing the largest size for a short duration was manageable, but after a while, it still became uncomfortable.


    "How about we forget it, then? I won''t wear it; I never wore such things before."


    "Hmm¡­" Eileen pondered. "We could go to the Lord and see if there''s suitable clothing and if we can''t find any, we could have the Lord custom-make some."


    "That sort of thing would be too much to trouble the Lord with," Winnie said, shaking her head.


    As a follower, one should be handling affairs for the Lord, not bringing every problem to him, especially of this sort. She found it even harder to speak up about it.


    She felt it was fine just to wear it as it was.


    Suddenly, her gaze flitted, "Eh, isn''t that the Lord?"


    Eileen''s room was on the fifth floor of the castle, which just so happened to have a view of the garden below.


    After an upgrade, the garden in front of the castle had gotten bigger with flowers of various colors blooming profusely, gently swaying in the breeze.


    They saw Tang Yu walking on the garden path, looking around curiously.


    "Does the Lord also enjoy flower-viewing?" Winnie stood by the window, looking down at the garden below.


    "I''m not sure about that," said Eileen, joining her curiosity at the window, "but the Lord is very approachable without those noble airs. He will definitely help you with the clothing issue."


    In the midst of their conversation,


    they saw Tang Yu coming to a halt, extending his right hand.


    The ground before him suddenly dipped, and around the hollow, giant oval stones rose from the earth, one after the other, forming uneven stone columns that enclosed the entire pit.


    Then, mystical runes lit up on those stones, slowly extending to the bottom of the pit.


    As if carried by a spiraling air, clearly visible to the naked eye, a pool of azure water appeared out of nowhere at the bottom of the pit, quickly filling and rising until it reached a certain height before stopping.


    In an instant, an invisible fluctuation spread outwards from the Energy Patio at the core, radiating westward around it.


    Tang Yu''s hair was slightly lifted by the breath of air.


    In the garden, many buds blossomed at that moment, splendid and breathtaking, as if opening their arms to embrace the world.


    The grass and trees grew, the young branches sprouted¡ªnot like the wild weeds growing wildly in the fields, but as if watered with the essence of life, making these flowers and plants come alive.


    Vivid flowers, tender green shoots,


    swaying with the breeze.


    Surrounding the figure standing amid the sea of flowers.

 Chapter 86 - 86 Level and Strength

    Winnie covered her mouth as if afraid of disturbing the dreamlike scenery.


    After a while, she suddenly closed her eyes, her words carrying an undeniable shock, "How did the concentration of Light Element around us suddenly start to soar so rapidly?"


    Eileen also appeared surprised. "I feel it too. Meditating in this kind of environment should greatly improve the effects."


    "This must be Lord''s masterpiece," said Winnie.


    "To think that in an instant, the Source Qi concentration in the air increased by several layers. I had heard before that it takes Rune Masters and Array Masters a long time to craft a Rune Array that gathers Source Qi. I''ve been told that the area affected by such a Rune Array isn''t very large."


    "And the effects of Lord''s creation are just too strong. I really don''t know how Lord did it."


    Eileen''s gaze lingered dreamily, looking down at the figure below.


    It took a moment before she spoke, "Lord occasionally produces things beyond our imagination; you''ll gradually get used to it. Compared with these, the fact that Lord summoned us to this world is even more incredible."


    "We are very lucky to be able to come here."


    Winnie nodded.


    She had heard of Rune Arrays, but the method of summoning people from another world was unheard of.


    Before today, she couldn''t even dare to imagine that another world existed.


    Reflecting on her recent encounters and everything she had seen now.


    A smile appeared on Winnie''s face.


    To come here was indeed very fortunate.


    ...


    Inside the vacation villa, many survivors were pushing carts and transporting materials.


    Under the sweltering heat, they were all drenched in sweat.


    Knowing that work was hard to come by, they did not complain, but sometimes felt this hellish weather was nearly unbearable.


    It was getting hotter and hotter.


    But suddenly, they felt the temperature seemed to have dropped quite a bit, even feeling somewhat cool.


    The weariness from their work also seemed to have subsided significantly in that instant.


    At the hiring center.


    Awakeners, as well as some ordinary people with combat experience, were signing up for the Patrol Team assessment.


    Suddenly, everyone paused.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Do you feel it?"


    Everyone was somewhat puzzled.


    That instant gave them an inexplicable feeling.


    It was as if they felt refreshed, their whole being more spirited, and their bodies seemingly stronger as well.


    Shay took a deep breath, stepped out of the villa of the hiring center, and looked in the direction of the castle with a surprised expression.


    Many other Awakeners also came out, looking around.


    One of the Iron Hammer Brothers slapped his thigh forcefully. "I feel it! It''s coming from that direction, that comfortable sensation!"


    The other Awakeners looked towards the same direction.


    The stronger one''s abilities were, the clearer the sensation.


    Finally, someone looking in that direction had a realization, "I know now, it''s Director Tang stirring up something big again!"


    ...


    Lord Tang, who had stirred up something big, admitted he hadn''t expected it either.


    To build a structure and end up causing such a commotion.


    He could only say that a building worth twenty thousand Source Crystals really was different, even the special effects.


    "Fortunately, this thing is built in the castle garden, otherwise it would have been wasted."


    After the construction was finished, he had roughly figured out how the Energy Patio worked. It simply absorbed the Source Qi from the world, gathering it together to provide energy for the Territory. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Naturally, the closer one was to the Energy Patio, the higher the concentration of Source Qi.


    Standing nearby, he felt as if he was receiving a baptism from the tide of Source Qi.


    "If one could pair with a Cultivation Skill, cultivating near here might make the cultivation speed soar like riding on a rocket."


    Cultivation was a method to improve one''s strength.


    Originally, Tang Yu didn''t pay much attention to it, as refining soul power alone could rapidly increase your level. In comparison, the progress made through cultivation seemed too slow.


    However, now that he had gained some understanding of Source Power, Cultivation systems, and the like, he dared not hold that belief anymore.


    Ordinary people can enhance their physical constitution through exercise, reaching a certain level where further improvement becomes more and more difficult, until it is impossible.


    This is reaching the limit.


    Cultivation is the same.


    It is more efficient, and once a certain level is reached, it is even possible to challenge one''s bottleneck and thereby break through their limits.


    Cultivation is a process of first exploring the potential of the body and then using this to impact higher levels of life.


    However, refining soul power is quite the opposite.


    After refining soul power, one''s life level leaps forward, which in turn drives the enhancement of physical constitution.


    This method of enhancement is more essential, faster, and has no side effects.


    In fact, as long as there is enough soul power provided, Awakeners will not encounter bottlenecks when advancing at lower levels and can keep improving, unlike Cultivation, where every advance involves challenging a bottleneck.


    Tang Yu estimated that with the method of refining soul power, one will only encounter bottlenecks when attempting to break through the next minor realm at the Fifth Tier, Ninth Layer, and twelfth layer of Awakening.


    However, although the method of refining soul power is highly efficient and essential, the Awakener''s own potential is not fully developed. In essence, every level increase is an elevation of life level, and the improvement of physical constitution is just incidental.


    This is why Luo Zhe and Grey Blade were able to dominate Awakeners of the same level¡ªaside from possessing Combat Skills, their physical attributes far exceeded those of other Awakeners at equivalent levels.


    It would be unjust if they did not dominate.


    Level and strength are not the same.


    Tang Yu set a small target for himself: on one hand, he aimed to reach the Fifth Tier, which was the Peak of the Foundation Realm.


    This should be easy; with the soul power container, he could evolve into leveling up without cheats, similar to popping experience pills.


    He should quickly reach the bottleneck of the Fifth Tier and then get stuck for a while.


    But it didn''t matter, as Tang Yu had no intention of breaking through so quickly.


    After all, the Foundation Realm is the most crucial stage for building a solid base. Without fully unlocking one''s own potential, breaking through would only waste that potential.


    Now the level isn''t a problem; the key is to explore one''s own potential.


    And exploring one''s own potential through Cultivation would be much faster than through physical training.


    Just that...


    He did not know any Dharma Methods of Cultivation.


    That was really disheartening.


    Tang Yu counted with his fingers.


    So far, the six followers he had summoned all had their own Cultivation Dharma Methods.


    The Cultivation Skill that Winnie possessed was the most high-end... relatively the most high-end compared to others.


    But such Dharma Methods required a certain affinity with the Light Element to get started, and Tang Yu was cut off right at the first barrier.


    Eileen''s basic meditation method also required relatively relaxed conditions, yet still outright excluded him.


    After several studies.


    Tang Yu chose Luo Zhe''s Knight Cultivation Method, which was a more common type of Cultivation Skill that he felt should be suitable.


    According to Luo Zhe, when he was selected to become a soldier, he was taught an incomplete version of the Knight Cultivation Method and only after several meritorious services did he finally obtain a complete version from higher powers.


    Even so, he had to sign a Contract to ensure that this Cultivation Dharma Method would not be leaked.


    This shows the scarcity of Dharma Methods.


    Fortunately, after signing the Follower Contract with Luo Zhe, the system''s overbearing power erased all other contracts during the summoning process.


    Only then was he able to obtain the complete Knight Cultivation Method.


    "I wonder if there are any Cultivation Dharma Methods in this world. Many martial arts halls have been opened in Lindong Sanctuary, but what they teach are just ordinary martial arts."


    He had gone to investigate.


    As a result, a Master who boasted his martial arts as extremely powerful received an evaluation from Grey Blade as being full of flaws.


    Shaking his head.


    The most important thing now was to get started with the Knight Cultivation Skill.


    "This type of Cultivation Skill, it is said, is most suitable for practice after intense combat, as it is easier to break through, and my previous mental battles, although intense, were on a spiritual level. For the physical body, it was nothing more than illusion, which is insufficient."


    A physical strain was still needed.


    Tang Yu went to the training camp.


    At this early hour, members of the Patrol Team were either on duty or escorting survivors and transporting supplies on the periphery.


    Not a single person could be seen on the first floor of the training camp.

 Chapter 87 - 87: The Assessment Begins

    Tang Yu walked straight ahead, not to the fifth floor but to the fourth.


    The training facilities on the third and fourth floors were the same.


    Facilities like the velocity track, response space, and gravity room, each floor had two of them. He granted access to the third floor for Patrol Team members, while the fourth floor was reserved for him and a few followers.


    When Tang Yu arrived, he found that one of the gravity room''s hatch doors was tightly closed.


    The indicator light above was on, which meant someone was using it.


    Without having to think, he knew it was the cultivation fanatic, Kong.


    He entered another gravity room and used voice control to close the hatch door.


    The inside of the gravity room was like a pristine white room, not large, only about thirty to forty square meters. The surroundings, the floor, and the ceiling were all extremely hard metallic walls, effectively preventing damage by users.


    There were no control instruments inside, and the increase or decrease of gravity was all controlled by voice. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This wasn''t considered high-tech. Voice control was just for convenience because if push-button controls were used, it might happen that the gravity was set too high, pinning the user down, and when they wished to decrease the gravity, they would be unable to press the button.


    That would be quite embarrassing.


    Voice control was better, unless the user deliberately added gravity they couldn''t withstand, which would compress them so much that they couldn''t even open their mouth.


    Then there was nothing they could do...


    Anyway, he wouldn''t do something so foolish, and he figured no one else would be so rash, right?


    "But still, this gravity room has safety measures. If the user is detected to be in life-threatening danger, it will automatically adjust the gravity back. Maybe it''s possible to take a risk and not die?"


    Tang Yu shook his head to avoid entertaining any more thoughts of taking such risks.


    Taking a risk might not kill you, but you could end up bedridden for days.


    "With my current physical condition, I should be able to withstand five, six, seven, eight, nine times the gravity without a problem. However, it''s still better to increase it bit by bit."


    Tang Yu controlled the gravity to increase gradually.


    Hmm, by increments of 0.1 times, slowly increasing.


    After all, there needed to be a process of adaptation.


    As the gravity increased, his chest gradually felt a bit oppressive.


    His bones crackled, and an invisible pressure weighed down on his body, compressing every cell.


    His brain felt somewhat dizzy.


    Even breathing became more rapid.


    Tang Yu slowly adjusted his breathing and moved his body slowly to adapt to the changing gravity.


    Gradually, he managed to assume a pose, which was a preparatory movement for Heavy Slash and also one of the movements of the Knight Cultivation Method.


    Initially, his movements were slow, but under this high-intensity pressure, Tang Yu''s movements actually became smoother and smoother.


    After going through a set of movements.


    He couldn''t help but exert force suddenly, swinging out a punch.


    This was the Combat Skill, Heavy Slash.


    Without using a sword, he instead condensed all his body''s energy and blood onto his fist.


    He struck heavily against a wall.


    Bang~~


    Tang Yu''s expression contorted.


    It was pain.


    And it was fatigue.


    Under normal circumstances, with his physical strength, he could perform Heavy Slash three times at least. However, under the gravity room''s multiple gravity effects, all kinds of consumption also increased exponentially.


    This one use of Heavy Slash completely drained him.


    He immediately collapsed halfway to the ground.


    Struggling to reach out, he fumbled for a crystal from his pocket.


    This was a Source Power Crystal.


    Modified from a Source Crystal, it had the effect of restoring Source Power.


    It could also be used to recover physical strength, albeit somewhat wastefully.


    Tang Yu held the Source Power Crystal in his hand. The Source Power was immediately drawn out, flowing into his body like a babbling brook.


    Gradually, he recovered.


    His hand didn''t hurt, and he wasn''t even out of breath.


    His complexion looked a lot better, too.


    This was the effect of the Consuming Crystal Cultivation Skill.


    Moments later,


    Tang Yu wasn''t sure if it was his imagination, but he felt that his fists were stronger, and he suddenly found the motivation to continue his cultivation.


    ...


    The next day.


    The weather was clear.


    The temperature had dropped a couple of degrees from the previous days, not too hot; it was a great day for assessments.


    This time, nearly thirty people had signed up for the Patrol Team examination.


    With so many participants, Tang Yu decided to hold it at the hotel in the middle section of the resort.


    Aside from the villa area, most of the demolishable buildings within the whole resort had been torn down. This hotel was one of the rare few buildings that remained intact.


    It was also the largest building within the Sanctuary, aside from those with system construction.


    It was here that he had witnessed Number One violently slaying a powerful Demonized Beast. The traces of that battle had been repaired and were hardly noticeable now.


    Even those parts of the walls that had been shattered in the fight had been converted into doors and windows... They looked fine, but whether the quality was guaranteed was another matter.


    Anyway...


    Tang Yu glanced at the people before him, most of whom were Awakeners. He figured that if there was danger, they should... probably not be crushed to death, right?


    The first part was a written test.


    The test mostly consisted of general knowledge questions regarding the post-apocalypse.


    To join the Patrol Team, strength was important, but intelligence could not fall too far below the standard.


    Tang Yu stroked his chin, deep in thought.


    Some of these questions were his own creation, and as the test designer, it was quite pleasurable to watch the candidates struggle with them.


    Just because they were general knowledge questions didn''t mean they were easy points.


    He watched the examination hall with an unfathomable smile on his face.


    At the moment,


    The hotel lobby had already been arranged with plenty of desks and chairs.


    Luo Zhe stood at the front as the chief invigilator with a serious expression.


    His robust stature and solemn demeanor were enough to instill fear in most of the survivors taking the exam, deterring any thoughts of cheating... Not that they had the capability to cheat.


    The deputy invigilator was Chen Haiping, and he was reviewing the test papers.


    When the time came, many people waiting outside the hall entered, holding their number cards, ready for the assessment.


    Zhao Ming was very excited at this moment.


    Once he passed this exam, he would be a member of the Patrol Team.


    As he walked in, he observed the other survivors who were taking the assessment with him.


    However, he didn''t see the impressively burly brother from yesterday.


    Didn''t he sign up?


    He felt somewhat disappointed, and it seemed a pity.


    Zhao Ming really had high hopes for that big brother. Although in yesterday''s circumstances, with many Awakeners present and their energies clashing, it was difficult to discern others'' strengths without paying close attention.


    Zhao Ming was unaware of the big brother''s actual strength, but somehow, he felt confident in him, just as he was confident in himself.


    It was a shame...


    He had been thinking that, once he joined the Patrol Team, he''d stick with the big brother for warmth. After all, according to his extensive reading and summary of experiences, as a newbie in the Patrol Team, they might suffer bullying from the veterans, so it was wise to be prepared.


    It seemed he would have to find someone else now.


    Zhao Ming also saw the Iron Hammer Brothers, but neither yesterday nor today did he recognize their identities.


    He hadn''t intentionally sensed their auras.


    Without their large iron hammers, the tall thin man and the short fat man didn''t really stand out.


    At most, one was too thin, the other too short.


    Zhao Ming shook his head.


    He took a seat at his assigned place.

 Chapter 88 - 88 This is a fatal question

    Iron Hammer Brothers followed the others into the examination hall, searching for their seats.


    The tall and skinny one walked in front.


    The short and fat one followed closely behind.


    "Big brother, big brother, weren''t we here to buy weapons? How come we suddenly ended up taking part in this assessment?" asked the short and fat one.


    "Didn''t I tell you?" The tall and skinny one didn''t even turn his head. "This Patrol Team seems somewhat interesting, so I came to check it out, get it?"


    "But big brother, didn''t you say yesterday that this Patrol Team was nothing special?" The short and fat one asked.


    The tall and skinny man''s face stiffened, and he turned to glare at the short and fat man, "Shut up!"


    The short and fat man looked grievously wronged.


    They found their seats and sat down.


    Soon after, exam papers were passed down from the front.


    As usual, the first things to fill in were the name and student number¡­ exam identification number.


    The tall and skinny man wrote down his illustrious name.


    Swiftly, in three characters.


    Ma Jiafeng.


    His brother''s name was Ma Jiazze.


    Their real names were completely different from their nicknames; in this area, no one would recognize those two names. Only as the Iron Hammer Brothers did they symbolize an identity.


    After filling in his name, the test started shortly.


    Examinees of all ages, from fresh-faced youths to seasoned veterans, all picked up their pens to begin.


    Outside the examination hall,


    Tang Yu was holding an identical paper, looking at it with utter boredom.


    The test began with multiple-choice questions.


    Question one.


    [What is the name of the Patrol Team Captain?]


    Below were four options, each with different names.


    Such an easy question.


    Luo Zhe was in the public eye daily, and if there was anyone in the Sanctuary''s upper echelons with high visibility, it had to be Luo Zhe.


    Who among the survivors in the Sanctuary didn''t know him?


    Offering this giveaway question was to make the survivors taking the assessment feel the warmth of home.


    Was there another examiner out there as considerate as he was?


    Certainly not!


    ...


    "This really is a giveaway question."


    At his seat.


    Zhao Ming skimmed through the questions quickly and knew most of them were common knowledge.


    They weren''t difficult, and he felt confident about it.


    Especially this first question, it was definitely a giveaway.


    "And they even put Captain Luo''s name as the first option. Anyone would choose A."


    Zhao Ming wrote down a flamboyant A.


    Now, he started to feel it was too easy, failing to demonstrate his strength.


    Not just identifying Captain Luo''s name, he could even state Captain Luo''s height, strength, military exploits, and even the length of Captain Luo''s longest sentence, if asked.


    He had prepared for this evaluation for quite some time.


    Looking at it now, he might not even need much of that preparation.


    Ah, the loneliness.


    ...


    Elsewhere.


    The Ma Brothers were also answering the questions.


    Ma Jiafeng, the big brother, was quite confident in his own abilities.


    He wasn''t the type with brawn and no brains, but thinking of that made him suddenly worry about his foolish brother.


    Ma Jiafeng shook off these distracting thoughts and began to take the test seriously.


    He didn''t start from the beginning, but rather preferred a random selection method, doing whichever question he saw.


    "After all, these questions aren''t difficult; they''re all common sense, the same old same old."


    He glanced at a multiple-choice question.


    [Is Demonized Beast meat edible?]


    [A. Completely; B. Not at all; C. Mostly; D. Mostly not;]


    "This is easy! If Demonized Beast meat could be widely consumed, we wouldn''t have shortages of food."


    Ma Jiafeng decisively wrote down a D.


    Then he randomly saw a fill-in-the-blank question.


    [What are the two sources of Source Crystals? Please write the answers on the line below.]


    [________,________]


    Of course, they congeal in the Source Crystal Mines and inside the bodies of Demonized Beasts.


    He quickly finished writing again.


    It was a breeze, without even needing to think.


    Ma Jiafeng''s gaze swept across the paper and landed on the first question.


    [What is the name of the Patrol Team Captain?]


    Another simple question, he thought.


    Suddenly, he froze. The Patrol Team''s captain¡ªwho was the Patrol Team''s captain again?


    He looked up, fixing his eyes on the stern-faced burly man in front of him. This person seemed to be the Patrol Team Captain, appearing quite capable indeed.


    But what exactly was his name?


    Ma Jiafeng racked his brain, and then a spark of inspiration flashed. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Got it! Yesterday, someone mentioned the name ''Captain Luo'', so the captain''s surname is Luo, no doubt about it!"


    His eyes scanned over the four options, yet he was startled again.


    [A. Luo Zhe; B. Chen Haiping; C. Luo Zhan; D. Shay;]


    Two of the options had the surname Luo, how to decide?


    Eldest Ma fell back into deep thought, but this time, no further clues surfaced in his mind.


    After pondering for a moment, he decided to analyze it from a different angle.


    Luo Zhe, Luo Zhan.


    What was the difference between these two names?


    One is the ''Zhe'' from philosophy.


    The other is the ''Zhan'' from battle.


    In no time, he had analyzed the answer, and according to normal convention, when faced with a multiple-choice question you don''t understand, choosing C has the highest chance of being correct.


    It must be Luo Zhan!


    If it was just one factor, he would not be very confident, but combining the two greatly increased his assurance.


    Ma Jiafeng was quite satisfied with his reasoning.


    He should be able to score on this question, right?


    The next moment, he slightly raised his gaze and saw the points allocated for the question.


    "This is a special question; correct answers will not be awarded points, incorrect answers will deduct ten points."


    A mouthful of blood almost sprayed out.


    He could only helplessly continue with the test.


    Even though he was a third-tier Awakener and a master with plenty of wilderness survival experience and knowledge about Demonized Beasts...


    Regrettably, these general knowledge questions perfectly avoided his repository of knowledge.


    And then some questions were elusive, which was really frustrating.


    He looked at the last question, a comprehensive essay question with a significant portion of the points.


    "I must score on this one!"


    Ma Jiafeng encouraged himself and started reading the question carefully.


    [Question: Can Awakeners defeat opponents of a higher tier in battle?]


    [Note: Both combatants are not ability users, and have equal combat experience and equipment¡­]


    Iron Hammer Boss Ma Jiafeng, without even thinking, was ready to write a "yes".


    Then, he read the next line.


    [Please state your reasons.]


    He was instantly stumped.


    If this were a novel, he could come up with hundreds of reasons for the protagonist to overcome higher-tiered opponents, but the problem was, this was reality. Reality isn''t a script; defeating a higher-tiered opponent seemed like a fantasy.


    Take his own situation, for example, Ma Jiafeng didn''t believe that a mere second-tier Awakener could defeat him.


    But also, if he had to fight a fourth-layer Awakener under the same conditions, he felt it was equally impossible.


    "Could it be that I should write ''no'' as the answer to this question?"


    Ma Jiafeng instinctively felt it couldn''t be that simple.


    This time it was not based on so-called exam experience but rather because he felt that, after the apocalypse, even Awakeners understood too little of their own powers.


    Awakeners cannot overcome Demonized Beasts of the same tier.


    This is common sense, but why does this situation occur? Is it because the Awakeners'' physical capabilities are inferior to those of Demonized Beasts, thus showing disadvantage in combat, or is it because the Awakeners'' powers have not been fully developed?


    This question was different from the previous general knowledge questions.


    It seemed like it was testing something.


    Very meaningful.


    So, what else could influence both parties'' strengths besides combat experience and equipment?


    Eldest Ma wracked his brains.

 Chapter 89 - 89 Director Tang is Truly Strong

    After the first round of assessment ended, they collected the exam papers.


    There was no waiting, they quickly prepared to start the second round of the combat test.


    In fact, Tang Yu hadn''t planned to eliminate exam takers with this written test¡ªunless someone really messed up such basic questions.


    This time, the written test was not perfect and was considered a trial run.


    In the future, the assessment could examine some more in-depth issues.


    For example, the characteristics and weaknesses of Demonized Beasts, or the abilities of ability users, and so on.


    If he truly wanted to weed out certain undesirable examiners, there would be plenty of opportunities in the combat tests that followed.


    Moreover,


    Lord Tang wouldn''t admit that this written test was just for kicks.


    At least, some of the questions were very useful.


    For example, from the multiple-choice questions involving names in the first question, he could discern whether a person had lived in the Sanctuary for a while, or had only recently arrived.


    Hmm, kudos to his own cleverness.


    ...


    Very soon, those participating in the assessment gathered on the open ground outside the hotel.


    Some were nervous, some were eager to try, and others were curious about the content of the assessment.


    Ma Jiafeng raised his eyebrows.


    He was confident in his own strength.


    The written test just now didn''t allow him to show his abilities, but this combat test would be different.


    "Jiazze, during the combat test, make sure to perform well and show everyone the strength of the Iron Hammer Brothers."


    The short and plump Ma Jiazze scratched his head, "But big brother, didn''t you say we should keep a low profile, fail intentionally at the end, and avoid joining the Patrol Team?"


    The tall and thin Ma Jiafeng stiffened, "Shut up."


    After a pause, he asked, "How did you do on the written test?"


    The short and plump man looked at him but didn''t answer.


    Ma Jiafeng asked again.


    The short and plump man pointed to his mouth but still didn''t respond.


    Eldest Ma eventually sighed helplessly and dragged his brother forward.


    Ahead,


    Chen Haiping was explaining the rules of the combat test, while Luo Zhe stood by, nodding occasionally and uttering a sound of agreement.


    "This combat test," he began, "is a confrontation, not between Awakeners but with..."


    He pointed to a Puppet standing nearby, with a round body and thick arms.


    "Puppets like this one, which I believe many of you have seen before. Your opponent this time will be such Puppets."


    "Depending on the level, the number of Puppets you''ll face will vary. Among the exam takers, three are ordinary people. You three will form a group, and as long as you defeat one Puppet without weapons, you''ll pass the assessment."


    "For first-tier Awakeners, defeating one unarmed Puppet will be considered a pass."


    "For second-tier Awakeners, defeating three unarmed Puppets means passing."


    "For third-tier Awakeners, you must defeat five Puppets holding blunted weapons to pass."


    Many Awakeners exchanged uneasy glances.


    They often encountered such Puppets, which at first glance were formidable. Moreover, quite a few had heard from early survivors of the Sanctuary that in one-on-one combat, a Puppet could crush an Awakener.


    Even if the Puppet was unarmed, its body was wrapped in iron plating, offering top-tier defense.


    With their abilities, even if the Puppet didn''t resist, they expected to expend significant effort to dismantle it.


    And more importantly...


    Seemingly noticing their concerns, Chen Haiping quickly added, "To make the assessment fairer, apart from prohibiting the use of firearms, you are allowed to use your own weapons, or you can use weapons provided by our Sanctuary."


    He pulled away a curtain beside him, revealing a rack of weapons in front of the many exam takers.


    All kinds of weapons were there.


    Knives, swords, spears, axes, staffs, and so on.


    The color of the candidates'' faces brightened at the sight.


    Such weapons would cost thirty Source Crystals in the Sanctuary''s market; wasn''t their eagerness to join the Patrol Team precisely because new members were issued a set of valuable equipment?


    With such Divine Weapons at their disposal, and facing unarmed Puppets, their chances looked good.


    Not too difficult, not too difficult at all.


    Most breathed a sigh of relief.


    After Chen Haiping finished, he looked around and asked, "Any other questions?"


    Soon another examiner asked for more details, such as whether defeating a Puppet meant completely disassembling it, or simply rendering it incapable of movement.


    Chen Haiping answered several questions one after another.


    "Any more questions?" he finally asked.


    A weak voice came from the crowd, "Um, what if we get injured in combat?"


    The question came from a young man with delicate features. He seemed a bit anxious, conflicted, and scared. After asking his question, he lowered his head completely.


    Chen Haiping glanced over and shook his head.


    "Injuries are inevitable; the apocalypse is no fairy tale, and the Patrol Team is not a charity. Every member of the Patrol Team must fight against Demonized Beasts. Injury, and even death, are possible outcomes. If you''re not mentally prepared, you can wait until the next recruitment to join and take the assessment."


    The other examiners burst into laughter.


    Not far away,


    Tang Yu also shook his head.


    Such a person, even if he is an Awakener, with this temperament and this appearance, it is indeed quite rare for him to have survived until now.


    This martial trial was destined to eliminate quite a few people.


    The delicate-looking young man was not the first, nor would the others, even some with courage and strength, necessarily pass this martial trial.


    Tang Yu focused his mind and looked at the map of his Territory in his mind.


    It was dotted with yellow and green marks representing the examiners.


    Among these people, many were just yellow dots. If they had just come to the Sanctuary, that would be one thing, but among them, there were many who had lived in the Sanctuary for quite some time.


    Such people, not even reaching green, some even tinged with red in their yellow.


    And they still thought about joining the Patrol Team?


    Wishful thinking!


    Most of those taking part in the assessment were Awakeners since they would have to fight against Demonized Beasts in the future.


    Ordinary people, only three,


    These three had a certain level of combat skills and experience, were confident in themselves, and were unwilling to settle for their current situation.


    Even if they couldn''t go through an Awakening, they still wanted to join the Patrol Team and find a way to become stronger. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These three were the first to enter the arena.


    After selecting their weapons, they stood in three positions around the Puppet.


    At Chen Haiping''s command, the Puppet began to move.


    This basic Puppet, with its round body and short legs, might have appeared slow, but in reality, it surprised the Awakeners watching.


    The Puppet''s legs moved quickly, suddenly drawing close to one of them, and swung its thick right arm down with a thunderous blow.


    For an ordinary person, this blow would have caused at least a concussion.


    But these three, daring to participate in this assessment as ordinary people, had some notable skills.


    In the nick of time, one of them dove to the side, rolling on the ground twice.


    The Puppet''s thick arm slammed into the earth, kicking up dust.


    The other two didn''t hesitate but seized the opportunity to attack.


    Using the sharpness of their weapons, they left several cuts on the Puppet.


    They also didn''t act recklessly but waited for the Puppet to attack one of them before the other two struck together.


    The battle lasted nearly ten minutes.


    When the Puppet lost its combat power, the three of them were completely exhausted.


    The observing Awakeners, initially full of confidence, now watched with nervous hearts.


    The Puppet''s speed and strength were just too formidable!


    Especially the power of that punch, even with the physique of an Awakener, they might not be able to withstand it.


    Although these three eventually managed to defeat the Puppet,


    remember, there were three of them!


    In an unarmed situation, the Awakeners were confident they could singly defeat three ordinary people, but it was different with Divine weapons.


    With their Awakener bodies, they could withstand an ordinary person''s punch but would definitely not be able to block a Divine weapon from the Sanctuary; a mere graze could be fatal.


    Under such circumstances, three ordinary people with combat skills had a combined Combat Power exceeding that of an Awakener.


    Seeing how hard these three fought, what about themselves?


    Many Awakeners swallowed hard, already doubting their assurance.


    Some thought deeper, it was said that these Puppets were created by that mysterious Director of the Sanctuary using his Special Ability.


    There were many more of these Puppets within the Sanctuary.


    Once armed with weapons, they could easily crush them.


    In other words, even if all the Awakeners present were bound together, they couldn''t beat Director Tang alone.


    Moreover, Director Tang could just sit and drink tea, directing the Puppets, and casually flatten them all.


    No wonder he could build up a Sanctuary from this ruin and develop it rapidly while they could only aspire to be a mere member of the Patrol Team.


    And that was only if they could pass the assessment.

 Chapter 90 - 90 Got the Routine Down, No Problem

    After the assessment of the three ordinary people ended, it was normally time for the Awakened with First Layer abilities to take the stage.


    This strength accounted for the majority of those attending the assessment.


    However, some of the Awakeners bowed their heads in thought, while others looked up at the sky.


    No one was willing to step forward.


    The scene suddenly became quiet, with only the breathing of the three ordinary people continuing.


    In a room on the upper floors of the hotel, Tang Yu leaned against the window, silently watching below.


    Seeing this situation, he was speechless.


    They say Awakeners aren''t strong, to take on a demonized beast of the same level, they either need to call a couple of friends for a coordinated attack or set traps in advance, otherwise, they just have to endure.


    Yet, damn it, they''ve all been given weapons, and they''re up against an unarmed Puppet¡ªnone of them dared to step up?


    What use are they?


    Tang Yu decided to take out his notebook and record these people''s names.


    Then he heard a spirited shout.


    "I''ll do it!"


    A female Awakener stepped forward from the crowd.


    Tang Yu was intrigued.


    She was young, with her hair tied into a ponytail at the back, giving off an efficient vibe.


    As she walked forward, her appearance might be considered above average, but she exuded a distinct charisma.


    That was confidence.


    Tang Yu took another look; mainly, he perceived that she possessed Second-tier strength.


    Female Awakeners were rare, not because they were harder to awaken, but because those who could survive to awaken and keep living afterwards were admittedly fewer than their male counterparts.


    In the relatively safe environment of Lindong, it was better, but around the territory, who knows? One might wake up to find the Sanctuary gone. In such conditions, female Awakeners were even more precious.


    Especially someone with the ability of Second-tier Awakening.


    Like a giant panda.


    Lan Qingya stepped forward, stopped, and fixated her gaze on the three Puppets in front of her.


    She chose a slim, short sword for more agility.


    With the signal for battle given, the round, rolling Puppets, just like the previous round, dashed forward swiftly with their short legs.


    As a Second-tier Awakener, Lan Qingya was quick to react and agile, easily dodging the first Puppet''s attack.


    However, the other two Puppets also launched their attacks, charging from different directions, fists drawn back, smashing towards Lan Qingya.


    Even with her physique, getting hit would be unpleasant.


    This situation was very similar to the last round.


    Except this time, the roles between the human assessors and the Puppets had switched.


    The three individuals last time had taken advantage of a Puppet''s attack on one of them to launch their own attack.


    But now, the three Puppets attacked ferociously and continuously.


    Lan Qingya seemed to only be able to keep dodging, finding no chance to counter.


    "It''s tough, it looks like she''s getting suppressed."


    "Right, although she''s dodging comfortably now, she literally doesn''t have a chance to strike back. How long can this kind of evasion last? Additionally, the Puppets never tire, but she will. If this continues, it won''t be long before fatigue leads to a mistake, and then it will all be over."


    "Ah, initially seeing her volunteer first, she must have been somewhat confident, but I didn''t expect her to fall into a crisis so quickly."


    The watching Awakeners all sighed.


    This assessment by the Patrol Team had not limited the number of passes, so there was no direct competition between them; on the contrary, they hoped someone would pass the assessment, to give them some confidence.


    But now it seems...


    "This girl is actually quite impressive, if it were me, I probably couldn''t even dodge like this. But continuously dodging isn''t a solution either, it might be better to take a risk now while she still has stamina, if she can take out one Puppet first, there might still be hope!"


    The watching Awakeners were even more anxious than Lan Qingya on the field.


    Above.


    Leaning against the window, Tang Yu saw something different. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "She wasn''t unable to fight back, but rather, she was testing the Puppet''s attack patterns."


    After all, this is just the Basic Type, a cheaply made Puppet. Although its speed and power are not weak, its intelligence is limited and it has a set behavior pattern.


    If it were replaced with the Advanced Puppets like number one and number two, it would be different. Those two Puppets, in terms of combat experience, could even outclass Luo Zhe by a long shot, and they wouldn''t have any so-called behavior patterns.


    Tang Yu closed his eyes, his Perception connecting to a Basic Puppet below.


    Through the Puppet''s vision, he could see more clearly.


    This girl was completely at ease as she dodged. There was no trace of panic on her face, and her every advance and retreat was well-regulated. It wouldn''t be difficult for her to counterattack.


    She didn''t strike probably because she hadn''t fully analyzed the Puppet''s behavior pattern yet and was waiting for the right moment when she could be completely sure of her move.


    After several more dodges, Lan Qingya retreated again and again.


    Suddenly, a Puppet charged at her, its right arm gathering strength like before, preparing a powerful punch.


    This time, as the fist got closer and closer, she did not dodge.


    In the crowd, a handsome young man couldn''t help but exclaim. He covered his eyes with his hands as if he couldn''t bear to watch any longer.


    Just at this moment, the Puppet swung its fist, creating a fierce wind with it.


    Lan Qingya focused her gaze. With a sharp move to the right, the inertia made her ponytail swing to the left, the fist wind blew past, scattering her ponytail.


    At that moment, she pressed one hand against the Puppet''s thick arm, leveraged it, flipped over, and actually ended up riding on the Puppet''s face.


    She got on...


    Her movement was very smooth.


    The other two Puppets paused for a moment, seemingly unable to find a position to attack.


    But the Puppet she was riding on stretched out its arms trying to grab Lan Qingya down, only to be sliced from top to bottom by her short sword.


    The First Strike of Iron!


    The rest was easy. After figuring out the Puppet''s routines, Lan Qingya quickly dispatched the other two Puppets using the same method.


    Finally, she leaped down from the Puppet''s body, flicked her ponytail, her chest bouncing... yet remained flat.


    Tang Yu finally understood why this girl could perform so many clever maneuvers.


    One couldn''t help but be impressed.


    If it were any other girl, well, Eileen was another story, but Winnie definitely couldn''t do it, which is no wonder since Winnie fits the refined role of a Healing Series Priesthood.


    After Lan Qingya left the field,


    It was time to wait for the next examiner to take the stage, and this time, it was not as awkward.


    A burly Awakener stepped forward, "As a big man, how can I not even match a girl!"


    While saying this, he picked up a weapon and engaged with the Puppet.


    After Lan Qingya''s battle, the other awakeners present weren''t fools. They also noticed some of the Puppet''s attack patterns.


    One examiner after another took the stage.


    Some passed successfully, while others failed.


    A young Awakener, wearing a confident smile, walked towards the weapon rack.


    After observing several times and analyzing the strength of those who participated in the exam, he felt fully confident.


    These Puppets, indeed strong and fast, were too rigid, which only made the initial lack of understanding frightening.


    Now that he understood the routine, these Puppets, weren''t much after all.


    No problem!


    "It''s good this way. I''ll quickly pass the exam, successfully join the Patrol Team. And I don''t know what the secret to the Patrol Team''s strength really is."


    He chose a Combat Saber, weighed it a few times, and quickly walked into the battlefield.


    Above,


    Tang Yu''s eyes lit up.


    His gaze fixed on the young man below.


    This person, represented by a reddish-yellow light spot, was the reddest of all.


    Daring to come to take the Patrol Team exam.


    He slightly curved his lips.


    Why would a flower... be so red?

 Chapter 91 - 91 Challenge?

    The young man had confidence written all over his face.


    He wanted more than just to defeat the Puppet.


    Although according to the assessment requirements, defeating the Puppet was enough to pass, he keenly noticed a crucial point¡ªwould the treatment be the same for those who were strong and those who were weak in defeating the Puppet?


    And would the Awakeners who passed easily get the same treatment as those who barely managed to defeat the Puppet?


    The young man thought not¡ªdefinitely not.


    What he intended to do was to win this round decisively, to make the upper echelons of the Sanctuary take notice. Perhaps, he could then gain a deeper understanding of the Patrol Team members and even the secrets of the upper echelons of the Sanctuary to become stronger.


    He looked at the Puppet in front of him and smiled lightly.


    The battle began.


    The Puppet''s attack was indeed as he had anticipated.


    With just a few easy back and forths, he had chopped a large slash into the Puppet''s body, nearly cutting off half of it.


    Then the Puppet charged again.


    The predictable charge trajectory...


    The young man''s eyes narrowed¡ªthis was an opportunity.


    Seizing the moment for a fatal blow, his time taken to defeat the Puppet would be the shortest of anyone! sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And he would receive the highest treatment.


    The young man made a decisive move, his sword slashing fiercely towards the previous cut.


    He was about to cleave off half of the Puppet''s body.


    The next moment, the young man paused.


    His sword-holding right hand had been grabbed by the Puppet.


    Caught...


    Grabbed...


    His eyes widened, his mind now in complete disarray.


    The Puppet could do this too?


    Wasn''t it just supposed to swing punches straightforwardly? Why did it suddenly grab his hand?


    Could this be a new tactic, a routine he had yet to fully understand?


    He could no longer think.


    The Puppet''s other arm swung a straight punch forcefully.


    This was the most frequent attack of the Puppet, unadaptable and non-threatening.


    That''s what he had thought before, but now he could not dodge it.


    The punch landed on his face, seemingly indenting his nose bridge, and spun him around and threw him out of the arena, rendering him unconscious.


    An Awakener glanced at him; he looked quite miserable but seemed not seriously harmed, not dead, so they left him alone.


    Those who had passed the assessment were excited.


    Those who had failed wore gloomy expressions.


    Those who hadn''t yet taken the assessment were nervous. It seemed the young Awakener wasn''t very well-liked and was quickly forgotten.


    Gradually, the assessment neared its end.


    Only three people had not yet participated.


    On one side was a duo of a tall and thin person and a short and stout person; the other was a handsome young man.


    The tall member of the Ma Family had a gentle expression and patted the young man''s shoulder, "Little brother, are you going or not? If you''re not, then I will."


    The patted handsome young man shuddered a bit, nervously replying, "I¡ªI''ll go."


    He hurriedly ran forward.


    Chen Haiping watched with a frown and quickly stopped him, then pointed to the other side, "The weapon rack is over there."


    The handsome young man shivered again and hurriedly ran to the weapon rack. After hesitating for a while, he finally picked up a Longsword.


    "Come on, let''s do this."


    The fight began, as if he were pumping himself up.


    The Puppet charged at him, its round body rapidly enlarging in his field of vision.


    The blinding speed, the ferocious momentum, and the clenched fist that could swing at any moment.


    Everything was so overwhelming...


    The handsome young man was petrified, his legs trembling.


    He wanted to dodge, but his body wouldn''t cooperate.


    Finally, it seemed he mustered his courage. As the Puppet''s fist swung, he gripped the Longsword tightly and swung hard as well.


    Then,


    The Puppet''s fist struck the blade, skewed the Longsword, and then slammed straight into the young man''s chest.


    Crack...


    Accompanied by the crisp sound of bones breaking, the delicate young man was knocked flying backwards.


    This punch, the Puppet, had been charged with power.


    Though the delicate young man didn''t pass out, his condition was more wretched than the earlier young man.


    His breastbone was fractured, and he coughed up blood from the corner of his mouth.


    "Yikes, that''s pretty harsh."


    "He still underestimated his own strength."


    "Although Awakeners have strong vitality and won''t die, the recovery will probably require him to lie down for a while, alas."


    Some people watched coldly, others shook their heads, and some felt sympathy.


    The delicate young man''s complexion was ashen, and he bit his lips tightly, trying not to let out a whimper of pain.


    He seemed to be annoyed at his own incompetence, and perhaps worried about the future.


    Suddenly,


    A ray of light shone down from above his head, and the delicate young man felt a warm glow throughout his body.


    The pain gradually dissipated, and his chest felt slightly itchy, as though the wounds were healing rapidly.


    Not far away, the Awakeners'' expressions turned to astonishment.


    "What is that?"


    He pointed at the delicate young man, who was now enveloped in a pale yellow light, visibly restoring the concavity of his chest.


    "The injuries are healing! Could this be..."


    Someone realized and exclaimed.


    That person''s gaze quickly swept over the crowd and soon settled on Winnie in the distance, or rather on her hands.


    Winnie held her hands together, radiating a misty light, the hue of which was exactly the same as the light enveloping the delicate young man.


    "My God, she''s really healing ¡ª the legendary Awakener with healing abilities!"


    The Awakeners quickly looked over.


    Winnie, in the midst of casting, was solemn and sacred. Her pale golden hair, unprovoked by the wind, wafted about.


    The delicate young man looked up.


    In his pupils, Winnie appeared, like the most sacred angel.


    His face turned red, and he fell into a daze.


    Outside the arena, in a certain peripheral zone.


    Another young Awakener had been punched in the face by the Puppet and was only just regaining consciousness, his face contorted with pain.


    Groggily opening his eyes, he saw the injured delicate young man recovering rapidly under a sweep of light.


    Then he looked at himself, not even knowing what his swollen face resembled, yet no one cared.


    A lump of bitterness welled up in his heart, and he passed out again.


    The last ones left to be assessed were the Iron Hammer Brothers.


    After twenty rounds of combat, other Awakeners had lost their initial enthusiasm.


    Those who failed the assessment either stayed at the scene seeking consolation or had already quietly left.


    Those who had succeeded in passing wanted the event to end early so they could officially join the Patrol Team.


    They were impatient.


    They saw the tall and lean Iron Hammer Boss step forward, suddenly saying, "Captain Luo, I would like to challenge you."


    Ma Jiafeng''s expression was serious, not seeming to joke.


    Some Awakeners watching nearby were taken aback.


    "This guy is crazy, actually wanting to challenge Captain Luo!"


    Yet, some were not surprised, "Didn''t you recognize them? Those two are the Iron Hammer Brothers, strong Awakeners."


    "So it''s the Iron Hammer Brothers, no wonder. Both are said to have third-layer Awakening abilities, stronger than many Sanctuary Directors."


    "Not only that, but it''s said that they''re both battle maniacs who love challenging the strong. They once challenged a powerful Sanctuary Director¡ªit''s no wonder they now want to challenge Captain Luo."


    "What was the outcome?" a curious onlooker quickly asked.


    "The outcome..." the speaking Awakener shook his head, "The Sanctuary Director avoided the fight, and it was left unresolved."


    Hearing this, the bystanders were disappointed.


    Avoiding combat, although it can''t be said that the Sanctuary Director would have been defeated had they actually fought, it was clear that the director had reservations.


    If he could have easily defeated the Iron Hammer Brothers, would he have avoided the fight?


    Obviously not.


    So, would Captain Luo accept this challenge?


    (P.S. Thanks to "Schrodinger''s Soft Cat" for the 500-coin reward, thanks to "No Money for Ramen," "Reader150105180052451," "Reader20170804093004041" for their rewards support, and thanks to many others who voted and sent messages of support in the reviews section. Writing books, the most thrilling part is seeing the daily increase in followers, and having my work recognized. Thanks to all you guys for your support and encouragement, I will continue to work hard... ©c(£þ¨Œ£þ)?)

 Chapter 92 - 92 Lindong Intelligence Agency

    Luo Zhe seemed to fall into deep thought.


    After a while, he raised his head, "Fine, consider this part of your assessment for joining the Patrol Team. The two of you can go up together."


    Anger appeared on Ma Jiafeng''s face.


    He and his brother, both third layer Awakeners and grandmasters, had an impeccable synergy. Together, they could even make a fourth layer Awakener take a brief step back.


    However, the next moment, Luo Zhe released part of his aura.


    This aura was fleeting.


    Ma Jiafeng''s expression turned solemn, no longer hesitating, he called his brother over, and they stood shoulder to shoulder.


    Outside the arena.


    The Awakeners also widened their eyes.


    They hadn''t expected to have the chance to witness a battle of this caliber.


    "The Iron Hammer Brothers are actually teaming up, this might be the first time."


    "Can Captain Luo win?" This was asked with tension.


    "It''s hard to say." A member of the analytical group''s eyes twinkled with keen insight, "If it were one-on-one, I''d favor Captain Luo, but in a two-versus-one situation, I think Captain Luo would be at a disadvantage."


    "Nonsense, Captain Luo is so powerful that even facing the Iron Hammer Brothers together, he can fight and emerge victorious."


    "Captain Luo is strong, but how strong? Has anyone here actually seen him in action? After all, Captain Luo is just a high-ranking official in a small Sanctuary. Indeed, Green Shadow Sanctuary is stronger than other Sanctuaries, but the Iron Hammer Brothers are stronger than the strongest in most Sanctuaries. Not to mention when they join forces, you can imagine who has the higher chance of winning."


    The analytical group hit the nail on the head.


    The Awakeners supporting Luo Zhe suddenly fell silent.


    After all, it wasn''t a battle to the death.


    The Iron Hammer Brothers did not use weapons, exchanging glances before rushing towards Luo Zhe from both sides.


    The younger brother, Ma Jiazze, short and plump, moved with surprising speed, taking the lead and using his height disadvantage to attack Luo Zhe''s lower body.


    Ma Jiafeng followed closely with a heavy punch.


    Solace flashed in his eyes.


    Such an attack, such coordination, how could Captain Luo handle it?


    ...


    ...


    Bang bang bang bang!


    Fists and kicks intersected, wind howled, dust billowed.


    The onlooking Awakeners couldn''t help but cover their faces with their hands, shielding themselves from the swirling dust.


    They swallowed hard.


    This level of strength, this calibre of battle was something many of the Awakeners present had never witnessed before.


    Far more terrifying than they had imagined.


    Many realized that, if they were one of the combatants, they likely wouldn''t last a single round before being defeated and retreating.


    "Hey, aren''t you the best at analyzing? Who''s got the upper hand?"


    Upon hearing this.


    The analytical group member had cold sweat sliding down their forehead, "I, I, I freaking can''t even see clearly, how am I supposed to know who has the upper hand? But from the looks of it, they seem to be evenly matched."


    Someone beside him shook their head.


    The analytical group member was not convinced, "Even though I can''t see clearly, with both sides exchanging blows back and forth, even if one has the upper hand, the difference must be very small, pretty much evenly matched."


    The Awakener glanced at him and still shook his head.


    With his strength, he could discern more but he was too focused on the fight in the arena to bother answering.


    Beside them, Lan Qingya''s eyes were also unblinking, fixedly staring for a long time before she finally took a deep breath.


    "It''s because Captain Luo hasn''t used his full strength."


    "Not at full strength? Impossible. How could anyone hold back in such an intense fight?"


    Lan Qingya shook her head, "It''s precisely because Captain Luo is so powerful and in complete control of the battle''s rhythm that he''s able to suppress his own strength and even, throughout the battle, Captain Luo is merely defending, or rather, feeding moves."


    In the arena.


    Ma Jiafeng''s punches flew like cannonballs, his eyes reflecting only the figure of Luo Zhe.


    He had entered the most focused state of combat.


    This state excited him.


    He felt that in such a state, he could unleash 120% of his strength.


    Eventually.


    The three combatants separated, both Iron Hammer brothers panting heavily.


    After the battle, exhilarated, their clothes had been torn up quite a bit, appearing tattered and drenched in sweat.


    Both of them had looks of satisfaction on their faces.


    At this moment,


    Ma Jiafeng looked at Luo Zhe, who remained unfazed, and had a sudden realization.


    No wonder he had fought so smoothly. Upon reflection, he noticed that many of his mistakes in battle had been forcefully corrected.


    This was a guided combat.


    Captain Luo''s strength was far greater than he had imagined.


    He couldn''t even begin to fathom the extent of Captain Luo''s prowess.


    Yet, Ma Jiafeng was not disheartened but rather excited, grateful, and respectful.


    He conceded defeat, acknowledging his shortcomings, with the intent to exert himself to become stronger and one day challenge Captain Luo again.


    He then heard the other say, "You''ve passed the Patrol Team''s assessment."


    ¡­


    Lindong, South City Gate.


    The place was bustling as always, with a constant stream of survivors coming and going.


    Many Awakeners were still excitedly discussing yesterday''s battle.


    "You have no idea, the Wang Qiang squad who lives next to us struck it big yesterday. They killed quite a few Demonized Beasts at the front lines. They used to be just like us, part of the impoverished lower class, but now, it''s a complete turnaround for them."


    "Give me a break," retorted another Awakener with an eye-roll, "You do know how many Awakeners died at the front lines yesterday, right? Those who survived indeed made a fortune, but if you''re so envious, why don''t you apply to go to the front lines next time?"


    The two continued their conversation as they walked away.


    Despite their envious tones, the new weapons and equipment they were sporting showed that they too had reaped considerable rewards in yesterday''s large-scale mission.


    The battle participants of Lindong moved in and out, showing their passes to the guards at the gate, while the newly arrived survivors queued up at a nearby registration area in wait.


    A young man with an unassuming face joined the back of the line.


    This was Grey Blade.


    He had disguised himself, altering his appearance slightly to ensure he wouldn''t be recognized by Lin Wei''s men.


    After completing the registration, Grey Blade entered the Lindong Sanctuary.


    Just as before, many survivors at the entrance eyed each new entrant keenly, seeking potential wealthy patrons.


    These were guides.


    Grey Blade ignored them, feigning surprise and curiosity before disappearing quickly into the crowd as if he couldn''t wait to explore the Lindong Sanctuary.


    Unlike the aimless wanderers, Grey Blade had a clear purpose.


    To establish an information network in Lindong.


    His Space Backpack was filled with Source Crystals and various items of equipment; resources he did not lack.


    What he was missing, however, was manpower, something he had to resolve himself.


    But Grey Blade was unconcerned.


    Throughout his years as an assassin, he had often encountered similar situations where he needed to gather information and recruit informants.


    He was well-versed in these practices and had a complete set of operational procedures.


    Grey Blade walked into the assistance zone. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The area was the most densely populated in Lindong, with rows of tube houses built so close together that there was barely any space between them.


    It was also aptly dubbed the "refugee zone" by the upper classes.


    It truly lived up to its name.


    Crowded, dirty, and chaotic, the environment was very complex, and one could easily get lost in its depths.


    Grey Blade navigated the narrow alleys, which only allowed two or three people to walk side by side, with practiced ease, turning left and right until he reached his destination.


    A bar.


    Above it hung the sign: Forget Sorrow Bar.


    As the only bar in the assistance zone, it naturally lacked sophistication and was very run-down.


    Yet, it bustled with activity, and despite it being daytime, many people were indulging themselves.


    The noisy chattering echoed in the bar.


    Grey Blade entered, his expression blank as he automatically tuned out the noise, his gaze scanning left and right, searching for something.


    Soon, he headed towards a corner of the bar.


    In contrast to other places, this corner seemed quiet, with just an old man, staring blankly at an empty bottle in his hands.


    Grey Blade approached and tapped the table.


    The old man lifted his head, burped after a swig of liquor, and asked, "What do you want?"


    Grey Blade drew a symbol on the table.


    The old man''s eyes perked up a bit, "What do you need? Just say it."


    Grey Blade smiled and spoke to the old man, "I need you to¡­"

 Chapter 93 - 93 Discuss Affairs After the Fight, No Problem

    "I want you to work for me."


    Old Man Yan swung the bottle in his hand, as if Grey Blade''s words did not concern him. He continued, "Tell me what you want directly. The business we can handle here includes finding people or things and settling grudges or disputes for others."


    "State your requirement and leave a deposit, and I''ll contact the supplier for you."


    Grey Blade gently tapped on the table, looking at the old man.


    "Old Man Yan, stop pretending."


    The old man lifted his eyes, still unconcerned.


    "You are the real boss here, controlling everything, including this bar and these deals."


    This time, Old Man Yan seemed a bit surprised.


    Many knew his surname was Yan.


    But most thought he was just a middleman, working for others, understanding clients'' requirements before passing them to the mysterious boss to decide whether to take on the business.


    Yet, few knew that the tough guys who settled grudges and disputes were actually his "employees."


    Old Man Yan raised his eyebrows slowly, becoming serious.


    He stared at Grey Blade, "Kid, since you know what place this is, do you know what the consequences are for fooling around here?"


    "Or do you think that because we don''t undertake assassination, we wouldn''t dare to kill? Every day, people die in this refugee area. If too many die, it might cause a bit of trouble, but who would care about just one person..."


    He shook his head. "Of course, doing business means amassing wealth in peace. I''ll give you another chance, state your purpose."


    "My purpose?" Grey Blade laughed. "It is to have you and your men work for me, otherwise, why would I come here?"


    Old Man Yan''s face gradually turned cold.


    He slapped the bell under the table, and instantly, an alarm bell rang throughout the bar.


    The bartender''s face changed, stopping his work.


    Many big men armed with weapons like knives, sticks, and guns rushed out from inside.


    The customers, sensing something amiss and seeing the menacing faces of the big men, knew they couldn''t stay any longer.


    They hurriedly left the bar.


    Bang!


    The gate closed.


    The big men looked at Grey Blade with ill intentions, and the most muscular among them pointed at him, "Old man, is this guy causing the trouble? He''s too slim; I think I could kill him with one slap."


    Yet, Grey Blade merely squinted and smiled.


    Surrounded by the big men, he didn''t seem concerned at all.


    Somehow, Old Man Yan felt uneasy; Grey Blade didn''t look strong, and his aura was weak, yet why... he seemed so confident.


    What kind of trump card did he have?


    The big men surrounding Grey Blade wouldn''t think too much about it.


    The first one swung his stick, only to find Grey Blade''s figure vanishing from his sight.


    The next moment, his vision spun wildly, and he was thrown into the air, crashing onto the distant floor.


    Bang! The dilapidated house seemed to tremble, shaking off dust.


    The big man tried to get up, but suddenly, everything before his eyes went dark as another big man was hurled onto him, landing right on his face.


    These men were all bulky, and compared to them, Grey Blade indeed had a smaller build. But likewise, these men weren''t light. One or two might be manageable, but one after another, these big men were thrown by Grey Blade, all landing in the same spot.


    The man at the bottom could only produce groaning sounds, unable to speak, his face cycling through colors of blue, red, black, and grimaced misery.


    The physically strongest and also an awakener, Yan Dazhuang, roared and charged forward.


    He swung his hand down, but Grey Blade''s figure disappeared from in front of him.


    A table nearby shattered.


    Old Man Yan''s eyes showed a hint of distress.


    Yan Dazhuang suddenly turned around, "Found you."


    His massive fist smashed down, this time hitting Grey Blade.


    But Yan Dazhuang was stunned, his fist passed right through Grey Blade¡ªit was an illusion!


    Then it crashed into the wall beside them.


    Thud! The wall cracked, Old Man Yan''s heart ached so much that he almost shattered the wine bottle in his hand.


    Several minutes later.


    The bar had piled up into a small mountain of bodies.


    The big man at the bottom had long since passed out, experiencing the full pressure of a big man on top of him.


    Yan Dazhuang was the last one thrown on, but he also took the worst beating.


    Swollen face, bruised nose, if this hadn''t happened in front of Old Man Yan, probably even his own father wouldn''t recognize him.


    After finishing up.


    Grey Blade clapped his hands and looked toward Old Man Yan.


    "Let me reintroduce myself, I am... ahem, my identity is confidential, so now, can we discuss work?"


    ...


    Science Academy.


    In an underground laboratory.


    Sun Weiguo was using a device to engrave a rune into the equipment.


    Although advanced in age, his hands controlling the device did not tremble at all, and he did not let anyone help... Compared to letting others do the work, Sun Weiguo enjoyed the process of scientific results being born under his own hands.


    After a while, the rune energy finally got engraved.


    Sun Weiguo carefully carried the longsword to another side and placed it on a detection device.


    The red light on the device lit up, and the results appeared.


    Next to him, his assistant Lin was so nervous he hardly dared to breathe and after waiting a while, he carefully asked, "Professor, did it... succeed?"


    Sun Weiguo frowned, "The rune was successfully engraved, but the effect is far from meeting the expected standards."


    Since he listened to Tang Yu''s words, Sun Weiguo had an epiphany.


    Originally, he had been researching this field for a long time; it was just that key point that eluded him. Once it clicked, Sun Weiguo immediately discussed the research with other experts overnight, quickly making a systematic summary of the Transcendent Power of runes.


    In their expectation, the most difficult part was the Engraving Rune step.


    Now, although the rune was successfully engraved, its effects were far inferior to those of the Demon-slaying Longsword.


    "What exactly is the problem?"


    Sun Weiguo racked his brains.


    In order to better substantiate his research, he used the same materials as those used by the Demon-slaying Longsword, even the weapon styling and dimensions, to the slightest millimeter.


    Yet it was still useless!


    To engrave this rune, he had consumed thousands of units of Source Crystal; this was definitely far beyond the conventional consumption of rune weapons. If it had worked, that would have been fine, but the results indicated that this newly forged longsword was more than just a notch below the Demon-slaying Longsword. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly a new idea flashed through his mind.


    "Lin, bring me another Demon-slaying Longsword."


    Assistant Lin nodded, was just about to fetch it when he suddenly paused, "Professor, the last Demon-slaying Longsword was dismantled earlier, and now we don''t have any left."


    He showed a bitter face.


    Sun Weiguo''s expression almost drove him mad, as if he was told that he couldn''t do something very crucial today.


    It was probably even more unbearable than that!


    This kind of feeling, if he were not an Awakener, he might have fainted from urgency.


    Even now, his fingers trembled in his anxiety, he suddenly slapped his thigh, "Right, there''s that young fellow from last time, Lin, I told you to keep an eye on his whereabouts, you did keep an eye, right? Go talk to that fellow, ask how many more Demon-slaying Longswords he has, buy them all, Source Crystal is no object, if that youngster wants something else, as long as the Science Academy can provide it, it''s not a problem!"


    Sun Weiguo was already so flustered he was almost incoherent.


    But Lin panicked, "Professor, although I did find out where they were staying in Lindong, they aren''t there now."


    "That means they''re out on a mission? This complicates things."


    "No." Lin thought for a moment, then finally revealed the harsh truth, "It seems they haven''t returned to the Sanctuary, I heard they were ambushed by the Scarlet Hand in the wilderness."


    "The Scarlet Hand?" Sun Weiguo was furious.


    Tang Yu''s contributions, even though he had already paid a lot, Sun Weiguo still considered that young man a hero of Lindong, yet to think they were attacked by the Scarlet Hand!


    His eyes became somewhat lifeless, "It was my negligence, my negligence¡­ I must have Lu Jianjun wipe out these dangerous elements!"


    Sun Weiguo was about to set off.


    But then he heard Lin say, "No, Professor, the Scarlet Hand has already been eradicated. It was said to be the work of those three individuals."


    Sun Weiguo: "¡­"


    (Thank you to "Shangdang''s Wood''s" 700 coin reward, and "Solitary Drink Under The Moon White Water''s" 500 coin reward...)

 Chapter 94 - 94: Act Pretentiously with Caution

    Under the pervasive red fog, the sound of gunfire echoed incessantly.


    Lin Wei stood atop an armored vehicle, gazing toward the distant Abyss, seemingly lost in thought.


    This was near the Abyssal Rift.


    The red fog was everywhere, the ground a dark red, covered with dense, black cracks.


    Research suggested that these cracks were the result of energy emanating from the Abyssal Rift.


    It had completely altered the environment in this area.


    The military, leading the efforts, had established a defense line at Lindong Sanctuary, encircling the entire Abyssal Rift. As soon as any Demonized Beasts popped up, a variety of pre-emplaced weapons would bombard and kill them.


    At that moment, a trusted subordinate ran over from afar.


    "How''s it going?" Lin Wei asked.


    "The third wave of the Demonized Beasts'' onslaught was repelled today; it looks like there won''t be any problems. In another two days, this defense line should stabilize."


    The existence of the Abyssal Rift far exceeded the current human understanding.


    The most accepted theory was that the Abyssal Rift was a spatial passage, connecting to another world.


    At the onset of the apocalypse, some military bigwigs took control of an Abyssal Rift and dispatched a special forces team in an attempt to explore it.


    They managed to enter, but no message ever came back.


    After several attempts, that bigwig stopped trying. At the very least, whatever lay on the other side was bound to be extremely dangerous.


    The Abyssal Rift could not be destroyed, nor could the emergence of Demonized Beasts from it be prevented.


    Only by forming a defense line could the Demonized Beasts be firmly controlled, and before a large-scale Demon Tide formed, the scattered Demonized Beasts were not much of a threat against modern firepower.


    The reason the defense line had not yet stabilized was Lindong''s higher-ups were concerned that powerful Demonized Beasts might suddenly emerge. But just wait another two days. Once all the weapons here were fully deployed, even if a colossal Demonized Beast appeared, the surrounding Energy-gathering Cannons would quickly eradicate it.


    By then, the Abyssal Rift would no longer be a threat.


    On the contrary, it could provide Lindong Sanctuary with a continuous supply of resources.


    Such as Source Crystals, such as the precious materials from the bodies of Demonized Beasts.


    "Old Man Lu does indeed have courage, it''s just a pity..."


    Lin Wei actually never considered overthrowing Lu Jianjun. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He wasn''t foolish; the Demonized Beasts were the true enemy. Infighting among humans would weaken the overall strength of Lindong Sanctuary, leading to self-destruction.


    What he planned to do was to accumulate power in secret. Only with sufficient power could he act without any constraints.


    As for Lu Jianjun, although he was sometimes a nuisance, he was not really a threat.


    On the contrary, as long as Lu Jianjun remained in his position, there were many things he would have to do. Like this time, forming the Alliance Army of Lindong Sanctuary; Lu Jianjun would inevitably have to bear the main burden.


    Lin Wei stroked his chin, revealing a smile.


    "The losses will just have to be borne by Old Man Lu himself. As long as I get my share of the gains, that''s enough."


    "Just in time, Dr. Zheng sent a message last time; the Beastification Soldier project has entered its final phase but lacks some experimental resources. Now that we''ve taken control of the Abyssal Rift, the resources from the Demonized Beasts are more than sufficient."


    Lin Wei turned around, his gaze sweeping into the distance.


    In another two days, once things here had settled down, he could take his trusted subordinates and secretly leave, wiping out the bothersome Green Shadow Sanctuary and then taking control of the Source Crystal Mine.


    By then, there would be no shortage of Demonized Beasts or Source Crystals.


    The success of the Beastification Soldier project was just around the corner.


    ¡­


    Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    After the completion of the Patrol Team assessment.


    Luo Zhe led the new members who had joined the Patrol Team toward the back valley.


    That was where the Patrol Team usually rested and regrouped, and the other members were also converging there.


    The old and new members of the Patrol Team were about to meet.


    The Iron Hammer Brothers trailed the team.


    The short and stout younger brother leaned in, whispering, "Big brother, big brother, how did we end up joining the Patrol Team?"


    Ma Jiafeng looked up to the sky, his face in deep contemplation.


    He had never really considered joining any Patrol Team, for it was only in the wilderness, only in constant danger, that he could keep improving.


    That was his creed.


    It was also the reason why the two of them had come so far and become experts.


    However, he was still no match for Luo Zhe, still far behind, and Ma Jiafeng couldn''t even begin to imagine how powerful Luo Zhe''s true strength was.


    And he was just the captain of the Patrol Team. It was said that there was an Ice Frost Ability User in the Lindong Sanctuary, whose strength was also extremely formidable.


    Ma Jiafeng wouldn''t underestimate the Healing Series Ability User they had just met simply because she was a healer; he even felt threatened by Winnie.


    Every single one of them was a super expert.


    Not to mention the most mysterious Director Tang of the Sanctuary, who could create buildings out of thin air and make Puppets, whose strength was unfathomably deep.


    That was why he hadn''t refused.


    Even though he could no longer enjoy the dangerous setting of the wilderness, he was willing to pay any price as long as it would make him stronger, as long as it was within his principles.


    They walked into the valley, and the scenery suddenly opened up in front of them.


    To the right of the valley, a lot of land had been cultivated, with the golden wheat visible at a glance, along with other crops such as corn, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits.


    These crops were thriving, and seeing this vast stretch of farmland, many people showed surprised and pleased expressions.


    Food was exceedingly precious in the apocalypse.


    Especially these growing, soon-to-be-harvested crops, represented hope.


    As members of the Patrol Team, as part of the Sanctuary, these people naturally hoped that the Sanctuary would grow and prosper, and that they would benefit more from it.


    Then they saw the other side of the valley, where members of the Patrol Team were resting.


    "Call landlord, snatch the landlord!"


    "Four sixes!"


    "Rocket! Hahaha, I win again!"


    The Iron Hammer Brothers and the newcomers to the Patrol Team walked in and saw this scene.


    A bulky man with a slicked-back haircut, a young man, and a fat man were engaged in an enthusiastic card game, their voices audible from far away.


    The man with the slicked-back hair threw down his cards and burst into laughter, while the other two looked thoroughly dejected.


    The Iron Hammer Brothers looked at each other, feeling that something was off about this scene.


    Had they come to the wrong place?


    Soon, they shifted their gaze to another area, where they saw someone with closed eyes, in a handstand, balancing on one finger, and not on the ground, but on a bamboo stick standing upright.


    This finally looked a bit more normal... Not at all!


    Whether they appeared unserious or seriously terrifying, was this really the Patrol Team?


    Just then, Luo Zhe cleared his throat, and the three playing cards finally stopped.


    There was no special ceremony for new members joining the Patrol Team, it was just about getting familiar with each other; Luo Zhe simply emphasized the introduction of two individuals.


    "These two, Shay and Kong, are the deputy captains of the Patrol Team; you''ll follow their orders when I''m not around. Of course, they are also very strong, and those of you who are interested can spar and exchange ideas with them."


    The old members of the Patrol Team had no particular reaction, as they had already made their acquaintance, and perhaps even engaged in pleasant exchanges.


    The outcome wasn''t necessarily pleasant, though.


    The newly arrived members, especially ones like the Iron Hammer Brothers and Lan Qingya, were somewhat excited at the prospect of sparring with these experts.


    In the crowd, Zhao Ming shrank his neck a little.


    It had already been difficult enough for him to barely pass the Patrol Team''s assessment, and when he found that the not-so-promising tall and skinny man and short and fat man had become the infamous Iron Hammer Brothers, he was amazed.


    But he hadn''t lost heart, having succeeded in joining the Patrol Team, and he was confident that in the future, he could become an expert like the Iron Hammer Brothers.


    However, upon seeing Shay, Zhao Ming couldn''t keep his composure any longer.


    Wasn''t that the big brother he had thought highly of?


    What had Captain Luo said just now? Shay was the deputy captain with formidable strength?


    How strong must one be, to be praised by Captain Luo? At least approaching Captain Luo''s level, right?


    Zhao Ming wore a bitter expression.


    He had talked big right up to a big shot, what to do now?


    Waiting online, it''s urgent!

 Chapter 95 - 95 Task

    Research Institute.


    Tang Yu hummed a tune while he reminisced about the days back in the territory, which were utterly delightful. He almost became as lazy as a salted fish, ready to slack off.


    Fortunately, the lack of money gave him the motivation to keep moving forward.


    He took out a USB flash drive loaded with a lot of materials he had downloaded from Lindong.


    This included blueprints for numerous firearms.


    Firearms, though ineffective against the most powerful Demonized Beasts, were still formidable against the common ones. Most importantly, they were cheap.


    Of course, this was referring to the firearms from before the apocalypse.


    Manufacturing a basic rune weapon, although now relatively inexpensive, still cost ten units of Source Crystal.


    Five units were used to create the rune, and the other five were for integrating the rune into the weapon equipment.


    In comparison, firearms were much cheaper. As long as there was a sufficient supply of iron materials, they could be produced continuously.


    Tang Yu entered the data from the USB flash drive into the research institute''s database. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many of these firearm blueprints were not detailed and lacked crucial size data, but to Tang Yu, they were all the same. Even without blueprints, as long as he had the actual firearms, he could deduce the relevant blueprints from the research.


    After perfecting these blueprints and converting them into the corresponding formats, they could be used for workshop production.


    He had specifically sought these out to reduce costs.


    Tang Yu operated the control panel on the side, first converting these blueprints into a style that suited the workshop.


    "Ding! Consumed 1.5 units of Source Crystal to generate the Barrett Sniper Rifle blueprint."


    "Ding! Consumed 50 units of Source Crystal to deduce and generate the Enhancement Type One Barrett Sniper Rifle blueprint."


    "Ding! Consumed 2 units of Source Crystal to generate the Gatling blueprint."


    "Ding! Consumed 80 units of Source Crystal to deduce and generate the Enhancement Type One Gatling blueprint."


    "Ding! ..."


    Tang Yu watched as the new blueprints were generated, revealing a satisfied smile.


    ...


    The next day, everything was ready except for the final component.


    The members of the Patrol Team, upon receiving news of a big task that day, were already too excited to contain themselves.


    As requested, they assembled at the side gate of the holiday resort.


    Ma Jiafeng held a sizable two-handed Iron Hammer studded with spikes, which he swung fiercely.


    His brother wielded two smaller hammers, also thrashing about with great enthusiasm.


    These were their custom-ordered weapons; in exchange, they had not received the basic weapons distributed to the Patrol Team and had also accrued a significant number of debt points.


    The Iron Hammer Brothers, however, were very satisfied.


    Using this large Iron Hammer was indeed handy, especially with its sharp spikes. If it hit an enemy in the face, it would create a brand-new hornet''s nest.


    With this hammer, his strength would increase significantly. Against a common third-layer awakened Demonized Beast, he was confident he could smash the opponent into a pulp.


    Ma Jiafeng was even more eager for the upcoming task. He was desperate to earn enough contribution points during this mission¡­ There was no choice; the debt in contribution points was accumulating interest.


    At that time, a heavy truck drove up and stopped beside them.


    The door opened, revealing Captain Luo clad in black armor, jumping down from the driver''s seat.


    With a thud, it seemed as though the ground itself trembled.


    Ma Jiafeng sneaked a peek at the driver''s seat, unable to determine if it had been flattened.


    After getting out of the truck, Captain Luo pointed to the back of the vehicle, "There are some things inside; go and move those things down."


    The Patrol Team members did as commanded.


    Ma Jiafeng climbed into the cargo compartment and saw it was filled with metal boxes.


    He cradled one of the boxes in his arms, stepped out of the car, and placed the box on the ground.


    It felt a bit heavy; looking at the others, he could see that some with only a First Layer Awakening struggled to lift these boxes.


    "Captain Luo, what''s in these boxes? Why are they so heavy?"


    "Open it up and take a look. It''s nothing much, just some firearms," Luo Zhe said.


    Firearms?


    Ma Jiafeng was puzzled.


    To them, firearms were not uncommon; after joining the Patrol Team, each member received an automatic rifle. However, for the brothers, they were not accustomed to using them.


    Such rifles had their uses against human powerhouses, but when it came to Demonized Beasts at the Third or Fourth Layer, they were not nearly as effective as the huge iron hammer he wielded in his own hands.


    The larger the size of the weapon, the better it could display a man''s charm.


    With curiosity, Ma Jiafeng pried open one of the boxes.


    His eyes widened in shock.


    Indeed, there were firearms inside, but they were not the rifles or submachine guns he had envisioned, but rather heavy machine guns, sniper rifles, individual rocket launchers, even entire boxes of ammunition and grenades.


    This was enough to wage a small-scale war.


    Where on earth did the Sanctuary get all these munitions?


    The Iron Hammer Brothers couldn''t help but swallow.


    Ordinary firearms might lack the power to kill Demonized Beasts effectively, but weapons like rocket launchers and heavy machine guns were different: a single shot could mow down a swath of enemies and even cause substantial damage to Demonized Beasts at the Third and Fourth Layers!


    In other Sanctuaries, not to speak of such heavy weaponry, even ordinary firearms and ammunition had to be used sparingly. In those Sanctuaries, defense forces like the Patrol Team, most members could not possess firearms.


    How different it was in Green Shadow Sanctuary; originally, every person had a rifle, a treatment that was already envy-inducing¡ªlet alone now, these firearms were distributed like wholesale inventory.


    Ma Jiafeng thought they all looked brand new; perhaps they really were wholesale.


    Looking again at Luo Zhe, who seemed indifferent, as if these firearms were mere toys.


    But what Luo Zhe knew but others didn''t was that to him, who had recovered to the Seventh Layer Awakening and was beginning to rebuild his body, these firearms, at most, were advanced toys. Luo Zhe believed that not to mention these firearms couldn''t hit him, even if they did, they would at best cause him a minor injury.


    They presented no significant threat.


    "These weapons will be used for today''s mission. We''ll take them out when we get there," Luo Zhe said.


    The box was closed shut.


    The Patrol Team members grew more curious about today''s mission, sensing that these firearms had been specially prepared for it.


    Yet,


    They looked around, seeing that all the Patrol Team members had arrived, so why hadn''t they departed?


    "Director Tang has arrived."


    Suddenly, they heard Luo Zhe say this.


    Turning their heads, they saw shadows approaching slowly from the vacation villa.


    Leading them was a young man who didn''t seem particularly formidable.


    For many Patrol Team members seeing Tang Yu for the first time, he wasn''t what they had imagined.


    They had expected Director Tang to possess a mysterious aura, emitting a powerful presence, capable of intimidating someone to death with a single glance.


    But at first glance, he was a rather ordinary person.


    Besides Director Tang, two individuals in blue and white armor, whose faces were obscured, followed closely and appeared even more mysterious than Director Tang.


    There was also Winnie, with her luxuriantly curly hair, wearing a wide Magic Robe, which even its loose fabric couldn''t hide her generous bosom.


    The group walked slowly toward them.


    The Patrol Team members gaped in astonishment.


    Was Director Tang actually going to join them on this mission?!

 Chapter 96 - 96: Illustrated Handbook

    The holiday villa nestled against the mountains, connected to a whole dense forest.


    After some time away, Tang Yu discovered that the vegetation had grown to a new level.


    The trunks of the giant trees required seven or eight people to wrap their arms around them, shrouded in dense branches everywhere, making it nearly impossible to find a single spot to set foot on.


    Yet, strangely, despite the rampant growth, the forest didn''t extend outward... although the weeds along the roadsides grew rapidly, they still fell short compared to those in the forest.


    It was as if this area had formed a unique geographical environment.


    Boom!


    With a sweep of a long spear, a mess of vines and sprawling plants were cleared with one strike, instantly opening up the area in front of them, leaving only some unremoved grass and the muddy ground.


    At the forefront of the team, clearing the path, was Puppet Guard No. 2.


    Such a forest was undoubtedly dangerous, not only due to the threat of Demonized Beasts, but merely walking in this complex environment was extremely troublesome.


    The tangled, dense vegetation greatly reduced visibility, and any slight misstep could lead to an attack by a Demonized Beast, not to mention, many plants bore sharp thorns that could easily cause cuts.


    If these plants mutated and developed some kind of toxin, a simple cut could effectively reserve one''s own grave.


    Fortunately, the team was strong.


    Wherever they passed, they forcefully cleared a path through the dense forest.


    More fierce than a bulldozer.


    This was probably what it meant to clear the wild, turning the dense forest into wasteland.


    Tang Yu naturally walked in the middle of the team, closely followed by No. 1.


    Behind, a part of the Patrol Team acted as laborers, carrying weapon boxes. Although Tang Yu had a Space Backpack filled with numerous items, it was now time for the Patrol Team members to show their worth.


    Another part of the Patrol Team was clearing the paths and keeping watch on the peripheral.


    The entire team proceeded much more smoothly than the last time when Tang Yu had come with just No. 1 and No. 2.


    Along the way, they occasionally saw some bizarre plants, most of which were unheard of before the apocalypse.


    Of course, Tang Yu hadn''t studied botany before the apocalypse, and there was no expert in that in the team, but it didn''t matter. If they couldn''t distinguish them, they simply removed them; once brought to the research institute, they could naturally analyze whether these plants had special effects.


    As for the unprofessional picking process, Tang Yu didn''t care. After all, leaving it be, they likely wouldn''t find it again the next time they came here. Despite clearing a path this time, if they left it alone, it would return to normal in no more than two days.


    So, removing them was the right choice.


    Waste was not an option.


    Perhaps this was just the periphery of the forest, where the density of Demonized Beasts was very low. On the way here, the difficulties were mostly in breaking open the path; they hadn''t even seen a Demonized Beast yet.


    Lu Xiaopeng and Peng Bo, each wielding a large cleaver, were clearing the path at the forward sides.


    With each slash, the vines were cut through.


    "These vines are tough. Even using weapons from the Sanctuary, it takes a lot of effort to cut through. If it were ordinary weapons, we''d be stuck," Lu Xiaopeng, who had recently advanced to the Second-tier of Awakening and was already considered a high-ranking expert in other small Sanctuaries, still found it tough to clear the path, "This forest indeed isn''t for ordinary teams."


    "That''s stating the obvious!" Peng Bo snorted and glanced around, unable to find a single fruit-bearing tree.


    He just heaved a sigh.


    He felt pity, then added, "These are just the vines blocking our path, don''t forget, the biggest threat in the wild is still from the Demonized Beasts."


    "It is," Tang Yu agreed. "But, the forest is close to our Sanctuary, and we are currently on the outskirts. We shouldn''t come across any Demonized Beasts, after all, if there were any, they would have been attracted to our Sanctuary by now."


    Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a green figure. "Watch out!"


    He shouted.


    By now, he was no longer the mere newbie who couldn''t even fight a Demonized Wolf.


    The Combat Saber he was using to slash at the vines pivoted and slashed upward.


    It collided with an unknown creature.


    Lu Xiaopeng felt his wrist go numb, and upon looking again, he saw the creature had landed, a gash from the saber on its head, yet it still looked aggressive. Its mouth opened, and its long tongue shot out like an arrow towards him.


    Peng Bo, standing nearby, growled and summoned a chunk of rock, hurling it in the path of the shooting tongue, only for it to be pierced straight through.


    Taking advantage of that moment, Lu Xiaopeng narrowly dodged the Demonized Beast''s tongue attack.


    This was the first round of the Demonized Beast''s surprise attack.


    Quickly, several Patrol Team members acted, working together to kill the Demonized Beast.


    It was a large green lizard, about a meter long, covered in scales, with its long tongue stretching out, sharp barbs visible on it.


    However, by this point, the lizard had several holes stabbed into it, its eyes wide open, as if refusing to shut even in death.


    "This is a Long-tongued Lizard, a type of Demonized Beast," Lu Xiaopeng said as he approached to observe. "Its strength should be at the Second-tier High Rank, adept at ambushing."


    A team member behind him took out a notebook, flipping quickly to a certain page.


    It read, "Atlas Number 0073, Long-tongued Lizard, Demonized Beast."


    After examining the content, this member said, "There have been two records of this type of Long-tongued Lizard. The recorded strength is at the First Layer. Its claws are as sharp as knives, and the deadliest attack method is its tongue, which is very fast and has strong piercing power, covered with a paralyzing toxin. Furthermore, the length of a Long-tongued Lizard''s tongue can reach up to five times the length of its body."


    He spoke, adding a new record at the back, Second Layer, good at stealth and ambush.


    And swiftly, another team member took out a camera to capture the gruesome state, or rather the form, of the Long-tongued Lizard clearly from multiple angles.


    To be used for future research.


    Meanwhile, some valuable parts were collected from the Long-tongued Lizard''s body to serve as materials or future research samples.


    For instance, its tongue was stretched out, then cut off.


    The veteran members of the Patrol Team did this very proficiently.


    Once done, the team continued moving forward. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this attack, all the members became even more vigilant.


    Gradually, the team encountered more and more Demonized Beasts, and Luo Zhe among other followers also took action, slaying quite a number of them.


    This enriched the data on the Demonized Beast Atlas considerably.


    Finally, as number two long spears fluttered through to clear the thorny vines blocking the path, the view ahead suddenly opened up. The sunlight, which had been blocked by dense tree leaves and had not had a chance to show its presence, finally cast its rays down.


    Members of the Patrol Team stepped forward one by one, standing at the edge of a pit, looking ahead.


    Their mouths gradually opened.

 Chapter 97 - 97 Director Tang Gets Stronger!

    "Is this a Source Crystal Mine?!"


    Someone spoke, their voice trembling.


    The existence of the Source Crystal Mine had been announced by the officials at the beginning of the apocalypse.


    Knowing about it was one thing, but actually laying eyes on the sparkling stones littering the ground was quite another.


    The shock was so great that it was hard to calm one''s emotions for a moment.


    Luo Zhe didn''t give the Patrol Team members time to be amazed; he quickly ordered them to open the crates. Some set up the heavy machine guns, while others laid mines inside the holes in front.


    They had been cautioned to move quietly, making as little noise as possible.


    Tang Yu stood at the edge of the hole, gazing towards the giant trees in the distance and the tangled roots beneath them.


    It resembled a network of caves that branched in all directions.


    Inside, who knew how many Demonized Beasts lurked.


    Last time he saw only a small part; this time, if they wanted to mine this Source Crystal Mine, they would have to clear out all the Demonized Beasts.


    This was also the reason why Tang Yu had brought the entire Patrol Team and made a batch of heavy weaponry equipment, to provide some additional firepower.


    As for the risk of the Source Crystal Mine being exposed, Tang Yu wasn''t worried.


    The members of the Patrol Team were loyal and had a strong sense of belonging to the Sanctuary; although Source Crystals were precious, ordinary people couldn''t use them. On the contrary, staying in the Patrol Team came with high status, a choice any sensible person would make.


    Even if the existence of the mine leaked out, Tang Yu wasn''t concerned.


    His confidence lay in his Level 3 Territory.


    Once the Source Crystals were mined, the remaining buildings in the Level 3 Territory could be constructed. Even if enemies as powerful as super-sized Demonized Beasts attacked, he wouldn''t be the slightest bit scared.


    Besides, if they wanted to mine the Source Crystal Mine, they would have to invest manpower, which meant survivors. The more people involved, the easier it was for information to spread¡ªit was only a matter of time.


    Surely they could not stop mining, or delay the mining progress of the Source Crystal Mine, just because of excessive concerns, right?


    Shrinking back in fear was not his way of achieving things!


    After all, the initial difficult times, when fear prevailed, had already passed.


    While the Patrol Team was busy, the Demonized Beasts sporadically attacked from behind the forests, but Luo Zhe, Kong, and the other followers dealt with them. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu was not idle either; he closed his eyes and sensed the range of his Territory.


    On the map, the Territory spread out from the Lord''s castle at the core.


    To the north, beyond the forests, the Territory line reached this hole, approximately covering one-fifth of it.


    It wasn''t large, but it was enough.


    That was Tang Yu''s confidence in dealing with the multiple Demonized Beasts below.


    The final phase of the defense preparation gradually came to a conclusion, but it inevitably drew the attention of the Demonized Beasts below.


    At first, solitary Demonized Beasts came running from the intertwining roots of the giant trees. The Patrol Team members operated the machine guns and quickly killed them. However, more and more Demonized Beasts began to appear, brandishing claws and teeth. Several pale-faced newcomers, who normally avoided Demonized Beasts at all costs¡ªoccasionally fighting only the ones that were alone¡ªhad never seen such a scene before... Of course, survivors who had seen such scenes were mostly already dead.


    "Everyone fall back and hold this position!" Luo Zhe commanded with a deep voice.


    The Patrol Team members finally retreated to the edge of the hole, operating the heavy machine guns with tongues of flames spewing from the barrels.


    Where the bullets passed, the earth erupted with dust, and the bodies of Demonized Beasts were shredded to pieces. However, this was just a minority. Many more Demonized Beasts, braving the heavy machine gun fire, charged forward.


    There were also Patrol Team members carrying single-person Rocket Launchers, launching rockets that flew and exploded amidst the Demonized Beast horde, blasting a small gap in the dense crowd, which was quickly filled up by more of them.


    The onslaught was unstoppable.


    The killing power of these heavy weapons was actually very strong; ordinary Demonized Beasts couldn''t withstand them and were torn to shreds. However, within that horde were several more powerful Demonized Beasts, and it was these beasts, enduring the onslaught, that led the charge forward. Even against heavy machine guns and Rocket Launchers, it took concentrated firepower to kill one powerful Demonized Beast.


    While other demonized beasts had advanced considerably during this time.


    Looking at them drawing closer, members of the Patrol Team could see the fierce countenances of the demonized beasts with even greater clarity, their complexions turning even paler.


    No wonder the Sanctuary had prepared so much firepower, but now it seemed that, despite their ferocious firepower, it still couldn''t stop the surging onslaught of the demonized beasts.


    At that moment,


    "Rise!"


    They heard such a voice.


    The voice wasn''t loud, and would normally have been hard to make out under the gunfire, yet they heard it clearly¡ªthere wasn''t the slightest hint of panic in that voice.


    Only confidence.


    Boom! With that command, the ground trembled, and towers rose from the earth one after another.


    These were Arrow Towers, and Tang Yu had constructed ten in one go.


    But it still wasn''t enough!


    "Upgrade Arrow Tower*10, consuming 4000 units of Source Crystals, 6000 units of wood, 4000 units of stone, 2000 units of iron..."


    The already ten-meter-tall Arrow Towers shot up dramatically, and their black exteriors became even thicker and stronger as sharp Rune Arrows shot out from the tops of the towers.


    These were second-level Arrow Towers, only buildable within a third-level Territory.


    In an instant, clusters of blood mist exploded amidst the group of demonized beasts.


    The upgraded Arrow Towers, faster and with stronger penetrative power, could easily shoot through several demonized beasts with a single Rune Arrow.


    The power was far beyond that of heavy machine gun bullets.


    But this still wasn''t enough. Tang Yu looked down at the charge of the demonized beasts below, where their momentum had slightly slowed due to the killing of some powerful ones at the forefront. However, soon enough, the beasts behind them climbed over the bodies of their fallen comrades and pressed the attack.


    "Construct Cannon*8, consuming 8000 units of Source Crystals, 1600 units of wood, 1600 units of stone, 4000 units of iron."


    Behind the Arrow Towers, eight dark, metallic-looking Cannons with barrels wide enough to fit a basketball materialized in an instant.


    Majestic energy gradually converged towards the cannons, and a brilliant red light spat out from the muzzles, arcing high across the sky before smashing into the surging crowd of demonized beasts.


    With a boom, it exploded.


    Rolling flames and shockwaves scattered the dust and debris, and upon closer inspection, the demonized beasts at the center had been turned to ash, leaving a small crater in the ground.


    Such was the might of the Cannons.


    In the Patrol Team, the veteran members who had seen such technology before were incredibly excited.


    Ever since that incident with the Demon Tide, when Director Tang had demonstrated his might, they were witnessing this terrifying power once again.


    And this time, it was clearly even more frightening.


    Their faces flushed with excitement.


    Some keenly noticed that the last time Director Tang had constructed something, he had needed to gather nearby materials, but this time, it was obvious that the surrounding materials were far from sufficient. Yet Director Tang was still able to conjure up so many structures out of thin air.


    Director Tang''s strength had grown again!


    If the veterans were so moved, the shock on the faces of those who had just joined the Patrol Team was even greater.


    They had seen the Arrow Towers before when they had passed by the city''s walls.


    However, the Core Area of the Sanctuary was rarely threatened by demonized beasts, so they had no chance to see the defensive structures in action, except for what they had heard in bits and pieces from the old survivors.


    The reality was too far from their imagination.


    They couldn''t fathom how someone could erect towers with a wave of the hand, single-handedly stopping the advance of a group of demonized beasts.


    With the eight Cannons firing simultaneously, the oncoming horde of demonized beasts was scattered in a moment.


    The members of the Patrol Team were incredibly thrilled, hurriedly manning the heavy machine guns, putting in an effort to shoot relentlessly, and gradually eliminating this wave of beasts.

 Chapter 98 - 98: The Frenzied Shay

    Ahead, inside the pit.


    The ground was littered with the mangled carcasses of demonized beasts, some of which had vanished without a trace.


    A few demonized beasts, severely injured, still displayed a tenacious will to live, struggling to lunge forward. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This tenacity, this disregard for death, sent a chill down the spines of many patrol team members.


    Fortunately, Director Tang was extremely powerful.


    Looking at the surrounding arrow towers and the cannons to the rear, they instantly felt a sense of security.


    They breathed a sigh of relief.


    They were just about to go down and clean up the battlefield, collect materials from the demonized beasts, as well as excavate source crystals.


    This was the standard operating procedure for the patrol team on every mission: eliminate the enemy first, then collect spoils... Tasks like this required handing over the spoils, but they had no complaints. Based on contributions, every member would reap rewards for each mission, not to mention they were aware that if it weren''t for their good fortune in joining the patrol team, most of them would be in the same dire situation as those struggling awakeners.


    Just as someone was about to leap down into the pit, they heard Luo Zhe''s voice, "Wait, everyone stay alert and reload your weapons first."


    Seeing that Captain Luo and other powerful individuals from the sanctuary had solemn expressions on their faces, the patrol team members realized something was wrong.


    Could it be that the demonized beasts weren''t all wiped out yet?


    Suddenly, below in the pit, the ground started to rise in sections, as if something was burrowing beneath the surface.


    "Drive that thing out."


    Machine gun bullets raked the ground, kicking up dust, but to no effect.


    Arrows from the arrow towers burrowed into the earth, also without any sign of activity.


    Tang Yu manipulated the cannon, firing a scorching energy ball towards the swelling ground, but the creature beneath seemed to have eyes, quickly veering away and avoiding the cannon''s attack.


    "I''ll do it!"


    Shay roared, his muscles swelling, ripping his suit open to reveal the tight combat uniform beneath.


    He grabbed a boulder the size of a sedan next to him and hurled it violently.


    Mid-air, the boulder shattered into numerous smaller rocks, but they fell methodically to the ground, encircling the elevated area of the surface.


    Boom, boom, boom!


    It was as if a meteor shower had hit the ground, or as if a bomber had dropped bombs from the sky.


    The ground was blasted open with craters, and mud mixed with shattered rocks was sent flying.


    This was Shay''s special ability, where anything he touched could be transformed into a bomb.


    A veritable explosion maniac!


    This time, for the mining operation, many of the territory''s high-level fighters had been mobilized.


    The three new followers had insisted on participating... Followers were human too, and now under Tang Yu''s command, they naturally wanted to demonstrate their worth, so they all came along. With Luo Zhe as the captain of the patrol team being indispensable, Eileen was the only one left to hold down the territory.


    Under Shay''s furious assault, the creature from beneath was finally blasted out.


    It was a worm-like monster with no visible eyes, its mouth opening and closing, while several tendrils on its sides shook with the motion of its mouth.


    Though forced out by Shay, the worm-like monster didn''t seem to be injured; its mouth closed and then opened, ejecting a thick pillar of fire.


    "Careful, this thing has the strength of Sixth Layer Awakening!"


    Luo Zhe drew his sword, which gathered a thick red light upon its blade.


    He slashed with his sword, and the thick column of fire was split apart, scattering sparks onto the surrounding ground, burning black marks into it.


    At this moment, the Arrow Tower by the pit also began its attack.


    The arrows were extremely fast, a shadow flashed by, and penetrated the body of the worm.


    The members of the Patrol Team barely had time to feel relieved when they saw that the worm, even with a small hole pierced through its body, acted as if nothing had happened, its mouth still opening and closing.


    Tang Yu could tell that the worm''s body structure was special, and unless its weak point was hit, the attacks from the arrows would hardly cause any harm to it.


    He had also tried controlling the Arrow Tower to strike at the worm''s mouth or tentacles, to no avail. He tried to use the Cannon, but its slow speed meant that the worm nimbly avoided it.


    This demonized worm beast... Tang Yu felt it was much smarter than the average demonized beast. If it were just an average demonized beast, blindly charging in, even with the strength of the Sixth Layer, it would have been dealt with already.


    Below, more demonized beasts continued to surge out from beneath the giant tree''s roots.


    "I''ll do it!"


    Shay volunteered boldly, stripping off the remnants of his cracked suit that still hung on him, and stepped forward.


    He looked at the constantly moving worm, a gleam of excitement flashing in his eyes.


    Upon arriving in this world, Shay, who had been stuck at the Fifth Tier for a long time, had finally succeeded in making a breakthrough and entered a new level.


    This worm was just the right opponent for him to test his strength after the breakthrough.


    Then, Shay drew out a metal rod about half a meter long from somewhere on his person.


    The metal rod extended and transformed, and in no time, it became a huge multi-barreled rotary machine gun that he shouldered.


    This machine gun, while somewhat resembling a Gatling, was much larger in size; Shay was already rather burly, but he seemed small compared to the immense weapon.


    No wonder Shay was so strong; although not a warrior by trade, he hauled stones and weapons around, and after such extensive training, it would be surprising if he hadn''t developed some muscle.


    With a series of clicking sounds, Shay''s weapon completed its expansion.


    He aimed at the worm, and with a rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat sound, the gun barrel rotated, and bullets poured out like a torrential flow.


    To the naked eye, a veritable barrage of metal formed in mid-air.


    The demonized worm sensed the threat and moved its body agilely, trying to burrow underground to evade the attack.


    However, the next moment, as Shay''s bullets hit their target, a series of booming blasts erupted.


    This was Shay''s unique style, the Fury Flow.


    Ordinary musketeers used spiritual power attached to the bullets to enhance their potency and increase range. But the greater the power, the more spiritual energy required, and if one wanted to infuse so many bullets with spiritual power, it wasn''t impossible, but it would make the bullet''s power enhancement quite weak.


    Shay''s Fury Flow style, if wanting to maintain killing power, required the use of more precious rune bullets... it was an expensive endeavor. In Shay''s world, musketeers were often termed a noble profession.


    Different from mages, who are considered a noble profession due to their knowledge typically being held by great noble families, musketeers were more straightforward ¨C if you didn''t have the money, you couldn''t play at being a musketeer.


    Shay had once been a mere mercenary, not wealthy, and he became a musketeer not by choosing the wrong career but because his touch with explosions could extend through weapons to the bullets themselves.


    He had the power without the need to burn money, a veritable mudslide in the world of musketeers.


    Each of his bullets was equivalent to a grenade; though the power of a single bullet may not have been great, the rate of fire of tens of thousands of bullets per minute was like firing tens of thousands of cannons in one minute. In just a few seconds, the ground was riddled with holes.


    The worm screamed, attempting to burrow into the ground, but it was futile; it was completely engulfed in the blasts of the bullets.


    Even as it opened its mouth to spew flames, it was too late to muster the energy before bullets pierced through, and like a dead insect, it drooped limply to the ground. Shay still did not relent, propping up his machine gun and firing a barrage from the worm''s head to tail before reluctantly stopping.


    The rotating gun barrel gradually ceased, and Shay propped up the huge weapon, leaning against it as he fished out a pack of cigarettes from his person, took one out, lit it with his own ability, and placed it between his lips. He puffed out clouds of smoke, not even glancing at the dead worm.

 Chapter 99 - 99: The Battle Continues

    Beside him, Lu Xiaopeng and the rest of the Patrol Team members watched Vice Captain Xie, their eyes shining with admiration.


    "Now that''s a real man," they thought. "To say he would kill a powerful Demonized Beast and then do it just like that."


    No wonder Vice Captain Xie always said, "Cannon fire is the romance of a man."


    In those few seconds, the firepower unleashed by Vice Captain Xie was simply stronger than their entire Patrol Team combined.


    For a moment, they all felt a bit ashamed.


    Especially the veteran members of the Patrol Team who had been hunting Demonized Beasts for some time. They had realized their strength had increased considerably, and although they still weren''t at the level of experts like Captain Luo, they were still decent compared to other small Sanctuaries.


    They got a bit complacent.


    But now, they understood they were indeed no match for top-tier experts like Captain Luo and Vice Captain Xie. And it wasn''t just a slight difference¡ªit was a vast chasm! sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If they didn''t put more effort into their training, they wouldn''t even see these experts'' backs in the near future.


    Some had already decided that tonight they would undergo hellish training at the camp.


    The worm-like Monster was just the beginning; more and more Demonized Beasts charged out from beneath the giant tree.


    Braving the hail of cannon fire, the horde of Demonized Beasts gradually headed towards the edge of the pit, their numbers dwindling as they fell.


    Suddenly, amongst them, a high-level Demonized Beast, like a streak of light, broke away from the group and charged towards Tang Yu and the others above.


    This was a beast that had been hidden among the ordinary Demonized Beasts, waiting for an opportunity to launch a sneak attack. If the horde hadn''t been heavily damaged by the cannon fire, this high-level Demonized Beast would have likely continued to stay hidden.


    Since when did the Demonized Beasts possess such high intelligence?


    Tang Yu was puzzled. Just as the worm-like monster had done before¡ªdodging cannon fire with agility and using its advantages¡ªit never approached too close. And now, this Demonized Beast was even smarter, understanding how to use its comrades as cover.


    Generally, Demonized Beasts lacked intelligence, or rather, their intelligence was extremely low, driven only by their instinct to fight.


    In the past, Tang Yu had encountered some powerful Demonized Beasts, which, as they grew stronger, seemed to exhibit increased intelligence as well. But it had never been so glaringly obvious. In Tang Yu''s eyes, this Demonized Beast that knew to use comrades as cover was not inferior in intelligence to the super-large Demonized Beasts, aside from its inability to control lower level ones.


    In terms of evolutionary level, though, it was clearly far behind.


    "What is the reason for the increasing intelligence of the Demonized Beasts? Is it a common phenomenon, or is it because of¡­ some accident?"


    Tang Yu looked up, his gaze falling on the faraway giant tree and its branches, which bore leaves like white crystals.


    Could it be that this was the reason for the elevated intelligence of the Demonized Beasts in this area?


    In the midst of these rapid thoughts, the high-level Demonized Beast narrowly dodged two arrows and, stepping on the slope, hastened towards them.


    This edge area was littered with many landmines which proved useless; the Demonized Beast was too fast. Even if it stepped on the mines, by the time they exploded, it had already traversed a good distance.


    With one last push off the ground, it leapt over the pit.


    Its speed was so fast that even Tang Yu could not see it clearly; he could only make out a blue blur charging toward them.


    The murderous intent was chilling.


    Like a bone-piercing cold wind!


    A figure went to meet it.


    Two figures interweaved in midair, clashing with a sound like the ringing of metal on metal.


    This time, Tang Yu saw it clearly: the blue figure was a humanoid Demonized Beast, its entire body as if made of blue Ice Crystal Armor, elongated head topped with spikes, and instead of fingers, its hands were blade-like.


    The other figure that landed was Kong, with one sword already drawn.


    The aura of the man and the Demonized Beast spread out, colliding with each other.


    Members of the Patrol Team who were close by found it difficult to breathe.


    This was an even more powerful Demonized Beast, and within just a day, their horizons were elevated again and again. They could only sense the extraordinary strength of the aura but couldn''t use it to judge the level of the Demonized Beast.


    It was truly beyond any point of reference!


    The Ice Crystal Beast, eyeing Kong for a moment, suddenly dashed aside, targeting the Arrow Towers and Cannons.


    Tang Yu felt a chill in his heart.


    This time, it was certain that the Ice Man Demonized Beast possessed a high level of intelligence, not just battle instinct.


    The blue figure swept across the ground, freezing all vegetation in its path into ice crystals. It was about to use its blade to destroy a Cannon.


    At that moment, Kong confronted it once more.


    Kong''s expression turned serious and focused, another Longsword unsheathed, dual-wielding as his whole being transformed into a blur.


    Not only was Tang Yu unable to see clearly, but even in the eyes of Luo Zhe and Vice Captain Xie, Kong''s speed was incredibly fast.


    The Ice Crystal humanoid Demonized Beast also couldn''t react in time. In the blink of an eye, its Ice Crystal Armor was slashed with several cracks.


    Ice Man''s eyes revealed fear as he turned to flee, attempting to jump into the horde of demonized beasts, using other demonized beasts as cover to escape for his life.


    He leapt into mid-air.


    Behind him, a flash of sword light.


    Sword Qi split the air, and visibly, a white streak shot through the middle of the ice crystal demonized beast.


    A spiderweb of cracks spread out.


    The next moment, with a bang, the entire ice crystal armor shattered, and the Ice Man demonized beast died with it.


    Kong let out a sigh of relief, but suddenly saw,


    within the horde of demonized beasts, there were a few with mouths almost taking up half of their bodies, opening wide, heads thrown back, spewing a stream of dark green venom high into the air, about to rain down on everyone''s heads like droplets.


    Kong''s face also changed; while he could disregard such an attack, other members of the Patrol Team could not, yet, he also lacked the ability to intercept such dense venom.


    Neither could Luo Zhe nor Shay.


    They could destroy, being at a professional level, but when it came to protecting others, they were not quite capable.


    Members of the Patrol Team, watching the dense rain of venom, were terrified.


    How to block it? With what could they block it?


    Run, but they couldn''t escape such a wide range!


    Venom like arrows, shooting towards them.


    Suddenly, a faint golden Light Shield rose up in front of the group.


    The Light Shield was wide enough to protect a few dozen people inside. The next moment, the venom that fell on the Light Shield was instantly dissolved.


    It wasn''t the venom dissolving the Light Shield, but the intense light, which dissolved the venom.


    "Look over there."


    A member of the Patrol Team pointed not far away, where the area was not covered by the Light Shield.


    When the venom fell on the ground, it hissed with white smoke and visibly corroded and sunk in, eaten away by the venom.


    Many people gasped in shock, fully able to imagine the consequences of being tainted with this venom.


    Even in death, it would be accompanied by tremendous pain.


    Especially for the few female Awakeners in the team, who felt even more terrified.


    Yet such terrifying venom was blocked by the seemingly thin Light Shield, and even dissolved.


    They looked towards Winnie, who normally had a gentle big sister image, but only when truly demonstrating her strength did she appear incomparably holy.


    Their eyes were full of envy and admiration.


    Such an expert was their role model as female Awakeners.


    The battle continued, with followers each displaying their prowess, revealing their tremendous strength.


    Letting the members of the Patrol Team know just how strong a real master could be.


    Shay was a walking artillery.


    Kong was the ultimate Swordsman.


    Winnie was not just adept at protection, her offensive capabilities were also formidable.


    And then there was Captain Luo, a strong veteran they had long known.


    Each one of these was a super expert.


    Such characters, even if they went to the Lindong Sanctuary, would make a big splash, yet these people, each and every one, were gathered around Director Tang, and moreover, were respectful.


    They say that experts are often unruly.


    Like the Iron Hammer Brothers, upon self-reflection, although not arrogant, had some pride in their hearts before joining the Patrol Team and witnessing so many experts.


    However, these experts, whose strength was countless times greater than their own, showed no arrogance in front of Director Tang.


    Especially the old members of the Patrol Team, they knew that at the beginning, they hadn''t seen Shay, Kong, Winnie and other experts around Director Tang, but they suddenly appeared in the following days.


    Whenever they felt they were gradually getting to know Director Tang, they would be shocked once again by the strength he displayed.


    The strength of Director Tang himself, as well as the experts gathered around him.


    Like covered with a thick veil.


    Utterly mysterious.

 Chapter 100 - 100 Return Journey

    Tang Yu stood in the middle of the team, watching how several advanced Demonized Beasts had forcefully surged forward, only to be quickly slain, which made him feel secured.


    Beneath that giant tree, there indeed were numerous Demonized Beasts, especially a surprising number of advanced ones.


    If there were as many Demonized Beasts from the Fifth Tier upwards in other wilderness areas, then, there probably wouldn''t be many Awakener teams qualified to operate in the wilderness.


    Fortunately, the configuration of this pioneering team was sufficient.


    He then thought about the last time, when he only had Puppet One and Puppet Two by his side¡ªit was also fortunate he hadn''t directly confronted the horde of Demonized Beasts, or else, if one or two similar to Ice Man had appeared, escaping would have been dicey.


    Tang Yu looked up at the distant tree that pierced the sky, lost in thought.


    Although this place wasn''t close to the Abyssal Rift, the presence of so many Demonized Beasts concentrated in this area meant that there must be a reason.


    "It''s either because of the Source Crystal Mine, or because of this giant tree."


    Comparatively, Tang Yu was more inclined to believe that these Demonized Beasts were attracted by the giant tree.


    Especially those crystal-like leaves on the tree, which were very mysterious¡ªperhaps it was these crystal leaves that subtly enhanced the intelligence of the Demonized Beasts and promoted their evolution, causing more and more Demonized Beasts to be drawn here.


    Similarly, while most of the Demonized Beasts hadn''t developed intelligence, their instincts drove them to root here, unwilling to leave. Tang Yu recalled when he last fled¡ªthose Demonized Beasts only chased him for a short distance, which was probably why the nearby Green Shadow Sanctuary hadn''t been attacked by these Demonized Beasts.


    After all, they were all busy evolving. The instinct to hunt humans was instead suppressed.


    "Wait a minute¡­"


    Tang Yu suddenly thought about the two Demon Tides the Green Shadow Sanctuary had experienced.


    Logically speaking, since the Green Shadow Sanctuary was far from the Abyssal Rift, the likelihood of experiencing a Demon Tide was lower. Could it be that those two times, the rushing horde of Demonized Beasts wasn''t really targeting the Green Shadow Sanctuary, but the giant tree behind it instead?


    Tang Yu felt it was very likely.


    Shaking his head, he instructed Luo Zhe.


    "Leave the matters here to you. After clearing the Demonized Beasts, arrange for the personnel to start mining."


    Meanwhile, the Patrol Team members were outputting without brains, facing the surging horde of Demonized Beasts without needing to aim.


    Hearing this, they were somewhat puzzled.


    Could it be that Director Tang was planning to leave?


    But next, they saw Director Tang take out a mat, spread it on the ground, and then sit down cross-legged and close his eyes.


    Sit? Why sit down?


    And closing his eyes too?


    The Patrol Team members were somewhat baffled.


    Suddenly, someone thought of a possibility, "Isn''t Director Tang planning to refine soul power?"


    The person next to him, initially skeptical,


    Refining soul power¡ªwhy not do it when they got back? Why in such a dangerous environment?


    But then they looked around. Arrows flew continuously, piercing through Demonized Beasts and turning them into blood mist; red glares spewed from cannons, killing swathes of Demonized Beasts in one go.


    Such output, such killing efficiency, with Demonized Beasts dying in batches, the majestic soul power that escaped. Even though some dispersed halfway due to the distance, the absorbed soul power was definitely beyond imagination.


    Even they themselves, handling machine guns and carrying rocket launchers, felt a substantial amount of soul power absorbed after killing the Demonized Beasts. What about Director Tang? Director Tang was undoubtedly the person who had killed the most number of Demonized Beasts in the field.


    This absorbed soul power must have already been overflowing.


    No wonder Director Tang wanted to refine the soul power on the spot.


    "That drifting soul power, since it was fully absorbed, could only dissipate. They would have felt immense pain, unlike any other."


    "However, as painful as it was, they couldn''t cultivate their soul power quietly in such an environment under any circumstances."


    "Surrounding them, the booming sound of cannons could be heard, and in the distance, the shrieks of demonized beasts."


    "Being on the battlefield, where danger could strike at any moment, cultivating soul power here was like sleeping peacefully surrounded by hostile big men."


    "They simply didn''t have the guts for it."


    "Yet, looking at Director Tang, he had already closed his eyes and was calmly refining his soul power."


    "Somehow, a phrase suddenly came to mind."


    "Let the earth shake and the mountains tremble, I will stand unyielding..."


    "That was probably it."


    "..."


    "As the sun set, the sky was draped in twilight."


    "Tang Yu opened his eyes and couldn''t help but stretch languidly."


    "This rest... this session of refining soul power was incredibly satisfying. With the blink of an eye, he had ascended from the Third Layer of Awakening to the Fourth Layer, and the Fifth Tier was now within reach."


    "It was still his squandering of too much soul power that was the cause, but there was no helping it, his physique was too slight to ever become a ''fat man.''"


    "Tang Yu stood up, stretched his body, and took out a crystal bottle from his bosom...this soul power container seemed also to be filled with soul power, and when he returned to his territory, he could use this soul power to break through to the Fifth Tier of Awakening."


    "Though he still wasn''t on par with Luo Zhe and others, he was still one of the top masters in Lindong, a thought that quite pleased him."


    "At that moment, Number One and Number Two stood guard by his side, while Kong and Winnie also stood on alert not far away."


    "Luo Zhe was directing the Patrol Team members to mine the crystal ore. Today, after their stint as porters, they would have to double as miners again."


    "Shay... Tang Yu turned to look, but saw no sign of him, when suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes in the distance. Shay''s burly figure emerged, carrying on his shoulder a wild boar the size of an armored vehicle."


    "Lord, look at my catch, this is a genuine Mutant Beast, the meat is delicious and chewy. I think it''s great for grilling, just sprinkle some of that whatever spice, and some, some chili powder, the flavor will definitely be good."


    "Tang Yu was dumbfounded, but then thought about it, having been refining soul power for more than half a day, and having skipped lunch, he suddenly felt a bit hungry."


    "Since that was the case..."


    "He took out a full set of seasonings from his Space Backpack, ''Then I''ll leave it to you, Shay.''"


    "Down below, much of the Rough Stone from the crystal mine had been extracted, and besides the Patrol Team members, many basic Puppets were also seen busily at work."


    "The crystal ore exposed outside, after this period of mining, was almost completely mined out. The remaining ore, hidden underground, couldn''t be mined with such crude techniques anymore."


    "This was a night of sudden wealth, henceforth it would be a steady trickle."


    "These Source Crystal Ores, stacked up, were as high as a hill, even two Space Backpacks couldn''t fit so much, just right, the big boxes that were carried over, used to hold guns, now perfect for storing these crystal ores."


    "Coming here, the Patrol Team members acted as porters, and going back, it was the same."


    "Upon leaving the forest, the last trace of the sunset''s afterglow had already vanished at the edge of the sky."


    "Night, fell completely."


    "Even so, many of the Patrol Team members breathed a sigh of relief."


    "That patch of forest was too dangerous, making everyone uncomfortable staying within it. Stepping out of the forest felt like escaping from that perilous world."


    "Even though they had cleared out the demonized beasts near the giant trees, who knew if other dangers still lurked? Knowing the place of the giant trees in the forest, that was just the edge."


    S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 101 - 101: Consuming Crystals Must Be Enjoyable

    Returned to the castle.


    Despite having stayed right in the middle of the team and not partaking in any battle, he was just as dusty and weary upon returning to the territory.


    There was no helping it, with Unit 2 carving a path like a bulldozer, the dust stirred up into the sky in huge clouds, and now a look in the mirror almost transformed him into a mud figure.


    The experience of going out was terribly poor.


    Indeed, after the apocalypse, most survivors share a similar appearance when they return from the outside world. Those able to keep their clothes intact are considered lucky, as the clothing of most survivors had been ripped into shreds during a frantic escape or in the midst of battles.


    For Awakeners who often engage in outdoor combat, clothing is nothing but consumables. Even garments made from animal hides need to be replaced with new ones after some time, the apparel industry in Lindong Sanctuary is particularly booming.


    However, he, Lord Tang the Great, couldn''t possibly lower himself to the same level as ordinary survivors. Previously, it was due to a lack of Source Crystals, but now, he thought, he shouldn''t be so hard on himself.


    "Traveling still requires a Vehicle, and not just any ordinary Vehicle."


    Ordinary Vehicles, such as cars, could only travel on roads and were practically useless in the wilderness. Even armored vehicles would not hold up against even slightly powerful demonized beasts.


    Besides, to reach Luoxia Sanctuary and find his parents, a Vehicle was undoubtedly indispensable. Run there? With such a long distance between the two places, even if an Awakener could run at full speed, how long could they keep that up? It was completely unrealistic.


    Not to mention, it was unsafe!


    He needed a Vehicle that was both offensive and defensive, fast, and adaptable to various environments¡ªand one that offered a comfortable riding experience.


    "As long as I can draw out Vehicle blueprints, I believe that the Vehicles produced by the system can meet this requirement."


    Tang Yu made several trips back and forth to the castle''s warehouse, dumping in all the Crystal Ore Rough Stones he had collected this time.


    Watching the unit value of Source Crystals rise in the panel, he knew it was finally time for an enjoyable round of using Consuming Crystals.


    He quickly arrived in front of the market.


    In the core buildings, only the tavern had been upgraded to level three, while the market and workshop were at level two, and the research institute was just at level one.


    After the tavern was upgraded to level three, a new fusion summoning feature was added. Tang Yu speculated that perhaps upgrading the market would unlock a similar feature.


    Previously, he was too short of Source Crystals to use such features recklessly.


    But now...


    "Ding! Market upgraded to level three."


    [Added ten more commodity slots.]


    [Increased the chances of refreshing high-level treasures.]


    [Unlocked new feature: Allows preserving the daily free refresh opportunities of commodities. Fuse ten refresh opportunities to guarantee the next refresh includes commodities from a broad category. Fuse a hundred refresh opportunities for the next refresh to include a commodity from a specific subcategory.]


    "Just as expected..."


    The broad categories referred to things like Equipment, Resources, Blueprints, Items, and so on. By spending ten times the Source Crystals, the next refresh would definitely have the category of goods he wanted.


    With a hundred times the Source Crystals spent, the scope can be narrowed even further. For example, within Equipment, it could be narrowed down to Weapons, Sword-type Weapons, Firearms, and so on. Blueprints can also be narrowed to those for Weapons, Armor, Vehicles, and more.


    This feature sparkled in Tang Yu''s eyes.


    In the market, Resources were the least useful but they always occupied more than half of the commodity slots.


    He had always overlooked this.


    Moreover, there were some Special Items that sounded quite grand, but in reality, most of them were useless¡ªlike strange wood, strange fruits, strange rings, strange underwear... cough cough, in short, the market had plenty of ''strange'' prefixed items. At first, Tang Yu had curiously bought some, only to discover they were all worthless!


    Buying something cheap to get high value? Nonexistent.


    You get what you pay for, and if anything changed, it meant paying two pennies for one penny''s worth!


    Items like blueprints and rune stones, which are precious commodities, might not appear even after hundreds of refreshes, so being able to specify refresh categories was fantastic.


    He hadn''t used today''s refresh chance yet. Tang Yu added another four thousand five hundred Source Crystals to round up to ten.


    "Refresh commodities! Specify category, Blueprint!"


    Naturally, Tang Yu chose to specify the broad category. As for spending a hundred times more to specify the subcategory? That was just a waste of money.


    Vehicle blueprints were what he needed the most, but he was also in need of other types of blueprints. Regardless, he had already made up his mind that he would buy whatever blueprint he could afford.


    A burst of radiance enveloped all the merchandise slots.


    When the light faded, Tang Yu''s eyes widened as he searched for blueprints among the merchandise slots.


    "Found it!"


    Swift Revolver (Weapon) Blueprint, Price: 3,000 Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: one.


    Without hesitation, in a word, he chopped off his own hand!


    He glanced over the remaining merchandise and bought some other valuable items without any second thoughts.


    For the first time, shopping felt so carefree; it didn''t hurt at all.


    Yes, it didn''t hurt!


    Taking a deep breath, Tang Yu once again spent five thousand Source Crystals.


    In the market, the merchandise changed again.


    This time, two blueprints appeared among the thirty merchandise slots.


    Tang Yu walked over to the closest merchandise slot and clicked to read the description.


    Cloud Roar Basic Type (War Machine: Bed Crossbow) Manufacturing Blueprint, Price: 15,000 Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: one.


    Tang Yu took a couple more breaths and bought it without hesitation.


    War Machines are undoubtedly great items. They''re not like in ancient societies, only used for sieges. In his view, the greatest use of War Machines is for facing off against bosses.


    Especially the super-sized Demonized Beasts.


    Take the giant Beetle, for example; even for an Awakener of the same level... supposing one exists, given the size of human weaponry, it''s very difficult to deal fatal damage to a Demonized Beast of such size.


    However, the fatal weakness of these Demonized Beasts is also their enormous size. Relying on War Machines to deal with them is the best choice.


    The Energy-gathering Cannon at Lindong Sanctuary is also a kind of War Machine, but Tang Yu feels it should be classified under the money-burning series.


    Just that one shot at the beginning, he guessed, must have burned tens of thousands of Source Crystals at least.


    Not even the Qiankun Strike is so extravagant, and only a family like Lindong Sanctuary could afford to burn so many Source Crystals.


    After putting away this blueprint, Tang Yu did not look at the other blueprint, but instead checked the other merchandise once more before finally coming to the slot that contained the blueprint.


    He clicked to open it.


    Tang Yu revealed a smile.


    Floating Chariot (Vehicle) Manufacturing Blueprint, Price: 22,000 Source Crystals.


    Remaining quantity: one.


    Tang Yu took out the blueprint and looked over various parameters inside.


    This kind of Floating Chariot was inscribed with multiple runes, including Acceleration Rune, Misty Rune, Solid Rune, Energy Resistance Rune, Energy Gathering Rune, and so on.


    It was extremely fast, capable of floating and even low-altitude flight, and it also had a certain offensive capability. Of course, its defense was beyond question; the Defense Series Runes inscribed on it even connected to form a small Rune Array, content that he still couldn''t understand.


    Unfortunately, the runes on the blueprint of this Vehicle were embedded in the blueprint itself, only applicable to this Floating Chariot, and could not be separated. He also couldn''t extract the blueprints for these runes.


    The function of the Floating Chariot completely met his requirements. There was a drawback, though: due to its small size, it could only accommodate two to three people. But that was just a minor flaw; he could simply manufacture more when the time came. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu looked down row by row at the data until he came to the manufacturing requirements.


    "Requires a Level 3 Workshop, 200 units of Iron Material, 500 units of Source Crystals..."


    He nodded his head; these were not a problem, and continued reading, "10 units of Tungsten Iron, 10 units of Black Stone, 10 units of Star Pattern Steel, 10 units of Mithril..."


    And instantly, he became all wide-eyed.


    What the hell are these things!

 Chapter 102 - 102 Architecture Ability User!

    Lord''s castle, master bedroom.


    Tang Yu was sitting cross-legged on the bed when he suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing across them.


    "I''ve finally reached the Fifth Tier of Awakening."


    The soul power container placed not far in front of him no longer had any light circulating within it, indicating that the soul power was completely depleted.


    He turned his head to look outside the window, where strands of golden light filtered through the clouds, gradually brightening the world.


    It was still early.


    Tang Yu descended the stairs only to find that Eileen had already gotten up and was preparing breakfast, with an open Magic Book beside her.


    Not wanting to disturb the focused and earnest Eileen, Tang Yu left the castle and when he reached the Energy Patio, he grabbed a bottle of water to rinse his mouth.


    The water from the spring, nourished by energy, could almost be called a Spiritual Spring.


    Of course, it didn''t have any miraculous effects, but the taste of the water was refreshing and delicious, making Tang Yu instantly fond of it. The few people living in the castle also occasionally fetched water from here to drink...


    If the population increased later, he would have to consider building another Energy Patio for water supply.


    Along the way outside, he coincidentally ran into Chen Haiping, who was busy working. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chen Haiping was an early riser, assigning tasks to the survivors under his charge from dawn.


    Tang Yu couldn''t help but feel that everyone was more competent than he was.


    Being a lord felt quite fulfilling.


    After greeting him, Tang Yu didn''t dawdle but quickly got to the point, asking about the changes in the Sanctuary over the past few days.


    "Our Sanctuary now has four hundred and seventeen survivors, including three hundred and twenty-two male survivors, ninety-five female survivors, and a total of fifty-three awakeners, with twenty-three of them in the Patrol Team..."


    Tang Yu nodded; apart from the somewhat large discrepancy between the male and female ratios, everything else was fine.


    And the gender ratio wasn''t really a problem... No one was thinking about marriage now, dating was out of the question, and as for sex, without measures to prevent pregnancy, the female survivors naturally wouldn''t want to engage in such a losing bargain.


    "What about housing and food? Are they still sufficient?"


    Chen Haiping nodded, not even glancing at the notebook in his hand as he slowly reported, "As for housing, the villas are a bit crowded, with some people allocated to makeshift housing. As for food, the supplies are not abundant, but the farmworkers reported that some crops will mature in two days, which will resolve the food crisis in our Sanctuary."


    The two walked while Tang Yu asked for more details.


    Chen Haiping was somewhat puzzled; Director Tang usually didn''t concern himself with these matters.


    They soon walked all the way to the Mercenary Task Management Center.


    It wasn''t yet the official opening time of the center, but there were already many awakeners waiting at the door.


    Seeing Chen Haiping, who was essentially the steward of the Sanctuary at this point, they made way, and some, seeing him closely following a young man, guessed and showed expressions of surprise on their faces.


    Tang Yu paid no attention to these people and walked around the Mercenary Center, constructing a building model in his mind.


    He had always been good at geometry, thus had no problems with spatial structures, assisted by the system, a building model soon formed in his mind.


    He intended to construct a new Mercenary Center.


    Being a crucial building to the Sanctuary, the Mercenary Center, however, looked very ordinary. The villa''s exterior walls were patched in some places and because the area wasn''t large enough, a makeshift shelter had been added.


    It looked like a rundown building even before the apocalypse.


    Previously, due to a shortage of Source Crystals, Tang Yu naturally couldn''t use them for such unimportant places, but now things were different. Source Crystals were just a number now, however, what frustrated him a bit was, not the lack of Source Crystals, but the shortage of other materials, such as some Transcendent Mineral materials...


    Tang Que would still carry this name for quite some time.


    Besides the Mercenary Center, several other civilian and fa?ade projects needed to be constructed, partly to enhance the cohesion among the survivors of the Sanctuary, and partly because it was too dilapidated for him to bear watching.


    For instance, a cafeteria was essential; once built, there would be no need to distribute food to the survivors every day.


    In fact, after distributing food, without electricity, the survivors could only perform simple processing on the food ingredients, making instant noodles the most popular food since boiling water was still feasible without electricity. But for modern people, creating delicious meals with simple tools was a significantly challenging task.


    Furthermore, Tang Yu planned to build some residential houses and thus begin his long-cherished real estate ventures.


    He shook off all the development plans that flashed through his mind.


    Tang Yu signaled to Chen Haiping to have the surrounding survivors back off a bit, clearing a space next to the Mercenary Center.


    [System Panel - Building List - Select Construction - Custom Building]


    In the game, there was a module for customizing buildings which would only affect the appearance, not grant any special features.


    Modifications could also be made to the existing buildings, altering only their appearances.


    "Ding-dong! Constructing a custom building, consuming various materials, several Source Crystals, are you sure?"


    Tang Yu stretched out his finger, a breeze sweeping by.


    Before him,


    A two-story building, appearing layer by layer like 3D printing, materialized before everyone''s eyes.


    From the foundation to the walls, to the internal structure, the building quickly took shape.


    This building was much larger than the original villa, covering an area of over a thousand square meters.


    And it was much taller.


    Though it was said to be a two-story building, it actually stood over ten meters tall, with exceptionally high ceilings. At this moment, the door was wide open, and upon first glance, it resembled a hall with a massive, yet dim panel in the center, unactivated.


    Tang Yu walked inside; from within, on either side, there were several rooms... If the hall was prepared for ordinary users, those rooms on the sides were designed for VIP users.


    Additionally, there were many vacant rooms, some of which could be used as storage, holding various exchange items, while others... he hadn''t yet decided, but building big certainly couldn''t be wrong.


    After a cursory look, he walked out of the two-story building.


    He glanced up above the door; it was empty, but Tang Yu felt something was missing.


    "It''s the signboard. As an important building, it definitely needs a striking name."


    He was about to engrave ''Mercenary Center'' when he reconsidered. The Lindong Sanctuary called theirs the Mercenary Task Management Center. Compared to theirs, ''Mercenary Center'' simply lacked a punch.


    But he couldn''t choose bizarre names either...


    After pondering for a while, he finally looked up.


    Above the door, the blank signboard suddenly displayed several large characters.


    Adventurer Guild!


    Just then, the rising sun in the distance began to illuminate, and the characters slowly gleamed under the sunlight.


    Beside him, many awakeners who were originally waiting for the Mercenary Center to open and ready to grab tasks, were now completely stunned.


    It wasn''t that no one had guessed that this young man was the mysterious Director Tang.


    But no one had thought that Director Tang''s actions would be so decisive: in the blink of an eye, a building had already taken shape, and from the outside, it was quite beautiful, very much in line with architectural structures... So, Director Tang was actually an Architecture Ability User!

 Chapter 103 - 103: Recruiting a Chef

    The Awakeners who didn''t belong to the Patrol Team were amazed, and then they began to experience being a new kind of mercenary¡­ nowadays, they were called adventurers.


    On the other side, in the small square in front of the villa district, many survivors were chatting and idly waiting around.


    A large truck came from the ramp below, and Lin Deyun opened the door, stepped down from the passenger side, and waved to the survivors from afar, "Everyone, it''s time to start working."


    The cargo inside the truck consisted of boxes of supplies, some sealed and some not, making it look somewhat chaotic. The survivors from the transport team came over, and in pairs, they began to unload the boxes from the truck.


    Lin Deyun unloaded a chest-high box and couldn''t help but wipe the sweat from his brow.


    Being middle-aged, engaging in such activities was somewhat overwhelming.


    After unloading the goods, the truck quickly left, and he didn''t ride back in the passenger seat. Instead, another survivor took over to go and unload the next cargo of supplies.


    Their transport team''s range of operations had gradually extended beyond the holiday villas, delivering items including building materials and other supplies.


    However, compared to the speed of the Patrol Team clearing Demonized Beasts, their transport work was much slower. Often, the Patrol Team had to wait several rounds of transport before they could leave a cleared site.


    On one hand, the transport team lacked manpower, with many items in the field being transported by Patrol Team members; on the other hand, the Sanctuary lacked large trucks and even more so, diesel fuel.


    Lin Deyun heard that the high ranks of the Patrol Team were trying to solve this problem.


    He shook his head, this wasn''t something he should be concerned about, and turned to the other survivors, pointing to the supplies, "These large boxes include building materials, those two are daily supplies, and there''s a small box containing medicines¡ªbe careful when taking them..."


    After sorting the supplies, Lin Deyun and the other survivors transported the items to various storage locations within the warehouse. After finishing their work, the survivors went to rest under a tree.


    Someone handed him a bottle of water, and after thanking them, Lin Deyun opened the cap and gulped down most of the bottle.


    "This feels really good..."


    Having water to drink and enough food to eat, even though he had to do a lot of physical work every day, he still felt fortunate.


    Suddenly he heard someone ask,


    "Lin, do you remember saying that you used to be a chef?"


    Lin Deyun paused, slightly shook his head, "I was just a cook in a hotel, nowhere near a chef."


    Although he said this, Lin Deyun had been in the culinary field for twenty to thirty years. He might not consider himself a master chef, but he was certainly a skilled cook. He genuinely loved this profession; some found it tedious, others thought it required patience.


    But for him, standing in the kitchen every day, transforming raw ingredients into delicious dishes with his own hands, was pure joy.


    Unfortunately, after the apocalypse, being able to eat to satisfaction was already good, who would still have the luxury to pick and choose? At best, based on his experience, he could do some basic processing of food under limited conditions.


    He was very content already.


    The person speaking patted his shoulder, "That''s it, you''ve been a hotel cook, why not hurry and apply for a cafeteria chef position."


    "Cafeteria chef? Apply?"


    Lin Deyun was stunned.


    "You didn''t know? At the city gate notice board, there''s a recruitment poster, better check it out soon. The package is much better than ours as transport workers. If you get the chef position, don''t forget us old buddies."


    His head felt a little dizzy, almost reflexively, he walked to the city gate, in front of the notice board.


    ["Sanctuary''s First Cafeteria Recruiting Chefs, Cooks, Janitors, and Various Other Positions. Interested survivors may apply to participate in the assessment."]


    Lin Deyun couldn''t quite believe it at first, but seeing this recruitment message, he had to believe it.


    No one would dare to disseminate false information under the guise of the Sanctuary; moreover, doing so was pointless.


    "So, the Sanctuary really is recruiting chefs and planning to build a cafeteria?"


    Based on the information, one should go to the Employment Center to register, located inside the third villa from the east district of the villa area.


    Lin Deyun walked within the city walls, following the path further inside, passing one villa, then another...


    He suddenly rubbed his eyes, "I must have seen it wrong."


    He continued walking, passing by more villas, feeling something was not right.


    The Employment Center was easy to recognize, a villa with a simple connected tent, but he had passed by without seeing any building matching this description.


    He looked at the house number of the nearby villa, sixteen¡ªthe numbers were reversed, with villa number one located furthest inside, making the sixteenth villa actually the sixth from the entrance.


    "Something definitely isn''t right."


    Lin Deyun went back to the original third villa, rubbed his eyes again, "It seems this isn''t an illusion."


    Stored in his memory, the Employment Center''s blue and white structure was nowhere to be seen, but instead, there was a gorgeously crafted building before him, the gate and pillars adorned with intricate carvings that dazzled the eye.


    Finally, his gaze unconsciously settled on the sign above the main door.


    It was engraved with several bold, spirited characters.


    Adventurer Guild! S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Perhaps this is the new Employment Center?"


    He recalled the legends about Director Tang from the Sanctuary, rubbed his eyes again to confirm this wasn''t a hallucination, and finally stepped inside.


    The guild hall was vast, but there weren''t many people at the moment; most of the Awakeners had picked up their tasks early and left.


    He approached one of the information desks, inquired about the staff there, was handed a form to fill out, and then was asked to wait in an adjoining room for further instructions.


    When Lin Deyun entered the room, he was surprised to find that there were already more than a dozen survivors waiting.


    Most of them glanced at him then lowered their heads, staying quiet.


    The room was filled with a quietness that was somewhat uncomfortable.


    "These people must be survivors applying for positions, most likely aiming for the chef role, hence, my competitors."


    The chef position offered much better terms compared to a cook or janitor and considering the Sanctuary had only a few hundred survivors, there wouldn''t be many chef positions available, perhaps two or three at most, not comparable to pre-apocalypse staffing.


    Lin Deyun thought.


    Suddenly, a young man entered, holding a form, counted the people in the room, then said, "Fifteen people, that''s about right, follow me; it''s time for the assessment."

 Chapter 104 - 104: Research and Development Blueprint

    A line of people filed out one by one, following behind a young man.


    After leaving the eastern part of the villa district, the team did not head outside the city walls but walked through the space between two villa districts, passing a gigantic building reportedly a training camp, and continued inward.


    Soon, a three-story building appeared in front of everyone.


    "This is the cafeteria," said the guide, "if you pass the assessment, this will be your future workplace."


    The group walked into the cafeteria.


    Inside, just like most cafeterias, at first glance, it was filled with tables and chairs. After a moment of daily amazement, they did not linger and went straight to the cafeteria''s kitchen.


    "It''s so complete..."


    "And everything is new."


    Lin Deyun was shocked as he looked at the kitchen''s equipment.


    Initially, he had guessed the cafeteria would be located next to the central plaza in the hotel, which was virtually the only place in the entire resort with relatively complete facilities.


    Nevertheless, issues such as electricity and gas were still problematic, but, of course, one could simplify everything by relying on burning coal or firewood.


    After seeing the beautiful adventurer guild, Lin Deyun thought otherwise, and it turned out Director Tang had indeed used his capabilities to set up a cafeteria.


    Yet, he had not expected the kitchen equipment to be so complete.


    It was more comprehensive than the five-star hotels he had worked at before, and there were even some devices whose purposes he couldn''t decipher and needed to study.


    The worries about electricity and gas he originally had did not exist here; it seemed that there was some special means of providing energy.


    After a brief inspection, Lin Deyun''s gaze fell on a person in the kitchen.


    Chen Haiping, one of the high-ranking officials in the Sanctuary and often seen in public, was nearly recognized by every survivor.


    Chen Haiping clapped his hands, and after everyone quieted down, he said, "The cafeteria will recruit two chefs, a head chef and a sous-chef. The assessment is quite simple, each person will cook a few of their best dishes, and basically all the ingredients are available here."


    Chen Haiping pointed to the side where various foods were displayed.


    Many eyes lit up, and breaths became heavier.


    Lin Deyun was no exception; since the apocalypse, this was the first time he had seen so many ingredients.


    Green Shadow Sanctuary was not the first shelter he had been in. In fact, he had stayed in another small-scale shelter before, which later collapsed due to a lack of food, and he and several companions left the shelter to survive on their own. Luckily, he encountered Green Shadow''s Patrol Team and was rescued and brought here.


    Other Sanctuaries lacked food, but Green Shadow not only provided enough food, but also had all sorts of ingredients, including necessary seasonings.


    He couldn''t imagine how Green Shadow Sanctuary managed to gather such complete items.


    But beyond the shock, he was also excited.


    This line of work was his passion, and it was only in this field that he could make real contributions.


    ...


    After handing over various matters of the cafeteria to Chen Haiping, Tang Yu wasn''t idle, and went to the research institute.


    Dressed in a white lab coat and wearing an analysis-capable augmented reality glasses, he found himself beginning to like this place.


    Though a scholar, he always had the heart of a top student.


    Tang Yu accessed the data bank and browsed through the directory.


    The cafeteria was already built, and recruiting chefs... for the many survivors in the Sanctuary, even if there were no real chefs, finding a few people who knew how to cook wouldn''t be a problem.


    However, there was still one major issue for the cafeteria to start operating.


    Can a cafeteria without meal cards truly be called a cafeteria?


    The answer was no.


    The current survivors and the Patrol Team all used work points or contribution points for transactions, and typically, when survivors wanted to exchange items, they would go to the former employment center where the staff was responsible for logging the changes in their work points.


    The issue of settling accounts was very troublesome.


    If they wanted to open a cafeteria, they couldn''t have someone recording data for each dish ordered by the survivors, unless they offered free meals to them. However, Tang Yu was not that generous.


    Providing free meals was out of the question; he would rather spend more to produce actual meal cards.


    He came here to the research institute.


    Through the research institute, Tang Yu had already improved many blueprints; here he could also infer blueprints or formulas. He had already derived the formula for the Awakening Potion and even made some improvements. Once he gathered the materials and produced it, the effects should be somewhat better than those produced in Lindong.


    Similarly, blueprints could also be developed here.


    Theoretically, any blueprint could be developed... that was the explanation of the research institute, which Tang Yu glanced at and ignored. Theoretically speaking, a jinx could still pull an SS rank, but was that possible?


    After tinkering around for a while, Tang Yu finally understood the development rules of the research institute.


    There were three main ones.


    Basic data, the amount of Source Crystals, and the direction of development.


    He was now browsing through the data in the database, most of which were downloaded from the Lindong Sanctuary, many of them being the scientific fruits of humanity before the apocalypse; although not very advanced, they were all basic. The research institute did not come with its materials, and without these, Tang Yu''s development work would have probably been aborted before it even started.


    Data is the foundation, and Source Crystals are key.


    Without Source Crystals, without research funds, even a great expert could only rely on imagination.


    The last one was the direction of development.


    This was random. After key data or blueprints were put into development, different results would be generated randomly.


    In short, whether one could develop the desired results depended on luck!


    Tang Yu felt that this was just a way to sink Source Crystals.


    Apart from basic data, there were some more advanced ones, like Source Power basics, which Tang Yu had recorded.


    He then took out two other hardcover books, which were books he had acquired from the market yesterday.


    One on basic Rune Studies knowledge.


    One on basic Pharmacy knowledge.


    Both were areas he was extremely lacking in; as long as he learned these and integrated his knowledge, calling himself "Tang the Study King" would be no issue.


    [Choose to input data: Basic Rune Studies, Source Power Basics, Electronic Integration Technology, Logic, Material Science¡­]


    "Development requires an investment of 500 units of Source Crystals, yes/no?"


    Depending on the amount and complexity of data entered, different amounts of Source Crystals needed to be invested in development; although he had entered a lot of data, they all belonged to the basic category, so the cost was still not too high.


    Well, 500 each time wasn''t too much. Any more expensive and even Lord Tang wouldn''t be able to afford to play.


    Choose to develop.


    [Development successful, congratulations on developing "Rune Encryption Technology."]


    That wasn''t what he wanted.


    Continue, he had plenty of Source Crystals!


    [Development successful, congratulations on developing "Automatic Recognition Door Plate (blueprint)."]


    ¡­


    [Development successful, congratulations on developing "Vile''s Password Shirt (blueprint)."]


    Tang Yu''s face darkened. What on earth was that?!


    ¡­


    Tap the screen, develop, skip, tap the screen, develop¡­


    Tang Yu stared at the screen, probably because he had input too much data, there were especially, especially, especially many directions for development, some of which he didn''t even know what they were.


    Fortunately, Lord Tang, if nothing else, still had some Source Crystals!


    Finally,


    [Development successful, congratulations on developing "Identity Card (blueprint)."] Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu''s eyes lit up.


    Good thing he didn''t give up, finally here you are!

 Chapter 105 - 105 Gluttony as a Variable

    The news of the canteen opening swept through the Sanctuary like a hurricane, in an instant.


    Everyone was discussing it.


    "Have you heard? From now on, our food distribution will be done through eating at the canteen."


    "I heard about it a while ago, I even went to see that canteen, tsk tsk, when Director Tang makes a move, it''s really something else. It looks even better than where we live, using it as a canteen is such a waste."


    "You don''t know about it, I heard Director Tang also plans to build a batch of housing. People who perform well might get a chance to move in."


    "I wonder what kind of food will be in the canteen, it should be better than our usual makeshift meals, right?"


    "Definitely. Do you know who the chef at the canteen is? Lin Deyun, who used to work as a chef at a five-star hotel. His skills are unquestionable."


    After a busy day of work, it was usually time to collect food, but now everyone was headed towards the canteen.


    Some survivors with information channels couldn''t help blowing their own trumpets first.


    Displaying their shining moment of glory.


    When Liang Hao arrived at the canteen, he saw a long queue ahead.


    As an early survivor of the Sanctuary, he didn''t need to engage in physical labor every day like the ordinary survivors. He was now one of the Sanctuary''s grassroots management staff.


    Of course, he still needed to eat¡­


    The queue was very long, with probably a couple hundred people ahead.


    More survivors kept arriving at the back, and someone frowned upon seeing the long line, "Why has a queue suddenly formed? If we''re going to queue, it should be inside the canteen, right? The gate isn''t small, surely it shouldn''t be blocked up here."


    Liang Hao heard this and immediately replied, "You don''t know about it, there''s naturally a reason for queuing at the entrance to the canteen."


    He left them hanging, and several survivors nearby immediately looked over.


    With a satisfied smile, Liang Hao continued, "I got the news this morning. Apparently, the Sanctuary is going to introduce an identity card that can record everyone''s personal information and even store each person''s work points for expenditure settlement. In short, a One Card Pass."


    "With this One Card Pass, consumption and welfare distribution in our Sanctuary will become much more convenient. Surely you wouldn''t want to wait for the recording of work points when getting your food in the canteen."


    "And now, they are probably carrying out identity authentication, hence the queue and wait time."


    The surrounding survivors showed an epiphany, all murmuring their admiration.


    Liang Hao wore a smile, his face full of pleasure.


    The queue moved along swiftly, and after about ten minutes, Liang Hao reached the front of the canteen. There were two staff members with a device... it looked a bit like the one used in the bureau to press fingerprints for ID cards.


    After greeting the two people, Liang Hao pressed his thumb on the scanner. A green light flashed on, and then he signed his name on an adjacent writing pad. Quickly, a card rolled out from beneath the scanner.


    "Brother Hao, this is your identity card. Your wages will be deposited here from now on, and you can carry out any transaction within the Sanctuary using this card."


    It was an exquisite card, with only the name as the simple piece of information on it. Beside it was a semi-transparent small box. When the thumb that passed fingerprint authentication swiped over it, the remaining balance in the card appeared.


    The functionality wasn''t extensive, but it at least met the current needs.


    If it hadn''t been for the limited resources and the exorbitant consumption of Source Crystals needed for development, Tang Yu really would have liked to create a magic-altered version of a smartphone to solve all problems.


    In front of the fast food counter at the canteen.


    Seeing the dazzling array of dishes, Liang Hao couldn''t help but feel a lump in his throat.


    These dishes were nothing fancy, mostly home-style dishes or common cafeteria foods, such as fish-fragrant shredded pork, braised eggplant, Mapo tofu, stir-fried shredded potatoes with pork, tomato and egg, and so on.


    However, survivors watched in a daze and smelled the familiar aroma, feeling as if they were transported back to the time before the apocalypse.


    Those who were sentimental reminisced, while those quick to act had already begun to eat.


    Zhao Ming had two large bowls in front of him, one with hot and sour noodles and the other with old crock pickled beef noodles. He slurped them up with great relish, and at the end let out an off-key sound, "So damn delicious."


    Across from him, the Iron Hammer Brothers ate attentively and quickly, working on the big bowls on the table.


    As powerful Awakeners, they had appetites that matched their strength, with large bowls filled to the brim with food piled up in front of them like small mountains.


    This wasn''t dining, this was battle.


    Both took it very seriously.


    In the distance, Peng Bo held a large tray for serving dishes, already laden with numerous bowls and plates. Upon seeing the Iron Hammer Brothers'' table, his eyes widened.


    How could anyone eat more than him!


    "Big Peng, help me hold this, I need to order some more."


    He handed the items to Lu Xiaopeng and returned to the service window, saying to the uncle who was serving the food, "Two bowls of beef offal noodles, three servings of enoki and beef over rice, three servings..."


    Shortly, Peng Bo walked back to his seat with another tray, glancing at the Iron Hammer Brothers who were still battling in the distance, then comparing that to the food in his hands, he nodded, satisfied.


    If Chen Haiping were present, he would find that his prediction about food had a huge oversight¡ªhe had neglected the variable that is foodies.


    Over here,


    Zhao Ming, after slurping up his noodles, took another look at the Iron Hammer Brothers, who were quickly finishing off the food they had ordered, and he couldn''t help but feel that strength truly showed in all aspects. Even in the speed of eating, he had to admit he was outmatched.


    But Zhao Ming believed this was just a temporary setback. He had a dream, hoping to become a powerful figure like Captain Luo.


    To realize this dream, he didn''t need to rely on others, nor on serendipity, nor on arduous hellish training. He only needed to lie on his bed every night, close his eyes, and that was it.


    He fantasized.


    At this time, the Iron Hammer Brothers had finished their last bowl and were preparing to leave. Zhao Ming called out to them, smiling mysteriously, "Two old pals, I''ve got some good news. Do you want to hear it?" S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Iron Hammer Brothers looked curious. "Didn''t you already tell us about the canteen being established this morning? What other good news is there?"


    "What do you think of the canteen, I mean in terms of environment?" Zhao Ming teased and asked instead.


    "The environment..." The tall and thin Ma Jiafeng pondered and said, "The environment is quite nice, clean, comfortable, spacious."


    He couldn''t think of better words, but the canteen''s environment was indeed a surprise to everyone.


    Named a canteen, its various decorations could already be considered mid to high-end dining, the seats were soft and comfortable. If truth be told, it was even better than where they lived.


    "That''s right, let me tell you..." Zhao Ming said, still appearing mysterious.


    A few minutes later, the three of them arrived at a corner of the villa district. This place was rather secluded, but at some unknown time, a few villas here had been demolished and replaced with two eight-story buildings towering over the area.


    "What is this?"


    Seeing the dazed expressions on the faces of the Iron Hammer Brothers, Zhao Ming couldn''t help but laugh proudly inside.


    He was privy to a lot of insider information, and with his gift of gab, he was able to hang with strong men like the Iron Hammer Brothers. No longer keeping them in suspense, he revealed, "That building on the left will be our Patrol Team''s residence. Captain Luo will probably announce it tonight, but of course I found out ahead of time."


    Zhao Ming led the two forward, took out the identity card he had just received today, scanned it in front of the door and it opened.


    The group went upstairs, through the corridor, and into a room.


    The rooms here were single occupancy, equipped with a toilet and bathroom. They seemed small but had all the essentials and were powered by Source Power, which was much better than living in a villa.


    Although the villas were big, they housed many people and every night only candles could be lit, and one had to fetch water from one or two kilometers away.


    By comparison, it was like moving from a wild mountain village into a bustling city.


    "This is a benefit only for our Patrol Team, with a single room per person. Other survivors who want to move into the apartments will have to spend work points or Source Crystals, but of course, I''ve also gleaned that the Sanctuary intends to construct a batch of more advanced housing, like suites and real detached villas. We can live in those after earning enough contribution points. Just thinking about it is exciting."


    Zhao Ming explained on the side.


    The Iron Hammer Brothers surveyed the room''s environment, extremely satisfied in their hearts... of course, this was Zhao Ming''s room.


    Although the brothers valued rigorous self-improvement through hardship, fetching water every day barely counted as training and instead wasted their practice time. Now things were better; with all the basic furnishings already in place, Zhao Ming had indeed brought them good news.


    Ma Jiafeng, pleased, patted Zhao Ming on the shoulder. "It''s you, kid, who''s got the insider scoop. To thank you for informing us ahead of time, today we will take you through hellish training. After all, you''re still quite weak."


    Zhao Ming''s expression changed from pride to shock, and then to dejection.


    Happiness equals hellish training? That can''t be right!

 Chapter 106 - 106: Reflex Training

    Zhao Ming looked distressed as he followed the Iron Hammer Brothers to the training camp.


    After all, the Iron Hammer Brothers were big shots, and it was hard to refuse them. But his dream was clearly to be a couch potato... A capable couch potato who could grow stronger without training.


    Zhao Ming felt that the next few hours of his life would be gloomy.


    The three of them arrived in front of the third layer''s gate, the door tightly locked. Previously, they had to exchange for a one-time access card at the employment center, which was troublesome. Now it was convenient, the three of them took out their cards, swiped them in sequence, and entered the third layer of the training camp.


    Zhao Ming had been here before, naturally. After joining the Patrol Team, under Captain Luo''s leadership, he had visited once. He tried a training facility called the rapid runway, which left an indelible shadow on his fragile heart.


    Meanwhile, the Iron Hammer Boss, Ma Jiafeng, had already stepped forward, arriving at the training facility of the adaptive space.


    This facility was a hemispherical space, covering a relatively large area. Awakeners entering it needed to evade attacks coming from all directions.


    This was a facility testing reaction skills.


    Ma Jiafeng patted Zhao Ming''s shoulder, "I''ll go in first to demonstrate, watch carefully, kid."


    He entered, and the facility door closed, sealing the entire space.


    Although the space was closed, a part of the facility''s outer wall was transparent, allowing a clear view of the interior from outside. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ma Jiafeng took a deep breath and gently said, "Start."


    In an instant, red lights flashed throughout the adaptive space. The portion of the facility''s inner wall that wasn''t transparent extended a few gun barrels, and energy balls suddenly shot out from them.


    Ma Jiafeng''s expression didn''t change. He slightly leaned sideways and dodged the first energy ball.


    This was the adaptive space, where the goal was to minimize the damage you took within the allotted time.


    This one energy ball was just the beginning. Soon, more and more gun barrels extended from the inner wall, one energy ball after another shot toward Ma Jiafeng in the center.


    Ma Jiafeng focused, his eyes scanning all around him, and his body quickly darted back and forth, left and right, constantly dodging the incoming energy balls.


    Suddenly,


    with a buzzing sound, a purple-red laser beam shot across to the opposite inner wall and slowly moved towards Ma Jiafeng.


    His movement space was gradually being restricted!


    Sweat began to trickle down Ma Jiafeng''s forehead.


    Suddenly, another purple-red laser shot out, landing beside him. He was instantly startled, the previously planned evasion spot was now occupied by the laser, forcing him to twist his body awkwardly but still get hit by an energy ball.


    At that moment, Ma Jiafeng''s expression tightened.


    It hurt.


    This type of energy ball wasn''t highly lethal, far from life-threatening, but it had a special effect. Those hit by it would experience pain and numbness. In this adaptive space, once you lost your defense, it wasn''t just a matter of losing some points. Sometimes, those with less endurance wouldn''t make it to the end of the session.


    Ma Jiafeng didn''t give up. Relying on his strong willpower, he overcame the numbing sensation and narrowly avoided the next attack.


    Finally, the minute ended, the blinding red light disappeared and became a soft green glow.


    "Training complete, trainee Ma Jiafeng, simple difficulty, hit once, movement radius 2.5 meters, rating B-."


    The screen next to the adaptive space immediately displayed the assessment results.


    Ma Jiafeng looked utterly disappointed, "Ah, I can''t even reach a B. When will I ever get an A grade? And this is just the simple difficulty."


    Zhao Ming stood aside, his lips twitching.


    It was true that this was the simple difficulty, yet not many other Patrol Team members could achieve a D-pass rating, let alone a B-!


    The adaptive space training wasn''t advantaged by strength alone, it trained everyone''s reaction ability, including the speed of the energy balls, their number, and more, all of which varied with the trainee''s strength.


    Being in the third layer of Awakening didn''t give much of an edge over those in the first layer.


    Yet Ma Jiafeng was way ahead of the other Patrol Team members.


    Zhao Ming looked at Ma Jiafeng with a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth as a sign of respect. Of course, it was said that the higher-ups at the Sanctuary had even higher scores. He had heard of Captain Luo''s record, achieving a B+ in hard difficulty.


    Director Tang was even harder to imagine.


    The high-ranking members of the Sanctuary were probably monsters, something he had grown accustomed to.


    When Ma Jiafeng came out of the adaptive space, he was drenched in sweat, but his expression was quite exhilarated.


    "Zhao Ming, it''s your turn. Given your current strength, it''s best to train your reaction skills. Fighting the Demonized Beasts mainly relies on quick reflexes, since human strength can hardly withstand the impact of Demonized Beasts, go on." He gave Zhao Ming a push on the back.


    The force was enormous, and Zhao Ming staggered forward into the adaptive space.


    The facility door closed, and the last thing he heard was Ma Jiafeng''s laughter, "Go on, once you adapt to the training, you''ll find it''s a very enjoyable thing."


    The red lights gradually lit up, and Zhao Ming swallowed hard.


    An energy ball shot out, and he flinched, sidestepping it. But as soon as he landed, his eyes caught sight of another energy ball flying his way.


    "That fast..."


    The energy ball grew larger in his pupils, and Zhao Ming leaned back, barely dodging it as it grazed his cheek.


    His heart was pounding, "Lucky, lucky, I can dodge¡ª"


    Suddenly, he let out a scream. Somehow, an energy ball smashed into his back. Zhao Ming felt half his body go numb as his eyes widened at the increasing number of energy balls flying toward him, but his body struggled to move.


    Soreness and tingling shot through every part of his body.


    Zhao Ming''s face contorted, and his mouth involuntarily let out a series of plaintive cries.


    The sound probably echoed clearly throughout the entire third level of the training camp.


    Luckily, besides him, only the Iron Hammer Brothers were present, and they were experts, so he didn''t feel too embarrassed.


    "Yeah, not embarrassing!"


    Thinking this, his eyes suddenly caught sight of some people walking onto the third layer¡ªother Patrol Team members had arrived. Every evening, the training camp became very lively, and even though the third layer required spending contribution points, quite a few people would come up to train.


    Those arriving were the only female Awakeners in the Patrol Team, all quite young.


    They had heard the screams and looked over with curiosity.


    As soon as Zhao Ming''s eyes met theirs, his face fell, overwhelmed by both physical and mental trauma.


    He felt as though his reputation had just been utterly destroyed.


    More Patrol Team members gradually arrived on the third layer for training, with some of the more popular facilities even requiring forming a line.


    Zhao Ming stared listlessly, looking utterly disheartened.


    Suddenly, a commotion arose not far away.


    "Director Tang is here."


    He lifted his head in surprise and saw Director Tang, Captain Luo, and Vice Captain Shay coming up from below.


    Such a lineup was indeed quite rare.


    Especially Director Tang, who had never been seen on the third layer before.

 Chapter 107 - 107: Testing New Weapons

    Tang Yu arrived on the third floor and saw numerous Awakeners vigorously training.


    Many important training facilities were in use, and those who hadn''t gotten their turn yet could only stand by, watching and commenting.


    "It seems that the third floor is already a bit overloaded..."


    Although there were still many vacancies on the fourth floor, it was not open to ordinary members of the Patrol Team. Tang Yu certainly didn''t want to be watched while he was training.


    So, the solution was simple, upgrade. After upgrading the training camp, whether it''s increasing the number of floors or expanding the area, it would ease this overload pressure.


    "At that time, the Spirit Space can also be opened up appropriately."


    Tang Yu pondered.


    Previously, the Spirit Space was priced high to prevent survivors from accessing it too early. After all, building structures, as magical as it was, could be attributed to Architecture Ability Users. But if it involved creating a virtual reality space as well, that would be a bit too exaggerated.


    He could of course claim to be a Creation Series Ability User, but that would unavoidably lead to suspicions from certain people.


    Including some equipment in the Sanctuary, Puppets, and the training devices in the camp¡ªthey all somewhat exceeded the scope of his abilities... Previously he had to be discreet, but now, as his Territory had reached level three and he held a significant amount of Source Crystals, he gradually gained confidence, and many things could be handled more openly.


    Despite this indeed being a Special Ability named "System".


    He shook his head, focusing on the important tasks at hand.


    His purpose here wasn''t to train, but to test weapons.


    The Floating Chariot and the Cloud Roar Crossbow were still unmade due to a lack of crucial materials, however, the Swift Revolver had already been created.


    This firearm, although still categorized as a low-level weapon, was quite a bit higher in grade compared to those basic weapons. Testing it and recording the data was very necessary.


    Originally, he wanted to have Luo Zhe or Shay try it, but upon reflection, their strength and experience were too great, which wouldn''t accurately reflect the power of the revolver. It would be best to have ordinary Awakeners test it.


    When Luo Zhe stated the purpose, he made it clear that he needed one participant for the new weapon test.


    Immediately, the Patrol Team members exploded with excitement, many who were in the midst of training stopped and gathered around.


    "A new weapon? What kind of new weapon? When the Standard Longsword was introduced, there was no testing, this time the weapon must be extraordinary."


    "I, I, I, Director Tang, Captain Luo, I want to participate in the new weapon test..."


    Many people were eager to try.


    "Everyone, hold on a moment." Tang Yu asked the Patrol Team members to keep quiet and continued, "The weapon we are testing this time is a type of new firearm, and the testing location is over there in the Dream Shooting Range..."


    Zhao Ming''s eyes lit up.


    Firearms were his specialty, and moreover, the rules of the Dream Shooting Range were much more friendly than the Variable Space. If he could seize this opportunity, use the new firearm to score high in the Dream Shooting Range, wouldn''t that help him clear his tainted history?


    He immediately wanted to step forward and vie for the trial spot.


    But then he heard Director Tang continue, "To fully test the power of the new weapon, the difficulty in the Dream Shooting Range needs to be adjusted to normal level or above. So, who wants to participate in the test now?"


    Zhao Ming''s foot that was raised in the air froze, and his face suddenly stiffened.


    Normal level? If it was an easy difficulty, he would have some confidence, but normal difficulty... He thought it over and decided to follow his heart.


    After a silence, a voice emerged from the crowd, "Such an interesting event, I''ll do it!"


    He saw a short, plump Awakener emerge, looking like a ball.


    This was Ma Jiazze, seizing the opportunity to grab the trial slot while his older brother was exhausted after training.


    "Oh, okay."


    Tang Yu glanced at him, nodded, and simultaneously took out two weapons.


    These were two exquisite revolvers, their black bodies emanating a cold metallic luster that made one fall in love with them at first sight.


    "Is this a revolver?" Ma Jiazze asked.


    "Yes, of course they''re different from ordinary pistols. As for the specific effects, let''s try them out first."


    Ma Jiazze picked up the two pistols, and the moment he held them in his hands, he felt something different.


    He stood frozen on the spot until Ma Jiafeng poked him, bringing him to his senses.


    "Why do I feel, feel that holding these two guns makes me lighter?"


    Iron Hammer Boss returned a disdainful look, "These are guns, not shoes! Besides, have you seen your own figure? How could you possibly feel lighter?"


    Ma Jiazze scratched his head in grievance, unable to articulate his specific feeling.


    Off to the side, Tang Yu, watching this, naturally knew the reason.


    The Swift Revolvers were higher-grade weapons with a large magazine capacity, and their bodies could be engraved with two types of runes.


    Especially during this period, Tang Yu had introduced more varieties of runes to the market. They were all basic runes but greatly diversified the collection. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both Swift Revolvers were engraved with Speed Runes and Precision Runes.


    The Speed Rune was a precious Attribute Rune; hence, when Ma Jiazze gripped the handle, he felt his body become lighter.


    Tang Yu had also tried them, and he estimated a 10% overall speed increase. If this was narrowed down to the arms and wrists holding the guns, the speed boost could be even higher, and coupled with a gun-drawing technique, he might well be called a genuine gunman.


    At this point, Ma Jiazze had entered the Dream Shooting Range, standing in a green area.


    He quickly selected normal difficulty, and the training began.


    One after another, variously shaped Demonized Beasts appeared. These beasts were translucent phantasms with one or several small red areas on their bodies representing their vitals. If the trainee hit these red spots with gunfire, the phantasm would be defeated in one shot; otherwise, depending on the body part hit, sufficient cumulative damage was needed to defeat the phantasm.


    During this exercise, the Demonized Beasts would charge toward the green area. Once a beast stepped into the green area, the trainee would lose points, similar to the reaction space, but the friendly aspect was that there was no painful or numbing penalty.


    One after another, the Demonized Beasts appeared, roaring as they charged.


    Ma Jiazze gripped his twin guns and fired.


    The first time, he didn''t hit the vitals and needed three to five shots to deal with one Demonized Beast.


    However, Ma Jiazze''s accuracy quickly improved. Initially needing three to five shots to resolve the phantom beasts, gradually they were dispatched with just one or two shots.


    The watching Patrol Team members were amazed, "Who would have thought Iron Hammer''s hammer technique was so good; I thought they only excelled in hammer technique!"


    "Yes! With this gunmanship, not a single Demonized Beast has crossed the green area so far, and this is just normal difficulty!"


    However, Ma Jiafeng, amongst the crowd, widened his eyes.


    He knew his brother''s level well. If talking about close combat, naturally he wasn''t bad, but as for gunmanship, "his gunmanship was just ordinary, hitting a Demonized Beast within fifty meters was considered not bad! My brother couldn''t possibly be this strong!"

 Chapter 108 - 108: Searching for Minerals

    Hearing Ma Jiafeng''s words, the others looked over, skepticism plain in their eyes.


    Looking at the training field, the two guns firing in succession, two shots at most to shatter a shadow of a Demonized Beast, this is considered ordinary?


    If it had been any of them, who knows how many Demonized Beasts would have already crossed the green zone!


    "What are those looks for? Do I not know the skill level of my own brother? Why should I bother deceiving you!"


    As Ma Jiafeng said this, it didn''t seem like a lie, and the others began to grow puzzled.


    Bursting seed... wasn''t supposed to be this explosive... Gradually, their gaze fixed on the revolvers in Ma Jiazze''s hands, spitting flames.


    "Could it be...?"


    Their breathing became heavy.


    Although it seemed incredible, if it was really as they suspected, those handguns would be too powerful!


    In the Dream Shooting Range, as time passed, more and more Demonized Beasts appeared, including numerous Flying Demonized Beasts with faster speeds and more difficult-to-hit weak points.


    The pressure on Ma Jiazze increased.


    Suddenly, he aimed at a Flying Demonized Beast and fired. Click¡ªthe sound of an empty chamber. Even these modified revolvers, with their large Hive Magazines, had a limit and couldn''t hold up for long in this kind of high-intensity output.


    The watching Awakeners sighed slightly; several Demonized Beasts had already drawn near the green zone, but unexpectedly, one of the revolvers had run out of bullets. To fail in such a situation would be a pity.


    Ma Jiazze''s face changed, one hand hurriedly ejecting the Hive Magazine while the other, still holding the gun, fumbled for a new magazine, his movements somewhat clumsy yet incredibly swift.


    He was astounded at himself; since when had his hands been that fast?!


    The others gasped in amazement.


    "So quick, is this the power of third-tier Awakening?"


    "No, even at third-tier, it shouldn''t be this fast. I''m at least at second-tier myself, and there''s no way my eyes can''t keep up."


    "Exactly." Ma Jiafeng nodded, "I''m stronger than Jiazze, yet I don''t have that speed. Plus, I''m very clear on my brother''s abilities. No amount of solitary practice for over two decades could yield that hand speed."


    He remembered something Ma Jiazze had mentioned earlier, about feeling lightweight when picking up those revolvers.


    At the time, he hadn''t thought much of it, but now...


    Ma Jiafeng''s eyes burned as he looked at the revolvers, filled with amazement. "Incredible, Director Tang was able to develop such weapons."


    Finally,


    The training session in the Dream Shooting Range came to an end. Ma Jiazze wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking weary as he walked out.


    Then he saw the score that appeared beside him, B-.


    The ordinary difficulty level was far from comparable to the simple one!


    He was suddenly filled with excitement, "I had no idea I was this strong. Maybe I should switch careers and become a gunman."


    As he spoke, he nodded to himself, feeling the suggestion was very viable, especially when holding those revolvers; it gave him a sense of being an unrivaled gunman.


    After all, he had hardly trained with firearms at all. Only after Awakening had his eyesight improved, aiding his aim, so achieving this level was no small feat.


    He must be a genius.


    Only a genius could score a B- on the ordinary difficulty level.


    While he was lost in this pleasant fantasy, a large hand slapped onto his head. Ma Jiazze glared as he turned around, only to see his older brother looking down at him with a sidelong glance.


    "Don''t you have any idea of the level of your own marksmanship?"


    After the test, Tang Yu found two Awakeners with different strengths and had them enter the Dream Shooting Range for an experiment.


    Indeed, with the Swift Revolver in hand, they all performed exceptionally well against the ordinary level difficulty and smoothly passed the ordinary level of the Dream Shooting Range.


    Afterward, someone tested the more advanced difficult level and although they failed quickly, they still demonstrated the power of the Swift Revolvers.


    One Patrol Team member after another had shining eyes, barely stopping short of asking Director Tang how much such weapons cost.


    Ma Jiazze alone wore a look of dejection.


    His dream of being a genius had been ruthlessly shattered. Yet, looking at the exquisite revolvers, his confidence quickly reignited. After all, holding those two revolvers he felt like a firearms genius.


    He also wanted two revolvers like that.


    Taking back the Swift Revolvers, Tang Yu revealed a satisfied smile.


    Especially seeing the eager looks on the faces of the surrounding Patrol Team members, he smiled even more contentedly.


    Desire is a good thing¡­


    With this, the soon-to-be-launched Swift Revolvers should indeed trigger a new wave of competition among the Patrol Team members, and also motivate them to contribute more diligently to the Sanctuary, to earn contribution points.


    And after a round, those Source Crystals and other materials would all end up back in his hands.


    That would be awesome.


    ...


    Back at the research institute, Tang Yu entered the newly tested data on the revolvers into the database.


    With this data, he could use it to enhance weapons. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Currently, there were two methods to enhance weapons: one was through the research institute, improving schematics; the other was to replace the manufacturing materials of the weapons with those of a higher grade.


    Such as Demonized Beasts'' claws, bones, scales, etc.


    Many materials were much harder than ordinary iron, and even compared to Transcendent Minerals, they might not be inferior.


    Weapons like the Swift Revolvers, powerful, accurate, and with a touch of class - not making a couple of stronger ones for himself would just not be right.


    After optimizing the schematics for the Swift Revolvers, Tang Yu chose the most suitable materials, many of which were from high-level Demonized Beasts during the Source Crystal Mine campaign.


    After manufacturing them in the workshop, two brand-new Swift Revolvers were quickly produced.


    Perhaps due to the different materials, these two revolvers weren''t the usual black but had a glossy silver finish, and the barrels were longer, improving both the range and power of the guns significantly.


    Of course, the cost was also much higher.


    "It''s a pity that the enhanced version of the Swift Revolvers can be made with Demonized Beasts materials, but the Floating Chariot can''t. Many of the materials are specific minerals that can''t be substituted. Moreover, upgrading the Lord''s castle to level four also requires a special material, which seems even harder to find."


    It almost made him feel a touch of melancholy, the sheer quantity and variety of these materials were simply overwhelming!


    The task of finding materials needed to be implemented as soon as possible.


    Tang Yu called for Luo Zhe.


    "Lord, do you have any orders?"


    Tang Yu took out a stack of freshly developed photos, "Keep an eye out for these minerals when your Patrol Team is out and about, and also post relevant missions at the adventurer''s union. Whether it''s actual samples or just information, both are good."


    Luo Zhe nodded.


    "Right," Tang Yu thought for a moment, "The general Sanctuaries might have some Transcendent Minerals. We can start by trading with these Sanctuaries. Perhaps we can gather these Transcendent Minerals more quickly."


    Originally, in Wang Tai''s safe, he had found a large chunk of Transcendent Metal which he now realized was a very high-grade Transcendent Metal.


    These metals might not always exist in large clusters. Like the piece of Transcendent Metal from Wang Tai, if it had come from a vein, it wouldn''t just be that one piece. Tang Yu was more inclined to think that for some reason these Transcendent Minerals were scattered sporadically.


    There might also be large clusters like the Source Crystal Veins, which would definitely be considered strategic-level resources. However, generally speaking, finding Transcendent Minerals didn''t seem to be related to strength; luck and numbers seemed to be more important.


    Instead of having the Patrol Team search on their own, it might be better to try their luck at other Sanctuaries.

 Chapter 109 - 109 The Main Ingredients of Body Tempering Liquid

    Luo Zhe also thought this method was good, much better than searching for a needle in a haystack.


    "Lord, what should we use to trade with these Sanctuaries, supplies or equipment?"


    "Equipment," Tang Yu pondered for a moment. "There are some materials we are not yet capable of producing, so we''ll stockpile those. As for the equipment to be traded, let''s pick standard firearms, including pistols, rifles, and light machine guns. Sniper rifles and rocket launchers, those kinds of lethal weapons, we''ll hold off on trading for now."


    "When trading, prioritize special materials, and not limited to those shown in the photos, especially Transcendent Minerals. We must not miss out on them, we''ll take as much as they have. If those Sanctuaries can''t offer special materials, then let''s trade for Source Crystals."


    He could never have too many Source Crystals, no matter how plentiful they seemed.


    "Oh right," Tang Yu added after a thought, "bring along one or two rocket launchers, as well as a standard longsword, to serve as bait to see what good items those Sanctuaries can offer."


    Luo Zhe noted these down, then seemed to remember something and pulled out a small wooden box from his bosom.


    He opened the wooden box, which appeared to contain some type of herb, "Lord, a member of the Patrol Team found this. It resembles a type of medicinal herb you''ve been looking for. Could you please have a look?"


    Tang Yu took the wooden box. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The herb was about the size of a palm, with dark green leaves and a slightly reddish-brown stem. He leaned closer to the box and sniffed, a faint fishy smell wafted up to his nose.


    These days, from the market purchase, there were not only blueprints but also potion formulas, among which there was one for Body Tempering Liquid, which Tang Yu valued greatly.


    He was currently stuck at the Fifth Tier Awakening, partly because the bottleneck from the Fifth to the Sixth Layer was difficult to break through, and partly because his potential had not yet been fully realized, also not suitable for a breakthrough.


    Tapping into potential was not as rapid as refining soul power; it required him to train slowly on his own, or cultivate, both needing a certain amount of time.


    This potential, primarily concerned with physical fitness, and Body Tempering Liquid could swiftly unearth one''s own physical qualities.


    Most of the ingredients for its formula were found by Tang Yu, except for the last main ingredient, Fleshy Fragrant Grass.


    "That''s right, this is Fleshy Fragrant Grass. Where was it found?" Tang Yu asked.


    Luo Zhe thought for a moment, "It was reportedly discovered by the stream where survivors usually fetch water. A team member found it there today during their patrol. Lord, would you like to go see it?"


    "Yes."


    ...


    The two Patrol Team members who discovered the Fleshy Fragrant Grass were very excited.


    It just so happened that it was their turn to patrol tonight; they had missed going to the training camp. They were initially annoyed about having duty tonight, especially since they heard that Director Tang had brought new weapons to test at the training camp. But now, to their surprise, Director Tang wanted them to lead the way.


    They felt immensely honored.


    "Di-Director, it was found right here."


    Tang Yu looked over, and it was a rock by the creek, about the size of a basketball.


    The Patrol Team member, who discovered the Fleshy Fragrant Grass, explained, "It was found behind this rock, quite hidden. It was only by the flashlight''s beam sweeping over it tonight that it was discovered by chance."


    Tang Yu stepped closer and noticed that the sand behind the rock was a different color than in other areas; it was reddish-brown.


    "Is this blood? It seems that the growing environment for Fleshy Fragrant Grass requires nourishment from the blood of Demonized Beasts," he concluded quickly, having studied Pharmacy.


    Moreover, the creekside here was quite damp, and the soil composition probably also had a relationship with the growth of the Fleshy Fragrant Grass.


    "Let''s follow the creek upwards; we might find more Fleshy Fragrant Grass upstream."


    "Director," Luo Zhe suggested, "Perhaps I should summon others, as nighttime is dangerous, and more people would make it easier to search."


    Tang Yu nodded.


    Soon Luo Zhe had gathered other Patrol Team members, and a group of them proceeded along the banks of the creek.


    As they advanced, the width of the creek gradually increased, with the water rushing against rocks, producing a noisy gurgling sound.


    Each member of the Patrol Team held a powerful flashlight, sweeping the light in all directions.


    Suddenly, one of the team members shouted, "Look over there."


    In the distance, illuminated by the beam of light, were several palm-sized plants that closely resembled Fleshy Fragrant Grass.


    The man wanted to move closer and check.


    But Luo Zhe suddenly called out, "Be careful, there''s something up ahead!"


    Tang Yu also raised his eyebrows, his gaze fixed on the darkness ahead.


    Splash!


    Water splashed as a dark figure treaded rapidly over the surface of the creek towards the group.


    The beam of light passed over, revealing the full form of the shadow.


    It had gray scales and a vast mouth that opened to show sharp teeth.


    It was a crocodile, a Mutated Crocodile!


    It moved incredibly fast, charging up the creek''s bank and flicking its tail, sending small stones flying towards the group.


    One Patrol Team member, armed with a rifle, decisively opened fire. The bullets struck the crocodile''s scales, and met with a clanging sound akin to metal striking metal; sparks flew, and the bullets were completely deflected.


    The crocodile drew closer, and ordinary firearms seemed to make no impression on it.


    They only made the crocodile angrier.


    Suddenly, the crocodile fixed its gaze on Tang Yu, quickly scrambling forward, its whole body leaping up, its mouth wide open exposing savage, sharp teeth.


    "Lord, be careful!" Luo Zhe took out his Heavy Sword, guarding beside Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu did not respond but kept his gaze firmly ahead, his hands at his waist flashed up like lightning, each holding a Swift Revolver.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Both guns fired, bullets shooting into the crocodile''s mouth.


    In an instant, blood exploded within the mouth, and under the force of inertia, the crocodile''s body flew forward.


    After firing twice, Tang Yu casually strolled aside as the crocodile''s cumbersome body flew past him, heavily rolling onto the ground, struggling slightly before it lay still.


    A vital strike, instant kill!


    "It''s that kind of revolver!"


    "Oh, I''d go broke just to get one of those revolvers!"


    "Don''t you notice how incredibly cool Director Tang is? Facing the death bite of the mutated crocodile, he was fearless. After firing twice, he didn''t even look, just turned and walked away. Why? Because of his confidence! He was confident that his two shots were sufficient to kill the mutated crocodile!"


    "You''re absolutely right, and remember it''s night, that crocodile was extremely fast. Even with the flashlight beams, it was hard to see clearly. And don''t forget, this is reality, not the Dream Shooting Range¡ªthere are no vital hit markers, no setting for one-shot kills. Yet even so, Director Tang instantly killed the mutated crocodile."


    These words of praise, when heard, made Tang Yu feel somewhat embarrassed.


    He could instantly kill the crocodile, but truly, it was because of the disparity in their levels¡ªafter all, he was a Fifth Tier expert. To others, the crocodile might seem fast, but in his eyes, it appeared sluggish.


    Even so, he still had to fire twice.


    It felt somewhat embarrassing.


    Tang Yu acutely recognized the inadequacy of his shooting skills.

 Chapter 110 - 110: Card Skills are the Key

    At the gate of the vacation resort, many survivors looked toward the distance at the neatly lined up Patrol Team members, their curiosity apparent.


    "Does the Patrol Team have another mission?"


    "I think so. Every time the Patrol Team gathers here, it''s guaranteed there''s a mission requiring going out. Maybe they''re going to clear a new area today."


    "Looks like the transport team is going to be busy again today. Speaking of which, our Sanctuary''s Patrol Team is quite impressive; they venture out every few days and always to places far from the Sanctuary."


    This statement garnered agreement from other survivors.


    "At the Sanctuary where I used to stay, the Patrol Team would hide inside unless we were running out of food. Even when they went out, they''d force us regular folks to scout ahead..." He shook his head, "Thankfully, the Green Shadow Sanctuary''s Patrol Team is different. If I were an Awakener, I''d definitely try to join the Patrol Team."


    "I feel the same, but it''s a pity I can''t awaken. That said, Director Tang and Captain Luo really are impressive. Would we have the Patrol Team we do now without them?"


    Meanwhile, the survivors were busy discussing among themselves.


    On the other side, the waiting Patrol Team members were also curious, uncertain about today''s tasks.


    Soon, two large trucks drove up to them.


    Lu Xiaopeng''s eyes brightened, "Big trucks, could it be another major mission today?"


    If this had been when he first joined the Patrol Team and faced Demonized Beasts, he would have been somewhat fearful. But now, after so many experiences, he, Lu Xiaopeng, had long realized his dream of punching Demonized Wolves and kicking Demonized Tigers... provided these Demonized Beasts were Awakeners of the First Layer.


    Especially the newly listed Swift Revolver on the exchange list, it made everyone envious, Lu Xiaopeng included.


    At that moment, everyone was hoping for a major mission that could offer them an opportunity to earn Contribution Degrees.


    Just like last time, on the edge of a massive pit, dealing with swathes of Demonized Beast packs.


    Seeing Luo Zhe get off the truck, Lu Xiaopeng hurriedly asked, "Captain Luo, are the trucks loaded with firearms?"


    Luo Zhe nodded.


    Lu Xiaopeng grew even more excited, "So where are we going to hunt Demonized Beasts today?"


    "Today our mission isn''t to hunt Demonized Beasts, but to conduct trade with other Sanctuaries."


    Trade?


    But in any case, having a mission that requires going out is right.


    Luo Zhe continued, "To save time, this mission will have our Patrol Team split into two groups, each escorting a batch of trade goods to two different Sanctuaries."


    "One team will follow me to Lindongbei Sanctuary, and the third team will follow Shay to Fafa Sanctuary..."


    Lu Xiaopeng was stunned. "What about the second team?"


    "The second team will stay at the Sanctuary. Everyone else, check your equipment and prepare to depart."


    The Patrol Team split into three squads, with Luo Zhe, Kong, and Shay as the squad leaders, with other Patrol Team members assigned to various squads.


    He belonged to the second squad, under Vice Captain Kong.


    But what did he hear?


    The second squad, stay behind?!


    Lu Xiaopeng was dumbfounded, still somewhat unwilling, "Why is it our second squad that has to stay behind?"


    Just then, Shay, who had just got off the truck, heard and smirked with pride, "Of course, because last night, when playing cards, your captain, Kong, lost miserably."


    Lost at cards?


    No! Why would something as important as going on a mission be decided by a card game?!


    Lu Xiaopeng''s mouth twitched; he now realized why he hadn''t seen Vice Captain Kong this morning. It turns out he had lost terribly at cards last night.


    And he was utterly crushed.


    Especially seeing Peng Bo from the third squad beside him, grinning mischievously, he could only look to the heavens in frustration.


    If only he had known, he would have followed a captain who was skilled at cards.


    Soon Luo Zhe summoned the members of the first and third squads, pulling out a map and spreading it out.


    This is a map that covers the surrounding area of Lindong. Besides the large Lindong Sanctuary, it also marks the locations of many small shelters.


    Among them, a small dot representing Green Shadow had a cross drawn next to it.


    This was the map that Tang Yu had downloaded and printed from a post, originally created by All-Knowing.


    Luo Zhe pointed to two small shelters nearby on the map, assigning tasks to the others.


    ...


    Lindong.


    Commercial district street.


    The street was lined with shops on both sides, with pedestrians coming and going, creating a peaceful atmosphere. If it weren''t for the fact that many of the pedestrians were carrying swords and guns and dressed like combatants, it would look no different from before the apocalypse.


    At a shop on the street, All-Knowing raised the shutter door, beginning a new day of business.


    He was the person known as All-Knowing10086 on the War Forum.


    His original name was Xiao Sheng, surname not being All. After the apocalypse, leveraging his networking advantage and sharp analytical skills, All-Knowing had opened this life consulting, or rather, information consulting shop in the Lindong Sanctuary. Although he was not an Awakener, many Awakeners came to consult him every day.


    He was having quite a comfortable life.


    He took a book from the shelf and leisurely started reading, waiting for customers. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, All-Knowing felt a darkness fall over him and, lifting his head, saw a big burly man with a stubbly beard who seemed to have ill intentions.


    All-Knowing was startled and instinctively stood up and backed away, only to bump unexpectedly into a solid wall of flesh behind him.


    Upon looking again, it was another burly man, no less imposing than the bearded one.


    He was trapped between the two men.


    In this sudden daze, All-Knowing was grabbed by the two big men and led deeper into the shop, while, unbeknownst to him, the shop''s shutter door had been pulled down.


    "What do you want to do! This is the inner street, the safest place in the whole Lindong Sanctuary. If you don''t let go, I am going to call for help!"


    He was about to shout when a deep voice reached his ears,


    "You can try and see, whether you can shout faster or I can slit your throat faster."


    He shuddered and saw a dagger positioned right at his neck, and in front of him, seemingly out of nowhere, appeared an ordinary-looking young man.


    Like a ghost.


    "Gulp."


    All-Knowing swallowed.


    Despite paying a hefty rent to keep the shop here for safety, it seemed he had encountered desperados who were even unafraid of the Sanctuary''s Security Team.


    But... All-Knowing took another look at these people. Since they had not killed him immediately, it meant they wanted something. He still had a chance.


    "Well, brothers, I''m not sure what you need from me, but I, All-Knowing, am bound by duty to help. You might consider putting down your weapons and we can have a good talk. Killing me won''t benefit you at all, and it''ll bring trouble from the Security Team and other Awakeners... no, no, brother, stay calm, calm!"


    All-Knowing was panting heavily in fear.


    Grey Blade, however, sheathed his dagger and smiled, "Actually, our approach is very friendly. Of course, I''d advise against doing anything pointless, because even if we do something to you, don''t expect the Security Team''s people to notice."


    "Don''t believe it? Go check the camera you installed at the door to see if it caught our images."


    After this clich¨¦ threat, Grey Blade clapped his hands, signaling the two big men to release All-Knowing. "Enough talk. Now, let''s get to the real business. For example, I need information about these minerals, and moreover, I need you to work for our boss."


    As if performing a magic trick, Grey Blade produced a stack of photos, tossing them lightly. The stack landed on the table, fanning out.


    All-Knowing looked at the various minerals in the photos. His pupils constricted; he recognized some of them as very rare materials.


    Then he heard Grey Blade continue, "Of course, I won''t be paying. Even if I had money, I wouldn''t pay. However... we can help you achieve your dream of becoming an Awakener."


    Becoming an Awakener was his deepest desire.


    Even though he currently lacked neither Source Crystals nor connections, the threshold of Awakening, which was not difficult for many people, firmly barred him outside.


    This statement struck a chord in his heart.


    Originally quite furious, he suddenly froze.

 Chapter 111 - 111: Picking Up by Both Ears

    "Do you have a way to enable commoners with insufficient aptitude to awaken?"


    "No."


    All-Knowing was taken aback.


    He had been somewhat skeptical, but he hadn''t expected such a forthright response.


    "However, right now there is indeed none, but in the future, who can say?"


    Grey Blade tossed over a bottle of potion. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All-Knowing fumbled to catch it, "What''s this?"


    "An Awakening Potion, more effective than the best version available at the Lindong Sanctuary."


    The potion was orange-red. All-Knowing swirled it gently, then stared intently at the changes in the liquid.


    As a high-end information consultant, he prided himself on his discernment.


    He had seen many Awakening Potions, and he had taken the best one from Lindong. Potions could be faked, but certainly not to deceive his eyes.


    Observing the viscosity, color, and other properties of the liquid, All-Knowing then took out a flashlight. Shining the light on it, the potion shimmered.


    A few minutes later, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "It''s indeed a genuine Awakening Potion, and judging by its quality, it seems even better than the highest-grade potion from the Lindong Sanctuary."


    He knew the quality of Lindong Sanctuary''s potions all too well, no exaggeration to say that they were the culmination of the science academy''s many scientific breakthroughs.


    The advanced versions had almost reached the peak, but now, upon comparison, even their color seemed inferior to this vial''s.


    That meant using this kind of Awakening Potion, the chances of a commoner awakening were higher, and for those with the requisite aptitude, nearly a hundred percent success rate was achievable.


    However, All-Knowing was aware that having already taken the advanced potion from Lindong without awakening meant his aptitude was probably the poorest of the poor, thus even if he were to take this higher-end Awakening Potion, the chances of awakening were slim.


    Yet the implications revealed by this potion''s existence demanded his attention.


    Regardless of who the other party was or what background they had, the ability to develop a higher-quality Awakening Potion spoke volumes of their strength.


    Perhaps in the future, enabling theoretically unwakeable commoners to successfully awaken might also be achievable.


    Originally feeling strong resistance and even anger, All-Knowing now could only look at Grey Blade with a complex expression.


    ...


    Lord''s Castle.


    Tang Yu sat at his desk, fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard.


    He was drafting a comprehensive guide to cultivating medicinal plants.


    Recently, he had opened up a new farm in the valley behind the mountain for the cultivation of medicinal plants. These plants were either mutations of pre-apocalypse herbs or had appeared post-apocalypse; like the Fleshy Fragrant Grass, with extraordinary medicinal effects, they vastly differed from pre-apocalypse herbs.


    They could even be considered spirit herbs.


    Cultivating these herbs required specialized knowledge.


    Tang Yu had just transplanted yesterday''s harvest of Fleshy Fragrant Grass to the newly opened Second Layer farm. Of course, he couldn''t do everything himself; it was essential to train a team skilled in the cultivation of medicinal plants.


    This cultivation guide was based on the basics he had gathered from his study of Pharmacy, formatted to be useful for growing medicinal plants.


    Knock knock knock.


    The sound of knocking came.


    "Come in."


    Chen Haiping opened the door.


    "Director, I''ve found some survivors with planting experience, as you requested. However, after talking to them, only one has experience with planting medicinal plants, and their experience hardly helps when it comes to the distinct characteristics of post-apocalyptic herbs."


    His tone conveyed concern.


    He had also visited the plant cultivation farm and, even with the names and characteristics of the medicinal plants provided by Director Tang, he found it challenging to distinguish between them.


    Before the apocalypse, the properties of medicinal herbs and the methods of cultivation were all summarized bit by bit, but now these medicinal herbs are completely new, with no prior planting experience. Even if they are planted in the soil specially prepared by Director Tang, there are likely many that will die due to improper cultivation methods.


    "I''ve already considered this point. After all, compared to ordinary crops, these herbs are a tad more delicate. But that''s alright. After you print out this ''Complete Guide to Herb Cultivation'' and distribute it to the survivors responsible for the herbs, we don''t need to achieve a 100% survival rate. As long as we can harvest the majority, that will be enough."


    Chen Haiping still had a face full of doubts when he went to print the information with the USB drive.


    Director Tang also understands botany? Pharmacognosy?


    But then he was stunned when he saw the printed information.


    Although he couldn''t understand the content, the information was very detailed, including the characteristics of each type of herb, methods of cultivation, and what issues to pay attention to¡ªall clearly written.


    It couldn''t possibly be made up; to fabricate such detailed and complex content just wasn''t possible.


    That is to say, Director Tang, upon discovering those medicinal herbs, had figured out how to cultivate them in just a matter of days?


    ...


    After sorting out the issue with cultivating the herbs, Tang Yu left the castle and went to the research institute.


    This time, he wasn''t there to deduce or develop blueprints but purely to complete an observation experiment.


    He was now Researcher Tang.


    The research institute covered the most extensive area among all core buildings, with many rooms inside. Tang Yu pushed open the door of one such room only to hear cooing noises.


    Inside the room, a white rabbit was enclosed in a transparent glass dome, staring with wide eyes and occasionally bumping into the side of the enclosure.


    This was a Mutated Rabbit, possessing the strength of the First Layer of Awakening. However, the dome in the research institute was also special. When the little white rabbit bumped against it, it rebounded with a bang then tumbled down, splashing a considerable amount of liquid from its base.


    The liquid was the Body Tempering Liquid, freshly prepared yesterday, and the rabbit was the subject he had chosen to test the effectiveness of the liquid.


    As a potion produced by the system, in theory, its quality was guaranteed. But given that it was for his own use, Tang Yu, being extra cautious, decided to experiment with it first.


    The unfortunate Mutated White Rabbit had fallen into his clutches.


    At this moment, it was baring its teeth at him from inside the dome.


    Seeing this situation, Tang Yu was reassured.


    From last night until now, the Body Tempering Liquid stored inside had mostly been absorbed by the Mutated White Rabbit, and the fact that it was still lively suggested that the liquid posed no problems.


    The blueprints were fine, and the medicinal herbs used were mostly fine as well.


    Of course, this was just a preliminary conclusion.


    Tang Yu opened the dome and grabbed the rabbit by its ears.


    The Mutated Rabbit struggled non-stop mid-air, its short legs kicking in every direction, showing quite some strength. But under the power of Lord Tang, who had reached the Fifth Tier of Awakening, such struggles seemed feeble.


    While holding the rabbit, Tang Yu took out a diamond-shaped Crystal Stone the size of an egg.


    [Basic Reconnaissance Crystal]: Can be used to detect detailed information about the target, including strength, weaknesses, talents, and more.


    As a cousin to the detective lens, this type of Reconnaissance Crystal was likewise incredibly useful.


    The diamond-shaped stone flickered with light and soon, various pieces of information emerged on its surface, including very specific data.


    Tang Yu observed it for a while and figured it out.


    The Mutated Rabbit, whether in terms of muscle explosiveness or strength, had noticeably improved compared to before.


    This was obviously the doing of the Body Tempering Liquid, matching the system''s description exactly.


    "So how should this Mutated Beast be dealt with then?"


    Tang Yu looked at the Mutated White Rabbit as it continuously struggled while being held mid-air...


    Little white rabbit, pure and bright, skinned and roasted makes a tasty bite.


    Just thinking of it made it seem delicious.


    The Mutated Rabbit, suspended in mid-air, suddenly felt a profound chill, a great sense of dread washing over it, causing its short legs to kick about even more frantically.


    ©c(*.>§¥<)o©b

 Chapter 112 - 112: Lin Weis Confidence

    Maple Leaf Town.


    Abyssal Rift area.


    Red mist still enveloped the area, with occasional noises resounding.


    After several days of preparation, the defenses surrounding the Abyssal Rift had largely been completed.


    During this time, the combat personnel stationed here had gradually figured out the pattern of appearance of the Demonized Beasts.


    These Demonized Beasts did not continuously emerge from the Abyssal Rift, but rather, they appeared in batches at intervals.


    There were also signs, each time the red mist churned above the rift, it signified that Demonized Beasts were about to appear.


    During this period, there also appeared Demonized Beasts of extreme strength, far surpassing the strongest human Awakeners at the current stage, but faced with the numerous weapons set up around them, these Demonized Beasts did not cause much trouble and were quickly killed.


    Lin Wei sat in the command vehicle, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk, lost in thought.


    A confidant walked in, holding a codecase, "Boss, the blood samples from three hundred sixty-eight types of Demonized Beasts are all prepared."


    "Mhm." Lin Wei looked up, "In that case, notify the people of the First Corps to disperse and regroup at the predetermined location."


    "Yes!"


    The confidant set down the codecase and turned to leave.


    Lin Wei''s gaze flickered, pondering for a moment, "Dark Owl."


    "Present."


    A shadow appeared behind him.


    "Got all the information?" Lin Wei asked.


    The shadow''s voice was hoarse, "All clear. The ones who destroyed the Scarlet Hand were three Awakeners, two men and one woman. One of the men has the ability to summon Puppets, while the woman possesses ice abilities. However, these three disappeared without a trace after the explosion back then and haven''t returned to Lindong Sanctuary."


    Lin Wei frowned slightly, then sighed, "Never mind that for now. Have you figured out the scale and strength of the Green Shadow Sanctuary?"


    "Yes, based on my investigation, the Green Shadow Sanctuary indeed encountered a Demon Tide previously, which aligns with what Wang Tai said. However, what''s strange is that after the Demon Tide, the Sanctuary was not destroyed but was instead rebuilt on the original site."


    "Not only that, this Sanctuary seems quite unusual. According to the information I''ve gathered, they built a city wall overnight and later used this wall to withstand another attack of the Demon Tide."


    "A city wall?" Lin Wei furrowed his brows, "Have you found out why the city wall appeared?"


    "It was likely the doing of an ability user." The shadow''s voice hesitated, "But exactly how the wall was built, or if there are limitations, that... hasn''t been found out."


    "Moreover, this Sanctuary has quite a reputation in the surrounding area and has a patrol team of considerable strength. Just in terms of Awakeners'' strength, it should be much stronger than typical small Sanctuaries."


    Lin Wei slightly shook his head.


    This Sanctuary''s strength must be strong; ordinary small Sanctuaries wouldn''t have the capability to completely annihilate Han Jing''s team without even sending back news.


    Perhaps it is because this Sanctuary contains several outstanding Awakeners, and even ability users. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, their distinction only stands in relation to ordinary Awakeners.


    A small Sanctuary, after all, is too trivial, and this world is vast.


    Like frogs at the bottom of a well, how can they see the sky?


    Despite this, Lin Wei did not underestimate them, he intended to crush any unstable factors with absolute power, compressing them in the cradle.


    "Let the Dark Owl Group act as well, make sure not to let any survivors from the Green Shadow Sanctuary escape."


    "Yes."


    The shadow disappeared behind him.


    Lin Wei looked at the codecase beside him, pondered for a moment, then changed his attire and stepped out of the command vehicle.


    Dealing with Green Shadow Sanctuary was a minor matter, but he was also curious to see, firsthand, the results of Dr. Zheng''s plan.


    After all, as a businessman, Lin Wei''s principle was that each investment must be worth its value.


    ...


    In the wilderness, an abandoned pharmaceutical factory.


    Before the apocalypse, this was an obscure pharmaceutical company. After the apocalypse, it seemed that the staff had long evacuated, leaving only some abandoned equipment. The factory was already overgrown with weeds.


    However, no one knew that beneath this pharmaceutical factory lay an even larger space.


    This was the real pharmaceutical factory that had been involving in human body research even before the apocalypse.


    A man wearing round glasses, bald, and slightly plump, was staring excitedly at the screen before him.


    On the screen,


    a young male survivor, who seemed to have fainted, lay completely naked, strapped to a frame. Next to him, a man in a white coat was injecting a tube of red liquid into the survivor''s body.


    After completing this task, the man in the white coat hurried away.


    Dr. Zheng continued to stare intently at the screen.


    Soon, the young man''s body began to change after being injected with the potion.


    His eyes suddenly snapped open, bloodshot, and he uttered a painful howl.


    Certain parts of his body gradually bulged, veins protruding, blood vessels grotesque, and with a loud pop, these swollen parts burst open. This was just the beginning; the young survivor continued screaming and struggling until his body eventually slumped down, lifeless.


    "Another failure, tsk tsk."


    Dr. Zheng sighed, yet his face showed no sign of disappointment.


    As he was merely a substandard subject, the young man, as an experimental material, did not meet his expectations. His death, though anticipated, would still provide some experimental data, making it worthwhile.


    He looked to his assistant, "How many more experimental subjects do we have?"


    The assistant thought for a moment, "There are a total of 135 survivors left, among them thirteen Awakeners, only two of which have Second-tier Awakening power."


    "Too few, still too few, especially the Awakeners, only they are truly suitable materials."


    Dr. Zheng recorded data while speaking, "Push them a bit, tell Boss Lin to bring more experimental subjects soon. I have a feeling that this project will soon be successful. Then, I''ll be able to create the perfect experimental subject."


    ...


    Lord''s castle, bedroom.


    Lord Tang, already the object of many''s attention, lay in his bathtub, soaking in diluted Body Tempering Liquid, a look of satisfaction on his face.


    The tempering process wasn''t as painfully unbearable as he had imagined; rather, his body felt warm, almost like... enjoying a massage.


    This upgrade experience was absolutely delightful.


    After soaking for half an hour, clenched in a fist, Tang Yu could feel a definite increase in his strength.


    "It seems that soaking once or twice a day for a few days should be able to unearth most of my body''s potential. Then, I can try to break through from Awakening to Sixth Layer Awakening and begin Body-shaping."


    Of course, whether he could successfully break through was another matter.


    "However¡­"


    Tang Yu looked at the bathtub, where most of the Body Tempering Liquid had been absorbed and its color had faded, lost in thought.


    Normally, the Body Tempering Liquid is best suited for Awakeners from First to Fifth Tier, able to enhance physical qualities to the greatest extent, but even after breaking through to Sixth Layer, using Body Tempering Liquid still has its effects.


    But conversely, can ordinary people, who haven''t Awakened, absorb Body Tempering Liquid?


    And if one were to unearth the physical potential of an ordinary person, what would be the outcome?


    Tang Yu felt he was recently showing tendencies of evolving towards a scientific researcher.

 Chapter 113 - 113 Price

    In the wilderness, several demonized beasts suddenly sprang out from the human-height weeds.


    "Corrosive Claw Wolves, One-eyed Beasts, and Ghost Faces, Ghost Faces have quite formidable long-range lethality, take out the Ghost Faces first!"


    An experienced member of the patrol team immediately assessed the situation.


    On the side, several other patrol team members, armed with swords and shields, quickly drew the attention of the Corrosive Claw Wolves and One-eyed Beasts. Then, an Awakener skilled in speed, moving in a serpentine pattern, while dodging the Ghost Face''s targeting, quickly closed in, and soon took down the very threatening Ghost Face demonized beast.


    The other demonized beasts didn''t cause much of a stir.


    This was a very standard wilderness encounter, and the response of the patrol team members was quite good, utilizing the characteristics of the demonized beasts to separate the melee and ranged attackers and then prioritizing the most threatening one.


    It was an extremely standard response tactic.


    Luo Zhe nodded.


    He had seen the progress of the patrol team members during this period, of course, their proper response this time was also due to the fact that the several kinds of demonized beasts encountered, were all detailed in the Sanctuary''s collected bestiary, allowing patrol team members to combat them with targeted strategies.


    If they had encountered some brand new type of demonized beast, which happened to have rather bizarre abilities, with the experience of these patrol team members right now, handling them would have still been quite difficult.


    Just like the first time they encountered Ghost Face, a demonized beast that looked like a ghost face floating in mid-air, the patrol team members had taken significant losses.


    The member who had killed the Ghost Face let out a sigh of relief, and upon looking up, their gaze crossed the weeds and fell on the distant building.


    It was a high-speed train station, with four red characters faintly visible above, Lindongbei Station.


    "Is that Lindongbei Sanctuary? A sanctuary built around the high-speed train station?"


    "Correct." Luo Zhe nodded, "The scale of this Sanctuary is rather large, housing thousands of survivors, they should have some items worth trading, let''s go take a look."


    ...


    Lindongbei Sanctuary, where most survivors lived in the main building of the high-speed train station, relied on the station''s structure and the surrounding wilderness for an open field of vision, allowing the inhabitants to spot any danger immediately.


    At that moment, an Awakener responsible for vigilance widened his eyes as he watched from afar.


    Suddenly he shouted, "Alert, someone''s coming!"


    The other nearby Awakeners or combat personnel, upon hearing him, showed faces of indifference, "It''s just survivors, what''s so strange about that?"


    "No, it''s not; there are a lot of people and big trucks!" exclaimed the man in surprise.


    The others were also stunned and began peering through telescopes to observe the approaching group.


    After a moment, a team leader-looking Awakener said to the others, "Continue to keep watch here, I''ll go report to the Sanctuary leader."


    He glanced at the distant group and hurried away.


    ...


    The big truck moved forward slowly, with the patrol team members clearing the obstacles ahead, pushing aside any vehicles and rocks blocking the way.


    The group was gradually approaching the high-speed train station and by now could clearly see some of the simple traps laid around it, some still with the blood of demonized beasts on them.


    "Let''s stop here," Luo Zhe said.


    In the group, Ma Jiazze asked puzzledly, "Aren''t we going to keep going?"


    "Idiots!" Ma Jiafeng slapped his hand down, "Obviously, we''ve been discovered by the people of the Sanctuary, and moreover, they definitely won''t welcome us in." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why wouldn''t they welcome us? Do you think it was easy for us to come all this way?"


    The chubby Ma Jiazze clearly did not understand.


    Ma Jiafeng shook his head with an expression that intelligence couldn''t save, "Think about it, our group here, not a small number, well-equipped, and guarding a big truck, we obviously don''t look like ordinary survivors. Any Sanctuary with a lick of sense wouldn''t just let us walk in."


    "So that''s how it is." Ma Jiazze nodded his head as though he suddenly understood, but his expression was still one of confusion.


    At that moment, quite a few survivors came out from inside Lindongbei Station.


    Most of these people were Awakeners, and some of them were even armed with firearms, though their types were not uniform¡ªsome had pistols, others rifles, and some shotguns.


    The one leading was a middle-aged Awakener, distinctly authoritative.


    Yan Tao walked at the very front of the squad, looking at the opposing group with their uniform equipment and firearms, clearly surpassing the combat personnel of his Sanctuary in terms of momentum.


    Where did these people come from?


    As he pondered, his steps did not halt, and he approached not far from the Patrol Team, "I''m not sure what brings you all to Lindongbei. Is there something you need?"


    Yan Tao slightly lowered his stance while also staying on guard.


    He soon saw the iron tower of a big man clad in armor raise his hand, and a few Awakeners immediately began to move several crates from the truck.


    "Our purpose here is simple, we''d like to propose a trade, and the items in these crates are our goods."


    "Trade?"


    Yan Tao paused for a moment, then quickly caught on, "What are you planning to put up for trade, and what are you hoping to get in return?"


    "Let''s take a look at our trade items first." Luo Zhe said, gesturing for the others to open the crates.


    The contents of the crates were quickly revealed to everyone.


    "Is that... guns?!"


    From behind Yan Tao, some survivors widened their eyes, "Are these real guns?"


    The crate, at a glance, held at least a dozen firearms, apparently all brand new; even Yan Tao was somewhat surprised.


    "Of course." A member of the Patrol Team, dressed in a black Combat Uniform, received Luo Zhe''s signal and picked up one of the assault rifles, aimed it at the ground far away, and fired off a burst.


    "You can try them out as well." Luo Zhe suggested.


    Yan Tao hesitated a moment, then also picked up an automatic rifle from the crate, inspected it, and tried firing a shot.


    "These are indeed real guns," he confirmed, "So what exactly do you want in return?"


    After some discussion, the personnel responsible for negotiations from the Patrol Team laid out the already prepared valuations.


    "A pistol is valued at two Source Crystals units, an automatic rifle at five Source Crystal units, and a light machine gun at twelve Source Crystal units. Of course, more than Source Crystals, we prefer some strange and unusual items, such as odd metals, minerals, herbs, etc. These can all be converted into Source Crystals value."


    Yan Tao silently pondered over the price.


    Behind him, someone suddenly spoke up with a disagreeable tone, "Two Source Crystals for just one pistol! Are you trying to rob us? To get two Source Crystals, you''d need to kill at least twenty Demonized Beasts! And one pistol plus two magazines, can it kill that many Demonized Beasts? I think you all don''t really want to do business at all!"

 Chapter 114 - 114: The Trade

    Yan Tao was startled and exclaimed in a low voice, "Junliang!"


    Chen Junliang''s expression grew even more annoyed, "Boss, am I not right? Source Crystals are so valuable that even the officials at Lindong Sanctuary want to buy them. In my opinion, one Source Crystal for three or four handguns seems about right. Hey you guys, if you want to trade, show some sincerity!"


    Yan Tao looked back and saw that many others also agreed with this sentiment.


    However, some things couldn''t be calculated so simply...


    Moreover, the group in front of them was well-equipped and strong. Even if they couldn''t make a deal this time, he didn''t want to provoke such enemies.


    Yan Tao was about to say something when he saw a tall, skinny man with a cheerful expression walk out from the opposite side.


    Ma Jiafeng scanned the group and then his gaze settled on Chen Junliang, "I say, have you guys misunderstood something?" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What?" Chen Junliang was still a bit stunned.


    "Firearms are scarce goods. If you don''t want them, there are plenty of Sanctuaries in this area that do. And Source Crystals? No matter how valuable, what use are they to you if you just hold onto them?"


    What use?


    That question hit the nail on the head.


    Everyone knew the value of Source Crystals, and by a simple calculation, the price of one firearm could indeed not fetch many Source Crystals.


    But holding those Source Crystals was useless, whereas firearms could be used to hunt Demonized Beasts, thereby becoming stronger, and even at critical moments, a good weapon could turn the tide of a battle.


    Compared to that, what could Source Crystals do?


    Now, they were the ones desperate to buy weapons and had no room to negotiate, especially in a dangerous environment like the apocalypse. If Source Crystals couldn''t be converted into one''s own strength, then they were meaningless.


    Many fighters who originally supported Chen Junliang fell into deep thought.


    However, Chen Junliang still didn''t see it that way. He was about to speak when he saw that the tall, skinny man''s cheerful expression suddenly became serious and indifferent.


    "If you want to see sincerity, then let me show you..."


    Ma Jiazze said, and the huge Iron Hammer that was almost as tall as he was and carried on his back was suddenly lifted up, grasped by the handle and effortlessly raised, then violently smashed down.


    Bang!


    The ground shook violently. From the center where the Iron Hammer struck, a web-like pattern of cracks rapidly spread out, and the road sunk in, fracturing horribly under the blow.


    Everyone... or rather, everyone from Lindongbei Sanctuary, including Director Yan Tao, all gasped in shock.


    Such destructive power was terrifying!


    Chen Junliang''s mouth, which had just opened, suddenly froze, his eyes staring blankly at the cracked ground, wanting to say something, but completely unable to speak.


    Ma Jiafeng, after all this, resumed his cheerful demeanor, sheathed his weapon, and said, "My apologies, slipped a bit."


    The following trade went very smoothly, and both sides obtained the items they needed.


    When leaving, the members of the Patrol Team and most people from Lindongbei Sanctuary had smiles on their faces.


    The trade this time was extremely pleasant.


    Watching the members of the Patrol Team and the big truck gradually disappear from sight, Yan Tao gazed into the distance, evidently deep in thought.


    Beside him, Chen Junliang was still somewhat dissatisfied, "Boss, why didn''t we seize the chance to take them down? There must still be a lot of good stuff in the cargo compartment of their truck!"


    Yan Tao shook his head, "Didn''t you notice that their people are strong, especially the tall thin man who just took action and the short fat man standing at the side? If I''m not mistaken, they are the Iron Hammer Brothers."


    "What! It''s actually the Iron Hammer Brothers!"


    "Rumors say they have the strength of an Awakener third layer, no wonder they''re so powerful!"


    "Aren''t they Freelance? How did they join the Green Shadow Sanctuary?"


    Chen Junliang remained unconvinced and spoke again, "The Iron Hammer Brothers might be strong, but we have more manpower on our side, plus didn''t you set up gunmen at the high points around here, boss? We don''t have to be afraid of them at all!"


    Yan Tao, looking disappointed, shook his head, "Those gunmen are the last resorts of our sanctuary, do you really want to risk so many weapons, causing heavy casualties among our brothers? Or do you think we can take them down easily without any cost?"


    Chen Junliang was stunned, unable to retort.


    "Moreover," Yan Tao paused, "Green Shadow Sanctuary dares to sell even light machine guns; do you think they don''t have better equipment? If we really fight, we may even end up at a disadvantage¡­"


    "Even those Iron Hammer Brothers might not be the strongest in their team; didn''t you guys notice the real leader of the team is the man named Luo Zhe?"


    As Yan Tao said this, many people came to a realization.


    Luo Zhe spoke very little; apart from a few words at the start, others took care of subsequent negotiations. Additionally, everyone had been somewhat unconsciously distracted by the Iron Hammer Brothers'' presence and aura.


    But now that they thought about it, how could such a man who could lead an entire team and even earn the respect of formidable figures like the Iron Hammer Brothers be weak?


    Certainly not!


    Thinking about this, Chen Junliang felt a chill in his heart.


    Yan Tao looked into the distance, murmuring, "A powerful sanctuary is emerging in this area, I just don''t know if it''s a good or bad thing..."


    ...


    Meanwhile, at Fafa Sanctuary.


    This was a small sanctuary built upon a commercial plaza; its location wasn''t bad either, relatively far from the Abyssal Rift. It typically encountered few Demonized Beasts, and thanks to the numerous supplies stored in the supermarket, the survivors in the sanctuary led rather comfortable lives.


    To be precise, it was the high-ranking officials in the sanctuary who lived in comfort.


    The director, Wang Huarong, with his beer belly, was inspecting the sanctuary. Wherever he went, all the survivors had to stop their work and respectfully address him as Lord Wang.


    This was Wang Huarong''s favorite daily activity.


    This was his Kingdom, and these survivors were his subjects.


    Fafa Sanctuary did not have many survivors, only a few hundred. It wasn''t that the sanctuary was too small to accommodate many survivors, rather, some survivors had been lost.


    Whether they went out to find supplies or dealt with Demonized Beasts, these ordinary survivors, though very weak, still had some use. Of course, the casualty rate was rather high.


    Wang Huarong felt no guilt whatsoever. In his view, if it weren''t for the food he provided, these survivors wouldn''t have lived until now, and since they had lived so much longer, it was only right for them to contribute to him.


    During the inspection, a trusted subordinate hurriedly reported, "Director, a team of Awakeners has come outside. They say they want to trade with us."

 Chapter 115 - 115: Catching Bullets with Bare Hands

    "Trade?" Wang Huarong furrowed his brow, "What kind of trade? And who are these people exactly?"


    His subordinate pondered briefly before answering, "These people say they possess firearms and wish to exchange them for some Source Crystals, or other unusual items. As for their origins, it seems they are from a certain Sanctuary."


    The entire Fafa Commerce Square, apart from the entrance, was encircled by buildings. Utilizing this feature, once Wang Huarong blocked the entrance, the security of the Sanctuary was greatly enhanced. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, ordinary Demonized Beasts were far from capable of destroying buildings.


    Following his subordinate''s direction, Wang Huarong arrived at the top floor of a building. From this vantage point, he could clearly see a group not far away.


    "They''re all wearing uniform clothing, and every one of them is armed with a gun. It seems they really do have a lot of firearms. Perhaps, they''ve obtained a weapons cache from before the apocalypse?"


    He narrowed his eyes and instructed those beside him.


    Soon, his subordinate, holding a megaphone, approached the edge of the rooftop, "Where are the firearms you wish to sell? Show us your sincerity first."


    After the shout,


    Wang Huarong saw several people below, moving large wooden crates out of a truck''s cargo bed.


    The crates were swiftly opened to reveal brand-new firearms inside.


    Most were pistols and rifles, but there were also machine guns¡ªa type of weapon with immense destructive power.


    "So many, and they even got their hands on machine guns..." Wang Huarong murmured, then turned his gaze back to the large truck, a sharp glint in his eyes.


    If he could get his hands on this batch of firearms...


    He beckoned to a subordinate nearby and whispered in his ear.


    ...


    Below, Shay lit a cigarette and waited in silence.


    Before long, a voice came from the top of a distant building, "Our boss agrees to the trade. Please enter through the gate of the Sanctuary."


    The gate of the Fafa Sanctuary was a crude barrier made of wooden planks and iron bars, placed across the largest entrance to the commercial square.


    At that moment, the gate, operated by some survivors, was slowly lifted.


    However, both sides of the entrance were filled with obstacles, leaving only a narrow space for passage, just enough for the large truck to squeeze through.


    "Everyone come in, hurry up. Otherwise, if Demonized Beasts attack, it''ll be troublesome."


    The survivors at the entrance urged.


    Shay flicked away his cigarette butt, glanced at the distant rooftop, and revealed an unfathomable smile.


    He waved his hand, signaling to his followers, "Let''s go."


    The group proceeded slowly and soon arrived at the gate of the Fafa Sanctuary.


    Shay glanced over, shook off the cloak behind him, and walked in first.


    Other Patrol Team members followed closely, looking around curiously as if the Sanctuary intrigued them.


    Finally, it was time for the last truck to pass through. Due to the large size of the truck and the narrow breach, the passage appeared rather difficult, and the driver had to carefully maneuver the vehicle forward.


    Suddenly,


    A loud shout came from above.


    "Attack!"


    Survivors wielding guns emerged on the window ledges of the buildings flanking the exit.


    The types of firearms varied, some were even homemade, back-alley versions with accuracy and reliability that were leagues behind the genuine articles.


    But under these circumstances, members of the Patrol Team were walking through a narrow passage, while Fafa''s combatants held the high ground.


    Atop the rooftop, Wang Huarong revealed a smug look as he watched this team of outsiders fall into desperate straits.


    "Foolish, simply foolish. What good is fancy equipment if you''re not given the chance to use it? With no opportunity, the best equipment is just trash."


    Originally, he had prepared several backup plans, but to his surprise, the first plan succeeded.


    Indeed, these people were only lucky, having stumbled upon an equipment cache, which made them appear like elite Awakeners, but in reality, they were hardly worth mentioning.


    Thinking about obtaining that haul of weapons and equipment soon, Wang Huarong felt an intense excitement.


    The trusty subordinates by his side, with eyes shining brightly, quickly patted his back, "It''s all thanks to Director Wang''s wisdom. How could a mere group of Awakeners, from who knows where, ever turn the tide?"


    Wang Huarong burst into hearty laughter.


    Immediately after, a thunderous noise came from below, and his laughter grew even louder.


    However, very soon, Wang Huarong was taken aback.


    His subordinates, at most, were equipped with some firearms, and not many bullets. They couldn''t possibly have caused such a huge commotion.


    ......


    Below, as Shay''s leather boots hit the ground, in the moment he heard "Let''s go," his deep voice likewise carried through.


    "About time..."


    Figures holding guns appeared at the windows above, but Shay, unconcerned, had already grasped handfuls of iron sand and flung them upward with force.


    Although he was a Musketeer, his strength was equally formidable. Under the force of his throw, the iron sand shot out like bullets.


    Dense and numerous, like a rain of bullets, they covered the buildings on both sides.


    The combatants poised to shoot gaped in astonishment, the quicker responders diving to the sides, attempting to take cover behind the walls.


    The next moment, explosions rang out.


    The seemingly insignificant iron sand, striking the buildings'' windows and outer walls, exploded one after another.


    Shay''s explosive ability was related to the mass and material of objects. A single grain''s blast might not be impactful, but with so many thrown, it was like thousands of firecrackers igniting at once, and the combined force was much greater.


    Some slower responders were blown into a bloody mess, with their fates unknown, and even those who reacted promptly incurred serious injuries.


    More critically, no one dared to show their heads again.


    Even the Patrol Team members, who were already aware of Shay''s capabilities, were somewhat surprised by this spectacle, befitting the reputation of Vice Captain Shay, the ''human walking Artillery.''


    What followed was rage.


    Though they were unjustly ambushed by the people from Fafa''s Sanctuary, and despite being prepared, it didn''t mean they weren''t furious.


    The Patrol Team members each took action.


    Some darted to the front of the doorway, confronting the combatants, while others took advantage of their surroundings to leap through the windows of the adjacent buildings.


    Peng Bo''s punch sent someone in front of him spitting blood, ready to finish the foe off when his gaze flicked to the distance. On a far-off rooftop, a flash of white light disappeared.


    "Watch out, there''s a sniper!"


    A gunshot exploded.


    Peng Bo was taken aback and checked himself, finding no bullet holes. Glancing not far away, he saw Captain Shay, with his right hand raised, blocking his forehead.


    At that moment, white smoke was slowly rising from his raised right palm.


    "No way..."


    Peng Bo''s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.


    The next instant, a bullet slid out of Shay''s palm and, with a clink, fell to the ground.

 Chapter 116 - 116 I think this method is feasible

    Far away, lying on the rooftop with a sniper rifle aimed, the Awakener''s expression was one of panic, sweat incessantly sliding down his forehead.


    He was one of Wang Huarong''s trusted aides, not weak in strength, and even more proficient in marksmanship.


    This time, Wang Huarong had arranged for him to be here specifically to snipe the powerhouses within that team.


    Such a sniper rifle might not be very effective against Demonized Beasts with their robust vitality, but it was more than enough to deal with human powerhouses.


    Not to mention an ambush.


    The sniper was confident that no one could survive his sniping bullets.


    But what... what did he see!


    The sniper''s pupils dilated, and in that instant, his heart even stopped beating.


    Someone had actually caught the bullet!


    And completely unharmed, at that!


    How could this be possible!


    The sniper could not believe it from the bottom of his heart.


    If an Awakener could rely on a keen intuition of danger to dodge bullets at critical moments, such an Awakener would already be extremely powerful. Even Director Wang, with his third-layer strength, might not be able to do it.


    But the person within his scope, he saw clearly.


    In the instant he pulled the trigger, the other person''s hand, like a phantom, blocked in front of their forehead.


    He had imagined the bullet penetrating the palm and shattering the skull, but instead, the bullet was stopped just like that!


    The sniper was horrified and wanted to continue shooting, but his fingers trembled, unable to pull the trigger.


    Through the scope, he saw the big man turn his head, pulling out a revolver from his waist.


    The man smiled at him, the muzzle flashing with fire.


    The sniper''s pupils dilated, and time seemed to almost stand still at this moment.


    He didn''t believe that the range of a revolver could allow a bullet to hit him.


    But at this instant, for some reason, an immense sense of crisis overwhelmed him.


    The sniper tried to move, but his body felt as if pressed by heavy stone, unable to shift an inch.


    In the last moment of his consciousness, he saw the scope shatter, then he lost consciousness.


    ...


    Inside the building, a member of the Patrol Team dodged left and right, avoiding the enemy''s aim while quickly closing in, the sword blade gleaming as it cut down the enemy.


    The tense expression on the Patrol Team member''s face slightly relaxed.


    Suddenly, a bang of a gunshot.


    The Patrol Team member staggered.


    Not far away, a gunman hiding in the shadows took the opportunity to shoot, but the next moment, he widened his eyes, watching as the Patrol Team member seemed unharmed.


    "This is impossible, how could that clothing be bulletproof!" he screamed, but the Patrol Team member would not give him another chance.


    ...


    Elsewhere, on a building rooftop.


    "Director, sir, this, this..."


    The trusted aide was watching all this, not knowing what to say.


    Wang Huarong also saw everything, his mind filled with fear.


    He had been observing the battle from above, thinking that relying on the terrain, relying on ambushes, they could easily handle these outsiders. Even if there would be losses among his men, what was that compared to the loss of those firearms?


    He had not anticipated that as soon as the battle commenced, his men would fall in droves, dead or injured.


    Especially that man with a cigarette dangling from his mouth; with a wave of his hand, he inflicted heavy casualties on his ambushed troops and even disrupted the formation he had laid out. To his dismay, even the snipers he had prepared to take out the experts proved helpless against this individual.


    How could there be such a powerful Awakener!


    Wang Huarong simply couldn''t fathom how an Awakener could become so mighty, especially that one who seemed like the Devil incarnate!


    "Let''s go, we need to get out of here now."


    Wang Huarong hurried along with his subordinates, planning to leave from the other side. Just as they descended the building, they were blocked by several members of the Patrol Team clad in black combat uniforms.


    His expression changed as his gaze swept over the Patrol Team members. Upon not seeing that devil-like Awakener, he breathed a sigh of relief and said to his men, "Quick, deal with these people. Once that man arrives, we won''t have a chance to escape."


    As he spoke, Wang Huarong unsheathed the warrior blade at his waist.


    He too was a powerful Awakener, with the strength of a third-layered being, and his combat experience was not lacking. However, he always acted only when he was sure of victory. That cigarette-smoking big man was too terrifying for him to consider confronting. However, he was confident that these few Awakeners before him could not stop him!


    Wang Huarong charged forward rapidly.


    On the other side, a scar-faced Awakener shouted, "Leave this guy to me, you all handle the rest!"


    Wang Huarong narrowed his eyes, focusing intently on the scar-faced Awakener.


    The man was of second-tier strength, which was not insignificant, but he was confident that in just three moves, he could behead him. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking that he could be held back alone was simply naive.


    The sword light flashed, striking fiercely!


    Suddenly, the scar-faced man was surrounded by a whirlwind of fine sand, pelting down like raindrops.


    Wang Huarong showed a look of surprise, slowing down to cope with the attack of the fine sand.


    Peng Bo seized the opportunity to rush forward, wearing two specially made Finger Tigers that were sharp at the tips, glinting coldly, aiming for vital points.


    The more Wang Huarong fought, the more surprised he became. Although his opponent was only a second-tier Awakener, his physical fitness was not much less than his own and, combined with the disturbance from the fine sand, instead of defeating the opponent in three moves, he found himself at a disadvantage after several exchanges.


    Even escaping became difficult.


    What he didn''t realize was that Peng Bo might indeed be inferior to him in terms of his life level, but after numerous battles with Demonized Beasts and intense training in the camp, his potential had already been fully tapped, his physical fitness far surpassing that of the ordinary second-tier Awakener. Not much different from Wang Huarong himself.


    Not to mention, he had his Special Ability to rely on, which was precisely why Peng Bo was unyielding.


    .......


    After the battle, many of Fafa Sanctuary''s Awakeners lay dead or injured.


    Shay stood in the midst of the chaotic battlefield, looking at the terrified, shaking survivors from the Sanctuary, his head bowed in thought.


    The Patrol Team had already dispersed to collect the spoils from the Sanctuary, and it was not difficult to transport the loot back to the Territory with a large truck available.


    However, these survivors posed a dilemma for Shay.


    After all, these survivors were not affiliated with Wang Huarong''s group. Even Wang''s own Awakeners were not necessarily loyal to him, let alone these expendable survivors.


    He had not thought much about this before the battle, but now he was in a quandary.


    To kill them? That was out of the question.


    But leaving them here did not seem quite right either.


    Regardless of how Wang Huarong treated these survivors, one thing was certain: without Wang and his Awakeners, these ordinary survivors would have had a hard time surviving up to this point.


    Shay, who had once been a mere Mercenary, faced the situation by lighting a cigarette, pondering slowly.


    Suddenly, an idea struck him. He recalled that Director Tang had mentioned the Sanctuary was in need of labor.


    So, if he took these people back with him, wouldn''t he be not only blameless but also praiseworthy?


    Shay thought this very likely, and if he could do this a few more times, wouldn''t the Sanctuary be able to accumulate more and more survivors?


    This plan was simply perfect.


    If Tang Yu were present, he would see the flaw in it.


    Harvesting leeks in one go may yield a lot in the short term, but it would deprive one of a source of income for the future. On the other hand, sustainable development, harvesting leeks in cycles, was the truly high-end mode of development.

 Chapter 117 - 117 Just Right

    Beside the Abyssal Rift, a temporary command post.


    Lu Jianjun was exchanging information with several high-ranking officers under his command.


    Suddenly, a young officer hurried over to report.


    "Report, Commander, we''ve received a message that Lin Wei led his high-end combat power and secretly left."


    "That''s impossible, I just saw Lin Wei on patrol," the second battalion commander expressed his doubts.


    "No." The young officer shook his head, "There is indeed a ''Lin Wei'' in the positions, but that one is fake, just a substitute, and according to reliable information, Lin Wei has already been gone for at least two hours."


    Fake?


    Lu Jianjun fell into thought.


    By today, the defensive line had stabilized. If Lin Wei wanted to leave, he wouldn''t stop him. Even he would only stay here for one or two more days before returning to oversee the overall situation in Lindong.


    But Lin Wei chose to leave stealthily and even left behind a substitute, as if he were afraid others wouldn''t know that he, Lin Wei, was still at the positions.


    Instinctively, Lu Jianjun felt there was a problem.


    He then asked the young officer again, "Who did Lin Wei take with him?"


    "Lin Wei mainly took people from the first Corps. It''s not clear who the rest are, but based on the analysis, it''s very likely that Lin Wei also took members of the Dark Owl Group with him."


    Among Lin Wei''s subordinates, there were several Corps. Only the first Corps were Lin Wei''s true trusted troops and the Corps with the most masters.


    Lu Jianjun didn''t want to fall out with Lin Wei, as it was for the stable development of the Lindong Sanctuary. However, he wasn''t a fool and had long planted spies among Lin Wei''s subordinates.


    The highest-ranking of these spies had already become a high officer in the second Corps, only, they couldn''t get into the first Corps and ultimately couldn''t become one of Lin Wei''s trusted.


    It was this person who had sent the message this time, but as for the crucial matter of Lin Wei''s whereabouts, he still knew nothing.


    "And also, the Dark Owl Group..."


    Lu Jianjun thought intently.


    Compared to Lin Wei''s overt strength, the amount of power Lin Wei controlled in secret was what worried him the most, and among these, the Dark Owl Group was undoubtedly Lin Wei''s trump card forces.


    According to his investigation, even the weakest of those selected for the Dark Owl Group had the strength of an Awakener of the third layer. However, how many Awakeners were there in the Dark Owl Group, and how their abilities were distributed, he couldn''t ascertain.


    "Even the Dark Owl Group has been taken along." Zhou Zhenglei, the leader of the Guard Team next to Lu Jianjun, also frowned, "Every time Lin Wei mobilizes the Dark Owl Group, there must be some conspiracy!"


    Zhou Zhenglei had also briefly clashed with Dark Owl, the leader of the Dark Owl Group, during a chance encounter. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that time, during the incident of the mass disappearance of the Sanctuary''s children that was getting bigger and bigger, he was reluctantly sent by the Commander to assist in the investigation. When he followed the clues to the end, he discovered Dark Owl and several of his subordinates.


    He was astonished to find that an Awakener whose name was unknown had strength comparable to his.


    It was known that his own strength could be ranked among the top three in the Lindong Sanctuary.


    Yet he felt a great threat emanating from Dark Owl.


    "We must find out the purpose of Lin Wei''s secret departure. Have our people there keep a close watch," Lu Jianjun said to the young officer.


    The young officer saluted and quickly left.


    ...


    Wilderness.


    Weeds were overgrown everywhere, roads cracked, and from time to time, the roars of Demonized Beasts could be heard.


    For ordinary survivors, and even Awakeners, being cautious was the first principle when traveling through the wilderness.


    However...


    A massive team approached from the distance. To ensure the secrecy of their movement, Lin Wei didn''t ride any form of transportation. Like any ordinary survivor, he walked in the middle of the team.


    The team didn''t care about Demonized Beasts, brazenly marching through the wilderness.


    Along the way, any Demonized Beasts that attacked were easily slain by the Awakeners on the periphery. The team even designated people to handle the spoils of war and to clean up their tracks as they progressed, making sure not to leave any clues that Lu Jianjun''s men could follow.


    At that moment, a subordinate came forward to report, "Boss, we''ve found a few survivors. What should we do with them, kill them?"


    "Kill them," said Lin Wei indifferently, but then he had a thought, "Wait, don''t kill them. Capture them all first."


    Dr. Zheng had been urging for more experiment subjects, and while these survivors weren''t exactly prime material, they would make do.


    It just so happened that he was planning to visit the pharmaceutical factory to check on the progression of the Beastification Soldier experiments, and he could bring these experiment subjects with him then.


    Before that... Lin Wei looked into the distance and decided to drop by the Lindong Sanctuary on the way.


    "It just so happens that the Lindong Sanctuary has many survivors. Originally, I planned to dispose of these people, but now that I think about it, capturing the Lindong Sanctuary survivors for experimentation might mean that Dr. Zheng won''t nag about needing experiment subjects for a while."


    "Not only that, but the Lindong Sanctuary has ability users, who are absolutely top-tier test subjects. With ability user material, the plan might be accelerated, and perhaps, a powerful Beastification Soldier could even be created based on the abilities of the experimented users."


    Lin Wei mused.


    After wiping out the Lindong Sanctuary, he could also have his men disguise it and operate it anew. On the one hand, it would provide cover for the mining of the Source Crystal Mine, and on the other hand, any survivor seeking shelter there could be directly captured and sent to Dr. Zheng''s laboratory.


    Two birds with one stone.


    ...


    Training camp, Gravity Room.


    Since the camp had been upgraded to the second layer, the facilities had undergone major renovations. The Gravity Room had considerably expanded from the size of a room to that of a large hall.


    Tang Yu, bare-chested, wearing tight-fitted training shorts, was sweating profusely in the Gravity Room.


    During high-intensity training, the residual effects of the Body Tempering Liquid slowly integrated into his body, and he felt a surge of satisfaction as he sensed himself growing stronger.


    Indeed, Body Tempering Liquid and the Gravity Room were a perfect match.


    After a period of basic training, Tang Yu stopped and took out an ordinary Longsword he had prepared earlier. Grasping the sword in one hand, his gaze fixed on the blade, his expression turning serious and focused.


    He took a deep breath, raised the Longsword above his head, and then slashed down vigorously, sending a visible silvery-white Sword Qi flying from the blade.


    The Sword Qi was like a rainbow, carrying an incredibly sharp force, directly striking the inner wall of the Gravity Room.


    Light flickered on the metallic wall¡ªthis was the Gravity Room''s self-defense function at work, absorbing the fierce Sword Qi.


    It took a while for the flickering light to gradually fade, and the sharp force to dissipate.


    Tang Yu exhaled lightly, collapsing exhausted to the floor.


    The Source Power Crystal clutched in his left hand turned to powder in that instant.


    This Sky Breaking Slash was a reward from the Lord''s exclusive mode.


    If Heavy Slash and Continuous Slash were considered low-level Combat Skills, then Sky Breaking Slash was at least a mid-to-high level Combat Skill.


    To learn a skill of this level without a reward infusion could take an unknown amount of time. Even now that he had mastered Sky Breaking Slash, it was still very difficult to use.


    Low-level Combat Skills like Heavy Slash consumed Qi Power, or physical strength, but high-level skills like Sky Breaking Slash could only be performed by expending Source Power. Even with all the Source Power reserves from a Source Power Crystal, this one strike had drained him completely.


    Tang Yu shook his head, controlled the Gravity Room''s gravity to return to normal, changed into his clothes at the storage area near the door, grabbed his belongings, and left the Gravity Room.


    Suddenly, he felt a familiar vibration from his pocket, similar to a phone''s from months ago.


    Taking it out, it was a detection lens triggering an alert he had set.


    Tang Yu glanced at it, indeed, most of the marked dots on the lens were moving toward the Territory, and the nearest one had just entered the alert distance set by him.


    They were arriving just in time.

 Chapter 118 - 118: No Hope

    In the wilderness, Lin Wei''s team wasn''t moving quickly, but they didn''t need to evade the attacks of Demonized Beasts, plowing ahead and soon they were nearing the Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    Within the team, many survivors were bound hand to hand, following along with the group''s advance.


    He Anping was one of the first survivors to be captured. Initially, upon seeing this well-equipped, organized team, he was quite elated, thinking he had come across an official search and rescue team. But to his dismay, in the blink of an eye, they were seized.


    "My dear daughter, I have led you into this calamity." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By his side was a young girl in ragged clothing, her face sullen with ash¡ªhis daughter, He Qingqing.


    If he hadn''t mistaken this team for a military search and rescue squad, perhaps he and his daughter wouldn''t have been captured here.


    With this thought, He Anping''s body stooped even more.


    "Dad, it''s not your fault. These people are capturing survivors everywhere. Even if we hadn''t come here, they wouldn''t have let us go."


    He Qingqing comforted her father, but deep down she was terribly frightened.


    Although there was no immediate threat to their lives, and the people in this group didn''t seem to have plans to use them as cannon fodder to lure Demonized Beasts, He Qingqing still felt uneasy, especially as some people''s gazes lingered on certain parts of her body, filling her with both shame and fear.


    At that moment, the marching team stopped, and He Qingqing saw people in the distance apparently discussing something. Even the Awakeners who were watching them seemed excitedly distracted, looking off into the distance.


    "Uncle Tong, Uncle Tong," she whispered to a fellow survivor who was also bound by the hands.


    Tong Xiangrong glanced at the guards around them and whispered back, "What is it?"


    "Uncle Tong, I think these people have a purpose for coming here. Right now, there are too many of them, and we have no chance to escape. But if they are distracted by some task and spread out, we might have a chance."


    A glint of hope flickered in Tong Xiangrong''s eyes, but he quickly sighed, "There''s no chance. Even if most of them leave, as long as a small group stays to guard us, we''ll be unable to escape."


    "Uncle Tong, you''re an Awakener. Among us, there must be other Awakeners, right?"


    The ones guarding them were only a few individuals clad in bulletproof vests and armed with guns; they were chatting and laughing with a seemingly relaxed vigilance.


    And among those captured, He Qingqing roughly estimated, there were at least twenty to thirty people. If they could seize the opportunity to resist, escape wasn''t out of the question.


    However, she observed that, because there was no immediate threat to their lives, many people had abandoned the thought of resistance. After all, not resisting meant staying alive for now, whereas resistance could lead to being riddled with bullets from the dark gun muzzles around them.


    He Qingqing was afraid too, but she understood that if there was a chance to escape, it would be when most of the people in this group left.


    That opportunity, she had to seize it.


    Uncle Tong stayed silent, planning in his heart, but someone beside him gave her a sideward glance, "Little girl, you''re still too young. Do you really think with the strength of people like us, there''s a chance to escape? Let me tell you, among those of us captured, there are eight Awakeners. You might think that''s a lot, huh, even if you multiply that by ten, it''s useless."


    The Awakener shook his head, his eyes lifelessly staring at the sky.


    He Qingqing remembered this person, who seemed to want to resist when they were first captured, but for some reason was frightened, and didn''t lift a finger even after his weapons were confiscated.


    Seeing the confusion on her face, the Awakener continued, "You are not an Awakener, so you have no idea how powerful those people are. Frankly spoken, even if all eight of us Awakeners attacked together, they would only need to dispatch two individuals to easily take care of us..."


    "This is still under the assumption of equivalent equipment, and now, those people are armed with guns while our hands are tied together with ropes made out of special materials, no matter how hard we struggle we can''t break free. If you ask me, since they haven''t killed us, we might as well stay put and not end up losing our lives instead."


    He Qingqing bit her lip and looked around. Suddenly her eyes lit up, "I remember this place, just a little further ahead is Green Shadow Resort. Uncle Tong, haven''t you said that Green Shadow Sanctuary is a very powerful one?"


    Tong Xiangrong''s eyes brightened, "That''s right, Green Shadow Sanctuary is strong, and it''s said to have plenty of equipment. They are in no shortage of guns and ammunition, and they have numerous powerful Awakeners. Most importantly, I''ve heard that Green Shadow Sanctuary is very friendly to survivors. They couldn''t possibly be in league with this squad. I was planning to head to Green Shadow Sanctuary this time, but I didn''t expect..."


    He Qingqing also revealed a look of joy.


    However, in the next moment, she saw the survivor who spoke earlier shaking his head again, "The strength of Green Shadow Sanctuary is indeed formidable, far stronger than those ordinary sanctuaries around here, but the strength of this squad is even more terrifying!"


    Tong Xiangrong frowned, "Surely not? The Awakeners guarding us mostly have Second-tier Awakening strength. This sort of strength is naturally very strong for us, but abound in Green Shadow Sanctuary, with rumors of even Fourth Layer and Fifth Tier superb masters. Such masters, they could fight ten or even a hundred, surely?"


    The pale-faced Awakener did not answer, but instead asked, "Do you know why I didn''t resist when I was captured earlier? You might think I was scared, and indeed, I was scared, but not by the guns around me."


    "At that time I was thinking of running away, when I saw a refined gentleman glance at me. You can''t understand how terrifying that glance was, as if my whole person had plunged into darkness, where only those eyes lingered, coldly looking down on you. At that point, I couldn''t even move, let alone think of running away."


    He recalled the situation, fear evident in his eyes.


    Merely the look in those eyes and the presence was enough to completely overwhelm him, and the Awakener could not imagine, what kind of strength that refined gentleman possessed.


    Even Tong Xiangrong was somewhat startled, "Is there really such a terrifying Awakener?"


    The pale-faced Awakener nodded.


    "Not just that, within this large squad, every Awakener is very strong. I even suspect, the ones guarding us are just the ones with the most common strength. With this number of people, with this kind of strength, sweeping through all the sanctuaries in the area would be more than possible!"


    "Moreover." He looked up towards the distance, "The direction in which this squad is marching seems to be Green Shadow Sanctuary. Forget about you hoping to escape and seek protection, from my point of view, the fate of Green Shadow Sanctuary is likely to be even worse than ours."


    Upon hearing this, He Qingqing''s face turned deathly pale as she looked at the guards around her and the direction they frequently glanced toward.

 Chapter 119 - 119: The Strange Tower

    The sun hung high in the sky, its dazzling light making it difficult for people to keep their eyes open.


    Lin Wei found a relatively intact abandoned building, had it cleaned up a bit, then went inside to rest. Handling issues such as dealing with the Green Shadow Sanctuary was naturally left to his subordinates; his current concerns were the scale of the Source Crystal Mine and the progress of the Beastification Soldier plan.


    At the head of the team, a few of Lin Wei''s trusted subordinates braved the sunlight, observing the distance.


    They were discussing matters pertaining to attacking the Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    A man with a back broad like a tiger and a waist stout like a bear, whose arms were thicker than ordinary people''s thighs, snorted disdainfully, "It''s just a small sanctuary, why bother with complications? Just flatten it outright."


    This man was Wang Hu, the leader of the Tiger Leopard Team, known for his formidable strength and proficiency in close combat.


    Apart from the First Brigade and the Guard Team, the Dark Owl Group, the Tiger Leopard Team, and the Falcon Team were all secret teams that Lin Wei had covertly formed by gathering the Awakeners. Although the Tiger Leopard Team was ranked below the Dark Owl Group, it did not mean that the Tiger Leopard Team was weak; on the contrary, it only meant that the Dark Owl Group was too strong and too mysterious. The power of a single Tiger Leopard Team was enough to easily annihilate most sanctuaries, even medium-sized ones.


    In the middle, a man of scholarly appearance adjusted his glasses. He was Xu Yancheng, the Corps Commander of the First Brigade. He was not bothered by Wang Hu''s words.


    "Green Shadow Sanctuary certainly can''t stop us, but remember, Han Jing''s entire team was wiped out without even a message getting out. The reconnaissance teams sent afterwards also couldn''t find much information, which proves that Green Shadow Sanctuary still has considerable strength."


    Even with victory in hand, Xu Yancheng didn''t underestimate Green Shadow Sanctuary, especially since the boss had given him the command authority this time; he wanted to complete this mission perfectly.


    He aimed to take down Green Shadow Sanctuary without any losses.


    He thought for a moment and continued, "Moreover, our scouts have been repeatedly thwarted there. The people at Green Shadow Sanctuary likely aren''t completely ignorant of us, yet they haven''t fled, which means that Green Shadow Sanctuary must have some trump cards, or at least they think their cards are sufficient. Even if we can take them down, these cards might still inflict losses on us."


    As Xu Yancheng spoke, Wang Hu stamped his foot impatiently, "I hate people who beat around the bush. Just tell us what to do! I don''t want to wait any longer!"


    "No need to rush; we need to scout first, especially since the boss insisted this time that we can''t let any survivor escape, so our first priority is to ensure that no one from the Green Shadow Sanctuary can flee."


    Xu Yancheng thought for a while and then waved towards the rear, "Blind Girl."


    His voice was not loud, but soon a young woman with closed eyes approached.


    Walking through this complex wilderness setting, the young woman seemed to have no difficulty despite her closed eyes, as if she could still see everything around her.


    "Blind Girl, scout out Green Shadow Resort and the activity of its surrounding survivors," Xu Yancheng instructed.


    "Yes."


    The Blind Girl nodded.


    She took a few steps forward, facing the direction of the Green Shadow Sanctuary, and opened her eyes, which eerily showed no pupils, just empty, gray-white orbs.


    This was a reconnaissance ability. While it had no offensive capabilities, it was even more precious, capable of sensing the number of lifeforms within a certain area, and even their strength.


    Xu Yancheng knew that the Green Shadow Sanctuary had peculiarities¡ªmany investigators they sent never returned. But as long as the Blind Girl was there, he could obtain information on the power of the Green Shadow Sanctuary effortlessly.


    To expand the coverage of the Blind Girl''s abilities, he had even dispatched many subordinates, equipped with soul power containers, to hunt Demonized Beasts and collect soul power, all to support the Blind Girl''s usage.


    Even though the blind girl hardly knew any combat skills and had never fought Demonized Beasts before, she now possessed the strength of an early Fifth Tier Awakener.


    From a distance of two to three kilometers, she could detect general information.


    This was where his confidence came from.


    It was precisely because her abilities were so powerful that she usually had to keep her eyes closed, which gradually led to her being called the blind girl.


    After a while, the blind girl closed her eyes again and approached Xu Yancheng, "Commander, I have clearly seen the situation. The survivors at the Green Shadow Sanctuary are all within the holiday resort. Additionally, among the Awakeners at the resort, I perceived several people with the strength of Third Tier."


    "Third Tier?" Xu Yancheng murmured.


    Such strength certainly far surpassed that of a regular small sanctuary, but in his view, it was too weak, unbelievably weak. What confidence did they have that made them dare to stay here?


    He turned and approached the First Corps.


    "All squads, break up into groups of five and disperse, encircle the Green Shadow Sanctuary. Be careful not to approach within one kilometer of the holiday resort; stay on the outskirts."


    Xu Yancheng made the arrangements; he intended to trap the Green Shadow Sanctuary, and these tasks could only be entrusted to his subordinates.


    On one hand, the First Corps had the most members, and on the other hand, it would probably not be easy to instruct other teams.


    Wang Hu showed impatience and had already returned to his Tiger Leopard Team.


    Yang Wei, the leader of the Falcon Team, with a stern look and arms crossed across his chest, did not say anything and just silently waited.


    As for the Dark Owl Group... Xu Yancheng looked around several times but saw no trace of Dark Owl, yet he knew Dark Owl must be nearby. Dark Owl''s strength and ability to appear and disappear as if a ghost made him apprehensive. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Awakeners of the First Corps dispersed quickly and soon vanished from sight.


    Squad 113, which belonged to the thirteenth squad of the First Brigade, was led by Scorpion along with a few other members, crouching in the bushes and slowly approaching in the direction of Green Shadow.


    They needed to find a place that was good for hiding and that allowed them to keep a distant watch on the holiday resort, ensuring that neither survivors going out nor those returning could escape their eyes.


    Suddenly, a squad member stopped, and Scorpion turned back to urge him on.


    The squad member didn''t respond but stretched out a finger pointing not too far away.


    Scorpion looked in that direction, eyes widening.


    In his line of sight, just beyond a small mound nearby, there stood a black tower.


    The tower, distinct from normal architectural styles, had thick black walls. At the tip of the tower, he even saw a dark orifice, hardly resembling a gun muzzle, yet its darkness was chilling.


    This building was clearly strange.


    He quickly stopped the other squad members from proceeding, signaled with his hand, ordered them to stay, and hurried back along the same path.

 Chapter 120 - 120: Just a Target

    Under Scorpion''s guidance, Xu Yancheng soon arrived at the location where the high tower had been found.


    He didn''t approach, but simply used a telescope to observe from a distance.


    In this place, there was no other construction around; it was all mounds and vegetation, with the high tower standing out abruptly, and Xu Yancheng instinctively felt suspicious.


    "Could it be a watchtower built by the Green Shadow Sanctuary?"


    Thinking this, he questioned the blind woman, but again received a positive response; there was no sign of life in the high tower.


    Since there were no humans, the hypothesis of a watchtower was clearly untenable.


    Wang Hu, not knowing when he had also followed, said with disdain on his face, "Hesitating like a woman, if it were me, I''d go straight over; what does it matter what this high tower is for? Just tear it down and that''s that!"


    Xu Yancheng thought it over and decided that there indeed was no need to be overly cautious in the face of a Green Shadow Sanctuary. It was better to quickly finish the boss''s task¡ªthe excavation of the Source Crystal Mine was the priority.


    The group approached the black high tower with caution.


    Upon closer inspection, they saw the high tower was indeed made entirely of black rock; however, after circling around it, Xu Yancheng looked even more perplexed.


    "How does this high tower have no entrance?"


    "Yeah, if it''s built as a warning watchtower, even if no one is stationed there now, there should be an entrance, right? Or did they forget to leave one when building it?"


    Scorpion commented, but even she didn''t believe her own words.


    Wang Hu stepped forward, "Who cares what tower it is; watch me smash it to pieces with one punch."


    As he spoke, he drew a deep breath, his arm muscles bulging like dragons, ready to throw his punch!


    But in the next moment, just as Wang Hu''s fist was about to strike the outer wall of the high tower, his hair stood on end, and an intense threat of death engulfed him.


    Wang Hu no longer cared about the punch he had thrown halfway; he pushed off with his legs and quickly pounced to the side.


    Whoosh!


    A sharp sound of piercing the air came, and where he had been standing, there was now a hole that seemed bottomless.


    Wang Hu''s face turned pale, and without further thought, he leaned forward, thick hair growing on his skin; he landed on all fours and, like a tiger, sped away quickly into the distance.


    Another sharp sound of slicing through the air followed.


    Wang Hu twisted his body, narrowly escaping; however, another Awakener who was in line with Wang Hu exploded with a bang, his body bursting like a balloon.


    Bits of flesh rained down like a downpour.


    Without hesitation, Xu Yancheng punched the high tower, shattering a large chunk of rock, but the whistling of the arrows cutting through the air did not stop.


    He finally changed expression and shouted for a strategic retreat; he himself moved at super speed, quickly covering a great distance.


    ...


    A few hundred meters away from the high tower, Xu Yancheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    This Arrow Tower was truly terrifying; the arrows flew at extreme speed, with powerful penetration. Even with his strength, he dared not linger within the range of the Arrow Tower''s attack.


    "What on earth is this tower? The speed of those arrows is much faster than bullets!"


    He had originally thought it was just a watchtower but had not expected it to be a massive weapon of death.


    Looking again, he saw that six of his subordinates had died below the high tower; Xu Yancheng''s face turned ashen.


    Beside him,


    Wang Hu had already reverted from his Transformation state.


    Usually, facing the death of so many elite subordinates of Xu Yancheng, Wang Hu would have mocked him without end, but now, gasping for breath, his pupils filled with fear.


    The sense of a death threat was still lingering in his heart.


    He couldn''t imagine that such an unassuming tower could be so dangerous. If his reaction had been slightly slower, he might now be no different from those Awakeners whose bodies didn''t even remain.


    Thinking of this, Wang Hu looked toward the nearby Arrow Tower with even greater fear.


    ...


    Lord''s castle.


    Tang Yu was sitting with one leg over the other, half-leaning against the soft sofa backrest. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A basketball-sized Crystal Ball was floating in front of him.


    While monitoring through the Crystal Ball, he was controlling the defense buildings and simultaneously issuing orders telepathically to his followers... Tang Yu felt like he was playing a real-time strategy game, the kind with 100% realistic graphics.


    It was just that at this moment, he felt a tinge of regret, "Just missed by a little bit. I didn''t expect that man to transform into a black tiger, significantly boosting his speed."


    From the images in the Crystal Ball, Tang Yu had spotted two Awakeners of relatively high status within the Arrow Tower''s range.


    The refined gentleman always looked very vigilant, making him a difficult target to strike, so Tang Yu switched his focus to the man with a back like a tiger and waist like a bear. Unfortunately, he still came up a little short.


    To completely eliminate these people, it wasn''t difficult; he believed that if he quickly constructed several more Arrow Towers around, none of them would escape.


    But he wanted to keep some cards close to his chest.


    The enemies he was facing now might not be the full extent of Lin Wei''s forces, nor was it certain that he could annihilate them all. Once he revealed his cards, he could very likely be targeted by the enemy next time, considering that humans weren''t wisdom-lacking Demonized Beasts.


    More importantly, he compared the enemy positions on both the detection lens and the territory map and found that some enemies were outside the boundaries of the territory¡­


    Shaking his head, Tang Yu shifted the view to several other Arrow Towers.


    Taking advantage of the delay in the enemy''s message transmission, he controlled several Arrow Towers at the same time, beginning to attack the enemies within range.


    These Awakeners, generally possessing the strength of the Second and Third Layer of Awakening, would be considered experts to ordinary people. However, they never imagined that one day they''d be shot dead so easily, completely powerless to resist.


    The scattered remains on the ground hardly seemed bloody to Tang Yu when viewed through the screen.


    "What a pity, if only Awakeners would drop Source Crystals. Then, a battle like this would bring in a substantial income."


    ...


    After calming down for a while, Wang Hu''s emotions gradually stabilized, but he still looked at the tall tower with lingering fear.


    He turned to Xu Yancheng beside him, hesitated, but eventually asked, "How do we deal with this Arrow Tower? It''s dangerous when we get close, and it''s hard to take down. Do we have to go around it?"


    He had also noticed that when Xu Yancheng hit the Arrow Tower with a punch, although the rocks burst and flew, it seemed that to completely destroy the Arrow Tower, at least several more punches would be required.


    The strength of the tower''s walls far exceeded that of ordinary buildings.


    Although Wang Hu didn''t like Xu Yancheng''s behavior, he recognized the other''s strength. Since Xu Yancheng couldn''t destroy the Arrow Tower with one punch, he definitely couldn''t do it either, not to mention facing the sharp arrows to do such a thing would be even harder.


    At least, regardless of Xu Yancheng''s orders, he had no intention of entering the Arrow Tower''s range of attack again.


    Upon hearing this, Xu Yancheng shook his head, "I was careless. I didn''t expect to fall for the Sanctuary''s scheme."


    He looked at the Arrow Tower, analyzing, "This should be some kind of hardening Special Ability. With the Sanctuary''s help, they''ve built several Arrow Towers around the holiday villa. These Arrow Towers, capable of threatening you and me, are indeed not to be underestimated. This is probably the enemy''s trump card."


    After estimating the attack distance of the Arrow Tower, Xu Yancheng walked a little further to observe the Arrow Tower from a different angle and quickly came to a conclusion.


    "Unfortunately, this type of Arrow Tower has two fatal weaknesses."


    "Two?" Wang Hu was somewhat incredulous.


    He raised a finger, "First, the attack range of these Arrow Towers is limited. Second, the Arrow Towers cannot move. Perhaps there''s another point, that constructing these Arrow Towers is not easy, which is why there are only a few Arrow Towers outside the Sanctuary."


    "Likewise, these Arrow Towers are fine for dealing with Demonized Beasts but against us? Heh, it''s only because we didn''t know at first that we got caught. Now, it''s simply a target, and a stationary one at that."


    They posed no threat to him any longer!

 Chapter 121 - 121 Something is a bit off!

    Xu Yancheng ordered his men to bring a mortar.


    Seeing the weapon, Wang Hu finally understood.


    The range of the Arrow Tower was limited, so... as long as they attacked from outside its range, there would be no problem.


    The mortar was positioned, one Awakener loaded the shell into the barrel, another adjusted the angle.


    Boom!


    White smoke poured from the muzzle, the shell landed near the Arrow Tower, kicking up dust and sand.


    These Awakeners were not skilled with the mortar; the accuracy was not high, but the Arrow Tower couldn''t fight back, and after several shots, it was already on the verge of collapse.


    Xu Yancheng smiled.


    Indeed, everything was as he had anticipated.


    Suddenly, with a loud bang, the whole mortar burst apart, and the two Awakeners operating it were slightly injured.


    Xu Yancheng''s gaze sharpened, "There''s a sniper, Blind Girl, find me the sniper''s location."


    His eyes quickly swept around, yet his heart was not the slightest bit panicked.


    Just one mortar was lost, they still had many such weapons, instead, the people from Green Shadow hastily coming out to destroy the mortar showed...


    The Arrow Tower was their opponent''s last resort.


    Blind Girl opened her gray-white eyes, scanning the surroundings, and soon pointed toward a dense forest formed by wild shrubby growth.


    Xu Yancheng was about to give an order.


    But Wang Hu suddenly burst out, "Leave the people there to me, I''ve been impatient for a while now."


    Without further explanation, he waved and led an elite contingent of the Tiger Leopard Team, rushing toward the distance.


    Xu Yancheng shook his head and no longer cared about Wang Hu''s actions.


    He ordered again for all teams around the Arrow Tower to use the mortars, aiming to destroy the tower.


    Then he turned and asked Blind Girl, "How much longer can you sustain your ability?"


    "Under normal conditions, only three minutes," Blind Girl replied.


    "And if you spare no expense?"


    "Up to five minutes at most."


    "Good, prepare for real-time monitoring, notify me immediately if there''s any activity at the Lindong Sanctuary."


    ...


    In the forest, Wang Hu led the way, far outpacing his elite subordinates. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Being a Transformation series ability user, he transformed into the king of the jungle, absolutely in his element in this environment.


    As the distance between the two sides rapidly closed, Wang Hu forcefully launched himself from the ground, his speed exploding again as he leaped through the forest.


    Suddenly, the underbrush ahead thinned, and he saw the retreating Awakener ahead; Wang Hu grinned, leapt high into the air, and landed with a boom right in front of the fleeing figure.


    The ground cracked inch by inch.


    Wang Hu got a good look at the man ¨C his physique was not inferior to his own, sporting a sleek back hairstyle, wearing sunglasses, and indeed, there was a sniper rifle on his back.


    He eyed Shay like prey.


    Behind him, the elite members of the Tiger Leopard Team also caught up, effectively cutting off Shay''s retreat.


    Licking his lips, Wang Hu said, "None of you intervene, this toy is mine, heh heh, I hope you last a long time."


    In his perception, Shay''s aura was at the Fourth Layer, which made him a durable toy for Wang Hu.


    Little did he know, that level of aura was deliberately controlled by Shay.


    Seeing the timing was about right,


    Shay removed his sunglasses and lightly flicked them, sending the sunglasses flying into the sky, as he looked at the other Tiger Leopard Team Awakeners blocking the retreat route behind him, then turned to Wang Hu, "Exactly, I was thinking the same."


    The sunglasses fell.


    Immediately, gunshots rang out, members of the Patrol Team who had been lying in ambush on both sides opened fire, catching the elite members of the Tiger Leopard Team off guard, and several were seriously wounded.


    Wang Hu took a quick glance, "An ambush? Under absolute power, nothing is useful!"


    He wasn''t worried about his team members; these elite teams generally possessed Third Layer strength. As long as they could react, the threat from the firearms was not significant. Real Awakeners relied on their fists.


    Like a ferocious tiger, he lunged directly at Shay, kicking up clouds of dust as he charged.


    As a Fifth Tier Peak Awakener stuck at that bottleneck, Wang Hu had ample confidence in himself. In Lindong Sanctuary, apart from a few individuals, hardly anyone could match him.


    Not even block his punch!


    To make the fight more enjoyable, Wang Hu even held back a bit of his strength, yet the punch was still fierce, carrying a whistling wind.


    He aimed it at Shay''s chest.


    Bang!


    A deafening impact sounded, like two large trucks colliding. However, to Wang Hu''s astonishment, his punch was blocked.


    Even though he hadn''t used his full punching power, this punch should have at least sent this Fourth Layer opponent flying.


    He sensed around and discovered that Shay''s strength had risen to the Fifth Tier.


    "A breakthrough mid-battle, eh? Good, this way it''ll be more fun."


    ...


    Outside the range of the Arrow Tower, Xu Yancheng had mortar cannons brought in and the two mortars fired simultaneously without any hiccups. Soon, the black tower collapsed amidst a series of explosions.


    "Good, once the other teams have removed those Arrow Towers, Green Shadow Sanctuary will be like a tiger without its claws... no wait, at most like a wild boar without fangs. Then the team can push forward and trap the survivors of Green Shadow Sanctuary in the resort."


    Although little useful information had been gathered from inside Green Shadow Sanctuary, Xu Yancheng had studied the layout of the resort.


    The whole resort backed onto a mountain, with cliffs behind it, a terrain that normally helped defend against Demonized Beasts, requiring only one side to be guarded. But similarly, once blocked, the survivors of Green Shadow Sanctuary would be trapped like turtles in a jar.


    By then, arrange their mortars at the main gate; they would be able to bombard most parts of the resort. Even if Green Shadow Sanctuary had a trump card, it would be useless.


    As one piece of good news after another arrived, Xu Yancheng was just about to give an order.


    Beside him, a blind girl with grayish-white pupils, who had been keeping her eyes open and staring intently into the distance, suddenly spoke up, "A team has just rushed out of the side gate of the resort; they are moving fast."


    Xu Yancheng frowned, "What''s the capability of this team, how many people?"


    "Around fifteen or twenty, including three with the aura of Third Layer strength, but there are also a few ordinary people."


    The capability was unevenly distributed, yet their movement was quick.


    They were using a vehicle.


    Probably trying to escape.


    He immediately ordered, "Have the surrounding teams go intercept them, don''t let them escape!"


    A team member responsible for communication picked up the radio. While signal interference severely limited the communication distance, for Lin Wei, this was a minor issue. The whole team was equipped with many radios; what they lacked in quality, they made up in quantity. Even with some delay, this method of transmission was much faster than sending runners.


    But before the radio was even switched on,


    the blind girl made a new discovery, "They haven''t escaped, they''ve already encountered the intercepting team outside."


    "Oh, what''s the situation?" Xu Yancheng raised an eyebrow.


    With a hint of surprise on her face, the blind girl took a while before slowly saying, "Several members of the intercepting team have already lost their life signs."


    Xu Yancheng was momentarily taken aback.


    Something seemed off!

 Chapter 122 - 122: Seem to be at a Stalemate

    Within the ranks of the Green Shadow, only three warriors possessed the power of a Third Layer Awakener.


    And those intercepting teams, several squads combined, had at least three or four team leaders who were Third Layer Awakeners. With such strength, it shouldn''t be said that his subordinates held the upper hand, but at the very least, there should have been a stalemate, right?


    Yet in just these few seconds, several of his men had fallen?


    Had he not known that the blind girl never lied, Xu Yancheng would have probably spit out his contempt.


    "They must have some kind of killer weapon, or a means to shield themselves from the blind girl''s detection."


    Whatever the tactic was, to achieve such an effect in a short time, they must have had strength on par with a Fifth Layer Awakener at least.


    He turned his head to look at the deputy Corps Commander beside him.


    He had to stay central to command, and obviously could not leave, but his deputy commander only possessed the power of a Basic Period Fifth Layer Awakener and was not an ability user¡ªhe felt it was not secure enough.


    "Flying Eagle Captain¡­" Xu Yancheng then turned to look at Yang Wei, the team leader of the Flying Eagle Team.


    "Okay," Yang Wei responded coldly with his arms crossed.


    ...


    At the back of the team, the captured survivors hung their heads in despair.


    Suddenly, a series of explosions sounded in the distance.


    He Qingqing was startled, "Is this a battle?"


    The explosions continued for quite some time without ending.


    Tong Xiangrong listened intently with a serious expression, then slowly nodded, "It seems that this team''s target really is the Green Shadow Sanctuary. Around here, only the Green Shadow Sanctuary has the strength to resist them, but..."


    But if there truly were such terrifying Awakeners in this team, then the Green Shadow Sanctuary would ultimately be unable to hold out.


    At that moment, He Qingqing saw several Awakeners hurriedly set off, heading in the direction of the explosions.


    Even the Awakeners guarding them no longer had the initial ease in their brows.


    "Uncle Tong, do you think there could still be a chance?"


    Seeing this, Tong Xiangrong felt a glimmer of hope reignited in his heart.


    Even the pale-faced Awakener nearby was startled, "The battle has lasted so long, does the Green Shadow Sanctuary really have such strong strength?"


    Not long ago he had seen quite a few Awakeners heading out with mortars; with such heavy weapons, along with those powerful Awakeners, the Green Shadow Sanctuary seemed even less likely to resist.


    Yet the battle was still at a deadlock until now?


    ...


    Inside the vacation resort, the survivors were anxious.


    The Sanctuary wasn''t large, and any minor incident could easily spread; all the more so since they saw quite a few Patrol Team members running out, and they could faintly hear explosions from afar.


    Everyone sensed that something was wrong.


    "What the hell is going on? Is it an attack from the Demonized Beasts?"


    "No, it''s said that there are enemies invading. Those explosions might be the sound of artillery fire."


    The inquisitive survivor became even more panicked, "What should we do then? We should flee quickly."


    "Flee? Don''t forget your daily food and lodging are provided by the Sanctuary. Now that the Sanctuary is in trouble, you think of running away? A real piece of work!"


    As an early newcomer to the Sanctuary, Wang Zhou faced such a situation without an ounce of panic, merely casting a disdainful look at the survivor beside him.


    "We''re unarmed, what use is it to stay here?"


    "At least you could cheer for Captain Luo or Director Tang with a few ''666s,'' instead of thinking of running away at the first sign of danger!"


    This kind of scene took place in many areas within the Sanctuary.


    Many survivors were panicked and afraid, but there were also many who believed in the strength of the Sanctuary. Some survivors who had joined the Sanctuary early and had witnessed many major events were now all the more composed.


    It''s just enemies, they haven''t even reached the city walls yet, why the worry?


    ...


    Tang Yu still observed the battle situation leisurely.


    On a small mound, Xu Yancheng felt increasingly that something was amiss.


    Wang Hu pursuing that sniper hadn''t returned for a long time, it was possible he was having too much fun and didn''t want to come back.


    But Yang Wei was always decisive and efficient in his actions. If something could be resolved in one second, he would never take two seconds. So why hadn''t he returned yet?


    Xu Yancheng wanted the blind girl to take another look at the current situation, but seeing that the blind girl''s eyes were tightly shut and tears of blood were flowing, he knew that she had overused her abilities. No matter how much he pressed her now, it would be futile.


    Xu Yancheng hesitated but then noticed that Lin Wei had arrived at this side without him knowing when.


    "Boss..." he started to speak but didn''t know what else to say.


    Lin Wei was accompanied by the Guard Captain and two great masters of Dark Owl, walking slowly over.


    After looking at Xu Yancheng, Lin Wei said without expression, "Gather all remaining members and quickly storm into the Green Shadow Sanctuary from the front."


    "But boss, what if the people of Green Shadow take the opportunity to escape?"


    Lin Wei glanced at him, "Given the strength the Awakeners of Green Shadow have shown, if they want to leave, could those you arranged stop them?"


    Xu Yancheng''s face stiffened.


    The strength of the Awakeners from Green Shadow Sanctuary was surprisingly strong; it seemed that concentrating forces was the best method now.


    He only hoped that Wang Hu and Yang Wei could quickly eliminate the enemy.


    ......


    Wang Hu was indeed having a wild time at this moment.


    His fists turned into phantoms, moving at extreme speed.


    Like meteors crashing toward Shay.


    Boom boom boom!


    Dull thuds sounded.


    Like a wild wind sweeping up, sending dust flying, everywhere their feet touched, the ground cracked, the nearby thicket was either broken by the strong winds or pulverized in their collisions.


    Even the elites of Tiger Leopard Team could only avoid them from far away.


    However, the more the fight dragged on, the more shocked Wang Hu felt in his heart.


    The man in front of him clearly only had the aura of a Basic Period Fifth Tier Awakener, yet in their fight, he wasn''t at a disadvantage at all. Wang Hu should have been able to defeat him since he wasn''t holding back, nor was he transformed, and yet he couldn''t overcome his opponent.


    Despite Wang Hu being at a higher level and stuck at the Fifth Tier Peak for some time, even with regular training that deepened his strength.


    While surprised, Wang Hu became even more excited.


    He took a deep breath, veins bulging all over his body, each punch bringing with it a fierce wind sound.


    On the other side, Shay was even more exhilarated.


    "Indeed, a fight with actual punches and kicks is no less thrilling than the romance of explosions; I once thought about becoming a warrior too."


    If his Contact Explosion ability hadn''t been ineffective against living beings, Shay genuinely considered becoming a boxer.


    He had even thought about the profession¡ªcalling it Blast Boxer, a unique career he would create.


    Unfortunately... he was a gunman, and it was only in his spare time that he could indulge in this way.


    Shay noticed the Patrol Team members on the other side were gradually faltering under the ferocious assault. If it went on like this, there would likely be casualties... The Patrol Team members didn''t have much training time, and their level was far inferior to the opponents. If it weren''t for an initial sneak attack, they would have already collapsed.


    "Well then, it''s time to unleash my true power."


    Shay leaped back, drawing upon a collision, and violently pulled out the iron rod on his back. The iron rod transformed, quickly turning into a weapon resembling a hand cannon. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bang!


    A cannonball shot out.


    It exploded amidst the members of Tiger Leopard Team.


    The blast of dirt rose up over a dozen meters high.


    Tiger Leopard Team members, caught in an aggressive attack, were bewildered, and Wang Hu, who was just about to pursue, widened his eyes in shock.

 Chapter 123 - 123 Me? Just an Ordinary Follower

    "This cannon," hit the bullseye, striking the most densely packed area of the Tiger Leopard Team members.


    Wang Hu was somewhat stunned.


    How did this cannon appear?


    They had agreed on hand-to-hand combat, so how did it suddenly go bang bang bang and transform into a cannon?


    Moreover, the power of the cannonball had somewhat alarmed him.


    The scene seemed to pause as if a pause button had been pressed, with members of the Tiger Leopard Team who had been dominating, about to capture the people from Green Shadow, suddenly struck by a flying cannonball.


    The one with the worst luck was hit directly in the face by the cannonball; not even his body was left behind.


    Other close members of the Tiger Leopard Team also suffered severe injuries.


    Even those further away, whose attention was caught, were stunned for a moment.


    Members of the Patrol Team immediately seized the opportunity to counterattack, machine guns firing, completing the kill and turning two Awakeners of the third layer into sieves.


    Wang Hu reacted quickly, rushing forward again, attempting to suppress Shay.


    But he was taken aback once more.


    Facing his fierce attack, the person opposite no longer fought back and forth as before. This time, he saw Shay rapidly retreating, and even at a faster speed than him!


    It was already incredible enough that he could withstand his attack, but now even the speed was faster than his?


    Wang Hu started to doubt himself.


    At that moment, he saw Shay retreating while aiming the hand cannon, shooting another barrage of cannonballs toward the far-off members of the Tiger Leopard Team.


    Though the Tiger Leopard Team members were prepared this time, they couldn''t withstand the increasingly dense cannon fire, and soon, the damages within the Tiger Leopard Team grew.


    Without these Tiger Leopard Team members, even with his strength, Wang Hu would just be an advanced fighter.


    This couldn''t go on.


    "You''re seeking death!"


    Wang Hu roared, his voice causing the leaves around to rustle and fall.


    On his body, thick fur grew, his limbs pushing against the ground, his speed increased significantly once again.


    Sharp claws grew from his fingers, suddenly appearing in front of Shay, his black claws slicing through the air and across Shay''s body.


    However...


    He missed.


    He scored a MISS.


    Even though the opponent couldn''t dodge in time, the next moment, he saw Shay reappear several meters away.


    Casually firing another cannonball.


    If Wang Hu still thought of Shay as a toy he could manipulate at will, then he truly was a fool.


    He hesitated for a moment, then silently signaled his team members using the unique communication method of the Tiger Leopard Team.


    ...


    In the ranks of the Tiger Leopard Team, most members were armed, taking cover behind trees and engaging in fierce gunfight with the Patrol Team members.


    They were stronger and much quicker in response, soon overpowering the Patrol Team, even injuring several of them.


    Cheetah, as the deputy leader of the Tiger Leopard Team, dodged bullets while advancing toward the opposite camp, ready to charge in and unleash havoc.


    But then he was stunned by a cannonball falling from the sky.


    With his abilities, he could easily dodge Shay''s cannonballs, but the members behind him couldn''t.


    Cheetah also saw the danger, wanting to help but worried about his leader''s disapproval.


    "Fortunately, the leader hasn''t lost his mind."


    With this understanding, he crouched low, dodging cannonballs while darting between the trees.


    Cheetah''s slender body moved silently, quickly nearing the site of the ongoing battle.


    Wang Hu was still pursuing, Shay dodging while occasionally firing a cannonball toward the Tiger Leopard side.


    Suddenly, his gaze focused.


    This was an opportunity. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He bent his legs, pouncing out like a leopard, his speed extremely fast, reaching Shay''s back in the blink of an eye.


    The curved saber flashed like lightning, chopping down fiercely.


    He felt resistance in his hand.


    "I hit!"


    Cheetah was about to smile in triumph when his expression suddenly froze.


    The saber hadn''t chopped into Shay''s back, nor had it severely injured Shay.


    Instead, Shay had turned around, his fist colliding with the curved saber.


    With a crisp crash,


    The recoil staggered him backward.


    Cheetah, however, stiffened his head and looked at his own hand.


    The saber had, after colliding with the opponent''s fist, snapped off a notch!


    On closer inspection of Shay''s fist, where it had been struck by the saber, a tiny wound appeared with a drop of blood sliding off; however, visibly, the wound was rapidly healing, reverting back to normal in the blink of an eye.


    What kind of body was this?!


    It should be noted that his saber, though not as divine as the Demon-slaying Longsword, was specially customized with high-level Demonized Beast materials, making it far superior to the military''s standard battle saber in terms of sharpness and durability.


    His weapon was still no match for the opponent''s fist?


    Wang Hu was also stunned, even forgetting to attack, gaping at Shay and suddenly exclaimed, "You, have you already broken through that bottleneck!"


    Cheetah was a bit puzzled but didn''t think too much, just shouted at Wang Hu, "Boss, let''s join forces to take this guy down."


    "Join forces?"


    He saw that very burly enemy, tsked, and casually snapped his fingers with his left hand.


    Cheetah was taken aback.


    The next moment, an astonishing energy burst forth from his saber, which had snapped off a small piece.


    A boom of fire shot into the sky.


    Heat waves rolled.


    .....


    Shay was very satisfied with this masterpiece; indeed, he still had the potential to become a Blast Boxer.


    Unfortunately, it was only against those weaker Awakeners with inferior weapons that he dared to confront directly with his fist... this fellow met a rather unjust end.


    Across,


    just as Wang Hu was getting ready to team up for an attack, his posed stance froze in mid-air.


    Who could tell him what just happened?!


    Weapons can explode? The power was even stronger than the enemy''s cannons fired just earlier!


    Wang Hu couldn''t figure it out, but he understood that given the strength demonstrated by his opponent, continuing the fight would mean not just his team members failing to survive, but even he himself wouldn''t escape unscathed.


    After all, the opponent had already broken through that layer!


    Wang Hu gritted his teeth and somehow fished out a potion from somewhere on his person, tore off the cap, and glugged it down.


    Instantly.


    His eyes turned blood red, his aura surged, and his body swelled.


    He stomped on the ground, turning into a streak of black lightning; wherever he passed, the ground cracked open, and nearly no figure was visible.


    This speed...


    Shay was taken aback.


    Not even steroids had this effect; with such speed, he could no longer play as pleasurably as before.


    In that case,


    Shay''s hand cannon transformed into an assault rifle type, bullets flying out one after another.


    Boom, boom, boom!


    Bright lights of fire sparkled everywhere, and even though Wang Hu, with his incredible speed, dodged most of the attacks, when he emerged from the fire, his fur was scorched black... luckily, his fur was naturally black, otherwise, he would have looked multicolored by now.


    However, whether due to the potion or having been dazed from the strikes, Wang Hu gradually lost his rationality and charged forward furiously.


    Several rounds of shooting and bombing.


    Finally, Shay ended it with a knee strike, sending Wang Hu into the sky, the booming of a six-barreled rotary machine gun echoing.


    Pelted head to face, Wang Hu, looking ragged as a cloth bag, crashed down from midair.


    His vitality was surprisingly resilient, still clinging to his last breath.


    The blood-red in his eyes gradually faded as he struggled to glance at Shay.


    Only then did he notice, after the intense battle, Shay''s clothes remained almost intact, even his hairstyle wasn''t disheveled.


    Why would such a powerful fighter appear in a small Sanctuary like Green Shadow?


    He couldn''t figure it out.


    Who exactly was Shay?


    As he lay dying, Wang Hu voiced the doubts in his heart.


    The gunfire in the distance gradually ceased, the members of the Tiger Leopard Team, crippled by Shay, were no longer a match for the Patrol Team.


    Then, Shay leisurely lit a cigarette, hearing Wang Hu''s puzzled question, and slowly exhaled a ring of smoke.


    "Me? Just an ordinary follower under the lord."

 Chapter 124 - 124 Almost Time to Close the Net

    Another place.


    Intense fighting was also erupting there.


    Members of the Patrol Team mingled with those from the First Corps; firing a gun was difficult, so they could only occasionally take potshots, leading to intense melee combat between them.


    However, the First Corps members were obviously at a disadvantage.


    At the beginning, that terrifying man had killed many of their people, but for some reason, he had left after a short while.


    They had breathed a sigh of relief, for the remaining Awakeners in unified black Combat Uniforms were far from as strong as that man, especially since reinforcements from their First Corps would keep arriving.


    That was what they had thought before the battle began.


    A regular member of the First Corps, possessing Second-tier Awakening strength.


    He had picked an opponent who was only at the First Layer of Awakening, smiled ferociously, and raised his cleaver to strike down.


    Yet, the other person holding a Longsword did not dodge or avoid.


    Thinking to match strength with him?


    That''s just a joke!


    When the cleaver collided with the Longsword, it did not send the opponent''s weapon flying as he had imagined, nor was there the sound of metal clashing against metal.


    Instead, it was his weapon that was cut in two.


    Cut...


    That was the only thought he could muster in the end.


    Yang Wei led the members of the Flying Eagle Team as they rushed quickly towards the target location.


    Suddenly, his steps halted.


    His expression turned grave.


    His gaze fell upon a man dressed in black clothes and wearing a hat, not far away on a hillside.


    This man, with a faint aura, seemed on the verge of just Awakening.


    But Yang Wei didn''t dare to underestimate him; while on his way, he had been observing his surroundings, yet he clearly remembered that just a second ago, that hillside had been empty.


    At that moment his vigilance reached its peak.


    Other members of the Flying Eagle Team didn''t give it that much thought.


    Someone charged forward, ready to dismember the man who blocked their way.


    Suddenly, a bright sword light flashed.


    Two members of the Flying Eagle Team, still in their forward charging pose, were decapitated, their blood spraying.


    "Everyone be careful, use Plan C that we use against Super Demonized Beasts!" Yang Wei shouted.


    Several Awakeners in the back rows quickly took out sniper rifles, being proficient marksmen with Awakening and using Armor-breaking bullets designed to take down powerful Demonized Beasts.


    The bullets were fired, creating small holes on the hillside.


    But Kong''s figure had disappeared.


    "Over there!"


    "Err... Ah!"


    "No, no, it''s on the left!"


    "Behind you, behind you!"


    In a moment, the members of the Flying Eagle Team were in utter chaos.


    Indeed, this was the plan they used to deal with Super Demonized Beasts, but human combatants were ultimately different from Demonized Beasts!


    No matter how fast a Demonized Beast was, it wouldn''t use the environment to its advantage, nor use their team members as cover.


    The sniper gunmen had become completely useless.


    Members armed with melee weapons saw Kong''s figure every time, but in the blink of an eye, he disappeared again.


    Forget Plan C, even a Z++ plan was useless now!


    Yang Wei''s face was grim as he took a deep breath.


    Whirlwinds ensnared him, but strangely, his clothes did not show any signs of billowing.


    This was his Special Ability, Wind Control.


    In his pupils, Kong''s form flickered, and even with his eyes, it was hard to keep up with such speed.


    Suddenly.


    Kong''s sword pierced through a member of the Flying Eagle Team, pausing behind him.


    Yang Wei stretched out his hands, his face turning red.


    "Wind Pressure!"


    Violent winds surged, pressing down fiercely towards Kong.


    To ensure a hit, Yang Wei unleashed an indiscriminate attack.


    Members of the Flying Eagle Team within the radius, even if not at the center, were swept up by the violent wind, covered in wounds all over their bodies.


    The ground was peeled away layer by layer, and the trees turned to dust.


    Engulfed in dust and sand, for a moment, it seemed as if even heaven and earth had lost their color.


    Kong''s expression also became rather solemn.


    He took out another longsword from behind, held both swords crossed in front of him, and an invisible wall of qi rose up. The raging winds swirling around were, at that moment, blocked.


    The howling gales stripped the surrounding ground layer by layer, except where Kong stood.


    With the crossing of his swords, Kong thrust forward with his longsword.


    Whoosh~


    The surrounding fierce winds surged toward the blade of the longsword, forming a whirlwind that twined around the edge.


    Gathering.


    And then released by Kong.


    The whirlwind grew larger and larger, and in less than a breath''s time, it had formed into a tornado heading straight for Yang Wei.


    Yang Wei, having just unleashed his big move and being drained, had no power to resist and was swept up into the sky by the tornado.


    Along with the surrounding members of the Flying Eagle Team.


    Seeing this, Kong stepped on the qi waves, turning into a streak of lightning as he charged into the sky.


    A moment later,


    The area was filled with the dismembered members of the Flying Eagle Team.


    ...


    On the other side, Lin Wei rallied most of his forces and made a direct advance.


    With their speed, it would only take a moment to reach the gates of the holiday villa.


    This force was extremely strong, especially with opponents like Dark Owl, the Guard Captain, and the First Corps Commander involved. Even deploying followers to intercept them would be insufficient.


    Tang Yu couldn''t afford to lose followers, such a core power.


    However¡­


    On the territory map at the edge, more and more red dots appeared until, after a moment, all was still.


    Comparing them with the dots on the detection lens, Tang Yu realized that this time the enemy''s vast majority of forces had already stepped into his territory.


    The crystal ball floating in front of him switched images continuously, sweeping over the enemy troops.


    Suddenly, his eyes lit up.


    On the screen, an imposing middle-aged man appeared.


    "I didn''t expect Lin Wei to come as well; now, I can nearly close the net."


    Facing Lin Wei''s attack, Tang Yu never flinched. His concern was not being able to capture all in one fell swoop.


    The territory was indeed unafraid of Lin Wei''s onslaught, but the Patrol Team always needed to venture out in search of resources, and the marking time on the detection lens was limited. If Lin Wei''s forces still had enough strength, they could threaten the Patrol Team out on missions.


    Similarly, if the trump cards were revealed without achieving corresponding results, Lin Wei might switch from a frontal assault to harassment, rendering Tang Yu unable to guard effectively.


    Even possibly severely disrupting the development of the territory.


    That was what he didn''t want to see. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Originally, his plan was to wait until the enemy entered the territory before launching an attack, but the enemy''s command seemed very cautious, and Tang Yu was forced to change strategies¡­


    If there were few enemy troops, he would dispatch experts to whittle them down one by one. If there were many, he would reveal his trump card, and by then, even if he couldn''t annihilate the enemy completely, he could at least cripple them.


    Regardless, he wouldn''t be at a loss.


    But he didn''t expect Lin Wei to also be in this troop; that made things even better.


    ...


    Xu Yancheng stayed in the middle of the team, with the holiday villa already in sight from afar.


    As far as the eye could see, there were no survivors; it seemed they were all huddled inside the holiday villa.


    Suddenly, several splendid bursts of red light streaked across the sky like meteor showers, about to crash into their ranks.


    What was this? Another trump card of the Green Shadow Sanctuary?


    He pondered.


    The speed of the red flashes wasn''t particularly fast, but their formation was too dense. Even if all members dispersed, there would hardly be enough time to avoid them.


    "Leave it to me!"


    The deputy Commander of the First Corps emerged from the group.


    Wielding a long lance, he shot into the air like a cannonball.


    In midair, the lance swept across.


    "Ahhhh¡ª"


    Screams followed soon after.

 Chapter 125 - 125: A Turtle in a Jar

    Xu Yancheng was stunned.


    Half a second before, his Deputy Commander had been pledging his oath firmly, but half a second later¡­


    He looked over and saw only a fireman left in midair.


    Without time to ponder, those fireballs began to crash down one by one.


    Even the Deputy Commander of the Fifth Tier had failed to stop them and lost his life in the process, causing the others to panic, each of them fleeing far away.


    Some who ran too slowly were instantly reduced to flying ash.


    The orange-red flames blossomed, melting holes into the ground.


    The rolling heat waves hit them, and even those who had escaped far away could feel a scorching sensation on their skin.


    Watching this scene, their faces changed.


    Mind racing, one word involuntarily emerged in their minds¡ª


    That flame,


    was terrifying to such an extent.


    But their reactions were quick, and soon someone pointed in the distance, "Look over there!"


    They could vaguely make out three Cannons, their muzzles still gathering red light.


    "Take them down!"


    Xu Yancheng had just shouted out.


    Suddenly,


    Rumbling,


    The ground shook, and he looked around with some doubt, "Could it be a Demon Tide coming?"


    But suddenly his pupils dilated with a hint of panic in his eyes. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Around them, black towers rose gradually amidst the rumbling noise.


    Xu Yancheng was all too familiar with these towers!


    Looking at the dark muzzles at the tops of the towers, a chill ran down his spine.


    Just one Arrow Tower was threatening enough for him, and now, in all directions, there were Arrow Towers¡ªXu Yancheng couldn''t count them all.


    He broke out in a cold sweat.


    The Arrow Towers took several seconds to rise, time enough for them to have fled a great distance, but Xu Yancheng hadn''t anticipated that, attracted by the Cannons, the surrounding Arrow Towers would be fully formed in the blink of an eye.


    They were trapped like turtles in a jar.


    Among the team, other high-ranking officials, including Lin Wei, had not truly witnessed the power of the Arrow Towers, but Xu Yancheng had told them plenty.


    Now, seeing their true might, who couldn''t understand that this Green Shadow Sanctuary, which they never took seriously, had set an ambush for them long ago!


    They had not anticipated that such terrifying Arrow Towers could be erected in a matter of seconds.


    As thoughts flashed through his mind, Xu Yancheng decisively ran in the opposite direction.


    His speed soared to the limit, and in the span of a breath, he reached the side of one of the Arrow Towers forming a circle. Without pausing or considering attacking the Arrow Towers, he quickly ran outwards.


    As long as he could get out of the range of the Arrow Towers, he would be safe!


    So he thought, and so did the other powerhouses, all running towards the edge of the encirclement.


    At that moment, the Arrow Towers had just begun to prepare to shoot. Although there were dozens of Arrow Towers, they could not come close to matching the hundreds of Awakeners inside. Moreover, the Arrow Towers had a limited attack range. Perhaps those who were targeted first by the Arrow Towers might not survive, but on the whole, there was still hope of escape for each person.


    However, no one noticed that among the row of black towers, there was a white tower.


    Or perhaps they did notice, but did not have the leisure to consider it.


    This white tower, at eighteen meters tall, stood out as much more exquisite than the Arrow Towers, its milky-white exterior engraved with mysterious patterns.


    A deep blue Crystal, as tall as a person, floated silently at the top of the tower. But if someone got closer and sensed more carefully, they would discover that a huge amount of energy was hidden within the crystal.


    This was a Mage Tower.


    An Advanced defense structure.


    Apart from attacking like conventional defense structures, a Mage stationed inside, releasing abilities through the Mage Tower, would receive a substantial amplification.


    It was like a large Ability Amplification Device.


    At this moment, Eileen stood in the Core Control Room of the Mage Tower, in front of her on a platform, a basketball-sized Crystal Ball similarly floated still.


    Her hands touched the surface of the Crystal Ball, her eyes tightly closed, although she was inside a sealed room, she could sense the scenes of the outside world.


    Suddenly, Eileen''s sky-blue hair moved on its own without a breeze, the glow on the Crystal Ball growing brighter and brighter.


    ......


    Outside.


    Series of sharp whooshing sounds were heard, accompanied by noises resembling that of a balloon being punctured.


    However, those Awakeners were also incredibly fast, not turning back as they sprinted outward.


    Suddenly, snowflakes began to fall.


    Someone was stunned, although it was already past June, after the apocalypse, climate change had become more and more bizarre, the current temperature was even higher than the hottest periods of previous years.


    How could it possibly be snowing in this weather?!


    Those people were thinking instinctively, their pace not slowing in the least.


    But in an instant, heavy snow swirled about, the wild wind carrying snowflakes, abruptly transforming the area into an Ice Snow World.


    The howling wind was heard by their ears.


    All they could see was a burst of whiteness.


    The snow on the ground piled up higher and higher, hindering their progress, the surrounding temperature plummeted rapidly, some weaker Awakeners were gradually unable to endure.


    Many Awakeners had already discovered with horror that, with the obstruction of this blizzard, their speed was getting slower, and behind them, those deadly arrows continued to be shot incessantly from the Arrow Towers.


    Thud, thud, thud, Awakeners burst into blood mist, staining the white snow red.


    On the other side, as a super expert, Xu Yancheng was extremely fast, even facing the storm, his speed had not reduced by much.


    Beside him, two identical figures followed, these were his special abilities, the Mirror Image Avatars.


    With this ability, even if he faced great danger, he had the confidence to survive!


    However, at this moment, the cold sweat on his forehead only grew more and more.


    The surrounding Arrow Towers, it turned out, the majority were aiming at him! Numerous Avatars had already been shot to pieces!


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!


    Xu Yancheng''s three figures moved swiftly, almost creating afterimages, but the next moment, an arrow pierced through a Mirror Image.


    The Avatar did not have a body as strong as the original, with a pop, it dissipated into points of light.


    He hadn''t even had time to catch his breath when another barrage of arrows came flying.


    Xu Yancheng glanced back, his pupils dilated.


    Bang~


    The last Mirror Image also disappeared, for a long time, he wouldn''t be able to condense an Avatar again.


    Even his original body, due to one moment of failing to dodge in time, had an arrow pierce through his thigh, had it not been for his breakthrough that significantly enhanced his physical strength, that shot would have been fatal.


    Even now, he was seriously injured.


    Yet, Xu Yancheng let out a long sigh of relief.


    He had finally escaped the range of the Arrow Towers!


    "With my strength, even with serious injuries, I can survive in the wild. The most urgent task is to quickly get away from the Green Shadow Sanctuary, from here on out I''ll conceal my identity, living comfortably as a Mercenary..."


    Thinking so.


    Accompanied by a rumbling noise.


    Ahead, several black towers suddenly rose, blocking his retreat.


    Xu Yancheng froze, "Aren''t these kinds of Arrow Towers supposed to be set up in advance?"


    Even though the Arrow Towers had risen before, and they had been surrounded, he still believed that was a trap laid out in advance by the enemy, and that they were merely outmaneuvered, resulting in the current situation.


    But now, he had a feeling as if someone was looking down at them from the clouds, coldly overseeing them.


    With a wave of a hand, could summon Arrow Towers.


    And they, had always been toyed with in the palm of their opponent''s hand.

 Chapter 126 - 126: Just a Stand-In

    "Huff~ ah~"


    He Qingqing panted heavily, glancing back from time to time.


    The situation was better than expected, the team that had captured them seemed to have pulled most of their Awakeners away due to the battle, leaving only a few to watch over them.


    Those guards were clearly distracted, frequently looking towards the other side and murmuring among themselves.


    Some even walked to higher ground to look out.


    Seizing this opportunity, they had successfully escaped.


    However, the guards were powerful and much faster than them fugitives. Had they not scattered in their escape, they would have been caught up with already.


    But now, He Qingqing could see from afar that one of the fugitive survivors was struck down, and two Awakeners were charging towards their direction.


    Their speed was extremely fast, closing the distance with just a few leaps.


    In contrast, she herself was so tired that her limbs felt weak.


    He Qingqing looked at her father, who was also gasping heavily. If it weren''t for Uncle Tong pulling her father along, both of them wouldn''t have lasted till now.


    "Uncle Tong, you go ahead. If you can make it to the Green Shadow Sanctuary, and if it''s as strong as they say, I hope you can find a way to ask the Awakeners from Green Shadow to come to our rescue..."


    That was just a faint hope in her heart.


    Uncle Tong''s strength was nowhere near those pursuers'', not to mention the odds of reaching the Green Shadow Sanctuary or even its current state. And even if he made it there as an outsider, it would be very difficult to convince others to come to their aid.


    Even with good luck and the Green Shadow Sanctuary sent help, whether she and her father would still be alive by then was uncertain.


    Sweat soaked He Qingqing''s disheveled hair.


    She looked up, blinking in surprise.


    Not far ahead, two figures appeared.


    One was a sunny and handsome young man; the other was a person in blue and white armor complete with a helmet, making their face indiscernible.


    "Why are there people here?"


    "Could they be Awakeners from the Green Shadow Sanctuary?" sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Tang Yu strolled outside the resort, with Number One, the year''s best bodyguard, naturally following close behind.


    Now that things were almost settled, as the Lord, he naturally needed to show his face and assert his presence.


    Yes, that made sense.


    But seeing the chase unfolding ahead¡ªcatching up only to... cough, cough, cough.


    Tang Yu felt a sense of surprise.


    They''re that dedicated?


    The Qing Dynasty had fallen, yet these people hadn''t forgotten their boss''s assignments.


    With that thought, he shook his head. "Number One, everything''s taken care of, right?"


    In He Qingqing''s eyes, the one in full armor disappeared in an instant, followed by several muffled thuds.


    Turning her head, she saw the two Awakeners that had been pursuing them lying on the ground, their fate unknown.


    In a moment of daze,


    both the sunny and handsome young man, and the armored figure vanished without a trace.


    After the ordeal, while He Qingqing felt fortunate, for some reason, she also felt a tinge of melancholy.


    ...


    Outside the perimeter of the Arrow Tower, in a nearby small grove.


    Lin Wei''s Guard Captain, Fang Qiang, covered the stump of his severed arm. The pain from the amputation contorted his face, yet he did not utter a sound. His cold gaze fixed on the big man with the Great Sword before him.


    The Arrow Tower formation was too horrifying; the majority of Awakeners that Boss Lin brought this time had already perished within it.


    And he, leading the Guard Team members, desperately covered their retreat, finally getting Boss Lin out of the range of the Arrow Tower''s attacks.


    He had thought they were finally safe, but Fang Qiang had not expected that the Awakeners from Green Shadow had already been waiting here for them.


    "That makes sense. Even if Green Shadow couldn''t intercept all those fleeing, Boss Lin was here after all. As long as the enemy had the manpower, they would surely come intercept," he reasoned.


    He let out a bitter laugh as he looked towards the few Awakeners from Green Shadow in front of him.


    The number was not large, even less than the remnants of their Guard Team after escaping the range of the Arrow Tower. But the big man holding the Great Sword in front of him was too powerful.


    He himself had also broken through that bottleneck, possessing the strength of a Sixth Layer Awakener, a super expert who, even within Lindong Sanctuary, counted only a few as his equals.


    Yet, he was defeated by the big man before him in just a few moves, even losing an arm in the process.


    From the dialogue of the others, Fang Qiang understood that this towering big man was the Patrol Team Captain from Green Shadow Sanctuary, one of the top three in power there¡ªa Sanctuary that was only a small one at that! In the entire region of Lin City, no one knew how many similar small Sanctuaries there were!


    Why would such a strong person submit to such a small place?


    Fang Qiang''s gaze drifted across his surroundings.


    Several Awakeners from Green Shadow had already surrounded them, and on their side, only he himself and Boss Lin Wei remained.


    He understood that today it would be very difficult for him to leave alive; nevertheless, even in death, Fang Qiang wanted to hold off the enemy, to create an opportunity for Boss Lin to escape.


    Just to repay Boss Lin who had given him a glimmer of hope during the darkest moment of his life a few years ago.


    Fang Qiang took a deep breath, and suddenly, he saw two figures approaching from a distance.


    A young man and another person shrouded in armor.


    From these two, he could not perceive any Awakener''s presence ¨C it was as if they were just ordinary people. But Fang Qiang''s heart sank even more.


    Luo Zhe was staring intently at Fang Qiang.


    Upon seeing Tang Yu, Lu Xiaopeng rushed over, "Sanctuary Director, that''s the guy who''s been provoking our Sanctuary time and again, right? Hehehe, now they can''t run anymore."


    Tang Yu stepped forward.


    His gaze shifted over the two of them, the Guard Team Captain covering his arm, staring coldly at him, and Lin Wei, who was expressionless, seemingly not frightened despite the desperate situation.


    However, Tang Yu paused slightly, his gaze settling on Lin Wei, "This isn''t Lin Wei; it''s just a decoy."


    "What? A decoy! How is that possible!" Lu Xiaopeng couldn''t help but move closer to take a look, trying to discern something.


    Guard Team Captain Fang Qiang did not believe it either, but still couldn''t help but turn his head to look.


    Then he saw the decoy "Lin Wei," who seemed to have completed his task, with a smile on his face, his complexion a pale gray, his body falling backward.


    He had taken poison to commit suicide!


    Seeing this scene, Fang Qiang felt even more despair in his heart.


    Tang Yu shook his head.


    Poor kid, although he was loyal and dedicated, he was still used as a pawn.


    As for Lin Wei¡­


    He had been watching very closely but still hadn''t noticed when the switch had taken place¡­ after all, he needed to control the Arrow Tower attacks and couldn''t keep his eyes on Lin Wei at all times. The markers on the territory map and the detection lens only identified enemies but couldn''t distinguish between individuals.


    Perhaps it was at some moment, Lin Wei had completed the switch between the real and the fake, and he himself, changing into a disguise, mixed in with the ordinary Awakeners to escape.


    By now, there was no doubt, Lin Wei must have already escaped a great distance.


    Lu Xiaopeng showed a disappointed expression.


    Even Luo Zhe felt a bit regretful.


    But... Tang Yu smiled and pulled out the used detection lens.


    The labels on it, the majority of the marked points, had disappeared, leaving only a few. A small part was far from here, probably around Maple Leaf Town.


    He disregarded those and focused on the two points that were moving rapidly.

 Chapter 127 - 127: The Curtain Falls

    In a desolate wilderness, a specific location stood out.


    The surroundings were filled with dilapidated buildings, covered in moss, as if they had survived the wear and tear of ages.


    Two figures were sprinting at an extremely fast pace such that even if an Awakener encountered them, they would only feel a gust of wind and see nothing more.


    The speed was astonishing.


    A dignified middle-aged man led the way, with a figure that seemed like a shadow closely following behind him.


    Lin Wei was an Awakener.


    In the eyes of others in Lindong, Lin Wei''s talent was not particularly high. Although he had risen to the Fourth Layer of Awakening with the help of his subordinates, he still couldn''t match the top Awakeners of Lindong.


    Including the intelligence Tang Yu had gathered from various sources, the perception was the same.


    However, these people didn''t know that Lin Wei''s strength was much more than it seemed; that Fourth Layer was just the level he displayed when he concealed his aura.


    His true strength had already broken through to the Sixth Layer of Awakening a long time ago, much before Fang Qiang or Xu Yancheng had.


    This was Lin Wei''s deepest secret.


    It was also because of this that he was able to successfully escape the range of the Arrow Tower''s attack after disguising himself as a regular Awakener.


    "Damn it! I didn''t expect Green Shadow Sanctuary to be so deeply concealed. This definitely isn''t a small shelter. There might be some organizations backing it, and it''s not something Lu Jianjun or Elder Lu could handle with their expertise."


    "And those Arrow Towers," Lin Wei''s expression fluctuated, "A Special Ability shouldn''t be this miraculous. Even if there really were abilities that powerful, they should inherently be much stronger than them and wouldn''t need to rely on Arrow Towers to block them..."


    Green Shadow Sanctuary definitely had secrets!


    Following that, Dark Owl spoke up, his voice raspy, "Boss, what should we do now? Considering the strength shown by Green Shadow Sanctuary, even if we call in the rest of our people, I''m afraid we might not be a match."


    "First, let''s head to the pharmaceutical plant and see when Dr. Zheng''s research can be completed, then we''ll plan further..."


    Lin Wei said in a deep voice, his gaze suddenly sharpening.


    As they raced down the street ahead, a man wearing a straw hat stood in the middle of the road.


    And his aura had already faintly locked onto both of them.


    ...


    Whoosh~


    The sound of the wind whistled by their ears, Tang Yu and Eileen sprinted between buildings.


    He was pursuing Lin Wei''s escape route.


    Knowing Lin Wei and Dark Owl''s strength, Tang Yu was vigilant. Everyone, except Winnie who stayed in the Territory to treat the injured, was mobilized.


    Kong, Shay, Luo Zhe among others, were faster and had already gone ahead, leaving just the two of them...or more precisely, leaving Eileen to follow and protect him.


    After all, they had strayed beyond the operating range of number one and number two.


    Tang Yu took out a reconnaissance lens and glanced through it. The two rapidly moving dots had already stopped, "They''ve been intercepted by Kong, Luo Zhe and Shay should also be arriving soon."


    Thinking this, he didn''t stop moving. He stepped on the edge of the rooftop, leaped high, and quickly landed on the rooftop of another building.


    A Demonized Beast, disturbed, roared and pounced toward him.


    This Demonized Beast was hideously ugly, beyond description in human language, but facing its strike, Tang Yu didn''t flinch or dodge, and swung out his fist.


    Bang!


    His fist vibrated through the air, hitting the Demonized Beast.


    In an instant, the surface of the Demonized Beast was dented and deformed. Then, with a loud bang, its entire body burst open.


    Blood sprayed, making Tang Yu hurriedly avoid it.


    "Didn''t expect I''d be this strong. The body of an Awakener at the Fifth Tier really is different."


    Still, looking at the blood smeared on his fist, he slightly shook his hand in distaste.


    He had truly hoped to become an elegant Mage.


    This was just a minor episode; they hadn''t encountered any tricky Demonized Beasts along the way.


    Boom boom boom¡ª


    A loud noise came from afar.


    A five-story building collapsed thunderously.


    Tang Yu didn''t continue forward, instead, he found a relatively hidden spot and observed secretly.


    The two sides had already engaged in a fierce battle.


    Kong wielded a slender sword, moving so fast that only afterimages could be seen.


    The light of the sword flashed past, slicing through the air. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Standing on the street, Dark Owl was instantly cut into over a dozen pieces.


    Strangely, no blood flowed from Dark Owl, who was cut into several pieces, instead, his body turned into black smoke and re-formed in the distance.


    It was his Special Ability, quite bizarre.


    It seemed almost like an Undying Body, however, Tang Yu observed closely and noticed that his opponent''s complexion had turned much paler, "There must be a limit to this ability. A few dozen more slashes should do it."


    Not far from the battlefield, Shay occasionally took cold shots, leaving Dark Owl powerless to retaliate, being continuously tormented.


    Tang Yu looked to the other side, where the battle between Luo Zhe and Lin Wei was even more intense.


    The building that had just collapsed seemed to have been destroyed by the two of them.


    Lin Wei wore a pair of specially made gauntlets, and Luo Zhe swung his sword.


    He blocked it with one hand, his body sank, the ground cracked, but Lin Wei''s expression remained unflustered as he swung another punch, blasting the air.


    Boom!


    Bang!


    Clang!


    Luo Zhe''s sword fell, cracking open the ground.


    Lin Wei swung a punch, which Luo Zhe dodged, hitting a building wall.


    With a bang, the wall, along with the building behind it, was penetrated layer by layer, sending up a straight line of white dust.


    Tang Yu was shocked.


    Lin Wei''s aura was of the Sixth Layer, but the strength he displayed was far beyond that.


    Though Luo Zhe still had the upper hand for now, he couldn''t settle Lin Wei quickly. This strength was indeed much stronger than that of Dark Owl on the other battlefield.


    Especially, the punch Lin Wei had just thrown surpassed the power expected of a normal attack. It seemed more like a skill, capable of multiplying its impact.


    Tang Yu noticed that Lin Wei had assumed a posture when throwing that punch, and throughout the fight, Lin Wei''s advances and retreats had a systematic method.


    He seemed like a Martial Arts master.


    "Moreover, Lin Wei can actually conceal his aura. Except for Luo Zhe and his followers, I haven''t seen any Awakener who can hide their own aura."


    Concealing one''s aura firstly requires control over one''s own energy.


    Luo Zhe and his group could do this because their world had a systematic heritage that allowed them to grasp their own power far better than other Awakeners.


    What was Lin Wei relying on then?


    Tang Yu had some guesses.


    Soon, on the other side, Dark Owl was the first to fall. After his Source Power was exhausted, he was cut into a dozen pieces, blood sprayed out, and this time he didn''t recover. It was clear he was dead beyond doubt.


    During this time, Lin Wei tried to escape multiple times, but was consistently entangled by Luo Zhe.


    Until he was surrounded by three people and killed on the spot.


    Lin Wei''s eyes widened, seemingly unable to understand why Green Shadow Sanctuary could find him so accurately.


    (PS: In order not to split the chapter, the author spits blood for two more chapters ah ah ah ah ah~~~)

 Chapter 128 - 128: Lu Jianjuns Surprise

    Maple Leaf Town, temporary command post.


    Lu Jianjun frowned.


    The recent situation had been getting worse and worse. Data analysis showed that the average strength of the demonized beasts emerging from the abyssal rift was gradually increasing.


    Especially since the recent use of special means to briefly communicate with other large sanctuaries, Lu Jianjun discovered that even though there had not been another large-scale emergence of abyssal rifts, new abyssal rifts were being born every so often.


    Just like the one that had appeared in Maple Leaf Town.


    Moreover, each abyssal rift continuously spewed forth demonized beasts, while on the human side, a good method of containment had yet to be found.


    In areas like Lindong, the situation was still relatively optimistic, with countless awakeners going out every day to hunt demonized beasts. For these awakeners, hunting demonized beasts was their way of earning source crystals and making a living.


    But for Lu Jianjun, his focus was on the entire region of Lin City. In his view, source crystals were only secondary; what mattered more was whether they could reduce the density of demonized beasts in the entire region and decrease the frequency of demon tide outbreaks.


    "Perhaps we could consider increasing the point rewards for hunting demonized beasts to motivate awakeners to venture out for hunts. We also need to think of ways to expand the awakening hunters'' range. Simply hunting around Lindong is not very effective in clearing the demonized beasts of the entire area. On the contrary, due to the scarcity of demonized beasts nearby, several significant battles have erupted over ''prey''."


    Lu Jianjun pondered, continuously flipping through the documents on the desk, "The primary reason the awakeners'' range of activity in the wilderness is so limited is because the nights are too dangerous; they generally dare not spend the night in the wild."


    "If that''s the case, we could establish transfer stations to extend the range of activity for awakeners. The defenses in the Maple Leaf Town area are already in place and can serve as a pilot region. This way, the range for Lindong awakeners can be extended southwards to a certain extent, alleviating the pressure on the many small sanctuaries on that side..."


    He continued to think.


    Thud, thud, thud.


    The sound of knocking came.


    After receiving Lu Jianjun''s permission, a young intelligence officer came in, "Commander, regarding the Lin Wei matter, we have obtained the latest movements from the other side."


    "Speak."


    The intelligence officer organized his speech, "Based on our investigations and some intelligence from our informants, it seems that Lin Wei''s target this time is related to a certain sanctuary, seemingly to acquire certain items."


    "However, we can only narrow the range down to the sanctuaries in the south for now; we are unable to pinpoint which one specifically."


    After reporting the situation, the intelligence officer left.


    Lu Jianjun fell into deep thought.


    He knew that Lin Wei had been up to some minor activities privately; there had been prior incidents of capturing survivors. This time, could it be that the other side was planning to lay hands on the people of an entire sanctuary?


    Lu Jianjun felt that Lin Wei wouldn''t be so overt about it.


    In the wild, survivors disappeared and died every day. If Lin Wei wanted to capture survivors, all he needed to do was to act stealthily in the wilderness; it would be very difficult to notice.


    But a sanctuary was different. Even a small sanctuary represented the perpetuation of human civilization.


    Lu Jianjun also knew that these sanctuaries were informal and lacked restraint.


    Some sanctuaries exploited survivors, while others experienced conflicts that resulted in the destruction of one side by the other.


    Such incidents happened frequently in this land.


    There was nothing he could do about it, but despite their numerous flaws, the existence of these sanctuaries was still more beneficial than detrimental.


    But Lin Wei was also a high-level official of Lindong Sanctuary, even though he was not an official before the apocalypse but had become one because of the special circumstances after the apocalypse.


    However, since Lin Wei already represented Lindong officials, thinking of making a move on other sanctuaries was even more of a red line for him.


    Lu Jianjun believed Lin Wei must understand this point, which only deepened his confusion.


    What kind of reason could have compelled Lin Wei to do such a thing?


    "The south side has already sent people over, just, I don''t know if they can find the other party before Lin Wei makes a move," he said with a frown.


    At that moment, there was another knock at the door.


    The person who entered was still the young intelligence officer from before.


    Lu Jianjun''s eyes lit up, "Is there some important news?"


    "Yes, Commander, we''ve received crucial information, it''s just..." The intelligence officer nodded, his expression somewhat strange, "Lin Wei was indeed planning to hit a Sanctuary, that Sanctuary is located sixty kilometers to our south, known as Green Shadow Sanctuary."


    "Oh, so the Special Warfare Group''s experts should have gotten there by now."


    "No, the experts from the Special Warfare Group haven''t reached there yet. No, that''s not right, before the experts from the Special Warfare Group could get there, those people Lin Wei took with him... almost all of them have fallen, and we''ve even found Lin Wei''s mangled body in the field."


    The disbelief was clear in the intelligence officer''s eyes; he seemed worried the Commander wouldn''t believe such far-fetched information and added, "The source of the news is very reliable, and the Commander of the Special Warfare Group is already aware of this."


    Lu Jianjun: "¡­"


    Silence fell in the command center.


    What could he say? What should he say!


    Because the forces Lin Wei had taken were so powerful, he was worried something bad would happen. He had racked his brains for a solution.


    Now, the intelligence officer was telling him that Lin Wei was finished? S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a long silence, Lu Jianjun cleared his throat, determination flashing in his eyes.


    No matter what the reason, they couldn''t miss this opportunity!


    He quickly summoned his senior officers, "Keep a close eye on the people from Lin Wei''s Second and Third Corps. These two Corps aren''t Lin Wei''s direct lineage and aren''t that loyal. Those we can recruit, recruit, those we can''t... "


    Lu Jianjun, not a man of outdated principles, issued his orders decisively.


    "Additionally, those personnel Lin Wei has planted in various departments must also be removed as quickly as possible... And, someone needs to visit Lin Wei''s residence as well."


    ...


    Lindong Sanctuary, Lanxi Villa


    This was the residential area for Lindong''s high-ranking officials, a corner of the whole housing complex, where the nearby villas all belonged to Lin Wei and a few of his important subordinates.


    A luxurious villa near the creek was Lin Wei''s residence in Lindong.


    Several Awakeners with sharp gazes held guns and patrolled the area.


    The sky gradually darkened, street lamps emitting a warm orange glow lit up, and the surroundings were very quiet. Apart from the sound of the patrolling Awakeners'' footsteps on the road, nothing else could be heard.


    In an unseen spot.


    The shadow of a street lamp suddenly stretched, crossing over the wall of the villa.


    From within the shadow of the street lamp, an ordinary-looking young man stepped out.


    Grey Blade looked at the Awakeners outside, still oblivious, waved his hand, and the shadow of the street lamp retracted.


    He then observed the villa''s layout and found a crevice, using the same method to slip inside the villa.

 Chapter 129 - 129: Who Has Been Here?

    Grey Blade moved through the villa.


    All around was deathly still, pitch black, as if his entire figure merged into the darkness.


    He made not a single sound.


    Grey Blade''s eyes swept over every corner of the villa.


    Suddenly, he looked in a certain direction, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile.


    It was an ordinary wall, seemingly no different, but when he knocked on it, it felt solid.


    Yet, Grey Blade did not walk away; instead, he continuously caressed the wall, from top to bottom, from left to right, until he pressed hard on a certain spot.


    Clearly seamless, that small section of the wall collapsed inward like a separate brick.


    The next moment, accompanied by a faint clicking noise,


    the unremarkable wall in front of Grey Blade slowly opened, revealing a deep metallic passageway within.


    Clearly, this villa had been modified by Lin Wei. After the apocalypse, being able to undertake such a massive project without drawing attention could only be the work of someone with corresponding special abilities.


    At that moment, in the underground chamber, a bald man suddenly opened his eyes, "It''s not the boss, but a little rat has slipped in. What are those patrollers even doing? Lucky the boss left a trick up his sleeve and had me stay here."


    He got up, ready to deal with that little rat.


    But abruptly, a voice came from behind him, causing the bald man to freeze on the spot.


    "Oh, is it just you here? That means, whatever happens, no one will find out, right?"


    The voice wasn''t loud, yet it rang next to his ear.


    The bald man''s body suddenly expanded, veins bulging all over, as the aura of a Fifth Tier Peak Awakener instantly exploded around him like a violent wind.


    He turned and, without a glance, swung a punch in the direction of the voice.


    The punch was incredibly powerful, utilizing special techniques to maximize force. Even a small sedan would be flattened by such a strike!


    Not to mention the fragile human body!


    However, the punch missed.


    The bald man was shocked, "I clearly heard the sound right beside me, how can there be no one!"


    He stayed alert, his eyes quickly scanning the surroundings, but he didn''t spot any enemy.


    But then,


    The bald man''s eyes widened in horror as he realized that, out of nowhere, an ordinary-looking man had appeared behind him, a sharp dagger already plunging through his heart.


    He died.


    ¡­


    Outside, a group of black-clad Awakeners moved quickly, surrounding several villas by the creek.


    Leading this group was the Captain of the Guard Team, Zhou Zhenglei.


    To prevent Lin Wei''s contingency plans, Lu Jianjun had sent Zhou Zhenglei, a formidable master, this time.


    At the front of the villa, the patrolling Awakeners panicked at this sight.


    "Who are you!"


    "This is Committee Lin''s villa, what are you trying to do!"


    "Are you trying to cause trouble in the Lindong Sanctuary, especially here at Linxi Villa? Do you not value your lives!"


    The Awakeners were shouting, but they were quickly subdued by the Military Awakeners in a few moves.


    "Team one, secure the perimeter, teams two and three search those villas, make sure no one escapes. The rest of you, follow me."


    After speaking, Zhou Zhenglei took the lead heading towards Lin Wei''s villa.


    The main gate was already locked, but he didn''t hesitate and punched out, easily shattering the gate.


    His men dispersed, searching every nook and cranny of the villa inside and out.


    "Report to the Captain, the second floor has no valuable items."


    "Report to the Captain, nothing in the hall either."


    "Nothing in the kitchen..."


    "Nothing in the study..."


    "Report to the Captain, there''s a significant discovery here."


    Zhou Zhenglei followed them to an ordinary wall. After knocking, he frowned, "Is there really a secret passage here?"


    "According to our speculation, the highest possibility is that the secret passage is behind this wall," a team member beside him answered.


    "Alright, everyone step back."


    Zhou Zhenglei said, swinging a punch.


    The punch roared like thunder!


    Boom!


    The wall burst open with a crack, but contrary to Zhou Zhenglei''s expectation, it did not reveal a secret passage behind it, but instead, a much thicker metal wall.


    This seemed to be some kind of extremely strong special metal; even when he had used half his strength in that punch, it left no mark at all.


    Zhou Zhenglei''s expression turned serious.


    He took a deep breath, and thunder wrapped around his right hand.


    Crackle and fizz, the purple-blue lightning gathered into a ball, emitting a piercing, grating noise.


    He thrust his right hand forward, pressing forcefully against the metal wall.


    Boom!


    A terrifying explosion followed, and the robust metal gate was completely blown apart, with pieces of metal flying everywhere, embedding themselves into surrounding objects like knives.


    Luckily, the other members were capable Awakeners who had moved back earlier, so they were spared from injury.


    After the metal wall was blasted open, a passageway was revealed.


    Zhou Zhenglei''s face broke into a smile, "It seems that the guy surnamed Lin has hidden all the good stuff inside."


    "Let''s go."


    The passage was not long, and they quickly arrived in front of an underground chamber.


    Zhou Zhenglei suddenly stopped.


    The team members behind him did the same, staring ahead with their mouths open in surprise.


    Inside the chamber, a bald man lay on the ground, with blood trickling out from under him.


    His gaze was fixed on the end of the chamber, where there was another metal gate. However, it had been sliced open; from this angle, the inside looked ransacked.


    No, it had been ransacked.


    Someone had gotten there first?!


    Impossible!!


    \\ S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    \\


    Green Shadow Sanctuary, after an explosion of shells, nothing else happened, and the survivors went about their business.


    It was as if they had just set off some invisible fireworks.


    After witnessing Lin Wei''s death, Tang Yu returned to the castle, leaving the rest to be handled by others.


    The battle had gone smoothly, although he was not quite satisfied... After all, those dozens of Arrow Towers, heaven knows how many Source Crystals they had cost him, even now, as Rich Lord Tang Yu, it was still heartbreakingly painful.


    Thrift is a virtue, and he was deeply immersed in it.


    This time, the Patrol Team members were all mobilized, even Chen Haiping, who usually seldom engaged with the Patrol Team, had joined the fight.


    Such intense combat was bound to lead to casualties.


    Two of the Awakeners were unlucky and died on the spot during the battle; among the remaining patrol team members, many suffered severe injuries, the kind that even pre-apocalypse major hospitals might have struggled to treat.


    Not to mention in the apocalypse, where medical equipment was scarce.


    Fortunately, Winnie had earlier summoned a skilled Healer from the Clergy, who pulled these people back from the brink of death.


    Now, these injured Awakeners were essentially not in danger, except for still feeling a bit weak and needing some time to recuperate; there was little else to worry about.


    For the two fallen Awakeners, Tang Yu had only seen them a few times and could hardly recall their names. It would be hypocritical to express sorrow, but they had after all contributed to the Sanctuary, and both in sentiment and reason, he needed to do something.


    Compensation had been awarded to their relatives in the Sanctuary, or to those who were particularly close to them.


    After some time, he also planned to build a memorial within the Sanctuary...


    In the future, whether he liked it or not, sacrifices were unavoidable.


    In this era, it was inevitable.


    The departed had passed, but something had to remain, a tribute to the traces they had once left.

 Chapter 130 - 130: White Light? Are You Kidding Me?

    The next day.


    Tang Yu slept in for a change.


    Even though he always felt he was at an advantage¡ªand indeed he was¡ªLin Wei''s presence had loomed over him like a... small mountain, somewhat suffocating him.


    Now that he had dealt with Lin Wei and wasn''t lacking in Source Crystals, his territory could finally enter a phase of rapid development. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s a pity, I still have no clue about the materials needed to upgrade to a level four castle. Although the hundred thousand units of Source Crystals are a trivial matter, with several hundred thousand units already stored in the warehouse, what exactly is this Sky-splitting Crystal?"


    Unlike Floating Chariots and Cloud Roar Crossbows that require many materials, upgrading to a level four castle only needed one standard unit of Sky-splitting Crystal.


    Though he temporarily lacked the materials for Floating Chariots, he still had some leads. Grey Blade, from Lindong, also sent word that they had found traces of some of the materials, and he believed that these were not hard to gather.


    However, the Sky-splitting Crystal, the description only contained one sentence: a special crystal containing the rules of space, and then nothing more.


    No place of origin, no appearance, not even the slightest clue.


    Heaven knows where he was supposed to find it!


    "Since the territory can''t progress to level four, let''s make use of the abundant Source Crystals and see what useful functional buildings haven''t been constructed yet; let''s get them set up first."


    Tang Yu flipped out of bed, refreshed, and after a quick wash, he stepped out of his room.


    He first visited the market to check the newly listed products for the day.


    Unlike the tavern, the market''s daily free refreshes were not something he hoarded¡ªthe adventurers that appeared freely at the tavern were usually D-grade talent, utterly useless. The market was different; although it was hard to find urgently needed goods, he could still purchase some useful gadgets.


    After splurging some Consuming Crystals, he left the market and hesitated while passing the tavern.


    He felt a strange power drawing him in.


    It was like playing those money-draining games where, whenever he had diamonds, he couldn''t resist the urge to pull once, twice, or even a ten-pull gacha until he had no money left.


    This blazing gacha spirit sometimes overwhelmed everything else, especially since he was currently walking past the tavern.


    He found himself unable to move forward.


    "Although upgrading the castle to level four seems a long way off, and the tavern can''t be upgraded to level four either, there are still three Follower Contract slots available; summoning one more follower shouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    After all, summoning was a one-way ticket; there''s no dismissal in reality. He kept the contract slots open just in case he came across items like the possibly high-probability Summoning Scrolls.


    The last time he used a Summoning Scroll resulted in an A-grade talent, Grey Blade... even if it was just the luck of the draw, the result was good, and Tang Yu thought if someday he encountered a scroll capable of summoning beyond A-grade talent right when his contract slots were full, it would be utterly frustrating.


    "Using up one contract slot now shouldn''t be an issue, after all, there are still two left. No way will my territory remain at level three forever."


    He entered the tavern, resolved, consumed Source Crystals, and after merging twenty summoning opportunities, he chose to summon.


    A mysterious, magnificent Summoning Array rapidly unfolded, covering the entire ground.


    On the pattern of the array, whoosh, a white light appeared.


    Tang Yu was about to see what profession he had summoned when he suddenly paused.


    White... white light?


    He rubbed his eyes and looked again, still white light!


    With a stiff neck, Tang Yu recalled the explanation for the merging summon.


    [Merging twenty summoning opportunities greatly increases the chances of summoning a B-grade talent adventurer...]


    Indeed, the system had never claimed it was a certainty, but he had summoned only four times in total and had already missed the high probability once.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me?!"


    "Sigh, let it be, let it be. I guess it''s like my hands weren''t clean after I went to the bathroom today."


    Tang Yu was extremely disappointed, but since he had spent ten thousand Source Crystals to summon it, even if he didn''t sign a contract, he at least wanted to see who had swallowed his money.


    He looked over.


    The apparition on the Summoning Array was an old man with white hair and a very long beard that reached his knees.


    This was an old man, which was a pity since grandpas weren''t in fashion anymore.


    Thinking this, Tang Yu opened the adventurer''s profile.


    As expected, his aptitude was D, and his strength wasn''t strong either, only having third layer Awakening. Comparing that with his age, Tang Yu felt that even a D-level aptitude might have been generous.


    Suddenly, Tang Yu was taken aback. Under the adventurer''s profile, besides the Warrior profession, there was an additional line.


    Sub-profession: Equipment Manufacturer (Master level), Rune Master (Advanced).


    It seemed to be just a sub-profession, which Tang Yu could understand, but he wasn''t sure what to think of these two professions yet.


    With the thought of "when in doubt, ask the system," he casually asked, and indeed got an answer.


    "An Equipment Manufacturer has the ability to design, create, and improve equipment, where the master-level rating indicates extremely high achievement in this field."


    "A Rune Master needs to master a certain number of runes and have the ability to draw runes. An advanced rune master already has a profound understanding of runes."


    Tang Yu thought this was completely off, but now it seemed it wasn''t.


    It should be considered a jackpot, actually.


    Regarding equipment manufacturing, he owned a workshop, so this might not be very useful. However, a master level in equipment manufacturing, especially in designing and improving equipment combined with the advanced rune master sub-profession, might be capable of designing a high-quality rune equipment on his own.


    So, he decided to sign the contract!


    "Ding Dong! Adventurer Kevin Sandrich de Patricia Traviskin, aptitude D, profession: Warrior, sub-profession: Equipment Manufacturer (Master level) Rune Master (Advanced)... Lord, do you confirm to sign a Follower Contract (Primary) with him?"


    Tang Yu: "..."


    ...


    The moment he pressed on the contract, Kevin felt a whirl of space and time.


    He was a Master Equipment Manufacturer and enjoyed quite a high reputation in the Royal Capital. Unlike the previous followers, Kevin hadn''t had any bad experiences, but when that ethereal voice echoed in his mind, he had an intuition that if he wanted to glimpse the Grandmaster realm he had been dreaming of, he should accept.


    He embarks on a spontaneous interworld journey.


    In the blink of an eye, according to the contract, this was already another world.


    All of this was astonishing to Kevin; he could tell that this was definitely not where he had been before.


    This was clearly the power of space, but even with his knowledge, he couldn''t imagine what kind of space power could transport a person instantly from one world to another.


    After a slight pause, Kevin looked towards the young man in front of him. The contact through the contract made him recognize Tang Yu''s identity as the Lord. He stepped forward a few steps, "Kevin Sandrich de... de, is at your service, Lord."


    While saying this, he faltered slightly, quickly resorted to noble etiquette, and was about to bow.


    However, as he slightly bent forward, his already long beard touched the ground.


    He immediately became flustered and tossed his head around.


    Tang Yu: "..."

 Chapter 131 - 131: How Could There Be Such Books

    After a simple conversation,


    Kevin gained some understanding of the current situation in the Territory and learned from Tang Yu about the monthly compensation for followers, their privileges in the territory, and so on.


    Of course, he never cared much for these things.


    Then, he heard the Lord ask, "If you were to design a shield, what materials would you need, and how long would it take?"


    "If it''s Dual Rune equipment, as long as there are no special rune or advanced rune requests, I could generally design it in two to three days," Kevin said confidently about equipment design. He stroked his beard that was long enough to be used as a scarf, "If it involves three runes or more, it''s hard to determine the time. Sometimes it depends on luck, and if I have similar blueprint references, it could significantly reduce the time."


    "This is mainly because when inscribing three or more runes on equipment, the uncertainty multiplies, and even with the deduction, many outcomes are possible that need to be tested out," he explained.


    Tang Yu nodded; he understood this basic knowledge.


    However, still, with the title of Equipment Manufacturing Master, Kevin possessed quite an extensive knowledge reserve.


    As deserved by someone titled as a Master.


    Dual Rune equipment blueprints, as was the case with the Swift Revolver, and Kevin could design them in just two to three days. He was very satisfied with this speed.


    Especially now the Sanctuary lacked certain types of equipment.


    The members of the Patrol Team were all swift dodgers simply because they lacked rune shields capable of withstanding attacks from Demonized Beasts, with no heavy shields, many tactics couldn''t be deployed.


    "A shield with two runes should be sufficient. Does the Master need anything else?"


    "I need a workshop to design and make the equipment, materials, and I''ll need to make the common tools first. Oh, right, I might also need two assistants. Also, regarding the design of the shield, what specific requirements do you have in terms of shape, size, and rune specifications?" Kevin confidently listed his necessities.


    Tang Yu nodded, "We can set up a workshop later, place it in the passageway between the east and west villa areas. As for materials, you can go to Chen Haiping later to get them from the warehouse. Oh right, since you don''t know many people in the Sanctuary, I''ll find you a guide later..."


    "As for the assistants, once the workshop is set up, you can recruit them yourself, all expenses will be covered. As for the specific requirements for the shield, you can discuss that with Luo Zhe."


    Tang Yu thought for a moment and quickly delegated these tasks perfectly.


    Lastly, he asked another question. "Does the Master have any special needs?" After all, considering his old age, he felt it was important to provide extra care.


    He saw Old Man Kevin slightly embarrassed, "I wonder if the Lord has any books here about rune studies and equipment manufacturing. To be honest, I became an Equipment Manufacturing Master ten years ago, but these past ten years, I''ve been unable to progress. I''ve been searching for relevant books ever since, hoping to improve."


    "If you have such books here, that would be perfect."


    Tang Yu then understood.


    No wonder Kevin, unlike other followers who were mostly injured, didn''t show any such signs.


    But really, did the Territory have books that could help Kevin advance?


    Tang Yu thought for a while. Highly advanced books might not be available, but perhaps some basic ones could still be helpful.


    And also modern technology could offer some insights, perhaps providing a different perspective.


    "Come with me, let''s visit the library first."


    ...


    Near the training camp, a grand building had recently been constructed.


    Sanctuary First Library.


    It housed some books from before the apocalypse and other more precious ones that couldn''t be stored electronically and had to be kept in their original form.


    The library doors were wide open, and it was very quiet inside.


    Eileen sat by the window, engrossed in a book on Source Power basics.


    The sunlight bathed her, turning the scene into a picturesque painting.


    Among the many followers, Grey Blade was managing the intelligence department in Lindong, Luo Zhe, Kong, and Shay each led a team in the Patrol Team, while Winnie was also recently working on establishing a medical department.


    The Lord had once asked her if she wanted to lead some Patrol Team members, but she had declined.


    The Patrol Team had no shortage of members without her; instead, she preferred living a quiet life, reading books every day and enhancing her skills, content to help the Lord whenever needed.


    Hearing footsteps, Eileen looked up and saw Tang Yu and a white-bearded old man walking in.


    "Lord," she smiled understandingly, setting down her book and walking forward.


    After Tang Yu briefly introduced them, he said to Kevin, "Basically, all books of the Territory are here. I won''t say they''re profoundly in-depth, but there''s a variety of types available."


    Leading Kevin, the three headed to the second floor, "Here are some books related to Rune Studies, you can start with these."


    Besides the basic Rune Studies book, this floor also contained a lot of knowledge on runes, most of which came from Dean Sun of Lindong.


    Since the last time he was enlightened, Sun Weiguo''s understanding of runes had greatly improved; if they were to discuss it now, he figured he might not last a few minutes without running out of responses.


    This information, Tang Yu obtained through Grey Blade by trading some basic longswords.


    Sun Weiguo wasn''t stingy; instead, he was quite generous. Both parties had needs, so the trade was very pleasant.


    This material was quite voluminous and rather chaotic, occupying a considerable part of the second floor.


    Kevin didn''t immediately go over, instead slowly browsing through the books on the shelves.


    It was clear that besides professional books, he also held a deep interest in other types of books.


    Casually, Kevin pulled out one of the books.


    The book bore three big characters, "Jin Ping Mei."


    Tang Yu was dumbfounded¡ªhow could the library have such a thing.


    He thought for a moment; books brought back from outside by the Patrol Team were initially just roughly sorted and placed by some survivors while he mainly focused on books of more significant utility.


    Looking at this densely packed shelf of books, with some illustrations faintly visible, Tang Yu''s lips twitched. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Could it be that this entire row was filled with this type of book?


    "Cough, cough."


    Tang Yu employed his Big Dry Cough Skill, quickly diverting Kevin''s attention.


    It wasn''t quite suitable for the elderly to see such things, and he considered Kevin''s health.


    Seizing this opportunity, he hurriedly led Kevin to the area housing the Rune Studies literature. He was turning around when he saw Eileen taking the book, curious and starting to read.


    He felt an old blood spurt forth.

 Chapter 132 - 132 Rune Language Book

    Eileen seemed like a curious baby, slowly opening a book she had never seen before.


    Tang Yu was in a dilemma.


    He really wanted to use the Big Dry Cough Skill to divert attention, but unfortunately, Eileen wasn''t Kevin; there was nothing much to divert her attention with.


    Moreover, doing so was too obvious, making it seem as if he had seen it before.


    "No way, no way, I am such a pure-hearted child, how could I have seen such things¡­"


    It just couldn''t be.


    Tang Yu scratched his head and beard with distraught.


    In the end, he tossed his hands, anyway, it wasn''t he who had put that thing there.


    On the other side, Kevin had already picked up a stack of materials and was reading them carefully, occasionally uttering sounds like "Ah, oh, hmm..." and so on.


    He was utterly engrossed in them.


    Tang Yu went over and asked, "Master Kevin, are these materials helpful to you?"


    Kevin waved his hand without looking back, "Don''t disturb me!"


    He quickly realized, "Oh, it''s Lord! Although these materials are very basic, and there are some errors and omissions, the direction is different from my research. Among these ideas, some have inspired me."


    "That''s good then."


    Tang Yu''s face was covered in black lines.


    Looking left and right, both Kevin and Eileen were focused on the books in front of them. After thinking about it, Tang Yu also decided to pick up a book to pass the time.


    He had planned to randomly pick a book from that row, but then he thought that he still needed to maintain the serious and reliable image of a Lord.


    Reading that kind of book, after all, only felt right when it was late at night and all was quiet.


    Yes, that must be correct.


    Glancing at Eileen again, her little face was slightly red, looking adorably cute, which made Tang Yu a bit lost in fantasy.


    After thinking for a while, he still went up to the third floor and brought down a basic book on rune knowledge. Opening the pages, he started reading slowly.


    Becoming engrossed in study, time always flew quickly.


    After a good while, Kevin finally put down the materials in his hand and let out a long sigh. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had quickly understood the information in the documents and now couldn''t wait to try out his new ideas.


    The most pressing matter was to get his workspace organized.


    He walked over to Tang Yu and found that the Lord, too, was holding his book, utterly absorbed in it.


    "Lord, Lord..."


    Kevin called out a few times before Tang Yu came back to reality, feeling rather reluctant to part with the book.


    Every time I looked at a book written entirely in runes, I would always get lost in it. Although I had read this book several times before, every new reading still offered many fresh insights.


    Raising my head, I looked toward Kevin, "Master Kevin..."


    But, I found Kevin''s gaze fixed on the book in my hands, his eyes widening and his voice trembling slightly, "Lord, is this...could this be the Rune Language Book?!"


    "The Rune Language Book? Is it a book written in runes?" Tang Yu asked.


    "Yes, yes! I never imagined I would see a Rune Language Book in the possession of the Lord. That..." Kevin rubbed his hands, a blush spreading across his aged face, "I wonder if the Lord would allow me to examine this Rune Language Book, just for two minutes, no, one minute would suffice."


    As he spoke, fearing that Tang Yu would refuse, he leaned in, eager to sneak a peek at the book.


    Tang Yu, however, was somewhat puzzled. Was this Rune Language Book really that precious? Followers like Eileen and Luo Zhe came from relatively low social statuses in the past, so it was normal for them to have never seen rune language. But what about this old man Kevin? He was a noble and a famously reputed Equipment Master. Why was he so excited upon seeing a Rune Language Book?


    What about the dignity of an Advanced Rune Master?


    Tang Yu casually tossed the book over, "Take a look then. Just remember to return it when you''re done. It''s just a basic book on Rune Studies. I''m not that petty."


    "Just a basic book?" Kevin clumsily caught the book and, without even having time to browse through it, hurriedly said, "Lord, this is a book written entirely in Rune Language! Not to mention a complete book; even scattered sections of Rune Language can be of enormous research value!"


    "Let me put it this way: the language of Runes is the true language that can mobilize Heaven and Earth Energy. It''s also only books written in Rune Language that can carry some special knowledge. And if you were to copy these runes onto ordinary paper, even if you didn''t miss a single stroke, what you''ve recorded would be nothing but an empty shell."


    "It''s said that in ancient times there were many prestigious legacies, but for some reason, many Rune Language Books were lost, leading to many of the current legacies being incomplete. For example, even though I am now an Advanced Rune Master, the advanced runes I control, such as the Advanced Sharp Rune and Advanced Magic Power Rune, are just basic runes. This is because many precious pieces of knowledge have been gradually lost over the long years."


    "Even in the ten years since I became an Equipment Master, I''ve only had the fortune to see a Rune Language Book once. It''s said that in the Royal Capital''s court, there are a few Rune Language Books cherished, but those stingy folks just wouldn''t lend one for a look. You, Lord, are much more generous. Even if this book is about the basics, it is still hundreds of times more precious than those regular books that discuss advanced knowledge..."


    Speaking of this made Kevin very excited, and he instantly became a chatterbox. If it weren''t for Tang Yu''s timely intervention, Kevin could probably talk endlessly about the world''s development and knowledge loss for hours.


    After a while, Kevin finally stopped. He vigorously rubbed his hands over his white beard, then gently caressed the book of basic rune knowledge as if touching a beautiful body, mesmerizing Tang Yu.


    Seeing that Kevin was truly lost in the vast ocean of knowledge, Tang Yu didn''t plan to keep waiting.


    He had figured out some principles: the knowledge carried by the Rune Language seemed to be something readers had to comprehend on their own. For him, indeed, this book discussed the basics of Rune Studies, but for Kevin, perhaps he could really discern something different from it.


    Shaking his head and about to tell Eileen that he was leaving, he saw Eileen clumsily hiding the book she was holding and slowly moving towards the bookshelf, stealthily placing it in an inconspicuous spot.


    Tang Yu: "..."


    Perhaps it was best if he just left.


    ...


    Chen Haiping was swamped today, busy from morning till now, and only when the sunset started to dip could he catch a breath.


    Since Shay brought back those survivors from Fafa, the population of the Sanctuary had suddenly surged, and there was a frantic scramble to arrange everything.


    With living spaces becoming crowded, he had no choice but to rush the survivors to construct some temporary housing to cram themselves into.


    However, with the increased number of people, a multitude of problems followed closely. Today, the Patrol Team had to deal with several brawls.


    Not to mention assigning jobs to the survivors, calculating their food consumption, tallying up the resources reserves, and arranging for those captives caught yesterday to work in the mines...


    Housekeeper Chen expressed how tired his heart was, longing for retirement.


    "Thankfully, though the number of survivors has increased, so has the talent. The Municipal Department mentioned last time by Director Tang can now begin to take shape. Hopefully, the workload can be reduced in the future."


    Muttering to himself, Chen Haiping wondered, "But where has Director Tang run off to again?"

 Chapter 133 - 133: Planning

    "Every time, Tang Yu would dump these important matters on me," he thought, though he was touched by the trust, he couldn''t help but wonder... After all, being a director, shouldn''t he care a bit more about the major affairs of the Sanctuary?


    In this day and age, mobile phones were useless, and he couldn''t find anyone in the castle hall either¡ªChen Haiping was completely out of options.


    Even though he knew that by early tomorrow, he would definitely be able to catch Tang Yu in the castle hall, by that time, the backlog of work would make it hard for him to breathe.


    "I must solve this today!"


    Chen Haiping felt that even the special forces training he undertook when he first joined hadn''t been this exhausting.


    However, the most urgent task was still to find Director Tang¡ªthere were many decisions that needed his final approval.


    "Captain Luo should be able to find Director Tang; it seems they have some special way of contacting each other..."


    Chen Haiping remembered when he first met Tang Yu, he only had one expert with him, but as time passed, a number of mysterious experts began to appear around the director.


    Initially, he had thought that Tang Yu came from some large Sanctuary, commanding a few powerful team members, but as Chen Haiping grew more familiar with Luo Zhe''s capabilities, acting as the steward of Green Shadow Sanctuary, he also received quite a bit of news from Lindong...


    He was clear that even in the large Sanctuaries, it was unlikely to see so many powerful Awakeners.


    Lin Wei, as a senior executive of Lindong Sanctuary with strong troops under her command, had already been quite despaired, yet upon clashing, she found that the so-called super-experts of Lindong were only so-so in front of Captain Luo and the other powerhouses.


    He understood it wasn''t that Lindong was too weak¡ªthe super-experts who stood out among the hundreds of thousands of survivors and tens of thousands of Awakeners surely weren''t weak.


    It had to be because Luo Zhe and the others were just too strong.


    Chen Haiping was also aware that Luo Zhe and his group were the real confidants of Director Tang; perhaps there were some secrets between them...


    But he had the self-awareness to know his place, and wasn''t overly ambitious; he had no desire to delve into such matters. In contrast, Chen Haiping just wanted to know, where had Director Tang gone?


    "Captain Luo is out with the Patrol Team members, Shay seems to have gone to the Source Crystal Mine to tally up today''s mining, and Kong... This person is even harder to find than Director Tang."


    He thought of Eileen.


    Eileen''s presence in the Sanctuary had been fading more recently, some of the new survivors might recognize Luo Zhe, and possibly Kong and Shay, the two deputy team leaders, while Winnie had become almost an angelic figure due to saving several Awakeners from the brink of death.


    In contrast, the blue-haired girl who had been by Director Tang''s side from the very beginning was rarely seen in public.


    Only those old-timers who had been in the Sanctuary from early on knew of Eileen''s abilities.


    "She should be in the library, but I wonder if she can contact Director Tang."


    Chen Haiping didn''t even take the time to eat, and rushed to the library.


    The main doors were still open, and the interior crystal wall lamps emitted a soft glow.


    There he saw Eileen, and approached her to explain the situation.


    Eileen nodded, and through the soul contract, she sent a communication request to Tang Yu.


    ...


    Tang Yu was soaking naked in the bathtub filled with Body Tempering Liquid, practicing the beginner''s Knight Cultivation Method while absorbing the medicinal effects of the liquid.


    Apart from the Gravity Room, the Body Tempering Liquid and the Cultivation Method were well-matched¡ªthe cultivation technique could accelerate the absorption of the liquid, and vice versa... Tang Yu felt he could completely roll out Cultivation Packages A and B.


    At that moment, he noticed a communication signal coming from the contract.


    [Ding, follower Eileen is sending you a video call request, do you accept?]


    Through the contract, Tang Yu could communicate with his followers, but with limitations¡ªthe greater the distance, the vaguer the communicable information became.


    Based on Tang Yu''s understanding, within the Territory, communication could reach the level of a video call.


    If slightly farther away, it would degrade to a voice call, and even further, such as Grey Blade in Lindong communicating with him, they could only use text communication...


    Longer distances, Tang Yu hadn''t tried, but he speculated that a bit farther, and probably even text communication would be delayed.


    Maybe they would even limit the number of characters¡­ Sending a few sentences in jerks, with a delay of several minutes before being sent, imagining such a scene made the corners of his mouth twitch.


    Accept at will.


    A picture suddenly appeared in his mind, and Tang Yu saw Eileen in the library, along with Chen Haiping standing beside her.


    With a bit of thought, he understood Chen Haiping must have encountered some issue and, unable to find him, had to contact him through Eileen.


    At this moment¡­


    Drip. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Follower Eileen has ended the video communication.]


    [Ding, follower Eileen has sent a voice communication request to you. Accept?]


    Tang Yu: "???"


    What''s happening, why suddenly drop a perfectly good video call? And then switch to voice communication?


    Clearly within the territory, the video was very clear, not delayed at all, there was no need to switch to voice communication.


    Shaking his head, after accepting the voice communication, Tang Yu also found out that it indeed concerned Chen Haiping''s issue, just as the Body Tempering Liquid was almost completely absorbed, it was also a good time to go to the library and see if that old man Kevin had returned to his senses yet.


    Splash.


    Standing up, water droplets splashed, and the slightly faded Body Tempering Liquid slid off his body.


    After several Body Tempering Liquid absorptions, Tang Yu found he seemed to have become a bit stronger, with noticeable muscles on his body, more perfect body proportions, and his face even more chiseled...


    So he had become handsomer, right?


    The Great Lord Tang was supposed to be about strength.


    ...


    Soon, Tang Yu arrived at the library.


    Upon meeting, Chen Haiping started to vent his grievances.


    Unheard, unbeknown; upon hearing, Tang Yu realized, the Sanctuary''s affairs were indeed damn plentiful¡­


    So, he was even more determined to delegate these matters, Great Lord Tang''s resolve was firmer.


    Chen Haiping, reporting across the table, felt a chill down his spine.


    "¡­ In these two days, we''ve also recruited some management talents. Director Tang, the Municipal Department you mentioned last time¡ªshould we start establishing it?"


    After Tang Yu listened, he nodded, "You''ll be in charge of establishing the Municipal Department. It will primarily be responsible for the construction of the Sanctuary and the management of survivors. Besides that, I plan to establish several other important departments, including the Armed Department, Logistics Department, Medical Department, Equipment Department, Intelligence Department... Well, just these for the moment, others, we''ll discuss as they come."


    These departments, of course, Tang Yu didn''t intend to manage personally. The Armed Department was pretty much the Patrol Team, perhaps in the future the armed forces within the territory would increase, establishing more teams, and incorporating them into the Armed Department.


    The Logistics Department mainly managed the Sanctuary''s Source Crystals, materials, equipment, food, and so on¡­


    In his plan, the Armed Department and Logistics Department were the two most important, needing to be held firmly in hand. After much consideration, for the Logistics Department, Tang Yu still decided to let Eileen manage¡­ the other followers all had their responsibilities, Winnie as the commander of the Medical Department, Equipment Department responsible for designing and maintaining equipment, managed by Kevin, and the Intelligence Department, unquestionably, was to be handled by Grey Blade.


    Although Eileen seemed indifferent by nature, Tang Yu trusted her. Anyway, there wasn''t much happening at the library, so just adding another job title, later on, he would let Eileen and her team recruit the staff they needed.


    In this way, the tasks were all assigned out, Lord Tang quite satisfied.


    After all, had he done these things himself, it would''ve only gotten worse. Leaving it to others was the wise choice, yes, certainly not because he was being lazy.


    On the other side, Chen Haiping''s head was filled with black lines, always feeling a sense of unreliability.

 Chapter 134 - 134 Planning (Part 2)

    Apart from that, Tang Yu also planned to make a rough division of the land use within the Sanctuary.


    The villa area, halfway up the hill, and most of the area in the middle section of the holiday resort, this part would be the residential area of the future.


    In the past two days, the number of survivors had surged, and although the area of the villa community could accommodate them by erecting some simple homes, Tang Yu felt that he needed to look further ahead. If it weren''t for the current limited range of his territory, he would have already wanted to expand the layout to outside the resort.


    Above the hillside, Tang Yu intended to develop the residential area into a high-level housing area, constructing boutique suites, townhouses, detached villas, and even manors, and so on.


    Lindong could divide housing into five levels; he, on his part, had to reflect the differentiation in housing so that his real estate plans could better exploit...better bring a pleasant experience to the residents.


    But talking about this now seemed a bit premature... Lord Tang''s dream was that one-day money would come to him while he sat comfortably at home.


    Then he could live as comfortably as a salted fish.


    As Tang Yu mulled over his ideas, he spoke of his plans, "Moreover, the area to the west at the foot of the mountain, which is more remote, can be designated as an agricultural area for planting ordinary crops such as food grains, and approximately three farms can be opened within the valley behind the mountain, all of which are planned for cultivating medicinal herbs..."


    Although the Sanctuary was not short of food, Tang Yu still planned to plant more crops...he realized his mistake before; he always thought transactions had to involve weapons and equipment, but now he thought about it, the unit price of food might be low, but it''s the sheer volume that counts, and it''s a basic necessity for every Sanctuary. Just think, what is that green scene in the future? That''s money~!


    "Lastly, the area at the entrance of the holiday resort can be developed into a commercial district. Old Chen, didn''t you say that there have been too many survivors recently and not enough job positions? Perfect, constructing a commercial district requires a lot of manpower; even if the number of survivors doubles, there''s no worry about running out of work."


    In the past two days, the number of survivors had increased dramatically, and it suddenly became difficult to arrange jobs for everyone. For example, although Tang Yu still thought the material transportation by carrying teams wasn''t fast enough¡ªhe consumed a large amount of stone and wood to construct the Arrow Towers last time¡ªthe carrying teams needed to coordinate with the Patrol Team, it''s not about simply hiring more people to improve efficiency. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If survivors were without work, although the Sanctuary didn''t lack food, Lord Tang had no intention of just supporting them; once inertia sets in, it becomes hard to eliminate...


    It was perfect timing as the future construction of residences and commercial districts were planned; these would cost too much Source Crystal if constructed with system-defined builds, so it was ideal to assign these tasks to the survivors. The farms, too, needed some manpower. At the very least, for the foreseeable future, the Sanctuary would again become very busy and lively.


    Chen Haiping pondered for a moment, "So, should we integrate these survivors into the construction teams?"


    "No, no," Tang Yu shook his head, "That would make the construction teams too bloated, and besides, there may not always be so many construction projects in the future; rather than that, it would be better to follow Lindong Sanctuary''s example and establish a labor service center where survivors can self-select their desired jobs."


    "It would also encourage some creative and skilled survivors to open shops in the commercial district after it''s built..."


    Survivors taking jobs from the labor service center would be like temp workers, while construction crews, carrying teams, etc., would be permanent employees... Permanent employees must obey assignments, but get better treatment and higher wages, while temp workers have their freedom... though they don''t really have a choice in work.


    This was just a rough plan, with the rest to be managed by the staff of the Municipal Department.


    Chen Haiping raised a concern, "Although there are many survivors in the Sanctuary now, there is a lack of sufficient construction tools and building materials. With our current capabilities, we can build some simple homes, but if we want to develop the commercial district as Director Tang has planned, I fear it will take a long time."


    "No problem," Tang Yu replied, "The Patrol Team can go out to find construction tools and materials; we''ll surely find some. And don''t forget, now we have Awakeners, ability users, some construction difficulties can surely be solved with the help of relevant types of ability users. Think outside the box, Old Chen, I believe in you."


    Chen Haiping''s forehead creased with worry.


    The two went on to discuss other matters, such as infrastructure construction.


    The canteen had been popular since its opening, but with some of the best-selling dishes selling out as soon as they hit the shelves, many survivors had to sprint hundreds of meters to get to the canteen¡ªit still couldn''t compare with the speed of Awakeners grabbing food.


    After the bathhouse was built, it also attracted many survivors. Tang Yu heard about incidents like people jostling because it was overcrowded, causing soap to drop, which happened now and then. Not to mention that after each water change in the bathhouse, the pool water would visibly change color at an alarming rate within an hour.


    Public toilets were also a significant issue. Pre-apocalypse toilets were unusable due to water supply interruption. To maintain the cleanliness of the Sanctuary environment, Tang Yu even made special use of custom-built architectures, copying the blueprints of pre-apocalypse public toilets to construct some.


    However, with the recent influx of a large number of survivors, public toilets suddenly became overwhelmed. Some survivors who couldn''t hold it had to find other ways. Chen Haiping just mentioned that, recently, the woods at the foot of the mountain had seen an increase in indescribable objects, and the whole forest was shrouded in a strange and terrifying atmosphere.


    This was a significant impact; not to mention anything else, at least the construction of public toilets was an urgent matter.


    With the development policies of the Sanctuary roughly set, Tang Yu took a sip of water to ease his dry throat, only to see the chubby Wang Zhou rushing over.


    Wang Zhou''s belly had grown a bit since Tang Yu last saw him. When he reached them, he was gasping for breath, "Supervisor Chen, just now, a few new Awakeners got into a conflict with some of our Sanctuary''s people. The situation is escalating, and although the Patrol Team has intervened, you should still go take a look..."


    Wang Zhou, resting his hands on his knees, took deep breaths. After catching his breath, he noticed Tang Yu nearby. His eyes lit up as he almost ran over to cling to his leg for comfort, but was stopped by Tang Yu''s foot with the universal sign for ''ugly refusal.''


    He immediately halted and continued to plead his case, "Director Tang, you don''t know what it''s been like these days for us guides. The teams that manage to come to the Sanctuary often have one or two Awakeners, but we guides are all just ordinary people. It''s okay when we deal with Awakeners who are in a good mood, but some of them are really hot-tempered, and we go to work every day in fear..."


    He revealed a sleazy smile as he got to his ultimate goal, "Director Tang, when can we arrange for one or two Awakeners to join us here..."

 Chapter 135 - 135: Do You Crave Power?

    Twilight gradually enveloped the land, and inside the Sanctuary, several kerosene lamps emitted a dim glow.


    At this time, at the entrance of the vacation villa, a crowd had gathered, with several Awakeners in the center engaged in a fierce argument.


    One side was an Awakener squad that had just arrived at Green Shadow Sanctuary; the other was a group of free adventurers who had lived in the Sanctuary for a while.


    The two sides seemed to have encountered some conflicts outdoors and had initially restrained themselves, each team leaving separately. However, unexpectedly, they met again at the entrance of the vacation villa.


    Because of a minor quarrel, the conflict between the two sides erupted and escalated again.


    "Do you guys have no shame? If we hadn''t injured that Mutated Beast, you wouldn''t have had the chance to kill it!"


    "What a joke! We observed that Mutated Beast for over ten minutes and confirmed it was safe to approach and kill. Where were you guys then? With such poor strength, you couldn''t even stop a Mutated Beast, so who can you blame?"


    "That Mutated Beast was originally our prey, and you still have the face to snatch it!"


    "That''s still better than acting like resentful wives!"


    The two sides cursed and blamed each other, drawing closer and closer; the situation was very dangerous.


    Nearby, two members of the Patrol Team were somewhat at a loss... With just their strength, subduing so many people was tricky, and they were not skilled in rhetoric either, which didn''t help their cause.


    They could only try to mediate while watching the Awakeners from both sides grow increasingly irritable, seeing that the situation was about to escalate.


    "Stop!"


    A loud shout came as Chen Haiping parted the crowd and stepped forward, "This is Green Shadow Sanctuary. No matter what the reasons, all fighting is forbidden!"


    "If you really can''t reconcile, either go outside to fight, or set a time to settle this in the arena with a fight. The victor will decide who gets the spoils, otherwise, if you keep causing trouble, I will deal with all of you as perpetrators."


    He spoke, his gaze slowly sweeping over the Awakeners from both sides.


    The several free adventurers immediately shut their mouths.


    However, the few newly arrived Awakeners, who were inherently hot-tempered, were the first to angrily point at Chen Haiping and cursed, "Who do you think you are? You think you can just deal with us as you please? Have you asked for our opinion?"


    The expression on Chen Haiping''s face didn''t change; he only stepped forward.


    The cursing Awakener couldn''t help but step back, his face showing a mix of shame and anger, as he swung his fist, large as a sandbag, down.


    Bang!


    A muffled sound.


    The Awakener''s entire body flew into the air, soaring over the crowd and crashing down to the ground with a thump.


    Chen Haiping hadn''t used much force but merely lightly pushed the man flying. Even so, the Awakener was sprawled on the ground painfully disoriented.


    Seeing this, the other Awakeners rushed forward, only to be knocked down by Chen Haiping one after another without exception.


    Knocked down so thoroughly they questioned their life choices.


    After subduing them, Chen Haiping straightened his clothes, "Now let''s talk reasonably¡­"


    ¡­


    In the distance, Tang Yu and Wang Zhou were observing the situation unfold.


    Seeing Chen Haiping had become adept at handling these matters, Tang Yu felt at ease.


    At this moment, Wang Zhou felt incredibly envious and couldn''t help muttering, "If only I could have half, no, one-fifth of Supervisor Chen''s strength."


    Hearing this, Tang Yu suddenly remembered something and patted the chubby boy''s shoulder, "Wang, do you crave strength?" S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wang Zhou looked over, confused, and suddenly felt his legs tense.


    "Can I... also possess strength?"


    Tang Yu''s eyes looked off into the distance.


    Previously, he had considered using the Body Tempering Liquid on ordinary people, but the instructions indicated it was suited for Awakeners. He was uncertain whether ordinary people could withstand the effects of the liquid and what those effects might be.


    Just yesterday, Grey Blade had delivered items from Lin Wei''s secret chamber to the Territory overnight.


    These items included the Source Crystal, several Transcendent Mineral materials, and some secret documents.


    These documents related to a plan Lin Wei had been preparing in secret, the Beastification Soldier plan.


    The research site was located underground in a pharmaceutical factory out in the wilderness.


    This plan, Tang Yu had already learned about from Fang Qiang, including the pharmaceutical factory''s location.


    "According to Fang Qiang, the entrance to the underground space is hidden in warehouse number five of the factory. I went to check it out yesterday, but unfortunately, the entire passage was completely destroyed and impassable. Even after digging three feet deep, I couldn''t find any clues related to the underground space."


    The underground space seemed to be hidden in a very deep place; Fang Qiang had been there once. He said he had spent a long time in the elevator when descending¡­


    Reluctantly, Tang Yu had to abandon the idea of continued searching and decided to pay more attention to that area in the future.


    However, he puzzled over whether Dr. Zheng, who was in the underground space, immediately received word of Lin Wei''s death.


    Tang Yu wasn''t sure. The secret documents obtained from Lin Wei''s residence were part of the information about the Beastification Soldier plan. While he had little interest in the plan itself, he didn''t deny the value of the documents, especially since they offered some conclusions about human enhancement.


    This gave him the confidence to let an ordinary person test the Body Tempering Liquid.


    "This is Body Tempering Liquid, diluted to a certain degree. Take it home, pour it into a bathtub, and soak for a while. It will give you a robust physique."


    Wang Zhou swallowed nervously, his eyes involuntarily fixed on the bottle of emerald green liquid, "There won''t be any side effects, right?"


    Tang Yu patted his shoulder, "Don''t worry, I''ve already tested it. It won''t kill anyone; at most, you might feel some pain. Use it with peace of mind. You wanted to become stronger, didn''t you?"


    Immediately, Wang Zhou''s gaze hardened. He took the test tube filled with Body Tempering Liquid and walked towards the apartment with a certain do-or-die resolve.


    Tang Yu watched as Wang Zhou walked away, touched his chin, and suddenly remembered something and couldn''t help but instruct, "Right, remember to have someone watch over you. It''s safer that way..."


    ...


    As an early survivor of the Sanctuary and currently responsible for registering and guiding newly arrived survivors, Wang Zhou naturally had his own room in the two apartments built by Tang Yu.


    He took out his identity card, and with a beep, the door opened. Wang Zhou entered.


    The single room was fully equipped, even having a toilet and a bathtub. He turned on the faucet, waited for the tub to fill to a certain level, then carefully poured the Body Tempering Liquid into the water.


    Although there was only a small amount of liquid in the test tube, the water in the bathtub quickly changed color.


    A faint green, it looked somewhat ominous.


    He remembered Director Tang''s instruction, called over his best friend from next door to keep watch, then stripped clean and, gritting his teeth, stepped into it.

 Chapter 136 - 136 Wang Zhous Spring

    Wang Zhou soaked in the pale green Body Tempering Liquid, his heart pounding rapidly.


    Initially, he didn''t feel anything unusual, and gradually began to relax.


    After a while, his skin started to itch, and the itching grew stronger, gradually turning into pain. In the blink of an eye, the pain intensified.


    Wang Zhou frowned.


    Waves of intense pain assaulted his nerves.


    It seemed like his muscles were spasming, and his bones had been dislocated¡­ Unlike Awakeners, who had transcended life levels through their Awakening, Tang Yu would soak in the Body Tempering Liquid as if enjoying a massage.


    But Wang Zhou was just an ordinary person. Even though he used a weakened version of the Body Tempering Liquid, which posed no mortal risk or lingering effects, the body refining experience was nonetheless quite miserable. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As time went on, the pain continued to escalate.


    Finally¡­


    Wang Zhou couldn''t help but scream out, "Uh... ah... ah..."


    Outside, his close friend wondered why Wang Zhou had a resigned look earlier, and now he heard screams coming from the bathroom.


    It was truly heart-wrenching for listeners and tear-inducing for hearers.


    He hesitated for a moment, then knocked on the bathroom door, "Old Wang, should I come in and pull you out?"


    "Don''t¡­ ah!" The voice inside changed its pitch, "I... uh ah, can still... oh, endure... ah ah ah ah!"


    The onlookers outside had awkward expressions on their faces.


    Though these were screams, why did they increasingly feel titillating, inciting a temptation to go in and check it out?


    ...


    Half an hour later, Wang Zhou, bare-chested and excited, stood in front of a mirror in the room.


    "Zhao, look what this is? Muscles, muscles!" Wang Zhou pointed at his belly, where his previous belly fat had significantly reduced, revealing the faint outlines of muscles, "Who would''ve thought I, Wang Zhou, could one day develop muscles? And at this rate, an eight-pack isn''t a dream."


    He indulged in his fantasy, spinning around in front of the mirror a few times.


    Unable to stand it, Zhao retorted, "Is this what you call training? What about your face, your face?"


    Wang Zhou smiled, brushed his bangs aside, and put on a smug expression, "Just admit you''re envious; it''s no big deal. Plus, I''ve got more than just muscles."


    He spread his legs, assumed a horse stance, and threw a few serious and solemn punches.


    Despite¡­ Wang Zhou''s clumsy moves, throwing punches that seemed quite comical, Zhao could still feel a surging power emanating from them, feeling envious.


    Wang Zhou patted Zhao''s shoulder, the sudden increase in strength nearly knocking Zhao to the ground.


    He chuckled awkwardly, "Well, Zhao, don''t be disheartened. I reckon the body refining liquid will soon be released in the Sanctuary, then an eight-pack will no longer be just a dream."


    ...


    After finishing his tasks, Tang Yu went to the training camp for training, which had become a daily mandatory activity.


    First was two hours of physical training in the Gravity Room, followed by an hour fighting against Demonized Beasts in the Spirit Space, and occasionally taking on the Lord-exclusive mode.


    In the exclusive mode, he had already passed the First Scene and entered the Second Scene, transitioning from a forest environment to a volcanic one¡­ The only constant was Lord Tang experiencing multiple deaths¡ªdie, survive, die again.


    Being killed by Demonized Beasts, falling into magma and dying; these were just the most common ways to die.


    Being crushed to death by a meteor falling from the sky, or suffocated by poisonous gas when cornered, these were just slightly more bizarre ways to die.


    And there were things like being squashed to death by a Demonized Beast the size of a mountain range, running into a cave to escape a Demonized Beast only to find the cave mouth was actually another giant Demonized Beast''s mouth...


    Tang Yu didn''t even know what he had gone through, and he couldn''t be sure how his combat experience had improved, but his nerves had definitely toughened up.


    He was wiping sweat in the Gravity Room when he received a message from outside¡ªWang Zhou had arrived at the training camp.


    It was the first time Wang Zhou had entered the training camp, even though, as a basic level manager, he had the authority to enter the First and Second Layers for free, he just felt this place was not aligned with his fate.


    So he had passed by the training camp numerous times without entering.


    This time, Director Tang had specifically requested him to come here to test some data after soaking in the Body Tempering Liquid.


    Wang Zhou was also somewhat excited; with his muscles grown, he felt an endless surge of strength in his body.


    "Director Tang."


    When he saw Director Tang and a few Patrol Team members approaching, he asked, "What tests should I do?"


    The Patrol Team members who came over were somewhat surprised, "Fatty Wang, you actually came to the training camp and even want to test? Am I still dreaming today?"


    Zhao Ming spoke while pinching the arm of his companion beside him, which earned him a glare.


    Wang Zhou smiled proudly, ripping open his shirt and pointing at his belly, "Look, what is this?"


    "That beer belly of yours, everyone knows¡ªwait, where did your belly go!" Zhao Ming''s eyes widened, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.


    The curiosity of these Patrol Team members grew; they stopped their training and closely followed the two.


    Soon, Tang Yu stood in front of a "Punching Power Tester". He didn''t let Wang Zhou test immediately but called two Patrol Team members to demonstrate.


    One of the Patrol Team members was an Awakener; the other was an ordinary person.


    Zhao Ming volunteered himself and went up to the Punching Power Tester first, taking a deep breath. His body tensed up like a bowstring, and the power from his waist transmitted through his spine to his arm; his right fist swung out and slammed into the punching target of the tester!


    "Boom!"


    The target shook.


    Immediately, the display on the Punching Power Tester jumped to a number, "886kg!"


    Zhao Ming was very satisfied.


    It hadn''t been long since he joined the Patrol Team, and his strength had already reached the Middle Stage of the First Layer of Awakening. Initially, his punching power was just over five hundred, but now, with improved strength, training, and mastering some techniques, his punching power had surged to over eight hundred kilograms.


    "At this rate, in another day or two, my punching power will break a thousand kilograms."


    The ordinary person walked up to the Punching Power Tester, took a deep breath, his eyes focusing, his body instantly tensed, and with a force from his feet transmitted to his waist, as fierce as a tiger or panther sprung from its cage, he swung out a punch!


    "Boom!"


    His movements were much more standard than Zhao Ming''s, but after all, as an ordinary man, the target shook much less than before.


    Soon, a number also appeared on the Punching Power Tester, "184kg!"


    The big man retracted his fist, looking at the number with a somewhat dejected expression.


    After the two had demonstrated, Tang Yu gestured to Wang Zhou, "Your turn."


    Wang Zhou stepped forward, fixating on the red core of the punching target.


    His expression was excited.


    The punching power of ordinary people was over a hundred, while Awakeners could easily reach several hundred. So, having soaked in the Body Tempering Liquid and measurably increasing his body''s strength, how many kilograms could he punch out?

 Chapter 137 - 137 Speculation on Ordinary People Breaking Limits

    Patrol Team members, upon seeing Wang Zhou''s muscles, also had some speculations.


    "What do you think Wang Zhou can hit in terms of kilograms?"


    An Awakener analyzed, "If it were the old Wang Zhou sporting a beer belly, his maximum punching power probably wouldn''t even reach a hundred kilograms, but now, I guess he could hit a hundred and thirty, maybe one hundred and forty."


    "I think that estimate is about right, though it might even be lower, considering Wang Zhou hasn''t learned any systematic punching techniques."


    "That''s still pretty impressive. If Wang Zhou could only punch at eighty kilograms before and now he can hit a hundred and twenty, that means he has increased his punching power by forty kilograms in a short period of time... Forty kilograms, even for us Awakeners, that''s a significant enhancement."


    They discussed among themselves, their eyes fixed intently on Wang Zhou.


    Wang Zhou stood before the Punching Power Tester, first doing a few warm-up exercises and then taking a deep breath. Mimicking the two who had demonstrated before, he tensed his body, powered up his legs, and with a surging force, he slammed a fist into the punching pad of the tester.


    "Bang!"


    The punching pad shook violently.


    The Awakeners beside him opened their mouths wide in astonishment; the shaking was even more intense than the impact caused by the ordinary person who had just tested.


    "This... Could his punching power break two hundred?"


    "How could that be possible? I know Wang Zhou too well. Even if he''s built some muscle, he can''t be that strong!"


    Soon, a number flashed on the display screen of the Punching Power Tester, "386kg!"


    Those Patrol Team members, who had followed out of curiosity, now had their eyes widened in shock.


    If they didn''t know that Wang Zhou often dealt with their Patrol Team, and they were very familiar with each other, they would have thought someone was disguised as Wang Zhou, playing a prank on them.


    Yet, a punching power of over three hundred kilograms still seemed unbelievable to them.


    "No way! Wang Zhou actually hit over three hundred kilograms, and his form wasn''t even correct. If he could master some punching techniques, wouldn''t that mean he could punch over four hundred kilograms?"


    "Could the Punching Power Tester be malfunctioning?" one of the Awakeners wondered, not believing it, he walked closer and threw a punch. After the ''bang'' and shaking of the punching pad, the number displayed was not much different from his previous test.


    "So that means, the power of Wang Zhou''s punch is real?" he said, sweeping his gaze back and forth over Wang Zhou, "Could it be that you''ve awakened, Wang Zhou? No, that can''t be it. An Awakener''s punch would be even stronger, and you don''t have the aura of an Awakener. What''s going on?"


    Puzzlement filled their eyes as they turned toward Director Tang.


    Tang Yu did not immediately give an explanation but instead signaled for Wang Zhou to continue testing.


    Next, Wang Zhou stopped gathering his strength and quickly swung his fists, ''bam bam bam'', pounding the punching pad, emitting a series of muffled sounds.


    A string of numbers flashed on the testing machine''s display. Although not as high as the charged 386 kilograms, they still steadily maintained above three hundred kilograms in punching power.


    It was clear that Wang Zhou''s strength had indeed increased significantly.


    "Next, let''s test the speed."


    Tang Yu switched on the speed testing device next to the track, and a green light illuminated on the tester.


    The test running track was fifty meters long, with an additional twenty-meter run-up area in front.


    Wang Zhou stood at the starting point of the run-up area, leaning forward with a ready stance for a hundred-meter dash.


    Whoosh!


    He exploded with force, shooting forward like an arrow released from a bow, his feet pounding rapidly and forcefully against the ground, raising a gust of wind. In just a moment, Wang Zhou had crossed the finish line.


    Drip.


    The red dot on the speed tester lit up.


    Members of the Patrol Team gathered around.


    Tang Yu also walked over to take a look, and the number displayed was "12.16m/s".


    That''s equivalent to a bit over eight seconds for a hundred-meter sprint.


    This speed also far exceeded what an ordinary person could achieve, and even though it wasn''t quite at the level of an Awakener, it wasn''t far off.


    "Well done, old Wang. You used to be tuckered out like a dead dog after running a hundred meters, but look at you now, running these numbers without even panting."


    Wang Zhou cracked a wide grin, looking as cheerful as a blooming chrysanthemum.


    Now, the Patrol Team members were even more curious about the reason for Wang Zhou''s newfound strength.


    They had already thought it quite remarkable for one''s punching power to increase by forty kilograms in a short time, let alone now, with Wang Zhou''s strength having multiplied enormously.


    They all looked eagerly at Director Tang, especially the ordinary person who had just demonstrated, whose eyes burned with an intense fervor.


    Tang Yu no longer kept them in suspense and spoke slowly, "Wang Zhou''s increase in strength is due to soaking in the new Body Tempering Liquid developed by the Sanctuary¡­"


    He explained the effects of the Body Tempering Liquid and indicated that it would be added to the exchange list soon.


    Their eyes grew even hotter.


    They clamored to place advance orders.


    Lord Tang, having successfully launched a product and conducted an effective promotion, was in a very cheerful mood at the moment.


    Wang Zhou''s test result was basically what he had anticipated, if not a little better.


    It was probably the first use and his poor foundational condition that led to such a high level of improvement.


    An Awakener who had just achieved Awakening could reach just over five hundred kilograms in punching power, and their speed would be around seven seconds for a hundred meters. Given Wang Zhou''s physical condition, if he learned some techniques for strength exertion and sprinting, his data could be further improved, nearly reaching the standard of an Awakener.


    However, this was just physical conditioning; Wang Zhou''s stage of life was still that of an ordinary person.


    In other words, an Awakener''s lifespan would be longer than that of an ordinary person, while Wang Zhou, even with physical conditioning comparable to that of an Awakener, would still have the lifespan of an ordinary person.


    "However¡­ Wang Zhou''s potential has not yet been fully tapped. If we can completely excavate his potential up to the limit of an ordinary person, his physical condition could surpass that of a typical Awakener."


    This conclusion was not reached by Tang Yu himself, but rather derived from analyzing the research materials obtained from Lin Wei''s residence.


    If the body of an ordinary person was enhanced to its limit, their punching power could reach eight hundred kilograms, and their speed could get to about five seconds for a hundred meters.


    This data was significantly stronger than those who had just awakened, and Tang Yu understood completely.


    Ordinary people reaching these numbers had their strength intensified to the limit, whereas Awakeners had only tapped into a small portion of their potential¡­ This was why he wanted to excavate potential before breaking through. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After soaking in the Body Tempering Liquid for a few days, Tang Yu was also confident that he could now take on three of his past selves without any problem.


    At this moment, Wang Zhou had tried various training equipment, and Tang Yu fell into deep thought.


    "Awakeners first leap to a higher level of life, which then enhances their physical condition, whereas Luo Zhe and others from his world cultivate to unearth bodily potential and use it to strike for higher levels of life."


    Ordinary people cannot learn the Cultivation Skill, and it''s almost impossible to reach the limits of the body through exercise alone, but with the Body Tempering Liquid, there is a possibility.


    Tang Yu was very curious whether ordinary people, upon reaching the limit of their physical potential, could go even further.

 Chapter 138 - 138: Start of Construction (Seeking first subscription upon launch!)

    Time flowed like water and, before one knew it, two days had passed.


    In the central square of the holiday resort, beside the tavern, a grand new building had recently been constructed.


    Employment Center.


    Considering the large number of survivors, the Employment Center spanned even more area than the Adventurer Guild. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Early in the morning before the doors had opened, a crowd of survivors had already gathered around.


    These survivors, mostly from the former Fafa Sanctuary, along with some who came to Green Shadow Sanctuary later, except for a few talented individuals and some lucky ones chosen for various departments and teams, the majority were now here.


    "Why hasn''t the Employment Center opened its doors yet?"


    "Weren''t they supposed to open at seven? It''s not seven yet, right?"


    "Who knows how many jobs are available in the Employment Center, what if we can''t snatch one?"


    A skinny teenager, seeing the overwhelming crowd around him, felt very uneasy.


    The survivor beside him nodded in agreement, "Yeah, the food portion the Sanctuary provides for free is only plentiful for the first week. If we can''t find a job after a week, we''ll only have the Sanctuary''s relief food, which is very limited."


    After tasting the delicious food at the Sanctuary''s canteen these days, the survivors were even less willing to settle for the relief food that was hard to swallow and might leave them hungry.


    Especially in the canteen, some dishes made them crave immeasurably, but constrained by the limited free allowance provided by the Sanctuary, they could only watch others smacking their lips, smelling the aroma of food, and then look back at their own fast-food plates...


    They felt like they had just suffered 999 points of mental damage.


    The young man particularly longed to eat those delicious dishes, but he knew himself well enough. Except for having a slightly handsome face, without any particular skills and unable to compete in physical labor, if he truly couldn''t find work, the mental damage he''d suffer might need two extra zeros.


    Suddenly, a commotion came from the front.


    The large doors of the Employment Center opened and the survivors swarmed in.


    The skinny teenager immediately became anxious, trying to squeeze to the front but unable to push through. Instead, he was jostled about by others, nearly unable to keep his footing, and could only watch helplessly as other survivors passed by him and entered the Employment Center.


    After waiting for a while, as the crowd thinned, the teenager finally made it inside the Employment Center.


    The hall inside was very spacious, with a dozen windows available to take jobs, and without exception, there were long queues in front of each.


    The skinny teenager felt very gloomy as he chose a line and obediently took his place at the end.


    At the entrance, survivors kept coming relentlessly, and in no time, a dozen more people had joined the line behind the teenager.


    Seeing this, he actually felt relieved. There were plenty of staff members maintaining order inside; otherwise, considering the robust man waiting behind him and his own feeble appearance, it seemed likely he would have been picked up and thrown to the back of the line.


    Time ticked away, second by second.


    Survivors in front who had received jobs were leaving through a passage, their expressions excited.


    As the line slowly shortened, the skinny teenager felt a growing worry: were there any jobs left? And even if there were, could he meet the requirements?


    After a while, it was finally his turn. The young lady at the window asked emotionlessly, "Name?"


    "Yang... Yang Wei," the teenager replied nervously.


    The lady at the window glanced at him, seemingly puzzled by the mismatch between his appearance and his name.


    "Um, what jobs are available?" Yang Wei couldn''t help asking.


    "Look for yourself, they''re all listed over there."


    Yang Wei looked up and realized for the first time that several walls in the employment hall were embedded with screens rolling through the list of job recruitments.


    Welder: limit 20 people, recruited 20, Requirements: ***


    Mason: limit 50 people, recruited 46, Requirements: ***


    Reinforcing Bar Worker: limit 30 people, recruited 30, Requirements: ***


    Carpenter: ...


    Concrete Worker: ...


    Laborer: no limit, Requirements: None.


    ...


    At that moment, the staff at the window asked, "Have you decided? What kind of work do you want to choose? Oh yes, some jobs have specific requirements, and there will be a brief assessment when you get to the construction site. If you fail the assessment, the job will be revoked."


    "I, I, will choose to be a laborer," Yang Wei hesitated in his response.


    The staff nodded, quickly printed out a form, and handed it to Yang Wei.


    Upon receiving it, Yang Wei saw that the form included his name, gender, chosen job type, and even carried his photograph.


    He didn''t know when it had been taken.


    Just then, he heard the staff say, "Take this form, and go find the person in charge of Group Seven at the city gate."


    Yang Wei hurriedly acknowledged with a few hums and turned to leave.


    .......


    "The job you all are taking on will last for ten days. During this time, you will be under my command. Any questions?"


    There were about twenty people in the squad, all laborers, with Yang Wei standing among them, listening to the person in charge speak.


    No one else raised any objections, and Yang Wei was not about to say anything. The group followed the team leader to the entrance of a holiday resort.


    By this time, there were already many survivors there, and Yang Wei saw quite a few people moving building materials around. There were several large trucks, excavators, construction vehicles, etc., parked around.


    Everywhere he looked, there was a scene of busy activity.


    The group leader of Group Seven had already returned with their assignments and gathered everyone, clapping his hands together, "Our task has been allocated. We must complete the excavation of the foundations for this area by today. Any questions?"


    Looking at the large area the team leader was pointing to, someone in the squad couldn''t help but ask, "Captain, with just us people, how is it possible to finish excavating the foundations for such a large area in one day?"


    Yang Wei also wore a puzzled expression. This wasn''t a matter of working hard¡ªit was simply impossible to accomplish.


    Then they heard the team leader continue, "Oh, I forgot to mention, although it''s our responsibility to excavate this area, an expert will come to assist us before we begin. When that time comes, we just need to tidy up the foundations a bit."


    "As for who the expert coming to help is, I''m not sure either, but they should be arriving soon."


    Expert?


    Yang Wei was puzzled. Could it be one of the Awakeners? But even for Awakeners, was it possible to excavate such a large area completely in just one day?


    .......


    In Lindong, inside Lu Jianjun''s office, he was looking at the documents in his hands with a grave expression.


    Ever since the incident where Lin Wei died and the team he led was nearly wiped out, the originally obscure Green Shadow Sanctuary had entered his radar.


    It was then he discovered that a Sanctuary with such formidable strength had surfaced near Lin City.


    "According to the information gathered from the investigation, Lin Wei had been in conflict with the Green Shadow Sanctuary over a Source Crystal Mine for quite some time. The force he led there was nearly annihilated in front of the Green Shadow Sanctuary not long after they arrived. It can be seen that Green Shadow Sanctuary''s forces are much stronger than Lin Wei''s. Without a doubt, the Source Crystal Mine is also under the control of the Green Shadow Sanctuary."


    Lu Jianjun was indeed envious of the Source Crystal Mine but wouldn''t make a similar move to what Lin Wei had done.


    Instead, he was more concerned with how powerful the forces of the Green Shadow Sanctuary truly were.


    Regrettably, despite extensive investigation from multiple sources, he only knew that Green Shadow was powerful, but as for how many Awakeners they had or the extent of their strength, he couldn''t get more detailed information.


    It seemed as though a powerful Sanctuary had rapidly formed and was continuing to grow stronger.


    Beyond his surprise, Lu Jianjun also thought of some past events in Lindong.


    Like how the Scarlet Hand was eradicated by a mysterious person, whose identity he couldn''t determine even after investigating.


    Or the several Demon-slaying Longswords that surfaced at the Black Market auction. He was naturally aware of that, including the transaction between Dean Sun and the mysterious person, who then vanished without a trace until not long ago when this mysterious person reappeared, bringing equipment similar to the Demon-slaying Longswords.


    Now it seemed likely that those were people from the Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    Not only did they possess considerable strength, but they also had superior equipment. The more he investigated, the more astonished he became by the power that Green Shadow Sanctuary revealed.


    "Do we have any more intelligence on Green Shadow Sanctuary?"


    The intelligence officer beside him shook his head, "The information we''ve gathered from external sources is all we have. For the rest, we''ll have to see what our agents can find out from inside Green Shadow Sanctuary."


    With this in mind, Lu Jianjun sighed, "It''s hard to say if the sudden appearance of a powerful Sanctuary is a good or bad thing. I just hope that the ones in charge of Green Shadow Sanctuary will make an effort to shelter survivors, rather than act recklessly and abuse their power like some Sanctuary leaders do."

 Chapter 139 - 139 Is This an Ordinary Person? (Seeking First Subscription!)

    In the wilderness, Lu Jianjun''s subordinates from the Intelligence Department were quickly making their way. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These individuals were all Awakeners, possessing strength from the Second-tier to the Third-tier Awakening.


    It wasn''t that Lu Jianjun''s Intelligence Department lacked stronger experts, but infiltrating the Green Shadow Sanctuary to gather some relevant intelligence required personnel whose strength did not stand out too much, as it would not be conducive to remaining concealed.


    "We''re just a few kilometers from the Green Shadow Sanctuary now, let''s rest for a bit before moving on," the leader of the squad, an Awakener surnamed Chen, spoke up.


    The attire of these intelligence personnel was quite worn, not due to long wear, but rather due to friction in combat, stained with dust, with some areas already torn.


    They all carried backpacks and were mostly armed with melee weapons; they only had two pistols, which made them look completely like an Awakener squad surviving in the wilderness.


    Whether it was the tone of their speech or some subtle actions, they behaved no differently from regular Awakeners¡ªfar more professional than the scouts Lin Wei had once sent.


    This time, they were disguised as a fairly capable Awakener squad. Hearing that the Green Shadow Sanctuary had Equipment for sale, they specifically rushed here to purchase some.


    This identity gave them the opportunity to enter the Green Shadow Sanctuary, and it wouldn''t seem abrupt when they left.


    While resting, they checked to make sure there were no details they had missed.


    "They say that the Green Shadow Sanctuary was just an ordinary haven before but transformed tremendously after surviving a Demon Tide. Doesn''t that sound a bit fantastical?" one of the team members casually mentioned.


    "That''s not surprising; the main reason is that after that Demon Tide, the sanctuary had new leadership. It''s precisely because the top layer of the Green Shadow Sanctuary is so powerful that the sanctuary could develop so quickly."


    "True as that may be, just having strength is not enough. Besides, a big reason the Green Shadow Sanctuary is famous in this region is its Equipment. They not only have a diverse range of firearms, but their Demon-slaying Longswords are incredible. It''s said that the science academy''s latest weapons were inspired by these, yet they still fall short in terms of sharpness."


    The team members conversed quietly. Soon, Captain Chen became serious, "Prepare to enter the Green Shadow Sanctuary. Everyone, be cautious with your disguises."


    They remained vigilant as they continued through the wilderness.


    As they drew closer to the Green Shadow Sanctuary, the Demonized Beasts they encountered grew progressively fewer.


    "It''s no wonder it''s the Green Shadow Sanctuary; the Demonized Beasts around here must have been cleared out."


    The speaking member displayed a face full of surprise and admiration, fully getting into the role of an ordinary Awakener.


    After passing through a patch of wilderness, the view suddenly widened, and they could see several black towers standing tall in the distance. Beyond these black towers, there was an even more magnificent white tower standing on the earth. Its walls were white and adorned with mysterious patterns, and at the top of the white tower, a deep blue crystal quietly floated.


    Seeing this sight, the members of the squad were agape, staring blankly at the towers, this time genuinely astonished.


    However, they did not know that the original circle of dozens of Arrow Towers had mostly been dismantled; otherwise, they would have been even more astonished. Those remaining Arrow Towers, though standing, would inevitably make the observant suspect something.


    The group quickly collected themselves and headed toward the Gate.


    Captain Chen''s eyes briefly scanned the surroundings, noticing other survivors besides them, coming from various directions in the distance. His vast experience allowed him to judge that these people were not survivors from the Green Shadow Sanctuary, but like them, had come from the wilderness, perhaps to buy Equipment or seek a living in Green Shadow.


    "Has Green Shadow''s reputation become so significant?"


    At the entrance, there was a long table set up. Regardless of whether the incoming survivors intended to stay at Green Shadow, they all needed to register first.


    Captain Chen led a few others, trailing at the end of the line, nodding to himself inwardly, as the Sanctuary had already established a relatively complete order, although it could not compare to Lindong, it was much better than many smaller sanctuaries he had seen.


    At that moment, however, there was a disturbance at the front of the line.


    A big man with a bare upper body pushed down a survivor in tattered clothing who was in front of him, cursing, "Common people like ants should just obediently stay back and get the hell away from me!"


    Captain Chen frowned.


    The next moment, he saw a slightly plump person from the registration staff step forward, who seemed to be the person in charge of registration.


    Yet, his frown deepened, "Just an ordinary person, doesn''t the Green Shadow Sanctuary arrange for Awakeners to maintain order? Or is it that the Green Shadow Sanctuary is severely understaffed?"


    The bare-chested big man looked at Wang Zhou with disdain, "What? Am I wrong? The entire registration desk doesn''t even have one Awakener, I don''t think much of your Green Shadow Sanctuary!"


    Wang Zhou approached the big man and, ignoring what he said, asked instead, "Do you know what the consequences of causing trouble in the Green Shadow Sanctuary are?"


    "Consequences?"


    Seeing this, the bare-chested big man laughed angrily and raised his hand to slap Wang Zhou down to the ground.


    Captain Chen hesitated about whether to intervene when he suddenly froze.


    The hand that the bare-chested big man swung out was firmly caught by the slightly plump ordinary person, who held it tightly despite the big man''s vigorous struggle to break free.


    Captain Chen''s eyes widened.


    The bare-chested man was an Awakener, while the person in charge at the Green Shadow registration was just an ordinary person, but it seemed like the ordinary person was overpowering? With his insight, he could tell that this wasn''t fake; the bare-chested man had indeed used all his strength.


    Captain Chen grew even more baffled.


    The bare-chested big man was already sweating profusely.


    "It''s impossible. You''re just an ordinary person, merely an ant-like ordinary person. How can you have such strong power!"


    Wang Zhou''s hands were like giant pincers, tightly clenching him so that he couldn''t move.


    The big man was both shocked and angry, his other hand clenched into a fist, a sack-sized fist smashing viciously down on Wang Zhou''s chubby face.


    The punch was fierce.


    However, it was caught again, and even the open palm of the catcher couldn''t be shaken.


    Despite being an Awakener, despite being taller than Wang Zhou, the look of fear in the eyes of the bare-chested big man grew stronger.


    In front of him,


    Wang Zhou suddenly showed a satisfied smile, swiftly delivered a knee strike, then released his hands and turned to leave.


    The next moment, the bare-chested big man was lying on the ground, curled up like a shrimp.


    A joyful voice was heard, "Now the mine has free labor again."

 Chapter 141 - 141: The Sanctuary of Green Shadow with Hidden Dragons and Crouching Tigers

    Next to the construction site, Yang Wei held a shovel, silently waiting.


    Suddenly, the group leader charged towards them and said, "Everyone step back a bit, a little more, keep moving back."


    Yang Wei, along with the other survivors, stepped back again and again, but looked towards their group leader with some confusion.


    The leader of the seventh group seemed to notice their bewilderment and pointed in the distance, "Oh, the expert who has come to help has arrived."


    Expert?


    Yang Wei hurriedly looked over and saw a strange person in armor, walking into the center of the area that needed to be excavated.


    At that time, he heard someone ask, "Leader, we seem to have never seen this expert before. Is he really that strong? With his help, can we finish excavating all the foundations in this area within one day?"


    "It''s normal that you haven''t seen him; I''ve only seen him once or twice myself," the leader replied with a chuckle. "As for how strong he is, I''m not sure, but I know he often follows Director Tang around. I have heard some legends that his strength might even surpass Captain Luo''s."


    "As for whether the work can be completed, there should be no problem. The upper echelons wouldn''t issue a task that can''t be finished."


    The frequency of Awakener number one and number two taking action was getting less and less. In the Sanctuary, aside from the Patrol Team members, only those earliest survivors had the fortune to witness the power of these two Puppets.


    Some speculated that number one and number two might not be human, but like the seventh group leader who was just an ordinary member of the construction team, his understanding of Green Shadow Sanctuary wasn''t necessarily much more than that of newcomers like Yang Wei.


    In their eyes, number one was a highly mysterious expert, and whether he was stronger than Captain Luo, he wasn''t sure.


    Yang Wei and the other survivors were even more skeptical. In the Sanctuary, the strongest person they had come into contact with was Captain Luo Zhe.


    He also had the fortune to witness Luo Zhe in action. A Demonized Beast with a stature comparable to an armored vehicle, whose scales were even harder than steel plates, still couldn''t last more than a few rounds in Captain Luo''s hands.


    Even just the aftermath of the fight had wreaked havoc around them; trees were broken, and the ground was left pockmarked and uneven.


    Such power, such destructive force, was completely beyond his imagination.


    He didn''t quite believe that someone could be stronger than Captain Luo, yet what he wanted to know more was how this expert would quickly excavate the foundations.


    "If it were demolition, these experts would certainly be very efficient, but to dig foundations..."


    ......


    Elsewhere, Captain Chen and others were also puzzled, "What is he planning to do?"


    "Dig foundations," Wang Zhou said nonchalantly.


    "But how should they be dug?"


    Captain Chen saw that the person didn''t have any tools in his hands. Could it be he intended to dig by hand?


    Even if it was a powerful Awakener, even one who had broken through that bottleneck, no matter how efficient they might be compared to an ordinary person, how much more could that efficiency increase?


    At least, ordinary people were numerous, while such experts were rare animals. Using them for labor was a complete waste, and furthermore, he didn''t think such experts would stoop to do the work of digging soil.


    Suddenly.


    Crack crack crack crack...


    A series of crisp sounds came, and Captain Chen''s eyes widened... There was no visible action from the person in the center, yet the ground beneath his feet cracked open inch by inch.


    The spiderweb-like fissures spread outwards, and miraculously, when they reached the area marked with yellow lines on the ground, the spreading stopped abruptly.


    At a glance, the cracked area of the ground perfectly outlined a rectangular section.


    Merely through the pressure of his feet, he could cause the ground to crack? sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even Captain Chen was taken aback, "And he can even keep the cracking within the area that needs to be excavated. How on earth does he do it!"


    Without a doubt, the Awakener clad in armor was a master, a supermaster!


    Even those supermasters who had broken through to the Sixth Layer of Awakening could not easily cause such widespread cracking of the ground, let alone possess such terrifying control.


    Closer by, Yang Wei and other survivors holding shovels finally understood why their leader had so insistently told them to back off just moments ago.


    With this thought, suddenly he saw the armored master slowly lift his right foot.


    Then he slammed it down with force.


    Yang Wei held his breath, his eyes bulging wide.


    Boom!


    A deafening sound erupted.


    The already cracked ground surface disintegrated in an instant, with countless stones flying upwards.


    To onlookers, the figure of No. 1 had already vanished, but the sound of thuds filled their ears as numerous large rocks were sent flying, landing not far away to quickly form a small mountain.


    Smaller fragments of rubble scattered in all directions, raining down around them as the yellow-brown dust cloud spread, causing Yang Wei and the other survivors to quickly cover their heads and retreat repeatedly.


    As the dust slowly settled, the hazy figure of No. 1 revealed itself.


    Still in the same form, the blue armor showed not even the slightest speck of dust, and upon closer inspection, the ground in this entire area had been dug out to the depth of precisely two meters.


    Realizing what their task entailed, the whole group, led by their leader, quickly descended into the pit to remove some of the larger pieces of rock and took up spades to spread dirt and even out the surface of the hole.


    By this time, No. 1 had already moved to another area.


    The whole construction site was intermittently filled with the sound of rumbling.


    Captain Chen had been stunned from the beginning, replaying the scene in his mind until Wang Zhou''s chubby hand waved in front of his face...


    "Hey, big brother, are you going to buy equipment or not? If not, I''m moving on to the next deal."


    He snapped back to reality and followed Wang Zhou, witnessing bustling construction scenes along the way.


    He saw a brawny man with a slicked-back hairstyle, his hands flat on the ground, and the next moment, with a blast like a bomb hitting, dirt flew high into the air. When the dust cleared, the spot where the brawny man stood had become a crater with a radius of four to five meters.


    The sheer destructive power shook him to his core again.


    But the man with the slicked-back hair, now covered in dust, looked from a distance like an African refugee, particularly because his originally shiny hair had been blown upright, transforming from a slicked-back style into a smart.


    The smart strongman stood in front of a young man with his back to them, head bowed, looking utterly dejected.


    Faintly,


    Captain Chen could hear some words...


    "Is this how you dig a foundation?"


    "What kind of foundation is this?"


    "What are we going to do about this hole now? It''s your responsibility to fill it back in."


    He felt somewhat bewildered.


    This slicked-back... smart strongman was undoubtedly a top-notch master, and yet, if he wasn''t mishearing, this person was now being scolded to the point of hanging his head in shame?


    What sort of strength must the person chiding a master like him possess?


    Could the Green Shadow Sanctuary really be such a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers?

 Chapter 141 - 141: The Sanctuary of Green Shadow with Hidden Dragons and Crouching Tigers

    Next to the construction site, Yang Wei held a shovel, silently waiting.


    Suddenly, the group leader charged towards them and said, "Everyone step back a bit, a little more, keep moving back."


    Yang Wei, along with the other survivors, stepped back again and again, but looked towards their group leader with some confusion.


    The leader of the seventh group seemed to notice their bewilderment and pointed in the distance, "Oh, the expert who has come to help has arrived."


    Expert?


    Yang Wei hurriedly looked over and saw a strange person in armor, walking into the center of the area that needed to be excavated.


    At that time, he heard someone ask, "Leader, we seem to have never seen this expert before. Is he really that strong? With his help, can we finish excavating all the foundations in this area within one day?"


    "It''s normal that you haven''t seen him; I''ve only seen him once or twice myself," the leader replied with a chuckle. "As for how strong he is, I''m not sure, but I know he often follows Director Tang around. I have heard some legends that his strength might even surpass Captain Luo''s."


    "As for whether the work can be completed, there should be no problem. The upper echelons wouldn''t issue a task that can''t be finished."


    The frequency of Awakener number one and number two taking action was getting less and less. In the Sanctuary, aside from the Patrol Team members, only those earliest survivors had the fortune to witness the power of these two Puppets.


    Some speculated that number one and number two might not be human, but like the seventh group leader who was just an ordinary member of the construction team, his understanding of Green Shadow Sanctuary wasn''t necessarily much more than that of newcomers like Yang Wei.


    In their eyes, number one was a highly mysterious expert, and whether he was stronger than Captain Luo, he wasn''t sure.


    Yang Wei and the other survivors were even more skeptical. In the Sanctuary, the strongest person they had come into contact with was Captain Luo Zhe.


    He also had the fortune to witness Luo Zhe in action. A Demonized Beast with a stature comparable to an armored vehicle, whose scales were even harder than steel plates, still couldn''t last more than a few rounds in Captain Luo''s hands.


    Even just the aftermath of the fight had wreaked havoc around them; trees were broken, and the ground was left pockmarked and uneven.


    Such power, such destructive force, was completely beyond his imagination.


    He didn''t quite believe that someone could be stronger than Captain Luo, yet what he wanted to know more was how this expert would quickly excavate the foundations.


    "If it were demolition, these experts would certainly be very efficient, but to dig foundations..."


    ......


    Elsewhere, Captain Chen and others were also puzzled, "What is he planning to do?"


    "Dig foundations," Wang Zhou said nonchalantly.


    "But how should they be dug?"


    Captain Chen saw that the person didn''t have any tools in his hands. Could it be he intended to dig by hand?


    Even if it was a powerful Awakener, even one who had broken through that bottleneck, no matter how efficient they might be compared to an ordinary person, how much more could that efficiency increase?


    At least, ordinary people were numerous, while such experts were rare animals. Using them for labor was a complete waste, and furthermore, he didn''t think such experts would stoop to do the work of digging soil.


    Suddenly.


    Crack crack crack crack...


    A series of crisp sounds came, and Captain Chen''s eyes widened... There was no visible action from the person in the center, yet the ground beneath his feet cracked open inch by inch.


    The spiderweb-like fissures spread outwards, and miraculously, when they reached the area marked with yellow lines on the ground, the spreading stopped abruptly.


    At a glance, the cracked area of the ground perfectly outlined a rectangular section.


    Merely through the pressure of his feet, he could cause the ground to crack? sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even Captain Chen was taken aback, "And he can even keep the cracking within the area that needs to be excavated. How on earth does he do it!"


    Without a doubt, the Awakener clad in armor was a master, a supermaster!


    Even those supermasters who had broken through to the Sixth Layer of Awakening could not easily cause such widespread cracking of the ground, let alone possess such terrifying control.


    Closer by, Yang Wei and other survivors holding shovels finally understood why their leader had so insistently told them to back off just moments ago.


    With this thought, suddenly he saw the armored master slowly lift his right foot.


    Then he slammed it down with force.


    Yang Wei held his breath, his eyes bulging wide.


    Boom!


    A deafening sound erupted.


    The already cracked ground surface disintegrated in an instant, with countless stones flying upwards.


    To onlookers, the figure of No. 1 had already vanished, but the sound of thuds filled their ears as numerous large rocks were sent flying, landing not far away to quickly form a small mountain.


    Smaller fragments of rubble scattered in all directions, raining down around them as the yellow-brown dust cloud spread, causing Yang Wei and the other survivors to quickly cover their heads and retreat repeatedly.


    As the dust slowly settled, the hazy figure of No. 1 revealed itself.


    Still in the same form, the blue armor showed not even the slightest speck of dust, and upon closer inspection, the ground in this entire area had been dug out to the depth of precisely two meters.


    Realizing what their task entailed, the whole group, led by their leader, quickly descended into the pit to remove some of the larger pieces of rock and took up spades to spread dirt and even out the surface of the hole.


    By this time, No. 1 had already moved to another area.


    The whole construction site was intermittently filled with the sound of rumbling.


    Captain Chen had been stunned from the beginning, replaying the scene in his mind until Wang Zhou''s chubby hand waved in front of his face...


    "Hey, big brother, are you going to buy equipment or not? If not, I''m moving on to the next deal."


    He snapped back to reality and followed Wang Zhou, witnessing bustling construction scenes along the way.


    He saw a brawny man with a slicked-back hairstyle, his hands flat on the ground, and the next moment, with a blast like a bomb hitting, dirt flew high into the air. When the dust cleared, the spot where the brawny man stood had become a crater with a radius of four to five meters.


    The sheer destructive power shook him to his core again.


    But the man with the slicked-back hair, now covered in dust, looked from a distance like an African refugee, particularly because his originally shiny hair had been blown upright, transforming from a slicked-back style into a smart.


    The smart strongman stood in front of a young man with his back to them, head bowed, looking utterly dejected.


    Faintly,


    Captain Chen could hear some words...


    "Is this how you dig a foundation?"


    "What kind of foundation is this?"


    "What are we going to do about this hole now? It''s your responsibility to fill it back in."


    He felt somewhat bewildered.


    This slicked-back... smart strongman was undoubtedly a top-notch master, and yet, if he wasn''t mishearing, this person was now being scolded to the point of hanging his head in shame?


    What sort of strength must the person chiding a master like him possess?


    Could the Green Shadow Sanctuary really be such a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers?

 Chapter 142 - 142 This Quality of Life... So Envious

    Walking and stopping, Captain Chen saw many new and strange things along the way.


    There were round and plump Puppets, exquisite buildings, and that towering city wall¡­ It was said that all of these were built by the ability users of the Sanctuary. Before arriving, he had never imagined that Green Shadow Sanctuary would look like this.


    Having seen so much, his purpose for coming to Green Shadow was essentially achieved.


    Although his intuition told him that Green Shadow Sanctuary had its secrets, he wasn''t exactly compelled to investigate them.


    His superiors had sent them here to conduct a reconnaissance, primarily to gain a comprehensive understanding of Green Shadow, to assess the character of its leaders and whether they posed any threat.


    But that didn''t mean digging up Green Shadow from top to bottom.


    Captain Chen naturally wouldn''t pry deliberately. If he could get some information, great. If not, it wouldn''t discourage him.


    Besides, the strength of Green Shadow Sanctuary was evident; he didn''t believe that they, with their few numbers, could uncover any secrets.


    "After buying the equipment, we can almost leave. We''ll send the intelligence gathered and see what the superiors have in store¡­" he thought.


    At this time, the group had arrived at the villa area and, under Wang Zhou''s lead, came to a three-story building.


    This building was also constructed by Tang Yu through the system, with the words Green Shadow Department Store written on it.


    "Green Shadow Department Store is divided into two parts, separate from each other¡ªone is the Everyday Goods Area, and the other is the Equipment and Props Area. Which one do you want to go to first?"


    This was actually Tang Yu being lazy, not wanting to construct two buildings. Anyway, everything would move to the business district in the future, making do for now was OK.


    Captain Chen hesitated for a moment.


    As a member of the Intelligence Department, his rations, though incomparable to pre-apocalypse standards, were still much better than those of the average survivor.


    Being only a small Sanctuary, even with strong higher-ups in Green Shadow, at most they could scavenge some things from the wild, which he found unimpressive, let alone this supermarket catering to the common folk of the Sanctuary, which interested him even less.


    However, he thought it over, his cover was that of an Awakener from the wild, so since coming to a Sanctuary, besides equipment, he should definitely purchase some other supplies.


    Anyway he would have to visit both, "Let''s go to the Everyday Goods area first then¡­" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Walking into the department store, Captain Chen was surprised to find that the interior of the building was even more¡­ exquisite than he had imagined.


    He could only come up with that one word. The store was filled with numerous shelves, organized into different areas, like daily necessities, fresh vegetables, beverages and snacks, clothing, and so on¡ªindistinguishable from a pre-apocalypse supermarket.


    Yet it was this lack of difference that astonished him.


    In an era of extreme scarcity of resources after the apocalypse, the goods in this supermarket were still so abundant.


    Even the official supermarket in Lindong couldn''t offer such an array of fresh vegetables, while here, most of the vegetables, meats, and even fruits could be found.


    "These, these¡­" he didn''t know what to say.


    Wang Zhou seemingly anticipated his reaction, "That''s why it''s called a department store. Do you think a place that doesn''t even have a complete stock could be called a department store? As for these fruits and vegetables, I can responsibly say that the quality is top-notch. Do you want to buy some and try?"


    A few were somewhat tempted.


    In their rations, vegetables and fruits were precious commodities, only allocated sparingly every once in a while. Yet looking at these vegetables and fruits, just from their appearance, they looked much better than what they were rationed.


    They seemed freshly harvested, very fresh.


    Captain Chen glanced at the prices and was stunned again.


    It wasn''t that they were too expensive, but too cheap. They were listed with three types of prices: Contribution Degree, work points, Source Crystals.


    He was unfamiliar with the first two, but a unit of Source Crystal could buy a basket of fruit¡ªwasn''t that too cheap?


    That could only mean that most survivors in Green Shadow Sanctuary could afford fruits and vegetables.


    Captain Chen walked around the department store and found that whether it was meat, daily necessities, medicine, or snacks and clothing, the prices of various goods could really be described in two words: not expensive.


    He even asked Wang Zhou, skeptically, about the average income level of the survivors in the Sanctuary and found out that Green Shadow Department Store was indeed aimed at the ordinary survivor.


    That is to say¡­


    Even as a military officer, his quality of life didn''t match that of the most ordinary survivor in Green Shadow.


    This was simply¡­


    Captain Chen had words stuck in his throat, really wanting to speak them out.


    In the end, when they left the Everyday Goods Area, each person was carrying one or two bags. If it weren''t for the worry that buying too much would be troublesome to carry on the way back, they would have probably gone on a shopping spree.


    The faces of the group, including Captain Chen, were complex. He picked up a juicy red apple and bit into it with a crunch.


    The sweet juice flowed into his throat, bringing an indescribable sense of comfort.


    Following Wang Zhou''s lead, the group entered the Equipment and Props Area through another gate.


    Compared to the Everyday Goods Area, there were fewer shelves here, but right upon entering they saw a row of brand new firearms hanging on the opposite wall¡­ there were pistols, submachine guns, automatic rifles, and even light machine guns.


    With his expertise, he could tell at a glance that the quality of these firearms was top-notch, not something any workshop could match.


    Captain Chen was surprised yet again... Since coming to Green Shadow Sanctuary, he didn''t know how many times he had been surprised. As an intelligence agent, he was supposed to maintain an unflappable demeanor, yet now, it all seemed to come naturally, maintaining his cover effortlessly.


    It could not be shaken.


    He didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.


    While browsing through the merchandise, Wang Zhou again took on the role of a salesperson, "This is the firearms area: from pistols to heavy machine guns, rocket launchers, sniper rifles, we have it all¡­"


    Captain Chen couldn''t help but ask, "Even sniper rifles and rocket launchers?" He couldn''t find them in this row of goods.


    "Yes, of course! It''s just that¡­" Wang Zhou played coy, leading them deeper inside, and finally stopped in front of a shelf, "Here it is."


    "Why are there only prices in Contribution Degree on these?"


    "Because these weapons are restricted for sale. Only members of the Patrol Team and some special position holders can buy them. What do you think, big brother, do you want to join our Sanctuary? Guaranteed to live well, benefits plump and generous."


    Captain Chen politely refused; he definitely wasn''t interested in firearms, "My brothers and I are more accustomed to using cold weapons. We''ve heard that the cold weapons in your sanctuary are incredibly sharp, which is why we wanted to come and see."


    (PS: The author pleads cutely for subscriptions QAQ, also to mention the book is first published on Qidian, with updates before 11 pm¡­)

 Chapter 143 - 143: The Client from Creekwood

    Equipment and Props Area, where the goods were arranged into different sections.


    "This is the props area, inside we have... um." Wang Zhou scratched his head, not knowing what was inside.


    The layout of the props area was not smaller than the firearms area, yet most of the shelves here were mostly empty.


    Captain Chen couldn''t figure it out, what exactly were the props, and what were they used for?


    He scrutinized the area and occasionally saw one or two items, such as a crystal named Source Power Crystal and a spherical object named Source Material Bomb. However, these items, without exception, could only be acquired with Contribution Degrees.


    He was a bit puzzled and asked Wang Zhou next to him, who also seemed unclear.


    Shaking his head, he turned the corner to the cold weapons section, where he saw several people standing beside the shelves, closely examining the wares.


    At this moment, it was the busiest time for the survivors, most of whom were attending to their respective duties. Just now, in the convenience goods area, besides the staff, Captain Chen had only seen one or two survivors. He had thought there would be even fewer people in the Equipment and Props Area. Could these be the real Awakeners coming to buy?


    Wang Zhou suddenly recognized the people opposite, "Li Tao, It''s Li Tao! Did you bring a team over for trading again?"


    Li Tao, having bonded with this interesting chubby man last time, smiled and said, "It''s not me leading the team this time. Look, this is our Creekwood Sanctuary''s Director, Brother Yang Yuanping."


    Yang Yuanping was in his early thirties, with a crew cut and a neat appearance.


    Last time, Li Tao bought a basic longsword from Green Shadow and had talked in detail about what he saw there, which had astounded Yang Yuanping.


    During this time, although Green Shadow had drastically lost survivors due to the Demon Tide, its strength had significantly increased. Originally, the two sanctuaries exchanged materials, but now it had become one-sided purchasing from Green Shadow.


    Green Shadow had completely lost interest in their sanctuary''s goods... except for Source Crystals.


    Nevertheless, Yang Yuanping wasn''t discouraged. From the testing results, that type of longsword was worth more than its cost. With that longsword in hand, Li Tao, at the time of Awakening second layer, even had the capability to fight against third-layer Demonized Beasts.


    A mere few dozen Source Crystals seemed cheap to Yang Yuanping.


    He had long wanted to come here in person, but thinking of that matter, a hint of worry flashed across his face.


    This time, he had seized the opportunity to come out, hoping to purchase some weapons to enhance Creekwood Sanctuary''s strength.


    Having come here personally and witnessed the scene at Green Shadow Sanctuary, Yang Yuanping was even more astounded, "The development of Green Shadow Sanctuary is just too rapid. Li Tao had already told quite a lot about Green Shadow, but in just a few days, the entire sanctuary has undergone earth-shaking changes. Now they have even built a commercial area; who knows what Green Shadow Sanctuary will look like in another month or two."


    He steadied himself and put down a 22-inch travel suitcase he was carrying.


    Yang Yuanping opened the suitcase, which was full to the brim with Source Crystals shining with dazzling brilliance.


    "Inside here, there are four thousand units of Source Crystals. This time we want to purchase twenty standard longswords, thirty standard battle sabers, and fifty standard combat uniforms. You can check the quantity of the Source Crystals."


    The person in charge of the Equipment and Props Area was a girl with a spotted face, who was also a veteran of the sanctuary and now a junior manager in the Logistics Department, in charge of selling goods in the Equipment and Props Area.


    She nodded and instructed a staff member to bring over a scanner.


    This device was similar to the barcode scanners used in supermarkets, but it could scan the energy contained in nearby Source Crystals, a gadget Kevin had made a few days earlier.


    The staff member held the scanner, aiming the muzzle from the left to the right side of the suitcase, scanning around it once.


    Accompanied by beeping sounds.


    The scanner displayed the number "4008.35."


    Yang Yuanping''s mouth fell open as if he had swallowed a whale.


    Was that already counted?


    Heaven knows how long they had spent counting that one suitcase of Source Crystals!


    After Yang Yuanping took out a suitcase of Source Crystals, Captain Chen, who had by now completely turned into a bystander, was no longer surprised... It was just a Source Crystal scanner, after all. Their Lindong Sanctuary had one too! It just maybe wasn''t as efficient, didn''t have as wide a range, or wasn''t as precise.


    It was no big deal after all. What was there to be surprised about!


    "These equipment total three thousand Source Crystals. With the remaining thousand Source Crystals, do you need to purchase anything else?" asked the spotted girl.


    Yang Yuanping glanced around the shelves nearby, "I don''t know... do you have any long pole weapons here?"


    The girl shook her head, "Aside from the equipment displayed on the counter, all other types of weapons need to be specially customized."


    "Then... I wonder if I could have a batch of long pole weapons customized, just use the remaining Source Crystals, however many that can get."


    She looked troubled, "The customized weapon service is currently open only to members of the Patrol Team..."


    Yang Yuanping felt a bit disappointed, "Isn''t there any other way?"


    "This..." The spotted girl paused, thinking for a moment¡ªafter all, the visitors now were the biggest clients since the sanctuary''s establishment, "I''ll ask my superior."


    She hurriedly left.


    The others could only gaze at each other, ultimately deciding to browse around the cold weapons section again.


    Yang Yuanping''s gaze drifted over each weapon in turn.


    In the cold weapons section, there were actually not few pieces of equipment. Apart from longswords and sabers, he saw other types of equipment, many of which could be directly purchased with Source Crystals.


    Such as Standard Daggers¡­ These weapons were not adequate for fighting Demonized Beasts but were still considered normal.


    However, those labeled Standard Magic Wand, Standard Holy Hammer, what were those bizarre items?!


    The Magic Wand looked just like a fancier tree branch; could it really kill a Demonized Beast?


    As for the Holy Hammer, it indeed was a hammer, but it was short and small, nowhere near the kind of large hammer used in battle; what use could it have?


    His lips twitched, "You have all these... weapons, why don''t you have long pole weapons."


    The staff member considered for a moment and could only shrug helplessly, indicating his own cluelessness. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yang Yuanping continued to look, "Standard Firearms, Swift Revolvers... shouldn''t these be placed in the firearms section? Why are they in the cold weapons area?"


    The staff member thought, and thought again, eventually looking nearly teary-eyed, finally concluding, "I... really don''t know."


    His job was just to run errands and count equipment; those questions were for the salespeople to answer!

 Chapter 144 - 144: Only Need Three Minutes

    Not long after, a girl with spots walked in.


    Everyone looked over, and their eyes couldn''t help but fall on the person behind her.


    A cascade of sky-blue hair flowed down, spreading over her shoulders, her eyes bright as if harboring a clear spring.


    She wore a dark blue bordered magic robe, her face serene, and as she stepped forward, everyone felt a chill breeze sweep by, as if the temperature around them had suddenly dropped significantly.


    Yang Yuanping''s pupils constricted.


    The girl before him did not have a powerful aura, yet, the intuition honed from years of martial practice screamed to him that this person was very dangerous, extremely dangerous!


    Even with his Fourth Layer Awakening strength, in front of her, he probably wouldn''t last more than two moves.


    This feeling was quite ridiculous, especially since the girl before him looked so soft and weak, completely at odds with strength.


    Yet, in just a few seconds, his back was already drenched with cold sweat.


    He struggled to calm himself.


    Through the introduction by the girl with spots, Yang Yuanping knew that this blue-haired girl was the Minister of the Green Shadow Logistics Department, a true high-ranking figure of the Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    With that, his belief in his own intuition deepened, she was a super expert hiding her true strength.


    Indeed, the strength of the Green Shadow Sanctuary far surpassed their Creekwood Sanctuary.


    Yang Yuanping stopped overthinking and directly inquired about the possibility of weapon customization.


    "Customizing weapons is a privilege designated for Patrol Team members, however¡­" Eileen paused.


    The Lord was preparing to expand his business, and this was an excellent opportunity for promotion.


    The transaction quota for Creekwood this time was in the thousands of Source Crystals, a number that, although not substantial for the current territory, was an excellent beginning.


    One large transaction could yield thousands of Source Crystals, ten times that would be tens of thousands, and if it could attract surrounding sanctuaries to trade here, the revenue of the territory could at least climb to the next level.


    "The Lord has always said, ''Never miss any opportunity to make money.''"


    Eileen thought it over.


    Higher-tier weapons, similar to the Swift Revolver, naturally cannot be sold to outsiders.


    Limiting custom equipment for external customers isn''t due to any concern, it is merely too troublesome¡­ requiring additional modifications to blueprints, which cost both money and time.


    "However, your trade has met the quota, and this time we can make an exception to provide you with an opportunity to customize a weapon."


    "Then¡­I need to customize a long spear weapon, do you know how much of these remaining one thousand Source Crystals could cover?"


    Yang Yuanping was somewhat eager.


    Eileen, supporting her chin, recalled the workflow, "For custom equipment, we need to evaluate the price based on your requirements at the Equipment Department, and also, we won''t accept overly complex customizations."


    "Nothing complex, just a standard long spear weapon will do."


    "Then follow me, let''s head to the Equipment Department."


    Yang Yuanping, along with several survivors from Creekwood Sanctuary, quickly followed.


    Captain Chen thought for a moment, and also led his own team along.


    Wang Zhou stood by, stunned, "What about my clients? They haven''t bought anything yet!" He also hurriedly followed.


    ¡­


    The Equipment Department was located at the far west end of the villa district, backed by towering cliffs, somewhat secluded.


    It was a hemispherical building, and from afar, one could hear the roaring noise coming from inside.


    "Li, fetch me a number five rune pen, hurry!"


    "Huang, move this pile of iron materials to the compressor over there."


    "Li, press switch number three... now press switch number five, that''s good, close the blue valve."


    "Huang, open the switch above and close the one below..."


    The entire Equipment Department resembled a mechanical factory filled with various types of equipment.


    Naturally, all of them were rune equipment.


    Although Kevin had brought almost no equipment when he arrived in this world, as an Equipment Manufacturing Master, with just materials at hand, he could set up his workshop in minutes.


    It was once said that given enough materials and time, a manufacturing master could assemble an army with bare hands.


    This hemispherical building, except for the main structure built by Tang Yu, was filled with machinery solely manufactured by Kevin.


    It had taken on the appearance of a mechanical factory.


    Apart from being a bit noisy... there seemed to be no other issues.


    At that moment,


    after the equipment was produced,


    Kevin tied his long beard behind his neck, focused intently on the equipment before him, holding a two-rune type B pen, fine-tuning the runes engraved on the shield.


    As an Equipment Manufacturing Master, Kevin followed a strict workflow.


    First, he designed the equipment blueprint, then created a prototype. Following that, he would perform adjustments and tests to find the optimal data, and finally, he would revise the blueprint to achieve the best results.


    The creation of equipment relied on the diverse machinery within the Equipment Department, and Kevin only needed to oversee everything, having moved past the era of physically forging equipment.


    It was only during the final stage of rune calibrations that he needed to personally get involved.


    This was the confidence of an advanced rune master; by adjusting runes with his own hands, he could deeply understand the effects of the runes.


    Soon after, Kevin put away his rune pen, nodding in satisfaction.


    Although it was merely a two-rune piece of equipment, it stood at the pinnacle among such items. This time, it was an exceptional performance.


    Only then did he notice Eileen and others waiting outside the door.


    Kevin opened the door of the Equipment Department, not forgetting to instruct his two assistants to send the shield for the final inspection process. "Minister Eileen, may I know the purpose of your visit?"


    Eileen stated her purpose.


    Kevin glanced at Yang Yuanping, "What kind of long spear do you need, type, length, weight..." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without hesitation, Yang Yuanping rattled off the specifications, then asked, "Master, how long would it take to manufacture such a piece of equipment? Could it be completed within a day?"


    He could only stay in Green Shadow for one day. If creating a custom weapon required several days, he would have to reluctantly abandon the idea.


    After all, although such a sharp weapon appeared no different from ordinary cold weapons, Yang Yuanping believed its essence was unique. He was unsure how much time it would need, but it certainly wouldn''t be brief.


    He then heard the white-bearded master scoff, "One day? You underestimate me! An ordinary piece of equipment that couldn''t be more mundane; I can get it done in three minutes, not a moment longer!"


    "Three... three minutes? That fast!"


    Kevin didn''t even bother responding.


    He had Huang and Li bring over the tools and swiftly began to sketch on paper.


    His pen moved as fluidly as a dragon and as smoothly as flowing clouds; the design of a long spear emerged on the paper.


    As an equipment design blueprint, the drawing wasn''t like an artist''s painting. The spear on the blueprint was divided into segments with critical parts marked with data, some areas enlarged to outline the rune nodes.


    While drawing the blueprint, Kevin didn''t shy away from the people nearby.


    Yang Yuanping widened his eyes in awe, perceiving what was before him as an abstract painting, and the others beside him felt the same, befuddled by the sight.


    Yet, such an abstract masterpiece was drawn in just one minute, which seemed quite profound.


    While they couldn''t understand it, it looked incredibly impressive.

 Chapter 145 - 145: How is the Yield?

    The blueprint was completed, and Kevin immediately placed it into the scanner.


    Calm and composed, he ordered Li to move the materials, while instructing Huang to control the switches, and soon, with a "hiss," a pitch-black spear emerged from the equipment''s manufacturing outlet.


    After getting Kevin''s permission, Yang Yuanping hurried forward to touch it. It was a bit hot, but that didn''t matter¡ªhe was too eager to hold the spear in his hands.


    At first glance, the spear''s inky-black appearance was unremarkable.


    However, holding it, he could feel its heft and was overjoyed.


    "Master, may I try it out outside?"


    "Go ahead, don''t disturb my work... Oh right, how many Source Crystals did this kid bring to commission the weapon?"


    Kevin waved his hand dismissively, suddenly turning to ask Eileen.


    "¡­a thousand?"


    "It seems Lord mentioned that for custom weapons, I can take half of the fee for the blueprint design; for the remaining manufacturing costs, after covering the expenses, I can take thirty percent."


    Three minutes to earn this many Source Crystals?


    Kevin rubbed his hands together excitedly.


    Looking at Yang Yuanping again, his gaze softened significantly.


    It''s a pity that this was the last of the Source Crystals the other party brought. Such an easy mark¡ªif he comes again, he definitely must not let him slip away.


    ...


    Outside the Equipment Department at the construction site, Yang Yuanping gripped the spear with both hands, the black spear dancing in his hands like a serpent.


    A swing, a sweep.


    The wind from the movement blew past.


    Yang Yuanping swung with great satisfaction¡ªit had been a long time since he felt this unbridled joy.


    He had practiced spear skills since childhood, fusing them into the memory of every cell in his body. Yet, ordinary spears couldn''t withstand the full force of his skill, let alone be used to face Demonized Beasts, even for daily practice.


    But this unassuming black spear, crafted in less than three minutes...


    Gave him a sense of daring to fight recklessly with Demonized Beasts.


    This is the work of the master from Green Shadow Sanctuary, Yang Yuanping thought complicatedly.


    Swoosh!


    With the final thrust, the spear''s tip halted steadily a foot above the ground, and Qi Force rolled out along the length of the spear. A small rock, being pointed at by the tip, suddenly exploded.


    Shattered stone flew.


    "Excellent spear! Excellent spear!"


    Deals in the post-apocalypse were straightforward; there was no custom of staying for a meal after a transaction was done.


    Yang Yuanping and his group, with a few boxes of purchased equipment, quickly left Green Shadow.


    Captain Chen and his group felt they had gathered enough intelligence. After buying some standard equipment, they too left the Sanctuary, disappearing into the wilderness.


    Halfway up the hill at the plaza,


    Tang Yu leaned on the railing with both hands, picturing several dots in his mind that had just left the bounds of his Territory.


    "What did they buy?"


    Standing beside him, the plump Wang Zhou pondered for a moment, "Two Standard Longswords, three Standard Battle Sabers... Oh right, they also bought some fruit, like apples, bananas... and two oranges. It seems they also bought... er, a bottle of chili sauce."


    "Chief, do those people pose a problem? Were they here to spy on our intelligence?"


    Wang Zhou hadn''t been aware before. His rambling was just a habit, but now he quickly caught on.


    "Indeed, those people came to scout our intelligence..."


    "Then why didn''t you keep them here? Oh... I get it, you''re waiting to act after they leave the Sanctuary, to minimize impact..."


    Wang Zhou rambled on, instantly imagining a thousand words'' worth of reasons, three thousand words of the process, and five thousand words of ensuing drama.


    "No, they''ve gone far now."


    "...Huh?"


    Wang Zhou was suddenly at a loss for words.


    Tang Yu, however, fell into contemplation.


    He hadn''t been sure about those military Awakeners at first.


    Unlike Lin Wei''s people, who had come to scout around, these few Awakeners were represented by yellow dots on his map, not red ones.


    He speculated that this might be due to different objectives.


    These people came to investigate intelligence, but their primary goal was just to understand the Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    Those sent by Lin Wei, on the other hand, had seen Green Shadow as an enemy right from the start.


    Had it not been for his suspicion and secret observation through the Crystal Ball, Tang Yu would not have been able to confirm that those individuals were sent by the military.


    Some of the experiences of Captain Chen and his team in Green Shadow were indeed arranged by him.


    Tang Yu had no intention of hiding his strength.


    Indeed, the rapid development of Green Shadow Sanctuary, including rune equipment, was bound to attract others'' covetousness.


    The more so, the more he wanted to display some of his power.


    Pretending to be a pig, the weaker one appears, the more it incites others'' greed¡­ In the apocalypse, a strong person holding a Source Crystal only evokes envy and respect from others, but an ordinary person with so many Source Crystals would undoubtedly provoke jealousy and greed.


    Even if that ordinary person was just feigning weakness and ended up defeating the villain, it was meaningless.


    On the contrary, showing a portion of one''s strength from the beginning could avoid trouble.


    If it really came to a confrontation, Lord Tang was not afraid of the opposition¡­ The key point was that a confrontation had no benefits and would cost a great deal of Source Crystals¡ªfighting Lin Wei had already caused him great pain.


    Now? He might as well be a pacifist!


    At least for now, it seemed there was no conflict between him and the one from Lindong Sanctuary.


    ¡­


    Lindong Sanctuary.


    The streets were still bustling with people, and with time, the construction of the entire Lindong had become more perfected.


    Captain Chen and his team rushed back to Lindong without rest and immediately reported their findings.


    A few minutes later.


    In a small conference room, Lu Jianjun and several officers were listening to the report.


    "¡­ From this point of view, Green Shadow Sanctuary indeed fulfills a sanctuary''s responsibilities." One of the staff officers said, "However, the influence of Green Shadow Sanctuary is spreading too quickly. Even the head of Creekwood Sanctuary personally went to purchase equipment?"


    Creekwood Sanctuary, among the smaller sanctuaries in that area, also had relatively strong capabilities.


    The head personally going to buy equipment showed Creekwood Sanctuary''s importance.


    However, they did not understand the ruler of Green Shadow Sanctuary, and the chief of staff was somewhat concerned. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Captain Chen took out the weapons he had purchased.


    An officer stepped forward, looked at them, and nodded to Lu Jianjun, "Indeed, these are the Demon-slaying Longswords that the mercenaries of Lindong are crazy about."


    He then looked to Captain Chen, "Based on your estimate, how many weapons similar to the Demon-slaying Longsword does Green Shadow Sanctuary have, and what is their production rate?"


    "There are probably a lot of this type of weapon."


    "A lot? Dozens? Hundreds?"


    "No, even more." Captain Chen thought for a moment, "There are a dozen or so Demon-slaying Longswords just on the shelves in the Equipment Supermarket, and that''s just one type of weapon. The standard equipment of Green Shadow, just from what I''ve seen, includes close to ten varieties¡­"


    "And moreover, Creekwood Sanctuary buying dozens of weapons from Green Shadow in one go and the staff at the Equipment Supermarket agreeing without hesitation suggests that their stock far exceeds this."


    "As for production rate¡­"


    Captain Chen recalled the scene he had witnessed in the Equipment Department.


    That white-bearded old man had crafted an item in just three minutes that was in no way inferior to the Demon-slaying Longsword.


    So, in an hour, could they produce twenty pieces of similar equipment?


    And in a day?


    The mere thought was shocking!

 Chapter 146 - 146 Yun City Catastrophe (Part 1)

    "How is it possible for them to produce so quickly? The output of the science academy in one day doesn''t match up to theirs in just an hour! Not to mention the quality gap too."


    A sharp-eyed officer said, "The other side must have mastered some kind of secret to achieve this. I think we need to find out what it is, even if it means taking some tough measures!"


    "Taking measures? Don''t forget their strength! And don''t forget your identity as a soldier!" another person at the meeting responded with a contrary opinion.


    "Hmph, if the science academy could have their output, our military could equip our soldiers with that kind of equipment in no time. Don''t tell me you aren''t envious!"


    "So what, there are some lines that shouldn''t be crossed¡­"


    Both sides had their points, and it looked like an argument was about to break out in the meeting room.


    Lu Jianjun patted the table, "We indeed need to find a way to obtain the technology for rune equipment, but there''s no need to resort to overly forceful measures."


    Not wanting the manufacturing technology for rune equipment, Lu Jianjun felt, was deceiving oneself.


    If all the Awakeners in the military could be equipped with rune equipment, their overall combat capability could increase by at least two levels. Not to mention, rune technology, as a brand new field, definitely had a lot of room for development in the future.


    After a Demon-slaying Longsword had appeared on the Black Market, he had already sent people to investigate, but unfortunately, they couldn''t gather any effective information. If it hadn''t been for the major incident involving Lin Wei, he might not have noticed this Green Shadow Sanctuary so soon.


    "The people from Green Shadow Sanctuary had already sold a batch of rune equipment to the science academy and had some technical exchanges, so we can try to gauge their attitude and obtain the rune technology via trade; I believe we can offer something they urgently need..."


    Rune technology must be controlled by us.


    If Green Shadow Sanctuary were too weak, his approach would definitely be more aggressive¡­ There''s never been an equal conversation between the strong and the weak; though Lu Jianjun wasn''t one to act unscrupulously, if Green Shadow were weak, he would definitely pressure them to transfer the rune technology, at most providing Green Shadow with some compensation.


    But now, he already regarded the leader of Green Shadow as being on the same level.


    "However¡­" Lu Jianjun contemplated, "Given that Green Shadow Sanctuary possesses such strong power and its influence is growing, we must keep tabs on their first-hand dynamics."


    The head of the Intelligence Department immediately responded, "Don''t worry, commander, I will assign enough personnel to closely monitor Green Shadow."


    "No, isn''t Green Shadow Sanctuary planning to build a large commercial district?"


    The latter part was directed at Captain Chen.


    Captain Chen nodded, "From their planning, the scale of the commercial district is quite large."


    "In that case, let''s buy a shop in the commercial district. It will not only allow us to monitor Green Shadow but will also serve as a good gesture. If I''m not mistaken, due to their research and manufacturing of rune equipment, Green Shadow''s Source Crystals must be very scarce..."


    ¡­


    In a region far away from Lindong.


    The ground is parched, cracked in every inch.


    Even the most resilient plants are scarcely seen here, with the landscape dominated by a dusty yellow.


    A gust of wind blows, lifting a cloud of sand.


    At the edge of visibility, a giant black beast seems to loom over, but on a closer look, it turns out to be an imposing city wall made of reinforced concrete, standing fifteen meters tall, firmly guarding the sanctuary behind it.


    At this moment, gunfire was heavy on the city wall, accompanied by ongoing alarm sounds.


    Below loomed the dense Demon Tide, which had reached the foot of the city walls. Soldiers could clearly see the gruesome faces of the Demonized Beasts.


    A soldier operated a heavy machine gun, shooting at will without needing to aim. The weaker Demonized Beasts fell instantly in the hail of bullets.


    Occasionally, a powerful Demonized Beast would leap onto the city wall but would quickly be dispatched by the Awakener experts stationed there.


    Behind them, in the city, the constant sound of cannons firing echoed; cannonballs would drop into the Demon Tide and clear out a large swath of Demonized Beasts in an instant.


    "These Demonized Beasts, why can''t we just kill them all?"


    City Defense Soldier Lin Yanrong casually chatted with his comrade.


    He was a new recruit who had enlisted after the apocalypse; however, at that moment, there was not a trace of fear on his face. In the past month, he had encountered Demonized Beasts too many times. Initially panicked, he soon discovered that, relying on the tall city walls, the Demon Tide, which made many survivors pale, posed no significant threat.


    "It''s also because we''re in a large sanctuary that the Demon Tide isn''t much of a threat. I heard that small sanctuaries facing such Demon Tides are nearly doomed." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes!" his companion nodded, "but we can''t say that the Demon Tide poses no threat. After all, what we faced this time is just a common level-one Demon Tide. It''s said that the most terrifying level-five Demon Tide can bring forth City Destruction Level Demonized Beasts. If not handled well, even large sanctuaries might be doomed."


    "Don''t worry." Lin Yanrong wasn''t concerned, "It''s not that easy to encounter a level-five Demon Tide. Besides, since the level-five Demon Tide appeared, the Military''s high command has already devised specific strategies to handle it. Haven''t you seen those weapons? There are rumors that they''re super weapons meant to combat City Destruction Level Demonized Beasts."


    "I''m not worried anymore. Defending the city and killing Demonized Beasts every day might be a bit boring, but it''s safe¡­"


    At that moment, the Demonized Beasts below had nearly been eradicated. Lin Yanrong moved his somewhat sore arms and suddenly rubbed his eyes, "Do you feel like it''s getting foggy?"


    His companion paused, "It does seem to be getting foggy."


    Instead of looking outside the city, he looked towards the sanctuary behind them. The fog seemed to be spreading from inside the sanctuary.


    Not just the two of them, many City Defense Soldiers looked toward the city center, noticing the fog growing thicker.


    "Why does this fog look a bit red?" mumbled Lin Yanrong.


    "A bit red?" His companion widened his eyes as he looked at the thickening mist, which was changing from colorless to light red. It felt familiar, and after a moment, he couldn''t help exclaim, "Red fog!"


    Lin Yanrong was startled.


    He recalled the terror dominated by the red fog at the beginning of the apocalypse.


    His mind suddenly went blank.


    Crack¡­ snap... boom!


    Suddenly, a sound like shattering glass echoed.


    It was as if some barrier had been broken.


    In an instant, the already light red fog seemed to take on a color and, in the blink of an eye, turned as red as blood.


    Just like when the red fog first appeared at the start of the apocalypse!


    Suddenly, a huge booming sound came from somewhere within the city.


    The City Defense Soldiers couldn''t help but look in that direction, standing rooted to the spot.

 Chapter 147 - 147: Catastrophe in Yun City (Part 2)

    In the distance, within their line of sight, rows of buildings collapsed thunderously, the rising white dust almost enveloping that entire urban area.


    Lin Yanrong''s pupils shrank, his face by then pale.


    In the region shrouded by the dust, a huge dark red crack was faintly visible, cutting through the entire urban district.


    It was the abrupt appearance of this crack, under the influence of some force, that led the buildings above it to completely collapse. Lin Yanrong could even see a building at the edge of the crack, sheared off as if by a blade, a great portion cut away, leaving only a small remaining section of the structure, which teetered on the brink of collapse amidst the spreading dust.


    The more eagle-eyed Awakeners could see chunks of the wall from the halved building occasionally falling, tumbling into the bottomless abyss.


    Gurgle~!


    On the city walls, someone let out a sound, breaking the dead silence.


    However, as many city defense soldiers snapped back to reality, their faces grew even more panicked, only able to stare blankly at the distance.


    They had never imagined that an Abyssal Rift would appear within the Sanctuary.


    ...


    Near the Abyssal Rift.


    A dense web of black cracks spread continuously from the mouth of the rift, turning the ground they crossed into a dark red color, like the terrifying abyss itself.


    A middle-aged man sat collapsed on the ground.


    He had watched with his own eyes as other survivors, mere meters from him, were devoured by the Abyssal Rift in an instant, unable to even scream.


    "Thank goodness... thank goodness... huh, if I had walked a few more meters forward, then I would have..." The middle-aged man was so scared his legs were weak, and he couldn''t even stand, crawling frantically with his hands and feet, trying to move his body as far away from the crack as possible.


    Suddenly.


    The middle-aged man saw a shadow leap out from the crack, slamming down not far from him.


    The Demonized Beast was the size of a van, somewhat resembling an enlarged gorilla yet much more ferocious and terrifying in appearance.


    Its entire body was exposed, skinless, with thick, red sinews visible on its muscular arms, like veins protruding, throbbing with each pulse.


    Its eyes were blood-red, its mouth wide open, revealing vicious and sharp teeth.


    "Roar!"


    A putrid wind hit him in the face.


    The middle-aged man trembled all over, a foul odor emanating from below him.


    He struggled to leave, but now it wasn''t just his legs trembling; his hands were too weak to scrape across the ground, splashing a bit of yellow liquid.


    The gorilla-like Demonized Beast turned its head and locked its crimson eyes on the middle-aged man.


    In a blink, it covered the distance of more than ten meters, arriving in front of the middle-aged man.


    It reached out a large hand, grabbed him, and tossed him into its mouth.


    The sharp teeth clamped shut.


    Chewing.


    Crunching loudly.


    ...


    This was just the beginning.


    More and more Demonized Beasts surged out of the Abyssal Rift.


    Humanoid Demonized Beasts, beastlike Demonized Beasts, Flying Demonized Beasts, and many more indescribable ones that could only be pixelated, poured out in droves.


    The sky was filled with rolling red mist, the ground covered by a dark mass of the Demon Tide.


    Survivors screamed and ran wildly, soon to be knocked down and torn apart by the Demonized Beasts.


    This was a blood-soaked scene, reminiscent of the early apocalypse.


    A few well-equipped Awakeners fled quickly in the direction away from the Abyssal Rift.


    Behind them, the screams of survivors rang out intermittently. Even the Mercenary Awakeners, who were accustomed to facing Demonized Beasts and death, couldn''t help but turn pale.


    The leader running at the front suddenly halted.


    His teammates were puzzled.


    Boom!


    Ahead in the street, a building was smashed open, and a giant beast with a metallic sheen burst onto the street, followed by countless diverse Demonized Beasts.


    The leader''s heart quivered, and he immediately turned around, "Quick, go the other way!"


    They fought desperately, rushing from one block to another. Even with the leader''s Danger Prediction Ability, helping them avoid the most lethal Demonized Beasts, the creatures around them continued to multiply.


    Almost impossible to move a single step.


    The other Awakeners around were fighting fiercely, desperately fleeing.


    An Awakener, holding a Combat Saber, had just killed a Demonized Beast blocking the path ahead and was about to continue fleeing when, suddenly, a long tongue shot out like an arrow, piercing his chest before he could react.


    Before dying, the Awakener could only catch a glimpse from the corner of his eye of a large green lizard covered in scales, clinging to the wall of a building, its flesh-colored tongue studded with barbs swiftly retracting into its mouth.


    This battle was merely a microcosm.


    The Awakeners were no match for a horde of Demonized Beasts of this magnitude.


    In everyday hunts, these people would proceed with caution, stepping carefully, ensuring safety before moving in for the kill. When had they ever seen such a scene? Even experts of the third and fourth layers of Awakening, capable of killing one or two, ten or twenty, would still only die of exhaustion, not to mention that among the horde of Demonized Beasts, countless Advanced ones were hidden.


    A Demonized Beast, its entire body a deep red, its form unclear, moved at a speed so fast it seemed like a bolt of lightning. Wherever it went, Awakeners were either smashed until their chests burst open or torn apart by its claws.


    Even the team leader, who possessed the Danger Prediction Ability, had a face that grew increasingly pale.


    Sensing all around, there were insurmountable fatal dangers.


    One by one, the team members fell.


    He swung his long sword mechanically, but his heart sank to the bottom of the lake.


    Da da da¡ª


    The sound of gunfire, the fall of shells.


    The bright flames burst open amidst the horde of Demonized Beasts.


    From afar, a steel torrent emerged.


    Main battle tanks roared from their gun barrels, blasting countless Demonized Beasts to smithereens.


    In the midst of the formation, a middle-aged man with a resolute face shouted, "Second and third companies, provide covering fire with heavy machine guns, rocket bombardment, cannons take aim, Awakener Team be ready at anytime!"


    Accompanied by the roar of artillery fire, the whistling of bullets, and the swoosh of combat slicing through the air...


    The military intervention finally managed to curb the one-sided slaughter of the Demon Tide.


    The team leader with the Danger Prediction Ability felt a momentary relief in his heart, but looking at the incomplete corpses of his companions around him, sorrow welled up inside him.


    He did not flee, his expression resolute. He slanted his round shield and bumped into a beastly Demonized Beast, knocking it off balance. During this opportunity, the team leader''s long sword sliced through the head of the Demonized Beast. With a wet thud, the headless corpse of the Demonized Beast rolled past his side. The leader didn''t even look at it, his eyes full of bloodshot veins, as he stepped over the body of the Demonized Beast and moved forward with large strides.


    ...


    At the opening of the Abyssal Rift.


    As the Demonized Beasts poured out, the survivors around either died or fled.


    At this moment, it seemed like a pause; after the last batch of variously shaped Demonized Beasts came out, no more creatures appeared, and the surroundings suddenly fell silent.


    However, if someone could stand beside the Abyssal Rift and look down to the bottom, they would discover something rolling and stirring beneath the darkness that shrouded the abyss''s depths... S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Puff.


    Above in the sky, the blood-like red mist suddenly faded.


    A Demonized Beast floated up from the bottom of the abyss.


    This Demonized Beast was completely spherical, over one meter in diameter. At first glance, it looked like an enormous eyeball.


    In the middle was a pitch-black pupil filled with blood vessels; behind the entire eyeball were dense interwoven veins, their ends slightly drifting in the air. Just one glance could send chills down one''s spine.


    After the Great Eyeball floated up, it didn''t rush towards humans based on their scent like the other Demonized Beasts did but instead looked around with its eyeball.


    It seemed to be scanning the surroundings.


    "I, the Evil Eye Clan, have finally set foot in this world."


    Behind the Great Eyeball, numerous smaller eyeballs crawled out of the Abyssal Rift.


    These eyeballs, too, had numerous blood vessels drifting in the air. Unlike the Great Eyeball, however, they could not float but had leg-like roots, walking forward with a squishing sound.


    This batch of Evil Eyes, numbering in the hundreds, seemed far less than the swarming Demonized Beast horde at first glance, but their presence was even more formidable!


    It was as if what came before was a ragtag militia, while these were the regular army.


    The floating body of the Great Evil Eye slowly turned, its pupil sweeping over its kin with satisfaction in its heart.


    The two clan members in the front had darker red root-legs compared to the ordinary Evil Eyes, and their presence was even stronger, the expressions in their pupils even more animated.


    The Great Evil Eye floated closer, spiritual power waves rippling out.


    "We shall take root here, but those troublesome humans are hindering us. What do you say we should do?"


    One of the clan members with the dark red roots, its eyes brimming with excitement, its veins behind the eyeball wildly thrashing and rubbing against each other, making a shrill noise.


    "Good, then it''s up to you."

 Chapter 148 - 148: Tragedy

    Machine guns roared by ears, and from time to time, shells whizzed overhead.


    Luo Gang oversaw the entire situation, commanding the various troops.


    "Good, the first battalion advance toward Xincheng District, the second and the third battalions advance toward the Luohu District, and we must drive the Demonized Beasts back to the Abyssal Rift!"


    This appearance of the Abyssal Rift was completely unexpected, and over half of the area of the Sanctuary was damaged, with countless survivors dead or injured.


    Thinking of this, Luo Gang''s heart bled. Every minute and second, in other districts where the military hadn''t reached, countless survivors were dying, but he understood the priorities. If they couldn''t stop the surge of Demonized Beasts from the Abyssal Rift, even if they could save the survivors in other districts now, eventually, the Sanctuary would be destroyed anyway.


    "If we could surround the Abyssal Rift, just like what was once done in the north..."


    Boom!


    A purple beam shot out from afar, hitting a tank, and the next second, the tank was pierced by the beam, bursting into a ball of fire.


    Luo Gang''s expression changed, and before he could speak, countless purple beams shot out from the horde of Demonized Beasts.


    As the core strength, the main battle tanks, which had not lost much since the fight began, suffered heavy losses in an instant.


    If this continued, the whole front would collapse.


    "Cannon team, set coordinates, bombard!"


    Countless shells fell, fierce firelight erupted, and the booming sound echoed.


    The smoke and dust gradually dissipated.


    Luo Gang''s gaze sharpened.


    Around the area where the shells had landed, ordinary Demonized Beasts were almost completely dead or wounded. However, in the center, under the cover of a purple crystalline wall, a dozen eyeball-like Demonized Beasts were unharmed.


    The purple crystalline wall flickered several times and then gradually faded.


    Among the dozen Evil Eyes, the one that was a circle larger, with dark red legs, had purple light flickering in its pupils. After a few breaths, energy gathered in front of its body, and a thick beam of light was fired.


    It seemed as if the world was left with only this dazzling purple.


    Wherever the beam passed, whether tanks, soldiers, Awakeners, or Demonized Beasts, as well as any obstructions like buildings, all were vaporized without exception.


    Only a deep trench remained on the ground, and the gap in the military formation that had been penetrated by the beam, letting everyone understand this was not an illusion.


    Panic!


    Horror!


    As the wind blew, a soldier who had enlisted after the apocalypse watched dumbfounded as the trench swept past his feet and where countless lively lives had once stood.


    Dazed, his facial expression changed until, contorted, he let out a cry, threw down his weapon, and fled as if mad.


    On another side of the formation, Luo Gang also froze.


    If he had been where the beam had struck just now, even though he was in the middle of the formation, he would not have escaped; this power was truly frightening! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luo Gang looked far off. The Evil Eye that had just emitted the beam seemed somewhat wilted now, yet he didn''t know if it had exhausted its power. Putting aside everything else, just one or two more such attacks, and their whole troop would collapse. By then, it wouldn''t be mere talk of driving the Demonized Beasts back; hardly any survivors in the Sanctuary would be likely to escape alive.


    Without needing his orders, the personnel behind controlling the cannons, after their initial fright, immediately reloaded, and the narrow cannon barrels spewed out firelight accompanied by a whistling sound as the shells fell precisely once again.


    Luo Gang''s eyes widened, watching intently.


    However, when the smoke cleared, what appeared before them was still a purple crystalline wall, like a large bowl overturned, securely protecting the dozen or so eyeballs inside, impervious to the bombardment.


    A young man with distinct features, his gaze as sharp as an eagle''s, looked at the distant Evil Eyes and spoke. "Commander, let me take people there."


    He was the Commander of the Awakeners'' battle group, the strongest Awakener in the entire Yun City Sanctuary!


    However, Luo Gang immediately refused, "No! That Demonized Beast, based on energy estimates, has at least the strength of Tenth Layer Awakeners; going there will only..."


    The young Commander''s expression was impassioned, "Those eyeballs are long-range type Demonized Beasts; if we can get close, there''s a good chance to kill them! Commander, this is the only way now; if we delay any further, the brothers won''t be able to hold on!"


    Luo Gang stared, looking at the young face before him.


    This young man, named Qin Yu, had just turned twenty this year.


    He remembered the smile spread over his face when he first enlisted, also the crazy fierceness with which he fought the Demonized Beasts at the beginning of the apocalypse.


    He even remembered when the Awakeners'' battle group was established, Qin Yu standing on the stage, hysterically swearing an oath to kill all the Demonized Beasts and to avenge those fallen comrades.


    How could he not know what would happen if he went?


    Guns and cannons fired all around, the Demonized Beasts roared incessantly, and the military formation kept retreating. Every second, countless lives were lost under the Demonized Beasts.


    Luo Gang''s throat moved, his mouth opened, and finally, it turned into a somewhat choked voice, "...Alright."


    "Guaranteed to complete the mission!"


    Qin Yu stood straight, saluted, and then turned to leave.


    As usual when he rushed to the battlefield,, but this time, it was different.


    The whooshing sound of the cannon''s shells once again streaked across the sky, this time the shells didn''t land on the Evil Eye, but exploded in the dense crowd of Demonized Beasts ahead.


    Under a blur of blood and flesh, a blood path was blasted through the Demon Tide.


    "Charge!"


    Qin Yu took the lead, shooting out like a cannonball, wielding a Combat Saber forged from Transcendent Metal, and wherever he passed, all Demonized Beasts were cleaved in two!


    Under the protection of others, this elite squad, composed of many experts, charged into the Demon Tide like a sharp arrow, brutally piercing through the herd of Demonized Beasts!


    The Evil Eye also noticed this scene.


    The leading Evil Eye still seemed listless; the other Evil Eyes, however, fired purple beams.


    "Kill!"


    A Fire Series Awakener shouted, his entire body already completely ablaze, he pushed forward with both hands, turning the area in front of him into a sea of flames.


    Purple beams shot over, piercing through half his body, but the Fire Series Awakener did not fall. The sea of fire steamed, the color becoming even more vividly red.


    He wrapped himself with the sea of fire, turning his entire body into a huge fireball, flying into the crowd of Demonized Beasts.


    "Commander... I''m sorry, the rest... is up to you now."


    Boom!


    The ground turned to magma, swathes of Demonized Beasts dying.


    Qin Yu''s eyes reddened.


    His body, like a hurricane, picked up countless chunks of flesh, and he finally faced off against the group of Evil Eyes. Dazzling white light burst from his Combat Saber, whoosh... like the screech of steel friction, his saber chopped down, purple crystal barriers burst, an ordinary Evil Eye was instantaneously killed.


    Qin Yu did not stop, he went straight for the largest Evil Eye, the madness in his eyes deepening.


    He vanished in a flash, appearing in front of the oversized Evil Eye, and chopped down!


    Zi... Bang!


    White light met purple crystal barrier, this time, however, it couldn''t break through, but was instead repelled.


    Qin Yu''s expression remained unchanged, even more frenzied, holding his saber in both hands, he blurred into afterimages.


    A ground-elevating tornado sprung up, bladed light danced, and the ground became crisscrossed with slashes, split inch by inch.


    Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang!


    Qin Yu''s Sword Light slashed from all angles, but no matter where it fell, a palm-sized purple crystal barrier emerged, firmly blocking his blade.


    Suddenly.


    From the tip of the eyeball, a thin, finger-thick purple beam shot out.


    Whoosh!


    The world turned black and white in an instant.


    Qin Yu, moving so fast that only his afterimage was visible, paused, involuntarily fell backward.


    Looking down, he found his heart area had been pierced.


    Blood trickled down.


    He seemed to see a mocking look in the Evil Eye''s gaze.


    As if it were ridiculing him for his overconfidence.


    Time seemed to slow down at that moment, surrounding sounds gradually fading away along with those familiar cries, sinking into the depths of his heart.


    Yet, Qin Yu smiled.


    With his last bit of strength, he pulled the switch on his body.


    His clothes, torn to shreds and stained with blood, slowly fluttered down, revealing the ring of Source Crystal bombs tied around his waist.


    The crystals burst forth with bright, white radiance.


    Boom!!!!


    As if the heavens and earth lost their color, a dazzling brilliance filled the entire visual field.


    It seemed a voice was saying,


    "I... have not failed."

 Chapter 149 - 149 Beiting Council

    Distant north.


    While Lindong was still sweltering in heat, here, it was bitterly cold¡ªwinter had divided the climate into extremes since the apocalypse. The hotter it got, the hotter it was, and the colder, the colder.


    Snow drifted through the air, the horizon a vast expanse of white.


    A giant city stood resiliently, as though it had existed since time immemorial.


    This was Beiting.


    "Bang!"


    The old man''s hand slipped, his pupils seemingly unresponsive as he stared ahead, muttering, "Yun City, a Sanctuary in Nuo da, has just vanished."


    In the meeting room, the faces of others looked no better.


    As high-ranking members of the Beiting Sanctuary, they received all sorts of news daily. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the destruction of this large Sanctuary was something no one had anticipated.


    "To think that the Abyssal Rift would appear inside the Sanctuary, if we can''t figure out a response, there will be more tragedies in the future."


    "Exactly, but unless we can predict where the Abyssal Rift appears, otherwise¡­" a senior member in the meeting room responded.


    He was of medium height with broad shoulders, his eyes shifting to another, "Does the science academy have any way to predict the movements of the Abyssal Rift?"


    The head of the science academy, holding a stack of documents, said, "Based on the signs before the red mist appears, we can predict the emergence of the Abyssal Rift ten to fifteen minutes in advance¡­"


    "That''s not enough!" the broad-shouldered senior frowned, "Ten minutes is too brief to evacuate all survivors or establish a perimeter defense."


    "The experts who study the Abyssal Rift have a new idea." The science academy''s head pulled out a document and handed it to the seniors present, "According to their research, the Abyssal Rift is a type of spatial passage, and its sudden appearance is fundamentally due to the instability of the space in our world."


    "Based on speculation, as long as we can create a Space Stabilization Device to reinforce the space within a certain range, we might prevent the Abyssal Rift from appearing inside Sanctuaries."


    "This method is good, tackling the problem at its root. Can the science academy also create a device to destabilize spatial passages, thereby destroying the Abyssal Rift?" the broad-shouldered middle-aged man quickly grasped the main point.


    The person in charge nodded, "That''s the idea, although, these Space Stabilization Devices are still in the concept phase. The biggest issue is that the science academy''s understanding of spatial rules is not profound and there is a lack of spatial objects for reference."


    "Spatial objects?" someone muttered, seemingly recalling something.


    "Yes, that Crystal Stone containing Space Power. If we could use this stone as a template for research, the development of the Space Stabilization Device could speed up significantly." The person in charge spoke quickly, his tone slightly anxious.


    However, a senior wrinkled his brow, "That Crystal Stone is key to stabilizing the number three Secret Realm. If we remove the stone, there''s a high possibility that the Secret Realm would collapse."


    The meeting room was suddenly divided into two camps, some thought that researching the Space Stabilization Device should be prioritized, and others felt that the number three Secret Realm was very important and the stone should not be hastily removed.


    The senior elder contemplated for a while and then spoke, "It''s possible."


    "But that''s a Secret Realm¡ª"


    "The number three Secret Realm has been fully explored by us, though there might still be things overlooked, but right now, developing the Space Stabilization Device is more crucial."


    No one from the opposition spoke anymore.


    The elder then looked at someone beside him, "What is the development status of the number one and two Secret Realms?"


    The person looked to be in his early thirties, but the full head of white hair and the slight signs of age in his eyes suggested that he might not be as young as he appeared.


    He shook his head, "Those two realms are too dangerous; we''ve developed less than ten percent of them. The number three realm is an Inheritance Secret Realm; that''s why we could develop it completely in just a few days."


    The elder nodded, "Then let''s move on to the next agenda item, Minister Chen, please update us on the progress of the Beiting Defense Circle."


    A middle-aged man with a moustache cleared his throat and began, "Currently, the construction of the Defense Circle is proceeding as planned. In the first batch, fifty-six small Sanctuaries and three medium-sized Sanctuaries within the Beiting region have been completely assimilated, and Sanctuary Directors and some senior figures have been appointed to corresponding government positions based on their contributions."


    This had been planned since the beginning of the apocalypse.


    Numerous small Sanctuaries spread out like stars in the sky, providing a haven for survivors the military couldn''t reach in time. However, they ultimately weren''t safe enough to withstand attacks of the Demon Tide, so when the number of survivors in these small Sanctuaries noticeably decreased, the plan to assimilate these Sanctuaries and construct the Defense Circle began.


    "These Sanctuaries, including Lingshan Sanctuary, Yanhe Sanctuary, and five others, are planned to be converted into wilderness Transfer Stations for Awakeners to hunt and rest, with three already completed, and the other two expected to be finished in the next two days,"


    "At the same time, we plan to establish five wilderness departure points at various gates of the Beiting Sanctuary and convert the Military''s Rhino-class armored vehicles into transport buses, tasked with ferrying Mercenaries to and from, and intend to complete a railway connecting these five points within the next month to ensure high-speed transit."


    The elder nodded, "What''s the assimilation status of the surroundings of the eight large Sanctuaries like Jin State, Kangding, and You State?"


    "The areas around these eight Sanctuaries have completed forty percent of their assimilation, with the rest expected to finish in three days. By then, centered on the Beiting Base City, the Eight Great Sanctuaries will each act as a Satellite City, initially forming the skeleton of the Beiting Defense Circle¡ªit will offer humanity much more room to maneuver."


    This topic evidently didn''t meet any opposition and was merely a routine report.


    The senior elder nodded, "Once the Defense Circle is complete, we will have more space for agriculture, but simply growing ordinary crops won''t be enough. The land inside the Defense Circle, although much more extensive than inside the Sanctuaries, is still insufficient. Additionally, given the current weather conditions, the situation of food remains severe."


    "Director Che, how is the food stockpile and the progress of research into new types of crops?"


    Director Che responded, "Based on predictions of the total number of survivors after the Defense Circle is built, the food stockpile can meet a three-month need. Currently, we have selected three new types of crops that appeared after the apocalypse: Green Fruit Tree, Earth Dragon Corn, and Climbing Crops. These new varieties all have significantly higher yields, and most importantly, they have much shorter growing cycles. Overall, these generate far more per acre than the pre-apocalypse crops."


    "We are currently testing these three new crop types and plan to start planting them soon¡­"


    (PS: This is a parallel world, a parallel world, a parallel world, so...)

 Chapter 150 - 150 This is definitely not a mistake!

    The agenda proceeded in an orderly fashion.


    The elder sitting at the head of the table had spoken so much yet still sounded vigorous. He scanned the room and announced, "We will now begin the final item on our agenda, concerning the military reform and the establishment of the Ancestor Dragon Force."


    "As everyone knows, an increasing number of powerful demonized beasts are emerging from the Abyssal Rift. The existence of our military was initially not for combating these demonized beasts. The negligible damage dealt by our firearms to the demonized beasts means that the development of new weapons, especially research into rune weapons, is urgent."


    "Yet, that is not enough. The world has changed. Ancient wars were fought with numbers; modern wars rely on equipment¡ªadvanced equipment. Now, while equipment remains important, it is merely supporting. The most crucial factor is people, the Awakeners!"


    "The Awakeners hold infinite possibilities. From what we know, there are thirteen levels within the Awakening Tier, divided into Foundation, Body-shaping, and Source Condensation¡ªthe three evolutionary processes. An Awakener who has condensed a Source Qi Sea can resist an entire pre-apocalypse conventional army with his or her own strength alone. It''s clear that over time, the role of the Awakeners will become increasingly significant."


    "Therefore, I propose the formation of the Ancestor Dragon Force to gather the Awakeners in the military. The remaining military forces, after reorganization, will serve solely for safeguarding the Sanctuary and other collaborative missions. Does anyone have any objections?"


    There was silence for a moment.


    "I second the motion."


    "I second the motion."


    "I second the motion."


    With a solemn expression, the elder stated, "Upon the establishment of the Ancestor Dragon Force, the first order of business is to educate the Awakeners in cultivation. Some military Awakeners have already attempted cultivation with results that exceeded our expectations. After its establishment, all who join the Ancestor Dragon Force will be taught the Cultivation Skill."


    Since time immemorial, there have been many legends about cultivators¡ªordinary people would hear them and laugh them off. But the elder understood that some legends were not without basis.


    Cultivators did exist, encompassing martial arts and the pursuit of the Dao. However, the abilities of pre-apocalypse cultivators were never as formidable as in the legends. Many Cultivation Techniques were excruciatingly difficult to initiate, and even upon success, one could hardly display the powers described within the techniques.


    It was as if something was restraining them.


    Even the real Martial Arts Grandmasters and Dharma Method Masters before the apocalypse could not manage the strength to fight an entire army alone; at most... they were a match for a well-equipped special forces squad.


    This was also why pre-apocalypse there were so few instances of martial artists causing trouble. It''s one thing to commit crimes using martial prowess, but one had to be sufficiently powerful to do so in the first place. For ordinary martial artists, it only takes a few rounds from a firearm to face Game Over.


    But after the apocalypse, everything changed!


    The world transformed drastically, Source Qi surged forth, and all things began to awaken.


    The real Cultivation Techniques started to gradually reveal their rightful power.


    The elder looked towards the man sitting at his side, a "young" man in his thirties with silvery-white hair.


    His name was Meng Jingran. He appeared young, but his actual age was not much less than that of the elder himself.


    He was a true Martial Arts Grandmaster, especially after the apocalypse when Master Meng''s strength surged enormously, reaching a level that even the most elite Awakeners in the military couldn''t come close to.


    The elder understood deeply that this was the effect of practicing Cultivation Techniques.


    He was also aware that Meng Jingran''s capability to advance so rapidly was due to his decades of cultivation¡ªa gradual accumulation that suddenly soared to the heavens.


    To expect the military Awakeners to reach the same level was unrealistic. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But if the Cultivation Dharma Method were to be imparted, even learning a bit of it would exponentially increase the battle power of the military Awakeners.


    ...


    Territory, somewhere located at the eastern foot of a vacation villa''s mountain.


    This area had been designated as the training ground for the Patrol Team and also as a test field for equipment that needed to be tested outdoors.


    At this time,


    Tang Yu was unaware of the serious incident that had taken place somewhere in the north.


    But he too had a grave expression, focused on the war vehicle before him that was the length of a regular service car, yet slightly narrower in build.


    This was the newly minted Floating Chariot...


    a semi-finished product.


    Unlike the usual manufacturing of equipment, the construction of a Floating Chariot could either be done in one go or by first making the individual parts and then assembling them all at once.


    Naturally, one would prefer to do it in one go for convenience, yet to create a complete Floating Chariot, he... was still missing some kind of key material.


    He had to settle for the next best thing and crafted the other parts first.


    The Floating Chariot''s semi-finished product before his eyes was missing the key floating function, but if one overlooked the floating function, this Floating Chariot also came with three pairs of high-strength tires, enough to travel normally on land.


    "However, the floating function is crucial. From Lindong to Luoxia, there are many high-risk areas along the way. It''s a minor issue to take a detour to avoid those areas, but the key is traveling through some complex terrain. Without the floating function, many terrains are hard to cross, and it would take a significant amount of time..."


    "Traveling on foot to Luoxia Sanctuary is dangerous enough, not to mention, it could take three months and you still might not get there, but driving this semi-finished Floating Chariot could speed things up a lot. Tang Yu estimated that it would take a little over half a month to get there. However, if the Floating Chariot could be equipped with the final floating function, perhaps it would only take a few days to reach the Luoxia Sanctuary."


    As Tang Yu pondered, he saw Kevin leaning against the Floating Chariot, his eyes shining, gently caressing the vehicle''s body as if it were an indescribable form, unmindful that his white beard was dragging on the ground and had turned greyish-black.


    "Wonderful, just wonderful, truly indescribable!" Kevin murmured to himself, "I never imagined that the Energy Resistance Rune and Energy Gathering Rune could be combined in such a structure. How did I never think of this before? Those past ten years have really gone to the dogs!"


    "And this Solid Rune can actually be improved in this way, engraved on the chariot''s armor, fully utilizing the original indentations of the armor. While these runes might not be advanced, the design skill is indeed too exquisite!"


    Kevin touched the chariot''s head, body, and wheels, and even went around it, almost crawling underneath.


    Tang Yu, with a deadpan expression, could hardly bear to watch any longer and coughed dryly, "Master Kevin, if you wish to study it, I could give you one, but for now, shouldn''t we first test the Floating Chariot''s performance?"


    Only then did Kevin snap back to reality, chuckled embarrassedly, his old face turning red, "Lord, you are right, I was too eager. Such a marvelous item should be researched and savored slowly."


    He took out measuring instruments and began collecting various data from the Floating Chariot.


    Tang Yu then had Shay try driving it; the Floating Chariot moved forward in the testing ground, turned, drifted, and with the Acceleration Rune fully activated, then, with a bang, the Floating Chariot crashed into a mountainside.


    Kevin: "..."


    Tang Yu: "..."


    Debris flew everywhere, burying the chariot within.


    Shay hurriedly opened the door and kicked away the debris surrounding the chariot before repeatedly dusting himself off.


    He looked somewhat embarrassed, but then saw that the Floating Chariot itself was completely unharmed.


    His eyes suddenly brightened, and he couldn''t help but touch his head, "Right, this is a test of the chariot''s impact resistance, definitely not any operating error. How could I, the venerable old driver from Akina Mountain, make such a rookie mistake."

 Chapter 151 - 151 Fighter Puppet

    After pulling out the chariot and testing it a few more times, Tang Yu confirmed that the performance of the Floating Chariot was exceptional, especially its collision capabilities. "Shay, try out the power of the mini energy-gathering cannon."


    After he finished speaking,


    the front end of the Floating Chariot extended a muzzle, the light converged, and with a whoosh, a white beam shot from the muzzle and penetrated the ground, leaving behind only a deep hole.


    "Is that all? What about the promised explosion?"


    Shay even specifically got off the chariot, ran over to the hole where the beam had penetrated, and inspected it, only to find that it was indeed just a small hole.


    Kevin brushed his long beard and cleared the dust off it. "This is a concentrated type of attack. Unless it meets high-intensity resistance, the beam will directly penetrate the target, resulting in more lethal damage."


    "I see¡­" Shay replied, disappointed, muttering under his breath, "No explosion, no sense of romance at all, thumbs down!"


    After recording all the data, Kevin looked at Tang Yu with a smile. "Lord, do you remember you said yesterday that besides the Floating Chariot, today we would also test some new equipment, including a new type of puppet?"


    He didn''t know where Tang Yu had obtained all these ingenious blueprints, but, considering the Lord had summoned him from another world, the sophisticated blueprints seemed relatively insignificant by comparison.


    What was even more precious was that these blueprints and materials were fully accessible to him.


    The last time, the Rune Language Book, although it only covered the basics of rune studies, had brought him considerable gains. Kevin was even surprised to find that, as an advanced Rune Master, his foundational knowledge in runes was so weak, and in some areas, his understanding had deviated from the essential meanings of runes. Under such circumstances, his advancement to an advanced Rune Master had even surprised Kevin himself.


    This was not an issue with his learning ability, but rather, in his original world, rune knowledge was a high-end and scarce resource.


    Many books were written by predecessors who had read the Rune Language Book, based on their own interpretations.


    Not to mention the scarcity of the Rune Language Book, many legacies were incomplete, and the rune masters who compiled these books might not have fully grasped the content in the Rune Language Book. Some of the recorded materials, after their interpretation and successive revisions by later generations¡­


    A book on rune studies that reached Kevin''s hands was already the product of countless revisions, not to mention some knowledge came from ancestors'' manuscripts, which were blackened and emitted an odd smell.


    Who knew what those so-called ancestors used these manuscripts for!


    The scarcity of knowledge also made it impossible for him to scrutinize; he could only guess and experiment when he encountered things he didn''t understand.


    Kevin didn''t even know how many labs he had blown up testing some rune structures, resulting in a lack of generous sponsors willing to fund his experiments, which really frustrated him.


    Failure was clearly the precursor to success, so why didn''t these people believe that?


    Given such circumstances, he was even more excited about the books in the library, those incredible blueprints, and the physical equipment made according to those blueprints.


    Kevin rubbed his hands together, his old face grinning like a blooming chrysanthemum.


    Tang Yu took out a spherical object, bigger than the basic human-shaped puppet compressed into a sphere, roughly the size of a fist.


    These single-piece equipment, when they came out, were in a compressed state, of course, and once deployed, they could not be compressed again¡­ This was mainly due to the large size of the equipment itself, similar to the Floating Chariot. Even if it was just the components, they were in a compressed state when produced.


    The workshop''s black box was only so big; without compression, he couldn''t imagine how the equipment could emerge, let alone grow in size during the process like some kind of Dimension Bag. However, that was not feasible; the workshop''s gate was only so wide, and the Floating Chariot seemed likely to smash through the wall if it tried to exit from the workshop.


    That is, if it could knock down the walls of the workshop.


    Holding the grey compressed sphere in his hand, he weighed it, and it felt quite good in his hand.


    Tang Yu threw the sphere into the air, where it compressed and transformed into a human-shaped puppet over two meters tall.


    With a thud, the puppet''s feet hit the ground, landing steadily.


    This was the Fighter Puppet in its bare equipment form.


    Over two meters tall and humanoid in shape, it resembled a small mecha, its body covered in gray armor. Whether its arms or legs, both exhibited a strong sense of power. Standing on the ground, its inherent weight of several hundred pounds caused the soft soil to sink slightly.


    He had spent fifty thousand units of Source Crystals to purchase these high-end blueprints.


    This type of puppet, which mimicked human combat patterns, had a much higher combat intelligence than the basic Warrior Puppet. What was even more valuable was that this puppet could be fitted with a variety of weapon attachments, including melee and ranged weapons.


    This meant it could serve as a Sword Fighter Puppet, a Shield Fighter Puppet, or even a Gun Fighter Puppet.


    "Unfortunately, to create the most powerful fighter puppet that could rival an Awakened Ninth Layer in its bare form, the materials required are far beyond what I can currently gather."


    It had three grades, the highest of which had the strength of the Awakened Ninth Layer.


    The next grade possessed the strength of the Awakened Fifth Layer.


    And the lowest grade, which was the puppet in front of him, had the strength of the Awakened Second Layer, made from the most common iron materials.


    This was the limitation of the puppet. In theory, Kevin could manually produce a puppet army. However, theory is always theoretical. If a theory could be realized, it would have already become reality; why would it still be called a theory?


    "Let''s first test the strength of the lowest grade Fighter Puppet. If feasible, with the current materials, I can still assemble a few second-tier Fighter Puppets. And this strength is just in its bare form. As long as I load the Fighter Puppet with weapon attachments and reasonably match the lineup, their strength should be fairly high."


    Tang Yu was deep in thought.


    Meanwhile, Kevin was already impatiently rushing forward.


    Just like when he first saw the Floating Chariot, Kevin''s hands were constantly caressing the Fighter Puppet. Only this time, he had replaced the chariot with a puppet, still humanoid. Tang Yu found it a bit unbearable to watch.


    Fortunately, this time Kevin suppressed his burning spirit of research and controlled his hands from disassembling the puppet for study... He had disassembled many basic Warrior Puppets before. Glancing at Tang Yu standing nearby, Kevin guessed that disassembling the puppet might lead the Lord to immediately turn hostile.


    Too risky to provoke.


    With Tang Yu''s authorization, Kevin used voice control to make the puppet perform some simple actions while recording data on the side.


    Finally, Kevin pondered, "Lord, since Fighter Puppets are meant for combat, it would be best to collect firsthand data from battles. I would also like to see the combat intelligence of this type of Fighter Puppet..."


    Tang Yu thought that made sense and pondered.


    Should he step into the ring himself? That would be unbecoming¡ªdefinitely not an option.


    Shay was too strong¡ªpass.


    Kevin? Although stronger than the Fighter Puppet by a slight margin, he felt a need to show respect for the elderly.


    His gaze swept around and spotted members of the Patrol Team practicing the preliminary moves of Heavy Slash in the distance. His eyes suddenly lit up.


    He had found his guinea pigs. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 152 - 152: So Embarrassing, Take Off Your Skirt!

    The Floating Chariot had crashed into the mountain wall with a loud noise, naturally catching the attention of the Patrol Team members early on.


    Without permission, they couldn''t gather around to watch, but their curiosity scratched at them like a cat''s claws.


    The moment they had permission, they burst forth like wild horses set free.


    Tang Yu shook his head.


    Such na?ve people.


    Today, without any external missions, some members of the Patrol Team were on duty around various areas of the Sanctuary, while most of the rest, due to budget constraints, hadn''t gone to training camp, practicing the preliminary moves for Heavy Slash wherever they could.


    Older members of the Patrol Team, like Lu Xiaopeng and others, some had already successfully used Heavy Slash.


    With two to three times the power of a regular slash, it was enough to make anyone envious.


    Among the newer members of the Patrol Team, Lan Qingya had also learned Heavy Slash after a few days of practice... Many of the guys felt ashamed and were spurred on to train even harder.


    "Although I can''t use Heavy Slash yet, I''ve mastered the preliminary moves very well. I believe in at most three days, I''ll be able to use Heavy Slash."


    Zhao Ming was bursting with excitement, "And I''ve also found that even if I haven''t fully learned Heavy Slash, just these preliminary moves have significantly enhanced my strength. Just last time, I killed a Second-tier Demonized Beast all by myself!"


    Such an achievement was something Zhao Ming wouldn''t have even dared to dream of before.


    When the dozen or so members of the Patrol Team arrived, they saw this human-shaped puppet standing more than two meters tall. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From its design, it was streets ahead of the basic, round puppets.


    "Director Tang, have you developed a new type of puppet?"


    In the minds of the Patrol Team members, puppets were developed through Director Tang''s capabilities.


    Although they didn''t underestimate the previous standard Warrior Puppets, their own increasing strength had left them behind, and now, seeing this, they realized that as they progressed, Tang Yu, too, hadn''t stopped moving forward. In such a short time, he had developed even stronger puppets.


    "That''s right, the reason you were brought here was to test out the new puppet''s strength. Just like before, the puppet isn''t equipped with any weapons, but you can use anything at your disposal."


    Tang Yu beckoned with his hand, and the Fighter Puppet stepped forward with several pounding steps. "The difference this time is that even without any equipment, this new kind of puppet can show the strength of a Second-tier Awakening. So, who wants to try it first?"


    Looking at the people in front of him, the corners of his mouth slightly curled up.


    This was indeed the right way to use the members of the Patrol Team.


    The moment his words fell.


    Zhao Ming stepped forward, "Second-tier strength? Well, that''s perfect. I had just broken through to Second-tier Awakening two days ago. I''ve been worried about not having a worthy opponent. Competing with others is not as exhilarating as fighting a puppet!"


    A playing field was marked out, and the two stood opposite each other.


    With the start command, the Fighter Puppet charged straightforwardly, each footstep leaving a solid imprint on the ground, like a tank charging into battle.


    Zhao Ming pulled out a Standard Battle Saber, his gaze intense, keeping his eyes firmly on the puppet.


    Compared to his first time fighting a basic Warrior Puppet, Zhao Ming had indeed grown a lot. He shouted loudly, raised his combat saber high, smoothly executed those preliminary moves for Heavy Slash, and with a whistling sound, he brought the blade slashing down towards the oncoming Fighter Puppet.


    Although he still hadn''t managed to invoke the Qi Blood Power to perform a true Heavy Slash, those preliminary moves had boosted his strength by at least two levels... He had tested this on the Punching Power Tester.


    Confident about his strike, Zhao Ming believed that if he could land the hit successfully, he would gain a considerable advantage. Coupled with a series of combos, he could easily take down the puppet, which might also change a few girls'' impression of him within the team!


    That''s what Zhao Ming thought.


    In the next moment, the Fighter Puppet kicked out its leg. Before his combat saber could strike, a giant foot slammed into his stomach, sending him flying several meters away.


    Zhao Ming was completely stunned.


    This isn''t right, how can they use their feet too!


    Last time fighting with the basic Puppet, I had never seen a Puppet launch an attack with its legs; that''s against the rules, coach!


    Zhao Ming staggered as he tried to stand up, only to find the Fighter Puppet had somehow already got to his front, with a large foot stopping less than five centimeters from his face. As he moved, his face ran smack into it again.


    The members of the Patrol Team couldn''t help but cover their faces.


    "This Zhao Ming, although I never had high hopes for him, getting KO''d in one round, isn''t that a bit too quick?"


    "Yeah, we''ve already seen those round, rolling Puppets last time. This time, since Director Tang said the Puppet had Second-tier Awakening strength, then in Second-tier, it''s naturally top-notch. It''s expected for Zhao Ming to lose, but to not last even one round... um, Zhao Ming is indeed too crappy."


    "This is embarrassingly bad! Zhao Ming, just take off your skirt!"


    Now, the general strength among Patrol Team members was of the Second-tier Awakening.


    Although Zhao Ming had thrown in the towel, others were unconvinced. No matter what, they still had to perform well in front of Director Tang to prove that their strength wasn''t that bad, it was just dragged down by Zhao Ming.


    "I''ll go!"


    A robust big man stepped forward.


    With Zhao Ming''s performance as a warning, even though he thought he was much stronger than Zhao Ming, he didn''t dare to be careless. As the battle began, the big man launched the attack first.


    "Smack¡­ smack."


    The robust big man ended face down, flopping onto the ground.


    "How is this possible, even Xing lost, and so quickly!"


    "How many rounds was that? One point one, one point two, or one point five? It feels like it wasn''t much better than Zhao Ming. What on earth did Xing do last night? He''s so frail!"


    Another member of the Patrol Team with Second-tier strength entered.


    The others watched nervously.


    The shorter team member was even more cautious, moving around while tentatively attacking.


    "Good!"


    Others thought to themselves. Though this shorter team member could only strike at the Puppet''s legs, there was an advantage to it¡ªdestroying the Puppet''s leg joints would take away its speed advantage, then they would have the upper hand!


    However, the next moment, everyone widened their eyes.


    The Fighter Puppet suddenly lunged forward with a Violent Grab, lifting the short youth over its shoulder and smashing him down hard on the ground, following up with a combo, dealing a critical hit!


    Zhao Ming: "..."


    Others: "..."


    This team member, who was stronger and lasted longer, only made the gap more evident for everyone else.


    Zhao Ming and the second team member who went up had lost too quickly, leading everyone to falsely believe it wasn''t that the Puppet was too strong, but rather those two were too weak. However, the harsh truth was, against the Puppet, they were all weak.


    After several fights, not a single scratch appeared on the Puppet; standing there, it seemed almost as if it was looking down on them.


    The others hesitated to step forward.


    Defeating the Puppet would of course score some points with Director Tang. If they could exchange a few rounds, they could also gain some insight, but...


    Placing themselves in the shoes of those who had just fought, they realized that with their own strength, it wasn''t about lasting a few rounds¡ªlasting even one round would be a miracle.


    The Patrol Team member who had just mockingly told Zhao Ming to take off his skirt was now incredibly embarrassed. If he were to go up and get KO''d in one round, would he have to dress in the same women''s clothing and join Zhao Ming in taking off their skirts?


    That would indeed be utterly humiliating!

 Chapter 153 - 153 Our plan... was doomed before it even began

    The outcome of the battle was somewhat beyond Tang Yu''s expectations.


    It wasn''t that the members of the Patrol Team were too weak; after days of high-intensity training and skirmishes with Demonized Beasts, these people weren''t yet experts but had certainly risen above the standard.


    Yet they were quickly dispatched by a few smacks from the Fighter Puppet.


    Such strength...


    Tang Yu remembered that the description of the Fighter Puppets indicated their bare strength was comparable to an ordinary Awakener at the Middle Stage of the Second-tier, and this Middle Stage possibly referred to an Awakener whose potential had been developed¡ªit was somewhat stronger than someone who had simply refined their soul power to reach the Peak of the Second-tier.


    Plus, the Fighter Puppets possessed a high level of combat intelligence, far beyond what these recently trained Patrol Team members could match.


    Dominating these individuals was to be expected.


    Among the Patrol Team members, given their contributions, they weren''t yet qualified to obtain Cultivation Skills, and their regular routine included training at the camp or practicing the preliminary moves of Heavy Slash. Those with fuller wallets could afford a dose of Body Tempering Liquid to strengthen their physical fitness.


    In this aspect, Wang Zhou, as the number one guinea pig, had taken advantage, using the Body Tempering Potion at a nearly giveaway price, enabling him to push his physical fitness close to the limit in just a few days.


    Unfortunately, at this level, the effectiveness of the Body Tempering Potion seemed to have plateaued, and only heavy exercise could squeeze out the last bit of potential from his body.


    At this moment, the Patrol Team members were still hesitating.


    Zhao Ming came up with a suggestion, "From the looks of it, none of us at the Second-tier probably stand a chance against this Puppet, right?"


    They looked at each other before finally their gaze settled on a youth with a stern face, "Brother Lu, what are your chances?"


    The youth with a stern face shook his head, "Less than twenty percent, but I still have to give it a try."


    He was about to step forward but was stopped by Zhao Ming, "Brother Lu is the strongest among us at the Second-tier. Our hope could be said to rest on Brother Lu, but the rest of us can also create opportunities for Brother Lu and increase his chances of winning."


    Everyone looked puzzled, only to see Zhao Ming smile mysteriously, "Think about it, during the initiation test for our team, we faced those round puppets. It was only because we understood the behavior patterns of the puppets that we were able to pass easily later on."


    Zhao Ming didn''t blush at all as he continued, "Now, these human-shaped puppets definitely have some pattern of behavior, it''s just that the fight was too short for us to analyze it. So, I think before Brother Lu takes the stage, the rest of us should go first, not to win, but just to last longer, trying to probe the Puppet''s behavioral pattern. Won''t our chances of winning be significantly increased by then?"


    Everyone suddenly saw the light.


    Such a strategy was indeed feasible.


    The youth with the stern face hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded.


    On a regular day, he would have disdained this kind of tag-teaming approach, but this time it was for the honor of the Patrol Team, and they couldn''t allow so many people to be unable to defeat even one Puppet.


    It would make it look as if the Patrol Team members were merely freeloading.


    Those on the other side had already discussed their strategy and order of appearance, all focused on lasting as long as possible, dragging out time. The more the Puppet revealed itself, the more its behavior pattern would be exposed.


    With this thought, the first person stepped forward, "I''ll go!"


    He bore an air of readiness to face death.


    That''s when Director Tang waved a hand, "No need, the test ends here."


    The Patrol Team members, primed and ready to go, were stunned: "(?§Õ?;)!!!"


    This wasn''t part of the script!


    They had prepared so much, had discussed various countermeasures, only to be told that the match was canceled... It was like cramming all night for an exam only to arrive with dark circles under the eyes and then hearing the examiner say that the subject would not be tested.


    It was enough to make one want to spit blood.


    Zhao Ming still wanted to negotiate, "Director Tang, give us another chance."


    The reticent young man also stepped forward, "We hope Director Tang can give us a chance to spar with the puppets, regardless of winning or losing, we just want to gain some battle experience."


    "Well..." Director Tang pondered for a while, "Forget it, you wouldn''t win anyway."


    "The battle intelligence of these fighter puppets is very high, you can think of them as having rich combat experience. There''s no point in trying to figure out a puppet''s behavior pattern; as things stand now, you can''t match their physical prowess, nor can you match their experience and skills, so how do you expect to win?"


    Zhao Ming''s mouth twitched.


    That statement made too much sense. Zhao Ming knew in his heart that even if it were a war of attrition, their chances of victory were slim, but Director Tang''s blunt delivery was a real gut punch!


    He wanted to say something else.


    "As for wanting to fight puppets to improve your combat experience? That''s too slow. Puppets are limited after all; no matter how much you practice, your combat experience won''t improve much. And what if the puppet is damaged? Should we deduct it from your salaries?"


    Zhao Ming was left speechless.


    Tang Yu sensed the timing was right and slowly spoke up, "However, there is a place where you can rapidly improve your combat experience."


    Everyone eagerly turned to look, including some members of the Patrol Teams who had already broken through to the third layer of Awakening. They were all somewhat astonished.


    After regretting the lost sparring opportunity just moments ago, now there was a place that could quickly enhance combat experience?


    There existed such a place?!


    Tang Yu stood with his hands behind his back, looking towards the direction of the villa area, "It''s the fifth level of the training camp. None of you have been there yet, have you?"


    "The fifth level? Could it be that place!"


    "It''s said that the fifth level is shrouded in mystery and possesses methods to rapidly increase one''s strength. People like Captain Luo often train on the fifth level. I had suspected that there would be some highly advanced training facilities there!" S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But the minimum cost for the fifth level is sixty contribution points. I can''t afford that!"


    The group was abuzz with discussion.


    It wasn''t that no one had wanted to go there before, but the price was prohibitive, barring their entry. Even for those who could afford the sixty contribution points, the uncertainty of what was on the fifth level meant that they hesitated to make the purchase.


    The thought of splurging for a day of pleasure only to face half a month of hardship was demoralizing, especially when they didn''t even know what kind of pleasure awaited. It felt like a rip-off.


    Tang Yu took in the scene, unsurprised.


    The reason for the high price point and the half-day minimum charge previously was exactly to keep these Patrol Team members out.


    But now, things were different.


    The Territory had begun to take shape, giving him more confidence in his decisions. Most importantly, his pockets were filled with Source Crystals. Previously, there were only three rooms on the fifth level, hardly enough even for him and his few followers. How could it have been made available to Patrol Team members?


    After upgrading to a second-tier, the fifth level now had ten rooms.


    This training camp, he planned to dedicate entirely to the Patrol Team''s use, in order to squeeze their wallets. In this way, it seemed as if the Patrol Team members had high salaries, but in reality, after a roundabout exchange, the money would still end up in his pocket.


    This made Lord Tang very pleased.


    As for the training facilities he and his followers used on a daily basis, he planned to build a new training camp next to the Territory''s castle. From now on, a turn to the left out the door would take him straight into the training area, greatly reducing travel time.


    This was called saving time.


    It was also known as cherishing life.

 Chapter 154 - 154: This game experience... extremely cruel!

    The atmosphere had already fermented to a proper level, and amidst the discussions, the members of the Patrol Team grew more curious and increasingly anticipatory about training in a place that could swiftly enhance combat experience.


    Tang Yu cleared his throat, drawing the gaze of all the Patrol Team members to him.


    "The cost of training on the fifth floor is indeed beyond your financial capabilities. Originally, it was expected that once your strength increased to a certain level and your income rose, you naturally would be able to afford the training costs. After all, every use of the facilities on the fifth floor consumes a substantial amount of Source Crystals."


    "However, your combat experience is indeed lacking, especially real life-and-death combat experience. Normally, it might not be an issue, but once you face a life-or-death crisis, this lack of experience could very well be the root of your demise."


    "Therefore, I''ve given it some thought and decided to lower the usage fee for the fifth-floor training facilities. From now on, we will charge by the hour ¨C it will only cost two contribution points for an hour of training. I hope you will make good use of the fifth-floor training facilities to enhance your combat experience." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Tang Yu spoke, a pained expression crossed his face.


    This was the expression that naturally surfaced after he painfully reminisced about the years of spending heavily on virtual enhancements, turning himself metaphorically into an African in terms of expenditure.


    Yet the Patrol Team members had no idea.


    Seeing Director Tang''s expression, they realized that lowering the fifth-floor usage fee this time was a decision he had made with great difficulty¡ªtheir payments for purchasing usage rights didn''t even cover the cost of activating the facilities. Every use required the Sanctuary to make up for the shortfall of Source Crystals.


    Still, Director Tang decided to give them the opportunity to use the fifth floor to increase their combat experience so that they might have a better chance of surviving in dangerous situations.


    Thinking this way, they were quite moved.


    Their favorability towards him surged.


    At the same time, they also grew more curious about what kind of training facilities could swiftly improve their combat experience.


    "Let''s go, and let you experience the fifth floor''s training facilities first," declared Tang Yu with a grand wave of his hand as the group headed straight for the training camp.


    ...


    Between the eastern and western villa districts.


    The upgraded training camp still had the same number of floors, but the area it covered had expanded significantly. The training facilities inside were largely the same as at level one, only the capacity had increased.


    For instance, the level one Punching Power Tester couldn''t withstand a full-power punch from Luo Zhe, but after the upgrade, Luo Zhe could finally measure how many kilograms of punching power he had with a full-force blow.


    After entering the training camp, the group made their way up the stairs. With Director Tang''s high-level authority, they didn''t even need to swipe cards ¨C the fifth floor''s door automatically opened, revealing the interior.


    "Let''s see what''s really in here..."


    Suddenly, a rush of people moved in, only to see that the fifth floor consisted of a long corridor and several small sealed rooms on either side.


    Could the mystery be inside these rooms?


    They couldn''t help but look towards Director Tang.


    "You must have heard of virtual reality technology, right? Well, the fifth floor''s training facility is a fictitious yet realistic Spirit Space. There, apart from being able to revive from death, everything is identical to the real world. What do you think? Can you swiftly improve your life-and-death combat experience in such an environment?"


    Tang Yu smiled, "Look, there are a total of ten rooms here. Discuss amongst yourselves and pick ten people to come in and give it a try. Here''s a tip: you get an hour of free trial time; make good use of it."


    After he explained how to use it, the others discussed briefly, and soon ten members of the Patrol Team entered the rooms along the corridor with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.


    ...


    Zhao Ming entered one of the rooms, and the door automatically closed behind him.


    "Spirit Space, huh? To have such a miraculous training ground... According to what Director Tang said, this training facility transports the user''s spirit into a unique space where all perceptions are real. Such a training effect is far superior to the simulation of virtual reality technology. Just a few days of training here could yield more combat experience than hunting Demonized Beasts for several months."


    Hunting demonized beasts was only something Awakeners undertook if they were fully confident.


    Upon encountering a demonized beast they weren''t sure about, Awakeners usually kept their distance, picking only the easy targets. A fifty-fifty chance simply didn''t exist¡ªif one were to fight to the death against demonized beasts every day, their grave would be three feet tall by now.


    But it was different in the Spirit Space; there was no need to fear death, and one could fight to their heart''s content. Zhao Ming even found himself excited at the thought.


    If only he could be as outstanding as Captain Luo, able to slice down an enemy with his saber even when lacking in strength and speed, and not getting KO''d by a Fighter Puppet in a single round. At this thought, Zhao Ming felt a twinge of embarrassment; it seemed his list of shameful moments was growing ever longer.


    "Better hurry and enter the Spirit Space."


    Zhao Ming walked to the center of the room, sat down cross-legged, and cleared his mind.


    Before long, the mysterious patterns on the surrounding walls began to glow faintly. In an instant, the room seemed to quake, and Zhao Ming''s thoughts stretched infinitely. When he regained his senses, he found himself in a dim, grey expanse.


    There was no sky here, no earth¡ªeverything was void.


    With Director Tang''s briefing, he knew this space was merely a transit area. Though the hollow feeling was a bit eerie, he didn''t fixate on it. Instead, he waved his fists and forcefully kicked into the air several times...


    "It''s completely virtual, one hundred percent realistic. I never imagined I''d get to play such a wholly virtual game in my lifetime!" he chuckled to himself, like a 120-pound fool.


    Soon, Zhao Ming summoned a translucent screen, which displayed very simple content¡ªthree modes to choose from: Training Mode, Combat Mode, and Endless Mode.


    "There''s even an Endless Mode, my favorite mode to challenge when I used to play games!"


    He reached out and poked the screen, and options popped up.


    [Entering Endless Mode costs 1 unit of Source Crystal/0.5 Contribution Points. Given the user has a one-hour free trial benefit, this entry is free of charge. Would you like to enter Endless Mode? Yes/No.]


    "Yes!" Zhao Ming didn''t hesitate.


    Of the three modes, only Endless Mode incurred a fee; the other two were inherently free. Zhao Ming felt that it would be a huge waste not to take advantage of the free trial to play Endless Mode.


    After all, it wasn''t as if one could really die. As in playing a game, of course, he would choose the most challenging mode. Director Tang had also said they should breakthrough by enduring life-and-death training.


    As he thought this, the scene before him shifted. In a moment, he found himself in the midst of a vast green prairie.


    Zhao Ming paused, noticing that he was dressed in a black combat uniform, with a Standard Battle Saber in his right hand and a small round shield in his left¡ªa perfect combat-ready appearance.


    A gust of wind blew against him, swaying the lush grass, filling the air with the scent of greenery.


    From afar, the howl of wolves could be heard.


    Zhao Ming''s face lit up with excitement, "Is it starting now?"


    He peered into the distance and saw a giant wolf, twice the size of a regular grey wolf, atop a distant hill.


    Then there were two, three, twenty, fifty...


    The howls of wolves swelled from all around, and at the edge of his view, the wolf pack appeared as a dark mass.


    Zhao Ming was dumbfounded, his legs tensing instinctively.


    "Where''s the exit button? Where''s the exit? No, don''t come any closer, don''t! Ahhh¡ª"

 Chapter 155 - 155: Better Together with Consuming Crystals than Alone

    Spirit Space, training mode. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a silver-white training space, with its length, width, and height all approximately one hundred meters.


    Within it,


    Lu Xiaopeng was equipped with a standard set of gear, locked in combat with two Demonized Wolves at the third layer of Awakening power.


    At this moment, his own strength had already reached the third layer of Awakening. Together with the equipment he wore, even when facing two Demonized Beasts of the same level at the same time, he still had a considerable chance of winning. However, when in the wild, unless absolutely necessary, he would never engage in battle with two Demonized Beasts of the same level.


    Thrust!


    Lu Xiaopeng''s blood-stained longsword was pulled from the body of a Demonized Wolf. However, just then, the other Demonized Wolf lunged at him. Unable to dodge in time, he could only use his small round shield to slightly fend it off before the Demonized Wolf''s teeth clamped down on his arm.


    He cried out in pain but clenched his teeth tightly.


    Taking advantage of the moment the Demonized Wolf bit into his left arm, he swiftly swung his sword, decapitating the beast.


    Lu Xiaopeng gasped for air, sweat sliding down his forehead.


    Before him, the two Demonized Beasts lay dead.


    However, beneath the sharp fangs of the Demonized Wolf, several thumb-sized blood holes had been bitten into his left arm, blood dripping freely; his entire left arm was now useless.


    This was the reason he was unwilling to face two Demonized Beasts of the same level in the wild. Even if he could win, there was a high chance of injury, and once injured...


    Shaking his head, Lu Xiaopeng retreated back into the hazy transitional space.


    He immediately took a long breath.


    Looking at his left arm, it was completely healed, yet the bone-deep pain lingered in his mind.


    "This place truly is as Director Tang said, all senses are completely real. I was only bitten, and I almost couldn''t take it. If I was bitten to death by a Demonized Wolf, how much more painful would that be?"


    Lu Xiaopeng shivered uncontrollably, "It seems that even though death in Spirit Space allows for resurrection, I must still take it step by step."


    He glanced at the Endless Mode inside, unsure if there was an option to quit. In training mode, one could only exit after completing the set tasks, but if Endless Mode...


    He dared not continue the thought, pondered a while, and still decided to enter the Battle Space.


    This was also a silver-white space. After he directly selected a basic set of equipment, he received a message.


    [Peng Bo has challenged you. Will you accept the challenge? Yes/No.]


    Lu Xiaopeng was startled, "Well, Fatty Peng, you dare to challenge your grandpa!"


    He did not hesitate to choose Yes.


    Suddenly, not far away, a fat man with a scar on his face appeared. The moment this fat man emerged, he swung his hand causing a cloud of dust, clenching the handle of his cleaver and swiftly lunging forward.


    Lu Xiaopeng was completely caught off guard and was dumbfounded by the continuous strikes.


    Ten seconds later, Lu Xiaopeng, who had just been taken down first, stood in the hazy space with lingering fear.


    That feeling of death was unspeakably real. Had he not been instantly killed while confused, he would probably have some unpleasant memories. Even so, the sense of dread from dying still clung to his heart.


    After calming himself for quite a while, Lu Xiaopeng finally sighed a relief, thinking of Peng Bo''s smug expression which immediately infuriated him.


    He cast aside even the fear of death.


    "That Fatty Peng must have fought someone else already. As soon as I confirmed, he charged over, completely catching me off guard."


    He entered the Battle Space once more, contemplating issuing a challenge to Peng Bo, but then hesitated, "After all, Fatty Peng has a Special Ability. Even if I''m not ambushed, the odds of winning are probably not high..."


    Lu Xiaopeng wanted to redeem himself but feared that another loss would leave him utterly disgraced.


    "I need a plan." he muttered to himself, when he suddenly noticed that the equipment selection panel offered more than just basic gear.


    He scrolled down and was dazzled by the array of available equipment.


    Swift Revolver, Radiant Hand Cannon, Blazing Greatsword, Frost Wraith...


    Lu Xiaopeng''s eyes went wide with surprise, "Can you even pick these pieces of equipment?"


    He tried selecting the Swift Revolver.


    1 Source Crystal/0.5 Contribution Points, limited use for one day.


    3 Source Crystals/1.5 Contribution Points, limited use for seven days.


    10 Source Crystals/5 Contribution Points, unlimited use period.


    Note: Equipment selection is not included in the free trial benefits.


    "So there''s this way, too."


    Lu Xiaopeng glanced at the corner of the panel showing the contribution points remaining in his account, a total of 118.35.


    "At this rate, it doesn''t seem expensive at all! No need for the top-tier gear to deal with Fatty Peng, hehehehehe..."


    He chose the Swift Revolver with a one-day trial and acquired some other equipment, then decisively challenged Peng Bo by clicking on his avatar.


    ...


    Outside, Tang Yu was monitoring the backend, feeling very pleased with the private content he had added to the training camp.


    The one-hour free trial was gradually coming to an end.


    The corridor was lined with doors swinging open, while some Patrol Team members who hadn''t had their turn yet were eagerly watching.


    Lu Xiaopeng was the first to come out, his face blooming with joy.


    Then Peng Bo emerged, shouting, "Lu Xiaopeng, you scoundrel, don''t you run! Come on, fight me for another three hundred rounds!"


    He was fuming, having been thrashed by Lu Xiaopeng. Realizing something was amiss, he naturally discovered the equipment that could be used in exchange for contribution points. However, when he decked himself out in advanced gear and was all set to challenge Lu Xiaopeng, the latter refused to fight!


    Now tell me, wouldn''t you be angry?


    As these people exited, the Patrol Team members waiting outside immediately asked about the situation inside.


    "This Spirit Space is incredibly realistic. If it weren''t for the display panel that can be summoned, as well as the fact that you can resurrect after dying, you wouldn''t be able to tell at all that it''s a fictitious space."


    "Speaking of which, what''s it like to be resurrected after dying? I got hurt by a Demonized Beast in the training ground and it hurt like hell. I really can''t imagine what dying must feel like. I reckon it''s not much different from actual death. I don''t have the guts to die on purpose."


    "Yes, but this sort of unrestrained combat, where you can also adjust the strength of your opponents, is a rare opportunity. It''s a pity that one hour is too short. I was just getting into the thick of the fight when I was notified that my time was up, and was kicked out of the Spirit Space instantly."


    As he spoke, he noticed Zhao Ming beside him looking soulless, as if he had lost his spirit. He patted his shoulder and asked, "Old Zhao, how did it go? What kind of opponent did you set for yourself?"


    But who would have known,


    Zhao Ming, like a startled rabbit, sprang up all of a sudden, as if he''d been terribly frightened, and cried out, "No, don''t, Yameidie¡ª"


    A line of black crossed Tang Yu''s forehead.


    The others also looked over curiously.


    What on earth had happened to this kid?

 Chapter 156 - 156: What is That!

    Lindong Sanctuary lay to the north, roughly twenty kilometers away, spanned by a vast mountain range.


    The terrain of the mountain range was complex and intricate, filled with many fatal dangers, and mercenaries from Lindong Sanctuary seldom ventured deep into these mountains.


    However, the periphery of the range was a common hunting ground for the mercenaries, where occasionally they could hunt down Mutant Beasts¡­ These were not like Demonized Beasts, which were nearly inedible, and their materials only fetched a good price if they came from high-level Demonized Beasts. Materials from common Awakener First or Second Layer Demonized Beasts had flooded the market, and even bringing back a cartload would barely sell for a few Source Crystals.


    Mutant Beasts were different; even the lowest level of Mutant Beast had exceptionally delicious meat. It was said that the meat of higher-grade Mutant Beasts contained a great deal of energy, which could slowly improve physical fitness when consumed by ordinary people.


    The meat of Mutant Beasts was becoming increasingly popular in Lindong.


    A five-person team moved cautiously through the forest.


    "Everyone be careful, we''ve entered the outskirts of the mountain range," said the team leader, "I hope that we come out of this as well as we entered."


    "Don''t worry, Captain. Although it''s our first time here, our team is strong. As long as we''re careful, there won''t be any problems. The only concern is whether we can find Mutant Beasts, because hunting just Demonized Beasts won''t earn us many Source Crystals."


    "Indeed¡­"


    The rest nodded in agreement.


    They were originally a Mercenary Team active around the Lindong Sanctuary. However, as the number of Awakeners increased and their strength grew, the Demonized Beasts near the Sanctuary became scarce and the surrounding materials had long been plundered, making it nearly impossible for them to get by. This had led them to seek a new way out here.


    "We still need to be careful," advised the Commander. "The dangers here are far greater than those around the Sanctuary. The Awakeners active in this area are much stronger as well. We have to¡­"


    He was cut off by a thunderous noise in the distance.


    Following a pained roar, trees in front of them were snapped and crushed as a beast the size of a small car charged out.


    The bulky creature, with short, stout limbs and a metallic sheen covering its body, was like a tank charging through, leaving destruction in its wake. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Commander gasped, "Is that, is that a Gold-Swallowing Beast?"


    Someone quickly caught on, "Captain, is that the kind of Mutant Beast that refines higher-grade metals inside its body after consuming metal?"


    The Commander nodded.


    "They say the metal is very hard and tough, and most importantly, it has excellent Source Power conduction. A piece the size of a palm could sell for a fortune at the Sanctuary. If we could get that, wouldn''t we strike it rich?"


    He said, then soon followed with a disheartened shake of the head.


    Clearly, he understood that with the power the Gold-Swallowing Beast had displayed, they were no match for it.


    "Wait, look at the Gold-Swallowing Beast''s abdomen, there are scorch marks¡­ and look there, some people are hunting the Gold-Swallowing Beast, they''re nearly catching up to it."


    The silhouettes of several people were rapidly closing in.


    "That''s¡­?" The Commander''s eyes widened. "That''s the Fiery Fire Team! No wonder, after all, Fiery Fire Team is an established top-tier Mercenary Corps. It''s said their Commander Wang Wu has already broken through to the Fifth Tier, so it''s not surprising he can take on this Gold-Swallowing Beast."


    Originally, they had thought to search for any metals after the Gold-Swallowing Beast had left, since even the unrefined metals consumed by the beast were typically valuable.


    But now, they didn''t dare get any closer.


    They only thought of making a swift exit. If discovered by someone from the Fiery Fire Team, they were very likely to be silenced.


    "Let''s hurry and leave. That Gold-Swallowing Beast certainly won''t get away, and we''d better leave while the Fiery Fire Team is still hunting," one of them said.


    The team members nodded and were ready to depart.


    Then their eyes suddenly widened as they looked toward the horizon.


    A massive net fell from the sky, enveloping the Gold-Swallowing Beast. Sharp stakes at the corners of the net anchored it firmly into the ground. The net, made of an unknown material, resisted the violent thrashing of the beast, trapping it securely.


    Wang Wu, who was nearly upon the Gold-Swallowing Beast, was startled and yelled, "Who''s there!"


    From the nearby woods emerged a group of muscular big men, standing silently on both sides, and an unremarkable-looking youth slowly stepped forward.


    This young man was not particularly sturdy; standing among the big men, he seemed somewhat frail.


    However, Wang Wu''s pupils constricted instantly, and he immediately took a defensive stance.


    In the distance, members of the passerby team were shocked beyond words.


    "Who are those people, and why does the Fiery Fire Team seem so wary of them?"


    The experienced commander took a step back upon seeing that young man, "Have you heard of Forget Sorrow Bar?"


    "Forget Sorrow Bar? Isn''t that the one in the slums with a lot of influence, rumored to have several Awakener enforcers? Could these be people from Forget Sorrow Bar? But even if they were, they wouldn''t measure up to the top-tier Fiery Fire Team, right?"


    The team members were increasingly puzzled.


    "True, Forget Sorrow Bar alone is no match for the Fiery Fire Team. But did you notice that young man in the middle? That guy is called Grey Blade, and he''s the real reason why the Fiery Fire Team is cautious."


    "It''s said that after consolidating the power of Forget Sorrow Bar, he founded the Forget Sorrow Mercenary Corps. Recently, their ranking at the mission center has been climbing higher and higher. Although not yet officially recognized as a top-tier team and the other members aren''t considered experts, that man called Grey Blade is extremely terrifying. It''s said that no one who''s been targeted by him has ever survived."


    After being briefed, the team members all drew in a sharp breath. No wonder...


    Upon another glance at Grey Blade, their gaze had changed. Just one man standing there made the whole top-tier team cautious¡ªtheir own strength paled in comparison.


    The thought was as aspirational as it was daunting.


    At this moment, Grey Blade was closely inspecting the giant beast before him, glistening with a metallic sheen.


    "We finally caught the gold-swallowing beast, the last material required by the Lord for building the Floating Chariot can now be gathered. Just need to figure out how to transport this gold-swallowing beast back to the territory, but..." He glanced at Wang Wu and others nearby, furrowing his brow.


    Wang Wu was staring at Grey Blade.


    After a moment of silent hesitation, a ruthless look crossed his face.


    He made a hand signal to his teammates, and a member skilled in firearms immediately took a shot.


    The shot, however, was not aimed at Grey Blade or any of the other strong men but hit precisely a thin line connected to a nail that had been driven underground.


    Sparks flew.


    The line snapped.


    The gold-swallowing beast''s struggles grew fiercer. At the other three corners of the net, the ground cracked open with loud snaps and stones flew about as the nail, firmly embedded deep underground, was ripped out by the beast''s mighty force and shot into the air.


    In the next moment, the gold-swallowing beast, caught in the net, surged forward with all its might.


    This charge was unstoppable.


    In the blink of an eye, it had covered a great distance.


    Grey Blade''s brows furrowed.


    The Lord had ordered him, if possible, to capture the gold-swallowing beast alive.


    With this in mind, he didn''t give a second thought to the Fiery Fire Team and hastily chased after the gold-swallowing beast.


    Wang Wu and a few others also hurriedly followed suit.


    In the distance, other mercenary teams drawn by the commotion and recognizing the gold-swallowing beast, thinking themselves capable of claiming a share, also darted toward the scene.


    The experts weaved through the forest.


    Grey Blade, leading the chase, was about to catch up.


    Another top-tier expert, not wanting to fall behind, dashed over the treetops.


    Suddenly, a towering cliff appeared ahead. The gold-swallowing beast, running too frantically to turn, slammed straight into it.


    Boom!


    Rocks fell from the cliff.


    But just when everyone thought the gold-swallowing beast would be trapped against the rock wall, they saw the cliff face, like a sheet of glass, shatter inch by inch.


    A giant hole, over ten meters in diameter, was revealed.


    In the center of the hole, a gray mist swirled, resembling a vortex.


    And the fleeing gold-swallowing beast had already vanished inside the hollow.

 Chapter 157 - 157 Frozen Bad

    Tang Yu strolled leisurely while surveying his territory.


    With his power having risen to the Fifth Tier of Awakening and his potential nearly fully tapped, he had finally hit a bottleneck.


    ÐÞÁ¶ing was out of the question. No amount of further ÐÞÁ¶ would be of use. He could only reluctantly live out his days like a retired cadre, just to keep his mood somewhat cheerful.


    Perhaps one day, a bolt of lightning might strike, leading to an epiphany and a breakthrough.


    That''s what Lord Tang thought to himself.


    Now... it might be better to look into researching equipment and tools. Since his own power couldn''t be increased, he had no choice but to start with external objects. After all, he wasn''t opposed to becoming a wallflower.


    Having thought it through, he walked into the spell factory.


    This was a new system building that could be used for research, construction, and the activation of large-scale spells, which were part of the territory''s protective magic.


    Tang Yu had already learned that these so-called large-scale spells were essentially evolved from common spells, but both the power and scope of these spells were much larger than that of ordinary spells.


    Currently, there were only two large-scale spells provided by the spell factory.


    Super-sized Fireball.


    Construction cost: 5000 Source Crystals.


    Construction time: half a day.


    Destructive Thundebolt.


    Construction cost: 10000 Source Crystals.


    Construction time: one day.


    A level one spell factory had three Spell Slots, capable of storing three constructed large-scale spells which had a casting range larger than the territory boundary, similar to the operational range of the Guardian Puppets, also a kind of defensive measure for the territory.


    This was also where his confidence in dealing with super-sized Demonized Beasts stemmed from.


    Arrow Towers and Cannons might struggle to damage Demonized Beasts on the level of mega beetles, but the power of these territory-specific large-scale spells should be sufficiently explosive.


    He had already constructed those two spells and stored them in the Spell Slots.


    "Having never tried them out, I feel a bit uncertain. Should I find some time for a test?" Tang Yu propped his chin up, deep in thought, "However, both of these spells are offensive and single-target. Hmm, the Super-sized Fireball should have some range, but not much. Right now, it would be best to research a control type spell. It wouldn''t do to be caught off guard against some highly agile enemies in the future."


    After pondering for a moment, Tang Yu sent a voice message to Eileen.


    Within a few minutes, he saw Eileen walk in.


    Currently, Eileen was dressed in a light white striped shirt and black pants, her hair tied up, and she was wearing an oddly mismatched earthy yellow hard hat, looking at him with a hint of curiosity.


    ...Had she just come from a construction site?


    Tang Yu then remembered that Eileen was the head of the Logistics Department. During the construction of the Sanctuary, she was in charge of approving many materials and naturally, there was nothing surprising about her visiting the site.


    "I need the cooperation of your Ice series spells."


    Eileen nodded, she never asked too many questions.


    Tang Yu took Eileen to an adjacent room used for collecting spell data.


    The room was surrounded by semi-transparent crystal walls which appeared fragile but were actually the best material for absorbing damage from spells.


    He pressed a control switch, and soon, a thick pillar rose from the floor in the center of the room.


    "Freeze this pillar with your best Freezing Series Spell," said Tang Yu, then after a moment''s thought added, "Start with twenty percent of your power, then fifty percent, and finally unleash your full strength."


    With this method, data at different intensity levels could be calculated.


    "Yes!"


    Eileen stretched out her fair hand.


    In an instant.


    From the bottom up, a layer of ice formed on the black pillar, enveloping the entire pillar.


    Tang Yu estimated the thickness of the ice. It looked to be a few centimeters.


    ...So this was two-tenths of Eileen''s strength? It didn''t seem all that thick.


    He thought about it, pulled out his Swift Revolver from his waist, and fired two shots at the ice layer.


    The bullets made slight indentations on the ice before falling to the ground with a clink.


    Upon a closer look, the two bullets had actually deformed.


    "Are they that hard?"


    Tang Yu saw Eileen''s somewhat puzzled expression and couldn''t help but chuckle dryly.


    After some time apart, Eileen''s progression in strength seemed to have surpassed his expectations.


    Just a short while ago, when he had broken through to the Fifth Tier of Awakening, Eileen was still at the Fifth Tier as well.


    Contemplating, Tang Yu didn''t slow his actions and pressed another button. The pillar emitted a high temperature, and the layer of ice slowly melted away, the heat steaming up. "Try the power of five layers."


    This time,


    the speed of the ice layer''s coverage was faster, and its thickness harder... Of course, the test didn''t need him to shoot with a handgun, this pillar itself had the capability to collect data.


    Three minutes later, the ice layer melted again.


    "Unleash all your power."


    Eileen took a deep breath, her blue hair fluttering, her earthy yellow hard hat trembling incessantly.


    Bang.


    The chin strap of the hard hat split open, and the hat skewed as it fell.


    Tang Yu instinctively reached out to catch it, and a chill that pierced to the marrow instantly spread throughout his body.


    At that moment, Eileen had already extended her hands, exclaiming "Condense!"


    Her hair lifted upwards.


    Around her palms swirled white mist.


    And that thick, black pillar was, in the blink of an eye, already enveloped in layer upon layer of deep blue ice crystals.


    This time, the ice layer grew thicker and thicker, thicker still...


    Tang Yu just stared wide-eyed, watching as the ice crystals spread from the pillar, almost filling the entire room.


    "Ah... achoo!"


    With that sound,


    Eileen jolted awake.


    Turning around, she saw Tang Yu covered in white frost, panicking at once, hastily dispersing the cold air surrounding them.


    "Lord... this... I... I..."


    After a moment, Tang Yu exhaled a breath of white fog, seeing Eileen''s appearance, almost about to cry, which was just like the clueless look she had when she first arrived at the Territory.


    He could only pat her head, indicating he didn''t blame her.


    Just then, he had already thought that Eileen had become much stronger recently. But he had not realized that a fully unleashed Eileen was so powerful that if he hadn''t possessed a Fifth Tier Peak physique, within seconds under the shroud of this chill, he probably would have bit the dust.


    Looking at the walls of crystal around him, the lights were flickering¡ªthat was the absorption of the power of the Freezing Series Spell. Otherwise, who knows how far these ice layers would have spread... S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "As for the data on freezing spells, this should have collected quite a bit. Next, just need to reference some ice series runes, and after further deductions, we should be able to develop a large-scale Frozen Spell based on Eileen''s freezing ability..."


    Tang Yu thought to himself as he walked over to the control switch, ready to let the pillar radiate heat and melt those layers of ice.


    He pressed the switch,


    pressed it again,


    and pressed it yet again!


    However, the pillar still didn''t respond.


    Tang Yu''s mouth twitched, "This... it couldn''t be broken, could it?" He couldn''t help but glance at Eileen, who was standing by his side, head lowered, still looking quite downcast.


    "Forget it, we''ll just switch to another testing room," he said.


    Suddenly, a long-missed prompt resounded in his mind.


    "Ding! Sky-splitting Crystal detected, please claim as soon as possible..."


    "Ding! Sky-splitting Crystal detected, ..."


    "Ding! ..."


    Tang Yu: "???"

 Chapter 158 - 158: Arrival! (Two-in-One Chapter)

    Tang Yu was stunned for a moment.


    It had been so long since he had heard the system''s voice that he couldn''t react in time; he realized the system could actually speak.


    "But what is a Sky-splitting Crystal?"


    He pondered for a long while before he remembered that it was the mysterious material the Territory upgrade conditions required, which he couldn''t find any clues about.


    There was no origin, no shape; even he, Lord Tang, had no idea what to do, yet now he had received a hint.


    Upon closer thought,


    although the system didn''t give any starter pack, and although he had to spend Source Crystals to build even the base, and although each system-built structure was exceedingly expensive, and although this thing came without any instruction manual, leaving him to figure everything out himself, and although it often made him feel like he was someone from Africa, and although...


    There were many ''althoughs'' stuck in Tang Yu''s throat, but at crucial moments, the system still proved reliable!


    This system really was different from those vulgar, cheap things.


    "But why would it suddenly give a hint? Like the previous few crucial hints, there should be a reason for this one as well."


    However, at that moment, his Territory was calm, not a sign of disruption. Surely nothing could have been unearthed during construction?


    If that were the case, Eileen would certainly have told him earlier.


    Tang Yu opened the map; aside from the area covered by his Territory, everything else was obscured by a grey fog. However, within the fog, there were slight movements, indicated by little dots.


    These were either the Patrol Teams out on duty, people monitoring the miners at the mining sites, or others. Tang Yu''s gaze moved upwards to a place quite distant from the Territory. There, too, were several small green dots.


    Among them, one particularly bright green dot was spreading ripples, just missing a golden exclamation mark to make it the perfect task prompt.


    "That must be Grey Blade."


    Tang Yu''s gaze seemed to pierce through walls, gazing into the distance.


    Over mountains and rivers.


    ...


    On the cliff, the mercenary teams in pursuit of the gold-swallowing beast halted at the sight of the sudden large void.


    They stared at the enormous hole before them, somewhat bewildered.


    Clearly, it wasn''t a cave; even if the rock wall had been hollowed out for some reason and then cracked open by the gold-swallowing beast to form a cave, it wouldn''t appear this way.


    At this hole''s entrance, aside from a constantly swirling grey mist, nothing else was visible, including the cave''s walls, which seemed non-existent.


    "What on earth is this?"


    The crowd hesitated.


    In the distance, Zhou Jianhong stood with a few team members, also observing the situation.


    "Captain, should we go in? Years of experience tell me there could be unexpected treasures inside."


    A skinny team member spoke earnestly.


    Zhou Jianhong shook his head, "Regardless of whether it''s dangerous inside, it''s not just about simply entering."


    Skinny was puzzled.


    Suddenly, he saw several Awakeners rushing towards the void, "Captain, someone is trying to go in¡ª"


    Before he could finish speaking, he heard the "dada dada" sound of gunfire.


    Bullets rained down, hitting the path in front of those rushing towards the void, whistling as they left holes in the ground. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those Awakeners who were about to rush into the void were taken aback, realizing that everyone around was watching them intently. The gunfire was just a warning; they could do nothing but retreat.


    "You see?" Zhou Jianhong said, "No one has seen this kind of situation before. Although the gold-swallowing beast went in earlier, no one knows what lies inside the void. Perhaps there are unimaginable benefits inside, but at the same time, there could be deadly dangers.


    Everyone feels the same, wanting the benefits but fearing the danger¡ªand even more worried that others might snatch these benefits."


    He gave a self-deprecating laugh, acknowledging that he harbored the same thoughts.


    It''s like wanting to go, but something prevents you from daring to make the move. However, if another person tries to jump ahead, that too is unacceptable¡ªno matter what, you can''t let someone else take advantage, even if it might be poisoned.


    Most people thought the same.


    Instantly, the atmosphere turned eerily solemn.


    The disturbance caused by the gold-swallowing beast was significant, and as news of the void spread, many Mercenary Teams already active in the area rushed over.


    Whoosh¡ª


    A gust of wind swept by.


    A figure slowly descended from the sky, followed by a few team members who had almost failed to keep up.


    "It''s Chen Feng, the captain of the Divine Wind Team. Who would have thought he''d show up!"


    "And over there, it''s the Fiery Fire Team. The Fiery Fire Team and Divine Wind Team are old rivals!"


    "Not just them, but also the Dragon Slayer Team!"


    Someone observed,


    A man with a fierce presence and a hooked nose, leading several team members, emerged from the woods. They were all stained with the blood of Demonized Beasts, as if they had just come from a battlefield.


    Their formidable presence made the surrounding Awakeners keep their distance.


    Several of the top Mercenary Corps had arrived, and the surrounding Awakeners widened their eyes.


    Such a scenario was rare to see, typically only observable at the Black Market auction halls.


    And here in this wilderness, even coming across other Mercenary Teams was rare, let alone such top-tier teams.


    Figures like Wang Wu, Chen Feng, and Chen Sheng of the Dragon Slayer Team, captain-level experts, were objects of aspiration for countless Awakeners.

 Chapter 159 - 158 Arrival! (Two-in-One Chapter)_2

    They didn''t know when they could become as outstanding as Chen Feng and his likes.


    More and more Awakeners were gathering here, like a bonfire in the darkness, extremely eye-catching, naturally attracting some Demonized Beasts.


    While the teams remained wary of one another, they also had to deal with the attacking Demonized Beasts. Weaker Mercenary Teams felt they couldn''t hold on and silently retreated.


    A sand worm, over two meters long, burrowed out of the ground with its mouthparts wide open, aiming for a member of the Divine Wind Team.


    The member reacted quickly and was about to make a move.


    At that moment, Chen Feng waved his hand, and a Wind Blade swept by.


    The body of the sand worm was cut in two, struggling on the ground for a moment before ceasing all movement.


    This was the combat power of a Captain Level Expert.


    The ordinary Demonization Beasts were mere chickens and dogs.


    However, Chen Feng''s thoughts were not on this. He looked at that empty space with furrowed brows and then suddenly glanced to the side.


    There was noise coming from the forest.


    Suddenly,


    the corpse of a Demonized Beast was thrown from the woods, flying like a cannonball, striking the rock wall and creating a large pit with debris tumbling down.


    A group of people walked out.


    The young man leading them had a cold face, walking shoulder to shoulder with a middle-aged man, followed by over a hundred elite Awakeners.


    These people wore uniform attire, their weapons a mix of cold steel and firearms. Even without strict discipline, one could tell at a glance they were far beyond the common Mercenary Team.


    Even the Captain Level Experts present displayed a wary expression.


    "It''s the Warhammer Mercenary Corps! Who would have thought that the Warhammer Mercenary Corps would also come? They are one of the three major... Three Major Mercenary Corps!"


    "No surprise there. Warhammer is usually active in this area. Did you see all the top-tier teams are here? The Warhammer Mercenary Corps must have received the news."


    "The aloof young man at the front is the Warhammer Commander, the top expert of the Warhammer, right? He does have the aura of an expert at first glance. And the middle-aged man beside him, he''s the Warhammer Mercenary Corps'' deputy commander? I heard he''s actually in his twenties, just looks a bit mature for his age. It''s still beyond my expectations..." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, some people looked in another direction, where many figures were also emerging.


    "Wait, Silver Wolf... The Silver Wolf Mercenary Corps is here too! Two of the Three Major Mercenary Corps have already arrived!"


    The Silver Wolf Commander was a strange man with long hair.


    Behind him followed many uniformly dressed members of the Silver Wolf Mercenary Corps.


    Upon arrival, he looked around with disdain, "You want the benefits, but fear the danger? Where in the world are there so many good things?"


    The Silver Wolf approached the Warhammer Mercenary Corps, "Commander Xiao, how about we join forces to explore this place? If we wait for the real big shots from Lindong to arrive, we might only get to sip the leftovers."


    The aloof Warhammer Commander didn''t hesitate and nodded.


    It seemed they had some sort of information channel that assured them they wouldn''t encounter any insurmountable fatal dangers inside.


    The members of the two major Mercenary Corps moved straight towards the empty space.


    Naturally, no one dared bar the way of the two major Mercenary Corps, and for some unknown reason, neither Warhammer nor Silver Wolf seemed to oppose these ordinary mercenaries. Some were prepared to follow them inside, even the top-tier teams appeared interested.


    "Boss, we should go in too. If we keep waiting, all the good things will be divided up!"


    In an inconspicuous corner, Grey Blade stood with his eyes closed, cool and composed.


    The big men beside him were somewhat anxious.


    After being convinced by Grey Blade, Yan Dazhuang had much respect for the new boss, but now even the large Mercenary Corps and those top-tier teams were preparing to go inside, yet the boss remained calm. What was he planning?


    Grey Blade opened his eyes, glanced at Yan Dazhuang and said, "No hurry. Even if there are benefits, do you think they''ll be that easy to obtain? When the boss arrives, then we''ll go in."


    "Boss?"


    Yan Dazhuang had heard this term many times.


    He was skeptical but also curious.


    Suddenly, he saw Grey Blade lift his head, look in a certain direction in the sky, and smile, "The boss is here."


    ...


    The Silver Wolf and Warhammer personnel had already reached the empty space.


    After a brief probe of the air currents at the entrance that posed no harm, they prepared to send people inside.


    Woo-woo-woo-woo¡ª


    A buzzing sound came.


    Everyone involuntarily looked up to the sky.


    They saw a double-rotor helicopter much larger than a normal one flying towards them.


    "What the hell is that??"


    "What model of helicopter is this? I can''t even recognize it!"


    "Who on earth would dare to fly a helicopter in the wilderness? Aren''t they afraid of dying?"


    The sound of the helicopter was immensely loud; whether the Awakeners were prepared to enter or not, all of them noticed the commotion in the sky.


    In their view, flying at mid-air in the wild was already dangerous enough, let alone flying a helicopter¡ªa vehicle that made such a huge noise and could easily attract the attention of Demonized Beasts.


    The helicopter was slowly approaching.


    Suddenly,


    Squee¡ª


    A sharp screech came from the distance.


    A terrifying eagle-like Demonized Beast with greyish-brown feathers and a wingspan of over twenty meters was flapping its wings, rapidly closing in on the helicopter.


    "I knew it; flying a helicopter is a death wish!"


    "Damn it, after that huge eagle takes down the helicopter, it''s likely to fly towards us. Damn it!"


    He looked towards the direction of the larger Mercenary Corps and those top Mercenary Teams, seeking some sense of security.


    But he saw many Captain Level individuals with solemn expressions, even the Commanders of the two major Mercenary Corps were already staring at the Demonized Beast, on guard.


    Elsewhere,


    Yan Dazhuang was dumbfounded, "Boss, boss, you said our boss, he wouldn''t be on that helicopter, would he? But this, but this..."


    The giant eagle was incredibly fast, covering the distance to the helicopter in just under two breaths.


    The violent airflow from its mere flapping of wings was causing the helicopter''s flight to become unstable.


    The Demonized Beast was probably more terrifying than they imagined.


    As the distance closed, a fearsome presence washed over them like a tidal wave.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, in the sky!


    A thunderbolt as thick as a bucket streaked across.


    The next moment, accompanied by a plaintive screech, the entire body of the giant eagle was charred black, and its massive frame fell from the sky.


    On the helicopter, in Tang Yu''s hand was a scroll that turned to powder.


    He looked at the falling giant eagle and clicked his tongue, "Thunder Series against Flying Series, that''s double the damage. How''s it going to withstand that?"


    ¡­


    ¡­


    "What!"


    "It''s, it''s dead just like that?!"


    As the giant eagle crashed, the massive sound seemed to pound upon their hearts.


    They would have welcomed a master who could take down the giant eagle, but they thought that even those Captain Level Experts, those Commander Level Experts would have to engage in a fierce battle to bring down the giant eagle.


    And if they were unlucky enough to get caught in the crossfire, they might not escape a fatal fate.


    But damn it, such a horrifying Demonized Beast, taken down in one strike? If it weren''t for the fact that the giant eagle crashed right before their eyes, and they could still see the charred body of the eagle from their perspective, they would doubt they were hallucinating!


    Just moments ago, those Captain Level Experts were all so solemn!


    Who was on that helicopter?


    They looked up to the sky, and the waves in their hearts nearly capsized their boats.


    Now the helicopter was flying directly above them.


    The rotor blades were whirring.


    The buzzing sound echoed non-stop.


    They saw the helicopter''s cabin door open, and a rope descended from above.


    Several members of the Patrol Team, dressed in black combat gear with black helmets, slid down the rope. They began to clear the surrounding trees, making room on the ground for the helicopter to land.


    Grey Blade also roused those stunned big men, urging them to hurry up and help out.


    Meanwhile, the surrounding mercenaries were still in shock, even the members of the Two Major Mercenary Corps stopped in their tracks.


    The sudden appearance of such a powerful force left them astonished.

 Chapter 160 - 159: What Was It Like Not to Be Envied?

    This twin-rotor tandem helicopter was spacious, and its seats were soft and comfortable.


    This was, of course, by his design.


    Having Kevin, an equipment manufacturing master, in his territory, designing high-level vehicle blueprints due to time constraints was naturally difficult, and though Kevin''s memory stored many blueprints, most of them used special materials not found in this world.


    At least not found yet.


    But designing and manufacturing an ordinary helicopter was quite simple for Kevin.


    And this one was the product of Kevin combining knowledge from rune studies and current mechanical design theories.


    It was suitable for simple transportation.


    But that was about it; if he hadn''t been pressed for time this trip, he wouldn''t have traveled by helicopter.


    The mercenaries weren''t wrong; traveling by helicopter in the wild was like courting death¡­ On his way, he didn''t know how many demonized beasts he had encountered. Only because he had a powerful team with him, including everyone except Luo Zhe, who was responsible for guarding the territory, and the elderly Kevin, could they fight their way through.


    Yet, they had to deploy special tactics for demonized beasts like the giant eagle they just encountered.


    It wasn''t that Shay and others couldn''t handle it, but the helicopter''s lack of maneuverability didn''t allow his followers to deploy effectively, making the journey from the territory to this place not very dangerous. However, traveling to Luoxia in such a helicopter would be suicidal.


    Tang Yu glanced down.


    This area, on the outskirts of mountain ranges, was uneven and covered with dense trees, some of which had grown crazily up to twenty or thirty meters high.


    Clearing a space large enough for the helicopter to land was not easy, especially given this helicopter''s large size.


    Shay furrowed his brows, "Too slow, too slow."


    He walked to the cabin door, opened it, and with the howling wind ruffling his tidy hair, he just jumped down.


    He jumped¡­


    Leaping down from a height of several dozen meters!


    ¡­


    On the ground.


    Ordinary mercenaries were merely onlookers, but many at the captain and commander levels were deep in thought.


    "Who do these people belong to? That combat uniform doesn''t seem to match what any of high-level subordinates of Lindong wear."


    "It is different, and I always have this illusion that their combat uniforms seem better than the military''s Flowing Color Uniform? It must be an illusion."


    Some also noticed that the awakeners who descended from the helicopter seemed to recognize individuals from the Forget Sorrow Mercenary Corps.


    As top experts, these people clearly knew about the Forget Sorrow Mercenary Corps. Perhaps Commander Grey Blade was associated with this force?


    The captain of the Fiery Fire Team, Wang Wu, looked even more troubled.


    While some pondered, others enjoyed the drama.


    Suddenly,


    "F*ck¡ª" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A shout rang out as someone pointed at the sky, seeing a figure jump from the helicopter.


    Boom!


    Shay landed successfully.


    Like a crashing artillery shell, the ground shook, and dense cracks spread out.


    Shay, unscathed, casually adjusted his clothes and hair.


    This scene,


    was absolutely jaw-dropping!


    Shay''s sudden leap terrified not just anyone nearby, but particularly the dozen or so big men and members of the Patrol Team. After all, what if Shay had landed on them?


    Vice Captain Xie, naturally, was unharmed, but if he had landed on them, they would have turned into minced meat by now.


    After landing, Shay waved his arms, "You all are too slow, let me handle this!"


    With that, he placed a hand on the trunk of a twenty-meter-tall tree.


    The next moment,


    with a loud ''bang'', the entire tree exploded like fireworks, sending bark, leaves, and debris scattering like raindrops.


    Besides Grey Blade, who moved away in time, everyone else was covered in debris.


    The ordinary mercenaries: "..."


    The Captain Level fighters: "..."


    Silver Wolf and Commander Xiao wore faces that said, "Are you kidding me?"


    On the helicopter, Tang Yu covered his face.


    This was truly embarrassing!


    Kong couldn''t bear to watch any longer and with a swoosh, he flew down from the cabin door.


    His descent was much more elegant than Shay''s. He floated gently through the air, and when his feet touched the ground, not even a crack appeared.


    Once on the ground, Kong drew his Longsword and swung it, the blade stirring a fierce wind that blew away the debris. With several flashes of his sword, he cut down trees at their trunks.


    This effort finally cleared a significant open space.


    The helicopter slowly descended, its rotors stirring the fallen leaves into a flying chaos.


    The aircraft''s doors slowly opened.


    At that moment, mercenaries on the ground turned their gazes this way, their hearts filled with an indescribable sense of anticipation.


    Who among the big shots could be inside the helicopter?


    With neither Grey Blade nor the two skilled fighters who had recently jumped out looking like leaders of their group, who could command such skilled individuals?


    Could it be some big shot from Lindong?


    Finally, the doors opened.


    A fully armed Tang Yu appeared before everyone, now donned in an even higher-level silver combat uniform, or more precisely, War Armor.


    Under the sunlight, the War Armor shimmered with silver radiance. Even though the Patrol Team members'' uniforms were already eye-catching, when compared to this War Armor, they seemed mundane¡ªthe war armor had its own illuminating effect!


    The armor was specially designed. Unlike Luo Zhe''s bulky suit, it was streamlined for flexibility, not compromising agility. On each shoulder, two fist-sized crystals, resembling pure white gems, were embedded... This grandeur, this class, was immediately visible.


    An air of opulence hit everyone in the face.


    Behind Tang Yu were Eileen and Winnie.


    Eileen was clad in a light blue Magic Robe, her blue hair now hidden under a cowl, her hand holding a Magic Wand topped with a sapphire.


    Winnie, with her curly flaxen hair cascading over her shoulders, wore a broad white robe, which did little to conceal her abundantly voluptuous figure.


    "My goodness, the presence of big shots truly differs, even coming with beauties on each arm."


    "Yes, powerful leaders up front and beauties behind, despite the danger outside where we sometimes have to get dirty just to survive. Look at them, just like they''re out for a stroll!"


    "Comparing people can infuriate you, oh, I too want a pretty lady and a buxom ''big sister!''"


    Stepping off the helicopter, Tang Yu felt quite pleased with the envious glances from the crowd around him.


    What do they say? Envy is a sign of... lack of class!

 Chapter 161 - 160: Are there foreigners here?

    Tang Yu didn''t waste time either, his gaze quickly fell on the hollow encircled by grey airflow at the entrance.


    After pondering for a while, he took out a small ball from his pocket, which unfolded into a basic Puppet that walked into the hollow under his control.


    After a while, Tang Yu nodded, "Get ready to go in."


    He swept his gaze around, landing on the Patrol Team members and the dozen or so big men from Grey Blade, "There may be unknown dangers inside, and having more people isn''t necessarily better. Besides those who have reached the third layer of Awakening, the rest should stay here."


    Among the few Patrol Team members he brought, only the Iron Hammer Brothers and Peng Bo met the requirements, and among the dozen or so big men, only Yan Dazhuang had reached the third layer of Awakening.


    The others inevitably showed disappointed expressions, but they didn''t say anything, especially the dozen big men, who were still in the shock of "so the boss of our former boss is so formidable," and didn''t dare to object.


    "You guys stay outside and guard this helicopter," Tang Yu thought, "You might not be strong enough, so..."


    Tang Yu scattered a handful of small balls that, with a faint sound of transformation, unfolded into round and chubby Puppets that landed on the ground and dispersed to guard the helicopter from all sides.


    This was only part of it.


    He then took out a few fist-sized balls and handed them to several members of the Patrol Team, "These contain Fighter Puppets. If you encounter danger, you can throw the balls and control them with some voice commands..."


    Having said that, Tang Yu led the remaining people towards the hollow.


    The group wasn''t large, yet no one dared to stop them.


    Silver Wolf and Warhammer, who were initially prepared to enter first, also watched as Tang Yu walked past them and disappeared into the hollow.


    Of course, the two Commanders themselves didn''t intend to stop anyone; they followed him right after, entering it as well.


    The other mercenaries hesitated for a moment, but many followed suit and entered, leaving only a few who, due to various concerns, hesitated to move forward.


    .....


    It was as if they were walking in a space of chaotic intersections.


    Behind was a grey darkness, with only the light ahead guiding them forward.


    Kong walked at the forefront with a double sword in hand, his expression serious.


    Tang Yu walked slowly in the middle of the team, with Eileen by his side wielding a Magic Wand, her face full of vigilance. The other followers were also cautious; places like Secret Realms, although understood through various channels, were encountered for the first time by everyone, so no one dared to take it lightly.


    Finally... S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whew~


    It was as if they had leaped from underwater to the surface, and suddenly their bodies felt lighter. Looking around, they had emerged from the spatial passage and were now in a spacious plaza.


    Above them was not the sky, but a dome resembling rock. The surroundings were completely enclosed, yet surprisingly, it wasn''t entirely dark; the rock walls and the dome were constantly emitting a faint phosphorescent glow.


    With the Awakener''s vision, they could still see their surroundings clearly in this environment.


    At this moment,


    Behind them, including the two major Mercenary Corps and other top teams, the mercenaries had also come in, each maintaining a certain distance, half on guard and half curiously observing the surroundings.


    "This place actually holds a hidden paradise; it''s indeed not just an ordinary cave!"


    "It''s not just a cave, right! Maybe it''s the legendary Cave Heaven Blessed Land. I feel like fortune is waving at me!"


    The plaza was very large, and the newcomers were currently in one corner. Some people tapped the nearby rock walls, finding them quite hard. Even when Tang Yu struck them with a basic Longsword, it only sparked some sparks.


    Obviously, the environment here was enclosed.


    Even the entrance they had come through was now completely invisible.


    Tang Yu speculated that these entrances were one-way, and that in the Secret Realm, there might be fixed exits or perhaps, certain key items or special methods were needed to open the passage back.


    However, he was not worried.


    He had previously thrown a basic Puppet into the realm as an experiment. Before dispatching the Puppet, he had stuffed a Return City Scroll into its hand and issued a command beforehand. Although he lost contact with the Puppet as soon as it entered the Secret Realm, the Puppet still loyally executed the order, crushing the Return City Scroll and returning to his Territory.


    Tang Yu, who could remotely control his Territory, naturally perceived this.


    Since the Return City Scroll worked, he felt confident enough.


    Coming into the Secret Realm personally, Tang Yu was also worried that others might not recognize the Sky-splitting Crystal. If the Sky-splitting Crystal required some special method to collect, his presence was even more necessary.


    The plaza was vast, and as the group slowly moved forward, they could vaguely see something resembling a passageway under the rock wall at the far end of the plaza, which might be the only direction to go forward.


    Suddenly a commotion arose ahead.


    Tang Yu was startled, the mercenaries had just dispersed, but it seemed...


    He walked in the direction from which the clamor came and saw a group of mercenaries confronting another group.


    The mercenaries numbered dozens, likely several Mercenary Corps collaborating. However, the opposing group was larger, comprising over a hundred Awakeners.


    Tang Yu frowned, could it be mercenaries with outside grudges taking the opportunity in this enclosed space to seek revenge? It seemed unlikely; in an unfamiliar environment, he felt no one would be so irrational.


    At that moment, the opposing group spoke, "Gibberish gibberish asada sada¡­"


    Tang Yu: "..."


    What kind of language was that!


    He frowned; the lighting was dim around, and he hadn''t noticed at first, but he realized then that although the hundred or so Awakeners were also of Asian descent, the finer details of their features were somewhat different from those of Hua Country people.


    These were people from another country!


    The foreigners, realizing the language barrier, finally had someone step forward tentatively asking, "Hua, guo, ren?"


    They were surprised, but that was the only Chinese they knew.


    Tang Yu silently repeated the word "system" in his mind several times to no avail, feeling a bit disappointed.


    Indeed, the system was never reliable unless it was a critical moment.


    The noise here attracted more and more Awakeners, and people were surprised to find that there were far more people in this spacious plaza than they had imagined.


    Just from Hua Country alone, there were people from two different regions. As for other countries, due to mutual wariness and language barriers, Tang Yu had not figured out exactly how many there were.


    Clearly, there were far more than one entrance into this space!


    People from various countries confronted each other for a while but did not clash, maintaining a certain distance as they continued towards what seemed like an exit.


    Finally, Tang Yu saw the scenery at the end of the plaza.


    There stood many statues of wild beasts, resembling a forest of stones, and beyond the statues, at the end of the plaza on the rock wall, were four entrances.


    These entrances, each modeled as the fierce gaping mouth of a ferocious beast, led to spacious avenues beyond.


    Tang Yu looked from left to right.


    They were respectively the Bear''s Mouth, Tiger''s Mouth, Lion''s Mouth, and Snake''s Mouth.


    Here, there were indeed four different Beast Mouth avenues!

 Chapter 162 - 161: The Damage from a Top Student

    Under the dim light, the ferocious beast bared its huge maw.


    Seeing this scene, a knot formed in many mercenaries'' hearts, and they suddenly had a bad feeling.


    But there was no turning back now, they could only keep moving forward. Some of the more optimistic ones thought that surely, unimaginable treasures awaited at the end of the road.


    "Lead... Boss, which path should we take?" Shay glanced around, noticing that besides the differences in the beasts, there seemed to be no other distinguishing features.


    Tang Yu pondered for a moment, "Since we don''t know which path is best, let''s... go through the bear''s mouth passage. At least it''s not as ugly as the other three."


    The passages connected to the beast mouths were like underground tunnels, enclosed all around but maintaining a similar spaciousness to the square, with walls that emitted a faint luminescence.


    The group headed straight for the bear''s mouth passage.


    The other Awakeners did much the same; the square was large, but after making a round, they found only this exit and each made a judgement to choose different paths.


    Tang Yu noticed that the Silver Wolf and Warhammer, two of the large mercenary corps, joined forces and entered the tiger mouth passage, followed by several other mercenary teams.


    He glanced back, hmm, there were quite a few mercenaries from Lindong following behind as well.


    This wasn''t surprising; the performance they had just demonstrated outside was noted by these mercenaries. They might not have the gall to cozy up directly, but following at a safe distance to ensure greater safety was probably what most mercenaries were thinking.


    Including many foreign Awakeners inside the passage who saw Tang Yu and his group taking the lead, each slowed their pace, trailing far behind.


    Tang Yu was well aware of what these people were thinking, but he didn''t want to concern himself with these matters.


    Only the weak needed to scheme and strategize. For him, finding the Sky-splitting Crystal as soon as possible was key.


    ''Besides, our team might not be leading the way. Maybe others entered the Secret Realm even earlier. Not to mention that gold-swallowing beast is nowhere to be found; it must have followed the passage and run off somewhere.''


    Thinking of this gave Tang Yu a bit of a headache. He could only hope that no one had stewed the gold-swallowing beast, as alive, it was worth more than dead.


    Throwing out a few round Puppets to scout ahead, the group walked through the passage.


    Alert and silent, the atmosphere became still in an instant, and the only sound in the passage was the light sound of footsteps.


    "There seems to be something carved over there."


    After walking for a while, Shay suddenly pointed at the stone wall ahead.


    Tang Yu stepped forward and saw a series of crooked and twisted patterns etched onto one side of the stone wall.


    "Perhaps this is some form of writing?"


    He concentrated and had a moment of clarity.


    These patterns that looked like ghostly talisman drawings, he could actually understand their meaning!


    "I, Thief King Zuofo, have stolen endless treasures in my lifetime. Alas, I cannot steal my own lifespan."


    "Do you want my treasure? If you do, I''ll give it all to you. Go search for it! I''ve placed all my treasures in the deepest part of my tomb."


    "Brave adventurers, strive onward!"


    "..."


    Tang Yu was momentarily stunned.


    These few sentences contained a rather large amount of information.


    He naturally didn''t know who Zuofo was, but from these words, he deduced two key points: Zuofo was powerful in life, and the burial goods with Zuofo in death were also powerful.


    Tang Yu looked around; it was still unknown how long this bear mouth passage was. Thinking of the previously spacious square and the unknown environment beyond, Zuofo''s tomb seemed extravagantly large.


    A tomb built using an entire Secret Realm as the core?


    Indeed, he must have been filthy rich.


    And what he relished most, was having wealth.


    These characters, not only could he understand them, but so could everyone else; people revealed expressions of deep thought or excitement alike.


    However, Tang Yu did not proceed further; instead, he scrutinized the characters even more carefully.


    "Indeed, these crooked patterns are runes, no mistake."


    Runes are the most essential language, capable of transmitting information on a spiritual level. From Kevin''s reaction, Tang Yu knew the preciousness of runes. Even in his own library, there were only a few volumes of the Rune Language Book.


    Regrettably, his understanding of runes was limited. Even as he understood their meaning, these characters still seemed like bent and twisted patterns to him, no different from before. With his level of Rune Studies, he still couldn''t recognize any of the rune patterns.


    This made Tang Yu somewhat defiant.


    Could it be that these were fake runes?


    "This one represents the rune of flame, this one, um, represents the rune of absorption¡­"


    Eileen stood by his side, her young face showing a contemplative hue.


    Upon hearing this, Tang Yu countered, "That doesn''t seem right. I also know the flame rune. The last stroke''s hook should point upwards, and the vertical line above it should be higher, shouldn''t it?"


    "That''s not the case," Eileen shook her head gently. "What you''re describing is the most basic flame rune. Beyond that, there are twelve First Layer derivations of the flame rune, along with ninety-six Second-tier derivations¡­"


    "And this flame rune, to be precise, should be a Fire Attribute Inspiration Rune, which serves to boost morale, belonging to one of the Second-tier derivative talisman drawings. Look at this energy node, doesn''t it look very similar to the flame rune? And in the context of this entire sentence, it translates to ''bravery.'' Plus, there are these¡­ these¡­"


    "Regrettably, there are a few runes whose meanings I can''t deduce," said Eileen, looking somewhat downcast.


    Although the others did not understand, they appeared impressed.


    Tang Yu, on the other hand, was hit hard.


    From Eileen''s explanation, he realized that it made perfect sense!


    All at once, it clicked for him, but why hadn''t he considered this before?


    Both had studied runes from the same book, yet unknowingly, such a vast disparity had developed between them.


    As a poor student, and one who prided himself on having a good grasp of knowledge, he felt as though he just took a severe blow from the aura of a top scholar.


    Especially Eileen''s last remark, for some reason, it reminded him of the phrases those top students would often utter back in the day¡­


    "Regrettably, I just got one little question wrong¡­"


    Otherwise, it would have been a perfect score.


    Tang Yu composed his wounded spirit, but did not look away.


    This was rune language, which, though bereft of any power, had substantial value just as runes themselves. Encountering them now, he could not let them go.


    "Shall we dig out this entire area of the wall?"


    "Dig???" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For the Patrol Team members and Yan Dazhuang, this tough job naturally fell into their hands. Receiving Longswords, high in Quality, they managed to cut through these hard walls with the sharpness of Advanced Equipment. After some effort, the large section of the wall cut out was divided into several stone slabs and stored in Space Backpacks.


    ''Bringing these rune texts to Kevin should help him decipher quite a bit. It seems like a promising start.''


    However¡­


    He glanced at the now significantly excavated wall, and it seemed somewhat¡­ somewhat damaging to his image.


    After all, he was still seen as a big shot by the Mercenary Corps in Lindong. A big shot shouldn''t stoop to digging stones, right?


    He needed to do something to compensate.


    Thinking it over, Tang Yu had a brainwave, "I''ve got it! Since there were originally inscriptions here, why not just carve some new text in their place, and incidentally do some advertising¡­"

 Chapter 163 - 162 High-Quality Resources

    Given the current state of our territory, I''m no longer in a hurry to meet the needs of ordinary survivors.


    However, the more Awakeners, the better, in my opinion. These Awakeners don''t necessarily have to be recruited into the Patrol Team. I plan to follow an elite strategy for the Patrol Team, where loyalty is also very important. The future recruitment of the Patrol Team will become increasingly stringent.


    But Awakeners can create value in and of themselves!


    And these Lindong Awakeners who have entered the Secret Realm this time...


    Tang Yu glanced behind him, the weakest were also Elite squads, after all. Those too weak simply didn''t have the ability to operate in the outskirts of the mountain range. Some who weren''t confident in their abilities stayed outside, watching, without actually entering the Secret Realm.


    Treasures are great, but life is more important... and whether treasures actually exist, that''s another matter.


    Therefore, most of the Awakeners who entered the Secret Realm, um, are premium resources.


    ''If I can lure these Awakeners to our territory, the sales volume of goods is certain to climb several notches. No matter how you look at it, there are items on sale in the territory that can''t be found in Lindong, even though these Awakeners have quite a few Source Crystals in their pockets.''


    ''Not only that, these Awakeners are powerful. Especially those top Mercenary Corps teams, with members often being masters at the Fourth or Fifth Layer. As long as these people are active around the territory, they can generate a steady stream of income. Whenever I need some special materials, I can also issue tasks through the adventurers guild to encourage these people to search actively. This way, there would be an additional pathway for gathering materials...''


    Tang Yu thoughtfully considered this as a situation where one stone could knock down two birds, and maybe it could even make the Sanctuary''s reputation international, provided those foreigners can understand what he wrote.


    He rummaged through his twenty-slot Space Backpack and finally pulled out a few pieces of wood, God knows why he had wood in his backpack!


    "Hmm, let''s plane these wooden pieces and then fill them in the gap here."


    As the laborers busied themselves, Tang Yu took out a small carving knife specially for carving, "What should I carve into it?"


    He spoke his thoughts aloud, initially expecting others to give suggestions, but instead...


    "Come to Green Shadow Sanctuary soon and experience the art of explosion!"


    "Big trash good, this here is Green Shadow Sanctuary, super calling you guys, just experience it for three hours, and you will love it deeply, just like how Shay loves rings."


    The former was a suggestion from Shay, the latter from Grey Blade, which made Tang Yu wonder what exactly had Grey Blade been up to during their time in Lindong?


    Isn''t there anyone reliable?


    The answer was really no.


    That was when he realized, back when he was planning, he had actually missed out on one department: the department of propaganda!


    Indeed, it''s because of the lack of propaganda for the territory that they were short on quality resources. This won''t do. Once I return, I must make sure to handle this area well.


    Thinking too far ahead, he brought his thoughts back to the present and Tang Yu continued to ponder.


    "Green Shadow Sanctuary, located 60 kilometers south of Lindong Sanctuary, has the highest quality equipment, the best cultivation environment, the most comfortable abodes. Here, just experience for three hours and you will fall deeply in love with everything..."


    Of course, he hadn''t written it as exaggeratedly, but the gist was similar.


    After leaving a mark of their visit in this passage, the group continued to move forward.


    ...


    Behind them, the Awakeners trailing far away were somewhat puzzled.


    "Why have they suddenly stopped?"


    Lindong''s mercenaries didn''t dare to get too close, and Awakeners from other places naturally just followed from afar, in case there was any danger. Getting too close might catch them in the blast. Letting those fools take the lead in detecting mines was the natural course of action.


    Many Awakeners from other regions thought the same.


    After they waited for Tang Yu and his group to move forward, they also continued to follow behind. At this moment, someone pointed at the side of the stone wall, "Look, there''s something there!"


    The part of the stone wall was replaced with wooden planks, which were much more conspicuous than before.


    Upon hearing this, the others couldn''t help but look over.


    On the wooden plank, several lines of small characters were etched¡ªcould it be that these were clues about this place? Is that why those people stopped here for so long?!


    With a whoosh, everyone gathered to look closer, and the Lindong mercenaries immediately gasped in shock.


    The text actually mentioned Lindong Sanctuary¡ªcould the clues about this place be related to Lindong... Bullshit!


    The stone walls on both sides of the corridor were smooth and even, and only this section had been replaced with wood, as if it had been dug out and refilled; they could easily tell.


    Suddenly, someone realized, "Hey, could that ''Green Shadow Sanctuary'' be the big boss''s sanctuary?"


    "Now that you mention it, it makes perfect sense. None of the big shots in Lindong are that young. Now it seems this big boss is actually a Sanctuary Leader himself!"


    "You''re all missing the point. It says there''s a Demon-slaying Longsword for sale at Green Shadow. A Demon-slaying Longsword! Don''t you guys want it? Ever since that time, no Demon-slaying Longsword has leaked into the Black Market. I''ve been saving up Source Crystals for nothing!"


    The Lindong mercenaries were filled with even more surprise.


    They had finally discovered the big boss''s background, and moreover, they had the chance to purchase weapons like the Demon-slaying Longsword. Looking at the prices mentioned above, they were much cheaper than the ones that flowed out to the Black Market.


    Indeed, they had struck it rich!


    Lucky for them they chose to follow this big boss. Those who went down the other corridors weren''t so fortunate! Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Awakeners from other places turned grim.


    They couldn''t understand what was written, but many could recognize that it was written in Chinese!


    In such a mysterious space, how could Chinese characters appear? They must be kidding!


    Someone immediately acted, ripping off the entire wooden plank in one go, revealing the unevenly dug-out stone wall behind it.


    "There must be some clues on this stone wall that those people dug up and took away!" a short East Asian man grated, speaking in a language the Lindong mercenaries couldn''t understand.


    "It must be an important clue. No, we can''t go on like this. We have to get our hands on those clues!"


    As he spoke, he waved a grand gesture, and a hundred or so Awakeners promptly responded in agreement.


    These people wore colorful clothes similar to military uniforms and held various types of firearms. The short young man turned out to be the leader of a warlord.


    Suddenly, these hundred plus Awakeners quickened their pace, rushing forward.


    Meanwhile, the line of people ahead continued to move at a steady pace, and the distance between the two groups closed quickly.


    The short young man''s gaze turned fierce, "Block a few of them... Wait, what is that!"


    He suddenly saw that the tunnel had come to an end, and beyond the tunnel''s entrance seemed to be a spacious hall, the lighting even brighter.


    "Forget about those people, speed up! There must be good stuff inside that hall, we need to grab it fast!"

 Chapter 164 - 163 A Failed Attraction of Monsters

    In the corridor, Tang Yu wrung his brain dry, analyzing the situation of the Secret Realm.


    After much pondering and speculation, he still came up empty-handed.


    Just then, he saw a group of people hurriedly running past him.


    "What''s the rush? Trying to get reincarnated?"


    Tang Yu couldn''t understand. Weren''t they worried that being at the front could be dangerous? He planned to throw a few Puppets ahead to scout.


    ...


    The short youth, upon successfully overtaking others, felt a surge of joy in his heart.


    They ran quickly and soon emerged from the corridor, bringing the grand hall into view.


    "Is this... Terracotta... Army?"


    The short youth widened his eyes, spitting out a few awkward Chinese words.


    Before him, the vast hall was filled with dense gray sculptures wearing armor and holding weapons, which remarkably resembled the Terracotta Army he had heard of.


    As the son of a warlord leader, the short youth also had his dreams. He especially hoped to build his own Terracotta Army as burial objects after death like Qin Shi Huang. For this, he had intentionally learned a lot about Huaxia culture. Although he could not recognize many Chinese characters to this day, it did not hinder his determination to realize his dream.


    In the past,


    He was aware of his situation; creating a tomb with thousands of terracotta soldiers wasn''t feasible, but he felt quite satisfied with the idea of having dozens as burial companions.


    However, now, with the onset of the apocalypse, he had become an Awakener, and their power had grown significantly. Maybe in the future, there would be a chance to build a real Terracotta Army.


    With such thoughts, the short youth gazed even more intensely, sweeping his eyes slowly over the sculptures, wanting to deeply imprint this scene in his memory, to refer to when the time came to build his own Terracotta Army.


    He couldn''t help but walk forward, wanting to see more clearly.


    Crack.


    The sudden sound startled the short youth, and he instinctively stepped back, only to see cracks spreading across the two stone sculptures nearest to him.


    "Are they breaking?"


    He felt it was a pity in his heart; this should be a tomb setup, what a great arrangement, and he hadn''t finished memorizing it yet.


    More and more cracks appeared on the stone sculpture until, with a bang, the stones shattered and scattered on the ground. However, unlike what the short youth had imagined, the sculptures didn''t crumble completely. What broke was just the outer layer of rock, revealing the true appearance of the sculptures beneath!


    These were no longer stone sculptures but Puppets clad in black heavy armor.


    The Heavy Armor Puppets were of average human height, each brandishing a two-handed Great Sword. The eye sockets of the helmet on the puppet''s head lit up with a red glow as the Great Sword slowly began to lift...


    It seemed that, having just revived, their movements were still a bit stiff.


    But the short youth was terrified. This kind of Terracotta Army resurrection was something that only happened in movies!


    "Shoot! Quick, shoot!"


    The foremost warlord Awakeners immediately pointed their guns at the Heavy Armor Puppets and pulled the triggers.


    Ratatatat¡ª


    Bullets flew.


    However, they couldn''t penetrate the heavy armor at all, leaving, at most, small indentations on the black armor.


    Sparks flew in all directions, as countless bullets ricocheted, showering the surroundings.


    Crack...


    Crack...


    Crack...


    "You guys, did you hear anything?" A feeling of ominous foreboding suddenly gripped the short youth.


    He saw that many stray bullets had hit other sculptures, and cracks began appearing on those that were struck.


    "Damn it!"


    The dozen gunmen had been shooting for a while, only managing to dent the two Heavy Armor Puppets, but certainly not causing any fundamental damage. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And now, more and more statues were breaking, the stone layers on the puppets were falling off, and one by one, the Heavy Armor Puppets were waking up.


    When Tang Yu reached the entrance of the passage, he saw hundreds of red eyes slowly lighting up.


    Taking another look at the group of people in their colorful military uniforms, they had actually chosen to shoot at the Heavy Armor Puppets with firearms, with stray bullets flying all over the place. He understood what was going on.


    This was the most shameful moment in the history of drawing aggro!


    These Heavy Armor Puppets were clearly meant to be activated within a certain range. If they had only drawn out a few at a time and dealt with them individually, it wouldn''t have been difficult. But now, alarmed by the stray bullets, hundreds of puppets were awake all at once, and even Tang Yu felt a tingling on his scalp.


    Once awoken, the puppets naturally targeted the group who had rudely disturbed their slumber.


    Bullets couldn''t penetrate, and the short youth was also panicking. Thankfully, he wasn''t completely witless and immediately yelled, "Use melee weapons! Attack the joints of these puppets!"


    A group of Elite Awakeners drew their weapons, and their swords slashed through the air with a whistling sound.


    Some puppets had large chunks cut out of their legs. However, the puppets were not slow in their movements, brandishing their Heavy Swords and engaging in melee combat with the Awakeners.


    In the distance, more Heavy Armor Puppets clanked forward with increasing speed, turning into a charge, like a pickup truck on a blitz!


    One Awakener tried to block them but was knocked back, spitting blood.


    Tang Yu''s gaze sharpened as the blood spilled onto the stone floor, began to slowly seep in, and soon disappeared without a trace, as if it had never existed.


    The tomb couldn''t possibly have a self-cleaning function, could it?


    It was likely there was something strange at play.


    The pressure on the short youth and his companions was increasing, and they were babbling in a language Tang Yu couldn''t understand.


    "Boss, we can''t hold on."


    "Retreat, retreat!"


    The group started falling back towards the passage entrance, and the Awakeners who had come forward to investigate the sounds of gunfire were also stunned by the scene.


    If it wasn''t for the danger of the situation, they would''ve hated to not criticize this unlucky bunch!


    Look at what they''ve done! There was no trouble when the boss was leading in front, and within less than a minute of these guys overtaking him, the situation had already turned upside down. How could they screw things up so badly?


    When the Heavy Armor Puppets charged, they were formidable, and many Awakeners turned tail and ran.


    Tang Yu was considering his options.


    With his team''s lineup, along with a large number of compressed puppets stored in his bag, he could certainly handle these few hundred Heavy Armor Puppets.


    The problem was... why should he bother?


    Being a hard-headed brute was a dead-end, only strategical retreat... ahem, only a strategic retreat was the most suitable action under the current circumstances.


    These Heavy Armor Puppets were obviously tank-type and difficult to kill. Most importantly, killing them wouldn''t drop any Equipment; it would be a pure waste of energy. In an unknown place like the Secret Realm, Tang Yu preferred to conserve his strength.


    He glanced at the Awakeners turning to run, shaking his head inwardly.


    This passage led to the plaza, and there was no way out behind it. Although there were three other passages to take, who knew if the other Beast Mouth avenues would have similar situations.


    Tang Yu''s gaze became focused.


    Originally, the puppets were evenly distributed throughout the hall. No matter which path one took, they would enter the puppets'' activation range. However, now the puppets were charging towards the direction where the short youth had been standing, and a part of the hall had been emptied.


    This was an opportunity!


    "Charge that way!"

 Chapter 165 - 164: Bear Mouth Passage Racetrack Group

    In the team, even the weakest members possessed the strength of a third-layer Awakener.


    Tang Yu had already noticed that although the Heavy Armor Puppets had high defensive capabilities, their black armor strong enough to surpass the Demonized Beasts of the third layer, their charge speed only matched that of Awakeners of the Second-tier.


    This was the key to his strategy.


    It wasn''t that his retreat was cowardly, he had valid reasons!


    In a flash, the group zipped past the charging Puppets.


    Those Heavy Armor Puppets, although they noticed, had already initiated their charge. It wasn''t easy for them to change direction, and in an instant, Tang Yu and his people gained a significant lead.


    The Awakeners following also brightened up.


    "Quick, follow in their footsteps!"


    They too seized the opportunity, running with all their might. However, by this time, several Heavy Armor Puppets had successfully turned and, with a bang, bang, bang, their legs stomped on the stiff stone slabs, initiating a deadly charge.


    Bang!


    Crack!


    Thud!


    Tang Yu didn''t look back, but he knew what was happening.


    This was reality. The world post-apocalypse had always been cruel. In the wild, one could encounter life-threatening dangers at any moment, and in this unknown Secret Realm, the dangers were even greater. Many Awakeners who entered had mentally prepared themselves, yet still, many died.


    ''It''s a pity, those high-quality chives... Bah, I mean high-quality talent, who knows how many will make it out alive. It''s a selection process, I suppose. Those who survive this Secret Realm will undoubtedly be the finest talents.''


    After skirting past the Heavy Armor Puppets on one side of the hall, they encountered another corridor entrance. It was hard to determine how much further the tomb extended before they could reach the end.


    It seemed the wealthier individuals always wanted more, hence the elaborate work on the corridors.


    "Boss, something''s off about this corridor."


    Grey Blade''s gaze swept across the surroundings.


    This corridor differed from the previous one. The previous was a straight path with nothing but a few lines of rune text on either side, but now...


    As they rounded a corner, Grey Blade''s professional instincts allowed him to detect signs of modification on the stone walls of the corridor.


    It wasn''t the rough work of carving out a large section of the stone wall and filling it in with wooden boards, but rather, it appeared to be a trap designed from the beginning!


    Tang Yu, upon hearing this, threw out a few basic Puppets ¡ª which had already been abandoned along the way due to their inability to keep up with the speed, and by this time, were likely demolished by the Heavy Armor Puppets.


    Why make it hard for Puppets?


    When the small spheres unfolded, the basic Puppets landed and, with round bodies and short legs, stepped forward.


    Suddenly,


    Click¡ª


    Concentrated, Tang Yu seemed to trigger some mechanism, and the stone walls on both sides of the corridor instantly revealed rows of holes from which countless arrows whooshed out.


    The few basic Puppets were hit like beehives, arrows completely penetrating their bodies from one side to the other, the force barely diminishing. Such power, once directed at a person, posed a significant threat even to an Awakener of the Sixth Layer whose body had become incredibly strong.


    Tang Yu felt a pang of regret. If he had known, he would have thrown out just one Puppet. He couldn''t believe he casually tossed out so many.


    Wastefulness is shameful.


    The hole opened, and as the arrows rained down, Grey Blade flickered to the edge of the farthest hole, pulling out an unknown tool from his trouser pocket, inserting it into the hole, and fiddled with it a few times.


    "There, that should do it. This mechanism is interconnected. I''ve jammed some nodes inside, but it probably won''t hold for long. Let''s move quickly."


    Eileen conjured two Ice Shields, guarding the team on both sides just in case, as the group hurried through.


    All along the way, a wide variety of traps kept springing up incessantly.


    For instance, as they walked, the ground would suddenly give way, revealing poison-tipped spikes below, or walls would drop down at both ends of a corridor, sealing it shut and then suddenly filling it with poison gas, among others.


    Traps like these weren''t really a threat to Tang Yu and the others, but they were certainly annoying. It wasn''t clear what the tomb''s owner was thinking.


    Some of these traps were one-time use, while others could be reused. The design concept was quite advanced; it just wasn''t clear how many of the following Awakeners would be able to get through these traps. Tang Yu didn''t care much about the others, but if Lindong''s Mercenaries were wiped out, that would be a bit suffocating for him.


    Wouldn''t that mean his advertisement had been for nothing?


    Suddenly, he spotted another set of runes inscribed on the stone wall.


    "Only the bravest adventurers will claim my treasure. Continue onward."


    Tang Yu: "???"


    Couldn''t they write something more useful? Could it be that these traps and Puppets were just to sift through for the bravest adventurers? What nonsense!


    Even so, Tang Yu did not overlook these runes. This time, pressed for time, he did not dawdle and let his followers get straight to work. Efficiency shot up significantly, and soon the slab engraved with rune inscriptions was taken down.


    There''s a different level of efficiency and quality when an expert is at work. The stone slab, now hollowed out, looked much better than the previous ones¡ªneat and tidy, it was simply satisfying to look at.


    "Add more engravings? No... better not waste time."


    Without stopping, they charged through the passage, but once again, Tang Yu came to a halt.


    Before him lay a grand hall, identical to the one they had passed through before.


    Which meant ahead...


    Tang Yu scanned the room to see hundreds of Heavy Armor Puppets, still in the form of stone sculptures, arrayed neatly within the hall.


    Normally, he would have executed a standard bait and eliminate to deal with this group of Puppets. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, footsteps approached from behind; dozens of Awakeners were running at full tilt. They were the Second Group from the bear''s mouth passage race group, now catching up to Tang Yu''s First Group.


    After all, within their First Group, there were quite a few third layer Awakeners, not much faster than the others following them.


    Similarly, although the Heavy Armor Puppets could only charge at the Second-tier speed, those Awakeners could not maintain their full burst speed indefinitely; meanwhile, the Puppet''s charge was at a constant pace, so the ordinary Second-tier survivors were likely to be caught up soon.


    In the Second Group catching up from behind, the Awakeners were mostly third layer, with the rare Second-tier ones being quite adept at speed and dragged along by their companions, barely escaping with their lives.


    There was no Third Group anymore, or rather, the Third Group was comprised of those Heavy Armor Puppets.


    Tang Yu could already hear the sound of the charging Heavy Armor Puppets'' tramping.


    He reckoned nearly half the Puppets were headed in their direction.


    With the time at hand, there was clearly no chance to eliminate this batch of Puppets that had yet to awaken.

 Chapter 166 - 165: On the Importance of Choices

    At this moment, the members of the Second Group also slammed on their brakes, and upon seeing the scene before them, they felt somewhat desperate.


    What is going on here!


    They had been running wildly, and many had died due to trap mechanisms, initially thinking they were gradually increasing their distance from the chasing Puppets. However, were they now getting wrapped up like dumplings?


    They knew that if they moved a few steps further, they would activate those Puppets. Having time was one thing, but those behind them were already catching up fast!


    Was the difficulty now a bit too high?


    Time was becoming increasingly pressing.


    Tang Yu furrowed his brows, pondering whether he needed to activate his "Unparalleled" ability.


    Suddenly, the process of these Puppets reviving flashed through his mind.


    It seemed that he could still hold on for a bit longer...


    "Charge straight ahead!"


    The distance between each sculpture was about five or six meters, quite spacious, and Tang Yu just dashed straight through the middle.


    Wherever he passed, the sound of cracking continued nonstop, and the stone layers fell off in masses.


    He suddenly realized that these "stone sculptures" were not originally sculptures. The tomb wasn''t designed with the Terracotta Army in mind. After all, Puppets were meant to move. Adding a layer of stony epidermis actually made the Puppets'' revival somewhat sluggish.


    Perhaps, there was some preservation method for these Puppets, allowing them to endure through the years without damage. However, they had ultimately been displayed too long. Once things are left for a long duration, they naturally gather dust, and in this Secret Realm, who knows how long it has existed for. The accumulated dust over time gradually formed a stony layer. It seemed... not so strange after all.


    Tang Yu, the "Great Detective," felt this made a lot of sense.


    The surrounding Puppets were gradually starting to revive, and he was right in the middle of this Puppet formation. Once the Puppets revived, there would be no escape, but the Awakeners of the Second Group suddenly came to a realization, "Quick, let''s also rush through!" S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It took the Puppets a few seconds to completely revive once activated.


    Activation occurred because Awakeners ran past them, and by the time the Puppets fully revived, with the speed of the Awakeners, they would have already run far away.


    This method was actually simple; those Awakeners were just too nervous and hadn''t thought of this immediately. They now sprinted wildly, and even though they were two to three seconds slower, they could still make it on time.


    Their faces showed hopeful joy.


    The Lion''s Mouth Raceway Team, after a halftime break, continued the race in the second half.


    ...


    At this moment, at the edge of a cliff.


    A significant number of Awakeners gathered.


    Beyond the cliff was a mountain wall, with several beast heads that had their mouths wide open.


    A group of Awakeners came running one after another through the passage shaped like a lion''s open mouth.


    Some wondered why so many Awakeners were gathered ahead, and upon running over, they found it to be a cliff. Far across, one could see a broad platform. However, the distance between the cliff and the platform was at least a few hundred meters, and about the same in height, which was too far for the current abilities of the Awakeners to jump across.


    Looking further down, the cliff dropped into pitch darkness, with only the sound of rushing water faintly audible, yet it was unknown how deep it was or whether there might be dangers below.


    This was rather desperate.


    With countless pursuers behind and no discernible path ahead!


    "Damn, what do we do? Those Puppets will catch up to us soon!"


    "Darn, if it weren''t for those guys startling so many Puppets at once, we wouldn''t be in such a mess!"


    Thinking of the first grand hall, where a group of Awakeners accidentally activated a statue and foolishly decided to destroy the remaining statues before they could awaken.


    Among these people was a Fire Series Ability User master who conjured a huge fireball intending to smash the statue into dust, however, only the stone layer shattered, leaving the Heavy Armor Puppet inside unscathed. Only the very central puppet was damaged beyond repair, while the activation of the others ensued.


    At this thought, they gritted their teeth in frustration.


    If Tang Yu had been there, he would have realized that it wasn''t a matter of bad luck for any group in particular, but rather that the probability of encountering troublemakers was far too high.


    An Awakener glanced around at the groups that had arrived before them, "There are more of us here, why don''t we just take on the puppets!"


    The others hesitated briefly before nodding in agreement.


    After passing through several grand halls and drawing the ire of quite a few puppets, they were well aware that, should a real battle break out, they might win, but at a potentially high cost in lives.


    But at the moment, instead of trying to reach the platform on the other side, it seemed better to stand their ground against the puppets. Who knew what dangers lay beyond the platform? Given the nature of this tomb, they felt the likelihood of danger was all too great.


    "Let''s just hold our position at the entrance of the passage and snipe those Heavy Armor Puppets," they proposed.


    Nearby, the Awakeners who had arrived at the cliff earlier were puzzled.


    "Puppets? What puppets?"


    After exchanging information, the Awakeners who had rushed out from the Lion''s Mouth passage were shocked to discover that those who had arrived earlier via the Tiger''s Mouth passage encountered no dangers whatsoever!


    Neither puppets nor the myriad traps along the way were encountered.


    According to these individuals, the Tiger''s Mouth passage was a straight line and it took them just about ten minutes to reach this cliffside.


    "That self-proclaimed Thief King Zuofo had said only the bravest adventurers would obtain the final treasure, yet we encountered nothing on our way here. How does that even select the bravest adventurers?"


    The dozens of Awakeners who had emerged from the Lion''s Mouth passage, after numerous hardships, twitched at the corners of their mouths, nearly wishing they could smash the speaker.


    This damn¡­


    No wonder they thought there were a lot of people here¡ªit turned out the other passage had not only been safe but also shorter. Even if those people walked slowly, they would have arrived sooner.


    God knows how many detours they had taken within the Lion''s Mouth passage.


    "How many detours?"


    Tang Yu, who was rushing out from the Bear''s Mouth passage, heard the conversation from afar.


    His face was even darker than those from the Lion''s Mouth.


    The route they had taken was not merely detours¡ªit was akin to the winding mountain roads!


    They had crossed mountains, seas, throngs of people, and endured untold hardships to get here, not knowing how many followers they had lost along the way!


    Yet those who took the Tiger''s Mouth route arrived with ease.


    Was this not a lesson in the importance of choices?


    The others looked somewhat grim, especially Peng Bo, who was now panting heavily.


    Shaking his head, he saw the Second Group of Awakeners also nearing the endpoint. "Prepare yourselves, let''s snipe those puppets at this exit as well."


    The Awakeners from the Tiger''s Mouth passage realized they could not remain indifferent. They gathered at the exits of the Lion''s and Bear''s Mouth passages, with some dispatched elsewhere, to guard against the possibility of puppets emerging from other passages.


    Time ticked by.


    Everyone stared wide-eyed¡­

 Chapter 167 - 166 Transcendent

    "How long has it been?"


    "About two minutes, I think, but something feels off."


    "It is off. Those Heavy Armor Puppets wouldn''t be this slow. Remember, we were chased like dead dogs."


    Gradually.


    Five minutes had passed.


    Ten minutes had passed.


    Many Awakeners had stood guard at the passage for so long. Many of them were extremely tense, fearing they might not survive this battle.


    However, they were surprised to find that the Puppets that had been chasing them had disappeared!


    It just felt very unreal.


    Someone who had been tightly wound suddenly relaxed and collapsed, half-kneeling on the ground.


    These people were different from Tang Yu and his group. Chased by Puppets, desperately running, constantly encountering traps along the way, some already had numerous wounds, feeling they might die at any moment...


    "Feeling alive is really nice."


    This scene almost moved people to tears, but immediately someone threw cold water on it, "Think again. To stay alive, we at least have to wait till we get out of this space. Not to mention, if we continue to stay here, even without encountering danger, we''ll starve."


    As this person spoke, many Awakeners realized that they didn''t carry much food with them.


    At most, they had a bit for emergencies, enough for a day or two, but who knew how long they''d have to stay in this space.


    Before entering, not many had thought that the entrance was one-way.


    Especially a few well-informed Awakeners were particularly annoyed.


    They knew such independent spaces were called Secret Realms. The problem was, aren''t Secret Realms supposed to have both entrances and exits? The one they encountered seemed a bit different?


    Gradually, everyone''s attention shifted to the edge of the cliff.


    Clearly, the path forward was on the platform on the other side of the cliff. Through the dim light, they could vaguely see the platform opposite and a dark cave entrance behind it.


    But how to reach the platform on the other side was a problem.


    Tang Yu was also considering whether to use approach A, B, or CDEFGH...


    At that moment, he saw a young man step forward from the crowd.


    ''It''s Chen Feng.''


    Tang Yu noted silently.


    He paid attention to some of the more famous Awakeners from Lindong, having seen plenty of reports from Grey Blade coming from Lindong.


    He already guessed what Chen Feng was planning to do.


    Chen Feng stood at the edge of the cliff, holding one end of a bundle of hemp rope, while the other end was held by another team member.


    "After I fly over there and secure the rope, you all can climb across using it,"


    He said and then used his Wind Control ability. Air swirled around him, gently lifting him as the wind billowed his clothes.


    Chen Feng suddenly accelerated, flying straight out from the cliff.


    Suddenly,


    "F*ck!"


    Chen Feng shouted in alarm, struggling to control the wild wind, but it was futile. His usually infallible flying technique seemed to be completely ineffective at that moment.


    His body plummeted through the air, speeding up.


    Other Awakeners were stunned.


    This turn of events was completely unexpected.


    Members of the Divine Wind Team exclaimed as the team member holding the rope pulled hard, only to feel a huge force transmitting from their hands. Even the Awakeners who quickly grabbed him to help couldn''t withstand that inexplicable force.


    With a snap,


    The rope broke.


    You could faintly hear the sound of a heavy object hitting the water as members of the Divine Wind Team lay at the edge of the cliff, yet they could only see pitch darkness.


    In the vicinity of Yun City.


    The large Sanctuary that once carried people''s hopes had now become ruins.


    Red mist drifted overhead, and the continuous wailing of Demonized Beasts echoed within the building ruins.


    At this moment, some twenty to thirty kilometers away from the Yun City Sanctuary, deep in a mountain forest.


    The Evil Eye floated in midair, gazing at the enormous tree in front of it with white, translucent, crystal-like leaves, its numerous vein-like tendrils flailing behind it.


    "Who would have thought, to so luckily discover a Soul Ancient Tree, this is a tremendous opportunity for our Evil Eye Clan!"


    The eyeball rotated once, and the gaze of the Evil Eye swept over the base of the huge tree, where many Demonized Beasts gathered, "You inferior species, do you also deserve to enjoy the Soul Ancient Tree?"


    It emitted an oppressive force.


    Like a fierce gust of wind, sweeping across the area.


    Sand flew, and the surrounding trees were even uprooted, yet only the Soul Ancient Tree, growing right on top of the Source Crystal Mine, remained absolutely still.


    Beneath the Soul Ancient Tree, where its roots entwined, unlike the usual ferocious Demonized Beasts, these ones appeared lazy in demeanor, resting there.


    This pressure swept over them, and these Demonized Beasts rarely showed a look of panic on their faces.


    Countless Demonized Beasts scrambled to flee.


    A Beast, exceeding three stories in height, completely red, and resembling a western giant dragon, displayed its unwillingness as it roared, spouting red flames from its mouth.


    The Evil Eye glanced at the red giant dragon.


    Puff.


    The clearly not weak, advanced Demonized Beast burst open like a balloon.


    Not even bones remained.


    The other Demonized Beasts ran even faster.


    A group of Evil Eyes arrived beneath the Soul Ancient Tree.


    Squinting, he felt the power permeating around the ancient tree, slowly purifying his soul.


    A feeling of satisfaction settled in his heart.


    "Come over."


    A clan member with dark red legs, excitedly waving the blood vessels behind its eyeball, quickly approached.


    The power around the Evil Eye surged.


    Suddenly, visibly, the crystal-like leaves on the Soul Ancient Tree began to dim one by one.


    This pure force, capable of purifying the soul, was extracted by the Evil Eye and slowly infused into the body of the clan member with the dark red legs.


    Like water flowing naturally,


    The aura of this advanced clan member surged dramatically.


    Its entire eyeball slowly floated up, while the root-like legs underneath it quickly fell off.


    Turning to ash, dispersing into the wind.


    The Evil Eye Clan member, floating, came next to the Evil Eye and spoke in somewhat unfamiliar spiritual power fluctuations, "Elder..."


    "Success, very good, very good!" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Evil Eye laughed.


    It then rotated its eyeball towards the Soul Ancient Tree, where a small portion of the crystal leaves had completely dimmed, "It''s a pity, this Soul Ancient Tree is just starting to revive, it''s still a sapling, we shouldn''t overuse it, but it''s enough..."


    Some clan members still guarded around the Abyssal Rift.


    The Evil Eye estimated the number of clan members, then extracted a portion of power from the Soul Ancient Tree and infused it into other clan members.


    Instantly, the aura of these clan members grew stronger, especially the expressions reflected in their pupils, which became even more lively.

 Chapter 168 - 167: The Caravan from Afar

    In the vicinity of Lindong, a certain wasteland.


    A massive convoy, stirring up dust, was slowly making its way.


    At the front were several armored vehicles, their fronts welded with steel plates, forming a ramming horn. Parts were sharpened and carried layers of blackened bloodstains, suggesting what the convoy had been through with just a glance.


    The convoy, comprising over a hundred vehicles such as armored cars, trucks, buses, and so on, had all been modified and armed to the teeth. Without exception, they bore heavy stains of blood, and some, like the wheels, were even tangled with strange organs.


    On top of the armored vehicles, heavy machine guns were mounted, and countless dark muzzle barrels protruded from the convoy''s windows.


    The air was filled with a chilly and ferrous scent.


    Mostly, there were serious-looking Awakeners, wielding firearms or cold weapons, patrolling the perimeter of the convoy with vigilant eyes.


    Within the convoy, the leader glanced at the map in hand, "We are almost there." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The message quickly spread throughout the convoy.


    Hearing this, the others couldn''t help but relax and show relief.


    "Have we finally reached Lindong? Heavens, I almost thought we wouldn''t make it."


    "Yeah, had I known it would be this dangerous, I would never have come along. There were several close calls, I thought being with a Military convoy would be safer."


    These young guards all wore an air of having narrowly escaped death.


    A middle-aged man with a small mustache shook his head, "The wild is inherently dangerous, the farther from a Sanctuary, the greater the danger. Our Storm Mercenary Corps are quite renowned in Heng City, but in the wild, one careless move could wipe us out."


    "The Military is no different. If the Military had the means to move freely in the wilds, would our human territories still be confined to such a small area around the Sanctionaries?"


    "Of course, if it weren''t for the Military forces taking the lead this time, we would never have crossed the vast wastelands to reach Lindong. So lads, take it easy. Those who have passed are gone, and those of us who have survived must live even better."


    Moustache glanced at the two trucks next to him. These two trucks carried the goods brought to Lindong by their Mercenary Corps.


    If not for the benefits, they would not have risked life and death to come all the way from Heng City to Lindong.


    The crux of it was profit.


    Before the apocalypse, even slightly complex products relied on components from all over the world, and so, post-apocalypse, even less complicated items could no longer be produced.


    Like the Military, now they could only manufacture some basic individual weapons. As for armored vehicles and tanks, if replacement parts were not found, each broken piece meant one less available. The science academy was doing its utmost to research and develop special weapons mainly based on post-apocalyptic new materials.


    However, post-apocalypse, with the changes in the world, the differences between regions grew greater. Some mineral materials, not scarce in Heng City, might not be found even if one scoured the whole Lindong area.


    In the two trucks next to Moustache were Heng City''s specialties, including finished products and raw materials.


    Initially, he had five large trucks. However, the convoy encountered countless dangers along the way, with frequent losses of personnel, leaving only these final two vehicles and the Mercenary Corps members at his side.


    The convoy, seemingly massive, had in fact shrunk considerably.


    "What a pity..."


    Moustache shook his head, though it was unclear if he lamented the lost goods or the members who died along the way.


    At last, a dark line stretching across the horizon appeared in the sight of the convoy members.


    The soldiers guarding the walls of Lindong Sanctuary had also spotted the large convoy from afar.


    Surprised by the sheer size of the convoy, which clearly wasn''t from Lindong, someone quickly ran to inform the higher-ups.


    After a while,


    the steel gates of Lindong slowly opened, and the Awakeners from the Military maintained order as the convoy rolled into the Sanctuary.


    "You''ve finally arrived."


    A high-ranking officer from Lindong Military, warmly embraced the person in charge of the convoy.


    ...


    The envoy from Heng City Sanctuary was the second-highest ranked in their Military. Once the convoy settled down, those on an important mission to Lindong wasted no time starting negotiations with the officials there.


    "This time, we''ve brought quite a few supplies, including some materials for making Space Stabilization Devices, which I believe you won''t find in Lindong..."


    The two sides, familiar with each other''s Military, still conducted their business by the book considering it involved two major Sanctuaries housing millions of people. Following the pre-determined numbers, they exchanged goods and also shared some intelligence.


    The root cause behind this cross-regional exchange was the event in Yun City.


    "The research on Space Stabilization Device is progressing swiftly in Beiting, and they have also identified some critical materials we need to collect. However, even with materials gathered from both our regions, we still lack certain parts..." Lu Jianjun spoke slowly.


    The Heng City leader pondered, "Perhaps our operational reach isn''t wide enough. Although we say it''s the region around Lin City and Heng City, in reality, the areas we operate in are only around the Sanctuary and a few other regions. There are still many places unexplored, and it''s likely that the materials needed for the Space Stabilization Device are there."


    "After all, we need to expand the range of Awakener activities, like Beiting''s strategies, incorporating Sanctuaries, establishing Transfer Stations. Fundamentally, this increases the scope of Awakener operations significantly. We in Heng City are also getting ready to start our Sanctuary incorporation plan. How are your preparations, General Lu?"


    Heng City''s second in command inquired.


    Lu Jianjun said, "Regarding the Transfer Stations, we in Lindong have already established some, but incorporating Sanctuaries..."


    He paused for a moment.


    For most small Sanctuaries, they rewarded them based on their aid to survivors, bringing the Sanctuary leadership willingly, with survivors in tow, back to the larger Sanctuaries. Under the lure of benefits, most people wouldn''t refuse.


    Even if some were selfish, exploiting survivors, and refused to release them, he could take forceful measures. However, there was one Sanctuary...


    Lu Jianjun furrowed his brows.


    The strength possessed solely by Green Shadow Sanctuary wasn''t something he could meddle with casually, and besides, Green Shadow was friendly to survivors, and ordinary Demon Tides wouldn''t pose a threat, seeming to lessen any reason to incorporate them.


    "Perhaps we could test the waters with Green Shadow''s stance..."


    ...


    In the commercial district of Lindong.


    While the high-ranking officials were discussing matters critical to the survival of the Sanctuary, the various forces that came with the Heng City Military were also busily selling the goods they brought.

 Chapter 169 - 168: Better to Sell to Small Sanctuary

    Storm Mercenary Group Commander Moustache was frowning at the moment, "How much of our two truckloads of goods have we sold?"


    A young mercenary hesitated before answering, "We''ve sold less than one tenth of the goods, and it''s becoming increasingly difficult to sell."


    "Why is that?" Moustache murmured, "Is it because of those few major powers?"


    "Um..." The young mercenary slowly nodded, "The goods we brought from Heng City, although mostly unavailable in Lindong, are outmatched by those brought by a few major powers. They have more and more comprehensive supplies and have jointly taken over most of Lindong''s market. We really are..."


    Merely in terms of strength, those few were much stronger than a mercenary corps like theirs. They lacked the confidence to fight for the market.


    The young mercenary had more to say... They were mercenaries, not businessmen. Dealing with business was never their forte.


    Commander Moustache looked quite dispirited.


    The remaining two truckloads of goods carried all his hopes. He had followed the military convoy to Lindong, making a do-or-die move for a breakthrough. If he failed this time, he would lose not only a great deal of wealth but possibly see the entire mercenary corps crumble.


    "Those few..." Moustache clenched his fist, then released it.


    The structure of the Sanctuary in Heng City was similar to Lindong''s. His Storm Mercenary Group also ranked highly in the Mercenary World. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have qualified to follow the military convoy.


    This trip wasn''t simply about tagging along; the road was dangerous, and even the military had to be cautious. The other powers joining the convoy were restricted in the goods they could bring based on the strength of the Awakeners they sent. His Storm Mercenary Group had brought several dozen Awakeners, thus earning the share of five trucks.


    Of course, only two trucks had survived, and less than half of the group members had arrived alive in Lindong.


    However, even their strength, in this convoy, was considered average. Only the top one or two mercenary groups in the Mercenary World could be called major powers, not to mention some high-level forces belonging to the Sanctuary. These major powers were beyond the reach of their Storm Mercenary Group.


    Despite the scarcity of their goods, Lindong''s market was limited. The richest was the Lindong Military, but the Lindong Military had already traded the necessary supplies with the Heng City Military. The remaining major powers monopolized the majority of the market in Lindong, not leaving even a soup''s worth for them.


    "Young Brother Yang, Young Brother Gao..."


    Two acquainted leaders of powers approached from a distance. Surprisingly, they didn''t seem worried about selling their goods.


    "Brothers, what''s going on?" Moustache quickly called out to them, "Have you two found a way to sell the goods?"


    One of them looked around carefully before leaning close to Moustache, "Commander Storm, we indeed thought of a method. Out of respect for our friendship, we''ll tell you this secret, but remember not to spread it."


    "Absolutely..."


    "Consider this, the market in Lindong is already occupied, but around Lin City, besides Lindong, there are many small and medium-sized Sanctuaries. These Sanctuaries can''t compare with Lindong, but the sheer number of them makes for a sizable market."


    "I''ve already inquired. To the south of Lindong, that area is filled with small Sanctuaries. If we take our goods there..." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moustache nodded incessantly, eager, "Then why don''t we three work together? It will be safer, and since there are many small Sanctuaries in that area, there''s enough demand for all our goods. We won''t be competing with each other. When the time comes, we can set a slightly higher price and earn a bit more..."


    "Absolutely!"


    ...


    Secret Realm.


    Between the cliff and the platform, the chilly wind was blowing in bursts. By this time, numerous Awakeners had already made it to the opposite platform.


    Some had tried to fly, others had tried to leap across at high speeds, but it was all in vain. Some mysterious force beneath seemed to be pulling them, and even the most confident of experts would end up falling into panic and plunging downward with a splash.


    However...


    Tang Yu looked at the vines beneath his feet, stretching between the cliff and the platform, and was a bit speechless.


    Who could have imagined that crossing the gap would be as simple as walking over these vines?


    Most crucially, the vines were all black, blending completely with the surroundings. If one did not observe carefully, they were hard to detect with the naked eye. Some had jumped into mid-air and fallen, landing unexpectedly on the vines, and that was how they were discovered.


    The designer of this tomb was really setting up a trap.


    Swoosh.


    Tang Yu stepped onto the vines, unaffected by the wind and the slight swaying of the vines.


    Having walked to the end of the vine, he kicked off lightly and effortlessly leapt onto the platform. Looking back, many Awakeners were carefully walking on the vines; some with acrophobia could only progress by crawling and dragging... or more accurately, being dragged.


    Some people, holding the idea of eliminating competition early on, were scheming against others on the vines, but no one had attacked him, which was somewhat disappointing to Tang Yu.


    Are people''s eyesight so good nowadays?


    Or do they think there are too few of them, posing no threat?


    "Let''s go."


    Many Awakeners had already entered the cave, but Tang Yu was in no rush. Given the tomb designer''s tricks, first come, first served? That didn''t exist; it was more likely first come, first dead.


    The passage twisted and turned, occasionally leading to forks. It seemed to be a maze. Although there were no traps, the complexity was even greater. On both stone walls, there were some patterns engraved, not runes, but rather resembling drawings of beasts¡ªprobably clues to navigate out of the maze.


    Tang Yu was completely baffled and left solving the maze to his followers. Meanwhile, he relied on random choices to lead the group forward, observing the patterns on the stone walls as if collecting clues.


    Suddenly, a pounding sound came from ahead, like the heavy stomping of feet.


    "Boss, be careful, something is coming."


    A huge beast covered in a metallic sheen appeared in everyone''s sight.


    The beast bore many scars on its body, its short legs furiously running. However, the passage was too narrow for the giant beast, which scraped against the stone walls from time to time.


    Grey Blade''s eyes lit up, "Boss, it''s a gold-swallowing beast!"


    Behind the gold-swallowing beast, a large group of Awakeners were in pursuit. The leader was surrounded by numerous Flying Knives. With a wave of his hand, the knives whooshed forward, became a blur, and stabbed into the back of the gold-swallowing beast. Despite the beast''s tough body, the knives penetrated deep, and blood slowly oozed out.


    Tang Yu was annoyed.


    Why harm his gold-swallowing beast!

 Chapter 170 - 169: The Final Stone Gate

    The group of Awakeners opposite them had noticed Tang Yu and the others, but did not care.


    Taking advantage of the moment the gold-swallowing beast was injured and slowed down, they quickly caught up. The leading telekinesis ability user waved his hand and several Flying Knives levitated then whooshed out.


    The target was the posterior part of the gold-swallowing beast, the areas with the Flying Knives embedded.


    He had already calculated that targeting the wounds on the gold-swallowing beast and causing secondary penetrating damage would be fatal.


    At that time, breaking open the gold-swallowing beast and extracting the Metal Nodule formed inside it would yield a huge profit.


    If he could find the right connections to use this Transcendent Metal to forge his own Flying Knives, then his strength would climb to the next level!


    As for those people opposite him, he didn''t care. They were just a small team of ten people. If they were smart and left quietly, he would... The telekinesis ability user suddenly froze. Why hadn''t he heard the gold-swallowing beast''s scream of agony?


    He looked up to see the Flying Knives that had just been shot out now lying on the ground, some of them even broken in two?


    What had happened?


    The telekinesis ability user was unclear, only staring at the people opposite him, his face showing a ferocious expression, "Attack¡ª¡ª"


    His psychic energy stirred, and the Flying Knives on the ground trembled as if about to rise, but then, he saw the man wearing a conical hat standing in front of the gold-swallowing beast, lift his foot and gently step down...


    Crack.


    The Flying Knives shattered, and the psychic energy he had attached to them was crushed in an instant. The Telekinesis Ability User''s face turned red, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "How is this possible!"


    Inside the tunnel, sword light flashed intermittently and the roar of gunfire echoed.


    Tang Yu glanced a few times.


    Although the group opposite had quite a few people, none of them were good fighters.


    Kong and Shay, after a brief skirmish with that group, caused the opposition to collapse instantly, now engaging in a symbolic pursuit.


    Shaking his head, he, Lord Tang, was a great advocate of peace and didn''t want to be violent, but unfortunately, the other group spoke a language he couldn''t understand. By extrapolation, the language he spoke, naturally, the others couldn''t understand either.


    Since they could not communicate through language, they had to communicate physically instead, after all, it was the most direct way.


    "So you see, learning a foreign language is important. It might even avoid a catastrophe. Unfortunately, even though I was once at a fourth level in English during my peak, it has regressed to nothing now."


    Beside him, the posterior part of the gold-swallowing beast still oozed blood; after being subjected to the intimidating presence emitted by Eileen, Winnie, and others, it dared not run away, only able to sorrowfully shrink into a corner...


    Tang Yu glanced at it, finding it hard to imagine how the beast, with its size, managed to shrink.


    It was definitely trying its hardest.


    "Little Gold..."


    In Tang Yu''s hand was a specially made Advanced rune Longsword, which he plunged with force.


    Hiss¡ª


    The blade of the Longsword went deep into one side of the stone wall.


    This stone wall was even harder than the body of the gold-swallowing beast.


    The gold-swallowing beast''s small eyes widened as its large body shivered once, twice, and then again.


    Tang Yu revealed a satisfied smile. Mutant Beasts and Demonized Beasts were different. A Mutant Beast like the gold-swallowing beast, with Fifth Tier strength, also had a decent level of intelligence, roughly equivalent to a seven or eight-year-old child. This luring, cough cough, coercion... no, that''s not right, communication had thus become much more convenient.


    "So now," Tang Yu took out a beige scroll, "keep this scroll in your mouth, and then bite it to pieces."


    The gold-swallowing beast hesitated, but eventually opened its mouth, took the unfamiliar object in its mouth, and under continuous "communication," it bit the scroll to pieces.


    Instantly, a white radiance erupted from the gold-swallowing beast''s mouth, enveloping its entire body. In the next moment, the light flashed, and the massive body of the gold-swallowing beast disappeared. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was sent back through a Return City Scroll; Luo Zhe, who was left in charge of the Territory, would take people over to receive it.


    Tang Yu could think of no easier way to bring back the gold-swallowing beast than this one. The Secret Realm was dangerous, and what he would encounter next was unpredictable. While he could be sure of his own safety, if he were to carry the gold-swallowing beast, a big target with an innate hatred halo, the difficulty level of the instance would rise from Easy to Hard just thinking about it.


    With the successful capture of the gold-swallowing beast, no matter what other gains were made from this trip to the Secret Realm, at the very least, the materials needed for the Floating Chariot were completely gathered.


    The passages were winding and numerous, and Tang Yu couldn''t remember how many times he had crossed the same path, occasionally spotting some abandoned items in the corridors. These weren''t litter but markers left by other Awakeners. However, this method was unreliable; he watched as a squad of Awakeners dropped a marker, and in a flash, someone casually picked it up.


    Watching that person clutching a grey canvas bag, heaven knows what this entrant intended to do in the Secret Realm!


    This made the whole method somewhat awkward...


    It wasn''t that they didn''t want to mark something on the stone walls or slabs; it was just that the stone walls were too hard. Ordinary swords and weapons chopped against them without leaving a scratch, but the swords themselves ended up broken or snapped.


    If even weapons were damaged, how could they survive in the wild?


    Some of the more clever ones left marks on the stone walls with dye, which was mostly obtained from the blood of Demonized Beasts. However, not many teams carried the blood of Demonized Beasts with them, and nobody wanted to use their own blood, so the entire tomb maze became a junk passage...


    At this moment, he thought that having those players who continuously picked up items wasn''t too bad.


    Tang Yu also had others leave marks; initially, he wanted to simply carve a knife and fork on the wall but then he reconsidered. What was the point? He might as well carve the advertising slogan he had prepared beforehand on the stone wall.


    Not only was a mark made, but it also served to promote the Territory, potentially attracting more quality resources, which was excellent.


    He didn''t know that the Lindong Mercenaries, who had traveled through the Bear''s Mouth Passage, became dejected upon seeing these advertisements, realizing they couldn''t monopolize the chance encounter with the Great Lord!


    A few minutes later, Grey Blade deciphered the clues on the stone wall patterns. Following the directions, after several choices of left, left, right, right, left, right, left, the group finally exited the maze.


    Before them stood a gate towering over eight meters tall and more than five meters wide, crafted entirely of an unknown black rock.


    At the moment, the gate was closed, and inscribed on it in rune script was the final phrase, "My treasure lies beyond this gate. Do you want it? Then push open this gate..."


    Tang Yu pondered.


    He originally wanted to scrape off the rune script on the Black Stone Gate, but by then, many Awakeners had emerged from the maze.


    Upon seeing the inscribed words, their eyes lit up, and some couldn''t help but rush forward.


    "What''s the hurry? This gate is clearly the last challenge, it won''t be that easy to open."


    "I reckon there must be traps in front of the gate."


    "You''re right. Running so eagerly, one can tell they''re cannon fodder. Only those of us who can sit back and wait like at a fisherman''s platform will reach the end."


    Most of them were not impatient but looked on with wary expressions. Historical knowledge told them that setbacks often occur at the final hurdle.


    They were both nervous and excited, fixing their eyes on the Awakeners who dashed forward.


    Finally,


    The fastest Awakener reached the Black Stone Gate; he extended his hand, pressed against the Black Stone Gate, and pushed hard.


    Along with the rumbling sound of the gate being pushed,


    A strand of golden light peeked through the crevice of the stone gate...


    "F*ck!"

 Chapter 171 - 170 Zuofo!

    "Who could have expected that the legendary final barrier of the tomb, the Black Stone Gate standing before everyone, would just be pushed open?!"


    Heaven knows how many difficulties they had endured to get here. According to the usual pattern, each level was harder than the last; wasn''t that the basic principle?


    Yet many Awakeners had no time to ponder these questions. Upon seeing the golden light seeping through the door cracks, they simultaneously rushed forward.


    It was as if, if they were a moment too slow, those treasures and opportunities would be snatched away by others.


    The Black Stone Gate had been pushed open, or rather, it opened itself.


    What appeared before the many Awakeners was a spacious hall.


    The hall was very bright, lined regularly with golden-colored boxes¡ªthose gleaming beams of light springing forth from the boxes.


    Behind those golden boxes, against the wall, stood three black coffins. The one in the middle looked more luxurious; that must be the coffin burying the tomb''s owner, Zuofo.


    Many Awakeners thought this.


    But after a glance at the coffins, they turned their attention away and rushed towards the golden boxes.


    ...


    Outside the door, the Iron Hammer Brothers, Peng Bo, and Yan Dazhuang too had red eyes, unable to resist the urge to rush forward.


    "These glows are tricky!" Winnie held a pure white, small Holy Hammer and chanted softly, "Purification!"


    A white halo spread out from the Holy Hammer.


    Instantly, the reddening in the eyes of the Iron Hammer Brothers and others gradually faded; their steps, which had been about to advance, halted, and they all felt a bit shocked.


    They had been unconsciously affected.


    Eileen and the others also noticed that this area was enveloped in a strange power, affecting people''s emotions. Yet, this power did not impact them significantly; they could easily restrain it.


    Only Tang Yu himself, looking left and right, felt no such effects; perhaps following his binding with the territory, he was immune to these negative conditions.


    Under such circumstances, they naturally didn''t step forward.


    Looking around, aside from themselves, there were a few other Awakeners who also sensed something amiss and were strenuously restraining themselves, not rushing into the Black Stone Gate like most others.


    At this moment


    Inside the hall.


    An Awakener reached for a golden treasure box but suddenly, a longsword pierced through his body from behind. His eyes widened as he slowly fell.


    However, the person holding the longsword hadn''t even managed to step forward when a series of rapid gunfire turned him into a beehive.


    A storm of blood and violent wind swept through the Black Stone Hall.


    Finally,


    A powerful Awakener tore a few people beside him in half and arrived at the golden treasure box, laughing loudly.


    As he placed his hand on the box, there was a clicking sound, but he was taken aback¡ªthe box did not open, and instead, upon his touch, the whole box dimmed, the golden light completely disappearing.


    A closer look revealed that it was not a treasure box at all, but just a rotting wooden box.


    Where did the sound of the box opening come from?


    "The coffin opened?"


    "Who opened it?"


    "No, no¡­ it opened on its own!"


    Many Awakeners realized.


    The fighting had stopped, with only a few blinded by their bloodlust still shouting and wielding weapons, soon taken down by collective fire.


    At this time,


    The luxurious coffin in the center, its lid suddenly fell with a clang.


    As many Awakeners immediately looked over, expecting to see a decaying corpse, no such sight occurred. Instead, a man with a black eyepatch, white hair, and slight wrinkles on his face was seen inside the coffin.


    After the lid fell, the man without the eyepatch suddenly opened his eye.


    "This is¡­" the one-eyed man looked around a bit dazedly, "I am¡­ I am Zuofo, the Thief King Zuofo! So, it seems the prophesized era has come, and my contingency plan has worked, hahaha¡­"


    He had been asleep for so long, and his body had aged, but Zuofo''s heart was fiery.


    He felt the Source Qi in the air, much richer than in his era; the whole world seemed to be pulsating with life.


    He realized that the bet he had made using all his resources¡ªhe had won!


    In this era, he definitely had a chance to break through the realm he had always dreamed of.


    Even, go further!


    "So," licked his lips, Zuofo''s entire figure vanished from the Awakeners'' sight; the next moment, he appeared beside someone, his slender fingers as sharp as knives, directly piercing into the man''s chest.


    Blood splattered.


    He licked his lips again, showing a pleased expression.


    ...


    Awakeners who entered the Secret Realm were not lacking in courage and certainly weren''t scared by Zuofo directly.


    They were no fools, understanding that this suddenly emerging man was a foe, not a friend. Though many had been fighting fiercely before, now, many people in perfect coordination, launched attacks at Zuofo.


    Bullets flew, ability users unleashed flames, and ice attacks towards Zuofo.


    As frost spread and bullets sparked, everyone once again lost sight of Zuofo¡­


    "There, quick, attack him!"


    "Don''t panic, he''s only one person!"


    From the scene, although Zuofo had a speed advantage, facing so many Awakeners, he was still struggling to cope. Some showed confident smiles, thinking that after killing Zuofo, they would find the real treasure and a way out of this place.


    At that moment,


    with a loud clang, two more coffin lids fell off, and as the dust settled, two warriors clad in full armor, wearing helmets, appeared before everyone.


    After these two warriors appeared, they didn''t speak and charged directly into the crowd, neither dodging nor avoiding the attacks of the Awakeners. Yet, no one could leave a scratch on their armor.


    On the contrary, their attacks were swift as slicing vegetables, leaving the Awakeners powerless, almost as if they were merely cutting through children.


    Not only that, several walls of the hall suddenly opened, revealing pitch-black holes, and accompanied by a series of loud clangs, a group of Black-armored Puppets wielding great swords walked out from these holes.


    Regardless of the country of the Awakeners, seeing this scene made them all feel desperate.


    Those Black-armored Puppets, could they not recognize them? Most people present had been chased by these Puppets before, and they had wondered why these Heavy Armor Puppets had suddenly vanished; it turned out they were waiting here.


    "This is a trap! We''ve all been deceived!"


    People shouted, but to no use; they now had no chance even to attack Zuofo as they had to keep dealing with the Puppets, and any slight mistake could lead to their decapitation.


    All these changes seemed fast, but they happened in less than half a minute.


    Awakeners still outside the Black Stone Gate were stunned.


    Some were glad they hadn''t foolishly rushed in; otherwise, they would be trapped like dumplings in a wrapper and unable to escape.


    But then they realized, being in this space, there was nowhere to escape, and their faces immediately turned pale.


    Neither going forward nor retreating was an option.


    Tang Yu looked around.


    It was clear that they had reached the end of the Secret Realm, yet he still had not received any system notification, unable to locate the Sky-Splitting Crystal.


    At this moment, Eileen frowned and whispered in his ear, "Lord, something is wrong. That Zuofo''s aura is slowly strengthening."


    With that, others also turned their gaze towards Zuofo, and quickly noticed something was off.


    "Boss, look at the ground!"


    Following the direction pointed, many Awakeners cut down by the Puppets were bleeding profusely, but that scarlet blood, upon hitting the ground, quickly merged into the stone slabs and disappeared.


    His gaze sharpened, and he could faintly see that the moment the blood merged into the stone, mysterious rune patterns flashed briefly across it.


    Looking again at Zuofo, his graying hair was slowly turning lustrous black, and the wrinkles on his face were progressively smoothing out.


    Could it be, through this Array that absorbed blood, Zuofo''s vitality was being restored?


    Tang Yu wasn''t sure, but...


    "We can''t wait any longer! Moreover, since the Sky-Splitting Crystal is related to this Secret Realm, there''s definitely no way around dealing with Zuofo."


    This was likely their best chance to obtain the Sky-Splitting Crystal, risking missing out, Tang Yu wasn''t sure how long his territory would be stuck without progressing.


    He tore two scrolls, and two halos enveloped the few people around him.


    These were the most common Amplification scrolls, one for Speed ???Boost and one for Power Amplification.


    At his signal, his followers entered the combat state.


    "It''s a pity, though, for a five-person team, this setup is a bit unreasonable."


    Kong was a speed-type warrior.


    Grey Blade was an assassin.


    Eileen and Winnie were undoubtedly soft-skinned mages, and even Shay, who seemed robust, was actually a backline damage dealer.


    The followers charged towards Zuofo.


    Others charged to confront the Puppets, sharing some of the pressure.


    And himself, well, as the boss, he was supposed to command from the center at such times.


    ...


    Outside the hall, other Awakeners who watched those rushing into the Black Stone Gate were somewhat surprised.


    Despite understanding that stepping forward to help kill Zuofo was the only way for everyone to survive, waiting for the Awakeners inside to be massacred would mean they were next.


    However, understanding something didn''t necessarily translate into action when personal safety was involved, many still chose to retreat.


    Maybe the others would deal with Zuofo, right?


    Why rush to die themselves? S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But while they hesitated, some had already dashed forward without a second thought. Seeing this contrast made them feel ashamed, and after a moment''s hesitation, they gritted their teeth and followed suit.


    A long-lost sense of valor surged up from the depths of their hearts!


    ...

 Chapter 172 - 171: Consuming Crystal Halo

    Zuofo stood by the side of the coffin, his hands clasped across his chest, an expression of enjoyment on his face.


    Translucent Mysterious Runes flickered underfoot, gathering the life energy from the refined fresh blood and pouring it incessantly into his body.


    Having slumbered for too long, even after employing all his methods, he still couldn''t fully resist the ravages of time, which had aged not just his body, but his soul as well.


    True sleep wasn''t merely about being frozen; moreover, he did not know for how long he had been asleep, not even he was clear on that matter.


    But the entire world, without a doubt, had changed beyond recognition.


    "Fortunately, I''d anticipated this situation and spent a fortune to have those Rune Masters arrange this special Rune Array......"


    Zuofo glanced at the struggling Awakeners with some surprise, "To think they lack even a decent legacy, no wonder their strength is so weak..."


    The entire Secret Realm was his setup; once certain conditions were met, it would break free from the wandering layers of space to successfully link with the main world.


    To obtain a sufficient number of sacrifices, he had intentionally opened several more exits in the Secret Realm, decreasing its stability as a consequence, but Zuofo didn''t care. All these arrangements were for the sake of arriving at this era of infinite possibilities.


    "What I didn''t expect is although these people are weak, the life energy contained within their blood is surprisingly abundant. I initially planned to gather some sacrifices after restoring a certain level of my strength, but now it seems that just these individuals are enough, more than sufficient, even."


    "Moreover, the blood seems to contain traces of very pure soul energy," Zuofo mused. Restoring his life force would revive his strength, but with the nourishment of that pure soul power, not only could his aged soul be rejuvenated, it might even advance further.


    Such a purity of soul power was likely to be a gift from this era, which ignited a fiery passion in his heart.


    "Perhaps, I will soon break through to the long-coveted realm. It is indeed as the prophecy foretold, an era of all things reviving. In the previous era, despite all my efforts, I could not achieve a breakthrough, yet now, it seems within reach."


    He suddenly glanced to the side, "Oh, there are a few stronger ants, and they possess professional legacies, now that''s interesting."


    At that moment, Grey Blade emerged from the shadow of the coffin.


    Wielding dual swords with empty hands, his speed was lightning fast; with a raise of his hand, dazzling silver sword light dimmed the entirety of the hall.


    The surrounding chill surged, about to encase Zuofo in frost.


    In the distance, the booming sound of gunfire roared.


    And a golden radiance spilled down, draping a layer of golden gauze over several individuals.


    In an instant, they struck simultaneously, their coordination tacit.


    ......


    Far away, Tang Yu''s eyes flickered as he stared at a Reconnaissance Crystal the size of a chicken egg in his hand.


    The crystal projected a light screen the size of a tablet, on which a miniature Zuofo was displayed.


    This was the result from a Basic Reconnaissance Crystal.


    [Zuofo]


    Tier: Currently Tenth Layer of Awakening/Thirteen Layer Perfection (Peak)


    Age: ???


    Gender: Male


    Race: Hybrid Human


    Abilities: 1. Ghostly Soul Touch; 2. ???; 3. ???; 4...


    Weakness: ???


    After all, the Reconnaissance Crystal was only basic, and with Zuofo''s high level of strength, the amount of useful information it could detect was limited. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But it also confirmed Tang Yu''s suspicions.


    This Zuofo was using some method to recover his strength, and at his prime, he had already reached the pinnacle of the Awakening Tier.


    Furthermore, Zuofo was different from the Awakeners he had encountered previously, possessing some unique techniques according to the situation.


    Tang Yu was not surprised.


    After all, he came from an ancient era, self-proclaimed as the Thief King, who had mastered many runes, and was even capable of setting up such a tomb. No matter how cautious they had been, it wasn''t overcautious.


    If it weren''t for the Sky-splitting Crystal, Tang Yu would have thought about escaping back to the city by now.


    "However, fortunately, Eileen and the others all have the strength of the Seventh and Eighth Awakening Tier, and the gap between them and Zuofo wasn''t too large, coupled with their cooperation..."


    Indeed, as expected, Zuofo was being suppressed by Eileen and her group.


    The other Awakeners struggling to hold on couldn''t help but reveal smiles of joy.


    However, Zuofo didn''t show the slightest worry on his face, "My knights, take care of them for me."


    He drifted backward.


    The two warriors clad in full armor, however, charged forward, flipping over many Awakeners along the way, and even the Heavy Armor Puppets were overturned as well.


    In terms of sheer ferocity, these two Super Soldiers seemed even fiercer than Zuofo!


    "Darn it, we still can''t stop them!"


    An Awakener shouted, after the two Super Soldiers joined the fray, there were still many Heavy Armor Puppets attacking those experts, and from the opened caves, an endless stream of Heavy Armor Puppets continued to emerge.


    Their numbers were even greater than the ones that chased them through the Beast Mouth passage before.


    The situation reversed in an instant, and the few experts who had just suppressed Zuofo were suddenly in crisis!


    "Damn it! Those experts are indeed not a match for Zuofo."


    "Alas, those few are actually very strong. They were able to hold on for such a long time against Zuofo and those two knights. Didn''t you see the Warhammer Commander couldn''t even withstand a single blow?"


    "But what good is that? They are still no match. It''s over, we''re all going to die here!"


    Among the crowd, some elite Awakeners understood the principle of when lips die, teeth feel cold, and wanted to rush forward to help.


    The leader of the Silver Wolves, the man with long hair, suddenly had his black hair turn silver-white, and a bright crescent mark appeared on his forehead.


    His fingers elongated into claws as his entire body turned into a phantom that whizzed through Heavy Armor Puppets, and in the next instant, the man materialized, with many Heavy Armor Puppets around him cut in two.


    He took a deep breath, his speed burst forth again, turning into a silver light, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared behind one of the Super Soldiers, his claws falling heavily on the head of the Super Soldier like a downpour.


    The next moment,


    Boom!


    The man was thrown out like a burst sack, hanging on a stone wall, with crimson blood continuously flowing from his mouth, and his silver-white hair had already turned back to black.


    There were a few others present like the leader of the Silver Wolves, who had broken through to the Sixth Layer of Awakening.


    However, at the same Body-shaping Stage, these people had not yet tapped into their potential and lacked Combat Skills and Magic. In front of Zuofo and the two Super Soldiers, they were completely out of their league.


    The Silver Wolf Commander, already seriously injured, gave a wry smile, "I never imagined the gap between me and them would be this huge. Those people are definitely stronger than the Military''s strongest, yet what kind of monsters are Zuofo and those two invincible warriors?"


    The battle was a catastrophic defeat.


    The mercenaries of Lindong grew more and more desperate.


    Suddenly, someone remembered something and shouted, "Where''s the big boss? The big boss hasn''t taken action yet, maybe we still have a chance!"


    "Look, the big boss is over there!"


    At the entrance of Black Stone Gate, they saw Tang Yu in tycoon-level battle armor, slowly approaching.


    A golden glow shrouded his armor, and several blue shields revolved around his body. Above his head, red and blue halos spread out.


    As he passed by, the Awakeners around him suddenly surged with infinite strength, and even the courage that had been gradually lost, in this instant, emerged from the depths of their hearts.


    "Charge!"


    Someone yelled.


    In their eyes, the light radiating from Tang Yu made everything and everyone in the hall pale in comparison!


    In this world, only the figure that slowly walked forward remained.

 Chapter 173 - 172: Is This What the Sky-splitting Crystal Looks Like? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    The golden gauze on his body and the spinning blue shield were all enhancements attached to him, one-time Defense Scrolls.


    There were many, all of which had been manufactured through the Spell Factory.


    There, in addition to researching large-scale spells, they developed and produced small, portable Spell Scrolls that were not difficult to make as long as there was a sufficient basis of runes and spell templates.


    Although they consumed a considerable amount of Source Crystals, what he, Lord Tang, lacked the least was Source Crystals!


    Including the Halo hovering above his head.


    Strength Halo, Speed Halo, and Courage Halo!


    In an instant, the combat power of the Awakeners in the entire hall, who had been struggling to hold on, rose sharply, although they could only continue to struggle against the onslaught of the Heavy Armor Puppets.


    Tang Yu entered the Black Stone Hall, and several Puppets that charged at him were torn asunder by a Fireball Scroll he ripped open, blasting them to smithereens.


    This feeling of crushing opponents with money was utterly satisfying.


    Of course, he wouldn''t naively think that these scrolls alone could deal with Zuofo. If it were a large spell launched by the Spell Factory, that would directly blast Zuofo into rubble.


    Including those two Puppets, which were mistaken by others as super powerful entities.


    Facing these three, Tang Yu remained self-aware that if it came to a real fight, he would have to call GG after one exchange, even if he was covered in myriad Consuming Crystal items. It was like a level one newbie who, no matter how much they topped up, could not compete with someone at level twenty or thirty.


    Using cheats might be somewhat closer to the mark.


    More and more Heavy Armor Puppets charged at him, and even a Super Puppet, under Zuofo''s command, came to kill Tang Yu.


    For a moment, the pressure on his followers was greatly reduced, but Tang Yu himself seemed to be in peril.


    Many Awakeners looked tense, especially the Mercenaries from Lindong ¨C their entire hope rested on the Boss!


    Faced with the surging tide of Puppets, Tang Yu, however, stopped in his tracks.


    He grabbed the backpack behind him, gave it a shake, and as if laying eggs, one round sphere after another the size of chicken eggs rolled out of the bag.


    The spheres rolled several turns on the floor, and when they reached some distance away, they immediately unfolded into human-shaped Puppets over two meters tall.


    The Fighter Puppets standing at the forefront held large shields two meters tall and lined up to form a shield wall, while behind the Shield Fighters there were countless Fighter Puppets armed with pole weapons and firearms.


    In a flash, around Tang Yu, a Puppet formation was formed with three layers inside and three layers outside. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What''s this?"


    "It seems to be Puppets too, but they look much more impressive than those Heavy Armor Puppets!"


    A Lindong Mercenary suddenly said, "Do you remember? Earlier the Boss released some round Puppets. Could the Boss have the ability to summon Puppets?"


    In their view, Tang Yu''s Puppets were different from the tomb''s Puppets.


    The tomb''s Puppets had always been there, merely activated by their arrival, while Boss Tang''s Puppets were different ¨C a small sphere could unfold in an instant into a two-meter tall human-shaped Puppet. Would you believe it if it were told?


    Before the apocalypse, people believed in science, but after the apocalypse, they put more faith in abilities.


    Rather than believing these were Puppets made via black technology, they were more inclined to believe it was some sort of ability to summon Puppets.


    Anyway, when something couldn''t be explained, they just chalked it up to a Special Ability.


    "But, those round Puppets we saw before were easily dismantled by the Heavy Armor Puppets in the Bear''s Mouth Tunnel; can these ones make a difference?" Some didn''t dare to hope too much, fearing another disappointment.


    At that moment, the Puppets holding firearms fired the first shots.


    These firearms, over a meter in length and of an indistinguishable make, fit just right in the hands of the towering Fighter Puppets.


    Pop, pop, pop¡ª


    Flames burst from the barrels of the guns.


    "Bullets will probably have a hard time piercing through those Heavy Armor Pupp..."


    Many people observed Tang Yu''s situation while they fought.


    Some recalled how their firearms had failed against the Heavy Armor Puppets; the bullets lacked the penetration power to pierce through the Puppets'' armor. Even sniper rifles, which could put a small hole in a Heavy Armor Puppet, were of no use.


    For the Puppets, unless their energy cores were destroyed, such minor wounds couldn''t even affect their mobility; the Puppets'' energy cores weren''t in fixed locations. Using firearms was utterly futile; they were better off using melee weapons to dismantle the Puppets'' limbs and disable their combat capacity first.


    Then,


    The first bullet, spinning, struck the nearest Heavy Armor Puppet.


    In a flash, the mysterious runes on the bullet flashed by, and the solid armor of the Puppet, as if it were made of paper, was instantly penetrated.


    But the next moment, the bullet did not emerge from the back of the Heavy Armor Puppet. Instead, a loud bang erupted from within the Heavy Armor Puppet, and a red flame exploded outwards, shredding the Puppet''s body to pieces, the fragments flying around like deadly blades.


    "This..."


    The person who had just spoken watched the scene in dumbfounded silence, his mouth agape without realizing it. If not for a companion pulling him away, he might have been the first unfortunate Awakener to die at the hands of a Heavy Armor Puppet due to his distraction.

 Chapter 174 - 172: Is This What the Sky-splitting Crystal Looks Like? (Unity Mega Chapter)_2

    Rune bullets pierced the Heavy Armor Puppet''s body and then exploded.


    The puppets that seemed so formidable in the eyes of many elite Awakeners, which usually required a great effort to kill, burst apart in groups, not even getting close to that puppet formation.


    "Focus fire, shoot!"


    Tang Yu watched the Super Puppet that was rapidly approaching and directed half of the Gun Puppets to turn their barrels.


    Countless rune bullets flew out like a torrential rain of projectiles. What was being shot out wasn''t just bullets; it was Source Crystals.


    It even pained Tang Yu''s heart a little.


    It was like having a billion on the books, but watching it decrease at a rate of one dollar per second¡ªit wasn''t fast, but it was heart-wrenching nonetheless.


    Yet even so, the Super Puppet swung its Great Sword, blocking the majority of the bullets with raw force. The few that hit the armor only left shallow marks.


    Bang!


    The Super Puppet, which could rival an Awakener at the Tenth Layer, stepped onto the ground, causing the solid floor to crack open with many fissures.


    It swung its sword.


    Boom!


    The shockwave rolled through!


    Awakeners in the distance, engaging with Heavy Armor Puppets in battle, felt a strong gust of wind scrape across their faces, almost preventing them from opening their eyes.


    Feeling this overwhelming power, they finally understood why even those super experts, who seemed untouchable to them, fell so easily before this knight who stepped out of a coffin.


    It wasn''t that the experts were too weak; it was that the two knights were too strong¡ªif they were any closer, they weren''t sure if just the wind from the Great Sword''s swing would be enough to blow them away.


    It was truly terrifying.


    The Great Sword slashed down onto a shield.


    The Shield Fighter Puppets, lined up as a shield wall, shattered instantaneously, their shields breaking one after another. Only the two slightly differently colored Shield Fighter Puppets in the center managed to stabilize after retreating several steps.


    But if it happened again, even these high-spec Fighter Puppets would undoubtedly not hold.


    Tang Yu reached out and tore open a purple scroll in his hand.


    In the next instant, the scroll turned to powder, and in the Black Stone Hall, a thunderous boom resounded as a thunderbolt as thick as a water bucket crashed down onto the puppet.


    The puppet''s silver-white armor had turned to black ash, and thick smoke continued to billow from it.


    Such power


    even Zuofo was taken aback.


    A few more of those, and his treasured puppet might just fall apart.


    "You are strong," he said, pushing Kong back with a swipe and easily dodging the Grey Blade that sprung up from below to ambush him. Looking at Tang Yu, he spoke, "It''s a pity, you shouldn''t have, of all things, used puppets in front of me."


    "Back in the day, besides being called the Thief King, I was also known as the Puppet Master. With my skills, as long as I wish, I can easily take control of the puppets from your hands."


    Zuofo''s language, although an unknown ancient tongue, was somehow fully understandable to the Awakeners present, even though they didn''t comprehend each word.


    Assessing the situation,


    it seemed that Zuofo truly held superiority over Tang Yu in the art of puppets.


    As Zuofo spoke, a ring on his finger, set with a gemstone, emitted a red light, like an infrared beam, sweeping across the many Fighter Puppets.


    He wore a confident smile. The gemstone on the ring flickered red again and again and again and again and just kept on flickering...


    Zuofo was taken aback; why hadn''t the red turned to green?


    "Impossible. Your puppets may be decent, but they are far inferior to the Super Knights I meticulously developed. My control center''s level is much higher than that of your puppets; how could there be no effect at all?!"


    If taking control required a long time, Zuofo could have accepted it, but the current flickering red light clearly indicated that the attempt to take control had stalled at 0%!


    He had never encountered such a situation in his life!


    It was inconceivable. He was the Puppet Master; how could he possibly be inferior to the weakling before him?


    Tang Yu was also startled for a moment.


    It was mainly because Zuofo acted too quickly; he only realized what Zuofo was attempting after the red light had already been emitted.


    When it came to puppetry skills, Zuofo was leagues beyond him, but the problem was, these puppets weren''t made by him!


    They were premium puppets produced by the system, branded with the Territory''s mark.


    Zuofo dreaming of taking control should just go back to sleep.


    ...


    The echoes of battle roared on.


    Tang Yu took advantage of the situation to smash one Ice and one Fire scroll onto the body of that Super Puppet, as it is said that Ice and Fire complement each other even better.


    The Heavy Armor Puppet was already emitting white smoke, its movements becoming significantly slower.


    The smile on Zuofo''s face, which had always seemed playful, gradually turned serious.


    He glanced at the people entangling him, then looked over at Tang Yu in the distance.


    His gaze intensified.


    He could tell that Tang Yu was not very strong, instead, he was relying more on the various artifacts in his hands and those quite powerful Puppets, which posed a greater threat to him.


    "I must resolve that man first!"


    Zuofo muttered to himself.


    In just a few dozen seconds, his strength had recovered to the eleventh layer of Awakening.


    He crossed his hands, and a swirl of dark smoke emerged from Zuofo, instantly forming another Zuofo.


    This newly formed Zuofo entangled Eileen and the others, while his main body launched a Special Technique, vanishing in a blur; in less than the time it took to take a breath, he had crossed hundreds of meters, bypassing the dense protection of the Puppets and appearing in front of Tang Yu.


    The speed was too fast, even Grey Blade, the fastest among the followers, couldn''t keep up at all.


    In that moment, time seemed to stand still.


    Tang Yu appeared completely unresponsive as Zuofo''s palm, sharper than a Blade, shattered the outermost Ice Shield, then pierced through the golden gauze and War Armor, penetrating his chest directly.


    It was like switching from a silent black-and-white image back to a normal picture.


    A few Awakeners who noticed the change in the situation stood there, stunned, as if frozen.


    Zuofo revealed a smile.


    Just as he was about to withdraw his palm, suddenly, he felt that something was not quite right.


    "No way, how is this possible!"


    On a closer look, he had penetrated not Tang Yu but a punctured, deflating human-shaped balloon.


    It was fake!


    And yet, it had managed to deceive even him!


    Zuofo searched around and saw a sneaky figure standing next to his coffin.


    If that wasn''t Tang Yu, who was it?


    ...


    Tang Yu''s primary goal had never been to deal with Zuofo.


    Zuofo was not so easy to kill, able to set up such a huge situation just to remain dormant till today; Tang Yu didn''t believe that Zuofo would be without a trump card.


    Every time Lord Tang left his Territory, he prepared more than ten life-saving trump cards; even if Zuofo was not as wealthy, measures to protect himself or to flee quickly were definitely within Zuofo''s grasp.


    After all, the entire Secret Realm was arranged by Zuofo; leaving it was probably just a matter of thought for him.


    Given Zuofo''s strength, keeping him was too difficult. Therefore, Tang Yu adopted a laissez-faire strategy: if he could kill him, he would; if not, then let it be.


    Dealing with Zuofo, from the very beginning, was to find the Sky-splitting Crystal.


    After several probes, Tang Yu was certain of the most likely place where the Sky-splitting Crystal existed, which was Zuofo''s slumbering coffin. Based on the information he had gathered, since the Sky-splitting Crystal was related to the existence of the Secret Realm, the greatest likelihood was that it was fixed in a certain position within the Secret Realm.


    And Zuofo''s slumbering coffin was attached to the back wall of the hall; the Sky-splitting Crystal was very likely fixed there.


    It was unfortunate that the strength of the few followers was insufficient to force Zuofo away from the position of the coffin, and he didn''t want to risk getting close to Zuofo, so he could only draw Zuofo away through battle.


    Tang Yu glanced around.


    Zuofo''s Avatar was weaker and had been firmly suppressed by several followers.


    And in the distance, Grey Blade who had at first pretended to be unable to react was now giving it his all, tightly entangling Zuofo.


    Tang Yu was peering into the coffin, his hand inadvertently resting on the side of the coffin.


    Suddenly!


    "Ding dong! Contact with Sky-splitting Crystal detected, do you wish to retrieve it?"


    "Ding dong! Contact with Sky-splitting Crystal detected, do you wish to retrieve it?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Tang Yu looked at the empty coffin, the crystal he imagined was nowhere to be found.


    However... contact?


    He stared dumbly at his hand resting on the side of the coffin and nodded his head.


    "Yes!"

 Chapter 175 - 173: The Collapsing Secret Realm

    Tang Yu was still a bit confused.


    Since entering the Secret Realm, he had constantly been searching for something like crystals.


    Perhaps it was a pillow-sized crystal.


    Perhaps it was a fist-sized crystal.


    Or perhaps, only the size of a fingernail? He was deeply afraid of missing anything, almost straining his eyes into presbyopia.


    But now, looking at this coffin that he could completely lie down in and take a nap, Tang Yu had never imagined that the Sky-splitting Crystal would look like this.


    These days, even cosmetic transformations were breaking the rules!


    The system was also at fault, not providing any instruction manual. If it weren''t for him, Lord Tang, being resourceful, sharp-witted, discerning, and observant... perhaps, he really would have missed grasping this... this Sky-splitting Crystal.


    As he confirmed it, the coffin seemed to tremble slightly, then immediately vanished.


    It must have been taken away by the system through some means.


    ...


    ...


    In the distance, Zuofo was dealing with the desperately entangling Grey Blade.


    Although somewhat annoyed that he had only killed a substitute, he didn''t care too much; another attempt would suffice. With full force, the person at the Fifth Tier, whether it was a substitute or the real body, would have no chance to react.


    He had seen Tang Yu''s hand resting on the side of the coffin, "Even if you discovered that this coffin is the core of the Secret Realm, what about it? This entire Secret Realm has been refined by me, the core and the realm are completely merged..."


    To separate it wasn''t impossible, but even for him, the controller of the Secret Realm, it required time and effort to extract the coffin. In its merged state, the coffin and the Secret Realm were one. Unless one had the power to destroy the Secret Realm, whatever one did to the coffin would be in vain.


    Zuofo landed a series of hits on Grey Blade, not even giving him a glance, and wanted to deal with Tang Yu first.


    He stepped forward, seemingly not quickly, but in an instant, he had covered dozens of meters.


    Staring at Tang Yu, Zuofo''s lips were about to curl into a smile, but suddenly, the lips that were curling opened wide, enough to stuff two eggs in.


    "This is impossible!"


    Just a second ago, he had clearly seen Tang Yu''s hand on the coffin, but the next second, the coffin had disappeared.


    Where was his coffin?!


    No spatial equipment, nor any special maneuvers related to the Secret Realm that he knew of, could remove the core of the Secret Realm so quickly, much less in an instant.


    Zuofo stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide open, his face filled with an incredible panic.


    His mentality completely collapsed.


    Suddenly,


    Boom!


    The entire Black Stone Hall started to tremble violently.


    Those hard walls and floors, which had sustained no significant damage in the previous battles, and where the Super Puppet had only tread some small cracks on the floor.


    But now,


    from the spot where the coffin''s mouth had disappeared, a crack wider than a bucket, crackling and popping, rapidly spread out, along with other slightly smaller cracks, quickly widening.


    In just a few seconds, the whole Black Stone Hall was divided.


    People looked towards the cracks, their faces filled with horror.


    Beneath the cracks lay a void-like space, occasionally swept by gray airflows.


    A Heavy Armor Puppet fell into the cracks due to the intense shaking, and a gray airflow swept over the puppet; in the blink of an eye, the puppet dissolved into nothing, not even leaving sludge.


    This damn thing¡­


    Other Awakeners were so frightened they lost their souls, those unsteady on their feet hurriedly clung to their companions, resulting in two grown men rolling into a tangle.


    The scene suddenly became somewhat unseemly.


    Tang Yu was also startled, glanced at Kong and Shay beside him, quickly dismissed a certain unfavorable thought in his mind, then looked at Eileen and Winnie rapidly approaching him, but still ended up not embracing them... Ah, this was to maintain the dignity of a Lord.


    He just stepped back a few steps, moving away from those dangerous cracks.


    At that moment, the Secret Realm began to collapse.


    The cracks grew larger, and the entire Black Stone Hall was now completely fragmented, like separate plates suspended over that endless void.


    From his vantage point, through the similarly shattered wall, he could also see the further collapsing Secret Realm maze, as well as the cliffs and the Beast Mouth passage...


    "This can''t be happening, this can''t be happening!"


    Zuofo''s eyes were lifeless as he suddenly remembered something. The ring on his finger shot out a red light, which plunged into the coffin that once held the Super Puppets.


    It was one of the last two remaining coffins.


    However...


    "Move, come on, activate!" Zuofo shouted frantically, his gentlemanly elegance long gone.


    His red light then shot into another coffin and, despite forming several special hand gestures with concentrated Source Power, there was still no response.


    "All my backup plans... have failed. Why... does this happen?" Zuofo muttered, "It must be because of the Secret Realm''s collapse, all my arrangements were based on the Realm..."


    He looked at Tang Yu, his eyes brimming with undissolvable hatred.


    His entire aura burst forth like a hurricane sweeping away everything around him, causing the nearby stones to shatter instantly.


    Far away,


    Tang Yu was startled and had already clutched the Return City Scroll in his hand.


    Bang bang boom.


    On the floor of the Black Stone Hall, which was splitting all around, a mysterious Rune Array appeared and then shattered, turning into specks of starlight that dissipated into the air.


    Just after erupting in aura, Zuofo, in a blink of an eye, seemed completely deflated.


    His aura shrank more and more.


    Tang Yu hesitated and decisively swapped the Return City Scroll for a series of Spell Scrolls.


    Fireball Technique, Thunder Fall Skill, Ice Formation Technique¡­


    He bombarded Zuofo with all of them.


    "Serves you right for showing off! Serves you right for cheating!"


    The feeling of hitting a man when he''s down...


    Was simply too exhilarating.


    Elsewhere,


    The Awakeners were trembling with fear, unsure if it was due to Zuofo''s intimidating presence or the gradually collapsing environment around them terrifying them.


    Crash!


    A large tile completely shattered and fell into the endless Void.


    Those amongst the Awakeners who reacted quickly enough leaped to another piece of tile, while those who reacted slowly fell into the Void, their screams not even audible.


    "Look over there!"


    Far away, the first whirlpool-shaped entrance to the Secret Realm appeared in a broken passage, and soon, more such entrances followed.


    "Let''s go that way, it''s closer!"


    Larger pieces of the ground split into smaller pieces, which couldn''t hold up much longer and completely shattered.


    The spots left for the Awakeners to stand on were becoming fewer and fewer. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They had to escape through the Secret Realm entrances before it completely collapsed.


    Thus began the first Great Escape from the Secret Realm.


    The Lindong Mercenaries leaped from tile to tile, while the route they had passed crumbled inch by inch.


    Someone looked back and observed in amazement, "The boss is still there. Can it be said as expected of the boss, such composure!"


    Tang Yu''s location was at the very center of the collapse, with very little space left to stand, yet they saw Tang Yu and his companions still seemingly searching for something.


    "Maybe the bosses are powerful enough and confident they can escape at the last moment; we better look out for ourselves..."


    Just as he said this, he suddenly saw a burst of light envelop Tang Yu and his companions, and the next moment, they disappeared from their view.


    Meow meow meow?

 Chapter 176 - 174: Inventory of Gains

    The garden square in front of the Lord''s castle.


    A burst of radiance flashed, and several figures immediately appeared.


    Tang Yu and followers like Eileen had experienced the Return City Scroll many times before, so this was nothing new to them, however, for the others, it was their first time using the Return City Scroll...


    Peng Bo''s mouth was agape; he had previously been puzzled as to why Vice Captain Kong gave them such scrolls, and had even instructed them to tear them.


    The scroll was quite exquisite; why tear it?


    He hadn''t expected...


    "Are we back in the Sanctuary now?"


    Peng Bo had never been to the Lord''s castle before, but he had seen it from afar, and he recognized it immediately.


    The Iron Hammer Brothers had a vacant look and nodded, "Yes, I suppose."


    As for Yan Dazhuang, um, he was completely stupefied.


    After giving these people a minute to be astonished, Tang Yu sent them away. Yan Dazhuang was taken back to the Patrol Team''s barracks by Peng Bo and the others, and after bidding farewell to Tang Yu, the other followers also went to rest on their own.


    Tang Yu knew that although Eileen and the others seemed to be not badly injured, in reality, they were very tired. Zuofo and those two Puppets were significantly stronger than the rest of them; if not for their well-coordinated efforts, they wouldn''t have been able to hold out for so long.


    However...


    Thinking of those two Puppets, Tang Yu showed a smile and took small quick steps toward the castle''s storage room.


    "Now, it''s time to witness the spoils," he said.


    He took out the Space Backpack, shook it with one hand, and two large chunks of metal poured out, clanging onto the room''s floor.


    After the collapse of the Secret Realm, Zuofo''s power declined rapidly and he even became weaker than when he had first appeared, as though he had originally drawn the life energy needed for refinement from the Rune Array, and after the collapse of the Rune Array, this gateway could no longer be closed, causing the life energy to flow back, turning Zuofo suddenly from a strong man into a weakling.


    "This ring, however, did not get damaged in the midst of the bombardment of spells."


    Clearly, this ring was of high quality. Tang Yu somewhat understood Zuofo''s surprise when the use of the ring to take control of the Puppets failed.


    But now this ring was his, and that was quite satisfying.


    Although, he still didn''t know how to use it.


    Tang Yu lifted his leg and kicked one of the chunks of metal beside him; these two Super Puppets had completely lost their ability to move after Zuofo''s death.


    To facilitate packing them into the Space Backpack, with the effort of several followers, they had specifically bent... I mean, folded the limbs of these Puppets, so their volume wouldn''t exceed the space of one compartment in the backpack.


    He aimed the ring at one of the Knight Puppets and fiddled with it several times, but indeed, he couldn''t figure out how to use the ring.


    "I can give this ring to Kevin to break down. Although Kevin doesn''t specialize in Puppets, he is quite accomplished in that area, and it shouldn''t be a problem for him."


    "As for these two Puppets..."


    Tang Yu pondered.


    He actually didn''t want to control the Puppets through the ring, as that would be too insecure. If they could meet one Zuofo, who''s to say they wouldn''t encounter a second? If the Puppets were to betray them in a critical moment of combat, that would make the combat experience very dangerous.


    "If the Puppets are sent to the workshop for processing, could they be branded with the Territory''s mark? Could they be directly controlled then?"


    Tang Yu wasn''t sure, and his gaze fell on another object in his palm.


    It was the last piece of loot from Zuofo.


    A plain and unadorned ring.


    Compared with the other ring that controlled the Puppets, this one would have likely been overlooked if he hadn''t turned Zuofo''s body over and over again, failing to find anything of value.


    "This should be the legendary Space Ring."


    This thing, even Lord Tang didn''t have one, although he had several Space Backpacks, but this was different.


    Wearing a ring is the main character''s standard gear, right!


    But the problem was how to open the ring.


    The Puppet ring just now probably failed because he used the wrong gesture. Even after injecting Source Power, the gem on the ring only glowed faintly, and then nothing happened.


    This time, Tang Yu invoked the scarce Source Power within his body, and after several attempts, he finally transmitted it through the palm of his hand onto this simple ring.


    In an instant,


    The ring seemed to buzz and tremble for a moment, and Tang Yu finally managed to activate the ring and "saw" the contents inside.


    Indeed, it was a Space Ring, with about ten cubic meters of space. Although it wasn''t as high-spec as his Space Backpacks¡ªsince each compartment of the backpack was fixed at one cubic meter...


    It was a bit embarrassing.


    Even if the Space Backpack had fifty or a hundred cubic meters, it still couldn''t hold very large items.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have needed to bend those two Puppets to fit them inside.


    There weren''t many items in the Space Ring. Tang Yu glanced over them and couldn''t hide his disappointment.


    "This Zuofo, such a big fuss for nothing, turns out to be a pauper; utterly disappointing!"


    Definitely a negative review, a must!


    There weren''t many items in the ring, mostly materials. He wasn''t illiterate, recognizing some of the materials, and at the very least, he could discern the quality. However, after a quick identification, he realized these were completely ordinary materials.


    They had some value, but compared to Zuofo''s identity as the Thief King, it was a meager hoard.


    Not a single Source Crystal in the space... After searching again, Tang Yu confirmed that the most valuable thing was the research notes on Puppetry that Zuofo had left in the corner.


    The rest was completely worthless.


    Tang Yu couldn''t understand it, the so-called Thief King, but where were all the plundered items? Not to mention a mountain of treasure, there should at least be some valuables.


    He didn''t know that Zuofo was indeed very rich once.


    But to create this Secret Realm, Zuofo had gambled everything, bartering away everything exchangeable long ago.


    Yet he still failed...


    Shaking his head, Tang Yu sorted the materials from the ring into the storage room, and with a light step, he returned to the garden square.


    "Now, it''s time to upgrade the Territory."


    Opening the system panel, the upgrade requirements appeared before his eyes.


    [Upgrade to the next level Territory]


    [Requirements: Sky-splitting Crystal (1/1), Source Crystals (0/100000)]


    The Sky-splitting Crystal was already part of the upgrade conditions, it seemed he had no chance to take out that coffin to have a look. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Upgrade it."


    Inside the main warehouse of the Territory, there were over a million units of Source Crystals.


    At this moment, a portion of the Source Crystals turned into points of light and disappeared, the energy continuously injected into the system until the required number of Source Crystals for the upgrade was met.


    "Ding, Lord''s Castle upgraded to level four."


    "Territory upgraded to level four Territory."


    Not far from the main complex of the original castle, a series of exquisite buildings rose from the ground, significantly expanding the castle complex once more.


    And the main castle at the very center was now even higher; from what was originally about five stories, it had shot up to eight or nine stories high.


    At that height, even standing at the entrance of the residential villa area, one could still see the majestic castle in the distance.

 Chapter 177 - 175 New Version of the Ship

    The main castle originally had five floors.


    Eileen and Winnie''s rooms were next to each other. As girls, although they might outperform Tang Yu in enduring hardships, love for beauty and cleanliness was innate to them.


    After washing up, the sound of laughter and whispered stories essential to a close friendship emanated from their room.


    At that moment, the two girls were startled.


    Their room was on the fifth floor, the very top of the castle, and one corner of it had a skylight through which sunlight streamed.


    However, when they looked up, the skylight had disappeared.


    Eileen seemed to remember something, grabbed Winnie''s hand, and both rushed out of the room to the hallway.


    The corridor hadn''t changed much, but Eileen still keenly noticed a difference.


    Where previously there had been stairs just leading to lower floors, now there were new stairs leading upwards. "Indeed, Lord Tang is expanding again."


    She remembered the first time she encountered something like this; she was somewhat panicked and almost got lost in the castle.


    Next to her, Winnie''s mouth hung open, and one hand paused in midair, both her mind and body overwhelmed by turmoil.


    ...


    ...


    In the castle garden, witnessing the castle''s transformation once again, Lord Tang was exceptionally thrilled. In his mind, the territory was gradually expanding, having fully enveloped the Source Crystal Mine located in the woods.


    He could now set up a comprehensive defense system around the Source Crystal Mine, which would further increase the speed of mining.


    At that moment, Tang Yu was taken aback.


    "This feeling..."


    Every Awakener had Source Power within them, but ordinary Awakeners with too little Source Power often couldn''t perceive it at all.


    Tang Yu had studied the basics of Source Power and gained a basic understanding; after some exploration, he found a tiny amount of Source Power deep within himself.


    This insignificant amount of Source Power, although not usable for combat, could still play a small role, such as opening a Space Ring or executing Advanced Combat Skills. However, ability users were more advantaged; during their evolution, they produced far more Source Power than ordinary Awakeners, although as a trade-off, their physical strength was slightly weaker.


    Lord Tang had always been troubled by his lack of Source Power.


    He even hoped to effortlessly conjure ice spikes like Eileen, or at least be a stay-at-home dad!


    The reality, however, was that he needed to extract additional Source Power from objects even for using Advanced Combat Skills, and every time he used a Return City Scroll, to save that bit of Source Power, he had to tear the scroll instead of just injecting Source Power to teleport back with a "biu."


    At this moment,


    The tiny glowing dot inside him, representing Source Power, was multiplying exponentially. If initially there were only two or three little dots, now there were at least a hundred.


    Tang Yu closed his eyes.


    This time, he felt something different about the world around him.


    It was colorful and vibrant, representing various attributes of Source Qi. Originally, he only sensed them very vaguely, but now he was much closer to the true nature of Source Qi, and could even, to some extent, harness these energies.


    He raised his hand and drew a regular Longsword from his Space Ring.


    Five fingers gripping tightly.


    Following his instincts, he swung the Longsword smoothly.


    A layer of white light enveloped the blade and as he swung, a visibly silver-white Sword Qi burst forth from the blade.


    The Sword Qi was like a rainbow, tearing through the air and striking a nearby flowerbed.


    Instantly,


    This beautiful flowerbed saw petals shattered and soil flying.


    A trench five to six meters long was clearly visible.


    It looked somewhat tragically beautiful.


    Tang Yu nodded in satisfaction, "Although I haven''t awakened any special abilities yet, from the perspective of Source Power, I should be on par with other ability users of the same tier."


    But the very next moment, he came to his senses and looked at the devastated garden in front of him...


    Why did I have to touch it!


    ... S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    "Ding dong! Tier four territory upgrade completed, please check the newly unlocked buildings, Lord."


    "Ding dong! Puppet Guard upgrade completed, currently at Half Transcendent tier, having reached the peak upgrade possible. To continue upgrading the Puppet level, please provide necessary materials: Soul Nodule, to complete the Puppet''s upgrade."


    Tang Yu was startled.


    He had already learned earlier that after Awakening, a Transcendent was beyond the mundane, this was something he knew.


    What does transcendent mean? It means having transcended the mundane realm. Each layer of Awakening represents an evolution of life, but fundamentally, they are still in the realm of mortals.


    Once one enters the transcendent, it''s an entirely new level, whether in terms of the level of life or destructive power, there is a huge leap.


    It''s like the difference between a son and a dad.


    He had thought that upgrading the territory would grant him two Transcendent masters, and then he could look down on everyone. Now it seems, dreams are full of such fantasies.


    His thoughts were merely a flicker of a moment.


    The system notifications continued to come through.


    "Ding dong! Lord''s castle has unlocked a new defense module, please check it out, Lord."


    "Ding dong! Tier four territory can now construct two fortresses (Sub-territory), please explore the specific information, Lord."


    "Ding dong! Tier four territory, new feature unlocked, personal domain."


    [Personal Domain: Also known as a mobile territory, within a certain range centered around the Lord, possesses some territory functions, can construct some buildings, and can also build temporary structures at a lesser cost.]


    "Please explore the specific functions yourself, Lord."


    Tang Yu: "..."


    Although he had predicted that upgrading the territory to tier four would bring about significant changes.


    So many new functions all at once, and no explanations given.


    He wanted to take it slow.


    ...


    ...


    Tang Yu stood beside a ravine, gathering his thoughts.


    First off, the upgrade material for the Puppet Guard, there was only one material form, he glanced at it, um, indeed no clues whatsoever.


    Tang Yu opened the system panel.


    In the original place for upgrading the Lord''s castle, an option for castle defense had been added.


    When he clicked to see, including the Puppet Guardupgrade, it was also within this option.


    Now Tang Yu remembered, these two Puppets, it seems they were given during the castle construction, their main duty being to defend the castle.


    However, he recalled the past uses of the Puppet; it seems apart from acting as advanced brawlers, they were used for digging and clearing land, number one is still on the construction site right now.


    "So, having advanced to Half-step Transcendent, number one''s construction efficiency should have increased significantly, right?"


    Thinking about it, um, might as well continue with the digging.


    Puppet Guard belongs to the defensive modules he already owns, and apart from this, there are also some additional defense modules that can be added in the castle''s defense option.


    Tang Yu had long seen through the system, it just wants him to spend more Source Crystals.


    (The next chapter continues)

 Chapter 178 - 176: Going Further on the Path of the Consuming Crystal Warrior

    "These defense modules include mechanism traps as well as things similar to puppets."


    Tang Yu took an interest in several of the modules.


    [Guardian Stone Sculpture]: Construct a set of stone sculptures placed around the castle which, when enemies approach, activate and transform into fierce beasts to attack the enemies.


    [Illusion Passage]: All the corridors and staircases within the castle have the ability to shift, allowing only one''s own people to move unimpeded within the castle.


    [Thorny Flower Crown]: Within the castle garden, some flowers are endowed with aggression, unleashing a tempestuous assault on intruding enemies.


    These modules, while not as powerful as No. 1 and No. 2, were most importantly genuine defenses for the castle and obviously couldn''t double as workers for digging and such tasks like the Puppet Guards could.


    Tang Yu understood that if the enemy really made it to the castle, having these extra defense measures probably wouldn''t make much difference. However, as the population of his territory grew and survivors of all stripes mingled within, there was no guarantee that there wouldn''t be those with ulterior motives trying to infiltrate the castle.


    Moreover, with the expansion of the castle, No. 2 could no longer attend to so many areas, and most followers were not usually in the castle.


    Usually, only Eileen and Winnie lived in the castle, while Luo Zhe, Kong, and the others spent more time living in the Patrol Team''s barracks. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu didn''t quite understand why.


    Probably to train the members of the Patrol Team.


    The situation with the territory map was similar; he couldn''t possibly monitor it twenty-four hours a day without interruption. Inevitably, some things would be missed, and now, to avoid being bombarded in his ears, Tang Yu had even started to ignore some of the less important system prompts.


    Under these circumstances, these additional defense modules could serve to deter thieves.


    Casually, he used a bunch of Source Crystals to construct these defense modules.


    In an instant,


    Two stone sculptures appeared at the entrance of the main castle gate¡ªone a large bird with two pairs of wings, talons hooked forward, poised as if to strike.


    The other was a crouched tiger, whose look conveyed the demeanor of the king of beasts.


    Tang Yu glanced over to the other side, where the surrounding flowerbeds didn''t seem to have changed much. However, he could discern that some of the flowers had become more vibrant.


    Or rather, they were more enchantingly bright, venomous bright.


    For some reason, he suddenly found himself looking forward to when thieves might strike the castle.


    ...


    ...


    "A level four castle can build two fortresses."


    Tang Yu murmured, his gaze falling on the top item of the construction list.


    The cost of a fortress was fifty thousand Source Crystals. Following the usual style of the castle¡ªwell, the style before it reached level four¡ªusing Source Crystals would be sufficient without the need for any additional materials.


    "According to the description, once the fortress is built, within a one-kilometer radius, it will become part of the territory, and then various buildings can be constructed..."


    The current range of the territory was roughly a bit over five kilometers. Although a Sub-territory couldn''t compare to the main Territory, this area was certainly more than adequate.


    There was the possibility for further expansion with future upgrades.


    "Although at present, the construction of the territory is far below expectations, it''s still possible to find a hidden spot to build a Sub-territory. This is called, um, Strategy."


    The construction of fortresses was still some ways off, so Tang Yu shifted his attention to the last new function.


    Personal domain.


    The description above was very brief. After considering it for a moment, Tang Yu felt he couldn''t try out this function within the territory, so, calling No. 2 who was guarding the castle, they both left the territory together.


    A gentle breeze blew.


    However, it carried with it a stiflingly hot breath.


    The difference between the wilderness and the territory was growing ever larger. Staying in the territory for prolonged periods, he felt he might become a recluse Lord, as the climate within the territory was far more comfortable than the wilderness.


    Thinking this way, did his future real estate venture seem to have a lot of potential?


    It was rare for a Demonized Beast, lured by their scent, to pounce their way, only to be turned into a pulp with a single punch from No. 2.


    Tang Yu took no notice.


    He closed his eyes.


    Sure enough, he immediately felt a faint link to his surroundings.


    "Is this the personal domain?"


    The domain wasn''t large, with him at the center, the radius seemed to be less than a hundred meters.


    Tang Yu tried to construct a building.


    This time, the method of opening was different, not through the construction panel, but by imagining a certain type of building, he could inexplicably sense whether it could be constructed or not.


    After some trials, most of the buildings he could construct were defensive in nature, yet constructing through the personal domain''s building system cost an additional price.


    The Source Crystal price remained unchanged, but the prices of other various materials had a slight increase.


    It seemed not too expensive at first glance, but Tang Yu felt that things were not so simple.


    He walked another kilometer or two in the opposite direction of the Territory.


    Indeed, this time the materials required for construction were even more expensive than before.


    "Is it because it''s further away from the Territory? So apart from the Source Crystal, the further it is from the Territory, the greater the price that has to be paid."


    Tang Yu pondered for a while, "Perhaps, the problem can be solved by using local materials?"


    He put this speculation aside for now and instead tried another method of use mentioned in the instructions.


    Constructing temporary buildings at a lower cost.


    A few minutes later, he gradually showed an enlightened expression.


    "Temporary buildings can last for three minutes, and constructing such a building costs about one-tenth of the original price in Source Crystals, without the need to use any other resources."


    Looking at the cost alone, it was indeed much cheaper than constructing a complete building.


    But...


    This effect only lasted for three minutes, what if ten or a hundred buildings were constructed?


    Tang Yu''s mouth twitched slightly, then he opened his eyes and looked towards a spot on the ground in front of him.


    After several attempts, Tang Yu had become more familiar with his personal domain and could construct buildings even with his eyes open.


    "Rise!"


    Like creating a 3D model, from skeleton to solid, the building took shape in the blink of an eye.


    Tang Yu carefully inspected the Arrow Tower he had constructed.


    This was a temporary version, but apart from the color being a little pale, it looked hardly any different from a real Arrow Tower.


    A Demonized Wolf howled, seemingly smelling the deliciousness of fresh human flesh, and ran wildly towards him, its tail swishing back and forth.


    At that moment,


    From the dark shooting port of the Arrow Tower, a pure energy arrow shot out with a whoosh.


    The Demonized Wolf, still in its charging posture, exploded with a loud bang.


    The power was in no way inferior to that of the original version.


    "Tsk tsk..."


    Tang Yu opened the building panel, flipped to the defense list, and looked at the defensive buildings he had unlocked.


    "Arrow Tower, Cannon, Spell Tower..."


    Beyond that,


    High Altitude Artillery (mainly used against aerial creatures).


    Beam Tower (fires a beam for single-target attacks, with chainable power amplification).


    Spike Trap (sets up a spike trap that strikes when an enemy approaches).


    Blazing Flame Sprayer (short-range, Fire Element burning attack).


    ...


    It had to be said that after rising to level four, the unlocked defense buildings had increased quite a bit.


    This set of buildings, once installed, would not only cost a significant amount of Source Crystals but the output damage was surely going to be sky-high.


    Now, he truly was an Architecture Ability User.


    Only...


    "I always feel like I''m straying further and further from the path of a Consuming Crystal warrior?"

 Chapter 179 - 177: Leasing

    Sanctuary, eastern area at the foot of the mountain, outdoor training field.


    Tang Yu and Luo Zhe, each holding a blunt longsword, were sparring with a series of loud clashes.


    Despite the bluntness of their swords, the aftermath of the battle was astonishing. Dust was flying everywhere, and the figures of the fighters had been obscured by the turmoil.


    ... Of course, Luo Zhe had lowered his strength.


    Suddenly, Tang Yu''s longsword burst forth with a glow as intense as blood.


    This was a combat skill he had learned from Luo Zhe, Blood Slash.


    Luo Zhe unleashed the same move, and the two beams of blood-red light intertwined and exploded with a bang.


    Crack~


    Tang Yu couldn''t help but stagger backwards several steps before he could dissipate the force of the impact and steady himself.


    Upon closer inspection, the blunt basic longsword in his hand had cracked.


    "Lord, your strike was very powerful," Luo Zhe''s own sword had broken, and he offered sincere praise, "If I hadn''t used all my strength at the last moment, I probably wouldn''t have been able to block it."


    Blood Slash, a low-level combat skill powered by Qi Blood Power, had been enhanced by Tang Yu with Source Power, instantly elevating its might.


    Luo Zhe, however, was not able to do so, still relying only on Qi Blood Power.


    "From now on, I am afraid there will be little else I can teach you."


    Tang Yu watched as the fragments of his longsword fell off piece by piece.


    In his heart, he too felt a sense of contemplation.


    After his territory had upgraded, he truly sensed an enhancement of his talent; setting aside Source Power, his learning speed for skills had also increased significantly. Originally stuck on the final step of Blood Slash, after his breakthrough, not only did he execute the skill, but his proficiency had improved. His perfect display during the spar with Luo Zhe was the best proof.


    Just as he was about to speak something,


    Under the sunlight, Luo Zhe''s shadow stretched out long, yet the tower-like, burly man seemed... somewhat forlorn?


    Tang Yu was taken aback.


    Luo Zhe was among the first followers of the Lord, witnessing the development of the territory from scratch, from desolation to its gradual prosperity now.


    Whose contribution was the greatest?


    Tang Yu couldn''t shamelessly claim it was his own; by comparison, Luo Zhe was the one who had dedicated himself to ensuring the safety of the territory.


    Just as the Patrol Team members saw it.


    Luo Zhe''s broad shoulders were the most reliable assurance for their safe return from every mission they undertook.


    However, Luo Zhe''s strength was already outclassed by Kong and Grey Blade, and even Shay would surpass him in a short period after.


    Tang Yu was aware that this man would not be envious because of this.


    Luo Zhe''s forlornness stemmed from knowing that his strength may gradually fade from the front line in the future.


    Thinking of this, Tang Yu sighed and was at a loss for words.


    Talent is not absolute, yet undoubtedly, it is a threshold that bars most people.


    Just like before the apocalypse, some would effortlessly excel in academics by merely flipping through books, while others could only be diligent students at best, no matter how hard they studied.


    This is the disparity¡ªit''s not absolute, but sometimes it''s utterly disheartening.


    And the harder one works, the more profoundly they sense the chasm between themselves and those with natural talent.


    After the apocalypse, all of this simply became much more direct.


    Some were ordinary people, others Awakeners, ability users, determining directly who could survive and who would be neatly sent off.


    Tang Yu was well aware of this and had been seeking a breakthrough.


    Wang Zhou was one such experiment.


    Luo Zhe''s dejection was only momentary, and soon he was full of energy again, heading to train the Patrol Team members on the other side.


    ...


    Having gained a rough understanding of his own strength, Tang Yu was about to head back to the castle, but he was stopped at the castle exit by Chen Haiping.


    "Director, I''ve finally found you."


    Tang Yu gave an awkward smile.


    Chen Haiping not being able to find him was basically a daily occurrence, and he couldn''t always ask other followers for help.


    Not having mobile phones was inconvenient indeed.


    Chen Haiping looked at him resentfully and stated his purpose, "A survivor has submitted a request for equipment lease. Since there''s no precedent for this in the Sanctuary, it was difficult for me to make a decision."


    "Lease? How would that work? If we lease out equipment, we must ensure its return; otherwise, it would be too much trouble, and I wouldn''t be willing to engage in such leasing business," Tang Yu pondered and said.


    "If it were an adventurer planning to rent weapons for hunting Demonized Beasts in the wilderness, I would have rejected the proposal immediately; there''s no security in that."


    Chen Haiping smiled and shook his head, "However, this survivor''s situation is different. She intends to lease equipment not for hunting Demonized Beasts but to process some materials. Because of this, I think the lease might be feasible."


    "Oh?" Tang Yu raised an eyebrow, intrigued, "That sounds interesting. As for the specifics of the leasing method, it might be better to have the survivor explain it herself."


    ...


    He Qingqing followed behind Chen Haiping, feeling a bit nervous.


    Since being rescued by Tang Yu, she, her father, and other survivors who had been held hostage by Lin Wei''s team naturally settled down here in Green Shadow.


    Before the labor center was established, most of the new survivors had no work, hence no income, and they could only rely on the relief food distributed by the Sanctuary to sustain themselves.


    He Qingqing was not content to wait around doing nothing, and this dissatisfaction gave rise to some ideas in her heart...


    Walking along, with a slight lift of her head, she could clearly see the magnificent castle not far away: the exquisite spires, the polished walls. To her, such a grandiose building seemed like a dream.


    Ordinary survivors were not entitled to come to this area.


    He Qingqing never imagined that her mere submission of an equipment lease application would result in her being summoned by the Sanctuary Director, affording her the opportunity to get a close look at the castle''s true form and to see the legendary figure who had founded the Sanctuary.


    Walking on the gravel path with a gentle breeze blowing, bringing a penetrating coolness to the soul.


    The surrounding sea of flowers swayed, and a burst of floral fragrance hit her, prompting He Qingqing to take a deep breath, feeling joy in her body and mind.


    Following Chen Haiping into the castle hall, the exquisite and luxurious decor inside took He Qingqing by surprise.


    Building such a castle during the apocalypse was not something achievable with merely strength and subordinates.


    The two entered a room next to the main hall that resembled a cafe. Just inside the door, He Qingqing saw Tang Yu seated at a spot. At the Director''s invitation, she sat down opposite him with slight apprehension.


    A servile Puppet with rolling wheels brought her coffee.


    "Tha... thank you," He Qingqing stammered, taking a small sip, her whole body melting.


    It had been so long since she''d tasted such a flavor.


    "Tell us about your plan. How do you intend to rent, how much, and what for? I might not necessarily set this precedent."


    He Qingqing took a deep breath, her face turning serious, and she slowly began to explain. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This time, I plan to rent a batch of standard Longswords, no fewer than ten pieces. If possible, I would like to rent some Puppets as well, mainly for processing the skins and furs of Demonized Beasts, with the intention of turning them into..."

 Chapter 180 - 178: Business Prototype and New Notice

    The pelts of low-level Demonized Beasts were essentially worthless.


    Sanctuary officials only purchased pelts from Demonized Beasts of the Fourth Layer and above, while the transactions among Awakeners set a slightly lower standard, but they still looked down on the pelts from First or Second Layer Demonized Beasts.


    Whether they could defeat such beasts was an unknown, but the truth was that there were too many of these creatures, and their pelts were not consumable goods. Most of the pelts from the First or Second Layer Demonized Beasts fell into the category of ''trash no one wanted.''


    Yet He Qingqing saw this as a business opportunity.


    Indeed, such pelts didn''t offer much defense in and of themselves, and the more capable Awakeners all preferred to wear leather armor made from the pelts of advanced Demonized Beasts.


    For a creature like a Fourth Layer Demonized Beast, even though few Awakeners could deal with them, the pelt of one large beast could be made into many articles of clothing. Distributed thus, the price became affordable for many Awakeners.


    And the wealthier ones would just purchase Combat Uniforms directly from the Sanctuary''s Equipment Supermarket.


    She was just an ordinary person, not even an Awakener, with no Special Abilities, and He Qingqing admitted she lacked the ability to make adequately protective clothing.


    However,


    she could craft finely tailored leather clothing.


    Many Awakeners wore Beast leather clothing that was quite crude, merely cleaned pelts sewn together, some even embedded with scales to enhance defensive capabilities.


    Although the leather armor was rudimentary, it offered decent protection and was the first choice of protective gear for most Awakeners in the wild.


    Yet when Awakeners were back in the safety of the Sanctuary, wearing such clothes was somewhat unsightly.


    Without any other choice, that was fine, but if they could wear a suit of well-coordinated clothes at an extremely low cost, He Qingqing believed that most people wouldn''t skimp on spending a little.


    After all, the cost of those First or Second Layer Demon Beast pelts she purchased was extremely low, costing hardly any Source Crystals.


    And unlike the clothes from before the apocalypse, which would tear and split at the slightest strain from an Awakener, the ones she made could avoid many unnecessary embarrassments.


    He Qingqing was confident in this; she had managed to sell some clothing during this time.


    However, there were also some difficulties, namely the production of clothing.


    The clothes made entirely by hand were not efficient, and given that the material used was the pelt of a Demonized Beast, even just the low-level pelts were far tougher than ordinary fabrics.


    He Qingqing couldn''t afford to hire Awakeners, and for ordinary people, cutting such materials was very laborious and resulted in poorly cut pelts, lowering the quality of the finished garments.


    That''s when she came up with the idea of renting standard weapons. With the sharpness of those weapons, even ordinary people could easily cut through the pelts of Demonized Beasts.


    If the Commander didn''t agree, she would have to use her savings from this period to buy one or two standard weapons and then seek to develop her business slowly.


    After finishing her explanation, He Qingqing looked at the Commander, anxiously waiting.


    After a moment,


    Tang Yu finally nodded, "The equipment can be rented to you, including Puppets. But since we are talking about business, there naturally has to be a tax, you understand?"


    "As for the specific rental prices and tax, someone from the Logistics Department will discuss it with you later."


    He Qingqing showed a delighted expression, chatted for a few more moments, then stood up and left. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu tapped his fingers on the tabletop.


    He originally had plans to develop commerce, and instead of directing other survivors to work, it was better to let them earn money for themselves. In the end, those Source Crystals would all end up in his pocket anyway.


    This was what you might call providing the soil for the leeks to grow themselves, saving even the effort of fertilizing.


    Truly earning money while lying down.


    "This plan was originally intended for implementation after the completion of the business district, but it''s a good thing that He Qingqing has taken the initiative to develop it first.


    "Just need to offer He Qingqing some preferential policies, looking at her thorough planning, she should be able to earn a sizable amount of Source Crystals."


    The fur trade isn''t really that difficult; it just needs a relatively stable environment and someone to take the first step.


    By then, with He Qingqing as a living example, undoubtedly many survivors will rush to emulate her.


    This way, there will not only be competition but also promotion of prosperity in the commercial circle. Only when every trade flourishes, with streets of gourmet food on one turn and a street of equipment on another, cutting through a small alley to experience a complete super sword adventure, can it truly be considered a proper Territory.


    Tang Yu knew that achieving all of this from his dream wouldn''t be easy and could only develop slowly, step by step.


    He was also rather carefree¡ªrapid development is of course great, but if not, then... let it be.


    "Renting Puppets, that''s also a good idea; basic Puppets can''t do delicate tasks, but for rough work, their efficiency is pretty fast..."


    In battle, basic Puppets may gradually fall behind his pace, but for ordinary Awakeners, they are still an excellent type of Puppet.


    Considering this...


    Tang Yu turned his head to look at Chen Haiping next to him, "Chen, how many Awakeners do we have in the Sanctuary now? I mean, those apart from the various departments, the ''wild'' Awakeners."


    Counting the number of Awakeners was the responsibility of the Municipal Department.


    Chen Haiping pondered slightly, "As of last night at eight o''clock, there are a total of one hundred fifty-six Awakeners, of which one hundred thirty-two have registered at the Adventurer''s Guild. The remainder, mostly, have just arrived at the Sanctuary and are still observing."


    ...


    ...


    He Yuanhang, lying on the grass with a beer bottle in his hand, felt very comfortable.


    Although the sunlight was a bit intense, he wasn''t the least bit bothered by it.


    "The climate in the Sanctuary is getting more comfortable. Staying here, one could never imagine the temperature outside, to the point where I don''t even feel like taking on quest assignments anymore."


    As a Commander of a registered adventure group in the Sanctuary, He Yuanhang maintained this decent life by taking on quests from the Adventurer''s Guild.


    One couldn''t live on the edge every day.


    With the wilderness being so dangerous, no one knew if they''d come back alive the next time. Groups like theirs would work for a day and then use the money earned to live a few carefree days.


    Eating and drinking heartily, although there were no girls to accompany them, having such a life during the apocalypse was enough to make others envious.


    He continued squinting his eyes and saw a dispirited young man walking past.


    "Brother Qiang!"


    The dispirited young man stopped in his tracks.


    He Yuanhang, with a smile, said, "Brother Qiang, you have to look forward to the future. With your strength, it''s a pity not to go hunting the Demonized Beasts. Join my adventure group."


    He knew the man in front of him had formidable strength.


    He seemed to have been a captive of the Sanctuary but was somehow released. He Yuanhang was familiar with Fang Qiang. Every time he saw him, the man seemed to be lifeless, as if he had a sad history he couldn''t disclose.


    Fang Qiang lifted his head, his eyes, hidden beneath messy hair, already clear. His voice was somewhat hoarse, "You''re right; one really should look forward. What I owed him has long been repaid. Now, I should live for myself."


    He Yuanhang was surprised the response came so abruptly, "Then then then, Brother Qiang, you agree to join my adventure group? If you join, you can be the Deputy Commander, or even the Commander."


    "You wish," Fang Qiang glanced at him, "Unless I find suitable teammates, I''d prefer to work alone."


    He Yuanhang: "..."


    That really hits home, Brother Qiang.


    At that moment, a member from his Far Voyage Adventure Group, sporting a Pot Lid Head haircut, rushed over from a distance, "Commander, Commander, big news! The Adventurer''s Guild just released a new announcement!"

 Chapter 181 - 179: Star Rating and Benefits

    "What''s this new notice that''s got everyone so flustered? Can''t you be calm like me?"


    He Yuanhang huffed.


    Don''t you see Brother Qiang is here! With such behavior, our Far Voyage Adventure Group has certainly fallen further in Brother Qiang''s eyes. The hope of luring Brother Qiang into our group has just dropped a notch.


    Pot Lid Head, with a face full of grievance and eyes filled with resentment, said, "The adventurer guild''s new notice states that they''re going to categorize adventurers and adventure groups into star ratings. Raising your star rating allows for the purchase of more items and even offers discounts and other benefits. I glanced over it briefly, and even those Puppets from the Sanctuary are on the purchase list."


    "What! You can buy Puppets?"


    He Yuanhang was astonished. "What a great deal! What are we waiting for? Hurry, hurry, hurry! If we''re too late and others get ahead, that won''t be good."


    He dragged Pot Lid Head by the arm and sprinted off.


    Completely forgetting who it was that said not to be hasty just a moment ago.


    Pot Lid Head''s resentment grew deeper.


    ...


    ... Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The adventurer guild''s urgent notice sparked the curiosity of many registered adventurers, all of whom were resting and hadn''t taken on any missions.


    Even those who were in limbo, hesitating whether to settle in Green Shadow or brave the perilous wastelands to reach the safer Lindong, gathered around after hearing the news.


    Whether they stayed or not, it didn''t hurt to check it out.


    By the time He Yuanhang arrived, the place was buzzing with people.


    His heart ached.


    The good things must have all been snapped up.


    Inside the guild hall, several screens were scrolling the subtitles of the new notice.


    He Yuanhang stood in front of a screen for a while, gradually understanding.


    On top of the original foundation, registered adventurers could use the credits they earned from missions to exchange for equipment and supplies. Once their total credits reached a certain amount, they could rank up in stars.


    The credits already spent didn''t affect the total towards star advancement at all.


    Higher-ranked adventurers had priority in taking on missions, and some advanced missions required a certain star rating to accept.


    Similarly, more equipment and supplies became available for exchange as the stars increased.


    He Yuanhang took a brief look and saw that adventurers were categorized from one to nine stars, but currently, only the first five levels were open. Items available to one-star adventurers were the same as before, but as soon as one rose to two stars, the items available for exchange increased significantly.


    The standard Warrior Puppets were right there on the two-star adventurer''s exchange list.


    The required credits weren''t much, only twenty, even cheaper than the standard swords!


    He Yuanhang''s eyes lit up.


    The people around were also talking excitedly.


    "It seems the Sanctuary has really put out a lot of good stuff this time, not just Puppets, but even the enhanced version of the standard swords are available for exchange. Those used to be exclusively for the Patrol Team."


    "Just at two stars, adventurers can exchange for so many more items, a lot of which are incomprehensible to us. There''s even access to training camps. Two stars allow for the exchange of Intermediate training equipment, and at three stars, you can get Advanced. We haven''t even seen the Intermediate ones, right?"


    "Isn''t anyone paying attention to the prices? There are discounts for two-star adventurers when exchanging items¡ªnine-point-five percent off for two stars, nine percent off for three stars¡­ all the way up to a sixty percent discount for nine stars. Although nine stars aren''t available yet, the Sanctuary has said it, so it''s just a matter of time. The thought alone is exciting!"


    "Stop talking. I had saved up a few dozen credits thinking of exchanging them for a Combat Saber. Now, with so many pieces of equipment and items available for exchange, I don''t even know what to choose. This is going to kill anyone with decision paralysis!"


    This sudden release of new items by the Sanctuary was completely unexpected to them.


    Some of these people were those who didn''t want to be constrained. Although they envied the benefits of the Patrol Team, they still chose to be free adventurers. Others simply wanted to join the Patrol Team but couldn''t.


    It had been many days since there was any news of the Patrol Team recruiting new members.


    He Yuanhang pulled Pot Lid Head by the hand, "Let''s hurry and line up. I still have over thirty credits in my account, enough to exchange for a Warrior Puppet."


    "Uh, Commander¡­" Pot Lid Head, the member, hesitated to move.


    "What''s the matter? Speak up, don''t dawdle!"


    Pot Lid Head finally spoke, "Commander, your credits are probably not enough to rank up to a two-star adventurer. Including our adventure group, we can''t exchange for those Puppets yet."


    He Yuanhang: "¡­"


    Adventure groups also had star ratings. In reality, most Awakeners operated in groups when they were out in the field. When accepting missions, they often did so as a whole group. The rewards could be distributed based on each member''s contribution or according to a specific method on the mission.


    The total sum of credits accumulated by all members of the team represented the highest credit score of the adventure group, equating to the "experience" needed for ranking up. Once reaching a certain amount, the adventure group''s star level could be elevated.


    After ranking up, team members automatically enjoyed the benefits brought by the Mercenary Corps.


    The Pot Lid Head member glanced at his Commander and said weakly, "It takes 100 credits for an individual to advance to two stars. For small adventure groups like ours, we need 400 credits to rank up. I''ve already checked, and our Far Voyage Adventure Group currently has 386 credits, just a bit short of upgrading."


    Small adventure groups consisted of five members. Based on the credits, if the five team members were of equal strength, the adventure group''s ranking speed was faster than an individual''s. It was akin to a party experience bonus, faster than solo leveling.


    If their Far Voyage Adventure Group could expand to an Intermediate size, gaining twenty-five member slots, once they filled up those slots, both mission completion and upgrading efficiency would be much faster than a small adventure group''s.


    Unfortunately, expanding the team size came with a fee¡­ Pot Lid Head quietly glanced at the Commander. With his daily indulgence in alcohol, he feared their adventure group would remain small forever.


    "We''re just short of a few credits? What are we waiting for, let''s quickly take on a mission then!"


    He Yuanhang immediately said, "Go and inform the others. No, let''s just accept the mission first to make sure there''s one left for us."


    He wasn''t the only one with this line of thought. All these people, who had been resting from their missions at the Sanctuary, immediately thought that, well, to hell with resting, it''s time to take on missions and earn credits. Every second wasted was a major loss!


    The thought of others already being at two stars, happily exchanging credits for those enviable items, while he was still stuck at one star, only able to watch dryly, unable to even accept missions to rank up¡­


    He Yuanhang shivered and hurried to the window, and upon looking, he finally relaxed. Today, in addition to releasing more items for exchange, the Sanctuary had also added many missions. Otherwise, there might not have been even soup left for him.

 Chapter 182 - 180 We Made a Profit

    [Collect Zhiwen Grass (One-star Task)]


    Collect at least ten Zhiwen Grasses with a completeness over 90%. Reward: 10 points.


    [Find Red Flame Essence Iron (One-star Task)]


    Provide definite clues or hand over a certain amount of Red Flame Essence Iron. Reward: 10-200 points.


    He Yuanhang shook his head.


    Such tasks lacked clear starting points. From his first day here, they hung high on the task board, and only when someone stumbled upon a clue would they undertake the task and claim the reward.


    Unless there was a specific lead, he wouldn''t take on these tasks; with bad luck, they could hang forever in the incomplete task list.


    Besides points, task completion rates and reputation also measured an adventure group''s caliber.


    He continued browsing.


    [Send Invitation Letters (One-star Task)]


    Travel to the vicinity of West Lake and deliver invitation letters to the three small sanctuaries there, introducing them to Green Shadow''s development and inviting them to open shops in Green Shadow''s commercial district.


    Depending on the response from the sanctuaries, the completion level of the task will be determined.


    Reward: 10-30 points.


    "No way, this task takes too much time. Who knows whether it''ll be three days or five before we can say it''s complete."


    [Star Upgrading (Two-star Task)]


    Starting from the third tier, adventurers must not only meet the point criteria but also complete star upgrading tasks to level up. The tasks are randomly generated upon acceptance and will not exceed the adventurer''s current tier.


    Requirements: Secondary-tier adventurer with points reaching the third-tier standard, task completion rate above 80%.


    "Forget it, forget it, I haven''t even reached second-tier yet!"


    He looked further.


    [Live Capture (One-star Team Task)]


    Capture a live Thunder Lizard. There have been rumors of this Mutant Beast wandering in Wu County, with strength estimated between the second and third Awakening tiers.


    Reward: 30 points.


    "This is it!"


    He Yuanhang''s eyes lit up.


    The intelligence on this task was detailed, and the strength of the Thunder Lizard was within their adventure group''s ability range. It was just right.


    After accepting the task, he instructed Pot Lid Head to notify the other members, but he didn''t leave. Instead, he browsed other tasks.


    It wouldn''t be bad to take on a suitable task in advance, he thought. Even after reaching second-tier and exchanging points for various equipment, substantial points would still be needed.


    He Yuanhang thought that an adventure group could have up to three pending tasks. As long as they didn''t exceed the time limit, he might as well snatch them up first and let others weep.


    Task after task scrolled before his eyes.


    But in the end, he didn''t take on any additional tasks.


    Either the completion deadline was too long or the challenge level was too high. Some even required venturing into dangerous fourth-tier zones. In He Yuanhang''s opinion, few adventurers dared to take on such tasks.


    He wasn''t disappointed, though. After all, having one firm task gave them a foundation. Besides, many teams had taken tasks and left already. If there were any truly suitable tasks that could be completed quickly, they were probably snatched up by those guys. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What a pity.


    "Damn it, all the simple tasks have been grabbed by others, and the remaining ones need at least three days to determine if they''re complete. Three days! I''m just short of a few points to level up to a second-tier adventurer!"


    "You have it good; we''ve only recently registered as adventurers. Accumulating enough points to level up, who knows how long that will take. I can''t wait to exchange for those items. If our team had a Puppet, many tactics that were impossible before could easily be executed, and our task completion efficiency would skyrocket."


    "You''re telling me. My biggest regret is not undertaking enough tasks in the past. The small adventure group living next to us are task maniacs. We registered in the same period, but now they''ve gathered almost half the points needed to level up from second to third tier. Just saw them exchange for a bunch of new equipment and I''m so envious!"


    Voices of discussion from other teams buzzed around him.


    He Yuanhang suddenly felt content.


    Happiness came easily when there were unfortunate ones around.


    Suddenly, someone exclaimed.


    "Wait, I think I''ve found a very suitable task!"


    "Task? What task! Hurry and take it before someone else does," urged a companion from the same adventure team even more anxiously.


    "No." The person''s face didn''t reveal any hurry, "this task is a collecting type with no upper limit."


    "Collecting, that''s not easy..."


    Before he could finish, he found the task his companion was talking about.


    [Collect Source Crystals (One-star Task)]


    Hand in ten units of Source Crystals. Reward: 10 points.


    His eyes widened.


    Was there such a simple task? They were out in the wild every day; who didn''t have a few Source Crystals in their pockets?


    As for exchanging Source Crystals for points, could that really be a loss?


    Impossible!


    He had checked the reward list. Simply converting, one point''s purchasing power is equivalent to one unit of Source Crystal.


    At most, points were only exchangeable for items at the adventurer guild, but that wasn''t a loss either.


    After all, items purchasable with Source Crystals at the sanctuary were also exchangeable with points. Conversely, some rare items could only be obtained with points, like the ones on the second-tier exchange list.


    "Not just that, think about it. If we had enough points and successfully moved up to a second-tier adventure group, we''d get discounts of at the exchange, this way, it''s not just breaking even, we''re actually making a profit."


    He Yuanhang''s ears twitched, showing a look of surprise as well.


    Other tasks, no matter how suitable or simple, or even if they were close to the sanctuary, all required leaving the sanctuary and heading into the wilderness.


    At least a few hours for a round trip, which could not compare to directly handing over Source Crystals for points.


    The sanctuary was too considerate!


    ...


    In a room in the castle.


    A Crystal Ball floated, displaying the scene at the adventurer guild.


    Despite the lack of sound, Tang Yu smiled.


    Releasing a host of new items really ignited the awakeners'' desire to spend money, significantly increasing the rate at which tasks were taken.


    Just a little while ago, they received thousands of units of Source Crystals.


    And the points the awakeners earned were mostly used to exchange for equipment, improving their strength, which sped up the rate of earning points.


    It was as if the rate at which he, Lord Tang, made money had increased.


    "Forget it, they''re all a bunch of rough guys, nothing worth looking at. I might as well go upgrade the core buildings. Given the system''s usual tricks, if the Territory upgrading to level four brought such significant changes, then the core building''s upgrade must bring plenty of surprises too."


    In any case, he wasn''t lacking in Source Crystals.


    When the Source Crystal Mine was depleted, he still had these hardworking adventurers, laboring with great zeal.


    After all, they were earning too!

 Chapter 183 - 181 Bamboo Rat Clan

    "Ding¡ª"


    "Ding¡ª"


    "Ding¡ª"


    Among the four core buildings, the tavern, workshop, and market could be upgraded to match the level of the territory.


    Tang Yu remotely upgraded these three buildings.


    He had learned his lesson and anticipated a barrage of new system notifications after upgrading, so this time he set the messages to "receive but do not alert."


    Within just a few seconds,


    no more system notification sounds echoed in his mind, but the system log updated with a dozen new entries.


    They were all brief descriptions of the tavern and other buildings.


    Tang Yu carefully started to read them.


    "Sure enough, level four is a watershed moment¡ªit''s like progressing from basic to intermediate level. These three core function buildings have changed significantly."


    The workshop could now use more advanced materials to manufacture equipment and had even gained an Enhancement feature.


    Tang Yu glanced over it briefly and as expected, there was a certain chance of success with Enhancement, and bad luck might even damage the equipment. It was indeed the kind of Enhancement feature that could mercilessly milk you dry.


    The variety of items in the market had grown significantly, and there was also a new discount feature.


    Spend a hundred thousand Source Crystals for a 10% discount, a million Source Crystals for a 20% discount...


    Tang Yu was taken aback; he had just given the adventurers a discount policy, and now the system was trying to bait him with the same tactic?


    He, Tang Yu the Thrifty, would not impulsively spend!


    But so many of the goods were tantalizing.


    Among the three core buildings, the tavern underwent the greatest changes.


    [Follower Contract slots increased to 18, with a chance of summoning followers from races other than the Human Race.]


    [Legacy function activated, generating statues of professions in the tavern, allowing for professional legacies.]


    Professional Legacy: During the legacy ritual, one can experience the career''s combat experience, comprehend corresponding Combat Skills, and receive the inheritance of a Cultivation Skill.


    Tang Yu was somewhat surprised.


    Previously, with each level increase, the tavern would gain three more Contract slots. At level three, the tavern had nine slots, and Tang Yu had already used seven of them. But this time, the number of Contract slots had doubled, jumping to eighteen.


    Followers were connected to the core Combat Power of the territory, and such a big increase almost made him jump with joy.


    "Not limited to the Human Race, what else could be summoned? Elves? Dwarves? Or giant dragons?"


    Tang Yu was quite excited.


    He had asked Eileen and others about it, but according to them, they had never heard of creatures like elves, dwarves, or giant dragons. It''s possible these beings didn''t exist, or perhaps, since Eileen and her companions didn''t travel widely and weren''t high-society individuals, they didn''t know much.


    The only one who could be considered a noble, Kevin, was obsessed with equipment manufacturing, almost to the point of cuddling up with those cold metals in his sleep.


    After a routine of washing up, bathing, and burning incense,


    he followed it with a customary reverence for Senior Bai.


    Although the fusion summoning still guaranteed only B-tier followers, unable to break through to the Transcendent Tier, the necessary rituals could not be omitted¡ªhe, Lord Tang, was very meticulous.


    Who knew when the next summoning of this scale would take place?


    Tang Yu began the great summoning ritual.


    ...


    ...


    Half an hour later, Tang Yu had successfully signed contracts with eight followers.


    He decided to stop the summoning there; the remaining slots would be saved for the future¡ªto slowly try his luck and see if one day he might summon a follower with qualifications surpassing A-tier.


    The lengthy process was mainly due to having a brief with each summoned follower and assigning others to act as guides for them.


    This time, his luck as the king of Europe seemed to have exploded¡ªperhaps the newly upgraded tavern brought good fortune, or was it because he had nailed the posture in his homage? Among the eight followers, there were two with A-tier qualifications.


    Tang Yu shook his head, thinking this posture could be tried again next time.


    But...


    He glanced at the two new followers who had just arrived by his side.


    The other six were all from the Human Race, while these two had triggered the probability of being from non-human races, and they were also the only two A-rank among the eight.


    To his right was a figure that was tall... no, ''tall'' was no longer an adequate description. Standing next to him, Tang Yu felt quite pressured.


    Stone Man Clan, Tylon.


    Tylon had an honest face, with a shiny bald head reflecting silver light under the sun. If one ignored his physique, his appearance wasn''t much different from that of humans.


    However, Tylon was over three meters tall, his arms were two times thicker than Tang Yu''s thighs, and his muscles were as solid as granite, giving a heavy sensation... perhaps, that was fundamentally just rock.


    He was also the strongest of the followers, having reached the Tenth Layer of Awakening as soon as he was summoned.


    Tang Yu had no doubt that Tylon could punch the ground and leave a deep crater with ease.


    "Lord, is it true... that there are many, many... delicious rocks here?"


    Tylon''s voice was bell-like and deafening, shaking one''s eardrums.


    Tang Yu hastily pressed his hands down, gesturing to turn the volume down. Once the reverberation in his eardrums settled, he pointed to a distance where two Logistics Department staff were driving over with a cart filled with high-grade, flavorful rocks.


    Tylon''s eyes lit up, and after receiving Tang Yu''s permission, he thumped over to the trunk of the cart, grabbed a chunk of rock, and stuffed it into his mouth.


    Crunchy crunch.


    It even made Tang Yu a bit hungry.


    "Tasty, um, tasty, especially this kind..."


    Tang Yu saw Tylon holding a piece of teal rock, besides which there were black rocks, grey rocks, rocks with patterns...


    Turns out different colors have different flavors!


    The two staff members from the Logistics Department who had delivered the goods had eyes filled with skepticism about the world, as if they were just short of grabbing some gravel to taste if they were indeed flavorful.


    Tang Yu covered his face.


    He was worried about how to arrange things for non-human races whose living habits were too different from humans. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Tylon should be fine, it looks like he''ll be content as long as there are rocks."


    Tang Yu muttered to himself.


    Then he turned to look at the little girl on his left.


    Xiaoli.


    She was the exact opposite of Tylon, barely reaching up to his waist with her head of green, curly hair, her round face looking soft and cuddly, much like an undeveloped Lolita.


    But Tang Yu knew that the girl was of age, and her short stature was due to her race.


    At first, he thought she was a cute Lolita from the Dwarf Clan, but that wasn''t the case. The young girl had nothing to do with the Dwarf Clan.


    She was from the Bamboo Rat Clan and would always stay short.


    Standing together, Tylon and she created a stark visual contrast.


    Perhaps this was the combination of a giant and a Lolita.


    Tang Yu thought.


    At this moment, Xiaoli was holding her small head, her steps light and floaty as if she had been dizzied by Tylon''s booming voice. Suddenly, she bumped into his pant leg and was pushed back by the reaction force, landing on her bottom with tears rolling in her eyes.


    "Don''t, eh¡ª" Tang Yu felt that he was facing a huge dilemma in life. Staff from the Logistics Department were nearby; if she started crying, wouldn''t it look like Lord Tang had made a child cry?


    No, absolutely not.


    Tang Yu''s mind whirled, and he suddenly pulled out a lollipop, tearing off the wrapper and putting it to Xiaoli''s mouth.


    The little girl instinctively opened her mouth and took the candy, her eyes suddenly rounding, "So tasty, doesn''t hurt anymore."


    Tang Yu: "..."


    It seemed he had encountered another easy-to-feed foodie.

 Chapter 184 - 182: The Warrior Who Dreamed of Becoming a Mage

    The other six Human Race followers were very evenly matched in strength, all between the Sixth Layer and Ninth Layer of the Awakening Tier.


    Heroic Knights, the Carmen Three Brothers.


    Astrologer Girls, Xing Ling and Xing Yue, sisters.


    And Sniper Lorraine.


    Tang Yu wasn''t sure if the system had timed his mass summoning this way on purpose, sending him twins and triplets all at once. It was impressive; anyway, he couldn''t tell the Xing sisters and the Carmen brothers apart.


    "Is this some kind of package deal? I wonder if there are any combo combat skills? Not even a discount for the services!"


    Tang Yu shook his head and arranged rooms for Xiaoli and Tylon¡­ Tylon couldn''t stay in the castle; it would likely need renovations within a few days if he tried squeezing in. Considering his wallet, Tang Yu specially had a villa built to accommodate Tylon''s height.


    Spacious and comfortable, with a delicious quarry nearby, Tylon was grinning ear to ear.


    ...


    ...


    "Currently, the territory has a total of fifteen followers. Except for the research-oriented Kevin, the rest are all experts, including Xiaoli who looks like she''d burst into tears with just a flick on the forehead¡­"


    He planned to set off for the Luoxia Sanctuary tomorrow or the day after.


    He would lead some followers there, leaving a small number to guard the territory. Now that he had enough personnel, he wouldn''t have to leave all the heavy responsibilities on Luo Zhe''s shoulders every time he went out.


    Most of the essential supplies were also fully prepared.


    Tents for resting in the wilderness, tools for escaping and scouting, maps, and so on.


    The most critical were the Floating Chariots.


    The materials currently on hand were enough to create several chariots. The most scarce were the Transcendent Metals from inside the gold-swallowing beast.


    The gold-swallowing beast had been bred in the newly established Beast Taming Arena. Every day it was fed a large amount of high-quality metal ore, and with special methods, the Metal Nodules were extracted from within it without pain or surgery.


    Tang Yu had taken a look¡ªthe plump gold-swallowing beast seemed not to resist at all. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, a food lover is easy to entice.


    "With the speed of the Floating Chariot, if everything goes well, it should only take three to five days to reach Luoxia."


    The biggest advantage of this small chariot is its MAX mobility. There''s no need to panic if you can''t defeat the enemy; as long as you can escape, it''s fine.


    At full power, a Floating Chariot could easily outrun even the Demonized Beasts of the Awakening Tier Perfection that could fly.


    ...


    ...


    Back to the tavern again.


    Tang Yu didn''t stop on the first floor; he trudged up the brown wooden stairs to the second floor.


    The layout of the second floor was roughly the same as the first, with several simple wooden tables neatly placed, and the circular wood grain on the table surfaces visible to the naked eye.


    Instead of the bar and storage racks on the first floor, there was a stage for performances.


    There was nothing on the stage usually, as the tavern was usually quiet, but now, five majestic statues stood side by side on it.


    A warrior with the blade of his sword planted in the ground, hands tightly gripping the hilt, with a resolute face and wearing heavy armor.


    A Mage with one hand on their chest, the other holding a Magic Wand, their hair draped over a forehead adorned with a headband intricately carved.


    An assassin enveloped in a black robe, face indiscernible, gender unclear, with only the cold light of a dagger peeking out from the wrist.


    A musketeer with both hands clutching Muskets, fingers on the triggers, head bowed, and a stern expression.


    And a Clergy holding up a Holy Hammer, as if their soul was screaming.


    Five professions.


    Five statues.


    These were the statues that could grant professional inheritance.


    He had now learned basic Combat Skills like Heavy Slash, Multiple Slash, Blood Slash, and had some combat experience. In layman''s terms, he was already a qualified warrior.


    However, the five professions were just the basics. Each profession has countless branches, the so-called advanced professions.


    The newly unlocked inheritance function randomly came with three types of advanced professional inheritances.


    Demon Swordsmen, Frost Mages, Punishment Knights.


    The inheritance crystals of other advanced professions, according to the system, had a chance of appearing in the level four market. If a professional had a very deep understanding of their profession, they could also create an inheritance crystal carrying the professional information.


    "Speaking of which, the followers I summoned this time, like Heroic Knights, Astrologers, Illusionists, Snipers, etc., although they said they received incomplete inheritances, they''re still advanced professions. They should be more advanced than the basic ones. This must be a hidden benefit of the level four tavern."


    Tang Yu activated the inheritance function.


    First, he walked up to his favorite Mage... mage statue. The Mage profession statue instantly lit up with a white glow, like several white threads spreading from the base and converging at the top.


    The faint white light lasted only for a brief moment before quickly extinguishing. The entire Mage Statue remained still, devoid of any further movement.


    Tang Yu: "..."


    This was the manifestation of a zero fitting degree! (¨s¨F¡õ¡ä)¨s¦à©ß©¥©ß!


    He understood that vocational inheritance had its limits. The higher the fitting degree, the more inheritance message one could receive, and the greater the benefits. Naturally, a fitting degree of zero meant failing to meet even the most basic requirements.


    If he couldn''t even receive the Mage''s inheritance, then there was no point in talking about advancing to a Frost Mage.


    Tang Yu wasn''t discouraged, not in the slightest.


    Life is full of disappointments, and acceptance made it better.


    After all, it was something he had expected!


    After several attempts, he met the requirements for the vocational inheritance of a warrior, assassin, and Musketeer, but he did not receive the transfer of inheritance.


    In reality, there were no restrictions on a single profession; a Mage could also enter the battlefield wielding fists. However, accepting inheritance transfusion exerted pressure on the soul, and Tang Yu''s goal wasn''t these basic inheritances.


    Not to mention, each inheritance transfer would consume a large amount of shiny Source Crystals.


    He returned to the Warrior profession statue.


    From the base, strands of pearly white light converged towards the top. The brilliance on the surface of the statue grew brighter, and behind it, a phantom of a warrior wielding a Longsword appeared.


    On that Longsword, raging red flames burned intensely.


    This was the Demon Swordsmen''s inheritance, and he had met the criteria.


    "Bring it on!"


    The Warrior statue erupted with a dazzling white light that made it hard for anyone to keep their eyes open.


    ...


    The sky was like a blazing inferno of bright red, with meteors dragging their tails, violently crashing down.


    The ground trembled, filled with screams and the sounds of battle.


    As far as the eye could see, there was a dense mass of ferocious-looking monsters swarming forward like a tide.


    A warrior clad in blood-and-fire-drenched armor wielded a Longsword that seemed to be crafted from crystal. Upon the blade, fierce flames roared.


    With the crystal Longsword wrapped in flames, he struck out.


    In an instant, a wildfire spread.


    Columns of fire shot up into the sky, as though they were about to pierce through the vault of heaven.


    ...


    Tang Yu snapped back to reality, staring blankly at the now dim profession statue before him.


    For that brief instant, he felt as if he had transformed into an invincible Demon Swordsman, alone with his sword, turning the tide-like horde of monsters to ashes.


    "So, this is what it''s like to be a Demon Swordsman..."


    He raised his hand.


    Whoosh~


    A flicker of flame emerged from his palm, trailing into a line and gathering into form.


    In a moment,


    Tang Yu held in his hand a Longsword made entirely of condensed flame.


    Combat Skills?Blazing Fire Sword.


    He forcibly resisted the urge to swing the flaming Longsword. The Blazing Fire Sword dispersed, with little sparks fading into the air.


    ...


    ...


    At this moment, somewhere in the wilderness.


    Underground Research Institute.


    "Ha hahaha¡ª"


    Dr. Zheng, with his round spectacles, gazed at the shapely body before him, his face filled with excitement, laughing wildly.


    Number One.


    His most successful experiment.

 Chapter 185 - 183 Dr. Zhengs Plan

    "Number One stood in the laboratory, naked, expressionless, like a human statue.


    She was a female Awakener, whose hair had been shaved clean, every pore exposed to the air. Across her wheat-colored skin, numerous purple stripes as thick as thumbs writhed continuously like serpents.


    Not a single part of her body was an exception.


    It looked bizarre and indescribable.


    This was Number One, his most successful experimental subject, who had perfectly fused with the Demonized Beast genes he had implanted within her.


    Dr. Zheng''s eyes gleamed as he scrutinized her, staring at those sinister purple stripes as if they were the most wondrous thing in the world.


    "Very good, very good. With this perfect experimental subject, I''ll soon be able to create more Beastification Soldiers..."


    Originally, without the experimental materials provided by Lin Wei, his project would have taken a lot of time, needing extensive data calculation. But fate was on his side, as the experimental subject and Demonized Beast genes integrated flawlessly.


    Beneath his round, silver-framed glasses, Dr. Zheng''s eyes seemed to penetrate the skin, bones, organs, cells, genes of the body he was observing...


    This was his Special Ability, to gaze intensely enough to even discern the changes in cellular genes.


    The success of Number One was a mere small-probability coincidence, but Dr. Zheng''s Special Ability could turn such coincidences into real possibilities.


    Drip~


    The computer screen, which had entered sleep mode, suddenly lit up, revealing a desktop cluttered with folders.


    "Oh? The field tests for Number Two and Number Three are complete?"


    Using the successful experience with Number One, Dr. Zheng quickly produced experimental subjects Number Two and Number Three. Although their genetic fusion rate wasn''t as high as Number One''s, and their stability wasn''t perfect, he was still satisfied with the strength of Number Two and Number Three as weapons.


    He accessed the files sent by the testing department¡ªa video recorded in the field.


    In the footage, a bald man was confronting a powerful Mutated Beast.


    By appearances, the Mutated Beast was a boar that had undergone mutation, standing as tall as a two-story building, resembling a small hill. Smoke billowed from its nostrils like a speeding train, charging fiercely towards the bald man.


    The man didn''t dodge; he stared straight at the massive creature. The corners of his mouth split open to his earlobes, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth. His pupils turned white, the focus indiscernible, his appearance horrifying.


    His clothes burst violently as several flesh-colored tentacles extended from his back, moving quickly like snakes, shooting out dozens of meters in an instant. They then plunged like steel needles deep into the Mutated Boar''s body.


    Even the Mutated Boar''s fur, comparable to armored vehicles, was effortlessly pierced by the tentacles, which penetrated deep into its body.


    A deafening wail of agony echoed.


    Experimental Subject Number Two remained unmoved, the tentacles that had penetrated the Mutated Beast''s body appearing to suck something out. The ends that touched the boar''s fur kept swelling and contracting.


    Within seconds, the Mutated Boar''s body diminished significantly; its blood completely drained.


    The bald man''s elongated tongue licked around the sharp circle of teeth, revealing a satiated smile of a fulfilling meal.


    The scene switched. This time, holding the camera was Number Two himself.


    He moved forward while commenting, occasionally turning back to the camera with a gaping smile.


    Like a tour guide, introducing the surroundings.


    Yet, there were no pleasant scenes around Number Two, only hideously Demonized Beasts, dense and numerous. Sometimes when surrounded by Demonized Beasts, Number Two would squeeze past them unfazed.


    It was clearly a horde of Demonized Beasts, but Number Two moved through as if it were an uninhabited territory.


    Demonized Beasts are extremely sensitive to the scent of humans, attacking them is an instinct engraved in their genes. However, at this moment, Number Two weaving through the horde seemed to be one of their own kind."


    "Possessing immense power, yet not actively attacked by demonized beasts, my experiment is truly a success! This is the emergence of a new humanity; this is the most correct research direction. You conservative fools, too scared even to conduct human experiments, how could you ever imagine that humans themselves harbor the greatest secrets!"


    "Those test subjects, having the honor to contribute to this great research, is already a tremendous accolade!"


    Like venting his frustration, Dr. Zheng laughed heartily.


    But then, he frowned.


    The experiment had indeed succeeded, yet merely having these few beastification soldiers was not enough.


    What he desired was an army of beastification soldiers, a true force to be reckoned with.


    "All the test subjects have almost been used up, with only some ordinary people left who are of no use. To create real beastification soldiers, the best vessels are still the Awakeners..." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Originally, test subjects were all provided by Lin Wei, but now he couldn''t count on someone who was already gone.


    As the head of the laboratory, despite its large scale and significant staff, almost all of them were researchers with no combat power. The few combat-capable Awakeners that were there had been sent by Lin Wei, supposedly for protection, but in reality, they were there to monitor him.


    These individuals were not strong, and Dr. Zheng paid them little mind. To capture enough test subjects merely relying on these people, who knows how long it would take.


    "Now with Number One, Number Two, Number Three, the combat power is sufficient..."


    Dr. Zheng opened up the map on his computer.


    This was a detailed map of Lin City''s region, not only marking many dangerous areas, but also clearly marking the numerous Sanctuaries.


    His gaze settled on some of the smaller Sanctuaries surrounding the area.


    "These Sanctuaries, each with at least hundreds of survivors, are much more efficient for capturing Awakeners than catching people in the wild."


    "As for the risks..."


    Dr. Zheng knew that if a large number of small Sanctuaries were struck by disaster, it would surely attract Lindong''s attention and could lead to trouble.


    However...


    "What if we use the beastification soldiers to trigger the Demon Tide, and then quietly snatch away the survivors?"


    That way, even if the destruction of too many Sanctuaries alerted Lindong, they would merely find that the Demon Tide was to blame. And even if Lindong took certain measures by then, he would have already captured enough Awakeners.


    Suddenly, his gaze landed on one of the small Sanctuaries, circled in red.


    Green Shadow...


    Dr. Zheng pondered.


    For a moment, he felt the impulse to direct the Demon Tide to attack Green Shadow, "No, the Green Shadow Sanctuary has great strength; even Lin Wei fell there. Even if Green Shadow holds some secret, it is not something to be probed at this time."


    "The most urgent task at hand is to plunder enough test subjects to prepare for the next phase of the beastification plan. Provoking Green Shadow would only complicate matters unnecessarily, and Green Shadow isn''t something that could be destroyed by any ordinary Demon Tide."


    He shook his head, his eyes lingering on the spot representing Green Shadow for a long while.


    ...


    ...


    Lindong Sanctuary.


    After the broad agreements were settled, a series of matters such as material exchanges were being handled by the accompanying personnel.


    The second-in-command from Heng City, including some of the elite Awakeners in the convoy, toured the military camp under the guidance of the military''s second battalion commander of Lindong.


    The camp was located to the northwest of the Sanctuary, covering a large area. They arrived at the training area, which was not equipped with too much training apparatus. For Awakeners, ordinary training equipment was meaningless, less effective than simply engaging in regular training with sweat and toil.

 Chapter 186 - 184: Why Is the Gap So Huge?

    A group of Awakeners waved their Combat Sabers in training.


    The shiny blades glinted in the sunlight, as they gripped the handles tightly and swung out, the blades cleaving the air and the whistling sound of wind cutting echoed throughout the training grounds.


    "The equipment provided to us Awakeners are all Rune Battle Blades, and this¡­" The deputy commander of the second battalion walked over to the area where weapons and equipment were placed, and with one move, he lifted the cover cloth off the rack to reveal the dark muzzles below.


    "My most beloved 160 mm mortar, refurbished to shoot specialized rune shells. Needless to say about its power, if one round doesn''t resolve the problem, then it''s just a matter of firing another."


    The person in charge from Heng City was filled with envy as he spoke sincerely, "Your rune weapons are truly impressive. We still haven''t found a way to integrate runes into equipment back in our place. Truly worthy of Academician Sun."


    The deputy commander''s mouth curled up into a smile, "This time by taking back some rune samples, you will soon be able to figure out the method of producing rune equipment."


    He couldn''t help but feel proud.


    Heng City''s strength was a notch above Lindong, which was why Heng City had sent a convoy to exchange with Lindong. There was no rivalry or desire to compete, but as they were both military men, Heng City had significantly more advanced Awakeners than Lindong.


    The deputy commander felt rather downcast, sensing himself at a disadvantage, but fortunately, in terms of equipment, they were far ahead of Heng City.


    ''Ah, wait a minute, rune equipment, it seems the science academy also got stuck on that before, and it was because of that kind.. Right, the Demon-slaying Longsword, and then Lindong''s version of rune equipment was developed''


    He pondered, realizing that if they hadn''t chanced upon the Demon-slaying Longsword, their progress on researching rune equipment might not have been much faster than Heng City''s.


    Suddenly, the deputy commander felt depressed again.


    He decided not to think about it anymore and led the people from Heng City on a tour around the military camp while exchanging combat experiences.


    "Why don''t we hold a simple exchange meeting, where everyone can share their insights on fighting Demonized Beasts. Combat isn''t something you can learn by just reading about it¡ªit''s incomparable to warriors sharing their personal experiences."


    The person from Heng City suggested.


    The deputy commander thought about it and nodded, "That''s a good idea, especially for ability users, exchanging ideas might lead to discovering new ways to utilize their abilities."


    "Since it''s an exchange for ability users, we shouldn''t limit it to our military''s ability users only. There are plenty of ability users among civilians as well. While they may not be as strong, their development and use of abilities might not be much worse. How about I call some ability users from this convoy as well?"


    "Sounds good, I''ll also call some of Lindong''s well-known ability users."


    He was a decisive person, and instructed his subordinates to arrange it on the spot.


    Both sides would benefit from an ability exchange, and in the deputy commander''s opinion, those ability users should be eager to come here.


    Sure enough, those people did not keep him waiting long. Within ten minutes, the soldiers he sent out had brought the ability users to the scene.


    However, upon seeing the number of people arriving, the deputy commander was stunned, "Why are there so few?"


    With his position, he had access to the mercenaries'' profiles and was aware of how many ability users were in Lindong.


    The number present was not even one-fifth of that; "Could it be that they are still out in the field and haven''t returned to the Sanctuary yet?"


    He glanced at the sky; the setting sun was tilted towards the end of the heavens, leaving only a trace of orange glow lingering over the earth.


    Based on the time, the majority of the mercenaries out on missions should have returned to the Sanctuary by now.


    The soldier saluted and reported, "Reporting to the commander, most of the mercenaries have already returned to the Sanctuary, but the top tier mercenary teams are nowhere to be found. I asked the person in charge of the mission center. It seems those people hurried off again after returning to the Sanctuary, saying if they were slow they''d miss out."


    "Oh, right, most of those mercenaries who left in a rush were Awakeners who escaped from the Secret Realm."


    The soldier''s tone carried confusion.


    The deputy commander: "..."


    Although he was unsure what had happened, he felt as though someone had cut him off.


    Annoyance for no apparent reason!


    ...


    Tang Yu walked out of the Spirit Space feeling refreshed and lively.


    He still did not know that the advertisement he had planted in the Secret Realm was gradually taking effect.


    The mercenaries in Lindong clung to the opportunity to buy the Demon-slaying Longsword, but mercenaries were mercenaries after all, and someone always had a big mouth.


    "Zhang Laosan, I''m telling you a secret, and I''m only telling you this because of the life-and-death bond between us. You mustn''t tell anyone else¡­"


    "Li Laosi, I''ve heard a secret. If we hadn''t grown up wearing the same pants, I would never tell you this¡­"


    Word of mouth spread; ten told a hundred. While not everyone in Lindong was aware, within that particular circle, many knew about the Green Shadow Sanctuary, and the real seller of the Demon-slaying Longsword.


    The mercenaries also exaggerated Tang Yu and his companions'' frightening strength in the Secret Realm.


    No one doubted, for these words all came from members of top squads, even those belonging to the Four Great Mercenary Corps, relations forged in life-and-death situations and close as the pants they wore. Some Awakeners, outstanding in their power, didn''t even bother to rest, rushing to Green Shadow through the night.


    They had just experienced an explosive increase in strength, a sensation of unmatched prowess while cutting down hordes in their Spirit Space.


    Tang Yu had no idea that in the real world, a whole bunch of chives were eagerly waiting for the mercy of the sickle.


    ...


    ...


    After dinner, Tang Yu brought Eileen to the tavern.


    "Lord, what brings us here?"


    She had a deep impression of this place¡ªit was here that she first laid eyes on this world, the quaint tavern, and the Lord standing within.


    He smiled and handed her a bottle of wine.


    That scene, she would never forget for the rest of her life.


    "Come on, let''s go to the second floor. You''ll understand when we get there."


    Eileen, dressed in a beige dress, climbed the stairs following Tang Yu.


    Upon reaching the second floor, she saw the five lifelike statues at the far end.


    Tang Yu was about to start explaining the Mage''s inheritance to Eileen.


    But he saw the girl suddenly freeze.


    Her eyes were fixed on one Mage Statue, and she took steps toward it, a step at a time, slowly advancing.


    Not just Eileen, the Mage Statue itself seemed to resonate, as if it had been silent for ages and couldn''t wait to awaken.


    Tang Yu quickly activated the Inheritance System. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an instant,


    Bright light scattered the darkness, and the surroundings became as clear as day.


    The Mage Statue seemed to come to life, and the phantom of the Frost Mage appeared behind it, significantly more tangible than the Demon Swordsman phantom that had appeared before him.


    Even the pupils within that phantom seemed to traverse the river of time, projecting into the tavern.


    A pale blue column of light enveloped Eileen.


    The inheritance began.


    Her eyes closed, pale blue hair floated upward, her skirt danced about, serene and graceful. Under Tang Yu''s gaze, her body slowly began to float, defying gravity, rising to the same height as the phantom.


    Eileen''s aura fully released, Awakening Seventh Layer, Awakening Eighth Layer, Awakening Ninth Layer... all the way to the peak of Ninth Layer, hitting the second bottleneck of the Awakening Tier.


    Tang Yu''s mouth hung open in astonishment.


    Receiving an inheritance could improve strength too? How... How did he completely miss out???


    The white light of the Mage Statue gradually dimmed, and Tang Yu thought the Frost Mage''s inheritance was about to end. However, the pale blue column of light grew even brighter, condensing into an ellipsoid that enveloped Eileen.


    Bang.


    A sound as soft as a mosquito''s whisper.


    The beige dress Eileen was wearing, along with the pure white sneakers on her feet, instantly shattered into light particles.


    Tang Yu''s eyes widened.


    As the Holy Light faded, Eileen had completely transformed.


    She was dressed in a resplendent ice-blue gown, her feet adorned with shimmering purple-blue crystal shoes. A pair of earrings with Blue Crystal inlay and bordered patterns took shape by her ears.


    On her head, she wore a headdress with Mysterious Inscriptions, and in her hand, she gripped an Ice Crystal Magic Wand nearly as tall as she was.


    The scene was dreamlike.


    Not just the spectacle, but also Eileen, at the very center of the light ensemble.


    Tang Yu''s mouth remained agape, unable to close for a long time.


    Had the inheritance he received been a fake?

 Chapter 187 - 185: The Road

    Boom.


    The phantom that had appeared behind the Mage Statue suddenly shattered.


    Tang Yu understood what this meant.


    Each special inheritance had its finite power; the Source Crystals he had infused during the inheritance and these professional statues merely ensured the smooth operation of the inheritance. The majority of the power still came from the Inheritance Crystal itself.


    For special inheritances like that of Demon Swordsmen and Frost Mages, the power in each inheritance crystal was enough for about three uses. However, this time, the phantom of the Frost Mage''s inheritance did not fade away slowly¡ªbut instead shattered directly.


    It meant that the power of the inheritance was completely depleted.


    "No wonder Eileen''s strength soared after accepting the inheritance, and she even received a full set of advanced equipment."


    He was extremely, profoundly, exceptionally envious.


    Eileen, who had been floating above the ground, began to descend gently as the light from the Mage Statue faded. Her crystal shoes touched the wooden floor, and her floating hair gradually settled...


    Tang Yu was about to approach when he suddenly paused.


    In front of him,


    Eileen''s eyes were tightly shut, yet tears flowed from them.


    The teardrops, lucid, slid down her cheeks, leaving trails behind, until they fell to her chin and, with gravity''s pull, plopped... onto the wooden floor.


    This was the first time he had seen Eileen like this.


    He feared the moments when the air turned suddenly sad.


    ...


    ...


    On the tavern rooftop.


    The cool breeze wafted, barely revealing the flickering lights of the town below.


    Looking at Eileen''s continued downcast expression, Tang Yu felt worried.


    "It''s okay, Lord," she shook her head, her earrings jingling softly.


    "You don''t look okay."


    "Just reminiscing about the past." She lifted her gaze, the wind scattering the hair from her forehead, her eyes clear as she quietly watched the distance.


    It was picturesque.


    "If you don''t mind, let it out. It might make you feel better."


    Tang Yu felt it was his duty as a Lord to care for the psychological health of his subordinates... which was, of course, nonsense. Just half a month ago, he was an ordinary survivor living day to day, a common single man from the Celestial Empire.


    Even now, he was still merely mortal.


    He harbored no grand dreams; his only desire was to bring his parents back and then to steward his own corner of land well.


    When he had gotten the system, he had toyed with the idea of raising an army to conquer the world, of striving forward and overcoming all obstacles.


    To make himself a true Great Lord.


    To have the power to decide life and death in a single word.


    To receive genuflection with a mere glance.


    He thought it over and decided to forget it, what could he get from it? The thrill of conquering the world, or supreme authority? But inevitably, it would also bring loneliness and emptiness.


    People always have to grow, their sharp edges smoothed out, their thorns plucked, learning to smile at those they dislike, making themselves amiable...


    The apocalypse was even more ruthless, some people had to sell their bodies for a piece of bread, some watched helplessly as their friends and family died in front of them, yet still had to put on a brave face with a smile...


    This was the helplessness of the weak. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He developed his territory, made himself stronger, not to conquer others, but to have sovereignty over himself.


    Casting aside the jumble of thoughts in his mind, he couldn''t help but speak out, breaking the tranquility before him... and the sadness.


    After a moment of silence, Eileen''s soft voice came from beside him.


    "I was born in a small city, and my parents worked in the mines outside the city. Although they were often out of sight, I felt that life was fulfilling. The happiest moment of each day was squatting at the door, waiting for them to come back."


    Eileen walked to the edge of the rooftop and crouched down, the crystal stones on her skirt tinkling like bells, "That evening, I sat at the door like that, staring into the sky, waiting and waiting until the light completely faded. The familiar figures of my parents... never appeared again."


    "It wasn''t until the next day that I learned the city outskirts had encountered the Black Tide, and the first to be attacked were the mines. That was when I also learned that the piercing sound of the alarm... signified death."


    She sat down on the edge of the rooftop, her magic wand morphing into a stream of light that merged into her body.


    Her feet dangled in the air, her bare calves outside her dress skirt, pale as white jade, gently swaying.


    "...Several years have passed, and I''ve long forgotten that feeling of sorrow, but the memories were triggered this time, a bit... uncontrollable."


    She wiped away the pearly tear at the corner of her eye, turned her head, and gave the Lord a soft smile, her voice chiming like a wind bell.


    Tang Yu sat beside her, listening quietly as the cool breeze blew, his sky-blue hair brushing across his face, tickling him.


    He saw,


    Eileen''s expression had returned to its usual serenity, but the sadness deep in her eyes was ineradicable.


    Tang Yu couldn''t help but lift his hand, hesitating in the air before finally resting it on Eileen''s head, gently consoling her, "Don''t push yourself too hard, after all, you still have... me, and others."


    ...


    ...


    In the wilderness.


    The Moustache Commander of the Storm Mercenary Group was holding a map, "Just a few more kilometers ahead, and we''ll reach the Sanctuary known as Green Shadow. I''ve heard that this Sanctuary is quite powerful, so their purchasing power should be higher than the others, right?"


    These three forces from Heng City had joined hands to sell goods to various small Sanctuaries.


    Mr. Gao, the leader, nodded, "Along the way, we have already sold goods at five small Sanctuaries, and the situation has been much better than we expected. Although these small Sanctuaries don''t have many Source Crystals, they do have plenty of miscellaneous items, some of which are highly valuable. Those guys lack discernment, which has been to our benefit."


    "Yeah," another leader, surnamed Yang, agreed deeply, "If we were selling in Lindong, even if we managed to sell our goods, where could we get such a high value? Some special materials, once we bring them back to Heng City, whether we sell them or use them ourselves, we are sure to make a profit."


    "After all, they are just small Sanctuaries; they might acquire some highly valuable materials out of sheer luck. We intimidated them with our presence, nearly scaring some silly, and others thought we were raiding them and turned tail to flee," Moustache laughed, "If I wasn''t worried about displeasing those from Lindong, I''d even consider pressing down the purchase price of the materials further."


    "There''s no need," Mr. Gao said, "We''ve already made plenty, and the route is now open. As long as there aren''t any new Abyssal Rifts appearing on the way, it won''t be so difficult for us to come back to Lindong next time."


    The journey was perilous, with countless casualties, but once they passed through it, they had mapped it out, knowing where the danger lay and which areas posed less of a threat.


    The majority of the casualties occurred in high-risk areas. By avoiding those and navigating the less risky areas, they had arrived in Lindong.


    It was akin to the ancient sea routes.


    The first passage is always the most hazardous, but afterward, as long as one follows this already forged path, the danger is significantly reduced.


    (There''s one more chapter to go. I''m working on the writing... soon...)

 Chapter 188 - 186 Feeling Like I Can Earn a Lot

    "After we unload some of the goods in Green Shadow, we might as well stay there to rest," Gao suggested, noticing the dimming sky and the weary Awakeners behind him.


    "Sounds good," Moustache said, holding a precious map bought from Lindong, "This area is only a three-star intermediate danger zone. Although we are not at all vulnerable camping outdoors, it''s always better to stay overnight in a Sanctuary. It minimally ensures that we avoid those Demonized Beasts'' disturbances, and we might even get a good night''s sleep."


    "Right, but that''s assuming the Green Shadow Sanctuary''s strength is formidable. If it''s like those smaller Sanctuaries we''ve encountered with barely any defense, then I''d rather spend the night outdoors to avoid being dragged down by them."


    They drove several vehicles reinforced with steel plates, following the direction indicated on the map.


    The starry sky twinkled, making the wilderness even more perilous at night, and the Demonized Beasts became even more volatile.


    These people weren''t afraid of the ordinary Demonized Beasts, but they were still on high alert, carefully watching their surroundings.


    But the stillness only deepened.


    "Have you noticed we haven''t come across any Demonized Beasts for a while?"


    "Indeed, and even the wailing of the Demonized Beasts is seldom heard. Something feels off."


    "No, no, no, if the Green Shadow Sanctuary is truly a strong fortification, then it would make sense for the surrounding Demonized Beasts to have been cleared out."


    "But is Green Shadow really that powerful? I heard it''s just a small Sanctuary with a thousand people. No matter how strong they are, it seems impossible to clear out the Demonized Beasts for several kilometers around, right?"


    As they discussed and drew nearer, their field of view expanded, revealing towers standing tall in the wilderness.


    Moustache and the others realized they had entered Green Shadow''s territory.


    Awakeners returning from hunting Demonized Beasts or completing quests dragged their exhausted bodies back to the Sanctuary.


    Faint lights were visible ahead, and many Awakeners arriving from different directions glanced curiously at their convoy but quickly quickened their pace and vanished from sight.


    However, Moustache and his companions were somewhat surprised. Their greater strength and sensitivity to aura allowed them to sense the aura of the passing Awakeners from afar.


    "Awakening Second-tier, Awakening First Layer, Awakening Second-tier, Awakening Third Layer..."


    These Awakeners were mostly Second-tier, with the occasional powerful Third-tier Awakener.


    Even though they didn''t consider Third-tier very significant, in the smaller Sanctuaries they had visited, Third-tier was already a substantial force. Most Sanctuary Directors operated at this level, with only the slightly stronger ones breaking through to Fourth Tier.


    Yet in Green Shadow, they had already seen several Awakeners at such levels.


    "It seems the Green Shadow Sanctuary isn''t just reputable by name but actually holds decent power. For a small Sanctuary to achieve this much is remarkable. I''m quite curious about what kind of person the Sanctuary Director is."


    "Yang, you''ll meet him soon. With such a big transaction, the Director himself will surely come out to negotiate. Even if Green Shadow is strong, it''s still a small Sanctuary. This amount of cargo will surely astonish them."


    Moustache patted the steel plates on the truck, "We''ve got a diverse range of products. Take firearms, for example; we have newly developed guns from Heng City, specially designed to combat Demonized Beasts. There''s also ingeniously structured shields that can deflect most of the force from a Demonized Beast''s attack. These are equipment that Awakeners favor most."


    "There''s also this spicy fruit, a specialty from our region, which can completely replace chili peppers. In the apocalypse, seasoning is a rare commodity..."


    He recalled the astonishment in the eyes of other small Sanctuary Directors when they saw these goods.


    Even though Green Shadow might be stronger, strength doesn''t represent foundation. Many of these goods, even Awakeners from Lindong, would vie to buy them, not to mention a small Sanctuary like Green Shadow.


    If it weren''t for the inability to compete with the larger powers, Moustache wouldn''t have thought of selling to these small Sanctuaries, but now it seemed that this move was the right one, after all, it earned more.


    "Awakeners of Green Shadow are stronger, possess more Source Crystals, I believe we can make a hefty profit..."


    Moustache laughed heartily, pondering how to utilize the Director''s lack of experience to inflate the value of his goods as he faced him from Green Shadow, feeling he was getting better and better at making money.


    He had never considered, however, that the situation might, perhaps possibly, be somewhat different from what he envisioned.


    ...


    ...


    At the entrance of the Sanctuary, Moustache and others registered briefly.


    "Yang, why not just have their Director come out and negotiate with us? And it''s also strange; they don''t even ask about our cargo," muttered Moustache.


    Leader Yang gave a mysterious smile, "That''s because you don''t understand. Since we''re planning to stay overnight at Green Shadow, there''s no rush to sell the goods. Let''s first observe and understand Green Shadow''s foundation, then we can price our goods at their limit and make more."


    "As for these trucks of goods, sometimes large teams in the wilderness also use trucks to transport materials they''ve scavenged, nothing strange about that. Don''t forget, the three of us are united, and it definitely looks like a big team."


    "I see, Yang, you''re really shrewd, very shrewd." Moustache suddenly understood, feeling his own depth was still lacking.


    The trucks, being quite large, were parked not far from the entrance of the Sanctuary, leaving most of the crew to stand guard. The leaders of these three houses, along with some subordinates, walked into the Sanctuary.


    What met their eyes was a large construction site.


    Moustache and his companions were a bit surprised. This Green Shadow Sanctuary was actually building a large project. Weren''t they afraid of the time and effort, only for it to be potentially destroyed by Demonized Beasts?


    Perhaps due to it being nightfall, the construction had stopped, but one could still see many large construction machines nearby, which made them look up to Green Shadow once again.


    "It looks like Green Shadow is planning to build a large complex of buildings."


    "Yeah, look, the roads are already laid out, hey wait, it looks like some buildings over there are already completed?"


    They could see the construction was still in the early stages, many buildings only had foundations laid, not yet built, but in the distance, some buildings were brightly lit, occasionally showing survivors going in and out.


    Clearly, they were already operational.


    Following the lights, they approached a bustling building, its storefront neon signs flickering.


    [Night Bar] Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moustache felt intrigued; seeing a bar in Green Shadow was beyond his expectations, and in an instant, his thirst for a drink was provoked, "Yang, Gao, how about we go in for a few drinks?"

 Chapter 189 - 187: The Bartender is the True Profession!

    Surrounding the area was a vast expanse of openness, with only this bar standing alone, its neon lights flickering...


    Under normal circumstances, such an environment would feel desolate; however, the intermittent sounds of conversations imbued the place with a sense of vitality.


    Inside the bar, it was lively. Even at an early hour, more than half of the seats were already occupied, some patrons sipped their drinks quietly while many others talked loudly, venting the stress they had accumulated throughout the day.


    Night Bar had just opened for business yet it was more popular than anyone could have imagined.


    In the apocalypse, there wasn''t much of a nightlife. Previously, some powerful and wealthy Awakeners would choose to go to training camps to vent their frustrations, but they were a minority. Most people had nothing to do after dark.


    ¡ªBefore, survivors could only dream of having enough to eat, and they didn''t have the energy to think about anything else. However, as the Sanctuary had developed, life was different. As the saying goes, a full belly breeds lascivious thoughts, but to engage in such activities, appropriate partners were required.


    Hadn''t anyone noticed that the gender ratio in the Sanctuary was severely skewed?


    Especially the girls, many of whom had joined the Logistics Department and the medical unit¡ªdepartments considered quite desirable as they provided close contact with the Sanctuary''s two goddesses. It was said that during the initial recruitment for the Logistics and medical departments, quite a few guys had desperately tried to get in, but all were unequivocally turned away.


    This led to these departments recruiting only females in the end, leaving them surrounded daily by a bunch of rough men.


    Eventually, they had no choice but to keep working alongside these big, sweaty men, shirtless and dripping with sweat, continuing the grueling work of moving bricks.


    For these survivors, the advent of Night Bar was like a glimmer of hope in the darkness, with drinks priced affordably so most survivors could enjoy them.


    The Awakeners were no exception; sometimes they would gather some alcoholic beverages from the wilderness, stashing them to drink slowly over time. However, drinking alone could never compare to the atmosphere in the bar, where they could chat and brag with others. Some Awakeners of middling strength could even bask in the admiring gazes of ordinary people here.


    Deep down, they felt quite content.


    What really drew in these survivors, however, was the bar''s female owner.


    Standing behind the counter, she swung bottles with one hand while pouring ingredients into a tall glass with the other.


    Her tea-colored hair was tied up in a ponytail at the back of her head, swaying from side to side with her movements, causing her chest to heave enticingly, capturing the gaze of most of the male survivors present.


    Beautiful and graceful, she stood behind the bar acting as the bartender, easily visible to all.


    Just this alone boosted the bar''s revenue by at least thirty percent.


    Nevertheless, these observers dared not look too overtly, resorting to stealing glances from the corners of their eyes, and no one was foolish enough to stand out and harass her. After all, the fact that the bar had been established here before the commercial district was even built, hinted at some unspoken, powerful connections behind the scenes.


    Indeed, this was largely the case.


    Lorraine had been summoned here, and upon discovering that the Territory didn''t even have a bar, she persistently nagged the Lord until he built one for her.


    For this, she had naturally paid a price¡ªshe was already in debt before she even received her salary.


    She was the owner of Night Bar and its chief bartender.


    Making cocktails was her passion.


    "A bartender is my real job; being a sniper is just a side gig!"


    Lorraine demonstrated her impressive bartending skills and pushed a tall glass filled with liquid across the counter, "Xiaoli, here, this drink is for you. It''s a juice; you''ll definitely like it."


    Sitting in front of the bar was a little girl with onion-green hair, her eyes wide as she stared at the juice, shaking her head like a rattle-drum, "Don''t wanna, I wanna drink alcohol!"


    Xiaoli puffed her cheeks, about to push the tall glass back, but then¡­ reaching, reaching, and reaching again.


    She couldn''t touch it!


    Growing even more annoyed, Xiaoli leaned forward in an effort to reduce the distance between her palms and the glass. With one forceful push off with her legs, her body wobbled, nearly causing her to fall.


    Unable to reach the ground, her short legs dangled in the air, her eyes fixed on the glass filled with juice, sensing a full blast of malice emanating from the tall glass.


    "And this woman!"


    She glared at the proprietress.


    Lorraine watched Xiaoli pouting like an angry hamster... No, a bamboo rat, laughing even more joyously. "Minors should just drink juice honestly; it''s for your own good."


    "I''m not squeaking, I''m an adult squeak!"


    ...


    Storm Commander Moustache walked into the bar as if entering another world.


    The Night Bar was exquisitely decorated, instantly giving him the feeling of being back before the apocalypse.


    As soon as he entered, he was also captivated by Lorraine, who was skillfully performing at the bar counter. He couldn''t help but approach the bar, adjusted his collar, and gave what he thought was an elegant smile, "A glass of whiskey."


    Before the apocalypse, he often ordered whiskey at bars. These words slipped out, and after saying them, Moustache''s face turned red as he realized his mistake.


    With the apocalypse ongoing and a severe shortage of food, how many people would be willing to turn their grains into alcohol? In this era, having a glass of any drink was considered good enough. When he was in Heng City, he mostly drank rough barley beer. Now that he was in a sanctuary like Green Shadow, he couldn''t be too picky.


    He quickly corrected himself, "What kind of drinks do you have here? Just give me anything."


    "Anything? Expensive or cheap is okay? You don''t want whiskey anymore?"


    "Anything is fine, wait a second..." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moustache looked at the drink menu handed over by the waiter. The names of the common drinks before the apocalypse were all listed here, and he glanced at the prices on the back. Not expensive¡ªan entire glass of whiskey was less than one Source Crystal, cheap enough that he rubbed his eyes a couple more times.


    However, there were also expensive ones¡ªsome drinks with names he didn''t recognize were quite priced, ranging from tens to even hundreds of Source Crystals per glass, all visible on this menu.


    Strangely, he didn''t feel like it was a bluff, but rather that those drinks inherently possessed high value.


    "Still, um, a glass of whiskey then." Moustache dared not order carelessly anymore.


    The others, following his lead, did not try to order any of the expensive drinks either. They had come to the bar not only to drink but also to probe from the sidelines for information about the Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    Moustache paid with Source Crystals, and after the waiter counted, he handed him a few small papers.


    These small papers were very thin, yet extremely tough, semi-transparent, and only had simple numeric information such as five, ten, twenty...


    "What are these?"


    "This is our sanctuary''s currency, usable for both consumption and trading with other survivors."


    Nearby,


    Xiaoli, who was also sitting at the bar counter, had finally earned herself a glass of margarita after a bit of struggle. She sipped at the rim, savoring it thoroughly.


    Seeing Moustache and his group paying, she quickly pulled out a card engraved with purple stripes from her pocket, "Pay with this squeak, I''m not drinking your alcohol for free, squeak!"


    Lorraine accepted the card without any hesitation, swiped it, and then handed it back.


    Witnessing this, Moustache and his group were even more baffled. "What''s that, does your bar also have a membership card system?"


    They are really doing business!


    The waiter shook his head, "Oh, that''s not it. That''s our sanctuary''s One Card Pass, and not everyone can get one."


    The group: "[?_??]"

 Chapter 190 - 188: Super Ferocious!

    Moustache didn''t forget their main purpose, their gazes constantly sweeping their surroundings.


    He noticed that the number of customers paying with cards was not small. This method of card payment was similar to pre-apocalypse and was even more efficient. After the bar staff took the card, it only took less than two seconds to hand it back.


    Since he couldn''t observe closely, Moustache couldn''t figure out the mechanism behind it. However, even in Heng City Sanctuary, there wasn''t such a complete electronic payment system, not to mention, most Awakeners would rather hold Source Crystals tightly in their hands than charge them into a "virtual" account.


    Here, however, he noticed that survivors who used Source Crystals or translucent banknotes used to look at those cardholders with a tinge of envy in their eyes.


    Moustache tapped his fingers on the translucent banknote, "This banknote is unexpectedly tough, even if I wanted to destroy it, I''d need to use eighty or ninety percent of my strength. And they are very thin; a big stack of them takes up hardly any space at all and has little weight, making it very suitable for carrying."


    Whether it''s cards or banknotes, you could tell they weren''t made carelessly. It would probably be extremely difficult to counterfeit this kind of banknote.


    It represented that Green Shadow had a complete currency system.


    The other two leaders had also seen the clues, and their gazes gradually became grave.


    In their hearts, they had elevated Green Shadow from a small sanctuary with a bit of strength to a level that could compete with big sanctuaries in some aspects. But it didn''t bother them much. After all, the goods they brought from Heng City were selling very well. They could probably unload most of the remaining goods here without the trouble of going elsewhere.


    Moustache and the other two leaders talked in low voices, deciding to find the Sanctuary Commander to discuss things after they finished their drink.


    Minutes went by,


    Half an hour passed,


    An hour later...


    Moustache and his companions'' tabletop was covered with numerous empty glasses; their faces were flushed with the beginnings of drunkenness.


    ''One more drink, just one more drink, and then we''ll do our business!''


    Moustache thought to himself.


    However, he was a man who loved his drink, and since the apocalypse, he had mostly had to settle for inferior alcohol. It had been a long time, and once his thirst was triggered, he couldn''t stop himself at all.


    Besides, the alcohol here was so cheap that not drinking felt like a loss. If he missed this chance today, who knows when would be the next time he could come to Green Shadow.


    Thinking of the ordinary survivors, who could come to the bar every day for drinks and melons, meeting a beauty like the landlady, and then thinking of himself, who had struggled to gain a certain status, he wondered what kind of life he was leading every day?


    If it wasn''t for the sake of his great pursuit, Moustache even had the impulse to stay here.


    The others were even more resolute in their decision to drink to their hearts'' content tonight!


    ...


    Night Bar was getting busier, the booths and scattered tables were nearly filled with customers, and even the bar was packed. The staff had long been too busy, and the landlady herself, no longer playing with her cocktail mixing skills, took to serving drinks, her movements fluent and fast.


    The sound of people''s voices was deafening, and each group discussed what interested them.


    Ordinary survivors huddled together, talking about how many bricks they had carried that day, how much money they had earned, and the strong ones boasted about their prowess in brick-carrying, claiming unparalleled skills.


    Awakeners talked about their experiences in the wilderness, and any time someone claimed to have killed a Demonized Beast of third layer or above, it would draw exclamations from those around. No matter the methods used, the body materials of a high-level Demonized Beast were like extraordinary medals of honor.


    Even more Awakeners were discussing the day''s changes in the adventurer guild; they had a covetous look for the new items released, and those who had recently been promoted to two-star adventurers and exchanged for new equipment or items became the objects of everyone''s respect.


    Those with slightly good relations unabashedly thickened their faces, hoping to borrow and play with the items.


    The few who dawdled every day, hesitating about whether to register with the adventurer guild, were even more regretful.


    If they had known earlier, they wouldn''t have considered going to the Lindong Sanctuary!


    At the bar,


    Moustache and the others listened carefully; they had a purpose, it wasn''t just about the drinking! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, by sitting here a bit longer, they overheard a lot of useful information.


    Moustache thought this as he watched the ripples in his glass.


    "But Puppets? Scrolls? What are those things? Could it be Green Shadow''s special terminology?"


    He didn''t understand; the surrounding noise was too loud to obtain more detailed information. However, for some reason, Moustache felt an uneasy sensation.


    Suddenly, a voice came from the entrance of the bar.


    "What a lousy bar! Not even a single seat available!"


    The voice was loud, nearly deafening.


    Moustache was startled into sobriety, the drunken haze dispersing in an instant. He turned his head and looked towards the door.


    Several Awakeners walked in from the entrance, led by a muscular, big man with sharp eyes and thick eyebrows. The phrase "a pair of bushy eyebrows and large eyes" was quite apt for the big man.


    However, Moustache and the other several people in their party suddenly had their pupils shrink.


    "Damn it, how did Soulfire end up here too? Are they not going to leave us even a little soup to drink?"


    Soulfire Mercenary Corps was ranked second in Heng City Mercenary World.


    Yet even as an eternal second place, they were an undeniably huge force, streets ahead of the top-ranking Storm Mercenary Group that could crush them.


    This was the gap in hard power.


    """


    Therefore, it was out of necessity that they had to leave Lindong to seek another way out. They had already made a decent start in a few small Sanctuaries, and now with Green Shadow being so powerful, who knows, they might be able to take all their goods¡­


    Moustache could never have imagined he''d run into people from the Soulfire here. Even if the team was led only by a deputy of Soulfire, their power was enough to crush the three of them.


    Suddenly, the enjoyment of drinking was gone, his face darkened, looking very unpleasant.


    The bushy-browed big man also recognized them, and looked at them with great interest, bringing with them an indescribable pressure.


    It was not only a pressure of strength but also the pressure brought about by the backing of the Soulfire Mercenary Corps.


    "Who would have thought we''d find you guys here, too bad, Green Shadow has quite the wealth and our Commander has already taken a keen interest in it. Several carts of goods are on their way here, as for you... tsk tsk¡­"


    He shook his head, his gaze sweeping around; seemingly intimidated by his aura, the previously noisy bar suddenly quieted down, even some customers in the corner sipping their drinks in silence stopped.


    Those seated near the door, overwhelmed by this aura, couldn''t help but move away to a farther distance.


    Moustache and his companions gritted their teeth, their faces showing anger.


    They wanted to talk tough, but hesitated and couldn''t speak.


    At that moment, a cold voice came from behind.


    "This is my territory. Don''t interfere with my business!"


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Lorraine slapped the tabletop with a bang; she still had restraint, knowing that if she broke the table, the repair costs would inevitably be deducted from her salary and refrained from smashing it into pieces.


    Yet that slap and her words, in the suddenly quiet Night Bar, were strikingly loud.


    In an instant, many eyes subconsciously shifted from the bushy-browed big man to the beautiful bar owner.


    The bar burst into noise again.


    "Boss lady''s got guts! I almost couldn''t speak just now."


    "Me too, that thick-browed guy, his presence was too overwhelming. I was close just now and felt it most, still shaken by it."


    "Isn''t anyone worried about the boss lady? Those guys don''t look easy to provoke; we should call the Patrol Team over quickly."


    They didn''t dare to speak too loudly.


    Yet their voices still reached the ears of Soulfire''s deputy.


    His thick brows furrowed, and his sharp gaze swept over Moustache and his group, landing on the boss lady, "Stupid woman, don''t¡­"


    Before he could finish, Lorraine behind the bar had already vanished.


    The bushy-browed big man''s pupils trembled, and instinctively raised his hands to guard himself.


    The next second.


    Boom!


    He was sent flying out from the entrance, spinning like a top, crashing dozens of meters away into a pit dug out of the ground.


    Turning into a grey-browed big man.


    "Big brother!"


    "Deputy group leader!"


    The members of Soulfire were shocked, drawing their weapons and guarding against Lorraine, who had appeared at the doorway without them noticing.


    "What''s the matter, looking for a fight? Come on then; I''ll see it through to the end."


    Lorraine stood with her chest puffed out, speaking fiercely, still holding a beer bottle in her hand.


    Feeling overwhelmingly intimidating.


    Super fierce!


    ¡­


    In the distance,


    The bushy-browed big man struggled to get up from the ground, pain washing over his arms like waves, a clear footprint branded on his arm.


    He stared at Lorraine and walked towards her, stopping not far away.


    Covering his arm, his voice still booming, he said, "No, we came to Lindong with friendly intentions, to discuss business with your Sanctuary."


    Yet his words made everyone else''s jaw drop.


    He buckled under pressure so quickly.


    What can you do when you can''t fight back!


    """

 Chapter 191 - 189: Big Business?

    The air suddenly became quiet.


    It seemed a cold wind had blown through, causing everyone to look up in surprise, their eyes shifting from the burly man with thick eyebrows, who looked like a henpecked husband, to the proprietress standing proud and upright. For a moment, their understanding of the world seemed to be turned upside down.


    They lacked the strength.


    But the Soul Fire Deputy Commander was different. Having reached a certain level, in that instant, he perceived a life-threatening danger and understood that if the other had not held back, he would have been at least severely injured by now.


    Even the Commander might not have had such strength.


    He felt that he had no choice but to yield. After all, he couldn''t beat her, and the burly man with the thick eyebrows felt that this multiple-choice question was not difficult.


    Taking advantage of the calm atmosphere, he tentatively said, "I wonder if you could introduce us to the Sanctuary Director. This time, we have brought many goods from Heng City, and I believe that among them, many items would be valuable to your Sanctuary."


    He looked at the bar owner with anticipation. With her strength, she must have a very close relationship with the Sanctuary Director.


    ...


    Lorraine put the bottle aside on the table and nodded in satisfaction.


    She had indeed shocked them with her fearsome demeanor.


    Immediately, she frowned slightly, "A lot of goods? How much exactly?"


    "There are goods amounting to five large trucks on their way, and we have even more if needed: firearms, melee weapons, specialty materials including minerals, plant seeds, and so forth. You could say that we have everything. A transaction like this, if successful, would undoubtedly benefit your Sanctuary," the burly man explained.


    Lorraine rested one hand on her elbow and propped her chin with the other, falling into deep thought.


    She had just been summoned here today and didn''t know much about the Territory, only vaguely remembering something Winnie might have said to her. But that wasn''t important. What mattered was that for such a large transaction, all she needed to do was to find any official from the Logistics Department.


    She had their contact information, which Winnie had given her that day. It was a gadget newly developed by the Equipment Department. As long as they were within a certain range, both parties could communicate with each other. Currently, only a few people in the Territory were equipped with it.


    Introducing them would not be difficult.


    However, under normal circumstances, she would not bother with such a troublesome matter, since bartending was her real job.


    "But after all, I am a follower, and I have signed an indenture contract. With all the debts I had accrued and no other options left, repaying them was out of the question. I could only flee, and now I''ve signed a contract and come to another world¡ªthose creditors must be dumbfounded..."


    "But the contract also states that as a follower, I have a duty to do things for the Lord, to make contributions to the Territory. The Lord had asked me to be a sniper instructor, and I refused. Now, as a follower, if I ignore matters related to the Territory, that wouldn''t be good. If the Lord becomes angry and decides to use the contract to punish..."


    Lorraine shook her head repeatedly, quickly dismissing those unpleasant scenarios from her mind.


    She ruefully realized that even though she borrowed money on her own merits, she had to pay it back when faced with the Lord.


    Suddenly, she nodded, "So be it, I can contact the relevant person in charge for you."


    ...


    ...


    A cold wind blew.


    Moustache and several others squatted near the bar, listlessly drawing circles in the sand with their fingers.


    His gaze occasionally drifted towards Soul Fire and the others, his mind somewhat befuddled.


    "Things have changed too quickly!"


    After Soul Fire put forth a trade proposal, the other three parties did not want to be left behind. And the humbled Soul Fire no longer dared to intimidate with power.


    In other words, both sides now had the opportunity to trade with the Green Shadow.


    Moustache exchanged a knowing glance with the other two leaders and silently nodded.


    "Good, as long as it''s a fair competition, we are not necessarily going to lose to Soul Fire."


    Even though all the goods were brought from Heng City, the merchandise each group chose to carry was bound to be different. Previously, when they sold items in Lindong, they were always subject to the exclusion and oppression of the big powers, with pitiful sales volumes. But now, they still had a chance.


    It all depended on whose goods were favored by Green Shadow more!


    Time ticked away minute by minute, and the crowd squatting outside the Night Bar looked around, waiting for the person in charge to appear.


    They were helpless, too, as the landlady had promised to attend to their request and then told them to wait outside the bar for someone to come.


    The commercial district had only just begun to be built and was quite desolate all around, pitch-black, except for Night Bar not far away, which was brightly lit, with the intermingling sounds of music and raucous noise coming from inside.


    On one side, there was great excitement.


    On the other side, there was cold and lonely solitude.


    Moustache and the others couldn''t help feeling as if they had been abandoned.


    They had no idea when the person in charge would arrive, and they didn''t have the guts to go back in and ask the landlady.


    Moustache thought about his previously restrained behavior and felt relieved. If he had gotten carried away and harassed the landlady, he might have really ended up settling in Green Shadow for good, in the kind that lives on top of a grave.


    "Did I hear you have a big business deal to discuss?"


    "Yes!"


    "That''s us!"


    People from both sides hurried to answer first, fearing that if they were a step slower, the opportunity would be snatched away by the others.


    That''s when Moustache finally got a good look at the newcomer¡ªa young woman wearing black-rimmed glasses, dressed in a formal suit and stockings, just like a corporate office worker from before the apocalypse.


    However, she was just an ordinary person.


    Whether it was Moustache or the people from Soul Fire, a flash of displeasure crossed their eyes.


    It was one thing not to meet the Sanctuary Director, but now, was Green Shadow really sending just an ordinary person to deal with them?


    Despite these thoughts, neither party showed it outwardly.


    If there was only one seller, they might have already let their dissatisfaction erupt. But now, it was a buyer''s market! Green Shadow had the right to choose to trade with any party!


    Moustache and his group, being the weaker side, dared not act rashly and could only speak the words they had prepared.


    He took the initiative, opened up a booklet that recorded their goods, and handed it to her, "Let me start by introducing some special items, like this one." He pointed to the most prominent weapon on the opened first page.


    "This is a new type of Rocket Launcher developed by the Heng City Military, coupled with armor-piercing rockets. It''s accurate against those large-bodied, thick-skinned Demonized Beasts, and the killing power is formidable. Even when facing a Fourth Layer Awakened Demonized Beast, it can inflict significant damage."


    "And this, a shield specifically designed to block attacks from Demonized Beasts, which is incredibly tough thanks to the addition of special materials. Even a Third Layer Awakened Demonized Beast would find it not so easy to destroy."


    "And these, these, and these¡­"


    Moustache went on calmly, quite pleased to have gotten ahead of those from Soul Fire.


    The concept of primacy could be terrifying. As long as their signature goods left a strong impression on the Green Shadow''s person in charge, maybe by the time it came to business, Soul Fire wouldn''t matter anymore.


    He curled the corners of his mouth upwards and quietly waited for a change in expression from the professional woman.


    (The next chapter follows.) S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 192 - 190: You Might Have Misunderstood Something

    However, five seconds passed, then ten seconds passed.


    The other party looked at the pamphlet, but their expression didn''t change at all.


    Could it be that they didn''t understand? But that seemed unlikely. Green Shadow was a small Sanctuary, not a barbaric tribe that knew nothing.


    He was planning to say something else.


    A deputy commander of the Soulfire stepped forward, raising his voice, "Why not take a look at our Soulfire goods? As one of the top forces in the Heng City Mercenary World, we''re not comparable to the common items that the Storm Mercenary Group offers. The goods we brought are of higher value."


    His team was more professional, with members responsible for the transactions. They handed the goods list directly to the Green Shadow''s person in charge. Without even checking, they presented the items very systematically.


    Firearms, cold weapons, and even some banned items from the military were brought over by the Soulfire Mercenaries.


    Moustache looked displeased, as did the others.


    They had thought that if the competition were fair, they might not lose to the other party. However, now it seemed that in terms of both quality and quantity, Soulfire was streets ahead of them.


    They had lost, completely lost.


    Moustache thought, deeply dejected.


    Both sides had finished talking.


    The person in charge of Green Shadow adjusted his glasses and finally spoke, "Is that all? Nothing else?"


    "Huh?"


    Someone was stunned.


    The deputy commander of Soulfire looked displeased, "Isn''t that already a lot of goods? It''s not likely that Green Shadow can take all of it."


    The person in charge shook his head, "No, in terms of quantity, you do have a lot. Unfortunately, the majority of the items you brought are not needed by Green Shadow."


    "No demand? That''s impossible! These equipment, these weapons, although they may not compare to Lindong''s rune-equipped gear, still have their unique aspects. Our outlets in Lindong have sold quite a lot. How can you say you have no need for them?"


    The burly man with bushy eyebrows raised his voice louder, making the air buzz.


    The officials from the Logistics Department, ordinary humans, felt a bit uncomfortable in their eardrums, but their expressions remained indifferent... It seemed as if after having been in contact with Eileen for so long, they too had gradually developed a cold demeanor and behaved very calmly.


    After the burly man finished speaking, she slowly said, "I think you might have some misunderstandings about Green Shadow."


    "Misunderstandings???"


    "How about this, let me give you a tour of the weapons and equipment we sell to outsiders, and then you can decide."


    ...


    ...


    A few minutes later, they entered a villa district and arrived at a three-story building.


    On the way, they learned more about Green Shadow.


    A large agricultural area full of crops lay under the hillside, and further up the hill, one could see some villa estates.


    The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers, a cool breeze was blowing, stars hung overhead, and no growls from Demonized Beasts were heard.


    This place seemed like a paradise.


    Yet it didn''t dispel their doubts.


    "We''re here."


    Green Shadow Supermarket is also one of the few places in the Sanctuary that is lit up twenty-four hours a day. The Logistics Department officer strode into the equipment area.


    Moustache and the others followed, first encountering various firearms.


    "These are just ordinary firearms, fine for dealing with humans, but not as good as our specially made firearms for fighting Demonized Beasts."


    "Don''t rush, our supermarket is pretty big. You can look around first and then decide."


    The group followed closely, and indeed, the supermarket was vast and bustling with customers, no less lively than a bar.


    Even the leader guiding them seemed a bit confused.


    It seems...the Equipment Supermarket never had this many customers before?


    ...


    A number of capable Lindong Mercenaries, under the cover of night and after several twists and turns, finally reached Green Shadow.


    After some inquiries, they headed straight for Green Shadow Supermarket.


    Many held drinks in their hands, gulping them down voraciously. Others roamed the supermarket while munching on bread and dried meat, turning the entire supermarket atmosphere suddenly bizarre.


    Who can blame them? After a day''s hard work and tension, relaxing released a flood of exhaustion, and their bodies involuntarily sent out signals named "hunger and thirst" ¨C in the literal sense.


    Most people first went to the other side of the living area, bought a bunch of food and drinks, and looked blissful, whether because the food tasted great or the equipment opened their eyes.


    With so many Lindong Mercenaries flooding in, the local adventurers of Green Shadow were even more surprised.


    They realized that competition would be even fiercer in the future. Some of the adventurers who had advanced to two stars and had been proud of themselves felt a sudden sense of defeat.


    It was like everyone was small fish and shrimp and, after some effort, they had finally become medium-sized fish ready to make their mark. Then suddenly, a bunch of sharks swarmed in, heading straight for the equipment and tools.


    Some wanted to establish a united front, but adventurers are seldom united, not to mention that this first batch from Lindong was seen as experts in their eyes, and many had already started to curry favor.


    "Dragon Slayer Commander, I''m telling you, this ''Swift Revolver'' is seriously impressive. They say that just holding this gun can increase your speed, especially when drawing it, fast like lightning! The special bullets for this revolver also have incredible penetration power. If you switch them for even higher grade rune bullets, that''s truly exceptional. The usual Fourth or Fifth Layer Demonized Beasts won''t stand a chance."


    "Standard Longsword... oh, over in Lindong we call it the Demon-slaying Longsword, and its power needs no explaining. But let me tell you, the Demon-slaying Longsword here in Green Shadow is just the most basic weapon. There are Enhanced Model One and Model Two versions. And rumor has it..."


    The speaker lowered their voice mysteriously.


    "Rumor has it that Green Shadow has even more advanced gear, like Chasing Wind Series Longswords, Cloud-breaking Series Battle Blades, but unfortunately those are only exchangeable by three-star adventurers or adventure groups. No one has really seen the power of those weapons, maybe only the Patrol Team members have."


    Scenes like this could be seen occasionally in the equipment area.


    These adventurers wanted to cling to the coattails of the mighty and confidently answered all questions, transforming into salespeople, even more diligent than the supermarket staff.


    After all, many of them had witnessed these equipment firsthand, and their explanations were much more detailed than those of the ordinary staff.


    Moustache, as well as others, including Soulfire, gaped at this scene.


    Handgun bullets can penetrate Fourth or Fifth Layer Demonized Beasts?


    Lindong''s rune longswords are the lowest grade here?


    Are you kidding me?


    Especially those Awakeners who talked up the equipment, making them feel as if¡­ were these guys hired by the supermarket?


    The kind that vigorously pushes positive reviews.


    How could such cheap tricks fool them!


    sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 193 - 191 Not Just Sharp

    Moustache believed that these mercenaries from Lindong definitely couldn''t be trusted.


    However, in the next moment, the man with a hook nose said, "Oh, apart from using points at the adventurer guild, is there another way?" S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moustache: "???"


    Are you that easily convinced? Dude, you''re literally an Awakener of the Fifth Tier!


    Where''s the wisdom of a master? The pride of a master?


    "It''s not just that. I''ve heard that if you join the Patrol Team, you get a full set of standard equipment and if you want to buy higher-level equipment, as a team member, you get it at a discounted price."


    "Moreover, perhaps some adventurers sell the equipment they''ve exchanged at high prices, but now even two-star adventurers are rare. The quota for exchanging equipment and supplies is limited, and most can''t even satisfy their own teams, let alone sell externally; there''s hardly anyone who''d do that."


    Dragon Slayer Chen Sheng sighed in disappointment, and he called over a staff member, "Anyway, bring me three Demon-slaying Standard Longswords, five Standard Battle Sabers, and eight Combat Uniforms, eight Standard Firearms; here are the Source Crystals¡­"


    He opened his backpack, revealing sparkling white crystals inside, and then handed over the entire backpack, letting the staff count them without even frowning.


    He seemed very lavish.


    However, Moustache couldn''t help but step forward, "Bro, have you tried any of these weapons?"


    Chen Sheng shook his head.


    Moustache raised his voice, in a tone of sheer frustration, "You bought them without trying? And bought this many! Aren''t you worried they might all be fake?"


    "Why would they be fake?"


    "These weapons have been praised to the skies; how could they possibly be real!"


    "If they were fake, why would I even be here?"


    Chen Sheng remained calm.


    Moustache became frustrated.


    The two were simply not on the same wavelength.


    After a while, Moustache stopped his spitting rant and didn''t speak anymore.


    Suddenly, it seemed he understood something; considering Green Shadow''s strength, perhaps this hook-nosed man was also a hired gun.


    It must be so!


    But thinking of others in the equipment area, also high-tier experts like Chen Sheng, could it be¡­ has the standard for hired guns gotten this high?


    What was he doing in business? He might as well change careers and become a hired gun!


    He hesitated for a moment again.


    Standing there, he fell into deep thought.


    Just then, an officer from the Logistics Department came forward, suggesting, "There''s a new weapon testing area that just opened behind the supermarket; you folks might want to take a look, and then you''ll know if they are real."


    This suggestion struck a chord in Moustache; his eyes lit up, and he stroked his spiky mustache, "Good, let''s go take a look!"


    The group, led by the staff, headed toward the third level of the equipment area.


    Chen Sheng and others followed closely as well.


    The Green Shadow adventurer, ready to latch onto Chen Sheng, was full of confusion. Since when had a testing area been set up here?


    This put him at a disadvantage; he couldn''t even do a proper demonstration, how was he supposed to latch on?


    The adventurer drooped his head but quickly caught up.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Level three was very spacious, only a few weapon racks here and there, displaying various weapons.


    There were cold weapons and firearms.


    This area was roughly divided into two sections; one side was a target range, and the other was an open area for customers to test freely, the silver-gray metallic floor and walls looked very durable and not easily damaged.


    When Moustache and others arrived, the place was already full of Awakeners.


    They held some advanced weapons carefully or swung them vigorously, like they''d been given their most beloved toys.


    "Since each weapon here is unique, if the weapon you intend to try is already in use by someone, you need to register and wait in line. May I know which weapon you need to try?"


    Moustache was about to speak, but he hesitated.


    Which one?


    He was already skeptical about these pieces of equipment and hadn''t seriously looked into what equipment were available; he couldn''t name even one.


    To expose an impostor, one must first understand the details of the matter.


    Now, things were awkward.


    Chen Sheng was different; he had learnt much about the equipment here. He promptly stepped forward, "Do you have a Cloud Breaking Battle Blade? If not, any other type of battle saber will do."


    "The Cloud Breaking Battle Blade is currently being tested by someone else, but just now, the Equipment Department delivered a new piece of equipment named the Fiery Flame Saber. Would you like to give it a try?"


    "The Fiery Flame Saber..." Chen Sheng pondered briefly and then agreed.


    He was adept with sabers; the Standard Battle Saber he had just purchased had greatly pleased him as it was of the same caliber as the Demon-slaying Longsword. However, it was rumored to be the lowest level of equipment, which only made Chen Sheng more eager to see Green Shadow''s other weapons.


    The staff member didn''t bring the weapon over but led Chen Sheng to the stand where the Fiery Flame Saber was kept. After all, this equipment was meant for high-level Awakeners and was not light. The staff member, being just an ordinary person, couldn''t lift such equipment.


    "This is the Fiery Flame Saber. You can test it now, but the trial period must not exceed ten minutes."


    Chen Sheng tried lifting the saber; it was very comfortable in his hands.


    The blade shone brightly, its luster punctuated by red patterns that were mysterious and magnificent.


    He raised his arm, and with a gentle slash, the blade cleaved the air, leaving a white mark behind.


    That was just a casual stroke and wasn''t even a forceful one.


    Chen Sheng nodded. With his keen eyes, he could see that the Fiery Flame Saber was exceptionally sharp, far surpassing the Demon-slaying Longsword by more than one level.


    But he wanted to conduct an even more rigorous test.


    He went to a corner on the third floor where heaps of Demonized Beasts'' materials were loosely piled, their pungent smell assaulting the nostrils upon entry.


    These were provided for customers to test the weapons. Chen Sheng picked up a palm-sized scale, squeezing it with his hand.


    "This scale is from an Eighth Layer Demonized Beast."


    Chen Sheng affirmed.


    Moustache''s gaze intensified.


    He had seen such a scale on a creature resembling a pangolin, a type of Demonized Beast whose strength varied from the Fifth Tier of Awakening to the Eighth Layer. They could drill through the ground. They had encountered such creatures on their way and had suffered significant losses.


    It was undoubtedly a scale from a high-level Demonized beast.


    With an indeterminate frame of mind, they waited for the moustached man''s next move.


    Then,


    As Chen Sheng held the scale up to chest height and let go, in that instant...


    Chen Sheng moved, his right hand holding the saber swinging upward in a diagonal slash, like a bolt of lightning that ripped through the air, producing a sharp whooshing sound.


    Whoosh~


    Clang.


    The blade fell, and Chen Sheng appeared as if he had never moved, yet the palm-sized scale had split into two halves that fell to the ground.


    The cut was smooth and even.


    Moustache and the others, also experts, had clearly seen Chen Sheng''s movement. In that instant, the tough scale seemed like a piece of brittle wood, effortlessly cut in half.


    Truly terrifying!


    ...


    Yet, Chen Sheng did not look at the scale pieces on the ground. His eyes were tightly shut, and his brow slightly furrowed.


    "Something is not right; I haven''t been able to bring out the full power of this saber!"


    He stood there, like a statue, and after several minutes, suddenly, his eyes snapped open.


    He raised the Fiery Flame Saber horizontally in front of his chest, gripping it tightly with both hands.


    His expression grew even more earnest and focused. He did not take any materials but aimed at the air and brought the saber down with a slash.


    A white mark remained in the air, and the piercing sound of the air being split rang in everyone''s ears.


    All the onlookers, regardless of their initial indifference, were captivated, their gaze fixed unwaveringly on the Fiery Flame Saber in Chen Sheng''s hands.


    On the saber,


    An orange blaze erupted, casting their faces in a reddish glow.


    It was as if a blinding red light emanated from the blade itself.


    The air twisted around it, a wave of searing heat rolling over them.


    Not just Moustache and his colleagues, but even other Awakeners testing weapons in the vicinity were taken aback and turned to look!

 Chapter 194 - 192 Suitable for Traveling

    This wave of scorching heat spread out, and the temperature on the entire third floor suddenly rose by several degrees. The workers close by couldn''t bear it and kept backing away.


    The Awakeners remained, but they were still, shocked, and¡­ stared at the flames wrapped around the blade.


    They had all seen flames before, and since the apocalypse, some had even Awakened the ability to control flames. However, flames attached to this blade were completely different! Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A weapon, no matter how sharp, was just a matter of material and technology. Even if it was a rune weapon, with the addition of a rune to make it sharper and more advanced, that''s how they saw it.


    But now, the blade emitting flames had elevated from a physical attack to a magic attack.


    Even ability users of the Flame Series couldn''t make flames attach to a weapon. Doing so would just melt the weapon. To have flames attached like this might be common in movies and games, but in reality, it was unprecedented.


    The coolness factor was on another level!


    They didn''t know that this weapon was etched with a "Basic Flame Attachment" rune. The level of the rune wasn''t much higher than a Basic Sharp Rune, but its exchange price at the adventurer guild was much higher.


    This was specially crafted by Tang Yu, who had instructed Kevin to do so. The purpose, naturally, was to attract those mercenaries from Lindong.


    ¡­


    Chen Sheng examined the Fiery Flame Saber carefully, slowly bringing his other hand closer to feel the intense heat.


    "My weak point is my single attack ability. If I can get this saber, it will greatly compensate for this weakness."


    Awakeners of his level often possessed Special Abilities. Although varied, the presence of these abilities made their attacks more elusive and diversified, and most crucial, capable of harming certain unique monsters.


    If he had owned the Fiery Flame Saber back then in Maple Leaf Town, he wouldn''t have been chased away by a few not-so-strong Ghostly Souls.


    Ten minutes flew by in an instant.


    Reluctantly, Chen Sheng placed the saber back on the weapon rack. He turned to look at the accompanying adventurer, whose name he couldn''t quite remember, and paused, "How many tasks do I need to complete to advance from a one-star adventurer to a three-star adventurer?"


    He hadn''t planned on staying in Green Shadow for too long, his roots were still in Lindong, but now...


    The adventurer pondered and said, "Most task rewards score between 10 and 100 points, a few between 100 and 200, or there are extra rewards for high completion levels. The guild also has some challenging tasks, but there are star-level requirements for those."


    Chen Sheng furrowed his brows, "That''s too time-consuming, and not all tasks can be completed quickly, right?"


    "Right¡­ oh wait, there''s another way to quickly advance in star level." The man slapped his forehead, annoyed that he had forgotten such crucial information, "The adventurer guild has an infinite number of gathering tasks including collecting herbs, minerals, and Source Crystals. That means, with enough Source Crystals, you can quickly raise your star level to two-star."


    "As for three-star¡­ that requires completing a promotion task, and since no one in the Sanctuary has reached full two-star points, we can''t take a promotion task and there''s no information on that yet."


    Chen Sheng''s brow finally relaxed.


    "Source Crystals, whatever it is, as long as it saves time..."


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Moustache and Soul Fire among others also applied for weapon use.


    Firing range.


    Bang bang bang bang bang¡ª


    Moustache held tightly with both hands, his index finger on the trigger of the revolver, continuously pulling.


    "Incredible, your average score is more than nine rings, when did you get so good?" Leader Yang praised.


    But Moustache looked at his hands with skepticism, "It must be an extraordinary performance, no¡­ wait, didn''t the worker just mention that this Swift Revolver, apart from its extremely fast rate of fire, also enhances accuracy?"


    Not only that, the scales of the Demonized Beasts hung on the targets were clearly penetrated by the bullets.


    This is really...


    They tried other weapons as well, without exception, "These equipments, all, all..."


    "All too powerful, too perfect. The equipment we brought doesn''t stand a chance in comparison."


    Lindong''s rune equipments were primarily supplied first to the military Awakeners, and they still had the opportunity to sell to ordinary mercenaries. However, here in Green Shadow, the advanced equipments were outright being dismissed. What could they do? They were also extremely desperate!


    "If only we hadn''t come to Green Shadow, we should have just sold our goods to other Sanctuaries..." Moustache muttered resentfully and then suddenly paused, "Wait, no, although we can''t sell our goods, these weapons from Green Shadow are very precious. If we can take these weapons back to Heng City to sell..."


    As soon as this thought emerged, various ideas began to pop up, "I think it''s feasible, and using some of the weapons to arm our own Mercenary Corps would also greatly enhance our strength. By then..." He glanced at the people from Soul Fire nearby and lowered his voice, "By then, the gap between us and the major powers would be significantly reduced. Even if Soul Fire has also purchased equipments here, there are other powers. As long as we make good use of this batch of advanced weapons, exchanging them for resources or conditions, we might have the chance to become a major power."


    He spoke excitedly. However, thinking of the large batch of unsold goods still, his head drooped again.


    Even if he visited other small Sanctuaries, he wasn''t sure that this batch of goods would definitely sell.


    The Logistics Department officer, a young woman wearing professional attire and black-framed glasses, unknowingly approached.


    The woman slightly lifted her glasses, "Now you understand why we in Green Shadow have no need for these equipments."


    "However," she paused and then continued, "After all, you''ve come all the way from Heng City, which wasn''t easy. For some scattered materials, I''ve asked my superiors and can consider purchasing some. You won''t lose money on the price, and you can save the trouble of transporting them back. This way, you can at least make up for some of your losses."


    Moustache and the other two leaders exchanged glances and eventually nodded slowly.


    "Then, may you have a pleasant transaction."


    The young woman slightly bowed her head, her glasses reflecting a silver light as she looked at Moustache and the others, her lips subtly curving up.


    This was a transaction that both parties were very pleased with.


    ...


    ...


    The next morning, Tang Yu stretched and climbed out of the soft, comfortable bed.


    "Such a big bed for just one person, what a pity, no, this is called extravagance..."


    He murmured as if in a dream.


    Many strong Awakeners had come to his territory, yet Lord Tang''s life continued as usual. He walked into the bathroom to wash up and then changed into a regular Combat Uniform.


    As for that ostentatious War Armor, of course, he would wear it when needed.


    He grabbed some freshly baked strip-shaped bread from the kitchen, munching on it while pondering.


    "Heng City and Lindong are hundreds of kilometers apart, yet they braved the difficulties to come here?"


    Grey Blade had already rushed back to Lindong overnight, bringing along those who were left at the entrance of the Secret Realm, and he also passed on the news that the convoy from Heng City was large-scale, even after nearly half of the people had died.


    "It seems the people from Heng City came to Lindong for a very important matter," Tang Yu tapped his fingers on the desk, "It''s a pity that the heads of the various powers in the convoy are also unclear about the specific reasons."


    Never mind.


    Tang Yu smiled and shook his head.


    Today was the day he had decided to head to Luoxia; he even checked the calendar, which indicated ''auspicious for travel.''


    Hopefully, the return journey would go smoothly.


    Tang Yu sent a text message to Luo Zhe via Contract.


    "Come to my office."

 Chapter 195 - 193: Other Aspects are Quite Good

    Luo Zhe always moved quickly, and when he arrived at the office, he wore a set of ordinary, loose sportswear¡ªmade from advanced animal and plant fibers.


    It couldn''t be considered defensive, but at least it ensured that the clothing wouldn''t tear apart easily with vigorous movements.


    This was daily wear produced by the workshop, a privilege only for the high-ranking officials of the Sanctuary.


    Wearing sportswear, Luo Zhe appeared, his mind filled with images of tightly knotted muscle lines, and Tang Yu looked down at himself, though he had also developed some muscles, but... it''s better left unsaid.


    He cleared his throat, "I''ve called you here because I''m planning a long trip, the duration is hard to estimate, but it will be longer than the previous ones¡­ I will take most of the top combat power with me, leaving Tylon, Kong, and Lorraine here with you to defend the territory."


    Tang Yu lightly tapped his forehead, then remembered something, "Oh yes, during this period, a lot of Lindong Mercenaries will be coming over, including many Fourth or Fifth Layer Awakeners, so there will be considerable pressure on the defense. Pay more attention."


    Luo Zhe nodded solemnly and gravely, "Lord, rest assured, as long as I am here, I will ensure the safety of the territory."


    Tang Yu discussed with Luo Zhe while holding the map, marking it with several small red circles.


    Before going on the long trip, he planned to arrange the defensive line properly.


    These small red circles were the places where he intended to set up Arrow Towers and other defensive structures. Except for the lack of sufficient stone materials to build a large-scale wall, the arrangement of these defensive buildings, combining close and distant deployment with individual long-range support, had already formed a quite perfect defense line.


    Even if a Demon Tide attacked, it would be stopped right before the Sanctuary''s Gate, unable to reach the business district by even half a step.


    A safe environment is the prerequisite for prosperity.


    After putting away the map, Tang Yu opened a drawer and took out a small crystal bottle with a capacity of about 20 milliliters, "Take this, consume it after meals, it might be of some help to you."


    The liquid inside the crystal bottle swayed, a lush green color. Even though it was completely sealed, one could still feel the rich life force emanating from it if they got close.


    "What is this?"


    "A potion that can gradually improve one''s talents from the most minute parts of the body. After taking it, the effects will manifest within five to nine days."


    Luo Zhe''s hand, reaching out, paused mid-air, his eyes reflecting many thoughts as he looked at the plain-looking potion.


    He didn''t take it, "It''s too precious, I¡ª"


    Tang Yu smiled and shook his head, "This potion is best suited for you. Don''t tell me you don''t desire it. Besides, it''s not free; it will be deducted from your future salary. No need for formalities."


    Luo Zhe was taken aback.


    He trembled as he took the potion, holding it carefully in both hands.


    Suddenly, he knelt on one knee, clenched his right fist to his chest, "I swear to serve the Lord with my life."


    ¡­


    As Luo Zhe left, Tang Yu shook his head with a rueful smile.


    He wasn''t one to stir up emotions, but Luo Zhe''s actions deeply moved him.


    It was the responsibility weighing on his shoulders. Since he had summoned his followers from a distant world to this place, he had to be responsible for each of them.


    Even though this potion, which could elevate someone from Level C to Level B talent, had cost him 50,000 Source Crystals, far more expensive than summoning a Level B talent follower.


    Even though he mentioned the price to Luo Zhe was only 10,000 Source Crystals.


    Yet, he felt no pain about the expense.


    On the contrary, he felt relieved.


    An hour later,


    After setting up various types of defensive structures, a small convoy silently drove out from a side gate of the vacation villa.


    These camouflaged Floating Chariots, which looked somewhat similar to ordinary vehicles when their weapon systems were off and not floating,


    But only somewhat similar¡ªthe streamlined bodies and shiny silver shells made them look like fighter jets among sports cars.


    The Floating Chariots sped through the wilderness at an extremely fast speed, and in the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the horizon.


    He brought a total of nine followers this time: Eileen, who had reached the first tier; Winnie, the chief nurse; Shay, the explosion maniac; Xiaoli, the Illusionist; the Astrologer Girl Ling Yue and her sisters; and the Carmen Three Brothers. On top of those, there were two Super Puppet warriors seized from Zuofo. In terms of combat power, this small-scale convoy was off the charts and unbeatable unless they met a Transcendent opponent¡­ Yeah, right.


    Lord Tang still played it safe. If I could escape using my abilities, why stay behind?


    With so many high-ranking officials of the Territory leaving, the Sanctuary still operated as usual.


    When the doors of the adventurer guild opened in the early morning, a great number of Awakeners flooded in, especially those unregistered adventurers from Lindong, who were filled with anticipation. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Construction work was also progressing vigorously.


    People hadn''t even realized that a large number of high-ranking officials from the Sanctuary had left.


    ¡ªThis was the benefit of Lord Tang''s usual laziness¡­ rarely appearing before the survivors, even when he left the Sanctuary, the news could be kept secret for a long time.


    Lord Tang eventually praised himself for his hindsight.


    ...


    ...


    In the unfinished commercial district, in the eastern area which was a vast empty space, without any foundation excavation work being carried out.


    This was the free trading market, where survivors would set up their stalls in the future¡­ and now as well.


    The business of He Qingqing''s clothing stall was located here.


    At this moment, Moustache and others had also applied for a stall, with a sign erected in front, and a large tarp spread out behind displaying some samples.


    Soul Fire had bought a batch of equipment and had already transported it back to Lindong.


    Their three families were in a tough spot, their base was here, yet their goods hadn''t sold. Some of the materials were sold to Green Shadow, and the rest, they planned to go all out by sending some members with goods to other small Sanctuaries. Those like Moustache hoped to sell the equipment to average Awakeners.


    "Commander, do you think we can sell these?" a member squatted on the ground, eagerly watching the passing survivors.


    "We should be able to," Moustache sounded uncertain, pausing briefly before inhaling deeply, "We definitely can!"


    According to an officer from the Logistics Department, many Awakeners in the Sanctuary still used homemade weapons. Their equipment¡­ might have a chance to sell.


    He extended his fingers to analyze, "Think about it, our equipment, apart from not being sharp enough, lacking toughness, significantly inferior hardness, unable to add special abilities like fire, nor can it enhance the holder''s hand speed or shooting accuracy... Aside from these, everything else is pretty okay!"


    Mercenary Corps members widened their eyes, staring blankly at him with an inexplicable glow.


    Feeling their gaze, Moustache got frustrated, "For example, at least our equipment is cheaper than Green Shadow''s! Yes, we might not match their quality, but we have a price advantage! If we just discount our gear and offer some promotions, they''ll sell out quickly... Yes, quickly..."


    As the morning sun rose higher, the dawn chased away the darkness, revealing more and more survivors within sight.


    There were significantly more stalls around, selling less specialized items, mostly miscellaneous debris that survivors had picked up from wild places, but you never know, they might catch someone''s eye.


    "Look, compared to us, they have no competitive edge," Moustache declared.


    Several Awakeners walked towards his direction, and Moustache''s eyes lit up.


    They drew closer, clearly heading their way.


    Moustache curved his lips slightly, ready to step forward.


    They walked past him, stopping at He Qingqing''s stall instead.


    Moustache stood frozen, his eyeballs unconsciously following the figures slowly shifting from the center to the side.


    Carried by the breeze, some faint voices gradually entered his ears.


    "These clothes are nice, you can say they''re exquisite, which is rare in the apocalypse."


    "Yeah, and most importantly, they''re cheap. Look at that stall over there, selling ordinary equipment so expensively, how could they possibly get any business. Even if it''s cheaper than Green Shadow''s equipment, but thinking about how much lower the quality is, what''s the point in being slightly cheaper?"


    "Maybe those people are really strong and just trying to experience life."


    Moustache: "¡­"


    He was utterly petrified.

 Chapter 196 - 194: Breaking the Limit

    The Green Shadow Sanctuary had been bustling for the past few days, with Awakeners continuously arriving from other places.


    Members of the Patrol Team, dressed in black Combat Uniforms, were dispersed at various corners of the Sanctuary, eyes vigilant, watching every Awakener that passed by, particularly the more powerful ones, who warranted extra caution.


    Over this period, Luo Zhe had trained them day and night, extracting each person''s potential. The Patrol Team members made rapid progress in their skills, and many had broken through to the third layer of Awakening; their combat power was at least one level higher than those of the same tier.


    In addition to the cold weapons they wore at their waists, they also carried a long, rifle-like firearm on their backs. This was a standardized rune rifle, newly developed by the Equipment Department, renowned for its penetration capabilities. Even when faced with a troublemaker who had broken through to the sixth layer of Awakening, the Patrol Team members could take down such high-level experts with their equipment and skilled cooperation.


    At the entrance to the vacation resort, the registration desk, affiliated with the Municipal Department, was so busy that the staff hardly had a chance to catch their breath, yet observant individuals noticed that Wang Zhou, the person in charge of the registration desk, was nowhere to be found.


    Could that guy be slacking off?


    Patrol Team members stationed around pondered Wang Zhou''s plump face and felt the possibility was quite high.


    "Could Wang Zhou and his group really be slacking off?"


    "Huh?" A registrar, busy to the point of dizziness, looked up, "Old Wang¡­ I mean Brother Wang, just saw him with a flushed face, looking very uncomfortable, and he said, what did he say¡­ he''s about to make a breakthrough."


    "A breakthrough?!!"


    Wang Zhou''s face was so red it seemed as if he urgently needed the restroom, but all stalls were occupied.


    It was a rather embarrassing situation.


    And he was exactly in that position.


    As the first guinea pig, a common man attempting to become an Awakener, Director Tang had provided him with plenty of materials, of course, at a cost.


    Wang Zhou clearly remembered those words.


    "If you can break through within three days, all potion materials will be fully reimbursed. If it''s within five days, you''ll pay only ten percent of all expenses. If within a week, twenty percent, but if it goes beyond a month, you will pay the full amount."


    The full amount...


    Thinking of the Body Tempering Liquids he had used, along with some supplementary materials, and the official internal prices of those potion ingredients, although cheaper than what the Adventurer''s Guild offered, it was still an astronomical number for him.


    "With my salary, if I have to pay the full amount, that would take..."


    His limited mathematical knowledge couldn''t calculate whether it would take months or years, but Wang Zhou understood one thing, if he incurred massive debt, while others dined on boiled fish, Kung Pao chicken, salt and pepper ribs, hot and spicy soup, sour and spicy noodles, and sizzling steak, he would have to settle for watery porridge with vegetables.


    Actually, watery porridge with vegetables isn''t bad... Half a month ago, he couldn''t even afford vegetables, but often, the pain doesn''t stem from one''s own hardship but how well others live in comparison, making it particularly heartbreaking.


    Wang Zhou, looking mournful, quickly tried to shake off these negative thoughts.


    The first three-day deadline had already passed, and now the second deadline was looming.


    To avoid being buried in debt, Wang Zhou seized every opportunity to train at the camp, even putting his belly on the line. Now, whenever he saw anything resembling a black circular target, he couldn''t help but throw a punch at it. Walking on the street, he felt as if he was floating, an effect of spending too much time in the Gravity Room.


    Reflecting on his experiences these past days, his pupils still showed a hint of fear.


    He remembered bragging that to become strong, one must perform 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and as many pull-ups daily¡­ but he had done far more than a hundred! Think about the times he had to squat in the restroom, the inertia made his legs involuntarily push him back up.


    He almost went mad!


    "Fortunately, I''m about to break through. Those nightmarish days will soon be behind me. Once I succeed, I must find Director Tang to report my achievement and have a great meal..."


    "Just one more step now, to break through that bottleneck."


    He had used Body Tempering Liquid, auxiliary materials, and even practiced a Cultivation Skill provided by Director Tang, gradually exhausting his potential. Just this morning, he took a new type of potion designed to improve his muscles, and his body''s potential had finally been drained.


    Wang Zhou sprinted straight into the training camp and unleashed a barrage of punches on a specially designed punching bag.


    Bang bang bang bang¡ª


    The punching bag shook violently, the sound echoing far and wide.


    Other people still at the first level of the training camp looked over.


    "What''s up with Old Wang?"


    "Could it be that he was cuckolded and is now furiously venting? But that doesn''t make sense, being cuckolded requires a premise, and clearly, Old Wang doesn''t have it."


    Wang Zhou felt the surging energy within his body, residuals from using various potions, now fully erupting.


    Yet, that bottleneck remained unbroken.


    This was an instinctual feeling, he could clearly sense that he was just a bit away, just a tiny bit away from reaching a new world. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn''t make contact.


    I need more pressure!


    Wang Zhou thought to himself and suddenly pulled out two small round spheres from his body and threw them out.


    The two round, basic warrior Puppets landed, which were provided to him as the person in charge of the registry for security and defense purposes.


    And now...


    Wang Zhou commanded the two Puppets to drop their weapons, "Come, attack me! Fire at me!"


    Bang, bang, the Puppets stomped on the solid, thick floor, their arms clicking and clacking as they swung a heavy punch at Wang Zhou.


    The others around were somewhat shocked.


    They couldn''t figure out what Wang Zhou was doing. Could it be that he was actually a masochist?


    Just then, a few Awakeners arrived at the training camp, and they revealed the truth, "Wang Zhou is probably about to break through, from an ordinary person to an Awakener!"


    ...


    The Sanctuary wasn''t big, and Wang Zhou was a well-known figure. For most survivors who had just arrived at Green Shadow, he was the first person they came into contact with.


    Many people rushed to the training camp, wanting to witness this miracle firsthand... The revenue from ticket sales for the first layer of the training camp immediately multiplied several times.


    Even some mercenaries from Lindong, seeing that many people were gathered here, fully embraced the spectator mentality and followed suit.


    However, they were utterly baffled as they listened to the conversations among the Green Shadow Awakeners.


    "Doesn''t an ordinary person just need to drink a tube of Awakening Potion to become an Awakener?"


    "There''s a prerequisite for that, the individual must have sufficient aptitude to possibly awaken."


    "I certainly know there''s a prerequisite, wait, does that mean Wang Zhou is one of those who can''t awaken?" A mercenary from Lindong revealed a look of disbelief, "How can the lowest aptitude ordinary person possibly break through to become an Awakener!"


    "Why not?"


    This was said by Zhao Ming, a member of the Patrol Team; now that more Awakeners were gathering here, this place had become a focus for the Patrol Team.


    He crossed his arms, staring intently at Wang Zhou in the distance, "Each of these two Puppets is no worse than an ordinary Awakener, and Wang Zhou has been able to hold out this long. In terms of strength, he has already surpassed some Awakeners."


    The more he spoke, the more guilty he felt, recalling his own assessment in the Patrol Team, where he almost got flattened by a warrior Puppet.


    Looking at Wang Zhou now, although he was at a disadvantage, barely hanging on, his performance was still far more impressive than his own had been.


    A mercenary from Lindong pondered deeply, "Right, he doesn''t have any aura of an Awakener, but how can he have such strong power and speed? This isn''t scientific, he hasn''t even awakened!"


    "Of course, it''s because of Director Tang," Zhao Ming casually said, "You must have seen the Body Tempering Liquid at the adventurer guild, that kind of potion can temper the body and increase its strength, and the Body Tempering Liquid is an invention of Director Tang." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Director Tang is also a pharmacist?" The mercenary from Lindong propped his chin and thought for a moment, feeling that something was amiss. "Isn''t Director Tang an expert in Rune Studies? I''ve even seen Director Tang and Dean Sun from our Lindong have a deep exchange, and I heard that even Dean Sun holds immense admiration for Director Tang. If I had known about Director Tang''s identity back then, I would have come to Green Shadow much earlier."


    At this moment, Wang Zhou was being suppressed by the two Puppets, retreating step by step.


    The first layer wasn''t meant for much fighting space to begin with; he must have been crazy to throw the Puppets here. Now, in order to avoid damaging the surrounding equipment, his moving space was even more limited, and he had already been grazed by the Puppets'' fists several times, his face swelling up.


    Wang Zhou gritted his teeth, a glance out of the corner of his eye revealed only a wall behind him.


    No room to retreat.


    But he had his pride; having started with such ferocity, calling off the Puppets now would be too cowardly.


    He chose to confront them head-on!


    The Puppet''s punch, laden with immense force, came thundering down; this time, Wang Zhou couldn''t dodge and blocked with his hands, getting smashed back repeatedly until he hit the wall.


    The other Puppet struck, and Wang Zhou''s eyes widened.


    Boom!


    The punch smashed into his face, buzzing his head and causing blood to spurt from his nostrils.


    Wang Zhou didn''t have time to cry out in pain; suddenly, it was as if some barrier had shattered.


    Every cell in his body was leaping for joy; in an instant, everything around him had changed.


    Even the punch that hit his face didn''t hurt anymore.


    A wave of an Awakener''s aura began to emanate from him.


    The surrounding Awakeners, whether they had heard about Wang Zhou''s imminent breakthrough or were just clueless spectators, turned their heads at that moment, staring intently at Wang Zhou with indescribable expressions.

 Chapter 197 - 195: Topography

    "Broken through, huh..."


    Aboard the Floating Chariot, Tang Yu muttered to himself.


    He had just received a message from Luo Zhe within his Territory, stating that after his breakthrough, Wang Zhou had the unique aura of an Awakener and could also absorb and refine soul power. The only difference was that Wang Zhou''s efficiency in refinement was slower than that of an ordinary Awakener with standard potential.


    Perhaps, in the future, we could add an E-tier below the D-tier?


    Tang Yu''s thoughts wandered, "If other large Sanctuaries haven''t figured out a way for ordinary people to breakthrough, could Wang Zhou''s breakthrough be the first case?"


    Perhaps years later, humanity having triumphantly overcome the Demonized Beasts, future generations would record it as such.


    "Apocalypse Calendar, February 18th, Green Shadow Sanctuary survivor Wang Zhou becomes the first case of an ordinary person breaking through to become an Awakener, completing a leap in life''s hierarchy, and opening a new chapter in human evolution... perhaps?"


    The convoy, consisting of five Floating Chariots, hovered about ten meters above the ground, speeding rapidly.


    The scenery outside the window receded swiftly, like fleeting bubbles; by the time one tried to take a closer look, it had already disappeared.


    The Floating Chariot was semi-automatic; most of the time, it only needed simple commands to operate.


    In the backseat,


    Eileen, dressed in an Advanced Frost Mage suit, rested her chin on the high-strength glass window, eyes unblinking, quietly watching the outside.


    Probably because she had never ventured far from home or seen such vistas before.


    That''s what Tang Yu thought.


    "Lord, a large group of Demonized Beasts has been detected ahead, with energy levels ranging from Awakening First Layer to Third Layer. Shall we avoid or engage?"


    Shay''s gruff voice came through the communication system built into the chariot.


    After a moment''s thought, Tang Yu replied, "Only First to Third Layer? Then engage them; let''s not waste time."


    He shared the visual captured by Shay''s chariot and saw a flock of demonized flying birds ahead, dark and dense like a cloud.


    No sooner had he spoken,


    than the foremost Floating Chariot''s dual-mounted machine guns, installed on the roof, began to spin wildly.


    Tang Yu had asked Kevin to design these exterior-mounted machine guns, considering that the Floating Chariot itself was only equipped with miniaturized Energy-gathering Cannons.


    The machine guns whirred, and a metallic flood of bullets poured out.


    In the blink of an eye, it tore the dark cloud to shreds.


    Numerous small black dots fell like raindrops.


    The other chariots at the front opened fire too, ripping the flock of Flying Demonized Beasts in two, and the Floating Chariots passed through without slowing, disappearing into the horizon.


    Encounters like this happened almost every fifteen to twenty minutes.


    Sometimes it was large swarms of Demonized Beasts, sometimes solitary but powerful Flying Demonized Beasts.


    Flying mid-air was much more dangerous than on the ground, but fortunately, the entire convoy fully utilized the high-end policy of fighting when possible, and retreating when necessary, progressing without major incidents...


    This was still just a low-altitude flight at ten meters; at heights of several hundred or thousand meters, he did not even dare to contemplate the danger, let alone the desire to explore¡ªafter all, he wasn''t the type to court death.


    The Floating Chariot didn''t have the capability for high-altitude flight.


    ...


    The journey was somewhat boring, even if he shared the chariot with a delicate and cute... cough, a cute girl with stronger combat abilities than himself.


    Tang Yu was simply scanning the map stored in the Floating Chariot system. It was a map of the Big Foodie Empire, with the most detailed information on this province.


    "We''ve now passed Lake City, Shen City, Heng City..."


    In just a few short hours, they had covered nearly half of the provincial route. Tang Yu was very satisfied; the speed was close to his estimates. His gaze fell ahead on the preset route, and he suddenly furrowed his brow, "This entire area lacks a large Sanctuary?"


    The map was provided by the Lindong Science Academy, and the provincial details were very accurate. Tang Yu took out some documents from his Space Ring and flipped through them, turning the chariot a bit messy.


    "Found it." Tang Yu browsed through the papers line by line. "Yu City was originally a second or third-tier city, with a population slightly larger than Lin City, yet they did not establish a large Sanctuary locally. Instead, they joined forces with nearby cities to form one."


    "Reason: Is the area around Yu City unsuitable for human habitation?"


    The details were not specified, and Tang Yu was puzzled. On the map, the marked areas around Yu City had a danger level similar to the Lindong region. Although there were definitely five-star danger zones, the range of these areas was just a corner relative to a city, not enough to make this entire region unsuitable for living.


    Of course, more regions were yet to be explored by humans, with unknown levels of danger. It was precisely these regions that hindered communication between human settlements.


    Yu City and its surroundings were too vast. Tang Yu had no intention of taking a detour; the convoy continued in the predetermined direction.


    He was about to organize a large stack of documents he had just taken out when he turned his head and saw that the papers had already been neatly stacked and placed next to his seat.


    Tang Yu was taken aback, "Thank... thank you."


    Eileen smiled and soon leaned back against the window.


    Along the way, the two of them took out some dry food and dealt with their hunger simply within the vehicle.


    At that moment, Tang Yu was startled and turned to look out the window.


    With the speed of the Floating Chariot, he could not see the scenery outside clearly. However, the outside had been earthy hills and vibrant green vegetation just a moment ago, and now, it had turned to a tawny brown.


    The convoy slowed down.


    Tang Yu frowned, seeing it clearly now.


    The ground was dry and cracked, with yellow-brown dust swirling in the air, almost covering the sky.


    After the apocalypse, plant life was usually extremely vigorous; even in the crevices of buildings, plants could grow wildly. But here, he could not see a hint of greenery.


    It was almost complete silence, with only the movement of wind and sand and the scattered figures of Demonized Beasts walking on the yellow-brown surface.


    "The... the terrain has completely changed!"


    Tang Yu could hardly believe it. He had seen in the news that Yu City was a well-known tourist city, with beautiful mountains and rivers and lush greenery. Now, however, it was barren.


    He lightly touched the controls on the Floating Chariot, activating the chariot''s detection system.


    A moment later, the data collected left him surprised yet somewhat enlightened.


    The temperature outside was as high as sixty-something degrees.


    The air was distorted by it, and even sitting inside the Floating Chariot, isolated from the outside, looking at the surroundings through the window gave off a sense of scorching heat that weighed on his mind. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No wonder Yu City relocated. In such an environment, even if the danger level is not high, it''s not suitable for humans to live in for long..."


    Even Awakeners who could endure it briefly would not want to live in such a place.


    The chariot continued its high-speed flight, with everything outside remaining unchanged, leaving only a swath of tawny brown between the earth and sky.


    Boom!


    In the distance, a volcano erupted.


    A thick pillar of fire shot up into the sky, with clouds of black ash spreading in all directions.


    Flaming debris fell from the sky, and the entire sky was shrouded in a black veil, reminiscent of the atmosphere when the apocalypse arrived.


    This was the mighty power of nature, and everyone in the convoy, including Tang Yu, watched from a respectful distance.


    Tang Yu could not remember if there were any volcanoes around Yu City. Theoretically, there should be none, but given the dramatic changes in the area around Yu City, it would not be surprising if there were a few more volcanoes.


    They were far enough away that the occasional falling volcanic ash or rock fragments resembling meteorites spewed forth could not threaten them.


    However, Tang Yu understood that this was only because they were far away. If they had been right at the mouth of the volcano, even an Awakener at Awakening Tier Perfection might have been reduced to ashes in an instant.


    He stared at the sight of the volcanic eruption for a while, fulfilling his pre-apocalypse wish to see a volcanic eruption with his own eyes.


    Suddenly, his pupils constricted.


    In that rising red firelight, among the billowing smoke, and from within the volcano''s mouth, bursting with turbulent energy, he saw a figure wandering amidst it all.


    (PS: Wishing everyone a happy holiday, may you have this day every year, and this moment every time...¡û_¡û)

 Chapter 198 - 196: Taming Beasts

    Magma flowed down from the mountain peak, leaving traces of sizzling air and puffs of smoke in its wake.


    The rumbling sound continued to explode, the sky covered by leaden volcanic ash while orange-red fireworks erupted incessantly from the volcano''s mouth.


    Tang Yu leaned against the window, holding a high-power telescope in his hand, his gaze fixed on the volcano in the far distance.


    That figure was small, barely a dot to the naked eye, and even within the scope of the telescope, obscured by the flames, it was still unclear. Yet he could vaguely discern that the figure, somewhat resembling a human, was carefree while wandering amidst the spewing columns of fire.


    Despite not being able to see clearly, for some reason, Tang Yu had this feeling that the figure at the volcano''s mouth, facing the blazing columns, facing the scalding magma, seemed as though they were bathing in comfortably warm water.


    The very thought was terrifying!


    "Is it a Demonized Beast, a Mutated Beast, or something else? Could it be like Zuofo, a human from the old era, or perhaps some creature I''m unaware of?"


    He was curious, but he considered it best to not get closer to observe. He simply marked this location on the map, with plans to check it out in the future if he had a safe means to explore.


    The Floating Chariot restarted and flew out of the bounds of Yu City after some time.


    Traveling by day, resting at night, three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    The landscape had changed greatly after the apocalypse, with whole regions looking like spired stone forests and trees dotted with purple-blue glows, forming territories of dreamlike forests - some perilous, some peculiar. On the journey, Tang Yu saw many previously unimaginable sights. Leaving aside the danger, some of the scenery would have certainly been excellent tourist spots before the apocalypse.


    "According to our path, we should reach Luoxia Sanctuary by tomorrow." Tang Yu tapped the preset route lightly, zooming in on the area ahead, "This region is mostly mountains and hills, sparsely populated even before the apocalypse. There''s no establishment of any large Sanctuary here now, and the danger level shown on the map is mostly unknown. We ought to be extra careful during this time."


    He chose to skirt around the six-star, life-threatening territory that lay between two provinces. However, the other areas were not necessarily safe either. Tang Yu even slowed down the Floating Chariot to avoid rushing headlong into any highly dangerous areas.


    Just this morning, due to speeding, he had accidentally crashed into the lair of a powerful Mutated Beast and happened to crush a few eggs that were larger than a human body... This thoroughly enraged that Flying Mutated Beast, which clung to the convoy incessantly. In an attempt to escape, the Floating Chariot went full throttle and then collided with the territories of several powerful Mutated and Demonized Beasts. Two of the Floating Chariots had their external rotary machine guns damaged, causing Tang Yu heartache for a good few seconds.


    Indeed, speeding was not good.


    ...


    ...


    Deep within the mountains, the danger was even more severe. Aside from the Demonized Beasts that poured out of the Abyssal Rift, most animals from before the apocalypse would become demonized by the red mist that spread from the rift. Those that remained were partly mutated, becoming stronger, faster, with sharper claws, and some even awakened special abilities akin to humans.


    Just like the Awakeners and ability users among humans, the Mutated Beasts were similar: powerful, intelligent, and sometimes even more troubling to deal with than Demonized Beasts.


    In such regions, villages from before the apocalypse either had already relocated, joining into various Sanctuaries, or they could not withstand the trials and were obliterated amidst the dangerous mountains.


    However,


    In an area surrounded by peaks and dense jungles, wisps of cooking smoke rose.


    This was a small mountain village with houses mostly two or three stories high, haphazardly scattered. From an aerial view, you could see several wider paths in the village, like roads carved out by wagon tracks.


    Hundreds of survivors lived in the village, residing here generation after generation since before the apocalypse, even for hundreds of years or longer, without ever leaving.


    Even as technology developed and this secluded village deep in the mountains was discovered by the outside world, becoming connected with electricity and signals and understanding the colorful external world, the majority of the villagers still chose to remain.


    It was as if it were a paradise hidden away from the world, where the villagers relied on nature''s bounty to live a peaceful and simple secluded life.


    Even after the apocalypse, they didn''t leave, relying on their own methods to survive to this day in this dangerous area. The entire small mountain village had hardly suffered any damage and still retained its original appearance.


    But at this moment, the hundreds of villagers living here were all tense, looking up at the sky together.


    A Flying Demonized Beast with brownish-red feathers and a curved beak resembling a reversed hook, its wingspan stretching over thirty meters, was soaring above.


    With every flap of its wings, it stirred up hurricanes sharper than knife blades, leaving mottled marks on the ground, and houses with tiled roofs were lifted off, turning the tranquil village into a mess.


    "Quick, stop it!"


    An elderly man with graying hair in the center of the villagers spoke up.


    In an instant, with several loud whistles, figures flapped their wings and flew up into the sky from all corners of the village.


    Behind the elderly man with white hair, a Mutant Beast resembling a White Crane but much larger, fluttered up as well.


    The Mutant Beast White Crane had a sharp beak and wings tougher than steel, radiating a surging and angry aura. Like a rocket, it shot straight towards the Demonized Beast.


    All the villagers watched anxiously as the figures intertwined and danced across the sky.


    Chirp¡ª


    A piercing cry rang out, and a flying Mutant Beast plummeted from the sky: bright red blood scattered all around, staining the ground below.


    This was just the beginning; one flying Mutant Beast after another was struck down. The villagers'' faces grew uglier and uglier.


    Boom!


    The Mutant Beast White Crane crashed, causing a building to collapse beneath it. The White Crane struggled, fluttering its wings in an attempt to ascend, but a massive wound where its wings met its chest tore at it, leaving it powerless to rise again.


    In the moment the White Crane fell, the elder with white hair''s face turned red as he spat out fresh blood, his body becoming hunched and extremely feeble.


    "Village Chief!"


    People exclaimed as a villager quickly brought over herbal medicine, "Quick, give this to the Chief to swallow; it can reduce some of the backlash."


    The powerful Demonized Beast with brownish-red wings was still rampaging.


    Within the village, capable Awakeners fought back with all their might, and numerous Mutant Beasts, growling with rage, threw themselves at the Flying Demonized Beast.


    But even the strongest Mutant Beast White Crane was critically injured, and the others, most of which couldn''t fly, seemed powerless in their struggle against the onslaught of the Demonized Beast.


    From time to time, villagers covered their mouths, spitting out scarlet fresh blood. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The village chief coughed up more blood, a look of regret coloring his face, "It''s my fault. It was I who proposed that we all stay in the village; otherwise, we wouldn''t be in this crisis now."


    (PS: There''s another chapter after this emmmmmm...)

 Chapter 199 - 197: Thats Probably Technology

    The Village Chief could hardly stand, needing support from others.


    He looked up at the sky, and reflected in his pupils was the silhouette of a maroon figure. "If only we had gone to the broadcast earlier and stayed at the large Sanctuary, preserving humanity''s last hope, perhaps today would never have come."


    The villagers'' faces were bleak, yet they held no blame. This was their respected Village Chief.


    "Village Chief, please don''t speak any further. Focus on healing. Staying was a decision made by all of us, and besides, we, and generations before us, have lived here. Who''s to say that leaving for the large Sanctuary would guarantee our safety?"


    "Indeed. We honor the teachings of our ancestors, respecting and integrating with nature. Staying here was what each of us wished for. If there''s anyone to blame, it''s only that we weren''t strong enough. Every time, you''ve risked your life for us."


    The villagers were silent.


    They had lived together for generations and were connected by blood, watching as those around them coughed up blood and sustained severe injuries, some already in tears.


    Although they had faced the Demon Tide before and encountered various Demonized Beasts, this time, just one such beast had driven them to a dead end.


    Bang!


    Boom!


    Buildings collapsed, Awakeners and Mutant Beasts, like flies, were flung through the air by the maroon, twin-winged Demonized Beast, smashing through layer upon layer of walls.


    Some tried to run but were instantly caught in the claws of the Demonized Beast, torn apart in the sky, raining blood.


    It was like a hunt, and they were the prey.


    Hush~ S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This beast, devilish in nature, seemed to have had its fill, letting out an ear-piercing screech and diving towards the direction where the Village Chief and the others were.


    Those who had the strength to fight were either dead or injured, and the Mutant Beasts were no different, with their faces turning deathly pale.


    Suddenly,


    Tat-tat-tat¡ª


    A Metal Storm roared from the sky, and the trajectory of the diving beast became erratic as it beat its wings to gain height.


    The villagers were astonished, looking towards the source of the sound.


    There, several silver, streamlined cars were silently hovering about ten meters above.


    On the rooftops of the Floating Cars, on both sides, machine guns mounted and rotating, fired bursts of bullets.


    The collision of the bullets with the Demonized Beast and the booming sound of the machine guns were like thunder, exploding in the ears of the villagers.


    Their mouths gaped open, a mix of relief and shock as they stared into the distance.


    ...


    Inside the Floating Chariot, Tang Yu was intently staring at his screen.


    The bullets, like a torrent, struck the maroon Demonized Beast, making a sound like clashing metal.


    The beast''s feathers, comparable to Transcendent Metal, showed no signs of damage from the bullets. However, the kinetic energy from hundreds of bullets per second made the beast uncomfortable. It flapped its wings frequently, its red eyes fixed on these small iron blocks.


    "Switch to rune bullets No.1," Tang Yu thought for a moment, then added, "But use them sparingly."


    The roaring of the machine guns paused for a while and then resumed.


    The Metal Storm enveloped the beast with maroon wings, issuing a thump. The hard feathers shattered in pieces, falling from the sky along with some deep red blood.


    "This is our chance!"


    "Looks like it''s time to show off my expert-level driving skills!"


    Tang Yu swiftly tapped on the control panel, and the Floating Chariot danced like a fish in mid-air.


    "AI, list the optimal route, activate the assistive control system, turn on the balance system, increase power output by 50%."


    The Demonized Beast struggled within the Metal Storm, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.


    However, Tang Yu felt the same, as each rune bullet fired off was like money silently draining from his vault.


    It hurt his heart and his liver.


    The AI analyzed the flight trajectory of the Demonized Beast, and finally, the images on the screen began to overlap.


    Tang Yu controlled the front of the vehicle, abruptly soaring upward, "Eileen, take aim at it and activate the third gear power output."


    "Got it!"


    In the back seat, Eileen, who controlled the weapon system, had already spread out her perception.


    At the front end of the chariot, a dark muzzle extended, the light condensed, becoming increasingly dazzling.


    Finally,


    A pure white beam of light shot out from the Energy-gathering Cannon, the Demonized Beast sensed the danger and tried to avoid it, flapping its wings but collided directly with the incoming light beam.


    With a sizzle.


    The light beam pierced through the head of the Demonized Beast, leaving a hole as large as a washbasin where its eyes had been.


    Maintaining its momentum, it flapped its wings and flew a little further before the massive Demonized Beast finally fell from the sky, crashing into the forest below and crushing several large trees, creating a deep crater on the ground, and scattering countless small branches and clumps of dirt.


    "It''s taken care of now."


    Tang Yu placed his hands on the control screen, feeling streams of soul power escaping from the body of the Demonized Beast, converging into rivers and flowing into his body.


    He estimated that this Demonized Beast had the strength of the Tenth Layer of Awakening or even higher, capable of effortlessly destroying small Sanctuaries and even medium Sanctuaries by itself.


    Only large Sanctuaries had the capability to kill such high-level Demonized Beasts, relying mostly on technological weapons, like new Energy Cannons or rune weapons.


    "But the size of this village is comparable to a small Sanctuary. The fact that they managed to hold up this long against the attack of the Demonized Beast shows that it''s rare to have such strong Awakeners in such a small place."


    Tang Yu muttered to himself, and the chariot''s scanning system also detected several high energy responses within the village.


    He shook his head, not particularly concerned.


    This was just a minor event they encountered on the road. Since they happened to see the Demonized Beast attacking the village, they decided to intervene decisively. After resolving the issue, he had no intention of staying to receive thanks.


    Several Floating Chariots hovered for a moment then sped away.


    ...


    The arrival of this Demonized Beast had destroyed much of the village, leaving a mess everywhere.


    Some villagers were using their specially made herbal medicine to treat others and their Mutated Beast companions, who they regarded as partners. However, many villagers still gazed in the direction the flying vehicles had left, unable to speak for a long time.


    "That''s probably technology, right?" someone reflected.


    "Yes, it immediately took care of the Demonized Beast. That must be the superweapon of the human Sanctuaries. No wonder those are considered the beacons of hope for mankind. I''m kind of envious."


    The Village Chief also stared into the distance, "After we heal up from this, let''s leave this place and take the relics from our ancestral shrine. As long as we adhere to our ancestor''s teachings, certainly, our ancestors won''t blame us."


    The whole village sprang into action. Some began to move toward the now slain Demonized Beast, but suddenly, they looked up at the sky.


    The Floating Cars that had left had turned around and come back, stopping above the corpse of the Demonized Beast.


    The doors opened, and two figures jumped down from mid-air. One armed with a large cleaver and the other with a Two-Handed Broadsword, they skillfully cracked open the head of the Demonized Beast and then sliced off its beak-like snout.


    In the blink of an eye, this powerful Demonized Beast was dissected, leaving nothing but a skeleton.


    These people came in haste and left in haste, collecting rare materials using methods the villagers couldn''t understand, and then climbed back into their vehicles using ropes.


    Soon, they disappeared without a trace and didn''t reappear again.


    The villagers: "..."

 Chapter 200 - 198 Sea Beast

    This was just a minor episode along the way; whenever Tang Yu encountered a Sanctuary in distress, he didn''t hesitate to use his cannon to help out, even though he still felt a twinge of heartache.


    Finally, the Floating Chariot entered the Luoxia domain.


    The Luoxia Sanctuary had gathered most of the survivors from Luoxia City and the surrounding two Earth Level cities, located on the border of Luoxia, closer to the other two Earth Level cities.


    According to the information, the Luoxia Sanctuary was established based on a small town called Dawn Bay Town, adjacent to a river tributary, and was much larger in scale than the Lindong Sanctuary. After all, Lindong only had a population of several hundred thousand, while Luoxia, reportedly, had already exceeded two million survivors.


    This was somewhat reassuring for him. At the beginning of the apocalypse, the last contact had informed him that his parents had followed the Military convoy to Dawn Light Town and had started the construction of a Sanctuary there.


    "We''re almost there."


    Tang Yu murmured, looking through the window at the clouds floating in the distance, his heart thumping faster and faster.


    He calculated the distance, and when only a few dozen kilometers remained to Luoxia Sanctuary, he activated the transmission to send a message to the other vehicles, "All vehicles, descend. For this last part, we switch to land travel mode."


    Several Floating Chariots gently landed, the rune patterns on the chassis gradually dimmed, and finally disappeared.


    The chariot wheels spun rapidly, speeding across the wilderness. Moments later, a highway appeared ahead; Tang Yu controlled the chariot to accelerate, and while there was no sound of engine roaring, the speed of the background scenery moving backward markedly increased.


    Boom!


    The Floating Chariot directly smashed the guardrail of the expressway, sending shards of metal flying, yet the front of the vehicle was unscathed, still shiny, and Tang Yu inside the vehicle hardly felt any resistance.


    The expressway was in disrepair, with occasional shallow pits and cracks on the ground; weeds grew from the cracks, thriving and in many places reaching heights of one or two meters.


    Visibility was obstructed, and abandoned vehicles were everywhere on the highway. Some were crashed against the mountain beside the road, their fronts caved in, others coated with dried, congealed reddish-brown bloodstains. Tang Yu could imagine the panic and horror on people''s faces when Demonized Beasts first appeared as the apocalypse first erupted.


    Some even lost their chance to escape and ended up blocking the escape routes for others.


    Throughout the journey, he had lost count of how many accidents he had seen; panicked drivers colliding head-on with vehicles in front of them or losing control, resulting in a series of chain crashes that eventually completely blocked the road. Desperate people had to abandon their vehicles and flee on foot, only to inevitably be caught by Demonized Beasts.


    As if he were driving a regular car at this moment, he would need to get out of the vehicle first and then rely on the Awakener''s immense strength to clear these road-blocking abandoned vehicles and make the road drivable again.


    However,


    the Floating Chariot activated its Acceleration System, with a silent roar, like a tank, but more ferocious, violently crashing into the pile of abandoned vehicles stacked in various positions ahead.


    The vehicles were flung up, some rolling on the ground several times, sparks flying, emitting black smoke. Tang Yu looked in the rearview mirror, very satisfied.


    Such a vehicle that could barrel through obstacles was a dream for any veteran driver.


    The convoy passed through the streets of Luoxia City, where the streets were ruined, the walls of the buildings on both sides covered with vines, some walls crumbling. Even though it had been only a little over a month since the apocalypse began, it seemed as if it had endured many years of vicissitudes.


    Even his hometown seemed somewhat unfamiliar to Tang Yu, looking at the surrounding scenery.


    The chariot drove automatically, following the preset route, Tang Yu leaning his chin on his hand, quietly watching out the window.


    His thoughts, however, had long since wandered to unknown places.


    "Lord, we''re nearly there," Eileen spoke softly from the back seat. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is that so, where are we now?"


    "Looking at the map, we''ve already entered the territory of Dawn Bay Town. After driving further for a while, we''ll reach Dawn Bay Bridge. According to the information, once we cross the bridge, we''ll be at Luoxia Sanctuary. Should we head straight in?"


    "Just go straight in."


    "So we''ll release an aura about the Fourth Layer and enter Luoxia as an elite Awakener squad?"


    "Okay... oh, and change how you address me. Outside, just call me Captain."


    "Yes, Captain."


    From afar, they could already see Dawn Bay Bridge off in the distance. Tang Yu perked up, but suddenly, he heard the sound of gunfire in the distance.


    Before he could even ask, Shay had already confirmed, "Captain, it looks like Luoxia Sanctuary is encountering a Demon Tide. The battle is intense."


    A single Demon Tide was not a major threat to a large sanctuary, but Tang Yu was still anxious. His mind was flooded with various thoughts, cluttered and random.


    The convoy sped up and soon reached the riverbank; several battle chariots drove onto the embankment, bringing everything into clear view.


    To the left was a cross-river bridge, still majestic and imposing. On the opposite riverbank, to the right, flames soared into the air and explosions boomed like thunder.


    That was Luoxia Sanctuary.


    Tang Yu gazed across the river where skyscrapers stood densely packed. The city walls were fitted with countless machine guns, mortars, and cannons. His gaze extending further, he even spotted several Energy-gathering Cannons, these formidable weapons, mounted on the city walls.


    The cannons fired in unison, and every shell that fell churned the river surface, blasting the weirdly-shaped creatures that emerged into pieces.


    Aquatic monsters¡ªhe rarely saw them. Under other circumstances, he might have observed them longer, but now, all he wanted was to find his parents and ensure they were safe.


    Driving along the road on the embankment towards the left led to the bridge''s entrance.


    At the moment, quite a few survivors had gathered here. It seemed the sanctuary was under attack and crossing the bridge was no longer safe. These people stood on the embankment waiting for the sanctuary to repel the beast tide.


    Although Tang Yu was anxious, he wasn''t rash.


    Several Floating Chariots stopped in front of the bridge entry, their streamlined bodies gleaming with a brilliant shine under the sunlight, instantly attracting the attention of others present.


    They looked at the high-end, luxurious Floating Chariots and then at their vehicles, suddenly feeling as if they were driving tractors.


    ''...No, what use is good looks if it isn''t practical?''


    Numerous people comforted themselves with this thought.


    One of the Floating Chariot doors opened, and Shay stepped down from the vehicle, a cigarette dangling from his lips.


    He controlled his presence, revealing only a part of his aura. To other Awakeners'' perception, this was at the Fourth Layer¡ªnot overly powerful to attract attention, yet no one dared to underestimate someone of this level.


    Awakeners whose power was merely at the Basic or Second-tier levels showed fearful respect and moved farther away.


    (There''s still one more chapter to go.)

 Chapter 201 - 199: Delicious Food

    This group of survivors, numbering over a hundred, some had come from other areas of Luoxia, arriving at this large Sanctuary for the first time, while many more were mercenaries belonging to the Luoxia Sanctuary, just returned from the wilderness.


    Shay had also once been a mercenary, highly skilled in mingling, and it did not take long for him to become acquainted with some of the mercenaries present.


    "Aren''t you guys here from other places? That couldn''t have been easy," a fellow Awakener lamented.


    "Indeed, but only a large Sanctuary is truly safe. No matter how difficult, one must find a way to get here," Shay feigned a similarly lamenting expression and asked, "Does Luoxia Sanctuary often face attacks from Demonized Beasts? Is the security reliable? I certainly don''t want to wake up and find myself pinned down by a Demonized Beast."


    The Luoxia Awakener laughed heartily, "It looks like, brother, your understanding of large Sanctuaries is quite limited. In my view, large Sanctuaries are absolutely safe. Those monsters, though they look terrifying, actually, under artillery fire, few can even reach the city walls, let alone threaten the safety of the Sanctuary."


    He waved his hand, a proud and self-satisfied expression on his face as an Awakener of a large Sanctuary, but he did not underestimate Shay¡ªShay was still stronger than him.


    "However," he pointed towards the distance, where the river water churned and the creatures clambered onto the shore, "those aren''t Demonized Beasts, they are Mutated Beasts."


    "Mutated Beasts? Can Mutated Beasts form such a large-scale Beast Tide? As far as I know, Mutated Beasts do not inherently have hostility towards the human scent like the Demonized Beasts, right?"


    Shay frowned.


    The distance was too great to perceive those creatures'' auras¡ªsolely by their appearance, it was difficult to clearly differentiate Mutated Beasts from Demonized Beasts.


    Hearing this, the Luoxia Awakener said, "Indeed, there aren''t as many mutant beasts on land, perhaps they exist in the deep forests, but the ocean is different. Before the apocalypse, the ocean was home to countless aquatic life forms. Some of these marine creatures were demonized, while others mutated, and surprisingly, after mutation, not only did their size significantly increase and their appearance become bizarre, but their reproductive capability also became...terrifying, to say the least."


    Shay had already formed some conjectures.


    He continued to listen as the man said, "Rivers cannot nurture so many aquatic Mutated Beasts; these creatures mostly grow and reproduce in the ocean before traveling along the rivers to inland areas, and our Luoxia Sanctuary, being quite close to the ocean, is the first to bear the brunt."


    "It is said that the reason these Mutated Beasts form such large-scale Beast Tides is also related to their massive reproduction, but the specifics, I am not entirely clear on."


    Shay passed a cigarette over, "Doesn''t that mean, in addition to bearing the pressure from the Demon Tide, Luoxia Sanctuary also has to withstand the pressure from marine Mutated Beasts?"


    The Awakener nodded, "That''s true, but actually, the people of our Sanctuary are quite welcoming of these marine Mutated Beasts."


    "Welcome?"


    "Exactly, don''t forget, unlike Demonized Beasts, most Mutated Beasts are edible, and after mutation, their meat is even more delicious." He wiped a non-existent drool from the corner of his mouth, "Because of this, we at Luoxia have a relatively abundant food supply, the only downside being, perhaps, eating too much seafood..."


    The mercenaries were all bigmouths, in both senses of the term.


    Tang Yu leaned against the car window, and despite the distance, he could hear clearly the conversation between Shay and the Luoxia Awakener.


    He gazed over the river, filled densely with mutant sea creatures¡ªsome propelled themselves out of the water, others, with fierce limbs, rapidly crawled out.


    These mutated sea creatures, whether amphibious or other kinds of fish monsters, shrimp monsters, coelenterate water monsters, or soft-bodied water monsters, all to some extent had the ability to temporarily survive on land. However, what was most feared were those amphibious ones; with a single leap and climb, they swiftly approached the city walls, sometimes even managing to evade incoming cannonballs.


    It was indeed a grand scene of relentless gunfire, yet the thought of these sea creatures ending up as food on dinner tables,


    delicious river crabs, giant lobsters, steamed mutated fish, braised mutated eel, pot-roasted mutated catfish, stewed mutated leather armor fish, pot-roasted mutated carp...


    Suddenly, he felt that something was off. If it weren''t for the increased breeding speed after the mutation, Tang Yu seriously worried that these creatures would become protected animals.


    Indeed, compared to the mutated beasts, the citizens of the Big Foodie Empire were truly the most terrifying.


    With this understanding, Tang Yu felt much more at ease.


    The environment around the Luoxia Sanctuary was much more dangerous than that near Lindong, causing the Awakeners here to be stronger; fortunately, this sanctuary had been jointly established by three cities, with significantly robust military strength. Even with the added pressure of the Sea Beast Tide, they firmly held the defense line, never letting a Sea Beast cross.


    The battle had reached a fever pitch: despite the continuous gunfire, shattering the beasts into pieces, countless sea creatures still surged from the river channel, falling and rising in succession, with no end in sight.


    Many beasts were lured to the opposite bank of the river, but some climbed onto the riverbank on this side or shot out of the river, landing on the bridge and launching an attack on the Awakeners. Fortunately, their numbers were few and they were quickly dealt with by everyone together.


    Because of this, the survivors waiting at the entrance to the bridge had no intention of crossing¡ªthey knew that if anything went wrong on land, they could still retreat, but once on the bridge, if danger struck, there would be no escape.


    However, Tang Yu had no plans to stay any longer.


    He believed in the Luoxia Sanctuary''s ability to repel the Sea Beast Tide, but he didn''t know how long it would take, and detouring... he glanced at the map; the nearest bridge was quite far away, and he didn''t want to rely on the flying system¡ªafter all, he, Lord Tang, was a low-profile man, especially when searching for his parents; he didn''t want to attract any trouble.


    He shouted to Shay, "Let''s prepare to set off."


    "Yes, Captain."


    Shay jogged back to the war vehicle, and soon several cars started up, their simulated motor roars filling the air, driving onto the bridge.


    Around,


    in conversation, mingling, or on guard against Sea Beast attacks, the Awakeners all stared in astonishment at the luxury sports cars as they drove onto the bridge and sped towards the opposite shore, as if driven by a do-or-die resolve.


    Some were baffled, some scoffed, and some just shook their heads and sighed. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having just introduced Shay to a lot about Luoxia, the Awakener felt as if struck dumb, a sudden urge to flip the table rising inside him.


    Were all those words he just said in vain?

 Chapter 202 - 200 Very Stable

    Across the river.


    The Commander stood on the city wall, issuing orders calmly.


    Behind him, multiple cannons with calibers over 100mm barraged the beast horde with a fury of shells.


    In front of the city walls, about a hundred meters from the river, a sandy land turned into a fiery hell under the barrage of artillery, where countless bizarre sea beasts screamed and struggled as they fell in the flames. Yet, more sea beasts trod on the corpses of their kin, advancing towards the city walls.


    A giant crab, more than five meters wide, scuttled adeptly avoiding the cannon fire. It leapt high suddenly and struck the steel-reinforced concrete city wall with its massive pincers.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    The outer wall shook violently, and numerous cracks appeared on its surface, with chunks of concrete tumbling down.


    The warrior operating the machine gun swiveled the muzzle, showering the giant crab with bullets that, without exception, ricocheted off its shell.


    The Commander furrowed his brow, "Team Three, Team Three, immediately kill the mutated crab."


    Several figures jumped down from the wall, wielding cold weapons, aiming for the crab''s weak spots.


    This was Luoxia Military''s elite squad, specialized in dealing with powerful Demonized Beasts and Mutated Beasts. However, the Commander dared not order these Awakener experts to enter the Demon Tide to kill advanced Mutant Beasts.


    Only when creatures like the giant crab came to the walls would he risk sending these elite members to strike¡­ Once they entered the Tide, amidst attacks from all directions, even the utmost experts couldn''t completely avoid damage. Human flesh couldn''t withstand the impact from Mutant Beasts, and even wearing the Sanctuary''s finest protective equipment helped little.


    ¡­Unless there was a way to completely defend against Mutant Beasts'' attacks, even if it only protected against low-level ones, only then could Awakener experts charge into the fray without reservations.


    "Has reinforcement arrived?" the Commander asked the young man in military uniform beside him.


    The young man shook his head, "A Level Three Demon Tide has erupted in the north. The command center can''t provide any reinforcements shortly. After all, the situation there is more critical¡ªa breach in the city wall would affect a large residential area. We cannot afford any losses."


    By comparison, their river region was a tiered defensive line, still having space for retreat.


    The Commander thought to himself and then commanded, "Activate Energy-gathering Cannons One and Five, focus on the large, high-level Mutant Beasts, and prepare to deploy Solid Burning Bombs. We can''t let these sea beasts enter the inland waterways."


    He had to not only hold the Sanctuary''s defenses but also tightly control this passage for sea beasts entering the inland, Luoxia Sanctuary could still hold against such a scale of beast tide, but if those sea beasts got into the inland rivers and even began breeding there, it would cause enormous harm to other Sanctuaries, especially smaller ones in the region.


    Torpedoes they had planted earlier in the river detonated, sending columns of water sky-high with booming noises.


    That''s why, at the western river crossing bridge and the dyke, the Awakeners faced only minimal attacks from sea beasts.


    The Commander pondered and suddenly noticed in the distance on the river crossing bridge, it seemed¡­ several vehicles were speeding.


    ''Are mercenaries these days really so reckless?''


    ¡­


    ¡­


    On the bridge, the guardrails were broken, and the surface was cracked, just like other roads, apparently trampled by some Demonized or Mutated Beasts.


    The Floating Chariots sped at 200 kilometers per hour, the uneven bridge surface causing them no trouble at all.


    Around them, sea beasts occasionally leaped from the river, arcing through the air before crashing onto the bridge. Tang Yu suspected many of the potholes were created in this way.


    Some fish-like Mutant Beasts flapped around on the bridge, occasionally splashing water towards the convoy, only to be struck by the speeding chariots and sent tumbling off the bridge.


    Many other sea beasts, drawn by the commotion, roared and charged at the convoy. Yet, the Floating Chariots did not slow down, charging forward with increased horsepower, only slightly swerving to dodge the larger sea beasts before brushing past them.


    By the riverbank.


    The Awakeners, either puzzled or mocking, were all astonished.


    Initially thinking that the Floating Chariot was just for show, they closely watched the fearless silver sports car on the bridge, looking like a tank in comparison to their own modified SUVs with added bumper spikes. Despite being ugly, the Awakeners had thought them practical.


    But now, the silver sports car rampaged unabashedly across the bridge. Its performance and armor hardness far outclassed their modified SUVs by streets.


    If it had been their vehicles, driving like that, they wouldn''t have lasted long, let alone successfully reach the other side of the river.


    It was simply too unfair.


    The Awakener''s mouth agape, a gust carrying the stench of sea beasts blew into his mouth, causing him to cough and his face to flush, at a loss for words.


    In the blink of an eye, the bridge was already one-third crossed, leaving a large number of sea beasts in the dust, only able to choke on it.


    The Awakeners behind them felt a mixture of emotions, a strong urge to follow across the bridge.


    Suddenly,


    Bang!


    To the right of the bridge,


    A giant waterspout shot up into the sky, the spray resembling raindrops, scattering down. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Several whitish-red tentacles burst out from the waterspout.


    These tentacles were immensely huge, each one dozens of meters long, like whips, quickly coiling around the bridge''s surface.


    They clenched tightly.


    At the same time, in the river, a massive body also emerged partially above the water.


    "It''s a giant mutant squid!"


    "Damn, there''s even a creature of this level, start up the seventh and eighth Energy-gathering Cannons, hurry up and charge them, aim."


    The squid''s body was colossal, occupying a good part of the river, its tentacles coiled around the bridge as if a human were climbing a tree.


    Ever since the apocalypse, the bridge that had never truly suffered severe damage was now perilously close to collapse.


    Even more critical were Tang Yu and the others still on the bridge.


    When the giant squid appeared, the Awakeners at the riverbank began to flee, but with a certain emotion, they kept looking back at the bridge, observing the different expressions revealed by those in the silver sports cars.


    Tang Yu didn''t expect this situation. Under the squid''s pull, the entire bridge had started to shake, with stones continually falling off, seeming ready to collapse at any moment.


    The area where the squid''s tentacles were coiled was right at the center of the bridge. Normally, the convoy would turn around and flee, facing countless Sea Beasts pursuing them from behind, yet there was still a chance for escape.


    However, under normal circumstances, Tang Yu wouldn''t have chosen to cross the bridge.


    He did not hesitate and accelerated again, trying to pass under the tentacles.


    One second.


    Two seconds.


    Ten seconds¡­


    As they neared, the bridge could no longer withstand the giant squid''s tugging. The central section suddenly collapsed.


    Countless huge stones fell, splashes rising on the water, the sound of plunging dominating continuously.


    At that moment, the vehicles driven by Tang Yu and his group were only a few dozen meters away from the broken bridge section.


    In such a high-speed state, stopping was impossible with such a short distance, all the Awakeners watching the situation understood.


    They already saw the fate of Tang Yu and his group.


    ...


    In the car.


    Tang Yu was not panicked at all; the problem wasn''t big; he calmly said, "Eileen, create a ramp."


    He didn''t go into the specifics, but Eileen understood.


    Source Power surged within her.


    Ahead of the convoy, at the broken section, layers of frost formed rapidly, creating an icy ramp in the blink of an eye.


    The Floating Chariots didn''t slow down at all, directly speeding up the ramp, leaping into the air, crossing over from the broken section of the bridge.


    Under the sunlight, the silver casing of the vehicles shone particularly bright.


    Until after the vehicles had leapt over the broken bridge and landed thunderously on the other side, continuing their journey, the Awakeners who witnessed it all still looked somewhat stunned.


    It was as if in an accident, someone had miraculously survived with a one in a thousand chance.


    But little did they know, for Tang Yu, this move was just routine, seemingly perilous but actually¡­ as steady as an old dog.

 Chapter 203 - 201 Divination

    The journey ahead was thrilling yet safe, and in the distance, the energy-gathering cannon burst forth with a blinding white light.


    Across the river, right at the bottom of the bridge, stood a Sanctuary Gate; however, with the Sea Beast Tide surging violently, even though most of the sea beasts were attracted to the defense base in the east, the City Defense Soldiers stationed on this side of the wall needed only to operate machine guns, unleashing bursts of fire to take down the occasional stray beast... For safety, the entire gate remained tightly shut, with no possibility of opening at a time like this.


    Tang Yu understood this and steered the vehicle westward, traveling along the city wall.


    Dawn Bay Town wasn''t large, but the Luoxia Sanctuary had expanded several times over, based on Dawn Bay Town''s Foundation. The towering wall stretched on, its end invisible.


    As they moved forward, the sea beasts they encountered grew fewer, and even the thunderous sound of cannon fire gradually faded away.


    Finally, a gate appeared ahead, the large gate firmly closed, except for a small gate at the bottom, wide enough for two vehicles to pass side by side. Thanks to the news Shay had gathered, Tang Yu knew that this gate was the West Gate, one of the three western gates.


    Just from the number of gates alone, it was clear that the scope of the Luoxia Sanctuary indeed was much larger than Lindong''s.


    A few Awakeners with guns stood sternly at the gate, their gazes sharp as they watched the passersby, while on the city wall, some City Defense Soldiers patrolled vigilantly. Tang Yu noticed that there were not many soldiers, possibly because they had been reassigned to the south for defense.


    After a brief registration, everyone received a pass, a symbol of personal identity that could be shown to the City Defense Soldiers when leaving or returning to the city, sparing the need for registration.


    ¡ªNot every survivor would receive one, but their team, in the eyes of the City Defense Soldiers, was almost entirely composed of individuals with Fourth Layer Awakener strength, which is why they had been granted these passes in advance. Ordinary survivors, however, would need to explain their reasons and apply at the relevant departments, which was a rather troublesome process.


    Ten minutes later, several Floating Chariots slowly drove into the Luoxia Sanctuary.


    The main avenue was four lanes wide and fairly spacious, allowing survivors to drive their vehicles, which was an improvement over Lindong.


    Tang Yu guessed that perhaps because gasoline was expensive, ordinary people would not drive around the Sanctuary for leisure, making the roads exceptionally clear of traffic and even exempt from traffic restrictions.


    They drove straight to a bustling street and got out of the car, sitting down in a simple teahouse.


    Beneath a cool awning, shielding them from the scorching sun.


    The street was crowded with survivors, some hurrying past, some hawking their wares, creating an uncommon cacophony.


    Most people wore clothes washed pale, and due to the hot weather, many had rolled up their sleeves, sweat streaming down their backs, but perhaps due to the abundance of seafood in the area, these ordinary survivors didn''t seem as emaciated as one might expect.


    Light laughter drifted from nearby.


    A child with a youthful face, holding both parents'' hands, wore a smile and hopped gleefully.


    In an instant, Tang Yu''s expression became distant, as if looking through a faded photograph, he saw the harmonious days of his childhood, spent with his family of three.


    His gaze wandered.


    Silent.


    Expectant.


    Anxious.


    And apprehensive.


    After a long while, he took a deep breath and looked toward the two sisters with light purple hair seated not far away, saying, "Let''s do the Divination¡­"


    The Astrologer, Xing Ling and Xing Yue.


    The Luoxia Sanctuary was vast, and among more than two million survivors, finding someone was extremely difficult.


    Tang Yu had been well aware of this fact. With no text messages and no other contact information such as addresses, even the officials would have to utilize a significant amount of manpower to locate someone.


    Fortunately¡­


    One of the purple-haired girls raised her hand, "Captain, let me do this, I''m good at it. I need one of your hairs as the medium."


    She stood up and trotted over.


    Her steps were light and lively.


    Suddenly, as if her toe had bumped into something, the purple-haired girl leaned forward, panic clearly written across her face. Her hands flailed unconsciously to both sides, and ultimately... with a smack, she fell face-first onto the ground.


    She quickly propped herself up on her arms and stood, deftly brushing the dust off her clothes, and casually casting a "Dust Removal Technique" on her face, as if nothing had happened. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu''s face twitched.


    It even hurt to watch.


    These two purple-haired girls looked nearly identical, and their voices were almost indistinguishable; he usually couldn''t tell them apart. But now, through this odd misstep, Tang Yu recognized the one before him as his sister Xing Yue¡ªafter all, his sister would never fall like that.


    Distracted by the incident, the pressure in his heart eased a good deal. He wrapped a finger around his hair and yanked it out forcefully.


    It was somewhat painful, probably because his hair had become denser after advancing in his life stage. Going bald was no longer a possibility.


    Xing Yue took the strand of hair, rolling it between her fingers. She brought out a hoop, adorned with several different colored crystal ornaments, looking rather like a keychain loaded with keys but much larger, with the ring being about the size of a palm.


    These crystal ornaments came in various shapes: long strips, stars, animal figures, and more. She tied the hair to one of the crystal ornaments, closed her eyes, and murmured an incantation.


    Faintly visible was a weak glow emitting from the crystal, causing several of the crystals to shake and collide with one another, producing a crisp sound.


    Under Tang Yu''s anxious gaze, Xing Yue opened her eyes, lips curving in a brilliant smile, "Captain, uncle and aunt are all safe. You can rest assured, I''ve also divined their residence location..."


    She wore an expression that practically shouted ''praise me''.


    ...


    ...


    West Five Residential Area.


    The buildings here had been constructed post-apocalypse, resembling a collection of long blocks standing on this stretch of land, with gray walls, uniform heights, identical layouts, and even the streets within the complex were just as narrow.


    It was depressingly monotonous.


    Tang Yu arrived at Building 29, pausing momentarily to eye the unfamiliar surroundings before ascending the stairs.


    "0327, 0327..." he murmured to himself.


    The hallway was long and narrow, devoid of light, with identical wooden doors on both sides, crudely made, each bearing a door number.


    Finally, Tang Yu stood in front of the wooden door numbered 0327. He extended his hand, hesitated a moment at the door, and then knocked firmly.


    Thump, thump.


    "Who is it?" came a familiar voice from within.


    Tang Yu''s eyes moistened.


    "Who?"


    The voice inside urged.


    Tang Yu opened his mouth, his throat choking up, writhing for several seconds before he managed to utter one word, "Mom¡ª"


    Suddenly, the room went silent. Before long, the wooden door was hurriedly flung open, revealing a face filled with surprise and disbelief.


    Time was merciless, having etched wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, hair at her temples now peppered with gray; even the spine had started to stoop¡­


    Unwittingly.


    They had aged.

 Chapter 204 - 202: Suitable Development Path for Awakeners (Two-in-One Large Chapter)

    It seemed there was a lot to say, yet the words were hard to come by.


    Tang Yu felt a warmth in his heart, the long-standing worries he''d harbored vanishing in an instant as the metaphorical rock in his heart was finally put down.


    "Your dad works at the flour mill, I work at the textile factory, luckily there was something at the factory today, so I came back earlier..."


    Tang''s mom went on and on.


    Tang Yu listened quietly, responding from time to time.


    The room, which was twenty to thirty square meters, had few furnishings¡ªjust a bed, a round wooden table, and two chairs, with some basic living necessities on the table.


    Despite this, the room still seemed cramped. He couldn''t bear to have his parents live in such a place, "Mom, when dad comes back, let''s move out, go live in a big house..."


    "What big house? I know you think it''s small here, but you can''t compare it to the conditions before the apocalypse. Your dad and I don''t find this room cramped at all. If you move in, just add one more bed; there''s no need for needless waste."


    Tang''s mom went on, "You haven''t seen those situations where over a dozen people cram into one room. That''s what''s crowded. Luckily, your cousin has some status in the army, which is how we managed to get this room..."


    After much persuasion and numerous examples proving he was truly wealthy, Tang Yu barely managed to convince Tang''s Mom to agree to move to a larger house. During this time, he was inevitably questioned about whether the journey was dangerous, how he arrived here, and whether he was injured...


    Luckily, Tang''s Mom was just an ordinary person who had never left the Sanctuary and didn''t know much about the wilderness; otherwise, Tang Yu''s feat of traveling from Lindong to Luoxia wouldn''t have been easy to gloss over with just a few words.


    During this time, Tang''s Mom quickly went downstairs to hire a person-to-person messaging service, sending news of his arrival in Luoxia to Tang Dad, who was still at the factory.


    Before long, the family was finally reunited.


    Tang Dad was the same, his black hair interspersed with silver, his face marked by the passage of time...


    Tang Yu''s memory still held the faded photograph; both parents were so young. He now realized just how much time had slipped by.


    ''Thank goodness, it''s not too late. Life hasn''t left any regrets...''


    After a while,


    Tang''s Mom said with a smile, "I''ll go out and buy more food and invite your uncle and aunt''s families over for dinner to celebrate your safe return."


    ...


    ... Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Outside building No. 29, Eileen and the others were waiting listlessly.


    At that moment, Winnie suggested, "The captain probably won''t be out so soon. Rather than waiting around here, we might as well get some real work done."


    After losing a substantial amount of Source Crystals to the Carmen Three Brothers in a rigged card game, Shay suddenly perked up, "No more playing, no more playing. Let''s focus on the real work... oh right, what real work?"


    Winnie paced back and forth, arms crossed, slightly lifting her chest.


    "Although we may not stay here long and will return to the Sanctuary, knowing our captain''s personality, he''s likely to leave some people here to start assessing the situation or other tasks. It''s inevitable, so we might as well take advantage of our current free time to get a clear understanding of the situation in Luoxia Sanctuary, including the distribution of various forces, food, and equipment."


    "That sounds good. Where should we start?"


    Winnie brushed her hair back, lost in thought, "Well, that''s the question, huh..."


    It was Eileen, who had already been to Lindong, who made a reliable suggestion, "Typically, the Mercenary Union and the trading market are the places where all sorts mix. It should be easier to gather information there."


    "I''ll go to the Mercenary Union," said Shay. "I''m really familiar with that kind of place; the mercenaries there all have talent and are nice to talk to. I really like it there."


    "And the trading market? Who will go? But we need to leave at least half of our people here to ensure the captain''s safety."


    "Me, me, me, I''ll go squeak."


    The bamboo rat spirit raised its hand, but no one noticed until it jumped up to make itself visible.


    Winnie turned her head to look and shook her head.


    "You''re not suitable; how will you gather information with that small physique? I think it''s better for Xing Ling and Xing Yue to go, or maybe the Carmen Brothers, or I''ll go."


    The tasks were assigned.


    Humming a little tune, Shay strolled off, then suddenly turned back, "Oh right, going to the Mercenary Union, should we also register a Mercenary Corps?"


    "Register? Since it''s free, might as well do a bit."


    ...


    ...


    As the sunset''s afterglow gradually faded, taking with it the last gleam of light.


    The housing complex in West No. 5 Community had no electricity supply, except for some minor services like hot water provided in specific areas of each building. As the sun went down, the whole residential area seemed engulfed in darkness, with only the orange light from kerosene lamps flickering, bringing some brightness.


    In room 0327 of building No. 29,


    the atmosphere was bustling, and even the neighbors had heard that Old Tang''s son had somehow managed to reach Luoxia Sanctuary from another city.


    This was truly extraordinary.


    Most people weren''t aware of how dangerous the wilderness was, but from the occasional distant sound of gunfire and the rumors that circulated, it was clear the wilderness was a perilous place...


    It seemed that Old Tang''s son had achieved something remarkable.


    Their family''s living standards might just improve by another level... or even two.


    These conversations among the neighbors were filled with intense envy.


    ...


    Inside, the lone round wooden table was covered with dish after dish.

 Chapter 205 - 202: Suitable Development Path for Awakeners (Two-in-One Large Chapter)_2

    Due to the lack of kitchenware and appliances, many dishes were made in relatively simple ways, yet the table was still abundant with meat dishes. The signature dish was steamed mutant mantis shrimp, a local specialty from the Mutated Sea Beast. It was a delicacy that ordinary survivors only had the chance to indulge in occasionally. Even so, setting such a table was quite costly; had Tang Yu not taken out a handful of Source Crystals, Tang''s mom would have been reluctant and unable to buy so many ingredients.


    Soon, the aunt''s family and the uncle''s family arrived.


    The narrow room was crowded with people, but everyone''s face was bright with smiles.


    The aunt''s family also lived in the West No. 5 Community. The family of four, besides the two elders, included a short cousin and a younger cousin of only five or six, who was still very much a mischievous child.


    The uncle''s family had a better life because the cousin had joined the military and was allocated a hundred-square-meter suite.


    Tang Yu knew that it was the mutual help between the three families, particularly the cousin''s solid position in the military, that allowed for a slightly decent life in this difficult apocalypse.


    Tang Yu turned his head to look at his cousin sitting beside him.


    With a resolute face and a buzz cut, his body sitting upright, this was his cousin Tang Yu, their names quite similar. When they were kids and their parents called their names, he often mistook it and caused quite a few laughs.


    However, as they grew up, they contacted each other less. Now seeing each other again, both had grown a lot.


    While eating, they chatted, and inevitably, Tang Yu was asked how he had come to the Luoxia Sanctuary.


    He could only vaguely respond.


    His cousin was experienced and knew a lot but did not expose him. Instead, he asked, "Yu, what do you plan to do in the future?"


    "Do what?"


    "For you to come from Lindong to Luoxia, your strength is needless to say, but you also need to plan your future path well. What kind of career do you plan to pursue? I, your brother, know Luoxia well enough to give you some advice."


    His cousin put down his chopsticks and continued, "Awakeners don''t struggle to find work, especially the powerful ones, who are sought after by many. Let me first introduce you to a few potential options."


    "First is the Mercenary Union. Becoming a mercenary and joining a Mercenary Corps, you should know that being a mercenary offers freedom, the earnings depend entirely on oneself, but the downside, quite obviously, is the danger."


    "Secondly, the military. The military recently established the Ancestor Dragon Awakened Special Combat Group and is preparing to recruit more Awakeners. Yu, with your strength, if you join Ancestor Dragon, you will definitely be valued highly. I am also a member of Ancestor Dragon, and personally, I hope you can join Ancestor Dragon, though I feel we should also consider your aunt''s opinion..."


    Indeed, Tang''s mom frowned, "Joining Ancestor Dragon involves what kind of tasks? Is it dangerous?"


    The cousin pondered for a moment and said:


    "Ancestor Dragon is a combat group entirely composed of Awakeners, tasked with exploration, slaying, protection, and so on. The specific duties vary from squad to squad. There is danger, but military operations are meticulous, and the risks are much lower than those of mercenaries. The benefits are good, and you get the latest equipment first. The downside is you need to follow orders, so seeking freedom is out of the question..."


    Before the cousin could finish, he was promptly rejected by Tang''s mom.


    Tang Yu couldn''t help but smile wryly; he had yet to express his opinion, even considering taking his parents away, but he couldn''t find the right moment to speak up.


    Parents are always like this, not necessarily expecting their children to achieve a great career, but safety and health are essential.


    The cousin continued:


    "Awakeners have strong power, so labor jobs can also provide decent income, but of course¡­ with your strength, Yu, you''d surely consider it beneath you. Besides these, there''s also the Martial Arts Hall and accepting special contracts."


    "Special contracts usually involve being a long-term guard for wealthy people. In Luoxia, it''s not rare to find people with plenty of Source Crystals but insufficient strength. However, I don''t recommend this line of work for you. From what I understand, the special contract industry is quite messy, and there are ongoing plans to clean it up."


    "Another option is the Martial Arts Hall, which is a rather unique force, different from the Mercenary Corps and Ancestor Dragon. It doesn''t require frequent outdoor activities, as it focuses on teaching martial arts or combat skills. Occasionally, the Martial Arts Hall organizes outdoor training events where students fight Demonized Beasts. At those times, guards are needed to ensure safety... This is also why the Martial Arts Hall recruits Awakeners."


    From this description, the work at the Martial Arts Hall seemed quite safe.


    The students of the Martial Arts Hall were mostly not very strong. Their so-called "wilderness training" was just a game of playing tag with low-level Demonized Beasts. For Tang Yu, it was not even worth mentioning as dangerous... ahem!


    Tang Yu shook his head and suddenly realized he had been led astray, even comparing the pros and cons of various development paths of Awakeners.


    After all, he was Tang "No Shortage of Money" with experts under his command and an income of millions a month, the Great Lord Yu. Why would he need a job?


    However, he hadn''t figured out how to explain this yet, so he could only maintain a smile.


    His smile showed a hint of helplessness.


    At that time, across the table, his cousin Chen Xiaojia was chewing her food, with cheeks puffed out, mumbling unclearly, "Martial Hall is good, fat cut... cough cough," she swallowed her food, "Cousin, why don''t you join our Zhentian Martial Arts Hall? I''m studying there right now." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s not talk about this for now, but," Tang Yu looked puzzled, "can you actually learn anything worthwhile in the Martial Arts Hall? Real Awakeners should all have emerged from wilderness battles, shouldn''t they?"


    "Fighting in the wilderness is about gaining combat experience, while in the Martial Arts Hall, it''s about learning combat techniques. Those Martial Arts Halls are not like the ones before the apocalypse; many have real substance." The cousin fully took on the role of an explainer, "Actually, Ancestor Dragon also has coaches who impart real skills, but due to confidentiality rules, I can''t disclose too much. I can''t speak for small Martial Arts Halls, but the large ones are quite official."


    Cousin Chen Xiaojia nodded like a pecking chicken.


    Taking over her cousin''s words, she said, "Not only that, not everyone can go to the Martial Arts Hall. One needs to get a membership card and pay expensive fees to train there. Of course, for some talented students, the Martial Arts Hall reduces or even waives the fees, like in my case."


    She wore a proud look like that of a white swan, "I now enjoy the treatment of a high-level member, and it''s completely free, but in the future, once I reach the third layer of Awakening, I will need to work for the Martial Arts Hall, taking on a role as a guard..."


    Well, this was akin to a company commissioning a university to train, and the student signing a work contract with the company for after graduation.


    Tang Yu thought to himself.


    This was the Martial Arts Hall investing in advance, it seemed his young cousin possessed exceptional talent.


    Sure enough...


    The cousin stretched out her delicate palm, in which lay a yellow-black seed. In the next moment, a tender green sprout broke through at a visibly fast pace and grew rapidly.


    "This is my Special Ability; I can make plants grow quickly and even control the plants that grow. Even Brother Yu doesn''t have a Special Ability."


    She widened her eyes at Tang Yu, "Brother Yu, you have reached the Fourth Layer by now, have you got any Special Abilities?"


    Chen Xiaojia was newly Awakened and had only First Layer strength, but she could clearly perceive the strength of other Awakeners.


    Just like now, sitting to her front and side, Tang Yu''s presence was like a bonfire in the night, burning vigorously, even more powerful than Brother Yu, who was only at the third layer of Awakening.


    ¡ªThis was after Tang Yu had accepted the legacy of the Demon Swordsmen profession, combining its unique traits to develop a Breath Simulation Technique for himself, which sometimes proved quite effective.


    Like now, if he had no Awakener aura and couldn''t release it, explanations would definitely become a hassle, and it seemed very troublesome.


    Tang Yu touched his nose, "I do have one, but my ability is rather special."


    "Special? What type is it, Elemental Series, Transformation Series, Spiritual Series, Solidification Series, or Special Series?"


    "This... should be Special Series, maybe it can be called Architecture Series."


    Tang Yu spoke uncertainly.

 Chapter 206 - 203: The Heritage of the Martial Arts Hall

    "Architecture Series? Is that some newfound category? How come I''ve never heard of it?"


    Cousin Chen Xiaojia fired off a series of questions.


    Even the widely knowledgeable elder cousin looked puzzled at Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu cleared his throat, "It''s not really a category, my ability is just quite special. On one hand, it''s similar to the Solidification Series, on the other hand, well, I thought about it and couldn''t fit it into any existing category, so I simply created the Architecture Series."


    However, his explanation was basically in vain as they didn''t understand what he was talking about.


    The surrounding elders, not grasping any of this since they lived in a different world from the Awakeners, didn''t bother to ask any more. They just reminded the younger generation to be careful and not to venture into dangerous places.


    Tang Yu and two others could only nod repeatedly like chickens pecking at rice, not daring to continue the topic.


    They enjoyed their meal very much.


    Such a lavish meal was hard to come by on ordinary days, even for the elder cousin''s family who didn''t indulge in luxury often.


    For Tang Yu, these foods were nothing special, yet he enjoyed them thoroughly¡ªafter all, they were made by Tang''s Mom, a point that made them more precious than any exotic delicacies.


    He secretly made up his mind to prepare a truly sumptuous meal once he got a new house or returned to his territory.


    ...


    ...


    After dinner, the elders discussed their matters, and naturally, the younger ones gathered together, resuming the interrupted conversation.


    "Brother Yu, show us your ability."


    At this point, they were walking in the residential area, on a narrow path where only cars could pass, and even pedestrians felt cramped. Sometimes when survivors from the opposite direction walked by, they had to sidestep to pass each other.


    In such an environment, if he casually built an Arrow Tower with a wave of his hand, other buildings could collapse under the pressure within minutes.


    Tang Yu''s lips twitched, "My ability is from the Architecture Series, by definition, it''s like constructing buildings, affecting a wide area. I can''t really demonstrate it here. If you really want to see it, let''s go to the wilderness another day where I can show you."


    "Wilderness... I''ve never been there."


    His cousin showed a longing look.


    Having lived inside tall city walls since the apocalypse began, she was not alone in her curiosity towards the outside world. However, only those who had been through hardships, pain, and abandonment outdoors knew that it was not a place to yearn for.


    Yet her curiosity about the Architecture Series abilities only deepened.


    As they walked out of the residential area, the orange hue of streetlights gave the main roads an almost urban feel.


    Elder cousin looked at Tang Yu, making a suggestion, "Since it''s your first time in Luoxia, why don''t I take you to a shooting club? I know people there; we can get a discount. It''s good to master shooting skills for an advantage in the wilderness."


    "No Brother Yu, that won''t do. Come with me to the Martial Arts Hall instead, there''s a lecture by the Master tonight!"


    His cousin muttered.


    It was evident she highly respected the Zhentian Martial Arts Hall.


    "A lecture... If it''s a lecture by the Master from Zhentian, that would indeed be good. Yu, you should go listen, you might learn something," the elder cousin remarked after thinking it over.


    Tang Yu was confused, "Master? What''s that?"


    "Master is the strongest person in our Martial Arts Hall." Chen Xiaojia quickly answered, "Our hall has several masters who teach, and the strongest among them is the Master."


    "How strong?"


    "Strong... Well, it''s hard to say. I can only sense a faint essence of an Awakener from the Master, but he is really strong. The first time he taught a class, because his essence was weak, and didn''t even compare to the First Layer of Awakening, some thought they were tricked out of a hefty membership fee and looked down on him. A highly capable Awakener challenged him..."


    His cousin tilted her head, recalling the scene, "The challenger''s essence was as strong as yours, Brother Yu, and he looked even more fierce, with arms thicker than the Master''s thighs. He threw a punch at the Master, but guess what..."


    She paused for a moment, seeing neither of them showed any interest in guessing, then continued with a mix of disappointment and boredom:


    "That punch was actually stopped by a single finger from the Master," they said. "Afterward, the two started fighting, and that person couldn''t withstand even two rounds before he was thrown out of the Martial Arts Hall. Now he''s too ashamed to show his face."


    "Our students all say... this is called ''playing the pig to eat the tiger.'' Oh, if I could one day become a master like the Master, that would be great, even a powerful Awakener with a presence similar to Brother Yu can''t last two rounds."


    So you always use me as a comparison, why is that? Your cousin is not someone who''d be knocked out in two rounds!


    ... He could at least last a few more rounds!


    Tang Yu wondered,


    but he was also somewhat surprised.


    It wasn''t about the Master''s strength; rather, it was the combination of factors such as faint aura...Martial Arts Hall...powerful, which led him to some guesses in his heart.


    Then he thought of Lin Wei, who had already thrown in the towel. His outward appearance also concealed part of his strength, and Lin Wei''s power was surprisingly strong. At the time, despite being one Layer behind in Awakening, he managed to fight Luo Zhe and maintain his ground for quite a long while without being defeated.


    Beside him, Tang Yu was truly shocked, "The Master of your Martial Arts Hall can actually conceal his presence to just a last hint?"


    Tang Yu raised his eyelids.


    He noticed his cousin''s choice of words, ''conceal'', indeed, the Military...now it should be called Ancestor Dragon, wouldn''t be unaware of this, Awakening, absorbing soul power, breakthrough, these were just the basics, and an Awakener themselves is like a huge treasure, still waiting for people to explore and unearth.


    "To conceal it down to the last hint, is that really so impressive... I guess that''s right, after all, he is the Master. The other instructors can''t even manage to conceal their auras."


    Chen Xiaojia said and seemed a bit distressed, "If I could learn the real skills of the Master, that''d be great, but those are only accessible to Core Apprentices, and I haven''t even mastered the Breathing and Exhaling Technique yet."


    Seeing Tang Yu''s confusion, she continued,


    "Our Martial Arts Hall''s student system, as I''ve mentioned before, depending on the membership fee paid is divided into members and Advanced members, with different privileges available. Above the Advanced members, there''s an extremely limited number of Core Apprentices who receive personal instruction from the Master. It''s not just about having money; one must have enough talent too."


    "Previously, the Master taught the Breathing and Exhaling Technique in our Advanced member course and promised that whoever could master the Breathing and Exhaling Technique in a short time could become a Core Apprentice."


    Tang Yu was stunned.


    The Martial Arts Hall was giving out such core content?


    Then he heard his cousin continue, "But the Breathing and Exhaling Technique, contrary to what I imagined could make people fly or burrow in the past, is, as the Master said, only a sophisticated health preservation method before the apocalypse. But now, as an Awakener can learn and use it in battle, it''s said to reduce physical exertion during combat, which is quite significant."


    With that said,


    Tang Yu realized that this was not the Cultivation Skill he had imagined. However, he was certain that the Zhentian Martial Arts Hall possessed real Cultivation Techniques, and mastering the Breathing and Exhaling Technique might just be a prerequisite for a certain Cultivation Skill.


    Chen Xiaojia checked her watch, "There''s a lecture by the Master in an hour, as an Advanced member, I just happen to have one invitation slot. Brother Tang, come with me. We''ll just take our time walking there, we should arrive right on time¡­" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She looked at Tang Yu.


    With such an explanation, Tang Yu was genuinely curious about the Martial Arts Hall and nodded, "But you only have one invitation slot, then Brother Yu¡­"


    "Brother Yu has already received teachings in the military, he doesn''t need to attend lectures."


    "I mean, it seems a bit wrong to leave Brother Yu behind, unable to enter the lecture while we do... oh wait a second." Tang Yu looked down beside him, to his five- or six-year-old cousin who had come with them and was surprisingly not causing any trouble.


    That''s very unlike a typical mischievous child.


    Initially worried about his cousin not having anything to do, but now¡­


    Tang Yu patted Brother Yu''s shoulder, "The crucial task of taking care of your little cousin falls on you. This isn''t leaving you out, but for your own good."


    Brother Yu looked puzzled.


    "Brother Yu, you''re at that age where you''re considering marriage, starting to learn how to take care of children now will give you an edge in the future. Think of this as a great training opportunity, and who knows, it might increase your success rate with the ladies by a few percentage points..."


    Brother Yu watched as the mischievous child was hoisted into his arms for him to hold.


    Although his cousin''s words made sense, he couldn''t shake the feeling that something was amiss.


    Shouldn''t he find a girl first before considering childcare issues?

 Chapter 207 - 204: 666

    Two people walked over, one of them carrying a child, led by their cousin, they arrived at the Zhentian Martial Arts Hall.


    The child was carried the entire way, being too young to walk this far, and their cousin was a third layer Awakener, powerful enough that carrying one child¡ªand even a dozen more¡ªwould not tire him out.


    Including their cousin, and him.


    All three siblings were Awakeners, meaning the Awakening rate in their family was quite high. This spoke volumes about their family''s excellent genes¡­


    Suddenly, Tang Yu stopped in his tracks.


    His cousin and the girl were indeed Awakeners, but he¡­ he originally was not!


    He suddenly realized the truth that he was a fake Awakener. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ashamed, he covered his face.


    He felt like he was dragging his family down.


    ¡­


    Zhentian Martial Arts Hall was located in the bustling area of Luoxia Sanctuary, where neon lights sparkled all around, and the attire of the survivors strolling by was mostly decent; one could not see any ragged survivors.


    They reached a majestic building with the powerful and vigorous characters "Zhentian Martial Arts Hall" hanging over it. The gate was wide open, and a steady stream of people was entering, Tang Yu noted that there were both ordinary people and Awakeners among them.


    There were also some dressed quite splendidly, more like they were attending some high-class gathering than coming to learn at the hall.


    His cousin whispered on the side, "Those are mostly the children of powerful figures within the Sanctuary. Many are just ordinary people and not very hardworking, they hardly learn anything. But they are pretty much just bringing money to the hall, which welcomes them."


    She frowned disapprovingly at them.


    Their cousin found a moderately upscale coffee shop nearby, where they waited with the child cousin. The coffee shop had a pleasant environment with soothing music, making it popular among middle-tier Awakeners. It was said that just spending half a Source Crystal allowed you to stay for a full two hours inside.


    The value was exceptionally high.


    Inside the Martial Arts Hall, numerous chairs were already set up, reminiscent of his college days when they would listen to lectures from school leaders. The crowd was beyond Tang Yu''s expectations.


    Those who were here were all members. Although like him, some were brought in, but as high-tier members paid even higher fees, free members like his cousin were extremely rare¡­ His fingers already busy calculating the hall''s income.


    Luoxia really had a lot of rich people.


    In comparison, the fee structure of the Territory training camps was still quite simplistic.


    At that moment, Tang Yu felt that he had learned a lot, especially according to his cousin''s words. Although Zhentian Martial Arts Hall was not the strongest and ranked among the top five, it still had numerous members.


    If the top five had this many members, what about the first?


    This was a huge market. Awakeners in Lindong were not as enthusiastic about martial arts halls, perhaps because Lindong had more so-called masters, and the halls'' reputations were snuffed out before they even emerged.


    But in Luoxia, the martial arts hall system was well-established. Tang Yu deeply considered the teachings and environment the hall could offer to its students¡ªall of which he could provide.


    Even better!


    To leave it be would be almost a disservice to himself.


    After all, he was Tang, "addicted to making money," Great Lord Yu.


    Soon, the Master of Zhentian Martial Arts Hall, striding mightily, stepped onto the stage.


    The man was around thirty-four, with a handsome face only slightly less attractive than his, exuding a masterly aura as he walked.


    It seemed the uncle-face was quite popular. As soon as the Master stepped up, chants and cheers erupted from the students, with his cousin among those excitedly cheering.


    Tang Yu merely pursed his lips.


    The Master on the stage cleared his throat and began to speak.


    "Many people think martial arts is all about techniques, but that''s not the case. Techniques are just one aspect. The power of a Martial Artist is a reflection of integrated qualities, such as physical build, the positioning and force of body attacking moves, movement power¡­ changes in technique speed, force quality, pace speed, force sensation, handling incoming force, conversion, responsive capacity, attacking speed, defensive capability¡­ switching between offense and defense, responsiveness, innate performance, emergency response, fighting against multiple opponents, mixed weapon combats, and so on. All these aspects are manifestations of a Martial Artist''s power."


    "Power involves many facets, among which physical strength is foundational, yet physical strength is only the foundation. Whether an Awakener can fully utilize their strength, and to what extent, this is what really reflects power. That''s also why, even among Awakeners of the same layer, there are still great disparities in power¡­"


    It was a basic lecture, yet the Master made it profound yet simple, demonstrating in methods most relatable to the students.


    Those students, especially those who had just become members, were still somewhat bewildered or even skeptical about martial arts; all were wide-eyed and clearly found it tremendously beneficial.


    However, Tang Yu''s interest was lacking.


    He was here mainly out of curiosity, to scout out the details of the martial arts hall.


    In the domain of his expanded perception, the breath of the Master was indeed very faint, almost like Luo Zhe and others when they concealed their breaths.


    "Unfortunately, although he is quite strong, he has figured out too many things on his own..."


    Now, though his combat skills were still not up to par with Luo Zhe and other followers of the Warrior profession, his vision was by no means lacking, able to glean plenty of valuable information from the content of the lecture.


    For example, although the Master''s breath was weak, it was not stable, like a small flame flickering intermittently, while Luo Zhe and others who had concealed their breaths were as steady as a calm lake surface.


    This was the gap.


    Tang Yu, his mind wandering, felt it inappropriate to leave in such a manner and simply engaged in a video chat with his followers through a contract to pass the time.


    Soon the lecture approached its conclusion.


    On stage, the Master elaborated on the key points, paused, and continued, "A true Martial Artist needs to experience real combat. Luckily, tomorrow the Martial Arts Hall will have a major training event with six hundred training slots available. Advanced members get one free training opportunity per period, and regular members who want to join must pay a fee of ten Source Crystals..."


    Tang Yu was already selectively ignoring the rest of the speech.


    A single training session costing ten Source Crystals, not to mention the membership fee itself... Indeed, poverty limits my ability to make money.


    Lord Tang was already envious, even though he currently lacked no Source Crystals, but he anticipated another era of Source Crystal scarcity in the future.


    One of the conditions for upgrading his territory from Fourth Layer to Fifth Layer was five hundred thousand units of Source Crystals. With the support of a Source Crystal Mine, he could manage that amount; but what about from Fifth Layer to Sixth Layer? How much would that require?


    Tang Yu dared not even imagine it, let alone the fact that he still had no clue about the other condition for upgrading from Four to Five.


    [Upgrade Requirement: Territory Fitting Degree above 20%]


    Current Fitting Degree: 8%.


    The system offered no explanation, everything had to be guessed.


    Even from the data alone, he understood that the current fitting degree was far from sufficient. To meet the upgrade requirements, there was a long road ahead.


    Unable to upgrade yet, he could only think of ways to make money first.


    So planned the Great Lord.


    ...


    ...


    Mercenary Union.


    Every major Sanctuary had such a place, not only allowing Awakeners to earn extra income but also enabling the authorities to indirectly control the unstable force represented by Freelance Awakeners.


    The Luoxia Mercenary Guild was just as bustling.


    Shay walked in, immediately smelling the familiar scent of tobacco¡ªindeed he was well accustomed to such places!


    Clutching a cigarette and swiftly snapping his fingers to light it, he approached the front desk to register a new Mercenary Corps.


    In a place as large as Luoxia, with hundreds of thousands of Awakeners, new Mercenary Corps were formed daily, and some also disbanded.


    After the Awakener before him finished his business, it was Shay''s turn. The front desk staff explained, "Our Mercenary Union has recently introduced a grading system to ensure the completion rate of missions and the safety of the mercenaries themselves. We will assign a rating to the Mercenary Corps based on the strength of the mercenaries, with higher-rated corps able to take on more tasks and access more mission information."


    This had similarities to the adventurer guild system in the territory, where high-level missions required high-level teams. In Luoxia, one merely needed to demonstrate their strength to instantly join a higher-level Mercenary Corps, whereas in the territory, high-ranking Awakeners only needed to submit a sufficient number of Source Crystals and complete the promotion missions to quickly ascend.


    For those Awakeners lacking in strength, even with ample Source Crystals, they would be stymied by the promotion missions, effectively preventing the occurrence of low-level members in high-level teams.


    Although the system of the territory''s adventurer guild seemed more cumbersome, the benefits were greater. Awakeners would convert Source Crystals into points which they were reluctant to leave unused, and once they spent Source Crystals on equipment or props, they could tangibly feel the benefits, along with a continuous influx of new products... This firmly tied Awakeners from other places to Green Shadow.


    Those who came from Lindong mostly couldn''t bear to go back.


    Having understood the system of the Luoxia Mercenary Guild and the recent condition of the territory through the contract, Tang Yu silently congratulated himself.


    Then the staff said, "Based on your Fourth Layer Awakening strength, your Mercenary Corps will be classified as a Second Level category, with the entitled benefits being¡­"


    The front desk person, also an Awakener, albeit not very strong, was essentially a human detector, used to sense the aura of every Awakener.


    Shay thought to himself, ''Fourth Layer Awakening and only a Second Level Corps? That seems a bit low if it means missing out on a lot of information.''


    He reacted quickly, stretching out his hand to stop the staff member, "Wait a minute, who said I''m only at the Fourth Layer Awakening, how did you sense that!"


    The staff member, confused, focused intensely, placing their perception on Shay.


    The next second, their mouth dropped open in astonishment and they exclaimed, "Six¡­six¡­six, Sixth Layer Awakening!"

 Chapter 208 - 205: Name... Lets Leave It Blank for Now

    In Luoxia, due to a large population base and the relatively dangerous terrain, the strength of Awakeners was stronger than in Lindong.


    First or Second Layer were ordinary Awakeners, those at the Third and Fourth Layer could be considered elite, while reaching the Fifth Tier marked one as an adept, and they were not so rare. Yet, the gap between the Fifth Tier and the Sixth Layer seemed to be just one level, the difference was substantial.


    This was a bottleneck that barred many people at the Gate.


    There were many Awakeners who had already reached the Fifth Tier Peak, but at this stage, some were stuck for an indeterminate time with no breakthrough in sight.


    At that time, some were surprised to discover that martial arts practice, which strengthened coordination, control, and various other abilities with oneself, was very helpful for breaking through.


    Thus, Martial Arts Hall rapidly gained popularity.


    Even so, an Awakener of the Sixth Layer was still as rare as a phoenix feather or a unicorn horn in Luoxia, not to mention that this was just someone who had come to the Mercenary Union to register a new Mercenary Corps. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This exclamation instantly drew the attention of the other mercenaries in the hall.


    The noisy hall went quiet for a moment, and many people looked over.


    There were numerous Awakeners here, with their auras entangled and chaotic as a mess. Unless someone perceived deliberately, it would be difficult to discern each person''s strength, which was also the reason the front desk staff thought they had initially perceived it wrong.


    They didn''t know that Shay''s Sixth Layer aura had only been raised after hearing their words.


    "It really is a Sixth Layer big shot! Is it a top-tier Mercenary Corps that''s split up, looking to re-register?"


    "No... that big shot looks unfamiliar. I can name every notable figure in the Mercenary Union, and I''ve seen their photos; I can''t be mistaken. This person is either a newly-emerged big shot or someone from another place."


    "I feel like I''m witnessing the rise of a dominant Mercenary Corps."


    "No kidding! I wonder what the requirements are to join this big shot''s Corps. If the Commander is a Sixth Layer powerhouse, there''s no need to worry about being robbed of spoils in the wild."


    "Yes, yes... hey, wait a minute! You''re discussing joining someone else''s Corps right in front of me, your Commander. What''s that supposed to mean?"


    Despite such discussions, no one dared to approach.


    Without knowing the personality of this big shot, the deterrent power of a Sixth Layer Awakener was just that immense.


    At the registration window.


    Shay flicked the burning cigarette butt, now reduced to a small stub, into the corner garbage can with a flick of his fingers.


    His hand paused mid-air, hesitant about whether or not to light another.


    He wasn''t deaf; he could hear the murmurs of the other Awakeners, and Shay felt... it was somewhat beyond expectations.


    It''s not like Luoxia didn''t have Awakeners at the Sixth or Seventh Layer.


    That was precisely why he had released the aura of the Sixth Layer, not the Eighth.


    Shay declared this misunderstanding was not his fault.


    "Sir, your Corps can be rated as a Fourth-tier Corps, with benefits including... For a higher, Fifth-tier Corps, there are requirements for members and scale. Given your strength, perhaps it won''t be long before your Corps can be upgraded to the Fifth Tier," the staff said, their tone much more polite than before.


    Shay smiled broadly. Benefits and assignments weren''t key; the problem was that this Corps might eventually represent the Territory and stay in Luoxia. Being too low-level would be a disgrace... it would appear he was inefficient.


    Then, the staff spoke again, "Sir, please give your Corps a name."


    Come up with an impressive name.


    This was the standard process.


    Shay hesitated... What should he call it? Naming was not his forte, unlike his pectoral muscles.


    Standing in place, propping his chin with his hand, he fell into a deep thought.


    One minute, two minutes... Finally, he ventured to ask, "Why not just leave the name blank for now?"


    The staff member was stunned.


    Coming here to register a Mercenary Corps without a preselected name, this was the first time he had encountered such an occurrence.


    This Awakener big shot really seemed...quite unique!


    "You can pick a random name for now; our renaming process isn''t complicated," he suggested.


    Changing the name of a Mercenary Corps was simply a matter of going through a procedure, yet hardly any Mercenary Corps chose to change their names, as it was akin to their brand. A change would definitely affect their popularity.


    But at the moment, considering the Corps had just been established, if a good name hadn''t been decided upon, choosing a placeholder name and coming back the next day to update it seemed like a viable option.


    Shay scratched his head, "That doesn''t seem quite right."


    "Not at all, not at all. This is part of our job, and as the Commander of the Mercenary Corps, you have the authority to change the name at any time."


    "No." Shay paused, "What I meant to say is, choosing any old name could look bad if it''s not of a high enough standard. And, I''m not actually the Commander of the Mercenary Corps; it seems like it would be troublesome to change the name later on. Let''s just leave it blank for now."


    "Wait, you''re not the Commander?" The staff member couldn''t help but raise his voice again.


    Shay ran his hand through his hair, "Though I am aware that I carry a certain charisma, did I ever say I was the Commander? I''m just someone responsible for running errands."


    The staff member glanced at the form in his hands.


    It contained some basic information Shay had just filled out: this man''s strength was Sixth Layer Awakener, his weapon of choice was firearms, and then...his gaze fell on the section for the team members.


    The Commander column...was blank, and under the members section, there was just Shay''s solitary name.


    Did he really just fill in ''member''?!


    The staff member couldn''t help but curse inwardly.


    A Sixth Layer big shot was just running errands? What level of skill did the actual Commander possess?


    He was somewhat skeptical, but it occurred to him that if this were true, this newly formed Mercenary Corps would possess an unimaginable level of power.


    He swallowed, opened and closed his mouth, and finally said, "Alright, we''ll leave the Mercenary Corps name blank for now, but please make sure to come up with a name and complete the registration soon."


    Shay waved his hand, indicating that he understood.


    He strolled around the hall, taking advantage of the Mercenary Corps''s privileges to browse through some information, gradually getting a feel for the surrounding situation in Luoxia.


    ...


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the real estate agency.


    Winnie stepped inside, followed by the hopping and bouncing bamboo rat Li, who seemed to have never grown up.


    After the Xing Ling sisters went to the trading market, Winnie, who had just received the Lord''s information, came to the real estate agency intending to look for housing-related information.


    The real estate agency wasn''t like those before the apocalypse, teeming with a mix of people; now, Luoxia had this one official agency controlling the entire real estate sector.


    The agency covered a sizeable area, divided into several zones: low to mid-range, mid-range, high-end, and luxury housing areas.


    In both the high-end and luxury housing sections, Winnie saw a number of building models, but in the other two areas, there was nothing to be seen¡ªonly some simple rental information could be gleaned from screens.


    (Another chapter coming up soon)

 Chapter 209 - 206: The Concept of Sub-territory

    Although it was already night, there were still quite a few survivors browsing through housing information, seeking their preferred rental targets.


    Winnie did not hesitate, heading toward the top-end residential area on the far right.


    The number of survivors looking at houses in this area was much sparser than in the other areas, with only a few scattered survivors leaning over the sand table, gesturing and pointing with their hands.


    An attendant saw Winnie''s white robe and greeted her with a smiling face.


    Such attire was rather peculiar, yet after the apocalypse, Awakeners dressed in a wide variety of equipment; it wasn''t unusual to see someone in heavy armor, so by comparison, wearing a luxurious silk robe seemed quite normal.


    Or rather, it hinted at wealth, not belonging to the lower or middle tiers of Awakeners; he immediately judged this person to be a potential customer.


    The middle-aged attendant''s smile was warm as he introduced, "We have boutique suites, townhouses, and detached villas here, located in... May I ask which type you are interested in?"


    The residential communities these homes were in all boasted quiet and serene environments, which were even more precious during the apocalypse and within the limited space of the Sanctuary.


    The houses were also fully furnished with all kinds of furniture, allowing those who moved in to enjoy top-level housing treatment immediately.


    "At present, we offer rental periods of one week, half a month, one month, with appropriate discounts for longer rentals. You can look at the pictures first and then decide on the house and the rental period."


    The attendant did not mention rental periods longer than a month.


    That was because very few chose to rent for that long; most Awakeners preferred short-term rentals. They didn''t have enough funds on hand to pay too much at once and typically, they wouldn''t tie up too much capital in housing rentals, instead spending money on equipment and training.


    Winnie''s gaze swept over the nearby architectural models and she browsed through the small booklet introducing the houses.


    Xiaoli brought over a chair, stood on tiptoe on top of it, and finally gained enough height to see the contents of the booklet.


    "This villa looks quite nice, and it''s only thirty Source Crystals for a week''s rent¡ªso cheap."


    "Hmm, this one is nice too, near the lake."


    "And this one, it even has a home cinema and a swimming pool... All of them seem so nice, how do I choose just one."


    The bamboo rat Li held its little head and swayed back and forth, caught in a dilemma of choice.


    But Winnie closed the booklet and said:


    "May I inquire if, apart from renting, it''s possible to purchase here? I mean, buying the land rights of an entire area."


    "What did you say? Wait... Did I hear that wrong?"


    The warm smile of the middle-aged man disappeared, his brows furrowed, revealing astonishment, suspicion, disgust, and a ''you must be here to cause trouble'' expression.


    Winnie didn''t speak, simply putting down the large backpack she had been carrying.


    With a whoosh, she unzipped the backpack, revealing Source Crystals sparkling like crystals inside, filling the bag to the brim and bulging it out.


    "These are all taken from inside high-level Demonized Beasts, each Source Crystal is filled with a large amount of Source Energy, with a total value of about ten thousand. If that''s not enough, I can add more, twenty thousand, thirty thousand... whatever it takes; we just want to buy a piece of land."


    "After all, our team captain only likes living in houses he builds himself."


    Winnie''s expression remained unchanged as she spoke indifferently.


    At the same time, she estimated that the breath of power she had suppressed to the Seventh Layer of Awakening, at this moment, was completely unleashed.


    Ordinary Awakeners couldn''t conceal their own breath, but they could release it.


    On any given day, an Awakener''s aura could be perceived but wouldn''t affect low-level Awakeners or ordinary people. However, once this aura was released fully, it could be sensed even from a great distance and even exert pressure like that from a higher being upon a lower one.


    At this moment, Winnie released her Seventh Layer aura completely.


    The majestic aura materialized fully.


    It was like a tempest that swept through the entire place.


    Her flaxen hair swirled in the gust, howling with the wind.


    Not far in front of her, the middle-aged receptionist only felt a terrifying presence whip past him¡ªthis was the result of Winnie precisely controlling her aura. If the full force of a Seventh Layer aura had pressed down directly, the best outcome for this mere ordinary receptionist would have been fainting on the spot.


    Inside the brokerage hall.


    Ordinary people only felt a sudden gust of wind and a slight oppression in their chests. But the Awakeners stood with their hairs on end and their minds short-circuited in an instant.


    Some low-level Awakeners couldn''t even discern what level of aura it was, feeling it as towering as a mountain, as profound as the sea, and they almost knelt.


    The aura came fast and left just as quickly.


    Like autumn leaves swirling in the wind, they settled back to the ground in the blink of an eye.


    Ordinary survivors, merely brushed by the aura, didn''t perceive much but felt a great panic at the bottom of their hearts for a split second.


    As for the Awakeners, especially those of higher levels, they looked around with astonished eyes.


    Soon enough, someone focused their gaze on Winnie from the top-tier residential area.


    Their pupils showed an unmistakable shock.


    Winnie, having retracted her aura, smiled and said, "Now you should believe that we have the ability to purchase land. Of course, I know you can''t make this decision, so you need to inform someone here who can make decisions, to come and discuss this big deal."


    Buying land,


    That was the decision Tang Yu reached after pondering in the Martial Arts Hall for a while.


    Luoxia was a massive market, and he had long planned to sell equipment there. Since that was the case, instead of renting houses or shops, he might as well buy a plot of land and build his own mall.


    Most importantly, he planned to establish a Sub-territory in Luoxia.


    After rising to a fourth-level Territory, he could build two fortresses, that is, two Sub-territories.


    Setting up in the Luoxia Sanctuary seemed risky as it might be discovered by the locals, but in reality, it was not the case. As long as he kept a low profile and didn''t exaggerate his actions, everything could be chalked up to his Special Ability. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the contrary, setting up in the wilderness had secrecy as its only advantage but no other benefits. The most important goal of establishing a Sub-territory was to rely on a new building unlocked by the fourth-level Territory, the Transmission Array, to transport equipment.


    Luoxia was too far from Lindong, and even with a Space Backpack and a Floating Chariot, back-and-forth transportation was still too inefficient and risky. But the Transmission Array was different. Once built, it would allow free movement between the Territory and the Sub-territory, reducing transportation costs to an extreme low.


    With a Sub-territory in place, it would be easier to make a name for system buildings like the Martial Arts Hall or stores.


    In a large Sanctuary with a population of two million survivors, Tang Yu almost saw a huge influx of Source Crystals beckoning him.


    In Lindong, he had not allowed Grey Blade to set up a shop for selling equipment, because he wanted to attract the Awakeners of Lindong to his Territory. Compared to the money earned from selling equipment, Lord Tang valued those Awakeners who could continuously earn money for him.


    It was a long-term strategy.


    However, since Luoxia was too far from the Territory for these Awakeners to travel to, it became necessary to set up a real Sub-territory there.

 Chapter 210 - 207 Problematic Land

    This Sub-territory, unlike the main Territory, is merely a stronghold in Luoxia¡ªTang Yu had no intention of expanding it.


    His core focus was always on the main Territory back there; Green Shadow was still in the early stages of major construction, and they hadn''t even settled the main Territory, let alone had the energy to develop a Sub-territory. In his vision, this place was an organization that would continuously supply him Source Crystals, materials, and intelligence.


    The premise of it all was to have an unobstructed piece of land in Luoxia, houses...even if they were purchased, demolishing and rebuilding them would inevitably attract attention from others.


    Tang Yu still had some half-baked ideas, but the time hadn''t come yet.


    The last remaining fortress construction opportunity, he planned to use it in the Lindong area, to choose a relatively hidden location and build it, also without plans for expansion¡ªmerely as a backup. He was aware of the saying "a crafty rabbit has three burrows."


    After the main Territory developed in the future and he wanted to expand his domain and build a real Sub-territory, the level of the Territory would certainly have risen by then, granting more construction permissions for Sub-territories. Therefore... The things in his hands had to be used up quickly; it would be a shame to let them expire.


    The receptionist hadn''t run back to inform yet.


    A middle-aged man in a suit, whose tie was not properly fastened, giving him a somewhat disheveled appearance, ran down frantically from the second floor.


    The person who had just been in charge of receiving Winnie let out a sigh of relief when he saw this man and quickly trotted up to speak with the supervisor in a low voice, occasionally looking back carefully at Winnie.


    With a panicked expression.


    The balding middle-aged supervisor coughed to cover his embarrassment and adjusted his tie as he walked forward. His legs were still shaking a bit. He glanced at the bulging backpack on the floor and some Source Crystals scattered around, trying to maintain his composure.


    "Miss¡­you want to buy land, but¡­ but we only rent houses here."


    His expression was troubled, and he dared not reject her too directly.


    His entire face took on the color of constipation.


    ¡­


    Winnie had anticipated such a response; the land within the Sanctuary had become even more precious after the apocalypse, and the officials wouldn''t have plans to sell it.


    However, nothing is impossible for a person with money¡ªif the other party refused, it surely meant the price was not high enough¡­at least in most cases.


    She took out the Source Crystals and demonstrated her strength as a way to tell them that she could afford the price and had the right to negotiate. Of course, she wasn''t looking to be taken advantage of; the Lord had already mentioned in the contract information that, should the cost be too high, she should abandon the purchase plan, as the Lord had plans B1B2B3 in reserve.


    Winnie didn''t beat around the bush and laid out her direct terms.


    She wasn''t good at negotiating or haggling, but the initial release of her aura, besides proving her credentials, was also more intimidating. At least, the supervisor in front of her, a middle-aged man with the strength of the Fourth Layer of Awakening, now cowered.


    It appeared her plan was feasible.


    The balding supervisor, with a bitter face, hesitated, "You mean, in addition to Source Crystals, you can also provide rune Equipment and trade with rune Equipment¡­Are they really that kind of rune Equipment?"


    As middle-upper management, he''d heard some rumors.


    Rune Equipment might become the mainstream equipment in the future, and scientists were working hard to overcome the challenges associated with rune Equipment, but to his knowledge, it wasn''t going very smoothly.


    Currently, only a few large Sanctuaries had mastered the manufacturing method for rune Equipment.


    Right now, the Equipment that was being offered looked very much like the legendary rune Equipment¡­he didn''t have time to wonder where these Equipment came from, but if they were genuine¡­


    The balding supervisor''s heart started pounding rapidly.


    He took out a communicator unique to middle and upper management, made some operations, and after a series of crackling electrical noises, the communicator finally transmitted a voice.


    Soon, several bespectacled, shabbily dressed researchers who looked very scholarly hurried over.


    Some of them took out their portable instruments, others repeatedly caressed the weapons, some of them stared so intently at the pieces of Equipment that they almost drooled.


    "There''s no mistake, these are truly rune Equipment, and they''re engraved with various types of runes!"


    These researchers were obsessed with rune Equipment. The balding supervisor even suspected that if today''s trade didn''t go through and they failed to get their hands on rune Equipment, these researchers might just engage him in a real fight.


    He wiped his forehead, though there was no actual sweat, as Winnie''s attitude shifted once again.


    The thought of selling the land had loosened in his mind.


    The Sanctuary had no lack of Source Crystals, but these rune equipment could possibly help scientists deliver the last kick in their research on rune equipment.


    By then, he could consider himself a contributor.


    Moreover, the strength of the two individuals before him was not what surprised him the most, and what he found even more unbelievable was the little girl beside the young woman. She looked to be only around eleven or twelve but emanated the aura of an Awakener at the Sixth Layer.


    The middle-aged manager couldn''t fathom how a child of this age, even if Awakened, could have progressed step by step to this point... The more he thought about it, the more he found the other party inscrutable. Even with the support of the Sanctuary and being a subordinate of a high-ranking official''s direct lineage, he did not wish to antagonize them.


    The bald manager left for a while and then hurried back, saying, "As it happens, we have a piece of land available for transaction. However, the specific details of the deal still need further discussion."


    ...


    ...


    Aside from the land, Tang Yu also had Winnie rent two detached villas.


    To use as a temporary transition.


    When Tang Yu returned from the Martial Arts Hall with his cousin and a few others and brought his parents to the villas, they were all stunned.


    Quietly, he had rented two villas.


    This was an expenditure of over a hundred Source Crystals!


    Apart from being stunned, his parents also felt distressed. Tang Yu had anticipated this and slipped away quietly.


    "Cousin, you have to cover for me with my parents, and explain to them that I really haven''t been spending money recklessly..."


    His cousin gave a wry smile; he truly saw that his younger cousin was not an ordinary Awakener, "So where are you planning to go now? You''re unfamiliar with Luoxia, how about letting Xiaojia accompany you?"


    "No need, you might not believe this but I just bought a piece of land and am about to go check it out."


    Tang Yu''s voice gradually disappeared into the distance.


    His cousin stood there, dumbfounded.


    After pondering, did he believe it, or not?


    ...


    After leaving the high-end community''s gate, Tang Yu and Eileen met up with a few others. Using the mental contact from the contract with Winnie like a high-end GPS navigation system, they soon arrived at the location of the land.


    The area was located at the edge of Luoxia Sanctuary, quite secluded, but apart from that, the surrounding environment was rather pleasant, teeming with greenery.


    It was said that the land originally belonged to a high-ranking official of the Sanctuary who had planned to build a high-end residential community here, complete with a cultivation club and a series of functional buildings, making this location the most integrated and high-end community popular among Awakeners.


    However, construction had not even begun when the project was... forced to halt. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s said that during the start of construction, they dug up a burrow, and a number of Demonized Beasts came running out, making the area unsafe and consequently, the project could no longer continue," explained Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu understood that because of the issues with the land, he was able to acquire it so smoothly. Otherwise, even if he had offered rune equipment and other items that Luoxia coveted in trade, the plot of land he would have got wouldn''t have been as large as the one now.


    Also because of the problems with the land, the cost was less than expected; aside from a batch of rune equipment, the amount of Source Crystals he paid wasn''t high. Apart from the security issue of the land, everything else was more than satisfactory to him.


    As for the problem of Demonized Beasts, once the Territory was built, no problem would remain a problem. Winnie had inspected it beforehand and her answer to him was that, while troublesome, it was just that ¨C troublesome.


    The area was cordoned off with police tape, with soldiers patrolling around, and further afield, powerful military searchlights spread light far and wide, making it seem almost like daytime at a glance.


    Tang Yu, however, understood that such a deployment indicated the area had serious issues.


    He thought it would make sense; if the situation wasn''t severe, the land problem would not have remained unsolved until now.


    He grew curious. What sort of Demonized Beasts were they, that the Sanctuary hadn''t managed to solve the issue after all this time?

 Chapter 211 - 208: Black Ant Nest

    This place was already under martial law, but Tang Yu was, after all, the future landlord. After proving his identity, the patrolling soldiers let him pass.


    He was about to enter when he heard his cousin''s shout.


    Turning around, he saw Tang Yu sprinting over. Seeing Tang Yu and the martial-law-enforced wasteland behind him, he looked as if he had seen a ghost, "You... you didn''t really buy a piece of land, did you?"


    Tang Yu held his forehead and countered, "Brother Yu, why have you come here? How are Mom and Dad..."


    "Oh, you don''t have to worry about them; I''ve left that task to Xiaojia."


    So you chased me down just to avoid this tough task!


    A few people walked into the wasteland, followed by some soldiers.


    It was evident that there had already been planning here, but the project had only just begun when it was forced to a halt.


    The cousin had already accepted the fact that his younger cousin was a rich man, but...


    "You are at a loss buying this place. If I had known earlier, I would definitely have stopped you."


    Tang Yu knew that, as an insider, his cousin would know much more about this place. He did not speak, just silently watched his cousin, waiting for an explanation.


    "Do you know how long it has been since the accident here? An entire week!"


    "On the first day of the incident, quite a few Demonized Beasts ran out of the nest, and some construction workers consequently lost their lives... Of course, for the original owner of the land, the death of a few dozen people in the apocalypse doesn''t count for much. It might sound heartless to put it this way, but it''s the truth."


    He sighed and continued,


    "Those Demonized Beasts weren''t strong, and they were quickly dealt with, but for the source of the Demonization, the higher-ups were helpless. Eventually, it even alarmed the Military. You should understand that any threat within the Sanctuary would be wiped out by the Military as soon as possible. However, they remain helpless against the source of these Demonized Beasts up until today."


    "That''s why the original real estate development can only be put on hold. Although you''ve bought the land, Yu, if the source of the problem is not resolved, even if you are willing to take the risk and want to develop it, Luoxia officials won''t agree. For the officials, the safety of the entire Sanctuary is always the top priority. Developing this area might trigger a chain reaction with the dangerous source."


    "I had also heard that the owner of the land had plans to sell it, yet I never thought it would be to you."


    He shook his head, "Now we can only hope that the officials will quickly deal with the source of danger."


    During their conversation, they had arrived at a small mound.


    The security was even tighter here; several heavy machine guns and flamethrowers were set up in front, their dark muzzles pointing forward.


    Tang Yu''s gaze, however, was fixed on the entrance of the hole in front of the mound, which was larger than a soccer goal.


    "Is this the nest?"


    "The entrance wasn''t this big originally. It was enlarged to fully explore the interior of the nest, but this nest turned out to be much deeper than imagined."


    Here,


    Tang Yu finally saw Winnie, Xiaoli, and some contact personnel sent by the other party.


    Apart from Carmen and his brothers, who stayed in the villa responsible for the safety of Tang Dad and Tang''s Mom, all the other followers had already arrived here.


    "What exactly are these Demonized Beasts?" Tang Yu asked.


    Suddenly, from the depths of the cave, a tide of black surged toward the entrance at an extremely fast speed, visible from the range of the searchlights.


    "Ant swarm appearing, prepare to attack! I repeat, prepare to attack!"


    At the entrance of the cave, the Commander raised his voice, his gaze intensively fixed on the ant swarm, "The number of Black Ants has increased."


    Tang Yu concentrated his gaze.


    This black tide was indeed composed of countless Black Ants.


    A single Black Ant was not big, about the size of chopsticks, and its aura was very weak. It might even be the weakest Demonized Beast he had ever seen, one that ordinary people could handle. However, this tide of Black Ants was made up of countless Demonized Black Ants, a dark, oppressive mass, making one''s scalp tingle at a mere glance.


    The soldiers guarding the entrance threw incendiary bombs at the swarm of Black Ants.


    Flames crackled and burned, filling the air with a stench of char. At that time, several black ants, much larger than before, about the size of a backpack, burst forth from the flames.


    The machine gun mounted at the entrance of the cave immediately opened fire, rapping out a burst that took down these Elite Black Ants.


    The Black Ant tide couldn''t even get close to the entrance before being annihilated. However, in the eyes of these soldiers, Tang Yu saw concern.


    The Captain defending this position didn''t hide his worries. His gaze seemed to try piercing through the cave, yet he sighed, "These Black Ants pose little threat to us, but beneath this area, the Black Ants have constructed a vast empire. Their network is extensive. The Ant Queen continually breeds more Black Ants. As long as we can''t find the Queen and deal with the source of the Black Ant population, this area will never be able to lift martial law."


    "Fire attack, poison gas, they''re all useless. Even, if the situation deteriorates, the higher-ups don''t rule out the possibility of using unconventional weapons..."


    Tang Yu understood his implication.


    If the situation worsened, Luoxia officials wouldn''t hesitate anymore, and by then, this area might be thoroughly destroyed, not to mention any development.


    However, Tang Yu didn''t care. In fact, from the other''s words, he felt that this matter might not be that troublesome.


    "So, as long as the Ant Queen is dealt with, there won''t be any problem, right?"


    "Indeed, that''s the case. But the entire Black Ant Nest is like a massive maze. Finding the Queen is far from easy," the Captain said bitterly.


    Tang Yu nodded and strode into the cave.


    Eileen and the other followers remained silent, closely following behind.


    His cousin bit his lip and followed closely.


    The Captain was stunned, "Wait, you''re going in¡ª"


    He wanted to stop them but realized he had no reason to... The Captain had heard of these people''s strength, and they had spent a significant sum to purchase this land. If it weren''t personally investigated, anyone would be unwilling to let it go.


    He hesitated for a moment, then instructed the others to guard the entrance and, taking some Elite Awakeners with him, hurried to follow them.


    ...


    ...


    Dark, damp.


    And an array of foul smells.


    The spotlight''s beam swept over. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The deeper they went, the more rugged and difficult the path became.


    "This cave is narrow, and once we encounter Black Ants, it will be far more dangerous than being out in the open. Everyone, stay alert."


    Tang Yu and his team led the way.


    As the Captain and his Awakeners advanced, he kept warning them about certain precautions and marked their path to prevent getting lost in the caves.


    At another fork, Tang Yu shook his head, "It seems continuing like this won''t yield any results."


    Hearing this, the Captain showed a look of relief on his face and was about to turn back.


    However, Tang Yu continued, "Xing Yue, locate the Ant Queen."


    "Yes, Captain, I''ve been waiting for you to say that," Xing Yue said.


    Xing Yue withdrew a Black Ant sample that she''d recently collected in a transparent plastic bag, tinkered with it for a bit, and then the weapon in her hand, looking like an over-sized keychain with a crystal, made a slight sound.


    She narrowed her eyes, her hair slightly fluttering, and after a while, she finally spoke, "Found it!"


    The Captain: "..."


    So they just located the Ant Queen?!


    Why does this feel so fake!

 Chapter 212 - 209 Freeze

    Xing Yue''s keychain, with one of its crystals, was quivering like a glow stick, trying to find direction.


    It was much like the needle of a compass.


    To others, this scene was magical.


    Special types, especially support abilities that required the use of tools, were even rarer. It was the Captain''s first time witnessing such a thing.


    His confidence in finding the Ant Queen finally rose from 0% to 1%.


    That glow stick-like crystal finally began stabilizing but then pointed towards one of the forks in the path ahead, seemingly defying gravity as it hung in the air.


    Tang Yu didn''t hesitate and stepped into that tunnel.


    They kept up the pace of a brisk walk, which wasn''t fast; however, every one or two minutes, they would encounter a fork in the path¡ªsome split into two, others into five, six, seven, eight... N.


    This maze was even more vast than any they had encountered in the Secret Realm, completely irregular, as it had been excavated by Demonized Black Ants. Tang Yu''s thought processes were not on the same wavelength as the ants.


    Thankfully, they had Xing Yue''s "Path-finding Technique."


    Every time they reached a fork, the glowing crystal would reliably change direction, clearly pointing towards one of the tunnels.


    Everyone could feel the altitude gradually decreasing as they moved forward.


    The Captain and the others who followed them showed signs of excitement.


    Suddenly,


    A rustling sound reached their ears.


    The Captain, with his rich experience, immediately gave a low shout, "Be careful, there''s a swarm of Black Ants coming. Judging by the sound, they will meet us in about fifteen seconds."


    Spotlights shone ahead, and soon they saw a dense swarm of Black Ants rushing towards them.


    The Captain and his men had grim expressions, "These Black Ants are weak but their mouths contain a deadly poison, be careful not to let them come close. Also, during the fight, make sure not to damage the surrounding environment, or this underground cave could collapse. In fact, if there was a way to find the Ant Queen, I suggest we go back and call for reinforcements¡ª"


    He didn''t finish his sentence.


    A dazzling orange-red firelight lit up the entire dark cave; it came from a Longsword wrapped in flames.


    In the next moment, the sword swung violently, scattering a shower of fiery rain.


    The whole cave instantly turned red, as a ring of fire spread from near to far.


    Tang Yu dispelled the flames from his Longsword, twirled it elegantly, sheathed it, and then, as if nothing had happened, patted off nonexistent dust from his clothes.


    "Yu, you... Aren''t you an Architecture Ability User? What''s with the fire?" his cousin stammered, struggling to speak.


    "There''s no rule that says an Architecture Series can''t set fires," Tang Yu shrugged and said, "If you want to learn, I could teach you¡ª"


    His cousin showed a gleam of excitement.


    But then he heard,


    "However, you won''t be able to learn it."


    His cousin: "..."


    That hurt.


    Against Demonized Black Ants¡ªcreatures weak individually but overwhelming in numbers¡ªordinary Awakeners weren''t of much use. Swords and knives could only kill a few at a time, and the soldiers, like the Captain, even with their specially made flamethrowers, clearly couldn''t compare to Tang Yu in terms of killing efficiency.


    The black ants they encountered along the way turned into Tang Yu''s solo performance.


    He hadn''t enjoyed himself so much since he received his inheritance.


    Going crazy on the ants was so invigorating!


    ...


    ...


    After numerous twists and turns,


    The fluorescent stick trembled once again.


    Xing Yue looked down and with a mix of seriousness and excitement, she said, "We''re getting close to the Ant Queen now."


    Up ahead, a breeze blew.


    The group quickened their pace and after a while, they suddenly stopped, staring ahead in shock.


    Before them was a massive underground space, not completely dark. On the rock walls, there were strange green crystals emitting a soft glow. On closer inspection, one could see larger Black Ants flailing their limbs, excavating these green crystals embedded in the walls and carrying them downward.


    Around the rock walls, there were holes of various sizes dug out by the Black Ants¡ªtheir current location was one of these.


    From their perspective, the green dots were converging from all directions toward the same spot.


    These Demonized Black Ants were organized!


    Tang Yu was also somewhat surprised.


    Aside from the Transcendent Demonized Beast he saw in Maple Leaf Town, he had never seen any Demonized Beast with the ability to command and control other Demonized Beasts, not even those affected by that giant tree in the Source Crystal Mine, which had gained wisdom but lacked the ability to command others.


    Tang Yu did not believe that the yet-unseen Ant Queen possessed Transcendent strength; this might be a unique characteristic of insects that, even after Demonization, they still retained their original hierarchy and that terrifying reproductive capability.


    More troublesome than ordinary Demonized Beasts.


    He followed the direction of the converging green dots, and finally, at the end of the underground space, he spotted a Monster whose size exceeded that of a large truck. The monster had a massive abdomen, with a black body marked with brown patterns, short antennae, small thoracic feet, and no wings.


    "That''s the Ant Queen!" Xing Yue spoke, confirming Tang Yu''s guess.


    The Captain and other soldiers were excited but also somewhat worried, "With such a huge size, the Ant Queen''s strength must be formidable. And with those Black Ants around, I''m afraid that with our current numbers, we won''t be able to handle them¡ª"


    He looked towards Tang Yu.


    Obviously, he understood that among their group, Tang Yu was the decision-maker. Along the way, he had become wholeheartedly convinced of Tang Yu''s strength.


    At that moment,


    Hiss!


    A sharp cry rang out, seemingly able to penetrate one''s eardrums.


    Awakeners like Cousin and others with weaker strength couldn''t help but cover their ears tightly, only feeling their heads swell.


    This piercing noise appeared to be a signal; the Demonized Black Ants, whether patrolling or transporting, upon hearing the sound, swiftly moved towards the position of Tang Yu and his companions.


    From the cavities in the surrounding rock walls, countless Black Ants poured out, densely packed.


    Ants the size of chopsticks, of backpacks, of suitcases, and even of motorcycles...


    This Black Ant army,


    Was like a vast curtain of darkness descending from all directions, engulfing them completely.


    Even the well-trained Captain and other soldiers turned pale, their hands trembling uncontrollably as they held their flamethrowers. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With such a number of Black Ants, one could not see the end at a glance. How were they to be vanquished? Even if that young man who could emit flames killed a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand Black Ants, what about the hundreds of thousands, the millions?


    He turned his gaze towards the tunnel they had come through.


    Currently, this was their only chance at life.


    However, the next moment, the Captain''s face became even more pale, his wealth of experience telling him that countless Black Ants were also swarming towards them from the tunnel behind.


    They,


    Were completely surrounded.


    Tang Yu had not released his signature Flame Sword, seemingly giving up resistance.


    Instead,


    He scanned the surroundings, appearing to sigh helplessly.


    "It looks as though we can''t deal with the boss before we clear out these minions... Eileen, it''s up to you now. Freeze them all."

 Chapter 213 - 210: Being Directionally Challenged Is No Big Deal

    Freeze?


    The captain turned his head, looking at Tang Yu with disbelief, his mouth slightly open, yet no sound came out.


    Dressed in a gorgeous ice-blue gown, Eileen didn''t stand out in Tang Yu''s team.


    There were Winnie and Xiaoli, exuding the aura of advanced awakeners, and Xing Yue, who had displayed the magical "Path-finding Technique"...


    Throughout their journey, Eileen had not yet made a move.


    The surroundings were filled with the rustling sounds of black ants crawling, masking the glowing green crystal stones on the rock walls, making the entire underground space even darker; the few searchlights seemed like the last slashes of light about to be engulfed by the Black Tide.


    Hearing Tang Yu''s words, Eileen nodded and uttered an "Mm".


    Her crystal shoes tapped on the uneven ground as she stepped forward past everyone, approaching the front.


    A pair of earrings, inlaid with blue crystals and bordered patterns, sparkled near her ears.


    A headband with mysterious inscriptions obscured the hair on her forehead.


    She extended her hand, pausing in mid-air, forming a grasping gesture.


    A faint blue stream of light emerged from her palm, elongating to form a magic wand as tall as her, topped with a moon-white crystal stone.


    With the wand pointing ahead, Eileen''s expression was solemn.


    The moon-white crystal stone radiated an icy blue glow, causing the surrounding air to suddenly become viscous.


    "Achoo!" The cousin couldn''t resist any longer and was the first to sneeze.


    In an instant, a chill enveloped everyone, bone-chillingly cold.


    Snowflakes fluttered through the underground space.


    A splash of blue and white burst forth from where everyone was standing, exploding outward.


    Like a blue ice flower, its petals unfolding layer by layer.


    In an instant, the entire underground space seemed to transform into an Ice Snow World,


    The black ants, mid-crawl, were frozen in place.


    Eileen retracted her hand, the magic wand resting on the ground, as she gently exhaled.


    Just one move had completely frozen millions of demonized black ants.


    Whether the size of chopsticks or a motorcycle, from Awakening Tier Zero to Awakening Tier Three, all were encapsulated within the ice without any exceptions.


    Indeed,


    terrifying as such!


    The captain and others couldn''t help but shiver again.


    Tang Yu also had a moment of distraction, having received the inheritance and wearing advanced equipment that even Kevin couldn''t fully identify, his strength had elevated to Awakening Tier Ten...


    This level of power was the first time Eileen had truly unleashed it completely.


    Tang Yu even felt that at this moment, Eileen had no rivals within the Awakening Tiers.


    Eileen''s strength was his strength.


    With this analysis, he felt more confident than ever, at last being someone with high-end combat power.


    However,


    thinking of how his own efforts against black ants, which paled in comparison to Eileen''s single big move, and realizing the MVP had undoubtedly floated to Eileen, he suddenly felt a bit choked up.


    Both receiving advanced inheritance, why wasn''t he as outstanding.


    It was indeed a fake inheritance that he received.


    "Hiss!"


    The Ant Queen let out a piercing shriek, but this time, one could faintly detect panic in it.


    By its side, black ants with shiny carapaces and higher rank, also broke the ice encasing them, gathering around the Ant Queen.


    However, the massive body of the Ant Queen doomed its slow movements; escape was impossible, and the Ant Queen grew more frantic.


    Its immense abdomen flexed, and with every contraction, black eggs covered in mucus burst forth from its rear end, and soon many black ants hatched from these eggs.


    It was openly reproducing!


    Tang Yu''s mouth twitched as he pulled out a chicken-egg-sized, prism-shaped crystal stone from his pocket.


    Aiming the crystal stone at the distant Ant Queen, the crystal flickered and light flowed, quickly revealing rows of information:


    [Ant Queen (Demonized)]


    Tier: Awakening Tier Nine.


    Special Abilities: Spiritual Shock, egg-laying.


    Characteristics: ¡­


    Weaknesses: ¡­


    Note: Given enough time and resources, the Ant Queen can produce an entire army of ants.


    Tang Yu: "..."


    Spiritual Shock is one thing, but egg-laying¡­ He initially thought that egg-laying was not much of a special ability, but seeing how in just a minute, many black ants had appeared around the Ant Queen, and reading that note, if they couldn''t find the Ant Queen, who knows, perhaps in half a month or a month, the number of black ants here could increase by ten or hundred times.


    By then, this whole area underground would be completely hollowed out by the black ants, until it collapsed.


    Indeed, it''s a bug-type self-propelled munitions factory.


    Shaking his head, under the Reconnaissance Crystal, the Ant Queen''s strength was evident. Except for a few with weaker abilities who couldn''t approach due to the Ant Queen''s spiritual intimidation, everyone else rushed forward at once.


    Shay''s weapon transformed into a handgun mode, continuously bombarding with bullets.


    Xing Ling''s expression was indifferent as she formed Spell Missiles in her hands and threw them at the Ant Queen.


    The Captain and others were even more excited, holding their guns and shooting.


    Tang Yu also threw a few Fighter Puppets, holding large shields, charging ahead.


    The ordinary cannon fodder black ants were instantly heavily damaged and killed.


    The Elite Guards roared as they rushed forward, their upper jaws biting down, but they could not bite through the shields of the Fighter Puppets.


    After a fierce... warm-up exercise, the Ant Queen could not withstand the abuse any longer and fell down with a thunderous crash.


    ...


    ...


    A high-end residential area, with two adjacent villas.


    Just having endured an earful from Tang Dad and Tang''s Mom, Tang Yu sighed helplessly, walked out of the villa''s gate, and headed towards the other villa.


    Nevertheless, he still felt warmth.


    After all,


    With parents around, life still has destinations. Without parents, life only has the return journey.


    Looking up at the stars, he found them much clearer.


    The other villa was temporarily the residence for Eileen and her followers. Living together was uncomfortable for both parties.


    For Eileen and the others, Tang Dad and Tang''s Mom were the Lord''s parents, deserving utmost respect.


    But in the eyes of Tang''s parents, these people were their son''s companions, without whom Tang Yu wouldn''t have reached this point. They were exceedingly polite too.


    The air was filled with a sense of awkwardness.


    After defeating the Ant Queen, the Captain and other soldiers couldn''t wait to go back and report, while Tang Yu and his group, thinking there was not much nightlife, returned to the rented villa.


    Thinking about it, there was still time for a late-night snack before bed.


    As for developing that piece of land... what''s more important than a late-night snack! S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Tang Yu walked into the villa, he saw his followers were playing cards. Due to the number of people, they were not playing Landlord but Three Kingdoms Kill.


    As he entered, he heard Xing Yue cheering for her victory.


    And Shay, grumbling, "Why is it always me getting eliminated first? I can win when playing cards with Kong and them!"


    It seemed like he was questioning his life.


    Tang Yu looked on but wanted to laugh.


    You, a warrior type musketeer, and trying to beat an Astrologer at cards?


    The others, either the well-coordinated Carmen Brothers, those skilled in Perception, or those adept in Illusion Techniques, this analysis made Tang Yu realize that if he were to play, he would definitely be the first one out too.


    He better just stay a silent spectator.


    At that moment, he looked around and was surprised to find, "Where''s Xing Ling? Why can''t I see her?"


    Xing Yue replied, "You mean my sister? She went grocery shopping. Lord, didn''t you say you wanted a late-night snack?"


    Winnie suddenly uttered, "Xing Ling... seems to have been out for a long time. Considering the time, she should have been back already."


    Tang Yu pondered.


    He had stayed there for a long time, and Xing Ling had not been back long before she went to the nearby market, indeed, she should have returned already.


    "It''s not likely that Xing Ling had an accident... um, or caused someone else to have one, right?"


    Xing Yue waved her hands dismissively, while calling everyone for another round of the game and asking if Tang Yu wanted to join. She then said:


    "Don''t worry, my sister just got lost again."


    Again? Then why still..."


    "Because my sister is good at bargaining. When I used to live with sis, she was the one who bought groceries. Getting lost isn''t a worry, she''s very slick with her Path-finding Technique... that spell I used to find the Ant Queen, she created it, and she executes it much more effectively. The spell can even specify how many meters to walk forward, when to turn, the degree of the turn, even the elevation, among other things... Anyways, my sister will find her way back."


    Xing Yue rattled on about the unique secret technique ''Path-finding Technique''.


    It sounded impressively powerful.


    But Tang Yu felt that there is something off about this technique!

 Chapter 214 - 211: Its Impossible to Get Lost

    Time rewound half an hour earlier.


    They rented an apartment in a high-end residential area. The survivors living here had relatively high purchasing power, and not far from the community was a convenience market that was of course open at night as well, doing even better business than during the day.


    Xing Ling didn''t know her way around, but with the "Path-finding Technique" at her disposal, she found the market quickly.


    At that moment, she was squatting in front of a "Seafood Specials" stall, haggling with the owner.


    Xing Ling shopped for groceries, mainly buying seafood specialties from Luoxia. They were not lacking in other ingredients¡ªtheir Space Backpack was filled at least halfway with a variety of food items: vegetables, fruits, various meats, and all kinds of seasonings.


    In this respect, the dishes that Tang Yu prepared themselves were definitely more high-end than those from the street-side eateries in Luoxia.


    The only thing they were short on was Mutant Beast meat, and seafood... they hadn''t tried it yet.


    Xing Ling''s face was expressionless as her fingers swept over several King Crabs the size of handbags, a barramundi over two meters long, a pile of scallops the size of dinner plates...


    Unfortunately, they were all dead and not fresh.


    "How much for these?"


    The owner forced a smile, "3¡­3¡­2¡­ eight Source Crystals in total."


    If Tang Yu were there, he would have exclaimed, "How cheap!"


    In Lindong, a variant frozen meat the size of a 20-inch luggage could sell for a high price of ten Source Crystals, and it was often in short supply. An ordinary Awakener team, if lucky enough to hunt down a Mutated Beast, could sometimes earn dozens or even hundreds of Source Crystals.


    By comparison, Luoxia was truly the origin of seafood, abundant and cheaper.


    Xing Ling remained expressionless, "Four Source Crystals."


    The owner kept up his smile, "Seven Source Crystals. It''s a small business, can''t go any lower."


    Xing Ling remained expressionless, "Four Source Crystals."


    The owner''s smile twitched slightly, and with clenched teeth, he said, "Fine, six Source Crystals. Let''s just make friends then."


    Xing Ling remained expressionless, "Four Source Crystals."


    The owner... seemed to have made a major decision, "Five Source Crystals, I''ll be selling at a loss!"


    Xing Ling remained expressionless, "Four Source Crystals."


    "¡­Alright, four Source Crystals then." The owner''s smile turned bitter as he bundled up the ingredients, took a few breaths to compose himself, and then asked, "Do you need home delivery? The convenience market offers a delivery service. It''s just 0.1 Source Crystal within two kilometers, and 0.3 Source Crystal within five kilometers."


    Xing Ling nodded without expression, laid down the Source Crystals, filled in the address, took the receipt, and turned to leave.


    Under Luoxia''s official supervision, these vendors would never dare to take the money without delivering the goods.


    She wandered around the convenience market for a while longer, purchasing some suitable ingredients. When she figured the quantity was probably sufficient, Xing Ling stepped out of the market.


    Outside the market, survivors were coming and going.


    Vans filled with seafood drove out from the marketplace, delivering ingredients to various parts of Luoxia, while more delivery boys pedaled on tricycles, their rear compartments piled high with bundled goods, riding laboriously toward the distance.


    Xing Ling watched the passersby, her face expressionless. In her hand, she held a pendant¡ªthe chain swayed, and the circular patterned object tied to it flipped over, revealing a faintly visible number... five.


    "The ''Spell'' to calculate the bottom line of prices is quite useful."


    She turned her head to look around. Coming out of the convenience market and turning left, just two more streets, and she would be back at the residential area¡­ Xing Ling counted on her fingers.


    She remembered this route very clearly.


    At the pace of an ordinary person, it was less than a ten-minute walk.


    Hmm.


    So close,


    She couldn''t possibly get lost.


    She wasn''t a road idiot!


    Ten minutes later, Xing Ling stood at a crossroads, deep in thought.


    Twenty minutes later, Xing Ling stood in the middle of a road with no side streets, pondering whether to go forward or backward.


    Thirty minutes later, Xing Ling turned into a small alley, staring at the cul-de-sac blocked off by a wall, crouched on the ground, resting her cheeks in her hands, her eyes dull and lifeless.


    She had checked the map and calculated the distance; everything should have been correct.


    She took out the pendant with the round, patterned object attached to it, the chain winding around her hand, the attached object swaying slightly.


    She hesitated.


    "Could it be that I must use that technique to find the correct path? No... that technique wasn''t developed specifically for situations like this! I feel I''ve gotten a good grasp of my surroundings. There''s a saying, ''When all the wrong paths have been taken, the remaining one must be the right one.''"


    Xing Ling''s energy was renewed, her little fists clenched tightly.


    But soon, she tilted her head, recalling¡ª


    Which path had she just taken?


    ...


    Not far away, a few young men with flushed faces, arm in arm, with sleazy smiles on their faces, uttered indescribable sounds.


    One of them looked into the distance, suddenly widening his eyes, unable to help stretching his neck to get a clearer view, "Big brother, big brother, look, a top-grade one!"


    In the middle, an older man, rugged in appearance, with his shirt front open, revealing a thick mat of chest hair, turned to look forward upon hearing this.


    There at the narrow alley.


    Dim and silent.


    A girl in a plain white dress was crouching there, looking utterly helpless.


    The leader''s eyes lit up, "Indeed, a top-grade." He quickly turned back to look around.


    This place was remote and it was nighttime, without any streetlights, only the bright moon hanging in the sky provided a faint glimmer of light.


    There were very few survivors passing by; the alley being a dead end, no one would walk in this direction.


    One young man rubbed his hands together, his laugh becoming even more indescribable, "Heh heh heh, our chance has come, such a top-grade, we brothers are in for a treat today."


    The leader slapped his head, "Idiot, someone this top-grade can fetch a high price with Black Dog. When we get a big sum of money, we can have all the fun we want, you guys actually don''t understand such simple logic?"


    "Truly worthy of being big brother."


    "Big brother is amazing." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a flurry of flattery, they slowly approached, blocking the entrance to the alley.


    They exchanged glances, feeling confident.


    Suddenly, they saw the girl in the dress stand up; she didn''t seem to notice them, still standing in front of the wall blocking the alley.


    The next moment,


    Whoosh.


    The girl in the dress leaped high into the air.


    The young men looked up, their gaze involuntarily following her movement.


    They saw the hem of the dress defying gravity, clinging around the ankles until... the girl cleared the five- or six-meter-high wall and disappeared from their sight.


    Faintly, they could hear the girl murmuring¡ª


    "If I don''t follow the roads, then I guess I won''t get lost."


    Instantly, these tipsy youths shivered, the drunkenness dissipating in a moment.


    As if a cold wind had blown past.


    One of the young men spoke up, shivering, "Big... big brother, that seemed... seemed to be an Awakener!"


    "Nonsense!"


    "Big... big brother, we... we haven''t gotten ourselves into trouble, have we?"


    "Shut up! Don''t you see I''m about to be scared witless!"

 Chapter 215 - 212: Martial Arts Hall Training…Of course theres no danger anymore

    The next day.


    The weather was clear and sunny.


    Followers were all busy with their tasks. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yesterday, after the Ant Queen was executed and the Captain and others emerged from the ant nest, they quickly reported to their superiors as expected.


    Luoxia officials placed a high priority on the ant nest and soon dispatched additional personnel to conduct an investigation.


    After a complex process of exploration, Luoxia officials finally concluded that the danger level of the area had almost reached zero.


    The reason it was almost zero was that a few Demonized Black Ants still lingered in the caves, but without the prolific and domineering Ant Queen, these few black ants posed little threat.


    Tang Yu walked through the cave passages.


    Beside him was Shay, who understood the situation better after a long conversation with the Luoxia officials dispatched here, following his late-night snack the day before.


    "Luoxia has said," Shay explained, "that now the danger rating has dropped, they''ll allow us to start work, but they urge us to clear out the remaining Demonized Black Ants as soon as possible."


    Tang Yu nodded in agreement.


    The caves branched out in every direction, which made the cleaning process somewhat troublesome, but that was all it was, just troublesome. Once the fortress was built and the territory expanded, all the black ants would have nowhere to hide.


    He decided to build the fortress in a vast underground space.


    With a sub-territory radius of one kilometer, although it was far less than the main territory, it was still quite large. The fortress, built deep underground, would cover the surface range as well. He did not plan to construct many system buildings by then, apart from a Transmission Array that was also to be placed underground, and only a training camp on the surface.


    No, that wasn''t right.


    Considering the number of Awakeners in Luoxia, these were all potential future customers, and one training camp would not be sufficient for such a vast consumer base.


    Maybe ten? A hundred?


    He was already lost in boundless conjecture.


    Before long, they had left the damp, gloomy underground passages and arrived at this subterranean space.


    It still retained the appearance from the day before, with thick ice encapsulating everything, including the Ant Queen''s enormous body, laid out without missing a single piece.


    According to the unwritten rules among Awakeners, the spoils went to the hunter.


    Undoubtedly, from finding to killing the Ant Queen, it had been Tang Yu''s followers who contributed their efforts. There was no dispute over the spoils, not even for the seemingly valuable green crystals on the stone walls around the underground space.


    Luoxia officials only took a small amount for research purposes.


    Tang Yu clearly understood that their efforts were not the only reason for this; more importantly, it was Eileen''s "Ten Miles of Ice Sealing" ability.


    It was a form of deterrence.


    Be it the Captain and others who witnessed the scene firsthand or those who came to inspect the underground space later and confirmed the existence of the Ice Snow World, all of them would report back, and as long as the higher-ups in Luoxia were not fools, they wouldn''t make a fuss over this matter.


    And naturally, the higher-ups in Luoxia couldn''t possibly be fools.


    But it was uncertain whether the original owner of this land would feel a pang of loss.


    Cleaning up was a bit of a hassle because there were still threats from a few black ants. Hence, Tang Yu didn''t employ any survivors. Upon reaching the underground space, he simply released many Puppets and had Eileen dissipate most of the Ice Frost Power contained within the ice. After some hard work, by the afternoon, part of the underground space was cleared.


    Tang Yu walked to the center of the cleared area.


    A screen only visible to him appeared before his eyes, and he navigated the interface with practiced ease.


    "Build fortress."


    Select, confirm.


    Boom, boom, boom.


    A fortress, approximately the height of a five-story building, square-shaped with a simple grey-black exterior, quickly materialized before his eyes.


    Tang Yu entered it, and unlike the luxurious decorations of castles, the fortress was imbued with a military style, its interior simple but lacking no necessary equipment.


    He wasn''t concerned with the interior layout of the fortress. As it was built, aside from the primary territory map, a new option for a sub-territory appeared.


    This range was smaller, and upon opening it, he noticed many red dots clustered together.


    The territory map could not be shared with followers, but dealing with these black ants was straightforward. Tang Yu released over a dozen Fighter Puppets divided into three groups, each group consisting of two Shield Fighters, a Sword Fighter, and two Gun Fighter Puppets. They easily handled the Demonized Black Ants, whose strength barely reached the third layer of Awakening.


    After these tasks, Tang Yu returned to the villa he was renting and began living a leisurely life.


    The rest, concerning the development of the land, was of course left to others to complete.


    "Perhaps the construction here will be completed even earlier than in the Territory, after all, in Luoxia, the one thing we''re never short of is ordinary laborers."


    ...


    ...


    Out in the wilderness.


    About twenty or thirty kilometers from Luoxia.


    This was a carefully selected training ground by the Zhentian Martial Arts Hall for its students to practice.


    The team, led by the Master of the Hall, was massive. Even though hundreds of people were split into several groups and spread across various areas nearby, each group still consisted of over a hundred people. Moreover, this was an area classified with only a one or two-star danger rating.


    Demonized Beasts were even rarer than the students themselves.


    Chen Xiaojia was squatting on a large rock, resting her chin on her hands, dozing off out of boredom, "Demonized Beasts are way too scarce, when will it be our turn?"


    "It''s not that there are too few Demonized Beasts, it''s just that there are too many of us. No matter what, we''re luckier than the others, being in the same group as the Master. He looked so cool knocking out a Demonized Beast with a single punch."


    Beside her, a girl with chubby cheeks was squatting, watching the Master, who carried the air of a high-level expert, observing the situation in the field with a spark in her eyes.


    But glancing not far away, at the few survivors currently engaged with the Demonized Beasts, her hand immediately covered her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh despite finding the situation somewhat amusing.


    One Awakener faced the lunging bites of a Demonized Beast with a look of panic. He dodged frantically, his Combat Saber swinging wildly and almost injuring himself, yet he struggled to deal any effective damage to the Demonized Beast.


    Forget the combat techniques taught by the Martial Arts Hall, this Awakener even shut his eyes, resorting to a frantic flailing. Within seconds, the Demonized Beast had pinned him to the ground, the foul stench from its mouth gushing forth. This Awakener, despite having undergone the Awakening but pampered all his life and hardly ever having held a saber, eventually passed out in fright.


    A guard donning a uniform with the Zhentian emblem furrowed his brows and, in a flash, kicked the Demonized Beast away before it could tear the student to pieces.


    He did not strike with full force, only sparring with the Demonized Beast.


    Another guard went through the roll call list. "Next up, Chen Xiaojia. Where''s Chen Xiaojia?"


    Every student participating in training was guaranteed at least one opportunity to face off against a Demonized Beast.


    From morning, the rotation continued into the afternoon.


    Chen Xiaojia jumped up suddenly. She was quite brave, facing the fierce Demonized Beast without being overly timid, although her slightly shaking legs betrayed her inner unease.


    The Demonized Wolf howled and lunged to bite.


    Chen Xiaojia didn''t draw her weapon, instead stretching out her hands. Instantly, several green shoots sprouted from the ground, quickly entangling the Demonized Wolf''s hind legs.


    The Demonized Wolf stumbled, breaking free from the vines, but soon more and more vines wrapped around it.


    Seeing the right moment, Chen Xiaojia drew a plain short sword from her waist, gripped it firmly with trembling hands, and with force, plunged it fiercely into the Demonized Wolf.


    There was a squelching sound.


    The blade easily tore through the skull, and the Demonized Wolf''s struggles diminished until it finally lay dead.


    Wisps of soul power drifted from the Demonized Beast, merging into her own body.


    The chubby-cheeked girl clapped vigorously, her eyes filled with admiration, "I have a Special Ability, too, but why can''t I beat those Demonized Beasts? Eh, what does it feel like to absorb soul power?"


    "What does it feel like? Hmm, it doesn''t really feel like anything, I suppose." Chen Xiaojia pondered. "My cousin said it feels great when you make a breakthrough, but merely absorbing soul power isn''t much."


    "It''s a pity; this Demonized Beast was too weak. It hardly had any soul power."


    She mumbled, realizing her hands were still shaking, quickly turning her face away.


    The chubby-cheeked girl looked curiously at the plain short sword Chen Xiaojia had placed at her side, "Xiaojia, is that your own weapon? How come it''s so sharp?"


    "That''s right."


    Chen Xiaojia was puzzled.


    The weapons provided by the Martial Arts Hall for the other students were not so easily capable of slicing through the hides and bones of the Demonized Beasts.


    "This was given to me by my cousin. He also gave me some other items, said they could be used in dangerous situations, but those things look a bit strange."


    She didn''t mind. With the group from the Martial Arts Hall and with a Master like theirs around, how could they possibly be in danger¡ª


    Boom!


    Suddenly, there was an explosion in the distance.


    Accompanied by the rapid sound of gunfire.


    Flames shot up into the sky.

 Chapter 216 - 213 What Does Your Cousin Do?

    In the distance,


    Some students ran out of the forest in disarray, their faces marked with terror and fear.


    The gunfire continued, growing more intense and louder.


    After the students had gradually fled the forest, some guards dressed in Zhentian Uniforms also retreated.


    "Shoot, steady! Steady!"


    "A speed-type Demonized Beast has broken through. Close combat team, take it down!"


    The incident had occurred so suddenly that the Martial Arts Hall had not expected to encounter a horde of Demonized Beasts in this relatively safe area.


    They had already planted explosives nearby to deal with emergencies, but these Demonized Beasts were stronger than anticipated. Detonating the explosives barely killed or injured any, and their group of guards couldn''t withstand the fierce onslaught of the Demonized Beasts.


    "First group of guards, the first three teams move forward to assist, the last two teams maintain order. Don''t panic, it''s not a big problem! We also ask the Masters to take action together to eliminate those Demonized Beasts."


    The person in charge of the Martial Arts Hall shouted loudly.


    Their group, led by the Master, was the core group on this training outing and the strongest. Another group encountering sudden danger would retreat towards them according to the pre-arranged emergency plan and seek help.


    Many vicious-looking Demonized Beasts charged out of the forest.


    Snarling, they closed in.


    Many students were seeing such a large number of Demonized Beasts for the first time, cried out in alarm, their expressions frantic. Thankfully, under the organization of the nearby guards, they still maintained some order, slowly retreating away from the part of the forest where the Demonized Beasts had emerged.


    Another group of guards quickly stepped up, machine guns roared, and rockets dragged plumes of fire, exploding in a burst of flames.


    The charge of the Demonized Beasts was finally contained.


    However, a few exceptionally strong Demonized Beasts broke through the barrage of bullets, posing a significant threat to the Guards Corps.


    At that moment,


    Dressed in beast-skin clothing, the Master squinted his eyes, his figure flashed abruptly, suddenly appearing in front of a Demonized Beast that had breached the defense line. He wore specially made knuckle-dusters, throwing a punch that pierced through the air, eliminating invisible ripples.


    Boom!


    The Demonized Beast''s skull caved in, and the next moment, its entire body burst apart, raining blood and flesh all over the ground.


    This was just the beginning. The Master''s figure flickered, leaving behind afterimages, appearing in front of the more troublesome Demonized Beasts.


    One punch per Demonized Beast.


    He unleashed a powerful momentum.


    The originally stalemated battle quickly turned in their favor.


    Seeing this, the students were no longer panicked. They stopped retreating, watched the battlefield without blinking.


    Some even critiqued.


    "Truly deserves to be called Master, such strength is undeniable. Those guards couldn''t hold up, but once Master stepped in, one punch per beast, incredible indeed."


    "Yes, if only I could have half, no, a third of Master''s strength, I''d be satisfied. Humph, when I finish learning at the Martial Arts Hall and go back, let''s see if my brother dares to call me useless. By then, my strength will definitely shock everyone."


    The person in charge of the Martial Arts Hall finally breathed a sigh of relief as the horde of Demonized Beasts was suppressed.


    No students died.


    It was a close call, and this emergency even highlighted their Martial Arts Hall''s ability to handle such situations, proving they could protect the students during outdoor training.


    Maybe, Zhentian Martial Arts Hall would become famous because of this incident, attracting more students.


    But where did these Demonized Beasts come from?


    They had thoroughly investigated and concluded that the area had few and weak Demonized Beasts. Could it be that the person in charge of the investigation was incompetent?


    With that thought, the person in charge frowned again.


    As the Demonized Beasts were blown up one by one, the students cheered.


    The baby-faced girl patted her already sizable chest, relieved, "Luckily we were assigned to the Master''s group. If we were in that other group just now, that would have really scared the life out of me¡ª"


    She hadn''t finished speaking when she suddenly widened her eyes, her pupils shrinking.


    In the distance, a gray shadow flashed.


    The extensively experienced Master, with a bang, was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into a nearby dirt mound.


    The mound cracked, sinking in, and small stones fell clattering.


    Everyone who saw this gasped.


    Chen Xiaojia looked at the Master, half-buried in the rubble, unable to believe it, "What in the world... happened?"


    Bang!


    The Master burst out of the rubble, looking disheveled, blood mixed at the corners of his mouth, his Grandmaster demeanor completely gone, his gaze fixed intensively on the gray shadow.


    The gray shadow, after tearing apart two guards, saw the Master standing up again and slowly approached him.


    Its body resembled a tiger''s, but it had a pair of gray wings on its back.


    Its crimson eyes locked on the Master as if a Hunter had spotted an interesting prey.


    "This is... a Winged Demon Tiger!" the baby-faced girl exclaimed, her voice trembling.


    "What... what tiger?" Chen Xiaojia had never heard this name.


    The plump girl explained, "The Winged Demon Tiger is a high-tier Demonized Beast. The weakest recorded Winged Demon Tiger already possesses the strength of the Fifth Tier, and clearly, the one before us is even stronger. The strongest recorded Winged Demon Tiger is said to have reached... the Tenth Layer!"


    She looked at the gray figure in the distance, with an indescribable fear on her face, "The Winged Demon Tiger is strong, fast, and can fly. Once it sets its sights on you, unless... unless you can kill the Winged Demon Tiger, there will be no escape."


    The Master was very strong and launched another attack.


    Most of the students, including the guards, couldn''t see clearly the movements of the Master and the Winged Demon Tiger, but occasionally, the Master would be sent flying. Even a fool could see that the Master was at a severe disadvantage.


    It was even unclear how long he could hold on.


    Accompanied by this Winged Demon Tiger, there were several other powerful Demonized Beasts. Although they were not as high-level as the Demon Tiger, they still overwhelmingly crushed the Guard Team.


    A guard with a Combat Saber in his hand watched a quickly moving brown figure nearby. He stared intently, trying to follow its movements, but in the next instant, he covered his throat, knelt on the ground, and blood gushed out.


    The Master was overwhelmed, struggling to protect himself.


    Even though the strengths of the other Masters were also decent, they were nowhere near the Master''s level. Facing these Demonized Beasts, they could only barely defend.


    One by one, the guards of the Guard Team fell.


    These people were not weak either, generally possessing the strength of the Second-tier and Third-tier. In the Mercenary Corps, they could be considered the backbone. They did not choose the higher-paying job of mercenaries but joined the Martial Arts Hall''s Guard Team for safety.


    Being a guard was supposed to be a very safe job.


    No one expected this situation.


    They could handle a favorable situation, but a dire one? Forget it!


    What''s more important, salary, or their own lives?


    In an instant, most of the guards scattered, only a few key members of the Martial Arts Hall''s Guard Team were still struggling to hold on.


    More and more Demonized Beasts had bypassed the Guard Team and were pouncing on the stunned students.


    The person in charge of the Martial Arts Hall turned pale, "It''s over, everything is over."


    ...


    Chen Xiaojia and the plump girl ran desperately. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were gasping for breath, their throats making sounds like bellows being operated.


    An occasional glance back revealed the cruel scene of many students being bitten and screaming by Demonized Beasts.


    Some students even watched helplessly as they were devoured bit by bit from the legs up by the Demonized Beasts.


    This sight terrified many of the students. Their legs trembled, losing the ability to run.


    Although the two girls were slightly better off, they were also scared enough, running around like headless flies.


    "Oh no, there''s no way forward!"


    They had run into a valley, but the end was a dead-end with steep cliffs blocking their path.


    Under other circumstances, with the physique of Awakeners, they might have been able to climb through, but now, with many Demonized Beasts chasing them relentlessly from behind...


    Other students who had run into this valley with them had pale faces. They turned around, trying to find another route to escape.


    At that moment,


    A gray shadow descended from the sky.


    Tiger-shaped, gray-winged.


    "It''s the Winged Demon Tiger!"


    They were unsure if this was the same Demon Tiger that the Master had previously fought, but the aura of the Demon Tiger felt like a huge mountain, heavily pressing down on them.


    They struggled even to move!


    Chen Xiaojia''s mind went blank, instinctively using her abilities, she sent out vines, but the Winged Demon Tiger swept its claws lightly, tearing them into pieces.


    The plump girl grabbed Chen Xiaojia and they took steps back, until they were pressed against the cliff. Suddenly, she thought of something, her teeth chattering as she spoke, "Xiaojia, didn''t you say that your cousin gave you some things?"


    As the Winged Demon Tiger''s four feet stepped on the ground, it approached step by step.


    Surrounding students screamed in terror, some collapsed on the ground, leaving unnameable fluids, while others closed their eyes as if resigned.


    Awoken as if from a dream, Chen Xiaojia hurriedly searched through the items she was carrying.


    There were scrolls, glass beads, figurines...


    With a roar, the Winged Demon Tiger pounced.


    The sound was like thunder, shaking loose stones to roll down, and the eardrums buzzed incessantly.


    Chen Xiaojia didn''t have time to scrutinize carefully, she randomly snatched a scroll labeled "Fireball Technique" and tore it open.


    A dazzling red light exploded from the center of the scroll, sending a fiery red Fireball, larger than a person, hurtling directly at the pouncing Winged Demon Tiger.


    The flames burst forth, lighting up half the valley with red.


    The heat wave was scorching, slapping their cheeks.


    The plump girl''s mouth agape, wide enough to fit two eggs, she stuttered, "Xiaojia, what... what does your cousin actually do?"


    Chen Xiaojia was equally shocked. After a while, she managed to say, "I''m not sure, but he mentioned... he wants to open a Martial Arts Hall."

 Chapter 217 - 214: Return to Territory

    Not far away, the terrifying Winged Demon Tiger, poised to pounce, had turned into a piece of charred black coal, its corpse incomplete.


    Chen Xiaojia still held the torn Spell Scroll in her hands, now split in two and rendered useless.


    She turned it over and over in disbelief. Could such a seemingly inconsequential scroll actually... have blown the desperate Demon Tiger to death?


    At that moment, a vast amount of soul power began to emit from the body of the Winged Demon Tiger.


    Like a river, it flowed into her body.


    For a moment, Chen Xiaojia''s eyes widened. She could distinctly feel the immense soul power accumulating inside her, nearly bursting her seams, and as she refined it slightly, that power spread throughout her body, nourishing it.


    Her soul was leaping for joy.


    Simply refining this immense soul power would be more than sufficient for her to advance to Second-tier Awakener.


    The other trainees who had survived the ordeal now looked at Chen Xiaojia differently.


    Especially the odd assortment of items in her backpack, many couldn''t help but show a fervent desire for them. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, they soon saw Chen Xiaojia tear open another scroll, and air currents encircled her. She quickly put on an unknown white bracelet, and handed some of the items to the chubby girl.


    In an instant, the two girls were fully equipped, upgraded from ordinary to epic grade, plus a full set of advanced buffs.


    No doubt, even if another Winged Demon Tiger were to attack, these two girls would dispatch it without a second thought.


    Better not to provoke them... better not to provoke...


    Then, someone remembered what Chen Xiaojia had said earlier.


    It seemed, all these pieces of equipment, had come from her cousin.


    And her cousin was actually planning to open a Martial Arts Hall?


    Some of the more astute trainees'' eyes began to sparkle with intrigue.


    ...


    ...


    Shocking!


    The Zhentian Martial Arts Hall team that went out for training had been attacked by Demonized Beasts, scattering in a panic, with many students either dead or injured.


    This news spread almost throughout Luoxia even before Chen Xiaojia had returned to the Sanctuary.


    Zhentian, as one of the Five Great Martial Arts Halls in Luoxia, is well-known and indeed powerful. No one would have thought that a routine training exercise would end in such danger.


    It was said that among the training team was a Master from the Zhentian Martial Arts Hall, yet faced with sudden danger, he had not been able to play much of a role.


    When Tang Yu heard this news, he was also shocked; he remembered that his cousin Chen Xiaojia had joined Zhentian Martial Arts Hall''s outdoor training exercise today.


    Although he had stuffed her with so many life-saving items, he had not expected any trouble; the training location was not far from the outskirts of Luoxia, and the threat from Demonized Beasts was minor. With the strength of the Zhentian Martial Arts Hall, no Awakener would dare to cause trouble.


    To him, it seemed less like an exercise and more like a field trip.


    Not very meaningful and similarly not dangerous.


    "Damn, Luoxia is really dangerous, but luckily Xiaojia is fine and almost back at the Sanctuary..."


    He had made contact through a special item.


    However, for many other trainees from the Martial Arts Hall, there was no news¡ªperhaps they had been swallowed by Demonized Beasts, or, like headless flies, they scattered aimlessly, their whereabouts unknown.


    Given the inexperienced combat performance of most trainees, these people had little chance of surviving on their own in the wilderness.


    Even though Zhentian Martial Arts Hall had sent out rescue teams, they faced severe questioning from many trainees'' family members, and the reputation of the Martial Arts Hall plummeted to rock bottom.


    Tang Yu got the information from Shay, who had been lurking around the Mercenary Union, and in just half an hour, the Mercenary Union had received more than a hundred search and rescue missions¡ªthese were all posted by the trainees'' families.


    He was not in need of money now and had no interest in such assignments.


    But just in case, he had Xing Ling and Xing Yue bring back Chen Xiaojia, still out in the wild, and inadvertently rescued a group of trainees clinging onto her for survival.


    Thus, his as-of-yet unnamed Mercenary Corps, within less than twenty-four hours of registration, completed an astonishing number of more than twenty missions, setting a new record at the Luoxia Mercenary Guild and leaving second place far behind.


    Martial arts students were being successfully rescued one after the other, yet the fate of many more remained uncertain.


    A young man was sprinting through the jungle, occasionally glancing back.


    Finally, he stopped, panting heavily, "Huff... Thank goodness, it seems... I''ve finally lost it."


    Crack.


    Crack.


    An odd noise came from not far away.


    The young man raised his head, with tension and caution, and looked in the direction of the sound.


    There, a Skeleton pushed aside the underbrush, appearing in his line of sight.


    This Skeleton was about as tall as a human, its bones a silvery gray, seemingly wandering aimlessly, its speed not fast...


    The young man steeled his nerves and shuffled his feet, attempting to avoid the Skeleton without alerting it.


    But in the next moment,


    Crack crack crack¡ª


    The Skeleton''s neck turned ninety degrees with a sharp sound, and the empty eye sockets revealed burning flames as it charged straight towards the young student.


    The young man was considered quite outstanding among these practicing students; despite his nervousness, he didn''t panic.


    He glanced at the Combat Saber he was gripping tightly in his hand, which he hadn''t dropped even in a crisis, and he couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡ªThis Skeleton didn''t have a strong presence; with a weapon in hand, it posed no threat.


    He steadied his spirit, and when the Skeleton drew near, he raised the Combat Saber high and chopped down towards the cervical vertebrae of the Skeleton.


    Clang!


    The Combat Saber was blocked in mid-air.


    The hand composed of several bone segments, lifted by the Skeleton, held it firmly, immobilizing it.


    The young student''s eyes revealed shock; he let go of the Combat Saber he was holding with both hands, seeking to escape, but his expression froze on his face.


    Only to see,


    The Skeleton''s other hand rose.


    A finger pointed at the young student''s forehead, where an empty hole was formed, oozing fresh blood.


    The flames burning in the empty eye sockets of the Skeleton grew more intense as its upper and lower jaws moved, making a ghastly sound.


    "Luoxia... human... food..."


    The young student''s body visibly withered away in front of him, while the Skeleton, on its silvery gray bones, had some substance slowly growing.


    ...


    ...


    The vicinity of Lin City.


    Everything remained the same. The convoy from Heng City hadn''t returned yet. During this time, more Awakeners were travelling back and forth between Lindong and Green Shadow.


    Extremely sharp weapons and equipment such as the Demon Slayer series Longswords and Cloud-breaking Series Battle Blades, which even exceeded people''s imagination, were gradually coming into view of the Lindong Awakeners. Even though many had only heard of them and not yet seen them with their own eyes.


    The reputation of the Green Shadow Sanctuary was gradually spreading, no longer confined to the knowledge of the upper-class.


    Those Awakeners, and even some of the more well-informed survivors, mentioned it in casual conversations. Naturally, the most talked about were the pieces of equipment emanating from Green Shadow.


    The name of Green Shadow began to ferment around the Lindong area.


    Everything was developing in a favorable direction.


    Time flew swiftly; in the blink of an eye, two-thirds of a day had passed.


    (Another update coming soon)

 Chapter 218 - 215: Murder and Robbery Incident

    Several streaks of light flashed past, and the open space in front of the castle''s garden saw several figures appear.


    Returning were only Tang Yu, Eileen, Winnie, and Shay¡ªthe others had temporarily stayed behind in Luoxia to help and recruit trustworthy personnel. As a result, the followers would have a rather busy period.


    Eileen, Winnie, and the others had to return early since they also had matters to attend to in the territory, leaving those who stayed behind in Luoxia with a heavier burden. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu wasn''t the type to exploit his employees mercilessly; he had already agreed to increase benefits for his followers. In addition to raising their salaries, he tried to meet their personal needs as much as possible.


    For Eileen, he had provided hundreds of books from various novel websites¡­


    To find the genres that suited Eileen''s tastes, he had put in a lot of effort. Many of the books were obtained from Luoxia, which, being a large sanctuary, was the only place where one could find so many novels already downloaded. Back when he used to read, downloading or caching were literally unheard of.


    However,


    Thinking about the Internet no longer existing and that, although he could still find some of the old novels, updates were no longer available. Even the most stable and renowned authors, who never let their update schedule slip, had to head down this inevitable path due to the apocalypse.


    Seeing that the update time on hundreds of books on the shelf showed over a month ago made him, Lord Tang, deeply melancholic.


    How was he to survive the days without novels?


    He considered that he might need to develop some entertainment facilities within the territory to meet the survivors'' pent-up energy and, incidentally, add a source of revenue to the territory.


    "These can be considered later."


    He also catered to the other followers¡ªfor instance, he had tailor-made N+1 sets of unique outfits for Winnie.


    He provided various kinds of cigarettes for Shay.


    The Carmen Three Brothers received their favorite alcoholic drinks.


    Xiaoli, being a food lover, was easy to please.


    Xing Ling and Xing Yue didn''t have specific wishes but only requested that they be able to open an astrology house in the territory when they returned.


    These were small concerns that Tang Yu addressed one by one.


    "Thinking back, whether it''s buying cigarettes, alcohol, or novels, these seem to be just me providing a general direction and letting others handle it¡­ So, what exactly have I done?"


    Tang "Money-No-Problem" Good Lord Good Boss Yu fell into deep thought.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    As the responsible Sanctuary Director, Tang Yu first checked the reports submitted by Chen Haiping about the recent conditions of the sanctuary.


    He also signed some important documents.


    His gaze suddenly sharpened.


    It was a report concerning problems related to adventurers.


    With the influx of Awakeners from Lindong, as the sales of equipment increased, so did the problems.


    Where there were people, there would be conflict, especially with Awakeners who had quickly gained power, and some became as inflated as balloons.


    In recent times, the Patrol Team had been handling many conflict incidents. Sometimes, even the patrol members couldn''t stop the clashes between two top teams from Lindong and had to call on Luo Zhe or his followers to intervene.


    For example, at Night Bar, there were no fewer than ten Awakeners thrown out by Lorraine.


    Tang Yu summoned Chen Haiping and asked in detail.


    "Actually, these are all minor issues¡ªat first, many Lindong Awakeners thought highly of themselves, looked down on most of the weaker Awakeners in the Sanctuary, and some even thought that Green Shadow had gotten lucky with the Demon-slaying Longsword instead of crafting it..."


    Chen Haiping said.


    Tang Yu nodded inwardly, none of this was unexpected.


    The Awakeners from Lindong who had truly seen action in the Secret Realm were, after all, in the minority. Gossip, which itself held little convincing power, combined with the mostly unruly nature of the Awakeners, these... well, were probably inevitable, which is why he had specifically instructed Luo Zhe to keep an eye on that group of Awakeners.


    Chen Haiping took a breath and continued, "These are actually just minor issues. When we executed a display of strength as a warning, those unruly Awakeners also started to restrain themselves. The frequency of conflicts in the Sanctuary has already greatly reduced in the past two days."


    "But those Awakeners, while they contain conflicts within the Sanctuary, could very well engage directly in fierce battles once they''re outside... I''ve discussed this with Captain Luo. In this regard, it''s very difficult for us to manage. Fortunately, the conflicts among the Awakeners don''t largely impact the Sanctuary, but in the past two days, we''ve received some unsettling news that some Awakeners have set their sights on our equipment."


    "Set their sights?" Tang Yu was puzzled.


    There are Awakeners that bold?


    Chen Haiping sensed the implication and shook his head, "Those people don''t have the guts to steal or rob within the Sanctuary, but they stake out just outside, targeting those teams who have just purchased equipment and are not very strong, to commit murder and robbery."


    "Moreover, that group is not weak. They roam freely in the wilderness and never come near the Sanctuary. The Patrol Team has gone out to search for them several times without any clues. After several attempts, many of the weaker teams have become panic-stricken, resulting in a significant decrease in the efficiency of the adventurer guild''s mission completion."


    Chen Haiping finished in one go.


    Tang Yu frowned; this was becoming serious.


    In the apocalypse, incidents of murder and robbery were not uncommon; a simple conflict could evolve into armed assault.


    At the drop of a hat, blood would splatter three feet high.


    Whether in Lindong or Luoxia, mercenaries that died out in the wilderness at the hands of fellow humans could rival those killed by Demonized Beasts.


    Such matters, even the authorities felt helpless over managing more than their own little patch of Sanctuary; the wilderness was inherently a Chaotic Land.


    "But that group''s motive is very clear¡ªthey specifically target teams with rune equipment."


    Ordinary murder and robbery didn''t yield much gain.


    How much valuable stuff could a team out hunting carry with them? Unless they discover some precious minerals or conflict erupts over a Mutant Beast''s body, leading to murder and then looting the spoils.


    These incidents were random and unlikely.


    But teams that purchased rune equipment from the Territory were essentially carrying tens or even hundreds of units of Source Crystals¡ªvisible to anyone.


    These teams were also the ones leaving the Territory, giving those with intentions an opportunity.


    If this continues, there might be more followers, and then Green Shadow would no longer be an openly trading market but turn into a Black Market where traders sneak in and out.


    The development of the entire Territory would be greatly affected.


    "This matter must be resolved quickly, we cannot allow that group to run wild!"


    Chen Haiping found it difficult, "But, Director, we can''t find that group. Even if we send the Patrol Team to search the nearby areas, it can only temporarily curb the rampant situation, not a permanent solution."


    "I have a way to find those people. When the time comes, you just follow my plan."


    Tang Yu''s eyes showed a cold glint; he wanted to show that group why the flower is so red!

 Chapter 219 - 216 Transmission Array

    Looking for someone, Tang Yu immediately thought of the sisters Xing Ling and Xing Yue.


    Especially Xing Ling, as an Astrologer with a notorious sense of direction, whether it was finding routes or searching for people, she was undoubtedly the most professional. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both sisters were still in Luoxia.


    Tang Yu considered, and decided first to set up the Transmission Array.


    Taking into account that the Transmission Array would be needed in the near future to transport materials, Tang Yu did not plan to build it within the castle.


    "But the Transmission Array is not planned to be open to the public for the time being, it needs to maintain a certain stability, and there are all sorts of people in the territory..."


    Thinking this, Tang Yu stepped out of the castle and looked around.


    Most of the original villas in the eastern district of the villa area had been demolished and in some places, brand-new and splendid buildings had risen while many other places were still under construction.


    He continued to walk towards the east, reaching the end of the villa area.


    Faintly visible were signs of several large trees being uprooted.


    Further ahead was a steep cliff, and looking across to the other side, towering black walls stretched to the end of his sight.


    This was the place.


    He opened the building panel, flipped to the special buildings section, selected Transmission Array, and chose to build.


    "Ding-dong! Constructing Transmission Array, consuming 20,000 units of Source Crystal and 2,000 units of Stone. Confirm?"


    "Yes!"


    Before him, the bare, messy, uneven land was instantly as if smoothed by an invisible giant hand.


    In the distance, the Source Crystals stored in the warehouse, together with the large amounts of Stone piled up, were transported here by some unfathomable means.


    On the now-smoothed land, a pure white marble with black patterns was laid down inch by inch, and in the blink of an eye, it formed a circle with a radius of more than ten meters.


    Around the edge of the small plaza, eight trapezoidal, pointed columns were erected at equal intervals.


    On that marble floor, mysterious and arcane patterns were rapidly drawn out, then just as quickly disappeared.


    Tang Yu compared this Array to the Array used for summoning followers.


    He discovered a shocking similarity¡ª


    He couldn''t understand either.


    Despite his proficiency in Rune Studies being just... at the beginning stages!


    Tang Yu took a deep breath, reviewed his account''s remaining Source Crystal units, and again felt a pang of pain.


    A single Transmission Array cost 20,000 Source Crystals, two would be 40,000 Source Crystals!


    Plus, the covert base he planned to keep as a backup also needed a Transmission Array, this wasn''t just consuming crystals, it was burning them!


    Even with his wealth, he felt a twitch in his eyelids.


    Having no choice, Great Lord Tang adopted the technique of diverting his attention, anxiously imagining that once the goods were transported there in the future, it would bring him profits several times or even dozens of times over, which made him feel a bit better.


    Tang Yu walked up to one of the columns.


    At the top was a slot for placing Source Crystals¡­ If he had not built a warehouse, each time he used the transmission, he would need to fill it with Source Crystals to power the transmission.


    These eight columns could all control the Transmission Array, and now that he had two Transmission Arrays, an additional transmission point appeared on the panel, displaying Fort Number One.


    Tang Yu opened the transmission function on the panel; in addition to controlling through the columns, he could control through the panel, which offered even more comprehensive functions.


    It felt like the difference between a user and an administrator.


    [Internal Transmission]: (Selectable) Fort Number One, 1,000 Source Crystals.


    [Secret Realm Transfer]: (Selectable) None, searching...


    [External Transmission]: (Selectable) None, addable¡­


    [Open/Close Transmission Array]


    Tang Yu stroked his chin.


    He had already sent a message to Xing Ling and Xing Yue to come back.


    Luoxia and his territory were far apart; even text messages sent via contracts often took several tens of minutes to arrive. Fortunately, Luoxia had established a sub-territory, and each sub-territory, including his own, served as a signal base station, making it an area with excellent signal reception.


    With the base stations in place, what previously took tens of minutes for text messages now made voice and even video communication no problem.


    It was much more convenient than contacting Grey Blade, who stayed in Lindong.


    "With the transmission array here, travel is also very convenient, if we don''t consider the cost..."


    The cost of one thousand source crystals per use was indeed glaring.


    Xing Ling and Xing Yue were ready to return at any time. Tang Yu didn''t have them use the transmission array but instead return to the territory via Return City Scroll.


    "The blueprints for the Return City Scroll are pulled out. The materials are just some demonized beast fur, source crystals, and a small amount of not-so-hard-to-find special materials. The total cost is estimated to be about one hundred source crystals..."


    Tang Yu murmured.


    For two people to return to the city, that would cost two hundred source crystals. Compared to using the transmission array, that saved eight hundred source crystals!


    In the future, if returning from a sub-territory, as long as there are fewer than ten people and no large quantities of goods, prioritize the Return City Scroll.


    That turned out to be very economical!


    ...


    ...


    In the wilderness, a certain abandoned town.


    Under the lead of Chen Haiping, Tang Yu, Xing Ling, Xing Yue, and a group of Patrol Team members arrived here.


    Chen Haiping pointed at the bloodstains on the mottled walls, "When the Patrol Team was out searching, they found these murdered Awakeners. After a detailed comparison, we identified these Awakeners as belonging to an adventure group that had recently exchanged for several rune equipments."


    "But when the Patrol Team found their bodies, their equipment had vanished, and the wounds on the bodies included both blade and gunshot wounds, clearly inflicted by humans. We guess these adventure group members were ambushed here¡­"


    Chen Haiping stepped back a few paces, gesturing towards a distant high ground.


    Tang Yu could imagine that perhaps these people had been targeted early on. While dealing with demonized beasts, they were sniped by the enemy. The strength of the robbers, coupled with sneaky tactics, no doubt resulted in this outcome.


    "Those adventurers'' bodies, out of humanitarianism, we buried them in the nearby land. Do you need us to dig them up?" asked Chen Haiping.


    Tang Yu looked towards Xing Ling and Xing Yue.


    The two sisters were very professional at this moment, neither losing their way nor having stumbled for several minutes.


    Xing Yue knelt at the bloodstain to identify, "Did this battle occur within the last 24 hours?"


    Chen Haiping nodded.


    "Then there''s no need to dig up the bodies, this scene is enough."


    ...


    ...


    About twenty kilometers from the territory, in a county town,


    On the rooftop of an eight-story building, about ten Awakeners were chatting and laughing.


    One rugged-faced Awakener held a gleaming longsword, flicked the blade with his finger, producing a crisp sound.


    "It really is a Demon-slaying Longsword, the sound is different, and this is just the most basic equipment from Green Shadow."


    He remarked, with other equipment laid beside him.


    Such as the Demon-slaying Battle Blade, Standard Firearm, and a Standard Combat Uniform stained with mottled blood, stripped from a body.


    (Soon, there will be one more update)

 Chapter 220 - 217 Theres a Traitor Among Us

    "What a pity, we can''t find the way to control those Puppets."


    The team leader thought of the Puppets that, despite being bombarded into tatters, could still launch fierce attacks, and he couldn''t help but feel envious.


    He shook his head, "Forget it, our haul is already enough. Once we sell this batch of goods on the Lindong Black Market, our brothers will feast and indulge in luxuries. What can''t we have then?"


    "You''re right, boss!"


    "Fortunately, with the boss leading us, we can enjoy good days. Otherwise, we''d be like those fools, working for the Sanctuary every day. How much could we even earn?"


    They flattered him.


    "But boss, why don''t we go to Green Shadow to buy some supplies? Besides weapons, other goods there are also much more abundant than in Lindong."


    "Green Shadow, huh!" The boss''s face turned cold. "Have you forgotten what we found during our last visit to Green Shadow? We''ve already been wanted by Green Shadow, and even though they don''t know our faces, if we keep going to the Green Shadow Sanctuary, we might slip up and it would cost us our lives. Do you think our lives are less important than some supplies? The Lindong supermarket''s products aren''t much less than Green Shadow''s!"


    "It''s just unforeseeable that Green Shadow would bother to put out a warrant over just a few Awakeners. It''s just a small sanctuary, yet they take themselves so seriously!"


    He said this but understood that even though Green Shadow was a small sanctuary, the power it possessed was far beyond their team. He couldn''t help but punch the ground, causing the rooftop floor to crack.


    In the meantime, an Awakener with a pair of binoculars, observing the distance, suddenly shouted, "Boss, we''ve spotted an easy prey!"


    At those words, a look of excitement appeared on everyone''s faces.


    The frustration vanished from the boss''s face, "I thought we wouldn''t catch any big fish today, but looks like luck is on our side."


    Several men immediately stood up and went to the edge of the rooftop, taking turns looking at the distance through binoculars.


    Through a few streets away, they could vaguely make out a group of Awakeners forming a formation and slaughtering Demonized Beasts.


    The distance was quite far, and there were buildings blocking the view, so the view wasn''t very clear.


    But the gang was patient; they didn''t rush to get closer. Instead, they observed and silently waited for an opportunity.


    In the field of vision of the binoculars, figures moved, and the blades penetrated the Demonized Beasts'' furry hides and scales without obstruction. The team leader''s eyes lit up, "That team indeed possesses rune Equipment."


    They remained cautious and instead of striking, they assessed the easy target''s fighting strength through its battle with the Demonized Beasts.


    "Boss, there are five to six targets; their strength is probably between the second-tier and third-tier Awakening. They''re not strong, we can take them down," one member reported after observing.


    The team leader nodded, "Gunman, take your position for a long-range snipe. The rest of you¡­" His gaze swept over the surrounding building rooftops, quickly planning a hidden yet fast approach, "... follow me."


    Saying that, he tugged at his tight Combat Uniform, picked up a Rune Battle Blade, and prepared to leap onto another building''s rooftop.


    But as he raised one foot, his pupils suddenly constricted.


    Surrounding them, a dozen or so Awakeners in black Combat Uniforms, holding firearms or cold weapons, with stern faces, had appeared on nearby rooftops, forming a circle that faintly enclosed them.


    "Who''s there!"


    "Wait, that uniform... it''s Green Shadow''s Patrol Team!"


    The Combat Uniforms of the Patrol Team were distinguished by some added stripes.


    This was the symbol of the official Patrol Team of Green Shadow, similar to the Flowing Color Uniform of the Lindong Military.


    They had been to Green Shadow, so they immediately recognized the Patrol Team.


    As they stood wielding their weapons, cold sweat unavoidably trickled down their foreheads.


    The team leader quickly glanced around the corners of his eyes and made a judgment.


    Clearly, this wasn''t a case of the Patrol Team happening across them; they came prepared.


    But how had they been discovered?


    For safety, their area of operation was at least twenty kilometers away from Green Shadow, and they frequently changed locations. Let alone being found by the Green Shadow Patrol Team, even if they had the misfortune of running into them in the wild, Green Shadow might not recognize them.


    After all, aside from the excessively large number of rune weapons they carried, they didn''t differ much from a standard Awakener squad.


    The other Awakeners also realized this and exchanged looks.


    "We have a traitor among us!"


    "It must be a traitor!"


    An Awakener with a fierce gaze pointed at one of them, "Qi, you were gone for about fifteen minutes half an hour ago. Speak up! Was it you?"


    The leaner Awakener shook his head repeatedly, "No, no, it wasn''t me. Chen also left earlier, said he needed a big bathroom break but took over ten minutes to return. Does taking a dump require that long? It must have been Chen!"


    Before the fight even started, they were already in disarray.


    The team leader growled, "Quiet! The Green Shadow Patrol Team may be strong, but we are no pushovers. Hold your ground, we might still have a chance to escape! We''ll settle our scores later!"


    He was aware that, whether the traitor existed or not, they shouldn''t be infighting at this moment. Moreover, the boss sensed that something was amiss.


    He had a bad premonition.


    He was about to break through.


    Suddenly, out of the open iron door leading to the rooftop, several people emerged.


    Leading them was a young man who was handsome, dashing, sunny... cough, handsome.


    Behind him followed two girls with light purple hair, seemingly harmless.


    However, upon seeing the person at the back, a man in his thirties with a formidable aura, the team leader''s pupils constricted.


    ''The manager of Green Shadow, Chen Haiping!''


    Chen Haiping was here too? Then the one at the forefront could be... As if realizing something, the constantly calm team leader finally broke out in a cold sweat.


    The other Awakeners didn''t recognize Chen Haiping right away. They saw Xing Ling and Xing Yue, the two innocently looking girls, and sneered.


    "Boss, those two girls must be connected to the Patrol Team. If we take them hostage, we can make a successful escape!"


    One of the Awakeners had already charged forward. Ignoring Tang Yu, who didn''t appear strong, he aimed a sword chop at his head, then attempted to grab Xing Ling to take her hostage. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However...


    Clang!


    A massive force struck the palm holding the Longsword. The Longsword trembled, and he almost couldn''t hold onto it.


    Retreating in shock, the Awakener saw that the legendary Demon-slaying Longsword, after a period of trembling, had actually... shattered!

 Chapter 221 - 221: 218 Buddha Gun Skill

    Sword fragments fell to the ground like raindrops, making a crisp sound that was even more pleasant than when the team leader had flicked the blade with his finger before.


    However, the faces of these people were no longer excited or thrilled, but... horrified.


    Tang Yu held a longsword forged from Transcendent Metal in his hand, its blade silvery-white, emitting a faint chill light. Complicated, seemingly powerful patterns on the blade were gradually fading, disappearing into the silver of the edge.


    This sword had not yet been named.


    Yet it was custom-made for him by Kevin, the most suitable weapon for his use.


    It felt great in hand, fitting his job''s characteristics perfectly. It wasn''t until his return to the Territory that Kevin had completed the design and crafted it.


    Based on its current performance, he was quite satisfied with the sword.


    However, Tang Yu''s mouth twitched as he looked at the Demon-slaying Longsword, now reduced to pieces on the ground.


    Damn it, he had intended to collect the weapons after dealing with these men!


    He could have sold them as second-hand equipment. With the quality of the Demon-slaying Longsword, selling them at eighty or ninety percent of the original price wouldn''t have been a problem.


    What on earth had he done?


    Could it be that he had become arrogant because he was wealthy?


    Tang Yu''s teeth ached, and he resolved to restrain himself more in the future.


    While he was thinking about this, his actions didn''t stop. The unnamed longsword thrust out smoothly.


    Pfft.


    Tang Yu showed no mercy, stabbing directly at a vital point.


    The Awakener in front of him couldn''t react in time. His chest was pierced, and he fell to the ground, dead.


    The other Awakeners, no matter how foolish or unable to recognize Chen Haiping, dared not rush towards Tang Yu now.


    If they could have captured those two girls, perhaps they could have had a chance of survival. However... that would require them being able to get close enough.


    Simultaneously, the group began to scatter in all directions.


    Members of the Patrol Team also began to act.


    Peng Bo charged forward, the scars on his face making him appear more ferocious than anyone else. He waved his hand, and countless grains of sand flew towards several Awakeners. The sand wasn''t very deadly, but once it fell on the Awakeners, it immediately solidified around their joints like plaster.


    Their movements were impaired.


    Lan Qingya, agile in posture and wielding two short swords, often needed only a few seconds to claim a fresh life.


    Iron Hammer Boss gripped a massive hammer in both hands. As he swung it, the wind howled, and any Awakener who was even slightly brushed by it suffered severe injuries. Aside from avoiding the direction where Tang Yu and a few others were, the second most avoided person was Ma Jiafeng, who wielded the hammer.


    Even the members of the Patrol Team kept their distance, fearful of being accidentally injured.


    Faced with the Patrol Team''s lethal attacks, the group of Awakeners fought desperately.


    One by one, they fell into madness, their faces filled with hatred as they glared at the members of the Patrol Team.


    They hadn''t expected that for the sake of a few insignificant Awakeners, Green Shadow would dispatch most of the Patrol Team just to surround and annihilate them, not giving them the slightest chance of escape, determined to kill them!


    But these people never considered that when they brutally targeted the ''fat sheep'', whether those ''fat sheep'' were also desperately pleading for mercy.


    Moments later, this gang was almost wiped out, with only the strongest gang leader barely holding on.


    The boss gritted his teeth, stopped dodging, charged forward, and at the cost of an arm, broke through the encirclement of two Patrol Team members.


    With his uninjured arm, he threw out a round flash bomb. A bright flash erupted suddenly, dazzling the Patrol Team members, causing them to squint and cover their eyes to alleviate the piercing sensation.


    The effect of the flash bomb on Awakeners was far less than on ordinary people, and these Patrol Team members quickly opened their eyes. But what they saw was the gang leader sprinting at high speed down the street.


    This was a town, with a complex environment. The gang leader had the strength of the Fourth Layer Peak, and once he was able to get some distance, catching up would be difficult.


    On the rooftop.


    Chen Haiping, holding a Barrett Sniper Rifle, slowed his breathing, his eyes focused on the scope as he slowly pressed the trigger.


    The bullet spun through the air, cutting through the various hindrances. The Patrol Team members waiting on the rooftop held their breaths, their eyes wide.


    Bang!


    The gang leader rolled, narrowly avoiding the sniper rifle bullet by a hair''s breadth.


    While maintaining his rapid flight, he also used obstacles such as abandoned vehicles and building ruins to make it increasingly difficult for Chen Haiping to aim.


    After three shots, all were evaded by the target.


    This was an experienced Awakener, a mercenary who had seen action before the apocalypse.


    Some Patrol Team members had already given chase, but the distance wasn''t closing.


    Chen Haiping also grew anxious.


    Tang Yu hadn''t expected that the opponent would run so fast. Turning his head towards Xing Ling and Xing Yue, although these two girls weren''t of the combat type, their level was indeed there. "Can you catch up?"


    Xing Yue nodded, "But can I borrow that?" She pointed at the modified Barrett sniper rifle in Chen Haiping''s hand.


    "You know how to use guns?"


    "I don''t," Xing Yue said innocently, looking at him as if to say, being unable to use guns and not being able to use them were two different matters.


    Tang Yu held his forehead, thinking that since Xing Yue wanted to try the sniper rifle, he might as well let her. After all, even if the gang''s boss ran far and hid, Xing Ling and Xing Yue would still be able to find him.


    Xing Yue took the sniper rifle and clumsily held it in her hands.


    By this time, the gang''s boss had already run far away, only to be closely chased by some members of the Patrol Team. To ensure speed, he occasionally vaulted over building obstacles, appearing within the sight of Tang Yu and the others.


    When the silhouette of the opponent appeared once again, Xing Yue''s eyes lit up.


    Holding the sniper rifle in her arms, she didn''t even look through the scope and seemed to aim into the air, firing a shot at random.


    Tang Yu''s gaze sharpened as he saw the ripples in the air caused by the bullet.


    He also saw the gang''s boss in the distance swiftly ducking and rolling as the bullet was fired.


    The movements were smooth as flowing water, and then¡ª S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bang.


    The sniper bullet entered from the back and exited through the front.


    Tang Yu''s eyes widened.


    Was this the legendary Buddha Gun Skill?


    The guy wouldn''t have had a problem if he hadn''t dodged!


    At that moment, he heard Xing Yue murmuring softly, "Please bless me, let it hit, let it hit, let it hit¡­"


    Tang Yu''s mouth twitched.


    Prayer-style Gun Skill? Maybe this shot landed because of Xing Yue''s professional traits. This was truly the Buddha Gun Skill.


    ...


    ...


    Warehouse.


    Tang Yu walked to the equipment storage area and poured out the equipment stained with mottled blood from his Space Ring.


    These pieces of equipment, aside from the Standard Longsword that he had shattered with a single strike, were all confiscated from that gang.


    Ordinary Standard Longswords, Combat Sabers totaling to fifteen, Enhancement Type One Combat Sabers two, Standard Combat Uniforms nine, firearms three ¡­ In total, one could imagine how many adventurer teams this group had plundered in just a few days.


    This was even more than what Chen Haiping had mentioned since, after all, the outdoors was chaotic and dangerous, and the Sanctuary could only collect part of the information.


    "Adding it up, these pieces of equipment, sold, robbed, and then reclaimed, seem to have earned me a few hundred Source Crystals extra¡­"


    Tang Yu shook his head.


    He remembered the gang''s boss couldn''t understand why the Sanctuary was so determined to suppress them even at the brink of death.


    If looking at direct benefits, these people''s actions were indeed unrelated to the Sanctuary. Even now, he had reclaimed a batch of equipment.


    But was he, Lord Tang, a shortsighted person? No!


    To him, selling rune equipment and earning Source Crystals was only one goal. More importantly, it was to attract Awakeners to his Territory.


    If he just wanted to make money, opening an equipment shop in Lindong would undoubtedly see sales rise sharply, but that would lose the opportunity to attract Lindong Awakeners to the Territory.


    The current Territory still lacked people, but he was no longer so demanding of ordinary survivors.


    If survivors were ordinary resources, then Awakeners were top-quality resources, the chives that could be harvested continuously.


    In terms of earning Source Crystals, even if ordinary Awakeners couldn''t earn much per day, what about a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand? At that time, these Awakeners would hold a vast wealth in their hands, and as long as they stayed in the Territory long-term, he could gather that wealth to himself through various means.


    This was just one of the uses for Awakeners.


    Others, such as issuing missions to adventurers through the adventurer guild to subtly employ these individuals to search for various rare minerals, resources, if there weren''t these Awakeners and relying solely on himself and a few followers, even with strong capabilities, searching efficiency would be very low.


    Some Awakeners with Special Abilities were even more precious.


    For example, Earth Series shape-changing Awakeners could provide great help in building construction.


    Then there were the Wood Series, life-nourishing Awakeners, who could accelerate the growth of herbs, especially some rare herbs after the apocalypse, which have long growth cycles. Even with the acceleration of farms, it would still take a lot of time, and this type of Awakener could further accelerate the growth of herbs on this basis.


    What that gang did indeed had no conflict of interest with him, yet it was equivalent to poisoning the chives of Great Lord Tang.


    "Hmm, that''s not right either. If I hadn''t eliminated that group, I wouldn''t have reclaimed these rune equipments, which would have meant losing several hundred Source Crystals. That''s definitely a conflict of interest."


    Tang Yu stroked his chin.


    Those people got what they deserved.

 Chapter 222 - 219 Equipment Production Issues

    The territory further south, due to its distance from major Sanctuaries, hosts numerous small Sanctuaries scattered throughout the region.


    From here, traveling to Lindong is too far. Luckily, the density of Demonized Beasts in this area isn''t very high¡ªa few Demonized Beasts occasionally venture here in larger groups, enabling the Sanctuary''s Awakeners and survivors to defend themselves using traps and weapons.


    People had grown accustomed to this way of life.


    Weak Sanctuaries struggled to survive, searching daily for food to barely get by. Gradually, some weaker Sanctuaries were either absorbed or opted to join stronger ones to seek protection.


    The largest Sanctuary, built around a small town, had even constructed an earth wall over three meters high surrounding the town. Although the wall looked somewhat crude, it was a demonstration of strength.


    This Sanctuary was home to more than twenty thousand survivors, a scale that far exceeded other small Sanctuaries, qualifying it as a medium-sized Sanctuary.


    Among the survivors in this region, Lingshan Sanctuary was undeniably the overlord.


    It was also the place most coveted by survivors. Unfortunately... unless one was a strong, healthy young man, it was not so easy to become a member of Lingshan Sanctuary. However, it was still quite easy for Awakeners to join. Most Awakeners held positions of authority in other Sanctuaries and were unwilling to abandon their power to start anew elsewhere.


    Lingshan Sanctuary''s City Lord Mansion... The original townhouses here had been connected and transformed through extensive renovations, displaying the plaque of the City Lord Mansion.


    The person in charge here did not like to be referred to as the director but preferred the title "City Lord."


    He felt it made him appear more formidable and commanding.


    At this moment, the City Lord of Lingshan stood in the City Lord Mansion, his expression somewhat gloomy.


    "Hmph, do they really think I would abandon my vast enterprise to go to Lindong Sanctuary? Impossible!"


    He said this as he tore up a letter in his hands and tossed it into the wastebasket.


    The letter generally thanked him for rescuing survivors and offered him a director position in Lindong as well as some critical supplies, on the condition that he cooperate with the military dispatched from Lindong to escort the survivors to Lindong Sanctuary.


    The inquiry had an undertone that brooked no refusal.


    Lindong aimed to consolidate survivors from other Sanctuaries, promising rewards and striking a deal with the directors.


    Because his Sanctuary housed over twenty thousand survivors, Lindong valued it highly and thus offered him a director position¡ªeven if it wasn''t in a key department, it still came with substantial perks and power.


    However, for the Lingshan City Lord, that bit of power was nothing compared to what he had now, where he controlled everything and no one dared defy him.


    This was his city, his domain.


    A middle-aged man with a flattering smile on his face cautiously asked, "In a few days, when the military arrives, should we reject them? Could this provoke dissatisfaction from Lindong?"


    The Lingshan City Lord pondered for a moment before responding, "No need to reject them outright, just stall them."


    "Stall?"


    "Take a look at this." The Lingshan City Lord sneered and tossed an invitation card to the middle-aged steward.


    The steward unfolded the card and read carefully, "Is this an invitation from Green Shadow Sanctuary? Isn''t that the rather famous Sanctuary that suddenly became well-known recently, planning to build a large commercial zone and inviting us to attend?"


    "I remember Green Shadow doesn''t have many survivors. To waste such manpower and resources on this face project¡ªit''s not Lindong Sanctuary. Even if the commercial zone is built, how many people would specifically travel to Green Shadow for trade? Also, with increased visitor traffic, it could easily attract Demonized Beasts. Aren''t they afraid of being wiped out by the Demon Tide?! Their brains must be flawed!"


    The middle-aged steward shook his head, then hesitated and asked, "What does Green Shadow''s invitation have to do with Lindong?"


    "Fool!" The Lingshan City Lord walked to the window, standing with his hands behind his back, "Lindong''s integration of Sanctuaries doesn''t target just us at Lingshan¡ªGreen Shadow is also one of the regional Sanctuaries. And with Green Shadow currently in its prime, even construction/fwlink/?LinkID=414257&clcid=0x409"> commercial zones right at this critical moment..."


    He shook his head dismissively, "Considering Green Shadow''s stance, they are likely to directly reject the Military, and the Military won''t stand idly by. But for us, just dragging our feet and watching the drama unfold is enough..."


    In his heart, he left unsaid that if the Military was concerned about repercussions and didn''t adopt overly aggressive measures, then he would have enough ground to refuse them.


    If Green Shadow were quickly taken down by the Military, despite his reluctance, he could only helplessly give up.


    "Better them than me, for shooting the first bird. Fortunately, Green Shadow serves as such a focal Sanctuary; otherwise, the headache would be mine."


    However, the Lingshan City Lord didn''t know that Tang Yu hadn''t even received the letter from the Military about taking over the Sanctuary!


    At this moment, Lu Jianjun was still troubled about how to deal with Green Shadow.


    The middle-aged butler by his side hastily showed a flattering demeanor, showering him with compliments, greatly satisfying the Lingshan City Lord.


    Then, recalling something, the middle-aged butler spoke with a tone of worry, "My Lord City Lord, I heard that recently several small Sanctuaries were attacked by a Demon Tide. No survivors remained, including the Awakeners. We should have the Reconnaissance Corps be extra vigilant about the movements of the Demonized Beasts."


    He initially wanted to say that unlike the larger Sanctuaries, there could be danger here, but he quickly changed his wording.


    As a confidant of the City Lord and an absolute high-ranking official in the Sanctuary, the middle-aged butler shared the same idea with the City Lord, unwilling to relinquish the power in his hands, even though Lindong was indeed much safer.


    Lingshan City Lord frowned:


    "Do you think I need to be told that? A Demon Tide is, after all, a small probability event, and even if we really encounter one, we have city walls, an Awakener Corps of three hundred, and just a few Demonized Beasts. What is there to fear!" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Two days later.


    Tang Yu learned that the construction progress in Luoxia was extremely fast.


    Having shown their military capabilities, the high ranks of Luoxia were keen on forming good relations, and many construction tools were provided for leasing, with survivors being the least of their shortages there.


    It was said that the tasks Shay released in the labor center for a thousand worker slots were swiftly filled, and later even more were added.


    Not only that, but Shay also posted tasks at the Mercenary Union, recruiting ten Earth Series Awakeners and eight Metal Series Awakeners. Even though these people had differing specific abilities, they all helped with construction, greatly enhancing the efficiency of the projects.


    Whether it was equipment or personnel, Luoxia had far more resources than the territory.


    Tang Yu felt that by the time Luoxia''s Martial Arts Hall, stores, and the associated real estate were complete, the commercial district here, which had started construction several days earlier, might still not be finished.


    This was quite awkward...


    "But that''s good, after the construction in Luoxia is mostly done, we can start the sales plans..."


    And his parents could also move into the newly built villas.


    He had originally planned to bring his parents back to the Territory, but since his parents had their friends and social circles there, bringing them back would mean having to bring relatives along, and those relatives had their own relatives...which could become rather chaotic.


    Of course, he could choose to bring only a few people if absolutely necessary, and Tang Yu would indeed do so under such circumstances.


    But now, having established a Sub-territory in Luoxia and with many followers staying there, safety was already sufficient. He just needed to visit occasionally through the Transmission Array.


    "However, after the construction of the Luoxia marketplace and the commercial district in the territory are complete, the number of sales for equipment will definitely increase substantially. This would mean that inventory might become insufficient and, given the production speed of the workshop, providing a large volume of equipment could be troublesome."


    With this thought, Tang Yu frowned.

 Chapter 223 - 220 Rune Processing

    The production of equipment now mainly relies on the workshop, and Kevin is responsible for the design aspect, that is, drawing blueprints.


    The speed at which the workshop manufactures equipment and tools is incredibly fast; even the production cycle can be said to be almost zero.


    Not even a second is required.


    The materials go in, and the finished product comes out immediately.


    However... Producing a few pieces of equipment doesn''t take much time, but what about several hundred, several thousand, or even more?


    Tang Yu could not understand why, given such advanced methods of manufacturing equipment, there was no option for mass production?


    He would tire his fingers out clicking each time!


    Even if he were to open up workshop access permissions, allowing others to be responsible for material input and equipment sorting and statistics...


    It would be very troublesome, and he didn''t want to do that either.


    A new method of production needed to be developed.


    Tang Yu came to the research institute, and around his usual workbench, various instruments and materials were placed.


    He casually grabbed a piece of demonized beast skin that had been cut to A4 size, resembling a sheet of paper.


    After processing, these demonized beast skins did not have any fishy smell; when touched, they felt soft and comfortable.


    He laid the beast skin on the workbench and took out a rune pen that resembled a brush.


    Engraved with dense runes on the body of the pen, when Source Power was injected, a small cluster of flickering light would appear at the tip of the pen, like the flame spouting from a lighter.


    Increasing the injection of Source Power, the light blazed, and the flickering became even more vigorous.


    Decreasing the Source Power, the light would immediately dim, as if it could extinguish at any moment.


    This kind of rune pen was a tool commonly used by Rune Masters to draw runes.


    It could be used to draw the vast majority of runes.


    Drawing runes was akin to writing with a brush, but the difficulty was unknowably greater; the flickering light was inherently unstable, and during drawing, one needed to control the output of Source Power, at each energy node of the rune, inject neither too much nor too little energy, and pay close attention to the standardization of the runes. The slightest mistake was not permissible.


    At best, the entire rune would be scrapped; at worst, it would explode.


    During his learning process, several explosions had happened. Luckily, the runes he was drawing were basic and required little Source Power. And yet, the complexity of even those basic runes was far beyond that of mere text.


    Tang Yu exhaled lightly, allowing himself to maintain an optimal state.


    He lifted the rune pen and slowly traced on the beast skin.


    His hand was very steady, his speed neither fast nor slow... These runes were complicated, yet it was a single stroke from start to end, unable to be rushed. According to his thousands of failed attempts, this speed and force were the best to control.


    About a minute later, Tang Yu finished drawing. The rune lit up with a faint glow, which gradually dispersed.


    "Done. It seems that I now have a very high success rate in drawing this kind of Basic Rune."


    However, this talent was cultivated with Consuming Crystals. Tang Yu had heard Kevin say that, although Rune Masters aren''t a Combat Profession, they are even more noble than the so-called noble profession of Mages. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nothing else, it was simply burning money.


    Each time a rune was drawn, it consumed a large amount of Source Power. Where did all this Source Power come from? The bit that an Awakener had within them was far from sufficient; that Source Power was merely the primer for manipulation. What was consumed more was the Source Power from Source Crystals.


    When drawing, it was necessary to use high-quality beast hides, and even though demonized beast hides could be purchased at a relatively cheap price, high-quality ones were not so plentiful. In order to maximize the success rate, it was better to have demonized beast hides of a higher level.


    Tang Yu didn''t even dare to calculate how much material and Source Crystals he had used; the actual figure was probably enough to leave him breathless with heartache.


    "Fortunately, the success rate is now high. It looks like I do have a talent for runes!"


    He was drawing a Basic Sharp Rune.


    High-level beast hides were able to carry the power of runes well. Tang Yu estimated that the rune could last about a month, which was already quite a long time.


    Back in the day, why the Transcendental Factor extracted from demonized beasts by the science academy dissipate quickly? Firstly, it was the lack of a suitable carrier ¨C ordinary paper couldn''t hold the power of runes, and secondly, the academy hadn''t understood the structure of runes.


    The beast hide that had just been drawn with a Basic Sharp Rune was essentially a one-time scroll, which could enhance a weapon with a sharp effect, but it was also limited in duration and could not be permanently fixed to equipment, unlike engraving.


    Yet, Tang Yu still used beast hides to draw runes, instead of directly inscribing them onto equipment.


    Why?


    Because that was even harder!


    With his current level of runes, directly engraving on equipment had a woefully low success rate. It was better to practice more on beast hides.


    The path of runes, an endless money pit.


    "If we want to mass-produce rune equipment, the processing and assembling of the equipment wouldn''t be difficult. However, the final step of rune engraving is a problem."


    In Kevin''s Equipment Department, the speed of manufacturing rune equipment was quite fast. The work of rune engraving didn''t need to be done slowly, stroke by stroke, like Tang Yu had to.


    This was thanks to the rune seal Kevin had created after achieving high proficiency with a specific rune. However, pressing the seal wasn''t the end of the task. The same rune, when engraved on different equipment or on different parts of the same piece of equipment, would result in subtle variations that greatly affected the quality of the equipment. After each press, Kevin had to make fine adjustments before the rune completely set.


    This eliminated the possibility of automated production.


    Tang Yu had also toured the manufacturing process of the Equipment Department. Although low-level equipment could be produced in three minutes, Kevin''s manufacturing process also proceeded one piece at a time. As long as it wasn''t a multi-piece simultaneous production, no matter how fast it was, it couldn''t compare to the speed of workshop production.


    After some thought, Tang Yu came to the Equipment Department, where he could hear the noisy roar of machinery from afar.


    He shared his idea of mass-producing equipment with Kevin, hoping for some useful suggestions.


    Kevin frowned, "According to your idea of a production line setup, Lord, the manufacturing and assembly workshops are not a problem. The difficult part is the rune engraving workshop. Over at our place, there isn''t such a standardized engraving process. It''s often just a Rune Master leading a few apprentice Rune Masters to do the engraving."


    Even though the training of apprentice Rune Masters wasn''t very difficult, it also required time. Currently, besides Kevin, who was an Advanced Rune Master, Tang Yu could be considered a Basic Rune Master and, beyond that, there were no others.


    Even those two survivors who assisted Kevin did not qualify as apprentice Rune Masters.


    Mass-producing rune equipment without dozens of apprentice Rune Masters was impossible.


    "If you, Lord, only need low-level rune equipment, then that''s a bit simpler. Seals for that level of runes are easier to make. I can rush some out, but without fine-tuning the runes, the quality of the equipment might only be twenty to thirty percent of its original."


    "Is it possible to determine a direction for fine-tuning?" Tang Yu pondered. He was not a rune novice now and the more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. "Basic runes aren''t complex. The subtle differences that arise when inscribing on equipment aren''t as intricate as those for Advanced runes. Given this, can''t we identify the pattern of these variations and compile it?"


    "In this way, even if we are not proficient enough in runes, we can deal with it accordingly according to the summarized experience."


    It was like having an exam question you didn''t know how to answer, but you knew that such a question would appear and had memorized the solution process for that type of question ahead of time. All that was needed was simply to apply the formula and adjust according to the specific numbers provided in the question.

 Chapter 224 - 221: Talent Screening

    Kevin pondered for a while, his eyes gradually lighting up, feeling it feasible, "This is indeed a good idea. Although runes are complex, patterns can indeed be found. With this method, those assisting with rune adjustments don''t need to be apprentices of rune masters anymore. Even ordinary people, after a short period of training, can handle specific rune adjustments."


    Basic equipment only requires one rune, and the runes needed for basic equipment are nothing more than Basic Sharp Rune, Basic Armor Rune, and other Basic runes.


    This made the method feasible, with one group responsible for tuning Rune A, and another for Rune B.


    "If we want to achieve a production of one thousand pieces per day, how many survivors does Master Kevin think are needed, and how long will they need to train before they can take their positions?" Tang Yu inquired.


    In this area, Kevin was a professional, and he certainly wouldn''t make decisions unilaterally.


    Producing a thousand rune-equipped items daily, Tang Yu felt it could meet the market demands of the territory and Luoxia, but this production of a thousand was just the beginning.


    Equipment couldn''t sell that much. Even as strength increased and existing equipment was gradually phased out for more advanced ones, an equipment set could be used for half a month, a month, without issues.


    This limited the sale of equipment. In Tang Yu''s mind, equipment was never the most profitable commodity.


    Consumables were!


    He had such commodities in his possession, such as Rune Scrolls, Source Material Bombs, and Source Power Crystals that could restore physical Source Power... Even though these were one-time-use items, in crucial moments, having such an item could very likely save one''s life.


    What''s more important, life or money?


    Tang Yu thought, of course... cough, the latter! S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His goal was to empty the pockets of the Awakeners. This was for their own good. Without spending money, how could there be motivation to earn it?


    But selling items wasn''t that urgent; when there was a need to increase production, Tang Yu believed that within the territory, more workers capable of taking up the roles would be trained.


    "In the early phase, about fifty people are needed. Once they are skilled, only twenty tuning personnel will suffice. This period will need one week of intensive training. If Lord is in a hurry, it can be done in three days, but then the quality of the engraved runes could only reach eighty percent at most."


    Kevin took out a pen tool, drawing sketches on paper. "Also, if we want to train enough competent personnel in a short period of time, those people need to have sufficient talent."


    "Talent? It''s hard to find so many people with high rune talent in the territory," Tang Yu frowned.


    "No, no, no," Kevin continuously waved his hand, "They don''t need high rune talent, just a sensitivity to runes would suffice. Such people can more easily identify the differences between runes. It is a type of rune talent, though not as high, and easier to find. Given the current population in the territory, assembling fifty people is still possible."


    Tang Yu nodded.


    That settled it.


    Eighty percent quality in runes was not considered low. Engraved runes from Lindong Science Academy''s utilization of their own power did not even reach fifty percent, even though those he engraved himself nearly reached ninety percent.


    Those rune adjustment workers, after one or two weeks of training, might achieve ninety percent quality.


    It wasn''t that these people were better than him, but that the core of the runes were imprinted by rune seals, which lower the difficulty considerably. Even so, this was still an industry involving runes, and during their time working, these rune adjustment workers might grow into rune apprentices. Particularly those with good talents, if specially trained, producing one or two rune masters was not impossible.


    After pondering for a while, Tang Yu spoke, "I will choose a suitable location to establish a factory. At that time, the equipment will also need to be manufactured by you. Additionally, regarding the selection of talent, I will have the Municipal Department fully cooperate."


    ...


    ...


    The next day, early morning.


    Like usual, Yang Wei, after having a simple breakfast, came to the open space next to the central square, waiting for the assembly of Group Seven.


    During this time, as they built the commercial district, he had gotten used to this lifestyle and had already familiarized himself with the other members of his group.


    Quickly, the twenty laborers of Group Seven gathered in the open space, waiting for their leader to guide them to complete today''s task.


    "Strange, why hasn''t the leader come yet?" As time ticked by, someone looked around.


    "What''s the rush? It''s still five minutes until seven o''clock." someone immediately pointed to the clock tower built a few days ago in the distance.


    The minute hands ticked closer to seven o''clock, their daily start time.


    Yang Wei also gazed into the distance, furrowing his brows, "That''s not right, the leader usually arrives here quite early, the latest he was ever here was still ten minutes before time, like today is the first time this has happened."


    "Maybe something came up, like diarrhea, upset stomach, stomach pain..."


    "That''s not it," Yang Wei saw many other groups gathering, "Usually at this time, many groups would have already headed to the construction site, they wouldn''t still be waiting here."


    With that said, other members of the group looked around and discovered indeed, it seemed like most group leaders hadn''t shown up...


    It felt like something was about to happen.


    At seven o''clock sharp, the clock tower rang out ''Dang Dang Dang'', signifying the start of a new day.


    Adventurers, in splendid equipment, walked out from the Territory under the envious or admiring gazes of other survive.


    ''If only one day I could earn several Source Crystals like the Awakeners, I wouldn''t have to drool over the delicious food in the canteen every time.''


    Yang Wei aspired, yet he knew he would never become an Awakener in his life.


    It was said that Sanctuary had ways to make ordinary people into Awakeners, but it required huge resources, far more expensive than eating in the canteen.


    Just then, he saw the leader of Group Seven hurrying over.


    "Today''s morning work is canceled," the leader said.


    "Canceled? Why?"


    Yang Wei could hardly accept this harsh reality, even if it was just for half a day, it meant his already meager income would be halved.


    "Hey, don''t worry," the leader grinned, revealing his empty gums, "I know what you''re worried about. The work this morning is canceled because the Sanctuary is administering a test. Participation is voluntary, but if you partake, it''s considered paid time; you won''t lose a penny from today''s wages."


    Yang Wei was relieved.


    Not having to work yet not losing money, he felt no resistance to participating in the test, instead, he grew more curious.


    "This test, reportedly, is about screening for a new job. I''m not clear about what the job involves, but from what I understand, the wage is very high, ranging from a half to several dozens of Source Crystals per day. If you pass the test, your life will undergo tremendous changes."


    "What exactly is the test about? Can we pass?"


    Hearing this, everyone''s eyes lit up.


    Yang Wei too fantasized.


    As a mere laborer, frail and thin, his work efficiency was low, and he didn''t earn much each day.


    Although he wouldn''t starve, affording delicious food was impossible.


    If only he could pass this test.


    But his frail body and limited knowledge, facing this unknown test¡­


    Some sadness lingered in Yang Wei''s eyes.

 Chapter 225 - 222 Level 3 Test

    "Almost all of the survivors in the Sanctuary will participate in the test, some in the morning and some in the afternoon," said the team leader of Group Seven, who finally asked, "So, are you all taking part in this test?" S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Faced with the temptation of a high salary, no one refused.


    In fact, they couldn''t wait.


    The test site was at the nearby labor center.


    When the miscellaneous workers of Group Seven arrived at the lead of their team leader, many people were already waiting inside.


    The various service windows, where people normally processed paperwork and received work, had now been temporarily converted into testing windows.


    "To speed up efficiency and ensure order, the test is conducted by groups and carried out collectively," the team leader explained. "Our group is ranked towards the front, so we likely won''t have to wait long."


    They didn''t know.


    The big fuss to get the groups to participate in the test together, instead of releasing new job information at the labor center for survivors to attend individually, was because Tang Yu was worried about efficiency being too slow and also worried about what if too many people ignored the recruitment information?


    Right now, most of the survivors in the Sanctuary had their own jobs, some of the diligent and physically strong ones earned a decent income every day, not to mention those working in various departments had even higher earnings...


    Some people might find it troublesome, or think they had no chance of being selected. Such thoughts could lead some survivors not to participate in the test.


    Tang Yu remembered, Kevin had said, "With the current number of residents in the Territory, gathering fifty people is still possible."


    This meant that among nearly two thousand survivors in the Territory, finding fifty who met the criteria was a bit difficult, and it would be even harder if some survivors were to be excluded.


    Yang Wei observed the testing windows not far away.


    Some survivors left with drooping heads, some shook their heads, not minding the failure too much, and some, with joy on their faces, were guided by the staff to the second floor.


    There were quite a few of these people.


    He was somewhat puzzled, and by this time, someone in his group had already started asking those who had just finished the test.


    "...What''s the content of the test you ask? There''s no harm in talking about it, supposedly the test is divided into three parts," the first part is what I''ve just done, and only after passing that can you go to the second floor for the next part of the test..."


    "The first part is somewhat similar to a color blindness test, but much more difficult, you have to discern the numbers or patterns on the test drawings, and not just a single pattern, but many interwoven together. I actually spotted two patterns, but unfortunately, such a result still doesn''t meet the passing standard."


    "The second part, they say, is a test of spatial imagination. As for the third part, it''s very mysterious, no matter how you inquire about it, you can''t find out. It seems only those who have passed the first two parts qualify to know the content of the third part of the test."


    After waiting more than half an hour, it was finally Yang Wei''s group''s turn.


    Twenty group members, plus the team leader, lined up at one of the windows for testing.


    Yang Wei was towards the back and soon saw several people ahead of him, all disheartened.


    "I don''t know how many patterns you have to see to pass," someone grumbled unsatisfied.


    "It''s hard to say, I saw there were many different test drawings, maybe the difficulty isn''t the same for each, and the passing standard is different too."


    These people were from the same group, and even if they didn''t pass, they didn''t leave right away but stood not far away waiting for the others to test.


    With complex looks in their eyes.


    After a while, Yang Wei stepped forward, his heart uneasy.


    The staff member behind the window had already passed him a test drawing, and at first glance, it did look a bit like a color blindness test; the entire drawing was larger than an A3 paper, full of densely packed fragments like shattered glass tiles.


    "Say what patterns you see and outline them with the sensor pen," said the staff member. "Don''t hope to just guess a few patterns randomly; even if you name the right patterns, if you don''t trace their correct trajectory, it doesn''t count as a score... Okay, you can begin now."


    Yang Wei suppressed the nervousness deep inside him, steadied his mind, and looked at the test drawing.


    "Uh, is this a horse? Also, a candle? Bear''s head? Flip-flops?"


    His voice grew softer with each item he listed.


    It wasn''t that he hadn''t discovered anything, on the contrary, he found it too simple!


    Even if the patterns were overlapping, he saw many at just a glance. It wasn''t as hard as others had said, right?


    Perhaps, all these were wrong, maybe he was confused?


    The staff member glanced at him, expressionless, "Trace the patterns you see, yes, use that sensor pen to draw the lines of the patterns you see on the paper..."


    Hesitantly, Yang Wei picked up the pen and finally began to slowly trace, the pen''s sensor brushing against the paper.


    After he finished sketching one figure, he would pause for a moment, wanting to check if it looked any different than what he had initially seen.


    One, two, three, four...


    With each pattern he finished tracing, the shock on the staff member''s face behind the window grew as they checked with the answer sheet.


    After outlining six patterns, Yang Wei finally stopped, unable to resist asking, "Um... are the ones I drew right or wrong?"


    He had expected the staff member to refuse to respond with cool detachment, but,


    He saw the other person nodding repeatedly, "Right, they are all right. Is your answer a total of six correct?"


    Yang Wei was stunned.


    "Right? Um... wait, I haven''t finished. There''s also a key, tissue, light bulb..."


    Worried that six wouldn''t be enough to pass, Yang Wei quickly listed several more patterns he had spotted. This time, he picked up the sensor pen, and his pace was visibly faster.


    One after another, he traced without stopping, only ceasing after drawing thirteen patterns, then took a breath of relief.


    "I... did I pass?"


    "Yes," the staff member hesitated before nodding.


    Apart from Yang Wei in his group, there was another survivor who passed the first test, but compared to him, the other person only got five symbols right.


    The gap was a bit big, so the others couldn''t believe that Yang Wei, who was unremarkable and had always been inconspicuous, could perform so strongly.


    However, it was only the first test; only those who passed all three would qualify for that mysterious position.


    Yang Wei, having performed well in the first test, felt hopeful but didn''t dare to take things lightly. He feared that in the following two tests, he might be ruthlessly eliminated.


    The second test was on the second floor of the labor center.


    The survivors who passed were led there by the staff.


    Yang Wei glanced around and noticed there weren''t many survivors left. The first test had already weeded out many, and while some of the failed survivors had left, there were still a few waiting there. He didn''t know if they had already passed or were just there to watch the excitement.


    There weren''t many people taking this second test, and it didn''t take long for Yang Wei''s turn.


    As rumored, the second test indeed assessed spatial imagination ability.


    Yang Wei sat at a desk as if he was back in pre-apocalypse examinations. He had to get enough questions right in five minutes.


    Knowing there were rare opportunities, Yang Wei concentrated intensely and stared at the figures on the exam paper, writing his answers in the blanks or checkboxes.


    Finally, he submitted his exam paper. The proctor checked against the answers and quickly announced the result.


    "Nine correct answers, passed. Hmm, the third assessment won''t start until everyone has completed the first two tests. You can wait in the adjacent rest room..."


    Yang Wei responded, carrying both a nervous and delighted heart.


    The other survivor from his group who ascended with him wasn''t so lucky. He could only envy Yang Wei with one glance before leaving downstairs, disheartened.


    ...


    ...


    When Yang Wei entered the room, he saw about twenty survivors there.


    The room was large, with rows of seats neatly arranged. Other than that, there was just a water cooler in the corner. The twenty or so survivors sat scattered throughout the room.


    He pushed open the door and entered. Some looked at him with a hint of wariness, while others rested with closed eyes, completely indifferent to the newcomer.


    Time ticked away.


    At noon, staff brought simple box meals. Yang Wei devoured his quickly, then refilled two cups of water at the cooler and took a bathroom break.


    The rest of the time was spent in anxious waiting.


    Waiting for that unknown third test.


    More and more survivors passed the first two tests and arrived in the room.


    "Hey, do any of you know what the third test is?"


    "No idea. I asked the staff, and they just shook their heads. It''s not clear if they really don''t know or can''t say. Brother, do you know?"


    "If I knew, I wouldn''t be asking. It seems like quite a few people passed the first two tests. I wonder how many the position will recruit... I heard it pays dozens of Source Crystals. If I had that kind of salary, I would wake up laughing from my dreams!"


    With more people, the atmosphere became noisy. Perhaps, some were probing their competition.


    They continuously inquired about the others'' performances in the tests.


    Although Yang Wei was just sitting in a corner, he listened intently.


    It seemed... in the first test, getting four symbols correct was enough to pass, and in the second, answering five questions correctly was necessary.


    Most people here had barely passed.


    But there were also those with high scores, like someone who got twelve answers right in the second test, which made him feel inferior.


    Finally, it was five o''clock in the afternoon.


    All the survivors who participated had already completed the first two tests.


    Yang Wei looked around. About two hundred survivors had entered the room.


    Several staff members pushed open the door and came in, "The third test will not take place here. Everyone please follow me, we''ll take the bus there."


    "But before that, everyone present must sign a confidentiality agreement. No matter what you see in the third test and whether you pass or not, you must not disclose any test-related information."


    As they spoke, the staff members presented printed "confidentiality agreements" for the survivors to sign and fingerprint.


    "Agreements" had no legal force post-apocalypse, but agreements with the Sanctuary were not to be violated by any survivor in their right mind. This formality simply underscored the importance of keeping secrets.


    Chen Haiping suggested this, and Tang Yu found it very necessary.


    After all, the third test touched upon the secrets of runes, which in pre-apocalyptic times were considered core intellectual property, not so easily disclosed to others.


    The survivors soon to take the test did not hesitate and quickly signed their names.


    And they became even more curious.


    What could this upcoming test be that made the Sanctuary so cautious?


    It seemed... some people''s hearts began thumping excitedly, sensing they were about to touch upon some of the Sanctuary''s secrets. If they could pass the final assessment, perhaps they, too, might become core members of the Sanctuary?


    The thought excited them tremendously, to the point that even a high salary seemed less important.


    However, after putting down their fingerprints, a very few individuals had their eyes darting around, seemingly deep in thought.

 Chapter 226 - 223 Drawing

    Several buses slowly drove out of the holiday villa, surprising the survivors who were about to participate in the test.


    The test was neither at the labor center nor inside the Sanctuary.


    Some even worried about the dangers of the outdoors, but relaxed immediately upon remembering that these were Sanctuary vehicles.


    The buses didn''t go far. After leaving the holiday villa, they drove slowly around the mountain they backed onto for two or three kilometers before stopping.


    Yang Wei got off the bus with the others.


    Even though it was the wilderness, they couldn''t hear the frightening wails of the Demonized Beasts.


    Looking around, there were buildings made of reinforced concrete, resembling a factory area. Behind the factory area and furthest from the Sanctuary, a majestic city wall stretched across, enclosing the back half of the factory area.


    A glance brought a great sense of security.


    Around them, several black towers stood tall. Looking far into the distance, one could see cannons mounted on the city walls and members of the Patrol Team surveying the surroundings.


    The security was tight.


    This was their first impression.


    They couldn''t help but swallow their saliva; it seemed only this could somewhat soothe their tense emotions.


    ...


    ...


    Inside the factory area, Tang Yu stood by a high-rise window, watching these survivors enter one after another under the guidance of the staff. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How many survivors passed the first two rounds?"


    "There are... one hundred ninety-seven people, including one hundred thirty-six men and sixty-one women," replied an officer from the Municipal Department standing beside him, hurrying to answer.


    This number,


    was somewhat small.


    Tang Yu was helpless but couldn''t do anything about it. Given the small population base of the Territory, the Sanctuary had developed rapidly. It had only been less than a month since he obtained the system, and it had developed from nothing to its current scale.


    The speed was enough to surprise every other Sanctuary around.


    Yet, he was not satisfied with just this.


    However, the population of the Territory couldn''t just be randomly brought over from other Sanctuaries. Many of the Sanctuary''s infrastructures were still under construction. Once the first phase of construction was completed, they could move into a faster development stage... right?


    His gaze was forward, but he wasn''t looking at the survivors below. Instead, he was looking at the Territory map on the panel.


    Not far from where he stood, among the nearly two hundred yellow-green dots, there were two or three very prominent red dots.


    Tang Yu glanced sideways at the Municipal Department officer, asking, "Do you have the information on those people?"


    The officer was stunned for a moment, "Yes, yes, do you need it? Should I go get it now?"


    Even though Tang Yu''s presence was subdued, like an ordinary person, the officer, who had only seen him a few times, still had a racing heart due to nervousness.


    He hurriedly came over with a stack of documents.


    Shuffle~


    Tang Yu flipped through them page by page.


    Every survivor who arrived here was registered. Although the information was scant and the names might not be accurate, the registration dates were correct.


    He briefly scanned them; the most recent survivor who arrived at the Sanctuary was two days ago... The recent batches of survivors were all brought back by the Patrol Team. Tang Yu didn''t believe that there could be spies planted by other forces among them so early.


    Normal spies wouldn''t just be ordinary people, as it would be very hard to steal important information that way.


    Tang Yu recalled that there didn''t seem to be any red dots within the Territory before. Perhaps those few had just changed?


    Due to some inducement, their thoughts had shifted from neutral to hostile.


    "Is it because of the confidentiality agreement, so they instead think they can access the secrets of the Sanctuary and want to use these secrets for their own gain?"


    "But even if it''s about betraying the Sanctuary''s interests, there must be a corresponding buyer..."


    Tang Yu speculated that it must be operatives sent by some forces, having private contacts with some survivors in the Sanctuary.


    He first thought of the Military, then dismissed the idea.


    From the interactions with the Lindong Military these past days, they wouldn''t engage in such underhanded tactics. More importantly, Tang Yu knew how many people from the Lindong Military were disguised as ordinary adventurers living inside the Sanctuary. Those people displayed small, yellow dots.


    It was obviously the work of other forces, possibly Lindong''s other upper-echelons or someone else.


    Yet, Tang Yu had not noticed it before.


    Those who entered his Territory with malice were marked as red dots on the map, but there was a catch, he needed to check the Territory map to discover them.


    As Tang Yu, the busy man, he didn''t have much time to constantly check the Territory map. Frankly, now that his wings were full, he didn''t care much about the secret probing of other forces.


    After all, they couldn''t find the core secrets of his Territory. As for their suspicions... if they dared, they should come and fight him!


    ''Should I capture those people now?''


    Tang Yu pondered.


    Catching people, he certainly didn''t need a reason, but those ordinary survivors probably wouldn''t know which force they had been in contact with, so it might be better to play a long game...


    After all,


    he didn''t care about the investigations of other forces.


    But, of course, any reaching hand needed to be chopped off!


    ...


    ...


    Inside the workshop.


    All the survivors participating in the test were sitting in front of strangely shaped workbenches, unaware of the functions of the workbenches and the equipment on them. Now, these were merely being used as tables and chairs.


    Chen Haiping scanned the room with his gaze, and as he saw people settling down, he began speaking, "For the final test, which will last thirty minutes, as you can see, there are papers and pencils on the tables in front of you. What you need to do in this test, once the ''question'' appears, is to draw on the paper whatever comes to your first impression."


    He paused and continued, "The question is abstract, and everyone will perceive it differently. Don''t worry about your drawing skills; this test has nothing to do with that. Just draw what you most want to express."


    "Finally, I want to emphasize that no communication or looking around is allowed during the test. Violators will be disqualified!"


    Chen Haiping then left, leaving only a few officers from the Municipal Department to monitor the situation.


    Yang Wei and the other survivors were all staring at the wall ahead.


    The ''question'' would appear there.


    What exactly it was, they were curious and puzzled.


    More than that, they were unsure.


    They lacked confidence; could they really draw something upon seeing the question, or should they just copy the question onto the paper?


    ...


    ...


    On the workshop''s upper floor.


    Kevin stood in front of a panel of special metal the size of a blackboard, holding a rune pen that was at least two meters long.


    He was waving the rune pen, his movements fluid.


    He was crafting an extra-large rune that, by increasing the input of Source Power and guiding it specially, continuously emitted its power.


    The first time someone saw this rune, it would influence their mind, conjuring related imagery.


    The higher one''s Perception of runes, the clearer this influence.


    Seeing the rune take shape, Tang Yu immediately visualized a certain scene in his mind, even feeling distinctly the surging power from the rune.


    Power exclusive to this type of rune.


    ''Indeed, my talent for runes is substantial!''


    Meanwhile, Kevin had finished drawing.


    Tang Yu was quite impressed; no wonder he was an Advanced Rune Master, capable of crafting such a large rune, something he could not do.


    On the contrary, Kevin looked quite relaxed.


    It seemed he still had a long way to go.


    Suddenly, Kevin staggered, holding his back, his expression twisted, "Ouch, my back..."


    Tang Yu: "..."


    (Another chapter follows)

 Chapter 227 - 224: Set a Small Goal for You

    Buzzing¡ª


    A massive black metal plate descended from above.


    All the survivors participating in the test held their breath, eyes glued to the plate.


    They saw on the metal plate, those blue...


    Cryptic patterns!


    They couldn''t quite describe the kind of pattern it was, as if countless lines intertwined together, yet it seemed like merely simple strokes.


    Indescribable, ineffable.


    As the patterns emerged, it felt as though the temperature dropped several degrees in an instant. Some couldn''t help but shiver, only to find, to their amazement, that the temperature returned to normal as soon as they looked away. But as their gaze returned to those cryptic patterns, the faint chill surrounding them was immediately felt.


    This was just too... incredible!


    No wonder it''s the Sanctuary.


    Even the test is so high-end!


    Some people marveled.


    While others didn''t hesitate and began to briskly draw on paper.


    Yang Wei, at the first glimpse of the blue runes, felt as though he was in a world of ice and snow.


    A vast expanse of whiteness.


    Snowflakes fluttering down, ice crystals forming inch by inch, becoming a solid set of armor.


    Without thinking, his pencil-holding hand began to move as if driven by an impulse to recreate that set of armor exactly as it was.


    His drawing skill was quite ordinary, and at most, people could make out what he tried to depict.


    But this time, without any hesitation during the process, in less than ten minutes, a majestic suit of armor took shape on the paper.


    It wasn''t until he stopped drawing that Yang Wei froze, then realized...


    Did he draw this?


    He found it hard to believe but then suddenly understood why Housekeeper Chen had said, when you see the test question, you''ll know what you need to draw.


    ''I saw the Ice Crystal Armor, but what about the others?''


    He didn''t know that this rune was the Ice Crystal Armor rune, simply that the rune had been specially processed. Although they could feel the essence of the rune, they couldn''t intuitively understand its significance.


    Some were presented with a vision of wintry lands, others saw the snowflakes falling, and yet others saw the ice crystals forming...


    But very few could actually see the image of the armor, and many, not feeling it vividly enough, even thought they were having a hallucination.


    Some drew snowflakes on the paper, some drew icebergs, but others, staring straight at the cryptic pattern, were momentarily confused.


    Aside from feeling a bit cold, they felt nothing else.


    What on earth should they draw?


    Someone pondered, confident in their drawing capability, wanting to copy the ''test question'' down, but quickly realized that no matter how they tried, their drawings were far from the cryptic pattern on the plate.


    This was quite distressing, especially listening to others drawing with rustling noises and not daring to look around ¨C their mental state was on the verge of collapse.


    What the hell is this test even testing!


    ...


    Upstairs.


    Tang Yu and Kevin, through surveillance, watched those who were taking the test.


    Though they couldn''t see what these people were drawing, it was clear from the timing of the strokes and the fluency of their drawing which individuals had a strong perception ability for runes, and which had weaker ones.


    ...perhaps except for some who felt nothing at all but scribbled away relentlessly.


    Soon, the test papers of these testers were collected and brought before Tang Yu and Kevin.


    As the only two Rune Masters in the territory, naturally, only the two of them could do the grading.


    To be precise, it was Kevin who did the grading while Tang Yu stood by idly watching.


    Kevin read through the papers very quickly, determining who passed and who didn''t in a single glance.


    Anyone who could draw something even slightly related to runes passed; most were figures like snowflakes and ice crystals, but Tang Yu also noticed two or three drawings that were exceptionally lifelike.


    Perhaps that was roughly what it would look like when runes are inscribed on armor and their effects were activated?


    Tang Yu muttered to himself.


    He had taken similar tests before, yet it seemed that his drawings had never been so vivid...


    It must be an illusion, definitely an illusion!


    After all, he was the man who had invested all his talent points in runes; how could he be outdone by a few survivors taking the test?


    Moreover, Rune Perception was merely a small part of rune talent, it didn''t mean much.


    After the grading was done, the results were a bit surprising to both Tang Yu and Kevin.


    There were only thirty-four who passed.


    Kevin was also somewhat perplexed, "I''ve already set the bar very low, yet why have so few people passed? Aside from those two or three, the others'' Perception ability for runes is just too poor!"


    When the number of people didn''t meet the standard, there was no alternative; Tang Yu could only reluctantly accept the fact. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had some speculations as well.


    Kevin initially said that the territory could filter out fifty people, perhaps that was based on his own conception, that is the rough probability from the world he came from.


    But humans on Earth were ultimately different from those in their world.


    It wasn''t a difference in physical structure, although he hadn''t studied that...


    In Kevin''s world, Source Power had always existed, even ordinary people who couldn''t Awaken were constantly nourished by Source Power, whereas on Earth, Tang Yu didn''t dare to assert that Source Power had always been present, but even if it was, the concentration would surely have been very low.


    With a higher concentration, some with good aptitude would naturally Awaken, and the pre-apocalypse world wouldn''t have been so peaceful then.


    ...


    ...


    Those who didn''t pass the assessment left with disappointment written all over their faces. Fortunately, the municipal department informed them that the factory would soon recruit a batch of ordinary workers, and as candidates who passed the first two stages, they would be given priority if they wished to apply.


    Meanwhile, the thirty-something who had passed the test and successfully applied for the position of Rune Debuggers were over the moon.


    Tang Yu descended the stairs to approach these people, smiling, "First of all, congratulations to all of you for passing the test. I believe some of you may have guessed that your work, yes, is related to runes, and the daily wage is half a Source Crystal, but that''s just the beginning. As long as you work hard, a daily wage of several dozen Source Crystals is also within the realm of possibility."


    "Now, do you have any questions?"


    After some hesitation, someone finally voiced their concern, "Please, Director Tang, what exactly is our job? Are we supposed to draw runes? We tried earlier, but no matter what, the drawings we produced were far from what was displayed on those examples."


    The question was on everyone''s mind as they eagerly awaited Director Tang''s response.


    Tang Yu let out a light chuckle, "Drawing runes is not so straightforward. To succeed at it, you would at least need to be an Awakener and also possess deep expertise in runes..."


    "But you needn''t be disheartened, compared to others you are already very fortunate to have the opportunity to access the knowledge of Rune Studies. If you have good talent and put in the effort, the Sanctuary''s resources will also be appropriately allocated in your favor."


    Tang Yu spoke as he picked up a rune pen and began to trace swiftly on a piece of hideskin.


    In just a moment, a basic Sharp Rune was formed.


    "For example, you can set a small goal for yourselves, to craft a basic rune. Once you can do that, a daily wage of several dozen Source Crystals will no longer be a dream."


    The words reached the ears of the thirty-four survivors.


    They gazed in awe at the Sharp Rune, feeling a flame ignite within their hearts.

 Chapter 228 - 225: Patrolling the Territory

    Thirty or so survivors had already started their pre-job training and would be staying in this production area for a considerable length of time.


    As a key future construction area for the Territory, Tang Yu had also built a new canteen here to satisfy the daily needs of the survivors.


    ''The Territory is gradually expanding, perhaps, should I first repair the roads? And then come up with some convenient means of transportation?''


    However, before that, there was the construction of the commercial area and getting the first batch of Rune Debuggers quickly in place.


    It was a shortcut that would meet the early demands.


    Only later, when creating more complex rune equipment, would apprentices and Rune Masters be needed.


    Becoming a Rune Apprentice wasn''t difficult; these thirty-four individuals had an advantage over ordinary people in terms of Rune Perception and prolonged exposure to the field, they would sooner or later become Rune Apprentices.


    But a true Rune Master,


    Just as he had told those people, crafting runes was extremely difficult.


    Talent, effort, resources, no one could do without them. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only people like him... um, Consuming Crystal players, could go from a rune novice to a true Rune Master in a mere ten days or so.


    "Even those three with the highest talent can''t become real Rune Masters without resources."


    Being an Awakener constrained them.


    For tuning runes and performing auxiliary work, using rune pens with limited power or that can adjust power through switches sufficed for the job requirements.


    But to actually draw runes, it wouldn''t work; one had to use an Awakener''s own Source Power to guide the process, and even after becoming an Awakener, a certain control over one''s Source Power was needed to do this.


    He had thought about screening among Awakeners, but alas, a half Source Crystal daily salary held little allure for them. Raising their salaries was out of the question; they could forget about getting a raise in this lifetime unless their rune crafting skills improved.


    "But recruiting ordinary people has its benefits. After showing a little of my hand, those survivors should be putting all their effort into learning now. For ordinary people, this might be their only hope."


    He had also promised to conduct regular assessments for these people, and for the top three in Rune Studies progress, he would give certain rewards, such as Source Crystals and knowledge...


    He believed that most people would understand that the opportunity to become a Rune Master was something they had to strive for themselves.


    This reward system, including the punishment scheme, Tang Yu planned to promote on a large scale.


    Similarly, for the Sanctuary''s department staff, the work was very stable, but because it was so stable and the salaries weren''t low, some people became lazy.


    He had heard Chen Haiping complain about this several times, but those unreachable staff members were often old-timers of the Sanctuary, and out of sentimental regard, even Chen Haiping had no way to handle them.


    Another part, those with ambition, again couldn''t satisfy the enormous resource needs that becoming an Awakener required with just their salary.


    "Get the Municipal Department to draft a specific scheme of rewards and punishments as soon as possible, and by the way... it can also cultivate a part of the talent for the Territory."


    Before the apocalypse, talent was very important.


    After the apocalypse... even more so.


    As he reflected, Tang Yu came to the medicinal herb cultivation garden in the valley behind the mountain.


    Looking around, the lush greenery was refreshing, and the windmill on the mill turned slowly.


    With complicated rune patterns on the windmill spinning, an invisible ripple spread out, falling onto the fertile land and nourishing the young seedlings that were growing.


    Tang Yu observed the growth of these medicinal herbs.


    Thanks to the farm, these medicinal herbs did not require meticulous care; even people who didn''t understand the properties of the herbs could manage without killing them through gross mishandling.


    But identification, picking, selection, preparation, and other processes which affect the properties of the herbs weren''t things that could be handled carelessly.


    He squatted down and, following standard procedures, picked some of the medicinal herbs he needed and placed them in their respective boxes.


    "We''re still short of talent!"


    Tang Yu clutched his head.


    Rune Masters were in short supply, but Pharmacists were even scarcer.


    In the Territory, there were at least two Rune Masters, but not a single Pharmacist!


    Although the time Tang Yu spent learning Pharmacy wasn''t much later than when he started with Rune Studies, he had Kevin''s instruction for the latter, whereas for Pharmacy, he had to rely on self-study.


    Fortunately, his textbook was the Rune Language Book. Despite stumbling along, he had learned quite a bit of knowledge; had it been an ordinary book, it would be hard to say whether he could even get started.


    Now, frustrated by his insufficient grasp of potions, he wanted to train a group of Pharmacist apprentices within his Territory but found it impossible.


    His research progressed slowly. He had long been yearning for a potion that could quickly heal injuries, but unfortunately, the chances of finding such a recipe in the market were too low. Even if he spent ten times the price to lock in the blueprint recipe category, the refreshes mostly turned up useless formulas.


    Like those for treating hair loss, foot odor, enhancing kidney function... What kind of absurdities were these? As if he, Lord Tang, needed them! Needed them!


    It was a joke, really.


    But for making a potion that could heal injuries, Tang Yu didn''t know where to start, he wasn''t even sure if the current medicinal materials in his Territory would meet the research requirements.


    Pharmacy was truly not user-friendly.


    "If only the tavern could summon a Potion Master."


    At first, he wanted a Combat Profession, but now he desired one that could make money, since he was a pacifist, after all.


    Tang Yu surveyed his Territory.


    After inquiring about the progress of the commercial district''s construction, he headed straight to the Mutant Beast Breeding Farm.


    The farm was located a certain distance from the holiday villa.


    As he walked in, he saw the black towers that enclosed the farm.


    An inner circle composed of twenty-meter-tall metal fences made of Transcendent Metal, with several three-meter-tall crystal pillars erected on the outside.


    The pillars, designed by Kevin, emitted a special wave that limited the movement of the Mutant Beasts.


    Of course, the effect was limited.


    There was no such building as a breeding farm in the system architecture. Tang Yu, desiring to eat fresh Mutant Beast meat, had gone to great lengths to create this farm.


    He walked in to see Eileen, holding a giant... egg, even bigger than a basketball, coming out of the breeding farm.


    "Huang laid an egg today, Lord. Whatever you want for dinner, I''ll make it right away."


    Eileen tilted her head, a full smile on her face.


    Tang Yu glanced at the egg in Eileen''s arms. It seemed even larger than the last one.


    Not a small portion.


    "Then let''s have tomato scrambled eggs, bitter melon scrambled eggs, egg custard, and some egg tarts. Oh, and I remember that a few bitter melons in the farm mutated the other day. Testing indicated they were benign and tasted better. Use the mutated bitter melons."


    "Okay, Lord, come back early¡­"


    Eileen carefully carried the mutated egg and vanished from sight.


    Tang Yu touched his stomach, indeed feeling a bit hungry.


    As he entered the breeding farm, he saw a large, golden-yellow beast, like a small mountain, snorting and gnawing at a huge chunk of metal ore.


    This gold-swallowing beast, possessing a rather high level of intelligence and not being a carnivore, wasn''t confined in a cage by Tang Yu... mainly because it couldn''t be contained. So he let it roam freely within the limits of the farm.


    At that moment, the farm staff stood by in the monitoring room, cautiously eyeing this formidable gold-swallowing beast.


    It was the tyrant of the farm.


    Nevertheless, when the gold-swallowing beast noticed Tang Yu approaching, its plump body shivered violently, recalling the fear of nearly having its behind poked.

 Chapter 229 - 226: Martial Arts Hall Grand Opening

    In the past few days, Tang Yu had settled into a routine that encompassed just three locations.


    Castle, Research Institute, Training Camp.


    Though he hadn''t succeeded in creating a potion that could heal injuries quickly, his study of Winnie''s professional spells had led to the production of a few low-grade healing spell scrolls.


    At the training camp, within the Lord-exclusive mode of the Spirit Space, he had entered a more advanced stage, unlocking several new positions¡ªcough, skills!


    Tang Yu sat cross-legged in the Gravity Room, circulating the Cultivation Skill inherited from the Demon Swordsmen.


    His palm faced upward, summoning an orange flame while simultaneously condensing a blue-white frost.


    Huh~


    Tang Yu opened his mouth and exhaled a breath of white mist.


    The mist sprayed out a distance of two or three meters, lingering without dispersing.


    He had been stuck at the Fifth Tier Peak of Awakening for some time now, and although the quality of his physique had reached its limit, the enhancement of his combat power had not ceased.


    The Demon Swordsman inheritance was too profound.


    When he first accepted the inheritance, he had been able to use several signature combat skills of the Demon Swordsmen successfully. However, the information contained in the inheritance was far more extensive.


    Many details were imprinted in his mind, but only by reaching a certain level could he unlock the information of the next level.


    Tang Yu closed his eyes and then suddenly opened them.


    If he were to look in a mirror now, he would notice that his pupils had turned a dark red.


    The fog of ice in his right palm had dissipated, and his dark red eyes fixed on the pulsating orange flame in his left palm.


    Below the flame, strands of Source Power faintly visible could be seen flowing from his arm to his wrist, and from his palm, they burst forth. During this process, the nature of the Source Power changed, transforming from attribute-less Source Power to a violent Fire Attribute Source Power.


    He increased the output of Source Power, and the flame rose, growing more and more ferocious.


    Suddenly,


    Tang Yu raised his fingers upwards, making a grasping motion. The Source Power strands shifted from linear to rotational, and the flame''s erratic bouncing began to smooth out, shaping into a scorching fireball.


    A fireball the size of a soccer ball!


    "I''ve done it!" Tang Yu''s face lit up with joy.


    With a flick of his hand, Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The nearly spherical flame began to bounce irregularly once again.


    F*ck!


    In the nick of time, Tang Yu hurled the fireball, and it struck the thick wall of the Gravity Room.


    Boom!


    A loud explosion sounded as if the entire Gravity Room shook with it.


    "No panic, not a big problem! My development of the Fireball Technique has no issues!"


    Tang Yu gauged the remaining Source Power within his body, ready to have another go.


    Beep beep¡ª


    A WeChat... contract notification chimed in his mind.


    "Lord, the first phase of the construction is complete, and the Martial Arts Hall can open for business at any time," Shay said from afar in Luoxia. "We''re just waiting for you to come and preside over the opening ceremony¡ª"


    ...


    ...


    Luoxia Sanctuary.


    On this once abandoned plot of land, rows of buildings had been erected.


    The first thing that caught the eye was a large, five-story building that covered a vast area.


    It was created by connecting five second-tier training camps and customizing the d¨¦cor, altering the appearance of the building to some extent...


    At first glance, the first impression was grandeur.


    The second impression, lavish¡ª


    At this moment, some of the survivors standing not far from the building were engaged in animated discussions about the Martial Arts Hall.


    "Who knows which big boss built such a grand Martial Arts Hall; it must''ve cost a fortune!"


    One survivor said mysteriously, "I have a friend whose uncle''s neighbor''s brother is a minor leader in the construction team. I heard from that friend that this grand Martial Arts Hall was built in less than a week. Think about it, with such a construction speed, the labor costs must''ve been astronomical."


    "I heard that the mysterious owner of the Martial Arts Hall employed several thousand survivors, divided them into more than a dozen construction teams; they not only worked in shifts but also divided the work by area, to complete the construction of the Martial Arts Hall and some other buildings in such a short time."


    Apart from the Martial Arts Hall, this area had clearly been transformed into a commercial district; most of the shops had ''For Rent'' signs hanging up.


    Many people admired the strength behind the project, but some shook their heads.


    "Ever since the incident at the Zhentian Martial Arts Hall some time ago, the Martial Arts Hall industry has been in decline. At such a time, why would someone choose to open another Martial Arts Hall instead of doing some other kind of business?"


    "Yeah, I heard that since that incident, Zhentian Martial Arts Hall went into a steep decline, and other Martial Arts Halls have also been greatly affected."


    "And how! Zhentian really dragged the other Martial Arts Halls down with it this time. Many small Martial Arts Halls can''t attract customers and can''t afford the high rent, so they''ve had to dissolve. The guards have no choice but to become mercenaries. Some thought about working at other Martial Arts Halls, but who''s hiring right now? It''s good enough if they aren''t cutting staff."


    "It''s said that even the five major... well, now it should be the four major Martial Arts Halls have been impacted. Several planned training sessions have been canceled. If it weren''t for the fact that these four have so many members who are reluctant to forfeit their already paid membership fees, they would probably also..."


    The well-informed survivor continued, shaking his head, "But when it comes to the worst off, it''s still Zhentian Martial Arts Hall. Now Zhentian is not only facing the pressure from the students'' families, internally, even their guards, and even the Martial Arts Hall Teachers, are jumping ship. If the Master of Zhentian hadn''t been labeled with the Martial Arts Hall''s brand and was also the main person responsible for the incident, he might also be tempted to leave."


    "In this climate, it wouldn''t be hard for the new Martial Arts Hall to recruit teachers and guards, considering there are now so many unemployed guards from other Martial Arts Halls. For the Martial Arts Hall to make money, the key lies in the students and the tuition fees collected from them. But given the current situation, I''m afraid they can only swindle some survivors who don''t know any better."


    "Let''s just forget it. Why worry so much? Let''s take our fruit and leave," a companion of the survivor said, eyeing the crates of fruit being moved out of the Martial Arts Hall and licking his lips.


    The new Martial Arts Hall was opening and distributing fruit for free.


    This news swept through most of the Sanctuary in a short time.


    Just like Lindong, Luoxia had too many survivors unable to find work, barely making ends meet with the rations provided by the Sanctuary. Under such circumstances, free fruit was more precious than gold.


    Even if the news might be false, many people arrived here early in the morning.


    By the time the Martial Arts Hall opened its gates, crates of fruit were being brought out, and many survivors'' eyes lit up with excitement.


    When Tang Yu arrived, he saw a bustling crowd.


    These people weren''t his target clientele, but creating a buzz was essential, and these survivors could also serve as messengers, quickly spreading whatever happened at the opening ceremony through their discussions.


    As long as the reputation was established, he wouldn''t have to worry about customers.


    All it cost him were the fruits, which were of little value to him.


    Incidentally, it was also an invisible promotion for the supermarket that had just opened next door to the Martial Arts Hall.

 Chapter 230 - 227 Title

    These fruits, mostly apples, pears, oranges and the like, were common before the apocalypse and became exceedingly rare afterward.


    From time to time, one could hear the sound of swallowing saliva among the crowd.


    The Martial Arts Hall had announced that after the opening ceremony, everyone could come up and get two fruits.


    It didn''t seem like much, but the survivors were ecstatic.


    They couldn''t bear to keep the fruits for themselves to eat, preferring to sell them to the wealthy in exchange for food tickets that could sustain them for several days.


    If it weren''t for the black-clad, expressionless Awakeners standing at the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall, someone would have already reached out to grab them by now.


    But at least dozens of Awakeners stood straight in front of the Martial Arts Hall, their eyes cold and stern.


    Ordinary survivors didn''t have the courage to step forward.


    After all, they would eventually get the fruits, so there was no rush at this moment.


    Many comforted themselves, yet as they watched the fruits glaring under the sun, exposed to the scorching heat, their hearts bled.


    Over a hundred meters away from the Martial Arts Hall.


    Chen Xiaojia looked at the crowded throng, her mouth slightly open:


    "There are too many people!"


    Next to her, a baby-faced girl tiptoed, wiped her nonexistent drool, and her face showed ''desire'', "I also really want, no, I super want those fruits!"


    "My cousin is really rich, no, my cousin is really amazing to have brought out dozens of boxes of fruits."


    She looked around, her eyes gleaming.


    Chen Xiaojia pouted, "Xiong! Qianqian! He''s my cousin!"


    "I know, I know." The baby-faced girl Xiong Qianqian waved her hand, then suddenly turned her head, "Hey, don''t forget to ask cousin for an autograph, and I want the fruits¡­"


    She opened her palm, five fingers, thought about it, then stretched out another palm, "At least ten, all kinds of them."


    "Alright, alright, I''ll just bring you back ten boxes."


    Chen Xiaojia said helplessly.


    Ever since that day when her cousin had used a Spell Scroll to deal with a powerful Demonized Beast, she realized that this cousin was no ordinary person.


    Actually, even before that incident, her cousin had told them some of their experiences on the road.


    Like a behemoth three stories high, split into two halves by a single sword.


    Or a sky dominator with wings spanning over ten meters, struck down from the sky by a thick bolt of lightning.


    The ordinary Demonized Beasts they encountered on the road were nothing, just crushed as they charged through.


    These...


    She had not believed them initially.


    More accurately, she thought her cousin was exaggerating, describing not terrifying Demonized Beasts but those feeble little monsters in his stories.


    At that time, although she had never been to the wilderness, she had heard from other Awakeners about Demonized Beasts, and even some capable students had to be extremely cautious in the wilderness.


    It couldn''t have been so easy.


    ''Probably cousin exaggerated it so my aunt and uncle wouldn''t worry.''


    Moreover, before the apocalypse, her cousin had been just an ordinary college student, incomparable to a martial arts master.


    That''s what she had thought.


    And it wasn''t really incorrect.


    After the apocalypse, most of the supreme masters had already had their legacy; ordinary people, even those with high potential, needed time to polish their mind and battle experience. However, some had already seized the opportunity and stood at the forefront of the era.


    Unfortunately, she would never have thought, nor could she have imagined, that her cousin was an exceptional case.


    Even now, Chen Xiaojia still couldn''t figure out what her cousin had gone through to become so powerful.


    She quickly dismissed those thoughts and resolved to firmly support her cousin from now on.


    What Zhentian Martial Arts Hall, go to hell!


    The Master from Zhentian couldn''t deal with the Demonized Beasts, but my cousin didn''t even have to show up. From a great distance, with a tool he created, he killed that terrifying Demonized Beast in one fell swoop.


    The gap was obvious, any person, unless afflicted with Alzheimer''s disease, could see it.


    Discussions from distant survivors reached my ears.


    Chen Xiaojia frowned, rather displeased, pouting, "Why are these people like this? They take the cousin''s fruits but don''t even say a good word, as if they couldn''t wait for the Martial Arts Hall to collapse!"


    Her best friend, Xiong Qianqian, pricked up her ears, listened for a while, and nodded in agreement, "You''re right, so tell cousin not to distribute fruits to these people anymore. It''s not worth it. People like me, who firmly support our cousin, should get more."


    She said this, feeling very sensible, nodding repeatedly.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Tang Yu certainly didn''t care about these people''s discussions.


    On the contrary, he saw it as a good thing.


    If the Martial Arts Hall industry wasn''t in decline, potential customers would have been poached by other halls, where would he make money?


    Not to mention, if a big number of Martial Arts Halls hadn''t closed, he wouldn''t have been able to recruit so many high-quality guards.


    Tang Yu''s gaze swept over the Awakeners in Combat Uniforms in front of the hall.


    Each one of them had the strength of at least the third layer of Awakening, and many had even switched from Zhentian Martial Arts Hall.


    These people were capable. Although they were newly recruited and not yet loyal, they were definitely working hard. Whatever tasks Shay and the others set, these guards would complete them promptly.


    Everyone was afraid of losing this hard-earned job.


    Boss Carmen approached him, "Lord, it''s about time¡­"


    Fireworks cracked, drums and gongs thundered.


    On the ceremony podium, dressed in a black suit and styled with a slicked-back hair, Shay''s resonant voice overshadowed everything around, directly reaching every survivor''s ears.


    He went on and on about the introduction of the Martial Arts Hall, not really caring if people were listening, but certainly enjoying his moment as the host.


    "¡­And now, please welcome with applause, the respected, powerful, and handsome Martial Arts Hall Master, to name the hall."


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Around them, many survivors were puzzled, wondering why this newly opened Martial Arts Hall didn''t even have a name yet.


    They saw the black-clothed Awakeners standing on both sides, separating the crowding survivors, then a young man walked through the crowd to a spot not far from the Martial Arts Hall''s gate.


    He stood with his hands behind his back, head slightly raised, as if pondering.


    They then noticed a blank wooden plaque hanging above the main gate of the hall.


    They were a bit confused.


    Could it be that the Hall Master was going to write the name on the spot?


    So, the Hall Master was actually skilled in calligraphy?


    But what''s the point of inscribing a name at the opening? This was a Martial Arts Hall, not a calligraphy school.


    They couldn''t make sense of it, but that didn''t stop them from watching curiously.


    One second, two seconds, three seconds¡­


    This area was enveloped within the Territory.


    With eyes closed, he could still clearly feel every part, every bit around him. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu raised his right hand and extended one finger, pointing remotely at the blank plaque.


    Inside his body, the Source Power ran rapidly.


    About one and a half inches of translucent Qi Force shot out from the extended forefinger of his right hand!

 Chapter 231 - 228: The Limit

    Attracted by the fruits distributed by the martial arts hall, there were not only ordinary survivors but also some Awakeners.


    The Awakeners mostly consisted of mercenaries, not strapped for cash, unlike the shabbily dressed survivors who couldn''t find jobs and were hoping to earn a living.


    They and those survivors whose faces showed eagerness and delight were clearly distinguishable, standing at a distance, as if watching the excitement.


    The impassioned music, the deafening sound of firecrackers...


    For them, indeed, this was a rare bustle, something they used to complain about before the apocalypse, but now, such scenes were seldom seen.


    "This martial arts hall is somewhat interesting; just for their courage to open at this time, I''ll give them my moral support."


    An Awakener dressed in a customized beast skin combat suit, with a red maple leaf painted on the left chest, raised an eyebrow and said with interest.


    As mercenaries, they usually needed several days of rest after each mission. This period allowed them to alleviate the fatigue both mentally and physically. Except for a few madmen, no one dared to stay outdoors for long periods, as poor condition made it easy to die in the wild.


    Even those Awakeners eager to improve their strength needed to balance work with rest.


    Otherwise, if they died in the wild, all the Source Crystals they had earned so hard would go unspent, which would be a great loss.


    Naturally, the choice was to enjoy life early on.


    Unfortunately, the entertainment facilities in the Sanctuary were still too limited.


    Some of them went to bars to get dead drunk. Others went to internet cafes to play single-player games from before the apocalypse, and some, out of boredom, resorted to playing various card games.


    Speaking of the most popular places among mercenaries, it was Drunk Flower Street...


    Unfortunately, good stuff was not cheap.


    Some mercenaries chose to train in the martial arts hall.


    Training could enhance their physical condition, which was no secret in Luoxia, and the rate of improvement compared to pre-apocalypse was significant.


    However, for most Awakeners, such a rate of improvement was still too slow.


    Compared to the life-altering leap from absorbing and refining soul power, and the extremely pleasurable sensation from breakthroughs from the outside to the inside, training was too slow.


    The facilities of the martial arts hall, to many advanced Awakeners, seemed more like toys, fragile and incapable of aiding in training.


    Only Awakeners lacking in combat skills needed to improve themselves at the martial arts hall.


    "But moves and routines, how can they compare to the combat experience gained from fighting for one''s life?"


    "Only sissies need to learn martial arts in places like this! Real men emerge from mountains of corpses and seas of blood!"


    The Awakener with the red maple leaf on his chest thought scornfully, pursing his lips.


    He turned his head and continued to watch the performances at the opening ceremony. Even though he looked down on the theory-oriented martial arts hall, the ceremony was quite nice, plus free fruits were distributed, and joining the crowd to eat didn''t cost him anything.


    At that moment, he saw the Martial Arts Hall Master approaching.


    The man looked very young and did not exude the aura of a master, but being the Hall Master did not equate to being the Master of the Hall. The Master was the strongest person in a martial arts establishment, while the Hall Master usually was a figurehead, representing the power behind the hall.


    This young man could just be some higher-up''s descendant from Luoxia.


    ''Maybe he''s just out for a public appearance,'' mused the Red Maple Leaf Mercenary.


    Then, standing in front of the martial arts hall, the Hall Master suddenly stretched out a finger, pointing at the plain wooden plaque.


    An inch and a half of translucent Qi Force spewed forth from his fingertip.


    Like a streak of light, it swooshed and landed on the blank plaque.


    Contrary to expectations, the plaque wasn''t shattered by the Qi Force.


    A forceful and powerful stroke was etched onto the plaque by the Qi Force.


    The young Martial Arts Hall Master stood not far from the gate, while the crowd around him was separated by black-clad guards, creating a large open space.


    His expression was indifferent, one hand behind his back, and the other raised.


    His eyes fixed on the plaque, as if there were nothing else in the world.


    His sleeves fluttered.


    His index finger trembled gently.


    Qi Force shot out like machine-gun fire.


    Within a few seconds, across the space, he had carved two deeply embedded characters on the signboard!


    The surrounding survivors gaped in astonishment.


    The pupils of Red Maple Leaf Mercenaries contracted sharply.


    He realized he had misjudged, this young Martial Arts Hall Master, whether or not he was a descendant of some high-ranking official, was himself definitely a Master Level expert.


    Just this Control Power alone was enough to leave him in awe.


    He had never seen anyone use their Special Ability with such exquisite skill, carving characters through the air without damaging the signboard; many ability users merely controlling the outward bending of their powers found it extremely difficult.


    Even their Commander of Red Maple couldn''t achieve this.


    "Control Power is indeed strong, but it''s not the same as real strength. When it comes to true combat ability, the Commander is still one level higher," he muttered.


    Shocked inwardly, but outwardly unwilling to concede.


    ...


    ...


    After finishing the name of the Martial Arts Hall, Tang Yu found himself immersed in a profound experience.


    His Perception of everything around became even more detailed.


    His control over his own power also reached a new level. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Ding! Territory Fitting Degree has increased to 10%.]


    Tang Yu was suddenly jolted from that mysterious sensation.


    He had deciphered a bit about advancing five levels in his Territory.


    Looking up, the two characters on the signboard that flowed like a flying dragon caught his eye.


    Extreme!


    He spoke, his lips moving as Source Power seeped into his voice and spread outward.


    Neither sounding overly loud nor failing to clearly reach everyone''s ears.


    "The way of martial arts is boundless, we practice martial arts to become stronger, to surpass ourselves, to reach the extreme, and even... to break through the extreme!"


    "Hence the name¡ªExtreme Martial Arts Hall!"


    "The Martial Arts Hall is now open, all facilities inside can be used for free for the next three days, anyone interested now can step inside the hall for a visit and to try them out."


    After finishing speaking, Tang Yu turned and walked away.


    Leaving behind a profound and inscrutable figure to the many survivors.


    But no one knew, the precise control of Qi Force leaving his body, merging Source Power into his voice...


    It had greatly exhausted Tang Yu''s mental and Source Power.


    All he wanted now was some quiet.


    ...


    The opening ceremony came to a pause, and the survivors, unable to contain their excitement, surged forward like bees to honey had it not been for the dozens of Awakeners maintaining order, the scene would surely have descended into chaos.


    Some survivors who received fruits left joyously, uninterested in touring the Martial Arts Hall, but the scenes they witnessed today, especially the hall master carving characters through the air, were beyond their imagination, they couldn''t wait to boast about it to others.


    I witnessed this magical moment.


    Can you...?!


    The observing Awakeners felt differently, relying on their identities as respectable individuals, they certainly couldn''t scramble for fruits like those ordinary survivors.


    Most of the mercenaries originally had no interest in the Martial Arts Hall, just joining in for the excitement, but upon seeing the small demonstration by the hall master...


    "Let''s go, we''re free anyway, might as well take a tour."


    "+1, I''m suddenly interested in this Martial Arts Hall. Since it''s free for three days, why not give it a try and see how this hall differs from the others."

 Chapter 232 - 229: Test Scramble

    A group of mercenaries surged into the Martial Arts Hall.


    The Extreme Martial Arts Hall, which had merged ten Second-tier training camps, was exceedingly large.


    The first and second floors were connected, with a ceiling height of over eight meters, and the ends of both sides were the second-floor spectator stands.


    What caught the attention of all the Awakeners the most was the square Martial Arts Arena made of white brick and stone right in front of the main gate, into which the bold word "Extreme" was engraved. It seemed as if with one glance, one could feel the sheer force of breaking limits and advancing relentlessly.


    Indeed, the Hall Master of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall was remarkable!


    "The Martial Arts Arena of our Extreme Martial Arts Hall measures fifty by fifty meters and is made of special materials. Any student can freely spar on the Martial Arts Arena. Without any exaggeration, there are few Awakeners nowadays who can manage to crack it," Shay said, gesturing to a guard in the distance.


    The guard shouldered a portable rocket launcher, leapt high, and pulled the trigger.


    The rocket roared with a trailing flame, slamming into the pure white Martial Arts Arena.


    A burst of light exploded, and as the dust cleared,


    aside from some debris and black ash, the surface of the white brick and stone remained smooth. Soon, someone cleaned up the rubbish, and upon a closer look, not even a trace of scorching could be seen on the polished surface of the Martial Arts Arena.


    "Of course, that''s nothing. It merely represents the tip of the iceberg of our Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s power," Shay led the Awakeners that had come in toward the side of the Martial Arts Arena.


    "I believe what everyone is more concerned about is whether our Martial Arts Hall has the capacity to provide a suitable training environment and whether every student can experience significant improvement."


    "That is certainly possible!"


    "..."


    Shay was introducing everything at the forefront.


    The Awakeners behind him scanned the surroundings, pausing briefly whenever Shay introduced a type of training facility.


    "Who knows if these facilities are as useful as that person claimed, like this arm training machine, which is supposed to significantly increase one''s arm strength within three days?" S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This person''s words were laced with doubt.


    No wonder¡ªit''s always been the case that merchants overstate the virtues of their products.


    Other Martial Arts Halls might manage if they were on the level of the big four, and even some smaller Martial Arts Halls had hyped themselves to the sky.


    "It''s hard to say whether it''s useful or not, but sadly, for us Advanced Awakeners, it''s not likely we''ll get a chance to use them."


    "Yes, the science academy recently proved that Awakeners possess extraordinary potential, and by relying on self-training, that is how to unearth that potential. It''s said that once one fully taps into their own potential, even Awakeners at the same level can have a huge difference in combat power. However, the exact extent of that difference is still something the science academy hasn''t been able to quantify."


    "It''s just a pity that, even with the training equipment from the major Martial Arts Halls, they could at best only accommodate First or Second Layer Awakeners. For us on the Fourth or Fifth Layer, we can barely maintain a training effect by doing several hundred push-ups a day."


    The words "Fourth or Fifth Layer" were spoken quite loudly.


    Envious and admiring looks immediately filled the surroundings.


    While they were enjoying the attention from the other Awakeners on one side, they sighed on the other.


    It wasn''t a pretense.


    If there were more significant training methods, they would definitely be willing to try...


    "Unfortunately, for us, the Martial Arts Hall is at most a place to find a Martial Arts Hall Teacher to feed us moves, a consolation if nothing else."


    Suddenly, someone beside them mentioned, "Recently, because of the Zhentian incident, most Martial Arts Halls have canceled outdoor field training, but I heard that the One Punch Martial Arts Hall, the leading one among the big four, has introduced a new practical combat training mode."


    "What mode?"


    Many surrounding people slowed their steps and listened intently.


    "It''s still battling Demonized Beasts, but unlike the fights in the wild before, now the Martial Arts Hall traps live Demonized Beasts and raises them in special battle rooms, offering hands-on combat training for the Martial Arts Hall students. I must say, this method of real combat training has gained the trust of many students. They feel that even if they stay in the Sanctuary, they can become battle-hardened Awakeners..."


    "Really, heh..." the speaking Awakener said with a sneer, "But the business at One Punch Martial Arts Hall has reportedly picked up quite a bit because of this."


    The Red Maple Leaf Mercenary nodded in agreement.


    Then, looking around at these brand-new training machines, "the equipment at Extreme Martial Arts Hall looks good, but I guess, even if Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s hardware is better than the other major Martial Arts Halls, at most, it can only satisfy the needs of third-layer Awakeners."


    "Given the pace of discovery of new materials and the progress of research at the science academy, I do believe that in time, there will be equipment capable of training Fourth or Fifth Layer Awakeners. But by then, we surely won''t be staying at the same rank anymore."


    Shay babbled on for quite a while, then looked up to see many Awakeners had already let their minds wander elsewhere.


    This would not do.


    Failing to complete the tasks set by the Lord would mean a salary deduction!


    He infused his voice with Source Power, drawing the attention of the surrounding Awakeners back to him.


    "I''ve said so much, why don''t a few of you come up and try these machines at our Martial Arts Hall, and then you''ll know if I''ve been exaggerating," he suggested.


    Shay walked over to a two-meter-high machine and pointed, "This is the latest model of Punching Power Tester from our Martial Arts Hall. Without any exaggeration, it''s leagues ahead of those Punching Power Testers on the market¡ªI mean several Drunk Flower Streets ahead. I wonder if anyone would like to come up and give it a try, the higher the strength, the better."


    He paused and then suddenly raised his volume, "If anyone can blow up the Punching Power Tester, Extreme Martial Arts Hall will award a reward of ten thousand Source Crystals, certified in the name of the Martial Arts Hall!"


    Ten thousand,


    Source Crystals!


    Immediately, many Awakeners had bloodshot eyes and started breathing rapidly.


    Those who were proud of their strength and initially didn''t want to step forward, feeling they would be made a spectacle of, now had their thoughts twisted into a completely different shape.


    They were itching to rush forward.


    Ten thousand Source Crystals were simply too much!


    Perhaps some large Mercenary Corps could afford it, but that was an entire Mercenary Corps. For an individual, even a leading mercenary from a high-ranking Corps might not be able to produce so many Source Crystals.


    There''s no denying that it is a Martial Arts Hall aiming to make money.


    They''re really damn rich.


    Extreme Martial Arts Hall dared to offer such a hefty reward with confidence, without a doubt, in the durability of their Punching Power Tester.


    But which Awakener present lacked confidence in themselves?


    Among them were even experts at the Peak of Fifth Tier.


    Trying it out didn''t cost anything, what if they succeeded?


    What if that Punching Power Tester was actually frail, and someone else beat them to it, watching as ten thousand Source Crystals slipped through their fingers¡ªhow painful would that be?!


    "I''ll do it!"


    "Me, pick me!"


    "It''s my turn, it was clearly me first, whether entering the Martial Arts Hall or stepping forward, it was clearly me¡ª"

 Chapter 233 - 230: It Should Be Close to the Limit Now

    A substantial prize was at stake.


    Except for the few with weaker abilities, who knew they lacked the power to destroy the Punching Power Tester and remained silent, the rest of the Awakeners were eager to shout out.


    The Awakeners following Shay around on the tour of the Martial Arts Hall were not few in number¡ªthere were at least a hundred of them.


    At that moment, at least dozens of Awakeners scrambled for a chance to test their strength, causing chaos to the point where no matter whom Shay chose, others would not be satisfied.


    Finally, they decided the order of attempts by drawing lots.


    The first Awakener to step up stood in front of the Punching Power Tester...


    He tore open the buttons at his chest, eyes locked intently on the circular punching target, and took a deep breath.


    The other Awakeners grew even more tense.


    "Awakening to the third layer, there''s no way to destroy the tester, right?"


    "Probably... It depends on what you mean by destruction. If the tester is made from Transcendent materials, then merely with third layer Awakening strength, it definitely cannot be shattered. But since we are testing the machine''s performance, generally speaking, damaging the machine counts as success. And these machines, even if their exterior is tough, have quite fragile internal structures."


    "Let''s hope this Punching Power Tester can hold up. After all, the folks from Extreme Martial Arts Hall seem quite confident."


    The young Awakener burst forth with the full might of his abilities, his vital energy surging.


    Taking a bow stance, he powered through his right foot, twisted his waist, and unleashed a punch, his bones making resonant cracking sounds.


    Boom~


    The sound, however, was not loud. It seemed as if most of the punch''s force had been absorbed, leaving only the punching target to shake.


    Ding¡ª


    A score soon appeared,


    2596 points. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crowd of Awakeners didn''t understand the scoring mechanism of the Punching Power Tester, but they were clear about how strong a third layer Awakener should be. They could feel the might of that punch standing nearby, and there was no holding back.


    Yet, the tester was unharmed.


    At this moment, they were torn¡ªwishing that each Awakener ahead of them would fail in their attempt, yet also hoping the tester wasn''t so durable so they might have a chance to win the prize money.


    The young Awakener walked off the stage a bit dejected.


    Several others that followed also had third layer strength.


    Perhaps seeing the first person''s performance, they didn''t have much confidence in themselves, and thus, not much disappointment either.


    The result of punching with all their might varied not much from the first young man to step up, scoring between 2300 and 2900 points.


    These Awakeners who had already tried were all third layer, but even among them, there were subtle differences in the intensity of their presence.


    Some keenly sensed that those with slightly stronger presences scored higher¡­ This seemed normal, yet they were amazed at the Punching Power Tester''s precision.


    Others tried releasing several punches in a row. The scores obtained, aside from being lower than the charged punches, showed very minor fluctuations.


    The margin of error was incredibly small.


    Many Awakeners, who would typically avoid regular exercise due to limited progress or inability to feel self-improvement, now faced a device that could precisely measure punching power. This allowed them to detect even the smallest improvements consistently, even if the daily scores only increased by single digits. It was progress nonetheless and let them know that effort was not unrewarded.


    The motivation to grow stronger was there.


    Initially attracted by the hefty prize, the Awakeners now took an increasing interest in Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s equipment.


    Of course, some Awakeners who considered themselves highly powerful were determined to win the 10,000 Source Crystals.


    "Next."


    As Shay spoke,


    An Awakener with a red maple leaf painted on his combat suit stepped forward.


    Beside them, some Awakeners sensed the aura of the man, especially upon seeing the red maple leaf on his chest, they were all shocked.


    "It''s the Three-leaf Captain from the Red Maple Mercenary Corps!"


    "The Red Maple Mercenary Corps? Is that the super mercenary group ranked in the top three among the Sanctuaries, with countless elite mercenaries in its ranks?"


    "Moreover, he''s a Three-leaf level Captain, which makes him one of the top-notch experts in Red Maple, second only to the Commander and Deputy Commander."


    The aura of the Red Maple mercenaries was at the peak of Fifth Tier.


    The several other Awakeners of the same rank present did not dare to underestimate him and all had serious expressions on their faces.


    Some people were also frustrated.


    With top experts from Red Maple making their appearance, what chance did those who were ranked towards the back of the line have?


    Then they saw the Red Maple Captain slowly walk towards the Punching Power Tester.


    Suddenly,


    Boom, boom¡ª


    The muscles on the mercenary''s body violently swelled up, his already muscular form abruptly shot up in size, his hair, his beard, grew rapidly, turning from black to brown. In no time, his face was covered in thick mane.


    Like a humanoid beast!


    "I remember now, it''s him, it''s him, it''s Mad Lion Feng Yu. It''s said that he once tore open a car with his bare hands, and is reputed to be the most likely person within the Red Maple Mercenary Corps to break through that layer of bottleneck. Moreover, he''s rumored to have once defeated three wait-time Fifth Tier Awakeners single-handedly!"


    The top-notch experts in the Sanctuary, as mercenaries, these people all had some knowledge of them. It might be hard to recognize them just by their looks, but their unique Special Abilities were the symbols of these individuals.


    Without a doubt, this Three-leaf Captain from Red Maple was one of the well-known powerhouses of the Luoxia Sanctuary.


    As soon as he displayed his unique Transformation series ability, some sharp-eyed mercenaries immediately called out.


    Mad Lion Feng Yu''s expression was unchanged, his eyes slightly squinted, and his bulging muscles swelled again.


    Strength.


    Inch by inch, it traveled from all parts of his body to his fist, carrying surging power, his fist, bigger than a punching bag, swung out fiercely.


    The sound of air Bursting was heard.


    Boom¡ª


    His fist slammed onto the target. This time, the noise was significantly louder. The punching target swayed greatly, emitting a buzzing sound.


    "It didn''t even burst yet..."


    "What''s the score?"


    "Scary. No wonder he''s Mad Lion Feng Yu. But that little Punching Power Tester is even scarier..."


    The shaking of the target finally stopped, and with a ding, the score flashed on the display screen.


    9976!


    This number far surpassed the previous competitors.


    Had this punch not struck the punching target but any one of the Awakeners present, it''s likely that no one could have withstood it, even those who were themselves at the peak of Fifth Tier.


    The Transformation series was too strong, especially those that amplified physical strength like this one.


    Without looking at the scores, simply from the sound and the degree of shaking of the punching target, it was obvious that it far exceeded the previous few people.


    Yet, even so, they still couldn''t burst this Punching Power Tester.


    Someone suddenly realized, "Among us, the strongest in terms of aura are only at Fifth Tier, and the Extreme Martial Arts Hall probably already figured that Fifth Tier strength is just within the tolerance of the punching machine. No matter how we burst out, we can''t burst this seemingly fragile machine."


    "A normal Fifth Tier Awakener will never burst this machine, but after Mad Lion Feng Yu''s Transformation, his physical strength has far exceeded that of Fifth Tier. Just think of the violent shaking of the punching target just now; perhaps it''s already close to the limit of the Punching Power Tester. It''s possible that the maximum score for this tester is ten thousand, and Mad Lion is just a little bit off!"


    "You''re right. I wonder if Mad Lion will try again."

 Chapter 234 - 231 Im Just a Long-Distance Gunman

    Others had already lost their confidence.


    Even Mad Lion Feng Yu''s fierce punch couldn''t destroy the Punching Power Tester, let alone them.


    Even the other Fifth Tier Awakeners had the self-awareness to know their limits, including one who was also an ability user, but not of the Transformation series. Although they believed their combat abilities were no less than Mad Lion''s, their punching power was far inferior.


    Since they had no chance of winning the prize money, they became relaxed instead of maintaining their previous cautious, competitive demeanor.


    They actually hoped Mad Lion could shatter the tester, or at least surpass that extreme score.


    They could then say,


    "Look, the Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s Punching Power Tester is just so. Mad Lion hit more than ten thousand points, but it can only display ten thousand points anyway. It''s still short of the mark."


    Even though they deeply respected the machine that could withstand the force of a Fifth Tier Awakener,


    ...but they had their pride! S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were panting because of a high prize money.


    The Martial Arts Hall was certain they couldn''t break the machine.


    Were they, mercenaries, being underestimated?


    But now, Mad Lion Feng Yu, far beyond an ordinary Fifth Tier Awakener, might be able to save face for them.


    For a moment, except for the few who still coveted that ten thousand Source Crystals, others were cheering for Mad Lion Feng Yu.


    Other mercenaries from Red Maple were shouting loudly, causing some Awakeners in the distance to glance over frequently.


    Under the gaze of the crowd, Feng Yu took a deep breath and burst forth again.


    Bang¡ª


    9956!


    Bang¡ª


    9978!


    Bang¡ª


    9995!


    Bang¡ª


    9846!


    Feng Yu''s explosive strength was undoubtedly strong. Charging and striking repeatedly, he achieved very high scores.


    But that was it, the highest score was 9995. While others were excited, they were also somewhat disappointed, especially when they saw the fourth punch drop to just over nine thousand eight hundred, they all understood the reason.


    The complete explosion of Qi and strength couldn''t last; even if Mad Lion didn''t seem exhausted now, his condition had inevitably declined. The score of the last test proved it.


    Continuing to try would only yield lower and lower scores.


    What a pity...


    While disappointed, they also felt sorry for Mad Lion.


    That ten thousand Source Crystals.


    Feng Yu must be bleeding inside.


    Shay smiled and walked forward, patting the machine, "By experiencing it firsthand, you should all realize that our Extreme Martial Arts Hall is capable of providing a superior training environment."


    "Oh, right." He scratched his head, as if he just remembered something, "This Punching Power Tester can actually register far beyond ten thousand points. If it only had so little endurance, how dare I offer a high reward of ten thousand Source Crystals? If someone claimed it, the Hall Master would take months of my salary out on me, and I would be in despair."


    Shay said slowly, moving from the side of the machine to stand in front of the round punch target:


    "As for the limit of this machine, to be honest, I''m not even sure since I can''t break it myself¡­"


    Shay shrugged his shoulders, but threw a punch at the punch target.


    Other Awakeners looked stunned.


    What was he trying to do?


    A casual punch?


    In an instant,


    Shay''s right fist, swinging in mid-air, suddenly exerted force and struck right in the center of the punch target.


    It was like a bell striker hitting a giant bell at high speed.


    A deafening explosion sounded.


    The air vibrated with the sound, rippling.


    The ground seemed to tremble along.


    That machine, which had endured the full force of Mad Lion Feng Yu''s strike, the punch target shook violently, trembling continuously as if it was about to burst at any moment.


    Originally, they thought that the vibrating when Feng Yu struck was almost at the machine''s limit, but now it seemed¡ª


    Not even close!


    No wonder this guy, who was acting both as host and guide, always appeared so calm.


    After all, the gap with Mad Lion was too vast!


    One thought after another sprang up in his mind.


    These Awakeners, unusually, all held their breath.


    Their eyes rounded, staring intently at the display screen of the tester.


    The display screen trembled along with the machine, making people worry if it might shatter.


    That didn''t happen,


    the equipment of Extreme Martial Arts Hall was indeed of extremely high quality.


    The trembling that lasted for over a minute finally ceased.


    The display screen lit up.


    The score appeared.


    23589!


    Hiss¡ª


    Even if there was some anticipation,


    including Mad Lion, all the close-up watching Awakeners couldn''t help but gasp in shock.


    The power of a single punch.


    To think it was terrifying to this extent!


    Everyone''s look at Shay had changed.


    Initially, they didn''t feel any strong presence from Shay and thought he was just someone responsible for odd jobs in the Martial Arts Hall.


    Hosting, introducing, and such tasks, which Martial Arts Hall didn''t have ordinary staff handle them?


    Unless some highly influential and powerful big shots were visiting, only then would senior figures come out to meet them.


    Considering Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s venue, the opening ceremony and many unimaginably advanced pieces of equipment, the Martial Arts Hall''s influence was beyond imagination.


    They didn''t have this privilege anymore.


    However, Shay, although at this moment, they could still only feel a faint presence of an Awakener from him.


    But now they understood, this was a concealment of presence! It was said only super masters with perfect control over their own strength could achieve this.


    It was practically a skill for playing possum.


    Thankfully, they had not done anything to annoy him.


    Someone rushed forward a few steps, excitedly saying, "You must be the Master of the Martial Arts Hall, I want to sign up as a disciple of the martial arts hall, how can I become your apprentice?"


    Seeing this action, others suddenly realized and felt even more annoyed.


    Such a good opportunity to show face, and it was snatched by someone else.


    Extreme Martial Arts Hall had just opened and didn''t have any disciples yet; making a move now and getting on the good side of the Master could possibly lead them to be accepted as Core Apprentices of the Martial Arts Hall.


    It was said that in the other four major Martial Arts Halls, along with the original Zhentian Martial Arts Hall, Core Apprentices had the chance to access real Cultivation Techniques.


    Many of them weren''t interested in the general teachings of Martial Arts Halls, but who wouldn''t want the core knowledge of Martial Arts Halls? They just didn''t have the opportunity to become an apprentice at any major Martial Arts Hall.


    A few people picked up their pace, about to step forward.


    Then they saw that ''Master-level expert'' looking confused, pointing to himself, "Me, the Master of the Martial Arts Hall? I''m not. I''m just a gunman, I can''t teach you much."


    "A gunman?" the Awakener who''d rushed forward first became even more excited, "That''s perfect! I''ve been using a spear since the apocalypse started; I''d very much like to study under you."


    Shay scratched his head awkwardly and coughed, "The gun I mentioned isn''t a long spear, but firearms, yes, you got it right, the kind of firearm used in ranged combat, what good can I teach you guys who play close combat?"


    Saying this, he casually grabbed a rifle that an Awakener was carrying on his back.


    His fingers blurred into a phantom, and in an instant, he dismantled the rifle into a pile of parts.


    But before the crowd could get a clear view, the pile of parts was swiftly reassembled.


    The proficient action made it clear, it wasn''t just fast hands.


    He really was playing with guns!


    Other Awakeners were a bit stunned.


    Firearms, weren''t they something only Awakeners of lower strength needed? You''re a Boss Level figure, why still play with firearms?


    But they dared not ask it aloud.


    Suddenly, another thought occurred to someone.


    A ranged gunman, casually striking, and scoring over twenty thousand?


    However, such a powerhouse wasn''t the Master of the Martial Arts Hall, then who in the world was the Master of the Hall?!


    Could it be that young Hall Master who had shown his face once?

 Chapter 235 - 232 The Name Was Eaten by the Author...

    Shay handed the rifle back to the Awakener and paused.


    Shay fell into thought.


    Shay thought for five seconds.


    Shay slapped his forehead,


    "Yeah, I can teach gunfighting! Whether it''s arc bullets, floating bullets, or gunfighting skills, as long as you can afford it, there''s nothing I can''t teach! Plus negotiating a profit-sharing with the Hall Master, getting promoted and getting a raise, reaching the Peak of the Awakeners will be a piece of cake!" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shay nodded, feeling that his idea was very viable.


    Musketeers are also one of the top five professions, why should the Martial Arts Hall only teach close combat techniques? There''s no reason at all!


    His eyes sparkled as he looked at the surrounding Awakeners.


    As if struck by a thought, he cleared his throat, his expression turned stern, and he clasped his hands behind his back, trying to exude a bit of a Grandmaster''s aura.


    However, as soon as he spoke, his aura deflated like a balloon with a hole in it, the little Grandmaster momentum he managed to muster vanished in an instant.


    "So... would any of you be interested in signing up for my firearms training course?"


    The other Awakeners looked at each other.


    They felt that this peculiar master was becoming more and more eccentric.


    Playing with firearms seemed to have become an addiction.


    Firearms, although widely used by many people here to hunt Demonized Beasts, they had to admit that as their power grew, the effectiveness of firearms diminished.


    Even special bullets struggled to penetrate the high-level Demonized Beasts'' skin and scales.


    This peculiar master, however, seemed to have a unique affection for firearms?


    That aside.


    But why did his gaze seem strange when he looked at them?


    That intense gaze,


    Made them involuntarily shiver.


    After a while, these Awakeners, through tacit eye contact, politely yet awkwardly declined Shay''s invitation to the firearms training course.


    Shay looked somewhat disappointed.


    He kept muttering, ''there goes my extra income, there goes my extra income''.


    But he was resilient and quickly recovered, saying, "There are three masters stationed at our Martial Arts Hall, each skilled with knife, sword, and spear, meeting the mainstream market demand. So annoying... ahem, I mean they regularly hold classes on weapon use and various training methods."


    "As for those three guys'' abilities, well, they''re just a tad weaker than me because explosions are art, and firearms are the real deal. So, who''s interested in joining my firearms training course?"


    Shay couldn''t help but ask again, then paused, "Our Martial Arts Hall sometimes brings in special instructors teaching the experience of using Special Abilities, including training, application, development, and advancement of abilities, well, of course, it''s all chargeable."


    "As for the Hall Master, well, he might, maybe, possibly, probably, might sort of come to teach... perhaps?"


    The equipment at the Martial Arts Hall.


    Shay''s capabilities.


    Made these Awakeners, who initially came just for a visit, start to get interested.


    Someone asked the most crucial question about the cost, "May I know how much your Martial Arts Hall charges for membership per month, and how much for an advanced membership? How is the cost calculated for classes, and are there any other special activities?"


    "Our Martial Arts Hall doesn''t have an advanced membership, regular membership is very affordable, not 998, not 98, just thirty Source Crystals per month..."


    "However," he paused, "due to the scarcity of our advanced training equipment, such equipment is charged on a time-based rate, and the membership card only covers free use of standard equipment. Oh right, if there''s a queue for using the advanced equipment, members have priority."


    Someone couldn''t hold back their frustration anymore. "Your Extreme Martial Arts Hall equipment is pretty good, but the hourly billing is too much..."


    After all, hourly billing was never going to be cheap. Using it felt awkward since they didn''t want to split their focus between training intensely and watching the time; that was just too¡ª


    Shay mentally gave the Awakener who raised the question a thumbs-up and smiled as he said, "What do you think about the amount of training equipment I just introduced? Too many or too few?"


    How many?


    This entire floor of the Martial Arts Hall, aside from the Martial Arts Arena in the central area, both sides were filled with various types of training equipment.


    And what they saw here was only part of the hall, just one floor space, but the hall was divided into several areas. It was said that the other areas were also furnished with these training devices.


    The quantity was indeed not small.


    Other large Martial Arts Halls couldn''t even compare in terms of floor space to Extreme Martial Arts Hall, let alone the training equipment.


    "Are you saying that all these are just ''regular'' equipment?"


    The speaker emphasized the word "regular."


    The Punching Power Tester that could withstand blows far surpassing an Awakener of the Fifth Tier.


    A high-speed track that could endure severe stomping.


    Even Mad Lion Feng Yu couldn''t fully expand the chest expander.


    To them, if these were just regular equipment, what then were the training facilities at other halls? A pile of scrap metal?


    However, that was indeed the case.


    "Our first and second floors here are general training areas where members can use the facilities unlimitedly. The higher floors belong to our Advanced Training Area. Normally, people can''t access it, but you''re in luck. The Hall Master has said that within the next three days, you can use the hall''s equipment for free, which includes those advanced training devices."


    With great anticipation.


    Under Shay''s lead, these Awakeners arrived at the Advanced Training Area.


    Each training facility looked like a small house built inside a big house.


    Shay pointed at a hemispherical room, "This is the Gravity Room; yes, it''s just as you imagined. Not only can it adjust gravity to achieve intense training effects, but the Gravity Room can also create a sense of mental pressure that helps with breakthroughs."


    "Then there''s this, the Reactive Space, which simulates various types of attacks with illusions. You can choose to dodge or block with weapons, and through this intense training, you can gain greater control over your own strength and improve your response abilities in dangerous situations."


    Rapid track.


    Dream Shooting Range.


    Fear House.


    One after another, training facilities they had never seen or even heard of appeared before them.


    This time, even without any rewards, they were eager to enter and try them out.


    At first, they were both shocked and delighted by the advanced training equipment.


    Shocked by the Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s futuristic technology, such that even the Official Science Academy Luoxia couldn''t produce such training facilities.


    And delighted that with these advanced facilities, their training could achieve significantly marked effects.


    In an apocalypse fraught with danger, who wouldn''t want to enhance their capabilities?


    Mad Lion Feng Yu, who had been stuck at the Fifth Tier bottleneck for a long time, had a gleam in his eyes that was many times more intense than the look Shay had given them earlier.


    Finally trying out these advanced training devices.


    Their bodies were incredibly weary.


    Yet their hearts were ablaze with fervor.

 Chapter 236 - 233: Director Jins Headache

    From morning when the Martial Arts Hall had officially opened until the sunset dipped in the west.


    The afterglow of the setting sun dyed half of the sky red, and the mercenaries, who had been out fighting all day, also returned to the Sanctuary with exhausted bodies.


    At this time, the Awakeners who were visiting the Extreme Martial Arts Hall... were still trying out various new types of equipment.


    Like they had gotten their most beloved toys.


    They had even forgotten about lunch. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu had been observing discreetly and could hardly bear to watch anymore.


    Pulling off such a big event with three days of free usage was naturally to attract more customers, yet... was the appeal too great?


    Until now, not a single survivor had signed up for the Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s subscriber cards, nor had anyone inquired about the Hall''s future class schedules.


    Tang Yu believed it couldn''t be that these Awakeners weren''t interested.


    Utilizing his Lord privileges, he could see clearly that those Awakeners, damn, each of them was having a blast.


    Addicted to training, unable to extricate themselves.


    Of course, he wouldn''t say that he had just been eyeing several Awakeners with good figures, which also made him forget to urge the Awakeners to sign up for cards.


    Upon reminding them,


    Shay, along with the Carmen Three Brothers who would be responsible for the Martial Arts Hall in the future, quickly ordered the Martial Arts Hall staff and those guards to arrange things.


    Of the Awakeners who came in for a visit, how many would choose to sign up for subscriber cards and how many people, in the future, would be willing to pay for the use of the advanced training facilities?


    This was like in novels where the number of collections could be converted into subscriptions.


    It was very important for the Martial Arts Hall.


    Because the first three days were free, the subscriber cards issued could be used until three days into the following month.


    Feng Yu and a group of Awakeners walked out of the Gravity Room and, upon hearing the news, disregarded their physical and mental fatigue, and didn''t even bother to wipe the sweat off their bodies, hurrying to the first floor to go through the membership card registration procedures.


    In just under a day''s time, using the Gravity Room and the Adaptive Space, they all felt a distinct improvement.


    Feng Yu knew clearly that he had been stuck at the Fifth Tier of Awakening for days, and even if he absorbed and refined soul power, he couldn''t improve even a little.


    But now, he felt a significant improvement compared to himself in the morning. If he could recover his state and then try the Punching Power Tester, he believed he could definitely score over ten thousand points.


    Such a Martial Arts Hall, let alone a monthly member price of only thirty, even if it was three hundred Source Crystals, he wouldn''t hesitate.


    ''Yeah, I need to quickly inform the other members of the Corps, taking advantage of the fact that the Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s reputation hasn''t been established, and promptly use its advanced training facilities to enhance our Mercenary Corps'' strength. By doing so, we might be able to outpace other large Mercenary Corps.''


    ''I''m lucky I wandered here today; otherwise, I might have missed the Extreme Martial Arts Hall. Once its reputation spreads throughout the whole Luoxia, who knows how long that will be.''


    Feng Yu handed over ninety units of Source Crystals and saw the Martial Arts Hall staff take out a small scanning gun and, with a beep, the value of the Source Crystals was read.


    But he wasn''t surprised in the slightest.


    Just a Source Crystal scanner, compared to the Gravity Room and other such equipment, what was it worth?


    Awakeners like him had become quite calm about such transactions.


    Had Feng Yu not only brought that many Source Crystals, he would have wanted to top up even more in one go.


    Nothing more than that.


    Just to make a good impression.


    Just like the Awakener who thought before, the Extreme Martial Arts Hall had just opened, lacking Core Apprentices, and few members...


    Feng Yu remembered the Awakeners who had entered the Martial Arts Hall in the morning, roughly just two to three hundred people.


    The fewer the people, the weaker the competition, and the Martial Arts Hall, to make a name, also needed to produce star students.


    For someone with his decent strength, under the current circumstances, it was very easy to be selected, of course, it was best to show some initiative first.


    After completing his membership registration, Feng Yu did not leave; he wanted to see if there were any threatening competitors around.


    Then,


    A minute passed.


    Two minutes went by.


    Ten minutes elapsed.


    The number of people coming to sign up for the gym membership did not decrease; on the contrary, it kept increasing, even forming a rather long queue.


    "How come there are so many people, the Extreme Martial Arts Hall just opened, didn''t it? Although it might become the hottest gym in the future, that would take some time, right? Where did all these people come from?"


    The other Red Maple Mercenaries were also puzzled.


    Immersed in training, they had yet to notify other members of the Corps; they believed that other Awakeners who had visited the Martial Arts Hall would do the same.


    But they didn''t know that a group of Zhentian''s students, who had witnessed the Crystal-Consuming Girl utterly dominating a powerful Demonized Beast, had already been paying attention to the gym that opened recently.


    The news wasn''t a secret and had already spread to a certain extent.


    Awakeners who had heard about it were either sneering or half believing, half doubting, and some had finally found out about the only gym that had opened during this period when the industry was withering.


    The Extreme Martial Arts Hall was no longer anonymous.


    ...


    ...


    In the central area of Luoxia Sanctuary.


    Director of Security Bureau''s office.


    Director Jin, with a somewhat rotund belly, leaned back in his chair, frowning at the document in his hands.


    "Tang Yu, male, registered residence in Dawn Lake District of Luoxia City, later studied at Lin City University, when the apocalypse erupted, he was in Lin City... Until recently, he arrived in Luoxia Sanctuary with a team of powerful members, crossing over the provincial boundary."


    "Among his team, there is an ability user who has awakened Ice Element powers, extraordinarily strong. The blow that froze the underground space, even the top powerhouses of Ancestor Dragon couldn''t do it. There are speculations that the person may have used some Ice series treasure, but their own strength must also be at the top echelon of the Sanctuary''s mightiest."


    "Observations suggest that amongst the entire team, Tang Yu is the core figure, their captain. The rest of the team members show him a great deal of respect, leading to the speculation that Tang Yu''s strength is even higher, marking him as a person of interest that requires close monitoring."


    Looking at the investigation report submitted by his subordinates about the other party, Director Jin had a headache.


    As the Director of the Security Bureau.


    Although the title of the bureau sounds somewhat unimposing, it is responsible for maintaining order and safety in Luoxia Sanctuary.


    He holds great power.


    Among the giants in Luoxia, Director Jin could surely be considered at the forefront.


    With countless masters under his command, he also faces heavy duties, such as monitoring well-known experts in the Sanctuary. Those individuals'' destructive power is too great, and in case of accidents, they could pose a significant threat to other survivors. His Security Bureau needs to pay special attention to these individuals.


    And among them, the members of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall were particularly strong.


    "But after that cleanup of the ant nest, several people, including the Ice Ability User, have not appeared again. It''s not like they could just be staying at home all the time, is it?"


    Director Jin scratched his thinning hair.


    If the people are nowhere to be found, how can they be closely monitored?


    With those people''s abilities, should they choose to hide, they would be even more undetectable.


    He was nearly scratching his head bald!


    Thump¡ª


    A Security Team member rushed in hurriedly, "Director, a major incident has happened! A large-scale murder has occurred in the Second Street District. There are a total of thirteen victims, and... and it''s somewhat eerie."

 Chapter 237 - 234 The Figure in the Dark

    Director Jin rubbed his temples and observed the approaching figure.


    This man was one of his most capable subordinates, strong and competent; he had been recruited post-apocalypse and was quickly promoted¡ªa fresh wave of talent.


    But he was overly impetuous.


    With their line of work, they were no strangers to all scales of situations and should have stayed calm from early on.


    "Those people from Extreme Martial Arts Hall¡­ Never mind, they seem relatively well-behaved. Let''s leave it at that for now¡­"


    Director Jin pondered as he took the case file handed over by the security team member.


    The documents were all contained in a folder which he casually extracted, sighing, "Xu, remember you need to be steady. With you being so jittery, how can I entrust you with important matters? This time, for instance, there are only thirteen victims."


    "Not like before the apocalypse, when thirteen killings would be very serious. Now, aren''t there still many survivors dying every day? We can only solve problems better by remaining calm and objective¡ªdo you understand¡ª"


    Director Jin intended to elaborate further but suddenly paused.


    His gaze fell on several photos taken out from the folder, his expression gradually turning solemn.


    In the photos, there were men and women, old and young, but one consistency was the victims'' extremely distorted facial expressions, as if they underwent immense agony at the time of their death.


    However, there were no wounds on their bodies.


    In fact, if not for the twisted expressions and the absence of breathing, one might think they were merely asleep.


    "Not a single wound? Did the investigators at the scene find anything else, like remnants of toxic gas?"


    The young man in front of him shook his head.


    Director Jin massaged his swollen temples.


    With many of the investigators being professionals from before the apocalypse, and since the documents made no mention of it, he wasn''t hopeful about uncovering anything extra.


    No wonder this case was deemed peculiar.


    Director Jin continued to review, his fingertips drumming on the desk suddenly suspended mid-air as he abruptly looked up, "There was even an Awakener Fifth Tier among the deceased? This...this is serious!"


    "Why didn''t you mention this sooner!"


    The young security team member bowed his head, looking aggrieved.


    Didn''t you ask for composure?


    ¡­


    ¡­


    At the crime scene.


    This area was a high-end residential district within the Luoxia Sanctuary, inhabited mostly by Awakeners and their families and friends.


    To ensure the safety of the families staying in the district while Awakeners were away and to prevent vendettas and other incidents, the property''s security team was formidable. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The captain was an Awakener Fifth Tier, and most other security members had at least Third-tier Awakening strengths, equipped with complete sets of equipment.


    Although many survivors went missing or died within Luoxia every day, those incidents occurred in relief housing areas and regular residential districts.


    The upscale residential districts of Luoxia, with their strong security forces and rigorous management, provided an extremely high safety factor, rarely allowing for accidents.


    Many Awakeners were willing to pay a premium to live there.


    The death of thirteen individuals in such high-class residential districts was unprecedented.


    The Captain of the Security Bureau''s First Brigade studied the bodies before him for a long time, frowning.


    "Have you established the relationships among these deceased?"


    The person beside him shook his head, "Their identities have been confirmed, but among the thirteen victims, there were a family of three, five members of a Mercenary Team, and a couple; the rest lived alone."


    "Whether it''s the family of three, members of the Mercenary Team, or others, they had little to do with each other on a daily basis, except perhaps for their proximity."


    "Six of them lived in building 17, and the other seven in building 18."


    After the team member finished, he looked around cautiously as if fearful demons lurked nearby, "Captain, what do you think happened to these people? Especially that Fifth-tier master Awakener¡ªit didn''t look like he had much resistance. Could there really be demons involved?"


    "Hmph!" the Captain snorted coldly, "Don''t scare yourself. We''ve repelled the Demon Tide; what demons or ghosts could possibly be left? It''s merely a murder case involving Awakeners!"


    "But from the looks of it, this doesn''t seem like a revenge killing. Could it be a psychologically disturbed Awakener? But then, why target a powerful Fifth-tier? Although, considering various aspects, the murderer must have broken through some barrier. However, the uncertainty increases when dealing with more powerful individuals..."


    "If you say this was a targeted attack against the strong, it doesn''t hold, at least among the dead Awakeners, including those from the First Layer, the Second-tier, and even the Third-layer, and several were just ordinary people."


    He shook his head; the more he reasoned, the more confused he became.


    Pacing back and forth in the room, the Security Team stated, "We can''t handle this case with our usual way of thinking. This is the apocalypse; we need to open up our imagination. Theoretically, anything could happen."


    "Firstly, based on the time of death, there appears to be only one murderer, whose strength is above the Sixth-Layer, and is an ability user with a bizarre aptitude, skilled in stealth attacks. My initial guess is that it''s a Supernatural Special Ability of the Spiritual Series."


    "The motive for the killings is unclear; it could be due to psychological factors, or it could be for a purpose, like enhancing one''s own abilities."


    "Enhance abilities by killing?"


    "This is just my speculation, but it''s possible." The Captain said, "In the Ancestor Dragon Special Combat Army, there''s a Metal Attribute ability user who can enhance his Special Ability by absorbing a special factor from Transcendent Metal, like making the metal grown on his body even harder."


    "In any case, we cannot take this lightly. If it truly is about killing to enhance strength, the suspect is likely to strike again. We must solve this case as soon as possible."


    ...


    ...


    In a villa just a few hundred meters away from the incident, underground.


    The environment was sinister.


    In the center of the basement, there was a crimson Rune Array constructed from fresh blood.


    A few shadowy figures stood before the array, indiscernible in the dark.


    Near them lay several indistinct figures¡­ no, it would be more accurate to say they were faceless, even the skin on their bodies had been completely stripped off, leaving only their vague flesh, chilling to the core.


    The shadowy figures seemed unconcerned about the nearby corpses and conversed among themselves.


    "The quality of human souls is indeed high, especially those of the Awakeners. Their souls are solid, one of them being equivalent to several ordinary ones. At this rate, filling up this Rune Array and opening the Black Door doesn''t look so difficult, heh heh heh heh¡­"


    In the ominous chuckle, the Rune Array emitted a faint red glow, illuminating their expressionless faces and the flickering blue flames deep within their eyes.

 Chapter 238 - 235: Information Worth 20 Cents

    "Don''t be careless. Humans, although frail, some of their technologies can still cause us considerable trouble..."


    A hoarse voice echoed in the chilly basement.


    The speaker was a young man with a buzz cut who, despite looking younger than everyone else present, seemed to be the leader of the group.


    His face was expressionless, and his neck twisted grotesquely more than a hundred degrees as he looked toward a certain spot, his mouth opening and closing:


    "This time, we''ve already caught the attention of the Luoxia humans. From now on, don''t directly act within the residential area. Just transport the suitable offerings within range..."


    Someone emitted a shrill voice, "They are just a bunch of humans, weak and unaware of how to employ strength. What if we are discovered? With those trash, I could wipe them out single-handedly!"


    "Foolish! Before the elder arrives, with just the few of us, we don''t have the power to confront a large Sanctuary head-on. Even if we are not afraid for ourselves, remember, our task is to protect and activate the Altar!"


    "But... this will inevitably affect the speed at which we collect souls," the shrill voice grew softer, yet still carried a hint of unwillingness, "The lucky bastards of the Evil Eye Clan have opened the Black Door for quite some time, and they''ve destroyed another Sanctuary. They must have gained tremendous benefits. At this rate..."


    Click.


    A soft noise.


    The basement door opened.


    A stoic, burly man walked in, his hands clutching two white canvas bags which he thumped down beside the Rune Array.


    The buzz-cut young man approached one of the bags, extended a finger, and lightly sliced through it like a sharp blade, easily opening the sack to reveal an unconscious young woman inside.


    He gripped the woman''s swan-like neck, lifted her up, and suspend her in the air.


    The young woman''s complexion was pallid as she finally woke from her unconscious state. Her legs flailed involuntarily in mid-air, her eyes filled with terror.


    Rip.


    The young woman''s clothes turned to shreds.


    Her skin was pale with purplish bruises.


    She struggled even harder, but the hand gripping her neck was like a vice, impervious to how hard she fought; she could not break free at all.


    Rip¡ª


    Another sound,


    But different from the tearing of silk.


    Blood flowed like a stream, pooling on the ground to form a lake, as a flesh-colored one-piece suit, stained with crimson blood, dropped to the floor with a splat.


    In that instant, an invisible, intangible wave dispersed from the young woman''s body, merging into the Rune Array surrounding the Altar.


    "Look, this kind of carefully chosen offering, an Awakener, young, soul still very pure... Although we do not have enough in quantity, the quality is certainly superb. In just a few days, we''ll be able to fill this Rune Array. When the elder arrives, and through the Black Door we''ve opened, we will effortlessly be able to¡ª"


    The blue flames in the buzz-cut man''s eyes blazed fiercely.


    ... S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Territory.


    Advanced Rune Equipment Factory Area.


    Since thirty-some Rune Debuggers had undergone Basic Period training and taken their posts, the other workshops collectively recruited more than three hundred workers.


    Many people did not know what kind of Equipment they were producing; only those survivors who had participated in the third-level test could guess.


    Every day, plenty of newly forged standard Rune Equipment were taken by the Logistics Department, transported to shops in Green Shadow or Luoxia.


    As the competence of Rune Debuggers improved, the quality of these Basic Equipment gradually approached the quality of Equipment produced by previous workshops.


    The output also increased.


    The workers in the various workshops finally did not have to work day and night.


    After finishing work for the day, Pan Tu declined the invitation to have dinner with his coworkers.


    He rode a second-hand bicycle he had scored from the free trade market along the highway toward the direction of the holiday resort.


    After covering about half the distance, this area was far from the factory area and not close to the holiday resort either.


    Pan Tu tilted his head, stealthily glancing around from the corner of his eye.


    Moments later, he turned the bike around and proceeded along a dirt road by the highway. After riding a certain distance, he got off the bike and hid it in a clump of weeds about chest high.


    He looked around again cautiously, breathed a sigh of relief, and walked along through a not-so-dense thicket...


    "This should be the place."


    Muttering to himself, Pan Tu surveyed his surroundings and finally stopped under a large tree.


    He moved forward a few steps, crouched down, and noticed an inconspicuous cross scratch at the base of the tree.


    He finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    The sun was gradually setting in the west.


    There were no sounds of insects or animals in the jungle, yet as the sunlight faded and darkness was about to envelop everything, the whole thicket seemed like a giant beast ready to devour someone.


    He shivered, looking around non-stop, "Why haven''t they come yet, why haven''t they come..."


    Swoosh¡ª


    A figure jumped down from a tree.


    Pan Tu took several steps back in fright, then looked up and finally relaxed, "It''s you... you, you finally... arrived."


    "Where''s the information?" The figure glanced at him and asked coldly.


    "Right... right here." Pan Tu took out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over, "This rune, it''s Green Shadow''s secret."


    The figure took a look at the paper and then raised their head, "Where''s the rune? Not even a drawing?"


    "It''s not that I didn''t give it, it''s just... I really can''t draw it. That kind of rune, I don''t know... I don''t know how to describe it. Even though I''ve memorized it, as soon as it''s drawn on paper, it changes completely."


    Pan Tu stuttered, and towards the end, as if feeling himself too weak, raised his voice, "This information was obtained at the risk of my life. Aside from the detailed rune drawing, I''ve explained everything else very clearly!"


    "Where''s my payment?"


    The figure, somewhat impatient, threw him two Source Crystals.


    "Only two? That''s too few," Pan Tu said.


    The figure gave him a cold glance, "Without even a rune drawing, stop your blabbering or you won''t get a half Source Crystal!"


    Pan Tu felt intimidated by their demeanor and became afraid to speak up again.


    After a long while, the figure softened their tone and said, "Your information is somewhat valuable. If you can get the rune drawing, I can apply to the City Lord. Then you might get twenty or even two hundred Source Crystals, understand?"


    Pan Tu''s throat worked silently; in the end, he didn''t speak.


    He suddenly felt regret; the information he had risked so much to bring out was being undervalued.


    Even if he could produce a complete rune drawing, given the stingy nature of the other party, they probably wouldn''t offer much. Moreover, obtaining a complete rune drawing would be exceedingly difficult.


    He might as well have stayed and worked peacefully in the rune workshop, where he could save up fifteen Source Crystals in a month.


    With his mind full of concerns, Pan Tu was ready to leave.


    The figure was also ready to take the information back.


    A voice suddenly came from behind the bushes not far away:


    "We''ve been waiting for several days for you to show up, this efficiency in handling affairs is too slow..."


    The figure paused in their stride.


    Full of joy at the thought of earning the City Lord''s favor by bringing back the report, sweat broke out on their forehead involuntarily.

 Chapter 239 - 236: News from the Newspaper

    Rustle, rustle¡ª


    The underbrush was parted, and three figures emerged.


    They encircled and trapped the two of them.


    The remaining sliver of scarlet sunset shone through the tree tops, casting light on the flustered faces of the figures.


    Huang Yuli was dressed in an army green short-sleeved shirt and pants, wrapped in a layer of crude beast hide, with a combat saber stained with much blood hanging at his waist.


    His beast hide and clothes, too, were tinged with some dried brown bloodstains; he appeared to be an Awakener with considerable combat experience.


    However, as he looked at the three people in front of him, all wearing standard combat uniforms,


    The leader was a pretty young girl with a ponytail, probably just over twenty years old.


    Under normal circumstances at their Sanctuary, if he could find a girl like this, he would be delighted and would, by any means, take her for himself.


    But now, looking at this silent young woman, he dared not entertain many thoughts.


    In his Perception.


    The opponent had the strength of an Awakener on the Fourth Layer, and the other two Green Shadow Awakeners were also on the Third Layer.


    He himself was only at the Third Layer!


    The situation was very unfavorable for him.


    The young man standing on the left looked at Pan Tu, who was already scared stiff, and spoke, "Pan Tu, you are suspected... no, that''s wrong, you have already betrayed important information from the Sanctuary, so please come with us. Before you, we have already captured two others, and I''m sure you''ll have a lot in common with them."


    Upon hearing this, Pan Tu''s eyes lost their luster, and he collapsed weakly to the ground, his face ashen.


    At that moment, Huang Yuli squinted his eyes.


    In a blink, two grenades flew out, explosions lighting up as he took the chance to forcefully kick off the ground with his right foot, shooting to the side into the underbrush, crouching low and sprinting with light steps.


    He hoped to use the complex environment to shake off the pursuit of the strong enemies.


    Taking advantage of the explosive light, Huang Yuli glanced back with the corner of his eye, and saw the two Green Shadow Patrol Team members, as expected, were pushed back by his surprise attack.


    The distance had widened, the jungle was complicated, and the sky was already dimming.


    He had a real chance to escape.


    More importantly, even in such a dire situation, he still carried that valuable piece of information.


    Huang Yuli was quite impressed with his own adaptability in that instant.


    He thought secretly.


    Suddenly, a flash of lightning crossed his mind.


    Patrol Team... two people... but where was the third person?!


    Just as the thought arose,


    Bang¡ª


    A Heavy Strike hit his abdomen.


    His body bent, and Huang Yuli vomited bitter bile.


    Rigidly lowering his head, he saw an arm that was not very muscular, even somewhat fair, clenched into a fist, slamming into his body.


    Looking at the nearly incapacitated Huang Yuli, Lan Qingya retracted her fist.


    One punch, KO.


    Even with that punch, she had held back.


    She was ordered to capture him alive, and she was worried about not being able to control her strength, potentially beating him to death.


    Even though in terms of life level, she was only one level higher than him.


    But Lan Qingya knew in her heart that the mere difference in strength between them must be five or six times greater.


    ''Chief Captain Luo''s teaching methods can indeed effectively excavate potential, and the Body Tempering Liquid is even more miraculous. Soaking for just half an hour, the muscles are greatly tempered, and physical strength has increased dramatically. Even because the improvement was too rapid, lately my control over my strength has weakened...''''


    ''The most surprising thing is, using the Body Tempering Liquid to quickly enhance strength not only has no side effects, but it also doesn''t lead to exaggerated muscle growth, even¡­''


    Lan Qingya looked at her own arm.


    Her skin, tanned from long-term training, had actually become fairer after soaking in the Body Tempering Liquid.


    Even she, who did not place much emphasis on appearance, felt joy at this transformation.


    How could anyone be completely indifferent, no matter how little they cared?


    She stood waiting for a while, and the other two Patrol Team members, escorting Pan Tu, arrived.


    Seeing Huang Yuli clutching his stomach, writhing on the ground, both sighed in relief.


    "Indeed worthy of our captain; if it had been us, we might not have been able to catch... Captain, watch out!"


    Huang Yuli, who seemed to have lost the ability to fight, suddenly flipped up from the ground.


    His movements distorted, the veins on his forehead visibly bulging.


    At that moment, Huang Yuli, who had steadied himself, drew a pistol from somewhere on his person, and aimed its dark muzzle straight at Lan Qingya.


    "Die!" His face twisted with malice, he was about to pull the trigger.


    Bang!


    Sparks burst from the barrel of the gun.


    With a swift movement, Lan Qingya dodged, the bullet grazing the ponytail left behind from inertia.


    The next instant, Lan Qingya appeared beside Huang Yuli.


    Her right foot lifted, her calf snapping out powerfully.


    "Crack!"


    A muffled sound of something shattering was heard.


    The pistol fell to the ground.


    Clutching a certain part of his body, Huang Yuli rolled about on the ground, screaming in agony.


    His howls sent chills down one''s spine.


    The other two young members of the Patrol Team exchanged a glance, feeling a chill sweep over them.


    Then they saw Lan Qingya acting as if nothing had happened, and could not help but take a few steps back.


    ...


    Luoxia. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Yu stretched lazily and walked out of his room.


    Now, commuting between the Territory and Luoxia had become as routine for him as a daily meal.


    Ever since he received the system, everything he had done was either for self-preservation or to make the long journey from Lindong to the distant Luoxia.


    Today, with his parents safe, the tight spring in his back seemed to have suddenly loosened.


    "I can finally live a few leisurely days," Tang Yu reflected.


    However, had anyone else heard these words, without a doubt, they would have been met with disdainful looks from skeptical eyes.


    ...


    Without the slightest hint of an Awakener''s aura, as if he were just an ordinary person, Tang Yu strolled leisurely down the streets, occasionally buying a few skewers from street stalls to enjoy while walking.


    He took in the modern vibe of Luoxia.


    In more professional terms, this was called experiencing life, in search of the opportunity for breakthrough.


    Currently, Tang Yu''s short-term goal was to break through to the Sixth Layer of Awakening and begin Body-shaping.


    His long-term goal, unquestionably, was the development of his Territory and the upgrading of his system''s level.


    Now with some spare time on his hands, he also occasionally pondered the origin of the system and why it had chosen him.


    These questions were difficult to answer in the short term.


    "But I can''t be overly dependent on the system; only knowledge and strength truly belong to oneself."


    It''s not that he was worried about some sinister plot with the system; Tang Yu wasn''t a conspiracy theorist. From another perspective, without the system, he would have long since perished in the Demon Tide.


    There was no reason to abandon it just because he couldn''t understand where his Golden Finger came from.


    After all, the hacks I activated were done skillfully, pridefully, and with pride.


    However, the system ultimately had its limitations, such as the workshop, which encountered restrictions when producing large quantities of Equipment. Although Tang Yu was now recruiting workers and training Rune Masters to meet the production requirements for Low-level Equipment, what he wanted to do even more was to break through the limitations of the workshop itself.


    Even further, to transform the capabilities of the system into his own abilities.


    "It''s still a bit far off. For now, I''ll focus on upgrading the system level. I have a premonition that if I can raise the Fitting Degree of the Territory to one hundred percent, perhaps I will be able to uncover some of the system''s secrets."


    He glanced at the panel; the Fitting Degree had, through his efforts over the past few days, risen to twelve percent, but in the eyes of Lord Tang, this progress was still slow.


    Lost in thought, a young child holding a stack of newspapers, seemingly about ten years old, approached him, "Sir, do you want to buy a newspaper? The fresh daily Luoxia Times."


    Tang Yu was startled.


    Since the disappearance of wireless internet, and with cell phones exiting history, newspapers had made a comeback.


    Apart from the few with money in their pockets, like him, who still had access to wired internet, most people got their news from newspapers.


    Luoxia Times.


    Tang Yu had heard of this name as well. Although it was not an official newspaper, it was surprisingly popular with good sales.


    "Give me one, no, make that a few more."


    Without looking at the denomination, Tang Yu casually handed over a food ticket, indicating that the boy didn''t need to give change.


    Then, picking up the newspaper, he immediately saw the headline.


    [Shocking news, recent incidents at the Luoxia Sanctuary...]

 Chapter 240 - 237: The Headless Murder Case

    "Why are multiple young men and women found dead and naked on the streets?"


    "Why do hundreds of survivors keep disappearing?"


    "Behind all this, is it the brilliance of human nature or the sublimation of morality, is it..."


    Tang Yu had a blank expression.


    For some reason, as he saw the headline, something in his heart just couldn''t help but blurt out.


    So, is this why the Luoxia Daily outsells the official newspapers?


    He continued to read on.


    "Recently, within the Luoxia Sanctuary, several heinous murder cases have occurred. According to secret information gleaned by our reporters, many of the deceased were Awakeners, covered in scars. Even more astonishing, all the victims were beheaded, as if the murderers had a particular fascination with heads."


    "In addition, according to our newspaper''s findings, apart from the murders mentioned above, there have been numerous disappearances of survivors within the Sanctuary. Our reporters would like to remind everyone to be more vigilant, try to avoid going out late at night, and avoid areas with a low density of people..."


    Tang Yu furrowed his brows.


    He hadn''t expected that a large Sanctuary like Luoxia would have such deplorable security conditions.


    The cases mentioned above all reportedly took place in relatively stable and prosperous areas like the Central District, the commercial sectors, and the Dawn Bay District.


    In a complex and chaotic area like the relief district, perhaps it''s not that there are no cases, but rather that there are too many to count?


    Tang Yu wasn''t sure if this was because the Luoxia authorities were too focused on defending against attacks from Demonized Beasts, or because too many Awakeners, emboldened by power after the apocalypse, started harboring twisted desires within.


    "Forget it, this is Luoxia''s headache, not mine. The most I can do is to have the Carmen Brothers step up patrols of the neighborhood... The neighborhood is within the Territory bounds and is equipped with various defense constructions. Yeah, shouldn''t be too much of a problem."


    He shook his head.


    He didn''t have the slightest interest in those murderers.


    He flipped over the newspaper and continued browsing.


    "Reportedly, the Zhentian Martial Arts Hall has reached compensation agreements with most families of the victims, but there are still some families in deep sorrow, demanding the Hall to send out search parties for the missing students, insisting on seeing their loved ones, dead or alive."


    "Top secret news, who would have thought that the Feiyang Mercenary Corps, ranked eighteenth in mission points at the Mercenary Guild, would encounter a powerful Demonized Beast in the wild, resulting in their total annihilation. The Commander of the Feiyang Mercenary Corps was an Awakener at the Sixth Layer, a top formidable figure, and the team members all possessed the strength of the Fourth or Fifth Layer. We can only imagine how formidable the Demonized Beast that attacked the Feiyang Mercenary Corps was... May heaven be free of Demonized Beasts."


    Other news was either about the strong Commanders of major Mercenary Corps slaying Super Demonized Beasts or about some expert making a strength breakthrough to the Sixth Layer, joining the ranks of top-level fighters.


    These stories about Awakeners were of interest to many people, not just the Awakeners themselves.


    Most importantly, the newspaper''s channels were not only extensive, but the news was also precise. A newspaper that only used headlines to attract readers couldn''t sell so many copies.


    What surprised Tang Yu was that he didn''t see any gossip in the newspaper. He didn''t believe that with the newspaper''s sources, it couldn''t capture even a hint of scandal.


    Perhaps they were worried that exposing certain private messages would result in the newspaper''s reporters being torn apart by enraged Awakeners?


    He put down the newspaper.


    Tang Yu raised an eyebrow, sensing an Awakener''s presence that was no inferior to his own.


    Approaching were several Awakeners, dressed in light blue uniforms with a red emblem on their sleeves, running hurriedly past him towards the distance.


    The leader among them had the strength of the Fifth Tier.


    "This uniform, looks like it''s from the Luoxia Security Team, isn''t it?"


    Thinking of the content he''d just read in the newspaper, Tang Yu followed the direction from where the Security Team members had left, looking towards a corner of the street further down, where there were gatherings of people.


    The crowd had already formed a semi-circle, barricading the entrance to the narrow alley, with those at the back continuously standing on their tiptoes, trying to get a clear view of the situation inside.


    It wasn''t until several members of the Security Team arrived that they were able to part the onlookers and enter the alley.


    ''Rubberneckers really are everywhere; even after the apocalypse, these onlookers are so bold. Don''t they worry about the trouble this might bring or the dangers they might encounter? Especially those in the innermost circle¡ªif real danger were to arise, they probably wouldn''t even have a chance to run.''


    Tang Yu thought to himself before walking over as well.


    The crowd of onlookers had been separated, and the entire narrow alley was completely sealed off.


    He didn''t get too close, but with the vision of an Awakener at Fifth Tier, he looked through the gaps in the crowd into the alley.


    The high buildings on both sides were close together, blocking out the sunlight, making the alley appear dim.


    His gaze passed over the police tape, beyond the members of the Security Team dispersing the crowd at the entrance, and saw two bodies lying on the ground, their garments soaked with fresh blood.


    Next to the deceased, two forensic doctors, dressed in white lab coats and wearing gloves, were examining the bodies.


    The bodies were feet-first towards the alley entrance; Tang Yu couldn''t see the full scope of the scene, so he walked a few steps forward and his gaze sharpened.


    "Just as I suspected, these are another two bodies without heads." S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The heads did not appear to have been cleanly sliced off; instead, it was as though they''d been brutally ripped off.


    The necks were stretched out, the intense pain had twisted the victims'' faces grotesquely, their lips and complexions turned deathly pale. Muscles spasmed, veins protruded like serpents on their faces and necks, and their entire bodies struggled furiously in resistance.


    But all to no avail.


    Until¡ª


    They were pulled out like radishes, violently torn apart, blood gushing from the severed necks, the victims'' bodies twitched unconsciously a couple of times before they utterly lost the breath of life.


    Upon seeing these two bodies, such a scene emerged in Tang Yu''s mind.


    He had a hunch that the heads had not been taken after killing the people but rather were removed bit by bit with increasing force while the victims were still alive¡ªuntil they were finally plucked out with a pop.


    Such cruelty.


    ...


    ...


    Security Bureau.


    Director Jin sat at the head of the conference room table, unable to help rubbing his temples again.


    "It''s the fifteenth case; this is now the fifteenth beheading murder case. There are thirty-nine victims in total, with thirty-eight being Awakeners, their strengths ranging from First to Fourth Layer."


    The newspaper mentioned only a few cases, ones where there were so many witnesses that it couldn''t be covered up, so they were published by the press.


    Many more cases were forcibly subdued by their Security Bureau. Even so, the Sanctuary had recently been in a state of panic, with not a few monsters and demons seizing the opportunity to reveal themselves.


    Heavy penalties are to be used in times of apocalypse; for some survivors causing disorder, the Security Team did not hold back, arresting those who should be arrested, killing those who should be killed.


    Director Jin wasn''t too worried about those seizing the opportunity to cause trouble. What gave him a headache was the still elusive, headless killers.


    Strong, organized, repeated offenders.


    If they didn''t come up with results soon, his position as the Director of the Security Bureau was looking precarious.


    Director Jin scratched his scalp and accidentally pulled out a handful of hair.


    It weighed even more on his heart.

 Chapter 241 - 238

    (The typing got confusing, and I forgot to write the chapter title. It can''t be changed now. Oh well, it is what it is...)


    The images from various crime scenes scrolled across the projection screen.


    In the conference room, many people frowned.


    In the post-apocalypse, with all sorts of grudges and grievances, murder, and dismemberment, those who worked at the Security Bureau and frequently handled similar cases were not unaccustomed to such horrors.


    Yet this time was different.


    Even Awakeners with Fourth Layer strength had been killed without the ability to resist.


    Among the dead was also a relative of someone high up in a Sanctuary.


    With the pressure from the higher-ups and the unsettledness among many of the middle and upper classes, every single person at the Security Bureau was under tremendous pressure.


    The Director transferred his pressure to the Captains, the Captains delegated tasks to the sub-captains, and the sub-captains ordered...


    Layer by layer, none of them had had a good night''s sleep in days.


    Some grumbled in their hearts, wishing those murderers would just go to the wilderness and not drag the Security Bureau into this mess!


    However, if someone were to compile the data of Awakeners who had gone missing in the wilderness recently, they would notice an unnerving increase in the past few days.


    "What are your thoughts on these recent cases?" Director Jin was the first to speak, breaking the oppressive silence.


    "What else can we think? These are the acts of a group of psychopathic murderers! Killers with antisocial personality disorders!" blurted out an angry deputy director.


    Director Jin didn''t even glance at him but instead turned his attention to one of the Captains, "Captain Lei, you''ve had the most contact with these cases. What do you think?"


    "This group has a tight organization and commits frequent crimes. I''m inclined to believe they have some specific purpose," Captain Lei said thoughtfully, "Our objective is to catch this group. We can start from two angles: one is to find where they are holed up in the Sanctuary, and two, to figure out their targets."


    "Figure out their targets? Impossible! Don''t forget, there''s no apparent connection between the victims; where do we even start?"


    "No, there is a connection."


    Captain Lei paused, then continued, "Firstly, most victims are young Awakeners. These are the commonalities we know of so far. Of course, this might simply be due to the murderer''s peculiar tastes, but let''s not speak of the motive for now. Besides those two points, there''s another commonality among the victims, which is the geographical scope."


    "Scope? Whether it''s in Dawn Bay District, Central District, the commercial areas, or even the relief area, there have been incidents. This practically covers the entire Sanctuary."


    "No."


    Captain Lei, maneuvering the mouse and keyboard of the desktop computer, brought up a map of Luoxia Sanctuary on the projection screen.


    Different areas and even streets were marked in detail; small red dots appeared across the map, representing the locations of the fifteen cases.


    A light red area enveloped all fifteen incidents within its boundaries.


    "Look," said Captain Lei as he stood and pointed at the screen with a laser pointer, "although murders occurred in various areas, the majority happened in Dawn Bay District, including those in other areas, which were also positioned closer to Dawn Bay District."


    Someone frowned, "This area is too large to mean anything."


    Many other members of the Security Bureau nodded in agreement.


    On the screen, it was undeniable that the majority of the cases had happened in Dawn Bay District, but with such a low baseline, this phenomenon could not explain anything. The same was true for the light red area¡ªthe range was too wide, encompassing over a third of the Sanctuary.


    Captain Lei was not surprised by the others'' reactions, "Do you all still remember the multiple missing person cases before?"


    Those missing cases were a thorn in the side of every Security Team member present.


    At that time, they had followed the clues, and one late night, they had spotted a burly man carrying two sacks. Regrettably, after a pursuit, they lost him.


    "...After that, the missing cases became rarer and more concealed. I believe there are still many disappearances of Awakeners that we haven''t discovered," Captain Lei said.


    "The missing cases and these decapitation murders are the work of the same group; we''ve speculated as much, though without evidence to prove it... Wait, are you saying that the missing cases also predominantly occurred in Dawn Bay District?!"


    One of the Captains suddenly realized something, slamming his fist on the table.


    The table, battered numerous times before and ultimately replaced with a specially made metal top, this time withstood the impact with a loud clang, sparing it from being smashed to pieces again.


    The others paid no heed to the banging, instead sinking into contemplation.


    Now that they thought back, the missing cases had indeed started with reports from survivors in Dawn Bay District before gradually spreading beyond.


    "Although the area of Dawn Bay District is not small, compared to the entire Luoxia Sanctuary, the scope has certainly narrowed down a lot, making the investigation work easier to write¡­"


    ¡­


    Based on the existing case clues, everyone in the meeting room voiced their opinions.


    Captain Lei had some words he didn''t say.


    He actually already had a suspected location, a high-class residential complex in Dawn Bay District.


    The bizarre death cases of the initial thirteen survivors, with no wounds whatsoever, were under his charge.


    Although, at first glance, they seemed unrelated to the beheading murders or disappearance cases, Captain Lei had an intuition that it was the work of the same group of people.


    It was just unfortunate that for such high-class residential complexes, their Security Bureau lacked the authority to search, unless they could obtain solid evidence.


    "We can only start an undercover investigation in that area for now and be wary of startling the snake in the grass."


    Bang!


    A Security Team member rushed in hurriedly, "Direct... Director, Captain, we''ve found a clue to the case!"


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Wang Ran was an ordinary survivor.


    The luckier kind.


    At the beginning of the apocalypse, he followed the military to Luoxia and arrived without any incident or danger, he hadn''t even seen any Demonized Beasts.


    Since he arrived early, when Luoxia was undergoing major construction and factories were short on manpower, he easily secured a job as a mechanic in a machinery factory.


    This was a job many survivors envied now.


    What made Wang Ran even more enviable was his girlfriend.


    They had been dating since college and hadn''t separated after the apocalypse; they arrived safely at Luoxia and worked at the same machinery factory.


    Even though he didn''t have the qualifications to become an Awakener, Wang Ran came to terms with it, even sometimes wondering, could Awakeners have a girlfriend as beautiful as his?


    His salary was sufficient, he ate well and drank well every day, and he had his girlfriend''s company; even in the apocalypse, he could be considered a winner in life.


    Originally, he thought so.


    Until three days ago, when he saw his girlfriend nestled in another man''s arms.


    The look in her eyes, alien and disdainful.


    Those harsh words seemed to still echo in his ears.


    Only then did he realize that his girlfriend, whom he had dated for several years and only held hands with, had already been a regular in another man''s bed.


    The reason was that he was just an ordinary person,


    a lowly commoner to the Awakeners.


    Wang Ran''s dreams shattered.


    And exploded.


    However, his resistance was so futile in front of that Awakener who had taken his girlfriend.


    A single finger from his opponent was enough to press him to the ground with ease.


    Such a gap was as vast as the difference between heaven and earth.


    He was in despair.


    He became listless and confused.


    Until...


    "Do you crave power? Do you crave revenge?"


    That shadow, appearing before him, promised him unrivaled power.


    Wang Ran agreed without hesitation, no matter what the cost might be. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 242 - 239: The Actions of the Security Bureau

    He uttered that sentence.


    Wang Ran fell into a deep sleep.


    When he awoke, he found that everything before him had transformed.


    No longer the ordinary man incapable of trussing a chicken, his every action harnessed tremendous power.


    So powerful that even he, himself, dared not believe it.


    In just a few short hours, he had been reborn.


    All he needed to do was handle some simple tasks for that mysterious benefactor.


    Exactly.


    Killing the suitable Awakeners and collecting souls, to Wang Ran, this was as easy as pie.


    After all, what''s impossible to achieve with great power in hand?


    ¡­


    The mysterious patron left some information in his mind.


    Wang Ran quickly became familiar with his new abilities, discovering that not only his strength but also his speed and physical condition had improved countless times.


    His body had partly mutated and grown stronger.


    In his body resided a powerful and mysterious force, which, when summoned, allowed him to perform various strange and potent tricks. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What excited Wang Ran even more was the promise from the mysterious person: for every certain amount of souls he returned, he would be granted even greater power.


    ¡­


    The souls that the mysterious person demanded were young, Awakened, and saturated with intense negative emotions, be it rage or despair.


    The higher the negativity, the better the quality of the soul.


    The first target Wang Ran chose was the dog couple he hated the most.


    The male Awakener was tortured to death by him.


    His ex-girlfriend, who betrayed his first love, was also tortured to death by him.


    Recalling how those two had looked at him with horror and regret, and remembering how they had begged like dogs, Wang Ran felt a burst of satisfaction deep within him.


    The more he tortured, the more exhilarated he became.


    The last pair of souls collected, even being ordinary people like his girlfriend, were praised by the mysterious patron for their excellent quality.


    He was thus endowed with a new power by the mysterious person, becoming even stronger.


    "How foolish I was before. Women, huh, with power and wealth, what do I lack in terms of women?"


    Over the past few days, Wang Ran had frantically scouted and gathered target information, contributing many exquisite souls to the mysterious patron, his strength skyrocketing.


    At this moment,


    Inside a particular room.


    Wang Ran stood on the blood-stained floor.


    Around him,


    Both the walls and the windows were covered with a layer of dark, ink-like gauze.


    In front of him, a male and a female Awakener lay on the ground, their faces etched with pain.


    The male Awakener struggled to stand, grabbing the Combat Saber that had fallen nearby, and charged forward, slashing fiercely.


    "You bastard, die!"


    However,


    Before the male Awakener''s Combat Saber could fall, Wang Ran''s shirt on his back ripped open, and a black thread emerged from the exposed muscles.


    It lashed out like a long whip, swift as lightning.


    The male Awakener was sent flying by the black thread, crashing heavily against the room''s walls.


    Strangely enough, despite the forceful impact, the wall remained intact, that dark, ink-like gauze, seemingly separating the room from the outside world.


    More and more black threads emerged from Wang Ran''s back.


    Wang Ran approached the female Awakener, who lay immobilized on the ground, and chuckled a few times.


    Under the gaze of the other male Awakener, whose eyes were nearly bursting with fury,


    The black threads wound around the female Awakener, lifting her into the air.


    The dance of the lines was like a frenzied swarm of devils.


    "Devil, you¡­ you devil!"


    Rip!


    Boom!


    Crack!


    Spurt!


    And the screams of the female Awakener.


    The splatter of blood, the contorted faces, the limbs bound¡­


    And the black gleam obscuring everything.


    Three minutes later.


    Wang Ran looked at the two bodies that had been tormented beyond human recognition and chuckled a few times. He activated that mysterious force within him and sealed the souls of the two, which had not yet dissipated, inside their heads.


    He then grabbed their jaws and necks and tore off their heads by force, tossing them into a carry-on bag he had with him.


    Through the gaps in the bag, one could faintly see several heads with wide-open eyes, stained with blood, their eyes still showing disbelief.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Elsewhere.


    At the Security Bureau, including Captain Lei and several Captains, rushed over with their subordinates.


    Several members of the Security Team were already maintaining order here.


    Crossing the police line, Captain Lei entered the room and saw three decapitated victims lying on the ground.


    As expected, all three of them had lost their heads.


    But what was different was...


    "Captain, the time of death for these three doesn''t exceed forty minutes."


    "Good," Captain Lei turned to one of the team members, "Huang Yu, can you discern anything?"


    The called upon team member was not very strong, only at the third layer of Awakening, yet other Security Team members looked at him expectantly.


    Huang Yu stepped forward a few paces and crouched down.


    He closed his eyes and his nose twitched.


    As a Special Series'' olfactory ability user, his nose was much more sensitive than that of a police dog. If the perpetrator weren''t so tricky, they would not be without a clue in this case until now.


    But this time...


    After a moment, Huang Yu''s eyes snapped open, "I''ve got it! Follow me!"


    He dashed off, following the faintest trace of information left in the air.


    Other members of the Security Team, aside from a few left to process the scene, all closely followed behind.


    An excited gleam filled their eyes.


    ''Could we finally catch them this time?''


    ...


    In a high-end residential community.


    Huang Yu stopped in front of a tall building, "It should be around here, but I can''t pinpoint a more exact location."


    Captain Lei waved a big hand, "First and second squads, seal off the building''s surroundings. Captain An, Captain Xu, shall we go up together?"


    The three captains, along with some elite members, entered the apartment building.


    Despite this high-end community being home to mostly well-known Awakeners, they could not forcibly search the premises.


    But it was still permissible to knock on doors and make inquiries, and most Awakeners understood the stakes involved.


    As long as the criminal was still in the building, they were confident of capturing them!


    Huang Yu was also part of the search team. As he ascended each floor, he carefully sniffed for any differences in the surrounding scents.


    Suddenly, his expression changed, "The scent of blood, a strong smell of blood."


    For Huang Yu, the thick smell of blood was like a bonfire in the darkness.


    But strangely, he was certain that he hadn''t smelled even a hint of blood in the air before this.


    Without time to think further, everyone hurriedly followed the direction of the blood scent at top speed.


    Soon, Captain Lei and several team members arrived in front of a certain apartment door.


    He forcibly broke in.


    Inside the living room, they saw two headless corpses on the ground.


    And standing beside the bodies, Wang Ran also appeared somewhat surprised.


    "Grab him!"


    Two Security Team members with guns in hand surrounded him.


    Swoosh!


    In the next moment,


    Black threads shot out like lightning, lashing out at the two Security Team members.


    They were sent flying backward like cannonballs, crashing through the walls and rolling into another room.


    "Open fire!"


    Dada dada¡ª


    Orange-yellow bullets flew out.


    Black threads danced behind Wang Ran, blocking some of the bullets.


    He moved like a specter, flashing to the window. The anti-theft bars, under the slicing of the black threads, were as fragile as tofu.


    Grabbing a travel bag peppered with bullet holes, Wang Ran didn''t hesitate to jump out through the opening in the anti-theft bars.


    ...


    Captain Lei hurried to the window but was a step too slow.


    He leaned out to look.


    From the eighth floor, even someone with his abilities would not escape injury if they fell from such a height.


    But in his line of sight, the suspect who looked to be in his early twenties wrapped the black threads around the anti-theft bars to slow his fall, easily landing on the ground from the eighth floor.


    ''Good thing we were ready outside, he can''t escape!''


    Captain Lei breathed a sigh of relief.


    This favorable situation couldn''t be allowed to collapse.


    ...


    Wang Ran looked at the members of the Security Bureau now surrounding him.


    From all directions, there were those ready for close combat and others prepared for ranged attacks.


    At first,


    Seeing the Security Team members made his heart thump violently, instinctive fear driving him to escape through the window.


    But now,


    Only after being completely surrounded did he remember¡ª


    He was no longer the Wang Ran of the past, he possessed unparalleled strength.


    An instinctual counterattack had already left two Security Team members seriously injured.


    Now, even though there were more people, what of it...


    Wang Ran coldly surveyed these lapdogs of the Security Bureau, slowly setting the luggage bag he was holding down.

 Chapter 243 - 240: Heaven Really Hasnt Abandoned Me

    The air was thick with a lethal silence.


    Like water meeting cold air, it gradually solidified.


    Inside the residential area, the occasional pedestrians had already retreated. Ordinary people moved farther back, while some Awakeners, confident in their strength, did not go too far.


    ¡ªThe uniformed members of the Security Team exuded many strong presences, which could be felt from afar. The Awakener surrounded in the middle was like a little lamb encircled by a pack of wolves.


    A part-time journalist quickly ran up the floors of a nearby building, found a suitable position for themselves, and took out a high-resolution camera scavenged from an old market. The lens was aimed at the Awakener in the midst of the encirclement.


    Zooming in, the image in the lens enlarged, revealing the face of the Awakener clearly.


    He was about in his early twenties, deep within the encirclement, yet there was not a hint of panic to be seen, only a crooked smile on his lips that looked somewhat... eerie.


    Captain Lei was in the stairwell, clutching the handrail and leaping down floor by floor, and soon burst out of the building.


    He saw the group of Security Team members holding guns, their muzzles pointed at Wang Ran, slowly closing in.


    "Be careful, that''s not an ordinary Fourth Layer Awakener, he''s from the Transformation series! Watch the black lines behind him!"


    "Transformation series?" Captain Lei and Wang Ran locked eyes, and Captain Lei watched the slight movement of the other''s lips.


    From the shape of his mouth.


    He discerned two words, "Ignorance."


    Swoosh swoosh swoosh¡ª


    Black threads emerged from behind Wang Ran, swift as lightning.


    The nearest Security Team members'' pupils shrank, their bodies instinctively moved, fingers bent, trying to pull the trigger.


    However,


    They were too slow.


    The black threads, like the Grim Reaper''s scythe.


    In the blink of an eye, they pierced through the left chest of two Security Team members, bringing up a handful of fresh blood before retracting.


    Several other nearby Security Team members who were closer dodged to the side, not fatally wounded but severely injured nonetheless.


    Tat tat tat¡ª


    The rifles fired, this time with even denser gunfire.


    The black threads behind him writhed, the young man with the devilish aura did not take the hits head-on this time.


    He moved incredibly fast, using the complex surrounding buildings to constantly maneuver.


    Whenever he saw an opportunity, he could deal a fatal blow to the Security Team members.


    Captain Lei''s eyes reddened.


    "Third Layer Awakeners, fall back, leave the battlefield! Fourth Layer, teams of three, block his movements; Captain An, Captain Xu, let''s go in together!"


    Including Captain Lei, three Captains with Fifth Tier strength rapidly closed in on their target.


    Gunmen from afar restricted Wang Ran''s range of motion, and other Fourth Layer Security Team members slowly approached from the outside.


    "Ha!"


    Captain Lei''s figure flickered, avoiding a few black threads.


    He landed with one foot, using the momentum to twist his body, generating power from his waist as his Combat Saber slashed diagonally downward.


    Splurt¡ª


    Several sections of black thread fell to the ground, quickly turning to ash visible to the naked eye.


    Not far away, Wang Ran, as if parts of his body had been severed, clutched his chest and coughed up blood.


    "Good chance, cripple him first, then consider taking him alive!"


    Captain Lei said in a deep voice.


    Obviously, this man was a member of that gang, but definitely not the real mastermind.


    At least, the man before him, despite his Fourth Layer strength, posed a threat to Captain Lei, but definitely could not, in utter silence, kill a Fifth Tier powerhouse.


    Capturing the man alive would provide them with a chance to root out the gang behind him.


    He exchanged a glance with the other two Captains, communicating with eye signals.


    Quickly, he and Captain An coordinated to shield and tackle the wildly thrashing black threads from Wang Ran, while Captain Xu, who was known for his speed, shot out like a cannonball.


    ''First cripple his legs.''


    Captain Lei''s thoughts whirred, waiting for Captain Xu to succeed, ready to launch an attack in an instant to severely injure the enemy.


    Only then would there be a chance to capture him alive.


    "Fetter¡ª"


    A hoarse voice suddenly rose.


    As if a sound carried through a chilly canyon, echoing... echoing...


    Visible to the naked eye.


    As Wang Ran''s words ended, a purple-black column of light enveloped Captain Xu.


    Captain Lei and Captain Xu were positioned opposite each other.


    Facing him, the shock in Captain Xu''s eyes was clear, as were the veins protruding violently on his face while his body remained frozen in struggle.


    Such astonishment in a split second.


    The black line pierced through Captain Xu''s body, and after the purple-black column of light dissipated, he collapsed to the ground with a thud.


    "Xu!"


    Captain Lei cried out in alarm but then saw Wang Ran turning around, his gaze firmly capturing him.


    His lips slowly parted.


    A sense of death suddenly enveloped him, making Captain Lei''s hair stand on end, with an invisible pressure already present in the air, about to shroud him.


    As if to be trapped in a box.


    This power, eerie... and strong...


    Captain Lei was filled with terror... panic... bewilderment...


    Somehow, he remembered the silent words of the other person at the start.


    "Ignorant."


    The purple-black column encased him, and sure enough, black threads like lightning shot out towards him.


    He could see them clearly, and his thoughts were smooth, but his body could not move.


    "Bang!"


    Wang Ran''s entire shoulder exploded, with blood gushing out ceaselessly, and he knelt on one knee to the ground.


    As the purple-black light faded, the emitted black threads retracted back faster, as if electrified.


    ...It was a gunman.


    Well done!


    Captain Lei instantly understood and didn''t dare waste this opportune moment, crossing a distance of over ten meters in an instant...


    At that moment,


    "Black Mist."


    Just like before, that hoarse voice sounded again.


    This time, in an instant, a cloud of black fog engulfed the area, so dense that one couldn''t see their own hand in front of them... Even within the mist, Captain Lei found his perception ability rapidly diminished, unable to detect even a trace of the enemy close at hand.


    He bellowed, instructing others to stay vigilant and tighten the encirclement.


    It wasn''t long before the black fog dispersed, but their target had already vanished without a trace.


    ...


    ...


    Sigh...


    Wang Ran controlled the writhing of his muscles, forcibly stopping the blood flow.


    Yet his complexion was as pale as paper.


    "Still too careless... Damn Security Bureau!"


    Clutching his empty right arm, he hurriedly fled, with scenery whizzing by on both sides of his vision.


    "In my current state, I''m no match for those from the Security Bureau; I must find somewhere to hide and recover from my injuries as soon as possible..."


    "I remember there''s a secret technique called ''Life Drain'' that can quickly heal injuries."


    By invoking the mysterious power residing within him, Wang Ran could perform several powerful secret techniques.


    Life Drain was one of them.


    But this technique had a prerequisite; he needed to find a target from which to extract life force.


    Severe blood loss made his complexion even more pallid, and his physical strength rapidly dwindled.


    He had been running so frantically that he fled without direction.


    He was unclear about his current location.


    Wang Ran slowed his pace, surveying his surroundings.


    This area was not bustling, sparsely populated, and he could see many construction vehicles in the distance; this seemed to be a community under development.


    And at the moment, it was presumably time for their midday break.


    His gaze swept around.


    Hoping to find an appropriate target from which to draw life force, yet also wary of encountering a powerful Awakener and occasionally looking back, unsure when the Security Bureau would catch up. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He walked while keeping watch.


    When his gaze glanced under a certain tree, his eyes lit up.


    There were two girls who looked to be in their teens.


    One of them had tender green sprouts emerging from their palm; this was a Wood Series Awakener who often possessed the most abundant vitality.


    Wang Ran was thrilled.


    Indeed, the heavens had not abandoned him.

 Chapter 244 - 241: It Must Be An Illusion!

    Wang Ran did not act rashly but remained on guard.


    He took cover behind a dump truck, extending his perception around him.


    "One at the third layer, one at the First Layer."


    Through the gaps of the dump truck, Wang Ran covertly observed the young girl who was an ability user of the Wood Series. She was the one with third-layer strength.


    He licked his lips.


    Quite unexpected.


    "With third-layer strength, if I were to drain her life force, my injuries should fully recover, very good..."


    He clutched his arm, the severe injury had greatly diminished his strength.


    Using the secret technique "Life Drain" required restraining the opponent''s movements.


    With his current strength, killing wasn''t difficult, but controlling was not secure enough.


    "First, I''ll use an ''Imprisonment Technique'' to control the opponent, then commence the ''Life Drain''. The stored power inside my body is running low, but just enough for two minor secret techniques... Damn, I ran too hastily earlier and couldn''t take the travel bag carrying those heads. Without bringing back the souls, he won''t help me replenish my power. I can only rely on that power to absorb Source Power and slowly refill."


    His mind raced, considering possible contingencies.


    He planned to keep a low profile after recovering from his injuries, strengthen his powers, then seek revenge against the Security Bureau.


    Wang Ran burst forth from behind the dump truck.


    His lips slightly parted, uttering two words, "Imprison."


    Accompanying his words, a mysterious force descended upon the two girls not far away like a downpour.


    ...


    Chen Xiaojia was showing off the new ability she had developed to her best friend.


    After absorbing a large amount of soul power from several soul power containers, Chen Xiaojia''s life tier had leapt qualitatively. From a newbie at the First Layer, she had become a third-layer awakened posing as a veteran.


    The increase in strength made her handling of abilities increasingly adept.


    Under her cousin''s guidance, Chen Xiaojia had also begun consciously training her powers.


    In her palm, a tender green sprout continuously changed shape, intertwined with others, forming into a green paper crane.


    "Look." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her friend Xiong Qianqian turned away, her little face puffed up like a bun.


    ...She was annoyed that Chen Xiaojia had yet to introduce her cousin, making her rather upset.


    Even though she was now a student at Extreme Martial Arts Hall and had seen many masters there, she had only met the Hall Master, her big cousin, during the grand opening.


    Talking back and forth, neither of them noticed the imminent danger.


    A dark purple light post descended over them.


    Being close to each other, they were both enveloped by the Imprisonment Light Shield.


    In an instant, it was as if time stood still.


    Xiong Qianqian''s face clearly showed panic and fear.


    Chen Xiaojia was stronger; she struggled, but couldn''t move even a finger.


    She noticed a ragged-looking figure rushing out from behind a dump truck, clearly aiming for them, and couldn''t help feeling panicked.


    ...


    Stabilized.


    Wang Ran scanned the two girls and licked his lips.


    He closed the distance swiftly, already channeling the power within his body to prepare for the secret technique "Life Drain."


    At that moment,


    Snap¡ª


    It sounded like the shattering of glass.


    In his eyes, the necklace worn by the young Wood Series ability user suddenly emitted a dazzling golden light.


    The power stored within it was involuntarily triggered and burst forth.


    The dark purple light post, which had seemed impossible to shake even slightly, shattered instantly, vanishing into nothingness.


    Wang Ran froze.


    Astonished.


    He found it unbelievable.


    This script was too unscientific!


    An Imprisonment Power that even a fifth-tier awakened, or even more powerful entities, couldn''t break free from, was shattered by a young girl. What was that fleeting flash of golden light he had just seen?


    Chen Xiaojia was also shocked.


    She nearly scared herself silly.


    Unable to move, unable to take out even a scroll, at one point she thought everything had gone terribly wrong. Only now did she come to the sudden realization that perhaps some of the equipment on her... was trigger-activated?


    In that instant, she saw the strange person not far away change expression, pausing slightly before charging fiercely towards them.


    Their face became even more ferocious, like a fierce beast choosing its prey!


    Behind them, strands of black silk, cold and horrifying, shot towards them with a whoosh.


    Their speed was extremely fast.


    She could barely catch them, and lacking combat experience, she panicked instinctively at that moment.


    Until...


    Bang, bang, bang.


    The black silk threads were blocked by a white transparent light shield that emerged from the bracelet on her wrist. Chen Xiaojia patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Across from her,


    Wang Ran''s face turned from green to white, "It must be an illusion, definitely an illusion."


    His blood churned within him.


    His throat was clogged with countless silent curses, wanting to point to the heavens and shout them out.


    ...


    ...


    After Wang Ran had escaped, the Security Bureau, including Captain Lei, and several members quickly gave chase.


    "The blood trail disappears here."


    Wang Ran was severely injured, but apart from bleeding profusely at the time of injury, as they pursued him, the blood drops they found became fewer and fewer, and here they had disappeared entirely.


    "How about it, can you smell anything?" Captain Lei asked.


    Huang Yu squatted down, dabbing up some of the blood with a white handkerchief, "His blood is strange, it doesn''t have the strong bloody smell of a normal person..."


    "However," he said with a smile, "if I can''t even smell the scent of someone who''s injured, I might as well smash my head against tofu and call it quits."


    ...


    "Here, he must be around here," said Huang Yu. "He must have stopped here."


    Captain Lei turned his head to survey the surroundings, "Teams of three, spread out and search! If you find him, remember to signal and do not engage. We must capture him as quickly as possible; this person poses a great threat. If he decides to kill without restraint, there will surely be a great number of survivors injured or worse."


    Another Captain from the Security Bureau, Captain An, nodded in agreement, "No one expected that someone with just the power of the Fourth Layer would be able to escape our encirclement, even old Xu..."


    "Captain Xu has been sent to the hospital; we don''t know if he can hold on."


    "Old Xu must hold on," Captain An pressed his lips tightly together. "I can''t quite understand; could that person be a Multi-Powered? A Transformation series ability, an Imprisonment Technique, and something that can shield against both vision and perception with a black fog¡­"


    Captain Lei climbed onto the roof of a construction vehicle, looking around. Hearing Captain An, he raised his head towards the sky.


    The clouds rolled and shifted unpredictably.


    "... or maybe, it''s not an ability?"


    ...


    "Found him!"


    A member of the Security Team shouted from afar; the low yell mixed with static noise transmitted through the walkie-talkie.


    Captain Lei and others rushed to the scene at top speed.


    From a distance, he saw the one-armed target person, with countless threads flying out from his back, aiming at two little girls who seemed terrified and helpless.


    "Crap, rescue them quickly!"


    He shouted, darting forward swiftly.


    His expression was filled with urgency, knowing that if the black threads that had left old Xu at death''s door struck the two little girls, how could they possibly withstand?


    He only hoped they could last a few seconds, long enough to rescue them.


    However,


    This thought lasted less than half a second before crumbling.


    An invisible, transparent barrier stood in front of the two girls, the sharp, eerie threads hitting it with a bang and being repelled.


    "It must be some kind of treasure, or a special ability; it might not last long, but this time is enough for me to subdue the target."


    ...


    ...


    Inside the transparent barrier.


    Chen Xiaojia constantly reminded herself, ''Don''t panic, it''s not a big problem, just a small scene...''


    Her pounding heart finally began to slow down.


    ''But I can''t keep defending passively. Yes, that''s right, I need to counterattack!''


    She took out a scroll, thick as two fingers and about a dozen centimeters long, from her bag and was about to unfold it when she stopped abruptly.


    ''My cousin said that abilities need more training, and practical combat is very important. I''m now at the Third Layer, and wearing this ring should amplify my Wood Series abilities, probably I won''t be weaker than this freak...''


    She held the scroll in her left hand as a precaution.


    Then, with her right hand, she stretched out her palm, aiming at Wang Ran beyond the barrier.


    On her index finger, a ring embedded with a gemstone resembling an emerald, began to light up gradually.

 Chapter 245 - 242: The Person Behind the Scenes

    Wang Ran was frantic, single-mindedly wanting to break through the seemingly fragile barrier in front of him.


    By the time he realized something was amiss and glanced around, he noticed that the agents from the Security Bureau had caught up.


    One particularly troublesome Awakener was only about a hundred meters away from him.


    Instantly, his expression changed repeatedly.


    He took a deep look at Chen Xiaojia and Xiong Qianqian, who were protected by the barrier, his face showing hesitation, resentment, and other emotions before he finally clenched his teeth, retracted the black threads he had sent out, and prepared to dash into the nearby forest to escape.


    Wang Ran lifted his leg,


    applied force, then more force, straining mightily... he found that his legs seemed to be bound by something, as if mired in mud, facing resistance at every turn.


    Looking down, he realized that at some unknown point, delicate sprouts had broken through the soil and swiftly grown into vines, like countless thick, long ropes binding his legs. As he struggled, some of the vines snapped, but even more green tendrils grew from the ground.


    Even climbing up his legs.


    ...


    In Captain Lei''s eyes,


    the tendrils had abruptly sprouted after the little girl inside the barrier extended her palm.


    What surprised him was that the girl wasn''t strong, but the vines she controlled were exceptionally tough, much stronger than the average Fourth Layer Awakener, and the target could not break free.


    He saw black threads reemerge behind the target, which attacked the vines below.


    The vines, not to be outdone, continued to wrap around him, part of them moving like little snakes, fighting back against the black threads.


    At the same time, more and more vines burst from the surrounding soil.


    Until¡­


    Wang Ran was bound up like a zongzi.


    It was only then that Captain Lei hastened to Wang Ran''s side, looking at the target now poisoned and unconscious from the vine''s toxins.


    His expression was incredibly complex.


    Their Security Bureau, S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    had deployed three Fifth Tier masters, more than fifteen Fourth Tier elites, and countless gunmen, and had even set up an encirclement in advance.


    Such a lineup, without exaggeration, was enough even against a Sixth Tier superb master.


    Yet, they had allowed the target to escape.


    Members of the Security Bureau had also suffered considerable casualties.


    However, just when they were becoming desperately anxious, the situation took a dramatic turn.


    The bizarre and powerful target was effortlessly neutralized by a Third Layer girl.


    Even the battle-hardened Captain Lei was left doubting his own life at this moment.


    Could it be that they were just too weak?


    ...


    In a newly repaired ultra-luxurious villa,


    Tang Yu was sleepy, the thick curtains in the room blocking out the sunlight, creating an ideal environment for a nap.


    He slightly lifted his eyelids, muttering, "I thought I saw a bright red spot, no? Hmm, must be an illusion, I should keep sleeping. I shouldn''t overdo my cultivation in the future, should take it slow when hitting the bottlenecks, feels like my body is being hollowed out¡­"


    He turned over, adopting an even more idle posture, and closed his eyes to sleep.


    ...


    At the Security Bureau.


    After much persuasion and promises of various awards, such as the "Good Samaritan Award," the "Luoxia Outstanding Citizen Award," and corresponding monetary rewards,


    they finally brought back the target belonging to the "spoils" of Chen Xiaojia.


    Including Captain Lei, all the main personnel were extremely excited.


    Outside the interrogation room, many officers from the Security Bureau were staring at the monitors.


    Inside, the interrogators showed no mercy, both to pry open Wang Ran''s mouth and to extract the most truthful information, they resorted to some special methods.


    "Name."


    "¡­Wang Ran."


    "Gender."


    "...male"


    Time elapsed, and they obtained quite a bit of information from Wang Ran''s mouth.


    "Are all these things you''ve done ordered by a person called Mr. K?"


    Wang Ran was bound hand and foot with specially made materials and did not appear to have many scars on his body, yet his eyes were lifeless, suggesting he had undergone some sort of treatment.


    When he heard the question from the interrogator, he was dazed for several seconds before responding with a hoarse voice, "...yes."


    "Where is your base?"


    "...There is no base."


    "How do you deliver the collected heads to Mr. K?"


    "...Every other day, Mr. K would inform us of a special location through special means. There, we would meet Mr. K and hand the items to him."


    Wang Ran seemed like a puppet, answering each question after a pause.


    However, the interrogator was frowning.


    They were certain that Wang Ran was not lying, but the most crucial information remained elusive.


    "Was your power granted to you by Mr. K? Did he enable you to obtain your current strength in just a few days?"


    "...Yes."


    "What is the purpose of your indiscriminate killing of Awakeners and collecting their heads?"


    "...It''s for collecting soul¡ª"


    ...


    Outside the interrogation room, the faces of the Security Bureau personnel were grim.


    One person slammed his fist onto a wooden table, shattering it, "Fuck, every critical question we ask, this guy acts ignorant, he just looks like a lackey!"


    Captain Lei thought deeper, his expression solemn, "If a mere lackey possesses this kind of power, how strong might Mr. K, the mastermind behind him, be?"


    Captain An''s brow was furrowed, "What''s even more terrifying is that Wang Ran''s strength was all given by Mr. K. He hasn''t hunted any Demonized Beasts nor absorbed any soul power, yet he still managed to become powerful, and even more rapidly compared to us."


    "Even if this power granting has certain limitations, it still implies that within the Sanctuary, there are other dangerous individuals like Wang Ran."


    "Fortunately, we captured Wang Ran, so we can start to understand the mastermind behind him. Though Wang Ran doesn''t know the true identity of the mastermind, by following this lead, we will surely find him!"


    Captain Lei swung his hand emphatically.


    The bag with Wang Ran''s belongings found in the residential area was brought back by their team. Opening the zipper, several gaping heads with eyes wide open in death gave them a jolt.


    These were what Mr. K had ordered Wang Ran to do, evidently with some purpose.


    At that moment, interogators were asking Wang Ran about his motives.


    Suddenly,


    Wang Ran''s head, which had been hanging low, jerked up; his eyes seemed to penetrate the surveillance, connecting with Captain Lei and others standing outside the interrogation room.


    Wang Ran, who had been staring blankly and expressionless, twisted his mouth into a bizarre smile.


    The smile was laced with mockery.


    The next moment,


    Bang!


    Wang Ran''s body swelled and exploded.


    The entire interrogation room seemed as if it had been bombed, reduced to ashes, and the personnel responsible for the interrogation lay on the ground, lifeless.


    Security Bureau personnel: "!!!"


    ...


    ...


    In the basement of a certain villa.


    There was no light, no windows, but it seemed as though a chilly wind was constantly blowing through.


    In the center of the basement, a Rune Array constructed from fresh blood was already half lit.


    A blurred figure with an indistinct face suddenly looked up, his gaze seeming to reach into the distance, "Someone was caught by Luoxia''s people, what a pity."


    "What''s there to pity? They are but disposable tools anyway. After bearing that power, those little guys couldn''t live long anyway. If we''re short on manpower, just lure some more, right?"


    The blurred figure withdrew his gaze, "That Wang Ran, I had high hopes for him. I thought, after the elder descends, he might have the chance to become one of our tribe. What a pity, tsk tsk..."

 Chapter 246 - 243: Why Not Seek External Help?

    Wang Ran''s self-detonation, although unexpected by the Security Bureau''s Awakeners, had extracted quite a bit of information from him, filling them with fighting spirit.


    That day, the Security Bureau dispatched most of their idle members to stake out in key areas.


    They had learned that people like Wang Ran possessed an ability similar to Barriers, which could not only trap victims within, but also block external detection.


    When they captured Wang Ran, if it hadn''t been by chance that he had just finished his business and lifted the Barrier, coinciding with the ability user Huang Yu, who had a keen sense of smell, happened to be not far from the scene and caught the scent of blood.


    Otherwise, they might have missed the opportunity to stumble upon Wang Ran.


    But now, the members of the Security Bureau had come to understand the methods of people like Wang Ran and had called in several special ability users from other places to assist.


    As expected, they had successively captured several Awakeners similar to Wang Ran.


    These people were slightly weaker than Wang Ran, but were all generally above the third layer of Awakening, possessing strange tactics. Fortunately, this time, the Security Bureau was prepared, and there were no casualties.


    "Director, we have captured five Awakeners related to the headless murders, who have been separately detained for review, and several ability users with control over Special Abilities are secretly guarding them. I believe this time, we will definitely extract crucial information."


    Director Jin rubbed his swelling head.


    Ever since he reported the results of the last interrogation, those at the very top of Luoxia, the real power holders of Luoxia, had taken even more interest in the case.


    Someone hidden in the shadows, capable of bestowing power onto others, was, without a doubt, a super strong being.


    They did not know what Luoxia was plotting in the dark.


    The gravity of the situation


    had escalated from initially affecting the security environment of the Sanctuary and disturbing the order of the Sanctuary, to endangering the safety of the Sanctuary.


    This matter was still the responsibility of the Security Bureau, and other departments were ordered to cooperate more, with strict instructions to produce results within five days.


    To this end, Director Jin had even sought out the newly established Ancestor Dragon Special Combat Team and called in a few ability users from the team to assist with the case.


    At the moment, hearing that the case was making good progress, Director Jin was reinvigorated, "This case is now the highest priority. Whatever you need, just ask. Within three days, we must unearth the person behind the scenes."


    Across from Director Jin,


    Captain Lei solemnly nodded, "Within three days, we shall bring the culprit to justice!"


    He was now the main person in charge of the case.


    Three days was pressing, but with clues at hand, the members of the Security Bureau responsible for the case were also confident.


    ...


    ...


    In the office.


    When Captain Lei arrived, the others were discussing the progress of the case.


    They looked eager and confident.


    "Has the interrogation started?" Captain Lei asked.


    "It''s just begun," someone pointed at the monitor screen, which showed another interrogation room, where a young man similar to Wang Ran was firmly bound. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "In the room next to the interrogation, there are two experts from Ancestor Dragon keeping watch. They are both Spiritual Series ability users, one with the ability of Telekinesis, the other with the ability to suppress enemies on a mental level."


    "Last time, Wang Ran self-detonated. We suspect that the power hidden within him was to blame. We''re uncertain of the nature of that power. However, with the two Ancestor Dragon Experts suppressing from both the physical and mental aspects, we believe there will be no issues this time."


    Their eyes were glued to the screen.


    Their fists clenched unconsciously.


    They spoke with confidence, but in reality, they were also unsure.


    The entire office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.


    However,


    Bang¡ª


    Just like the last time, when the questioning reached a critical point, the person''s entire body burst open like a watermelon.


    What was different, however, was that this time the person being interrogated exploded directly without revealing a strange smile at the last moment.


    With precautions in place, there were no casualties among the interrogation staff.


    Nevertheless, everyone''s expression was very grim.


    Two Ancestor Dragon Special Combat Team experts responsible for suppression quickly opened the door and entered.


    Upon entering, one of them shook their head, "The prisoner''s spiritual wave fluctuations were very stable the whole time, even at the last moment, the moment of the explosion, I didn''t feel any particular change."


    The other continued, "The prisoner likewise showed no signs of struggle. Only at the last moment, the moment of the explosion, could I clearly feel a surging force bursting out from within the body. The telekinetic force I had wrapped him with almost broke instantly without any time to react."


    "I suspect that either our method is wrong, or, our power... is insufficient."


    The remaining few prisoners were treated like precious specimens, under strict surveillance.


    Soon, the Ancestor Dragon Special Warfare Group called over a few other Awakeners with similar abilities.


    One day, two days...


    Attempt after attempt.


    The Security Bureau staff, initially full of fighting spirit, gradually became disheartened.


    By now, not only the Security Bureau personnel but even the Ancestor Dragon Awakeners called in to assist with the investigation looked as if they were questioning their life purpose.


    They had tried everything they could.


    The results of the interrogations were no different from the first day''s information extracted from Wang Ran. Every time they got to a critical point, the prisoner would explode without warning.


    Other methods, including psychic perception ability users, olfaction ability users, as well as various manpower investigation methods, all failed to find any clue about Mr. K.


    Captain Lei''s eyes were red with bloodshot veins, and he no longer had his usual neat appearance; he worried just like his own bureau chief, such a spectacular Awakener of the Fifth Tier... was losing hair!


    The others, whether standing, sitting, or positioned in front of the computer, were typing away furiously.


    Each one was the same, frowning and pondering potential solutions.


    At this moment, an ordinary Security Team member timidly raised a hand, "Perhaps we could seek help from the outside."


    "Outside help? Where is there any more outside help! The strongest Awakeners in the Sanctuary are all in Ancestor Dragon, now even the people from Ancestor Dragon are helpless..."


    The implication being, it wasn''t that Captain Lei lacked the ability to do his job, rather, the enemy was too elusive, and up to now, they had not even been able to catch a glimpse of them.


    "No." The ordinary Security Team member, seeing that others'' gazes had turned his way, shrank a little and swallowed before continuing, "While it is true that Ancestor Dragon has the strongest Awakeners, but...but now more and more Special Abilities are becoming known, and among those in Ancestor Dragon, most are combat-oriented ability users."


    "I''m thinking, maybe we can find help from civilian ability users, after all, we''re not lacking strength, but failing to find the enemy."


    Captain Lei nodded thoughtfully, "You make a good point, do you have any candidates in mind?"


    "I... we can ask the Extreme Martial Arts Hall for help, I remember that among these people, there is one with divinatory powers, who was able to find a path leading directly to the Ant Queen from within an ant nest, perhaps, she could also find the location of Mr. K."


    At these words, the other Security Team members'' eyes lit up.


    It was the position in which they were seated that had limited their thinking.


    All along, they had been looking upwards for help, for after all, how could civilian Awakeners'' strength possibly compare to the elite congregation of the Ancestor Dragon Special Combat Team.


    ¡ª¡ªMany members within Ancestor Dragon were also civilian Awakeners who had been rigorously selected to join.


    Yet, there were others who raised objections, "Asking for help from civilian Awakeners, wouldn''t that make us, the Luoxia authorities... look incompetent?"


    Previous calls for help had been internal.


    But now, it was as if the provincial case task force couldn''t solve the case and needed to seek help from outside private investigators.


    Many people had this concern.


    Captain Lei scanned the room with his gaze and suddenly harrumphed, "What''s more important, the safety of the Sanctuary or some insignificant face?"


    "Using divination to find Mr. K''s location seems to be the best method currently! Of course, to put it precisely, we are hiring civilian Awakeners, when we find the mastermind''s location and their base, those responsible for the arrest will still be us and the people from Ancestor Dragon."


    "The people from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, at most, would be considered auxiliary support, the main force solving the case will still be us, the official Luoxia, who would dare say we lack the ability!"

 Chapter 247 - 244: Wait a Bit Longer

    In legend, the dragon was unseen from head to tail, and the Martial Arts Hall Master of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, who hadn''t been seen since the establishment of the gym, was now standing in front of the largest shopping center in Luoxia.


    He sighed wistfully.


    Rubbing his forehead, he looked at the cheerful Xing Ling sisters, Xing Yue, and Xiaoli, the bamboo rat, who was close to drooling.


    Heaven only knew why he had foolishly agreed to go shopping when the Xing Ling sisters had brought it up.


    It was precious time, which could have been spent cultivating, sleeping, or at the very least playing games, reading novels, or finishing the movies he hadn''t seen before the apocalypse...


    Why should he waste this valuable time on shopping!


    Especially with creatures like girl Xiaoli.


    Tang Yu thought back briefly.


    It was probably... out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the purple tips of a young girl''s hair gently swaying in the breeze. The sisters looked almost identical to each other, and their glances added a picturesque beauty to the scene.


    Even the survivors passing by couldn''t help but turn their heads, but fortunately, the area was empty, free of obstacles like telephone poles, so accidents were avoided.


    But Tang Yu would never admit that it was at the sisters'' request, and his will just simply failed... S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The real reason he agreed was that Tang''s Mom was standing nearby at the time, looking at them with the eyes of a mother-in-law, almost asking which one he would choose.


    It almost seemed like if he had refused, he wouldn''t be able to live it down.


    So that was why he agreed to the shopping request. That had to be it!


    The shopping center was situated on the commercial boulevard of the Central District, being part of the original constructions from before the apocalypse. During the great construction period after the apocalypse, it had been expanded to some extent.


    It housed the most comprehensive variety of goods in the entire Luoxia Sanctuary, and there was no doubt it was also the area with the highest flow of people.


    But the security was not bad at all.


    Just a glance around, and you could see many Awakeners wearing standard uniforms and carrying firearms, patrolling back and forth.


    Most of the surrounding survivors were also well-dressed, unlike the relief area where sometimes people would fight over a little food, even to the point of causing deaths.


    These dignified survivors wouldn''t go against the laws of the Sanctuary over some small conflicts of interest. It would cost them much more.


    Just like the survivors around who, despite frequently turning their heads towards the Xing Ling sisters, not a single one dared to approach.


    Hmm, Tang Yu thought the bigger reason was probably the powerful aura of Fifth Tier Awakening radiating from the sisters.


    Even more excited than the sisters was the bamboo rat spirit, Xiaoli.


    At this moment, she had bounded off to the nearby snack stands. In no time at all, Xiaoli was holding skewers in her left hand, milk tea in her right, and stuffing her cheeks full with food, her cheeks puffed out roundly.


    If you didn''t know any better, you''d think the child had been starved for ages.


    Entering the supermarket.


    Tang Yu figured since he was already there, he might as well buy some gifts for the others to take back.


    Before leaving, the Carmen Brothers asked for a case of vodka.


    The others, whether he hadn''t seen them or they were far away in Green Shadow, didn''t need to be bothered with a Contract for such a trivial matter as buying gifts.


    He did have a fair understanding of his followers though.


    For instance,


    He''d get a few suits for Shay, some pretty dresses for Eileen... Luoxia, a super Sanctuary with a population of over two million, truly had a shopping mall that left nothing to be desired, with a full range of goods and excellent service. He could even find plus-size clothes for Winnie here.


    Then there was the sturdy watch for Luo Zhe... He had heard Luo Zhe mention that the several watches he used to wear had all been broken, making it hard to manage the Patrol Team members'' time.


    Tang Yu silently mourned for the Patrol Team members for a moment.


    Due to the variety of goods they needed to buy, not only gifts but also many daily necessities, each person pushed a shopping cart, picking and placing items they needed into the carts.


    As for the price, there was no need to even glance at it.


    At this moment, Xiaoli''s eyes lit up, and she quickly pushed her cart towards another side.


    Tang Yu noticed the commotion and turned to look, just in time to see Xiaoli pushing the cart swiftly through the aisles.


    She was in the snack section, and as the cart passed the shelves, Xiaoli used her strong spiritual power, capable of materializing, to flick the snacks from the shelves.


    Boxes of cookies and bags of potato chips flew off the shelves and landed precisely in the cart.


    In the blink of an eye, the cart was piled high with snacks, even taller than the basket frame. Xiaoli, being small, pushed the cart with her hands on the lower part of the frame, completely covered by the snacks.


    At a glance, it looked as if a cart full of snacks was moving on its own, and even stranger, items fell from the shelves as the cart passed.


    This seemed to be... the legendary ghost cart!


    The snack-chomping ghost cart!


    Seeing this, it seemed that someone was already frightened and ready to call the Security Team patrolling around.


    Tang Yu, holding his forehead, had no choice but to lift up the bamboo rat Xiaoli behind the cart.


    ...


    ...


    Shopping center.


    In the bustling square where people were coming and going, several people dressed in Security Bureau uniforms kept glancing at their watches and occasionally looking towards the distant entrance to the mall, seemingly waiting for something.


    "Brother Fei, why don''t we go inside the supermarket? If we just check the surveillance, we could easily locate those from Extreme Martial Arts Hall."


    Li Yunfei, the Security Team member who had suggested seeking external assistance, had now been promoted to ordinary Captain.


    Leading several Security Team members, he was responsible for seeking... hiring Awakeners from Extreme Martial Arts Hall to help solve the case.


    He shook his head, "Extreme Martial Arts Hall is not a mercenary group; their services don''t include hiring out. And this time, we took the initiative to approach them. Even though we offer an enticing salary in the name of the Security Bureau, people from Extreme Martial Arts Hall have no reason to refuse, but..."


    "As the Hall Master of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, with plenty of people at his disposal, why would he personally come to the shopping center? It''s obviously for relaxation. If we approach and disturb him, it''ll inevitably leave a bad impression. Even if Extreme Martial Arts Hall accepts the hiring offer, the price... it''s hard to say how much higher it could go."


    "I see, Brother Fei, your analytical skills are impressive. No wonder you were able to come up with a critical suggestion when the other Captains were at a loss... I just don''t know how much longer we have to wait here..."


    Li Yunfei, already considering the timing, looked over the multiple exits of the supermarket and replied, "With the speed of Awakeners, it shouldn''t take long to browse a supermarket."


    Half an hour later.


    Li Yunfei began to grow anxious, "Any moment now, they should be coming out. Tell the others to keep watch, too. Don''t miss them."


    Two hours later.


    Li Yunfei ran his fingers through his hair, "Just a little longer, we''ve waited this long already. It would be a waste to go up now and spoil everything."

 Chapter 248 - 245 500 meters

    Several hours later, Tang Yu walked out of the side door of the shopping mall.


    Looking up at the sky, how melancholy he felt.


    He had thought that, unlike ordinary girls, sisters like Xing Ling and Xing Yue, born differently, wouldn''t spend much time on clothing.


    As it turned out, being single had limited his imagination.


    As soon as he stepped out of the shopping mall, he was approached by several awakeners wearing Security Team uniforms.


    Tang Yu glanced at Li, who had a lollipop in his mouth.


    His first thought was that this was about the ghost car incident caused by Li, and that the Security Bureau had come to settle accounts.


    It wasn''t until Li Yunfei spoke that Tang Yu understood the situation.


    "So you mean to say, there''s a criminal you''ve been unable to find, so you need divination to locate his exact hiding place?"


    Li Yunfei seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying solemnly, "Since this criminal is quite important and we are eager to locate him, we approached your Extreme Martial Arts Hall. Of course, we will pay the market price as compensation."


    After he finished speaking, his gaze swept over the sisters Xing Ling and Xing Yue, finally resting on Tang Yu, waiting anxiously for the decision of the Martial Arts Hall Master.


    Tang Yu supported himself with his hands, lost in thought.


    Privately, via the contract connection, he asked Xing Ling and Xing Yue for their opinions.


    Helping the Security Bureau with the divination of the criminal''s location wasn''t difficult for the sisters, and they had no particular concerns.


    Yet Tang Yu did not immediately respond.


    He pondered.


    ''The Security Bureau is in such a rush to solve the case, why didn''t they show up earlier? Why is everything so dragged out?''


    ''Had they approached us earlier, I wouldn''t have needed to spend so much time in the shopping mall!''


    Thinking of his own mental anguish and physical back pain, Tang Yu felt that taking the job wasn''t out of the question, but the price must be high enough to pain the Security Bureau, which would make him a bit happier.


    Tang Yu considered for a moment and then casually listed some material names, "Fire Copper Ore, Black Stone Ore, Cold Iron... Silver Leaf Grass, Purple Star Flower, etc. How much can you offer for these?"


    These materials and minerals, though not among the rarest, were hard to find; at least, Tang Yu had his people run around Luoxia multiple times, and they found very few such transcendent minerals and herbs for sale.


    Li Yunfei and the others discussed for a while. "We can offer this much for the transcendent ore," he said, showing two fingers.


    Tang Yu did not respond but signaled to Xing Ling.


    Cognizant of his intentions, she reached behind her back, where the people from the Security Bureau couldn''t see, and twirled a pendant around her finger. The pendant chain swayed, with a round patterned object attached, gently shaking.


    Soon after, Xing Ling looked towards Li Yunfei and declared, "Five hundred units."


    Tang Yu then added, "Firm price."


    Li Yunfei''s face contorted as if constipated, and after attempting to speak several times, he finally nodded helplessly.


    ...


    ...


    Security Bureau, Interrogation Room.


    Although the people from the Security Bureau were not clear about the divination abilities of Xing Ling and Xing Yue, in order to preserve enough clues, they hadn''t cleaned up the interrogation room after Wang Ran and others had self-destructed, leaving it untouched.


    Upon entering, one encountered chunks of flesh and dried blood across the floor, resembling a terrestrial hell.


    The Security Bureau''s personnel were already accustomed to this and did not mind.


    However, some glanced with worry towards Tang Yu and his company, mainly at Li, who seemed just like a small child.


    But Li showed no expression, and even seemed amused.


    ...


    Standing outside the police tape, Captain Lei asked impatiently, "Can you divine the outcome?"


    "We will only know the outcome once we perform the divination," answered Xing Ling.


    She glanced at the chaotic ground, ultimately choosing not to touch the flesh pieces. Instead, she pulled out a fist-sized crystal ball.


    Both hands steadied on either side.


    The crystal ball was shrouded in mist, swirling around.


    The entire interrogation room quickly came into view.


    "I will trace back from this interrogation room as the source. If power has truly been bestowed and self-destructed here, some of the same source power should still linger."


    To avoid disturbing Xing Ling''s casting, the members of the Security Bureau stepped outside the room, holding their breath, anxiously waiting for the divination results.


    Xing Ling was focused and serious, calming her mind as her spiritual power connected with the crystal ball.


    Her power was channeled into the crystal ball, enveloping the entire room.


    Broken flesh,


    Blood,


    Cells,


    Power.


    The source power slowly flowed through.


    Xing Ling''s purple hair appeared to flutter as if blown by an invisible wind.


    Coated with a faint silvery glow.


    Elegant and mysterious.


    Xing Ling increased the infusion of source power, her expression still focused without any change.


    Gradually, the scene on the crystal ball began to change.


    Like a poorly tuned television, flashing erratically, chaotic and disordered.


    On Xing Ling''s forehead, beads of sweat formed unknowingly, trickling down her face to drip from her chin.


    After a while,


    Xing Ling released her hands from either side of the crystal ball and wiped the sweat from her forehead.


    "How did it go?" Captain Lei and the others couldn''t wait and rushed in.


    Xing Ling shook her head, "I could only divine a rough area."


    "How large?"


    "Quite large," Xing Ling gestured with her hands, drawing a circle in the air.


    Seeing this, the members of the Security Bureau sighed, their disappointment hard to conceal.


    "Hard to believe that even divination didn''t work. We can''t blame... After all, many powerful ability users have used their abilities to investigate, but also without results."


    "What do we do now? Among the ability users registered in the Sanctuary, is there anyone with a special tracking ability?"


    "..."


    The people from the Security Bureau discussed among themselves, their voices low but not concealed.


    Tang Yu, with his acute hearing, could hear every word clearly.


    ''It seems like this case is quite serious.''


    Tang Yu recalled the headless corpse he had seen a few days ago and thought about the increasing presence of the Security Team on the streets these past few days, which was likely related to this case.


    The Security Bureau hadn''t mentioned much about the specifics of the case; he had to infer from snippets of conversation.


    Apparently, the perpetrator possessed the ability to bestow ordinary people with power and was plotting something dangerous for the Sanctuary. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even Xing Ling couldn''t divine the precise location, Tang Yu could imagine the strength of the opponent.


    Interfering with divination was not something just anyone could manage.


    He even wondered, could there really be such a powerful Awakener in the Luoxia Sanctuary?


    "Xing Ling, what exactly is the range you divined?"


    Tang Yu saw her gesturing with her hands and quickly corrected, "How many kilometers in radius?"


    "Um..." Xing Ling frowned, counting on her fingers, apparently calculating the distance. After a moment, she said, "Five¡ª"


    "Five hundred meters. The range should be around five hundred meters."


    From a distance, amidst the discussion.


    Captain Lei''s ears twitched, and he suddenly turned around, "Five hundred meters? Is it really only five hundred meters?!"

 Chapter 249 - 246: Maybe Its Not That Simple

    Beforehand, Captain Lei and others had already consulted with Xing Ling and Xing Yue.


    Divination has many limitations.


    It requires not only closely related materials but also depends on the comparative strength of both parties.


    The strength of Mr. K, the man behind the scenes, had been analyzed by the Security Bureau long ago. Undoubtedly, he was among the top tier of the Sanctuary and was very likely in possession of some treasure that gave him the power to bestow abilities on others.


    To divine the exact location of a superpower was extremely difficult for Xing Ling and Xing Yue, who were only at the "Awakening Fifth Tier."


    Upon seeing the large area Xing Ling gestured to...


    It roughly meant that the area was confined to Dawn Bay District, at most slightly narrowed down.


    Although Captain Lei was somewhat disappointed, it was also expected.


    But damn it... was five hundred meters considered a large range?


    Watching Xing Ling''s innocent expression, Captain Lei forcibly swallowed the words that were stuck in his throat.


    ¡ªBetter not provoke them.


    The Security Bureau still needed their help to locate Mr. K.


    No need for Captain Lei''s orders, someone rushed out like a gust of wind and soon returned, clutching a detailed map of the Luoxia Sanctuary, hurrying back.


    The slightly crumpled map was spread out.


    Captain Lei asked with an urgent tone, "Approximately where on the map?"


    Xing Ling stared at the map, falling into deep thought.


    Xing Ling continued to think for five minutes.


    Those from the Security Bureau held their breath, staring intensely, unable to contain their nervousness.


    Finally, Xing Ling looked up, "What''s the scale of the map..."


    She stretched her hand towards the interrogation room''s door, about one or two meters to the right, and asked, "Also, which side of the map does this direction correspond to?"


    Tang Yu massaged his forehead.


    His guess was indeed correct.


    The time Xing Ling spent thinking was clearly spent trying to understand the map''s directions and distances¡ªand obviously, she couldn''t possibly distinguish north, south, east, and west!


    The people from the Security Bureau felt even more frustration rising to their hearts.


    Eventually, after another five minutes of effort explaining the directions and distances on the map to Xing Ling,


    After some effort, Xing Ling frowned tightly, thought for a while, and finally pointed to a location on the map, "Around here, approximately."


    Tang Yu glanced over.


    He wasn''t familiar with the Luoxia Sanctuary. The location Xing Ling pointed at was only identifiable on the map as being within a certain community, which, incidentally, was just two streets away from the plot of land he had purchased.


    However, the people from the Security Bureau were different; they were already familiar with Luoxia''s layout and to find the man behind the scenes, had studied the map several times over.


    Captain Lei saw where Xing Ling''s finger rested and blurted out instantly, "It''s Lanxing Community, just as I suspected..."


    The initial case of a bizarre death, where the deceased had no wounds on their body, had occurred in the upscale Lanxing Community. He had suspected this location early on, and even later, when Ancestor Dragon sent ability users to assist, the main area of their search was the Lanxing Community.


    However, the Lanxing Community was large; even when utilizing ability users with capabilities such as those claimed to have radar-like spiritual perception, they could either sense broadly over a large area or narrow down the range to achieve deeper, detailed perception. Yet doing so would exhaust the ability user''s Source Power and energy, and they could only investigate a small part of the area in an entire day.


    Previously, they had expanded their search from the central area of the first incident outward and had not found any related clues.


    For a time, Captain Lei even doubted whether his judgment was flawed.


    The person behind the scenes was not actually hiding in the Lanxing Community.


    Looking at it now, when the ability users of Ancestor Dragon came up empty-handed, the people from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall confirmed his guess and even divined decisive clues.


    Even with different abilities and inclinations, he couldn''t help but marvel at how the Extreme Martial Arts Hall had numerous capable individuals.


    "If only the people from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall could join Ancestor Dragon."


    Captain Lei sighed softly, "No wonder the Director emphasized the importance of keeping a close eye on the people from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall. But now it seems that in addition to closely monitoring them, it is even more crucial to be on good terms with them, given their miraculous divination abilities. In the future, our Security Bureau may need to rely on their divination skills when encountering difficult problems."


    The place Xing Ling indicated was located in the northern part of the Lanxing Community, where standalone villas were situated.


    As the most advanced type of rented housing in the Sanctuary, each villa had its own small garden and maintained a certain distance from each other.


    This also meant that there were not many residents in the area.


    Which made it easier to investigate.


    An inscrutable smile finally appeared on the faces of the Security Bureau and others.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    In order to catch the person behind the scenes as quickly as possible, the Security Bureau personnel quickly sprang into action.


    Departments started to operate, and messages were rapidly relayed.


    The Security Bureau deployed the vast majority of their members, not to confront the person behind the scenes but to quickly locate Mr. K''s whereabouts and secure the dangerous area to prevent other survivors from entering.


    To ensure that no information was leaked, most of these Security Team members were unaware of the actual purpose of this operation; they only knew it was extremely important, even the Director of the Security Bureau personally took action.


    Ancestor Dragon also dispatched two top squads to support them, which included several true powerhouses. These individuals were indeed the main force to confront the person behind the scenes.


    "Three awakened at the Seventh Layer, and two others are suppressing part of their aura."


    The numbers in the two top Ancestor Dragon squads were few, but even the weakest among them had the strength of the Fifth Tier.


    Standing together, they were like the most blazing flames; Tang Yu didn''t need to use his perception; these strong auras were already feeding back into his mind.


    The weaker Security Bureau members couldn''t even determine the specific strength of this aura, only feeling an overwhelming pressure like the continuous onslaught of ocean waves. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Luoxia Sanctuary is indeed taking this case very seriously; even among Ancestor Dragon, those with the strength above the Seventh Layer must be rare."


    Was it because the person behind the scenes posed a great threat and had formidable power, or was it because of the treasures that might be in the hands of this person?


    Tang Yu knew that there indeed existed some marvelous treasures in this world.


    Powerful, beyond comprehension materials, or equipment, could all be categorized as treasures.


    Like the giant tree growing on the Source Crystal Mine near Green Shadow, which once attracted many Demonized Beasts, gathering under the giant tree. Perhaps, for the Demonized Beasts, that unknown giant tree was a treasure.


    It might also be possible that it was an item of equipment left from some ancient era, akin to Zuofo...


    However,


    Tang Yu furrowed his brows.


    The people of the Security Bureau didn''t know the true strength of Xing Ling, but didn''t he know?


    With Xing Ling''s power, with her mastery of Divination, yet, they couldn''t accurately determine the target''s location.


    Could it be that the potential existing treasure interfered with Xing Ling''s Divination?


    Or perhaps, the person behind the scenes had power beyond imagination.


    Whichever the case, Tang Yu always felt that things weren''t so simple.


    "Hopefully, I am just overthinking it."

 Chapter 250 - 247: Twisted Perception

    Lanxing Community.


    Northern villa district.


    Here, less than half of the villas were rented out, and apart from the patrols of security guards, few pedestrians could be seen. It was very quiet.


    However, at this moment, the ''whirring'' sound of vehicles shattered the tranquility of the villa district.


    One by one, troop carriers stopped on the lawns, and Awakeners dressed in red emblem uniforms jumped down from the vehicles without pausing for a moment, sprinting rapidly toward their destination.


    Tang Yu and Xing Ling, Xing Yue, emerged from a camouflaged Floating Chariot, scanning their surroundings.


    Behind them, another Floating Chariot also came to a halt, and Shay, bamboo rat Li, and Boss Carmen, three followers, disembarked.


    Composing a six-person sightseeing squad.


    After the Divination results came out, the Security Bureau had already paid the first installment of the reward.


    At this time, the Security Bureau proposed that they hoped Xing Ling could accompany them. Whether she took action or not, she would receive a sum of remuneration.


    And if Divination was needed, based on the situation and difficulty, an additional part of the remuneration would be added.


    Tang Yu didn''t hesitate and agreed.


    Even if the Security Bureau hadn''t extended the invitation, he would have taken the opportunity to observe the situation.


    Therefore, he organized a sightseeing group with sufficient safety assurances.


    ...


    ...


    The operation quickly commenced.


    Director Jin, Captain Lei, and the Ancestor Dragon''s command team patiently awaited the results.


    It wasn''t long before several Perception ability users jogged back, shaking their heads, "Still no anomalies were discovered. Among the villas in the area, only three are inhabited. The Security Bureau has already talked with them, and we''ve also entered the villas to investigate, but still, nothing was found."


    "All the villas house normal residents."


    "Is there a possibility that Mr. K is hiding too deeply, thereby eluding our detection?" Director Jin frowned and asked.


    One Perception ability user pondered for a moment and nodded, "It''s indeed possible. But while Mr. K can hide, the items inside the villa can''t always be hidden. Yet, we haven''t been able to find any clues inside the villas."


    Director Jin rubbed his temples and looked over at a nearby security guard, "Those other rented villas, have you gotten in touch with the tenants?"


    The guard shook his head repeatedly, "The time is too short; we don''t have a quick way to contact them."


    Director Jin took a deep breath, his face showed decisiveness, "In that case, we go in by breaking doors for a thorough search. If Mr. K has a method of shielding perception, then we will send troops into the villas to physically search, remember not to overlook any place!"


    "Besides," he turned his head to the other side, "Captain Lei, have that girl with the Divination ability try again. If she can pinpoint Mr. K''s exact location, the terms are open to negotiation. Be quick; we can''t drag this on any longer!"


    Time passed by the minute and the second.


    One by one, doors to villas were broken open, including those not yet rented, all were also searched, and not even any potential hiding places like groves, rockeries, or pools were spared.


    However,


    "No discovery in villa number one."


    "No discovery in villa number two." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No discovery in villa number sixteen."


    The faces of the Security Bureau and the Ancestor Dragon Special Combat Team members were grim.


    Tang Yu was also somewhat puzzled.


    Xing Ling conducted another Divination, and the result was very clear, pointing right to this area.


    Tang Yu stood atop a raised lawn, gazing into the distance, "What do you all think?"


    Several followers furrowed their brows in thought. Xiaoli was the first to speak up, unusually not munching on food, "I feel, there''s something strange about this place, uhm, like it''s shrouded by something."


    "Is it dangerous?" Tang Yu asked.


    "That, it is not."


    "If there''s no danger, then let it be. After all, we are only charging the price for a sightseeing group."


    ...


    Security Bureau members continued their grid-pattern search.


    At this point, none of the higher-ups were very hopeful.


    Director Jin''s brows were tightly knitted; he rubbed his temple that was starting to throb and tugged at his hair.


    He thought for a moment, then turned to a security guard, "Among these sixteen villas, seven have been rented. What kind of people live in them? Bring me a list of the tenants."


    The guard dared not delay and quickly brought over a list. Director Jin pondered over the list, "One four six nine eleven fifteen..."


    Wait a minute¡ª


    Director Jin paused, "There are only six rented villas, where did the seventh one come from?"


    "It''s definitely seven, I remember it very clearly." The head of the security guard muttered quietly, counting forward, "One four six nine eleven fifteen... Oops, it does seem to be six. No, that''s not right, I remember clearly, Liu, Chen, do you remember whether six or seven villas were rented?"


    "Seven."


    The other guards replied without hesitation.


    As soon as they had finished speaking, they all shivered.


    The Security Bureau''s captains exchanged glances, each seeing the gravity and... excitement in the others'' eyes.


    They weren''t afraid of problems arising; what they feared was... not being able to find the problem!


    ...


    ...


    Atop the bulging grassy slope.


    Xiaoli squatted on the ground, drawing circles in contemplation for a while, suddenly jumping up, "I''ve got it! This place is enveloped by some sort of Source Power Field, and this Source Power Field is distorting our Perception!"


    "If it can distort even our Perception, doesn''t it mean that the enemy''s strength is far beyond imagination?" Tang Yu felt the urge to beat a retreat back to his Territory.


    Xiaoli waved his hand dismissively, his face brimming with pride, "It''s not like that. If the enemy could greatly distort our Perception, it truly would indicate their strength surpasses ours. However, the current Source Power Field actually has a minor effect on our Perception. It merely causes us to inadvertently overlook something."


    "For instance, the enemy has made us ignore one of the villas. No matter how many times we search and pass by that villa, we would overlook it as if it had no presence."


    "But, and pay attention to my ''but''..." Xiaoli ran to the side, broke off a branch, and gestured on the grass, "This kind of ignoring presence, it only works when it''s not being perceived. Once it becomes apparent for some reason, the distortion effect on Perception greatly weakens."


    "Like now, we have understood the principle of this Source Power Field, so its effect on us is negligible."


    With that, Xiaoli looked up, expecting praise.


    Tang Yu decisively ignored Xiaoli.


    He thought deeper.


    Was the Source Power Field here a result of some treasure, or was it man-made?


    If it were man-made, even if the effect of this Source Power Field were minor as Xiaoli said, it would still mean that the person behind the scenes had the necessary ''knowledge''.


    Between treasure and knowledge, which did he desire?


    Of course, he wanted to grab hold of both ends.


    Tang Yu was excited too.

 Chapter 251 - 248 Invisible Danger

    The Source Power Field that distorted perception, as Xiaoli said, was not advanced.


    Tang Yu had originally planned to sell the method for breaking the Source Power Field to the Security Bureau for a high price, but now looking into the distance, he saw Director Jin, whose hairline had receded, issuing orders methodically.


    "It seems that the Security Bureau has also discovered the crux of the problem."


    Tang Yu sighed with regret.


    In the distance, Director Jin, along with those members of the Ancestor Dragon Special Combat Team who had particularly caught his attention, were all sprinting toward a certain direction.


    The other ordinary members of the Security Team followed closely behind.


    Then, a dozen or so security guards from the villa area, with pained expressions, also caught up.


    Tang Yu''s six-person sightseeing team was entirely ignored.


    In fact, if the Security Bureau didn''t need to rely on Xing Ling''s Divination abilities, such a large-scale operation would never include outsiders.


    Now that the specific location had been confirmed, it wasn''t that Divination abilities were no longer needed, but rather that including Director Jin and Captain Lei among others, the main personnel couldn''t wait to rush to Villa Number Three, and the other ordinary members of the Security Team were completely unaware of Tang Yu and his group''s identities.


    Tang Yu was happy with this arrangement.


    The group landed behind the Security Bureau''s team and jogged for a while, then from a distance, they saw the members of the Security Bureau, armed with cold and firearms, surrounding the villa ahead.


    ...


    ...


    "This is the villa, Villa Number Three!" Director Jin gazed at the villa overgrown with lush vegetation in the garden, then turned to ask the Perception ability users from Ancestor Dragon, "How is it, have you discovered any anomalies?"


    One of the Perception ability users, a young ability user who had been overlooked because of his ordinary looks and lack of impressive achievements, revealed his uncontrollable excitement and agitation with a trembling voice:


    "There is no abnormality on the first floor, no abnormality on the second floor, but..." He stared at the villa, glancing slightly downward, his eyes blazing, "But there is definitely a problem with the basement of the villa!"


    "What kind of problem?" Director Jin casually continued the conversation.


    "Our perception was blocked."


    "And then?" Director Jin paused, then asked.


    The young ability user with no significant achievements also hesitated for a moment, "If we can''t perceive the specifics of the basement, it clearly indicates there is a problem, isn''t that obvious?"


    Director Jin''s mouth twitched with a slight chuckle.


    The Captain of the Ancestor Dragon team sighed helplessly and had to guide the conversation, "Besides being blocked from perceiving, are there any other findings? State in more detail what is blocking your perception."


    The young ability user scratched his head, "In our perception, the basement of the villa is like a giant void, we can''t see anything, it''s as if it''s being blocked by a massive gate. And if I have to say, erm, there''s a sense from the gaps in the door that makes our hearts palpitate, does that count as another finding?"


    The Captain of Ancestor Dragon didn''t want to continue the conversation with him, so he approached Director Jin, "It seems Mr. K is likely to be inside the villa, should we launch a direct assault?"


    Director Jin rubbed his temples, deep in thought.


    The experts sent by Ancestor Dragon were undoubtedly powerful. An assault would be the most direct and convenient method, but he refused.


    "Our movements have been so loud, if the person behind the scenes is in the villa, they must have noticed us. If they are still inside, there are two possibilities. One is, because of the Ancestor Dragon experts, the opponent isn''t confident in breaking through our encirclement."


    "The other possibility is that there is some kind of powerful weapon set up inside the villa. Since Mr. K has made us overlook this Villa Number Three inadvertently, the likelihood that there is a major weapon inside is quite high."


    Director Jin''s analysis gradually made the expressions of the Ancestor Dragon experts turn solemn.


    "However..." he shifted his tone, "inside the villa is Mr. K''s home ground, but outside, it is our territory. We are the ones with the advantage right now. Captain Lei, notify the City Defense Army, and ask them to send five artillery squads over here. As long as we level the villa to the ground, whatever has been arranged inside will be meaningless."


    "This is the most foolproof method."


    For safety''s sake, the encirclement was far from the villa, with even the experts from Ancestor Dragon keeping a distance of several tens of meters, their eyes sharply focused, quietly on guard.


    Five artillery squads were quickly called over.


    A few large-caliber cannons were set up over a kilometer away from villa number three to ensure that they wouldn''t be detected by the person pulling the strings behind the scenes.


    Soon, the cannons were aimed, and the ammunition was loaded.


    Everything was developing in the anticipated direction.


    The fat on Director Jin''s face, which had been taut, began to relax.


    Suddenly,


    the faces of two Ancestor Dragon team captains changed, and they shouted in unison, "Something is approaching, it''s very dangerous!"


    From the case on one of their backs, a dozen thin metal sheets, thin as cicada wings, whooshed out.


    The metal sheets spun around, flying out in a fan shape, and the sliced air left several white streaks that did not dissipate for a long time.


    However,


    the Metal Series Ability Captain frowned, "Invisibility? It doesn''t seem like it, what exactly is this thing?!"


    Several people concentrated, on guard, but then suddenly came screams from the outer perimeter, along with the staccato sound of gunfire.


    He whirled around to look, only to see some Security Bureau officers with blood-red eyes, seemingly having lost all reason, attacking their colleagues without hesitation.


    In an instant, the unprepared members of the Security Bureau suffered heavy casualties. As others came to their senses, facing their former comrades, some shouted, some hesitated¡­


    Some bit the bullet and decisively returned fire. Most targeted non-lethal parts, but with the physique of low-level Awakeners, being hit by bullets often did not bode well. Yet these crazed attackers seemed not to notice, like cultists launching suicide attacks.


    Director Jin''s eyes reddened. His gaze swept quickly around him but found nothing¡ªonly a chill lingering around him.


    ...


    Tang Yu led a six-person sightseeing group, still outside the encirclement.


    They were originally waiting for the Security Bureau''s next move, considering whether there was an opportunity to act, but then they saw, from a distance, members of the Security Bureau suddenly going mad.


    Without any warning.


    He couldn''t figure it out, but then, he also felt a gust of cold air drifting over from the front.


    Like lingering fine snow falling on the body, melting skin, bones, spirit, soul¡­ exceedingly dangerous.


    Tang Yu''s Source Power flowed within him, bursting out to dispel the fine snow drifting towards him and bring some warmth. However, his Source Power poured out like a completely open water tap.


    Just in time, Xing Ling Xing Yue moved in front of him, raising a barrier filled with starlight, and then Tang Yu sensed the fatal sense of danger gradually fading away. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking again, among the Security Team members caught in pursuit and being pursued, more and more were getting their eyes turning blood red, joining the ranks of the pursuers.


    Meanwhile, the two Ancestor Dragon team captains had unleashed the aura of Eighth Layer Awakeners, but faced with such a strange assault, even bombarding their surroundings leaving them pocked and cratered, did nothing to help.


    In Tang Yu''s field of vision, a Captain of the Security Bureau with Fifth Tier strength suddenly clutched his head, his face''s veins twisting like writhing snakes, looking ferocious. In just a few seconds, the Captain lifted his head, eyes now blood red.


    "Psychic attack? Mind control ability?"


    He could sense the danger in the air and resist it, but if not for the high security level of his touring group, they might not last long.


    This wasn''t an invisible enemy, nor a ghost without a physical form¡­ Somewhere in the distance, a Fire Series Ability User bombarded wildly for a long while and still did not seem to hit anything.


    Tang Yu frowned.


    But it didn''t matter that he couldn''t figure it out. He turned to look at his followers; among them, Xing Ling should be the most knowledgeable, Shay the most experienced, and Xiaoli the best at dealing with mental aspects¡­


    All in all, besides him, the others in his company likely had their own views on this peculiar danger.

 Chapter 252 - 249: Curse

    Shay stared at the villa in the distance and said in a deep voice, "Once I was hired to join an adventure team... uh, a Tomb Raider Team, that''s when I encountered a similar situation. We were walking through a cold and damp underground passage when, suddenly, someone went insane, and more and more followed suit. In the end, less than one-fifth of us escaped from the tomb."


    "After careful consideration, I concluded that this was likely the work of some kind of curse, or it could be perceived as the influence of some intangible organisms."


    "I can understand curses, but organisms..." Tang Yu raised an eyebrow.


    He didn''t say it, but Shay understood, "Not invisible creatures, but more like... like microorganisms, bacteria, parasites! There are countless of them, impossible to kill them all, and they continue to spread, covering the surrounding area."


    Tang Yu suddenly realized and looked again in the distance at the Awakeners from the Ancestor Dragon, forming a battle array and desperately bombarding the outside, but to no effect. Whether it was due to panic or excessive exhaustion, beads of sweat dripped down the backs of these experts.


    For a moment, he felt a chill run down his spine.


    He channeled the Source Power inside his body, gathering it at the location of his eyes.


    He closed his eyes, waited a second or two, and opened them again.


    His pupils were now covered with a layer of dark red. In this state, his eyes could see much more.


    His gaze fell on Xing Ling, whose body''s Source Power was evenly distributed, appearing light blue, but her hands were drawing together more Source Power, becoming a deeper shade of blue, reaching an ordinary blue.


    Turning back to the distant sky, it was a brilliant blue, with light blue, almost white Source Qi everywhere, darker in some places and slightly lighter in others.


    However, near villa number three, continuing to the area where he was, his vision was marred by a disturbing light red.


    The Awakeners from the Security Bureau and Ancestor Dragon in the distance seemed to be struggling in terrifying bloodied waters.


    Their attacks were not completely ineffective, but fire could possibly evaporate a small part of the sea. Still, it was powerless to turn the entire sea to dry land.


    One second they would blow away some ''bacteria,'' and the next, the surrounding area would be quickly refilled by the spreading ''bacteria.''


    At first, Tang Yu''s burst of Source Power had driven away the chill because the ''bacteria'' were very fragile, and his Source Power, like a raging furnace, burned all the surrounding bacteria to death in an instant.


    However, this consumed a significant amount of power. Recalling the experiences learned from the Demon Swordsmen lineage, Tang Yu let his Source Power flow throughout his body, then through his pores, forming a layer of Source Power silk over his body.


    Although the protective ability was weak, it was just enough to eliminate the approaching ''bacteria,'' and the cost was much lower than that of a pure Source Power outburst.


    Xing Ling and Xing Yue also put away their high-consumption defense barriers and, like him, formed a silk layer of Source Power outside their bodies. Among them, Boss Carmen, who possessed no Special Abilities and had very little total Source Power, activated his body''s energy and circulated it rapidly, making it impossible for the ''bacteria'' to invade his body.


    Shay continued, "This curse isn''t much of a threat to Advanced Awakeners. Once the life level is sufficiently high, even doing nothing, the ''bacteria'' cannot invade the body. But for ordinary Awakeners, the threat is significant, especially since the curse is still spreading."


    "The most direct solution is to cut off the source, or through containment measures, to dissipate the curse."


    The source was undoubtedly inside villa number three.


    Tang Yu looked toward Xing Ling, who currently held a swinging pendant in her hand.


    Xing Ling''s expression was grave as she shook her head, "The Divination results indicate there''s danger inside the villa, and the level of danger is not low."


    Rushing in recklessly would be unwise.


    Tang Yu looked towards the front left.


    At that moment,


    The experts of the Ancestor Dragon Special Combat Team in the distance also realized their situation was deteriorating. They ceased their attacks in all directions, and while they unleashed a burst of Source Power to protect themselves, they quickly moved away from Villa No. 3.


    Among the expert team, the minority who were not ability users¡ªthe Awakeners who could not unleash Source Power¡ªwere now infected by ''bacteria.'' Bereft of their senses, they were knocked unconscious by their prepared comrades, hoisted onto shoulders, and carried away for evacuation.


    The loss was not significant for the high-ranking officials from the Security Bureau and the expert team of the Ancestor Dragon.


    However, the regular members of the outer Security Bureau had suffered heavy casualties by this time. Even the few Awakeners with ''high resistance'' who were still able to maintain their sanity could not withstand the frenzied attacks from their former colleagues.


    Their wounds weakened their mental defenses, and before long, they too could not resist the infection. Their eyes turned bright red, and they staggered to their feet.


    All he could see through his dark red eyes was the strange curse power spreading to a distance of about a thousand meters from Villa No. 3 before it stopped expanding.


    Yet within this range, not just the Awakeners of the Security Bureau, but also many residential inhabitants, had gone mad with crimson eyes, charging out of the apartment buildings like a horde of demons dancing chaotically.


    If Tang Yu hadn''t known that ''bacteria'' was just a metaphor and that these people were actually affected by an enigmatic force, he might truly believe that a real-life biohazard crisis had erupted.


    Huffing and puffing¡ª


    The experts from the Security Bureau and the Ancestor Dragon had retreated to their vicinity. This time, Tang Yu didn''t negotiate the price first but directly shared their analysis with the people from the Security Bureau.


    "Curse? Bacteria? Erosion?" Director Jin''s brows furrowed into tight knots. "The artillery squad has been out of contact and hasn''t responded. They must have been infected. Otherwise, they would''ve leveled the villa by now."


    "Leveled it? If only it were that easy to deal with," Shay sneered. While speaking, he pulled out the long, staff-like weapon from his back, and with a series of clicks and transformations, it became a shoulder-fired cannon over two meters long with a muzzle big enough to fit a basketball. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The cannon tilted upward, and a crimson ball of molten lava erupted from it. It burst at the apex of its ascent, and small particles fell from the sky, tracing red arcs like a meteor shower.


    Boom.


    Flames surged to the sky, and the sound of violent explosions echoed.


    The entire villa shattered to pieces, and half-burnt fragments with dark smoke tails flew in all directions.


    With just one strike, Villa No. 3 was blasted into nothing more than ruins and rubble.


    Whether it was Director Jin or other Ancestor Dragon experts, they all stared dumbfounded at Shay... and the smoking cannon in his hands.


    The Ancestor Dragon experts had thought about destroying the villa, but they had not known how to break the mysterious curse. Long-range bombardment was beyond their ability users'' reach since Source Power weakened significantly over a certain distance.


    Yet an Awakener from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall had demolished the entire structure with one shot.


    The power was far stronger than the firepower Director Jin had prepared with five artillery squads.


    They were left speechless, their eyes on Tang Yu and the others filled with both excitement and embarrassment... If not for the dangerous situation that had occurred, and their coincidental approach in this direction, they would have long forgotten the Awakeners from Extreme Martial Arts Hall.


    But now it was the people from Extreme Martial Arts Hall who had informed them of the solution to the crisis and also they who had leveled the villa.


    An Ancestor Dragon ability user who was barely holding on let out a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness, the curse should dissipate now, right? Wait, why is the curse still¡ª"


    As he spoke, veins protruded from his forehead, and blood began to seep into the whites of his eyes. It was due to his insufficient Source Power and relaxing too early that he was suddenly invaded by the curse.

 Chapter 253 - 250 Item Number 003

    The next moment, the Awakener about to go mad was knocked out with a hand chop.


    Shay pointed at the black smoke dispersing over the villa ruins.


    There,


    even though the first and second floors of the villa were blown into ashes, the ground floor was covered with a layer of ink-black gauze, and the ground floor, including the basement, remained intact.


    "I was saying it wasn''t that simple. Even if we could break through that thin veil, the enemy hasn''t shown up yet. In this cursed environment, we''d also have to divide our attention to resist mentally. If we were to fight the enemy under these circumstances, the situation would be quite dire."


    Shay fired several more shells, stirring up clouds of dust. However, the gauze layer remained.


    Several ability users from Ancestor Dragon struggled to maintain safety using their Source Qi; upon hearing Shay''s words, they all twitched.


    Shay was still able to effortlessly fire Source Power-infused shells without showing signs of mental strain.


    Including others from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, except for the muscular man with brown short hair, everyone else appeared relaxed, almost to the point of sitting down to drink tea!


    ...


    ...


    Before long, Security Bureau and Ancestor Dragon''s expert team had withdrawn from the curse range.


    Including Tang Yu''s group of six sightseers, only about twenty people¡ªawakeners¡ªhad managed to retreat from the cursed area.


    And the other Awakeners, who had been cursed, their eyes red, no longer attacked madly in the absence of normal people. They did not rush out of the cursed area but wandered aimlessly within it.


    Minutes later, the northern part of Lanxing Community had already been surrounded by Awakeners from Ancestor Dragon and the City Defense Army.


    These Awakeners, worried about the curse spreading further, stayed far away, fully armed and wearing protective gear like gas masks etc., even though many knew this provided only psychological comfort.


    Many community residents were evacuated, among them not a few naked men and women wrapped in blankets, faces full of anger, yet under the stern expressions of Luoxia official Awakeners, they reluctantly continued to leave wrapped in blankets.


    This group of people was not in the minority among the evacuated residents.


    Shay glanced over and said with experience, "Awakeners still in their houses during the day are either planning to get up to mischief or are actually getting up to mischief."


    Tang Yu wanted to retort, couldn''t they just be reading novels, playing games, sleeping, or at worst, watching adult movies? Why partake in strenuous activities in such hot weather?


    But he kept quiet since he was, after all, so pure.


    ...


    Tang Yu''s six-person sightseeing group wasn''t disbanded; instead, they were now elevated to a six-person advisory team.


    Director Jin had upped the price, specifically asking them to stay.


    At that time, Director Jin along with the City Defense Army and Ancestor Dragon''s commander approached. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, which repeatedly raised his internal estimate, Director Jin spoke with a touch of respect:


    "Hall Master Tang, does that mean the area is encompassed in a curse, and even the attacks from ability users have minimal impact on that cursed area, unless they possess special abilities with ''Purification'' or ''Clearing'' powers?"


    "Purifying the curse is the most direct and effective solution," Tang Yu said smilingly, "In fact, Director Jin, you have another option, like paying us. How can you solve problems without money? Of course, our martial hall is a small business; dealing with this curse Source Power Field requires considerable costs. The hiring price..."


    "Cough, cough¡ª"


    Director Jin promptly waved his hands.


    He was already prepared for significant expenditure in seeking a solution, yet under Xing Ling''s cutthroat bargaining, it was still immensely painful.


    Now, hearing Tang Yu''s suggestion while seeing Xing Ling not far away, cold sweat formed on his forehead.


    "For this cursed area, we have our own solution, so we won''t trouble Hall Master Tang."


    ...


    Tang Yu watched Director Jin''s confident demeanor with some doubt.


    "Do they have Awakeners with purifying power? Even so, purifying such a large area is challenging... well, if Luoxia officials can solve it, that''s good news."


    The price Luoxia officials had paid this time was indeed substantial. Converted to a specific magnitude, those hundreds of large-scale mercenary corps would need to complete three to five major tasks to earn this much.


    For now, the blueprints he possessed included some minerals that were either not found in Lindong or were quite scarce; he had gotten a lot from this deal, and short-term, hmm, without new advanced blueprints available, he reckoned he wouldn''t be short of Transcendent Minerals.


    What''s more crucial was that Luoxia was unlikely to offer a higher price, and some genuinely confidential information and items belonging to the Sanctuary were basically unlikely to be disclosed to him...


    Tang Yu contemplated, growing more cautious of that individual or group hiding behind the scenes.


    Sometimes he wondered, Luoxia officials obviously didn''t understand Source Power or runes well, yet the people behind the scenes understood more and were probably stronger.


    "Could they also be system owners, like with a murder system or something? It doesn''t seem plausible; more likely, they acquired some legacy from a Secret Realm, or..."


    Tang Yu''s gaze drifted to the side.


    Director Jin and other senior officials were looking at a palm-sized wooden box held by a super-strong Awakener, their expressions solemn, yet vaguely filled with anticipation.


    They were not far away.


    Tang Yu took a few steps closer and listened intently.


    "Is this item number 003? Obtained from that Secret Realm."


    "I''ve never seen any item with a number in the top three..."


    "It''s said that this item has no offensive power, but just being near it can make one feel calm, and some negative states will also be dispelled. There should be no problem solving this curse..."


    The conversation of Director Jin and others wasn''t highly guarded, and Tang Yu heard it clearly.


    He became even more curious about that item number 003.


    Soon, Director Jin and others reached the edge of the cursed area, the Awakener holding the wooden box under the watchful eyes of others, turned the switch, and opened the lid.


    The box, made from special materials capable of sealing energy, unleashed a hazy golden light as the lid was opened.


    A gold-colored droplet, resembling a water droplet, hung inside the box.


    "I''m starting now." The Awakener holding the box glanced around at the high-level officials and spoke solemnly.


    He channeled his matching Source Power through the box into the gold-colored droplet.


    Instantly, the golden light intensified.

 Chapter 254 - 251: Not Artificial Leather (3rd Update!)

    Tang Yu closed his eyes and then opened them, his pupils turning a dark red.


    In his field of vision, a magnificent energy burst forth from the golden droplet.


    Red, representing curse power, melted swiftly like snow under the scorching sun.


    Although Director Jin and others could not see it, they still sensed that the dangerous aura in front of them was dissipating rapidly. The Ancestor Dragon''s Perception ability users also confirmed that the curse Source Power Field was nearly dissipated under the radiance of the golden light.


    They finally took a long breath, exchanged glances, and smiled.


    Standing not far away, Tang Yu, who witnessed this scene, also smiled, a smile filled with heartache.


    Although it was his first time seeing this droplet-like object, with Lord Tang''s current expertise, he recognized at a glance, that it was a treasure, not man-made but a naturally occurring one.


    In other words, it was an extremely precious material.


    Even without processing, it could produce powerful effects.


    And now, this precious material, forcibly activated by Luoxia''s official ability users, indeed purified the curse ahead but at the same time, consumed about one-fifth of the treasure''s power.


    How Tang Yu''s heart ached!


    He did not possess such naturally occurring treasures. If this golden droplet had been in his possession, using it as the main material, he could completely create an extraordinary Holy Light Series weapon.


    It could fully harness the power of the golden droplet and utilize it better, forming a recurring system, not reducing its power by one-fifth like Luoxia did.


    ''If Luoxia could use this golden droplet as a bargaining chip and let it be activated a few more times, that would also be fine!''


    Tang Yu''s inner voice screamed in frenzy, albeit he also heard that this item, numbered 003, was of utmost importance to Luoxia.


    Even some of Luoxia''s high-level officials had only heard of it and never seen it, unless the Sanctuary was at a true life-or-death moment, Luoxia''s officials would never pay such a great price.


    The activation of this treasure drained a substantial amount of Source Power from the capable ability user in an instant.


    He slowly closed the lid, twisted the switch again, and sealed the box.


    Then, he stretched out his hand and handed it to a high official responsible for its custody.


    Pfft¡ª


    The ability user who activated the golden droplet had his hands on the wooden box extended halfway when his chest was suddenly pierced. A slightly pale hand emerged from his chest, holding a bloody heart in its palm.


    "I¡­"


    He uttered his last murmur as the pale hand crushed his heart into dust.


    This all happened so suddenly that by the time Director Jin and others reacted, the ability user had already collapsed face-down, and the wooden box fell into the slightly pale hand.


    "Vice Director Lu, what are you doing!"


    Director Jin shouted loudly, looking at the owner of the pale hand.


    Also a Vice Director of the Security Bureau.


    During Director Jin''s loud shouting, he bent down and pounced like a Cheetah, with a speed disproportionate to his size, throwing a punch towards Vice Director Lu, his other hand reaching for the wooden box.


    Other Ancestor Dragon Experts also reacted swiftly, striking simultaneously.


    Despite the numerous aggressive attacks, Vice Director Lu''s face showed no sign of panic. He continued to look down at the wooden box in his hands until Director Jin''s fist was near, only then did he disdainfully glance and lazily swung his hand.


    Director Jin''s expression drastically changed, his swinging fist and other hand crossed in front of him.


    Crack,


    a sound like a bone breaking.


    Director Jin''s arms twisted to varying degrees, and his body was knocked far back. If that slap had landed on his chest or head, it wasn''t hard to imagine that even severe injuries would be on the lighter side.


    Other Ancestor Dragon Awakeners who struck at the same time also spat blood and were sent flying.


    The one with the worst luck, who also didn''t react in time, an Sixth Layer Awakener, had his forehead crushed by the slightly pale hand, bursting open like a watermelon.


    Powerful!


    Terrifying!


    No one expected the man they only saw as a Sixth Layer Awakener, Vice Director Lu, to have hidden his strength so deeply.


    Lying on the ground, his face twisted in pain, Director Jin clenched his fists.


    Other uninjured Ancestor Dragon Experts, along with several commanders of the City Defense Army, all had solemn expressions.


    Sparks scattered.


    Breathing out frost.


    Screeching thunder.


    Gravity, air, metal...


    Most of the experts present were ability users, and for a moment, the wild energy surged towards Vice Director Lu.


    Boom~


    The ground was bombed into a dent.


    The wild energy formed a hurricane, blowing everyone''s hair into disarray. However, their expressions remained unchanged, focused on the smoke-covered battlefield in the center. They continued to output for a while before they stopped.


    "Should be... resolved now, right?"


    As the dust gradually dispersed, the figure still standing in the central crater was revealed.


    Vice Director Lu''s half head was bleeding, and his limbs were also blown into a mess of flesh and blood.


    Seeing this scene, although surprised that he could still survive under their fierce bombardment, they also breathed a sigh of relief.


    After all, it seemed that although Vice Director Lu was not dead, he was seriously injured.


    ... S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vice Director Lu looked up, scanning his surroundings. An eye socket that had lost an eyeball appeared somewhat unsettling.


    Yet, he did not scream. Aside from the bloody face, his expression did not even change.


    "This skin is indeed fragile."


    Vice Director Lu muttered to himself, then suddenly a pale hand reached to his head.


    Rip¡ª


    It sounded somewhat like fabric tearing but not quite the same.


    His head, his body... the layer of skin on top was being torn off.


    Torn off...


    Seeing this scene, Director Jin suddenly realized.


    It was not that Vice Director Lu had betrayed them; he had known Vice Director Lu before the apocalypse, but the person before him was not Vice Director Lu at all. To be exact, it was a demon wearing Vice Director Lu''s skin!


    The skin-torn Vice Director... or rather, the demon, now had only a black skeleton body left. He manipulated his body, his jawbone moving up and down, making a hoarse sound:


    "Without this binding, it really feels more comfortable, tsk, tsk, tsk..."


    Bang!


    The black skeletal body disappeared entirely, and in the next moment, appeared in front of an Awakener.


    This Awakener was powerful, commanding countless elites who had joined the Ancestor Dragon, but at that moment, faced with the black skeleton, he could only shrink his pupils, his body, unable to react promptly, was pierced through the chest by several black finger bones.


    The black skeleton shook his head, seemingly disappointed, "Humans are indeed weak, too weak..."


    He turned his head and saw Tang Yu and others standing far away, flames burning in his eye sockets, "However, there are a few pesky little bugs."


    The black skeleton no longer paid attention to the Awakener beside him, instead, he turned and rushed towards Tang Yu.


    His dark finger bones were wrapped with black energy.


    A hand that had grown several times larger, with a deadly threat, covered Tang Yu and his companions.


    In the distance, Luoxia official experts were shocked.


    They knew why the black skeleton chose to attack the people from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall first.


    Whether it was the location of Villa Number Three or the method to solve the cursed area, it was all proposed by people from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, and in the eyes of the black skeleton, they should be prioritized.


    Luoxia''s experts also understood.


    They knew that they could not let the black skeleton succeed, and several of the most powerful Awakeners immediately gave chase.


    However, to their despair, whether in reaction or speed, they were far behind.


    By the time they moved to rescue, the giant black hand had already slammed down directly towards the people of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall.


    In an instant, the faces of Luoxia''s most powerful Awakeners changed dramatically.


    "We''re in trouble!"

 Chapter 255 - 252: The Villain Dies from Showing Off

    From the finger bones, a huge black hand extended, the concentration of its Source Power shocked people to the core.


    Compared to the casual manner in which the Black Skeleton had killed the Ancestor Dragon Awakener just moments before, now, it seemed even more serious. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it weren''t for the few from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, the hiding place of their race would never have been discovered.


    But the Black Skeleton was not worried at all, in fact, it seemed on the verge of laughter.


    "Merely weak humans, who don''t deserve to force us into hiding, watch, with just a slap of my hand, I can wipe them out."


    Boom!!!


    A loud thunderclap shook the ground.


    The fastest and strongest among the Luoxia Awakeners were furious, each attacking the Black Skeleton, but the Black Skeleton easily blocked them with a backhanded gesture.


    Director Jin struggled to his feet and looked over to the place where Tang Yu and his friends had been standing. The ground had collapsed, and the dispersing black energy swirled chaotically, sizzling as it turned a large area of stone slabs to dust.


    The power left them terrified.


    Their expressions grew somber.


    "Wait..."


    Director Jin suddenly noticed a flash of orange-glow cutting through the dark chaotic streams.


    Sizzle, sizzle¡ª


    The black chaotic streams gradually dissipated.


    A man with brown short hair, wielding a broadsword, was half-kneeling, grasping the hilt of his sword, angled upwards.


    The brown-haired man''s hair stood on end, and circles of orange aura erupted from him like a coat of orange-glow was painted on his whole being.


    Director Jin''s eyes bulged.


    The brown-haired man, having blocked that terrifying giant hand, was unscathed... at most, his hair had just become frizzy.


    Even the other members of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall behind him were all safe and sound.


    The other Luoxia experts also breathed a sigh of relief.


    They saw the brown-haired man slowly stand up, his majestic aura rolling towards them like a surging tide.


    "Awakening Ninth Layer!"


    Someone exclaimed.


    Such a level of life surpassed everyone present.


    The strongest of the Luoxia experts, being closest, felt it most acutely and had complex expressions on their faces.


    They knew well that even if they possessed the strength of the Ninth Layer of Awakening, they likely wouldn''t last more than a few moves against the Black Skeleton, yet the Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s brown-haired expert managed to protect all his comrades single-handedly.


    The disparity between them was as vast as the gap between them and ordinary Awakeners.


    Along with their shared astonishment, they also sighed in relief.


    Looking towards the Black Skeleton, their fighting spirit burned fiercely.


    ...


    ...


    The Black Skeleton''s head turned a hundred and eighty degrees, and even though one couldn''t tell expressions from a skeleton''s head, one could deduce that if it had an expression, it would be ''astonished.''


    Its jawbone moved up and down, "Ninth Layer? Seems like he knows a thing or two about the use of strength, a bit better than those Battle Qi scraps over there, but... still too weak!"


    The Soul Fire in the Black Skeleton''s eye sockets flared up, and an aura many times stronger than that of Boss Carmen erupted like a volcanic explosion, instantly enveloping the entire city.


    The aura was so tangible it whipped up a hurricane.


    The closest Awakener masters felt as if a heavy object had suddenly struck their chests, unable to withstand the pressure, their expressions changed over and over, and their feet were pushed backward by the force.


    Director Jin and others who had been injured, just regaining a fraction of their fighting spirit, now clenched their fists in front of their chests, their teeth involuntarily chattering, eyes fixated on the Black Skeleton at the center of the storm, filling with bloodlust.


    Farther away.


    The detached villas, row houses, and even the tall residential buildings close to the villa area, where residents had already been evacuated...


    Ping, pop, clatter¡ª


    Glass windows shattered, and objects placed on the windowsills were blown into disarray.


    Among those residents forced to evacuate by the City Defense Army were many Awakeners with formidable strength. They were annoyed by the attitude of the City Defense Army and their unexplained actions. However, now these more powerful Awakeners, with their sharper Perception, all looked up in the same direction.


    Their faces were ashen.


    Equally pale were the Ancestor Dragon Awakeners, who were ready to be the main force in the siege against Mr. K in this case. But their powerful wills forced them to withstand this momentum: even if their faces were pale, even if blood seeped from the corners of their mouths, even if their feet dragged deep grooves into the ground...


    But they could not retreat any further!


    ...


    ...


    The six-person advisory team confronted the Black Skull.


    Tang Yu''s face was also somewhat pale. Had it not been for Boss Carmen standing directly in front of him, blocking the brunt of the oncoming breath and momentum, he, with only Fifth Tier Awakening and a qualitative difference in life level, would probably be in worse shape than the Ancestor Dragon Awakeners and people like Director Jin.


    At this moment, Xing Yue stood behind him. Shay had drawn her weapon. Even Xiaoli had a solemn expression, focusing intently on the enemy not far away.


    "Hu~"


    Tang Yu exhaled a breath of turbid air, "twelfth layer Awakening."


    The Black Skull opposite him was almost at the pinnacle of the Awakening Tier. Beyond that lay Thirteen Layer Perfection and the Half-step Transcendent, a step out of the mundane.


    He admitted that this Black Skull was strong.


    He also cleared the doubts in his heart¡ªthe mastermind behind the case could evade Xing Ling''s divinations, had incredible powers, and possessed strength beyond imagination, because this being was not the human Awakener he had imagined at all!


    Yet, you damn creature, you''re not even as good as the original Zuofo. What kind of presence are you putting on, what arrogance are you pretending?


    He, Lord Tang, was about to demonstrate with facts that villains often die from their pretense.


    Boss Carmen was the first to charge out. His hands tightly gripped his Broadsword, wrapped in orange Battle Qi, slashing towards the Black Skull.


    Boom!


    The broadsword was blocked by the Black Skull''s finger bones. The Black arm bones bent slightly, and a circle of shockwaves erupted from the center point.


    At the same time, Shay switched her multi-functional personal weapon to sniper mode, and a genuine Consuming Crystal bullet, inscribed with multiple Advanced runes, spiraled towards the Black Skull''s eye sockets.


    The Black Skull was about to counterattack.


    Suddenly, his surroundings changed drastically¡ªthe whole... environment around him became dazzling, as if surrounded by many little suns, causing his soul, unaccustomed to pain for who knows how long, to feel as if it was being burned, suffering from bursts of piercing pain.


    The Skeleton paused, the Soul Fire in its eye sockets flickered wildly, and the blinding white light in its vision immediately dissipated, revealing the brown-haired man with the broadsword in front of it.


    "You..."


    Black energy surfaced around him, flowing from the skull down to the arm bones, and finally, twining around the finger bones, transforming into a black ghost claw intending to blast Carmen away.


    However, on his left and right sides, as if from nowhere, appeared two figures clad in full-body armor with helmets on¡ªsilver-white Warriors... no, not warriors, but two Warrior Puppets.


    The Black Skull was a Skeleton with knowledge. He quickly recognized them, but it was of no use. The two Super Soldier Puppets, one on each side, took hold of him.


    A Star Light Array appeared under his feet. Points of starlight climbed up his legs, making his movements somewhat sluggish.


    Under the various effects, the Black Skull''s arm struggled, but for a moment, it could not break free.


    Boom!


    The rune bullet, inscribed with a complex pattern, shot into the Black Skull''s empty eye sockets.


    The Consuming Crystal bullet, containing Shay''s Source Power, along with Blast, Armor-breaking Rune, and Thunderbolt Rune capabilities, exploded in an instant.


    Bright red fire and violent thunder erupted from the Skull, blowing the top of the skull open, scattering black fragments everywhere.


    The Soul Fire in the eye sockets also went out.


    Tang Yu, with his arms folded, shook his head and sighed, "That fragile? I haven''t even made a move yet."

 Chapter 256 - 253 When in Doubt, Consult an Advisor

    It was late to react, but everything happened in a flash.


    The Black Skull, which seemed to have been around for a while, keeled over in less than a minute.


    From the eruption of its aura, it was even less than a brief instant.


    The experts from Luoxia hadn''t even had time to react, their perceptions still caught in the moment right after they had been overwhelmed by the terrifying presence.


    It wasn''t until they saw the Black Skull''s entire cranium flip open that someone blinked.


    From astonishment, rage, delight, shock, and horror to now, their emotions had been on a rollercoaster ride¡ªdamn exhilarating!


    Now, hearing Tang Yu''s sigh, some Awakeners started to come around and carefully recalled the battle just fought.


    ¡ªEven though it had happened so suddenly, some of the Seventh or Eighth Layer powerhouses present still captured pieces of the scene; it was just that their minds and bodies couldn''t keep up.


    After a moment of reflection, it seemed, perhaps, probably...


    From the moment the Black Skeleton burst forth with energy, the Hall Master from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall didn''t so much as lift a finger, not even his standing position changed.


    As if a gentle breeze was passing by!


    Filled with absolute confidence!


    In contrast, they felt a wave of shame for the panic they had previously felt.


    The Commander of the City Defense Army and several captains from the Ancestor Dragon considered whether they should send their elite subordinates to train at the Extreme Martial Arts Hall.


    ...


    ...


    Villa Number Three, the basement.


    Despite Shay having blasted most of the villa to bits and pieces, this basement hadn''t been affected in the slightest.


    Five figures focused intently, staring at the Rune Array before them.


    Suddenly, one of them looked up, "Gu Yi is dead."


    "Let him die. That fool Gu Yi had been warned not to underestimate humans." The youth-like figure standing in front of the Rune Array spoke with indifference, "But I didn''t expect those humans would actually be able to find us."


    "Leader Gu Tian, what do we do now? Do we strike first?"


    Gu Tian shook his head, "No, the Rune Array will soon be complete, and the passage belonging to our clan will open shortly. What we need to do now is to guard this altar and not let the humans have a chance to destroy it. The rest is just to patiently wait for the elder''s arrival."


    As the leader of the Skeleton Clan''s vanguard, his words carried fervor and confidence.


    If they couldn''t protect the altar during this brief period before the elder''s arrival, then Gu Tian''s reputation as the number one below the Transcendent within the Skeleton Clan would be utterly wasted.


    ...


    ...


    Outside Villa Number Three.


    Director Jin, along with experts from two other departments, came forward to express their gratitude to Tang Yu.


    Even though there was an element of transaction involved, without the master from Extreme Martial Arts Hall, the deaths on their side would have been more than tenfold, exaggeratingly speaking, the entire Sanctuary could have suffered significant damage.


    "I didn''t expect Mr. K to not be human after all. What is it exactly? A higher-level Demonized Beast? But even City Destruction Level Demonized Beasts have never been heard to speak, let alone possess the intelligence to hide amongst humans."


    Many Awakeners from Luoxia frowned.


    Tang Yu''s expression didn''t relax at all. He clearly remembered the Divination from Xing Ling that indicated a significant danger inside the villa.


    This meant that ''Mr. K'' wasn''t just the Skeleton in the disguise of Vice Director Lu, or perhaps, Mr. K wasn''t just one entity.


    The real mastermind was likely inside the basement of the villa.


    At this point,


    Hum¡ª


    An invisible ripple emanated from Villa No. 3, spreading outward.


    Surrounding Awakeners that had gone mad from the curse and some surviving residents, after being purified by the Item 003''s golden droplets, saw the red glow fade from their eyes as they collapsed to the ground with a thud.


    At this moment, several Awakeners from the City Defense Army were carrying the unconscious people outside for treatment.


    When the invisible ripple spread out, Tang Yu frowned, feeling somewhat uneasy. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, those weaker Awakeners became pale and their expressions pained.


    And those Awakeners who were already unconscious, their faces twisted, bodies trembling unconsciously a few times before they lay still, silent in death.


    "Their souls have been absorbed," Xing Yue approached Tang Yu, biting her lip as she spoke.


    Tang Yu was stunned, opening his dark red eyes, only to see that from within those unconscious Awakeners, a light spot containing spirit floated out of their bodies, flying towards Villa No. 3.


    He looked around and realized this seemed to be affecting an area.


    Some unconscious Awakeners being carried away, those further from Villa No. 3, did not exhibit this phenomenon, but those within approximately five hundred meters of the villa, the originally cursed Awakeners, had their lives taken away at that moment.


    With a bad premonition in his heart, Tang Yu was unable to stop what was happening. He watched as one after another, the spirit-like points of light entered the ground beneath Villa No. 3.


    In an instant,


    The surrounding Source Qi began to converge crazily towards Villa No. 3, forming a vortex in mid-air, like a funnel pouring down towards the position of the basement.


    Tang Yu looked on, discovering that the layer of pitch-black veil that had previously covered the first floor of the villa had vanished without a trace.


    Boom!


    A surge of energy exploded, sending fragments of the house and soil flying into the air before they fell back down like raindrops.


    The entire location where Villa No. 3 stood had become a huge pit, with some scattered remains of the destroyed villa buried within. At the center of the pit, an area with a diameter of about five meters, along with five figures nearby, remained undamaged.


    Within the circular area, intricate, mysterious patterns that would ensnare anyone who glanced at them were engraved.


    "...That is, a Rune Array!" Tang Yu, with his vast knowledge, recognized it at a glance.


    At this moment, the entire Rune Array emitted a dense red glow, almost forming a pillar of light.


    Visible to the naked eye, the space near the red pillar of light was twisted.


    Countless black lightnings flickered in and out of existence.


    Near the circular altar on the ground, a hideous dark red color began to spread, accompanied by dense black cracks.


    In this brief moment, the heavens and the earth seemed to change color, and in the light of the evening glow, this scene resembled the onset of an apocalyptic disaster.


    ...Even though it was already the apocalypse.


    Director Jin swallowed hard.


    He found that today''s experiences were even more heart-stopping than those of the apocalypse two months ago.


    That red pillar of light, and the twisted space, set his eyelids twitching, a sense of extreme danger and terror looming over him.


    If not handled properly, the entire Sanctuary might suffer a catastrophic disaster.


    However, Director Jin didn''t dare to issue any orders carelessly. The current scene was completely beyond his understanding.


    He turned his head to look at the Commander of the City Defense Army, and the Captain of the Ancestor Dragon''s special operations team.


    Upon exchanging glances, they reached a decision.


    Indeed... it was best to consult the opinion of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall first.

 Chapter 257 - 254: The Reward Must Not Be Less

    Tang Yu pondered for two seconds, "From what we can see now, it seems that a dimensional portal is about to be opened."


    Director Jin and the others were still eagerly awaiting further explanation.


    The current situation easily led them to think of dimensions and summoning, but what they wanted to know more was how to stop all this.


    Indeed, Great Advisor Tang did not disappoint them and then pointed to the distorted space that looked like a funhouse mirror and said, "We can''t affect the space, at least not now. Do you see the altar below inscribed with complex patterns? That is the source of the power forming the dimensional portal. As long as the altar is destroyed..."


    "However," Tang Yu stroked his chin and thought, "as it stands, directly destroying the altar is extremely difficult."


    When the Rune Array was activated, a massive explosion of Source Energy blasted a huge pit at the location of Villa Number Three. Even Shay, who was skilled in explosions, might not have been able to do that if she struck with all her might.


    Yet, the altar remained completely undamaged.


    Director Jin and the others also realized this, and cold sweat rolled down their foreheads.


    They then heard Tang Yu continue, "Instead of destroying the altar, it might be better to rewrite the rune array on it. The rune array that opens the dimensional portal is very complex. By changing any of its nodes and causing an error, the entire space channel that is forming will directly collapse."


    "But there is one prerequisite, and that is that we, must be able to reach the altar."


    Tang Yu''s gaze fell on the five expressionless figures beside the altar.


    Those people, men and women, old and young, emitted an aura that wasn''t strong; they looked just like ordinary survivors.


    The people present looked in the direction of the figures, their expressions grave, and in many eyes, there was a reflection of fear.


    ...


    Clearly, the figures had already spotted them but paid no heed, just quietly standing beside the altar. However, Director Jin and the others knew very well that if anyone dared to take a step closer, those skeletons clad in human skin would not hesitate to strike.


    Right now, the opponents were just focusing all their attention on the dimensional portal that was about to form, so they weren''t hurrying to take action against them.


    Thinking this, Director Jin and the others grew even more anxious.


    They wanted to rush forward, but they knew in their hearts that if those terrifying black skeletons were as numerous as five, they would definitely not be able to get close.


    They dared not act rashly.


    It wasn''t because they were afraid, even though many people had felt panicked when facing the black skeletons, but more because they thought... rushing forward and getting killed by the black skeletons would serve no purpose. Only by working with the personnel of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, fighting for them to seize an opportunity, would there be a slim possibility.


    Director Jin watched Tang Yu and his calm associates, stamping his feet in urgency.


    He turned around on the spot a few times, then bit his lip and stepped forward, "Hall Master Tang, I wonder..."


    "Don''t hurry. We still have a few minutes before the dimensional portal fully forms. What we need to do now, is to wait for reinforcements to arrive."


    Tang Yu waved his hand, his composed voice making Director Jin''s anxious expression relax a little.


    He asked in surprise, "Reinforcements? In just a few minutes, the Sanctuary might not be able to provide us much support, many experts are on missions, and those few top-ranked items also... In short, there isn''t enough time."


    "No," Tang Yu shook his head, "I''m talking about my reinforcements."


    When the Black Skull had revealed its true form and burst forth with the power of a twelfth layer Awakening, Tang Yu knew that today''s incident was far more serious than Director Jin and the others could imagine.


    And it was beyond his expectations, too.


    At that time, he had already contacted his followers in Green Shadow, including Eileen, through the contract.


    Director Jin suddenly realized, "So we''re waiting for those few... waiting for that girl named Eileen to arrive. Along with your strength, Hall Master, our chances will indeed be greatly improved."


    He muttered to himself,


    glancing back from time to time and warily looking toward the few figures by the altar, his face still marked with indelible anxiety.


    Tang Yu knew very well that among his followers, Eileen''s power could be compared to Great Perfection of the Thirteen Layer, yet their side''s power, compared to the Skeleton side, was still weaker.


    "Fortunately, we are not far from the sub-territory. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to do anything. We would only have been able to run."


    Once the space portal opened, the entire Luoxia Sanctuary could potentially turn into a hell on earth. At that time, he would have no choice but to abandon his sub-territory... These were scenarios he did not wish to see. As for the rewards promised by Director Jin, they were just incidental.


    He was not that greedy for money!


    As time went by, the rich red light around the altar brightened, and the space became more and more distorted.


    At that moment, Tang Yu looked up at the horizon, where several small black dots were rapidly approaching.


    "It''s missiles!"


    Director Jin and the others showed delight, firmly punching the air, "The headquarters guys are quick this time!"


    Tang Yu, too, stared intently.


    Several missiles, dragging flames behind them, headed straight for the altar.


    At that moment, the figures that hadn''t made any moves, no, only the young-looking figure in the middle, made a move.


    He lifted his hand, and from the palm, a purple-black light burst out.


    That light was incredibly fast and split in mid-air, forming several purple-black streaks of light, each hitting a missile. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an instant, a purple-black square suddenly appeared, enveloping an entire missile...


    The missiles in flight, as if restrained, stopped moving with their burning tails and billowing black smoke, as if frozen by ten-thousand-year-old ice.


    Clang.


    Like the sound of an ice block falling, the purple-black square enclosing the missile plummeted to the ground.


    And at the same time, it landed on the hearts of Director Jin and the rest.


    It shattered the hope that had just been ignited in them.


    Tang Yu''s eyelids twitched, his expression grave as he uttered a few words, "Awakening Tier Peak."


    "Lucky I did not rush up to probe earlier."


    At that moment, Tang Yu turned his head towards another side.


    A familiar aura came from afar, bringing a smile to his face. He stepped forward, patting Director Jin''s shoulder, "The main force is up to us now."


    Director Jin was astonished.


    The Luoxia official experts, whose morale had been low, watched Hall Master Tang walk forward. His silhouette resembled that of a warrior who knew he might not return.


    The fire within them was reignited.


    As they lifted their feet, preparing to follow closely, they suddenly saw Hall Master Tang at the front turn around, "Oh right, you can''t skimp on the reward we agreed on."


    Luoxia experts: "¡­"

 Chapter 258 - 255 I Will Come Back...

    Tang Yu''s steps were not fast.


    One step, two steps, slowly approaching.


    The distance to the altar was shrinking.


    He was probing, crazily testing at the edge of danger.


    Testing the ''hatred'' range of those figures.


    When the distance was reduced to three to four hundred meters, Tang Yu saw the young man who had made the first move raise his head and whisper something.


    Instantly, two figures vanished, appearing a few dozen meters in front of him the next moment.


    Even with Tang Yu''s vision, despite having opened his crimson eyes, he could only just barely capture a fleeting glimpse of their shapes.


    Boss Carmen, two warrior puppets comparable to a Tenth Layer Awakening, and Kong, who had come to reinforce, stood in front.


    In the sky, snowflakes fell and transformed into razor-sharp blades, shooting straight towards the two figures.


    In an instant, the human skin cloaking the figures burst apart, revealing their true forms, the black skulls.


    Boom!


    Weapons collided with sharp, sturdy phalanges, the aftermath rolling towards them like a tempest.


    The ground cracked open, countless stones flying and shattering to dust, with layers of the earth caving in.


    Tang Yu took a deep breath, his eyes sharpening.


    His personal domain, unfolded!


    In front of him, a series of black towers rose from the ground!


    Arranged in a V-formation, they encompassed the fighting black skeletons within their firing range.


    As the black towers were erected, they rose again, advancing directly to level three.


    Cannons, mage towers, and other temporary defensive structures were built instantly, upgraded in a flash, forming all at once!


    Several followers retreated in perfect sync.


    A hail of arrows tore through the air, making a piercing noise.


    Cannons roared as if heavenly fire poured down.


    Mage towers condensed two massive light spheres, chasing after the skeletons in flight.


    Tang Yu once again waved his hand, setting up spike traps beneath the skeletons'' feet, countless sharp barbed spikes piercing through the shattered ground like serpentine spirits, seeking to skewer the skeletons into bone kebabs.


    Ping¡ª


    In that moment, it seemed as if some bottleneck within Tang Yu had shattered.


    His personal domain expanded once again, as if accompanied by the system''s prompt ringing in his mind.


    He paid it no mind, for at that moment, Tang Yu had an epiphany.


    Leveraging his personal domain, he ''saw'' the movements of the two black skeletons.


    Controlling these temporary defenses became even more intuitive.


    Director Jin and the others were gaping.


    Just a simple wave of the hand,


    Above the ground, beneath the sky.


    An overwhelming force, the grandeur of a moving mountain.


    "Is this the power of an Architecture Ability User, is this Hall Master Tang''s strength?" someone murmured.


    Others were fervent.


    Caught off guard, the skeletons were shot through and broke several bones, scorched by the cannonfire¡­ black upon black, hit by the Spell Missiles with tracking functions, and pierced by sharp spikes.


    Had they been human, with such grave injuries, they would have perished long ago; though skeletons were different, such a state was still a sorry sight.


    At this time, of the remaining three skeletons, only one stayed by the altar, while the other two moved forward to assist.


    The strongest skeleton, which had earlier immobilized the missile, was intercepted by Eileen, while another one assisting was entangled in a fierce fight with several followers, along with the two in a sorry state.


    Arrow towers, cannons, and other defensive structures, though not able to achieve their initial success, still troubled the skeletons to the point of suffering.


    It looked like both sides were evenly matched.


    Yet, there was still one skeleton guarding the altar, an enemy still insurmountable for the likes of Director Jin and the others.


    A flash of brilliance crossed the depths of Tang Yu''s eyes.


    "The time is almost right." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Several skeletons dodged arrows and fireballs while enduring the blast of spell missiles, engaging in combat with Carmen and other followers, feeling aggrieved at heart.


    "Wait until the elder descends, you humans¡ªone by one, you will all die¡ª"


    The soul fire of several skeletons blazed fiercely.


    They were all waiting. As soon as the spatial gateway opened and the elder arrived, these humans would be nothing but chickens and dogs.


    Suddenly, one of the skeletons spotted two figures holding long spears, blue and white in color, flashing out from behind an Arrow Tower.


    ''Humans have reinforcements?''


    That''s what they thought, but they soon realized that as the two figures took a step forward, they appeared right in front of them in the blink of an eye.


    Before the two skeletons could react, a long spear, with an unmatched fierce momentum, crushed their soul fire directly.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu gently took a breath and steadied himself.


    Two Puppet Guards were his trump card.


    The range of the Puppet Guards was larger than that of the Territory. A Sub-territory also fell within the Territory''s range.


    Tang Yu had calculated carefully. The location of villa number three in the Lanxing Community was just within reach of the Puppet Guards.


    These two Puppet Guards, comparable to Half-step Transcendents, could utterly defeat any of the skeletons in a head-on fight. With a surprise attack, they could execute them directly.


    The space around the Altar was becoming increasingly unstable.


    Tang Yu ignored the skeleton leader fighting with Eileen and rushed to the Altar. The skeleton was quickly dismantled into pieces by the onslaught of Puppet Guards number one and two, along with a group of followers.


    Standing atop the Altar, Tang Yu examined the Rune Array carefully.


    It was so complicated that it reminded him of the terror of being dominated by higher mathematics.


    "Which node should I change, which one?"


    Muttering to himself, Tang Yu held a rune pen in his hand. As the pen touched a rune, a strong resistance came, and in an instant, the precious rune pen was shockingly crushed into dust before his pained eyes.


    Had he not released his grip quickly, he would have undoubtedly been shaken up.


    Tang Yu was a bit troubled. He had initially wanted to merely alter the Rune Array slightly to render it ineffective, but now it seemed that he had once again overestimated himself¡­ Why was there a ''once again''?


    "Now it seems I can only destroy the energy nodes of the Rune Array. However, even though I have located the energy nodes, I do not recognize any of these runes. Destroying them might lead to an energy conflict, and consequently, an explosion."


    "With the level of this Rune Array, if it explodes¡­"


    Tang Yu''s thoughts drifted as he held the rune pen, unsure where to place it next.


    Hum!!!


    The entire Altar suddenly shook violently, and beneath it, a massive crack opened up, with countless stones falling into it.


    Bottomless, as if leading to another world.


    At that moment, the Altar seemed to be floating above the Void, extremely perilous.


    The crack continued to widen, and from within, a suffocating presence emanated.


    A fearsome, immense silver-white bone hand stretched out from the fissure, accompanied by a commanding voice, "Humans¡­"


    Tang Yu startled, no longer hesitant, took out a new rune pen, and aimed for the nearest energy node.


    Boom,


    The energy node was like the vulnerable spot in Martial Arts, also the most fragile part of a Rune Array.


    At this moment, the node was destroyed, rune energies converged, clashed, and suddenly exploded.


    A fiery light shot up into the sky.


    The dense red light atop the Altar began to dissipate.


    Directly below, the deep crack in the earth, which had been widening, stopped spreading and instead closed up more swiftly.


    The silver-white bone hand that had stretched out didn''t have time to retreat before it was unceremoniously cut off by the suddenly closing spatial gateway.


    Protected in the middle by Puppet Guards number one and two, avoiding the aftermath of the explosion, Tang Yu sighed in relief.


    In the fading echoes, he thought he heard the frustrated voice as the fissure closed:


    "¡­I will return!"

 Chapter 259 - 256: Breaking Through in Battle, Isnt This Protagonist Treatment?

    Tang Yu stepped down from the altar, his feet sinking into the soft sandy soil. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he looked around, the surroundings were still marked by the pits left after the earlier explosion. The gradually spreading dark red color and the black cracks had all disappeared, only vaguely discernable near the altar where the fragmented rocks in the pits were somewhat fewer.


    The center of the pit seemed somewhat smoother, with occasional tiny stones rattling down from the edges.


    "If I hadn''t seen it with my own eyes, who would believe that just now, there was an abyssal rift about to open here?"


    Tang Yu shook his head and sighed.


    Even he himself had not thought that the abyssal rift could be opened artificially¡­ well, that''s not quite right to say, after all, those skeletons were not human.


    It just felt like the world was becoming more and more enigmatic.


    At this moment, Eileen, in her flowing dress, came from afar.


    "Sorry, I let him escape."


    She hung her head, unable to hide her disappointment.


    Tang Yu was startled, looking at the exhausted Eileen and patted her head, laughing despite himself, "This is nothing big. That skeleton was three tiers higher than you, being able to stop it was already very impressive."


    "Our main goal was only to prevent the formation of the spatial channel. I just didn''t expect that skeleton to be so decisive, realizing it was futile and immediately escaping."


    Eileen frowned, "But¡­ that skeleton is powerful and knows how to hide among humans. Now that it has escaped, it will definitely cause a lot of trouble."


    "Right." Eileen pulled out a pitch-black phalanx with blue frost clinging to the tip, looking at the sisters Xing Ling and Xing Yue, "With this, can we divine the location of that skeleton?"


    Xing Yue took the phalanx, Xing Ling produced a fist-sized crystal ball, and without touching it, the crystal ball floated between her hands.


    She closed her eyes, and the inside of the crystal ball reflected the appearance of the black phalanx.


    After a moment, Xing Ling opened her eyes and said, "That skeleton¡­ um, I''ve divined its approximate location¡­"


    She tiptoed, pivoted about sixty degrees to her right on the tip of her toe, and pointed in the distance, "It''s roughly in that direction, but it''s very far, feels like twenty kilometers away from the Sanctuary. I can''t divine the exact location."


    Tang Yu was stunned.


    From that skeleton fleeing as things turned south to now, it hadn''t even been a minute, yet it had gone that far?


    ''It must be some kind of teleportation device meant for preservation. But, that guy is too cowardly, isn''t it? Shouldn''t it manifest the mettle of an Awakening Tier Perfection? According to the normal script, shouldn''t it fiercely fight back when its companion is killed?''


    He couldn''t help but laugh, "Forget it, since it''s so far away, even if we go there, it would be useless. Let''s leave this headache to the authorities of Luoxia. We just need to be more vigilant in the future. Right, keep this phalanx safe, it''s still necessary to divine occasionally."


    Xing Ling nodded, took out a crystal container meant for storing items, and placed the phalanx inside.


    On the other side of the altar, a deep shout came from Shay, "Hall Master, look what I found, something good."


    Tang Yu turned towards the sound. At that moment, Shay, his body charred and his hair standing up like a smart, was holding a piece of silvery white object and jogged over.


    It looked like a chimpanzee running wild from the zoo.


    Tang Yu held his breath while Xing Yue couldn''t help but giggle next to him; even Eileen and Xing Ling had tugged mouths, as if they wanted to laugh but felt embarrassed about it.


    Shay yelled "f*ck" loudly, pulling out a comb from the inner pocket of his gray-black combat uniform and furiously combing his scalp. No matter how he combed, his hair stood up like steel needles and would not settle.


    Tang Yu couldn''t help but touch his own hair... Luckily, no issues there.


    The ones who had ascended the altar with him were just he, Shay, and Kong; the others, like Xiaoli, Xing Yue, Xing Ling, as well as Winnie who had come to provide support, were spellcasters, and hadn''t moved to the front.


    He was protected by Protector One and Two, so he was mostly unharmed.


    Kong managed to look slightly better, with only his cloak burned halfway, but Shay looked the most miserable. Had it not been for that familiar voice, Tang Yu might not have even recognized him.


    ...Was this the same Shay who always wore a suit and slicked-back hair, always checking himself in the mirror before stepping out?


    Beside him, Winnie continuously cast spells, healing Shay, well, the injuries weren''t serious or important. Under Shay''s strong insistence, Winnie''s healing light focused mainly on his head, aiming to soften the stiff hair and fade the burnt fur layer.


    Only then did Tang Yu notice what Shay was holding in his hand¡ªa wholly silver-white, human arm-like forearm bone, and his eyes widened in surprise, "This is¡­"


    "That''s the one." Shay continued combing his hair as he passed the silver-white severed limb over. "It''s the silver-white bone hand that extended from the rift. That aura, hey, nearly scared me to death."


    "I remember the silver-white bone hand being very large¡­"


    The rift back then was about twenty to thirty meters long and seven to eight meters wide. The grim silver-white bone hand occupied about half of that. He had thought that it was due to the giant body of the silver-white skeleton preventing it from crawling out immediately from the rift, but now it seemed there were some limitations.


    Tang Yu took the silver-white bone arm, feeling its weight suddenly pull him down. With his power¡ªwhich was no longer at the Fifth Tier Peak, but now at the Sixth Tier¡ªhe nearly couldn''t lift it.


    He took out a high-end rune longsword and hacked at the bone hand without leaving a single mark.


    Meanwhile, he pondered the changes in his body.


    The idea of breaking through during a battle, a prospect so mystical, occurring to him was utterly unexpected.


    He vaguely remembered the system''s notification sound just now?


    ''This system is really becoming less noticeable.''


    With a thought, he controlled the opening of the system screen to browse the log.


    Swipe!


    His gaze dropped to the bottom of the log.


    [Ding! Territory compatibility has increased to 20%, meeting the requirements for territory upgrade.]


    No wonder he had felt earlier that his control over temporary structures had become more intuitive, even to the point where he felt he could fine-tune the trajectory of arrows and shells that had already been fired, and the construction time of structures had increased by at least a third compared to before.


    He wondered what level of control he would have over the territory and these system structures when the territory compatibility increased to one hundred percent.


    ''There should be other changes. I''ll experiment later when I''m free. Moreover, now that I''ve advanced to the Sixth Tier of Awakening, my strength should see significant increases for a while. The period from Sixth to Ninth Tier is the Body-shaping Realm, where physical strength can greatly increase, even resisting bullets is a small matter, and this phase is also the most cost-effective stage to use the Body Refining Liquid.''

 Chapter 260 - 257: Are People Still Wrecking Places These Days?

    In the distance.


    Seeing the rift that suddenly appeared and then disappeared, and feeling that suffocating, fleeting, terrifying aura, Director Jin and the others stood frozen in place, stunned for a long time.


    "¡­Is it over?" someone murmured.


    Before them was a scene of devastation, partly due to the surging energy tides when the spatial passage formed, but mostly, it was the aftermath of the battle between the Extreme Martial Arts Hall and the Skeletons, blasted out by the fighting.


    The neighboring villas had become ruins, some of the ground was blasted into holes, others turned into an Ice Snow World, shimmering under the sunlight.


    Tall, tower-like buildings in the distance flickered a few times and then vanished.


    "This time, we were fortunate that Hall Master Tang and the others were here, or it might have ended in a major disaster. Captain Lei, find out which member suggested we seek the Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s help, and be sure to commend them," Director Jin said with a smile slowly emerging on his face.


    "Ah, oh."


    Captain Lei returned to his senses, nodded, and then watched as Director Jin straightened his clothes, walked to the edge of a pit, and jumped in.


    ¡­


    "¡­The rewards we promised will be delivered to the Martial Arts Hall tomorrow. Additionally, to thank the Extreme Martial Arts Hall for their help, we will open access to some restricted trade items."


    "Oh?" Tang Yu turned around, "Can item number 003 be traded?"


    The corner of Director Jin''s mouth twitched slightly, "Those items are the most precious within the Sanctuary, and even I usually do not have the privilege to see them. However, it might be possible to trade some of the later-numbered items in the Sanctuary; I will try to negotiate this for Hall Master Tang."


    He spoke sincerely, clearly resolved to foster a good relationship with the Extreme Martial Arts Hall.


    Their Security Bureau, responsible for the internal security of the Sanctuary, would greatly benefit from a good relationship with the Extreme Martial Arts Hall for any extraordinary incidents that might arise in the future.


    Most importantly, Director Jin thought, fostering a good relationship might also mean getting some discounts on the usual fees; paying the full price was simply too expensive.


    As the daylight began to fade, remote searchlights emitted a bright white light, allowing every grain of sand and pebble to be clearly visible.


    Tang Yu and Director Jin, along with others, approached the Altar.


    After the explosive conflict of energy nodes, a significant part of the Altar was destroyed, and the remnants of the Rune Array on it also dimmed and lost their light.


    A noise came from the edge of the pit.


    Several researchers, with the assistance of Awakeners from the City Defense Army, descended into the pit. Their eyes shining with frenzy, they hurriedly ran forward, some stumbling over stones. If not for the quick reflexed Awakeners nearby catching them, they could have had their heads bloodied.


    This Altar, made of high-level stone, now had researchers lying on the intact half of the stone platform, examining it with magnifying glasses, measuring instruments, and other tools, continuously exclaiming in amazement.


    Given the official stance of Luoxia, the entire Lanxing Community, or at least the northern part of the community, would be completely sealed off.


    ''The high official in control of Lanxing Community''s ownership might suffer heavy losses this time¡ªwell, maybe not, leveraging the owner''s identity, he might still manage to profit first. Anyway, when it comes to interests, squabbling amongst the upper echelons of the Sanctuary is inevitable.''


    The Luoxia Sanctuary, being a convergence of powers from three major cities surrounding it, has many high-level figures, far more than the Lindong Sanctuary. He knew of more than twenty, each wielding substantial power, authority, and wealth.


    Tang Yu glanced at the seemingly amiable Director Jin beside him.


    As the Director of the Security Bureau, managing most of the areas within the Sanctuary, his authority, channels of information, and wealth were not to be underestimated, even though his own strength might be slightly weaker.


    If Director Jin knew what Tang Yu was thinking at this moment, he would be deeply distressed.


    Is he weak? Compared to the non-human monsters like Black Skull and the expert fighters of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, he seemed a tad weaker. However, several Ancestor Dragon Experts had been killed instantly by Black Iron Skull, yet Director Jin had only sustained minor injuries after taking a hit. This was a testament to his strength.


    Securing the position of Director of the Security Bureau wasn''t something one could achieve merely with connections.


    Tang Yu stroked his chin and looked at Director Jin, "I would like research rights to this altar, if that''s alright?"


    The northern part of Lanxing Community would be completely sealed off, not only for security reasons but also to study the altar.


    The most straightforward approach would naturally be to destroy the altar. Despite its incredible hardness, with the Sanctuary''s power, destroying it wasn''t impossible. Yet, preserving it, despite the risks, the altar and the rune array on top held immense research value.


    The government of Luoxia wanted to research it, and so did Tang Yu.


    If it was classified by the level of transmission arrays, this was a portal capable of crossing world barriers, no, it should be said, a permanently open gate.


    Director Jin was stunned for a moment before replying, "Of course, Hall Master Tang. You and your team are the heroes this time. As long as it doesn''t affect or damage the altar, researching it shouldn''t be a problem."


    He paused, then added, "However, I don''t have much sway over the science academy. Those scientists are quite proud, and sometimes they don''t even acknowledge conversations with them."


    Director Jin spoke diplomatically, but Tang Yu instantly understood.


    Was it just¡­ worried that he might pry the research results on the altar from the researchers? Once this place was accessible to him, the officials of Luoxia would surely instruct those researchers to keep tight-lipped.


    But did he need to?


    With Ruoxia''s foundations in rune studies, he, Lord Tang, would wager a Source Crystal that even given a month, these people wouldn''t achieve much.


    But his Master Kevin was a different story.


    "I wonder if through this sole existing rune array, we could figure out the origins of the demonized beasts and these skeletons."


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Tang Yu didn''t return to Green Shadow but stayed overnight at the martial arts hall, taking advantage of the training equipment to closely feel the increase in strength his breakthrough had brought.


    Although the Extreme Martial Arts Hall had been founded not long ago, it had already become famous within Luoxia''s Sanctuary. The martial arts circle now saw the Extreme Martial Arts Hall replacing the once-dominant Zhentian Martial Arts Hall, and again forming a pattern where the Five Great Martial Arts Halls stood in mutual opposition.


    In fact, because of the high-end facilities and the strong skills of the masters teaching at Extreme Martial Arts Hall, its reputation was quickly approaching that of One Punch Martial Arts Hall, the leader among the Five Great Halls.


    It was now early morning, the martial arts hall had just opened, and numerous students arrived one after another, using the hall''s facilities to start a new day of training.


    Some high-level equipment even required queuing. They came so early each day for a few extra minutes of access.


    Feeling their own progress, everyone was full of energy.


    While training, some started talking about what happened yesterday at Lanxing Community. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The area was officially sealed off, yet the second-hand news that spread was fantastical.


    Suddenly, there was a commotion at the entrance of the martial arts hall.


    Then someone shouted in panic, "People from One Punch Martial Arts Hall are here to cause trouble!"

 Chapter 261 - 258 Serious Business

    The first layer of the Martial Arts Hall.


    Awakeners were abundant, bustling about as if they were in a pre-apocalypse gym.


    Those who stayed here included some who were unable to secure the rights to use the advanced training equipment and had to queue up, and while waiting, they also found some apparatus to exercise with. Many more were weaker Awakeners that couldn''t make use of, nor afford, the costly fees of the advanced training areas.


    The regular training area was free for members, and since there was plenty of equipment, even during peak hours each day, they could find available machines to use. Despite occasionally complaining about the scarcity and high fees of the advanced training facilities, many Awakeners were clear in their minds that the Extreme Martial Arts Hall was extremely conscience-driven.


    Those who used it spoke highly of it.


    Because of this, they not only trained at the Extreme Martial Arts Hall but also recommended it to their friends, encouraging other companions to choose it as well.


    Rumors about the Extreme Martial Arts Hall were very positive on the outside. Some Awakeners walked into the hall with skepticism but once they walked out, they were completely transformed. Without a second thought, they did two things; first, they signed up for the membership card of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, not minding that it would mean wasting previous memberships at other gyms.


    The second thing they did was hastily spread the word of this excellent place to some of their close comrades.


    In the lobby area, there were many Awakeners, bustling just like a pre-apocalyptic gym. For those who preferred quiet, they could choose one of the many training rooms on either side of the hall on the first floor, which only required spending a few Source Crystals extra.


    However, most Awakeners, unless they couldn''t find a spot in the hall, rarely chose to exercise in private rooms. Training was also about atmosphere, seeing others working hard around them, it was like being blessed with a buff that doubled their experience.


    Sometimes, they could even overhear some relatively secretive news.


    Su Ran was just an ordinary second-tier Awakener. He found an empty treadmill, adjusted the speed, and hopped on to start training.


    This piece of equipment, which looked somewhat similar to a normal treadmill, could meet the demands of third-layer Awakeners at its highest setting.


    The conveyor belt whirred at high speed, buzzing. The Awakeners moved their limbs swiftly, sprinting fast on it. With every step that landed, it sharply struck the belt which remained undamaged.


    At first, people were careful, but now everyone had gotten used to it.


    Next to him, an Awakener with whom he was quite familiar was running wildly. He turned his head and gave Su Ran a mysterious smile, "Hey, do you know what happened in Lanxing Community yesterday?"


    Su Ran was startled, "Wasn''t it just a few ground-drilling worms? The officials completely sealed off that area for the safety of the residents of the community."


    The man snorted in a tone that sounded a bit distorted due to his rapid running, as if it was coming from some bulbous object, "You believe in that official notice meant to fool people? I''ve got a friend who lives in Lanxing Community..."


    He frowned, "You actually have a friend who lives in Lanxing Community?"


    Seeing the other party glaring at him, Su Ran quickly shut his mouth and forced a few awkward laughs, then he heard.


    "My friend told me that he saw a red pillar of light shooting up into the sky yesterday. What is that? That''s a treasure being born! It''s said that at the time, a group of mysterious people tried to snatch that treasure. They were very powerful, which led the Security Bureau and even the City Defense Army to intervene..."


    At that moment, a passing Awakener who overheard them chimed in, "How come I heard that a terribly dangerous Demonized Beast appeared in the Lanxing Community, and that even an Ancestor Dragon expert almost couldn''t subdue it, almost putting the entire Sanctuary at the risk of annihilation?"


    "How could that be!"


    "Stop kidding, where did you see that the Sanctuary was almost destroyed?"


    "Forget it, do you know how powerful an Ancestor Dragon expert is? My cousin awakened to the fourth layer and is only a team leader in the Ancestor Dragon. An Ancestor Dragon expert, when fully powered, could even blow up a building... Besides, if there really was a Demonized Beast, it would have been discovered long ago. How could it possibly be in a bustling Sanctuary area like Lanxing Community?"


    He was met with consecutive rebuttals.


    The interjecting Awakener also awkwardly chuckled, not believing his own view to be correct.


    Yet no one knew that this statement was the closest to the truth.


    After some time, Su Ran emitted heavy panting noises. Maintaining a full-speed sprint took a toll on his stamina, a state only achievable on such a treadmill.


    Anywhere else, with no extended tracks to run on and corners that would slow him down, wouldn''t work. In the wilderness, the space was ample, but Su Ran dared not exhaust all his strength in such places.


    Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a familiar Awakener, who now lay on the ground like a salted fish.


    It seemed others were speaking to him, but Su Ran couldn''t make out the words; even his vision blurred. At this moment, he was driven purely by his will, straining himself to break through his limit.


    The Hall Master of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall once said, "Limits are meant to be broken," but to surpass a limit, external aids, as well as courage, stamina, and determination, were crucial!


    Su Ran clenched his teeth, squeezing out every last bit of energy.


    Until he, too, lay on the ground like the other Awakeners... No, a salted fish could still flop about, while Su Ran was completely drained, like a dead dog, with only his chest softly rising and falling.


    After a while, Su Ran regained some strength. He then heard panicked shouts from the gate, "People from One Punch Martial Arts Hall are here to cause trouble!"


    He was somewhat surprised, struggling to get up, and saw several figures lined up at the gate.


    In the middle stood a man in his thirties with a buzz cut and piercing eyes.


    With each step the young man took forward, his aura heightened, escalating with each step until it burst forth in full force.


    So powerful was his presence that it swept over like rolling waves. Everyone in the hall, including Su Ran, breathed rapidly with flushed faces, feeling an immense pressure bear down on them.


    Moments later, the young man retracted his aura and, with folded hands, his booming voice echoed through the entire Martial Arts Hall: S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "One Punch Martial Arts Hall''s, Liu Shan, accompanied by our students, seeks an exchange with the members of Extreme Martial Arts Hall to advance together¡ª"


    Many trainees cursed under their breath upon hearing this.


    An exchange of knowledge? Advancing together?


    Such friendly-sounding words.


    But without any prior notice, such an unannounced visit was sure to cause trouble!


    The deliberate release of aura by the opposition had already affected many Awakeners in the middle of training, causing disturbances. They turned pale with anger in their eyes.


    However, these Awakeners in the main hall, generally lacking in strength and feeling the immense disparity in aura, held their anger back, despite their inner rage.


    Mixing anger with dread, they looked at Liu Shan, all the while realizing...


    One Punch Martial Arts Hall had probably come for real.

 Chapter 262 - 259: Communication Between Trainees

    Liu Shan stood with his hands behind his back in front of the Martial Arts Hall Gate, no longer speaking, his proud gaze sweeping over the crowd.


    His words were not meant for the weaker Awakeners present.


    He was waiting, waiting for the Teachers and even the Hall Master of Extreme Martial Arts Hall.


    During this period, their Martial Arts Hall''s business had already been affected by the "Zhentian Incident," and with the rapid rise of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, many of their customers had been siphoned off.


    Even their leading position in the Martial Arts Hall industry was being challenged.


    Various thoughts flashed through Liu Shan''s mind.


    According to rumors, several Teachers at Extreme Martial Arts Hall were not weak, and the young Hall Master of the Martial Arts Hall had shocked many renowned experts with his ability to inscribe characters through the air.


    Under these circumstances, it seemed rather irrational for him alone, a Martial Arts Hall Teacher, to lead a team to challenge the hall.


    However,


    this time, they wanted to engage in an exchange between students, not between Teachers.


    One Punch Martial Arts Hall had already conducted a thorough investigation. The training facilities of Extreme Martial Arts Hall were very helpful in strengthening abilities, and even he coveted them.


    But how long had Extreme Martial Arts Hall been established? And how long had these students been training? How much could they have improved?


    By contrast, these Core Apprentices, carefully cultivated by One Punch Martial Arts Hall, were the hallmarks of the hall. Under the meticulous guidance of the Martial Arts Hall Teachers, they had learned the Breathing and Exhaling Technique, some even mastering real Cultivation Dharma Methods, and each person had also mastered one or two proficient Martial Arts¡­


    Compared with the Awakeners who only knew brute force, Liu Shan was full of confidence.


    Very steady, not panicked at all!


    Even if the situation unexpectedly escalated to a battle between Teachers, even if he were to lose, it wouldn''t matter much.


    ¡ªHis strength, among the Teachers of One Punch Martial Arts Hall, ranked towards the end, his loss couldn''t represent that One Punch Martial Arts Hall was inferior to Extreme Martial Arts Hall.


    This was the reason why he, as a single Martial Arts Hall Teacher, was leading the challenge.


    On the other hand, there was an equal relationship between Martial Arts Hall Teachers and the Martial Arts Halls. Even the owners of the halls were not entitled to force Teachers to do things they didn''t want to do.


    Inside One Punch Martial Arts Hall, most Teachers were Cultivation maniacs who didn''t want to deal with these roundabout issues besides teaching students as per the regulations.


    ''But, heh...''


    Liu Shan sneered, ''Each one of them believes they''re too noble, too precious, not realizing it''s foolishness. If it weren''t for that, how could such a good opportunity land in my lap?''


    He understood that on one hand, some Martial Arts Hall Teachers weren''t willing to stoop low, unwilling to engage in these schemes and plots. On the other hand, they were also worried that fighting and losing to an Extreme Martial Arts Hall Teacher could tarnish their reputation.


    But Liu Shan didn''t care!


    What was reputation? What he wanted were tangible benefits!


    The owner of One Punch Martial Arts Hall had promised that as long as the challenge went smoothly, as long as he could bring back customers to the hall, he would gain more resources, and his salary would approach that of One Punch Martial Arts Hall''s Master.


    Furthermore,


    if he could obtain the manufacturing technology for Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s training facilities, the owner of One Punch had promised to give him ten percent of the Martial Arts Hall''s shares.


    Liu Shan''s eyes went red.


    The strong vie for opportunities, and such a chance had fallen before him; there was no reason not to fight for it!


    With enough resources, his strength might even surpass his rival and become the Master of One Punch Martial Arts Hall!


    ...


    The Martial Arts Hall''s first floor hall was dead silent.


    The trainers here were intimidated by Liu Shan''s presence, and the guards of the hall were uncertain what to do, only able to closely monitor the people from One Punch Martial Arts Hall while swiftly sending word to the higher-ups of the Hall.


    ...Of course, that was unnecessary.


    Liu Shan''s loud words were meant to escalate the situation, so that their pupils'' victory at One Punch Martial Arts Hall would catch the eyes of many potential customers.


    It didn''t take long for Shay, who was in charge of overseeing the Hall that day, to come down unhurriedly.


    Awakeners training on the second floor of the Hall, and even those on the third and fourth floors, in the advanced training areas, who were waiting in line, also came downstairs.


    As for those who were in advanced training facilities like the Gravity Room and Fear House, they too heard Liu Shan''s words, but... a little hustle and bustle, a challenge from One Punch Martial Arts Hall, what''s the big deal? Wasn''t their own cultivation more important!


    Didn''t they see others eagerly watching them, just waiting for someone to go downstairs to watch the commotion, in order to seize the training facilities for themselves?


    ...


    Wearing a suit, sporting a slicked-back hairdo, and donning sunglasses, Shay, at first glance, didn''t look like a master at all. His build was indeed strong, but paired with his outfit, he seemed at best like a thug from the underworld.


    In the apocalypse, there weren''t many people who judged strength purely by physique.


    Liu Shan glanced at Shay and couldn''t get a read on him. Frowning, he nonetheless stepped forward a few paces, tilting his head proudly, "Which teacher from Extreme Martial Arts Hall are you?"


    "Me?" Shay chuckled, "You don''t even recognize me, and you''ve come to challenge our Hall?"


    Liu Shan''s frown deepened.


    This suit and slicked-back haired man, was he a famous figure from Extreme Martial Arts Hall?


    He had already looked up several teachers of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, including the Hall Master''s photos, but this didn''t seem quite right.


    Could it be because of a change in clothes and hairstyle?


    Shay said with a laugh, "I am not a teacher of the Hall."


    Around him, some Awakeners couldn''t help but burst into suppressed laughter.


    Liu Shan snorted coldly, a vein throbbing visibly on his forehead.


    Shay seemed to find it somewhat dull and paused before saying, "Alright then, you want to exchange knowledge, you want to progress, right? Come, come, let''s have a few bouts to start with."


    "No need," Liu Shan waved dismissively, "Our Martial Arts Hall is an institution that teaches students, an institution that makes them stronger. Whether or not we can teach our students well and truly make them stronger is the key to a Martial Arts Hall''s success. Compared to a fight between us, don''t you all think that only the competition between students can reflect the level of a Hall''s teaching expertise?"


    He looked around the room.


    At this moment, not only the students of Extreme Martial Arts Hall were present, but also many survivors who had heard the commotion and Liu Shan''s words and had entered the Hall from the nearby streets.


    ¡ªExtreme Martial Arts Hall doesn''t restrict anyone''s entry, but those survivors without membership cards, if they want to use the equipment, need to go to the front desk to get a temporary card. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those who came inside, of course, were not there to train but for the excitement.


    Challenges like this were something many people only saw in movies and TV shows.


    Now, it was happening in reality, and between the leading figure in the Martial Arts Hall industry, One Punch Martial Arts Hall, and the up-and-coming large-scale Extreme Martial Arts Hall.


    Even the fruit vendor from the shop across the street quickly found a cart, loaded it with fruits, and pushed it into the lobby of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, ready to start hawking his wares.


    Liu Shan didn''t wait for anyone else to respond, his gaze sweeping around before settling on Shay, "This time we from One Punch Martial Arts Hall have come with an attitude of friendly exchange, your Extreme Martial Arts Hall wouldn''t refuse, would you?"

 Chapter 263 - 260: Competition

    "How should we communicate?" Shay put away his playful grin and asked indifferently.


    "Our Martial Arts Hall teaches combat skills, so if it''s about comparing skills, it should naturally be a battle among the same tiers." Liu Shan smiled, "Behind me, these five individuals are students from our Martial Arts Hall, from First Layer to Fifth Tier of Awakening, who will compete against students from your Martial Arts Hall at each respective level."


    "This is the fairest approach, and also the one that best demonstrates the students'' combat abilities. What does Extreme Martial Arts Hall think about this?"


    After Liu Shan had spoken, he stood with his hands behind his back. Though he was asking, he didn''t wait for Shay''s response and turned his head to someone behind him, "Le Yuanchen, you''re up."


    The youth standing on the far left from One Punch Martial Arts Hall, still having an air of naivety about him, nodded his head and quickly trotted forward. Reaching the edge of the Martial Arts Arena, he lightly tapped his toes and effortlessly jumped onto the arena that was about four to five steps high.


    Le Yuanchen stood on the arena, his mouth corners slowly curved upward, his chin slightly raised, looking down at the students of Extreme Martial Arts Hall below him.


    There were those eager to try,


    Those angry,


    Those indifferent,


    And those watching the scene unfold merely for entertainment.


    He slowly began to speak, "One Punch Martial Arts Hall, First Tier Awakener Le Yuanchen is here. Does anyone from Extreme Martial Arts Hall dare to fight?"


    The atmosphere slightly tensed.


    Inside the large hall on the first floor, all the students had ceased training at this moment, and in small groups, made their way near the Martial Arts Arena.


    As students of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, they were paying customers here to train and attend lessons for just a few days, so their sense of belonging and identification with the Martial Arts Hall wasn''t particularly strong.


    However, the people from One Punch Martial Arts Hall were too domineering, and Le Yuanchen had an air as if he was looking down on everyone.


    Many among the crowd were fuming inside.


    After several seconds of silence, a shout came from the crowd, "I''ll go!"


    A burly man leaped onto the Martial Arts Arena, standing far across from Le Yuanchen.


    ...


    "The guy from One Punch has an aura of the Middle Stage of the First Tier, our side is at the First Layer Peak; we should have an advantage, right?"


    Down below, a student from the Martial Arts Hall was staring at the two on the platform and muttered.


    Beside, Su Ran furrowed her brows, "Physically, we should have an advantage, but..."


    Everyone knew that since One Punch Martial Arts Hall dared to come here and challenge, they must have prepared thoroughly. They were likely capitalizing on the fact that Extreme Martial Arts Hall had yet to develop a signature student during this gap.


    Even if there were Awakeners among the students with inherently strong powers, this competition was about fighting within the same tier.


    Awakeners could be divided into two factions. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One faction comprised mercenaries who had undergone bloody battles, and the other, students who specialized in combat skills.


    There wasn''t a precise dividing line between the two factions, but generally, mercenaries who often went on missions and hunted Demonized Beasts advanced through the Awakening tiers more quickly than student Martial Artists who focused on combat skills, inevitably delaying their own tier advancement.


    However, true student Martial Artists with genuine substance possessed formidable combat capabilities, often able to surpass other Awakeners of the same tier¡­ There was even a saying in the Sanctuary: studying martial arts solidifies one''s foundation significantly. The most favorable proof is that those accomplished in martial arts usually breakthrough from Fifth Tier to Sixth Layer much more effortlessly than the mercenaries who only experienced battles.


    On the Martial Arts Arena.


    Neither of the two made a move immediately; they were in a standoff for a moment. The nameless student from Extreme Martial Arts Hall, unable to withstand the pressure, charged first.


    His muscles tensed, and he swung his massive fist towards his opponent''s face.


    Bang!


    Bang, bang!


    Bang Bang Bang!


    Le Yuanchen from One Punch Martial Arts Hall dodged the direct punch and grasped his opponent''s hand during the opening, then followed up with several punches that struck the burly Awakener''s solar plexus.


    A mouthful of bright red blood spurted out, and the burly Awakener fell backwards.


    "This¡­"


    The spectators below the stage had anticipated a victory for the One Punch Martial Arts Hall disciple, but they hadn''t expected such a decisive win.


    The unconscious burly Awakener was carried off by the Martial Arts Hall guards, and although his life wasn''t in danger, he was severely injured by the heavy punches. Even with an Awakener''s robust Recovery Power, he wouldn''t recover fully for ten days to half a month without medicinal assistance.


    For any Awakener, this was a huge setback.


    The Sanctuary had explicit rules that combat must not involve edged weapons nor result in death, yet it was clear to anyone that the One Punch Martial Arts Hall disciple had deliberately landed heavy blows.


    A companion of the burly big man, angered, suddenly jumped onto the Martial Arts Arena, grabbed a wooden Combat Saber from the weapon rack against the wall, weighed it in his hand without a word, and charged forward.


    This Awakener, also at the First Layer Peak, and more experienced, wielded his preferred large saber effectively, creating a fierce display with the wooden Combat Saber.


    However, he only managed to hold out for a few seconds before being knocked down, his head striking the cold stone floor hard.


    Fast! Accurate! Ruthless!


    The people from One Punch Martial Arts Hall specialized in lethal strikes; the Martial Arts they practiced were no mere forms but genuine killing techniques.


    Many Awakeners at the First Layer inhaled sharply, feeling a chill in their hearts, and no one dared to step forward anymore.


    At the Gate,


    several disciples from the One Punch Martial Arts Hall joked and laughed, their language dripping with disdain.


    Outsiders who came in to watch the excitement discussed amongst themselves, some shaking their heads, disappointed with Extreme Martial Arts Hall.


    Liu Shan, with his arms crossed over his chest, listened to the survivors'' discussions, extremely pleased with himself.


    The apprentices of the One Punch Martial Arts Hall, after meticulous instruction and lengthy training, starkly outperformed the disciples of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, who had only attended a few classes and trained for a short period.


    This discrepancy was apparent to the onlooking survivors.


    Yet often, people only recognize results, not reasons¡­ This competition was indeed unfair to Extreme Martial Arts Hall, but as they continued to suffer defeats, even with many explanations, others inevitably felt disappointed.


    By contrast, the onlooking Awakeners could better appreciate the strength of the One Punch Martial Arts Hall disciples.


    This further showcased their teaching capabilities and Liu Shan believed that after today, their Martial Arts Hall''s business would surge.


    And he himself would gain more resources.


    Liu Shan thought happily.


    Time passed by the second.


    On the Arena, Le Yuanchen, seeing no one dared to challenge him, grew even more arrogant.


    Some students from Extreme Martial Arts Hall looked towards Shay, noticing he was in no rush, merely instructing the guards to take the two injured Awakeners away for treatment.


    He stood there, flicking a cigarette from the pack, placing it between his lips, leisurely lighting it with a lighter, then after a moment said, "You don''t think that Extreme Martial Arts Hall doesn''t have their own cultivated core disciples, do you?"


    Two young Awakeners hurried over from the back door of the Martial Arts Hall.


    A man in his twenties, honest and kind-looking, glanced at the people from One Punch Martial Arts Hall, fire flashing in his eyes.


    The girl was even younger, a teenager, looking about the same age as Le Yuanchen on the stage, and her face bore traces of youthfulness.


    She lightly jumped onto the Arena, "Extreme Martial Arts Hall, Xia Wanru, please advise!"

 Chapter 264 - 264: The 2612th Apprentice

    Below the stage.


    A gleam flashed in Liu Shan''s eyes.


    He clearly understood that the two Awakeners defeated by Le Yuanchen were not worth mentioning, not even considered part of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall faction. It was the young girl now taking the stage who truly represented the Extreme Martial Arts Hall.


    Similarly, if Le Yuanchen defeated this young girl, it would mean that he could completely secure this first match.


    Liu Shan observed carefully.


    From her standing posture and demeanor, it was apparent that the Extreme Martial Arts Hall had real skill. This young girl''s strength was definitely much stronger than the prior two casual passersby, but how strong could she possibly be having been trained for just a few days? Le Yuanchen hadn''t even used half of his strength just now.


    He thought to himself, looking towards Shay and at the same time, saw a young man in his twenties standing behind Shay.


    He felt even more secretly delighted, ''It looks like these two are the only Core Apprentices trained by the Extreme Martial Arts Hall. Even if their training time isn''t long, even if they both win, in a five-match three-win scenario, the Martial Arts Hall still stands no chance... Of course, my goal is to win all five matches. Only in this way can I attract customers to the Martial Arts Hall to the greatest extent.''


    ¡­


    ¡­


    At this moment, in a VIP box on the second floor, Tang Yu was propping his chin, watching the fight below.


    A guard ran over, his hands holding a basket filled with drinks and snacks, "Hall Master, I''ve brought the items you requested."


    "Mm," Tang Yu waved his hand.


    The guard, showing respect to a supreme expert, bowed slightly before turning to leave.


    Tang Yu reached out toward where the shopping basket was placed, then... grasped at nothing.


    Turning around, he saw the bamboo rat Li had already torn open the snack packets and opened the drink lids. Visibly, the food in the shopping basket was rapidly diminishing.


    Even though the bamboo rat Li''s mouth was stuffed full, its hands continued to grab non-stop, and it was still able to stuff more into its mouth.


    Black lines ran across Tang Yu''s forehead.


    So gluttonous, not getting fat is one thing, but not growing taller either... Is this really what being an ability user means?!


    In the box, besides him and bamboo rat Li, his cousin Chen Xiaojia was also present, vying for food from Li''s hands with two hundred percent focus.


    Sadly, not being a gluttony-series ability user, she was much more lacking in this aspect.


    "You shouldn''t... mmm, I would be the one more suitable to enter the field in such a situation."


    Core Apprentices of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall were indeed few, just as Liu Shan had thought, with only two.


    At the opening stage, there were many strong individuals like Mad Lion who were willing to become Core Apprentices, but Tang Yu didn''t accept any of them. More than strength, more than talent, he valued character more.


    What does insufficient talent matter? Drugs can fix that.


    People like Mad Lion had their own circles, their own Mercenary Corps, each one slick as an old fritter. Even if they became Core Apprentices of the Martial Arts Hall, they''d think more about themselves, and if some secrets were taught to them, leakage could occur.


    Even if leaks happened, Tang Yu had ways to deal with them, but that would be unpleasant.


    The two Core Apprentices, the young girl Xia Wanru had just awakened recently. Her mother had met with a tragedy, and she lived dependently with her father in the Sanctuary, originally among the lowest survivors, until she was bullied by thugs from the slum and awakened in anger.


    When Tang Yu first awakened, he often found himself in an unstable phase.


    A few ruffians had been severely injured by Xia Wanru. The young girl, caught between fear and confusion, encountered Xing Ling who routinely got lost, and from then on embarked on a path of no return... Damn it, embarked on the road to prosperity.


    Another Core Apprentice, Ji Ming, had awakened several days ago.


    Ji Ming was originally a bottom-rung survivor at the Sanctuary, barely getting by on relief food and picking up scraps each day.


    After his Awakening, his quality of life improved, yet it was still not easy for an Awakener to survive and live well.


    By this stage, it was rare to find Demonized Beasts near the sanctuary, and some towns and counties had been harvested several times by Awakeners, leaving hardly any valuable spoils of war behind.


    To venture into further areas and even complete tasks from the Mercenary Union, joining a team was essential.


    However, most mercenary teams already had established members and rarely recruited newcomers, especially not newly awakened ones without any combat skills like him.


    Ji Ming had also joined some temporary mercenary teams. Every day, the Mercenary Union would be filled with cries of Awakeners wanting to form temporary teams.


    Most were weak Awakeners without fixed teams like him.


    Such teams lacked strength and cohesion. They took on a few not-so-difficult tasks from the Mercenary Union but failed to complete any. Each time, it ended either due to disagreements or unequal sharing of spoils. Whenever they found anything of value, fights would break out in the team. Sometimes, when encountering a lone, weak Demonized Beast, they would scramble to attack just for a bit of soul power.


    Each time, Ji Ming returned from the wilderness with little to show for it, and after several outings, he still hadn''t acquired a suitable weapon. The last time, he was fortunate to be selected by a regular team, only to find out they weren''t recruiting new members but cannon fodder.


    Along with two other cannon fodder Awakeners who had joined the team, they were forced to scout dangerous areas and lure Demonized Beasts. Within a couple of days, both of them had perished. Only he managed to survive miraculously, by deliberately luring several beasts at once. However, after that experience, he was even more cautious about joining any other mercenary teams.


    Continuing alone as a freelance mercenary, his strength increased only very slowly until, fortunately, during training at the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, a master took notice of him. This recognition propelled Ji Ming to redouble his efforts.


    His gaze shifted to the stage, where several students from the One Punch Martial Arts Hall stood.


    Now was the time to prove himself.


    ...


    ...


    Most battles between First Layer Awakeners were still just punches and kicks exchanged.


    However, at this moment, the fight between Xia Wanru and Le Yuanchen on the stage was a rapid exchange of blows, defensive moves met with counter strikes, dazzling the onlookers.


    "Even I, a Second-tier Awakener, can''t guarantee a win against any of them," one Awakener remarked.


    The strength of the core students from the Martial Arts Hall captivated many.


    Some bystander Awakeners were already making up their minds to train at the Martial Arts Hall; they just couldn''t decide whether to choose the One Punch Martial Arts Hall or the Extreme Martial Arts Hall. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their hesitation lasted less than three seconds.


    On the stage, as the two had seemingly been evenly matched, a sudden punch from Xia Wanru not only twisted and deformed Le Yuanchen''s defending arms but also created an opening for a sweeping kick. The young student from the One Punch Martial Arts Hall was sent spinning into the air, landing heavily in a 360-degree spin.


    The change happened too quickly, even Liu Shan didn''t react in time. He couldn''t understand how the girl from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall suddenly became so strong.


    Having won a round, Xia Wanru did not step down from the stage, but instead looked at the students from the One Punch Martial Arts Hall and asked, "Who''s next from your One Punch Martial Arts Hall?"


    The scene was like before when the student from the One Punch Martial Arts Hall had stood on the stage boasting, but now the roles were completely reversed.

 Chapter 265 - 262 Dead!

    Liu Shan''s face was a mix of dark and changing moods as he glanced at Le Yuanchen, who had swollen one cheek and collapsed, unconscious on the ground. He finally spoke, "We''ve lost this match at the First Layer, but the competition has just started."


    Although they had lost the first round, Le Yuanchen had managed to challenge and defeat two ordinary disciples earlier. Even those in the know could tell that Le Yuanchen had barely expended any effort against those previous two opponents. At least on the surface, it looked better.


    ''The second match, we cannot afford to lose again.''


    He turned his head and quietly instructed the disciple about to enter the stage to stay alert and give his all.


    Soon, two Awakeners leaped onto the platform, one carried the unconscious disciple from the Martial Arts Hall down, while the other stood straight in the ring.


    "This here is a Second-tier disciple from One Punch Martial Arts Hall. Who is the representative disciple from your Extreme Martial Arts Hall?"


    Seeing the young girl from One Punch Martial Arts Hall still standing on the stage perplexed Liu Shan.


    Xia Wanru looked across at the young disciple on the opposite side, feeling the air of strength much greater than her own. However, she did not show any fear and took a step forward, "I am the representative disciple!"


    Liu Shan was about to speak.


    But the other side''s Shay, with a smile, said, "Don''t be so surprised. It''s just a cross-tier battle. Xia is our Second-tier representative. As long as you can win this match, we will concede defeat in the Second-tier competition."


    Liu Shan let out a cold huff but did not reject.


    The onlookers from the Martial Arts Hall below, as well as the other real spectators, did not expect this turn of events.


    Mouths agape, several melon seeds spilled from between their teeth.


    "Is this a joke? A cross-tier challenge?!"


    "Cross-tier fighting... I''ve seen it before, but usually, those who are challenged are those with ranks but no practical combat ability¡ªuseless. To challenge a Core Apprentice of One Punch Martial Arts Hall, this..."


    "Extreme Martial Arts Hall must be getting cocky. They barely managed an equal fight against a First Layer student, scraping by a victory only in the end. And now they challenge a Second-tier student from One Punch Martial Arts Hall, whose combat skills are top-notch. This seems rather rash."


    "In my opinion, Extreme Martial Arts Hall has no other choice. Didn''t you see they only have two Core Apprentices? Even if both of them win, they''ll only have two victories. For best out of five, they still need another win. Cross-tier challenge probably is their only option." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An analyst chimed in, "As for the other general disciples, just look at the previous fights. It''s clear these individuals are not on the same level as the Core Apprentices of the Martial Arts Hall. After all, the Awakeners who go to the Martial Arts Hall for advancement are generally lacking in combat skills. The real experts are mostly honing their skills in wild battles."


    "Holy shit¡ª"


    Someone shouted.


    On the platform, the young disciple from One Punch Martial Arts Hall, facing the girl a tier below him, took the initiative, sweeping a roundhouse kick through the air towards Xia Wanru.


    The strength of a Second-tier wasn''t that impressive; most of the Awakeners present possessed Second-tier or higher capabilities.


    Yet, this roundhouse kick carried a whistling wind, making the faces of the onlookers on the edge of the platform change.


    Thump!


    The sound of a heavy blow.


    Xia Wanru''s body sank; her hands came up in guard, diverting the force to one side, then she continued to retreat several steps back.


    She appeared to be at a disadvantage.


    However, this scene shocked everyone present.


    "She blocked it, how is that possible! Even with deflection techniques, that kick was powerful, and there''s a qualitative difference in strength between them. How could she have received it?!"


    The young disciple from One Punch Martial Arts Hall was also shocked, but he did not freeze. He kicked out continuously, unleashing a barrage of attacks like a raging storm.


    Xia Wanru fought while retreating, seemingly at a disadvantage but sustaining little damage. Facing each kick, she either blocked it or dodged it.


    Around them.


    Some of the more insightful Awakeners had already seen the trick, "Her strength, her speed, it''s too much for a Peak First Layer Awakener. Compared to her opponent, she''s slightly weaker, but not by a wide margin. That''s why she can withstand his attacks time after time!"


    Spoken so bluntly,


    passersby Awakeners, as well as the disciples from Extreme Martial Arts Hall itself, suddenly turned their gaze towards the edge of the ring, where Shay stood with a grin on his face, and they realized something in their hearts.


    Extreme Martial Arts Hall had a method to swiftly enhance physical fitness!


    For a moment, whether they were disciples of Extreme Martial Arts Hall or not, their look at Shay became fervent.


    Liu Shan, seeing this, secretly gritted his teeth.


    The purpose of their challenge was to hype up One Punch Martial Arts Hall and showcase its strength, but damn it, how did it turn into an opportunity for Extreme Martial Arts Hall to show off instead?!


    Liu Shan looked towards the ring and suddenly shouted loudly, "Win this round, and I have the authority to reward you with two standard bottles of soul power!"


    Soul power containers were also available at Luoxia, produced officially, and the capacities of these bottles were consistent.


    A container filled with soul power, its total amount of soul power is that of a standard bottle.


    Two standard bottles,


    having refined this substantial amount of soul power was enough to enable a Second-tier Awakener to be directly promoted to the third layer.


    On the stage.


    Both were panting heavily.


    Xia Wanru, even more exhausted, was drenched in sweat, her loose sportswear clinging tightly to her exquisite figure.


    At that moment, the young disciple from One Punch Martial Arts Hall, hearing Liu Shan''s words, a ruthless look flashed in his eyes, his punches became harsher, each strike aimed at lethal spots.


    Xia Wanru kept retreating, now backed to the edge of the ring.


    Suddenly, the young disciple took a slight step back; his right leg lifted slightly in a bizarre posture, his figure shimmered, his left foot stomped heavily on the ground, and he leaped into the air, his right foot shooting out while airborne.


    This kick, fiercer, faster, more vicious.


    It was as if even the air would be torn apart, his toe aimed straight for Xia Wanru''s temple, shooting towards it.


    But at that moment, the girl from Extreme Martial Arts Hall had no more room to retreat!


    The watching crowd, some couldn''t help but close their eyes, while a few knowledgeable experts suddenly widened their eyes, staring intently, as if they wanted to discern something from the young man''s movement.


    Whoosh~


    His toe tore through the air but did not feel the contact of kicking a human body¡ªhis heartbeat missed a beat as the Xia Wanru in front of him seemingly lacked the ability to dodge, but her body had suddenly shifted half a meter to the side.


    That half meter made his attack miss completely.


    The unrestrained kick also caused him to lean forward uncontrollably, losing his balance.


    Seizing the opportunity, Xia Wanru let out a low shout, an ordinary punch exploded forth, yet it mobilized all the qi and blood, strength, from her entire body, spreading inch by inch upwards through her arm.


    Boom!


    Like a watermelon bursting open.


    The hard skull was shattered by this seemingly inconspicuous punch.


    The entire first-layer hall fell silent in an instant.


    ...


    On the stage, Xia Wanru kneeled halfway to the ground, looking at the headless corpse that lay close at hand, covering her mouth, panting.


    Her gaze did not leave the headless body; the fear in her eyes gradually dissipated, turning into determination.

 Chapter 266 - 263 Its My Turn This Time

    Second-floor private room.


    Chen Xiaojia covered her mouth slightly, only bamboo rat Li continued to stuff food into his mouth.


    Tang Yu sighed softly, "This is the price of growth."


    This battle could be said to have been won quite treacherously.


    Whether in terms of physical fitness, combat skills, or experience, Xia Wanru was a cut below the other Martial Arts Hall''s apprentice.


    ''If the other side hadn''t used Martial Arts and had fought steadily, their chances of winning would have been even higher.''


    Martial Arts and Combat Skills were very similar, or you could say they were basically the same thing.


    They both transcended the skill of the moves.


    Tang Yu didn''t doubt that the masters from the One Punch Martial Arts Hall knew a few Martial Arts... This belonged to a tradition that predated the apocalypse, but it was only after the apocalypse and after people''s Awakening that they could truly unleash the power of these Martial Arts.


    Before the apocalypse, they were merely sharper moves.


    What surprised him was that an apprentice from the rival Martial Arts Hall had also learned a Martial Art.


    ''Unfortunately, the Martial Art was not mastered proficiently, and compared to the opponent, Xia had a greater variety of Combat Skills.''


    Learned from Grey Blade''s Ghost Step... Although Grey Blade had never been to Luoxia, his followers did not confine themselves to their own knowledge¡ªthey exchanged and learned from each other, and now each person mastered at least five or six Combat Skills or Magic.


    The Combat Skill Ghost Step allowed the young girl to dodge a fatal strike.


    At that time, she was already at the end of her strength, and if it had been a regular punch, she might not have been able to incapacitate the apprentice from One Punch Martial Arts Hall.


    Therefore, she exerted her last bit of energy to use the Martial Arts Heavy Strike (Heavy Slash).


    The effect was a bit better than expected; the Martial Arts Hall apprentice, who had not reached the Sixth Layer of the Body-shaping Realm and whose body was still fragile, had his head burst by a punch.


    ''The young girl was unexpectedly decisive.'' sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Had she not grasped that moment properly, she herself could have been the one to die.


    Although Tang Yu wouldn''t say it, a few seconds before that, he was quite nervous himself and was ready to have Shay intervene at any moment.


    As for breaking the rules of the duel, did that really need any concern?


    Any objections from the audience, Tang Yu believed, could be settled through a fight.


    ...


    Five rounds, two already gone.


    It had developed in such a way that Liu Shan had never imagined. Originally, when he agreed to the duel at the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, his heart was secretly joyous; he had even prepared several backup plans that he hadn''t needed to use.


    However, the strength of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall was beyond his expectations.


    In the Advanced training area, he had also sent several trusted subordinates to investigate. He knew that no matter the training, it was impossible to become that much stronger in such a short period...


    The dead body on the stage was carried away by several guards from their Martial Arts Hall.


    The horrible state of the corpse made Liu Shan''s face somber, and the expressions of the other apprentices beside him fluctuated.


    It wasn''t that they were afraid; those higher-level apprentices, including many Awakeners in the first-floor hall, had seen blood and corpses. Only those who had stayed in the Sanctuary since the beginning of the apocalypse could still believe the world was safe and orderly.


    Yet the law of the jungle was already etched in the hearts of most Awakeners.


    Even now, everyone was well aware that according to the Sanctuary''s explicit rules, sparring was permitted, but fatalities were not. However... if someone actually died, who would report it?


    One Punch Martial Arts Hall wouldn''t.


    Even though they originally intended to suppress Extreme Martial Arts Hall, true martial artists do not fear death. Making a fuss with such an excuse would only make them appear more cowardly and incompetent.


    Nor would the other onlooking survivors.


    They all understood that for a behemoth like Extreme Martial Arts Hall, the death of an individual was a trivial matter. They could report it to the Security Bureau, but the vast majority didn''t have the guts to do so.


    Xia Wanru had also been helped down from the stage.


    After a brief cleaning of the stage to remove some bloodstains, the third match commenced.


    A Third-tier Awakener from One Punch Martial Arts Hall jumped onto the stage with an unsharpened metal combat saber in hand. Ji Ming, a Second-tier in strength, represented Extreme Martial Arts Hall. This time, no one dared to underestimate him.


    By this point, the tension between both sides had thickened.


    As the fight began, the student from One Punch swung the combat saber ferociously, aiming deadly blows even with an unsharpened blade, which, with enough force, could still kill a man.


    Just like the previous round, there wasn''t a huge gap between the two. Ji Ming was at a slight disadvantage in terms of physical strength compared to his opponent, but, having been seasoned by the cruelty of the outside world, Ji Ming was ruthless.


    After a few minutes, at the cost of an injured arm, he beat his opponent to death.


    The competition had turned increasingly brutal, and the onlooking Awakeners only dared to speak in whispers.


    The guards from Extreme Martial Arts Hall and some closely affiliated students managed to keep their expressions neutral, but upon closer inspection, one could see their lips were slightly curved upwards, clearly in a good mood.


    Shay looked across the stage, his face beaming with a smile.


    Normally, the challenge could have ended after five rounds with three wins.


    But such a challenge was anything but normal.


    Liu Shan''s face darkened as he coldly spat out a few words, "Continue with the fourth round!"


    Even though they had undoubtedly failed this challenge, Liu Shan didn''t want to lose too miserably. Extreme Martial Arts Hall was out of core apprentices. For the last two rounds, at least they could save some face!


    A Fourth-tier student made his way to the stage, an imposing figure with a latent murderous aura. He wasn''t just a core apprentice of the martial arts hall; he was someone who had fought through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.


    On Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s side, no one stepped up for a while.


    Many were aware that there were perhaps only two core students in Extreme Martial Arts Hall. As for the other regular students, some initially couldn''t stand watching One Punch Martial Arts Hall and wanted to fight, but now... On one hand, there was the gap between regular students and core apprentices, and on the other hand, stepping up at this stage meant likely death upon defeat.


    To put it simply, the regular students were just clients, not truly part of the Martial Arts Hall, and had no obligation to do anything for it.


    Only the core apprentices and those who had signed contracts with the Martial Arts Hall were truly ''their own''.


    "Let''s disperse."


    Someone shook their head. The exciting duel had ended and they were ready to leave.


    In the eyes of these spectators, Extreme Martial Arts Hall probably had decided not to respond to the last two rounds and just concede. They understood the reasons and wouldn''t think less of them for it. The previous few fights had fully demonstrated the abilities of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s students.


    The instructional capacities of the Martial Arts Hall were beyond doubt.


    It was just that they all felt a bit regretful.


    A fight between high-level Awakeners was much more exciting than that of basic ones. If only the timing of this challenge had been pushed back, they might have been able to witness two even more thrilling battles.


    Hmm, it might also have been a one-sided beatdown for One Punch Martial Arts Hall, many thought to themselves.


    Some were getting ready to leave, others planned to try out the training facilities of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, but at that moment, from somewhere on the second tier, a shout rang out, "Me, me too! I''m the eldest apprentice sister, and it''s my turn to fight this round!"

 Chapter 267 - 264: Chickened Out

    Several minutes ago.


    Chen Xiaojia was muttering to herself, wanting a chance to enter the arena.


    At first, Tang Yu refused.


    However, Chen Xiaojia argued with reason, stating that she was the top senior sister in the Martial Arts Hall and that she had the strongest capabilities.


    She was right, Chen Xiaojia had absorbed and refined soul power very early, reaching the Awakening third layer.


    Now, she had soaked in Body Tempering Liquid several times and also consumed other precious potions.


    Despite her strength being only at the peak of Awakening third layer, her capabilities were far beyond that. Compared with other ability users of the same level, Chen Xiaojia''s physical prowess was more than double, her Source Power total was also more than double, and the intensity of her spiritual power was nearly three times that of an ordinary ability user at the same level.


    On the surface, she was truly strong.


    Yet her actual combat ability was just a dud, and this was also due to her special identity. Without Tang Yu''s request, Shay, Carmen, and others had not forcibly required Chen Xiaojia to participate in training.


    Unless the cousin put on a full set of equipment, but after all, it was a "fair" martial arts competition, cheats couldn''t be too obvious, and Tang Yu was about to decline.


    Feeling like she was being underestimated, Chen Xiaojia was not convinced, "I lasted five minutes in Endless Mode!"


    Tang Yu was taken aback and turned to ask, "You made it to five minutes on your first try in Endless Mode?"


    "No, I tried more than a dozen times before I could last five minutes." She defended herself in a low voice.


    Tang Yu paused, feeling increasingly astonished.


    In Green Shadow, among the members of the Patrol Team, Endless Mode had another nickname, the Masochist Mode.


    Since Endless Mode had no exit option and no end, as time progressed, the number of Demonized Beasts appearing grew more numerous and stronger. For any Awakener in Endless Mode, there was only one outcome.


    ¡ª Fight to exhaustion.


    And often, it was being pounced on by several Demonized Beasts at once, being torn apart, dismembered.


    That experience, many members of the Patrol Team, didn''t dare try a second time.


    But he hadn''t expected Chen Xiaojia to have attempted more than a dozen times, managing to last five minutes... Tang Yu knew firsthand the difficulty of five minutes, since he had been thrashed in Endless Mode himself.


    After thinking for a moment, Tang Yu nodded, "Alright, you can go next."


    Just right, there were still two experience Source Crystals available for use. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Initially, Chen Xiaojia had planned to jump directly from the VIP box window, making a splendid entrance, but when she stuck her head out and saw the distance to the ground, it seemed a bit dizzying.


    Though it was called the second floor, it definitely had the height of a typical third or fourth floor. After hesitating, she chose to go down the stairs honestly.


    Stepping onto the Martial Arts Arena and seeing her opponent approaching with a ferocious look, Chen Xiaojia wasn''t as frantic as the last time against Wang Ran; instead, she felt a hint of excitement.


    She stretched out her hand and scattered a handful of seeds.


    As soon as these seeds hit the ground, they grew rapidly into green vines that wriggled on the white floor tiles.


    The student from One Punch Martial Arts Hall quickly dodged, but these vines, like agile snakes, moved and weaved rapidly to encircle and trap.


    Then, the opponent was bound up, and the more they struggled, the tighter the vines constricted, until they were wrapped up like a dumpling, unable to utter a sound, with only broken ''wu wu'' noises audible.


    Moments later, they passed out.


    This was probably the quickest end to a match.


    On one side was a close-range Awakener, on the other a long-range Elemental Series ability user, yet the close-combatant was knocked out before they could even get close.


    This is... even the audience didn''t know what to say.


    They were eagerly expecting a high-level Awakener confrontation, but this ended too fast, utterly unimpressive in every step of the process!


    A newbie Awakener suddenly asked at the scene, "In the martial arts competition, can we use Special Abilities?"


    This remark made some surrounding Awakeners laugh scornfully, "In a martial arts competition, it''s personal martial strength that counts. Now that it''s the apocalypse, do you really think there''s still such a thing as a strictly regulated competition?"


    "Special Abilities are also a type of personal ability. If you say it''s unfair, then you can only blame your own weakness... and besides, ordinary Wood Series Ability Users aren''t this strong, whether it''s the growth speed of the vines, their tenacity, or the speed of control over the vines, they''re far beyond what an average ability user could manage. That''s also why she was able to win so easily."


    On the field,


    Chen Xiaojia looked at her hands and muttered, "So weak, could it be an act?"


    She paused, then looked towards Liu Shan and the Awakeners behind him, "Who was it... you''re next, right? Come on..."


    The called-out Awakener looked at the stage where someone was tied up into a ball, with the spikes on the vines piercing through his skin, and the originally sturdy person was now drained to skin and bones...


    An Awakener with Fifth Tier strength shivered violently. He wanted to rush up there but hesitated for a moment, unable to step forward, and couldn''t help but throw an elusive glance at his master, Liu Shan.


    Liu Shan was silent for a long while before finally speaking, "We''ve lost this martial arts competition, let''s go."


    He turned and walked away, his steps a bit heavy.


    Two guards from One Punch Martial Arts Hall quickly ran up to the stage and carried away the student Chen Xiaojia had untied.


    The other guards, either carrying or shouldering, took away the injured and the dead students one after another.


    It could be said that without these guards, how they would get back was a problem in itself.


    ...


    ...


    After leaving the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, Liu Shan instructed the Fifth Tier Awakener student to lead the others back to the Martial Arts Hall first, while he himself entered a teahouse opposite the Extreme Martial Arts Hall and took a seat in a private room.


    He drank cup after cup of tea, a bit agitated.


    Coming here, not returning with the others to the Martial Arts Hall, was not about escaping.


    Soon after, three Awakeners arrived in the private room at intervals of three to five minutes.


    After seeing that everyone had arrived, Liu Shan put down his cup, "Did you bring the things I asked for?"


    "Brought it, brought it." The leading person across from him said, taking out what seemed to be fragments of handles and metal skins that looked like parts from a piece of equipment, from his pocket with great care.


    "This is what you wanted, equipment parts from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall. We couldn''t take out the complete ones, could only resort to this tactic¡ªpretending to break them by accident, then secretly taking some out."


    As he spoke, he passed over a small fragment.


    Liu Shan took it, examined it in his hands, and tried to press it forcefully. The broken section revealed some intricate patterns, "What are these intricate patterns for?"


    "That''s a tough one for me, you only asked me to bring some materials. Oh, and because we damaged the equipment at the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, we were asked to compensate three hundred Source Crystals, about that..."


    Liu Shan grew impatient, "Reimbursement, it''s all on me. Come to the Martial Arts Hall tomorrow to find me. Three hundred Source Crystals, plus the payment for this mission, I will pay you all at once."


    The leader of the Awakeners grinned, "Boss Liu is truly generous. If there''s any task in the future, we brothers will be at your call."


    As he spoke, he felt a bit of regret.


    He had casually raised the compensation from two hundred to three hundred. Had he known, he would have targeted more expensive equipment, but then he felt a bit downcast. With his Fourth Layer strength, he couldn''t even destroy most of the equipment in the Martial Arts Hall. This piece was the result of a long search.


    The three Awakeners left one after another.


    Liu Shan looked at the fragments on the table, thinking about the additional three hundred Source Crystals he had to pay, and grew increasingly agitated.


    "Should be able to get reimbursed by the boss, right?" he murmured, a hint of regret in his eyes. "These materials should be able to decipher the secrets of the equipment at the Extreme Martial Arts Hall. If not, this round, we''ll have a huge loss."


    With today''s experience, he had a premonition that if One Punch Martial Arts Hall couldn''t quickly decipher the secrets of the training equipment, its downfall was only a matter of time.


    "Luckily, our Martial Arts Hall has a profound foundation. Even if the business of ordinary students is affected in the future, the Martial Arts Hall still has connections with the City Defense Army. The City Defense Army''s Awakeners regularly come to the Martial Arts Hall for advanced training; with this income supporting us, the Martial Arts Hall might still have a chance."


    Just then, Liu Shan turned his head and saw through the window across the street. At the gate of Extreme Martial Arts Hall, it was bustling with excitement. A group of Awakeners in Security Team uniforms was carrying several boxes of items into the Martial Arts Hall.


    "What''s going on there?"

 Chapter 268 - 265: Visiting to Express Gratitude

    Martial Arts Hall first floor.


    Because of the previous challenge event, at this moment, there were many more survivors within the Martial Arts Hall than before.


    After the battle concluded, some on-looking survivors dispersed, while others applied for a temporary membership at Carmen and found themselves free equipment in the hall to start training.


    Ordinary survivors didn''t feel anything special, but Awakeners, especially those of higher levels, clearly noticed the difference in the equipment of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall. Even if it couldn''t make them stronger in a short time, it could still serve a certain training purpose.


    Obtaining a membership card was quite worthwhile, after all, the weekly fee for the membership card wasn''t expensive.


    What these ordinary students cared about the most was the means that the Martial Arts Hall held in its hands that could make someone quickly become stronger.


    Previously, Ji Ming and Xia Wanru, although they hadn''t exposed their identities as apprentices, had spent most of their time training in the Martial Arts Hall day after day, and many Awakeners had seen and recognized them. They knew that these two really had only trained in the Martial Arts Hall for a few days. Even facilities like the Gravity Room that were very helpful in enhancing physical fitness couldn''t possibly have such a rapid effect.


    For a time, these people couldn''t find high-ranking individuals like Shay from Carmen and gathered around the two apprentices, inquiring about how to become a Core Apprentice of the Martial Arts Hall.


    Mad Lion and other advanced Awakeners were green with regret... When the Extreme Martial Arts Hall first opened, they had expressed their desire to become Core Apprentices but were rejected, and after that, these people didn''t persist.


    They were considered masters within the Sanctuary and all had their own pride. Within their own Mercenary Corps, they were either already high up or commanders themselves, and stooping to become someone else''s apprentice wasn''t something everyone was willing to do.


    Since the Martial Arts Hall rejected them, they didn''t persist any further, reasoning that mastering Martial Arts, although powerful, would require a lot of time to learn. If they spent that time hunting Demonized Beasts or breaking through life-level barriers, their combat power might grow faster.


    Now that they thought about it, there weren''t many who knew about the Extreme Martial Arts Hall back then, and those with the strength of the Fifth Tier were only a handful. If they had persisted a little longer back then, showed their dedication to martial practice, and spent a few more Source Crystals to build a relationship with the Martial Arts Hall Teacher, perhaps they would have already become Core Apprentices of the Martial Arts Hall? S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Based on the performance of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall''s apprentices challenging those of higher levels, even if they hadn''t broken through that particular bottleneck, they could have combat power comparable to Sixth Layer Awakeners.


    Thinking about this just led to more regret for the past.


    Looking at the present situation, gathered around Ji Ming and Xia Wanru, there were more than just a few or ten Awakeners of the Fifth Tier, preventing them from slipping away.


    It was only because those Boss Level individuals who had broken through their limitations hadn''t shown up. But if such Boss Level characters really wanted to learn in the Martial Arts Hall, they wouldn''t just dryly wait here¡ªit was probably a matter of exchanging interests at that level.


    Mad Lion stood in the distance, looking at the two apprentices who were encircled by layers of people, and felt melancholy in his heart.


    At this moment, they heard some noise and muttered, "Another Awakener drawn by fame? It feels like our chances of becoming Core Apprentices are getting slimmer."


    Their gazes instinctively looked over, but what they saw was a group of about a dozen Awakeners dressed in the Security Team''s uniforms.


    ...


    ...


    The Security Bureau managed all the big and small events within the Sanctuary and had a very significant deterrent power over both ordinary survivors and Awakeners.


    As the dozen or so uniformed Awakeners walked through the door, people who were blocking the entrance, either chatting or just stopping by, scattered away.


    Someone muttered, "Did someone actually report the Extreme Martial Arts Hall? Did the Security Team come because someone was killed?"


    "Who would be such a blockhead to be that bold? With the strength of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, even if they were reported, it shouldn''t be a big deal, right? Maybe just a fine of some Source Crystals."


    "But don''t you think the number of people from the Security Bureau is a bit high? Plus those few walking alongside the Security Bureau, they seem like experts."


    "Not seem like, they are definitely experts, f*ck, their presence is so strong that even I can''t sense it clearly."


    The uniformed Awakeners, upon entering the Martial Arts Hall, cocked their ears to listen for a moment and then quickly headed towards where Ji Ming and Xia Wanru were surrounded.


    At this time, the expressions on Ji Ming and Xia Wanru''s faces were troubled.


    The surrounding Awakeners, one by one, hoped that they would say a good word to the teachers on their behalf, with many even pulling out Source Crystals as a bribe.


    The two of them were helpless, but who else could speak with authority on the entire First Tier other than the two of them?


    Shay and Chen Xiaojia had seen the unfavorable situation early on and had left.


    Suddenly, the two of them noticed that the Awakeners who had been trying to push their way in from the outskirts had a change of expression, quickly stepping aside with a look of surprise and uncertainty, turning to look behind them.


    Following this, more and more Awakeners began to disperse, opening up a pathway, even those from another direction had changes on their faces and couldn''t help but look up.


    In an instant, Ji Ming and Xia Wanru felt it too¡ªa strong presence, no, several strong presences approaching them.


    Leading them was a middle-aged man with somewhat receding hairline, slightly overweight, but exuding an incredibly powerful aura.


    The two couldn''t help but swallow their saliva.


    No matter how impressive their performance had been on the stage, they still felt oppressed, an instinctive reaction stemming from the immense gap in the level of life.


    The middle-aged man with thinning hair approached them with a genial smile, "Young fellows, where is your Martial Arts Hall''s Hall Master and teachers?"


    "Who are you?" Ji Ming asked cautiously.


    "I''m Director Jin from the Security Bureau, we''ve brought the goods and need to hand them over to your Martial Arts Hall."


    Director Jin!


    One of the big shots of Luoxia!


    The surrounding Awakeners listened and were stunned for a moment.


    Some noticed that the Security Team members behind them were carrying several large boxes.


    Was there some kind of trade between the Security Bureau and the Extreme Martial Arts Hall?


    For the Security Bureau to escort this shipment, with the Director himself taking charge, what exactly was in the boxes?


    ...


    With Director Jin personally asking questions, the Awakeners surrounding the two apprentices, Ji Ming, felt it was neither polite nor were they courageous enough to keep surrounding them. They didn''t go far, however, but hid nearby, extremely curious.


    Ji Ming spoke with Director Jin tentatively.


    Mainly, Director Jin would ask a question, and he would repeatedly answer, while Xia Wanru quickly ran to the back door of the Martial Arts Hall.


    ¡ªShay had gone into hiding, but they were clear where the Carmen teachers usually trained.


    Before long, Boss Carmen and the second-in-command followed Xia Wanru to the location.


    Director Jin had met Boss Carmen before, the image of him boldly resisting Black Skull was still imprinted in his mind... even though he couldn''t distinguish between the two brothers, which was older and which was younger.

 Chapter 269 - 266: The Idea of Hosting a Martial Arts Competition

    Director Jin didn''t hesitate for a moment, his face bloomed with a smile like a chrysanthemum as he hurried forward.


    Ji Ming, who had been standing by, visibly relaxed, yet was also stunned.


    How could it be that the Director of the Security Bureau seemed to lower his stance in front of Master Carmen?


    "These boxes are the items we promised." Director Jin said with a smile, "Oh right, the numbered item your Hall Master wanted is also included, but you''ll need to trade something of equivalent value."


    "That''s easy to handle, I believe the Hall Master will be pleased to hear this."


    Director Jin paused, then turned to look behind him, "Wang, quickly bring the items up."


    A team member rushed forward, holding a roll of red fabric in his hands.


    This team member, along with Director Jin, grasped the corners of the rolled-up fabric, loosened the lower end, and the fabric unrolled ...


    The border was yellow, with a red background in the center, and several large characters embroidered on it.


    ¡ª For justice and bravery, the people''s hero.


    This banner, these few words, would have been common pre-apocalypse, but nowadays, a banner presented by the Security Bureau would likely be a rarity.


    Carmen smiled in representation of the Hall Master.


    Director Jin felt somewhat regretful not having seen Tang Yu, but he didn''t show it. Instead, he cheerfully said, "We all acknowledge the strength of Extreme Martial Arts Hall. Last night, after discussing with some colleagues, we''ve decided to appoint Extreme Martial Arts Hall as the official designated Martial Arts Hall. Soon, members of our Security Bureau will also come here to study, and at that time, we''ll be troubling Master Carmen a lot."


    Carmen didn''t refuse either.


    It was crucial to maintain good relations with a local force like the Security Bureau, not to mention that the fees due were fully collected.


    Director Jin''s eyes flickered as he spoke, "Master Carmen, I intend to appoint you as a special consultant for the Security Bureau. You won''t need to do anything regularly, just give a lecture at our bureau every few days. How does that sound?"


    Before he could finish, a forceful Awakener standing behind him pulled him away.


    This Awakener was not in Security Team uniform but was dressed in civilian clothes. After pulling Director Jin away, he stepped forward, taking the place where Director Jin had stood, "Old Jin, that''s not very kind of you. We had clearly agreed that Ancestor Dragon gets priority. We are here to formally invite Master Carmen to become the special combat instructor for the Ancestor Dragon Army ..."


    Director Jin gave a dry laugh but remained silent.


    Both men looked eagerly at Carmen, hoping he would agree. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the distance,


    Awakeners who were monitoring the situation had a different look in their eyes.


    The Security Bureau had actually presented a banner to Extreme Martial Arts Hall, and it was personally delivered by the director; anyone could see that this relationship was very unusual ¡ª what had Extreme Martial Arts Hall done?!


    Yet before they had time to catch their breath, they heard the news that the Extreme Martial Arts Hall had been designated as the official sole Martial Arts Hall.


    It was like a thunderclap ...


    Initially, it was just that Extreme Martial Arts Hall had a good relationship with Director Jin, but now, it was officially designated! At least half of the big shots like Director Jin had to agree for it to represent the official stance.


    Some people were already feeling suffocated when they heard the sensitive word "Ancestor Dragon," with an invitation for Carmen to join as an instructor?


    That was the Ancestor Dragon, known for gathering top experts!


    In secrecy,


    Several Awakeners disguised as apprentices, gathering intelligence for One Punch Martial Arts Hall, turned pale upon hearing this.


    Their mental state had already collapsed.


    ¡­


    ...


    On the other side, Tang Yu, who was hiding in a private box seeking peace, had also seen the people from the Security Bureau.


    He just didn''t bother to go out and socialize.


    Tang Yu wasn''t surprised about the arrival of the Security Bureau; however, the enthusiasm of the apprentices was somewhat unexpected.


    He could only say that the contribution of One Punch Martial Arts Hall was significant, and he had to offer a modest thanks in his heart.


    Tang Yu was speechless about the Chinese fascination with watching. He had thought that in the post-apocalypse era, people would either be busy scrambling for a living or dully waiting to die like salted fish.


    But now it seemed that there was always a crowd of onlookers, and one should never underestimate people''s curiosity.


    The challenge had already ended, but survivors were still arriving at the gate of the Martial Arts Hall out of curiosity; he had heard from the guards that the news had already spread across most of the Sanctuary. Even the Luoxia Daily had printed today''s issue early, with the front page headline glaringly titled "The Untold Story Between One Punch Martial Arts Hall and Extreme Martial Arts Hall."


    He remembered spending a great deal of Source Crystals on advertising before, and the Luoxia Daily only mentioned a few promotional phrases in the corner of the front page...


    Tang Yu recalled the person in charge of publicity for the hall, who after returning from the press, had paraphrased their words:


    "Our newspaper has quality and aspirations, we wouldn''t bow to power, and riches can''t corrupt us; no amount of Source Crystals could buy a major spot on the front page..."


    Yet now, without spending a single Source Crystal, the Luoxia Daily had dedicated the entire front page to the story between the two Martial Arts Halls, making Tang Yu reflect on how integrity was indeed a curious thing.


    Other tabloids were not to be outdone.


    Titles like "The Love and Hatred Between the Two Major Martial Arts Halls," "What You Don''t Know About Extreme Martial Arts Hall," and even the obvious advertisement, "Learn Martial Arts to the Extreme," had all appeared.


    He hadn''t spent a penny of Source Crystals on them.


    Tang Yu thought to himself that perhaps a news agency was also seeking a position for a Core Apprentice.


    But was he that kind of person? Advertisements should not corrupt, integrity should not be compromised!


    "However, taking advantage of the popularity to recruit a batch of Core Apprentices is necessary," Tang Yu stroked his chin, "but an examination is needed, mainly looking at personal character and identity, then talent, and strength after that."


    If advanced Awakeners like the Mad Lion knew Tang Yu''s thoughts, they would understand that no matter how persistent they were or how much they bribed, there was no chance for them.


    The relationship between apprentices and the Martial Arts Hall was transactional, not necessarily involving much loyalty.


    However, apprentices needed to receive ideological education. In the future, the relationship with the Martial Arts Hall would be one of shared honor and shared loss. These apprentices wouldn''t have to pay any Source Crystals for tuition; the better their performance, the more resources he would provide them.


    "Hmm, it might be a good idea to follow the previous approach of Zhentian Martial Arts Hall. For suitable talents, first sign a contract, provide free training, and in the future, let these Awakeners join the Guard Formation. The ones with good performance could further become Core Apprentices and learn the core knowledge of the Martial Arts Hall."


    "It never occurred to me that a single challenge and a martial arts event would significantly increase the hall''s popularity, attracting more Awakeners," he mused. "Perhaps it''s because real public battles visible to watchers are too rare, almost non-existent."


    Out in the wild, Awakeners occasionally fought each other for various reasons, but these battles never had any spectators.


    Martial Arts Hall apprentices sometimes sparred with each other.


    But these were nothing compared to confrontations between the two major Martial Arts Halls.


    Ordinary people just enjoyed the spectacle but could also learn about the distant world of Awakeners. Low-level Awakeners could learn quite a lot from the battles; only some high-level Awakeners were indifferent.


    But when it came to battles between Fifth Tier Awakeners, only those higher than the Sixth Layer, the major forces, could afford not to care. These top-tier fighters were few in number; the mid to low tier Awakeners were mainstream in this world.


    Suddenly, a promising idea popped into Tang Yu''s mind, "The commercial district in the territory, although much slower in progress compared to Luoxia, is nearly completed. I''ve always felt that it lacked buzz. The invitations sent to various small Sanctuaries had few responses; now it seems, the draw wasn''t strong enough..."


    After the commercial district was finished, he had planned to develop the real estate there. If the flow of people in the territory remains low at that time, it would be quite embarrassing.


    "Why not hold a large-scale martial arts event in the territory, using prizes as bait? I believe it would attract many Awakeners then..."


    Tang Yu stroked his chin, feeling the idea might be feasible, but the specifics still needed to be discussed.

 Chapter 270 - 267: Beards are Also Good Materials

    The setting sun''s afterglow was reminiscent of fire.


    Tang Yu walked on the road toward the equipment manufacturing plant.


    From a distance, he could hear the roaring of the plant.


    "Thankfully, the plant is built far from the residential area. Otherwise, this noise pollution would definitely cause a lot of trouble for the housing prices in the territory."


    Even the original employee dormitory, which was chosen to be built within the plant, had been moved to the foothills of the former vacation resort.


    After the initial recruitment of a batch of rune debuggers, with the subsequent increase in survivors within the territory, they had hired many more people with rune expertise. As the wages were high and prospects bright, not only ordinary survivors but also several Awakeners had successfully landed jobs as rune debuggers.


    By that time, the plant had shifted to a three-shift system, operating 24 hours non-stop. Besides several basic models of rune equipment, they also planned to attempt the production of more complex equipment on the assembly line.


    In such circumstances, employees would rather walk a few extra kilometers than live nearby, enduring the torture to their ears. Not to mention, aside from a small supermarket selling basic necessities and a small cafeteria, there were no other supporting facilities in the vicinity of the plant.


    Conversely, in the resort area, with part of the commercial district streets completed, an array of private vendors and shops had appeared, vastly enriching their leisure and entertainment life.


    Therefore, working became more motivating for the survivors.


    Tang Yu gazed down at a pristine white feather cradled in the palm of his hand.


    The feather, roughly the size of a palm, floated a few centimeters above his hand, bobbing up and down. It was a precious item, numbered 017, that he had just acquired through a trade with the officials of Luoxia.


    "This item''s number is not high-ranking; the energy contained within is not abundant. It cannot, like the golden droplet, forcibly stimulate a burst of terrifying power..."


    When he had chosen this item, the accompanying Director Jin had been quite surprised.


    Other numbered items regarded as treasures by the officials of Luoxia often had offensive abilities, or supportive functions, or some strange and bizarre powers. They were very different.


    Number 017, the feather, apart from being extremely tough¡ªunbreakable¡ªand floating in the air when placed, had no other abilities.


    "But if it weren''t so, this feather wouldn''t have been offered up for trade by the officials of Luoxia," Tang Yu shook his head. "It definitely comes from a Transcendent creature, not an ordinary feather easily seen on their bodies, but the most precious cluster, akin to a dragon''s reverse scale."


    He wasn''t sure if dragons existed in this world, but with his extensive knowledge in mutant beast studies, material science, source power study, and more, Tang Yu deduced that such feathers were likely no more than three on that Transcendent creature.


    A Transcendent creature''s life form was beyond ordinary, possessing all sorts of inconceivable powers. Even a single hair could be a very decent material, let alone the most precious cluster of feathers. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Most of the other numbered items were finished products, mostly treasure artifacts¡ªequivalent to tools that could be used many times.


    Tang Yu felt some regret, "Besides this feather, there were a few other materials, but sadly, Luoxia only agreed to trade one of them. It seems that the advanced rune equipment I offered wasn''t tempting enough... Damn it, when Luoxia officials want to purchase high-level rune equipment in the future, I will definitely make them pay dearly."


    Entering the high-tech rune manufacturing plant, Tang Yu turned left towards Kevin''s office¡­ which also served as Kevin''s research and development manufacturing base. It occupied an area similar to the assembly production workshop on the other side.


    Clang! Clang!


    He walked in and saw Kevin directing several assistants to retrieve a freshly manufactured weapon.


    Upon seeing Tang Yu, Kevin wiped the sweat from his forehead, approached, and asked, "Director, what equipment do you need to be customized this time?"


    "Do I come here just for custom equipment every time?" Tang Yu was exasperated.


    "Is there anything else?"


    Kevin retorted, and Tang Yu fell into thought.


    It seemed... that was indeed the case...


    "Cough."


    Tang Yu paused, then pretended to shake his head with regret, "I happened to come across two precious materials this time, but since Master Kevin isn''t interested, I might as well..."


    "Where!!!"


    Before he could finish, Kevin, with agility that defied logic, circled around him several times, until his gaze finally fell on the pristine feather cradled in the palm of Tang Yu''s hand.


    His eyes were blazing, and he almost drooled.


    Tang Yu felt dizzy from being swirled around, his vision filled with Kevin...and that elegant beard.


    Suddenly, an idea popped into his head, "With Kevin''s beard so long, if he shaved it all off, it seems like it would be enough to make a horsetail whisk, right?"


    Kevin, fixated on the pristine feather, felt a chill and couldn''t help but wind his long beard around his neck for a bit of warmth.


    ...


    ...


    In the design room,


    Kevin placed the white feather on the instrument for analysis and after a while lifted his head, "This feather is incredible, it actually contains several unique properties... I wonder what kind of equipment the Lord plans to turn the feather into?"


    "What do you think it''s suitable for making?"


    Kevin stroked his beard, "It could be used to make a pair of shoes."


    "Shoes?" Tang Yu was surprised, "Is such a small feather enough? I hope it doesn''t turn out to be just a single shoe in the end."


    Kevin flicked his elegant beard, "It''s enough, we''re not making it without adding other materials. By the way, there were two materials, right? Where''s the other one?"


    Tang Yu reached out with a grabbing motion and from the Space Ring, he pulled out a silver-white arm bone.


    The bone looked silver-white and pure, but when it appeared, a stifling energy emanated endlessly from the arm bone.


    "An arm bone from a Transcendent Skeleton, and it''s fresh."


    Kevin: "..."


    What the hell does fresh mean?


    But after a quick examination, he found the energy within the arm bone to be very active, "This arm bone is suitable for crafting into a weapon, good for either close combat or ranged."


    Tang Yu nodded, "Let''s make the Feather Shoes first, there''s no rush with the arm bone..."


    Among his current followers, there were none who used Dark Series powers.


    Even if the weapon made from the arm bone were strong, it would be awkward to use... mainly because it would be a waste.


    ''Just right, the conditions for upgrading the Territory by five levels have been met. After the upgrade, the tavern will have a few more spots available. I''ll decide how to use the arm bone then.''


    Having received the precious materials, Kevin became ''indifferent,'' planning to lock the doors to visitors as he couldn''t wait to research these two materials.


    Seeing this, Tang Yu had no intention of staying.


    Just as he was about to leave, Kevin seemed to recall something and suddenly said, "Oh right, this new batch of equipment we''ve developed was just about to be sent to the Logistics Department. Since you, Lord, are here, could you help by taking it there on your way? It''s along your path, and you don''t have much else going on."


    Tang Yu: "..."


    MMP!

 Chapter 271 - 268: Learn About Green Shadow Loans

    Carrying a space backpack filled with a few pieces of new equipment, Tang Yu looked up at the sky in resignation.


    He never thought there would come a day when he would become "Part-time Delivery Tang."


    Kevin''s hobby was making, researching, and designing equipment; every few days, a batch of new equipment samples would be sent to the Logistics Department from the Equipment Department.


    There was no problem with the quality of the equipment. The reason they were first sent to the Logistics Department was primarily... for appraisal!


    Equipment that doesn''t meet the market standards isn''t considered good equipment.


    These pieces of new equipment had various features, such as providing the user with extra strength or having special attributes, etc. They were generally dual rune, and occasionally there were intermediate equipment with three runes.


    Their power was indisputable.


    However, the primary mission of most existing equipment was to be sold.


    Powerful equipment didn''t necessarily guarantee customers. Practicality, cost-effectiveness, and suitability needed to be considered. Only equipment deemed appropriate by the Logistics Department, after evaluation, were considered for increased production; the rest... well, they were kept as samples and meticulously recorded, as they could still prove useful at times.


    Halfway up the hill.


    In front of the villa area was a small square¡ªthe office location of the Logistics Department. A three-story office building was located right next to a warehouse.


    The warehouse, now upgraded to level two, didn''t look much bigger than the three-story office building from the outside, yet its interior was larger than a football field.


    Every so often, members of the transport team brought in truckloads of discarded materials, which were taken into the warehouse by the Logistics Department staff.


    There were also those responsible for construction, who, after reporting to the Logistics Department, would leave with a truckload of building materials.


    Tang Yu walked into the office building.


    There weren''t many staff in the Logistics Department; some were in the warehouse, others were running around outside connecting with various departments, so there were few people seen on the whole first floor. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One was at the reception desk, another in the office area, and behind a few desks, there were people staring at their computer screens, processing complex data.


    When Tang Yu walked in, the receptionist girl seemed to notice him and lifted her head, "What can I help you with? For personal business please go to the office area, for departmental handovers please go to the second floor, if you''re looking for our director, you need to make an appointment in advance... Oh, Director Tang!"


    "I surely don''t need to make an appointment," said Tang Yu with a smile.


    "No, no need, I''ll take you there right away," the young girl stuttered, sneaking a peek at him, blushing slightly.


    He had not been to the Logistics Office Building before, primarily because the building had not been established for long. However, Tang Yu didn''t expect that the girl at the reception would recognize him.


    ...This made things much easier.


    On the other side of the lobby, in front of an office window.


    A man in his early thirties, looking somewhat worn, nervously sat there, casting surreptitious glances at a young woman behind the window.


    "I''m sorry, you do not meet our requirements. Your application cannot be approved."


    The worn man was stunned, "Why don''t I meet the requirements? I, I¡ª"


    He spoke, deflating like a ball losing air, unable to continue.


    The worn man got up dejectedly and left. As he was leaving, he seemed reluctant to leave, turning back to glance around; his gaze paused momentarily on the young girl at the reception, swept over Tang Yu without stopping, and then he exited the Logistics Office Building.


    Tang Yu watched the man leave and nudged toward the office area asking, "What kind of business is being handled there?"


    "That area primarily handles personal loan services, survivors who are aspiring entrepreneurs can apply for a certain amount of loans from the Logistics Department. We evaluate their situation to determine whether to provide the loan and decide on the amount of the loan..."


    The young girl answered, noticing the worn man and shrinking slightly, "Actually, we have clearly published the loan standards, but still many who are far from meeting the standards come here to apply... and also, it feels like some people have dubious intentions; their gazes are very unsettling."


    She was young and somewhat naive. Seeing Tang Yu, she chattered away.


    After speaking, her face turned a shade paler, and she sneakily glanced at Director Tang. Seeing no change in his expression, she stuck out her tongue and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Tang Yu held his forehead.


    With the girl''s explanation, he understood the reason.


    The Logistics Department, along with the Medical Department, could be said to have numerous "beauties." The staff here may not all be beauties, but they were at least young and above-average in looks.


    The gender ratio in the territory was very unbalanced, about 20% female to 80% male.


    A typical case of many monks and few porridge, where male survivors, mostly young and robust men, used to starve in the past, were now, well, comfortably warm and certain thoughts came to mind, with a heavy scent of hormones lingering in the air.


    ''Clearly, some are using the loan application as a pretext, hoping for some delicate situations to arise.''


    Tang Yu pondered.


    This wasn''t a big issue. Like the worn man just now, who only took a few glances without actually doing anything daring.


    Of course, these girls in the Logistics Department, although mostly ordinary people, weren''t without means of resistance. Each one carried an unopened, basic Puppet for self-defense; not to mention there were Patrol Team members around, and Eileen was stationed on the third floor.


    "From now on, set a threshold for applicants, like a certain amount of deposit which is non-refundable if not approved. This should reduce the number of applicants like that worn man," Tang Yu casually noted, turning his head to ask, "How many have been approved for loans during this period?"


    This loan thing was his idea, and he hadn''t thought much about it before.


    The commercial district was about to be completed, but lacked enough shops moving in. Many survivors had ideas but lacked conditions.


    The rent for the shops, settled weekly, ranged from five to thirty Source Crystals, with a minimum lease of one month per time. This was the current weekly rent and as the commercial quarter prospered, the rent would also rise. Besides, there were other necessary costs for materials, equipment, etc. Ordinary survivors, even common Awakeners, might not be able to afford this amount.


    He Qingqing needed to rent a batch of Rune Blades because she lacked funds.


    Providing a certain amount of startup loans could, to some extent, solve this problem.


    Initially, Tang Yu had also thought about opening shops directly under the name of the Territory, employing survivors, or entering into partnerships to continuously reap profits from these shops. However, without sufficient competition, how could the commercial district flourish?


    ''Collecting rent and business income taxes should be sufficient, and the interest rates on the loans are quite high. Those survivors should be able to repay them, right?''


    Because he was worried about survivors not being able to repay their loans, a certain degree of evaluation was necessary. As for those who still failed in their ventures and couldn''t repay...


    Well, they''ll just have to sell themselves honestly ©´(''¡«`;)©°.

 Chapter 272 - 269 The Overwhelming Workload

    Facing Tang Yu''s inquiry, the receptionist girl pondered seriously, "There should be five people, I only remember one is preparing to open a restaurant, and another is planning to open a hair salon, the rest I''m not clear about."


    "A hair salon? Could that kind of shop have any business?"


    "It''s very busy," the girl blinked, "before the Sanctuary didn''t have a hair salon, it was alright for us girls, but the boys with too long hair either had to cut it themselves or tie it up, but it didn''t really look too good. Now that a hair salon has opened, business is so booming that you have to queue up for a long time."


    Tang Yu''s mouth twitched.


    Damn it... as the Great Lord, he hadn''t paid attention to these things, and yet others were fussier about their appearance than he was?


    Tang Yu scratched his own hair; it was a bit long.


    His gaze flickered, and through the grand hall''s floor-to-ceiling windows, he saw his own reflection.


    Dignified and commanding...


    ''Though his hair was uncut and somewhat messy, it added a wild and unrestrained charm to his handsomeness.''


    Indeed, this was the reason he hadn''t cut his hair. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ...


    Led by the receptionist girl, the two made their way to the minister''s office.


    To Tang Yu''s surprise, Eileen''s office was not on the third floor.


    Individual business was conducted on the first floor, departmental transfer on the second floor, and when the receptionist girl introduced it this way, Tang Yu instinctively thought that Eileen would be on the third floor.


    ''Luckily I didn''t go up by myself, otherwise, as the venerable Sanctuary Director, if I couldn''t even find the minister''s office, it would be embarrassingly stupid!''


    They bypassed the staircase entrance, and Tang Yu saw a tightly closed large door beyond the slanted staircase.


    The girl took out her identity card and placed it on the recognition device next to the door. With a beep, the alloy door opened.


    Tang Yu was astonished by the security level here, but since he was Director after all, in order to maintain his image, he held back and didn''t voice the curiosity in his heart.


    ...


    The receptionist girl, leading the way and seeing that Tang Yu remained silent, didn''t dare to prattle on with irrelevant small talk.


    In case it displeased the Director, that would be trouble.


    It was impossible to give an introduction; Director Tang was no outsider, but rather the most powerful person in the Sanctuary, and she was sure he was very familiar with the Logistics Department''s office building. Her role in leading the way was just in accordance with the etiquette due to a leader.


    She lowered her head, stealing a glance back and thinking to herself.


    ...


    Tang Yu didn''t know the receptionist girl had conjured up so much in her mind, and they quickly arrived in front of the office.


    Two staff members came towards them, holding a stack of documents in their arms and greeted the guide.


    "Na."


    Only now did Tang Yu learn... one character of the receptionist girl''s name.


    The two staff members gave Tang Yu a few glances, failing to recognize him, and the professionalism of the Logistics Department''s staff also told them to speak less and do more.


    They left quickly, and Na stepped forward to knock on the door, from which Eileen''s voice emerged.


    Pushing the door open, Tang Yu walked in.


    As soon as he entered, he froze in place.


    This office was much larger than he had imagined.


    To either side were large storage racks, with books standing upright or stacks of documents piled up.


    In the center were spacious tables, but even they were covered with stacks of files and documents, some piled so high that they exceeded his height.


    Tang Yu walked over to the nearest table and casually picked up a few documents to read.


    "Rune Weapon Breakage Rate Statistics"


    "Daily Sales Growth of Type I Combat Uniforms and Future Production Estimates (Luoxia District)"


    "Classification and Statistics of Scrap Iron Materials (see detailed information 023, 035, 069)"


    "Meow meow meow?"


    Tang Yu was completely baffled.


    He could understand the titles but what was all that content below?


    Wasn''t it enough to just calculate how many units of iron material were in stock? What was all this stuff, at least over thirty pages thick, written about? And specific classifications required checking other documents too??


    When he looked around at the other desks, and even the large, tall shelves on both sides, and the various documents they held...


    For a moment, Tang Yu clutched his chest, feeling a bit out of breath.


    He could clearly see that the storage racks around him were close to ten meters tall!


    ¡ª¡ª No wonder the office wasn''t set up on the third floor. It turned out... they knocked through from the first to third floor!


    Even so, the books and documents stuffed in here still gave a feeling of overcrowding.


    Next to the storage racks on both sides, Tang Yu saw two wooden stepladders with wheels on the bottom that could be pushed back and forth, allowing Logistics Department staff to climb up to retrieve documents from the high shelves.


    However...


    At first, Tang Yu thought this design was somewhat troublesome, but he understood why once he saw Eileen.


    At that moment, Eileen was dressed in a gorgeous ice-blue gown, sitting cross-legged, sideways, upon her Ice Crystal Magic Wand, which was as tall as she was.


    She controlled the wand as it floated and moved, flying from the top shelf on the left to the right side. Her eyes swiftly scanned the labels on the shelves, and in a short while, she took out several bound documents and held them against her chest.


    Whooooosh¡ª¡ª


    The wand descended to about one or two meters above the ground, Eileen''s feet touched down, and upon seeing Tang Yu, she giggled, revealing two sweet dimples.


    ...


    In the apocalypse, materials were of primary concern for any Sanctuary.


    The Logistics Department, responsible for managing most of the Sanctuary''s materials, had a lot to handle each day.


    Much more than Tang Yu had anticipated.


    Eileen worked from dusk till dawn, and from dawn till dusk, which made him feel distressed for her.


    "You could let others handle these things, don''t work too hard."


    "Not at all," Eileen replied with a smile, "I''m very happy, really. When I was living alone, every day was spent trying to survive, but I didn''t understand what the point of surviving was. Now I understand, this is the reason I live, my value."


    Tang Yu was stunned.


    Under the soft lighting, her sky-blue hair draped over her shoulders, her eyes clear as a lake, ripple with tranquility, her smile was very sincere, so sincere that... Tang Yu was touched, looking at her, the corners of his mouth also lifted in a slight smile.


    He couldn''t help but start tackling the pile of accumulated documents too.


    Flipping through pages, scanning line by line, cross-referencing data, analyzing statistics, reviewing approvals... Never had there been a moment when Tang Yu felt so overwhelmed.


    He felt as though his intelligence wasn''t sufficient, especially when he looked at Eileen opposite him, who processed documents at lightning speed, probably ten times faster than himself.


    He was grateful to have such capable followers; without them, no matter how strong he was, or how many resources he had, he wouldn''t be able to sustain a Sanctuary.


    Let alone keep it so well-organized.


    Across from him, Eileen stood up, leaned forward, extended her arm, and took a stack of unprocessed documents from beside him.


    Her hair cascaded down, floating before his eyes, the faint scent unique to Eileen lingering at his nose.

 Chapter 273 - 270 We Want to be the Ones Setting the Standards

    After Tang Yu finished dealing with a batch of documents that needed urgent attention, he finally took several pieces of new equipment out of his Space Backpack.


    A dagger entirely painted black, a longsword that coiled like a snake, a wide-bladed battle saber, a spiked Meteor Hammer, and a suit of bright silver armor.


    "Most of these are two-rune equipment, and the battle saber is three runes. How much Source Crystal can they sell for?"


    As he spoke, Tang Yu turned the Space Backpack upside down and gave it a shake, quickly shaking out a piece of paper, "Hmm, and this, the production cost of the equipment."


    Eileen picked up the equipment one by one, examining them in her hands.


    Her Source Power flowed in, and the blade of the battle saber, the exterior of the armor, complicated patterns began to emerge on these pieces of equipment¡ªthese were manifestations of the runes, but they were not the complete runes, only parts of their outlines.


    Those who understood runes could discern the specific abilities of the runes from these outlines, but it was impossible to crack or replicate the complete rune just based on these outlines.


    Eileen also understood runes. She merely looked at it for a moment and then put down the first piece of equipment, shifting her attention to the second.


    "Intermediate Sharp Rune, Basic Power Rune."


    She muttered to herself.


    Tang Yu held his breath and kept silent, only feeling... was this speed of identification a bit fast?


    He thought there were only two Rune Masters in the Territory, but now it seemed that Eileen''s expertise had already surpassed his own.


    It stung a little.


    In no time at all, Eileen had completed the identification of the pieces of equipment.


    Her department was responsible for equipment sales and market analysis; she already had the prices of all kinds of equipment at her fingertips.


    "Leave this one aside," Eileen moved the Meteor Hammer to one side and explained, "This type of niche weapon is rarely used by Awakeners, and those who do use it usually hope to customize one that suits them best. The Meteor Hammer is not suitable for mass production, but it can still be displayed on the shelves to increase the variety of weapons we sell."


    "The weapons most popular among Awakeners are battle sabers, followed by spears and longswords; these three categories have the highest sales volume, accounting for over eighty percent of weapon sales. As for armor, Awakeners often purchase full-body Combat Uniforms and battle boots¡­"


    Tang Yu nodded in understanding, "Among these pieces of equipment, the longsword and the battle saber are the most suitable for sale, right?"


    "Not exactly," Eileen unexpectedly shook her head, "What can bring the most profit is that piece of bright silver armor."


    She continued, "Swords, Combat Uniforms, these kinds of equipment, although they are the most popular, at the same time, we have too many of them. Take battle saber equipment, for example, there are fifteen types, including six one-rune battle sabers, eight two-rune battle sabers, and one three-rune battle saber."


    "This wide-bladed battle saber inscribed with three runes, once it''s on the shelves, will indeed be favored by many Awakeners, but such three-rune equipment is priced too high, and few Awakeners can afford it. We can''t lower the price either, so overall, the profit is not high."


    "Other weapons, including the longswords and daggers, because we have too many styles, sometimes Awakeners are overwhelmed by the choices and don''t know which one to pick. They can only keep trying; now, the supermarket''s equipment trial area is crowded every day."


    "On the other hand, the popularity of the armor, although it cannot be compared with Combat Uniforms, we have relatively few styles of armor to begin with, especially no heavy armor models¡­ Holding a shield and wearing heavy armor may not be too convenient, but with the cooperation of teammates, it can decide the key points of a battle. This two-rune armor should be a priority for the Equipment Department to produce, to ensure we have certain stock¡­"


    Eileen slowly articulated her evaluation of each piece of equipment.


    Armor, battle saber, dagger, Eileen had already provided a price range. Soon, the Logistics Department staff would take the equipment away, and analyze and determine the specific prices.


    The recent week''s equipment prices and sales volumes had been reviewed by Tang Yu, and when he heard what Eileen had to say about the vast variety of weapons causing Awakeners to fall into choice paralysis...


    With his left hand propping up his right elbow, and his right hand supporting his chin, he keenly sensed the crux of the problem, "This seems to be troublesome."


    Eileen pondered and furrowed her brow before saying, "Most people don''t understand equipment; they can''t judge the quality of the gear and can only try out different pieces continuously. But sometimes, merely testing the equipment isn''t enough for them to make up their minds."


    In the past, the Demon-slaying Longsword was renowned for its sharpness, and there were no other options, so everyone was eager to buy it.


    But now, with more equipment available and prices being higher, the degree of sharpness lacked clear comparison, and the functionality of equipment varied even more.


    Which piece was suitable for oneself? These buyers really didn''t know. Source Crystals didn''t just blow in with the wind, so spending had to be done with great caution.


    "In the end, it''s because in their minds, there is no price standard for rune equipment, so... we will establish a price standard for them."


    As Tang Yu pondered, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.


    It seemed feasible!


    "If we categorize the equipment and rank it, then in the future, even if the Awakeners don''t understand runes or the identification of equipment, as long as they see the equipment''s ranking, they will naturally associate it with a general price range, and when buying equipment, they wouldn''t need to try out each piece, getting confused by the abundant choices."


    Why do the pills and magical treasures in cultivation novels have different levels? It''s clearly to create market standards!


    Rune equipment should be the same.


    In the past, there were terms like basic equipment and advanced equipment, but in reality, there wasn''t a specific division.


    One-rune, two-rune, and three-rune equipment did have clear boundaries, yet the runes engraved on them differentially determined the value of the equipment¡ªa two-rune piece might not necessarily be cheaper than a three-rune one.


    After a moment of thought, Tang Yu spoke up, "Perhaps we could start with a simple classification, like ranking the equipment as E-level Basic Rune Equipment, D-level Basic Rune Equipment, C-level Intermediate, B-level Advanced, A-level Top-tier, and so on..."


    "For weapons, they could be rated based on their sharpness, along with other special effects."


    "We can even highly detail the levels within each tier, like a standard Demon-slaying Longsword is an E1 level weapon, an enhanced type one Demon-slaying Longsword is E2, and the type two enhancement is E3."


    "With this system, equipment will have a very clear level classification, and we can even provide a recommended range for buyers, such as for dealing with Fourth or Fifth Layer Demonized Beasts, it''s suitable to purchase E3-D1 level weapons."


    This was just a preliminary idea and surely needed improvement.


    But the more Tang Yu thought about it, the more excited he became¡ªit wasn''t just a matter of sales volume; he was looking much further ahead.


    The Territory couldn''t monopolize the sale of rune equipment forever. Other large sanctuaries are also stepping up their research on rune equipment, with some even acquiring valuable information from secret realms.


    In the future, more forces capable of producing rune equipment would emerge.


    The Territory simply had a head start over others, although Tang Yu was confident that he could maintain the lead.


    However, once this equipment ranking system was widely adopted, no matter how many competitors later arrived, as soon as one mentioned equipment ranking, they would immediately think of the Green Shadow Sanctuary.


    This would be the originator of rune equipment. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking of those who set standards before the apocalypse, Tang Yu understood that there were many interests at stake here.

 Chapter 274 - 271: Better to Switch Jobs

    Lindong.


    Underground Black Market.


    An auction held every five days often sees many high-end Awakeners competing and bidding up the price. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, today.


    The scheduled auction had an atmosphere far less lively than usual.


    On stage, a young and seductive auctioneer, was introducing an item brought to the fore.


    "This is a longsword made of Cloud Pattern Gold, sharp enough to easily slice through the hide and fur of Second-tier Demonized Beasts. If the user is strong, even facing Third or Fourth Layer Demonized Beasts, they could inflict fatal damage... The auction starts now, with the opening bid at thirty Source Crystals."


    Weapons were often the most sought-after equipment by Awakeners, yet this time, the crowd below looked on with diminishing interest.


    The seductive woman pulled at the neckline of her dress, revealing a swath of white that caught the straight gaze of many Awakeners, trying to stir up the mood. Her throat moved, but she sighed, her voice lacking strength as she said, "The opening bid is thirty Source Crystals, does anyone want it? This longsword''s concentration of Cloud Pattern Gold exceeds fifty percent."


    Her gaze swept over the crowd below, many of whom were staring intently in her direction, interested not in the Cloud Pattern Gold longsword on the auction stage, but at her.


    While proud, the seductive woman felt frustrated.


    She recalled an auction from nearly a month ago when a Demon-slaying Longsword prompted numerous leaders of top-tier squads to compete fiercely, to the point where the Awakeners even ignored her, the auctioneer, with their eyes fixed only on the Demon-slaying Longsword that could easily cut through the hide, fur, and bones of Demonized Beasts.


    That was the peak moment of the Black Market auctions.


    Since then, the Awakener who sold the Demon-slaying Longsword had not appeared again.


    Interest in the subsequent auctions waned slightly, but there were always several leaders from top-tier squads in Lindong and even representatives from the Three Major Mercenary Corps in attendance... Until recently, when these high-end Awakeners began to lose interest in the Black Market auctions.


    The seductive woman knew why.


    Inside the Lindong Sanctuary, there were rumors about alternate buying channels for Demon-slaying Longswords. Not just for Demon-slaying Longswords, but even more powerful equipment could be purchased elsewhere.


    It sounded like a fantasy, but she knew...


    The news was real!


    Many of Lindong''s top-tier masters were crazy about it, and numerous elite teams had even taken up permanent residence there.


    In the last two Black Market auctions, she seldom saw those familiar faces.


    Only those Awakeners who were weaker, without access to information channels, remained in the dark, doubting the truth of the rumors.


    A silence fell over the auction hall for a moment until a man wearing a mask and sunglasses spoke up, "Thirty Source Crystals, I''ll take it."


    Beside him, a companion who couldn''t understand his reasoning said in a low voice, "Why would you buy such a useless weapon? Did you forget, the Green Shadow commercial district opens in a few days, and there''s a discount for equipment purchases! Even some of the Advanced equipment normally only exchangeable at the adventurer guild can be bought with just Source Crystals. Why waste your Source Crystals now?"


    His companion was somewhat agitated.


    The man in sunglasses waved his hand, confident as he said, "This weapon may be useless, but the material of the longsword, Cloud Pattern Gold, is a Transcendent Metal. Even though this kind of Transcendent Metal is relatively common, it''s still valuable. Last time I was in Green Shadow, I saw someone buying it. A piece the size of a fist could be worth more than a dozen Source Crystals..."


    "This longsword, made of Cloud Pattern Gold as the Black Market claimed, contains more than fifty percent Cloud Pattern Gold. We can turn it over to Green Shadow and still make a tidy profit, and even if Green Shadow doesn''t buy it, we''ve got the material right here; we certainly won''t lose out,"


    the man in sunglasses said as he suddenly clapped his hands, "In other words, we call this ''Source Crystal appreciation''... You should understand that as our strength as Awakeners increases, the Source Crystals we collect daily are also increasing. A month ago, one unit of Source Crystal could be exchanged for a hundred pounds of ordinary food, but now, it''s only forty-five pounds."


    His companion had a moment of realization and nodded, looking at the man in sunglasses with great admiration. After a moment of thought, he said, "I remember Green Shadow''s shops are up for lease, and there are various preferential policies at the beginning. Should we invest in that? After all, real estate can not only preserve its value but also appreciate."


    "Ahem." The man in sunglasses stumbled and looked at his companion with an expression that screamed ''you can''t be serious,'' "Real estate appreciating, my ass! Besides, the shops are for lease, not for sale. Haven''t you seen those top-tier teams hesitating over this? Green Shadow may have a big name and strong strength, and they do sell various rune equipment, but that doesn''t necessarily mean it''s as safe as Lindong..."


    "Isn''t it said that Green Shadow remained intact after a Demon Tide attack..." his companion weakly interjected.


    "That did happen," the man in sunglasses shook his head, "Green Shadow can hold its ground against a first layer Demon Tide, but what about the second or third layer? When that time comes, can the Lindong Sanctuary still protect such a large commercial area? Don''t end up stockpiling a load of goods to do business, only to have it all swept away by the Demon Tide."


    ...


    The auction proceeded methodically, but even for the final showpiece item, there was no frenzied bidding war.


    Some materials, special items, and rare goods were auctioned off in decent numbers, but the equipment was somewhat neglected, with several pieces experiencing failed auctions.


    Soon, the auction ended, and many Awakeners left with expressions of disappointment, gradually dispersing.


    Someone muttered, "The Black Market auction is becoming less and less impressive. Next time, I might as well check out Green Shadow, though I wonder if they have any plans to hold an auction."


    ...


    Behind the auction venue.


    A bewitching woman lay lazily in her chair, curves fully displayed, though her demeanor carried a hint of fatigue.


    "These Source Crystals are becoming harder and harder to earn."


    "Indeed, Liu Yao sister."


    Standing beside the enchanting woman was a young woman in her early twenties, with delicate features. Her face clouded with worry, "Our auction this period still hasn''t met the requirement from above, and the manager is already dissatisfied with us."


    "They''re blaming Liu Yao sister for what is clearly an issue with the items up for auction, which makes me furious!"


    She stomped her foot, but as soon as she thought of the Black Market manager''s words, her small face was immediately filled with worry.


    He Liuyao was more aware of the situation than her assistant.


    If she couldn''t keep her position as the auctioneer for the Black Market and lost the attention of the higher-ups, those who had been eying her position would swoop down like sharks smelling blood.


    And now, some were already getting restless.


    "Liu Yao sister, what are we going to do?"


    After pondering for a while, He Liuyao spoke, "How about jumping ship?"


    "Jumping ship? To where?"


    "Green Shadow!" He Liuyao declared resolutely.


    The assistant was utterly confused, "Isn''t Lindong Sanctuary our competition? If it weren''t for them, our auction''s turnover wouldn''t be getting lower and lower!"