I fabricated myths to guide the revival of spiritual energy.

Chapter 36 Only magic can defeat magic

[Western Hunan, Frontline Blockade Zone]

The defenses have collapsed.

This was not a tactical mistake, nor a sign of weakness of will, but rather a pure example of a dimensional reduction attack.

"Sizzle sizzle—"

A high-pressure flamethrower spewed out a 30-meter-long jet of fire, attempting to create a firebreak. For carbon-based life forms, high temperatures should be their absolute nemesis.

However, the golden beetles, their shells glowing red-hot, continued to flap their wings as they darted through the flames. On the contrary, the intense heat seemed to have ignited a ferocity within them, making them even faster.

"It's no use! Fire attacks are useless!"

A flamethrower desperately dropped his empty fuel canister. The next second, a cloud of golden mist swept by, and before he could even scream, he was reduced to a mangled skeleton, collapsing to the ground with a thud.

On the skeleton, countless golden silkworms were greedily sucking the marrow.

Behind the swarm of insects, the three-meter-tall "Hive Man"—a former truck driver and now the host of the Gu Mother—is closing in step by step.

With each step it took, a black footprint was eroded into the asphalt pavement beneath its feet.

"Da da da da da!"

The machine gun bullets hit it, but aside from sending up a few golden sparks and scattering a few insects, they had no effect. The scattered insects circled in the air once, then gathered back at its wound, instantly "healing".

This is practically immortal.

"Is this... a catastrophe of extraordinary magnitude?"

Li Sen hid behind an overturned armored vehicle, watching the hellish scene before him, his gun falling limply to his side.

Physical attacks are ineffective.

Energy attack (fire) has a minor effect.

This is an unsolvable deadlock.

……

[Battlefield Flanking]

As Zhao Feng watched the approaching Hive People, the mysterious message kept replaying in his mind:

Iron should not be used to harm one's spirit.

To vanquish evil, first ignite the fire within your heart.

"Heartfire..."

Zhao Feng gritted his teeth. He had worked in the special operations team for ten years, learning combat, shooting, and studying materialism. No one had ever taught him what "inner fire" was.

But he knew what "anger" was.

Watching his comrades fall one by one, watching that inhuman creature trample on human dignity, a surge of scalding heat exploded from his chest and rushed straight to the top of his head.

"Buzz—"

The broken sword on his back, "Tiger Warrior," seemed to sense this intense emotional fluctuation.

The once cold sword hilt suddenly became scorching hot, like a red-hot branding iron.

But the heat didn't burn Zhao Feng's hand; instead, it traveled up his arm, into his veins, and merged with his boiling blood.

In his retina, the world changed.

The golden insects were no longer mere matter; a faint layer of black mist swirled around them. And on the chest of the hive-man, there was a dazzling, pulsating ball of purple light.

That is... the core.

"So that's where it was."

Zhao Feng took a deep breath. Instead of seeking cover, he stepped forward and stood in front of everyone.

"Captain! What are you doing?! Come back here!" the team members shouted in terror.

Zhao Feng did not turn around.

He gripped the broken sword with both hands, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground.

"Since physical methods can't save you..."

Zhao Feng closed his eyes, pouring all his anger, killing intent, and determination to die into the broken sword in his hand.

"Then let's try... slaying demons!"

boom!

A visible crimson light suddenly burst forth from the rusted sword. It wasn't a laser; it was an energy field called "evil energy."

The "Red-Clad Bride" residing within the sword seemed to awaken at that moment, letting out a mournful ghostly howl that echoed across the battlefield.

……

[Changsha, Hotel]

Gu Qing stared at the beam of blood shooting into the sky on the screen and sat bolt upright.

"It's done."

He snapped his fingers, his eyes full of admiration.

"This is the potential of 'human beings'. When technology fails and logic collapses, the only thing humanity can rely on is that indomitable will."

"System, assist with correction."

"Convert Zhao Feng's 'willpower' into temporary 'spiritual power.' Conversion rate... set to maximum!"

"I want this sword to be the pioneering work of a new era."

……

Western Hunan, the Battlefield

The hive people stopped in their tracks.

For the first time, its compound eyes revealed an emotion called "fear." As a biological instinct, it sensed the presence of its predator.

"hiss--!!"

It let out a piercing scream, controlling the swarm of golden insects that filled the sky, transforming it into a giant claw that slammed down towards Zhao Feng.

This time, Zhao Feng did not dodge.

He moved.

There are no fancy moves, only the simplest and most direct strike – the Wind Slash.

"die!!!"

Zhao Feng roared, and the broken sword in his hand transformed into a crescent-shaped streak of blood, flowing upstream.

This sword strike has absolutely no scientific basis.

When the crimson sword energy came into contact with the golden swarm of insects, there was no physical collision. Those golden silkworm worms, whose hardness was comparable to diamond, reacted as if snow had met boiling oil the moment they touched the red light.

They weren't severed, but rather... their souls were annihilated.

Their "life force" was instantly stripped away, leaving them as empty, lifeless shells that fell like raindrops.

The crimson sword light swept through the enemy like a whirlwind, slicing through the insect swarm, cutting through the air, and finally…

It precisely slashed through the Hive Man's chest.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

Zhao Feng remained in the sword-wielding stance, panting heavily, two streams of black blood flowing from his nostrils. That was the price of forcibly overdrawing his energy and spirit.

Ten meters away from him.

The arrogant Hive Man stiffened for a moment.

"Click."

A soft sound.

The purple core light on its chest went out.

Immediately afterwards, the billions of insects that make up its body lost control at the same time, and the originally tight structure collapsed instantly.

wow-

It was like a sandcastle being washed away by the waves. The terrifying monster, before everyone's eyes, was scattered into a pile of lifeless, dead insect corpses.

There was no regeneration, no counterattack.

Utter death.

The battlefield was deathly silent.

The only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind.

The surviving special police officers, the dumbfounded scientists, and Li Sen, who was holding an empty gun, all stared blankly at the back of the figure standing on the pile of insect corpses.

What they just witnessed overturned all their previous understanding.

A monster that bullets couldn't kill was slain by a single, rusty, broken sword.

What was that red light?

Is that a laser weapon?

No... that's more like...

Sword energy.

"Clatter".

The broken sword slipped from Zhao Feng's hand, and he immediately knelt on one knee, coughing violently.

But he smiled.

He looked at the insect corpses scattered on the ground, laughing maniacally yet with a sense of relief.

"turn out to be……"

Zhao Feng grabbed a handful of insect corpses from the ground and watched them turn into black ash in his palm.

"So magic really does exist in this world."

"And to defeat them..."

"Only magic."

……

[Beijing, Headquarters of Bureau 749]

The image on the big screen froze at the moment Zhao Feng swung his sword.

Li Guozhong slowly sat back down in his chair. His expression was no longer solemn, but rather a complex mix of shock and helplessness.

"Did you write it down?" Li Guozhong asked.

"It's been recorded, Director." The head of the technical department's voice trembled. "Although we can't analyze the spectrum of that red energy, the facts speak for themselves."

Li Guozhong closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

"Kinetic weapon malfunctioned, ancient sword successfully slayed the demon."

"If this report is submitted, half of the old guys at the Academy of Sciences will probably go crazy."

He opened his eyes, his gaze becoming deep and resolute.

But that's reality.

"Notify the front lines to spare no effort in treating Zhao Feng. He is a hero, and more importantly... a case study."

"in addition……"

Li Guozhong looked out the window at the first hint of dawn.

"Draft a top-secret plan."

Code name: [Seeking Immortality]

"Since guns and cannons are no longer effective, then we should... find a new way to live."

……