It's so painful! So hard! So difficult!

The struggle...or rather the massacre, began.

For Yamashita Kanon, slashing these monsters was a piece of cake. Her blade slashed through the various colored stone figures like she was slicing tofu. Despite her rapid speed, her movements were extremely graceful. Her long robe fluttered, and she walked as smoothly as flowing clouds and water, yet passed by like a gust of wind and thunder.

Bai Lin, on the other hand, might have been struggling a bit. After all, the opponent was a special monster with excellent physical fitness, so Bai Lin still needed to employ some skills to quickly kill it. Moreover, these monsters were generally over ten meters tall, making the length advantage of their katana seem like a joke. So, whether it was shoulder-to-shoulder collisions, punches, or kicks, Bai Lin would use any weapon he could at any time, and to crush them like a whirlwind, he rushed forward frantically, using all his strength like a violent meat grinder.

For a moment, the two men in the battle array swept across a vast expanse of the battlefield at an extremely fast speed. When they regained consciousness, they were already tens of thousands of miles away, and the battlefield behind them was scattered with the scars they had left behind.

After taking two breaths, Bai Lin made a sword flower and slowly put his sword into the alien space. He patted his chest and said to Yamashita Kanon,

"Well, I didn't embarrass you, Master, did I?"

"...Do you really want to provoke me that much? Forget it, let's talk about the results first. As you can see, facing almost the same number of enemies, our speeds were almost identical. Although I didn't use my full strength, you didn't use your weapons either, so you can say you did a very good job."

As if looking at a monster, Yamashita Kanon looked at Bai Lin beside her and continued,

"It's only been a short time, and you've already reached this point. Even if your combat skills aren't superb, you've already honed them much faster than others of your kind."

"I truly cannot imagine what the scene will be like when you succeed. No one in our school has ever been able to master every aspect of this, for this is an ancient school built through generations of experience and countless years. Yet, you've managed to master all the techniques of your predecessors and use them for your own benefit. It's entirely possible that you've even created new and powerful techniques based on them..."

Having said that, Yamashita Kanon restrained her gaze. She coughed twice, and her increasingly anxious tone returned to her normal demeanor. She scanned Bai Lin's body again with her enchanting eyes and said,

"I'm becoming more and more convinced of you, Rin. Besides the katana, you possess many other abilities, and you possess the potential to reach pinnacle mastery in each one. If someone like you isn't the hero who can save the world, then who is?"

Listening to Yamashita Kanon's praise, Bai Lin, who has always been thick-skinned, patted his head a little embarrassedly and said,

"It's okay, I'm not very good at magic."

Chapter 660 I’m trained

"No? Are you kidding me?! Your strength...can't be gained from training, right?"

Yamashita Kanon had obviously seen Bai Lin without armor. She was so thin. Even though she looked very healthy among the girls, she definitely didn't have the physique of a human tank. Bai Lin didn't pay much attention to Yamashita Kanon, just waved his hand, signaling her not to discuss this too much. After all, this was the enemy camp, and replied,

"Actually, my combat prowess is just so-so. You talk about how powerful I am, but wasn't I completely defeated by you last time? There must be a lot of humans stronger than you, but they haven't been able to save the world yet, let alone me."

But now I really don't think I can beat you. Yamashita Kanon thought so in her heart. She believed that even if she wanted to kill Bai Lin, she would have to pay a certain price. However, she didn't say so. She just patted her scabbard lightly and said as she stepped forward.

"Whether they're adventurers or geniuses nurtured with vast resources, after being in this world for so long, their mindsets are bound to change. Human nature is both a vital component of a person's being and a poison that corrodes their minds. Saving the world isn't something these people can accomplish by standing at the forefront and leading others. They don't possess the same qualities as you. Or perhaps, you lack a bit of... worldly sensibility."

"You want to say I'm a bitch, right?"

"As long as you know."

Those who harbor the idea of ​​saving others are arrogant, and naturally, in the eyes of some people, they are pure brains. However, the current Bai Lin did not make Yamashita Kanon think that she was so brains.

As the two strolled along, chatting and laughing as if this wasn't a battlefield but an amusement park, a strange aura suddenly filled the air. From the distance ahead, a discordant, though clear, sound of wind and sand, a distinctly timeless melody, formed a melody that both of them could understand, drifting into their ears.

"Please wait a moment, two human visitors! We have no intention of being enemies with humans. What just happened was purely a misunderstanding. Please listen to my explanation and don't attack us yet!"

There were some strange tones that seemed to be out of this world, but they sounded very polite and begging for mercy. However, hearing such words did not make Bai Lin relax at all. She frowned and shouted loudly,

"What do you mean? Why are you identifying me as a human? Why don't you try to identify me more carefully?"

No matter what Bai Lin said now, in fact, the race is all elves. In Bai Lin's understanding, the elves have a very large degree of freedom of behavior, and it is not a problem for them to talk and laugh with humans. So after being pointed out by the other party that she is a human, her first reaction was naturally to say a few words of stubbornness. However, the other party quickly replied,

"Don't worry. We'll keep your identity a secret, as you're not an elf. We have no ill will towards humans. On the contrary, we want to befriend them, so revealing your identity is no problem at all! As for why it's visible... it's because of the legend of the Son of God. Only rumors among humans suggest someone with your appearance."

The other party politely gave Bai Lin the answer he wanted. Seeing that he could no longer be stubborn, Bai Lin took a deep breath, but his eyebrows twitched emotionally. He put pressure on the other party with a rather dissatisfied tone,

"You're eavesdropping on our conversations right after we met, and you even managed to spy on my appearance using some unknown method? That's not a sign of friendship."

"We apologize for the former. Our surveillance covers a large area, so it's difficult not to hear anything. As for your appearance, we can't do anything about it. With our current level of technology, we can't see through the magic props that cover your appearance. We can only see the appearance of the other lady beside you."

She said what she meant, and although she was verbally attacked by Bai Lin, she was still so polite and meticulous in her words. Bai Lin couldn't help but look at these people with a new respect. She thought for a moment and said,

"But no matter what, you attacked humans. That's a fact set in stone. But for this one thing, I don't believe you. How do I know you haven't been attacking those villagers and just caved in when we came? Come up with a convincing reason, or I'll definitely take action."

Bai Lin was always merciless towards outsiders. Even to someone like He, who was close to him, Bai Lin had never shown a good face, let alone these people who had just fought with him. However, the other party was not at all flustered by Bai Lin's words, but continued with the same tone as before, saying,

"That wasn't a real battle. We launched it after consultation with those humans and with their consent. That battle would never truly harm them. If you don't believe me, you can go back and ask them first, and then come back to negotiate with us."

"If you're still worried about us escaping, then leave the young lady with you. Her strength is more than enough to stop us. You can go back and ask questions yourself before deciding whether to listen to our explanation or not."

Hearing the other party's thoughtful consideration for her, Bai Lin frowned again, and then she quickly turned to Yamashita Kanon next to her and said,

"You heard it, too. Go negotiate with the villagers. Once everything is settled, come back and report to me."

"……are you sure?"

Perhaps because she was not the best candidate for diplomacy, Yamashita Kanon looked at Bai Lin with a perplexed look and said so. Bai Lin nodded very affirmatively and continued,

"Identify yourself, state your purpose, seek direct verification, and reassure the people. These four things are what you already knew how to do when you were Prime Minister. They shouldn't be difficult for you, right?"

"Then, what identity should I use to show it?"

"Whatever, if you want to talk about the former Prime Minister of Sakura, that's not impossible..." Bai Lin was halfway through her words when she was killed by Yamashita Kanon's unusually cold eyes. She smiled awkwardly and replied to Yamashita Kanon,

"You can say you're the Son's representative, a friend, or a teammate, whatever. Just use my name."

Chapter 661: Periya Tribe

"It's really a bit unpleasant... I actually have to use your name to do something. Forget it, I won't do it again."

Yamashita Kanon turned around and disappeared from Bai Lin's side in the blink of an eye. She had been suppressing her temper so often today that Bai Lin found it rather odd. Previously, when dealing with Bai Lin, she had always been quick to lash out at her subordinates for their mistakes, yet now that he was in a superior position, she was being much more tolerant?

Never mind, just wait for good news.

After a while, Yamashita Kanon returned to Bai Lin's side. It was just a simple negotiation that didn't take too much time, so it was naturally not a difficult task for the former Prime Minister. She looked at Bai Lin who was still standing there and said slowly,

"Those people really didn't speak. It was a battle that was launched after discussion and agreement between both sides. Or, in other words, it was a play."

"Play? There have to be people watching the play, what's the point of performing it? The arrows you shoot are free."

Bai Lin didn't seem to believe it. She knew someone was monitoring her, so she deliberately used an exaggerated tone to reply. Yamashita Kanon also looked at Bai Lin and replied lightly,

"I knew you would ask this, so I definitely asked it as a side note. At first, they were hesitant and didn't want to say it, but after I put a little pressure on them, they finally relented."

"You won't attack them, will you?"

"If you say something like that again, I'll attack you first."

Yamashita Kanon suppressed Bai Lin's bad words with an extremely oppressive look, sighed, and then continued,

"In general, the village over there originally had a deep-seated hatred for an alien race. The races have been at war for years, seemingly unending ever since the village was founded after the decline of humanity. This has led to the accumulation of hatred from generation to generation, and many villagers have even spent their entire lives in conflict and resentment."

"Under such circumstances, the product that emerged naturally consisted of a group of highly respected elders who had completely lost their temper. Therefore, when these new alien races arrived here, although they attempted to negotiate, they were driven back."

It sounded very real. If the first half of one's life was immersed in war, then the second half would naturally be immersed in an air filled with blood. How could one let go so easily after losing loved ones and friends?

But after hearing this, Bai Lin's expression suddenly became a little strange. She was also a smart person, and she would understand what was said. She said,

"Could it be that... those humans on the front lines also felt that fighting was too tiring and unnecessary, so they agreed to conduct the drill for their superiors to see?"

Yamashita Kanon nodded and replied,

"Indeed. Many high-ranking elders are advanced in age and no longer have the ability to supervise the battle on the front lines. With the help of alien races, they lied about injuries and military intelligence, bribed some of the more honest supervisors and medical staff, and managed the relationships to avoid the actual war."

Hearing this, Bai Lin's heart was filled with mixed emotions. However, she did not comment first, but looked into the distance and asked,

"Tell me what's going on, yourselves."

"That's roughly what you heard, Respected Saint. We, the Periya tribe, actually just moved here. We bribed the original alien race to evacuate, and established an excellent observation site and simulation experiment base in this area. Our purpose is to explore and attempt to rebuild the damaged human civilization and its subsequent development in the near future..."

"Stop." Bai Lin quickly interrupted the other party's speech. She put her chin in her hands with suspicion and looked into the distance and asked,

"If you want to get closer to humans, shouldn't you go to Camitlan, our only remaining city? Also, what good would it do you to rebuild human civilization? Could you please think this through?"

Why do something that has no benefits? This kind of lie is a bit outrageous. But Bai Lin received an answer that surprised her.

"In our alien race, there are actually laws prohibiting contact with humans. Although the interior of your city is safe, the accessible borders are basically monitored by aliens, so we will not choose to go there. Because strictly speaking, we are also taking risks to come into contact with you."

"As for the supervision methods for other villages, I won't discuss them for now. All I can say is that we've already established connections in that regard. We chose this village primarily because of their relatively large population. Furthermore, we presumptuously assumed that by driving out their enemies, we'd already addressed their greatest livelihood challenge, allowing us to quickly intervene in their lives. While that was indeed a miscalculation, negotiations are indeed proceeding steadily."

The other party's strange voice still maintained its usual polite attitude, and was even very rational. Facing Bai Lin's provocative questioning tone, there was no sign of emotional fluctuation. But when they spoke again, their attitude changed again.

"Let's move on to the second half of your question. Regarding the pursuit of knowledge, our only aspiration for the Periya people is to grasp the truth and explore the truest principles of whatever we desire. For us, grasping the correct truth is the greatest benefit. I don't expect you to raise any questions about this, as it is our race's greatest survival principle."

"Just as you humans are born with a natural tendency to resist death, we also never wish to hear anyone think that we are seeking the truth for ulterior motives. Please take note."

The tone was neither humble nor arrogant, and was much tougher than before. The other party actually launched a counterattack against Bai Lin. This seemingly absurd language exploded in Bai Lin's ears like a bolt from the blue.

Bai Lin had seen plenty of examples like the lizardmen who simply pursued their dreams, the cranes who simply sought martial arts, and the wild gods who simply wanted to help others. So, it wasn't hard to understand the so-called Periya people who sacrificed everything for the pursuit of truth.

Throughout human history, there have been many such people who, having grasped the truth, would defend it at all costs and make it public. For example, Copernicus and his heliocentric theory are living examples.

Bai Lin was in awe of such people. So now, Bai Lin also slightly reduced his contempt and hostility towards the alien in front of him.

Chapter 662 Don’t Cut Me

Bai Lin did not express her attitude directly. She glanced at Yamashita Kanon beside her and asked,

"You've been in contact with the villagers. Tell me first. Are there any other possibilities?"

Yamashita Kanon looked back at Bai Lin with a serious expression and replied in an orderly manner,

"Threats, charms, brainwashing—the effects of these abilities are obvious to me. They didn't use such methods against the villagers. However, there's still a sense of unease among the villagers, a kind of innate unease that isn't too far removed from the outside world..."

Having said that, Yamashita Kanon glanced at Bai Lin again, emphasized her tone, and continued,

"Rin, after all, they are still monsters. You can't be sure of their true condition. It's best not to trust them."

Bai Lin was surprised that Yamashita Kanon was actually talking to her in a very rational and persuasive tone. It was obvious that she really cared about her thoughts. However, Bai Lin had already made up her mind and replied slowly,

"To be honest, back in Kamitlan, aside from Manjushaka herself, the aliens we discovered openly didn't give me much of a headache. On the contrary, you guys, putting aside the fact that you killed me once, have indirectly taken many lives."

"that is because……"

"Don't rush to explain. Look, when Edith came over to lead me in killing Spring Jack, you helped, right? And when it was over, you simply left without attacking them again. You should have realized that not all aliens, or what you call monsters, are to be killed."

Bai Lin interrupted Yamashita Kanon's attempt to defend herself, took a deep breath, looked at her, and spoke very calmly. She slowly stretched her hands to her side and let them hang easily, and continued to preach.

"Honestly, if Flanders hadn't helped me, I probably wouldn't have been able to kill Manjusaka. Sometimes, it's still possible to make contact with aliens. Perhaps it's just because of some factors in the past that you subconsciously refuse to recognize this. But really, just relax a little."

After hearing Bai Lin's words, Yamashita Kanon shook her head firmly, pushed the handle of her knife forward a little, looked at Bai Lin with sharp eyes and said,

"What do you mean, are you saying I should let my guard down?"

"No, who told you to let your guard down? Even if we were born in Camitlan, how many places can we find to relax and unwind? There really aren't many. Be wary of everyone, but give all life a chance first. That's what I mean."

I'm not asking you to treat them as friends, I'm just asking you to listen to what they want to say and do, and then decide whether to kill them directly, that's all.

Bai Lin's words were not spoken very quickly. Bai Lin, who was already a bit taller than Yamashita Kanon, also showed more oppression in front of the other party. Facing the other party's eyes, Bai Lin did not avoid them at all. After all, this pressure was just a joke to Bai Lin.

Finally, as the two looked at each other, Yamashita Kanon was the first to raise the white flag. She folded her arms, first shifted her gaze, then tilted her head, glanced at Bai Lin and said,

"So, what about the benefits? You profited from your previous collaboration with Flanders, right? Otherwise, why would you say that it was thanks to her that you were able to fight Manjushaka? What are the benefits this time?"

"You know it all very well, right? Do I need to explain it to you? Why are you Sakura so grateful to the God of Wilderness? The reason is very simple. A large part of your culture was borrowed and passed down to you by her."

"Things like culture are the foundation of a nation. Humanity has lost so much. How much can we recover, how much can we truly master? This isn't just a matter of skill and time, but also of luck. Being able to grasp these things is already a tremendous benefit. Don't you realize this?"

Nowadays, there are so many chaotic archaeologists, constantly studying newly unearthed objects. Those objects fascinate archaeologists so much that even though they often come up empty-handed and often leave many people without food, many still pursue this endeavor. And that's just archaeology. Bai Lin's world has seen a period of decline in human civilization. Uncovering the breeze that could slowly revive a vanished spring is a truly momentous undertaking.

Bai Lin admitted she couldn't teach the people here anything, her level of education was only beyond that. But she certainly had some ideas and thoughts. This matter was undoubtedly the greatest benefit.

Yamashita Kanon sighed, then raised her head again and said coldly to Bai Lin,

"I reserve my opinion, but if you want to communicate with them, go ahead. If I judge it necessary to take action, I will do so at any time."

"Just don't rape me and kill me first."

"Or I'll kill you right now."

Without arguing with Yamashita Kanon anymore, Bai Lin shouted loudly towards the distance,

"Okay, I know you're okay now. However, we'll have to monitor you for the next two days. After all, we have a mission to complete, so we can't just leave you here."

"No problem! I'm glad you understand. We'll never do anything out of line. We'll consult the villagers before taking any action. So, I hear you two seem interested in the civilization we're reviving and exploring. Why don't you come visit us?"

Bai Lin nodded with satisfaction. This was exactly what he expected. Then he said,

"Okay, that's exactly what I meant."

After all, Bai Lin does have some work as a supervisory officer, and she herself is a law enforcement officer with a strong murderous intention. It is a wise move to "bribe" her with something that interests her.

Just like that, Bai Lin gave Yamashita Kanon a look, and then continued to shout,

"Where are we going? Can you please tell us the way, or send someone to lead us?"

"No, please just stand where you are."

Just as Bai Lin was looking curiously at the desolate wasteland before her, which showed little signs of magical power, a vibration came from beneath her feet. A not-too-violent humming sound emanated from all directions of the valley, like a powerful drumbeat rumbling in her ears. A possibility she had never considered before emerged from Bai Lin's mind and rose before her eyes.

Chapter 663 Between the Infinite Galaxy

Amidst the humming of metal, rows upon rows of inky metal layers, stacked like ship bridges, neatly arranged above and below, rapidly rose from in front of Bai Lin. They lifted up the original strata, revealing a sense of technology that should not exist in this world.

Vast clouds of smoke and dust fell from above, yet they couldn't penetrate the black interlayer. From the inky black rows of bridges, blue-white lights emanated a radiance of wisdom. Following that light, looking inside, one could glimpse a vast world...