Forge a path to success

Chu Hengkong looked at Qingxia and Wenyao, a chill seeping into his heart. No one would doubt their shared origin, and even Chu Hengkong, who had some suspicions, wouldn't question Wenyao's race. They were just too alike, too alike…

His elbow was rubbed, and Qingye leaned in with a smile, as if to an outsider she wanted to whisper something intimate. She gave him a look.

When should we take action?

It wasn't the right time. Chu Hengkong closed his eyes. He absolutely couldn't make a move now.

Wen Yao's appearance is similar to Qing Xia's, and she seems to be a "Blood Knight" of the third rank. However, Chu Hengkong has not forgotten the common sense of the Dark Realm. Once one reaches the fourth rank on the Path of Unity, one can moderately change one's body. If Wen Yao is a "Myriad Transformations Immortal Clan" of a high rank, attacking her now would be tantamount to courting death.

Moreover, they have no reason to fight at all. How can they explain their attack to Qingxia now? Can they say they suspect her good kin are heretics? If Qingxia's companions and her compatriots inexplicably start fighting, whose side should she take? What should they do if the Fear Messenger takes the opportunity to attack?

Unable to figure things out or come up with a solution, no matter who Wen Yao was, the moment she met Qing Xia, the initiative was in her hands. Chu Hengkong stared blankly at the two centaurs. While he was troubled, Qing Xia had already become familiar with Wen Yao. Like a vulnerable junior, she kept asking the knowledgeable senior all sorts of strange questions.

"Sister Wenyao, are we always all alone?"

“Actually, we’re more used to group operations…” Wen Yao chuckled, widening the gap between them. “Generally speaking, only fairies with a mission will embark on a journey alone.”

"So, I really am carrying a mission!" Qingxia clasped her hands together expectantly, but then fell silent in disappointment. "But I can't remember anything..."

Wen Yao chuckled softly as she combed the blood-red hair of her compatriot.

“Once a mission is given, it will not disappear. You will always remember it…” she said softly, “and you will remember it when the time is right.”

·

Meanwhile, beneath the sacred pillar of the settlement.

Chongming, who was resting under the tree, suddenly stood up, startling Shizhong.

【What's wrong? 】

"I'm restless." Chongming tapped the hilt of his sword repeatedly, then suddenly called out, "Hey, Ji Huaisu!"

"Speak quickly!" Ji Huaisu poked half her head out from the sacred pillar, busy fiddling with the sacred pillar's formation.

How long does it take to activate the Holy Pillar attack?

“Many magic arrays are still not operational; the fastest they’ll take is half an hour,” Ji Huaisu said. “Besides, we haven’t done any simulations before, so I don’t recommend testing them directly. The risk of failure is too great…”

"Get this done as quickly as possible, and expand the seal to its maximum extent as well." Chongming hurriedly stood up. "I'm going out for a bit!"

He strode out, sword in hand, heading alone toward the battlefield. Ji Huaisu couldn't help but feel puzzled. In the past, Chongming always acted arrogantly, ordering the researchers around, but he had never seen him do anything himself.

Moreover, as a being in the mist, he couldn't do anything about what was happening right now, could he?

"What is Chongming doing?"

"Maybe it 'senses' something..." muttered the frog-faced researcher beside him. "The boss's intuition is always very accurate."

Chapter 207 Duel Invitation

A thick fog hung in the air, sandstorms raged, and the dark moonlight shone on the bone-white dunes. The first camp had long been left behind, thousands of meters behind, and the group marched on an endless stretch of road.

After Wen Yao joined, resting at the camp became absurd. The two centaurs chattered incessantly, so it was better to march than rest. Qing Ye, also a member of the women's group, naturally joined in the conversation, asking questions with Qing Xia.

"Where was Miss Wenyao operating before? I heard that the area north of the settlement was all battlefields..."

"So it's this dangerous?" Wen Yao was taken aback. "Little sister, thank you for reminding me. I've only been here for half a day, and all I know is that there are heretical auras everywhere, but I don't know anything about this place."

"No wonder, Miss Wen Yao is a newcomer too." Qing Ye clapped her hands. "So she also encountered an accident?"

"During the mission, we encountered a black 'door'..."

Despite Qingye's subtle probing, Wenyao's answer was impeccable. She recounted how, while eradicating the Black Moon pollution on Xiaochen Island, she had accidentally discovered a black door, and when she came to her senses, she found herself in the Despair Wasteland. Her account of the process closely resembled the experiences of many others; it seemed that most of the "newcomers" from the outside world had gone through similar procedures.

There's nothing wrong with it, and no reason to doubt it. So we need to think of other ways.

Chu Hengkong tossed a leaf to Silar on horseback: "Are there any fire-starting materials nearby?"

Before the old man could reply, Qingxia cheerfully said, "Use flying centipedes! Their oil is excellent fuel; catching just two can make a huge torch!"

"Don't take the risk!" Slar said sternly. "Lighting a fire on the battlefield could attract messengers..."

“We can then launch a coordinated attack and take them down,” Chu Hengkong said. “Our combat strength is not what it used to be. Envoys of the Fallen Soul level wouldn’t survive a single encounter. If any envoys of the Vaklo level come, we can at least hold our own against them.”

“But what if we attract the army led by Burning Flame…” Slar hesitated.

“It’s a good opportunity to help Gulibo out of a predicament, killing two birds with one stone.” Chu Hengkong looked at Wen Yao. “Miss Wen Yao, we are also on a mission. I’m sorry we don’t have much time to explain the situation to you. The journey ahead will be very dangerous. I suggest you rest at the camp.”

"We are allies, and it is our duty to fight against the heretics." Wen Yao said without any hesitation. "Please leave the vanguard to me. I've been wanting to take this opportunity to show Qingxia the methods of our orthodox immortal race!"

"Is that method really better than what I know?" Qingxia asked curiously.

“That’s hard to say…” Wen Yao said awkwardly, “I’ve never seen a Blood Knight as strong as you before…”

Wen Yao, including himself and his horse, was about three meters tall, which was quite a behemoth compared to ordinary people. However, standing next to Qing Xia, who was four meters tall, he looked like a little bird. The contrast between the two was like that between a pampered pet and a wild beast; you could tell the difference in their upbringing just by looking at their appearances.

"Hmm, Sister Wenyao is showing her weakness~"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Wen Yao made a move to strike, but Qingxia easily dodged it by turning her head. They ran happily forward, volunteering to go first and scout the way.

Something's definitely not right. Chu Heng thought to himself.

Qingxia occasionally shows a childish side, but she always acts with clear thinking and reason. Back in Jinye City, she could suppress her deep-seated hatred and make the right judgments, always leading others by the nose. So why has Qingxia become such a clingy girl the moment Wen Yao appears?

How did two people who had only been together for less than half a day suddenly become like sisters...?

Just then, he saw Qingye sneeze. "The sandstorm was too intense..." Qingye wiped her nose and lowered her head in embarrassment.

Chu Hengkong realized something and focused his attention on discerning the scent. Amidst the omnipresent dust, there was a faint, almost imperceptible, floral fragrance.

Chu Hengkong secretly noted it down and said no more. Soon after, they caught two centipedes, and a deep yellow flame ignited, with smoke rising straight into the sky.

·

Beyond the ancient battlefield, a burning fortress.

Burning Flame lowered the gate, blocking the beasts that were preparing to attack back into the city. The greedy demon adjutant, who was about to beat the drum to send out his troops, was startled and hurriedly put down the frozen drumsticks.

"Please give your instructions." The greedy demon stared at the messenger's burning beard, speaking tremblingly.

It couldn't help but be afraid. Burning Ash was once a formidable Rainbow Demon mentor, while it was merely one of the assistants at the beck and call of Burning Ash's apprentices. If it weren't for the fact that all the apprentices had died and the other assistants had been executed, how could it, a mere greedy demon, have been promoted to adjutant?

“No fighting today,” said Burning Ash. “Bring me my bow.”

"My lord, I... I can't retrieve it..." The greedy demon's deputy clutched his icy hands and burst into tears. "I'll melt..."

Looking at this useless lump of ice, Burning Ember felt a sudden urge to burn it to ashes with a fireball. But if this assistant died, there would be no one to command it. So it only burned half of the other's body, shouldered its burning longbow, and stepped out of the fortress's border.

The border, hastily established on the first day of the war, was designed to effectively destroy material bullets. At that moment, the Burning Blaze finally forced the cowardly newcomer out of hiding, intending to have its subordinates teach the timid fellow a lesson. However, the only surviving apprentice died in the blink of an eye, and the remaining assistants fell one by one from the city wall, like chickens being lined up for execution. It realized its carelessness, but by the time the cabbage appeared, it was too late to say anything.

These executed fighters could have proven invaluable in the next major battle against the resistance; they could have destroyed the settlement's warriors, delayed the new recruits, and created an opportunity for the enemy to strike…

"To hell with it," Burning Ember cursed inwardly. It was utterly meaningless. These armies, these people, and this battlefield—their meaning had long since burned out in life. The Demon King's army was long dead; only the souls forcibly resurrected by higher powers remained, lingering in this ridiculous prison. It understood Lord Vansalal; it could even understand the funeral procession. Life reduced to this state, their only hope was death. A death imbued with meaning.

Who could have imagined that a perfectly good war would turn out like that? Before they died, everything was so simple; everyone was fighting to the death for their own pursuits and meanings. Perhaps it should be thankful that it died early enough to avoid getting caught up in the mess that followed…

Gunfire shattered Ember's thoughts; the bullet was already upon him. The grey Death Will bullet, the sniper's signature power, was practically the bane of the Calamity race. Ember walked towards the bullet, his head transforming into an elemental form, preemptively dodging the fatal blow.

Encasing oneself in a hard material shield might seem like a safer solution, but such a tactic is too shameless and would only create more openings for the enemy. Burning Ember could easily imagine the specially crafted bullets turning the shield into a cage or barrier, followed by a Death Shot that would kill him. Such a death would be rather laughable; Lord Vansalal would probably chuckle.

The embers flew to the center of the battlefield, and before the second bullet could hit, it unloaded its longbow and threw its weapon far away. It used magic to vibrate the air, creating an amplification effect.

"My weapon is a level five relic; in the current situation, it's equivalent to half my strength," Ember shouted. "I threw it away so I could talk to you, nameless sniper!"

Two seconds later, a bullet landed at the feet of the burning ember, making a hoarse sound.

"explain."

“You are fighting a war of attrition that you cannot win,” said Ember. “Your resources will eventually run out, while my forces are endless.”

The sound cut off. The sniper ignored him. Realizing his words sounded like intimidation, Burning Ember quickly added, "But I don't want to fight this kind of war! You're a man of principle; killing you by sheer numbers wouldn't make a difference!"

"So?" the sniper laughed.

“A one-on-one duel,” said Ember. “We’ll meet where the fire starts, then leave immediately. The duel will begin in ten minutes. There will be no fortresses or soldiers, just you and me. Fate will decide our fate.”

“Interesting,” the man said. “Shaks Ibn Ould, a mercenary.”

"Ember, messenger of fear."

Shakes tossed aside the sirens dart and sipped his drink, which tasted like either air or coffee. He finally succumbed to his drowsiness and managed a light sleep in the first half of the night, but now he felt even worse than before he went to sleep.

With dark circles under his eyes, Gulibo said weakly, "Don't be impulsive, Bo! You'll die if you go!!"

“Staying put up with this is a death sentence,” Shax judged. “We don’t have many materials left, and we’ve run out of seeds in the fortress. The enemy has basically figured out our methods. If Ember leads his troops in one charge, your fortress will fall.”

"But what if that messenger sets a trap..."

“Then we’ll have to improvise.” Shax slung the Holy Lance over his shoulder. “You’ll be taking a risk this time too.”

Gulibo stood up straight nervously: "Shall we surround and attack it?"

“I don’t think a piece of roast meat will be effective in combat.” Shax tossed it a special bullet. “This is a signal flare. Choose a few seeds, and wait until I leave…”

After Shakes finished giving his detailed instructions, Gulibo nodded repeatedly. Clutching the bullet, it said pitifully, "Please, you must survive!"

"Each each other."

Shakes pulled Tengsu down the fortress, and on the way, he saw the old priest's phantom again. When he went out, he wanted to have a cigarette to refresh himself, but he had already finished his cigarette, leaving only half a cigarette butt as a lasting thought.

He rummaged through his pockets but found no cigarette butts, so he gave up the idea. A bright red pillar of fire stood on the west side of the fortress; that was the battlefield he was about to reach.

·

Deep in the mountains, the spider put away its telescope crystal. The amplification magic of the burning embers allowed its voice to travel far, enabling it to pick up information even in the mountains with the help of the relic.

"Did you hear me clearly, Thunder Curse?" It nervously rubbed its hands together. "They will meet where the flames start. If you sense the source of fire and life, take me there."

"Is he a brave man? Is he a warrior?" The thunder formed indistinct sentences. "Is he a patriot worthy of a battle?"

"Yes, of course, yes." The limb spider lied without any qualms, since Curse Thunder wasn't an old acquaintance, or rather, it wasn't even a life form. "This time, the hero is far too strong. You, me, and Burning Ashes together are the only three who can put up a fight. Therefore, we have to ambush... You understand, right? Ambush is necessary. Only a hero can withstand despicable tactics."

“Indeed. Indeed. You and I are messengers of fear, and thus we should test the brave!” Upon hearing this, Zhou Lei became excited. “Then I will go first—”

"No. No. My plan is to go first." The spider had already planned ahead. "Since we're going to undergo a trial, we must go all out. Wait until I activate my divine magic, then you can make your move. Let's set off now to the place where there are heroes and flames."

Curse Lightning agreed, and moments later a bolt of purple lightning struck, engulfing the limbed spider's deformed body and propelling it towards the battlefield like lightning. The limbed spider used its multiple hands, weaving its signature Dark Moon Divine Magic. Vansalar would be displeased by this; it disliked the Cradle lineage's methods, but ultimately it would be punished anyway, so it was better to handle things more carefully.

The spider knew what was going on. It would rather be punished by the Nightmare King than let this terrible situation continue. No one wanted to see the Nightmare King's joy; that was the realm of hell, the bottom of abyss, an unending hell where all beings screamed in despair. The situation was different from the last counterattack. This time, even Vaklo was dead. The Nightmare King would be serious… serious!

It trembled involuntarily, fear transforming into power as it continued to channel it into the spell. In an instant, the lightning brought it to its destination: a fierce fire burning within the mist, and a faint sense of life. The spider's limbs trembled with excitement; its gamble had paid off. The embers hadn't even arrived yet.

It broke free from the lightning and plunged into the mist. 2000 meters to go, no magical reaction from the burning flames detected yet. 1000 meters, no traps around. 500 meters, the man's back can be seen; he's walking towards the flames…

The plan is going perfectly. The timing is perfect! Right now!

The limbed spider split open its mouth like a predatory snake, and its many limbs transformed into sharp needles. The dark moon magic gathered at the tips of the needles formed a terrifying shape!

It crashed down on the man's back, screaming, "Fear has descended!"

Then, the spider saw the green hem of the garment and the silver arms.

It saw the expressionless killer, the heartless one, the forest dweller, and a familiar centaur holding aloft a torch. They were all staring at it with rather strange looks.

The spider did its best to put on a kind smile, and it slowly retreated, its smile more painful than a grimace.

"Fear retreats!"

(Happy New Year's Eve everyone!)

Chapter 208 To Advance or to Retreat

For about 0.5 seconds, most of the people present were confused.

Silaer and Qingye were hesitant about their next move due to Wen Yao's involvement.

He was single-mindedly focused on killing Qingxia, a heretic.

Chu Hengkong awaits a turning point.

And, the limbed spiders that were actually lured by the torch.

All of the above were stunned by the completely unexpected turn of events.

At this moment, the first to react was—

Vande peered out of his pocket, carefully observing the enemy descending from the sky. This messenger of fear was as large as a truck, with a human-sized head that looked unnatural. Its round upper body was attached to its thick, spherical lower body, and many arms were haphazardly sewn onto its body, making it look like a black gourd full of arms.

“Just one, take him down?” Van der said.

"No, no, I went to the wrong place." The spider reflexively forced a smile. "I went to the wrong place, ahhhhh!"

A silver-white prosthetic arm transformed into a spear and thrust forward. The limb spider blocked with its two forearms, letting out a piercing shriek. At the same time, real spears filed in, plunging straight into the limb spider's side. Qingxia gripped the Qingkun Spear, her face contorted with unprecedented ferocity, her voice like a beast's roar: "We meet again, limb spider!!"