Chapter 277: The Supreme Directive (10,000+ Bonus, Thanks to Patron Chongzi)

"Whoa, so awesome, Lin Xian!" Kiki zoomed ahead and landed beside Lin Xian, gazing at him with sparkling eyes, then leaned in and whispered, "Hey, but your little show just now was way too loud—aren't you worried they'll accuse you of cheating?"

Lin Xian shrugged helplessly: "Are you stupid? This is my innate ability—where's the cheating?"

The test chamber assesses escape under extreme pressure; killing is one aspect, but the most critical part is the nearly omnipresent attack points, which test the subject's responsiveness.

Lin Xian not only possessed an AT field but also wore steel armor, enabling comprehensive responses to all kinds of trials.

The test chamber's attack patterns were quickly overridden by his Mechanical Heart; under these conditions, even if Lin Xian didn't exert himself, the chamber could barely affect him.

So essentially, this test chamber isn't fully adequate for measuring true limits, but given current conditions, it's relatively objective—its results can serve as a reference.

The limit coefficient is nearly fixed for each individual; once Phoenix Society releases portable human peak detection devices, one can precisely track changes in their ability level.

After the test ended, Wen Zhuo held a mobile terminal, reviewing the collected data, then ordered his subordinates to begin cleanup.

"Compared to two weeks ago, the evolution speed of ability users has accelerated again," Wen Zhuo said, glancing at his watch.

Phoenix Society's ability assessments, except under special circumstances, are always conducted during daylight; it was already 3: 0 PM, so newly arrived survivors would have to wait until tomorrow.

"Running for your life, barely surviving—those who made it to today, no matter how skilled, still rely on luck," Zhou Wuer said.

After a period of testing, almost no one had a limit coefficient below 1—this phenomenon is essentially a brutal selection process; psychological and physical resilience are both vital factors for survival.

As a courier, Zhou Wuer had seen too many hellish scenes—he wasn't surprised anymore.

Wen Zhuo glanced at him, his expression subtly shifting, then ordered his team to begin the final dissemination work.

After the test ended, many onlookers began to disperse, discussing Infinite Fleet and Longshan No. 1; but for survivors, unless they wanted to make contact, others were just spectators.

After all, these things didn't affect their own survival; if anything, the more powerful figures in the city, the more secure the general survivors felt.

Hundreds who had completed testing still remained in the church square, waiting for Phoenix Society's training—and most importantly—for their supplies!

Even Evolution-grade survivors received one crate of supplies—no one would refuse such a free gift.

Lin Xian, Kiki, and Huo Ge returned to their team and reunited with Chen Sixuan and the others; at that moment, Phoenix Society's Nightwalkers began organizing everyone toward the central square, where a slightly short young man in the Nightwalkers' uniform black-metal trench coat stepped before the Soulwave Peak Detector.

Wen Zhuo.

Rumor had it that in Xilan City, this metal trench coat not only offered defense but also partially masked the wearer's Soulwave fluctuations—Phoenix Society believed this helped reduce Nightwalkers' chances of being detected by anomalies.

As Wen Zhuo stepped forward, he casually waved his right hand—and behind him, the massive Soulwave Peak Detector emitted a hum and slid horizontally several meters, clearing a wide space for him to stand on.

Such a simple motion instantly silenced the crowd; all eyes turned to this seemingly short man, many even widening their eyes.

"What the hell? That machine!?"

"What ability is that?"

"Damn, that thing's at least ten tons!"

"Nightwalkers are terrifying."

At that moment, Lin Xian frowned, staring at the man, then glanced at Kiki—he saw she shared his same suspicion.

"Psychokinesis?"

"Kinda," Kiki frowned slightly. "But I feel it's… different somehow…"

"Good afternoon, survivors. I'm Wen Zhuo, team leader of the Xilan Task Force, Nightwalkers Division, Phoenix Society."

Wen Zhuo's voice carried a calm, rational tone as he surveyed the crowd.

"First, thank you all for supporting Phoenix Society under these circumstances. Your information has now been registered into our system—you can think of this as your new Phoenix Society citizen ID."

"By tradition, after ability assessments, we have a duty to educate you on basic ability knowledge, hoping it helps you survive the Dark."

"From Awakening Day until now, it's been Day 92. I believe that after such a long time surviving this catastrophe, you all have your own understanding of abilities. Phoenix Society's research is far from complete—we, the Nightwalkers, continue studying the Dark Tides' impact on humanity."

"For you here, this power may mean abilities and evolution; for all human civilization, it means global ecological collapse and over ten billion humans transformed into zombie corpses—a civilizational disaster. If the Dark is a flood, then you are the lucky ones who learned to swim in it—but the waves haven't stopped. Swimming alone won't save you."

"Phoenix Society has poured immense resources into ability research. The Nightwalkers now number forty thousand. Globally, we've observed and cataloged over three hundred thousand ability users. As the organization leading human survival, we have a duty to share with you the knowledge we've gained, studied, and discovered—so you can better understand this power, harness it, and survive until the next dawn."

Wen Zhuo's words instantly sobered the crowd. Everyone here had fought through chaos, disorder, and terror to reach this point. Phoenix Society didn't just research abilities—it continuously broadcast information via radio and outposts, and distributed supplies—all to help more people survive. Almost everyone here accepted and affirmed Phoenix Society's actions.

"Due to time constraints, detailed information on the Dark Tides, Eternal Night, and abilities has been synchronized via global broadcast and outpost materials—you can collect a copy later. I'll focus on three key points."

Key points? Hearing this, the crowd below immediately perked up.

"Ah, here it comes."

Shi Di immediately shouted to the Longshan No. 1 crew behind him: "Listen carefully—this might save your lives later."

"Got it!" Everyone responded.

On Infinite, Chen Sixuan and the others clustered around Lin Xian, standing at the front, equally curious.

"The materials he mentioned should be in the Fire Scripture, but the methods need careful study," Lin Xian said.

Also present were Zhou Li, Qian Dele, and members from the five defense-line vehicle teams, plus several other teams that entered the city yesterday—all now alert.

"First: For gene-evolved individuals, experiencing extreme danger at the brink of death greatly stimulates bodily functions, triggering critical breakthroughs. The more life-or-death battles you endure, the more pronounced the evolution becomes—and your body's innate talents determine your advantages. Some gene-evolved individuals rapidly gain strength or recovery, even resembling Giants or Bloodline ability users."

Wen Zhuo told the crowd: "The main difference between ability users and gene-evolved individuals lies in bodily changes. Ability users emit Soulwave fluctuations when using their powers—measurable energy signatures detectable by others. Gene-evolved individuals do not. Our extensive data shows that, though both are affected by Cold-Dark Base Particles, gene-evolved individuals undergo continuous physical limits-breaking and super-limit development of bodily functions—an internal drive. Without using their abilities, they appear indistinguishable from ordinary people."

"The Nightwalkers believe this may stem from different power developments: gene-evolved individuals primarily train martial arts to enhance strength, agility, defense, recovery, etc., while ability users possess a special core that converts Cold-Dark Base Particles into 'ability' manifestations."

"Simply put: mental strength. Mental strength is also a vital defense against the Dark. But I must tell you: ability users only need to improve mental strength to strengthen their abilities and Dark resistance. Gene-evolved individuals, however, must not only train their bodies but also enhance mental strength—making it harder for ordinary people without abilities."

"But ability users have drawbacks too: except for Giants and Bloodline types, most ability users develop physical fitness slower than ordinary people. If you want to train martial arts, you'll lag behind gene-evolved individuals. Some may dismiss this, but I tell you—it's crucial. The disasters and Dark creatures we face grow stronger daily. Most ability users have narrow, single-focused powers, often lacking mobility. In such cases, you rely on teammates or powered armor—but these are passive conditions, insufficient to enhance individual survival. Phoenix Society recommends all ability users strengthen martial arts training."

"Easy to say, but didn't you just say efficiency is worse? Wouldn't it be better to spend that time improving my ability?"

At that moment, an untimely voice rose from the crowd. Everyone turned to see a burly middle-aged man in a black down jacket, bulky as a bear, wearing sunglasses under a snow cap—like a Jianghu boss.

Ningjing, Chen Sixuan, and the others instantly recognized him: Long Dahei, leader of the Black Subs, a Rampage-grade ability user with a rating of 1200, head of a powerful vehicle team.

Onstage, Wen Zhuo replied calmly: "I said it's just advice. Most ability users already realize this—that while their abilities are strong, their weaknesses are obvious."

At this, many in the crowd nodded in agreement.

Lin Xian deeply understood this—he was extremely passive without powered armor. If not for his Backstep technique as mobility, he'd be helpless against large anomalies.

He could handle zombies fine, but against anomalies—especially thick-skinned White Giants—his Wind Gun, Ice Walls, and crafted weapons and traps barely made a dent. Even Infinite nearly flipped over—and that was only a C-rank anomaly…

Huo Ge and Kiki were even worse: their defense was pitiful. Without team cover, a single bullet could kill Huo Ge.

Though Kiki learned Psychic Shield and flight, making her slightly more versatile, her small frame couldn't withstand wave after wave of monster assaults.

So someone like Shu Qin, though lacking area damage, often handled danger effortlessly. If not for the train's limitations, her solo survival capability was very strong.

"Weaknesses? I don't see it that way," said Long Dahei, outright rejecting Wen Zhuo. "Abilities? That's magic, haha! No matter how strong a normal's physique becomes, they still can't fly, right?"

He grinned around the crowd: "Sorry if I offend any gene-evolved folks—just my personal opinion."

His words sparked heated debate.

"Exactly! No matter how strong your fists, they can't match a Bug-Armor Claw, let alone fire or lightning users."

"Mobility? Just use powered armor~"

Many voices echoed Long Dahei's support.

Wen Zhuo sighed slightly, about to speak, when Zhou Wuer suddenly interrupted from the side.

"It's not just mobility. Agility and recovery are your foundation. To fully unleash your ability's potential, your physical base must keep pace—it's synergistic."

His words instantly clarified things for many.

But Long Dahei remained unconvinced, crossing his arms and glaring at Zhou Wuer: "Then let me ask you."

"Are you an ability user?"

"Yes," Zhou Wuer replied.

"What's your ability peak?"

"700."

"What's your limit coefficient?"

"1. ."

At this, the crowd erupted in murmurs.

Calculating it, Zhou Wuer's 700 peak yielded a 1260 ability rating—higher than Long Dahei's.

Long Dahei frowned: "Your high limit coefficient means your physical stats are good—so does that mean I'm definitely no match for you?"

At this, many faces turned grim. His tone clearly challenged a Nightwalker.

Onstage, Wen Zhuo glanced at Zhou Wuer—but Zhou Wuer didn't even look at him. Instead, he smiled slightly.

"As I've said, ability rating doesn't fully represent combat power. But to help you better understand how physical training enhances ability, I don't mind demonstrating."

Whoa~

Zhou Wuer's words sent the crowd into a frenzy. Even many who had begun leaving the church square rushed back to watch.

A survivor challenging a Nightwalker? This was unprecedented in Xilan City.

"Good!"

Long Dahei grinned eagerly, stepped forward, waved to clear a space, then peeled off his jacket and handed it to a subordinate. "Honestly, I didn't care much for your limit coefficient nonsense. Perfect—let me see how your 700 peak beats my 1000. I'll hold back—but if you get hurt, don't blame me."

"Heh, interesting. This is a martial duel," Shi Di said, now intrigued.

"But this Nightwalker's ability rating isn't as high as I thought."

Ningjing added.

Lin Xian nodded: "Zhou Wuer's from the Courier Group—they're not combat specialists. But even so, I believe their understanding of abilities far surpasses ours."

Qian Dele also nodded: "I actually agree with this point. Still, watching a show's not bad."

"Whoa, this is a fight!" On Infinite, Shasha sat on the building's shoulder to watch. Kiki flew up, grinning. "I bet the big guy loses."

Shu Qin frowned slightly: "With such a big peak gap, can there be a result so quickly?"

"Excellent! A martial duel for the Dao—today's truly entertaining," Lu Xingchen said, clearly fascinated. He stepped out of the crowd and found the best viewing spot.

Lin Xian watched Zhou Wuer. He'd long been curious about Zhou Wuer's ability to summon objects—now he wanted to see it.

Onstage, Wen Zhuo crossed his arms and sighed. Seeing Zhou Wuer's glance, he muttered lowly:

"You're giving me trouble again—don't hurt anyone!"

Zhou Wuer grinned, received Wen Zhuo's nod, and winked at Peng Peng beside him.

Peng Peng understood at once and shot a single finger upward, releasing an invisible wind wave. Zhou Wuer's gaze sharpened; without hesitation, he leapt into the air, using the air current to glide dozens of meters before landing before Long Dhei. "Bold. Just for that, I respect you Nightwalkers."

Seeing Zhou Wuer accept the challenge without hesitation, Long Dhei grinned fiercely: "Let's be clear—I hold the Phoenix Society in high regard. I won't kill you. Don't get too worked up."

"You're too kind. To save everyone's time, let's begin." Zhou Wuer smiled.

As soon as he spoke, the crowd around them scattered.

On this side, Zhou Wuer made no pause—his eyes even gleamed with excitement—as he struck first.

He shot forward at blinding speed, his legs kicking left and right, his body leaning nearly parallel to the ground, rushing toward Long Dhei with a gust of wind.

Long Dhei's smile vanished. His expression turned sharp. He had survived countless life-or-death battles; when he truly fought, he never joked. His right hand curled into a fist, then thrust forward—everyone saw a shockwave erupt from his palm.

Booom!

Whoosh!

In an instant, the entire fan-shaped area of snow before Long Dhei exploded upward, erupting into a vast cloud of flying snow dust that swallowed Zhou Wuer whole in an instant!

He'd seen Zhou Wuer's agility—so he adapted, using a wide-area suppression technique immediately!

"Shockwave? Your ability's similar to mine."

Seeing this, Lin Xian turned to Kiki.

!

Kiki hovered beside him, arms crossed: "There's a difference. He needs physical motion to trigger it—unlike my mental control."

Physical activation—like Fire Brother being unable to control fire with thought—but the sheer force made it clear Long Dhei's ability was devastating.

After all, an ability peak over 1000 already exceeded the Rampant tier—even without considering the limit coefficient—his strength was absolutely not to be underestimated!

After his move, Long Dhei didn't relax. His shockwave could reflect like radar, letting him track enemies within a certain range. He'd already sensed it: Zhou Wuer had vanished within the snow cloud.

"Behind me!"

Zing!

Long Dhei's eyes flashed with lightning—he sensed a hidden whisper of wind. Without hesitation, he spun to strike again. But as he thrust his palm backward, he suddenly slammed into an invisible wall. His shockwave rebounded, hurling him backward. His entire body trembled violently; he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Long Dhei's vision went black. When he came to, he realized a massive riot shield from the Investigator Corps had appeared behind him—out of nowhere.

The self-rebound nearly knocked him unconscious. Before he could even react as he fell, something seized his wrist.

Long Dhei wasn't easy to handle. He stomped his foot, clenched his fist, and yanked back—trying to grab Zhou Wuer.

"Where do you think you're going!"

In one exchange, he hadn't even seen Zhou Wuer's shadow before being countered. Long Dhei burned with rage—his pride wounded. He seized the moment, spinning to unleash another wide-area shockwave.

But before his right hand could grab anything, his left hand—still charged with shock energy—was seized again.

"Hey!"

Long Dhei roared, trying to wrench free—only to realize both wrists were locked in metal cuffs, thick cables rapidly retracting, binding his arms tightly against his chest, rendering his shockwave useless.

Simultaneously, a sweep kick tripped his legs, sending him crashing face-first toward the ground. The next instant, a dagger—hilt-down—materialized from the empty ground before him.

Its cold blade gleamed, directly aimed at his brow.

Hiss!

In that instant, Long Dhei felt his soul freeze—his heart stopped.

The crowd watching froze too, faces pale.

Fast. Everything was too fast!

To ordinary eyes, the exchange hadn't lasted five seconds—and Long Dhei, with a 1200 ability rating, was already on the brink of death!

With his build, that dagger plunging straight into his forehead would kill him instantly.

Even Lin Xian, Shi Di, Xiang Ningjing, Qian Dele, and outsiders like Han Jun, Qin Xueming, Lü Feng, and Mo Nika all narrowed their pupils.

Then, in the next instant, as Long Dhei opened his mouth, his brow about to strike the dagger's tip—his massive body suddenly froze midair, suspended.

Long Dhei stared, pupils trembling, at the dagger inches from his face. Cold breath puffed from his lips; sweat poured uncontrollably from his forehead.

Behind him, the snow dust settled. Zhou Wuer stood calmly, smiling, tugging a steel cable that held Long Dhei in place.

"You'll hurt yourself falling like that."

Zhou Wuer smiled, yanked once with one hand—and lifted the bear-like Long Dhei off the ground.

On the stage, Wen Zhuo watched helplessly. Even Peng Peng looked calm—as if he'd expected this outcome.

But now, not just Long Dhei—the ability testers, the thousands watching around the church square—all stood stunned.

A Rampant-tier 1200 ability user—especially one with a high-tier shockwave ability—nearly killed in five seconds?!

Absolutely terrifying.

Among the crowd, Lin Xian, Shi Di, and others wore grim expressions. They saw it clearly: this wasn't about ability peak differences—it was pure mastery of ability, physical technique, and experience.

Long Dhei's ability might be devastating against hordes—but against a truly intelligent enemy, his weakness was fatally exposed.

Life and death hung by a thread.

Zhou Wuer's strike had taught every survivor a hard lesson.

Dragged upright, Long Dhei stared wide-eyed, gasping with terror. He looked down at the dagger, then at his cuffed wrists—in that moment, he felt the despair of being utterly powerless.

It confirmed what Zhou Wuer had said: to truly harness ability, your physical foundation must keep pace.

"My apologies. You're not hurt, are you?"

Zhou Wuer flicked his wrist, retracting both the dagger and the cable cuffs, smiling warmly.

Long Dhei turned, his expression complex. He opened his mouth, then closed it, speechless. He scowled and signaled his men to bring him his coat.

Zhou Wuer said nothing, turning back to the Nightwalkers.

In this brief interlude, the Nightwalkers' true worth was revealed. From that moment on, everyone's gaze toward the Nightwalkers shifted subtly.

A 700 ability peak had crushed a 1000 peak high-tier user in five seconds. The limit coefficient evaluation now carried undeniable authority in every mind.

Clearly, the strongest thing isn't ability—it's who wields it!

"You've all gained some understanding of limit coefficients and physical fitness," Wen Zhuo continued calmly. "No matter how powerful your ability, how you use it matters. Training your mental strength increases energy density and resistance to dark intrusion—but if your body can't support it, it's dangerous."

The arena fell utterly silent. No one dared question further.

"Next point: whether you're an ability user or gene-enhanced, the source of this evolutionary power—cold-dark base particles—comes from two places. First, the night: your body passively absorbs it. Second, killing strange entities: upon death, they release massive amounts of dark energy as visible black mist. Both are absorbed by the human body—but this power causes irreversible damage. Once it exceeds your body's tolerance threshold, mutation becomes inevitable."

"That's why we've isolated cold-dark reagent from strange blood essence—a relatively safe absorption method. To better balance this power, the Phoenix Society promotes sunbathing and drinking vegetable juice. Human evolution requires time. The Nightwalkers strictly limit cold-dark reagent use: no more than one pill per day. Please remember."

"Third: training ability and physical technique follow the same principle—repetition. You may worry about exhaustion, but constant use of ability deepens your understanding and control of this power. Gene-enhancers are the same—like building muscle. Human bodies are evolving rapidly, demanding high caloric intake and metabolism. Maintain sufficient calories and train constantly—it helps your body adapt faster to over-limit breakthroughs."

"Another point: development. Ability can be developed in many ways—you understand this, just like martial arts. Even with enhanced physical traits, adding technique greatly boosts combat power. The Phoenix Society's guidebook contains many methods we've collected. I recommend you study them carefully."

Hearing this, Lu Xingchen's eyes lit up. He'd long struggled to develop his fire ability, constantly seeking to enhance his techniques. After seeing Peng Peng's "Vortex Ring," a whole new world had opened.

If air manipulation had such vast potential, his fire ability had even more.

"Let's all get a copy after this."

Lin Xian turned to his team, knowing how vital this was—such information couldn't be broadcast. Only Phoenix Society outposts could provide it.

"Got it~" Kiki said eagerly.

"The Phoenix Society really thinks ahead," Chen Sixuan said. "Like a parent, nurturing us step by step, trying to save as many lives as possible."

Shu Qin nodded: "It's a lifeline. At the start of the Awakening Day, it was pure despair—bodies everywhere."

"Look at these survivors—I'd guess fewer than ten thousand escaped any single city."

A hundred billion mutated. Corpses and zombies filled every mountain and valley. Less than one percent of human civilization survived.

Communications severed. Silence across ten thousand miles. This apocalyptic scene could shatter any survivor's mind.

Now, the Phoenix Society has rebuilt a rescue government, aiding survivors worldwide, guiding them toward dawn, broadcasting hope through radio waves—almost the last voice of human civilization.

"These are the key insights we've distilled as the Nightwalkers. We hope they help you, ability users and gene-enhanced. May you all endure with the Phoenix Society until dawn arrives and the black tide recedes."

At Wen Zhuo's words, the crowd fell silent, all eyes turning to the stage.

"After this, please collect your free Phoenix Society supplies based on your ability rating. For other needs, we've set up twelve emergency aid stations across Xilan City offering free medical care and survival guidance."

"Our refugee camps are severely overcrowded and under-defended. Biological disasters occur daily. Death rates exceed five percent daily. Defense unit death rates exceed three percent. We urgently need more capable individuals to join—protect civilians. The Phoenix Society is also publicly recruiting: Nightwalkers, research units, administrative units, medical and military units, logistics units. If you wish to seek protection and contribute to humanity's survival, register at any emergency aid station."

At these words, many in the crowd paled. Daily death rates?

A death cost measured in days sounded like a world war—cruel beyond words.

"Three percent death rate for defense units? That means twelve hundred Nightwalkers die every day?" Chen Sixuan's voice was icy. "That's terrifying—they're Nightwalkers."

"So what?" said Zhou Li, captain of the defense line. "From Fengcheng here, every convoy we passed lost over five or six percent every night. Some lost over ten. Every night, someone dies."

Zhou Li sighed: "In our convoy, half our people died in a month. We kept replacing them, merging with other caravans along the way. Even my second-in-command—last week, to cover our retreat, a strange entity ate half his head…"

"That's why," Qian Dele sighed from the front, listening. "Even though the Eternal Night draws closer, no convoy leaves early. They wait to join the Phoenix Society's main group. You get used to death. After seeing so much, you numb. But this place? If not for the damn black tide, even at minus fifty degrees, everyone would stay."

"Exactly."

Shi Di crossed his arms, face heavy: "I've over a thousand people—families, children. I dread death most. Despair spreads. The fearful turn into monsters under dark intrusion. Every carriage has alarms—just to prevent internal collapse."

Shu Qin, Lu Chang, Miao Lu, and others nodded in grim understanding. Xiao Yuan's gaze dimmed. Before joining the Infinite, her convoy lost people daily.

They all knew: most who died were low-tier, poorly protected, or ordinary civilians.

Xiao Yuan had lived under that shadow. She'd fought to grow, to stand on her own. On the Infinite, she and the others felt safe under Lin Xian's protection. In that fragile world, she'd quietly developed feelings for the man who repeatedly saved them.

Lin Xian's expression hardened. He remembered the convoy buried by snowstorm on Wuliyasi Mountain—hundreds of men and women, even pregnant women. Life and death uncertain. Though Xilan City held tens of thousands, they were merely the lucky few who escaped from hundreds of cities across tens of thousands of kilometers.

Besides ability assessment supplies, each aid station distributed weapons and ammunition to caravans—free, per person: rifles, antibiotics, ammo, food.

The Phoenix Society aimed to arm every survivor, save as many as possible, find survival on the long march, find breath in flight.

And they did it all—without restraint, without cost, without regard for life.

"That concludes the information we've provided for new caravans arriving in Xilan City."

Wen Zhuo looked across the crowd: "By regulation, allow me to restate the Phoenix Society's supreme creed."

He stood firm, chest out, right fist pressed to his left chest, face solemn. Simultaneously, across the entire church square—whether Zhou Wuer, still grinning, or Peng Peng, or Investigator Corps soldiers—all Phoenix Society personnel mirrored the gesture.

"I pledge my life to the survival of human civilization. Burn my bones as fuel. Ignite eternal night as day. Preserve the torch of civilization!"

The next moment, the entire Phoenix Society shouted in unison

"Burn our bones as fuel, ignite eternal night as day, vow to preserve the torch of civilization!"

In an instant, the previously murmuring caravans and onlookers surrounding the church square fell silent, their expressions solemn.

A profound, sorrowful, yet heroic atmosphere erupted violently.

Seeing this, Lin Xian felt a ringing in his ears; he scanned the entire square—those soldiers, those staff members, no matter which way they faced, all straightened their spines and roared out this supreme principle that shook their very souls!

In that moment, he suddenly understood those teams who had repeatedly marched to their deaths in Yubei City; he thought of Bai Shuang, Zhang Dingzhong; he thought of Yu Yuheng, who had argued endlessly with Guo Lao but had immediately set aside his differences the moment he learned the research project had broken through, and joined the scientific collaboration without hesitation…

(End of Chapter)