Chapter 256

The energy tides emitted by the Netherworld, passing through the intricate cracks, condense into that Black Moon, radiating that twisted power to every corner of the Pollution Zone.

Numerous Lower Servants are affected, driven, instinctively absorbing, hoping to complete their evolution.

And High-level Servants like the Human-faced Spiders, they consciously grasp the method of utilization from the Chaos Great Demon's Divine Blessing.

That is, building a "Nest" — using Esoteric Rituals, through special Materials, constructing an altar, thereby increasing the probability of successful evolution.

The Human-faced Spider Clan's Sacrificial Chief is full of puzzlement; deep within the Pollution Zone, thousands of kilometers in, they occupy twenty percent of the ecological niche.

The energy tides released by the Black Moon, at least forty percent are intercepted, directed toward the Nest built by the Human-faced Spider Clan.

"The clan's Elites, most of them actually failed. The Nest's hatching success rate is generally around sixty percent; this situation shouldn't occur."

The Sacrificial Chief crawling on the ground grits its teeth; the Hengzhou New Star Governor's Mansion's front line continues to advance, as the primary line of defense, the Human-faced Spider Clan bears enormous pressure.

It barely managed, through massive Sacrifices, to obtain the "gift" of forty percent of the Black Moon Tide's energy.

All for the sake of letting the clan's Elites impact the path of evolution, to strengthen their power.

"Who is playing tricks?"

The Sacrificial Chief kneels and begs, Spiritual Field Power linking to that massive Golden Vertical Pupil, its Sitting Forgetting level mind seeming incomparably tiny.

Boom—!

The Chaos Great Demon's will is like substance, heavy as towering mountain ranges tens of thousands of meters high, crushing the Sacrificial Chief's relatively "Weak" spirit.

Crack, crack...

The Sacrificial Chief's entire withered body seems about to burst apart.

In less than a few short seconds, it suffers torment where days feel like years, until the Spiritual Field Power severs the link, returning to its own body!

"Pompeii's hunting target! The root cause of the Nest's hatching failure is actually a human? It seems Pompeii is more likely dead than alive."

The Great Sacrifice Chief obtains a vague answer; in its dizzy, disordered vision, a young face vaguely flashes by.

"Outpost Base... who should go? Stealing our clan's power source, they should receive severe punishment."

The Great Sacrifice Chief ponders for a moment, Spiritual Field Power shooting out like radio waves, quickly locking onto kin dozens of kilometers away.

"Ti Ya! Pompeii may have been killed, it died at a human's hand, you bring that 'murderer' back."

The Great Sacrifice Chief's authoritative voice resonates through the Brain Sea; the tall female called 'Ti Ya' gently clenches her hand.

With a "Snap", a neck like fragile straw in a field instantly snaps, bending to one side.

"Has that guy Pompeii finally paid the price for his arrogance."

Like throwing away Garbage, Ti Ya tosses that corpse aside.

"Remember, Ti Ya, capture alive. A mere human, daring to absorb the Black Moon's power, shows he has deep potential, extraordinary Inheritance.

Perfectly suitable as an 'Upper-grade Sacrifice' to please the Great Demon!"

The Great Sacrifice Chief, across the vast distance, issues the order.

"Understood!"

Ti Ya, having recently completed evolution within the Nest, grins.

This powerful female of the Human-faced Spider Clan stands a full two meters tall; her graceful figure brims with explosive power, appearing both agile and magnificently strong.

At her feet lie prostrate numerous corpses, all wearing standard military uniforms of Dongxia warriors, like wheat cut and piled by the ridge.

"Just right, I haven't played enough."

Ti Ya strides forward; the energy tides contained in the Nest let her body be tempered, and even push her Qi Life Force to a higher place.

Even Pompeii, once not much different from herself, to deal with him now is nothing more than a single punch.

In the White Yang Bi Lei Cheng's General Command, City Lord Yao Guodong braces both hands on the War Sand Table, his tiger eyes beneath thick brows unmoving, staring intently.

Data on the Sand Table updates every minute, detailed down to the casualty numbers and loss ratios of local Battlefields, all clearly displayed.

"The Western Front presents a sawing deadlock. Our troop sources are ample, morale high; we should push forward fiercely, catch up to the East Front's footsteps."

Yao Guodong has a robust build, dense beard and hair; though past seventy, he is spirited and vigorous, like a man in his prime.

He says in a deep, muffled voice:

"What exactly do the Governor's Mansion's staff eat? They neither let us expand the front, continue advancing, nor contract and withdraw to build a defense line; just dragging on like this."

The object of Yao Guodong's questioning is not the Supervision Officer dispatched by the Governor's Mansion, but a split-off sub-body consciousness of Tai Jun.

The other party also wears a tall crown and Long Robe, with an ancient, simple appearance, but is only seventeen or eighteen years old, brows and eyes quite youthful.

The Tai Jun sub-body holds both hands in its sleeves, voice gentle:

"City Lord, please calm down. What the Governor's Mansion focuses on is absolutely not one battlefield, one front line.

The Governor Tai comes from a War Corps, has commanded several large-scale Famous Campaigns, and is not an amateur who doesn't understand troop usage.

Moreover, both the East and West Fronts' two battlefields are coordinated by Tai Jun in affairs and situation analysis. Since the Governor's Mansion delays issuing the order for the Western Front to advance at full speed, it shows there are naturally considerations."

These words of the Tai Jun sub-body, Yao Guodong has thought over countless times long ago; a martial man through and through, he considers himself lacking strategic vision, incomparable to the Governor's Mansion's far-sightedness.

But garrisoning Bi Lei Cheng for over ten years, witnessing one good lad after another lost in the Pollution Zone, nearly meaningless Consumption of troop strength, this makes Yao Guodong's heart ache terribly.

"The Pollution Zone's depth is extremely long; if we don't mobilize large-scale military forces to carry out flat push, sweep, and subsequent Clean Up work.

All actions belong to futile effort!"

Yao Guodong stares at a certain spot on the War Sand Table, straightens his waist, raises his hand and points:

"Look! This area belonging to the Human-faced Spider Clan's ruled territory, their invasiveness and Aggressiveness are extremely strong, often mobilizing the whole nest to hunt and kill various camps' reconnaissance sentries!

White Yang Bi Lei Cheng every ten days, because of executing fixed Exploration, collection and other tasks, the lost warriors have already exceeded twenty people.

This is a chronic blood loss, no different from using new recruits as Consumables... I personally don't understand, and don't support it."

The Tai Jun sub-body shows an understanding, gentle smile; war is like this, macro-level Overall Situation deployment, weighing gains and losses, inevitably cannot accommodate individual-level emotions and stances.

"City Lord Yao, I deeply respect your contributions to Hengzhou New Star, and respect all Hengzhou people's sacrifices for this Great Expansion movement.

But war has no tender side; once this machine is activated, it will either annihilate the enemy or devour our own side completely.

Tai'an Sub-body answered with a serious expression.

"As the manager of Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng, you do need to be responsible for the new recruits who throw themselves into the Great Expansion Movement, but Governor Tai must also bear the future of Hengzhou New Star."

Yao Guodong remained silent for a long time, finally agreeing with what Tai Jun Sub-body said, and smiled bitterly:

"When I first enlisted, the Squad Leader said I had no future and could only be a private for life. Fate plays tricks, yet it made me serve as Bi Lei Cheng Lord, stationed at Baiyang."

Tai Jun Sub-body comforted him:

"Lord Yao City Lord is kind-hearted and cares for the new recruits; there is nothing wrong with that. But the ancients say, mercy does not command troops, and there is indeed some truth to that."

Pop!

The war sand table emitted the light sound of a bubble being popped, and Yao Guodong returned his gaze there.

Then he raised his thick brows, showing a few points of surprise and anger:

"The Human-faced Spider Clan is taking advantage of the Black Moon Tide to wantonly hunt our scouts!"

Only to see that in a certain area of the war sand table, more than ten green light points instantly extinguished and dimmed.

Yao Guodong frowned, raised his hand to enlarge that spot; the small triangular flags representing the reconnaissance squads had already been pulled out.

In less than twenty minutes, several small flags fell one after another.

"Right during the Black Moon Tide, the aggressiveness of the Vassal Creatures surges; our side must suspend exploration missions to avoid meaningless casualties."

Yao Guodong was about to give an order, but saw Tai Jun Sub-body shake his head; his face stiffened, and he said in a low voice:

"The purpose of exploration missions is to always keep track of the movements of Vassal Creatures in the Contaminated Zone, to prevent the front line from shifting... sigh, this Bi Lei Cheng Lord, I'm doing a truly terrible job; it would be better for you to issue orders and let me pilot the Divine Machine to the front lines!"

Yao Guodong scratched his messy hair; it was clear that this highest official of Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng had completely failed to adapt to the role of "General."

"Lord Yao City Lord, according to the Xia Highest Constitution, Active Consciousness Entities may not replace administrative units or bypass the Administrative Head. We are only responsible for analysis and execution!"

Tai Jun Sub-body smiled in response, but this Active Consciousness Entity participating in the war sand table simulation suddenly noticed that the area dominated by the Human-faced Spiders seemed to have abnormal fluctuations.

"The Vassal that hunted the reconnaissance squad is approaching the Outpost Base."

Through the "God's Eye View" of observing patterns on the palm, Tai Jun Sub-body discovered that besides the high-speed moving Human-faced Spider Vassal, a higher-level reconnaissance squad was also approaching the Outpost Base.

Tai Jun Sub-body's eyes flashed with data streams, and in an instant he called up the details of exploration mission issuances for all units under Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng.

"It's actually new recruits from Huangquan Training Camp; for them to penetrate deep into the Outpost Base is truly not easy."

Tai Jun Sub-body frowned slightly; judging by the situation, this new recruit carrying out an exploration mission would very likely run into that High-level Vassal.

"If they encounter that reconnaissance squad, perhaps they could be saved."

Qin Shi's mortal body gradually grew thin; as Bai Gu was like a black hole, swallowing the energy tides released by the Black Moon.

By rights, such majestic Qi Life Force nourishing the flesh should have made him Reborn, renewed.

But Qin Shi, who had just broken through the Fifth Great Limit, was preparing to strike with one breath toward a higher level; the life essence of the Crystal State continuously turned into firewood, driving "Body" and "Will" to grow continuously.

Under constant depletion, instead, his perfect body that had been full and moist gradually lost its moist luster, like a piece of rotten wood.

"Brother Qin, what's going on?"

Zhao Su asked Gao Pao.

"Not sure. This situation is quite big; I'm worried it might attract other Vassal Creatures."

Gao Pao looked at the vast wilderness with low-hanging black clouds, his eyes showing a bit of worry.

This was the Contaminated Zone, the home turf of Vassal Creatures!

"Transformation. Boss is completing the 'Transformation' of the Professional Level stage."

The short-haired woman's vision was obviously higher; she saw that Qin Shi was in the "Evolution Stage" after breaking through the Professional Level.

The greatest difference between Professional Level and Amateur Level was not the height or low of Qi Life Force Purity and Shu Zi.

But rather that every time the former completed a breakthrough, it allowed the Mortal Body to undergo enormous Evolution.

It was this continuous accumulation of Foundation that was the key to breaking the Gene Lock and the human limit!

"Captain, how do I feel that Boss came here specially to run a dungeon."

Watermelon Head, blindfolded, muttered.

"You once told me that every bit of progress in the Martial Path requires sweat and effort."

"But I feel Boss breaking through is like eating and drinking; killing monsters just gains experience."

The short-haired woman's corner of mouth twitched, thinking to herself:

"Can geniuses and mediocrities be the same?"

From crushing Pompeii, it could be seen that Boss was absolutely not a genius in the ordinary sense.

The short-haired woman worked at Xu Yang Heavy Industry's P9 Position; her personal Li Lv was of high gold content, but seeing Qin Shi act still inevitably produced a feeling of "cognition shattered," "unreasonable," collapse.

"This job seems pretty easy, Captain."

"We just need to be cheerleaders shouting encouragement, no danger at all..."

Watermelon Head, blindfolded, was grinning happily, when suddenly a terrifying figure broke into her Consciousness Sea.

Like a powerful hunter at the top of the Food Chain, emitting rolling, tide-like dangerous Breath.

Under the spiritual reflection, it was like a huge, sky-covering thick dark cloud, pressing so hard Watermelon Head could not breathe.

"Another powerful Vassal is coming."

She said with a bitter face.

"Who let you jinx it, insisting on saying this job is easy."

The short-haired woman was full of helplessness; she looked into the distance, catching a blurry shadow moving toward them at terrifying speed.

Boom boom boom!

The air roared, as if barrier after barrier was being torn apart, and in almost an instant, he had closed to within five hundred meters of the danger zone.

"Such a rich life breath."

Ti Ya drew in a deep breath, an intoxicated color appearing in her eyes.

Like drinking fine wine, her exquisite face was suffused with a flush of crimson.

Compared to the male Pompeii, Ti Ya's perception was more subtle in some respects, able to smell, from the process of Qin Shi operating his art and accelerating his cultivation, a wonderful scent that made her extremely restless.

As if under the strong attraction emitted by pheromones, Ti Ya's two powerful, shapely thighs—strong enough to crush steel—tightened slightly.

The originally gradually rising killing desire turned instead into another kind of primal impulse.

【The True Dragon casts its gaze upon you】

【If you choose to mate with the female of abundance, you shall receive a boon……】

Qin Shi, who had wholeheartedly accepted evolution, was disturbed by the Stele Panel; he skimmed through lines of text information, and the corner of his mouth involuntarily twitched.

Among the Four Pillars, it seemed that only the 【True Dragon】 was unreliable.

【Heaven-Man】 is for slaying monsters, 【Taiyi】 is for order, 【Divine Machine】 is for crafting.

Only the 【True Dragon】 makes one a breeding stud!

"Do they not even consider reproductive isolation?"

Qin Shi looked toward the human-faced spider follower, two meters tall, shapely and abundant.

The other's appearance did fit his aesthetics, but the six pairs of jointed limbs on its back represented its identity as a foreign race.

"Evolution has only progressed to ninety percent; it's still a bit short of completion."

Qin Shi felt a bit of regret that the progress bar had been paused before being filled, leaving him somewhat displeased.

"I can only end this quickly, dry her to death, then continue cultivating……"

He was about to rise when another figure came speeding from the other side, wearing a dark green cloak, leather military boots, with a kinetic weapon hanging at his waist……

A standard Dongxia warrior!

"Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng First Battalion Reconnaissance Brigade!"

New recruits, retreat; the battlefield is taken over by us!"

(Chapter End)