Chapter 496: One Sword

Seize him! Quickly seize him!

Heart-wrenching.

Seeing the man appear like a death god descending into the world, Zhang Ming instinctively let out a fierce shout.

The Awakened One who had regained consciousness clung to his last breath, roaring as he activated the chain in his hand.

The crystal self-destructs!

Everyone lock on and attack! Don't worry about us!

Not knowing why Lin An had appeared, they remained motionless.

All they could do now was fight back with their lives on the line.

The target was indeed himself!

Having long prepared for death, a flash of resolve crossed Zhang Ming's eyes.

Die, demon!

Not caring that he himself would die in the blast.

As an illusory chain wrapped around Lin An, it suddenly tightened.

Seeing the bound man unable to move, everyone's eyes flashed with madness.

Now!

Kill him!

There was no room for thought.

A crystal instantly leapt to Lin An's front; in the reflection of his pupils, the crystal shattered.

A pulse of heart-pounding energy exploded and instantly spread.

Buzz---Boom!!

A high-frequency buzz sounded, followed by thick, violent spiritual energy filling the battlefield's center.

Dissipating, melting.

Under the shock of the violent explosion, Awakened Ones within a hundred-meter radius were instantly pulverized.

Massive smoke and dust, like thrown sand, blanketed the battlefield.

At the same time, tens of thousands of soldiers roared as they opened fire, and a barrage of shells, like suicide attacks, rained down on Lin An's position.

Spiritual energy sparkled.

Large numbers of Awakened Ones surged from all directions, continually smashing their skills toward the center of the flames.

Not caring that they might blow up their own comrades.

Continuous explosions incessantly shook the earth.

The whole world seemed to have fallen into the explosion.

That monster... is it dead?!

Standing at the edge of the ruins, an Awakened One gasped, exhausted.

In just a few short seconds, they unleashed thousands of skill attacks.

Even without locking on, they simply fired at the spot where Lin An stood.

One would think that the bound Lin An would have to endure hundreds of attacks.

Even a block of steel alloy should have vaporized in this barrage.

Smoke and dust rose.

The remaining Awakened Ones looked panting at the crater left by the explosion, their eyes full of sorrow.

Superior Officer Zhang Ming likely also died in this attack.

Long before the Encircling River Military Region noticed that Lin An seemed able to lock onto anyone's position, Zhang Ming volunteered to act as bait.

The Awakened Ones with him appeared to have abundant spiritual energy, but in fact they were merely meant to disturb Lin An's judgment, leading them to mistakenly believe his location was the strongest point in the Safe Zone.

Given the circumstances, Lin An must have fallen for the trick and thus should be dead.

At the same time, all survivors in the Huaxia War Zone held their breath, staring intently at the smoke‑shrouded crater on the screen.

Is Lin An dead?

One breath.

Two breaths.

As an Awakened One tentatively hurled an Ice Cone Technique into it, yet there was no reaction, everyone couldn't help but exchange glances.

Lin An... must be dead!

We have defeated this demon!

Wild joy surged in their hearts.

The crowd crept step by step toward the pit, and many eyes flashed with greed.

Lin An is dead, his equipment...

should have also blown out.

just outside.

A few quick‑reacting Awakened Ones seemed to think of something and swiftly opened the Safe Zone rankings.

Zhang Ming's name had already vanished, but the two characters 'Lin An' still clung to the top spot, shining brightly.

Retreat!

Make them retreat!

Continue attacking!

Within the Encircling River Military Region, the staff officer who had been monitoring the battle situation also noticed this.

He suddenly stood up, continuously roaring in the private message channel.

Lin An isn't dead yet!

What!!

Inside the modern Safe Zone, the commander from the Huanjiang Armored Legion was stunned.

The crater from a round of concentrated fire was over twenty meters deep; this level of saturation attack would reduce even a Second Level Mutant to ashes.

Furthermore, there was also that blue self-destruct crystal.

Lin An isn't dead?!

The question that slipped out unconsciously stunned the surrounding soldiers as well.

In his daze, a hoarse voice suddenly sounded.

Correct...

As the words fell, a figure slowly rose from the pitch-black crater.

Not a bad attack...

Unfortunately... still not enough...

Flesh and blood writhed.

In the soldiers' terrified gazes, a man with wings growing from his back, like a flesh-and-blood skeleton, flew into the sky.

The injuries that looked instantly fatal to anyone rapidly healed.

In the span of a breath, Lin An, whose half-body had been blown apart, instantly returned to his original state.

Such terrifying self-healing ability left everyone stunned in place.

Not dead...

Even his injuries have recovered?!

Watching as they nearly exhausted all their strength and used every trump card, yet still could not kill Lin An.

The entire modern Safe Zone fell into panic.

Keep firing! Quick! Quick ah ah!

I don't believe he can still recover!

Under good tactical training, the commander of the armored legion sent to support shouted madly:

Blast!

No need to worry about the Safe Zone!

Even if they pulverized the entire Safe Zone into fragments, they would still have to deal with Lin An.

His whole body trembled.

If Lin An did not die after this battle, they could not imagine what consequences it would bring.

Regardless of whether the attacks were effective.

Everyone's mind held only one thought: to keep firing.

To vent the fear in their hearts.

This was the only way for them to stay sane.

In midair, Lin An indifferently watched the soldiers below descend into madness, his wings behind him constantly flapping.

Explosive-like power, as if endless.

After using causal reversal, his strength rose to its peak.

The power almost about to surge forth was addictive.

Strong, incredibly strong.

In the faint sense, Lin An even felt that if he wished, he could even cleave an aircraft carrier with a single sword.

Stronger than in the Amoeba Worm dungeon.

Under the pull of power, the originally sleeping black dragon also twitched slightly.

It sensed another aura of itself.

Pressure radiated out, a suffocating aura began to spread.

Soldiers firing around were instantly ground into a ball of blood mist; even Awakened Ones felt only an incomparable force oppressing their minds.

It's time to end it.

Looking at the cannon aimed at him, Lin An gripped the hilt of the sword behind him with a backhand.

Demonic Form!

The special ability from Cain's Blade activated, a rich bloody smell began to permeate.

Blood drew from the corpses on the ground, condensing into thousands of crystal-clear blood beads that flew toward Lin An in midair.

Power stacked, attributes broke through the Second Level limit.

The already nearly invincible aura rose another level.

The form twisted, above the battlefield.

In everyone's perception, a thought beyond vision arose in the mind.

Demonic, Descent came.

The aura rose, approaching infinitely close to Third Level.

Slash!

When the long sword nurtured in the soul‑calming sheath was drawn, the world seemed to fall silent.

A soundless sword flash flickered and vanished.

Ten meters long, the sharp sword qi directly slashed toward the earth beneath his feet.

Light is faster than sound.

After a breath.

A sword strike that gathered all his strength in a single blow instantly detonated the earth.

「Boom!!! 」

The deafening roar sounded as if the earth were roaring.

A speeding earth dragon rose from underground, as if unable to bear the pain, lifting the entire Safe Zone.

The overthrow began.

In the scene.

In the eyes of hundreds of millions of Survivors.

The city shattered.

At the same time, two nearly identical system announcements sounded.

Announcement: Modern Safe Zone, the Psychic Core has been destroyed. The Safe Zone has been delisted.

Announcement: In the Modern Safe Zone, the death toll among Awakened Ones exceeds seventy percent, the death match ends.

In the Ring River Military Region, the white-clad staff officer collapsed onto the chair, his face deathly pale.

The commander standing in place swayed, on the verge of collapsing to the ground.

Looking at the tragic scene in the picture, he couldn't help but give a bitter, grim smile:

"We lost..."

"We... have nothing left..."