Chapter 794: Terrifying Intelligence

After Su Xiao slashed down several approaching orcs, he began retreating toward the rear ranks of the Imperial troops; the battle had dragged on for some time, the frontlines stretched thin, and the rear was no longer packed with soldiers.

After two hours of brutal combat, Su Xiao was already exhausted; during those two hours, he first fought at the front line, then was knocked back by dwarf earth cavalry, accidentally flung to the rear of the tribal forces by a giant, and finally fought his way back to the top of Black Earth Fortress.

Just two hours of intense fighting left him more drained than killing enemies nonstop for a full day and night in his previous battle.

This won't do. Su Xiao scanned the surroundings; the Imperial troops had higher morale and greater enemy kills than the tribal forces, and the tide of battle was shifting in their favor.

Noticing this, Su Xiao prepared to retreat into the Imperial ranks for a brief rest.

After dispatching several charging enemies, he pulled back; even if he couldn't sleep, a sip of water and a moment's rest would help.

Just as Su Xiao was about to reach the Imperial troops, a sense of danger surged.

Su Xiao scanned his surroundings but found no overwhelmingly strong foes; yet the feeling of danger didn't fade—it grew stronger, as if he'd been locked onto by something.

"Sniper?"

Su Xiao carefully sensed his surroundings and quickly dismissed the possibility of being targeted by a sniper; since the enemy hadn't appeared, he continued retreating.

Finally, two hours after the battle began, Su Xiao got a moment to breathe; standing among his allies, he pulled out a bottle of water and drank it in large gulps.

After drinking some water, Su Xiao felt more alert and immediately began treating his wounds.

…

Among the tribal forces, a bald, muscular man held a semi-transparent tablet computer—a clear piece of high-tech equipment.

The bald man wore leather armor, his belt adorned with numerous high-tech devices: two energy rifles, three plasma grenades, and many other unheard-of high-tech gadgets.

"Xi, I've arrived at the Black Earth zone. Surprised?"

The bald man was video-calling on his tablet; the other end was Queen Xi, leader of the Apocalypse Paradise, who stood before a pile of corpses sealed under a layer of transparent crystal.

"You went to the Black Earth zone? Why there…"

Xi initially looked puzzled, then seemed to realize something, her expression darkening; several transparent crystals floated beside her, shifting to red as her emotions changed.

Are you just letting go of Liuli's matter? She's your own sister. Don't you remember how she cried during the surgery?

The bald man smiled, seemingly unafraid of Xi.

"Lan Lan Jue, are you defying my orders? Don't forget, this world isn't your home turf."

Before the pile of corpses, Xi's silver hair stirred without wind; the crystals beside her turned ice-blue.

"Xi, don't speak to me like you're addressing a subordinate. I was only transferred to your team for 'mysterious' reasons; from every perspective, I don't need to obey your orders. I helped that little girl kill only because she begged me endlessly—I'm just a soft-hearted person."

The bald man, Lan Lan Jue, grew more defiant.

Xi stared at Lan Lan Jue through a crystal before her; after several seconds, the crystals beside her returned to colorless.

"Liu Li."

Xi turned her head toward her side; a breeze brushed past, a strand of silver hair sliding from her ear to her cheek.

"Come here."

No sooner had Xi spoken than a little girl with matching silver hair approached, her steps trembling.

"Sis…"

Liu Li had barely spoken when she noticed Xi's gaze was unusual.

"My beautiful, graceful, pure, powerful Queen Xi sister, what do you need from me?"

Though Liu Li had drawn close to Xi, she stood ready to flee at any moment; her lower body, shattered by Su Xiao, had fully regenerated.

"What did you give Lan Lan Jue?"

Xi didn't avoid mentioning Lan Lan Jue, who was still on the video call.

"I… I didn't give him anything."

"…"

Xi silently stared at Liu Li; after three seconds, Liu Li swallowed hard; after ten seconds, beads of sweat appeared on her cheeks.

"I… I just gave him the red crystal."

Liu Li lowered her head.

"You've grown up. Your wings are strong now."

Xi's expression didn't change much; if this hadn't been her sister, the girl would already be a corpse.

"I…"

As Liu Li opened her mouth to speak, Xi waved her hand.

"You did it. Don't regret it—or I'm not your sister."

"Mm."

Liu Li nodded firmly: "I'm not willing to let it go. Though I'm no match for that man, I have leverage."

Hearing Liu Li's firm tone, Xi's lips curled slightly; she turned her gaze to Lan Lan Jue.

"You took the reward—now do the job. Find him, kill him, bring back his head. This matter is settled."

"Of course."

Lan Lan Jue knew exactly what Xi meant by "settled"; this wasn't Liu Li who had sought him out—it was he who had sought out Liu Li.

"I've already located the target's whereabouts. I'll resolve it soon. As for bringing back his head, it's difficult—if I fight at full strength, either he dies or I do."

Lan Lan Jue ended the video call and rubbed his bald head.

"What a stubborn woman. Maybe she's already guessed something. Her intelligence is monstrous. That little girl is much easier to fool."

Lan Lan Jue shoved aside an orc and walked toward Black Earth Fortress.

…

In the Hill Valley, among a mountain range.

A minor skirmish had just occurred—the usual daily clash between Imperial and tribal forces; the battle was over.

The Imperial soldiers showed no obvious casualties, but their expressions were vacant; they stared blankly at the numerous corpses frozen in crystal on the hillside—all done by one person.

Dozens of Apocalypse Paradise contractors stood beside the crystal-covered corpses; some chatted idly, others maintained their weapons.

"That's how it went～"

Among the crowd, Liu Li stood like a guilty elementary student, head bowed, appearing remorseful—but her big eyes held no regret whatsoever; a single phrase described her perfectly: excellent attitude in apologizing, never changing.

"You did well."

Xi, unusually, praised Liu Li.

"Huh?"

Liu Li's scalp tingled; her sister's attitude was wrong—terribly wrong!

"What kind of person do you think Lan Lan Jue is?"

Xi's question left Liu Li, still dazed, confused.

"What kind of person? Um… cunning? Greedy? A loner?"

Liu Li tilted her head; she'd never been able to guess what Xi was thinking.

"He's highly 'abnormal.' Since entering the war world, he's been fixated on one thing: the whereabouts of the World Core."

"Isn't that normal?"

Liu Li was puzzled; she too wanted the World Core. Without it, they'd all face punishment.

"Of course it's abnormal. To extract the World Core's location from me, he even submitted to my orders. But now he suddenly rushes to the Black Earth zone just for a red crystal. Worse, I just tried ordering him to leave Black Earth—he reacted with a determination to defy me at all costs."

Xi's gaze drifted toward the distant mountains, as if deep in thought.

"Sis, do you think about this stuff every day? You'll kill off so many brain cells."

Though Liu Li wasn't stupid, compared to Xi, she was a naive, sweet little girl.

"The one who injured you before—he's a soloist, right?"

Xi ignored Liu Li's earlier words; she seemed to have realized something.

"Yeah, I didn't see any teammates. His fighting style leans toward solo operations—excellent defense, high intelligence and agility, strong ranged attacks, immune to mental control. Most terrifying is his close combat—he can cut through me in one strike. I'd barely survive two hits, maybe not even one. He's strong, durable, excels at both range and melee, immune to control—he's a monster."

Mentioning Su Xiao, Liu Li clearly still felt uneasy.

Xi fell silent again, then whispered softly after a long while.

"Coincidence? Previously I only suspected Lan Lan Jue was different from us. No—he's different from all soloists. In Paradise, there are rumors he's randomly clashed with certain contractors, and every one of those contractors was abnormal. He seems to be actively seeking out these abnormal contractors and killing them. Soloist. Well-rounded abilities. Constantly at odds with contractors possessing abnormal powers."

Xi's eyes gleamed; beside her, Liu Li had no idea what she was saying.

"Some taboos must not be touched. I seem to have reached a dangerous edge. Lan Lan Jue's uniqueness aside, the best choice is to avoid digging deeper. But what could make him abandon information about the World Core to pursue a specific Paradise contractor?"

Xi continued thinking; beside her, Liu Li yawned, as if listening to an alien language.

"We can delay this question. Right now, no matter how it ends, we win. Whether Lan Lan Jue loses or that enemy man loses, it benefits us. Neither side is easy to handle. Liu Li, do something for me."

Xi looked at Liu Li, who, lost in thought, felt a bad premonition.

"Sis, I'm your own sister. Don't trick me—I'm scared."

Liu Li looked at Xi with pitiful eyes.

"Relax. No danger. Just do what you're best at."

"Really? Is it… that?"

Liu Li asked tentatively.

"Yes."

"Great!"

Liu Li's gloom vanished; a mischievous smile spread across her face.

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