Chapter 446

"Don't be careless; that Tang Luo is probably on the 'list' of the Heavenly Punishers. If he's in danger, don't linger in battle—rescue him immediately."

After leaving, Jiang Yuanming faced the person before him.

This was a youth who looked no older than fifteen or sixteen, with delicate eyebrows and bright eyes, bearing an arrogant expression.

"Can't we just kill the Heavenly Punisher?" the youth Lin Qing said.

"If Tang Luo is truly targeted and on the 'list,' killing the Heavenly Punisher will quickly bring forth the next form," Jiang Yuanming said. "You can't handle the third form of the Heavenly Punisher."

"Who said that?" Lin Qing muttered under his breath.

"Huh?" Jiang Yuanming slightly raised his tone.

"Got it, got it—I'll prioritize saving people," Lin Qing said. "But since Tang Luo is likely on the list, maybe he's already killed the first form of the Heavenly Punisher?"

"That's likely the case; this person's strength is not weak," Jiang Yuanming recalled their meeting.

That calm, composed demeanor, with an air of controlling everything, was absolutely not something a weakling could possess.

Three days later.

"Master, are we making news?" Ao Yulie asked, eager to try, as starting to cause trouble would mean breaking free from his current life, as busy as a spinning top.

"You don't need to; I'll just find a lending company to discuss business," Tang Luo said.

Still no news of Zhu Bajie or the Heavenly Dog—we could join that Chuuni Termination Club to check things out.

Or we could summon heavenly soldiers again—basically, we just need to produce some news.

But human plans are no match for "heaven's calculation."

Before Tang Luo could actively stir up any news, heavenly soldiers found him again, just as Jiang Yuanming said: "The Heavenly Punishers won't let Tang Luo go."

This proves their Chuuni Termination Club isn't just pure chuunibyou—there's still some substance to it.

"Come to think of it... back then, Jiang Yuanming hinted that if I were found by heavenly soldiers, they'd come to rescue me? Then I wouldn't need to lift a hand," Tang Luo thought, eyeing the heavenly soldiers before him.

Different appearances, same black clothes, same cold, hard faces, plus that line: "You've broken the rules."

It makes one wonder if these guys are even "alive."

Drawing his gun, Tang Luo didn't act—he chose to retreat three li.

Gunfire stirred up waves upon waves.

On the street, panicked pedestrians ran everywhere, interspersed with rising and falling screams.

Tang Luo kept wondering: what exactly are these so-called "rules"? Unrelated to heavenly laws—just the rule that summons heavenly soldiers.

Setting aside the matter of Duohun Liang Tianzan for now, the first time he encountered heavenly soldiers was because he pretended to be Ao Yulie and scattered money everywhere.

So the heavenly soldiers' rule is: no scattering money—or rather, maintaining stability in the mission world?

At first glance, it seems that way.

But heavenly soldiers don't care—their image of openly firing guns in the street feels just like "only the prefect may light fires, not the common folk."

Nearby pedestrians had strong crisis awareness and soon scattered in disarray.

Tang Luo retreated, and the heavenly soldiers naturally pursued relentlessly, gunshot after gunshot echoing.

Then, the promised reinforcements never came...

"This chuunibyou club isn't cutting it," Tang Luo muttered, somewhat speechless.

Weren't they boasting earlier that they'd come find him? Even hinting they'd appear like heroes in danger—so where are they now?

Tang Luo's perception is quite poor.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have missed that guy next door doing an autopsy back then—partly due to his heavy injuries, partly due to his own lack of skill—well, actually, it's because he's "terrible at this."

But at least his strength is there; now, as his strength recovers, he definitely won't be as inept as when wounded.

He's got a bit of that "come out, I know you're there" master vibe.

Like when he discovered Jiang Yuanming last time.

Now, Tang Luo feels no special presence nearby watching him.

The Chuuni Termination Club seems to have truly sent no one.

"What's going on?"

In the internet cafe, Lin Qing saw a crowd surge in, their faces changing, then he recalled something.

"Right, I still have a mission! That guy is being chased by heavenly soldiers." Lin Qing remembered his task, thought briefly, then typed on the public screen: "Something came up—I'm out, you mid-push."

"Something came up?"

"You damn turtle, messing up like this and making me mid-push—I*****"

His teammates immediately felt terrible.

"You play like a college girl falling into a pit—what gives you the right to say mid-push? Only those who got screwed can say that!"

"We elementary schoolers don't accept this!"

Lin Qing glanced at the 0-10-2 stats, dissatisfied: "Others get kills by skill—why say I fed? I really have something important to do; otherwise, I'd definitely come back late-game—I picked Sparta!"

Sparta, a typical early-game hero, late-game super unit.

That group of teammates erupted in curses.

Lin Qing refused to back down, retorting a few lines—he was saving the world—well, never mind, there's nothing to say with these ordinary mortals.

After resisting adding Ai Fu Four, quitting the game, logging off, Lin Qing chose to go save the world.

Playing games and such are just side branches.

The world-saving Lin Qing rushed toward the gunfire's direction and saw Tang Luo being chased down in a "disheveled escape" by a black-clad person.

"Is that all? Did he really kill a Heavenly Punisher?" Lin Qing muttered, then took a healthy step forward.

Over there, Tang Luo was about to act when he saw a youth rush over.

"Efficiency is really low." His fingers twitched slightly, then relaxed—Tang Luo stood still in place.

Seeing him reload, as if the black-clad person's magazine were infinite, he raised his gun again aiming at Tang Luo—Lin Qing had already arrived behind him, delivering a handsome whip kick to the black-clad person's body.

The black-clad person's body flew backward, rolling several times on the ground.

Just as he stood up, Lin Qing advanced and threw a punch, which was blocked in time by the black-clad person's first form, the Heavenly Soldier.

But that was only the first punch.

Lin Qing gained the upper hand, pressing his advantage relentlessly, throwing punch after punch in a storm of blows.

After taking a barrage, the black-clad person was repeatedly struck by fists and collapsed on the spot, looking somewhat miserable.

But he did not die—if he had, he would have vanished.

Based on past experience, the second form of the Heavenly Soldier will appear soon.

After dealing with the black-clad person, Lin Qing approached Tang Luo and said: "We warned you—awakened ones face a dangerous situation."

"……Isn't it because you all gave hints, only to show up late?" Tang Luo said.

"That's to make you truly realize: awakened ones aren't flashy superheroes; we are lonely ones walking the blade's edge and moving through darkness." Lin Qing said.

These words were once spoken to him by someone else.

"……Alright, alright." Tang Luo waved his hand. "I've decided to join the Termination Association. Where are your people in charge?"

Lin Qing frowned. Why is this newcomer so arrogant? Even more arrogant than he was back then.

"Come on, I'll take you to see someone." Lin Qing shook his head.

Young man—you might suffer a major loss, possibly even die.

"If this person isn't dealt with, is it okay?" Tang Luo pointed at the black-clad person and said.

"It's fine." Lin Qing said. "As long as it's a matter caused by the Heaven's Punishers showing up, no matter how big the commotion at the time, it will ultimately be erased into nothingness, as if nothing ever happened."

After a pause, Lin Qing said: "That's why we say this is a false world."

"Wait." Tang Luo said. "Just because of this?"

"Of course not only this reason—there is deeper evidence above." Lin Qing said. "But some things are not for you to know."

Nor can he know them.

Lin Qing joined the Termination Association less than half a year ago; with extraordinary talent and strong strength, he is quite valued, but only quite valued.

A certain outpost of the Termination Association recently is not some dark, secluded basement.

Rather, it is a bar……one that is quite retro, with a slight Western film feel.

Usually found in Western-style small towns.

The customers are regulars and acquaintances; a group orders a small bottle of wine and can drink all afternoon, chatting, playing darts, watching ball games.

There are outsiders who come in to cause trouble.

The bar owner raises his arm and calls out—immediately a group stands up, some drawing guns, others lifting chairs, and the scene instantly becomes lively.

After the fight, the owner laughs heartily, as if it weren't his bar that got wrecked.

No one knows how he makes money, but anyway, it's definitely not from the bar.

This outpost of the Termination Association is likewise of the same nature.

Lin Qing brought Tang Luo in by pushing the door open; inside, it was scattered and sparse, with few customers—just seven or eight.

When Tang Luo and his group entered, as many as five people turned their heads and stared intently before looking away.

Several others, it's impossible to tell whether they are Termination Association members or not.

Behind the bar, clearly not the bartender, is precisely Jiang Yuanming, whom we saw that day.

Seeing the two enter, he revealed a calm, unperturbed smile: "Encountered Heaven's Punishers?"

"Several times already." Tang Luo said. "I have some questions I want to ask."

"Once you truly integrate into our Termination Association, many secrets will open up to you." Jiang Yuanming said, implying, you still don't count as one of us.

"No problem—I'll ask first; you answer what you can." Tang Luo said.

Jiang Yuanming nodded.

No matter how you say it, being targeted by Heaven's Punishers at least makes you half one of us.

The natural basis for cooperation is too great, too solid.

Next, Tang Luo asked several questions and received answers from Jiang Yuanming, including matters concerning this mission world and the Heavenly Soldiers.

Regarding this mission world, Jiang Yuanming insists it is false, but what the real one is, he doesn't know—only a few people know.

This is his explanation; it's also possible that Jiang Yuanming knows but Tang Luo still cannot, so he finds a better excuse.

Regarding Heaven's Punishers.

Confirmed: there are four forms in total; the first is the black-clad person, the last is the ancient fierce general (Heavenly Soldier), with strength rising linearly.

And interestingly, when Tang Luo asked what the consequences are of truly killing a "Heaven's Punisher."

Jiang Yuanming and the others know nothing about the black tide.

"Is it concealment? No—at least these people truly don't know about the black tide; awakened ones……what an ironic nickname." Tang Luo thought to himself.

Perhaps higher-level people would notice?

Tang Luo laughed and said: "Since I've already joined the Termination Association, then we're all our own people now, right?"

"Of course."

"Then help me find someone." Tang Luo took out a sketch. "We've been looking for him."

"Another awakened——one?" Jiang Yuanming said, taking the sketch to look at it.

His voice suddenly paused.

"We'll keep an eye out for you." He put the sketch away and said.