Chapter 026
Chapter 26: The Purpose
Wang Jie and the others listened to the voice coming from the broadcast, sensing the determination of Bai Yuan and his team.
A night raid had completely revealed the mindset of the trial takers. If not for their prior preparations, no one could predict the scale of destruction Upper Capital City would have suffered. The trial takers cared nothing for the lives of Blue Star’s people; they only sought resources.
No one knew how many trial takers were left in the outside world.
Wen Zhao spoke gravely, “Only the next batch of trial takers will know. And among the third batch, there’s one powerful individual—Yun Lai.”
The Armor One Sect has three surnames: Wen, Yun, and Xiao.
“Yun Lai is a genius among the young disciples of this generation. With his nine-seal cultivation, he has mastered the complete Eight Cloud Arrows, one of the eighteen ultimate techniques. It’s like you mastering the complete Armor Eight Steps. How many steps can you take now?”
At Wen Zhao’s question, Wang Jie felt a heavy weight in his heart. Nine seals, the complete Eight Cloud Arrows, one of the eighteen ultimate techniques.
He immediately transmitted this information to Bai Yuan and the others.
Knock knock knock
A rapid knock at the door.
Qing Zheng opened it to reveal Tang Jie, who stormed in with a displeased expression, glaring at Wang Jie. “Why is it that every bad piece of news seems to come from you, kid?”
Wang Jie sighed helplessly.
Wen Zhao looked at Tang Jie. “No one can stop Yun Lai, not even if the fourth batch of trial takers comes. He is a transcendent being.”
Tang Jie raised an eyebrow. “Don’t underestimate Bai Yuan.”
“He won’t even get the chance to move,” Wen Zhao replied bluntly.
Tang Jie narrowed her eyes. “You say so much, aren’t you afraid the trial won’t pass?”
Wen Zhao’s gaze turned away. “No one cares. It’s like you telling an ant a secret—do you worry about what an ant might do?”
That metaphor was truly unsettling.
Tang Jie’s face visibly darkened.
But it was the truth.
The more Wen Zhao spoke, the more indifferent he seemed, which reflected the Armor One Sect’s attitude. They were nothing but ants in a cage.
At the same time, Bai Yuan received the same message. Wen Zhao’s words were transmitted almost in real-time.
Deep underground, Bai Yuan looked at the screen with a calm expression.
Zuo Tian, standing beside him, frowned slightly. “Do you think Armor One Sect will admit it? It’s difficult. Do you have any confidence?”
“None at all,” Bai Yuan answered.
Zuo Tian sighed. “Seems like we can’t escape fate.”
Bai Yuan’s gaze darkened. He could serve as a war slave, but Bai Xiao couldn’t.
“I advise you to spend as much time with your daughter as you can, while there’s still time,” Zuo Tian said, leaving.
“Is there nothing you can do?” Bai Yuan suddenly asked.
Zuo Tian, who had only taken a few steps, turned with a helpless expression. “You think too highly of me.” After a pause, he added, “But it’s not entirely impossible. Though it’s not much better than Wen Zhao’s plan.”
“Tell me.”
Zuo Tian turned back, his eyes filled with a cold murderous intent. “Kill them all. Every single trial taker.”
Not just defeat, but kill them all.
Previously, they had allowed all bases to execute trial takers without mercy, but that was a decision, not a purpose. Now, what Zuo Tian spoke of was the purpose.
Bai Yuan met Zuo Tian’s gaze, watching this young man who was only slightly older than his daughter.
Zuo Tian smiled. “As long as all the trial takers are dead by the end of this trial, the trial will have no end.”
“That’s just treating the symptom, not the root cause.”
“But it can buy time.”
Bai Yuan closed his eyes. “I understand.”
Less than sixty kilometers from Upper Capital City, an armored vehicle slowly moved along the shattered city’s edge.
“Captain, this place should be safe, right? Can we take a rest?”
“No, we must return immediately. A safe zone doesn’t mean absolute safety. There are still three or four mutated creatures here, and sometimes even strange creatures we’ve never seen before. Many people have died without ever knowing how.”
“Alright.”
“Captain, what’s that black line behind us?”
“A black line? No, wait, run, hurry!”
The armored vehicle roared to life, speeding westward without worrying about the noise attracting mutated creatures. Along the way, they were attacked by mutated beasts, which slammed into the vehicle with great force, nearly crushing it. They thought they would be hit again, but the mutated beasts suddenly went mad and ran westward.
The entire abandoned city was in chaos, with mutated creatures and plants running everywhere. Some mutated plants climbed up tall buildings, as if they were being threatened by something.
The black line drew closer. Despite the armored vehicle’s speed, the city’s ruins made it hard to avoid.
They soon saw what the black line actually was: an insect tide.
Countless insects stacked on top of each other, hopping and charging toward them.
The group’s faces went pale, the terror of stepping into the abyss overtaking them.
But no matter how fast they tried to go, they were still swallowed by the insect tide. The vehicle was battered by collisions, but the insects didn’t stop. They didn’t attack the vehicle either, just passed by it.
Thud thud thud.
They stared in shock at the giant centipede outside the vehicle, where a young girl sat on its back, knocking on the window and smiling at them.
They swore they’d never imagined encountering such a situation. In an insect tide, there was a beautiful young girl? Had the insects turned sentient?
Tentatively, they opened the window.
The armored vehicle seemed transparent in front of the insect tide.
“You guys, do you know where Wen Zhao is?”
The group exchanged glances, then shook their heads.
The young girl frowned, raising her white little fist. “Are you sure you don’t know?” As she spoke, the centipede twisted its body, and its menacing head turned toward them.
The group felt despair. “We… we really don’t know.”
The young girl rolled her eyes. “This stupid woman, no presence at all, just like I thought, no beauty to speak of.” She slapped the centipede, then turned and walked off.
The insect tide slowly receded.
The group felt like they had narrowly escaped death.
“Captain, that’s the direction of Upper Capital City.”
“Quick, contact the base.”
“We can’t reach them.”
“It’s over.”
Wang Jie was doing exercises, but this time it wasn’t at night—it was during the day. This was the first time, and it seemed that the frequency of his exercises would change with time. It should be related to his physical fitness.
But this time, the sensation was different. He felt thirsty, but not in the usual sense. It was a deep thirst for some kind of power, an intense hunger.
He immediately took out cataclysm materials to absorb imprint power.
The imprint power was absorbed quickly, but it didn’t increase his own imprint power. Wang Jie had no idea where the absorbed power had gone.
Never mind. The thirst was too extreme. He could only keep absorbing imprint power, seeking a little relief.
“Old Five, give me the cataclysm materials,” Wang Jie shouted.
Old Five and the others immediately handed over all the cataclysm materials they had. As they watched Wang Jie exercise and absorb, it felt like a strange fusion.
But the materials they had were mostly consumed by Old Five and the others breaking through to eight seals, so it wasn’t enough.
Wen Zhao also handed over cataclysm materials.
“Thanks.” Wang Jie sighed in relief. The materials from Wen Zhao were of good quality. He kept absorbing and exercising, never feeling tired. But the ground had already become soaked with sweat, releasing a terrible odor.
Wen Zhao was watching Wang Jie.
What was going on? He had absorbed so much imprint power, but it didn’t feel like his power had increased. Where was the absorbed imprint power going?
Old Five and the others watched Wang Jie with growing concern. Was the boss ill?
The exercises ended.
Wang Jie quickly took a shower. The group looked at the floor. Had he detoxed?
When Wang Jie came out, the floor was already cleaned.
Wen Zhao eyed Wang Jie.
“Boss, your skin looks lighter,” Old Five exclaimed in surprise.
Wang Jie looked at his arm.
“It’s because the impurities in your body were cleared. The movements you made were indeed a form of cultivation,” Wen Zhao said.
Wang Jie asked, “But I haven’t gained any imprint power.”
Wen Zhao frowned. “That’s what I’m curious about. Where did your imprint power go?”
Wang Jie looked at his hands. He hadn’t gained any imprint power, but his physical strength had doubled. That’s right—doubled. Exactly doubled.
Was this the effect of the exercises? They had somehow transformed the imprint power into pure physical strength.
He couldn’t say if it was good or bad.
But Wang Jie knew that with the increase in strength, his speed and defense had also improved.
He was now stronger than before by one level.
But by how much? He couldn’t say. It wasn’t as simple as just adding one plus one.
Qing Zheng moved closer, grinning. “Boss, teach me too. A method that makes the skin better and whiter—what a great effect!”
Wang Jie sighed. “If I could, I would have taught you already. You saw the movements; you could learn them anytime. But it won’t have the same effect.”
Wen Zhao interjected. “It’s normal. Armor One Sect has similar cultivation methods, but they can’t be spread casually. Every technique has its own accompanying methods, and you won’t learn it just by watching the movements. You can’t teach it that way.”
Another knock sounded.
Old Nine went to open the door.
Old Five grumbled, “Why is Tang Jie back again?”
Tang Jie entered, her face serious. “The insect tide is approaching. Prepare for battle.”
Wen Zhao’s face changed. “Insect tide?”
Wang Jie and the others were also shocked.
Tang Jie glared at Wen Zhao. “What do you know?”
Wen Zhao’s face grew grim. “What’s coming is finally here—Insect Ruo Ruo.”
At Upper Capital City Base, on the east wall, Bai Yuan and his team watched in shock as the black mass outside grew larger. The doomsday disaster had seen countless beast tides and mutated plants, but this was their first encounter with an insect tide.
The insects were aggressive, but not toward humans, nor would they attack human bases. Their greatest enemies were the mutated beasts and plants.
How could there be such a massive insect tide?
Zuo Tian’s eyes flickered. “Release the drones.”
One by one, drones shot up into the sky, heading toward the insect tide.
In the distance, the black cloud approached. It wasn’t a cloud, but flying insects, which collided with the drones, knocking them all down in explosions.
But before they were destroyed, one drone captured a photo.
The photo was sent to Bai Yuan and Zuo Tian, showing a giant centipede crawling on the ground, with a young girl on its back.
“Trial taker,” Zuo Tian said in a low voice.
Bai Yuan immediately ordered Wen Zhao to come.
Wen Zhao had already arrived, and Tang Jie led them to the wall.
Wen Zhao saw the photo. “It’s Insect Ruo Ruo. She’s here for me.”
“Insect Ruo Ruo?” Bai Yuan asked, puzzled.
At that moment, Wang Jie’s attention was on Zuo Tian. Old Five and the others also focused on him, their eyes calm but filled with killing intent.
Zuo Tian and Wang Jie locked eyes, and Zuo Tian smiled slightly. “You really are young. I guessed correctly.”
Wang Jie’s voice was cold. “It’s a pity I couldn’t kill you two years ago.”
“You were born outside Golden Hill City, right? One of those orphans,” Zuo Tian said, his gaze probing.
Wang Jie didn’t deny it.
Old Five sneered. “So was I.”
“Me too,” Old Nine added.