Chapter 036

Chapter 36: Who Do You Think I Am?

Wang Jie’s fist slammed hard into Yun Lai’s face, sending him crashing to the ground. With a swift kick, he sent Yun Lai flying several meters.

Everyone stood frozen, unable to react as they watched Yun Lai get pummeled.

Fury burned in Yun Lai’s chest. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he lifted his head, “You…”

Before he could finish, Wang Jie kicked him again, sending his body flying like a sandbag into the wall, causing cracks to spread from the impact point.

“Battle slave? The interstellar battlefield?” Wang Jie sneered. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking that far ahead.”

“Who do you think I am?”

“I am Wang Jie, who has survived this damn apocalypse for over ten years. The interstellar battlefield is just a more advanced kind of dead end. We’re all ready to die at any time. You threaten me?”

Yun Lai’s face was a swollen mess, one of his eyes swollen shut, blood filling his vision. He could barely make out the approaching figure of Wang Jie.

With a swift motion, Wang Jie grabbed him by the neck, pulled him off the wall, and casually tossed him towards the city. “Today, you’ll experience what it’s like to be a prisoner under the foot of a battle slave.”

Those were the last words Yun Lai heard before slipping into unconsciousness.

Outside the base, everyone was stirred by Wang Jie’s words. Indeed, after the apocalypse on Blue Star, what was the difference between this and that so-called interstellar battlefield? It was just a more advanced version of the same kind of hopeless situation. They didn’t think they’d live long, so they focused on surviving another day.

Sister Tang waved her hand. “Lock him up. No need for mercy. Just don’t kill him.”

Immediately, cultivators dragged Yun Lai away, treating him with no more care than a dead dog.

Wen Zhao looked at Wang Jie with a newfound respect. His words made her remember a version of herself from the past, but their choices were worlds apart.

Who was right?

Meanwhile, Bai Xiao looked at Wang Jie with gratitude.

Not long after, as Wang Jie lay on the couch chatting with Qing Zheng and the others, he received a gift from Upper Capital City base—lots of cataclysm materials. It was personally delivered by Sister Tang.

“Is this for me?” Wang Jie was surprised.

Sister Tang smiled. “It’s a thank-you gift for helping us defeat Yun Lai. Otherwise, these materials would’ve belonged to him.”

Wang Jie didn’t hesitate and accepted them all. “I’ll take them all.”

Sister Tang chuckled. “Anything else you need, feel free to ask. You’re now the hero of the base.”

Wang Jie’s expression turned serious. “Actually, yes.”

Sister Tang raised an eyebrow.

“Find Zuo Tian.”

Sister Tang paused. “Are you sure Zuo Tian’s still alive?”

Wang Jie nodded. “Past grievances, right or wrong—it doesn’t matter anymore. Now, there’s only one choice: it’s me or Zuo Tian. If you choose me, we kill him. Whatever he has to say, whatever he does, it doesn’t matter. If you choose him, then we walk away.”

Sister Tang studied Wang Jie deeply. “I understand. Don’t worry. If he’s still alive, we’ll find him. As you said, in this cursed world, right and wrong no longer matter. What we care about is you.”

“That’s the spirit,” Wang Jie grinned.

After Sister Tang left, Qing Zheng exclaimed, “Isn’t that Lian Qin? She’s here too.”

Everyone turned to look outside the house, where Lian Qin had arrived with Lian Fei. Around them, more and more people were noticing Wang Jie. His victory had solidified his status as the strongest cultivator on Blue Star. He had surpassed Bai Yuan.

“Boss, should we meet them?”

“No. I’m on a schedule.”

“What schedule?”

As they spoke, Wang Jie started his exercises. It was the time for his daily routine.

Lian Qin was also there to offer her gratitude with a gift of cataclysm materials, along with—surprisingly—a marriage proposal letter.

Looking at the proposal letter, Old Five and the others fell into deep thought.

Wen Zhao rolled her eyes and went to rest.

Now that Wang Jie had accumulated a decent amount of cataclysm materials, he still had some left after finishing his exercises. What he was truly lacking were storage rings, but unfortunately, Wen Zhao didn’t have any spare ones. The other trial takers’ rings were also useless.

Feeling the power within him, Wang Jie realized that it had indeed grown stronger. He sat on the ground, his seal power fully transformed into physical strength. He wasn’t sure what the upper limit of this transformation was, but what he had now was already staggering.

His strength was sixteen times that of when he broke through to eight seals.

If he fought Yun Lai now, the outcome would be even easier. With his strength, he could probably block Yun Lai’s eight arrows with pure power, without needing to rely on his wristguard to deflect them.

And this was just a wristguard. What if he had more? What if he progressed to a mid-level, or even high-level fitness routine? What would that do for him?

If he could attain this power, then it must exist somewhere in the universe.

But where did it come from? What terrifying forces or races possessed it? As Wang Jie gazed out at the starry sky, looking through the sky projection, he saw nothing but an endless, profound darkness. What else existed out there in the cosmos?

It was truly a sight to behold.

Yun Lai had become a prisoner, and this could have stirred up some commotion within the Armor One Sect, but right now, the Armor One Sect was focused on someone else—the young man walking through the high skies.

“Indeed, it’s Shu Mu Night. Immediately report to the sect master.”

“No need. The sect master already knows and has ordered that we spare no expense in finding someone to deal with him.”

“Should we halt the trial?”

“No, the Armor One Sect’s trial has never been interrupted, no matter what happens. This time will be no exception. We have only ten days. Ten days before the final batch of trial takers arrives. We’ll find as many as we can. This matter will be listed as the highest priority task for Armor One Sect.”

In the following days, Wang Jie made another trip to Golden Hill Base, where a group of nine-seal trial takers had caused trouble.

Yun Lai was just one of eighteen nine-seal trial takers, and even the weaker ones were stronger than the cultivators at the base.

Bai Yuan also went to River City and brought back a nine-seal trial taker.

But this wasn’t a permanent solution.

Beyond the five main bases, there were many smaller ones, and several of them had changed hands, though no one was aware of it.

Trial takers were doing everything they could to collect cataclysm materials to increase their strength, and Wang Jie and his group had to keep training as well.

It was in this context that Qi Five arrived.

Sister Tang brought him to Wang Jie.

“You’re looking for me?” Wang Jie asked, confused.

Qi Five, the little fatty, smiled awkwardly and respectfully. “I really didn’t expect Yun Lai to lose in this trial. Brother Wang, I admit, I didn’t pay enough attention before, and I apologize.”

“What do you want?” Wen Zhao interjected.

Qi Five smiled nervously. “Well, I’d like to make a deal with Brother Wang. I want to exchange Yun Lai for a power detection device.”

Wang Jie raised an eyebrow. “Exchange Yun Lai? Why?”

Qi Five rubbed his hands together, looking uncomfortable. But under Wang Jie’s and the others’ gaze, he finally explained, “Because my Galaxy Combat Equipment company offended the Yun family, and now we’re being suppressed by them. I joined the trial to get close to Yun Lai, hoping he could help me. But before I could meet him, Brother Wang, you caught him.”

“So, that’s why you’re here.”

Wang Jie understood and turned to Wen Zhao.

Qi Five quickly added, “The Wen family knows about this, but I’m not sure if the young lady knows.”

Wen Zhao shook her head. “I didn’t know.”

Qi Five sighed. “To be honest, our company is big and wealthy, but we’re still under the Armor One Sect’s influence. The Yun family can easily target us. If we could use Yun Lai’s influence to ease things, it would be very helpful.”

“So, Brother Wang, if you’re willing to help, once you enter the stars, my Galaxy Combat Equipment company will certainly reward you generously. We’ll make sure you’re satisfied.”

Wang Jie looked at Qi Five. “Let me be clear. One, Yun Lai is now a prisoner of Upper Capital City Base. I may not have the authority to make decisions. Two, he has a deep grudge against me. Honestly, if I had the chance, I wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of this threat.”

Qi Five coughed, seemingly shocked by Wang Jie’s words.

“Uh, Wen Zhao, didn’t you explain things to Brother Wang?”

Wang Jie raised a hand to stop Wen Zhao from speaking. “Don’t try to use Armor One Sect or the Yun family to threaten me. After all, being a battle slave means death anyway. If I can drag him along, I will.”

Wen Zhao glanced at Wang Jie but didn’t say anything further.

Qi Five sighed. “That’s fine, but you still need to be able to drag him. Brother Wang, everything in the trial is controlled by the Armor One Sect. If you want to kill Yun Lai, I can guarantee that you won’t be able to do it, even for a moment.”

“He’s Yun Lai, an important member of the Yun family.”

“Brother Wang, you’ve been struggling in the apocalypse for so long. Do you still believe in fairness? The so-called trial is nothing more than a game that lets Yun Lai gain his achievements in the Armor One Sect’s eyes.”

“The trial can’t be interrupted. That’s the rule, and it’s never changed. But it doesn’t say we can’t withdraw.”

Wang Jie lifted his gaze. He wasn’t foolish. When he spared Insect Ruo Ruo, he’d considered this. He only pummeled Yun Lai outside the base but had no intention of killing him. Otherwise, with his temperament, Yun Lai would’ve been long dead.

But when negotiating, you couldn’t follow the other party’s rhythm.

“No need to mention that. Maybe the water you’re giving Yun Lai now is laced with poison,” Wang Jie spoke casually.

Qi Five knew Wang Jie understood the situation, but since they were negotiating, he brought out his offer. He took out the power detection device. “I’ve modified this. It can help you locate boundary stones.”

“The boundary stone is the material we trial takers use when we descend onto Blue Star. If you can locate it, you can track where the trial takers land, which would help you find them. This will surely be useful to you.”

Sister Tang’s eyes lit up. This was a valuable tool. The biggest problem now was that the first three batches of trial takers had disappeared, and no one knew which bases had been taken over. Although it wouldn’t directly lock onto trial takers, it would help trace some useful clues.

Qi Five continued, “Yun Lai is useless here. He knows that, and so does Wen Zhao. Instead of letting him waste your resources, it’s better to let me take him. This power detector is just a token of my sincerity. With Brother Wang’s abilities, escaping the life of a battle slave is highly likely, and Yun Lai can’t control that. Once you travel the universe, my Galaxy Combat Equipment company will reward you generously.”

“Of course, if Brother Wang is still sent to the interstellar battlefield, then forget I said anything. I, Qi Five, would never deceive you.”

Everyone exchanged glances and then turned to Wang Jie.

Since Wang Jie had caught Yun Lai, and he was supposedly locked up at Upper Capital City, Wang Jie could easily make decisions.

Wang Jie asked Qi Five to step outside, discussed it with everyone, and then agreed—under the condition that he receive a batch of cataclysm materials. Qi Five readily accepted.

The little fatty had earned a lot of cataclysm materials by selling the power detection devices, and he gave plenty to Wang Jie.