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墨書 Inktalez
Tired, Lu Fei Fan woke up in the morning to find Yang Lao carving something into a stone with a dagger in one hand.
Feeling hungry, Lu Fei Fan took it upon himself to gather some equipment and went back to the cave to catch a larger fish. He even made a grill, and after cooking the fish, the old man had something to show for his morning labor.
It was a chessboard, seemingly carved over a long period of time.
“This chessboard was originally meant for training the Octopus to play with me, but its intelligence was too low to handle such advanced games. I ended up abandoning it halfway through,” Yang Lao said, appearing quite spirited after a night’s rest.
Lu Fei Fan found two stones of different colors, and without exchanging many words, the two began their game on the chessboard.
Yang Lao hadn’t played chess in a long time and lost the first three games quite miserably. However, he seemed very enthusiastic, and most of the morning passed with them engrossed in their match.
During their games, when they felt thirsty, Yang Lao sent the Octopus out to forage. Surprisingly, it returned with a handful of wild fruits in varying shades of red and green. Yang Lao appeared experienced and unafraid of poisonous fruits; he sniffed one and wiped it on his clothing before eating it.
With the fruits quenching their thirst, they no longer worried about starving or dying of thirst. After several rounds of intense competition, the old man finally showed signs of fatigue. He pushed aside the chessboard and looked at Lu Fei Fan.
“Child, your chess skills are quite good,” he complimented, which was rare for him. “Do you have a teacher in the Free Federation? Who else is at home?”
The old man began to chat casually, engaging Lu Fei Fan in small talk about family.
Lu Fei Fan shook his head. “No teacher. I have two elders at home and a younger brother.”
“Hmm, I see that your Pulse Breathing Technique seems to be one of the more common Fu Mai Xi Shu in the Free Federation Army?” Yang Lao remarked curiously.
“Yes. It’s the kind of Pulse Breathing Technique that’s quite common; to put it bluntly, it’s meant for cannon fodder in the military,” Lu Fei Fan admitted candidly. Through their interactions, he realized that this old man wasn’t a bad person; he just needed to be cautious about whether he himself was a bad person.
In that moment, deep within the forest of Ground, where lakes dotted the landscape, sunlight streamed down, casting shimmering reflections on the surface of the springs.
With a sudden splash, Lian Qingzong, clad in short shorts that revealed his muscular torso adorned with scars, burst forth from one of the springs like a leaping carp. He landed gracefully on the ground, swinging his Fire Cloud Wide Blade effortlessly, which struck the earth with a sharp thud, embedding itself firmly.
Nearby, Jiang Lao hurriedly offered him a towel.
Lian Qingzong snatched the towel and took a few steps forward. He surveyed the area littered with debris; he had explored all the springs but found that most paths were blocked or led to dead ends. Some routes twisted back to other springs, and he had yet to uncover the entrance he had envisioned.
Growing increasingly agitated, he paced back and forth before tossing the towel onto the ground in frustration.
“Ah!” he shouted in exasperation.
Then, his robust body surged with flowing Pulse Energy, and he unleashed a powerful punch against the earth. The impact sent ripples through the ground as if striking a mirror, creating shockwaves that reverberated outward—bang bang bang—
Around him, several springs erupted, sending waves nearly ten meters high!
Countless fish and weeds were flung into the air, splashing down onto Ground as they flailed helplessly. Among them was a large, plump Octopus. Jiang Lao swiftly kicked the octopus into unconsciousness before standing quietly to the side, too hesitant to intervene.
Once Lian Qingzong had vented his frustration, Jiang Lao approached to retrieve the towel, dusting it off before handing it back to his Young Master.
After releasing his pent-up emotions, Lian Qingzong's expression improved significantly. Spending two hours here had indeed made him somewhat irritable. The lake's caves were a mystery; he had no idea which one was the true entrance, or if there was even an entrance at all. The landscape might have changed over the years, and no one dared to draw any conclusions.
However, having traveled such a long distance, he certainly did not want to return empty-handed.
Lian Qingzong took the towel and plopped down beside the fire to warm himself. He decided against going into the water again and instead planned to think calmly about a solution.
Jiang Lao, without hesitation, picked up his own hook sword and swiftly began to prepare the octopus they had caught earlier. Oddly enough, ever since that rascal Lu Fei Fan had half-heartedly used his hook sword like a butcher's knife, Jiang Lao found that he didn’t mind using his weapon in such a way. In fact, he thought… this sword of his was quite sharp.
Since they couldn't go into the water, he could only wait on the ground for his young master to emerge, responsible for drying his clothes and preparing some food. He looked every bit like an old steward, even though he was only half a steward by status.
Before long, a plump octopus roasted to a golden brown and exuding a savory aroma was ready. Lian Qingzong took the grilled leg of the octopus and began to tear into it with gusto. He nodded in satisfaction as he saw his young master enjoying the meal. This eased Jiang Lao’s worries; although he hadn’t been able to help much, he felt a bit guilty for not contributing more. His only achievement was that his cooking skills were gradually improving.
He truly had to thank that rascal from before.
Still, thinking about it wouldn’t solve their immediate problem. Blindly searching like this wasn’t a viable strategy. His ‘closed breathing’ technique couldn’t be maintained underwater, and he couldn’t bring himself to ask his young master for the secrets of the ‘Fish Breathing’ technique. He could only wait on the ground.
“Master, could it be that the ‘Tomb of the Giant Whale’ doesn’t exist?” Jiang Lao pondered for a long time before asking this question.
Lian Qingzong, who had been focused on eating, paused at this and thought deeply before shaking his head. “My grandfather wouldn’t lie to me. If it weren’t for their touching of the restrictions back then, perhaps the treasures of the ‘Tomb of the Giant Whale’ would have belonged to them. Now that I think about it, the restrictions should be close to disappearing.”
Jiang Lao grew anxious. “That would make things difficult. If someone else gets there first… that would be…”
Hearing this, Lian Qingzong immediately lost his appetite.
At the moment Jiang Lao realized he had misspoken, he immediately closed his mouth and fell silent.
Just then, a loud bang echoed through the air!
The ground shook violently as an explosion erupted not far behind them.
Jiang Lao and Lian Qingzong exchanged a glance, both sensing something ominous. In an instant, they sprang into action, leaping gracefully into the tall trees and standing side by side.
In the distance, thick black smoke billowed up through the gaps in the dense forest, likely caused by the explosion.
Following that, the sound of gunfire erupted, and three bursts of light exploded in succession, accompanied by the thunderous crash of falling trees.
“Let’s go take a look,” Lian Qingzong said as he reached out. The Fire Cloud Broad Sword that had been embedded in the ground freed itself and landed perfectly in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, his Fire Red Armor came soaring toward him. He donned it swiftly before jumping alongside Jiang Lao.
The two of them leaped through the branches of the towering trees, disappearing into the distance.
Where the flames and smoke rose, a fierce battle was unfolding.
Amidst the swirling dust and fiery light, a colossal creature reared up, roaring with fury!
It then lunged forward with a thunderous crash, knocking down several large trees. This creature, resembling a serpent blade, opened its massive jaws to roar. Inside its mouth were six sharp backward-facing hooks and rows of spiral-shaped, razor-sharp teeth that stood upright. Those six jagged mandibles were powerful and menacing; any prey unfortunate enough to fall into its mouth would surely be crushed to pieces.
Bullets of energy struck its armored scales, which stood over ten meters tall and were as hard as steel. The spikes protruding from its armor deflected every size of energy bullet that came at it, sending them ricocheting off into the ground and kicking up clouds of dust.
Its tail remained inside the cave as it roared, fiercely vowing to defend its lair to the death!
Surrounding its nest was a group of well-prepared intruders, a squad of fully armed humans!
The combatants around were clad in black battle armor, wielding various advanced Energy Guns from the Free Federation. They exchanged positions and reinforced defenses with practiced coordination, clearly not an ordinary combat team. What was even more astonishing was that these standardized armors were not common fare; they were equipped with holographic electronic combat helmets. At that moment, a giant beetle in the cave bit down on a large tree and flung it aside.
The tree snapped and crashed to the ground, hitting two warriors in black armor. They were knocked back, but a layer of Black Energy membrane rose around them, enveloping them and significantly reducing the impact of their injuries.
However, these black-armored individuals were responsible for suppressing fire from the perimeter. The true leaders of this battle were the few figures at the center. Four Armored Warriors wielded identical long Zhan Daos for close combat, their armors featuring cloaking and camouflage capabilities.
On the outer edge stood an elderly man dressed in dark military attire from the Free Federation, his eyes sharp and commanding. He bore no military insignia on his epaulettes and calmly directed the battle with his hands clasped behind his back. Behind him stood two tall women in tight black combat suits, their alluring figures accentuated by the sleek fabric. Their contrasting black and white hair appeared somewhat eerie, and their cold expressions sent chills down one’s spine.
Moreover, these two women, who looked strikingly similar, had pupils unlike those of ordinary people. One held a long standard-issue hatchet while the other wielded a mobile energy Hand Cannon capable of obliterating a tank with a single shot.
“Four Symbols Guard, advance!” The elderly man commanded. The four identical Armored Warriors with their standardized close-combat Zhan Daos charged toward the rampaging giant insect, their bodies cloaked by camouflage armor and air as they ran.
But the Cave Behemoth did not sit idly by; it roared fiercely and unleashed a spray of acidic yellow liquid from its fearsome maw toward the approaching humans, hitting one of the Xiang Wei squarely. He became exposed as torrents of acid gushed forth like a geyser before him. Had it not been for the energy shield he activated in front of him, he might have been corroded into sludge like the surrounding trees and debris!
The other three comrades immediately swept their Zhan Daos toward the Cave Behemoth's abdomen and tail from three different angles. One even leaped into the air using the power of his armor, channeling fierce Pulse Energy into his Zhan Dao as he aimed to strike down upon it!
The Cave Behemoth swung its head violently; that airborne warrior was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing to the ground with a thunderous boom.
As for the two attacking its abdomen and tail, just as they prepared to strike, the creature’s armored body suddenly transformed. Blade-like scales erupted from its skin and shot out like projectiles!
The two Elephant Guard Warriors, unable to focus on attacking, quickly raised their shields, but were still sent flying by the force of the blow.
The two Armored Warriors positioned at the periphery, tasked with suppressing fire from a distance, were caught off guard and directly impaled by the scales and blades launched by the Cave Behemoth. No matter how advanced their armor was, it could not withstand the corrosive nature of those scales!
They screamed in agony as they fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Their struggles were futile against the corrosive acid, and before long, both men and their armor were reduced to pools of blood.
"This beast can even adjust its acidic secretion to evolve within its scales!" The Short Elder seethed with rage at the loss of his two subordinates.
"Bai Ling, Hei Ling, follow me! To battle!" The elder flung his cloak behind him, suddenly wielding two sharp, ancient swords as he dashed forward like a fleeting shadow.
Behind him, the Twinflower Sisters raised their heads. Their pupils glowed with a haunting dark red light, resembling mechanical beings.
The Black Woman, holding an Energy Hand Cannon, swiftly entered the battlefield and aimed at the Cave Behemoth. She unleashed a fierce barrage at its abdomen and head, explosive bursts erupting across its massive form.
"Good!"
The elder shouted as he closed in on the Cave Behemoth.
Meanwhile, Bai Ling charged forward with her Standard Two-Handed Axe. She swung at its abdomen, creating a shocking gash in its scales, though it did not penetrate deep enough to harm the creature fundamentally.
Yet she landed and leaped again like a machine, swinging her Battle Axe once more. The sharp energy blade struck precisely at the previous wound.
Boom!
The second strike erupted with a splash of green liquid.
"Die!"
The old man leaped into the air, his twin swords gleaming with brilliance. Following this, layers upon layers of sharp, elongated sword shadows surged forth from his hands, their numbers astonishing.
These rushing light swords transformed into streams of starlight, piercing through the giant insect's gaping maw with a series of explosive sounds—bang, bang, bang—
"Transcendent Star-Reflecting Sword!"
Far outside, watching the battle unfold, Lian Qingzong couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
After marveling at the display, he squinted thoughtfully, stroking his chin as he observed the nearing conclusion of the fight. He muttered in confusion, "Could it be... Bian Jian? What is he doing here?"
Jiang Lao listened in astonishment but dared not speak, choosing instead to observe the unfolding situation for further analysis.
After enduring the old man's Transcendent Star-Reflecting Sword, the giant insect froze mid-air for a long moment before slowly toppling over with a thunderous crash that sent countless trees crashing down and clouds of dust billowing up.
Only then did the surrounding warriors, who had been suppressing their firepower, sheathe their weapons and breathe a sigh of relief as they looked at the massive creature lying on the ground, two-thirds of its body exposed.
The elderly figure hovering in mid-air gradually descended to the ground, sheathing his long swords behind him. The black-and-white twin Sister Flowers, Bai Ling and Hei Ling, coldly walked back to his side as if the earlier battle had been nothing significant.
Someone even brought the old man's cloak and draped it over his shoulders once more.
He shook his cloak, feeling as if he had only warmed up a bit. Without looking back, he instructed his subordinates.
"Quickly take this thing down and send it back. Rest for half an hour before we head out."
"Yes!" came the response from behind.
Immediately, the soldiers clad in standard combat armor began to clean up the battlefield, lifting the large Metal Box from a distance. They expertly retrieved their equipment and approached the massive fallen body of the giant insect. Some cut through its armored scales, drew blood, collected tissue samples, and extracted warm internal organs to place into specially designed metal containers.
Everything proceeded in an orderly and methodical manner.
These soldiers were not only skilled in combat but also trained in basic biological processing.
"Young Master, is this method... perhaps?" Jiang Lao asked uncertainly.
"Yes, Alpha Division!" Lian Qingzong nodded in confirmation, fully aware that the old man was indeed the Bian Jian he had been muttering about.
However, were these people here solely for the biological specimen of the Cave Behemoth?
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