Black Flag Country, Wuze City.
The National Sacrificial Hall, where the parasitized forms' leadership once gathered to hold etings, had been destroyed.
The Joint Force’s elite Ascendant unit had arrived here by air, carrying out a decapitation strike.
Since the parasitized forms showed differences in intelligence among their ranks, eliminating the high-intelligence groups would leave the rest leaderless, unable to cause much trouble.
The plan was perfect, and the execution was precise.
Only the target was wrong.
“These people don’t look like the parasitized leadership at all, more like so pitiful last-minute scapegoats.”
Adam looked at the dead parasitized forms on the ground and said. Faced with their aerial assault, these people had failed to organize any effective resistance and were quickly wiped out.
“You think so, Driver Miss?”
He looked up and spoke to the person ahead, who had just dismounted from her cha, Bai Xuewu.
When Adam asked, she only glanced once and then left without answering.
Adam shook his head helplessly. “Looks like soone doesn’t like .”
“Just leave Bai Xuewu be, she doesn’t seem to talk much with others.”
“Have you not watched Battle of the Ascendants? Doesn’t she ignore everyone and only participate in matches?”
Most of the Ascendants had seen that reality show and recognized Bai Xuewu. Adam looked bewildered, clearly he had not watched it.
“I think Adam’s right. These parasitized forms are too weak, and they fight with no coordination, nothing like a high-intelligence group.”
“Damn it, how did the high-intelligence ones know we were going to air-assault this place? Could intelligence have been leaked?”
“That seems unlikely…”
As they spoke, the commander’s order ca through on the comms.
“To the elite Ascendant unit, five kiloters from your position a human Ascendant resistance group is under siege by parasitized forms and has sent out a distress call. Proceed imdiately to rescue them!”
Having received the order, they did not linger and set off for the mission site at once.
When they arrived, they saw about a dozen Ascendants trapped on a broken bridge, while hundreds of parasitized forms continuously surged forward from the bridgehead in fierce waves.
Those dozen or so Ascendants appeared nearly drained of Mind Power, unable to defend.
Adam acted imdiately.
He raised both hands and made a downward pressing motion, activating his ability to manipulate force fields.
The hundreds of parasitized forms instantly felt an invisible pressure weigh down on them; unable to withstand it, many dropped to their knees or collapsed face-down, immobile.
The crisis was resolved on the spot.
This scene stunned many Ascendants who had never seen Adam act before.
Even though most parasitized forms were ordinary humans, how many Ascendants could suppress hundreds with a single move like Adam did? That power was terrifying.
“You arrived just in ti, our Mind Power was completely depleted!”
“If we were any later, these monsters would have killed us!”
“There’s rescue—thank goodness…”
The dozen rescued Ascendants were overjoyed and eyed each other with tears.
So wanted to kill the parasitized forms Adam had suppressed with the invisible force field, but they were stopped by Adam’s fellow Ascendants.
“Our Joint Force commander’s orders are to avoid killing if possible. These captured parasitized forms can be transported to Xisiya.”
The Ascendants bound the parasitized forms. Adam watched the dozen rescued Ascendants with curiosity and stepped forward to ask, “You were able to hold out until now?”
Although Black Flag Country had fallen nationwide, the parasitized forms were most concentrated in this capital, Wuze City. The city’s Ascendant resistance groups had mostly been the first to be eliminated or captured.
“We were hiding in the sewers before, so they didn’t find us! But our food ran out, so we had to co out and search, and then…”
“Oh, so that’s it.”
Adam nodded thoughtfully.
Soon after, the captured parasitized forms and the dozen Ascendants were transported back to the Joint Force’s temporary base outside the city.
The parasitized forms were packaged and sent to Xisiya imdiately, while the rescued Ascendant resistance mbers were first gathered and contained for further processing.
Although this would anger those involved, it was necessary for the Joint Force’s safety. If any parasitized form hid among them, it would be a huge threat.
“You’ll stay here for now. No wandering around the base unless permitted.”
Soldiers settled the dozen Ascendants into a large tent. After the soldiers left, the rescued group could not help but curse.
“What a bunch of bastards, are they treating us like parasitized forms?”
“We’re genuine humans!”
“Whatever, it’s normal for them to be cautious. At least we’re safe for now, and that’s enough.”
One person in the corner remained silent. A companion asked with concern, “Wang Ming, are you okay? Are you hurt?”
The so-called “Wang Ming” looked up, and the face revealed was Lu Cheng, who had left the academy earlier and killed two companions along the way.
He said, “I’m fine,” and lowered his head again, though an almost imperceptible green gleam flickered in his eyes.
…
Republic of Fahe.
Four figures in black robes embroidered with golden trim entered a dim hall. At the chair deep within the hall sat a person whose upper body was shrouded in shadow, only their legs visible.
The four knelt on one knee as they approached and respectfully said, “Your Holiness.”
The person in the chair uttered a low “hm,” their voice a hoarse male tone.
“What is it?”
“Your Holiness, the apostle legion led by Father Yake that went to attack Suroma has been… completely annihilated.”
“……”
“Suroma’s heretics deployed an intelligent war machine never seen before, which they call an ‘Annihilator.’ Its power was overwhelming; the apostle legion could not contend with it.”
“Your Holiness, shall we send more forces to subdue the Suroma heresy?”
After the report, the figure in the chair responded slowly, “No need. Their mission has been accomplished.”
The four exchanged puzzled looks. Complete annihilation counted as mission accomplished?
One of them could not help but ask, “Your Holiness, wasn’t their task to break Rodell City and give Suroma a devastating lesson?”
A faint laugh escaped Your Holiness.
“You may leave.”
Though the four did not understand, they obeyed and rose to leave the hall.
Outside, they exchanged confused glances.
“What did Your Holiness an by that?”
“I can’t make sense of it either.”
“Then don’t overthink it. We are the four chief bishops under Your Holiness. As long as we carry out his orders and command our priests and apostle legions, that is enough.”
“That’s true. Your Holiness is wise and powerful—he must have his reasons. We simply have to follow orders.”
…
On the icefield town, Uenoshi sat by the window of her rented room, watching the town’s situation.
After Guan Tong went to et Yelanka, the two had temporarily split up.
Guan Tong disguised himself as a soldier to infiltrate the landing site, planning to find an opportunity to question the alien intelligence.
Uenoshi remained in this icefield town for the ti being to wait for him to contact her.
Knowing the landing site might have signal jamming issues, Guan Tong had traded her two Communication Scrolls before leaving so they could imdiately contact each other in urgent circumstances.
Uenoshi originally thought she would only need to wait here a few days, but when she woke up this morning, the town’s situation had changed.
She watched the steady stream of people pouring into the town and speculated inwardly.
When she and Guan Tong had arrived earlier, the town had been nearly full. They had paid quite a few Ascension Coins to rent this room.
Now hundreds more people were entering in succession, undoubtedly far exceeding what this icefield town could normally accommodate.
Uenoshi looked toward the town’s outskirts.
Since last night, so military vehicles had begun lingering for long periods, and many Xisiya ard soldiers patrolled randomly, checking people in the town.
It was clear that so high-ranking Xisiya authority had realized that this icefield town, being the nearest to the Landing Site, had beco a gathering point.
Fanatical alien researchers, questioners seeking answers, mbers of suspicious organizations with malicious intent, and possibly parasitized form infiltrators—people from all walks had co to this town.
Uenoshi had a premonition: her few days of waiting here would not pass quietly.
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