The Zhanlu Sword was unstoppable. The combat-type Gaia stood before it like a motionless target.
When Da Zhe easily sliced through one of the combat-type Gaias, he couldn’t help but pause, disturbed by how out of place it felt.
But Daoist Baijie and Wang Hu had no ti to dwell on Da Zhe’s situation—for after sending off the Managent Bureau group and Cang Jinshui, they rushed to the next location without rest.
This ti, the service Daoist Baijie had purchased clearly relied on Da Zhe as the main executor—what Baijie could afford wasn’t enough to warrant the boss’s personal involvent.
Still, Da Zhe was highly efficient. He soon found several more survivors and escorted them to safety.
Their next encounter was with a demon.
This demon wasn’t of the Four Celestial Spirits clan—it was a pheasant that had turned into a demon, calling itself Duffy. A loner by nature, Duffy wasn’t weak. In the world of demon creatures, it was a veteran high-level demon. Thanks to its unique abilities, it had survived the calamity.
Persuaded by Huang Baifu, the chicken demon Duffy agreed without hesitation to leave the Penglai Treasure Vault through the safe exit.
“I didn’t expect so many to have survived.”
After sending off the high-level demon, Daoist Baijie revealed a rare, relieved smile. He had believed that aside from himself and the group with Ming Tushan, there wouldn’t be many left.
“Besides Cang Jinshui’s group, we only found five others in total,” Wang Hu said with a bitter smile… He didn’t know what Baijie’s definition of “many” was, but to him, it was a word full of sorrow.
“Daoist Baijie, there are no more survivors outside per the contract,” Da Zhe suddenly walked over. “Boss asked to tell you that the rest are all there.”
Da Zhe pointed at a towering mountain in the distance. “Boss is waiting for us there.”
Of course, Daoist Baijie had already realized there might be no more survivors. After all, he had personally buried the bodies of many Daoists and demon creatures.
When the Jade Dragon Pillar transferred everyone to the Penglai Treasure Vault, they only had a brief mont together, but Baijie had ntally taken stock. By comparing the number of corpses he buried, it wasn’t hard to figure out how many might still remain.
“No ti to lose.”
Daoist Baijie didn’t let himself wallow in regret. With a serious tone, he said, “Mr. Da Zhe, let’s go and et up with Boss Luo.”
“OK.” Da Zhe nodded. Just as he was about to leave, he noticed Wang Hu suddenly frowning with a strange expression.
“What’s wrong, Brother Wang Hu?” Da Zhe asked curiously.
Wang Hu rubbed his stomach and shook his head in confusion. “Nothing… probably just hungry.”
“Oh… I’ve got so Vermilion Fruit. Want a bite?” Da Zhe blinked.
“No need.” Wang Hu shook his head. After a brief churn in his stomach, he felt fine again. “Let’s focus on the task.”
…
According to the agreent with the club, there was another option—they could have waited to find everyone first, then escort them all out together.
But after encountering Ling Feng and the others from the Managent Bureau, Daoist Baijie dismissed that plan. The service he purchased was for the safe evacuation of all Daoists and demons from the Penglai Treasure Vault. In other words, they would remain safe until they were evacuated.
Staying near Boss Luo ant safety.
Unfortunately, the Penglai Treasure Vault, as dangerous as it was, lived up to its na—everywhere was filled with treasures. It was easy for people to grow greedy once they felt safe. Daoist Baijie couldn’t explain everything to everyone. He could only send them off one by one.
So, however, had figured out part of the truth—and chose to stay.
Like the foreign woman nad Jessica, and Yu Sanniang, now going by the alias Qin Chuyu—both had stayed close to Luo Qiu.
When Daoist Baijie and Da Zhe had finished escorting the survivors and returned to et Luo Qiu, Jessica and Qin Chuyu were still there.
(As for Su Zijun… when she left, neither Daoist Baijie nor Wang Hu were present, so they never t her. Baijie was unaware of Su Zijun’s existence.)
Daoist Baijie really wanted to ask Luo Qiu how Jessica, a foreigner, was considered one of the Daoist or demon community. But seeing how close she seed to Boss Luo, he held back.
At least in Baijie’s eyes, Jessica spoke to Boss Luo with little restraint… they seed to get along quite well.
As the saying goes, age brings wisdom. Baijie quickly sensed that Jessica and Boss Luo might share an unusual connection… so he refrained from asking about her background.
As for Qin Chuyu… well, she was once a Celestial Fox who had shed her demon identity through a club deal centuries ago. Even without a service contract, she likely had little to worry about.
“Boss Luo,” Daoist Baijie now approached quickly. “Are we truly sure there are no more surviving Daoists or demons left out there?”
“Old man, shouldn’t you be the one who knows best?” Luo Qiu replied with a smile.
Daoist Baijie understood—he was the one who buried the elite corpses of both Daoists and demons… He sighed. “Da Zhe told the last survivors… are in that mountain?”
“Yeah, most of them,” Luo Qiu said, looking up.
Just then, the ground suddenly began to tremble. The view shook violently… and the giant mountain ahead started cracking, its outer rocks collapsing!
“What in the world…” Daoist Baijie was shocked. He had a terrible feeling that sothing dreadful was brewing within that mountain.
At the sa ti, the clouds above darkened and churned—as if a dragon was twisting through them.
“Old man,” Luo Qiu said suddenly, “Da Zhe will continue the rescue work. Don’t worry. As for … I won’t be able to accompany you any further.”
“Boss Luo?” Daoist Baijie quickly frowned.
But Luo Qiu didn’t respond, instead walking straight up to Jessica and asking in a low voice, “Will you follow Daoist Baijie, or will you co with ?”
Jessica was montarily stunned, then answered without thinking, “Of course, I’ll go with you.”
Su Zijun hadn’t asked much of Jessica—just to stay alive and serve as a locator. So Jessica figured, when faced with this kind of choice, Su Zijun would no doubt choose to go with Luo Qiu without hesitation.
“Miss Jessica, please co with ,” Miss Maid said with a gentle smile, looking at her.
After that, Luo Qiu turned to Qin Chuyu and asked, “Miss Qin, what about you?”
Qin Chuyu didn’t reply. She simply walked straight over to Miss Maid.
And so, Daoist Baijie and Luo Qiu parted ways again.
A light shield enveloped Luo Qiu, You Ye, Jessica, and Qin Chuyu, lifting them into the air and sending them toward the summit of the great mountain.
“President Baijie, I don’t know what exactly is going on, but it feels like sothing big is about to happen,” Wang Hu said, frowning. “Right now, the most important thing is to evacuate everyone safely.”
“Indeed.” Daoist Baijie nodded and turned to Da Zhe. “I’ll be counting on you, Mr. Da Zhe.”
Da Zhe just shrugged. “No need for thanks. Just doing my job... we charge for this, after all.”
With that, Da Zhe took the lead, and Daoist Baijie and Wang Hu quickly followed.
...
...
Inside the Universal Material Pool.
The first-activated combat-type Gaia was monitoring the many surveillance screens in front of it—so of which displayed the printing progress of the special combat-type Valkyrie-class Gaia units being produced inside the Universal Material Pool.
Progress: 78%
【Intruder detected】
The combat-type Gaia pulled up four separate screens—each displaying different intruders...
One screen showed a sinister-looking man riding a chariot pulled by a black ox—Xiao Shengmo.
Another showed a cautious group advancing slowly—Ming Tushan and company.
The third showed only a young woman, appearing at the exterior of a massive structure buried deep underground. As the image focused on her, she was seen plunging her hand violently into the tal tower’s surface, ripping away the paneling, and forcing her way inside.
The fourth showed Jiang Zuo, Gongsun Wuwei, and a charming woman who had just escaped the protective chamber.
【Unregistered species detected... comncing purge】
【Activating internal defense system of Leixia Ship】
【Detected: Three subscribers... Analyzing behavior... Irregularities found... Initiating warning...】
Instead of exiting through the breach, a newly printed batch of combat-type Gaia charged out through a nearby tal door.
...
Gongsun Wuwei’s punches were terrifyingly powerful—one strike shattered a tal wall blocking the path ahead. The force reminded Jiang Zuo of Huang Baifu’s punches.
He wondered how Gongsun Wuwei’s fists would compare to Huang Baifu, the so-called strongest tiger of the Four Celestial Spirits.
“Whew... that felt great!”
Gongsun Wuwei cracked his knuckles and neck loudly. “Finally free from that damned place!”
Still... don’t go breaking stuff so casually, senior!
Jiang Zuo was too exhausted to complain. He realized these two seniors had very... unique mindsets. Best to stay cautious and avoid saying anything wrong.
He couldn’t help but remind him, “Um, Senior Gongsun... maybe we should lay low? If we attract Gaia’s attention, we’ll be in trouble!”
Unexpectedly, Gongsun Wuwei burst out laughing. “Kid, didn’t you know? Most of the Gaia were wiped out by Taibai back in the day—this place is practically a ghost town!”
Jiang Zuo reminded him again, “But... but the Universal Material Pool is still producing Gaia. Who knows how many have already been printed?”
“No big deal!” Gongsun Wuwei grinned. “These things may hit hard, but they’re not very durable. Unless it’s one of the big ones, the rest are just cannon fodder!”
“The big ones?” Jiang Zuo blinked—since leaving the protective space, he had no intel on what was happening inside the Pool.
“Sothing called the... Valk-sothing class? Weird na, I can’t rember!”
“Hah…”
But luck has a funny way of running out—at that mont, a Gaia unit suddenly appeared before Jiang Zuo.
【Target detected】
Floating in the corridor, the combat-type Gaia made Gongsun Wuwei frown.
【Warning: Honored subscriber, please return to the protective chamber to ensure your safety】
Jiang Zuo glanced at Gongsun Wuwei and the charming woman. Neither seed moved by the Gaia’s warning.
【Warning: Honored subscriber, please return to the protective chamber to ensure your safety】
“Sure!”
Expressionless, Gongsun Wuwei nodded and walked toward the Gaia. “Lead the way—I forgot how to get back.”
【Confird】
But the mont the Gaia turned around, Gongsun Wuwei struck—his fist smashing the back of its head. The blow was so powerful that the Gaia’s head exploded on impact.
Its body imdiately detonated, sending a gust through the corridor.
Gongsun Wuwei turned around, laughing. “See? Told you—easy kill!”
“A-Amazing…” Jiang Zuo gulped.
Damn… how shaless!
【Warning: Honored subscriber, cease all unauthorized destruction and return to the protective chamber imdiately... or be deed a criminal, subscription privileges revoked, subject to elimination】
Just then, another Gaia flew into the corridor—not just one, but two more followed behind. Three in total!
【Warning...】
“Annoying as hell!” Gongsun Wuwei didn’t even let it finish. He lunged forward and twisted off its head!
He tossed the severed head to the ground and sneered, “I finally got out of that hellhole—I’m not going back! You puppets can all go to hell!”
The remaining two Gaia units instantly reacted to his aggression, switching into battle mode—turning the corridor into a war zone.
“Don’t mind him,” the charming woman said to the visibly anxious Jiang Zuo with a smile. “Wuwei’s just a brute. If he can punch his way through sothing, he’ll never bother thinking.”
“An op—opportunity?” Jiang Zuo’s heart skipped a beat.
The charming woman chuckled and said, “This place is basically run by those Gaia units. Back when Taibai caused chaos here, operations were pretty much shut down. It’s true that this so-called Universal Material can produce Gaia endlessly, but it still takes ti—and more importantly, the operations were likely only restarted because you accidentally activated that one Gaia. So if we destroy that Gaia, these puppets won’t keep producing more.”
“A-And then?” Jiang Zuo suddenly began to grasp what she ant.
She narrowed her eyes with a sly smile. “Isn’t it obvious? Gongsun and I were trapped here… and the outside world moved on for five hundred years. Five hundred years! That’s a huge loss—we're going to get it all back, with interest.”
“Senior, I really feel like this isn’t that simple…” Jiang Zuo shook his head.
He wasn’t sure whether she and Gongsun Wuwei were acting out of confidence in their own strength, or if they knew sothing more. But Jiang Zuo could clearly sense how disconnected this place was from the outside world’s civilization. It didn’t feel like a place run by just a single damaged AI.
“As they say, wealth and danger go hand in hand,” the woman suddenly said. “The greater the risk, the greater the reward. Kid, if this place were easy to conquer, it wouldn’t be worth anything.”
“Well, yes, that’s true…” Jiang Zuo frowned. “But I feel like rushing in recklessly goes against the core values of us Dao cultivators… Aren’t we supposed to let go of the desire for riches and take a more cautious path?”
“Youngster, what are you talking about?” Gongsun Wuwei suddenly turned around.
At so point, the battle had already ended.
Gongsun Wuwei now held two Gaia heads, one in each hand, and grinned wickedly. “Did you forget? Back in the day, we were the kind of villains everyone wanted dead!”
...
Inside the Universal Material Pool, four massive printing arms were operating at full speed.
The thing they were printing stood over seven ters tall.
Special Combat-Type Valkyrie-Class Gaia
Progress: 87%
(End of Chapter)
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