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Chapter 582: Killing Intent in Illegal Demon Hunters Market
Translator: WQL Editor: EbonyFrost
The illegal demon hunters market in Volv City was in a lane behind the Demon Hunters Bar. Compared to the demon hunters market in Mocco City, this one was a bit smaller. However, the items in this market could match those in the market in Mocco City.
As it was raining, the ground paved with rubble became wet from the water dropping from the sunshade. The stones at the foot of the wall were also covered with a layer of thin moss. Under the green light of the fluorescent lamps, people's shadows were elongated in the moist lane. The lane was crowded with a lot of guys in overclothes. Their voices had changed, either hoarse or shrill. Some were even talking in ventriloquy, while their voices were produced in their stomach, making it more difficult to distinguish.
On a rainy night, some guys in masks wandered in such a serene lane like ghosts. At the sight of this, someone might be frightened a lot. Therefore, the atmosphere in the lane was a bit weird.
Zhang Tie was also walking in the lane in a suit of black overclothes and a mask as he watched the items being displayed on the windows on both sides of the lane.
After reaching LV 9, Zhang Tie started to understand why it was just a beginning of cultivation at LV 9 as was told by Zhao Yuan, his master. Besides a lot of invisible surge points that needed to be ignited after LV 9, a lot of fighting skills could be learned only after LV 9.
Take movement skills as an example. Before LV 9, Zhang Tie was only qualified to learn leaping skill, which could greatly increase one's leaping ability by releasing force through the spine. Before mastering it, Zhang Tie could use his instinct to leap 4 m high. However, after mastering it, he could leap 6-7 m high easily.
When Zhang Tie came to this demon hunters market, he witnessed the biggest trade. It was a movement skill called "Storm Movement". Its price was 650,000 gold coins. This really stunned Zhang Tie. When he was attracted by this book, he asked about its details and learned that its effect could not be exerted until over 70 surging points on one's feet were ignited. Therefore, Zhang Tie gave it up.
Many high-level fighting skills required the cultivator to light some surging points. After obtaining the secret knowledge on how to light surging points, for many people, whether the fighting skills that they cultivate could coordinate with the surging points that they have lit determined their personal strength.
Generally, the more surging points that were ignited, the greater potential would be released. As a result, the more fighting skills could be cultivated and applied. Therefore, on the road of cultivation, the more powerful you were, the more powerful you would be. Although each step forward was very difficult, after each step, you would see a different world.
When Zhang Tie was looking at the merchandise in the lane, he suddenly felt his finger slightly numb through the ring of awareness. Zhang Tie was immediately shocked.
When the effect of the ring of awareness was triggered, it indicated that someone was staring at him with a malicious look for over 20 seconds.
Zhang Tie didn't know who was following him. However, the warning from the ring of awareness made him careful. Although he pretended that he hadn't noticed, when he watched those weapons on a roadside booth, he rapidly glanced over those people behind him through his eye corners.
He saw over 30 people behind him in the lane using his dark vision. Each of them was wearing a suit of black overclothes and a mask. They were all going about their own business. Some were in a group of 2 or 3, some were independent. It seemed that nobody was noticing him at all. Zhang Tie could not identify who was staring him from behind.
'Is it a coincidence or someone is going to rip me off after knowing my status?'
Zhang Tie rapidly racked his mind. In Selnes Theatre of Operations, demon hunters came from different countries and regions. Therefore, even if the relationship between demon hunters was very complex sometimes. Zhang Tie had also heard about demon hunters stabbing each other with sabers in the wild. Even in some cities, some demon hunters who thought they were powerful had also done illegal things. Therefore, Zhang Tie was not sure what that person behind him was thinking about.
Seeing Zhang Tie stopping and watching those weapons in front of his booth, the demon hunter who sold his weapons became excited at once, "Our weapons are of top quality in Selnes Theatre of Operations. They all carry rune effects. Even it is the simplest rune effect, it is much more powerful than those common weapons. Take this longsword, for instance, the rune effect it carried is sharpness. Additionally, it is made of high-quality alloy. It's a rare treasure that we obtained on the move!"
The owner held a 1 m-long sharp long sword and exhibited it in front of Zhang Tie. It was indeed a very nice merchandise. It was classic and majestic. Together with its sheath, it didn't have too many decorations, however, it felt very stable and sharp.
Being interested in it, Zhang Tie looked it over. it was very heavy. Although it seemed to be only over 20 kg, it weighed at least 70 kg, which was proper for Zhang Tie. It was indeed made of a special material.
"How much?" Zhang Tie asked the owner.
"1,200 gold coins. Don't bargain!"
If it was a common elite sword with no rune effect, it was at most worth 200 gold coins. However, it carried with a rune effect. Additionally, its quality was higher than that of a common elite sword in all aspects. Therefore, its price rose from three digits to four digits.
"1,000 gold coins. I will take it away!" Zhang Tie gave a counter-offer.
After watching Zhang Tie for a few seconds, the owner replied, "Fine, I will make a contribution to the holy war. That's a deal, 1,000 gold coins!"
Zhang Tie took out of a gold check of 1,000 gold coins and gave it to the owner. The owner took it and checked it carefully before nodding towards Zhang Tie.
Although this price meant nothing for Zhang Tie, Zhang Tie knew it was not cheap as with it he could buy two Faerie Dragon super sports cars. 'My dad could not afford such a rune weapon without eighty or ninety years' salary.'
Taking the long sword, Zhang Tie directly hung it under his overclothes. After that, he continued to wander in the lane. The ring of awareness didn't send a warning anymore. However, Zhang Tie didn't recover his composure.
The raindrops fell on the sunshade above the lane, causing cracking sounds. Wind and drizzle leaked through the gap on the sunshade, making Zhang Tie feel cold.
The coldness didn't come from wind or rain, but from a looming killing intent in the wind and rain. If not for the ring of awareness, Zhang Tie might not be able to identify the killing intent inside the coldness.
Zhang Tie calmed down.
There were hundreds of people in the illegal market. Before the fight, Zhang Tie didn't know who among these people were threatening him. Although he was wearing a mask and a suit of overclothes, his frame would remain unchanged. For one or a group of powerhouses or killers, as long as they could keep his frame in mind, they could recognize him even he was in a mask and a suit of overclothes.
Zhang Tie thought that someone had already noticed his trace since he rambled in the illegal demon hunters markets over the past one month. Therefore, the opponent just waited there for his arrival.
Those who lurked among demon hunters were all powerhouses. They could better hide in the crowd. Additionally, they could easily escape after the assassination.
All of a sudden, Zhang Tie felt that the illegal demon hunters market was filled with killing intent, causing him to tense up.
After failing to assassinate him with alchemist's bomb, especially knowing that he could kill LV 10 wing demons, the opponents would dispatch powerhouses above LV 11 for sure this time. Zhang Tie wouldn't find it strange even if they were great battle masters.
Although Zhang Tie looked relaxed, he was working out counter-measures anxiously. However, at this moment, a sound drifted into his ears from a booth in front of him.
"Alas, are you kidding me? It's just a "Robust Ox Skill". Don't waste my time. You can only cheat those guys below LV 6 with this. However, who would like to block his own way of cultivation only for improving one level. Buddy, this item was a bit valuable before the holy war; however, now even the average members of regular demon corps is LV 9, who will buy it..."
"Erm, if you want it, I will give you a discount, how about 10,000 gold coins?"
"Forget about that. This is a trap for those below LV 10. Anyone who cultivates it will have a bad fortune."
"If it's complete, it's an emperor-level secret knowledge. Even if you don't cultivate it, you can also collect it!" the owner urged.
"Antiques are valuable in a flourishing age while gold is valuable in a chaotic age. Who'd like to collect and study this? In such a chaotic age, gold is the best!"
Saying that the man shook his head and left the booth.
As nobody was sure that he wanted "Robust Ox Skill" for sure, Zhang Tie could confirm that what happened in front of him wasn't a cheat or trap.
It was indeed a strange occurrence. Zhang Tie had not imagined that the extremely rustic secret knowledge "Robust Ox Skill", the incomplete "King Roc Sutra" which he had been striving for could appear together with the killing intent at the same time.
Chapter 583: Getting the Robust Ox Skill
Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem
Zhang Tie looked around and found that those people who wanted to assassinate him were very careful. He drew in a deep breath before walking in front of the booth at a medium-sized pace frequency.
Where he saw an item which looked similar to the 'Breaking Sun Sutra' of Lan Yunxi. It was a metal with beautiful patterns. The center of that piece of metal was a piece of black crystal which was circled by some Chinese characters "大力神牛功", which meant "Robust Ox Skill".
Having not imagined that the item that he had been seeking for over a month was right in front of him; thankfully, nobody liked to buy it. Zhang Tie's hand under his cloak started to quiver...
Beside that 'Robust Ox Skill' was a diamond-shaped crystal which was wrapped by the metal. At the sight of that item, Zhang Tie had known that it was a secret knowledge for sure. All the secret knowledge above LV 9 were as mysterious as this. Unless deliberate destruction, such a secret knowledge would remain unchanged for thousands of years.
Besides the two secret knowledge were some vials of medicament and medicinal powders.
Zhang Tie ignored the 'Robust Ox Skill'; instead, he directly took up another secret knowledge on its side and asked the owner.
"What's this?"
The owner also wore a black cloak and a mask.
"This is the secret knowledge 'Meteor Shower Sword'..."
"Meteor Shower Swordsmanship?"
"Right. This fighting skill comes from the eastern continent. You can cultivate it when you reach LV 10."
"Is there any requirements on surging points?"
"No. Additionally, you could trigger it using various battle qi. This sword's power will increase along with your level and realm. Although it could be cultivated by people at LV 10, it could exert a bigger effect when you reach the knight. That's its strength. It's told that some sword sages in the eastern continent immersed in such a swordsmanship for their whole lives. This swordsmanship is very profound and extensive."
The booth owner introduced the benefits of that swordsmanship to Zhang Tie. Zhang Tie seemed to be interested in it as he took it up and looked at it.
"Can I read it?"
"10 seconds available!"
Under the supervision of the owner, Zhang Tie injected a wisp of spiritual energy into the crystal when the golden Chinese characters "天雨流星剑", which meant "Meteor Shower Swordsmanship" appeared in his mind. After that, the golden characters gradually faded away as a long, classic Chinese sword appeared. At this moment, the owner had already reached out his hand and stopped Zhang Tie.
"How much?"
"200,000 gold coins!"
"Too expensive. Give me a discount!"
"This amount of money would be shared by a squad. Each of us could only get a small amount of it. Do you think it easy to get such a secret knowledge? If not risk our lives, we cannot get it!" the owner pretended to be pitiful.
"That's too expensive!" Zhang Tie shook his head as he pretended to leave.
"Fine, you say a price..." as it was hard to see such a rich customer, how could the owner let Zhang Tie go so easily.
Zhang Tie stopped, "190,000 gold coins then. Hmm, plus this as a gift. I like to collect these items. It's about 10% off..."
Zhang Tie pointed at the 'Robust Ox Skill' which had not been sold yet and said in a calm voice.
The owner became hesitated for a short while as he seemed to calculate behind the mask. He then asked Zhang Tie, "Will you pay me cash?"
"Of course!"
"Which bank's gold check?"
"Golden Roc Bank!"
"Fine, 190,000 gold coins then. You can take the two items away!"
Zhang Tie directly took out 19 gold checks of Golden Roc Bank, the par value of each one was 10,000 gold coins and gave them to the owner. The owner counted and authenticated the gold checks adroitly before nodding towards Zhang Tie.
Zhang Tie also nodded. Being extremely thrilled inside, he put the two secret knowledge inside his cloak; at the same time, he teleported them into Castle of Black Iron.
After the trade, Zhang Tie let out a deep sigh inside at once.
"Who had imagined that I could obtain the incomplete version of an emperor-level secret knowledge so easily in an illegal market. I might be the only one who could recover 'Robust Ox Skill' to 'King Roc Sutra' in the world. In the process of recovery, even if I was in the trouble-reappearance situation, I might also die hundreds of times in order to light each surging point. This is the price of cultivating emperor-level secret knowledge."
"As to the 'Meteor Shower Swordsmanship', I can cultivate it when I'm free. If I'm busy, I will gift it to those junior sister apprentices in Hidden Dragon Island."
After obtaining the most important secret knowledge, Zhang Tie's concern was finally solved. His next step was to deal with the killing intent in the illegal market.
Zhang Tie kept wandering in the lane. At the same time, he paid attention to his surroundings. Zhang Tie felt the killing intent beside him was becoming icier. It seemed that they were going to launch an attack.
"What should I do?"
Each of the passers-by might be a killer. Zhang Tie became intense. If the enemy was going to launch a thunderbolt sneak attack towards him, he might suffer a great loss.
A raindrop fell from the sunshade onto Zhang Tie's face through its crevice.
Zhang Tie became slightly stunned as he raised his head. At the same time, a thought flashed across his mind, "F*ck, why would this father wait here for death? Even If they knew how I came here, I don't think they will know how I left."
Zhang Tie then burst out laughing, which startled those in the surroundings. In the next second, Zhang Tie sprung up from the ground as a sword qi shot out of his hand. After making a big hole on the steel sunshade, he jumped out of the hole immediately and disappeared in a split second.
As a result, the heavy rain was blown inside through the big hole, exposing the gloomy sky. All the demon hunters became stunned.
"What the hell! Is he a motherf*cking lunatic? How could he leave in such way? F*ck..." a demon hunter swore loudly after his clothes were splashed wet.
Under the mask, some became silent as they only felt a bit strange; while some turned ghastly pale.
The terrifying killing intent in the illegal market was solved by Zhang Tie in such an odd and abrupt way.
...
After one hour, Zhang Tie, being wet all over, returned to Base C. The moment he returned to Base C had he caught sight of Wang Cheng coming out of the building of the commission officers club along with some young commission officers of the airship troop. After staying in the sky for so many days, the moment they landed, had these commission officers relaxed themselves in the club by drinking, chatting and playing cards with friends.
Although there were some beautiful female waiters in the club, none of these young elites would waste time on them as they didn't want to be labeled as lascivious. Zhang Tie really admired those Chinese elites on this aspect.
At the sight of Zhang Tie who looked like a drowned rat, they were all amazed.
"Zhang Tie? What are you doing?"
"I have been angry lately, so I'm just running in the rain to cool down myself!" Zhang Tie joked.
After hearing Zhang Tie's words, Wang Cheng and the other commission officers burst out laughing at the same time. They didn't realize that Zhang Tie had just escaped from a dangerous situation just now.
After escaping out, Zhang Tie didn't report to the military of Volv City. Because it was useless. As long as those killers in the illegal market were not idiots, they would never expose their traces at all after Zhang Tie escaped successfully. They could only wander in the market and leave that demon hunters market with the others.
Those who could freely access to the demon hunters bar and the illegal market in Volv City would have no problem with their ID certificates. Three-eye Association was good at hiding their lackeys in human organizations. There was only one result——they could not catch anybody after great efforts. This might attract the attention of demon hunting squads in Selnes Theater of Operations. If those demon hunting squads knew that it was caused by Zhang Tie, they would find him trouble. Those b*stards of Three-eye Association didn't mind setting him up by aggravating the complicated situation.
Therefore, Zhang Tie didn't tell them about what happened to him.
A mature man could hold many things in mind. Even if he had experienced great troubles, he would still look calm.
Only resentful men and small cynical figures would complain about their unfairness and wounds now and then.
The best way to deal with demons and Three-eye Association was to crack them down by powerful strength mercilessly.
After greeting Wang Cheng and the others, Zhang Tie returned to the Idiots. After taking a hot shower and changing to a suit of clean and comfortable clothes, he took out of his 'Robust Ox Skill' in the Captain's Room and started to immerse in the cultivation road after LV 9 according to the secret knowledge...
The emperor-level secret knowledge, although being incomplete, also shocked Zhang Tie greatly. It opened the gate of another world to Zhang Tie...
Chapter 584: Planting Gold Seed Rune in the Shrine
Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem
Through the experience in the illegal market, Zhang Tie knew that he had already become the most hated person in the eyes of Three-eye Association and demons. Therefore, he did not dare to become relaxed. After taking the incomplete 'King Roc Sutra', he started his cultivation during the rest of the airship troop.
Although the 'Robust Ox Skill' was the incomplete 'King Roc Sutra', it contained two aspects that Zhang Tie wanted the most to learn since the beginning: how to manifest those invisible surging points through his cultivation; how to light those invisible surging points.
The first step of cultivation was to manifest a golden rune——King Roc Seed Rune in his shrine according to the secret ritual procedure that combined spiritual energy with the battle qi in the 'King Roc Sutra'.
That was not an average rune, but a special seed being cultivated by Zhang Tie's powerful spiritual energy and battle qi. After visualizing that King Roc Seed Rune, he needed to visualize another 7-layer gold egg to wrap the King Roc Seed Rune like wrapping yolk.
This process did not sound complicated; however, it was just a beginning. After visualizing that gold egg, he needed to manifest 987 different classic runes, each of which looked as light as feather on special locations of the eggshell. Those runes had to cover the entire gold egg. By then, he would just accomplish the first step of cultivating the 'King Roc Sutra'——to plant gold seed in the shrine.
At the beginning, Zhang Tie didn't think that it was complicated. He thought he could accomplish it with his powerful spiritual energy very fast. However, when he started to manifest the King Roc Seed Rune in the shrine, Zhang Tie's face turned pale.
While sensing the mysterious awareness, the Shrine surging point seemed to become as vast as a palace. The King Roc Seed Rune was like a black hole that could engulf everything in this palace. Zhang Tie seemed to have a big fight each day during the past four days as he constantly mixed the spiritual energy in his mind and the battle qi in his body into that King Roc Seed Rune. Each time, Zhang Tie felt his strength was dried up.
On the evening of June 15th, after his strength was dried up once again, the King Roc Seed Rune in the Shrine surging point finally manifested itself while radiating golden light.
The moment the King Roc Seed Rune was planted, before Zhang Tie took a breath, had he found that the Shrine surging point and the 34 surging points on his spine started to rock like an earthquake. As a result, his body started to quiver all over. After vibrating 7 times consecutively, he finally recovered his composure.
"What's wrong?" Zhang Tie became startled.
"Congratulations, Castle Lord, you've accomplished the manifestation of King Roc Seed Rune. You could treat the rock as the welcome ceremony of the King Roc Seed Rune to you!" Heller's voice drifted into Zhang Tie's mind.
"Will other cultivation methods have the same effect?" Zhang Tie asked Heller.
"The surging points will vibrate 7 times. This is the feature of the emperor-level secret knowledge's seed rune when it manifests in the Shrine. As to the other seed runes, when the seed rune was manifested in the Shrine, surging points of throne-level secret knowledge would vibrate 6 times; surging points of the duke-level secret knowledge would vibrate 5 times. Similarly, the surging points of the lowest baron-level secret knowledge would vibrate one time."
After hearing Heller's words, Zhang Tie remembered that Lan Yunxi had talked about this when she explained how to divide levels of secret knowledge on cultivation to him. He remembered that when he asked her how to distinguish it when someone fabricated high-end secret knowledge with low-end secret knowledge, Lan Yunxi replied with a smile and said that it was impossible. When the seed rune was manifested, the level of secret knowledge would be clearly distinguished.
Zhang Tie finally understood it.
"Heller, what's wrong with this seed rune? Why did it take me so long to manifest? I remember that Lan Yunxi said this step only took 1-2 days in 'Breaking Sun Sutra'. Additionally, it really consumed too much energy. It took me so long time to accomplish it although my spiritual energy and battle qi was many times more than that of commoners. If others want to manifest this King Roc Seed Rune, it will take them several months!"
"Right, Castle Lord, your speed is really fast. It's already many times faster than that of commoners!"
"What's the reason?"
"Of course, the foundation of a skyscraper and that of common buildings consume different materials in construction, neither the construction time are the same. A baby elephant and a baby rat require different nutrients. Am I clear?" Heller explained to Zhang Tie very patiently, "Even if it was the simplest first step, how could that of an emperor-level secret knowledge be as same as that of other secret knowledge?"
After hearing Heller's words, Zhang Tie finally understood it. He then thought about another shocking question.
"987 runes need to be manifested on the gold egg through visualization. Will it take me 4-5 days to manifest each rune?"
If it took him the same efforts as he spent on the seed rune to manifest about 1000 runes, Zhang Tie would cry as it would take him 10 years to accomplish this step. That was too frightening!
Thankfully, after hearing Heller's explanation, Zhang Tie became relieved at once.
"The runes on the gold egg would consume lesser spiritual energy and battle qi. Based on your ability, you could manifest about 10 runes in one day!"
"According to you, it will take me about 100 days to plant the gold seed in the Shrine of 'King Roc Sutra' right?"
For Zhang Tie who had been used to enjoy the benefit of fast cultivation, he felt 3 months was too long for him to accomplish the first step of 'King Roc Sutra'.
"For the emperor-level secret knowledge, if you can complete the foundation in 100 days, it's already very fast. It will take others above 1 year to complete this!"
Zhang Tie let out a deep sigh. When he thought about those people who could only promote one level after hard efforts with this secret knowledge, he felt an inner balance at once. No matter what, he was already a lucky dog. If others knew that he was qualified to cultivate a complete emperor-level secret knowledge, they would drown him with saliva at once. Numerous people were dreaming for this opportunity at any cost. However, he was complaining about the long term which was required to lay the foundation.
"Fine, 100 days. It's just a bit longer than 3 months. The road of cultivation really needs to be paved one step by another!"
"Hope you can think in this way; When you could light those surging points, those leakless fruits on the small tree would work. Benefited from that, you would promote to LV 10 very fast!"
"When you reach LV 10, you need to seek for the correct route through constant attempts in the trouble-reappearance situation!"
"This is the only method!"
"Heller, I feel that you know the complete King Roc Sutra." Zhang Tie suddenly aroused his question.
Heller became silent for a few seconds...
"I truly know something. I have knowledge on some contents of the 'King Roc Sutra', however, being different than what you think, I know that this road of cultivation is the best for you. I know what the 'King Roc Sutra' might bring to you in the future; however, I don't know the concrete cultivation method of King Roc Sutra!"
"Aww, what will 'King Roc Sutra' bring me in the future?"
"Power and freedom!"
Although Heller's reply was obscure, Zhang Tie's heart still raced. Because this was Heller's comment. After being familiar with Heller for so long, Zhang Tie had not heard him describing someone or something with power and freedom.
Therefore, if Heller said power, it must be power; if Heller said freedom, it must be freedom.
Zhang Tie started to dream about the bright future.
On June 16th, after 4 days of rest, the airship troop of Jinyun Country left Base C in Volv City once again and headed for the northern frontline.
During the past 4 days, an airship troop of over 100 airships lost contact with the outside world. Although it was not confirmed, everyone knew that this airship troop must have been annihilated.
Before setting off, Zhang Tie attended another conference hosted by Lan Yunxi. In the conference, Lan Yunxi drew a circle in the northwest of an amplified flight chart in Selnes Theater of Operations using her baton.
"According to intelligence, there is always a corps of over 300,000 demonized puppets in the region Misty Moon Woods. As this region is covered with dense woods and valleys, we couldn't find the demonized puppets corps. Our mission is to find that demonized puppets corps while dodging from the disturbance of wing demons and give them a fierce blow. Closely after that, the ground elite troop will enter the Misty Moon Woods and turn this region in a defense line so as to restrict demons' power for a long time. This is a very important move. Our performance will determine this move. Am I clear?"
"Clear!" everyone replied in unison.
More people moved their eyes on Zhang Tie. In the entire airship troop of Jinyun Country, the one who could probably find the location of that demonized puppets corps in the shortest period must be Zhang Tie.
Such a mission was delivered to the airship troop of Jinyun Country probably because the big figures appreciated Zhang Tie's excellent talent in the air. All the attendants at present reached an agreement inside.
"I will find the location of those demonized puppets corps!" facing their looks, Zhang Tie replied calmly.
Lan Yunxi threw a deep glance at Zhang Tie, "Be careful!"
Zhang Tie smiled, "I will!"
Chapter 585: Misty Moon Woods
Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem
As it was raining, the glider suffered a heavy resistance in the sky. Zhang Tie could obviously feel that the glider slowed down. Additionally, it was harder for him to find an ascending thermal air flow. Zhang Tie could only use the elevating force provided by the main wing of the glider to offset the influence of rain drops and the downward cold air.
Unless Zhang Tie drove the glider away from this region, he could not violate physical rules to keep his glider hovering in this region without any driving power.
Actually, it was already a marvel for Zhang Tie to stay above the Misty Moon Woods for over 7 hours in such a weather. The other glider drivers could not even fly off their gliders in such a weather. Even if they could fly off, they could only stay for a short period in the sky. However, Zhang Tie almost stayed an entire daytime in the sky with that WindTalker.
In the past 7 hours, Zhang Tie unavoidably declined from 15,000 m to 1,000 m or so. Additionally, it was very difficult for him to elevate again.
It was not heavily raining. However, the mist above the Misty Moon Woods became denser. Sitting on the glider, Zhang Tie inclined his head and watched the mist below the glider. Feeling like flying above the cloud sea of the stratosphere, Zhang Tie could see nothing.
In order to prevent rain from coming in, the protective cover above the cockpit was closed. The rain drops soon slid off the protective cover. However, due to the difference in temperature, the protective cover was always covered with a layer of fine mist. As a result, the visibility in the cockpit became poorer.
In only a few minutes, the glider had declined another 100 m. Using his instinct, Zhang Tie caught two sparse topographic elevating air flows to slightly elevate the glider. However, in the irresistible weather, the glider gradually declined like being pressed by an invisible hand.
"Sh*t!" Zhang Tie swore inside.
It was the 5th day since Zhang Tie arrived at the Misty Moon Woods. In this period, even though Zhang Tie had checked all over the Misty Moon Woods once, he still could not find the hiding place of those demonized puppets corps.
The name Misty Moon Woods had two reasons: this place was covered with dense fog all the year round; there were vacant woods below. Therefore, Zhang Tie didn't have any achievement.
As long as human scouts dispatched by the allied human forces entered this place, they would disappear. As a result, they could only lay hope to air reconnaissance.
In a good weather, such a method might work; however, when in rainy days, this method's effect would undoubtedly be sharply reduced.
It was already a big test for people to execute tasks with gliders in such a bad weather, not to mention that the heavy rain made the fog denser, causing a poorer visibility.
Besides Zhang Tie, Lan Yunxi also dispatched some airships to coordinate him for the reconnaissance; however, they made no achievements, either.
The longer the airship troop of Jinyun Country stayed here, the more possible it would be for them to get exposed to wing demons. Everyone knew it clearly.
It was a misty sea below. At the sight of a hillside in front of him, Zhang Tie considered two seconds before gritting his teeth and diving towards that hillside while pressing down his rudder.
As he didn't have any clue, plus the bad weather today, it was even more difficult for him to return to the base. Therefore, Zhang Tie made a decision and prepared to land the glider on this hillside. He planned to take a look down there. If the weather became better tomorrow, he would fly off based on the terrain of the hillside.
The glider declined rapidly by hovering in the sky. Under Zhang Tie's manipulation, the glider became more flexible. Additionally, even if it was hovering there, its head was still facing sharply downward. Even if it was those trump-card glider drivers, very few of them would dare to descend in this way. In only half a minute, the glider had already been close to the ground.
When the glider's head was going to touch the ground, with the faint elevating air flow on the hillside, Zhang Tie raised the head of the glider rapidly. With a slight shock, the body of the glider leveled up at once. After rushing dozens of meters ahead, Zhang Tie instantly stretched his feet out of the bottom of the cockpit. After running a few meters on the grassland had he stopped the glider steadily.
After putting down the glider, Zhang Tie opened the protective cover of the cockpit and jumped out of it. In the rain, he closed the protective cover once again. After that, he carried that glider and ran towards the woods on the hillside.
The glider which weighed less than one ton was almost like a weapon in Zhang Tie's hand. Carrying the glider, Zhang Tie ran over there without leaving any trace on the ground.
After entering the woods, Zhang Tie found a covert bush. After briefly cleaning it, Zhang Tie hid the glider in the bush. After that, he took out his dagger and chopped off some twigs to cover it.
After hiding it in such a way, a person being dozen meters away could not find such a glider at all, unless he came here and moved away the twigs.
Additionally, nobody could imagine that there was a glider in the wild.
After doing this, Zhang Tie's clothes were almost wet all over. He took the six javelins from the armrack outside the cockpit and carried them on his back. After that, he arranged two trace systems around the glider before leaving this place rapidly.
Twenty minutes later, the rain grew heavier while it became colder.
Zhang Tie found a mountain cave in the valley over 10 km away from the glider. After a brief investigation, he found nobody in this cave. He then drilled into the cave.
The mouth of this cave was not big; thankfully, the cave was deep and a bit twisting. There were some trees below the mouth of the cave while some withered leaves and twigs were lying down there, some of which were not wet; Zhang Tie collected some dry twigs and leaves and set a fire at a mysterious location in the cave.
The entire cave warmed up at once.
After having a pee behind a big tree at the mouth of the cave, Zhang Tie returned to the cave. He then drank two mouths of all-purpose medicament to supplement his energy. After that, he took out a piece of dried meat from Castle of Black Iron and baked it over the fire. As he gradually warmed up, Zhang Tie let out a deep sigh.
When the alluring aroma drifted from the piece of dried meat, the rain water in his clothes started to steam. After eating the food, he got some water from Castle of Black Iron and drank it. Gradually, his clothes were dried. Zhang Tie then sat behind a huge rock at the mouth of the mountain cave and started to stare blankly at the rain scene in the valley.
Many familiar faces appeared in Zhang Tie's mind. After several months, Zhang Tie started to miss them, especially Linda, Fiona and Beverly. The moment he thought of his babies who were going to be delivered by the three women had he have an exotic and complex feeling.
Honestly, Zhang Tie had not been ready to be a father until now. However, he also knew that when he was ready to be a father, the relationship between him and the three women might not remain the same as of now.
The greatest effect of the babies was to turn the status of the three woman as his women and lovers into his wives. After such a relationship was set, it would remain unchanged no matter how far and long it was.
Sometimes people could not just live for themselves. You'd better treasure someone when it was necessary. Do not let those who deserve your cherish be the passers-by in your life; instead, they should be the scene, benefactor in your life and a part of your life. When you could see them everywhere in your life, your life would be fulfilled.
This was what his mother told him when Zhang Tie entered the No. 7 National Male Middle School in Blackhot City. Zhang Tie always kept it in mind.
I wonder when could I go to the eastern continent, how old the three little guys would be when I see them and whether they could call me dad or not. Plus three more grandsons, mom could open a kindergarten now...
When he thought of his mom being surrounded and pushed by many little kids to run, Zhang Tie revealed a smile.
After staying there for a short while, Zhang Tie shook his head to clean those romantic scenes from his mind. After that, he took out a map and found his location on it. He then frowned.
This reconnaissance region was not selected casually. Zhang Tie selected it after several days of reconnaissance as he thought it probably hid the demonized puppets corps. The bad weather and the dense fog greatly weakened the effect of reconnaissance. Watching the map, Zhang Tie made marks on the grids of the map. He prepared to take a look at those places on the map where he marked when the rain became lighter.
The target that could not be noticed from the sky would be very remarkable on the ground. Even If there was indeed the demonized puppets corps in these places, Zhang Tie didn't believe that he could find hundreds of thousands of demonized puppets.
Zhang Tie started to cultivate in the mountain cave as he waited for the rain to become lighter.
It kept raining over night...
Chapter 586: Locking the Target
Translator: WQL Editor: EbonyFrost
When it was raining overnight, Zhang Tie kept cultivating until midnight in the mountain cave. Finally, he visualized and manifested the last layer of the shell of that 7-layer gold egg with his spiritual energy and battle qi. This indicated that he had accomplished the second step of planting the gold seed rune of "King Roc Sutra". What he needed to do then was to visualize and manifest 987 special runes on the shell of the golden egg.
Zhang Tie found that the number of surge points in his body and the special runes that he needed to visualized were both 987. He knew that there must be some mysterious connection between the two aspects although he didn't know why.
If Zhang Tie couldn't understand something, he would drop it. Like the moon always being round, somethings weren't worth consideration. What is rational is actual and what is actual is rational. Therefore, Zhang Tie would not concern himself with it at all.
Compared to these illusory concerns, those concerns that he needed to face and those which could influence the fate of himself and his relatives and friends counted most.
After one night, the spiritual energy and battle qi that he had consumed had completely recovered the next morning after Zhang Tie drank some mouths\fuls of all-purpose medicament.
If not necessary, Zhang Tie would not exhibit the special ability that was gifted by the Castle of Black Iron in such a shocking way. Therefore, even if he could put away the glider in the Castle of Black Iron, he would not do that at the risk of exposing the secret of Castle of Black Iron.
At this moment, Zhang Tie could only use the Castle of Black Iron as a portable wallet or kettle so that he could take out some gold checks or transfer two mouthfuls of spring water or all-purpose medicament into his mouth. It was no longer necessary for him to disguise as a damn priest like what he did in the Ice and Snow Wilderness. Neither would he do that.
Some pits on the stones outside the mountain cave were filled with rainwater after one night's heavy rain. Zhang Tie found two water willows outside the mountain cave. After fetching two water willow twigs, he added some salt in one pit and mix it with the rainwater using the water willow twigs. After that, he started to clean his teeth.
After doing this, he ate two pieces of dried pies and put on a camouflage raincoat. After that, he cleaned all the traces in the mountain cave and left.
It was sunny today. Soon after he left the mountain cave he saw a fiery sun rising up.
Zhang Tie quickly ran through the woods and sought for those dubious regions that he marked on the map.
...
At noon, Zhang Tie stopped on one side of a river which passed through the Misty Moon Woods. Because of the heavy rain, the water level had risen too much today. Squatting by the riverside, Zhang Tie watched a corpse with a gloomy look which was flushed onto the rubble of the river rapids by the surging river.
That male corpse wore a set of shabby commoner's clothes. Given its skin, it hadn't stayed in the water too long as it was not bloated yet. However, the corpse was a bit terrifying because its half head and neck were gone as if having been gnawed by some animal. After being soaked in water, the exposed wounds made Zhang Tie uncomfortable.
As it was sunny today, the corpse started to release a stench.
Zhang Tie checked those wounds carefully while enduring the disgusting stink.
Besides wild animals, demonized puppets could also cause similar wounds. However, as the teeth structure of demonized puppets was different than that of wild beasts, they would cause different wounds. After being gnawed by humans, grinding marks were usually seen. In contrast, after being gnawed by wild beasts, there were always marks caused by penetrative and forceful dragging of sharp teeth on the wounds.
After observing it carefully, Zhang Tie made a conclusion——the wounds of this corpse were not caused by wild beasts but demonized puppets.
After making such a conclusion, Zhang Tie was excited. After looking at the upper reach of the river, he ran towards the upper reach along the riverside. On the way, he saw odd-looking rocks and towering trees everywhere. There were also many cliffs that could not be easily passed by commoners. Thankfully, Zhang Tie was agile and passed by them all the way along the riverside.
After 2 hours, Zhang Tie had already walked over 70 km towards the upper reach of the river. However, he found no target. Therefore, Zhang Tie frowned. If hundreds of thousands of demonized puppets were hiding here, they would definitely leave some clues.
When he was doubting his judgment, he heard a sound "Duo...duo...". Raising his head, he found a that woodpecker was knocking at the trunk of a big tree.
At the sight of the bird, a thought flashed across Zhang Tie's mind. He heavily patted his forehead, 'Idiot, you forgot that you're a powerful animal controller. You're in the woods. How could you be troubled by such a small problem.'
Zhang Tie then connected his spiritual energy with that All-spirits Tower in his mind while sending a message towards that woodpecker. The woodpecker immediately stopped its movement as he turned around and watched Zhang Tie who was standing under the tree.
Zhang Tie stretched out a hand. The woodpecker then flew off the tree while flapping its wings and lightly landed on his hand. At the same time, it uttered, "Gulugulu". It seemed that it was curious as to why Zhang Tie could communicate with it.
Woodpecker was a common LV 0 living being. Coincidentally, there was one Great Wild Seal on the first floor of the All-spirits Tower which could work on LV 0 living being. That was a "Rest" seal that Zhang Tie produced at the beginning. It could not match seals in the "Defense" sect on controlling living being. It was mainly used to protect and drive creatures away, instead of controlling them. However, seals in "Rest" sect also had a benefit, namely, as long as this seal was applied on the creature, it would not suffer any harm from the others at the same level in a very long time. Additionally, animal controllers could control this animal in a short period with it.
With this "Rest" seal, Zhang Tie could control the woodpecker for 12 hours. Although it was not as powerful as the seals in "Controlling" sect which could allow the animal to be loyal to the controller for the rest of its life, Zhang Tie thought 12 hours were enough for him.
Additionally, it was wasteful if he didn't use the great wild seal on the first floor of All-spirits Tower at this moment.
Zhang Tie's heart pounded as he fondled the head of the woodpecker and applied the "Rest" seal into its body. Closely after that, Zhang Tie felt that he had established a close relationship with the woodpecker.
"Take me to the most populated place you've seen!" Zhang Tie sent an order to that woodpecker. After that, he raised his arm, sending that woodpecker flying in the air. After hovering above Zhang Tie's head for two circles, it flew towards a direction.
Zhang Tie hurriedly followed after. After each distance, the woodpecker would rest on the twig and look back at Zhang Tie. When Zhang Tie drew closer, it kept flying forward.
The woodpecker, whose nickname was woods' doctor, had a very wide range of movement. If this woodpecker had indeed met a lot of people, Zhang Tie believed in that it could take him there sooner or later.
After flying through the dense woods one hour later, the woodpecker reached above a misty valley and kept hovering there. Zhang Tie realized that it must have seen a lot of people here. Additionally, something terrifying must be hiding here.
"You can go now, you're free..." Zhang Tie sent another order to the woodpecker. The woodpecker then flew towards another direction while flapping its wings.
Zhang Tie silently lay behind a huge rock and a patch of brushwood while watching this valley.
Even if it was a sunny day, the valley was still covered with a dense fog. Additionally, many places in the valley were covered by the towering, flourish trees on both sides of the hillside.
Zhang Tie took out the map and checked it carefully. He found this place was rightly in the dubious region of Misty Moon Woods that he marked on the map. He had passed here by glider several days ago. However, he could see nothing at all from the sky.
Due to the dense fog, even if it was on the ground, his visible distance was also limited to 100 m. Those outside 100 m were all buried in the dense fog.
"Is the demonized puppets corps hiding here?"
When this doubt flashed across his mind, Zhang Tie changed his face. At this moment, a gust of wind blew over, causing the dense fog rolling in the valley. Zhang Tie then smelt a faint bloody smell in the wind.
Zhang Tie immediately took two javelins from his back as he silently fumbled towards the source of the bloody smell.
There was a huge mountain cave leading to the hinterland of the mountain in a hidden place below the valley. The bloody smell came from that mountain cave, where Zhang Tie saw a squad of patrolling demonized puppets...
'There you are!' Zhang Tie became thrilled while some questions came to his mind, 'Why would those demonized puppets hide here? What the hell are they doing there...'
Zhang Tie lay about 100 m away from that mountain cave.
Suddenly, a turmoil drifted from the entrance of the mountain cave. With wails and cries, some people were taken out. After that, Zhang Tie heard someone sneer, "Do you want to escape? Do you think you can escape?"
"Please, let us go, we dare not do that anymore!"
"Now that you don't want to work, just be the food of sacred worms, eat them..." the man said mercilessly.
A lot of demonized puppets instantly charged at those people while uttering weird sounds. Closely after that, Zhang Tie heard disgusting sounds and miserable shrieks, causing goosebumps all over his body.
Chapter 587: The Reappearance of the Hell
Translator: WQL Editor: EbonyFrost
Zhang Tie lay there without moving for 5-6 hours. He waited until it was completely dark then darted towards the entrance of the mountain cave.
In the dark, he could better use his dark vision. By contrast, as demonized puppets had almost the same vision as commoners, their vision would be greatly weakened in the dark. Therefore, Zhang Tie would have a chance to sneak into the mountain cave.
When the tragedy happened in the daytime, Zhang Tie also thought about saving those people, however, he couldn't make it. In that case, he would expose himself for sure if he killed those lackeys of demonized puppets. If so, he might lose his own life.
Zhang Tie applied a hiding skill and a rapid movement skill to himself. Under the blessing of the two rune effects, Zhang Tie moved like a waft of smoke in the dark. He flashed by over 100 m in a blink and reached less than 15 m away from the entrance of the mountain cave.
Zhang Tie hid in the crown of a big tree. After that, he picked up a small stone and threw it towards one side. The stone fell in the brushwood dozens of meters away, causing some sounds.
The demonized puppets at the entrance were very alert. The moment they heard the sound from over there, all the demonized puppets watched over there. With the blurry, low roars of the head of those demonized puppets, a squad of demonized puppets ran towards the source of the sound.
Seizing this chance, Zhang Tie instantly slid off the tree and sneaked into the mountain cave along the shadowy places near the entrance of the mountain cave.
These demonized puppets had poor fighting strength which couldn't defeat Zhang Tie. However, demonized puppets were controlled by puppet worms. As long as a demonized puppet was killed by Zhang Tie, the parent worm of the demonized puppets would sense it for sure and respond.
On the battlefield, demonized puppets were almost the best sentries. Demon corps being surrounded by demonized puppets corps had no history of being raided by human corps in the 2nd Holy War. Of course, Zhang Tie would not like to disturb the sentries.
After hearing that miserable shrieks of humans in the daytime, Zhang Tie was a bit shocked. He hadn't imagined that humans could cooperate with demons at this moment. Besides demonized puppets corps, it seemed that many humans were hiding inside this cave. Zhang Tie had to figure it out. After seeing those people in the daytime, Zhang Tie felt that these demonized puppets corps were here for some special purpose. There was a negligence about the intelligence of this place from the human alliance command.
The moment he entered the cave, Zhang Tie felt like vomiting. The stink was like that in the slaughterhouse and the cesspool which had not been cleaned for dozens of years. Even the most disgusting smell that you could imagine could not match this.
Bearing his discomfort, Zhang Tie rapidly sneaked into the cave while dodging the places where might expose himself.
This cave was a natural huge karst cave. The deeper he entered, the broader it would be in the underground space. He found many newly-excavated traces in the cave. This made Zhang Tie more suspicious——what are the demons excavating here?
In the pitch-dark cave, in each distance, there would be a fluorescent lamp or a natural rough fluorescent stone on both sides of the cave, which provided dim light in the dark cave.
Near these fluorescent lamps and rough fluorescent stones were always squads of patrolling demonized puppets. Wherever he passed by these places he would find a chance to rapidly pass by them or temporarily distract them by using the same trick that he had used at the entrance of the cave just now before passing by quickly.
As demonized puppets had low intelligence, this trick never failed.
On the way, what shocked Zhang Tie were those piles of stinky human bones. The deeper he entered the cave, the more bones would he see. One time, Zhang Tie saw tens of thousands of human bones fill a pit which was about half the size of a football field in the underground cave. The pit sent out a heavy stink while numerous mice with bloody eyes were accessing the bones and gnawing the rotten meat on the bones. Some of them burrowed in the bones and skulls to suck essence in the marrow.
When the mice ate, they made sounds "Ka...ka...ka...". Like numerous people walking on the sand road, it caused goosebumps all over Zhang Tie's body.
The scene was like the reappearance of hell.
After experiencing numerous cruel scenes, Zhang Tie, who thought he had been very powerful inside, turned pale abruptly the moment he saw this. At the same time, he felt like vomiting.
Zhang Tie preferred to have not seen such a scene. The miserable terror and nausea could never be described in language.
Zhang Tie then sped up and left the terrifying scene behind.
Recalling the scene that he saw in the daytime, Zhang Tie immediately understood that those bones and skulls were left by the demons.
Meanwhile, Zhang Tie understood why hundreds of thousands of demonized puppets could not be found after entering the Misty Moon Woods. Because those b*stards were hiding underground. When they were hungry, they would eat those human captives.
A fury flame burned in Zhang Tie's mind. It was not a holy war for humans at all. It was just a choice that humans had to make when they were pushed at the extremely cruel situation——to be demons' food or to survive. If they wanted to survive, they could only fight. They could only crush demons into pieces, burn them into ashes, bury them in the soil and stomp on it. That's the holy war of humans!
Although Zhang Tie couldn't wait to chop off the heads of all the demon b*stards in front of him, he became calmer inside. Those demons must have their reasons for being here.
Zhang Tie continued deep into the cave.
After entering about 4-5 km, Zhang Tie felt the underground temperature started to gradually rise. Finally, at the exit of that cave, Zhang Tie saw a vast underground space.
Zhang Tie then slipped out of that exit like a shadow. Closely after that, he found a relatively higher position near the exit and hid behind a pile of stalactites.
In front of Zhang Tie was an underground space dozens of square kilometers. Some fiery lava rivers slowly flew across the underground space. In a place 7-8 km away, Zhang Tie saw lava flowing off from hundreds of meters high.
Due to the relationship between these lava rivers and that lava waterfall, this underground space was shrouded in a dim red light like apocalypse dusk.
A huge military camp was erected in the middle of this underground space. The surroundings of this underground space were like a huge underground construction site. Zhang Tie saw hundreds of thousands of people in shabby clothes busy working like diligent ants and constantly excavating and digging something. At the same time, those grim demonized puppets with bloody eyes were patrolling everywhere in squads and monitoring those people's work. Some of them were even swearing loudly in human language as they constantly whipped those laborers with knouts ferociously.
Not far from Zhang Tie, a skinny man was carrying a rock which weighed about dozens of kg as he stumbled and trembled. Suddenly, a steel whip flew from afar like how a poisonous snake spat out its tongue and struck heavily on that man's shoulder.
The man uttered a miserable shriek as the rock slid off his hand and fell to the ground.
When the second whip struck on him, the man instantly charged at the stone like crazily and wanted to lift it up once again.
As new wounds were caused on his back, he felt extremely painful. His hands started to tremble, causing the stone fall down once again.
"Crap..." that man who waved the steel whip swore.
"No...no...I'm not crap. I can, I can continue to work..." the man shouted loudly as he struggled to lift up the rock once again.
However, the 3rd whip directly broke his wrist. This time, the man became despaired to lift the stone.
"Please...please give me one chance...give me once chance..." the man exclaimed.
"Don't worry. You're still useful!" the guy who held the steel whip sneered as he waved his hands. Some demonized puppets with bloody eyes instantly rushed towards that man and dragged him away by catching his feet...
"Ah...no,...no..." shrill shrieks sounded.
Under the gaze of the onlookers, that man was dragged to a nearby place. Closely after that more and more demonized puppets ran over here and surrounded that man. They then started to gnaw his flesh and drink his blood like how a herd of wild beasts caught a prey. The miserable shrieks were instantly covered by the sounds that the demonized puppets gnawed the man's fleshes and bones.
At the sight of this scene, all the onlookers couldn't stand to quiver all over. Some had already been completely numb about that. They just lowered their heads and continued to work while suffering the steel whips...
...
Right then, a person stealthily climbed to the front of Zhang Tie while keeping his body close to the ground. Feeling something, he raised his head and showed a swarthy face. The moment he saw Zhang Tie's eyes, he revealed a terrified look. He immediately opened his mouth. Before he uttered any voice, his mouth had been covered by Zhang Tie's hand. Zhang Tie then dragged him to the back of the stalactites.
"Shut up if you want to survive..." Zhang Tie whispered to him.
Chapter 588: Demons' Scheme
Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem
Zhang Tie soon knew a lot of information from that person. His name was Rawls, a member of Titanic Duchy. After the demonized puppet corps occupied the Titanic Duchy, they captured him. Together with many people, he was taken here by a demonized puppet corps and became the slave laborer and food of the demonized puppets.
After being captured by demons, these humans suffered a miserable treatment. They had to work hard over 10 hours a day. Those emaciated or wounded people who couldn't work anymore were immediately eaten by demonized puppets.
"What is your main job here?" Zhang Tie posed his greatest concern.
"Our captives are mainly used to break through the underground tunnels over here. There are two tunnels here, one towards the north, the other towards the south. The tunnel towards the north had been broken through; it links the demons' occupied zone. The tunnel towards south had also been broken through dozens of kilometers!" Rawls answered.
Zhang Tie's heart pounded as he immediately understood the mission of this demonized puppets corps here.
Because of the advantage of human airship troop in the sky and the threat of alchemist's bombs, demons planned to break through an underground tunnel towards Selnes Plain. As long as the demon corps appeared in the back of the Selnes defense line of humans, the entire human defense line would collapse at once.
This was not the only method that demons used in Selnes Theater of Operations; however, it was the most worthwhile method. For demons, they only needed to put in a demonized puppets corps and some human captives here so as to implement this plan. This was not a big cost for demons; however, as long as it succeeded, it would help them a lot.
"How many demonized puppets are here?"
"About 300,000."
"How about the number of human captives?"
"About 100,000. Every once in a while, they would transport here some more human captives from the north tunnel as the supply of food and labor work for demons."
The moment he heard Rawls' words had Zhang Tie known that the alliance command's judgement about Misty Moon Woods was not precise. Those hiding in the Misty Moon Woods were not only over 300,000 demonized puppets, but also the constant supply of human captives being transported here from the demons' occupied zone. The underground space where Zhang Tie was in had become an underground interchange station for demons to implement this plan.
"This information is very important. I have to notice the alliance command about this. We have to stop demons from implementing this plan."
"Who are those people who cooperate with demonized puppets?'
Speaking of those people, Rawls revealed a hateful look, "They are lackeys of Three-eye Association. After demons occupied Titanic Duchy, the lackeys of Three-eye Association started to cooperate with demons to manage the demons' occupied zone. Under the ruling of these lackeys of Three-eye Association, some people had sworn to be loyal to Three-eye Association in order to survive themselves!"
"What's the current situation of the demons' occupied zone?"
"It's very complex. Demons are exerting out very brutal rule in the demons' occupied zone. Meanwhile, they have started to divide humans into different classes in the demons' occupied zone. Those who don't follow their orders will be converted into demonized puppets; some of them are deteriorated into demons' slaves and live a very miserable life. All the human clans that are affiliated with Three-eye Association in the demons' occupied zone became the agents of demons in that region and treat themselves as nobles. All the people who would like to be loyal to Three-eye Association would gain a certain social status; additionally, their lives and right of property would be guaranteed. They could also have many human slaves and demonized puppets as their subordinates!"
Zhang Tie was really shocked by this information. He thought that the demons in their occupied zone would burn everything into ashes like what they did to humans in the 2nd holy war; he had not imagined that the demons became smarter this time as they started to collapse humans from the inside and implement a new ruling strategy. With such a ruling strategy, demons' occupied zone would constantly provide supports for demons' corps. In the future, humans might even fight each other on the battlefield.
This holy war might sustain over 100 years. This preparation of demons indicated that they were going to fight demons for a long time.
"Do you have food?" Seeing Zhang Tie thinking about something, Rawls forcefully swallowed his saliva as he watched Zhang Tie with a craving look.
Zhang Tie then pass his two pieces of dried rations and kettle to him, "What do those human captives eat here?"
The moment he saw the dried rations and the kettle had Rawls grabbed it and started to engulf it. At the same time, he replied Zhang Tie with a blurry voice, "There are fiery mushroom and ferns underground...we...eat them...and some...insects and mice...but we can rarely find them now... those demons force...us...to eat humans...some people couldn't stand it...and directly committed suicide in the lava...this happens everyday...I've not eaten human flesh...I want to escape...my wife and kids are here...I have to find a way for them to escape..."
Zhang Tie became silent as he sighed mournfully for those human captives inside. Since they came here, these human captives had been doomed to die here. Few of them could bear such a sheer terror.
"Are... human troops going...going to save us?" Rawls asked Zhang Tie as he kept eating the dried rations.
Watching Rawls' miserable and hopeful look, Zhang Tie felt bashful to tell him that he was alone here.
After realizing Zhang Tie's meaning of being silent, Rawls stopped his movements at once as he stared at Zhang Tie with a dumbfounded look, "Are...are you alone?"
"Yes, I'm alone here!" Zhang Tie replied calmly.
Rawls faintly opened his mouth as the hope in his look faded away at once. 2/3 of his dried rations were still left. After forcefully swallowing his saliva twice, he carefully wrapped them with paper.
"I want...want to find a way to leave out of here...and take my wife and kids away!" he told Zhang Tie.
"You cannot. There are demonized puppets squads patrolling in many key locations from here to the entrance. It's possible if you have the strength and responsive speed of LV 9 fighters. If you just fumble towards the entrance in this way, you could only be the food of those demonized puppets. Even It took me some time to enter here."
Zhang Tie felt he would be unable to take Rawls away from this mountain cave without arousing the attention of those demonized puppets. As long as those demonized puppets patrolling in the cave found them, a great number of demonized puppets would enter the cave and besiege them. In that case, Zhang Tie could not ensure Rawls' safety.
After hearing Zhang Tie's words, Rawls threw himself onto the ground like he lost all his strength at once.
"Do you have family members here?"
"Yes. My wife and a daughter..." Rawls started to sob in a low voice as he seized his hair with hands, "I cannot watch them eating human flesh...I cannot stand watching them being eaten by others...fewer fiery mushroom and ferns could be found underground now...in this case...they...they..."
Rawls couldn't utter any word as Zhang Tie's heart raced. At this moment, he only wanted to find the location of this demonized puppets corps, he had already accomplished his mission. If so, he could leave at any time.
However, watching the hopeless look of this man in front of him as a husband and a father and thinking of those human bones and the hell-like situation of those human captives, Zhang Tie started to feel mournful about them.
Perhaps he would also soon be a father; therefore, Zhang Tie had a deep comprehension on the role and responsibilities of men. If a father could not change the hell-like situation facing his wife and kid, he would be driven mad by the hopelessness.
Zhang Tie gritted his teeth, "Damn, whatever..."
Zhang Tie put his hand on Rawls' shoulder as he whispered, "Where are you wife and daughter? Can you bring them here?"
Rawls raised his head and watched Zhang Tie with a confused look, "What do you want?"
"I might take you out of here!"
"Really?" Rawls almost sprung up from the ground. Zhang Tie hurriedly pressed him down as he put his finger on his mouth to stop him. After that, Zhang Tie looked at those demonized puppets and the lackeys of Three-eye Association in the distance, "Thankfully, they didn't find us."
"I can take you to another place. It's a bit special. After entering it, you might not come out of it!"
"Ah? Did you find another hidden underground space here?" Rawls asked with an amazing look as his eyes glittered again.
"Almost like that!" Zhang Tie replied briefly, "That place is like this underground space, but its larger than this one. It's relatively close. However, you can have sufficient food and a good living environment there. What's more, demons cannot reach there. Would you like to go there?"
"I would...I would..." Rawls hurriedly nodded, "As long as we don't become wild beasts or become the food of those wild beasts and demons, we can do everything for you."
"Can you bring your family members here?"
"I can..." Rawls gritted his teeth...
...
After a few minutes, Rawls lowered his body and fumbled towards the dark in the distance. Zhang Tie then waited in a hidden place for them...
...
After 2 hours, Rawls came back with over 30 people, instead of 2...
Chapter 589: Asylum
Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem
Before Rawls returned, Zhang Tie made a dialogue with Heller.
Zhang Tie: Is it okay?
Heller: You're the owner and ruler of Castle of Black Iron, you have the authority to make any decision.
Zhang Tie: How many people could Castle of Black Iron hold?
Heller: Based on the food storage and productivity of Castle of Black Iron, Castle of Black Iron can now hold at most 26,000 people. If 26,000 people entered Castle of Black Iron, half a year later, if those people joined in the production and wasteland reclamation, Castle of Black Iron could hold another 78,000 people. Similarly, if the land area of Castle of Black Iron didn't change, it could at most hold and survive 1,200,000 people in the future.
Zhang Tie: If...I mean, if there are truly so many people in Castle of Black Iron one day, can you manage them?
Heller: In the space of Castle of Black Iron, the existence of all the substances and lives would be restricted by the rules of Castle of Black Iron. Their lives would be completely determined by your willingness. Even 12 billion people are like 12 billion yeasts in my eyes if I want to manage them, not to mention 1.2 million.
Zhang Tie: Can they cause any harm to the small tree?
Heller: I can set a rule in Castle of Black Iron. Without your consent, all of them will be stopped 100 m away from the small tree. Additionally, we can slightly change the terrain in Castle of Black Iron. Thankfully, the basic energy storage in Castle of Black Iron could support such an innovation...
Zhang Tie: Do you think...I'm a bit selfish by doing this? After they enter, I will not allow them to leave out of there for a long time...
Heller: No, Castle Lord, I feel your deed is very lofty. For them, Castle of Black Iron is their paradise. Additionally, you will not forbid them here forever. One day, if your fighting strength reaches a degree, trust me, there will be no problem even if you let them leave or they know that you have such an ability.
Zhang Tie: Is there going to be such a day?
Heller: It's possible. Only you could answer this.
Zhang Tie: if there are indeed so many people, how will I bring them in?
Heller: Castle Lord has been LV 9, as your ability gradually improves and the holy war between humans and demons starts, the space transfer function of Castle of Black Iron will be further open to you. If you want to take those people in, Castle Lord could authorize me with the ability to open the space asylum function of Castle of Black Iron!
Zhang Tie: Space asylum?
Heller: Yes, after having such an ability, it would be very easy for you to take people or living beings in Castle of Black Iron. As long as Castle Lord could lock them with your spiritual energy, you can take them in like carrying an item by touching their bodies directly or indirectly...
Zhang Tie: It's that easy?
Heller: Yes, so easy.
Zhang Tie: It depends on you.
Heller: No problem. Castle of Black Iron should have some more aboriginals now. They could help us develop Castle of Black Iron.
...
After the dialogue with Heller, Zhang Tie patiently waited for Rawls. Meanwhile, he silently observed those demonized puppets in the huge underground space and the situation in his surroundings.
Zhang Tie felt that Rawls was not faithless man. However, Zhang Tie had to be careful in this place in case of being betrayed.
It was very risky for him to do this. Zhang Tie didn't know whether he was too kind-hearted. He only knew that he would gain tranquility by doing this. Perhaps, it was a usual mental illness of people like him who grew up like small figures——sympathy would always affect his decision.
Thankfully, nothing happened in the 2 hours. By then, it was time for those human captives to sleep. Many of them gradually stopped working.
Perhaps, even demons knew that humans could not keep working like machines. Nobody could keep working a couple of days without any necessary rest, no matter how strong they were. For the sake of their working efficiency, they had to take necessary rest in the late night.
Zhang Tie found those demonized puppets and lackeys of Three-eye Association who waved their kurbashes became relatively less alert. Especially those lackeys of Three-eye Association, many of them had already left the working place of human captives and walked towards the camp of demonized puppets in the distance.
At this moment, Zhang Tie saw a group of people climbing towards him rapidly under the leadership of Rawls.
Over 30 people were following Rawls.
...
Rawls watched Zhang Tie in a bashful look while those who followed him here were watching Zhang Tie with thrilled looks. Among the 30-odd people, over 20 of them were male. The age of those females ranged from 40-50 years old to about 10 years old. They all looked swarthy and were in shabby clothes. Zhang Tie could only identify their gender through their physical traits.
Their current miserable looks were all caused by the hell-like situation here. Even the 50-odd woman could move so swiftly on the ground, which shocked Zhang Tie greatly.
After arriving here, a little girl of 13-14 years old with short-cut hair hid behind Rawls' back and watched Zhang Tie with frightful, widely opened eyes.
"These people are together with us. They don't want to eat human flesh, either. Therefore, they cannot survive here for sure..." Rawls explained to Zhang Tie with an embarrassed look.
Zhang Tie raised his hand to stop Rawls as he watched those people.
"You have to know that although that place is hidden, once I take you in, you will not come out easily..."
"Will we be starved there?" a 50-60 odd man asked.
"No, you won't!"
"How large is that place?"
"Very large, much larger than here!"
"That's okay. As long as you don't force us to eat human flesh or be eaten by humans, it will be better than here. After all, if we stay here, we will die sooner or later. Maybe we can survive by choosing this way. As you come in from outside, you will always have more methods to escape out of here than us!"
Zhang Tie looked around, "Do you also think so?"
Everyone nodded.
"Fine. Come closer, hand in hand. Stand closer to me in a circle. Before taking you out of here, I need to hold a special blessing rite for you!" Zhang Tie told them in a very solemn look.
Those people did according to Zhang Tie's words without any doubts. Hand in hand, they moved closer to Zhang Tie as they really thought that Zhang Tie was going to hold a blessing rite for them.
Zhang Tie put his hand on Rawls' shoulder, "How many people would not like to eat human fleshes?"
"Too many. For the sake of management of human captives and destroying their unity, demons would let those who were succumbed to eat human flesh wear some human teeth over their neck. The more teeth they had over their neck, the more loyal they were to demons. These people might be promoted to supervisors of human captives and lackeys of Three-eye Association. They might do less labor work. Although those demonized puppets had low intelligence, they would not eat such people!"
Zhang Tie then watched their necks and found none of them wore teeth.
"Do you mean all the people who didn't wear teeth would not like to eat human flesh under the threat of demons?"
"Yes, many of us don't like to do this." Rawls answered, "For those wild beasts who start to eat human fleshes, the teeth over their necks are their amulets!"
"Are new human captives always be transported in through the secret tunnel?"
"Yes, many times a day or many days a time. People here die everyday. Some new human captives would be transported in everyday."
"Do you mean that even those lackeys of Three-eye Association and demonized puppets could not keep everyone's look in mind, right?"
"Yes. Additionally, human captives were moving when they work. Nobody could remember all of their looks."
"If so, put off your clothes and lend it to me. After a while, I will give you a new set of clothes!" Zhang Tie told to Rawls as he glanced at his frame.
Rawls became hesitated for a short while before putting off his shabby clothes.
After taking his clothes using one hand, Zhang Tie smiled towards Rawls, "The rite is going to start. Close your eyes, please. Don't open them until someone asks you to open your eyes. Good luck!"
After saying this, Zhang Tie used his spiritual energy while the 30 people were teleported into Castle of Black Iron in a split second.
Knowing that all of them have entered Castle of Black Iron, Zhang Tie felt relaxed and became very satisfied.
Zhang Tie directly put off his clothes. After that, he fetched some dust from the ground and applied them to his hair and face, making himself look like those who had been teleported into Castle of Black Iron. Although Rawls' clothes were shabby and smelly, Zhang Tie didn't care about that. He rolled on the ground for a short while to make him more similar to them.
When rolling on the ground, he changed his black hair into brown, along with the color of his skin and eyes. Only after over 10 seconds, Zhang Tie had completely turned into another person.
After that, Zhang Tie lowered his body and sneaked towards where Rawls and the others came from...
...
In Castle of Black Iron...
"Okay, you can open your eyes..."
Heller's voice sounded as they opened their eyes. Closely after that, they were shocked by what they saw...
The man standing in front of them was as handsome as Apollo. Behind this man was a vigorous world. Although it was evening here, due to the tender and bright light radiated by the colorful clouds in the sky, they could still see clearly the green plants everywhere. Furthermore, they could smell the fresh air which carried the flavor of flowers and fruits.
"Am...am I dreaming...?"
"Ah? Where're we?" Rawls was completely stunned by all the strange things.
"This is your new home!" Heller watched them kindly.
The old man who talked with Zhang Tie just now trembled as he knelt down on the ground at once. At the same time, he deeply lowered his head and gathered some mud with his hand and took a deep sniff. Closely after that, he highly raised his hand while his eye sockets were filled with tears.
"Ah, what fertile and fragrant soil...I'm not dreaming. But it's real...it's real..."
Everyone then knelt down...
"God, it must be God who has heard our prayers and saved us out of the hell..." someone shouted loudly out of excitement, "This must be the God's domain. It must be. We're saved..."
"Are...are you God?" a petite girl beside Rawls asked as she raised her head.
"I'm not God; I'm God's steward..." Heller smiled.
At this moment, all of them realized that the human fighter was not here.
"That man is the God, God saved us...God saved us..."
Everyone started to scream out of excitement...
Chapter 590: Exposed
Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem
In the deep and dark underground cave, after working hard for a day and eating something casually, almost all the human captives fell asleep in hunger and fatigue.
They were sleeping in those dim mountain caves of the underground space. Some of the caves were pitch dark. According to the miserable practices and lessons of human captives, In the dark environment, people had the best sleeping effect and recovery of the body energy at the fastest speed. Those who liked to sleep in bright places could not survive long in such an environment. They had long become bones. Even their bones could not be found.
Because of this, all the human captives would choose to rest in quieter and more hidden places.
Additionally, Zhang Tie found that those human captives who opposed to eat human fleshes didn't sleep together with those who had eaten human fleshes. They were sleeping in different caves. In this way, they might feel a bit safer.
Coincidentally, it was convenient for Zhang Tie to move.
In shabby clothes and messy hair, Zhang Tie was like the other human captives. Even If someone saw him, they would not doubt his status as a human captive.
When the entire underground space became quiet and even those demonized puppets started to take rest in batches, Zhang Tie fumbled in the dark and checked each mountain cave to seek for those human captives who didn't wear human teeth.
There were so many mountain caves. Some caves held over 10 people, some held over dozens of people, while some held hundreds of people.
Like a ghost in the dark, Zhang Tie ran very fast in a mountain cave. Any person being touched by his hand would be teleported into Castle of Black Iron. It only took Zhang Tie less than 10 seconds to transfer over 100 people of a mountain cave into Castle of Black Iron.
Some people didn't fall asleep. Zhang Tie was founded by those people twice when he flashed in the mountain cave. Those people sat up and wanted to exclaim; however, before they exclaimed, they had already been teleported into Castle of Black Iron.
Zhang Tie didn't know how many people could he save. He was just doing his best. He even didn't need to ask whether those people would like to be teleported in Castle of Black Iron or not. Because he had no time, neither would he waste time on that. In these mountain caves, besides death, these people would not face the second possible result. The only problem was how long could they stand here, one month, two months or three months...
If some of them were the extreme masochist and would like to be mistreated to death by demons, they only needed to jump into the Pool of Chaos.
However, such an idiot didn't exist at all. Therefore, he didn't need to ask whether they would like to leave out of here or not.
At this moment, Zhang Tie had determined his mind to save as more people as possible.
Time was precious.
The rune effect of rapid moving skill had long faded away. In the next 2 hours, Zhang Tie applied two rapid moving runes to himself so as to maintain the highest swiftness and speed.
During the 2 hours, Zhang Tie didn't even know how many people had he saved and how many mountain caves had he entered. He estimated that he saved at least 10,000 people. Zhang Tie knew that the more people he saved, the more possible would he expose his move to the demons and the lackeys of Three-eye Association.
Finally, after teleporting over 60 people from a mountain cave to Castle of Black Iron, the moment Zhang Tie was going to leave the cave had he seen a guy in better clothes standing at the entrance of the cave with a dumbfounded look and a kurbash in hand...
That guy was a lackey of Three-eye Association. Zhang Tie didn't know whether he was here to check or for what; it seemed that he had already found that all the humans inside the cave had disappeared. Before he made any sound, Zhang Tie had already made a preemptive move.
Zhang Tie dragged that person into the cave, causing him unable to resist. Being held by Zhang Tie's pliers-like grip, that man's face turned red as he started to struggle.
"I ask, you answer, okay?" Zhang Tie then gradually loosened his grip.
"You...you cannot escape out of here...you'd better let me go...if you dare hurt me...the holy clan will kill you..."
That guy seemed having not figured out what was happening; or perhaps he mistook Zhang Tie's status due to the shabby clothes. Therefore, he threatened Zhang Tie.
Zhang Tie didn't speak. That guy thought that Zhang Tie was scared by his words. As similar events had happened many times. None of the human captives had succeeded. Therefore, he started to get fearless about Zhang Tie.
As Zhang Tie moved fast in the dark, he didn't know Zhang Tie's real fighting strength. Additionally, his fighting level was not high, he was short-sighted. Therefore, he could only treat Zhang Tie as a guy who had some fighting strength among those human captives. Those human captives were at most LV 6 or LV 7, who could not make any big trouble.
"Where are Feli and the other girls...where are they...if you tell me about that...if you wish to cooperate with me...after catching them...I will count that as your meritorious deed...I can recommend you to the big figures of the holy clan...you can be a slave supervisor like me...you can also have Feli and some female captives serve you..."
Zhang Tie remembered that there were indeed some women in this mountain cave. However, he didn't see their looks clearly. This guy might want to do something dirty to those women.
Realizing that this guy still thought that he could control the situation, Zhang Tie slightly intensified his grip, causing him unable to utter any voice. After that, he took out a dagger and ferociously stabbed into the guy's thighs seven or eight times like stabbing a bag. Each time, he'd have the blade fully enter the flesh, then drew it out, then in, then out, then in... each time, he'd stab in a different place...
Zhang Tie's cruel movement caused the guy to widely open his eyes like a dead fish. While being pressed by Zhang Tie, he could not move. After being stabbed many times, he started to cramp like shrimps in an iron span while the veins on his neck and his forehead bulged.
Only after 10 more seconds, soybean sized sweat beads rolled off his forehead; meanwhile, his face turned completely pale.
Zhang Tie just watched him icily without a wink, "What's the highest level of the demonized puppets in this demonized puppets corps?"
After asking this question, Zhang Tie slightly loosened his grip, allowing him to utter a sound.
"Who...who are you?"
This guy had realized that Zhang Tie might not be a human captive. Because none of the human captives here were allowed to carry a dagger. Facing Zhang Tie's dead qi, he felt a strange fear. Pitifully, he was not smart enough.
When Zhang Tie pinched his neck once again, he stabbed in his thighs another three times rapidly, almost causing him to pass out.
"What's the highest level of the demonized puppets here in the demonized puppets corps?" Zhang Tie repeated before slightly losing his grip.
"LV 12..."
That guy finally realized that Zhang Tie didn't want to hear craps.
"What about the army chief?"
"LV 16...LV 16...the army chief of this demonized puppets corps is...is a LV 16...battle spirit..."
It was within Zhang Tie's expectation that the army chief of this demonized puppets corps was not a knight. As cannon fodder, demonized puppets corps's chief commission officer always had a relatively lower level compared to that of demon corps. After all, knights were not as cheap as white cabbages. Knights could not be matched to any troop for free. Given that the demonized puppets corps was actually controlled by the parent worm of puppet worms, the main mission of the army chief of the demonized puppets corps was to communicate with the parent worm.
"Is the army chief a human or a demon? What's his name?"
"He's human, called Koz...the eldest son of the head of Senel Clan of Titanic Duchy...This demonized puppets corps is also controlled by Senel Clan..."
"What's the background of the Senel Clan of Titanic Duchy?"
"The heads of this clan had served as the protectorship of the duchy for consecutive generations..."
"Does Senel Clan belong to Three-eye Association?"
"Yes..."
"Besides Koz, who else of Senel Clan is here?"
"Koz's sons are all here..."
"What's the highest level of his sons?"
"Also LV 12..."
Although oozing sweat due to sharp pain, that guy still replied very fast as he was afraid of being stabbed again by Zhang Tie. He was trembling inside...
"Where's the parent worm?"
"Only army chief Koz knows that!"
"Is he in the camp?"
"He had returned to Titanic Duchy two days ago..."
Zhang Tie started to think about it...
"Can...can you stop my bleeding?" that guy watched Zhang Tie with an imploring look.
"No need!" Zhang Tie glanced at him before stabbing in his heart.
When Zhang Tie was thinking about whether to take a look at the camp of demonized puppets and find a chance to find the parent worm and kill it, a sharp whistle sounded abruptly from afar...
"Someone escaped..." a person screamed in the distance.
After glancing at the whistle in front of the chest of this dead guy, Zhang Tie realized that his deed had exposed..
Chapter 591: A Living Hell
Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem
Zhang Tie instantly threw this dead guy into the Pool of Chaos in Castle of Black Iron. By doing this, he could make this event more mysterious and himself safer.
With the sharp whistle and exclamations, more and more people woke up. Zhang Tie hurriedly ran out of the mountain cave.
"Everyone, come out...everyone, come out..."
Some slave supervisors shouted loudly outside the mountain caves. When many human captives were awakened and ran out of the mountain caves, Zhang Tie sneaked into the crowd and followed them towards the gathering center in a flurried way.
As they had been doing labor work underground for a long time, most of the human captives looked swarthy and unidentified. When Zhang Tie entered the crowd, besides some human captives around him who glanced at him, none of the others paid attention to him.
As human captives died and arrived everyday, they had long been used to strange looks. Additionally, everyone was forced to do high-intensity labor work everyday. In the rest time, they would go to find food. As a result, most of these human captives only knew a few people besides them.
The entire underground space was in chaos. Although human captives usually escaped, they always faced a very miserable outcome. However, it was the first time for all of them to assemble because someone escaped.
Zhang Tie was then followed to the open underground space by supervisors with the other captives like ducks in a chaotic way.
On one side of the open land was the boiling lava river. Zhang Tie, in the crowd, found more and more supervisors running towards here.
"What's wrong?" a 20-odd human captive asked Zhang Tie with a flurried look.
Zhang Tie glanced at him and found that this guy was a bit emaciated. However, he didn't wear any human teeth. Although those who didn't wear human teeth didn't sleep together with those who wore human teeth, when in assembly and work, all of them would stay together. This was how demons and slave supervisors managed these human captives. Looking at those who wore human teeth beside him, Zhang Tie shook his head.
"I don't know!"
" I'm Huwen, what's your name?" that guy asked in a low voice.
"I'm Peter..." Zhang Tie replied.
"Shut up, quiet..." a slave supervisor waved his kurbash and shouted loudly in front of the human captives as he whipped towards those in front of the crowd, causing miserable shrieks at once. In a split second, the crowd became quiet, including Zhang Tie, who just watched carefully.
Human captives were constantly driven out of mountain caves and dim places and started to assemble in an open land. Those slave supervisors scolded ferociously as they whipped those human captives constantly.
Human captives were forced to form loose and chaotic square matrices in a group of about 5000 people. Each square matrix was overseen by 10 slave supervisors. Those slave supervisors constantly whipped those human captives so as to keep them obedient and quiet.
At the beginning, there were some voices among those matrices; however, when squads of armored demonized puppets with grim and bloody eyes appeared, those human captives became quiet at once.
Everyone knew that those demonized puppets ate humans. Therefore, at the sight of these undying, stinky and bloody demonized puppets, most of the common human captives felt as fearsome as chicks at the sight of skunks.
When demonized puppets surrounded Zhang Tie's square matrix, Huwen and some guys beside Zhang Tie started to tremble. Zhang Tie also pretended to be afraid when he was actually observing the surrounding situation.
Soon after the squads of demonized puppets arrived, Zhang Tie saw some commission officers in brilliant and advanced armors in front of the square matrices.
These commission officers were not demonized puppets; instead, they were pure humans; or, precisely, they were just b*stards of Three-eye Association.
At the sight of these people, a slave supervisor of each square matrix ran towards them at once. Like how a dog saw its owner, they bowed and whispered to those commission officers.
Due to the distance, Zhang Tie couldn't hear clearly what they were talking about. Only after a few minutes, Zhang Tie found those commission officers had dispersed and came to the front of square matrices with those slave supervisors.
The one who came to Zhang Tie's square matrix was a man who looked very sinister with a hooknose and deep socket.
That man's eyes were shooting bloody and brutal lights. He casually pointed at a human captive in the front. After knowing his intention, two strong slave supervisors instantly rushed towards that man and dragged him out of the square matrix and took him in front of that commission officer.
"When you slept, some human captives escaped. Do you know where they are?"
The human captive became frightened so much that he stammered.
"I...I don't know."
"You don't know?" that man revealed a sneer as he waved his hand, "If so, you're useless!"
The two slave supervisors immediately dragged that captive's hands and walked towards the lava river over 20 m away. The human captive started to wail and struggle, "Please...I really don't know about that...I've fallen asleep...I don't know anything about it..."
However, his cries didn't stop the two slave supervisors. Compared to the four powerful hands, his struggle became useless.
In a wink, that human captive had been dragged to the side of the lava river and thrown into it by the two slave supervisors.
With a groundbreaking shrill shriek, that person just flapped twice in the fiery lava before sinking into it. Besides some bubbles and a lower flame on the lava river, nothing else was left.
The same scene happened to other human square matrices at the same time. In a wink, dozens of people had been thrown into the lava river.
All the left human captives looked pale as they trembled.
Including Zhang Tie, but not because of fear, but fury. Lowering his head, he tightly gritted his teeth as he clenched his fists tightly, causing the veins on the back of his hands swell.
That 'hooknose' sneered as he pointed at another human captive. The two slave supervisors immediately caught that captive and dragged him out of the square.
"I don't know...I don't know..."
This time, the hooknose didn't even ask him. He waved his hand once again while the second human captive was thrown into the lava river.
The 3rd one...the 4th one...
With constant shrill cries from each square matrix, many human captives being pointed at were so scared that they even had an incontinence.
When the 5th human captive was dragged out, the 60-year odd man spat towards that hooknose forcefully, "Peh...you Senel Clan will not have a good result...sooner or later...you will be crushed into pieces by the human army...all of you will be thrown into the lava river one after another too...to embrace the burning stake in the hell forever..."
"Wait!" the hooknose wiped off the saliva from his face as he stopped the two slave supervisors, "Drag him over here!"
The 60-year odd man was dragged in front of that hooknose. The old man still wanted to swear; however, the hooknose had already drawn out a long sword from his waist and stabbed into his mouth. With one agitation, the old man's teeth, tongue and the entire mouth had been completely hurt. He could not even utter a word anymore.
The hooknose drew out his long sword and chopped off the old man's limbs, causing his limbs to fall on the ground.
"Stop his bleeding. Keep him alive and awake." the hooknose said mercilessly.
The two slave supervisors immediately took out medicine powders. One of them tore open the old man's clothes and started to stop his bleeding; the other filled in the old man's bloody mouth with a vial of medicament.
The old man, who had been in coma woke up once again. The old man didn't succumb to the hooknose; instead, he glared at him while his facial muscles trembled. It seemed that he was still swearing at him.
The hooknose fetched four demonized puppets by waving his hands as he pointed at the old man's limbs, "This is your food today!"
The four demonized puppets got his meaning as they immediately picked up the old man's limbs and started to gnaw them in front of him.
The old man trembled and directly closed his eyes.
"Open his eyelids, I want him to look at it..." the hooknose's merciless voice sounded.
The two slave supervisors opened the old man's eyelids brutally and had him watch his limbs being gnawed by demonized puppets one piece after another.
"From today on, let him stay here. I want everybody to see him. Cut off a piece of flesh from him everyday. I will keep him alive and have him watch how he was eaten by holy worms one piece after another. I want to let him know the look of the hell. Am I clear?" the hooknose told those slave supervisors.
"Clear!"
"Humans are doomed to be destroyed. The holy clan will establish wholly-new orders for sure and have humans back under the ruling of the holy clan. Our Senel Clan is doomed to become the human nobles and rulers since we mastered the Senel Holy Worm Corps. Like what happened before the Catastrophe, we will stomp you one generation after another. You and your posterity only have two choices——to succumb, or to taste hell alive." the hooknose shouted loudly as he pointed at that old man, "Those people cannot escape out of here. They must be hiding in some hidden underground tunnels or space that they discovered when doing labor work. If anyone among you knows the whereabouts of those people or could provide useful clues, I will promote him to be the leader of these slave supervisors!"
The human captives were still silent.
The hooknose waved his hand once again as another human captive was dragged out with shrill cries.
...
After killing over 100 human captives, those b*stards still obtained no clue yet. At this moment, the commission officers of Senel Clan then gathered together once again. After a short negotiation, they had the rest human captives return.
However, those human captives being released didn't go back to sleep; instead, they were forced to check all the tunnels and caves that they had excavated in order to find those who had escaped...
In the opinion of those commission officers of Senel Clan, those slave captives must have found some hidden tunnels or space when they worked. They must have covered it silently. After preparing for a long time, they finally escaped.
In such an underground space of complex terrain, it was normal to see those hidden natural tunnels, ground cracks and underground space.
Like others, Zhang Tie was also forced to do labor works...
After leaving the open land beside the lava river, Zhang Tie threw a deep glance at that old man who was being watched by some demonized puppets. Lying on the ground, facing towards the sky, he seemed having died. However, Zhang Tie knew that those slave supervisors and b*stards of Senel Clan would keep him alive.
At this moment, Zhang Tie finally understood what a person would be when he was driven extremely furious.
He was not furious anymore; instead, he became as calm as an ice-capped volcano. Meanwhile, a name deeply impressed in Zhang Tie's mind——Senel Clan!
Zhang Tie never had such a strong will to destroy something until now..