1260 - 1270

Chapter 1260: Choices

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Both Sword Shield Rose and Saruman Snake were training behind closed doors. There was nothing else that they needed to be worried about now. They did not have to consider what was to come either. This was the last match, the last battle. If they defeated their opponent, they would be standing at the peak.

Hence, they could show all their tactics and their aces. It was a battle of the wits and bravery!

Oracle Star.

Thorny forest.

Covering several thousand square kilometres. It was not known if these were thorny trees or if the original forest was invaded by the thorns, and co-existed thereafter.

The thorns were creeping. The sharp thorns were not the colour of brown of plants but the colour of bones with a tint of blood red at the tips. They were like shaved, sharp bones of humans. They were alive. They did not have the freedom of animals, but they were not passively accepting like plants.

An ignorant bird flew past from high above. The long distance made it overlook the threats of the thorny forest.

Slam! Pa!

A clear sound rang out.

A thorn suddenly detached itself in high speed from the vines. Fast as a bullet, it drilled right into the body of the flying bird. It fell into the forest and became a sumptuous blood feast for the lush forest.

The vines swept over the bird that had lost its vitality. Squeezing and crashing, not leaving any residue. Everything had been digested. Even the hard bones. After high compression, it drilled through the vines and became a new thorn.

This should be a place where there should be no trace of human activity. It should be a death zone of a death zone. Yet there were signs of people around the forest.

Right then, Meng Tian's team had quietly arrived at the entrance at the edge of the forest.

Looking at the deep forest, Yuan Jing whistled. Behind the seemingly contemptuous look was a hidden cautiousness against Xie Yuxin. "How can you be certain that the thorns will not attack us? Also, the exchange office that you were talking about, is it really in there? Is it really only in there that we can cancel the mission of the tracker?"

The looks in the eyes of the other members in the small team were equally unfriendly.

The arrival of Xie Yuxin had a great impact to the team that had just settled down. Before his arrival, everyone did not have any goal. If there was any, it was to try hard to survive and wait for the Milky Way Alliance to rescue them. This could be considered very unambitious, and just muddling along. But for the majority of the members of the small team, reality beat everything. This was their best outcome. Taking risks meant getting hurt. Even the Earth-rank masters would not dare to say that they were safe.

But the arrival of Xie Yuxin had completely shattered the stable environment.

Just like this time, the aim of coming to the thorny forest was to enter the exchange office in the centre of the thorny forest, and accepting the tasks of removing the restricted trackers.

Quoting Xie Yuxin, not removing the trackers was like waiting for a slow death. The underlying statement was obviously that some people were useless.

Although it was not expressed plainly, there were some in the team that were very uncomfortable. Although trading time had become more difficult over time, stalling a day is another day gained. Maybe a miracle might happen.

However, deep down, Meng Tian and a few key members understood very well. It wasn't that they did not know, it was just that they could not make up their minds. Now that they had found a way, they had to be decisive. Otherwise, it would be just as Xie Yuxin had said: not only would they be restrained, they could not also enter the core of this world. Rescue… they could wait, but could not depend on it!

With regards to the hostility, Xie Yuxin only gave a faint smile and said, "There's bound to be danger. But as long as you can do what I've said, you can control the level of danger. Of course, this is still not hundred percent safe. Whether you can break through is still a personal matter."

He did not give any sort of guarantee. Instantly, there was some commotion within the team. In fact, Xie Yuxin saw it even more clearly. The trackers were superfluous, a redundant addition. If those people had wanted to kill them, they would have done so earlier. Since they did not kill them, it meant that there were some other ulterior motives. It did not matter if they were with or without the trackers. There was a motive to anything. If that was the case, the motive was very clear. The mastermind behind this was afraid that the people would not amount to much and just laze around… it would then defeat the purpose. Hence, they would have left ways to remove the trackers. Just as Xie Yuxin had predicted, he had found it and it had worked. However, even now, with the solution in hand, there were still people doubting it. C'est la vie.

Before arriving here, everyone was a warrior of the Milky Way Alliance. But things had changed. The environment could change a person. This was normal. Xie Yuxin did not seem to be surprised. Hence, he had made the decision.

Men Jia and Yuan Jing were, after all, Earth-rank masters. Thus, they accepted Xie Yuxin's words. They did not want to be sitting ducks. Since they had come this far, there was no other way back.

However, for those who succumbed to reality because of their lack of strength, they definitely would not want to take the risk.

They were content with their current state of existence. Regardless of Xie Yuen's extravagant persuasions, whether it was about goals or opportunities, after witnessing the great organisational capabilities of the Oracle Star, most people had not expected to accomplish things on their own. They could only rest their hopes on being rescued by the Milky Way Alliance. But this was not some delusional hope. There were so many people, and many among them were of important status. The Milky Way Alliance could not afford not to take any action.

Truthfully, Xie Yuxin thought that these people were really naïve. Even if they managed to stall for more time, how could this organisation possibly just watch as they continued to consume food without concern?

Instead of waiting for the enemy to come knocking on their doors, they might as well grab the present opportunity.

Meng Tian looked determined. She was a clever person and had understood the situation a long time ago. "I'll go in first!"

Under Xie Yuxin's arrangement, everyone had been undergoing special training regarding the thorny forest for the past few days. As long as they followed the training, there should not be a problem.

If it had been in the past, as long as Meng Tian had spoken, even if anyone had other opinions, they would have kept their mouth shut. If it had not been for the support of Meng Tian, at least half the team would not have any other way out.

But this time, someone raised his opinion. "Captain Meng Tian.

��Removing the trackers is a good thing, but we have to be tactical. I feel that we should proceed as before and make gradual progression. Be sure and steady. We should be absolutely sure before we make a move. This should be the most suitable method for us. After all, we are unlike some people. There is a difference between coming here earlier and later. They had different thoughts as well. That's normal. If we're not careful, then we are goners."

Jay York, also a student of the Milky Way Galaxy Military College. His Ability X – Substance Interference. He could interfere with the stability of substances. He could be considered part of the main force. However, unlike Meng Tian and the rest, he had been transported to the Oracle Star while playing Saint World.

That was something obviously very wrong with Xie Yuxin. What were the two of them secretly up to? From what Jay York could see, this could be a trap to steal their time.

Chapter 1261: Loneliness of Power

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

He trusted no one, only himself. The environment was different. The rules were different. There was no burial here if one were to die here. How could there be trust?

Deep down, Jay York knew very well that the probability of a rescue mission by the Milky Way Alliance was very low. The Oracle Star might be very small, but its strengths were no weaker than that of a powerful country. The Milky Way Alliance might be strong, but it was not an autocratic institution. Discussions were necessary before making any decision. Besides, with a precedent of a missing deep space fleet, the Milky Way Alliance would be adopting a bureaucratic stand of being cautious. A full scale rescue?

Of course there would be one. But that would require time. Perhaps a year or two?

Survival. The key was to survive.

He had chosen Meng Tian's team because it was a good place to hide. There were two Earth-rank masters here, and although Captain Meng Tian seemed cold, she was actually quite soft-hearted. It was just good enough for him to get by in a low-key manner. Also, this girl was not too bad either. The more dangerous the environment became, the more desire he had. He was beginning to have thoughts of taming Meng Tian. One should embrace joys and pleasures and live life to the fullest – that was until the appearance of Xie Yuxin!

"I don't think everyone is agreeable. We are not criminals here, nor are we barbarians. We are outstanding cadets of the Milky Way Alliance. We should be democratic. I'm not ruling out the possibility of what Xie Yuxin has said, but personally, I'm against it."

Without a word, some members of the team had moved towards Jay York. They had obviously conspired together.

More people were starting to waver. Honestly, they did not want to take the risk. Especially since Xie Yunxin had said that it would be dangerous and their lives could be in danger.

They did not want to. There were clearly time missions that were safer. Why should they take the risk? Even if they removed the trackers, they still could not leave. So, what was the point of taking the risk?

Xie Yuxin looked at Meng Tian, waiting for her to make a decision. Unless Meng Tian did not want to live.

Meng Tian hesitated for a moment, then charged into the thorny forest decisively. Men Jia and Yuan Jing followed closely behind. They believed in her judgment even more.

They were not nannies. They could not protect these people forever. It was dangerous enough for them to charge their way into the thorny forest to begin with, but they were willing. However, these people were not willing to take risks.

Everyone was afraid to die. But no one owed anyone anything.

As always, Xie Yuxin was expressionless. Weakness was the least needed thing here. Being in a military academy did not necessarily mean that one had the qualities to be a warrior.

In a bar somewhere in Aslan, Lear was drinking alone. He had nothing else to do. To a large extent, the Dynasty battle team could be considered successful. During the semi-finals, the public opinions about him and Saruman Snake were still fragmented at the Solar System. But now, everyone had completely forgotten about the Dynasty battle team. These people were so forgetful.

From the information that he had heard, even in Zeus College, a lot of supporters for Saruman Snake had begun to appear. It was like they were being brainwashed by a cult.

What was most disgusting was, he had put up pretenses in front of the camera when he was being interviewed. The reporter had interviewed him because he was also a human from Earth and he had taken part in IG with Wang Zheng…

Had he, the lofty Lear, fallen to such depths?

Although he was drinking, he was not drowning his sorrows. He merely wanted to find a quiet place to be alone and to sort out his thoughts at the same time.

The outcome of the finals was not important. Regardless of the outcome, with the current vitality of Saruman Snake, they would not be thrashed. As long as they were not completely crushed, they would not think of him.

Lear had considered creating some problems through Aslan, like leaking the romance between Wang Zheng and Aina. However, on further thought, this was so ordinary. Besides, Kashawen would not sit back and do nothing, and this might come back to haunt him too.

As for Lin Feng, he might look to be a pleasant and nice guy, but deep down, he really looked down on Lear. There was just no possibility of them working together.

No matter where his thoughts led him, Lear believed that the Sacred Religion was still the most dependable. At this stage, he could no longer contend with Wang Zheng. It was very clear to him now that this had become an obsession. If he did not get rid of Wang Zheng, he would not be able to do anything.

He had to be patient and continue to be patient. Anyway, he was very good at being patient. As long as he lived on, there was bound to be opportunities.

No one was invincible.

His Skylink rang.

"Drupe."

"Master, she has not found anything useful yet."

Lear gave a cold laugh. "Is her life too easy now? Has she forgotten her place? Tell her to speed it up. My patience is getting shorter."

"Yes, Master!"

"…Wait, forget about it for the moment. Don't pressure her yet. This is a good pawn. I need to use it wisely."

Lear was twirling his wine glass. The cocktail was called Zombie's Brain.

Kashawen was alone in her room. She had rejected a dinner invitation. She was watching the monitor silently.

Images flashed by. In fact, Kashawen was already zoning out. Matters had developed a little out of control now. Initially, it was just a joke. She had even thought that if Wang Zheng were to win, she would announce that the princess was Huiyin instead, leading Wang Zheng into a difficult spot.

This method would not work since they had come this far. It was obviously not possible to deceive herself any longer. What was difficult was the fact that Wang Zheng was no longer merely a simple student. She could not easily control him. As long as there was no sudden dip in his performance in the finals, he would be the most popular person this year in the Milky Way Alliance.

He had won the hearts of the people. Unless she could destroy this foundation, she would need to reconsider.

Unless she could destroy his foundation first.

There was no doubt that the SIG could make Wang Zheng an overnight success. But as a politician, there were many ways she could destroy him overnight too.

This was a gamble. Although it would be difficult, if it was carefully crafted, it was not impossible. However, if she were to do this, how would Aina react? How would Wang Zheng's supporters react?

Tita Star and Manalasuo had publicly expressed their affection for Wang Zheng. Regardless of their intentions, they would not sit back and do nothing.

Aslan had yet to reach a dominant foothold, unless she intended to cast all caution to the wind.

Kashawen suddenly felt a sense of helplessness. If she could turn back the clock, she might have been more decisive. Maybe there would be fewer problems today. Never underestimate a young man.

Under such pressure, a normal person would either give up or crumble. But this person…

Kashawen could only sigh when looking at Wang Zheng's gaze.

But she needed to make a decision. Others could sit and wait, but she could not. It was no longer about whether Wang Zheng could win the championship, but how to break up the two of them.

Actually, there was a way, and that was to make use of Huiyin. However, even though Kashawen could give up on herself, she could not bear to do this to her daughter. Everyone had a limit, and this was her limit. Huiyin had begged her once. She could ignore her, but she simply could not make use of Huiyin.

To a certain degree, it was her selfishness. Of course, Aina was a better choice to be the queen, inheriting the legacy of Aslan. Similarly, as the current heir, she had lost a great deal. She wanted Huiyin to have the freedom to live the way she liked.

What was power?

A curse!

Eternal loneliness.

Chapter 1262: Princess of Atlantis?

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Dong, dong, dong…

"Your Highness, you have a visitor."

"Just say that I'm not well."

"It's Prince Hao Lin," said Mitchell softly.

Kashawen was taken aback for a moment. "Arrange for a meeting room."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

She could refuse to see anyone, but she could not look upon the position of Atlantis lightly. Aslan needed alliances too, and Atlantis was the best and the strongest. Furthermore, they would never pose a threat.

Hao Lin Atlas, on all appearances, looked like a young child. However, Kashawen knew that the wisdom he had inherited was not as simple as his look. He was different from Dina Atlas. Dina had royal blood in him, whereas Hao Lin had inherited it.

Respect had to be given for this.

Upon seeing Kashawen, Hao Lin smiled and bowed. Although he was young, he had always given the impression of refinement and cultivation, like a young adult.

"Your Highness, what brings you here at this late hour?" asked a smiling Kashawen. She was always so energetic in front of outsiders.

Hao Lin nodded. "Prime Minister. I've heard some rumors."

"Oh! Keke. Since when has Your Highness been interested in rumors?" Instinctively, Kashawen could not help but feel that his intentions were not pure.

"It's a very interesting rumor. I heard that Princess Aina is in love with Wang Zheng."

Kashawen was a little taken aback. "Rumors are usually not true. Wang Zheng is a rather good young man. I'm an admirer, and so is Aina. That is all."

Kashawen suddenly felt that she was a little too soft-hearted. Perhaps it was time for her to be decisive.

Hao Lin seemed to have sensed a change in the atmosphere. The Atlanteans had always been more sensitive.

"Oh, really?! I was planning to congratulate you on this."

Kashawen looked at the child in front of her. It was not difficult to differentiate between the truth and the lies behind that innocent look in his eyes. But she was not going to be deceived by this sort of look.

"Prince Hao Lin, this sort of trivial rumor should not have started around Aina." There was some seriousness in her tone.

"Oh, I see. Then I don't have to worry. Actually, you might know yourself, Prime Minister, after some period of time, we Atlanteans have to choose a member from the royal family to marry a human. This is to further integrate ourselves into the Milky Way Alliance family. This time, I am entrusted by my Queen. As you know, I have an older sister…"

Kashawen's heart raced a little for a moment. The last marriage between a member of the royal family of Atlantis and a human was a long time ago. Even though Hao Lin had taken on the surname of a human, he did not inherit a lot of the human bloodline.

Why would Atlantis make such a move so suddenly?

"Atlantis and Aslan have been good friends for a long time. We hope that you, Prime Minister, can help us with this matter. Our Queen wishes to see the real potential of Wang Zheng and hopes that he will not be interfered with by external forces."

Said Hao Lin slowly.

Although there was a smile on Kashawen's face, all sorts of different thoughts were running in her mind. What did all this mean?

A fair warning? Or was this a simple request for assistance?

"Don't worry. Aslan represents the fairness and justice of mankind. I hope that Your Highness will find what you seek."

"My most sincere thanks to you, Prime Minister. Honesty, personally, I like Wang Zheng a lot." As a junior, Hao Lin still rose to express his gratitude.

After sending off the prince of Atlantis, Kashawen's mind was in chaos.

What did this really mean?

Was he really here simply to relay this matter?

This was pretty impossible!

Kashawen was not a child. She suddenly realised that regardless, given the current circumstances, it would not be wise to make any move on Wang Zheng. If the Atlantis prince had not been here, it would not have mattered. Now that she had been informed, if she made a move nonetheless, and if she was discovered, then it would cause a rift in the alliance between Aslan and Atlantis. This was something that Aslan would not want to see.

But was this the truth?

Wang Zheng and a princess of Atlantis?

For some reason, Kashawen was having very mixed feelings. What was this?!

Yan Xiaosu and Ye Zisu had not been idle. The supporters of Saruman Snake from the Solar System were all being hosted by KO Group. Of course, there were the Tita giants too. They had taken over all such matters, but they both felt that they were duty-bound. Among the supporters were, of course, fellow students from Ares College.

If they did not have to preside over the overall situation, Yao Ailun and Chen Xiu would have been here too. This time, they had chosen to hold the fort.

Ye Zisu found time to make contact with Yuan Donger. The reason why the transportation matters from KO Group had gone so smoothly was mainly because of Yuan Donger. Ye Zisu decided to take the initiative to show their gratitude to her. However, the reality was different from what Ye Zisu had thought. Yuan Donger did not seem to care much for this. For her, this was merely a flick of her fingers, and she had also found Wang Zheng to be agreeable. As for gratitude, she had no need for it. Besides, she was not intimate with Ye Zisu and had no intention to be.

Ye Zisu did not know whether to laugh or cry, but she understood too. In fact, this was the natural disposition of the aristocrats of Aslan. However, she still expressed her gratitude for all her help.

The team members of Saruman Snake did not show up. Yan Xiaosu and the rest did not want to impose on them either. At a time like this, Wang Zheng would focus completely on the preparations for the battle. They had already come this far, so their focus would be on the championship.

On the contrary, Ai Xiaiolu came and joined them. At this stage, tactics were the least of their concerns. It was more about the determination and display of the team. The current Saruman Snake needed no encouragement. What needed to be researched had already been researched. The rest was up to them now.

Although they had not met often, they felt like good old friends. This was because they had a common center, and this made them closer.

There were also no barriers in communication with Jasper, Laurel, and Gabre. It was relaxed and casual. Laurel had also asked Luo Er along. They were now in the same boat.

Although Luo Er was the daughter of a rather high-ranking chancellor, circumstances had changed. This was why Luo Er could not be compared to Aina. Bloodlines could not be changed, but chancellorship in the Milky Way Alliance would. Recently, there had been unrest in the council in the Milky Way Alliance. Both Aslan and Arbiter were supporting their own people in the running for the chancellorship of the Milky Way Alliance. This was because Ryan's administration had not made a big difference in the situation for the Milky Way Alliance. Moreover, his support for the development of the under-developed federal government had also received great backlash. Now he was in a precarious state.

Luo Er could feel the obvious change in her friends around her. Many had begun to alienate her, or their characters had changed drastically. However, there were those who did not change, like Ai Xiaolu, Yan Xiaosu, and the rest. This had greatly impacted Luo Er. Friends that she had originally thought were good friends turned out to be not. Those that she got along well with but did not have close relationships with and had not known long turned out to be more reliable.

Initially, the conversation surrounded Wang Zheng and Saruman Snake. However, those present were obviously into politics and economics as well. Since Luo Er was around too, the topic naturally turned towards the issues of the election and the tough situations that were faced by Ryan.

"Luo Er is around today. Although our power is weak, we can't sit back and do nothing at a time like this. Chancellor Ryan played a pivotal role in keeping the peace in the Milky Way Alliance. As such, he has incurred the wrath of some strong nations. But this is the best choice for the Milky Way Alliance right now," said Ai Xiaolu.

The council election was something that only the powerhouse in the political and business world could be concerned with. Ai Xiaolu had the rights. So did Laurel, to a small extent, while the rest were just small fish.

Jasper and Gabre were obviously embarrassed. What could the insignificant them do?

Chapter 1263: Number One Master of SIG

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Luo Er smiles slightly. "Thank you, everyone. I really appreciate this. It is indeed a very difficult situation now. My father is mentally prepared. "

Luo Er was rather calm still. She had always been very low key. Maybe if Ryan was not the chief chancellor, it might be easier for her. Even if he was not in this position, their family was still rich and influential in Gemini. There would not be many changes. Of course, she also knew that in her father's current position, he was no longer concerned about the material things around him. Mostly, it was about achieving his political ideas. Right from the start, Ryan had firmly believed that what he had maintained was the best way for the development of mankind.

Monopoly by the stronger nations would eventually lead to the dominance of the stronger nations until it was beyond control.

However, imbalance seemed to be human nature and an inevitable outcome. This trend seemed to be something that Ryan could not stop. He had tried his best and the rest was up to God's will.

Luo Er was still very happy. But she soon steered the conversation back to Saruman Snake. This was something that they could do. Ryan's issues were too high a level for them. Even for Ai Xiaolu, her influence was limited. They might be able to lead something and make some contributions, but to really have any real controlling power was still a long time to come.

In fact, deep down in her heart, Luo Er felt that it might be a good thing for her father to take a break.

Ai Xiaolu also understood. Ai Xiaolu had a distinctive character. When she admired someone and believed that the person could be a good partner, she would want the best for them. It was true for Wang Zheng and Luo Er. Hence, she would consider the benefits for them too. This was the result of the nurturing of the Ai family since her childhood years. She would try her best in this matter. Unfortunately, her support was really limited. Of course, it was the thought that counted rather than whether she could really achieve it.

Luo Er's influence was key to the development of KO Group. If Ryan could not keep his position, it would be difficult for KO Group to become a top financial institution. This was because the traditional multinational companies that had relied on the few big empires had almost divided up all the territories. It was hard to move forward without political asylum. Merely getting a flight route was already that tormenting.

It was not hard to imagine how much more difficult it would be without Ryan in his position.

Unfortunately, the influence of the Solar System was not enough. The Hail Cloud Alliance had enough influence though. But KO Group's roots were not in the Hail Cloud Alliance. Ai Xiaolu could be considered as the military advisor of Wang Zheng. If Wang Zheng wanted to realise his ideals in the future, he would need to have the right to speak. KO Group already had the embryonic form, but the toughest was what was to come.

Actually, Luo Er understood Ai Xiaolu's intentions completely. However, this girl very often did not seem to understand herself. When she considered her needs, it was naturally because there was a mutual understanding. But mostly, it was still because of Wang Zheng. Thus, Luo Er felt that this was more real. She did not believe in love without reason.

Of course, this was not something that could have any outcome soon. For now, what was important was the finals for Saruman Snake.

Although they were considered very successful thus far, there was still a difference between the winner and the runner-up.

If they were the runner-up, then Saruman Snake would at best be remembered by people for a number of years. As time passed, they would be forgotten. But if they were the champions, they would be remembered by people for at least a decade. Similarly, their influence would definitely be different too. In view of the current situation, even becoming an eternal classic was not impossible.

Sword Shield Rose battle team…

Lin Feng… this line-up. The ambition of the Aslan Empire. This would really not be easy.

Aragorn's Soulless battle team did not enjoy any advantage in time, geographical, or social conditions. While they possessed ferocity, they lacked the flexibility. Atlantis' Sea Queen battle team had the talent but lacked the determination. Atlantis'"proactive aggression" was insufficient. However, Aslan's Sword Shield Rose battle team possessed the advantages of every team and had home ground advantage. They could just sit back and wait for things to take care of themselves!

When an empire's power and fortune accumulated to a certain extent, geniuses were bound to be born. It was seemingly accidental, but it was all preordained. Under the rule of Kashawen, Aslan had become strong, powerful, and prosperous. The atmosphere within the country was also top-notch. No top-ranking officials in any other country had as much self-discipline as Aslan. They did not rule out enjoying any luxuries, but they were proud of the elite model. This was the essence that gave birth to Lin Feng and his men of Sword Shield Rose.

This was the will of destiny.

Wang Zheng's appearance was more like going against heaven's will. Having come this far, both of them had the opportunity. The winner would take away the heaven's will of the loser.

As a man, if he fell, he could get up and start again. But destiny was different. Furthermore, the opportunities for both of them were not equal. Lin Feng could fail once. He possessed a lot to begin with, so he could continue. If Wang Zheng failed, he could still get by. But the peak that he had wanted to achieve would be greatly compromised.

Ai Xiaolu was very aware of this. So was Luo Er. Their births determined their outlook. Unlike Yan Xiaosu, Ye Zisu, and the rest, who could only see what was in front of them.

Wang Zheng had affected many people now.

Right now, in the training grounds of Saruman Snake, Lie Xin and Mu Zhen were battling hard. Internal sparring sessions were like real battles. Although they might not be able to comprehend anything immediately, at least they had to maintain their current form. Everyone had their own styles and thinking.

After practice, while wiping her sweat, Lie Xin noticed that Achilles was quietly reading a book instead. Everyone's choices were rather unique. Although Achilles had recovered, he had yet to undergo much intense training. He was mostly still adapting and then going back to reading.

What are you reading? You look so entranced," asked a Lie Xin.

Achilles smiled. "Dark philosophy."

Lie Xin was not interested in such things. Achilles was a weird person too. "Where's Wang Zheng? Is he still zoning out there? He's also not eating. Is this a starving rhythm?!"

"Keke. Wang Zheng should be meditating. Are you worried about him?"

"Geez… I'm concerned about the finals. Who the hell cares about you guys!" Lie Xin pouted her mouth. However, Achilles could see through her guilty conscience.

Putting down his book, Achilles turned and looked towards the direction where Wang Zheng was. Inside his room, Wang Zheng was as still as a statue.

For the first time, Wang Zheng could feel that Charcoal was indeed really competent. He had underestimated this squarish fellow.

He was having this training session because he had defeated Dina Atlas. This was because Lin Feng was much stronger than Dina Atlas.

Wang Zheng did not know how Charcoal knew, but after the battle with Dina Atlas, he was certain that Charcoal was not fooling with him.

Bonehead's training was focused on building the physical self, creating a strong foundation for himself. Charcoal said that he did not possess any power. However, in actual fact, the biggest power that Charcoal controlled was knowledge. It was just like when he gave him tips about the Primordial Regression Technique.

If Wang Zheng was hailed as a prodigy of the minor five elements, then Lin Feng was the super prodigy of the major five elements. This was achieved from the accumulated wealth and influence of the Aslan Empire. It was invested on Lin Feng. Of course, Lin Feng was also a natural-born genius. He could take it.

He would be calm and composed because he was strong both mind and strength. Hence, Lin Feng could be calm in dealing with everything, including teaching Lear a lesson without any concerns. This was because they were never at the same level, even from the beginning.

Chapter 1264: Discovery

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

In fact, before the semi-finals, Lin Feng was only a little interested in Wang Zheng. In fact, the difference in their strengths was still quite far apart. Lin Feng was the true number one master in SIG. He possessed the powers of the major five elements – metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, and light and darkness. He had fully mastered of them all. His practice was unknown; his true Ability X was also unknown. But it was imaginable that, with the power of the strongest country in the Milky Way Alliance, it was definitely the best.

Lin Feng and his team were really frightening if it was given serious thought.

If their opponent was not powerful enough, Lin Feng and the rest would not display their full potential. The Aslan people had never needed to show off excessively. Hence, even though Lin Feng had always been known as a prodigy, no one knew his true strength.

Powerful. This was what Wang Zheng had already felt, and it was increasing every day. After making a breakthrough of the Primordial Regression Technique Third Level Heaven, Wang Feng realised Lin Feng's true strength.

Prior to this, he had always believed that Aragorn was the strongest. In actual fact, this refined and cultured Lin Feng was the number one master in SIG.

"Light and darkness, in essence, is a consciousness that mankind generated based on their senses. It does not possess any value for existence. However, mankind is a very strange living organism. They use their own methods to understand the universe and derive power and strength. In reality, the minor five elements are the true fundamentals. However, to defeat Lin Feng, further improvements are still needed."

Said Charcoal. Wang Zheng needed to understand the power of the holy light and power of darkness. Only then, could he defeat Lin Feng

Mankind's spiritual power and physical strength were different from those of the Atlanteans. From Lin Feng's ease and comfort level in controlling many different powers, a rough estimation would be that his opponent was equal in strength with him, if not, even stronger.

Having come this far, he did not want to retreat. He did not want the trophy to slip through his fingers again. Lin Feng had his strengths, but so did Wang Zheng. The final outcome was still dependent on the actual performance during the battle and their determinations.

Except… where was darkness…

Back at the home base of the Sword Shield Rose battle team, Lin Feng and his team had not been at the base for the past few days. Instead, they had been training by themselves, focusing on their specialties. The resources that they could use were beyond what others could compare to.

The training ground was well-equipped. On the big screens were images of Wang Zheng and the rest. At the same time, all their detailed personal information was also provided.

It involved data relating to muscle strength, heartbeat, blood pressures, spiritual fluctuations, and many more factors. Furthermore, at the training grounds, a team of more than a hundred personnel were at their service.

Of course, for these few people, this was not a big deal.

"Sabot, make the introduction for everyone." Lin Feng and the other four were in the meeting room now.

Lin Feng was sitting upright. Qian Yunzhuo had spurned himself into the sofa and crossed his legs, not at all concerned about his image. "Big Boss, aren't you being too serious? You just get rid of Wang Zheng and leave the rest of the minions to us. Easy does it."

"Eve Litt, let's look at your opponent, Lie Xin, first."

Lie Xin's virtual image appeared. Sabot pointed at Lie Xin's body. "We have confirmed that Zhang Shan will not be able to take part in the match given his current condition. This means that Lie Xin will very likely be taking on one of the first three battles. Spiritual power is mid B-level. Earth-rank one, with a high possibility of Earth-rank two. Specialty is ancient martial arts – Lie Fire Technique and Flames of the Blazing Angel. Experienced in close range combat but somewhat weak in Ability X."

The virtual image began to move. A clear analysis of Lie Xin' speed, strength, and scale of burst power were derived from the data.

"We have analysed the cells. Active level is extremely high. It is equivalent to the level of genetic modifications. But the body has not gone through any genetic modifications or other modifications. Classified as normal human," said Sabot.

"The power of ancient martial arts making adjustments in the body isn't something special. Leave this one to me," said Eve Litt.

"My dear, if you lose this one, I'll shift my affection to another person," quipped Qian Yunzhuo.

Eve Litt could only lash out a word –"Scram!"

Lin Feng waved his hands and did not respond to Qian Yunzhuo. "Let's go with the flow for the last match. There is no need to hold back. Eve Litt, Lie Xin is a typical physical technique warrior. With physical techniques as the foundation, her Flames of the Blazing Angel come from within. The advantages and disadvantages of such flames are obvious. I won't go into details then. I'll leave her to you then."

"Yes, Captain," Eve Litt replied with a nod.

"Up next, Mu Zhen. From the sample, we have also done a detailed analysis of the cells and genes of the Tita giant. We've found a very intriguing thing. The vitality of the Tita giant is much higher than that of humans. To be exact, it is the highest among the different regular races in the Milky Way Alliance," said Sabot.

"Sabot, get to the point. Be more specific," said Ouyang Chuanyun.

"OK, my point is, vitality means the possibility of growth. This means that the possibilities of the Tita giants' growth are extremely high. So too is the malleability," said Sabot with a smile. "We should give a little more attention to Tita Star."

Lin Feng nodded. The data changed. Detailed data about Mu Zhen had appeared on the screen, from the basic to bursts values.

"Currently, we still do not have detailed data about the so-called real body of the Silver Titan. It should be a type of Ability X representation of the Tita giants. It's categorized under the wood element of the five elements."

"Leave this one to me," said Spreinil. For a tank, meeting such a giant would definitely arouse his predator instincts.

"Achilles, the brain of Saruman Snake. Successor of the Heavenly King Arts. From the Doyle ancestry and thus the descendant of Heavenly King family. He can be considered to be from a family that has a glorious history. Earth-rank two, Ability X is Gravitational Force. Composure is his greatest strength and he's a superb marksman," said Sabot. This was followed by a detailed introduction of Achilles.

This data was enough to show the greatness of Aslan. There was endless detailed physical data and other all-rounded information, from their childhood days till now. A clear understanding of a person may not have any direct relation to a battle. However, it could clear some mysteries surrounding them. This, in itself, provided a great psychological advantage.

"I'm somewhat interested in him. I'll take him then," said Ouyang Chuanyun. The Heavenly King family. They were old school. However, the Moon did indeed have its glory days. Back then, the Moon was as powerful as Aslan was now. Pity. They could only reminisce about their past.

"Snow Li. Ice properties, which is very special in the Hail Cloud Alliance. Born as the blessed one in the year of the Ice Dragon. Apparently, she could receive very strong powers. She had yet to have any solid performance. Earth-rank one, taking the sniper role. Nothing special."

Snow Li's data, from her X youth class, till IG, and to SIG, her performance appeared to be "average" according to all those present there.

"All of you have taken your picks. I'll take this gal then. I love deflowering," said Qian Yunzhuo as he jumped up. "What a hot body, soft and silky. Oh, Eve Litt, you're too cruel!"

Qian Yunzhuo grabbed the teapot directly and the heat made him shake his hands continuously. If it had hit him in the face, it would have meant disfiguration.

Just then, Wang Zheng appeared on the screen. Sabot seemed very excited too. "We did a detailed analysis of Wang Zheng's blood sample and tissue residue that were found on the broken mech. Guess what we've discovered?"

Chapter 1265: Choice

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Lin Feng and the rest were staring at Sabot. Everyone was curious as to why Wang Zheng was so strong, unless it was Earth's technology?

However, the normal strength of a reinforced cyborg would not have caught their attention.

Sabot shrugged. "Couldn't find anything."

Qian Yunzhuo almost fell from the sofa, "Sabot, are you looking for a beating? How could you not find anything!?"

Sabot smiled bitterly. "His cells and body's condition are normal; they would not differ much from that of a normal person. This is clearly abnormal. Most likely, there are deeper secrets hidden within his body."

"Aren't you just spouting nonsense? There is no one without any secrets. Wang Zheng came from Earth, and he would possess Earth's ancient arts. Moreover, he is close to Earth's progressive faction, which means he could have been nurtured by them. Who knows what's going on. However, the only thing I am sure of is that he would definitely not expose his secrets to us." Qian Yunzhuo found this guy ridiculous.

Sabot shrugged his shoulders helplessly. In actual fact, he wanted to capture Wang Zheng and dissect him. However, he could only imagine it. Lin Feng and the rest had obtained their strength from the results obtained by Aslan Empire's technology. From their bodies to their spirits, the Empire had given their greatest efforts to develop them. The strength may seem to be the result of effort and talent, but it was due to the efforts of the Empire that the five of them could take the fastest path to obtain their strength.

However, how had Wang Zheng managed to do it? As a natural human, with his mere strength, how could he have grown to this stage? Unless it was the strength of willpower mentioned in the legends?

No matter what, Wang Zheng was merely a decent example, as he would not be able to win against the Sword Shield Rose battle team – this was something Sabot was confident about. Lin Feng was the crystallization of Aslan's understanding about the universe. This involved not only an individual's talent, but the intelligence of countless individuals, and only Lin Feng had the opportunity and luck to be able to enjoy it.

Princess Aina represented the empire's future, whereas Lin Feng was the empire's strength, as well as sword and shield!

The video images of the five of them were constantly changing, according to the data collected and simulations, to eventually identify each person's weakness.

For example, Lie Xin. She would have a telltale sign whenever she switched from an attack using her hands to her legs – her centre of gravity would shift greatly. Even though these habits might be minor, if their opponents get a grasp on them, it would be critical in a fight, especially fights of this level.

Everyone had a weakness, even Wang Zheng. For example, Wang Zheng would use Leaning Landslide out of habit, which might be due to his thorough practice in this skill. Moreover, when he intended to use Leaning Landslide, his shoulder would lower slightly, and even if the action after deferred, the next skill used would definitely be Leaning Landslide.

All of this information was obtained through analyses of large amounts of data, and the accuracy for most information was as high ninety percent, and some information was even one hundred percent accurate.

This was the encompassing strength of Aslan, leaving no chance for their opponents.

This was the definition of a battle of wits and courage

Although there was some time until the finals, the Aslan crowd was raring to go. They were confident, and would naturally be eager to go on stage.

In comparison to Aslan, the conditions at Saruman Snake were much poorer. In fact, they were considered decent. At least Ai Xiaolu had managed to obtain some intelligence about their opponents. However, what could be done by Aslan's analysis system was not something that could be accomplished by a team or a conglomerate.

Saruman Snake did not care much about intelligence, as their battle style was not determined by the analysis of data – they were much more flexible than that. Humans were humans, both in their ability to adapt and unpredictability. At this stage, Achilles and the rest underwent transformations. Against the Aslan Empire, how far could they go?

In the distant Oracle Star, in the end, not everyone chose the dangerous path. The few people that stood next to Jay York heaved sighs of relief as Meng Tian did not fly into a rage, and they were slightly ashamed as well.

"Jay York, are we returning back to the Holy City?" Everyone was looking at him, as following the instructions of an Earth-rank fighter would never go wrong.

Jay York smiled. "Of course. We have to fill our bellies first before finding a suitable task. The more dangerous the place, the more we have to keep our heads clear and wait for reinforcements"

Everyone nodded their heads and completely agreed with what he had just said. Against such a huge organization with such power, they should just stay and wait for help. The Milky Way Alliance would not abandon them. As for what the mysterious organization was aiming for, it was not something they should be concerned about.

However, a trace of ruthlessness flashed in Jay York's eyes. His hand was on the titanium blade at his waist, with a cold smirk on his face.

Danger is everywhere!

Meng Tian and the rest advanced cautiously. Including Xie Yuxin, there were eight people in total. At this time, everyone maintained their cool, and only by doing so could they avoid attacks by the Thorn Forest. It was a form of practice for spiritual control.

This was their third day in the Thorn Forest, and they gradually grew accustomed to the laws of survival in the forest.

Spiritual fluctuations was how the thistles located their prey. Keeping that in mind, the Thorn Forest was not as scary as what they thought it to be.

Walking at the front, Xie Yuxin suddenly stopped and gave a hand signal for the rest to stay alert.

In front of them, a wave of mist drifted over to them.

Flickering white light shone through the white mist.

Everyone grew nervous. This was the first time they had encountered this situation.

"Brother Xie?"

Yuan Jing softly called for Xie Yuxin. After trekking through the Thorn Forest for three days, Xie Yuxin had won the trust of most people. At least while they are still within Thorns Forest, Yuan Jing felt that everyone is in the same boat, and distrust between each other would lower their chances of survival. Moreover, Xie Yuxin had the skills, especially when it came to spiritual control, and at least Yuan Jing could identify his full strength.

"Mist Killer. This is the result of a failed experiment. Everyone, be careful," Xie Yuxin calmly replied so that the rest would remain calm.

Over these three day, such dangers were not rare, and Xie Yuxin had managed to help everyone survive every single time.

Suddenly, a figure burst out of the white mist.

Roar…

Roaring crazily, in its hand was an alloy blade that had lost its luster, and the edge was full of dents. Looking at this person, if it couldn't really be called human – it seemed more like a zombie. The organization behind this was really dabbling in everything, and even failed experiments like this were fully made use of.

Taking the brunt of the charge was Xie Yuxin, who was at the front. The others felt that the experienced Xie Yuxin was just in the correct position to fend off the first attack.

Xie Yuxin casually took two steps back and drew the bayonet at his waist, the bayonet's movements were different from that of a regular person's. It was weird, but strangely, it hit the forehead of the Mist Killer straight on.

Chapter 1266: Survival

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The sharp, alloy bayonet effortlessly pierced through the Mist Killer's skull and into the brain. However, the expected scene of blood spurting everywhere didn't happen. All they heard was the sound of something being punctured, and suddenly, the huge head deflated like a punctured basketball. Xie Yuxin twisted his bayonet and saw a strange bug, about the size of an infant's fist, struggling for awhile on the bayonet before dying.

Before everyone could clearly identify the strange bug, more Mist Killers appeared, crazily roaring while charging out from the white mist.

The sight of hundreds of them charging out made three of the weakest member in the team nervous, and this was not something they could control.

Suddenly, the Thorn Forest, which was originally peaceful, sensed the nervous emotions and suddenly grew alive. Countless thistles started moving like Medusa's snake hair, and were magically waving in the air.

"Calm down, these Mist Killers are being controlled like zombies, and they are of no threat to us. Meng Tian, freeze the thistle's ability to sense us! After that, control everyone's emotions. Mengha, do what you need to do. Yuan Jing, follow me."

Xie Yuxin's cold voice stabilized everyone's emotions, and what helped to further stabilize their emotions was the countless strikes by Xie Yuxin's bayonet. One after another, the Mist Killers that charged towards him fell at his feet. The only special thing about these creatures was their lack of fear of death. As long as they remained calm, it was not hard to kill them. They should only be worried about messing up by letting the bloodthirsty thistles join in the battle- that's when they would face true danger. Xie Yuxin knew that it was the large group that allowed these creatures to track their scent.

"Ge Ping, follow tight. I'm going to try to break through, keep up with me." Yuan Jing brought in another member with him to join in the fight. The scene was like bringing a gun to a sword fight; there was not a single Mist Killer who could get near him.

Meng Tian moved to the back. Facing the awakened thistles, the cold ice turned into a stream of energy, causing the area around her to be cold. This reduced the activity of the thistles and caused them to be less sensitive to spiritual fluctuations.

At the same time, Mengha was standing in front of the three members that had triggered the thistles' attack. "Calm down, don't move recklessly, and if you can't do it, just lie low on the ground!"

Clearly, Mengha was unwilling to do something like this. However, Xie Yuxin's reasoning made sense. In this team, he was the most handsome and the most eye-catching, which was the easiest way to grab their attention.

In the end, Men agreed to this, as he was responsible for the rear. At his current position, he couldn't support Meng Tian any time soon.

As the heart rates of the three members calmed down, alongside the interference of the cold, the magical thistles unwillingly calmed down.

In the main battlefield, after killing dozens of Mist Killers, the Mist Killers finally retreated.

However, the mist did not dissipate – it slowly spread throughout the forest.

"Don't zone out. Change to multi-functional goggles and we will move out after resting for ten minutes."

Xie Yuxin's faint voice sounded as if he had just had his afternoon tea. He was observing everyone's conditions spiritually. Their conditions were not considered to be good. Ge Ping's wound from yesterday had opened up again. Even though they were at the point where they could no longer advance, the ten minutes of rest time was meant for him.

Amongst the white mist, a pair of cold, blue eyes was watching everything that was happening in the forest.

At the same time, the white mist that hid the Mist Killers did not only appear where Xie Yuxin and the rest were.

Hidden behind the dangers of the Thorn Forest was opportunity, and numerous teams would find their opportunities.

In actuality, the luck of Xie Yuxin and the rest was not bad, as the Mist Killers were made from failed experiments and corpses, and the bugs that controlled them were a new type of brainworm experimental product that could use either the living or the dead as a host. The strength of the Mist Killers depended on the host's strength when they were alive. The rest might not have known, but Xie Yuxin's ability allowed him to know what was happening. If it was a puppet with no consciousness, it would be something even he could control. However, this was something he could no longer control. The Sacred Religion was indeed evil. Even on the Oracle Star, it opened his eyes to the extent to which they would go to for research and to obtain strength, as well as a range of experiments, which was terrifying. From technology to ancient arts, including Ability X, and even occult science, the power of prediction, as well as others.

Fear?

It was something that Xie Yuxin did not possess. There were plenty of times where he was not even interested in life. Him and Wang Zheng were opposites of each other. Wang Zheng was passionate about life, whereas Xie Yuxin is simply disinterested. He liked to explore dangerous places.

In the white mist, Xie Yuxin and the rest managed to evade deadly encounters one after another. When the opponents were manageable, they would fight them. For other encounters, Xie Yuxin and the rest would constantly be moving. Sometimes they would even move throughout the different areas. Xie Yuxin gradually earned the trust of the rest. If not for him, even with Earth-rank fighters would have turned into one of the Mist Killers. Thinking about how the bugs would dig deep into their brains made them shudder in fear.

A trace of surprise flashed in Yun Hai's eyes. Due to specific arrangements, they had managed to evade danger. Even for the few encounters, those they encountered were normal rank Mist Killers. If this occurred once, it could be due to chance. For the second time, it could be luck, but if it occurred thrice…

Ability X user? It could be due to that.

As their gazes flickered, thicker white mist swept toward Xie Yuxin in larger amounts…

When the Mist Killers charged out of the second wave of mist, Xie Yuxin's expression finally changed. His prediction was no longer effective. To be more accurate, he was too striking, and someone was clearly targeting him!

From the start till the end, Xie Yuxin did not feel that everything in this forest was natural. To put it simply, this was just an experiment by the organization behind all of this. They were simply pawns, and if their chances of survival were simply up to luck, they had to struggle to survive.

Suddenly, everyone was in a fierce battle, with no means of retreat available for them. The white mist surrounded them, preventing them from escaping.

"Group up! Defensive formation!"

Shen Liang was slow by one step, and dozens of Mist Killers surrounded him. All they heard was his cry, and no one could see what had happened to him, as more Mist Killers surrounded them.

Kill. Kill. Kill…

Even in a situation as chaotic as this, Xie Yuxin kept his cool and continued giving out commands. His commands were quick and precise. In the team, there were experts as well, but Yuan Jing and Mengha were no longer making their own judgments, but were following Xie Yuxin's commands. Together with Meng Tian's control over the situation, and Xie Yuxin's incisiveness, they managed to fend off the attack.

The Mist Killers proficient in physical techniques were faced by Yuan Jing and Mengha. These Mist Killers were the real threat. If you attacked these high ranking Mist Killers mindlessly, you would be seeking death.

Yuan Jing and Mengha's bodies had bloody wounds everywhere. Yuan Jing's condition was worse – had taken a direct blow on his forehead. It was fortunate that his defense abilities were shockingly high. His opponent, with its energy spent, had stuck knife on his head, while the Mist Killer was blown to pieces by Yuan Jing's one punch.

Kill. Kill. Kill…

This was indeed a chaotic battle, and after an hour long battle, the team miraculously survived.

Chapter 1267: Heaven rank

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After everything settled down, almost everyone immediately fell to the ground. The blunt knife remained on Yuan Jing's forehead. His bloody figure looked closer to that of an evil ghost than a human. Meng Tian helped Yuan Jing with his wounds. The blood was flowing nonstop. The good thing was that freezing the wounds helped stop bleeding. At this point, they could not care much about the methods used. Four people were covered in wounds, and they looked no better than ghosts. However, their gazes were firm, and only through battle were people able to grow.

The moment they were taken captive, they knew their fate. There was no such thing as luck. In order to survive, they would have to struggle, no matter how slim the chances may be.

In Thorn Forest, they could still see daylight, but daytime was always too short. The stars had just began to tilt towards the horizon, and sunlight disappeared from the forest. In a forest shrouded in darkness, this made the danger harder to detect.

Xie Yuxin took out a glow stick from his bag, gently twisted it, and it emitted cold, white light, similar to that of a luminescent plant, which did not trigger a reaction from the Thorn Forest. However, the truth was, in this battlefield, there was no longer the need to be this cautious, as the nearby thistles, after digesting the bodies of countless Mist Killers, had fallen asleep. Before they finish digesting the bodies, they would not attack anyone.

Seeing the light, those that could move started struggling to stand up. After surrounding the glow stick, began to sit down or lie down to catch their breath.

Meng Tian found Shen Liang's belongings. He was such a huge person, and all that was left was his military badge.

"Boss, it seems like Ge Ping is not going to make it!"

Meng Tian, who was in a daze and holding onto Shen Liang's military badge, carefully put the badge away and jogged over to Ge Ping.

Huo Dong and Kang Siqi helplessly looked at Ge Ping, who was vomiting blood. They had no idea what to do.

The two of them were standard examples of people who dragged the team down. For the past few days, it was mainly Ge Ping who had taken care of them.

After Ge Ping vomited blood, his senses became clearer. Looking at Huo Dong and Kang Siqi, he smiled. "Why are y'all crying? The both of you had better survive, or I will die in vain."

"Ge Ping, please stop talking! Save your energy, nothing will happen to you!" Huo Dong's expression was pale, his fists clenched – he hated himself for being useless.

"Old Huo, Siqi, you must leave this place together with Captain, must… live… on"

Ge Ping puked out another mouthful of blood and then his chest heaved up and down vigorously. On his pale face, a touch of red could suddenly be seen, and everyone's hearts sank. The final moments of lucidness before death.

Ge Ping turned his head to look at Meng Tian.

"Leader…"

"Don't say anything." Meng Tian did not know what to do either. With a healing capsule, the injury that Ge Ping had sustained would be healed in an hour. However, over here, there was nothing. All they could do was watch their teammates collapse and die.

"Leader, can't you smile for me one more time…"

Meng Tian was stunned.After a deep breath, she calmly gave a smile that seemed nothing like a smile.

The redness on Ge Ping's face grew even redder. "How pretty…"

Thank you, for letting me stay by your side, like a warrior.

Thank you, for letting me fight for you, like a knight.

Thank you, for letting me die for you, like a hero.

Huo Dong and Kang Siqi charged towards Xie Yuxin. The two were clearly weaker than Xie Yuxin, an Earth-rank warrior.

"Why did you bring us here!?"

Xie Yuxin did not retaliate, but silently accepted it. The ending was predetermined, but it was a choice he had to make.

Mengha pulled away the furious Huo Dong and Kang Siqi, looking at Xie Yuxin. "Don't be like this. Xie Yuxin may have made a cruel choice, but it was definitely the right one. From the moment we became soldiers, we were prepared to die. At least for our brothers, we make sure their deaths are glorious ones. Stop crying and don't go on a rampage. You two aren't battle types, but both of you have your strengths. If we are to make it out alive, we will need your strength, so you had better live on!"

Three days later…

The six of them stood in an ancient temple, covered in wounds.

"We are here." Xie Yuxin looked at the temple's floor. It had patterns similar to Atlantis' rune formations. His expression was calm. They had finally arrived.

No one cheered. After surviving through so much, the six of them had changed. They kept their feelings hidden in the deepest corners of their hearts.

They no longer blamed Xie Yuxin. In the past few days, they met other teams in the forest, and even saw teams with dozens of members being annihilated. The screams and cries remained etched their heads. Without Xie Yuxin, they would have joined the Mist Killers a long time ago.

Bang…

Suddenly, the seemingly tattered rune formations lit up. Everyone was on guard, while Xie Yuxin remained expressionless.

From the rune formations, an old man wearing a gray robe appeared. The expressions of Meng Tian and the rest changed, especially Yuan Jing and Mengha's, who got ready to fight. This was a person from the organization behind all of this. Luckily, Xie Yuxin stopped their childish actions in time.

"Not bad. Being able to find this place proves that all of you have earned the right to progress. Follow me."

The gray-robed old man said plainly. He then turned around and walked towards the inside of the temple.

"This is… Atlantis' skill?" Yuan Jing asked curiously while rubbing the wound on his forehead, which had yet to recover. This had become a habit of his.

"The rune formations are merely decorations. Behind it is a type of spatial transmission skill. The skills held by the organization are much stronger than what we had thought," Xie Yuxin simply summarized. Even though he was not an expert on space technology, his knowledge was deeper than that of the others in this aspect.

Mengha's eyes gleamed. "Is he from the Sacred Religion? He seems like someone important, why don't we…"

Xie Yuxin gave a wry smile. "Do you think people actually care about us?"

Everyone was stunned, and suddenly felt that they were being childish. The old man had appeared so freely and casually showed his back to them. It was clear that he did not think much of them.

However, they could not feel any strength from the old man. This could mean only one thing – either he was a highly skilled expert, or he had nothing to fear. From what they knew about the organization, it would most likely to be the former.

With his back facing them, the old man smiled slightly and ignored them. As they moved further into the temple, the old man did not say anything, and easily undid everyone's wristbands. Everyone heaved sighs of relief, some were even excited. The momentary spiritual fluctuations did not escape the old man.

The old man had more of his attention on Xie Yunxin, but he did not say anything. After finishing what he had done, he stepped into a warp portal and disappeared once again.

The six of them looked at each other. Even though they had yet to escape danger, they had managed to obtain their freedom. What they were feeling was indescribable.

"Yuxin, does the old man know you?" Meng Tian suddenly asked.

Xie Yuxin shrugged his shoulders. "My wristband was undone by him as well. Although I don't know what rank he may be in the Sacred Religion, he is definitely not a normal person. Actually, I wanted to attack him initially, but… there was no chance for me."

Chapter 1268: Nearly insane

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Yuan Jing was stunned. "What level exactly is he at? Your usage of spiritual power is the best I have ever seen – even an Earth-rank two can't be compared to you, but that old man…"

"Even if he is an Earth-rank, I am afraid he is at the peak of Earth-rank. Moreover, on Oracle Star, there is a Heaven-rank expert guarding over it."

The rest were instantly shocked. This meant that even if the Milky Way Alliance sent reinforcements, they would be useless against a Heaven-rank expert. Any form of struggle would be useless, unless the reinforcements were of the same rank.

The Heaven-rank experts were mostly hidden away, and they were not forces that the Milky Way Alliance could control. They hid themselves in various empires, and in the interest of the various empires, no empire would want to send in their Heaven-rank experts, as they could not afford it.

This was beyond them, and the joy they had from regaining their freedom suddenly vanished.

Xie Yuxin felt that everyone was demoralized, and he smiled wryly. "This is not as serious you think it is. We still have a chance to leave, and there is more than one way, but the last option is our last resort."

Meng Tian suddenly felt that both Xie Yuxin and Wang Zheng were similar. Regardless of their opponents, and how strong the opponents may be, you would never sense despair or the thought of giving up from them. The only difference would be that Wang Zheng was passionate, while Xie Yuxin was too calm and rational, just like a robot.

In the distant Aslan Empire, the SIG finals that everyone had their eyes on was about to begin. For the finals, more than twenty thousand higher education colleges had the broadcasting rights. If not for the fact that SIG was a special event, there would be even more broadcast channels, and the streaming channels would be countless. If this was an internal match between Aslan Empire and the Arbiter Republic, it would be good enough if they received equivalent to half the attention of this SIG, as this would not be the first time, nor the last. Everyone had heard enough of Aslan, Arbiter, Atlantis, Manalasuo, and the rest. Could no one break through to their level?

Indeed, in the past, no one had managed to. The dark horses failed at the top four, and entering the finals would be impossible. The bigger the event, the more likely this was to be true. For those who made it by chance, they would most likely be annihilated.

However, this time, a super dark horse had emerged, overcoming all obstacles in its path. You have to know, this was not simply due to luck. On the contrary, this was the dark horse with the worst luck in history. Before they could stand proudly on the arena, they had to overcome countless opponents who had the ability to reach the finals.

That was the Saruman Snake battle team!

"Regardless of the final results, the Saruman Snake battle team will become a milestone in SIG's history!"

"I feel that the Saruman Snake battle team will be able to win. Only winners are able to reach this stage. If they get rid of Aslan, they will be the greatest miracle in all military schools' 50 years of history. Today, I am on the side of the Earthlings!"

"Wang Zheng's appearance has awakened the memories I had of my home planet. When I was young, I once went to Earth. It was a beautiful planet. My ancestors were Earthlings, and even though it was many generations ago, when I stepped onto Earth, my heartbeat changed. It was a mysterious feeling. I have always believed that if there were miracles, they must originate from Earth!"

"There is still some time before the match begins. Let us recap the path to the finals for both teams. In comparison, the Sword Shield Rose battle team's path to the finals was rather smooth sailing, while the Saruman Snake battle team's path could be described as 'full of disasters.' As everyone can see, they have really been down on their luck. Every single battle they had was against a seeded team. Who knows how those people from Aslan arranged it, but all that is no longer important. Now, what everyone can see is that the Saruman Snake battle team is about to stand on the finals stage. For the finals, not in the interest of the Versailles Empire, but from the bottom of my heart, I hope that the the Saruman Snake battle team will emerge victorious!"

The military schools from each country had their own hosts, expressing their own viewpoints and analyses of the match, including comments for every single team member. It may be just a warm up, but in actuality, it represented the thoughts and opinions of most people in the colleges.

As the provider of information, the Aslan Empire had specialized individuals to help tabulate the results. Jondi Lilick and Si Jiali were stunned by the huge amounts of data collected.

With as high as 76% support, the Saruman Snake battle team won over the Sword Shield Rose battle team.

The results favored the Milky Way Alliance. Otherwise, the Aslan Empire would not have done it behind closed doors. They had the confidence as Aslan had always been the most popular country, the sacred land that everyone desired, a heaven for democracy. And as the master of all battles, it represented the dreams of many people. That was the reason why no one hoped that the Aslan Empire battle team would lose.

However, today, the status quo was broken as a new generation of idols emerged, all because of one person, yes, a student named Wang Zheng!

The deeper you dig, the more you research, the existence of this individual provides strength for countless hopeful individuals, regardless of which country, even inside Aslan, especially amongst the common people. Even though Aslan's nobilities did well, it was undeniable that they enjoyed the best treatment, and what they received was not what common people could compare themselves to. Looking at the Sword Shield Rose battle team, you could tell, as it is made up of only those of nobility and royalty.

If the common people managed to receive the same treatment as them, would they be as strong? This was something no one could tell. However, it was possible. Wang Zheng's appearance was like throwing a stone into the calm surface of a lake. The sound might quickly fade, but the ripples would continue.

It was clear that an individual's pride for their country was important. However, judging by the votes from the Aslan Empire, 89% of the voters supported the Sword Shield Rose battle team. This was unprecedented as it was the first time that the votes supporting them did not go past 90%, with a tenth of their students supporting this Earthling called Wang Zheng.

During the semi finals, the arena of the Knights of Light was filled with people, and it was worse for the finals. Some people started camping outside the arena three days ago just to get a better spot, as not everyone could enter the arena, although the outside was decent as well. Even though the number of people was being controlled, there were still over three million people who made it to the arena. The Aslan Empire had to mobilize the military police to maintain public order, and this was the situation with the number of people being kept in check. Some were from the Aslan Empire, while others were fans who came from all over the galaxy.

In the air, dozens of helicopters were patrolling, and at the same time, planes continuously flew past them. There were simply too many people. For them, this was a festival.

The inside of the arena was packed with people. Jondi Lilick and Si Jiali had done quite a few interviews in the past few days, and even had a program specially made for them, as they were the hosts of the competition. For the competitions, Si Jiali had to be on the side of her own country – she was a Sword Shield Rose battle team supporter and Jondi Lilick was clearly a Saruman Snake supporter. As Manalasuo's captain, it was not the first time he had expressed his intentions to fight together with Wang Zheng, but no one looked down on him for that and instead were impressed by him; even those in Manalasuo were impressed too.

Wang Zheng did not just represent the dreams of an individual, but the countless people who wanted go against the dream monopolized by the Aslan Empire. It could be said that at this moment, they stood together with Wang Zheng and Saruman Snake.

Chapter 1269: Road to Greatness

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Perhaps fate was really teasing him. The original reason why Wang Zheng had fought so hard and to continue doing so even now was because of the most beautiful princess of the Aslan Empire, Aina.

The most ironic person now was Kashawen. If the Prime Minister had not stimulated Wang Zheng so much, perhaps things might not have turned out this way. Many a time, a person's potential was released because of such pressure.

Kashawen was still calm. As usual, she was still very sure of herself. In fact, there were some acute media sources from various countries that had directly accused Kashawen of using this year's SIG as a show for Aslan, to showcase their might to the world. However, it had been sabotaged by a fellow named Wang Zheng. If Wang Zheng were to defeat the Sword Shield Rose in the end, then it would be the first time in history that Kashawen was downrightly defeated by anyone.

Recently, whenever Kashawen attended any functions, she would be asked what would happen if Aslan were to lose.

Lose?

What a joke! Aslan would never lose!

Aina was around too. Today was indeed a very important day for her. It was also a very conflicting day. She had always been a princess, performing her never-ending duties. However, today she just wanted to cheer for the person that she loved.

Princess Lin Huiyin was also all dressed up. The two princesses had very different styles, but were both irresistible. The VIP seats were filled with star-studded guests for the match – several major forces of the Aslan Empire, the prince of Atlantis, the politicians of Arbiter, Manalasuo, among others. Ye Bingwen had shown up too. Initially, he did not qualify, but because Wang Zheng was in the battlefield today and since he was a representative of Earth, Ye Bingwen was now qualified.

When the cameras went on Ye Bingwen, the commentators on Aslan's side naturally had to make an introduction. This was the first time Ye Bingwen had made an appearance in the international stage. His appearance received countless cheers. This was because at this moment, he was representing Earth. And because of Wang Zheng, Earth had never felt more proud.

As a politician, Ye Bingwen was feeling very excited. For him, wealth and power were not very important. His daughter was very outstanding and capable. He had no worries there. Now, all he wanted was to realize his political dreams and awaken Earth!

In the Solar System, upon seeing Ye Bingwen, countless students applauded. Right now, anyone who represented the Solar System would be greatly supported.

Only by standing there would they realise how important and great their country was.

On the big screens, the cameras were turned to the outside of the arena. The splendour of the occasion surpassed anything heretofore seen. Looking ahead, it was an endless expanse of crowd.

From a close-up, a group of naked men… To be more accurate, they were topless. Ten men had joined together with body paintings of a giant image of the Saruman Snake!

Showing off their muscles, they were howling non-stop at the cameras. Saruman Snake was the strongest!

These were undoubtedly the manic supporters of Saruman Snake.

All the countries had also done a last minute dash on their knowledge about saruman snakes. It was a kind of gigantic animal from the Titatitan Star. At the same time, they also introduced the unique sceneries of Titatitan Star. The exposure rates were beyond imagination. Many had expressed interest in traveling to Tita Star.

This madness alone was enough to make Jasper and the rest feel dizzy. These "second generation wealthy" individuals had never had such an experience. They could barely contain their crazy excitement to be personally involved. The mere thought that they were people who could have meals with Wang Zheng made them dizzy with happiness. Of course, they also knew that the real boss of KO was Wang Zheng. This man was like a god.

They had an irrational superstition for Wang Zheng. Not that they were not rational, but they were willing to allow this madness to continue. They enjoyed this madness. This madness gave them something to pursue. It gave then to motivation to live on; to live well and achieve something great.

This was faith.

Similarly, these were influences by Yan Xiaosu and Ye Zisu, especially Yan Xiaosu. This fat guy was a born believer. There was nothing that Yan Xiaosu could ask for in this life. His only hope was to witness the moment Wang Zheng stood at the peak. He believed that Wang Zheng would one day become the most remarkable person in the world. If he could live till that day, it would be the happiest moment in his life.

He would tell everyone that he was the one who made a vow with Wang Zheng by the side of the lake in the academy back in the days.

Today was the SIG finals. This was the first step and the most important step.

Wang Zheng… fighting!

Fatty screamed at the top of his voice. This scream silenced the crowd. Suddenly, the entire arena seemed to be lit. This name seemed to possess some magical spell. It brought out everyone's uncontrollable inner fanaticism. The arena began to heat up. Following closely, hundreds of people outside the area also began to heat up..

Countless hosts from different countries were also infected by this scene. Sometimes, infection was the scariest. If not for the sheer number of people, this could not have happened – to have such cheers even before the appearance of a person. Meanwhile, on the outside, due to the sheer number of people and excessive fanaticism, cases of anaerobic fainting occurred successively…

But Aslan was really good in handling such situations. The emergency response teams were already on standby. Those who had fainted were quickly transported overhead by the surrounding people, and out of the way.

"A name alone is enough to make people go crazy."

"Yes, Wang Zheng has created a miracle. If Saruman Snake wins the championship, then maybe this year might be named as the Year of Wang Zheng."

The highlights of Wang Zheng's battles were being broadcasted once again. This time, his defeat of Atlantis was added in as well. The situations both on the inside and outside of the arena, and the comments from every aspect after the match, had created a great contagious effect. As such, some artistic feel had been added too. This could not be helped because miracles and counter attacks were far and few in between in this world. Wang Zheng had achieved this. Mankind had hoped that this would exist.

Wang Zheng had satisfied all of these, especially when he was so legendary as well. A college student who was the winner of the physics award and the youngest member of the Genesis Coffee Club!

Not many people knew what kind of an organisation the Genesis Coffee Club was. But they were literate. Genesis Coffee Club, the most prestigious alliance of scientists of the Milky Way Alliance. There were only a few dozen members, and each one was the most outstanding person in their respective field of studies. Born geniuses. Each one of them could lead mankind forward.

And Wang Zheng was one of them.

What did this mean then? It meant that beside being the greatest warrior, Wang Zheng was also a great scientist!

The people did not know the details and inside stories, and they need not need to know either. All they needed to know was that Wang Zheng was one of the members.

All of this made Wang Zheng seem even more legendary. This was no longer a specific propaganda for a person, but the creation of a god!

Kashawen was extremely unhappy about this. However, she could not stop this. She was only the prime minister of the Aslan Empire, not the prime minister of the Milky Way Alliance. She was even afraid to interfere with the internal affairs of the Aslan Empire because any of her actions would be magnified. She could not handle the fact that she might be known as a prime minister of Aslan who was narrow-minded and all.

Chapter 1270: We are the Champions of the World (Supplement 1)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The finals were different from the earlier matches. In the past, all the competitors would be given a brief introduction. But in the finals, in the highly anticipated last match, all the warriors who had reached here would be given a chance to come onto the stage.

Suddenly, the sky darkened. To be exact, the roof of the Knights of Light arena had been closed. The arena was now in darkness. The emergency lights gradually began to light up all around. The audience on the outside also realized this. Obviously, the rhythm was different from the past. But what was the purpose of closing the roof?

Suddenly, the lights lit up, focusing on the stage. To be exact, it was focused on one person.

The moment this person appeared the entire arena clapped. This was the second princess of the great Aslan Empire, Huiyin Lin Aslan!

The Princess was wearing the military uniform of the Aslan army. This was the first time the gentle, young princess had shown the other side of herself. When the music began to play, everyone quieted down. In the center of the Knights of Light arena was a gigantic image of Huiyin. Regardless of the size of the image, Huiyin was still so beautiful.

When Huiyin was on the stage, there was no need for any complement. She was everything.

We are the champions.

I've paid my dues

Time after time

…..

But I've come through

We are the champions – my friends

And we'll keep on fighting – till the end

We are the champions

We are the champions

No time for losers

Cause we are the champions – of the world

Both the inside and outside of the arena seemed to be in a state of fanaticism after the first verse was sung. This was a rare attempt by Huiyin of such an explosive song. The young Princess also did her best to be explosive. And this was a true portrayal of SIG. Ultimately, we were all here for the champions of the world!

The final battle. Who would be crowned the champion of the world?

When the song finally ended, the entire arena was already boiling over. Countless cheers were dedicated to Lin Hui Yin. At the same time, the lights were turned to the commentary box, to Jondi Lilick and Si Jiali.

Jodi Lilick looked very handsome today yet again. "Thank you, Princess Huiyin for the song 'Champions of the World'. So, who will be crowned the champions of the world? Shout out loud who you think will be the champions of the world!"

Jondi Lilick shouted with the strength of his Earth-rank power. He did not have to use the microphone. His voice definitely burst through to the outside of the arena. In an instant, everyone in the arena shouted whom they thought would be their champions of the world.

"Let us now introduce the lineups for today's battle. Up first, in the upper half of the table – the Sword Shield Rose battle team – Knight of Holy Light Ouyang Chuanyun, the vanguard warrior of Sword Shield Rose. Supporters of Sword Shield Rose, let's us hear your generous applause!"

Ouyang Chuanyun took the stage. Regardless of their status and how they felt, only when they were standing on such an arena and facing the audiences could they understand such feelings.

That was right. They were here to become the champions of the world!

As Ouyang Chuanyun took the stage, his full body image appeared in the air. Ouyang Chuanyun obviously had quite a number of fans. SIG had been going on for a long time, and they had all garnered quite a number of supporters.

"The second person representing Sword Shield Rose is the all-rounded tank, Spreinil. He possessed the most comprehensive all-rounded tank techniques, the impregnable tower of Sword Shield Rose!"

With a super leap, Spreinil jumped onto his spot on the stage. He looked very overbearing, which sent the entire arena into loud cheers instantly.

"The third person is Qian Yunzhuo. The physical techniques expert of Sword Shield Rose!"

The usually animated Qian Yunzhuo did not make any playful moves. Instead, he walked up the stage in the conventional way and enjoyed the cheering from the audience.

The fourth person to come on was Eve Litt. A girl. Especially since she was a beautiful lady, she received even more cheers from the audience.

"Up next is the captain of Sword Shield Rose. The prince of the Aslan Empire. A super genius who can only be seen in a hundred years, the perfect warrior, Lin Feng!"

The last person to take the stage for Sword Shield Rose was Lin Feng. He was a typical handsome and rich man. He was perfect even in the way he walked. His appearance sent the cheers to the peak. Lin Feng indeed had a lot of supporters. Before this, he had already been chosen as the dream lover of a lot of young ladies in Aslan. But this SIG had introduced Lin Feng to the world stage. Unlike Saruman Snake, who had been stumbling along the way while risking their lives, Lin Feng had portrayed the demeanor of a king. He had crushed everyone on his way to the finals, fully displaying his strength and elegance. There was still a lot of people who liked such a strong and impeccable personality in this era.

The lineup of Sword Shield Rose had completed. Standing on the side, the lights dimmed. Following closely, the lights on the left lighted up. Si Jiali's voice sounded. "Coming up next is the other team in the finals: Saruman Snake. First up is the vanguard of Saruman Snake, Achilles. The handsome prince from the Moon!"

In the Saruman Snake battle team, Achilles was the only one that could be comparable to the Sword Shield Rose in terms of disposition. The meticulous disposition of the people from the Moon was indeed very similar to that of Aslan.

Achilles took the stage. He was wearing the military uniform of the Moon. For this final, he wanted to fight for his motherland. The man from the Moon, Achilles!

It was just a uniform, but it made every person on the Moon teary instantly. It had been a very long time since they had been included in such top-tier competition. The people from the Moon were finally back!

The honor and the craze were indescribable.

"The second person from Saruman Snake, the one and only tank who used his physical body to take on a mech warrior – Mu Zhen from Titatitan Star!"

Mu Zhen's unique, towering build appeared in front of everyone's field of vision. Even the holographic image seemed extraordinarily mighty. Today, Mu Zhen was topless. He was wearing the traditional costume of what the Titans would wear during the Titans' annual ceremony of the Battle of the Brave. Those solid and explosive muscles were telling the world what strength meant!

In the five big cities in Tita Star, in all the pubs, the Titans and humans are socializing together. Some were sitting on the shoulders of the giants. Everyone was toasting for Mu Zhen. This was because the Titans were no longer the small and insignificant planet at the unnoticeable corner of the Milky Way Alliance. They had their own warrior standing at the biggest stage, battling for honor. Without a doubt, Mu Zhen had become the most well-known star on Tita Star.

Following closely behind was Lie Xin, the hot and sexy scout. Naturally, Lie Xin was wearing the field army uniform of Mars. Coupled with her feminine figure and long legs, she was indeed very sexy.

Back on Mars, at this moment, the Lie family were actually extremely nervous. When this moment finally arrived, it was like a dream for the Lie family.

The fourth person was the sniper of Saruman Snake, Snow Li, who was born in the year of the Ice Dragon Dancing. When Snow Li stood beside Lie Xin, it became a beautiful scene.