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Chapter 465: METAL Mechanic

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Boss, Oh... Ah... Everyone is here." When Tan Bu and Lun Duo stormed into the meeting room, they found out that all the top fighters of the Battle Wolf were in the room with Guan Dongyang.

"What's the hurry?" After five years of fighting an uphill battle, Guan Dongyang had matured into a calm and imposing commander. As one of the top warriors on Mars, Guan Dongyang had made a name for himself thanks to his powerful Mastery.

"Boss, Duo Lun had saved a METAL mechanic out here in the wasteland, a furry-faced dude. He fixed half of our damaged METAL suits. I have tried them on myself, and they work!" Tan Bu announced excitingly.

"Really? I have never heard of such talent before." Pen Bo said incredulously. He never liked the carelessness in Tan Bu.

"It's true! Zi Ye has seen it as well. I say, why don't we do the Blaze Company a favor and help them fix their METAL? Maybe, they won't be so disgruntled about us taking the lead position during the assault."

Guan Dongyang exchanged a glance with the other leaders and said calmly, "OK, I will deal with it later. You can leave now."

Duo Lun and Tan Bu nodded and left the room. They were grateful for this opportunity of being the bearer of great news. However, Guan Dongyang was not as excited about this news as the other two had expected. A little favor such as fixing the METAL would not be enough to quell the other factions' thirst for power. In addition, he doubted that one mechanic would be able to take care of all the damaged METAL suits. Nonetheless, the news brought some comfort to him: a capable mechanic was never a bad thing.

"I have heard that Michaux has made another huge advancement in his cultivation. This time, he did it solely with soul energy." Pen Bo announced. Although Pen Bo was older than Guang Dongyang, he was not as talented as the young warrior.

"We owe our existence to the Divine Master Sect. We should be grateful."

"Touché! What a talented mastery warrior, that one! It would be hard pressed to find anyone more powerful than him in the recent hundred years." Pen Bo exclaimed.

Guan Dongyang shook his head. He used to know someone who was much more powerful than Michaux. If that person was still alive, this war might not be a lost cause like it had been for the past five years.

Patroclus didn't give the human a chance. Eliminating his only worthy challenger was the first thing that Patroclus had done after the Zergs tainted him. Although the Templar's court was still struggling against Patroclus' rein on the Earth, without the heir of the Blade Warrior, their demise was only a matter of time.

Guan Dongyang shook his head and reminded himself that his priority right then was not to save the world, but to save himself and his band of warriors.

Wang Tong stared at his face in the mirror and let out self-pitying laughter. He had decided to let the beard grow and wear it as a reminder of what had happened.

"Bang Bang Bang!"

"Come in!"

Ye Zi walked into Wang Tong's room, holding a stack of folded clothes. "These are your clothes. Come to join us in the dining room when you are ready."

"Do I need to pay for food?"

Ye Zi covered her mouth to suppress a snicker, "Money is useless unless you are in the House Lie's territory. Speaking of which, let me know if you are heading there. I think I can help."

Wang Tong shook his head and said, "Nah. Thanks anyways. But, I would like to know the situation on Mars if you have the time to indulge me. I don't know how to put it...You see, I think I have lost my memory."

Ye Zi studied Wang Tong's slightly crumbled face and felt sorry for him. "Of course, I can help."

Ye Zi was born on Mars, and therefore, she had the Martian's typical candor. Even years of Mastery cultivation couldn't mask her eagerness to help. Ye Zi was also caught off guard by her urge to help the boy who she had just met a new hours ago.

Ye Zi started to introduce the situation to Wang Tong as the latter listened attentively.

In a nutshell, the condition on Mars was dire. Although the human resistance had gained control in a few cities, which was a considerable improvement, it came at the cost of the Divine Master's life. The Dark Lord was not dead, and Mars would return to chaos as soon as the Zerg Lord had gathered his strength.

Knowing that peace would not be secured on Mars until the death of the Dark Lord, House Lie and the Divine Mastery sect had deployed all tricks up their sleeves to assassinate Moye. However, so far, the hiding place of the Dark Lord still eluded the human assassins.

Clearly, the Dark Lord had learned how to hide while dealing with the cunning humans. Some factions had even sent in spies, who appeared to the Zergs as captives. But, no one had ever heard anything from those spies since then.

However, not all hope was lost, as the Kaedeians suddenly took up arms and caught the Zergs who had been focusing on House Lie by surprise. The Zergs quickly found out that not only the Kaedeians were powerful fighters, but also immune to the corruption of parasites due to their genetic incompatibility.

After the Zergs realized how big of a threat the Kaedeians were, they quickly gathered forces and campaigned against the Kaedeian settlements.

Wang Tong nodded and asked, "Got it! Where can I find the Kaedeians now?"

"Why? Do you want to visit them? It's too far. You will have to sneak through areas controlled by the Zergs. It's impossible." Despite being the voice of reason, Ye Zi told Wang Tong the general direction where the Kaedeians were settled relative to their location. Immediately after giving Wang Tong the direction, Ye Zi urged him to stay put in the camp and warned him that only the top tier warriors would be able to get to the Kaedeian settlement alive.

Wang Tong had heard people talking about the three great Zerg generals, so he asked Ye Zi who they were. His face became taut after he was told that the leader of the Zerg army inside the city of Maersa was one of the three notorious generals.

Wang Tong's burning desire to punish the Zerg leader for his heinous crime didn't escape Ye Zi.

"I know you are angry, and trust me, you are not alone! But, you need to know your place and do what you are good at. Don't be silly."

Ye Zi's caution caught Wang Tong off guard. He paused for a second and then cracked a smile, "Thank you for the thought. I won't court death."

As they heard the noise rose in the dining room, Ye Zi pushed herself out of the chair and said, "Come on! Follow me… I will introduce you to everyone."

Except for the soldiers who were on duty at the guard post, everyone had gathered at the dining hall. Ye Zi introduced Wang Tong to members of Battle Wolf. Although Wang Tong was not in the battle unit, his fixing of the METAL suits had earned him everyone's respect.

After the dinner, a few young girls started dancing around the blazing campfire. The Martians always had been a promiscuous lot; the imminent Apocalypse had only served to exacerbate the burning desire for lust.

There were not many females among their rank, and the most beautiful girl in the camp was Ye Zi. Unlike many other female fighters, Ye Zi had turned down everyone's request for dancing with her. Each failed attempt aroused a round of snickers and banters.

"Haha, it looks like only boss has the ability to tame this wild one."

"What a shame that the boss is already courting someone else!"

"Lie Xuan? Haha... Now THAT one is a real she-wolf! "

"Do you think Boss really has a chance?"

"Hush! Don't let Boss hear it! I have heard that House Lie had sent a representative to our camp recently. He said that Lie Jian was pleased, but there will be no marriage until Boss has taken over the City of Maersa." A soldier said with pride in his voice that belonged to soldiers from a group that was deemed worthy by Lie Jian.

"It's a honey trap! But, I think our boss will be successful. He had partaken in the tournament before the sh*t hit the fans."

Those tournament players who had survived the five years of turmoil had all grown up to be toughest leaders of the human race. Although these individuals' power was limited while facing hordes of Zergs, they had lit up the beacon of hope in humans' hearts.

"Hey furface, why don't you join everyone on the dance floor?" Ye Zi asked Wang Tong, who was sitting quietly in a corner. Ye Zi was a powerful mastery cultivator, and therefore, she was very sensitive to people's emotions. Right then, she could feel a mixture of loss and sorrow roiling inside Wang Tong.

Wang Tong rubbed his furry chin and regretted leaving it like this.

The soldiers surrounding Wang Tong looked at him with envy. He was the first person to be asked by Ye Zi. However, Wang Tong's seemingly ungrateful reply turned their sour look into that of despise.

"I'm a terrible dancer. I will pass."

Chapter 466: Helping a Beauty

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

When the dance party was halfway finished, a few muscular fighters walked to the center of the stage. Despite their perilous life, sparring remained one of the fighters' favorite pastime.

The winner of the fight also came with a perk: he would have the right to name a girl among the crowd. If he got the girl's consent, which happened quite often, then the winner would be able to spend a romantic night with his chosen companion.

Wang Tong's refusal of Ye Zi's invitation had avoided much unnecessary jealousy. Martians were well known for their xenophobic protectionism, and the adolescent drama of an outsider winning the favor of a camp flower would only add fuel to their aversion toward Wang Tong.

Under reduced circumstances such as these, women, like many other things had been reduced into resources and properties of men. The method of winning the right to bed a woman was rather unromantic and direct, but it was respectful and orderly nonetheless. Compared to other parts of Mars, it could even be considered civilized. For those who lived under the control of the Zergs, raping, and robbing women had become a new norm unfortunately.

The age of aggression not only bred the resistance militias, but also gave a second life to the pirates. These outlaws were no better than Zergs when they arrived. They robbed and pillaged, scrapping any resources they could find, and destroyed anything they couldn't carry with them.

Another swell of cheers rose from the camp. A METAL fighter had won three fights in a row.

"Ross has improved. In no time, he would become the most powerful METAL fighter on Mars."

"No kidding. I think only Boss could have a chance of winning against him."

"Haha. Boss is too powerful and deadly. No one would be stupid enough to spar with him."

"Do you think Ross would try someone challenging more this time?"

"You mean Ye Zi? Haha, yeah, it's possible. Other than the boss, I bet only Ross is worthy of sharing the bed with her. What a handsome and strong fighter he is! Maybe Ye Zi is already waiting for him to ask her."

Ross yanked his arms up as the crowd shouted out his name in unison. He walked away from the center of the camp and headed toward Ye Zi.

Unlike Earthlings and Ivantians, the Martians were direct when it came down to relationships. Asking for a girl's hand without knowing her first was not shunned upon, but encouraged. In the chauvinistic view of the Martians, it was only natural for men to dominate women with their might.

With Ye Zi's consent, the two would enjoy a night of passion under the sheets, and such was the way of love on Mars. The world had changed, and humans needed to adapt. Therefore, this seemingly uncouth custom was the best option for humans who needed to struggle to see the sunlight of the next day.

The crowd was agitated as Ross inched toward his prize. Shouting and cat-calling rose around the proud warrior. Wang Tong followed the person next to him and moved out of Ross' way. Suddenly, Wang Tong felt a soft hand grab his arm. Ross saw it too, and he was taken it back by the turn of events.

Wang Tong turned his head and realized that it was Ye Zi. He wiggled his arm slightly, trying to break free in vain.

"Do me a favor, please!" Ye Zi pleaded; her voice was low under her breath.

Wang Tong paused; he owed her a huge favor for saving his life, so it would be ungrateful of him to leave her when she needed his help.

"Who are you?" Ross walked to Wang tong and asked him with a booming voice. He had already defeated three competitors, and he didn't mind defeating another one.

"Wang Tong."

"I like this woman too. What do you say if we have a fight and the winner will take her home tonight?" Ross asked. The survival of the fittest, such was the way of life on Mars.

Ye Zi scowled; she knew no one in Battle Wolf could defeat Ross, much less a new addition to the team who had just recovered from a trauma. The crowd boiled over at the promise of another fight. The situation made it difficult for Ye Zi to say anything. Ever since she had arrived at Battle Wolf, she had not yet shared her bed with any of the fighters. The rumors had it that she was not into men at all. Guilt rose inside the field medic as she felt that she had thrown Wang Tong under the bus.

"Sounds good!" Wang Tong accepted the challenge with a broad smile on his face.

"Good! You have balls, I will give you that! Now, come on!"

The crowd dispersed, leaving a large empty ground for the two.

"Furface, don't be silly. He is a level six fighter. You have no chance of winning against him." Wang Tong's danger spurred Ye Zi to talk him out of his foolish act, but he didn't listen.

"Hehe, don't worry. I will be fine."

Ross pounded his hairy chest and shouted at Wang Tong, "Come on, I will let you hit me three times, and it will be your victory if you could knock me back half a step!"

Another cheer erupted following Ross's heroic announcement. The gap between the two warriors' strength was evident.

"Come on! Don't be shy!" Excitement contorted Ross's face. After taking three punches, Ye Zi would finally belong to him.

Wang Tong walked closer to Ross and punched at the warrior. The punch looked so weak that it resembled more like a staggered push.

"Balls, he can't even kill a rabbit!"

"Weak, too weak! I could have done better than him."

But in the next moment, Ross collapsed to the ground as if struck by a hammer, and didn't get up.

Silence suddenly fell around the camp, leaving only the crackling din of the fire pit.

"What happened to Ross?"

One second earlier, the onlookers were convinced that Wang Tong's attack was too weak to even make a scratch. But, a second later, they started to worry for Ross's life as he laid on the ground motionless.

Under envious and grudging stares, Ye Zi linked her arm with Wang Tong's, and the two sauntered off.

After a time, someone helped Ross to his feet. He was not injured, but he was rendered motionless when the punch destroyed his defense and sent a wave of paralyzing energy into his system.

When Wang Tong and Ye Zi were out of the crowd's view, Wang Tong released his arm from Ye Zi's hold and said, "I'm going to bed. Have a good night."

Ye Zi didn't say anything and watched as Wang Tong disappeared into the darkness of the night. The favor aside, Ye Zi's heart already belonged to someone else, the young master of the divine master sect, Michaux Odin.

After Wang Tong returned his room, he tidied the room a bit and laid on his bed. A service bot suddenly appeared in the room out of nowhere.

"Charcoal, what do you think about the feeling of the solid ground beneath us, eh? We have finally escaped the space!"

…

Wang Tong was awakened by the clamor outside his door. The METAL fighters and Mastery warriors had already started the day of training. There were no instructors to watch over their training, and neither was there such need, since everyone practiced as diligently as they could. Life was hard on Mars, and without solid self-defense, even breathing the air could be deadly.

Wang Tong scanned the training ground for familiar faces, and soon he found Duo Lun resting on a bench. He walked toward him and greeted him with a warm smile.

"Hey, Furface! What an a*shole you were last night, haha! "

Wang Tong sat down beside Lun Duo and said, "I didn't want to do that either. Ye Zi asked me for help, and I couldn't just ignore her."

"I never knew that you had a soft spot for girls. Do you hide it under the beard? Haha! Anyways, you don't need to worry about it; we are a family here. Captain Ross said that he had let you gain an edge because he had forgotten to shield himself with GN force. Even so, you are pretty strong; looks like that hammer you use to repair the METAL is not made out of feather after all. Ha! "

"Is Ross in charge of the METAL fighters around the camp?"

"You bet. Battle Wolf is not a large band, but our two bosses, Ross and our Mastery Boss, are two of the toughest SOBs on Mars. Ross is tier fifteen, while the other boss is a tier eighteen mastery fighter."

"Tier fifteen and eighteen?" Wang Tong was suddenly confused by the unfamiliar jargon.

Lun Duo took Wang Tong's confused look as shocking admiration, so he patted Wang Tong's shoulder and said, "Bro, you are in luck! The Battle Wolf is even feared by the bugs! Once we take over Maersa, all of us will become captains."

Chapter 467: Do I Know You?

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Hold on a second! I thought the highest level of a METAL fighter was six. Did you just say eighteen?" Wang Tong asked.

Lun Duo looked at Wang Tong like he was looking at an idiot. "Furface, you really did damage your brain, didn't you? That was a long time ago."

Unlike Tan Bu, Duo Lun had an angel's patience, so he filled Wang Tong up about the developments in the last five years.

After the war, Mastery gradually became an essential factor in the overall strength of a warrior. Therefore, the conventional method of categorizing soldiers based on their METAL combat skill was no longer relevant. Sadly, the new method was created by Patroclus. The evil genius had devised a new system to grade the human fighters that he had forced to work for him. The higher the tier, the better the treatment they would receive.

As for the original categorizing method, Patroclus concluded it with one word: stupid.

Despite the categorizing method's origin, it was surprisingly effective. Therefore, human soldiers adopted the method quickly. But till this day, they still refused to acknowledge its shameful origin.

The cultivators were granted one of the three titles based on their levels. From level one to level five—the cannon fodders in Patroclus's eyes—were called apprentices. Warriors of level six to ten were called journeyman, and warriors of level eleven to fifteen were called masters. Those who had gained level sixteen and above were all called grand-masters, and their old-time equivalent was mid-level six METAL fighters.

The change was necessary, since the average strength of human fighters had increased significantly, thanks to the constant warfare and struggle for survival. The advancement in humans' combat ability was a mixed blessing, since it was acquired at the cost of millions of innocent lives.

The cap of the new level system was twenty, equivalent of a would-be Einherjar in the old times. In addition, as more level six fighters started to mix mastery in their cultivation, they found out the unexpected effect of mastery in facilitating them to advance to the level of Einherjar.

Level twenty of the new system was the breaking point: once a fighter advanced into level twenty one, their power would be equal to that of an Einherjar. From there, the magnitude of power would no longer be so easily qualified by levels or tiers.

As the war progressed, the usage of mastery became crucial, and the military's focus started to slide from METAL combat toward the use of mastery.

The only level twenty-one mastery cultivator in the human world was Michaux. He had single-handedly defined an entire genre of cultivation. Due to his power, even the Dark Lord Moye hesitated to make a move against him without careful planning.

Wang Tong nodded from time to time as his comrade introduced the new world to him.

Wang Tong suddenly asked, "What about the fighters who are beyond level thirty?"

Lun Duo studied Wang Tong's face and shook his head, "Get real, buddy. You are just a technician, don't dream about things up in the sky. I have never heard of level thirty before. Even Patroclus was said to have achieved only level twenty-six. At level twenty-six, he is considered the strongest fighter in the world. Sad, but it's true."

On the training ground, the METAL and Mastery warriors were divided into two groups, each taking up one side of the facility. Some METAL fighters were practicing fire formations, cover and advance, while the mastery cultivators were shifting and manipulating the natural forces around them.

As a young man walked into the training ground, everyone stopped their routing and saluted with great respect. The young man was Guan Dongyang.

It had been five years since last time Wang Tong met Guan Dongyang. Wang Tong found it hard to connect the mature and imposing leader with the fledgling he met at the tournament. Whether the disconnection was due to Wang Tong's receding memory or real changes in the mastery warrior, Wang Tong could not tell. But, one thing Wang Tong knew for sure was that people always changed.

By then, Guan Dongyang had become the idol of many martian soldiers. As a level eighteen mastery fighter, he was among the top ten warriors on Mars. If it were not for him, the Battle Wolf's banner would never be recognized across the red globe.

"Boss, how was the meeting?"

"Something is going on inside Maersa. We have decided to delay the attack. Keep on training and wait for my further instructions." Guan Dongyang announced.

Ross scratched his head and lamented, "Balls! What's the holdup? We should move out in the night and attack the bugs by surprise."

"Ross, we need to be careful. Zergs are not idiots, and they are much better equipped than us to fight in the darkness. Even if I lead you guys to the city wall, without the other factions' help, we would only be slaughtered."

Ye Zi nodded in agreement. The resistance forces were too scattered to pose any real threat to the Zergs without joining forces. The lacking centralized authority meant each faction had to fight their own war instead of fighting side by side. Ironically, the different bands of militias were more united when Zergs occupied the territory, and as soon as the Zerg influence was pushed out, the coalition would quickly fall apart.

Despite the chaotic situation on Mars, rumors had it that it was still much better than on the Moon and the Earth.

Although Ross was a stubborn person, as soon as he finished listening to Ye Zi's reasoning, he agreed with Guan Dongyang's decision very quickly.

"Look there, furface. That is our boss Guan Dongyang! He is the second strongest mastery cultivator, after Michaux."

"Ye Zi, I have heard we have gained a new member, eh?" Guan Dongyang asked. As the pack leader, not only was it his responsibility to greet the new addition, but he also needed to make sure that the new member was not a spy. Five years of bloodshed had taught him many costly but valuable lessons.

"Hey, Furface! Boss is asking for you!"

Seeing that Guan Dongyang was approaching him and Wang Tong, Duo Lun hurried to stand up and saluted.

" Duo Lun, is this our new brother?"

Guan Dongyang approached Wang Tong and extended a welcoming hand to him. Suddenly, Wang Tong was taken over by a rush of memories as he hesitated.

Lun Duo nudged Wang Tong's arm and urged, "Furface, what are you doing?"

Wang Tong wrenched his mind out from reverie and shook Guan Dongyang's hand.

"Boss, this furface is a genius. He fixed all of our broken suits!" Duo Lun said with a cheery voice. He was kind enough to put in a good word for Wang Tong, so that the latter could give Boss a good first impression.

Guan Dongyang studied the face in front of him. The smooth features suggested that the new member was still young, but the flickering lights in his eyes told Guan Dongyang that he had seen and gone through much more than most people at his age. Guan Dongyang furrowed his brows: the face underneath that thick and unruly beard was eerily familiar.

"Boss, the Thunder Fire and Rock Buster have sent their representatives." A messenger rushed to Guan Dongyang and hurried an announcement.

Guan Dongyang paused for a second and then continued, "Welcome aboard, brother ...furface."

During that brief exchange of words, Guan Dongyang had already probed this 'furface's' soul energy, and was relieved to find out that everything was normal. As a level eighteen mastery warrior, Guan Dongyang could detect not only the inner strength of any individual, but also their intentions.

Duo Lun smiled broadly after hearing Guan Dongyang's verbal approval of Wang Tong's enlistment.

Ross walked to Wang Tong and patted heavily on his shoulder. "Furface, we need to spar again. Balls! Can't believe you made me lost face in front of Ye Zi! Haha! Watch out! I will make you pay back!" After throwing a few banters, Ross followed Guan Dongyang out of the training ground. They had visitors; something was not quite right about the sudden visit of the other factions.

"Furface, what do you specialize at, METAL or Mastery?" Lun Duo asked.

"Neither. Both of them are just so-so." Wang Tong said and rubbed his nose.

"That's not good! You need to specialize at one. What do you think about mastery? I have been learning the basics lately. You know, what they said about it was true! It's really helpful in cultivation, I can feel it!" Duo Lun said with a smug look on his face. Although he was a METAL fighter, Guan Dongyang had ordered all METAL fighters to learn at least the very basic techniques of mastery, which had proven to be very helpful.

"Come, follow me! I will show you what I have learned" Duo Lun grabbed Wang Tong's arm and dragged him to an empty ground.

What Duo Lun had learned was two sets of moves; the first set altered the gravity around the Zergs to hinder their movement, and the second was a direct soul energy attack for the Hybrid Zergs.

Although it was innovative, Wang Tong figured that these tricks would not be enough to guarantee the safety of the METAL fighters.

Chapter 468: This Is…300!

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The main function of mastery on the battlefield was to inflict damage. In addition, Battle Wolf was renowned for its group mastery techniques that could cause significant damage to a large mass of Zergs in a blink. To maximize the group mastery's damage output, the head mastery fighter was the key. Of all the leaders of local militia groups, Guan Dongyang's mastery level was the highest, and therefore, Battle Wolf's group mastery was the deadliest.

Wang Tong didn't speak a word. He conceded that he had escaped the world for too long, and it was time for him to return.

As Wang Tong absorbed himself in his reflections, time seemed to have turned back to five years ago when Patroclus merged his body with the Zerg. The Zerg that joined with Patroclus was a special one, one of the two strongest Zerg warlords, the other one being the Dark Lord Moye.

Even before the merger, Patroclus' power was already above Wang Tong's. After the merger had completed, Wang Tong was defeated by Patroclus with ease. Zhou Sisi's sudden death had devastated Wang Tong so much that he could barely continue the fight; it was the final nail on the coffin. Eventually, Mr. Wannabe was forced to use his soul essence the second time to save Wang Tong and make a close escape.

The five years following that event was the most brutal tragic that humans had ever experienced since the first homo-sapien walked on hind legs. Three hundred years ago, another catastrophe of similar magnitude was on its course heading toward the human world, but came to a jarring halt in its track due to the might of the Blade Warrior. Three hundred years later, the humans had forgotten about what had led to the crisis three hundred years ago, and let their selfishness consume them once again. This inability to learn from their past was what spurred Patroclus to seek an alliance with the Zergs, in order to create a better race.

At times, even Wang Tong found himself agreeing with some aspects of Patroclus' view. However, Wang Tong could not stand the Ivantian's betrayal. Plus, Patroclus had to kill Zhou Sisi; blood for blood, it was a crime that could not be forgiven. Wang Tong had sworn to avenge Zhou Sisi and destroy what Patroclus had built up over the years.

Five years ago, Wang Tong had failed to prevent the seminal disaster that ushered in the age of bloodshed. Over the five years, Wang Tong had been using every awakened minute on training and recovering. He knew that he was racing against time, but he had to be patient. The world relied on him, and so did the trillions of lives in it. Without gaining power and strength, Wang Tong's return would only trigger another bloodshed and reveal his whereabouts.

Wang Tong was painfully aware that Mr. Wannabe would disappear forever after one more use of soul essence, and therefore, he could not afford to count on his help any longer. In the last five years, Wang Tong was absorbed in his cultivation, and he was able to unlock the third dimension of the crystal space: the Mastery dimension. Excited about gaining access to a training ground to practice Mastery more efficiently, Wang Tong plunged himself into the crystal. It wasn't long before he saw the flickering image of the Blade Warrior emerge out of the illusory space. The apparition said something to Wang Tong that had completely devastated the boy. Li Feng's image eventually faded away amidst Wang Tong's outburst of fury.

"KOM!"

Duo Lun was dealt a blow and staggered back.

"Haha! Duo Lun, what did I tell you about relying too much on soul energy?"

"Balls, Castro! You are two levels above me. Whatever I do will be useless against you!" Lu Duo picked himself up and lamented.

"Haha! Then go on, keep focusing on your soul energy if you don't want to listen to me." Castro said with a bright smile.

"If your counterattack comes a little sooner, you might be able to defend against Castro's attack." A voice came from a corner of the training ground.

Both Duo Lun and Castro turned their heads toward the corner and were surprised to find out that it was Wang Tong. "Furface, it's not funny. I should have left you outside the camp!"

"Ah-Ha! The newcomer! You have something to show me? Come at me, bro! Do you want to taste my fist? Come on! We are the Battle Wolf; we kill bugs for breakfast. Don't be a coward!" Castro shouted as he brandished the blade.

Seeing that Wang Tong didn't reply, Castro was determined to ply a valuable lesson for this new member of the team. "When we are out there, we will have to face Zergs that outnumber us ten to one. Are you sure you can handle it? Come, let me show you a thing or two. Have you heard the old movie called '300'?"

At the promise of learning combat moves out of a fantasy movie, Wang Tong facepalmed in his mind. From the bits and pieces of information he had gathered so far, he wagered that the strength of the Zerg Army had improved by leaps and bounds. Their battle plan was no longer the simple and mindless swarm tactics. Instead, they had grown more calculative and strategic. As a result, human soldiers were no longer able to hold tens of thousands of Zergs with only 300 METAL warriors like the movie had portrayed.

"You are in luck, Wang Tong. Let Castro teach you a couple of moves so you will have a chance out there."

Wang Tong waved away the invitation; he didn't want any trouble. After all, his role right then was a mechanic's, not a METAL warrior.

Duo Lun stepped aside to take a rest; however, he couldn't forget about Wang Tong's advice.

"Hey Furface, what do you mean 'come a little sooner'? Come, show me!"

"What I meant is that if you block Castro's attack two seconds sooner so that your blade could slide two inches deeper, then you would be able to resolve Castro's attack. Like this! Once he is interrupted, the momentum will carry him to the side, and then you can sneak in a sweeping kick. Castro is strong in his upper body, but his balance is far from perfect." Wang Tong explained with a smile.

"Wang Tong, are you there? We need your help here."

"OK, be right there!" Wang Tong stormed out of the training ground and left Duo Lun by himself to ponder over the suggestions.

When Wang Tong arrived at the shop, he was given a METAL suit to repair.

"Wang Tong, would you please take a look at this METAL? It has some minor glitches from time to time. Better take care of it now before using them out there." The soldier said as he shuffled his feet on the ground nervously. Wang Tong was his last hope in getting this suit fixed. After the Zergs destroyed the major METAL production lines, the production was forced to transfer to smaller and less advanced plants. Therefore, the quality of METAL suits had fallen significantly. The only METAL production plants still operating on Mars were under House Lie's control, and even they had very limited production capacities. The scarcity of METAL suits spurred human soldiers to strip METAL parts from hybrid Zergs, particularly the most valuable part of the METAL: the energy crystals.

Wang Tong scanned the piece of METAL in his hand with his soul energy and nodded. The soldier had kept the METAL in pristine condition; there were no significant defects in this age-old suit except for some normal wear and tear.

"No problem, I will tune it up for you."

"Thank you, Fur... Mr. Wang Tong." The young soldier's face lit up with glee as soon as he heard that Wang Tong could fix his METAL for him. He didn't walk away; instead, he wanted to watch Wang Tong working.

Wang Tong didn't mind the observer. He channeled a trickle of soul energy into the METAL suit, found the hairline crack in the energy crystal, and surgically fused the crack by precisely maneuvering the solder gun. In the end, he sent a burst of energy into the crystal, and the latter immediately lit up with iridescent light.

Wang Tong handed the METAL back to the young soldier. The soldier studied the shiny new METAL suit with disbelief. Wang Tong had given it a new life, and the final boost of energy made it even more effective in protecting the wearer than what it was designed for. It was not a repair; it was an upgrade!

Chapter 469: Not A Coincidence

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

As the war progressed, METAL mechanics had become indispensable. Many talents who could have turned out to be solid soldiers had chosen to become a mechanic instead, and achieved prestigious status in the military nonetheless.

Even someone as resourceful as Lie Jian, had to take good care of his METAL. He usually would let the grand master mechanic charge up his METAL before using it. He wagered that Wang Tong could have gotten a respectful and cushy job even at House Lie, so why would he rather stay with Battle Wolf in the middle of nowhere? He could enter any battlefield.

The young soldier held his METAL in both hands and was still finding it hard to believe what had just happened. How come there was such a grandmaster level mechanic hidden among the ranks of Battle Wolf?

…

"Hahahaha! I won! I really WON! " Duo Lun shouted as he stormed toward the shop. "Furface! Furface! Where are you?"

As soon as Duo Lun rushed into the mechanic shop, the young soldier called Fang Liang hurried to grab him from the side and covered his mouth with his palm.

"Quiet, you thick! Master furface is fixing the METAL. What are you talking about anyway?"

Duo Lun became even more lighthearted when he realized that it was Fang Liang who had intercepted him. They were at the same level, and therefore, no one would be better than Fang Liang for him to share the news of his victory. "I have just defeated Castro! He defeated me one hundred and thirty-two times, and I finally won at the one hundred and thirty third try! I DID IT!"

Fang Liang was taken aback by the news. Both he and Duo Lun were level eight METAL fighters, and Castro had reached level ten a while ago. How did Duo Lun best someone who was two levels ahead of him? It was impossible! Castro must have held back his power.

Sensing Fang Liang's doubt, Duo Lun hurried to his defense, "He didn't hold back his power. He is still there, paralyzed."

Duo Lun had spoken the truth; Castro was laying on the ground motionless, waiting for the uncontrollable fit of spasm in his system to subside. Castro didn't even see the attack coming. He felt that something was different, and even as he was about to adjust his movement, he was dealt a blow on his neck close to the throat which paralyzed him like an electric shot.

Castro was still dumbfounded by his defeat after he had regained control over his body and saw Lu Duo dragging Fang Liang into the training camp.

Feeling the indignation in his throat, Castro shouted, "Hey Duo Lun, one more round! The last one doesn't count!"

"Haha! As you wish! But, what if you lose again?"

"What do you mean? I have been helping you practice for so many years, and have I ever asked for payment?"

"Of course, you did. My tuition was your pleasure. If I defeat you again, how about you take care of my laundry for a week? Haha! Or, you can somehow set me up with Ye Zi for a date. Your choice!"

"You? A date with Ye Zi? Forget about it. I'd rather wash your underwear. Come on now, don't waste time!"

The two used the same strategy as they had been using for years. Duo Lun started with a solid defense until Castro unleashed the final strike. He followed Wang Tong's instruction and slid the blade two inches further to interrupt Castro's movement, and then immediately followed with disorienting sweeping kicks. Just like last time, Castro could barely maintain his balance while defending the attacks from below. On Duo Lun's fifth round of kicks, he finally found an opening and sneaked his blade to Castro's throat while the latter's attention was on his feet.

Castro could not believe his own eyes when he saw the sharp tip of the blade right under his chin. It was evident by then that his first defeat was not a coincidence.

Fang Liang watched with his mouth open. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never believe that Duo Lun would be able to catch Castro's only flaw with such ease.

From a distance, Ye Zi watched the development quietly.

"Duo Lun, would you like to join me for lunch?" Ye Zi walked to Duo Lun and asked.

His luck stupefied Duo Lun, and he stammered, "Lun-lun-lunch?"

"It's ok Ye Zi. I can just wash his underwear for a week. I will be fine. You don't have to do that."

Ye Zi smiled faintly and then refuted, "Castro if you have the time to wash other people's underwear, why don't you spend it on practicing?"

Castro's face crumpled with jealousy. He watched as Ye Zi and Duo Lun started off to the dining hall.

Before the two reached the dining hall, Duo Lun already started to disclose all the information he knew about Wang Tong. He stated and reinstated a few key facts about the new member as if he was worried that Ye Zi would not believe what he had to say.

Meanwhile, inside the mechanic shop, Wang Tong buried his nose in a pile of METAL parts. Suddenly, he was taken over by a fit of uncontrollable sneezes; someone must have been gossiping about him behind his back as per old superstitions.

A few moments later, Wang Tong finally completed his work. He pushed himself out of a chair and stretched his arms, and then heard the din of approaching footsteps. In a few seconds, Duo Lun poked his head into the room and waved a bag of takeout boxes in front of Wang Tong.

"Have some food, Furface. You have been working nonstop ever since morning."

Wang Tong caught the bag from Duo Lun's hand and started wolfing down the contents of the box.

"OMG! What are these?" Duo Lun's eyes lit up at the sight of the pile of neatly arranged METAL parts.

"Isn't it Castro's METAL? I don't remember its energy crystal ever shining so vibrantly before. What have you done? " Duo Lun's voice trembled. He recognized Castro's METAL immediately by the eye-catching graffiti on the helmet.

"Did you fix this?" Duo Lun asked again. Duo Lun's mind raced. However naive he was, he had started to suspect that Wang Tong was more than what met the eyes.

It was evident that Wang Tong had charged Castro's METAL with his own soul energy. Duo Lun had only heard of such technique in tales, and never believed them to be real. Even if the technique was real, the procedure was extremely taxing on the mechanic's soul energy. In extreme cases, the mechanic also ran the risk of depleting his own sea of consciousness. Looking at the scrawny arms of Wang Tong, Duo Lun was convinced that he appeared weak because he had overspent his soul energy on these operations.

Mouth stuffed and unable to speak, Wang Tong nodded a reply.

Duo Lun handed him a bottle of water and then said, "Slow down furface. You don't have to fix everything at once. These jerks! Can't they wait a couple of days before sending in more orders?"

"Ah, I'm fine. I like to keep myself busy." Wang Tong said and took a large gulp of water.

Meanwhile, inside Guan Dongyang's room, the leaders of Battle Wolf were in a meeting.

"Boss, we can't pass up such a great opportunity! We could always use more equipment!" Ross announced.

After the meeting with the representative from the other two factions, Guan Dongyang and Ross learned that Thunder Fire and Rock Buster would like to invite Battle Wolf to join them in a raid on the Zergs' provisions.

"I agree that we should participate in the heist, but we need to be cautious. It just seems too... easy." Guan Dongyang scowled.

Ye Zi sat quietly beside Guan Dongyang. She was impressed by the young leader's strength as well as his steady and levelheaded approach while making crucial decisions.

"Boss, I think you are worrying too much. The combined strength of three factions should be more than enough to best any Zerg transport fleet." Ross argued.

On paper, this heist seemed to be the opportunity of a lifetime. These provisions included the most sought-after parts, such as the energy crystals. Without those parts to ensure the function of METAL suits, hundreds of METAL fighters' lives would be at risk. How would Guan Dongyang unify the factions under his banner if he couldn't even guarantee his soldiers' safety?

Guan Dongyang gritted his teeth and finally made up his mind. The location of the heist was far from the Zergs' main camp in the city. So, Guan Dongyang wagered that even if the Zergs detected their movement, it would take a while for the Zerg reinforcements to arrive.

…

"Haha! Well-done furface, and thank you for your suggestions! Is there anything else you think I could improve upon? " Duo Lun beamed from side to side as he told Wang Tong about his victory against Castro.

"Ok, show me the tactics you have been practicing." Wang Tong said.

Duo Lun was taken aback by Wang Tong's directness. Ever since the great war, the matter of tactics had become a very personal topic, and it was usually frowned upon to ask such a question in public. However, Duo Lun trusted Wang Tong, so he didn't mind. He walked to the middle of the room and started his tactics.

Wang Tong watched his tactics attentively, paying particular attention to the movements of GN nodes.

Chapter 470: Night Raid

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Duo Lun, would you please do it again? I will help you adjust the GN nodes' movement. Hang in there, it might hurt a little."

Duo Lun couldn't suppress a laugh and said, "Haha, furface, that's fine. I don't want to die yet."

"Hehe, I won't harm you. Now tell me, don't you feel it difficult to progress when your soul energy reaches the fifth GN node?" Wang Tong cracked a smile and then pointed at Duo Lun's belly.

Duo Lun scowled, "How did you know? I always thought that I had done something wrong, and it has been freaking me out. It's very close to my groin, you know."

"Hehe, worry not. The tactics of sixty-four nodes are very decent, but it requires the practitioner to open a few critical GN nodes. Otherwise, the belligerent GN force would easily harm you."

"Who told you that?"

"No one, but I have seen the tactics before. Now, no more questions. Do you want my help or not?"

"Yes, yes! Tell me what I should do." Duo Lun tugged at Wang Tong's sleeve and pleaded for his help.

"Start your tactics now, and do as I say."

"No problem, right away!"

As soon as Duo Lun started the tactics, Wang Tong channeled out his soul energy to meet the young soldier. Suddenly, Duo Lun felt a deluge of energy rush into his system and hijack the movement of his soul energy. The sudden development startled Duo Lun. However, he conceded that it was already too late to stop, so he continued to guide his energy to follow Wang Tong's. After some time, he found out that due to the intrusion of Wang Tong's energy, the GN nodes had formed a different configuration. Instead of sixty-four nodes, additional sixteen nodes were running in parallel.

As Wang Tong guided Duo Lun's soul energy, he marveled at how quickly Duo Lun was able to pick up things. Had Duo Lun met a good teacher sooner, he would have already been one of the best soldiers in Battle Wolf.

"KOM!"

After the soul energy completed a circulation through all the GN nodes, it charged up the intensity and speared toward the few sluggish nodes that needed to be opened.

It was difficult to describe the exhilarating feeling inside Duo Lun when the nodes were forced open, like a parched field final meeting the kiss of a downpour.

"KOM!" Duo Lun knew there and then that his power was increased by at least a few folds.

The entire process took less than an hour. After Duo Lun had made the breakthrough, he followed Wang Tong's instruction and finished another round of tactics. The difference was even more noticeable during the second time around. Duo Lun had never felt so much control over his soul energy.

When Duo Lun finally opened his eyes from deep cultivation, he saw Wang Tong's face. However, he had the nagging feeling that Wang Tong was hiding something under his furry beard. All the while, Wang Tong behaved obedient and quiet around the camp, but deep down in his chest, Duo Lun reckoned, was a throbbing, fiery heart. What was the desire that fanned the flame inside Wang Tong? And, why would he try so hard to hide it?

"Remember how it felt. It could be difficult to adjust to double GN circulations in the beginning. Remember the balance between the two circulations' speed. "Wang Tong took a sip of water and then said.

Duo Lun was perplexed by Wang Tong's incredible knowledge of tactics. "Who are you?" He finally asked. He was convinced that only Guan Dongyang would have such profound understanding of the inner workings of tactics. Even if it were Guan Dongyang, Duo Lun wagered that he would not so easily alter the course of movement of another cultivator's soul energy. What furface had done was unheard of!

"I have already told you, my name is Wang Tong." Wang Tong said.

"Balls! How could I have never heard of you? You are...incredible!"

"Why would I lie to you? I am not that incredible anyway."

"By the gods! I need to tell the captain about your ability. We could use your talent!"

Wang Tong shook his head, "Save your energy. I am not planning to stay here for too long. Once I have taken care of some business here, I will pack up and leave."

Looking at Duo Lun's suspicious face, Wang Tong cracked a smile and announced, "Don't you worry, I don't work for the Zergs."

"That is not what I am worried about. Are you sure you can't stay at Battle Wolf?" Duo Lun knew that Wang Tong was not only a grandmaster mechanic, but also a powerful METAL fighter. He couldn't bring himself to blame him for not wanting to stay with Battle Wolf either.

"Hehe, it was my pleasure to meet everyone here, but we all have things we need to take care of. " Wang Tong said quietly, but Duo Lun was quick to pick up the extraordinary difficulties in the task that Wang Tong wished to accomplish.

"Furface, if you ever need my help, feel free to let me know. I will do whatever I can!"

Wang Tong smiled faintly and then said, "Sure. I am hungry, so how about starting with some food?"

Although everyone in the Battle Wolf had strict personal rations, Duo Lun was able to spend some of his personal favors he had accumulated over time to exchange a couple of delicious dishes for Wang Tong. It was a small price to pay for his advancement in cultivation. He had skipped level nine and arrived at level ten directly; it was a dream coming true.

As Wang Tong wolfed the meals down his throat, Duo Lun practiced his new tactics enthusiastically. He still couldn't believe his luck, that a kicka*s teacher would merely fall from the sky into his lap.

…

Ever since Guan Dongyang had announced to partake in the raid, the entire camp had been preparing for the coming battle. The night before the attack, Guan Dongyang gathered everyone around the campfire and gave them an inspiring speech.

"I will need one hundred warriors; fifty METAL fighters and fifty mastery users. If you would like to join me, report to Ross."

Guan Dongyang knew that he would need the best of the best for this mission. Thanks to years of patient guidance, many mastery fighters in Battle Wolf had achieved a high level in their cultivation. Although Guan Dongyang didn't name anyone, he had expected those high-level warriors to join the fight willingly.

Despite having the element of surprise, this raid was still very risky. Guan Dongyang knew that they had to be in and out of there quickly before the Zerg army in the city could be mobilized.

Wang Tong followed Duo Lun to the enlistment station and submitted his application. Ross accepted Duo Lun 's paper, but refused to let Wang Tong join the mission. His reason was two folds: first, Wang Tong was not a fighter in his eyes, and second, Wang Tong had a valuable skill that would be desperately needed after the battle was over.

The enlisted warriors' smiled broadly after they had received their shiny new METAL that had just been tuned up by Wang Tong.

"Duo Lun, we all owe you a huge thanks for finding this mechanic out there."

"Goddamn it! This METAL feels awesome!"

"Is this really my METAL? I remembered that there was a crack in my pauldron. It's gone now!"

Duo Lun shook his head and lamented how little his comrades knew about Furface's abilities.

…

Under the moonless sky, the resistance forces waited quietly for their target to arrive. Thunder Fire had sent three hundred pairs of capable hands, and Rock Buster had sent two hundred. A few hundred paces away from the two factions, Battle Wolf's mastery warriors hid on the other side of the hill, waiting for instructions. They had been waiting for over twenty four hours, but years of fighting with Zerg had taught them the importance of patience.

Their plan was simple: as soon as the Zergs' fleet appeared on the trail between the two hills, Battle Wolf's mastery casters would immediately stun the enemies with an AOE spell. METAL warriors would then charge down the hill to lay waste to the fleet. It was evident that Guan Dongyang's mastery team played a critical role in the attack.

A few hours later, the scouts reported the sightings of a few flying Zergs, vanguards of the Zerg fleet. Clearly, the target was very near. After a while, the ground started to tremble.

Chapter 471: Surrounded

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Everyone held their breath and waited until the flying Zergs passed through the valley below. After a while, the ground trembled more violently; the cargo was almost there.

Guan Dongyang pressed his ear to the ground and listened to the din attentively, and was surprised to realize the size of the transport fleet was much bigger than what he was told. He stood up and looked at the distant valley. It took him only one glance to know that it was not a small force; the entire valley was filled to the brim with swarms of Zergs. Guan Dongyang estimated the number to be at least five thousand. Among those five thousand Zergs, he wagered that there would be at least a couple high tier hybrid Zergs, the so-called dark ones.

As doubt about the mission sprout in Guan Dongyang's mind, he was painfully aware that he had no choice but to carry on. Once the bulk of the Zerg army pressed close enough to them, it was only a matter of time until their ambush was discovered.

Leaders of the other two factions also sensed the urgency, and were caught off guard by how inaccurate the information was. As one of the leaders took a closer look at the swarms of Zergs, he was surprised to find out that amidst the sea of Zergs stood a giant, emerald colored monstrosity: the Nestor Zerg. And on the back of the Nestor stood a dark one. Behind the monstrosity was a file of Spider Zergs, each carrying a giant cargo box on their back.

The infighting and competition between Patroclus and Moye had been fierce. Although Patroclus had adopted the humans' technology, the Dark Lord had outright banned the use of any human tools. In the eyes of the dark lord, science and technology was the reason that human had become so weak in both mind and bodies.

Guan Dongyang zoomed the view on to the dark one and was astonished to find out that his power was at least at par with a level seventeen human warrior. Everyone's attention was caught by the marching Zergs, and no one had noticed a lonely figure and a robot standing on the top of a distant hill.

Charcoal never liked this barren and dusty red planet. He preferred the lush greens on Norton. After the war, even the very little vegetation inside the doomed greenhouses was destroyed by the Dark Lord. However manipulative Moye was, his plan of turning Patroclus into another one of his puppets had failed miserably. Five years later, Patroclus had successfully turned the tables, and as his influence grew at every nook and cranny of the universe. Moye now found himself at the risk of being substituted by his former apprentice.

The schism between the two most influential warlords was quite pervasive. One would only need to look at the architectural styles of their colonies to see their profound differences. The structures built on Earth and the Moon under Patroclus' occupation was a combination of humans' conventional architectural style and Patroclus' personal tastes, which was elegant according to human standards. However, the buildings commissioned by the dark lord on the Mars were an amalgamation of various alien building styles and Zergs' burrow-like accommodations.

Ever since the birth of the hybrid Zergs, the Zergs realized the importance of assimilating the human culture to completely root out the resistance. The power of the Blade Warrior also spurred the Zergs to crave the secrets locked inside humans' mortal coil. The goal of the Zergs was simple, to consume everything in their way. And to do that, they would need to constantly improve themselves to stay at the top of the food chain. Ever since the Zergs entered the milky way galaxy, Blade Warrior became the only roadblock they had encountered. The threat that the Blade Warrior had posed to the Zerg race was not only due to his immense power, but also the well-played move of cutting off the communication between the Zergs.

One of Moye's main task was to find out the source of Blade Warrior's power and reopen the portal that led to the Zerg headquarters.

However menacing the Zergs seemed to the human, mother nature was rather indifferent to their existence. Perhaps in the eyes of the universe itself, it was humans who were the source of all malice and evil, and Zergs were merely a tool to root out the human race, much like the immune system in the human body.

Wang Tong watched the swarms of Zergs in the distance and reckoned that being a hero was already a thing of the past. It was only a matter of time before either Patroclus or Moye gained the key to the Blade Warrior's secrets, and Wang Tong hopped that it was Patroclus who could do it first.

"Charcoal, run a scan for me."

"Master, there are six thousand and one hundred Zergs on the surface, and another nine hundred and twenty underneath the earth. One hundred of those Zergs are level fifteen and above, fifty-three dark ones, and eighteen commander level dark ones." Charcoal announced the numbers mechanically.

"They won't be able to fend off the attack. Get ready!"

"Yes, Master."

Before Charcoal's voice faded, Wang Tong disappeared into thin air.

Meanwhile, at the ambush spot, Guan Dongyang was still hesitant about carrying out the original plan.

The massive escort team was a telltale sign of the item's significance. If it eventually made its way into the city, it would likely make taking over the city an even harder task than it already was. Plus, there was a high concentration of dark ones among the Zergs, so it would be easier to get rid of them now than picking them off one by one during the chaotic siege.

"Bothers and sisters of the Battle Wolf, our time has come! We will stop them right here! No Zerg would be able to walk cross us and enter the city!" Guan Dongyang encouraged his fighters and let out a battle cry.

On the other side of the hill and among the fighters from the Thunder Fire and Rock Busters, the battle spirit was not wavering either. They knew that once these Zergs made their way into the city, it would be even harder to get rid of them. They had arrived at the make or break moment!

The Zerg army was fast approaching as the stench in the air grew in intensity by the seconds. Everyone held their breath and waited for the order from Guan Dongyang.

Guan Dongyang locked his eyes on a throng of high-level dark ones: those were his real targets. If the first surprise attack were able to kill the leader of the pack, they would have already won half of the battle.

"Ready!"

Fifty mastery users cranked up their soul energy at the same time and followed Guan Dongyang's lead to start chanting. This spell was a group mastery that was created by Michaux.

The appearance of the massive amount of soul energy quickly attacked the Zerg's attention. As swarms of low-level Zergs charged toward the mastery fighters out of mindless instinct, the leader of the dark ones on the Nestor Zerg cast a chilling glance toward the hill.

Ross rushed out of his hiding spot and charged toward the incoming attackers.

"Follow me! F*ck all these bugs! KILL! CHARGE! CHARGE!"

"Super Fire Drake!"

"KOM!"

A fire drake appeared in the air and charged at the center of the Zerg Army, carrying the power of fifty mastery casters.

Suddenly, a pair of giant wings spread behind the back of the dark one and lifted it up into the air, leaving the rest of the Zerg Army to the gaping mouth of the fiery dragon.

Wang Tong's face darkened. The Zerg he knew would never have dodged such attack; the dark ones fought more like humans than Zergs.

Seeing the surprise attack miss its target, Guan Dongyang let out a sharp gasp. His heart sank at the thought of the remainder of the fight.

"KILL!"

Leaders of the Thunder Fire and Rock Buster led their troops into the clearing. Captain of the Thunder Fire Marcos was charging from the frontline. He was a level seventeen fighter, one of Guan Dongyang's competitors. However, at this critical moment, he had put away differences and thrown himself into the danger.

The Zergs on the surface weren't in a hurry to charge at the attackers. Instead, the ground under the human soldier's feet caved in, and hundreds of Zergs emerged out from under the ground. Those were Kamikaze Zergs. In a blink, flames of all colors painted the battleground as the Kamikaze Zergs exploded.

The leader of the dark ones hovered high above the ground, its deadly eyes locked onto one person: Guan Dongyang.

Every powerful human was a precious specimen for study. The dark one swooped down at Guan Dongyang, and the latter quickly removed himself from the crowd of mastery casters.

The other mastery fighters reacted quickly, and their fireballs streaked the sky, but none hit the charging enemy. Guan Dongyang furrowed his brow as he realized that the leader of the dark one was on the same level as him. It was going to be an uphill battle, since the dark one was guaranteed to have a better defense than a human fighter of the same level.

Despite the difficulty ahead, Guan Dongyang knew he had to press forward and succeed. The METAL fighters were already wavering under the attacks from all sides. Ten percent of the METAL fighters were dead before they made their way to the bulk of the Zerg force.

Chapter 472: A Secret Shadow

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Pull Back! PULL BACK!" Marcos shouted desperately. If he didn't give the order then, the entire army would be swallowed whole by the swarming Zergs.

Marcos fought at the back of the retreating line to protect his soldiers. Around him were a few heavy METAL that he had taken along with him as contingency measures, but right then, it had become a necessity. Even with the slight advantage in firepower, Marcos reckoned that it would be a close call. The thought of a chest buster in him spurred him to double down on his defense.

Despite being overwhelmed by the Zergs, the two factions' soldiers didn't lose their formation while retreating from the battlefield. However, things were much more difficult on the other side of the hill among the rank of the Battle Wolf. The warriors of the Battle Wolf were no less competent, and neither did they lacked mettle. Their wavering formation was a direct result of being at the focal point of the Zergs' aggression. Five years ago, the Zergs rarely fought with such purpose. They were usually no better than mindless animals driven solely by their instinct. But right then, they fought like a disciplined army under the command of the dark ones.

It was difficult for people who had never fought against the dark ones to understand the profound challenges the dark ones had brought to the battlefield. Intelligence used to be the unique gift of the human race, but now, it had been used against the humans.

Guan Dongyang had no time to lament on the dire situation he was in, since he needed to focus on the trouble ahead of him.

As one of the top fighter on Mars, Guan Dongyang was more than just a level eighteen fighter. His mastery technique, especially that of the fire element, was unprecedented. Not even Michaux could unleash the same amount of fiery destruction as he could.

After Guan Dongyang and the dark one exchanged a few moves, it was evident that Guan Dongyang was not as nimble and agile as the Zerg Hybrid. From time to time, Guan Dongyang was able to sneak a mastery attack or two at the dark one. But, despite the deadliness of the attacks, none were able to land on the elusive target.

A few times, the dark one had an opportunity to finish Guan Dongyang off, but he didn't. It was clear that the dark one wanted to capture Guan Dongyang alive and take him back to the Zerg lab to further their unspeakable experiments. Even if Guan Dongyang's genes were proven to be nothing extraordinary, the dark ones would consume him alive to strength their cultivation. A young and able body was the best supplement for the dark ones.

"Human, be my food!" The dark one evaded another fiery ball and shouted with a husky voice mixed with a wet croak in the throat.

The dark one suddenly swooped down, but Guan Dongyang didn't flinch and announced, "Remember! My name is Guan Dongyang—the Lord of Fire!"

"Kaboom!"

A ring of fire rippled out from Guan Dongyang's position—an onset of the killing blow—and then Guan Dongyang raised his staff. A blinding light shot out of the energy crystal atop the staff. Wherever the light touched, rocks and sands were swooped up, lit on fire, and wheezed toward the dark one. Meanwhile, Guan Dongyang recited a few words and attacked the dark one with the fiery spell at point-blank while the Hybrid Zerg was busy fending against the blast of rocks.

"KOM!"

The fire spell landed squarely on the dark one.

"Hehe... Your puny attack can't even scratch me!"

"Is that so?" Guan Dongyang sneered. So absorbed in his victory was the dark one that he didn't even realize that a hidden sharp tip inside the fire spell had pierced through his chest.

Knowing that the hybrid Zergs had inherited not only human's intelligence but also conceit and ignorance, Guan Dongyang had custom-made a few spells that would turn the dark ones' human side against themselves. The normal fire spell was not enough to kill a dark one of the same level—Guan Dongyang knew it, and so did the Dark Ones. Driven by ego, many dark ones would choose to take the fire spell head-on instead of evading it. Little did the dark one knew that Guan Dongyang had hidden a spear tip in the ball of fire, like a deadly trap that looked benign on the surface.

As soon as Guan Dongyang saw regret flicker in the dark one's eyes, he charged up his soul energy and set his hands on fire. He reached out his blazing fingers into the wounded chest and wrenched out the energy crystal, the hybrid Zerg's life force.

"Retreat! Pull Back!" Guan Dongyang shouted as soon as his mission was completed. It had been a close call; the fire spell had cost a significant portion of his soul energy. So, if he had missed his last attack, he would have had to face grave consequences.

As soon as the soldiers of Battle Wolf received the order, they started to retreat up toward the hill. Guan Dongyang used the rest of his energy and sent out a few blasts at the jagged cliff face that hugged the trail, sending a cascade of rocks to block the path.

Guan Dongyang turned his head and darted to catch up his comrades. All the while, he lamented for not following his first instinct and give up the plan. How naive were they to think that they could have raided the provision unharmed?

When everyone thought that they had finally gained a moment of respite, the sky suddenly turned dark as the sun was eclipsed by dark smoke that billowed from a huge column of fire boring down on them.

The hill moaned under their feet as the deadly fire rammed into the hillside slope. It missed the human forces by a few dozen yards and landed on a group of Zergs. Those Zergs didn't have the chance to let out a cry and were turned into ashes.

A shadow flickered in between the fire and the smoke. It passed the leader of the dark ones like a phantom before both of them were eclipsed by a gush of billowing smoke. As the bright fire cast a shadow of the dark one onto the screen of smoke, the hybrid Zerg's head lolled to his shoulder and fell to the ground.

The human force was surrounded by fire and could not move, but five minutes later, Guan Dongyang was surprised to find out that he could no longer sense any dark ones on the battlefield. It was an opportunity of a lifetime to get rid of the rest of the low-level Zergs once for all.

"Listen up, everyone! All the Dark Ones are gone, and victory is upon us! Follow me! CHARGE! "

Guan Dongyang shouted. Using mastery, he was able to amplify his voice so that the METAL fighters of the two other factions on the other side of the hill would hear his call to arms as well.

Marcos knew that it was the opportunity that he could not pass up, so he led his bannermen out of the hill and charged at the Zergs with a newfound determination.

Although the dark ones were eliminated, the Zergs still held the advantage in number. This time, the human soldiers were able to leverage on their wits more effectively as they quickly held onto a few strategic choke points. After a few minutes of waiting, the slower Heavy METAL finally caught up with the rest of the force and started to bombard the mindless Zergs with deadly steels. It wasn't until then that the scale of the battle finally started to tip in favor of the human soldiers.

Although Battle Wolf had the least number of warriors, they were the first in the line of attack. The group of mastery casters worked together and weaved one deadly spell after another. The dead bodies of Zergs quickly piled up in front of them like anthills

Wang Tong made his way back to the distant hill and watched the rest of the battle quietly.

"Master, why do we have to waste our time on these weaklings."

"Hehe, Charcoal, I can guarantee you that they are not weaklings. It seems like I will have to stay around the camp a little longer than I had thought." Wang Tong said as he nodded in approval of Guan Dongyang's ability.

"Have you finished extraction?" Wang Tong asked.

"Yes, master. These are low-level dark ones, so the result was not great. " Charcoal said as he waved a crystal in his hand; it was a crystal similar to that used on Mastery casters' staffs. Due to the lack of production and mining capability, the human had resorted to pillaging dead bodies of dark ones to gain such precious resources.

The battle was almost over, and the humans' victory was sealed. However, Guan Dongyang couldn't stop asking himself one questions: who was the dark shadow that sent the column of fire down from the sky? Guan Dongyang could tell right away that the fire was a mastery spell, but it wasn't just any spell. It was one that could only be cast by a level twenty mastery fighter.

"KILL, KILL, KILL! " Ross shouted and led a group of soldiers down the hill to chase after a few fleeting Zergs.

"I have killed fifty-three bugs today. How many have you killed, Duo Lun?"

"Haha… I have squashed eighty-nine of them! I won again!"

After the warriors had cleared the battlefield, the three factions gathered around the transport cargo to loot the spoils before the Zerg reinforcements arrived.

Chapter 473: Level Up

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The battlefield was cleared in just a few minutes, and the Zerg corpses were piled into mountains.

This was one of the most significant victories human resistance had achieved within the Maersa district.

The soldiers quickly left the battlefield; they had neither the manpower nor the ammunition to afford another confrontation with the Zerg reinforcements.

When the warriors returned to the camp, they were greeted by waves of cheers and shouts. However, except for a few exchanges of courtesy, the warriors didn't speak anymore as weariness had driven them to plunge into their beds. No one had realized how tired they were while they were on the battlefield. But, as soon as they reached safety, being overspent and overexerted, sleepiness came over them like a dull hammer.

There were supposed to be a celebration, but since everyone had quickly fallen asleep, the celebration was scheduled for a later time.

Duo Lun had been feeling tired as soon as the battle was over, but while on his way home, as he pondered over his new tactics and how effective they were. Thinking about that, a newfound exhilaration came over him. As soon as Duo Lun reached the camp, he passed his bedroom and went straight to Wang Tong.

He eventually found Wang Tong around a corner in the storage room. "Wang Tong, you could never imagine what a victory it was!"

Wang Tong dropped the piece of METAL in his hand and smiled, "Oh? How were your new tactics?"

"Too freaking awesome! Without it, I might have already been dead out there. What is the name of the tactics anyways? It's too good to be true!"

"It doesn't have a name. Why don't you show me the tactics again and let me see if you have improved from last time." Wang Tong was also curious as to the effect of the double GN circulation.

"No name? Did you come up with the Tactics yourself?" Duo Lun asked.

"Haha… Yes, and that is why I will need to make sure that it doesn't have any side effects."

"Balls! So, you took me as a lab rat? Haha! Well, I was going to thank you for the tactics, but I think I will save my goodwill for later. By the way, if you have any other experiments, make sure you do them on me. Haha!" Duo Lun laughed lightheartedly. He was not convinced that Wang Tong had come up with the tactics all by himself, since he was aware of the difficulty involved in creating just normal tactics, much less such a unique one that utilized two GN circulations.

Wang Tong sensed Duo Lun 's doubt, but he didn't rise to the defense. He had created these tactics based on years of experience and his tactics, hoping to spread it across the human world. He reckoned that humanity's survival relied on unity, and to turn the situation around, he needed to improve the average ability of all human fighters.

Looking back at humans' history, Zergs were not the only challenge that the race had faced, but it was the greatest one. As an enlightened demigod, Li Feng was able to see thing clearer. Not only was he hopeful that humans could come out as the victor in this struggle, but the torment and bloodshed would also teach humans a few valuable lessons, and thus breathe a new life into the stagnate race. However, Li Feng's optimism was based on the presumption that humans would finally learn to stand up for themselves, instead of relying on the blessing of the gods.

As the heir of the Blade Warrior, Wang Tong was aware of his predecessor's vision, and was determined to carry out his will.

The thought of spreading the sixteen node version of the Tactics of the Blade had occurred to Wang Tong more than once. But he was forced to drop the idea every time because the major factions already had their tactics. Therefore, Wang Tong decided to create new tactics that were compatible with almost all other tactics in the world. Duo Lun was the first tester; Wang Tong had chosen him because he was his close friend around the camp, and therefore, it was easier for him to monitor his progression.

Duo Lun finished another round of the Tactics under Wang Tong's examining eyes. Wang Tong was pleased to see that the double GN circulation functioning well, but he conceded that he needed to continue monitoring Duo Lun's condition, particularity when he was in an intense battle. Only when Duo Lun's sea of consciousness was stable under reduced circumstances would Wang Tong acknowledge the success of the new tactics.

"I feel like the tactics are also helping with my recovery. I don't feel as tired as I thought I would." After a round of GN circulation, Lun Dun felt his body was rejuvenated, and his soul energy was recharged to full capacity.

Wang Tong nodded and then said, "Good job! All signs are normal. You are pretty talented, you know?"

"Furface, are you a crazy evil genius?"

"Crazy evil genius?"

"Bunch of lunatics. They capture humans and lock them up in their dungeons in the name of science. They experiment all kinds of outrageous tactics on those poor victims. No one ever survives their experiments." Duo Lun plastered on a knotted face, but his voice had betrayed the lightheartedness. He knew Wang Tong was not one of them.

"Don't worry, you won't die from the tactics. I was thinking of teaching them to everyone around the camp." Wang Tong announced.

Duo Lun was shocked by Wang Tong's words. "You are saying that you are willing to share them with everyone?"

Wang Tong nodded.

Duo Lun found it hard to believe that when Wang Tong could have held onto his secret tactics and make a fortune out of it, he would willingly share the tactics with the rest of the world.

"Hehe, don't be so stingy! I need to do my part for the war. Let's start teaching the tactics to the warriors of Battle Wolf and see how it fares."

"Balls! If you were even slightly better looking than you are, I might as well take you as the savior sent by God! If everyone in Battle Wolf knew the tactics, we would take the City of Maersa in no time. OK... Let's start with Tan Bu."

"Sounds good!"

"Haha, awesome, I will go fetch him right away." Duo Lun and Tan Bu were BFFs, and therefore, Duo Lun wanted Tan Bu to be the first person to share the power with.

Watching as Duo Lun disappeared behind the door, a sense of sorrow came over Wang Tong. Once upon a time, he, too, had friends that he would love to share things with. But, because of his incompetence, he was not able to save their lives.

After a time, Duo Lun dragged Tan Bu to the storage room. Tan Bu's sleepy eyes were half closed.

"Duo Lun, you are such an a*s. It better be important! "

Duo Lun ignored Tan Bu's complaints and turned to Wang Tong as he asked. "Here he is, Furface. Do you think he is up to the scratch?"

Wang Tong quickly scanned Tan Bu's body with his soul energy and then nodded.

"Balls! What are you two up to? Hey, you! Why are you ogling at me? Stop checking me out. I am not interested in men."

Wang Tong suppressed a snicker and waved his hand, summoning an unseen force to lift Tan Bu up into mid-air.

"What? What are you doing? I said I am not interested! NOT interested!" Tan Bu shouted and waggled his arms helplessly in the air.

"Shut up! Do as Master Furface say. Don't you want to know why my power had been increased so drastically? It is all thanks to master Furface."

"No! NO! You might be willing to sell your butthole in exchange for power, but not me! I am still a virgin!" Tan Bu continued to struggle. However, only a few seconds later, Tan Bu found out that he was no longer able to move his arms, and a few more seconds later, he couldn't even talk any longer.

Suddenly, he heard Wang Tong's commanding voice. "Start your GN circulation. Now!"

Subdued by Wang Tong's powerful soul energy, Tan Bu had no other option but to follow his order. Tan Bu's body started to rotate and spin in the air as Wang Tong guided Tan Bu's GN force to wade through his system.

After an hour, Wang Tong had completed one circulation and made the changes at a few nodes. The seed had been planted, and the rest was up to the gardener.

When Tan Bu woke up, his first thought was that he was sexually violated.

"How do you feel?" Wang Tong asked. Beside him, Duo Lun was laughing.

Tan Bu rose up from his bed and was about to shout at the rapist when he felt a gush of energy roiling inside of him. "... I am ... Am I level eleven now? I am... I am! I am level eleven now! Haha!"

Chapter 474: A Rigged Game

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The advancement in his cultivation changed Tan Bu's mind on what had happened. "Furface, if you ever need any help, just say it. I will do the best I can."

"Hehe, you will still need to reinforce what you have learned, and it might take you a couple of days to adjust to the double circulation."

"Save your energy, Tan Bu. Do you really think that Master Furface will need your help?" Duo Lun cracked a smile and then said. Although Wang Tong's exact power still escaped Duo Lun, he could tell for sure that the mechanic's soul energy was much stronger than the two of them combined.

"Duo Lun, would you please help Tan Bu to adjust to his new tactics? I will need a break. Let me know if you need anything. "

"Roger that!"

Wang Tong felt a joy rise inside him when he saw the smiles on the two young soldiers' faces.

Next day, the overdue celebration finally started. After one night of sleep, the soldiers were well-rested, and all of them were chatting about the last night's intense battle. Many were talking about the mysterious column of fire that beamed down from the sky. After some lengthy discussion, the warriors concluded that it was the work of their leader Guan Dongyang. Warriors of the Thunder Fire and Rock Buster had reached similar conclusions regarding the surprising development on the battlefield.

Such was the power of mastery casters; the most powerful caster was said to be able to eliminate thousands of Zergs with the snap of fingers.

"Boss, how did you do that last night? It was unbelievable." Ross asked at the meeting.

Also puzzled by the strange turn of events, Guan Dongyang grinned and said, "That was not me. Ye Zi, did you sense the presence of another high-level Mastery user other than me?"

Ye Zi was caught off guard by the revelation. "What? You didn't send that fire?"

"Well, that means no." Guan Dongyang furrowed his brows. Who would that be? Guan Dongyang knew that only a level twenty or above mastery caster would be able to rain that much pain and destruction on the Zergs. But how was it possible that he had missed the presence of such a high-level warrior? Feeling defeated by the questions, Guan Dongyang pulled his hair in a fit of frustration.

There were only a few mastery casters that had reached level twenty, and none of them were anywhere near Maersa district.

Could it be anyone from the Thunder Fire and Rock Buster? Impossible.

"Heck! Who cares who that was, as long as he or she is on our side? Ross, did you hear anything back from the investigation team about the items in the transport cargo? "

"Nothing yet. I would give them a bit more time. They had just been through a hell of a fight last night."

"Well done everyone! The victory belongs to every warrior who had shed blood last night. Ye Zi, please take care good care of my brothers."

"Will do."

Meanwhile on the Thunder Fire's campground, Marcos and Randolph, the captain of Thunder Fire and Rock Buster, were holding a meeting together.

"Marcos, do you think Guan Dongyang had set that fire?" Randolph asked with a cigar in between his lips.

"I doubt it. However strong he is, he wouldn't be able to unleash that mighty blow right after dealing with a level seventeen dark one."

"So, we are not going to give the share of the spoils?"

Marcos shook his head. "The Battle Wolf had sustained much fewer casualties than us. It's not fair to split the spoils equally."

"I doubt that Guan Dongyang would agree to that. Plus, if it was Guan Dongyang who had sent that column of fire from the sky, then what?"

"Captain... allow me to provide you with a solution. That super METAL was cream of the crop of the spoil. Why don't we host a tournament? Whoever wins will take that super METAL home. This way, not only can we divide up the spoils fairly, but we could also use it to find out the real power of Guan Dongyang. " It was Li Xiu who had spoken. He was Marcos's trusted adviser.

The others at the meeting quickly picked up the subtle nuance of his proposal. Although there were plenty spoils to be divided among the three factions, one or two of the pieces were so exceptionally rare that they overtrumped the value of the other loot. Due to the scarcity and great value of the precious loot, it was almost impossible to share it equally among the three groups.

The varying degree of contribution to the battle further complicated the issue. Although Guan Dongyang and his mastery caster were responsible for the downfall of the toughest enemies, Thunder Fire and the Rock Buster were the ones that had faced the bulk of the enemies head-on. As a result, the two factions had lost many values resources, including a few expansive heavy METAL.

On the surface, Li Xiu's proposal seemed to be the only fair solution to the conundrum. However, the odds would be against the Battle Wolf before the tournament even started. However mighty and powerful the mastery fighters were, they stood no chance against METAL warriors in a one on one competition.

Marcos knew that Guan Dongyang would know that the game was rigged, but he wasn't worried. The METAL factions already had the loot, and the tournament was the only chance that Guan Dongyang could get anything out of this raid.

Also, the tournament would be a great opportunity to clear some questions about Guan Dongyang's real power. Everyone knew that Guan Dongyang was a good friend of the almighty Michaux, and their friendship had also cast a mysterious light on the young leader. Marcos feared that the mysteriousness had fanned much of the outrageous claims of Guan Dongyang's power.

On the other hand, if the rumors about Guan Dongyang's power were real, Marcos would have no intention of offending such a powerful warrior, and therefore, he would hand over the spoils willingly.

They said chaos was a ladder for the powerful. Although the scourge of the Zergs had brought destruction and corruption, from the many holes it tore out in the fabric of human society emerged many powerful leaders and game-changers.

The time had changed from five years ago, and so did the power balance in the human world. The old structure was shattered the moment Patroclus turned to the Zergs. House Dower diminished in a matter of weeks, and House Zhang became the leader of the lunar resistance force. After Patroclus had firmly established his power in the Zerg army, he sent most of the Zerg forces to the Moon and the Earth, leaving the planet of Mars to his competitor. Thanks to Patroclus' familiarity with of the confederation's combat strategies, he had never lost a battle against the resistance forces.

A couple of years later, Patroclus' brutality had again surprised the world when he slaughtered his father. By then, Patroclus had become the most infamous Dower the world had ever known. Whatever contribution his ancestor Rilangalos had made to the humanity was smeared by Patroclus' outrageous cruelty and deceit.

However powerful and ambitious the House Dower was, they had met an ironic and tragic end.

Meanwhile, on Mars, the only place that was free of Zergs' corruption was the Kaedeians' city.

The Kaedeians had lasted this long mainly due to their physical incompatibility with the Zerg parasites. After five years of struggling for survival, Princess Heidi had grown into a capable ruler. She no longer waited for the arrival of the promised savior. Instead, she fought actively against the Zerg invasion while maintaining close contact with the Mars resistance group. Having waited for five years, Heidi's faith in the prophecy had started to waver as dark clouds loomed over her path.

Although Kaedeians had fended off the invasion of Moye temporarily, the relative peace was only a short reprieve; destruction would return when Moye recovered.

Sometimes, in a fit of indignation, the Kaedeian Princess would even envy the humans. Even if the remaining humans were wiped out, their legacy would stay with Patroclus. However, when the last Kaedeian fell, the world would quickly forget that such a proud and beautiful race ever existed.