novelnext Chapter 102
Chapter 102
Chapter 102: Intelligence on the Sixth Day
Day 6, 5:55 AM.
Savage Realm, Huaxia Nation's Second Base, Command Center.
Wan Changzheng stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, hands working hard at a rock-solid tech-steamed bun.
Beside him, Deputy Commander Zhao Yan was doing the exact same thing.
The expressions on both men's faces at this moment were blacker than the charred iron wok in the base cafeteria.
The reason was simple.
They were broke.
As one of Huaxia Nation's most frontline fortresses.
The vast majority of their logistical reserves and high-tier resources.
Had all been spent yesterday at the Global Trade Convention buying 【Map Imprint Hard Drives】.
On top of that, the base received refugees pouring in from all directions every single day.
And had provided unconditional support to some of the smaller Huaxia Nation Shelters in remote areas...
As of now, the base's normal food reserves—excluding strategic resources—had fallen into critical shortage!
Forget meat. They couldn't even keep up with the most basic plain congee and pickled vegetables.
Two men who were the highest commanders of this entire base.
Could only set the example by gnawing on these tech-steamed buns that had been frozen in cold storage for god knows how many years.
"Chief..."
Zhao Yan nearly choked until his eyes rolled back.
He gulped down a large mouthful of warm water and complained.
"When is this kind of life ever going to end?!"
"My mouth has gone completely bland—it's been almost a month since I've even smelled meat."
"No choice. Bear with it."
Wan Changzheng glanced at him, brushed the bun crumbs off his hands.
"In this godforsaken world, clean food is more important than almost anything."
"The meat from the monsters out there is completely inedible."
"Not only does it carry intense toxins, it subtly alters human genetics over time, causing people to mutate into monsters."
"Our base currently has no capacity for large-scale farming or livestock raising."
"We can only rely on the monthly supply packages distributed by the Sky Screen at the start of each month, and the occasional exploration rewards to supplement our meat supply."
At that, Wan Changzheng's tone shifted and his expression turned grave.
"Before we wait for the Sky Screen to post the rankings, let's talk about the real business first."
"The latest battle report just came in from the Polar Ice Wastes."
"The Arashin-kai, for reasons unknown, have suddenly initiated a full-scale withdrawal."
"Right now, the main force led by the War God has completely taken over the Dragon God Ruins."
"The northern threat has been temporarily neutralized. What happens next is no longer something we need to worry too much about."
Wan Changzheng accepted a cup of boiled water and warmed his hands with it.
"Indeed."
Zhao Yan nodded, letting out a long breath of relief.
"Not sure why those lunatics suddenly pulled back, but regardless..."
"We won this hard battle. Comrade War God, well done."
"Correct."
Wan Changzheng set down his cup, brow still tightly furrowed.
"However, the Arashin-kai's large-scale reappearance also signals that the Savage Realm is about to enter another period of upheaval."
"Headquarters just sent over 2 classified top-secret files on them through an encrypted channel—they're with you. Take a look."
"Understood."
Zhao Yan rose and walked to the desk.
At the mere mention of the Arashin-kai's name, a surge of fury shot straight to his head.
Because this mysterious and terrifying organization had inflicted devastating, irreversible harm upon Huaxia Nation...
And upon every survivor nation in this world!
Every single member of this organization, from top to bottom, was a lunatic.
They merely differed in the degree and form of their madness.
But they shared exactly one thing in common—every last one of them was a devil who killed without blinking!
Click.
Zhao Yan entered the password and opened the safe beneath the desk, retrieving 2 sealed document pouches from inside.
First, the 1st one.
It bore no red "Top Secret" stamp—this was shared intelligence circulated among the upper echelons of all nations.
He tore open the seal and pulled out a file.
What greeted his eyes was a photograph.
In the photograph was a small girl dressed in an ornate Gothic Lolita gown.
She had jet-black hair and crimson eyes.
Her appearance was strikingly beautiful—like a European noble daughter who had stepped out of a medieval oil painting.
But the text information beneath the photograph...
formed the most extreme contrast imaginable with her angelic looks!
The Tailor
【Name】: Marionette Vespera
【Identity】: Former Arashin-kai 10th Seat·The Tailor
【Current Status】: Deceased (killed jointly by the combined forces of Huaxia, Su Nation, and Eagle Nation during the Destruction Five Days Campaign).
【Ability】: Sequence 031·Tailor.
Can stitch and remodel living organisms into terrifying puppets that obey commands.
【Intelligence】: Once single-handedly destroyed Huaxia Nation's Fifth Base!
Asin Nation's First Base, Su Nation's Ninth Base...
Slaughtered nearly ten thousand living beings!
The moment he saw the woman's face in that photograph.
Zhao Yan's fury surged to its peak!
"That damned woman!!"
"She took countless innocent survivors, took our soldiers..."
"And stitched them together alive—turning them into those disgusting, twisted living puppets!!"
"Among them...were every last person from Huaxia Nation's Fifth Base!"
"All gone!! Every single one!!"
Zhao Yan stared at the file with reddened eyes.
"Old Zhao."
Wan Changzheng walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, letting out a long sigh.
"Don't be too heartbroken. It's all in the past now."
"The Tailor is dead. She paid for her crimes."
"The departed are gone. What we must do now is arm ourselves and face the challenges ahead."
"We cannot let the martyrs' blood be shed in vain."
Zhao Yan drew several deep breaths, forcefully suppressed the ache in his chest, and nodded.
"The Chief is right."
Then, he picked up the 2nd document.
Unlike the shared intelligence file on "The Tailor."
This document was stamped, unmistakably, with the words 【Top Secret】!
Though for the 2 highest commanders of the base, they naturally had the clearance to read it.
Zhao Yan tore open the wax seal and pulled out the file.
This time.
The photograph showed a foreign woman with dazzling golden hair, a hat perched atop her head.
Her figure was outrageously stunning.
It was the Gambler!
——————
The Gambler
【Name】: Tiffany Ange
【Identity】: Arashin-kai 7th Seat·The Gambler
【Current Status】: Alive. Whereabouts elusive. Approximately 1 year ago, was suspected to have appeared in the eastern region of the Canglan Continent. Exact location unknown.
【Ability】: Sequence 067·Sovereign Rule.
Can forcibly impose absolute rules favorable to herself within a designated area.
【Critical Intelligence】: June 2nd, Year 1308.
Huaxia Nation's Tiger-Grade special operations squad 'Iron Wall' encountered this target while exploring the Twilight Forest.
Due to suppression by an unknown rule, the Iron Wall squad was severely wounded across all members, and the vice-captain was killed on the spot.
——————
Upon reading this entry.
Both men simultaneously revealed expressions of grief and sorrow.
Because the Iron Wall squad was none other than the ace team belonging to their own Huaxia Nation's Second Base!
Every single member inside it...
Had been dug out of piles of corpses by these 2 men with their own hands.
Children they had watched grow up!
"These people...they really deserve to die!!"
Zhao Yan slammed a fist down on the desk.
"Chief! I can't swallow this injustice!!"
"One day—one day I will lead our forces and wipe out every last one of those Arashin-kai bastards! Not a single one spared!!"
Wan Changzheng clasped his hands behind his back, his expression grave as he shook his head.
"Old Zhao, let's proceed step by step."
"You participated in the encirclement and killing of the Tailor. You know how incredibly hard these monsters are to kill."
"Don't act on impulse."
"Just killing that dead-last-ranked 'Tailor' back then already cost our joint forces dearly!"
"We even lost 2 S-Grade Extraordinary Ones!"
"We must wait...wait for this new generation of awakened children to grow, slowly."
"Time is on our side."
Zhao Yan nodded dejectedly. "I understand all of that, Chief."
"I just...can't stand it."
......
And just as the 2 veteran commanders were lost in their reflections.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
The clock's hands on the wall jumped precisely to 6 o'clock.
【Hello! Warriors! Welcome to the morning of Day 6!】
The Sky Screen's infuriatingly smug voice rang out on schedule.
【Today! This Sky Screen has brought an absolutely explosive piece of news!】
【Believe me—regardless of which faction you belong to, upon learning this news...】
【You will be so shocked your teeth will drop right out!】
【Of course...there's also the possibility you'll be so furious you'll start headbutting a wall! Hehehe~】
【Well then, no more rambling from me! Straight to the main course!】
The voice cut off abruptly.
"......"
Inside the command center, Wan Changzheng and Zhao Yan listened to that smug opening speech, completely baffled.
"Where's the main course?"
Zhao Yan frowned.
"Didn't it say explosive news? Why has it gone silent?"
Wan Changzheng looked equally puzzled.
"I thought there'd be intelligence even more explosive than yesterday's Global Trade Convention."
"Has the Sky Screen system malfunctioned?"
However.
At the very next moment.
Bang!
The command center door was shoved open!
"Chief!!"
Shen Lian strode in quickly.
"Chief Engineer Shen?"
Wan Changzheng's chest tightened at the sight of the usually composed Shen Lian acting so out of character. "What's happened? Is there some kind of emergency?"
Zhao Yan followed with: "Right, with tall people holding up the sky if it falls, take your time and explain."
Shen Lian steadied her breathing, gave the 2 chiefs an exasperated look.
"Chief...did you two not listen to what the Sky Screen said?"
The 2 men exchanged a glance, still not understanding.
"We listened."
"It was just rambling on about delivering the main course."
"Hasn't it posted anything yet?"
Shen Lian let out a helpless sigh, strode quickly to the floor-to-ceiling window, and raised a finger pointing at the holographic projection outside.
"The 2 of you, Chiefs...really need to get reading glasses."
"See for yourselves."
Wan Changzheng and Zhao Yan were momentarily stunned.
Then, both men walked briskly to the window and looked in the direction Shen Lian was pointing.
There, the 【Newcomer Leaderboard】 that updated every day had already refreshed.
The 2 men fixed their eyes on it.
Instantly, both pairs of old eyes went wide!
Not because of any earth-shattering change among the top 10 on the leaderboard!
But because at the very 1st place!
Below the name 【No Words Needed】...
Inside that 【Combat Record】 that displayed only kill targets...
There had appeared a name that absolutely should not have appeared!
A name sufficient to trigger a massive earthquake across the entire world!
Arashin-kai 9th Seat...Lord Wu Wo!!