I slay evil in the Department of the Supernatural

Chapter 147, Section 146: Houtu's Wrath! Warning! Departure from the Border, God of the Vast Ocean (Two chapters combined, please subscribe)

"Take action and resolve everything?"

Xu Lindong was taken aback.

When did Your Majesty suddenly become so proactive?

He hasn't even spoken yet, and he's already preparing to attack? If he does attack, wouldn't that count as using up a chance to strike?

Houtu's voice drifted from the top of the tower: "It seems I was too gentle, which is why these little devils dared to come knocking on my door."

Who gave them permission to come near without my permission?

This generation's owner of the ghost market doesn't know the rules either. Today I'll teach him a lesson and show him what rules really mean.

Xu Lindong pressed further, "Your Majesty, what is the strength of the Ghost Market owner? If you eliminate them, won't they trace back to me, or even discover the Tower of Babel?"

"Don't worry, he won't come."

Houtu said calmly, "As long as there are gods and humans in the human world, the master of the Ghost Market cannot step into the mortal realm."

He was just testing me this time, so I'll give him a ruthless response and make him give up the idea.

As soon as he finished speaking, a single strand of hair fell from the top of the tower.

"Her Majesty is about to make her move."

Upon seeing this strand of hair, Xu Lindong understood and immediately opened the tower door.

The strand of hair instantly darted into the dark path like a black snake.

In the path to the underworld, the three-headed ghost was coldly staring at Xu Lindong, but unexpectedly, a strand of jet-black hair suddenly emerged silently from his neck, stretching out like a ghostly whisker, and instantly darted towards them.

It was just the first glance at that head of hair.

The three ghosts were all startled, as if a mouse had encountered a cat, or even more terrifyingly, as if a rabbit had encountered a tiger. Their ghostly energy surged violently, and their spirits froze.

Along with the other ghosts that were slowly approaching along the path to the underworld, they were also instantly intimidated by this invisible pressure, and they all crawled away and dared not take a step closer.

The three-headed demon almost instinctively tried to retreat.

If there were background music at this moment, it would definitely be this song, "I really want to escape, but I can't escape!"

The thought of escaping had barely formed when her hair, like a soul-snatching chain, suddenly wrapped around the three-headed demon's body, cold and indifferent, allowing no struggle.

The next moment, the souls of the three ghostly figures were forcibly torn out and lifted into the air. Before they could even scream, they crumbled inch by inch amidst the entanglement of their hair, vanishing like smoke and being completely devoured without any chance of resistance.

As the hair was pulled back, a pale hair and a tattered paper effigy fell from the ghostly path into the shadows.

The white hair ignited upon touching the ground, turning into a wisp of dark blue ghost fire that vanished silently without a trace.

Only the paper figure remained, lying quietly on the ground, its color faded, yet utterly silent.

Xu Lindong, who had just picked up a sickle to help, froze on the spot...?

He felt like an honest, simple old farmer who was about to harvest wheat straw, only to find that the straw had been burned to ashes.

Tai'an City, at the foot of Mount Tai.

Deep within the ghost market near the Ghost Gate of Fengdu, in a dark old house that never sees the light of day.

The white-haired old corpse on the armchair, its lifeless body suddenly trembled.

His tightly closed, murky ghost eyes slowly opened.

A flicker of barely concealed fear crossed his eyes, which quickly transformed into deep awe and obedience, ultimately settling into utter bewilderment.

"—It is Him."

His voice was hoarse, as if he had used all his strength to utter those two words, and he said with some disbelief, "It really is Him."

From the black coffin in the courtyard outside, came the creaking sound of the coffin lid.

A hoarse voice seeped from the crack in the coffin: "Are you sure—it's Him who's returned?"

The white-haired old corpse remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "This matter need not be discussed further."

"Since He does not wish to be known by us, nor does He wish to reveal His whereabouts—there must be another plan."

"Let us pretend we never noticed, never searched for His traces."

Silence reigned in the coffin outside the courtyard, followed by a long sigh: "So be it—then let's wait."

"Wait until the real change comes."

At the same time, in Jiangcheng.

As the yin energy near Tongyou Road gradually dissipated.

Xu Lindong stood still, holding a huge scythe, as the light swept across the surroundings.

The three-headed demon had been completely annihilated, leaving no trace.

Those spying people who had followed from the Ghost Market had already vanished without a trace the moment Houtu's aura dissipated.

Some couldn't even stabilize their souls before collapsing under the shock.

Only a woman's body, resembling a paper effigy, remained on the ground.

"It wasn't shattered?"

Xu Lindong frowned, then bent down and picked up the paper doll woman.

The paper figure felt extremely light, as if it were just a few pieces of paper.

She wore an indigo-blue tailored cheongsam, her face painted with vermilion, her cheeks flushed, making her appear both stiff and eerily beautiful.

Furthermore, the paper figure even exuded a strange, cold, fleshy feel, unlike a living person or a completely paper object.

He carefully searched and checked the area, confirming that there were no other traces left behind and that no ghosts dared to follow him again.

They immediately used the power of the mythical gatekeepers to close the path to the underworld.

His consciousness sank, and he fell straight into the Tower of Babel, asking the question.

"Your Majesty, what's the deal with this paper figure?"

Houtu Niangniang said calmly, "It's just an object similar to a ghost's robe, a traditional craft of paper craftsmen, and it's very popular in coffin shops."

Xu Lindong nodded: "I see."

He then added, "Your Majesty, you acted too decisively, without even asking about the specific situation of these ghosts, especially the master of the Ghost Market."

Houtu said calmly, "There's no need to be timid. If the Lord of the Ghost Market really dared to come, he would have shown himself long ago."

Besides, he might not be an enemy; he's just here to probe my situation.

But I do not wish for any ghosts or old acquaintances to come and make contact with me. My stance is clear; if he is wise, he will stop himself.

Xu Lindong understood and breathed a sigh of relief: "I understand."

The danger has been confirmed to be over.

Xu Lindong brought the paper figure's body into the tower.

After scanning in front of the bronze mirror, relevant information emerged:

[Item]: Paper doll shell [Category]: Low-level supernatural object [Status]: Intact (can be possessed)

[Source]: A traditional craft passed down by paper craftsmen, often seen in old coffin shops. [Characteristics]:

Ghost Container: Provides a stable vessel for ghost-like spirits, greatly enhancing the stability of the spirit.

Protection Enhancement: Possesses a certain level of physical and supernatural resistance, and can slightly enhance the strength of the possessing ghost.

Mimicry and camouflage: When necessary, it can simulate the appearance and aura of a living person, making it difficult to detect by ordinary means.

[Note]: Old-fashioned handmade products, though lacking independent consciousness, have a natural attraction to ghosts.

After a moment's thought, Xu Lindong immediately summoned the ghost Ah Piao.

He shook the bell once, then pointed to the paper figure's body.

"Put them on!"

The ghost's normally dull eyes seemed to brighten when it saw the paper figure.

She moved closer and burrowed her body into the paper figure.

The cardboard then adhered to it as if it were alive, and in the blink of an eye, it merged with its soul.

The ghost looked down at herself, pinched her cheeks which had become much brighter, then raised her hand to smooth her sleeves and blinked.

The previously blurry face became much clearer, even the corners of the mouth were slightly upturned, exuding a fresh and vibrant energy, as if it had a real, tangible body.

"good!"

Xu Lindong felt somewhat satisfied.

This ghost looks much better, not so creepy. It's true that good looks make up for it.

Moreover, the ghost's intelligence is getting higher and higher.

This may be due to his careful training over the years, or it may be related to his increasingly sophisticated portrayal of a corpse driver.

After all, he has already digested nearly 80% of the corpse heart, and is not far from breaking through and advancing.

However, after gaining insights and experiencing a battle, he also felt a surge of weariness.

He immediately turned around and entered the ninth-floor Heavenly Dao room.

The little finger quietly came closer, gently touching his side with its small hand, looking affectionate, and calling out "Uncle Dong".

Xu Lindong gently patted the little guy's head. "Don't be silly."

"Thanks to your reminder and that bit of luck, I was able to save you."

He now understood that Little Finger had probably sensed that there were "bad guys" outside, which is why it approached him.

By chance, he triggered a lucky effect, which helped him comprehend Yu Lei's soul-snatching ability. At the same time, it also made him aware of the three-headed ghost in the Tongyou Road.

"This little guy is getting smarter and smarter. We've struck gold!"

Xu Lindong thought to himself, and then began to replace sleep with meditation.

Over the past 10 days, he has taken two of the three bottles of Level 2 Extraordinary Potions he had on hand, and his energy and spirit have steadily increased to 261.3.

We're not far from breaking through the 300 mark required to reach Sequence 8.

Time flies, and the next day arrived quickly.

After Xu Lindong finished getting ready, Sister Xun saw him off at the door.

While stuffing a bag of freshly fried jerky into his bag, telling him to make it into an offering, he muttered, "Don't be reckless on the border. If you can handle it, then do it; if you can't, then run away quickly."

As she spoke, she stood on tiptoe to straighten his collar and then roughly punched the badge on Xu Lindong's chest with her small fist.

"Got it? Come back safe and sound, and I'm waiting to get promoted by taking credit for your efforts!"

"Yes, Dong, be careful."

Aunt Zhou gave a word of advice.

Yi Guoqiang wanted to say something, but after looking at the huge shield and scythe on Xu Lindong's back, he swallowed his words.

With Dongzi's current strength, everything is completely beyond his comprehension.

He lifted the shield out of boredom yesterday and almost hurt his back, but Ah Dong was able to lift it and jump around freely. He didn't know what to say, he just knew that Ah Dong was very strong.

Xu Lindong took the suitcase and smiled, "Don't worry, I know that survival comes first if there's any danger."

After saying that, he turned around, went out of the community, and got into the car that had come to pick him up.

Liaison officer Xiao Qing rushed over to take the suitcase.

Xu Lindong put the shield and sickle in the trunk, then got into the car and glanced at Xiao Qing outside.

She was wearing a fitted suit dress with shiny black stockings. After standing in the cold weather for a while, her face turned slightly red from the cold.

He laughed and said, "Alright, you can go back to your office. You don't need to come with me."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qing didn't insist: "Okay, Captain Xu, I'll head back now. I'll stay at the headquarters the whole time. If you have any intelligence or needs, feel free to contact me, and I'll report to the headquarters promptly."

"Okay, go ahead!" Xu Lindong leaned back in his chair.

Xiao Qing immediately took half a step back, bowed respectfully, and watched the vehicle slowly drive away.

Twenty minutes later.

The lobby of the Department of the Supernatural.

The other four prodigies who were about to head to the border had already gathered here.

Lu Qian was wearing a specially made dark gray combat uniform, the fabric of which was close-fitting and elastic, outlining her beautiful and agile figure, and she was also carrying a large knife.

Seeing Xu Lindong walk in carrying a shield and scythe, his eyes lit up, and he immediately got up and quickly approached him.

On the other sofa, Qiao Zheng was wearing a long black trench coat and black gloves. The cold aura around him had mostly dissipated, and he appeared much more peaceful.

Seeing Xu Lindong enter, he chuckled and said, "Old Xu, you've got a lot more influence now. I'll have to rely on you from now on."

Xu Lindong glanced over and smiled calmly: "Qiao Zheng, you weren't always this polite when you spoke."

Qiao Zheng grinned, unconcerned: "People always have to learn to be flexible."

Xu Lindong's gaze lingered on him for a moment, and he sensed that the man's aura was restrained, and he understood.

This guy has probably successfully broken through to become a Sun Wanderer, and his strength has likely increased considerably.

Besides Qiao Zheng, there were two other people in the room.

One of them stood not far away, tall and composed. Xu Lindong had seen him before; he was Xie Zhou, the captain of this mission, whose ranking on the Prodigy List had risen to 77th.

The other person sat quietly on the sofa to the side and behind; she was a short-haired woman with an unfamiliar face.

Wearing the headquarters' standard field uniform, he exuded a calm and composed aura, his gaze lowered. He glanced at Xu Lindong but didn't say much.

At this moment, seeing that everyone had arrived, Xie Zhou, holding a stack of documents, walked over, nodded slightly to everyone, and said, "Everyone, please get to know each other. My name is Xie Zhou, the leader of the special operations team at Jiangcheng headquarters, and also the one in charge of leading this team. The information about this border mission is all in here. Please take a look."

He raised his hand to signal, and his secretary immediately stepped forward and distributed the documents to everyone.

Xu Lindong's gaze immediately fell on the documents in his hand.

Formal red-headed characters.

Border Joint Operations Mission Briefing Classification: Level 3 Mission Codename: Lizard Hunter Mission Nature: Comprehensive tactical mission, primarily for intelligence gathering, with the option of precision assassination when necessary.

Target Summary: The evil organization "Hand of Ashes," located in the No. 3 buffer zone of the Daxing border, has long been engaged in evil and supernatural research.

The organization recently partnered with Tiankeng organisms, attempting to integrate their genes into human experiments and biomodification to cultivate and research new extraordinary sequence systems. This behavior has seriously threatened safety and the bottom line.

Known enemy situation: A large number of border exiles are being held captive as experimental subjects, and approximately thirty extraordinary personnel are stationed there.

Extraordinary combat power:

Sequence 10: More than 20 people (basic guards and researchers)

Sequence Nine: Expected to be four to six people (mid-level core members, mainly composed of Asura pathway members).

Sequence 8: Expected two-person team (Regional Commander, Anomalous Path, and Dark Mystic Path)

Sequence Seven: One person (the core of this evil organization, codenamed "Shepherd", suspected to be a Celestial Child of Sequence Seven through the Celestial Path)

Outpost features: Built on the site of an abandoned mine, with a complex underground structure and simple defensive fortifications and warning devices.

Mission requirements: Infiltrate and investigate to ascertain the internal structure of the stronghold, the distribution of experimental areas, the location of imprisoned personnel, and the guard shift change patterns.

Intelligence gathering: Acquire experimental data, biological samples, and copies of cooperation agreements with the sinkhole creatures.

Selective assassination: If conditions permit, targets in Sequence 8 and Sequence 9 can be eliminated to weaken the enemy's combat power.

Coordinated Operations: This operation was jointly executed by Tianjiao from multiple cities. The Sequence 7, marked "Shepherd," was assigned to Tianjiao by the capital city for special handling.

Merit and Rewards: Merit is calculated based on the assassination target's sequence level and intelligence value. Upon completion of the mission, contribution points, extraordinary potions, and equipment exchange privileges will be uniformly distributed.

Note: This operation involves potential cross-border conflict. All personnel must strictly abide by the rules of engagement, conceal their identities, and infiltrate the operation.

After reviewing all the messages, Xu Lindong put down the documents, his gaze becoming serious.

The "Seven Heavenly Humans and Commoners of the Celestial Path Sequence" marked in the document is the focus of everyone's attention.

Medium sequence.

This is an existence that transcends the scope of conventional warfare; with a mere gesture, it can mobilize environmental forces on a small scale.

It is definitely not something that ordinary beings below Sequence 8 can directly confront.

Even though Xu Lindong was arrogant, he felt that he needed at least two abilities to reach Sequence Nine and one ability to reach Sequence Eight in order to confront such an opponent head-on.

Otherwise, the only option is to rely on external forces such as powerful families and influential figures.

At this moment, Xie Zhou's voice came through, his voice steady: "Intelligence shows that the Shepherd is skilled at summoning the power of stars to empower himself, using fire, and can also fly short distances at low altitudes."

However, we don't need to confront it directly; someone has already been assigned to handle it in the capital.

"The capital's prodigy—can he handle a Sequence Seven?"

Qiao Zheng held the document in his hand, his tone tinged with doubt.

Xu Lindong didn't speak, but just looked at the line "handled by the pride of the capital", and suddenly remembered what Professor Qu had said before.

The barrier will be brought to him by the pride of the capital.

"Could it be that the one who came to deliver the barrier is the same prodigy who's going to face off against the seventh-ranked Celestial God?"

A thought flashed through his mind: "If that's the case, then this person is very likely a core member of the 'Transcendence Project,' or even one of the 'monsters' secretly cultivated by the research institute—"

Lu Qian took a soft breath and said in a low voice, "Even if those at Sequence Seven have someone to deal with them, those at Sequence Eight and Nine are no pushovers either—and they still have quite a few people they've captured on their hands."

"Therefore, the key to this mission is not a direct assault, but stealth and intelligence."

Xu Lindong closed the file and said calmly, "As long as we figure out the layout, we will have a chance to rescue the hostages and sabotage the experiment before the other side can react."

Even so, he knew that the mission was extremely dangerous.

Evil Society stronghold, sinkhole creatures, and a powerful being of Sequence Seven.

Any one of these words would be considered high-risk in a normal task, but now they're all crammed together.

But it is precisely this kind of task that can put some pressure on these geniuses.

Moreover, risk also means opportunity.

Merit, resources, and practical experience —

Furthermore, the assimilation of extraordinary substances and the enhancement and expansion of regional influence are both crucial catalysts for the future advancement of humans to "Pavilion Chief" and heavenly beings to "Land."

After all, both of these ranks require a certain level of regional influence and the completion of governance missions within a certain area.

"There are many factions in the Federation, as well as many cults, each with different ideologies. The one we're dealing with this time is just a relatively weak one. Once we've reviewed the information and found no problems, we're ready to set off."

Xie Zhou put away the documents, glanced at everyone, and said in a calm and serious tone: "For this mission, we will secretly travel to the border by special plane to meet up with the elites from other cities."

Everyone, cheer up and do your best.

Remember, you represent the pride and glory of Jiangcheng; don't tarnish the prestige of our city.

His gaze swept over everyone, finally pausing slightly on Xu Lindong, where he nodded, seemingly the one who thought the most highly of Xu Lindong.

Xu Lindong was somewhat surprised.

Although the leader of this special operations team was not one to smile and even seemed a bit old-fashioned, he was calm and reliable in his speech and actions, and indeed had the leadership qualities to keep things under control.

The group quickly organized their equipment.

Not long after, a discreetly painted special transport plane landed smoothly on the tarmac outside the headquarters.

The fuselage is long and sleek, with large rotors on both sides slowly coming to a stop at low altitude, resembling a giant steel bird with its wings folded.

"Set off!"

The gangway was lowered, and the group, carrying equipment and supplies, filed onto the plane.

The hatch closed, and the roar of the engine gradually rose.

Xu Lindong sat by the window.

As I watched the familiar buildings of the city outside the window rapidly shrink in my field of vision, the streets became thin lines, and the distant Yangtze and Han Rivers shrank into shimmering ribbons.

A long-lost sense of detachment rose from the depths of his heart.

He hadn't been on a plane in a very, very long time.

In this world, travel between cities is strictly controlled, and transportation mainly relies on strictly protected freight trains.

Airplanes are generally a mode of transportation used by high-ranking officials.

Furthermore, it requires multiple layers of approval and advance application for passage qualifications, making the process cumbersome.

Especially in core cities like the capital, the vetting process is even stricter, and most young people his age have never even been to the capital.

At this moment, the fuselage tilted slightly and accelerated its ascent.

"If he falls down there, won't he get a bloody nose and a swollen face?"

Qiao Zheng, who was sitting by the aisle, looked out the window at the ground receding into the distance and suddenly made a joke.

Lu Qian, sitting on the other side of Xu Lindong, rolled her eyes at Qiao Zheng upon hearing this: "Within Xia Country, the air safety level is the highest, with almost zero accidents."

"Moreover, even if an accident does occur, with our current strength, we have enough means to cushion the impact at the moment of impact."

For example, if you are already a wandering spirit, you can avoid most of the impact by becoming ethereal at crucial moments.

I also have a phantom image of my own to transfer damage or share the force, so I won't fall to my death directly.

Xu Lindong didn't interrupt, but his gaze remained fixed on the porthole.

The clouds thickened, and the aircraft disappeared into a vast expanse of white.

He also has many ways to save his life, such as using ghostly steps to move around, using phantom images of his own energy to protect himself, and even in critical situations, he can forcefully unleash the power of the three phases to try and gain a chance of survival.

But ultimately, these are all responses "after an accident has occurred".

He hoped the mission would go smoothly and that there wouldn't be a moment when these methods needed to be tested.

The plane gradually stabilized.

Everyone took out their Super Phones, swiped to open the internal group chat, and browsed the latest news about the border region.

Information scrolls rapidly across the screen.

Live footage shows refugees gathering outside the border.

Many ragged people huddled in the snowy wilderness, their eyes numb or anxious, a world completely different from the peaceful and tranquil Xia Kingdom.

Intelligence reports indicate that several notorious cults from the Federation have been frequently operating in the border region.

They appear to be secretly taking over and absorbing exiled stragglers.

Furthermore, several surveillance videos from a distance vaguely captured the outlines of some distorted, otherworldly "monsters" that did not belong to the category of known creatures as they attacked the border outpost.

These monsters are swift and incredibly destructive.

They often disappear into the night, leaving behind only a chaotic scene and mutilated remains.

The border has now become a boiling pot of murky soup.

Refugees, cults, fleeing monsters, and spies lurking in various branches of the Federation—various forces intertwine and collide, creating a chaotic scene reminiscent of demons and monsters running rampant.

Xu Lindong swiped the screen, his gaze lingering for a moment on several vague reports and pictures of "suspected traces of Sequence Six mythical creatures".

He then put his phone away.

Chaos often means opportunity.

Get there first, and see for yourself what the land on the other side of the border has become.

Meanwhile, near the Bermuda Triangle.

A dark whirlpool, over two thousand kilometers in diameter, opened up on the vast sea.

The seawater was dragged downwards by an invisible giant hand, swirling wildly as it poured into the depths, forming a terrifying funnel with no bottom in sight.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The roaring sound of the surging ocean currents, like the dying wails of a giant beast, echoed from the bottom of the whirlpool, leading to what seemed to be another completely unfamiliar abyss world.

But at the edge of the whirlpool, a large number of strangely shaped marine creatures were gathering.

Some have bodies covered in bone armor, with whiskers like steel whips, while others have skulls split open with several fissures, concealing a ghostly light within.

Some of the fish fins had pale, cold flames burning along their edges.

They were densely packed together among the rushing water, emitting chaotic and intense supernatural fluctuations, resembling a group of mutated sea monsters.

Many of them bear a striking resemblance to the vague descriptions of the "Loch Ness Monster" in news reports from decades ago.

Right now, directly above the vortex.

A giant octopus, as large as a mountain range, floats in the air.

Countless tentacles, thicker than ship masts, like living, enchanted tree roots, extended from its body, menacingly looming over the entrance to the ocean abyss.

Each tentacle was covered with pale blue energy patterns, constantly radiating a suffocating pressure that subtly distorted the surrounding water curtain.

Clearly, this is a being with extremely terrifying supernatural power.

Traces of a fierce battle still remain on the sea surface, such as lingering energy turbulence and large swaths of water vapor and mist evaporated by the high temperatures.

It seems that a fierce battle of high order once broke out here, but ultimately it could not prevent the complete unsealing of this dangerous sinkhole.

This enormous octopus appears to be the "gatekeeper" that was confined here by some force after being unsealed.

Just then, the sky suddenly changed color.

It was as if an invisible giant hand had wiped away the halo, and daylight turned into night in a few seconds.

An endless, purplish-black shadow rapidly expanded from the distant horizon.

Wherever it passed, the sunlight disappeared, and the sea was plunged into an eerie darkness.

The shadow was not a dark cloud, but a "demonic cloud" formed by the convergence of evil energy so dense that it solidified into a tangible substance.

From within the clouds, distorted, grotesque faces and shadows appeared, accompanied by chilling whispers, rapidly engulfing the vortex.

Deep within the vortex abyss.

The giant octopus blocking the abyss's mouth saw the scene in the sky and let out a long cry like a steam whistle. A deep, thunderous sound boomed, shaking the entire sea surface: "Quentin, this situation is completely inconsistent with your plan to transmit through the Wall of Gods!"

"Our Lord's power has been greatly depleted, yet He has not yet truly descended upon this world, nor has He obtained the faith and resources He deserves!"

Within the purplish-black demonic clouds.

A cold, evil, and sinister voice pierced through the clouds, echoing between the sea and sky: "Little Octopus—you must address him as 'Great God of Shadows,' not by his true name."

The octopus let out a chilling laugh, its tentacles churning the seawater impatiently: "You are nothing but a shell that bears His power, what right do you have to call me Lord?"

Enough with the nonsense. The situation is at a stalemate. If we delay any longer, and that person from Xia Kingdom makes a move—the outcome for both of us will likely be dire.

A cold voice echoed from within the evil cloud: "Rest assured, that god won't be free to act so quickly. Our 'partners' will only increase."

The voice carried a cruel and arrogant tone: "Although the great god of shadows, and the venerable god of the ocean behind you, cannot yet fully descend in their true forms—our power is sufficient to create enough demigods."

""

"Let them stir up this global chaos. Put more pressure on that god and the Xia Kingdom—our chance is coming soon."

"Gods and mortals want to compete with us for time? Ha, not so easy."

"Their ancient gods," confined by this world—are still slumbering for an unknown period. A brief nap might mean a thousand years have passed.

"A thousand years is enough time for the world to be turned upside down."

"Even in a mere century—they will not be able to cultivate a second human god."

As soon as he finished speaking, a low laugh came from the depths of the demonic clouds, like countless venomous ants crawling around his ear: "The dominoes have begun to fall."

"The outcome of this game is no longer up to that god."

"After all, he was only a human god, not a true immortal."

The octopus's enormous eyes gleamed malevolently in the abyss, and it sneered, "My Lord needs more believers; the creatures of this vast ocean are not enough..."

"Don't be too greedy. If you want more territory, you'll need to command more power, create more demigods, and free up more of our partners to share the burden."

"7

At this time, it was near the border of Daxing.

The plane carrying Xie Zhou and the others drew closer, but before it even landed, the sound of gunfire could be heard piercing through the clouds.

A series of muffled roars followed, even causing the portholes to vibrate slightly.

"What's going on? Why is it so intense?"

Qiao Zheng was somewhat surprised.

Xu Lindong and the others all looked out the window, somewhat taken aback.

The flight was peaceful until we landed, when we encountered a border conflict.

The situation here is indeed more severe than expected.

At this point, it seemed that the pilots had begun negotiations.

But the command below had not yet given them permission to land, and it was clearly not safe below.

As the plane descended to a certain altitude, through the portholes, everyone could clearly see the fire and smoke of the battle on the ground.

It appears that several thousand enormous monsters are rampaging through the border region, destroying fortifications and buildings along the way.

They look very strange, unlike the wild boars or giant bears that emerge from the sinkholes of Shennong Mountain. Instead, they are covered in dark scales, with limbs as thick as pillars, heads that resemble crocodiles but are not crocodiles, and a row of sharp bone spurs protruding from their backs.

It looks like a dinosaur from the Cretaceous period, but more like a "crocodilian dinosaur" pieced together, ferocious and full of incongruity.

"The monster that emerged from the Demon Realm Sinkhole in Salva City, over in the Federation?"

Xu Lindong frowned, and a circle of golden-red extraordinary energy suddenly spread from the palm on the armrest of his seat, using the power of a guardian deity to protect the safety of the aircraft...