The Last Sentinel

Lead-gray clouds, like cotton wool soaked in ink, weighed heavily on the lake. A gale whipped up large raindrops that pounded the surface, the splashes of water instantly swallowed by the waves. The hexagonal pavilion in the center of the lake swayed precariously in the downpour, only its glazed roof tiles occasionally flashing a cold, hard luster in the dim light.

Inside the pavilion, only two bronze oil lamps burned, their wicks flickering and casting long shadows of two elderly men sitting opposite each other, which swayed in the wind and rain on the mottled stone pillars. On the stone table lay an unfinished chess game, the black and white pieces scattered like two armies facing off, concealing deadly intent.

The silence was broken by hurried footsteps. A middle-aged man dressed in black, with the Northern Garrison Commander's badge at his waist, rushed in through the rain. He was soaked to the bone but bowed respectfully. His voice, heavy with emotion, cut through the wind and rain: "Reporting to Elder Wu and Wolf King, the Chairman of the Human Alliance has ordered the Northern Garrison to be deployed. They have already injected over eight hundred players of [Rise of Kingdoms] with the latest Compound No. 5."

The man stood to the side with his head down, not daring to say a word.

The two old men in the pavilion paused slightly in their game of chess, but did not look up, as if this news that shook the heavens was nothing more than a casual piece in the game.

The old man on the left is none other than Wu Budu, the "Martial Arts Master," dressed in a dark brocade robe with a resolute face.

The old man on the right is the Wolf King of Fenglangjuxu, dressed in a plain long robe, with white hair and beard, and eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

The Wolf King picked up a white chess piece, his fingertips tracing its cool surface, and slowly placed it on the board. The crisp "tap" sound was particularly clear in the wind and rain. "They're getting desperate."

The wolf king's voice was deep and hoarse, carrying an air of unwavering certainty.

Wu Budu picked up a black chess piece and twirled it between his fingers, a mocking smile playing on his lips. He looked up at the Wolf King and asked, "Who's getting impatient?"

The Wolf King put down his chess piece, took a sip of his now-cold tea, and said with a playful look, "Old Wu, we've known each other for decades, why ask a question you already know the answer to!"

Wu Budu slammed the black chess piece down on the board, breaking the balance of the game. Leaning forward, he looked out the window at the torrential rain, his tone suddenly turning serious: "In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, there are only about 120 named generals and 105 strategists. Even counting the minor roles and advisors, there are only about 400!"

"But this time, they actually ordered eight hundred players to be injected with Compound V! I can't understand!" Wu Budu's voice rose, filled with rage. "This drug is a taboo in the Human Alliance. No matter which generation, it only temporarily stimulates potential, but it turns people into puppets, completely losing their autonomy! The side effects are outrageous; it should be avoided if possible. If the Great Wall Watch really wants to cultivate talent, why not send them to the Advanced Martial Arts Academy's accelerated training program instead of using Compound V!"

"Better to kill a thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free!" Wu Budu slammed his fist on the stone table, causing the oil lamp to flicker and sparks to fly. "Eight hundred chosen ones of the Human Alliance, eight hundred top experts from the Three Kingdoms period—that's a third of the Han Dynasty's destiny! If they are lost, the Xuzhou Cauldron will suffer a severe blow!"

"Even if the Han Dynasty survives this calamity, it will be severely weakened and will never be as powerful as the Tang, Qin, and Ming dynasties. It will only be able to live in a corner like the Song Dynasty, at the mercy of others!" Wu Budu said with regret. The Xuzhou Cauldron embodies the destiny of the Han Dynasty. Once it is damaged, the overall balance of power in the world will change drastically.

The Wolf King put down his teacup, his eyes sharp: "They're certain Ye Feng won't let these geniuses perish. Liu Ye, the King of Hanzhong, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea were all nurtured by Ye Feng; they are the foundation of the dynasty he wants to protect. They're forcing Ye Feng, forcing him to return from the river of time and appear!"

The moment the words "the river of time" were uttered, the atmosphere inside the pavilion suddenly became somber.

Raindrops pattered on the glazed tiles, and a strong wind swept in the rain, causing the lamp wick to flicker and casting shadows on the two people's faces.

Interestingly, the initial intention of the giants of the heavens in throwing Ye Feng into the river of time was to isolate the source of the ominous signs, thereby preventing the infection and spread of the ominous signs.

But to my surprise, this trick didn't work at all!

The ominous signs did not create any barriers; instead, they spread to the lower-level cultivators.

It's one thing to expand towards the lower-level cultivators; even if all the lower-level cultivators die, the giants won't panic. They're just ants; what's there to regret?

The ominous signs did not kill off all the lower-level cultivators; instead, they allowed them to draw upon this power.

When lower-level cultivators acquire power that does not belong to them, the ruling order will be overthrown!

They were truly panicked this time.

If we don't kill Ye Feng soon, and the lower-level cultivators start cultivating, then chaos will break out within the myriad realms on its own!

Both Wu Budu and the Wolf King were well aware of this.

Wu Budu leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples, his tone full of suspicion: "What I don't understand is why the old man from the Great Wall would cooperate so readily? The Northern Garrison is under the jurisdiction of the Human Alliance, and he holds the highest authority. If he wanted to obstruct it, the injection mission would never have been completed smoothly. This isn't just a simple case of siding with outsiders; this is treason!"

The Wolf King's expression turned solemn when the topic of the Great Wall Watch was mentioned.

This guardian of the Human Alliance possessed unfathomable strength and had always been Ye Feng's solid support. However, after Ye Feng was imprisoned, he took over the affairs of the Human Alliance, and his every move was strange and unpredictable.

The Wolf King stroked his beard and pondered, "Whether they have betrayed us or not, we cannot make a hasty judgment. But what is certain is that the myriad realms are truly anxious, even panicked! In order to lure Ye Feng out, they are willing to send rare and precious materials to enhance the strength of the Human Alliance, and even sacrifice the Seven Warlords of the Sea and the dynasty that Ye Feng most wants to protect. This amount of effort is enough to show their determination."

"The more anxious they are, the more it shows that Ye Feng has posed a significant threat to them in the river of time!" the Wolf King said with certainty. "Perhaps Ye Feng has turned misfortune into blessing and has obtained an extraordinary opportunity in the river of time."

Just as the two were talking, a deep, resonant voice pierced through the downpour and entered the pavilion: "So, rather than saying they're anxious, it's more accurate to say they're panicked!"

"The more panicked they are, the less Ye Feng can afford to come back!"

The sound was like a booming bell, making everyone's eardrums ring. Wu Budu and the Wolf King's expressions changed drastically, and they both stood up, looking warily towards the source of the sound. Outside the window, the wind and rain roared, and the lake water surged. A black figure was slowly approaching on a small wooden boat amidst the waves.

The wooden boat, seemingly fragile, moved with ease under the man's control. The wind and rain lashed at him, but were blocked by an invisible barrier, preventing them from getting close. In the blink of an eye, the wooden boat reached the outside of the pavilion. The man lightly stepped on the boat, brought it to a stop, and then, with a sway, rose into the air and landed steadily on the stone platform.

In the blink of an eye, the wooden boat arrived outside the pavilion in the middle of the lake. The man lightly stepped on the boat, and it came to an instant stop. Then, with a sway of his body, as if lifted by a gentle breeze, he actually rose into the air and landed steadily on the stone platform of the pavilion, standing in front of Wu Budu and the Wolf King.

"This!" the two exclaimed in unison, filled with shock and vigilance. The giant wave crashed onto the stone base, and the splashing water flew over the railing and hit the hems of their clothes. A cold wind carrying moisture rushed towards them, adding a chilling touch to the shock.

Both were top experts in the Human Alliance, yet they were completely unaware of each other's presence, their strength far exceeding their comprehension.

Upon seeing the newcomer's face, the two were even more astonished. The old man was dressed in black, with a pale face and white hair, and wore gold-rimmed glasses. He looked like an ordinary old professor, but he exuded an indescribable air of authority that made people afraid to look him in the eye.

"This...this is Ye Feng's cheap advisor? That medical genius?" Wu Budu was the first to react, his tone full of disbelief. He had met the man a few times before; he was gentle and refined, with no cultivation whatsoever, yet now he was displaying such strength, which shocked him.

The Wolf King frowned, full of doubt: "Yes, it's him. But how could he have changed so much? To cross a large lake in a wooden boat during a torrential downpour and then stand in mid-air—this strength is beyond our reach! Could it be that he's been possessed?"