Origin Paradise!

Jiang He finished most of the roasted lamb, but he didn't feel full at all. The nutrients were digested by the Garuda egg and fused with blood energy, allowing his intermediate self-healing ability to operate at an advanced level.

Si Ning gulped down her lemon black tea. The meal in front of her was delivered by a middle-aged colonel in charge of military supplies. Perhaps it was out of guilt, or perhaps it was to appease him, but the specific reason was unclear.

"When players are matched for missions, a certain principle of proximity is followed. For example, if you are a player in the northern part of Great Xia, the chances of encountering an employee of the Northern Region of the Bureau of Order are not low."

Jiang He casually wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, looked around but couldn't find any water, so he simply picked up the whiskey on the table.

"So, the Death Cruise is your territory?"

Si Ning snapped her fingers. "Although it wasn't difficult, I guessed right. You are the third player to board the Death Cruise in the past year. The security check at the time of boarding was just a smokescreen. The main thing is the computer system's comprehensive scan of passengers' physical condition."

Jiang He asked doubtfully, "Some outstanding people in sports, even if they are not players, may not be inferior in physical fitness."

Si Ning smiled but did not answer.

Jiang He was speechless. It's better to kill the wrong person than let one go. This person is definitely not a good person.

"Death cruise ships can satisfy passengers' greed for money, so they must be prepared to risk their lives. Otherwise, wouldn't that be too unfair to those who work hard?"

Si Ning continued, spouting nonsense she herself didn't believe: "The Lemon Party I recommended to you was actually the most difficult game, because it was hosted by me and 26 of my men, specifically for those with abnormal physical abilities. Of course, there's no point in saying all this now. I want you to leave the Death Cruise and not leave behind any of those black gems. In return, I will pay the price."

Jiang He asked, "What is a death cruise ship?"

A small raven chimed in, "That's her legion, just like my avian legion. We're both preparing for the first World War. As for detailed information about the World War, Origin Games hasn't released any yet."

Si Ning was somewhat dissatisfied, "Intelligence comes at a price."

The crow flapped its wings and said disdainfully, "Do you even know the value of an exclusive intelligence agent? If you don't ask, fine, but answering every question is a basic requirement. Besides, you and your giant mosquito skeleton soldiers are already infamous, not even sparing the remains of game dead. The Bureau of Order should give you a dragon scale."

Si Ning laughed and said, "At least 30% of the invitees have been sold off as serious criminals. It's not that I didn't give them a way out."

"Isn't that even more inhumane?!"

Jiang He interrupted, saying, "Your reward is greater than the mission reward. I'll leave as soon as I return to reality."

Si Ning took a sip of lemon tea and said, "Let's talk about this outside. The deal is only meaningful if both of us are alive. My second main quest is to kill the Cheetah Knight. You should have obtained the Lionheart Bracers by now."

Jiang He nodded. "First, we need to find him."

“The only certainty is that the target has come to Leva City. He appeared twice around the dispatch center in the East District, but he was too fast for my legion members to catch up with,” Wuhe said.

"Then I'll go take a look tomorrow morning. By the way, you and I both need to choose assistants; it's a direct order from above." Si Ning got up from the table, stretched, and went into the command room to rest.

Jiang He pondered. Sending ordinary soldiers to follow knights was destined to be a life-or-death situation. However, judging from his own promotion to knight, the higher-ups might want to use this method to leave a "symbol of miracle" on the assistants, making it easier to train them in the future, thus making up for the knight deaths caused by the war.

"Is there a secret treasure to enhance mental resistance?"

Without hesitation, Wuhe replied, "The statue of Joan of Arc in Versailles is one of the nine finest treasures of our time, symbolizing freedom and rebellion."

"What would happen if I took it?"

"Then the French army will not attack the Somme, but will attack you first."

Jiang He felt a slight headache. "What about the others?"

The crow lightly pecked at the cream of mushroom soup. "Let me do the math. The number of troops and knights sent by both sides in the war is increasing. There are bound to be one or two nobles with suitable treasures. I'll let you know as soon as I have the results."

"Thank you." Jiang He presented three black gemstones.

"You're too kind, hahaha."

……

The next morning.

Three infantry divisions crossed the western defense line of the Somme River and successfully reached the Leden area. In accordance with orders from their superiors, they prepared to break up into smaller units and enter the city in platoons to participate in street fighting.

In fact, new troops were arriving every day, and wounded soldiers were constantly being transported back from the front. The two field hospitals under the camp command were already full. In the face of extreme drug shortages, thousands of soldiers underwent amputations without anesthesia to prevent wound infection.

In the morning light, Jiang He finished organizing his equipment, slung his gun holster over his shoulder, and walked out of the bunker. His promotion to knight had significantly enhanced his strength in all aspects, especially his advanced self-healing, which undoubtedly provided a great deal of security. However, it is worth noting that the basic pure azure energy is not inexhaustible, but comes from the large portion of the granary he had previously consumed. Therefore, finding new food sources is extremely important.

"Hey, there's a really strange guy here."

Si Ning turned around with feigned surprise, her tone indistinct. She gargled and then casually tossed away the twig she was using as a toothbrush.

"Speak directly if you have something to say."

"Go to bed at 4 AM and wake up at 6:30 AM, not a second off. Are you a robot?"

Jiang He was too lazy to answer. He found a rock and sat down cross-legged. As he activated his Ming Jin power to make his whole body feel as one, his acuity gradually rose to its peak. The morning breeze stimulated his skin. According to the essence of the "Arm Classic", he reached the level where the morning breeze was like a knife, washing away the marrow and bones. He was not far from An Jin.

In a previous spin-off quest, the high shaman beside Tieduo used the Black Tiger Soul attack to paralyze him. The raging tiger roar swept in and out, making his muscles stiff as wood. But since he didn't die at that time, it was actually a good thing in the long run.

After achieving Ming Jin (manifest strength), martial arts skills must then penetrate inwards, seeping into the internal organs to generate An Jin (hidden strength). This step is very difficult, requiring the attainment of the "Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound" to achieve a harmonious resonance of muscles and bones.

Jiang He carefully recalled that stiff feeling, imitated the tiger's roar, and used the blue and red blood energy in his body to damage the body. The advanced self-healing quickly repaired the damage, but the remaining intense pain was the trace of the ideal state of dark energy, which the martial artist needed to "catch the shadow" little by little.

"If I take three more hits from the Black Tiger Soul, or be struck by lightning, I'll be confident I can master the hidden strength."

Jiang He closed his eyes, savoring the lingering, corrosive pain. The more intense the pain, the deeper the impression he made.

After breakfast at the camp, the lieutenant, who had been running around wildly yesterday, had barely recovered. He led two young men to the private bunker, his eyes filled with fear as he looked at the new Earl of Lemon.

“Earl, these two are assistants selected by the colonel, Frieze and David, both elites from schools in the rear.”

Si Ning finished bandaging herself and joked, "They're already recruiting baby soldiers so soon. I feel like the fighting is even more brutal than I expected. I heard that there were 40,000 casualties on the central front yesterday."

The lieutenant saluted, "But we have achieved a partial victory, and there is still a steady stream of soldiers coming from the mainland."

Si Ning scoffed lightly. Compared to the big shots in the Platinum Palace, even if her Death Ship were expanded tenfold, it would still be far behind.

"The guy who follows me is nicknamed Charles XIV."

Jiang He added, "Easy to remember."

Frieze raised his hand enthusiastically. He was passionate about war, believing that only imperial power and glory could be passed down through generations, and that his former assistants must all have legendary stories.

Chapter 58 Re-entering the City Wall

early morning.

A four-man team entered Lyden from the south.

Compared to the previous days, the building collapses were more severe, with many places engulfed in flames all day long, the air filled with the stench of decay, and the occasional faint sound of gunfire.

The building closest to the south was the cannery, where a large number of fire support teams were stationed. It was also the starting point for soldiers to enter. The outer walls were reinforced layer by layer at great cost, and they withstood several rounds of bombing by fighter jets while still maintaining their basic framework.

The four of them left through the side door of the cannery. Si Ning swaggered ahead, her long, graceful legs striding about. Even though they were covered by military trousers, their length and beauty were still evident, making her seem out of place in the smoke-filled battlefield.

Jiang He knew that this guy's true form was definitely hidden somewhere else, and such conspicuous movement could serve as bait.

Because their superior officer seemed too relaxed, the two privates also relaxed considerably. When they left the school, the retired officer had given an inspiring speech, in which he made a well-founded prediction of the situation: that the army would be able to enter Berlin and capture the Prussian emperor before winter arrived.

Si Ning walked out of the abandoned factory. A bullet came from the side and pierced her forehead. The blood splattered realistically, and she fell to the ground, even stirring up dust.

"Sir!"

David exclaimed in surprise, then quickly ducked back to find cover.

"I'll fight you!"

Charles XIV leaped out of the factory, his expression unusually excited, even ferocious. He almost raised his rifle and repeatedly fired at the second floor of a distant house, fighting with great bravery.

Someone who was prepared located the sniper's position by following the direction of the bullet, but the sniper was likely to leave immediately after firing. Fortunately, a sparrow was flying around the house at a speed similar to that of an ordinary person.

Jiang He pulled the trigger of the Crimson Baptism. The bullet struck the wall from a distance of two hundred meters. Sparrows scattered in fright. The bullet, with its shattering effect, broke through the bricks and stones. A scream rang out. Without the extraordinary power of a knight, even with obstacles reducing kinetic energy, it would be difficult to resist the shooting of the secret weapon.

"The new guy's a bit crazy, and you seem a bit off too."

Si Ning emerged from the shadows, the hypnotic imagery making her appear like a ghost.

Jiang He immediately turned his gun around and aimed it at the other party.

A hint of confusion flashed in Si Ning's eyes. She reached out and grasped the decorative sword at her waist, and said warily, "What are you doing?"

"The two sentences are related and have similarities before and after each other. Meeting these two conditions is the minimum requirement for triggering the abyssal logic disorder."

Si Ning was slightly annoyed and said, "That would cost a lot of energy. I'm not indiscriminate in my behavior. We can just stay away from each other."

Jiang He pulled out a handful of black gems and stuffed them into his pocket, saying, "If we're going to cooperate, then we should cooperate honestly. If I experience a mental breakdown, I'll blow you up first. After that, the distance between us can't exceed five meters."

Charles XIV was driven back to the factory by a hail of rifle fire. As soon as he entered, he saw two officers facing off. David, a schoolboy, looked helpless. This group was clearly unreliable.

Si Ning stepped back, approached, and rearranged a reflection of herself before disappearing again.

"Wait a minute, the officer is alive! He's a knight! He definitely is!" Charles XIV's eyes lit up.

David's face was grave; traveling with the knights only increased the danger exponentially.

The four men advanced along the shadows through the ruins.

At the same time, a sparrow landed on Jiang He's shoulder, and Wu He sent a message through internal channels.

"We have news about the mental resistance artifact you requested. Its name is the Ring of the Free Bird, but we need to investigate its exact whereabouts carefully. Lydon, be careful on your side. There are too many perspectives for me to keep up with."

"understood."

By noon, the four-person team had broken away from the southern city area under their control and entered the eastern district, which was a battle zone.

Fighter jets flew overhead, dropping bombs that sent plumes of dust billowing into the air. On the roof of a three-story building, a Prussian squad successfully blocked the street below with their Maxim heavy machine guns.

An entire company of British infantry launched a deadly charge. As the fire swept through, the soldiers fell one after another. The commanding lieutenant was blown away by a landmine, crashing into a wall and his brains splattered. In the blink of an eye, the nearly two hundred men were reduced to half.

The second company promptly took over the gains and maintained the fierce offensive. Taking advantage of the gap when the Maxim heavy machine guns were being reloaded, the deputy battalion commander, Captain, personally led the charge.

Three hundred soldiers stormed the building and seemed about to break through, but the open space in front of the building was full of landmines. Thunderclaps exploded, black smoke and dust covered the battlefield, the captain was killed without a trace, and the soldiers fled in panic, all retreating to the church across the street.

“I refuse to go through here. My cloaking ability can’t stop me from being hit by a full-scale machine gun barrage.”

A clear, cold voice rang out from an empty place.

Jiang He hid behind a half-collapsed wall and used a monocular telescope to observe the firing position. Two black gem chaos bombs could take care of it. The advantage of these bombs is that they are small, concealed, and easy to transport. However, there were only six or seven people at this position, so it was not worth him using up his reserves.

"The dispatch center is in the East Wing. Let's go to the church first."

Si Ning had no objections. She entered Lieden City only to kill the Cheetah Knight and complete the main mission. Otherwise, espionage was her forte. As for the two privates, they had no say in the direction of the operation.

The four of them immediately sprang into action.

The church was filled with wails and screams, and there were wounded soldiers with severed limbs everywhere. The stench of blood was overwhelming.

The deputy battalion commander and the main force captain were killed in action, and Captain Tommy took over the situation. His assistant was no longer the one he had initially led; if divided by generations, he was now in the seventh or eighth generation.

"Guard the area around the church!"

"Abandon the seriously wounded and save the emergency supplies for those who can survive!"

"Redistribute ammunition!"

Orders were issued one after another, some of which aroused dissatisfaction among the soldiers. Tommy, expressionless, executed three privates who were planning to desert in order to stabilize the situation.

"How much is left?"

Hearing the familiar voice and the question, Tommy turned around and saw his old comrade-in-arms whom he hadn't seen for many days. There was no joy on his face at the reunion, after all, no one knows when death will come.

"134 people, barely enough for one more attempt."

Tommy looked at the corpses and wounded soldiers scattered on the ground with a sense of melancholy.

Si Ning whispered, "These British guys are all brain-dead. I was invited to observe Haig's human wave tactics before, it was like a military parade. On the day of the general offensive, there were 60,000 casualties. You couldn't slaughter pigs that many. It was an eye-opener."

Jiang He glared at her. Tommy, as a knight, also had two attribute points to improve his basic stats. While his strength, physique, and agility weren't particularly outstanding, the Wildebeest Knight was probably a mental specialist, so he could hear her at this distance.

"So I plan to drive the Prussians across that minefield," Tommy said coldly. "The soldiers can no longer be wasted."

Jiang He was slightly surprised, "Where did you come from, you Prussian?"

“Some Lyden citizens who didn’t evacuate are currently in the church’s cellar.” Tommy turned and left.

Jiang He remained silent. From being full of passion to becoming numb and weary, and then to undisguised hatred, the war had left deep marks and changes on the other side.

Chapter 59 Sniping the Major

At noon, the sun was shining brightly.

The eastern fire positions received supplies, and the excellent results in the morning gave the Prussian major general in charge of the area hope for an attack. He quickly dispatched three companies to reinforce the fire positions and ordered a counterattack on the church to capture the streets on both sides.

The relevant movements were discovered by reconnaissance aircraft. After the report was submitted, Lieutenant General Summerford of the camp personally intervened. Instead of ordering a retreat, he ordered the troops stationed at the church to immediately launch an attack.

12:30pm.

More than 300 citizens of Leden left the church and were driven by soldiers to storm the third-floor firing positions.

Prussian soldiers fired warning shots, but after Tommy shot and killed several men, the column was forced to continue.