On the third day from the end, the moment that mental pressure erupted, Yang Zicang sped toward the place where the battle had broken out.
From his flying carpet, Yang Zicang saw the kid—whose arm had already regrown—being chased by a group of people. That team from some city number had actually managed to send in a whole crowd.
Below, the armed crowd stared at the massive earthbound spirit emerging from around the corner.
–It’s here!-
–The lord was right—Hong Haocheng really can summon that monster.-
Before anyone could say another word, the earth suddenly shook violently. With a thunderous roar, a giant boulder came flying like a cannonball as the giant kicked it!
Boom!
The ground was gouged into a bloodstained trench. Of the thirty-plus people who had been chasing the youth, only a dozen or so on the edge remained, tremblingly gripping their swords, their legs shaking uncontrollably.
Bo An had killed so many with just one move!
Hong Haocheng’s eyelids twitched a few times. He turned his head, took a deep breath, and said, –Get lost! Any more of you coming would just be throwing your lives away!-
–Ah!- Yet one of the remaining men suddenly let out a yell and, terrified yet frenzied, still raised his sword and charged at Hong Haocheng.
–Aaaah! Go!-
The dozen or so men swung their swords like madmen.
–You… all of you!- Hong Haocheng was utterly shocked. Even Yang Zicang, watching everything from high above, found it hard to believe.
–Are these people truly insane? Their strength isn’t even enough to withstand a single blow from the Earthbound Spirit.-
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
But these fearless chargers were indeed all slain in a single round of Bo’an’s attack, yet those still lying in pools of blood, not yet expired, showed relieved expressions, as if not doing so would lead to something even more dreadful than death.
In the end, all the attackers lay dead in pools of blood, a thin mist covering the thirty-odd corpses.
{They clearly lack the power to defeat me.}
The spinning vortex on Bo’an’s face abruptly halted.
A figure emerged from the chaotic woods in the distance.
–My understanding of you is at ninety percent.-
A feminine voice rang out.
A woman in a black dress appeared in the dim light. Bo’an was startled to discover that the corpses on the ground had transformed into root-like energy strands, entangling the earth beneath his feet.
–Bo’an!- Hong Haocheng cried out in alarm from afar.
The woman raised a hand, and the energy branches quickly formed a blood wall, sealing Hong Haocheng out.
Patterns flickered on Bo’an’s back, but he did not use them to transport himself away.
The woman smiled. –I deliberately studied that stone coffin and the power of His Highness, and I more or less understand the principle behind it now.-
A giant carpet surged down from the sky. The woman’s expression shifted slightly. She looked at Bo’an and said,
–Hand over the data on Turbulent Virtual Zero, and I’ll let you leave.-
{You’re… dreaming!}
–Hmph!-
Seeing Yang Zicang drawing nearer, the woman gritted her teeth and swung her hand. The scarlet roots burrowed into the earthbound spirit’s body, dimming the light around it considerably.
{You underestimate me—drink!}
Boom! Blurry phantoms appeared around the earthbound spirit, like the tiny images that emerged when Zhao Anlong and those officials activated their bloodline secret powers.
Bo’an shattered the roots with a single punch.
Instead of being angry, the woman laughed: –Heh heh. Drain your strength—next time you won’t be so lucky.–
A long spear thrust out from the rotating black hole. The woman in black retreated swiftly, and two figures rushed forward to shield her.
The spear retracted into the hole, and the two who had braced for death let out a temporary sigh of relief.
Bo’an, having shattered the roots, was about to turn when suddenly a large blanket wrapped around him.
–Up!– Yang Zicang leaped onto the blanket enfolding the earthbound spirit, ready to leave.
Underground, Hong Haocheng was frantic.
–Are you crazy? With so many earthbound spirits, why fixate on Bo’an?–
–So its name is Bo’an.–
Light flickered in Hong Haocheng’s hand.
[I consumed 1N principal and activated the Ether Tunnel Medal.]
Inside the layered giant blanket, a depression appeared.
The giant figure appeared in the smoke and dust suddenly erupting behind Hong Haocheng. In an instant, Bo’an’s massive hand seized the youth, and more patterns surfaced from the smoke behind.
But perhaps because the power of the red roots still lingered within him, the magic patterns striving to spread couldn’t fully emerge, and the sub-ether channel failed to appear.
Hong Haocheng was desperate.
–Quick! He’s here!-
[Dispatch!]
Yang Zicang drove the giant blanket to crash forward, like a high-speed spinning steel plate. Facing this saint’s relic, even Bo’an with his three-ring bloodline was no match.
Whoosh! This time, both were thoroughly wrapped by Yang Zicang.
–We’re doomed!- Hong Haocheng grit his teeth, as if smothered by layers of blankets, the youth muttered from inside:
–I have a ‘thousand-person-level wish talisman.’ If I wish for us to escape together, will you follow me to the trajectory of fate?-
{Only a ten-thousand-person level might work.}
–What ten-thousand-person level are you talking about?- Yang Zicang, who was flying above the carpet, asked.
Hong Haocheng grit his teeth and, for the first time, actively released red Moxel threads.
{Hey, Wu, I’ve been captured by Yang Zicang. Come save us!}
Inside the tent, Cheng Yunze was still wondering who had been sneaking in lately, when Wu Yun rushed in with great joy.
–Boss! Captain! That bastard finally caved.-
–Who?- Cheng Yunze was stunned for a moment, then his face lit up. –Is it Hong Haocheng? Is he willing to join us? Call him over, quick.-
Could it be that he was being hunted so hard he couldn’t take it anymore? Then he ought to thank those who had been chasing him these past few days.
But Wu Yun suddenly started stammering, and the joy on his face faded considerably.
–He was caught by Yang Zicang. He wants us to go rescue him.-
–What!-
Cheng Yunze’s anger flared up. He wanted to curse. Sure enough, that bastard wouldn’t just come to him out of the blue—he’d been captured!
Everyone in the camp watched in silence as Cheng Yunze paced back and forth, agitated. How that guy Hong Haocheng had obtained his bloodline was a question their chief captain had been discussing every night. Now that man had been taken by Yang Zicang, and he feared that the already powerful major cargo captain would gain even more strength.
–No chance. Once he’s in Yang Zicang’s hands, he’ll definitely be sent straight to the Frequency Loss Land.-
Cheng Yunze had already gotten in touch with Ning Jiajia through the Wasteland Construction Team. Lately, that woman had been in the Frequency Loss Land kneading coarse grain buns—she had to knead a full hundred every day, or she wouldn’t get food or water.
Once you go to the Frequency Loss Land, you’re in for a rough time. Even if Hong Haocheng has a bloodline, he’ll probably end up just chopping trees and splitting firewood.
…..
Near the camp, a huge carpet slowly descended, landing on the ground.
The crowd was about to gather and watch, but Robin Lo stopped them. Yang Zicang suspected that among these people, someone had leaked the scene from earlier.
Although that was certain, it was unclear who exactly had passed the information to the woman in black. If it wasn’t deliberate, it was fine; if it was deliberate, then every move they made here was being monitored.
Yang Zicang somewhat regretted exchanging the pages for an entry spot—the crowd was too mixed. And as for his idea of establishing a long-term base later, he temporarily shelved it. If he were to build one, it would have to be based on people he could trust; he couldn’t use this camp as the headquarters within the 11th City.
–Hey, are you guys okay?- Yang Zicang kicked the thick, heavily wrapped blanket.
The people inside couldn’t move any part except their noses. The Bound Spirit also dared not use full force to break free, afraid of harming the boy beside it. So, in response to Yang Zicang’s question, the Bound Spirit honestly replied:
{What do you want? Please spare him. I will do my best to satisfy you, even if it costs me my life.}
–Boan!-
{It’s fine. My fate is already sealed.}
Yang Zicang said, –I want to infuse my weapon with the Void Zero Chronos. That’s all. Oh, right, it’s a Cent-Arms.-
{I understand. That will require ten bloodline-bound spirit cores.}
–You really understand? When you became a Bound Spirit, such rules probably didn’t exist yet.-
{【Pathos】 has already informed me of this.}
Yang Zicang scratched his head. –I see. So that means it really does consider you a human being. Therefore, even you are qualified to forge a Void Zero Chronos Weapon?-
{No, I am not qualified. Because I am a sinner.}
Hong Haocheng fumed in exasperation: –Yang Zicang, you chased us all this way just for this trivial crap?-
–Don’t pin that on me. Except for the first day, none of that was my doing, okay? And Hong Haocheng, not to criticize you, but if you’d just said your name earlier, none of this hassle would’ve happened.-
Hong Haocheng’s ears pricked up inside the blanket, immediately sensing a whiff of conspiracy.
–Hmph, what trick are you trying to pull now? If I say my name, will you actually let me go?-
–Exactly.-
–Bullshit.- He wriggled his body, but it was obviously futile.
Yang Zicang was about to mention Morri’s call from the future, but thinking that might increase Morri’s alteration of future time-space, he curled the corner of his mouth and dropped the thought.
Hearing no response, Hong Haocheng pressed his nose against the blanket and yelled, his voice muffled.
–Go on, make up some story. What, haven’t thought of the rest of the plot yet? Want me to spin it for you?-
Yang Zicang smiled. –Heh, you can take a guess. But I won’t give you a straight answer.-
Hong Haocheng thought suspiciously. It probably wasn’t Xu Fei. He shouted, –Does someone know I’m here?-
–Oh?- Yang Zicang opened his mouth slightly in surprise.
{You guessed it.} Bo’an said.
–What!- Hong Haocheng was utterly astonished.
He wouldn’t believe a word Yang Zicang said, but he trusted every word from this earth-bound spirit.
–Who told you?- came a tense voice from under the blanket.
Yang Zicang now found himself on the horns of a dilemma.
–Forget it. These things aren’t a big deal. Just pretend you ran into a fortune-teller.-
–Was it a woman who told you?-
Yang Zicang thought of Ms. Mai Ya, then of that phone, Enightmare.
–Not exactly.-
–What do you mean ‘not exactly’? Yes is yes, no is no.-
–It has little to do with that lady. Anyway, I don’t have time for guessing games with you. Hey, you there—if you’re willing to help me collect ten Bloodline Binding Spirit Cores, I’ll let him go. Of course, to the Lost Frequency Land.-
{Okay.}
With Bo’an’s reply, the giant blanket slowly rotated, revealing the earth-bound spirit’s body, while Yang Zicang stayed on guard, ready for Hong Haocheng to bolt.
When Bo’an climbed to his feet, Hong Haocheng’s shrill voice screamed in desperation:
–No, Bo’an, don’t listen to him! I can cut and run anytime, but you can’t—you’ll be…-
{It’s fine. That was bound to happen sooner or later. Being able to wake up and see the captain one more time—I have no regrets.}
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