130 The Mystery of the End Times
On that evening, as expected, Yao Qianjiang sent over more than twenty pounds of precious seafood. Although they had been refrigerated for a long time, ever since marine life mutated, it had become almost impossible for them to enjoy seafood. Anything that could only be obtained during civilized times was now extremely precious.
Before the delivery person left, they handed them an invitation card.
Opening the invitation, Cong Xia saw that Yao Qianjiang was hosting a banquet. Besides celebrating his mother's belated birthday, he also wanted to celebrate his recovery from the injuries. Due to Yao Qianjiang's injury, the Jiujian Prefecture had been in a slump for over a month, being cautious everywhere.
Several territories were silently taken over by other forces. Now that he had recovered, he would definitely let everyone in Beijing know that Yao Qianjiang had risen again. Such a banquet was the perfect opportunity for that.
Zhuang Yao asked, "Who else has been invited?"
The delivery person politely replied, "The Lord has invited the prominent figures of Beijing."
Cheng Tianbi said, "You can go back; we will consider it."
The person bowed and left with his crew.
Cong Xia fanned the invitation and looked at Cheng Tianbi and Zhuang Yao, "Will we go?"
Zhuang Yao smiled, "Of course, I need an opportunity for Cheng Tianbi to establish his reputation in Beijing."
"Establish his reputation?"
"You're right. Today, I had him demonstrate his Elementalization ability to establish a show of force to the Dragonblood Clan. The Dragonblood Clan is the most unique group in Beijing due to their exceptional conditions. Though their numbers are small, every member is an elite, and with Tang Tingzhi, the cerebral domain evolutionist, supporting them, and even the military as their backing, their hardware conditions are not inferior to ours. We've only been in Beijing for just over a week, and our foundation is still shallow. We absolutely cannot afford to be looked down upon during our most vulnerable time. Those people won't be polite to us just because of Professor Cong and Commander Cao's relationship. In fact, it's because of this relationship that we become even easier targets for suppression. No one wants to see any single faction dominate, so Cheng Tianbi must establish his authority and make them think twice before acting arrogantly towards us."
"But how can we establish authority? We can't possibly take action at Yao Qianjiang's banquet, right?"
"Of course, we can't take action, at least not proactively. I heard that the leader of the Fenglan Society, Zhou Fenglan, has a hot temper, is outspoken, and has a narrow mind. Our extermination of one of their squads in Luoyang must have left a lasting impression on him. Moreover, the Fenglan Society is in the same faction as Zhuang Yu and the 14th Army. No matter from which perspective, they are our enemies, so there's no need to be polite to Zhou Fenglan. We'll act accordingly when the time comes, and if we can suppress his arrogance, that would be even better."
Cong Xia expressed some concerns, "Zhou Fenglan's Thunder Natural Force... It's probably quite powerful, right?"
Zhuang Yao grinned proudly, "Indeed, it's powerful, but what's wonderful is that Cheng Tianbi can control his own Wind Force effectively, making him immune to lightning. You can say that Cheng Tianbi is Zhou Fenglan's biggest nemesis."
Cong Xia's eyes suddenly brightened, "Right, if he can control the Wind Force well... When lightning passes through the air, it generates a temperature of over tens of thousands of degrees. To propagate, lightning must ionize the air in an instant to form a path. Cheng Tianbi's ability is just to control the airflow around him. As long as he manipulates the Wind Force at the moment the lightning appears, distorting the air and controlling the conductive pathway, he can change the direction of the lightning, making it unable to strike him. Moreover, air is a poor conductor of heat, responding promptly, which can effectively block the accompanying high temperatures of the lightning."
"That's right. The success of this method depends on Cheng Tianbi's reaction speed and control over the Wind Force. The banquet is in three days. Cheng Tianbi, you must practice the precise control of the Wind Force intensively during these three days. If you can't defeat Zhou Fenglan, all of us will be in danger."
Cheng Tianbi nodded and said in a deep voice, "I won't lose to anyone."
Cong Xia sighed, "I don't know if it's a coincidence or... right now, in Beijing, the energies of the five elements - gold, wood, water, fire, and earth - have converged. Moreover, among these five energies, there are interactions of mutual restraint."
Zhuang Yao nodded, "Among the other four people, the one who poses the greatest threat to Cheng Tianbi is definitely not Zhou Fenglan. If we consider their abilities alone, the most challenging opponent for Cheng Tianbi should be Li Dao'ai with his earth energy. Earth can suppress wind, so once Cheng Tianbi uses wind power to raise sand, it would only benefit Li Dao'ai. Zhou Fenglan's most formidable adversary should be Yao Qianjiang, as water's conductive ability would cause greater harm to him, and Yao Qianjiang and Shen Changze would also mutually counteract each other. Of course, on the other hand, there could be many ways they cooperate; Cheng Tianbi's wind complements Shen Changze's fire. Therefore, these individuals, including Wu Yu, as natural evolution beings, will undoubtedly cause an irreparable disaster once they engage in a fight. Now that I think about it, Wu Yu is the cleverest one. Regardless of his ambitions, staying in Chongqing at this time allows him to dominate the Sichuan-Chongqing region without being constrained by various forces, which is far better than being weakened and restricted by other natural evolution beings in Beijing. In Beijing, no one will allow him to reign supreme. On the contrary, he can be the Earth Emperor for the rest of his life, living carefree. Furthermore, he could expand his rule to cover the entire Sichuan-Chongqing region, and after a few years of consolidation, his influence would be enough to threaten Beijing. Wu Yu is truly remarkable. When he was in Chongqing, I already saw that Chen Tianbi couldn't match him. People who possess both courage and strategy are the most difficult to deal with."
Cong Xia said, "It's a pity that no matter how calculating he is, he didn't anticipate that evolution has its limits, and Puppet Jade has side effects."
Zhuang Yao replied, "There's a research institute in Chongqing, and before long, they will also discover this. So Wu Yu is also a hidden danger, but he is, after all, an intelligent human. When faced with a common disaster, there is a possibility he could be persuaded to cooperate. Therefore, we don't plan to act against him in Beijing. I hope he never comes here. It's already chaotic enough."
"Let's go back now and make some preparations for the banquet."
"What preparations?" asked Liu Fengyu.
"The preparations for the banquet, of course, clothes and perfume," he replied.
Deng Xiao added, "Preparations for the banquet mean not eating the day before."
Tang Yanqiu said, "I think I won't attend."
Cong Xia asked, "Why not?"
Tang Yanqiu shook his head, "I'm not comfortable in crowded places."
Liu Fengyu embraced his neck, "What's wrong? Are you afraid of socializing, hero Tang?"
Tang Yanqiu nodded, "Perhaps, you all can go."
Zhuang Yao said, "We already have too few people in our team. Apart from Cheng Tianbi, only you look presentable. You must attend."
Deng Xiao grumbled, "What do you mean by 'only they look presentable'? I'm also tall, strong, handsome, and charming!"
Cong Xia laughed, "Zhuang Yao means they both appear more powerful and mature, while you, little Deng, no matter how you look at it, are still a kid."
"Zhuang Yao is the kid here, not me," said Deng Xiao, purposely gesturing at Zhuang Yao's height.
"That's right, it's a group activity," Liu Fengyu poked at Tang Yanqiu's stiff chest, "Tomorrow, accompany me to the mall, and I'll pick you out a decent outfit. Don't keep wearing all black like you're attending a funeral."
Tang Yanqiu frowned, "Why are you so blunt?"
Liu Fengyu shrugged, "Is today the first day you met me?"
Zhuang Yao interjected, "Regarding the preparations for the banquet, there are two things. First, we need to pick a gift for Yao Qianjiang's mother. After all, it's her birthday, and we can't go empty-handed. Second, we need to familiarize ourselves with the faces of others at the party, so we can recognize them and observe the relationships between different factions."
Liu Fengyu said, "Let's leave the gift to Xiao Wang; we're not short on money anyway."
"Alright, let's all rest for today. I'll ask Professor Cong to provide us with the information, and we can discuss it tomorrow morning." Zhuang Yao instructed, "Cheng Tianbi, make good use of your time to practice your micro-control ability. Tomorrow, I'll try to arrange a simulated machine to help you. You absolutely cannot be taken down by Zhou Fenglan during the banquet. If necessary, you still have the ultimate move, Elemental Transformation."
Cheng Tianbi nodded in acknowledgment.
After returning to their rooms, Cheng Tianbi quickly freshened up and sat on the sofa, starting to practice controlling the wind. Previously, he used wind power for large-scale attacks, rarely focusing on controlling small areas. To neutralize Zhou Fenglan's thunder and lightning, he needed to refine his control over the wind's movements, and he had to seize the right moment.
Cong Xia came out after taking a shower and sat next to him, whispering, "Can I help you?"
"No need, you should go to sleep."
"I can't sleep like this."
"Then I'll go back to my room."
Cong Xia held him back, "No, stay here." He lay on the sofa and sighed, "Although saying this might not be auspicious, but let's be honest. None of us know when we might not be here anymore. So while we can still be together, let's not miss out on these good times."
Cheng Tianbi paused and looked at Cong Xia, "Are you scared?"
"How can I not be scared? Just thinking about those bugs makes me want to throw up. And the Devil's Pine, over 600 meters tall, my goodness, its influence covers a forest bigger than Hainan Island. I can't imagine how to take Puppet Jade back from its grasp. And the marine creatures, do you remember the large catfish we saw while bathing in the river before? That river was so small, yet it could raise such a huge catfish. Imagine how big the creatures in the sea could be. And there's Qinghai... Tianbi, to be honest, sometimes I feel quite tired. I often have a 'live for today' mentality, knowing that each day is precious. But I also know that if we don't fight, it's just waiting for death."
Cheng Tianbi said, "We have no other choice; we just can't wait to die."
Cong Xia smiled at him, "I envy you; I've never seen you afraid. Is there anything in this world that scares you?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
Cheng Tianbi looked at him intently, "I'm afraid of you dying before me."
Cong Xia's heart trembled, and he forced a smile, "Let's strive to survive together." If you die before me, I'll accompany you down that path.
Cheng Tianbi gently touched Cong Xia's hair and firmly said, "Survive together."
Cong Xia patted his hand and said, "Come on, I won't sleep either. You keep practicing, and I'll go study the ancient jade. Materializing weapons and armor is crucial, and I want to extract more knowledge to research with Zhuang Yao."
"Alright."
Side by side, they sat on the sofa, finding comfort in each other's presence, passing through this sleepless night.
The next morning, they gathered in a conference room at the experimental area, where Zhuang Yao was already waiting.
Zhuang Yao adjusted the projector, saying, "Take a seat. Let's have a look at the main figures we may encounter at the banquet in three days."
The projector displayed the first picture, showing a handsome man in front of the group. Cong Xia immediately recognized him as Yao Qianjiang, but the others hadn't seen him before.
Zhuang Yao explained, "This person is Yao Qianjiang, 28 years old this year. During the civilized era, he was a lawyer and has a somewhat arrogant personality, but he's clear-headed and managed Jiujian Prefecture into the largest gang in the capital city. Besides being powerful in combat, he's also excellent in management and personnel selection. Jiujian Prefecture is run like a well-organized corporation, with clear functional divisions in various branches. Even during his recovery period, Jiujian Prefecture remained stable, which speaks to his capability. However, precisely because he's intelligent and has his own ideas, the military has the most reservations and suspicions about him." Zhuang Yao then looked at Cong Xia, "You've had close contact with him. What do you think of him?"
"He's indeed a very composed and wise person. Most people wouldn't be able to withstand his injury, but despite his weakness, he remains very steady. He's an impressive figure."
Zhuang Yao nodded, "It's a good thing we haven't become enemies with them yet. Instead, they owe us a favor now. As for the kidnapping incident, we won't bring it up, and they won't either. But maybe we can use it to our advantage in the future. For now, let's pretend we don't know anything."
The image changed, and they saw a man in his thirties. He had a square and rugged face, with a short beard on his cheeks, a high and prominent nose, and a composed, deep gaze. He looked like a genuine man's man.
Zhuang Yao said, "This man is Li Dao'ai, the leader of the Liudao Huangquan. He's 33 years old and was a captain in the Criminal Police Brigade in District XX during the civilized era. He's a relatively low-profile person, speaks little, and rarely interacts with others. He manages his subordinates strictly and always completes tasks with outstanding performance. He has a good reputation in the capital city. He belongs to the type of leader who won't provoke others if they don't provoke him. Currently, we have no conflicts of interest with him."
The image changed again, showing a man with a crew cut and a rugged appearance. This man appeared to be around the same age as Li Dao'ai, but compared to Li Dao'ai's composed temperament, his face indicated he was an unruly individual.
"The leader of the Fenglan Society, Zhou Fenglan, 34 years old. During the civilized era, he was a somewhat famous football player, known for his arrogance and arrogance, with a quick temper. He often offends people. It's said that the only person who can make him truly submit is Zhuang Yu." When Zhuang Yao mentioned "Zhuang Yu," his tone remained neutral, as if he were talking about someone unrelated to him.
Deng Xiao said, "This guy looks pretty fierce. The other one, Li Dao'ai, seems more reliable. After all, he was a police uncle, so he should be a good person, right?"
Zhuang Yao replied, "In this world, there's no concept of good or bad people anymore. There's only a distinction between the strong and the weak, and the strong are right, that's it." He then pressed a button on the remote control, and another picture appeared.
The image showed a man in his fifties, who appeared short in stature, but his gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, and he exuded a cold and rigid demeanor.
"This man, Cheng Tianbi should be familiar with."
Cheng Tianbi said, "Xu Ying, the Commander of the 14th Group Army of the Beijing Military District."
"Everyone knows that the military's power is divided into two, with the 14th Group Army and the 27th Group Army each occupying one side. Xu Ying is a veteran who emphasizes practical combat and has made significant contributions to the country. He used to command battles, which led to his authoritative disposition and a strict, cold, and harsh personality. He is extremely demanding of both others and himself. His disagreements with Cao Zhixian mainly stem from their differing personalities. In his eyes, he is always right, and the decisions he makes are undoubtedly the best for the country and humanity's future. He looks down on Cao Zhixian's gentleness, while Cao Zhixian thinks he is too radical. Speaking with him requires respect; he places great importance on hierarchy and seniority."
"Next, I'll focus on several members of the Dragonblood Clan. Since we'll be cooperating with them soon to break through the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, we need a deeper understanding of them."
The picture changed again, and Shen Changze appeared on the screen.
"Regarding the Dragon Blood Clan, I want to specifically introduce four individuals who are the core of the clan. Everyone saw this one yesterday - the so-called pure-blooded Dragon Blood, Shen Changze. He's also an evolutionary being of fire nature. His inherent conditions are extremely superior. In the civilized era, no one would be his match in one-on-one combat as a pure-blooded Dragonblood. The Dragonblood species has physical qualities dozens of times that of humans. The scales on their bodies can resist ordinary bullets, and their blood is highly acidic, allowing them to heal themselves after injuries. With a blood purity of over fifty to sixty percent, they can grow wings and fly. They are a nearly perfect race. In the civilized era, they served as a top-secret biological weapon for the country and have been executing the most challenging missions. For us, they're like creatures that have already evolved since the civilized era. Now, on the basis of genetic modification, some Dragonblood individuals have acquired additional mutant abilities, especially Shen Changze. He possesses extraordinary combat capabilities and has received specialized training since childhood, participating in numerous real battles. He's an almost impeccable warrior."
Zhuang Yao took a sip of water and continued, "This man is Shan Ming, his foster father. He's an ordinary person without any mutations, but his combat prowess surpasses many mutants. During the civilized era, he was a mercenary and a first-class combatant in the international top mercenary organization 'Peregrine Falcon.' He excels in both cold and hot weapons, is skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and has rich experience in real battles. He always carries a gun. He adopted Shen Changze when he was five years old, and Shen Changze's biggest weakness is this man. Shen Changze rarely opposes Shan Ming's decisions. The true leader of the Dragonblood Clan should be this man."
The image changed once again, showing Tang Tingzhi, whom they were all familiar with. He was a brain domain evolutionary person and the chief researcher responsible for the Dragon Blood experiment. He had deep connections with the Dragonblood Clan. Although he was officially the director of Area Six at the National Academy of Sciences, most of his research still revolved around the Dragonblood Clan. He served as the strategist of the Dragonblood Clan.
"This man is Al Moray, the leader of 'Peregrine Falcon,' and he's married to Tang Tingzhi. He is also blood purity-wise, second only to Shen Changze among the Dragon Blood Clan. There are signs of retrogressive evolution in him, and his blood concentration is increasing. He is an extremely experienced mercenary, and besides the Dragonblood individuals, it was the group of formidable mercenaries he brought that made the Dragonblood Clan strong. These mercenaries are a group of powerful characters, even without mutations, surpassing many mutants. So, although the Dragonblood Clan has the fewest members among the four major factions, their strength is still not to be underestimated."
Listening to all this, Cong Xia felt breathless. "This... sounds too formidable."
Zhuang Yao asked, "Are you scared?"
"Well, not scared, just..."
Zhuang Yao chuckled, "It does sound impressive, but our team's configuration is above theirs. No matter how powerful their squads are, none of them have you, Cong Xia."
Cong Xia smiled wryly, "You're giving me too much credit."
"I'm just stating the facts. Do you think I would praise you for no reason? It's because of you that Cheng Tianbi is leaps and bounds ahead of these formidable individuals. Elementalization is a milestone-like evolution, and currently, only Cheng Tianbi has mastered it safely. The other natural evolutionary individuals, evolving with the Puppet Jade, have no idea how many unstable factors are in their bodies. Whether they can successfully reach the Second Stage depends on luck. The gap between them and Cheng Tianbi is an entire year of training. Moreover, in terms of weapon operation, combat skills, and experience, Cheng Tianbi is on par with those mercenaries. So, what do you have to be afraid of?" Zhuang Yao confidently said, "We are the strongest team."
Deng Xiao chimed in, "Exactly, we are the strongest. Xia ge, why are you scared by just listening to a few people? How can they be compared to a six-hundred-meter tall pine tree? Have a little more courage."
Cong Xia rubbed his head, "Yeah, it's my problem. I should be more confident."
"At the moment, we should be happy that we'll be entering the Big Wild Goose Pagoda with some capable guys, which increases our chances of survival."
Liu Fengyu sighed and said, "I wonder what kind of plan you guys will come up with. I hope it's not too disgusting."
Zhuang Yao said, "You'll get used to it." He flipped the pages of the documents to the other side of the table. "The rest are the key members of various factions and some high-ranking military personnel. You can choose to look or not. Cheng Tianbi, come with me to the lab. I'll help you set up a training device to avoid lightning strikes."
Cong Xia also stood up, "Last night, I organized some information from the ancient jade about armor. I want to try improving the mutated cotton you mentioned last time."
"Good, let's do it together."
Liu Fengyu said to Tang Yanqiu, "Accompany me to buy some clothes. I'll also get a decent outfit for them so they don't look like country bumpkins when we go out, making people laugh at us."
Tang Yanqiu reluctantly got up to go with him.
Deng Xiao looked around and saw everyone had something to do. "Alright, then I'll go play with Abu."
Zhuang Yao turned his head and glared at him, "Play? You should be practicing. You're the slowest in progress."
Deng Xiao sighed, "I'll go see Abu first, and then I'll practice. Is that alright?"
Cong Xia reminded him, "Xiao Deng, don't eat Abu's fish, not even the cooked ones."
Deng Xiao shouted, "I won't! I can eat enough every day now."
Cong Xia gave him a somewhat doubtful look, and everyone went off to attend to their own tasks.
*****************
Translator’s note: I really love Deng Xiao’s childishness. LOL.
130 The Mystery of the End Times
On that evening, as expected, Yao Qianjiang sent over more than twenty pounds of precious seafood. Although they had been refrigerated for a long time, ever since marine life mutated, it had become almost impossible for them to enjoy seafood. Anything that could only be obtained during civilized times was now extremely precious.
Before the delivery person left, they handed them an invitation card.
Opening the invitation, Cong Xia saw that Yao Qianjiang was hosting a banquet. Besides celebrating his mother's belated birthday, he also wanted to celebrate his recovery from the injuries. Due to Yao Qianjiang's injury, the Jiujian Prefecture had been in a slump for over a month, being cautious everywhere.
Several territories were silently taken over by other forces. Now that he had recovered, he would definitely let everyone in Beijing know that Yao Qianjiang had risen again. Such a banquet was the perfect opportunity for that.
Zhuang Yao asked, "Who else has been invited?"
The delivery person politely replied, "The Lord has invited the prominent figures of Beijing."
Cheng Tianbi said, "You can go back; we will consider it."
The person bowed and left with his crew.
Cong Xia fanned the invitation and looked at Cheng Tianbi and Zhuang Yao, "Will we go?"
Zhuang Yao smiled, "Of course, I need an opportunity for Cheng Tianbi to establish his reputation in Beijing."
"Establish his reputation?"
"You're right. Today, I had him demonstrate his Elementalization ability to establish a show of force to the Dragonblood Clan. The Dragonblood Clan is the most unique group in Beijing due to their exceptional conditions. Though their numbers are small, every member is an elite, and with Tang Tingzhi, the cerebral domain evolutionist, supporting them, and even the military as their backing, their hardware conditions are not inferior to ours. We've only been in Beijing for just over a week, and our foundation is still shallow. We absolutely cannot afford to be looked down upon during our most vulnerable time. Those people won't be polite to us just because of Professor Cong and Commander Cao's relationship. In fact, it's because of this relationship that we become even easier targets for suppression. No one wants to see any single faction dominate, so Cheng Tianbi must establish his authority and make them think twice before acting arrogantly towards us."
"But how can we establish authority? We can't possibly take action at Yao Qianjiang's banquet, right?"
"Of course, we can't take action, at least not proactively. I heard that the leader of the Fenglan Society, Zhou Fenglan, has a hot temper, is outspoken, and has a narrow mind. Our extermination of one of their squads in Luoyang must have left a lasting impression on him. Moreover, the Fenglan Society is in the same faction as Zhuang Yu and the 14th Army. No matter from which perspective, they are our enemies, so there's no need to be polite to Zhou Fenglan. We'll act accordingly when the time comes, and if we can suppress his arrogance, that would be even better."
Cong Xia expressed some concerns, "Zhou Fenglan's Thunder Natural Force... It's probably quite powerful, right?"
Zhuang Yao grinned proudly, "Indeed, it's powerful, but what's wonderful is that Cheng Tianbi can control his own Wind Force effectively, making him immune to lightning. You can say that Cheng Tianbi is Zhou Fenglan's biggest nemesis."
Cong Xia's eyes suddenly brightened, "Right, if he can control the Wind Force well... When lightning passes through the air, it generates a temperature of over tens of thousands of degrees. To propagate, lightning must ionize the air in an instant to form a path. Cheng Tianbi's ability is just to control the airflow around him. As long as he manipulates the Wind Force at the moment the lightning appears, distorting the air and controlling the conductive pathway, he can change the direction of the lightning, making it unable to strike him. Moreover, air is a poor conductor of heat, responding promptly, which can effectively block the accompanying high temperatures of the lightning."
"That's right. The success of this method depends on Cheng Tianbi's reaction speed and control over the Wind Force. The banquet is in three days. Cheng Tianbi, you must practice the precise control of the Wind Force intensively during these three days. If you can't defeat Zhou Fenglan, all of us will be in danger."
Cheng Tianbi nodded and said in a deep voice, "I won't lose to anyone."
Cong Xia sighed, "I don't know if it's a coincidence or... right now, in Beijing, the energies of the five elements - gold, wood, water, fire, and earth - have converged. Moreover, among these five energies, there are interactions of mutual restraint."
Zhuang Yao nodded, "Among the other four people, the one who poses the greatest threat to Cheng Tianbi is definitely not Zhou Fenglan. If we consider their abilities alone, the most challenging opponent for Cheng Tianbi should be Li Dao'ai with his earth energy. Earth can suppress wind, so once Cheng Tianbi uses wind power to raise sand, it would only benefit Li Dao'ai. Zhou Fenglan's most formidable adversary should be Yao Qianjiang, as water's conductive ability would cause greater harm to him, and Yao Qianjiang and Shen Changze would also mutually counteract each other. Of course, on the other hand, there could be many ways they cooperate; Cheng Tianbi's wind complements Shen Changze's fire. Therefore, these individuals, including Wu Yu, as natural evolution beings, will undoubtedly cause an irreparable disaster once they engage in a fight. Now that I think about it, Wu Yu is the cleverest one. Regardless of his ambitions, staying in Chongqing at this time allows him to dominate the Sichuan-Chongqing region without being constrained by various forces, which is far better than being weakened and restricted by other natural evolution beings in Beijing. In Beijing, no one will allow him to reign supreme. On the contrary, he can be the Earth Emperor for the rest of his life, living carefree. Furthermore, he could expand his rule to cover the entire Sichuan-Chongqing region, and after a few years of consolidation, his influence would be enough to threaten Beijing. Wu Yu is truly remarkable. When he was in Chongqing, I already saw that Chen Tianbi couldn't match him. People who possess both courage and strategy are the most difficult to deal with."
Cong Xia said, "It's a pity that no matter how calculating he is, he didn't anticipate that evolution has its limits, and Puppet Jade has side effects."
Zhuang Yao replied, "There's a research institute in Chongqing, and before long, they will also discover this. So Wu Yu is also a hidden danger, but he is, after all, an intelligent human. When faced with a common disaster, there is a possibility he could be persuaded to cooperate. Therefore, we don't plan to act against him in Beijing. I hope he never comes here. It's already chaotic enough."
"Let's go back now and make some preparations for the banquet."
"What preparations?" asked Liu Fengyu.
"The preparations for the banquet, of course, clothes and perfume," he replied.
Deng Xiao added, "Preparations for the banquet mean not eating the day before."
Tang Yanqiu said, "I think I won't attend."
Cong Xia asked, "Why not?"
Tang Yanqiu shook his head, "I'm not comfortable in crowded places."
Liu Fengyu embraced his neck, "What's wrong? Are you afraid of socializing, hero Tang?"
Tang Yanqiu nodded, "Perhaps, you all can go."
Zhuang Yao said, "We already have too few people in our team. Apart from Cheng Tianbi, only you look presentable. You must attend."
Deng Xiao grumbled, "What do you mean by 'only they look presentable'? I'm also tall, strong, handsome, and charming!"
Cong Xia laughed, "Zhuang Yao means they both appear more powerful and mature, while you, little Deng, no matter how you look at it, are still a kid."
"Zhuang Yao is the kid here, not me," said Deng Xiao, purposely gesturing at Zhuang Yao's height.
"That's right, it's a group activity," Liu Fengyu poked at Tang Yanqiu's stiff chest, "Tomorrow, accompany me to the mall, and I'll pick you out a decent outfit. Don't keep wearing all black like you're attending a funeral."
Tang Yanqiu frowned, "Why are you so blunt?"
Liu Fengyu shrugged, "Is today the first day you met me?"
Zhuang Yao interjected, "Regarding the preparations for the banquet, there are two things. First, we need to pick a gift for Yao Qianjiang's mother. After all, it's her birthday, and we can't go empty-handed. Second, we need to familiarize ourselves with the faces of others at the party, so we can recognize them and observe the relationships between different factions."
Liu Fengyu said, "Let's leave the gift to Xiao Wang; we're not short on money anyway."
"Alright, let's all rest for today. I'll ask Professor Cong to provide us with the information, and we can discuss it tomorrow morning." Zhuang Yao instructed, "Cheng Tianbi, make good use of your time to practice your micro-control ability. Tomorrow, I'll try to arrange a simulated machine to help you. You absolutely cannot be taken down by Zhou Fenglan during the banquet. If necessary, you still have the ultimate move, Elemental Transformation."
Cheng Tianbi nodded in acknowledgment.
After returning to their rooms, Cheng Tianbi quickly freshened up and sat on the sofa, starting to practice controlling the wind. Previously, he used wind power for large-scale attacks, rarely focusing on controlling small areas. To neutralize Zhou Fenglan's thunder and lightning, he needed to refine his control over the wind's movements, and he had to seize the right moment.
Cong Xia came out after taking a shower and sat next to him, whispering, "Can I help you?"
"No need, you should go to sleep."
"I can't sleep like this."
"Then I'll go back to my room."
Cong Xia held him back, "No, stay here." He lay on the sofa and sighed, "Although saying this might not be auspicious, but let's be honest. None of us know when we might not be here anymore. So while we can still be together, let's not miss out on these good times."
Cheng Tianbi paused and looked at Cong Xia, "Are you scared?"
"How can I not be scared? Just thinking about those bugs makes me want to throw up. And the Devil's Pine, over 600 meters tall, my goodness, its influence covers a forest bigger than Hainan Island. I can't imagine how to take Puppet Jade back from its grasp. And the marine creatures, do you remember the large catfish we saw while bathing in the river before? That river was so small, yet it could raise such a huge catfish. Imagine how big the creatures in the sea could be. And there's Qinghai... Tianbi, to be honest, sometimes I feel quite tired. I often have a 'live for today' mentality, knowing that each day is precious. But I also know that if we don't fight, it's just waiting for death."
Cheng Tianbi said, "We have no other choice; we just can't wait to die."
Cong Xia smiled at him, "I envy you; I've never seen you afraid. Is there anything in this world that scares you?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
Cheng Tianbi looked at him intently, "I'm afraid of you dying before me."
Cong Xia's heart trembled, and he forced a smile, "Let's strive to survive together." If you die before me, I'll accompany you down that path.
Cheng Tianbi gently touched Cong Xia's hair and firmly said, "Survive together."
Cong Xia patted his hand and said, "Come on, I won't sleep either. You keep practicing, and I'll go study the ancient jade. Materializing weapons and armor is crucial, and I want to extract more knowledge to research with Zhuang Yao."
"Alright."
Side by side, they sat on the sofa, finding comfort in each other's presence, passing through this sleepless night.
The next morning, they gathered in a conference room at the experimental area, where Zhuang Yao was already waiting.
Zhuang Yao adjusted the projector, saying, "Take a seat. Let's have a look at the main figures we may encounter at the banquet in three days."
The projector displayed the first picture, showing a handsome man in front of the group. Cong Xia immediately recognized him as Yao Qianjiang, but the others hadn't seen him before.
Zhuang Yao explained, "This person is Yao Qianjiang, 28 years old this year. During the civilized era, he was a lawyer and has a somewhat arrogant personality, but he's clear-headed and managed Jiujian Prefecture into the largest gang in the capital city. Besides being powerful in combat, he's also excellent in management and personnel selection. Jiujian Prefecture is run like a well-organized corporation, with clear functional divisions in various branches. Even during his recovery period, Jiujian Prefecture remained stable, which speaks to his capability. However, precisely because he's intelligent and has his own ideas, the military has the most reservations and suspicions about him." Zhuang Yao then looked at Cong Xia, "You've had close contact with him. What do you think of him?"
"He's indeed a very composed and wise person. Most people wouldn't be able to withstand his injury, but despite his weakness, he remains very steady. He's an impressive figure."
Zhuang Yao nodded, "It's a good thing we haven't become enemies with them yet. Instead, they owe us a favor now. As for the kidnapping incident, we won't bring it up, and they won't either. But maybe we can use it to our advantage in the future. For now, let's pretend we don't know anything."
The image changed, and they saw a man in his thirties. He had a square and rugged face, with a short beard on his cheeks, a high and prominent nose, and a composed, deep gaze. He looked like a genuine man's man.
Zhuang Yao said, "This man is Li Dao'ai, the leader of the Liudao Huangquan. He's 33 years old and was a captain in the Criminal Police Brigade in District XX during the civilized era. He's a relatively low-profile person, speaks little, and rarely interacts with others. He manages his subordinates strictly and always completes tasks with outstanding performance. He has a good reputation in the capital city. He belongs to the type of leader who won't provoke others if they don't provoke him. Currently, we have no conflicts of interest with him."
The image changed again, showing a man with a crew cut and a rugged appearance. This man appeared to be around the same age as Li Dao'ai, but compared to Li Dao'ai's composed temperament, his face indicated he was an unruly individual.
"The leader of the Fenglan Society, Zhou Fenglan, 34 years old. During the civilized era, he was a somewhat famous football player, known for his arrogance and arrogance, with a quick temper. He often offends people. It's said that the only person who can make him truly submit is Zhuang Yu." When Zhuang Yao mentioned "Zhuang Yu," his tone remained neutral, as if he were talking about someone unrelated to him.
Deng Xiao said, "This guy looks pretty fierce. The other one, Li Dao'ai, seems more reliable. After all, he was a police uncle, so he should be a good person, right?"
Zhuang Yao replied, "In this world, there's no concept of good or bad people anymore. There's only a distinction between the strong and the weak, and the strong are right, that's it." He then pressed a button on the remote control, and another picture appeared.
The image showed a man in his fifties, who appeared short in stature, but his gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, and he exuded a cold and rigid demeanor.
"This man, Cheng Tianbi should be familiar with."
Cheng Tianbi said, "Xu Ying, the Commander of the 14th Group Army of the Beijing Military District."
"Everyone knows that the military's power is divided into two, with the 14th Group Army and the 27th Group Army each occupying one side. Xu Ying is a veteran who emphasizes practical combat and has made significant contributions to the country. He used to command battles, which led to his authoritative disposition and a strict, cold, and harsh personality. He is extremely demanding of both others and himself. His disagreements with Cao Zhixian mainly stem from their differing personalities. In his eyes, he is always right, and the decisions he makes are undoubtedly the best for the country and humanity's future. He looks down on Cao Zhixian's gentleness, while Cao Zhixian thinks he is too radical. Speaking with him requires respect; he places great importance on hierarchy and seniority."
"Next, I'll focus on several members of the Dragonblood Clan. Since we'll be cooperating with them soon to break through the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, we need a deeper understanding of them."
The picture changed again, and Shen Changze appeared on the screen.
"Regarding the Dragon Blood Clan, I want to specifically introduce four individuals who are the core of the clan. Everyone saw this one yesterday - the so-called pure-blooded Dragon Blood, Shen Changze. He's also an evolutionary being of fire nature. His inherent conditions are extremely superior. In the civilized era, no one would be his match in one-on-one combat as a pure-blooded Dragonblood. The Dragonblood species has physical qualities dozens of times that of humans. The scales on their bodies can resist ordinary bullets, and their blood is highly acidic, allowing them to heal themselves after injuries. With a blood purity of over fifty to sixty percent, they can grow wings and fly. They are a nearly perfect race. In the civilized era, they served as a top-secret biological weapon for the country and have been executing the most challenging missions. For us, they're like creatures that have already evolved since the civilized era. Now, on the basis of genetic modification, some Dragonblood individuals have acquired additional mutant abilities, especially Shen Changze. He possesses extraordinary combat capabilities and has received specialized training since childhood, participating in numerous real battles. He's an almost impeccable warrior."
Zhuang Yao took a sip of water and continued, "This man is Shan Ming, his foster father. He's an ordinary person without any mutations, but his combat prowess surpasses many mutants. During the civilized era, he was a mercenary and a first-class combatant in the international top mercenary organization 'Peregrine Falcon.' He excels in both cold and hot weapons, is skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and has rich experience in real battles. He always carries a gun. He adopted Shen Changze when he was five years old, and Shen Changze's biggest weakness is this man. Shen Changze rarely opposes Shan Ming's decisions. The true leader of the Dragonblood Clan should be this man."
The image changed once again, showing Tang Tingzhi, whom they were all familiar with. He was a brain domain evolutionary person and the chief researcher responsible for the Dragon Blood experiment. He had deep connections with the Dragonblood Clan. Although he was officially the director of Area Six at the National Academy of Sciences, most of his research still revolved around the Dragonblood Clan. He served as the strategist of the Dragonblood Clan.
"This man is Al Moray, the leader of 'Peregrine Falcon,' and he's married to Tang Tingzhi. He is also blood purity-wise, second only to Shen Changze among the Dragon Blood Clan. There are signs of retrogressive evolution in him, and his blood concentration is increasing. He is an extremely experienced mercenary, and besides the Dragonblood individuals, it was the group of formidable mercenaries he brought that made the Dragonblood Clan strong. These mercenaries are a group of powerful characters, even without mutations, surpassing many mutants. So, although the Dragonblood Clan has the fewest members among the four major factions, their strength is still not to be underestimated."
Listening to all this, Cong Xia felt breathless. "This... sounds too formidable."
Zhuang Yao asked, "Are you scared?"
"Well, not scared, just..."
Zhuang Yao chuckled, "It does sound impressive, but our team's configuration is above theirs. No matter how powerful their squads are, none of them have you, Cong Xia."
Cong Xia smiled wryly, "You're giving me too much credit."
"I'm just stating the facts. Do you think I would praise you for no reason? It's because of you that Cheng Tianbi is leaps and bounds ahead of these formidable individuals. Elementalization is a milestone-like evolution, and currently, only Cheng Tianbi has mastered it safely. The other natural evolutionary individuals, evolving with the Puppet Jade, have no idea how many unstable factors are in their bodies. Whether they can successfully reach the Second Stage depends on luck. The gap between them and Cheng Tianbi is an entire year of training. Moreover, in terms of weapon operation, combat skills, and experience, Cheng Tianbi is on par with those mercenaries. So, what do you have to be afraid of?" Zhuang Yao confidently said, "We are the strongest team."
Deng Xiao chimed in, "Exactly, we are the strongest. Xia ge, why are you scared by just listening to a few people? How can they be compared to a six-hundred-meter tall pine tree? Have a little more courage."
Cong Xia rubbed his head, "Yeah, it's my problem. I should be more confident."
"At the moment, we should be happy that we'll be entering the Big Wild Goose Pagoda with some capable guys, which increases our chances of survival."
Liu Fengyu sighed and said, "I wonder what kind of plan you guys will come up with. I hope it's not too disgusting."
Zhuang Yao said, "You'll get used to it." He flipped the pages of the documents to the other side of the table. "The rest are the key members of various factions and some high-ranking military personnel. You can choose to look or not. Cheng Tianbi, come with me to the lab. I'll help you set up a training device to avoid lightning strikes."
Cong Xia also stood up, "Last night, I organized some information from the ancient jade about armor. I want to try improving the mutated cotton you mentioned last time."
"Good, let's do it together."
Liu Fengyu said to Tang Yanqiu, "Accompany me to buy some clothes. I'll also get a decent outfit for them so they don't look like country bumpkins when we go out, making people laugh at us."
Tang Yanqiu reluctantly got up to go with him.
Deng Xiao looked around and saw everyone had something to do. "Alright, then I'll go play with Abu."
Zhuang Yao turned his head and glared at him, "Play? You should be practicing. You're the slowest in progress."
Deng Xiao sighed, "I'll go see Abu first, and then I'll practice. Is that alright?"
Cong Xia reminded him, "Xiao Deng, don't eat Abu's fish, not even the cooked ones."
Deng Xiao shouted, "I won't! I can eat enough every day now."
Cong Xia gave him a somewhat doubtful look, and everyone went off to attend to their own tasks.
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Translator’s note: I really love Deng Xiao’s childishness. LOL.
