155 Mystery of the End Times
After spending the entire day tossing around, most of the people didn't get any rest, but Cong Xia himself slept until the next afternoon. When he woke up, he found that Cheng Tianbi was already gone, leaving him a note instructing him to meet them in the underground training ground of District Six, and to eat before coming.
Cong Xia called for a bowl of wonton noodles, quickly finished eating, wiped his mouth, and hurried to District Six. He was looking forward to seeing the changes in the three of them after breaking through to the Second Stage.
Arriving at the training ground, he found that they were indeed there. The three who had just broken through the Second Stage were standing in the middle, while a few researchers with laptops were inputting data.
As soon as Cong Xia appeared, everyone turned their eyes towards him. Cong Xia was taken aback for a moment and automatically went to Cheng Tianbi's side, smiling, "I just woke up, how is it going?"
Cheng Tianbi said, "We just came down, and we are currently testing their energy changes. Have you eaten?"
"Yes." Cong Xia looked at Tang Yanqiu and Liu Fengyu, "How about you? Did you excavate any new abilities?"
Tang Yanqiu said, "My flying ability has increased by 20% compared to before, with a wingspan extended by 13 centimeters. The perception range of my biological radar has gone from 3 meters to 7 meters. My vision has also improved significantly. In addition, my sensitivity to the Earth's magnetic field and wind direction has become much stronger, providing strong support for my archery skills."
Liu Fengyu excitedly said, "You saw it yesterday, I can bloom in places with soil. In addition to that, the concentration of my digestive fluid has increased by 17%, and the production speed is twice as fast as before. The most amazing thing is that I am beginning to evolve the ability to heal my body!"
Zhuang Yao said, "This ability is not called self-healing, it's called regeneration. Plant regeneration is when the old branches and leaves wither, and new branches sprout. After the appearance of this ability in human evolvers, it manifests as the withering and shedding of damaged parts, followed by new growth. However, the process is relatively slow and cannot harm vital organs. But as the degree of evolution deepens, this will also become a very important ability. You can start trying to evolve in this direction."
Liu Fengyu looked at him warily, "How do I try? Stimulated evolution? Do I have to stab myself with a knife every day and train my regenerative ability?" He thought of how Deng Xiao used injections of venom to stimulate his own toxicity for evolution, and was somewhat worried that Zhuang Yao would use this twisted method on him as well.
Zhuang Yao said, "This method is the most effective."
Liu Fengyu flipped him off.
Cong Xia looked at Shen Changze, "What about you? Have you evolved the elementalization ability?"
Shen Changze nodded, and with a flick of his fingers, his fingers indeed transformed into fire elements.
Cong Xia sighed, "Too amazing, indeed, natural force evolvers possess the elementalization ability."
Tang Tingzhi's eyes lit up, his usually impassive face showing some fanaticism at the moment, "His and Al’s evolutions have given the Dragonblood even more research value."
Shen Changze ignored him and said to Cong Xia, "Thank you for this time. I owe you a favor."
Cong Xia smiled, "You're welcome."
Zhuang Yao continued to write and draw on the paper, speaking calmly, "Just saying thank you isn't sincere enough."
Shen Changze asked, "How do you want me to express my gratitude? Just let me know."
Zhuang Yao revealed a cunning smile, "I'll tell you when I've figured it out."
Everyone present knew that Zhuang Yao would definitely make good use of this "favor."
Zhuang Yao said to Cong Xia, "Most of the people in the capital already know the results from yesterday. Yao Qianjiang and Li Dao’ai have already contacted Professor Cong, asking for your help to break through to the Second Stage. Zhou Fenglan hasn't made any moves yet, but I believe he, like the others, is also at the critical point."
Deng Xiao snorted, "Who wants to help that bastard?"
Zhuang Yao chuckled lightly, "There are no eternal enemies... Zhou Fenglan still has a lot of value to us. In any case, Xu Ying and Zhuang Yu will definitely not let him die. If we lose this Thunder-based hybrid, it will also be very detrimental to our plan to retrieve the Puppet Jade. As for what they want to exchange for our help, we will have the final say."
Deng Xiao coldly said, "Let him kneel and beg us, otherwise, just blow him up."
Although Cong Xia, like everyone else, despised Zhou Fenglan, he also knew that Zhou Fenglan couldn't die, at least not now. Without Zhou Fenglan, they would lose a powerful force, and then the desperate task that should have fallen on Zhou Fenglan would have to be shared by them. Besides, their personal grievances were not as important as the future of humanity. For the greater good, even his uncle would not let Zhou Fenglan die.
Cong Xia said, "What about the other higher-level evolvers? We don't know how many of them can safely break through to the Second Stage."
Zhuang Yao said coldly, "Then we won't be able to manage them. Life and death are predestined; it's their fault for not having enough value to be useful."
Cong Xia sighed lightly. Although Zhuang Yao's words were harsh, they were undeniably true. He couldn't possibly manage so many evolvers. He could only hope that those people would use the cultivation method from the Ancient Jade and be able to safely break through to the Second Stage.
Cong Zhenzhong said solemnly, "Most of the higher-level evolvers are vice captains or squad leader-level figures. They have fewer opportunities to be reinforced by the Puppet Jade compared to the leaders, making them slightly safer. In another one to three months, when most of the higher-level evolvers break through to the Second Stage, we'll know how many of them can't survive the tribulation. Although this may sound cruel, as long as we can preserve the most precious natural force evolvers, the others can always be replenished."
Zhuang Yao said, "We have already made a schedule to go to the northeast. Within three days, all the weapons customized for you will be produced. The following week will be used for you to adapt to the weapons, and the last two days will be used to adjust your condition. Twelve days from now, we will set out for the northeast with a minimal team configuration, including the six of us, two Dragonbloods, and the six members of the Liudao Huangquan."
Liudao Huangquan!
Cheng Tianbi asked, "Are you sure it's them, Li Dao’ai and the others?"
"After comprehensive data analysis, the Wind, Fire, and Earth combination is the second-best option."
"The second-best?"
Zhuang Yao sarcastically remarked, "The best option is Wind, Fire, and Thunder."
Everyone immediately understood.
"That's the basic plan. Tomorrow, we'll invite Liudao Huangquan to District Six to discuss this mission with us. Does anyone have any objections?"
No one spoke. Everyone felt uneasy thinking about this trip to the northeast.
Zhuang Yao closed his notebook. "If there are no objections, then it's decided. You all can continue training, I'll take my leave."
Just then, Cong Zhenzhong's phone rang, and he answered, "Hmm? He's here? Alright, I got it." After hanging up the phone, he looked at Cong Xia and said, "Yao Qianjiang is here and wants to see Xia."
Cong Xia nodded, "Is it about the Second Stage breakthrough? He's too eager. Did you guys release the news?"
Cong Zhenzhong replied, "Yes, as soon as Shen Changze broke through to the Second Stage, we spread the news. It's an uplifting piece of information, but we didn't disclose Shen Changze's experience. Only a few natural force evolvers know the details; otherwise, it would cause chaos among the other higher-level evolvers. It seems that Yao Qianjiang has also reached the critical point and couldn't sit still."
Cong Xia looked at Cheng Tianbi and then at Zhuang Yao, "Should we meet him?"
Cheng Tianbi's expression wasn't great, but he still said, "Let's meet him and see what he wants to offer in exchange for our help."
Zhuang Yao sneered, "Today we meet Yao Qianjiang, tomorrow we meet Li Dao'ai. I don't believe Zhuang Yu can remain calm in his seat."
Cong Zhenzhong also smiled and said, "The situation is very favorable for us this time. Yao Qianjiang and Li Dao'ai both need our help to break through the Second Stage, so they are isolated. Two days later, we'll have another vote to decide whether to prioritize genetic modification experiments or new energy experiments. This time, we will definitely win and allocate our limited resources into the development of new energy."
"Let's go, we'll meet Yao Qianjiang."
Everyone followed Cong Zhenzhong back to District Three. Yao Qianjiang only brought one subordinate with him. He was dressed casually, with clean white shoes and gray sunglasses resting on his head, exuding an elegant and handsome charm, as if he were here for a business negotiation.
In terms of dressing, Yao Qianjiang always maintained a low profile while not compromising on taste. This was something he shared with Liu Fengyu, but unfortunately, as soon as the others appeared, Yao Qianjiang's gaze was fixed on Cong Xia.
"Prefecture Lord." Cong Zhenzhong walked over and shook hands with him.
Yao Qianjiang smiled and said, "Professor Cong, you've lost weight again recently. I brought some local herbs from Hunan this time, which are good for replenishing the body. I'll have someone send some to you later."
Cong Zhenzhong smiled and replied, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Yao Qianjiang's gaze shifted to Cong Xia, and he gave a faint smile, "Mr. Cong, it's been a long time."
Cong Xia nodded, "Prefecture Lord, you're looking well. I heard you successfully completed the mission and just returned to Beijing not long ago."
Yao Qianjiang smiled, "Yes, luckily, I wasn't injured, or else I would have troubled you again."
"Please, have a seat inside." Cong Zhenzhong gestured to the reception room.
Everyone entered the reception room, and Yao Qianjiang asked his subordinate to wait outside. Before he even sat down, Zhuang Yao went straight to the point, "Is your visit this time related to breaking through the Second Stage?"
Yao Qianjiang answered, "Yes, I heard that Lieutenant Shen has successfully broken through to the Second Stage. How is he? Has his body fully recovered?"
"Yes, he has already recovered. He's currently at the underground training ground," Cong Zhenzhong replied.
Yao Qianjiang nodded, but he appeared skeptical. Shen Changze had faced a life-threatening situation during his Second Stage breakthrough. Could he really be up and about after just one day? Unless Cong Xia had healed him. Thinking about how close Cong Xia was to the Dragonblood Clan, Yao Qianjiang felt somewhat uncomfortable. As a unique Ability Holder like Cong Xia, everyone wanted him for their own.
Zhuang Yao said, "If the Lord doubts it, you can visit him later."
Yao Qianjiang smiled faintly, "No need. I assume Lieutenant Shen is busy adapting to his new abilities, such as elementalization."
Cong Xia asked, "Has the Lord also reached the critical point?"
"Based on the information you provided, I should indeed be at the critical point. The speed of my cultivation has slowed down, and in the past few days, I've come to a halt. My energy core is almost full. I was already somewhat concerned about breaking through to the Second Stage, and after hearing Lieutenant Shen's experience, I believe I need Mr. Cong's help. We're all intelligent people here, and I came today for this matter."
Cong Xia said, "Prefecture Lord, not everyone will experience such risks during their breakthrough. Both members of our team successfully broke through to the Second Stage."
Yao Qianjiang smiled lightly, "Isn't it said that the longer one has been exposed to the Puppet Jade, the more dangerous it is to break through the Second Stage? My exposure to the Puppet Jade is similar to Lieutenant Shen's. If he almost exploded, then I'm also at the same risk."
Cong Xia shook his head and smiled, "This also depends on individual physique. The Lord doesn't need to worry too much." He was trying to raise the difficulty of the task so that Zhuang Yao would increase the price accordingly.
Yao Qianjiang naturally saw through his intentions and said, "What's the matter? Mr. Cong, is this task causing you a lot of trouble?"
Cong Xia immediately showed a troubled expression and said, "Let me explain the principle of how I helped Lieutenant Shen break through the Second Stage to the Lord. Let's say that when a person's energy core is at the First Stage, the capacity and purity are roughly the same. The energy strengthened by the Puppet Jade is what we call 'destructive energy,' while the energy obtained through cultivation is what we call 'safe energy.' Currently, three members of our team have already broken through to the Second Stage safely because they have been practicing for a long time, and their exposure to the Puppet Jade only happened in the last three months.
In other words, the amount of safe energy in their energy cores is more than the destructive energy. During the breakthrough to the Second Stage, the energy in the core increases several times instantly and runs wild in the body. If the amount of destructive energy exceeds the safe energy at that moment, it will be uncontrollable, leading to self-destruction. On the other hand, with sufficient safe energy, one can guide the process correctly with their willpower and break through smoothly.
What I need to do is similar to healing someone; using my safe energy combined with someone else's safe energy inside their body to suppress and guide the destructive energy. However, if you've strengthened yourself with the Puppet Jade a lot and have a large amount of destructive energy in your body, once the combined safe energy of the two of us is still insufficient to counter your destructive energy, not only will you self-destruct, but I will also be in danger due to energy depletion. Therefore, Prefecture Lord, I risked my life yesterday to help Lieutenant Shen." Cong Xia's words were half true and half false. Excessive energy consumption would indeed put him in danger, but he still had the option to extract energy. However, if he did that, Shen Changze would have no chance of survival.
From Yao Qianjiang's expression, it seemed like he believed it, and his expression became serious.
Zhuang Yao raised an eyebrow and threw an approving glance at Cong Xia.
Yao Qianjiang still maintained his noble demeanor and quickly regained his composure. He smiled calmly, "It seems this matter is indeed very dangerous. If it weren't for Mr. Cong, Lieutenant Shen might not have overcome this obstacle. However, I believe that Mr. Cong saved Lieutenant Shen not merely out of personal friendship, but to protect the advanced combat power of humanity. It is to achieve our aspiration of burying the Puppet Jade, rebuilding our homeland, and revitalizing our entire race. As a natural force evolver, since I am destined to have this ability, I will never shy away from the most difficult tasks. So I implore Mr. Cong to help me, and let Jiujian Prefecture dedicate its efforts to the future of humanity."
Yao Qianjiang's words were righteous and flawless, implying that Cong Xia should not "shirk from difficult tasks" either. As a skilled lawyer in the civilized era, Yao Qianjiang was naturally eloquent, and Cong Xia was no match for him in this regard. Cong Xia just smiled and left the upcoming negotiation to Zhuang Yao.
Zhuang Yao nonchalantly said, "We naturally want to help Prince. It should be said that we want to assist every strong evolver capable of recovering the Puppet Jade, as our goal is the same regardless of our stance. However, we have significant disagreements with the 14th Army in terms of the path and approach to rebuilding humanity. These differences are escalating and are likely to affect our future plans. This creates significant obstacles in our reconstruction efforts, as all our resources are diverted. Humanity still faces numerous common enemies, yet we waste time arguing and debating over which direction to take. It is undoubtedly very impractical. Therefore, since our goals are to rebuild humanity, it is only logical for us to help. In return, shouldn't the Lord also help us by clarifying our path, integrating resources, and establishing a collective direction for everyone?"
Yao Qianjiang smiled and remained silent, but a glint of shrewdness appeared in his eyes.
Zhuang Yao was pressuring him for a public stance, and he was not surprised. In fact, with the escalating conflicts between the 14th and 27th Armies, this day was bound to come sooner or later. The differences between the two armies would eventually have to be resolved, and there were only two ways to do it: starting an armed conflict that would lead to mutual destruction, or one side significantly overpowering the other in terms of military force and prestige.
Both armies wanted to resolve their differences through the latter approach. With the emergence of individuals like Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia, who upset the balance that had been maintained for a long time, it was apparent that the delicate balance was now disrupted. Once the equilibrium was broken, conflicts would quickly escalate, and the 27th Army would take every opportunity to suppress the 14th Army before an all-out war started. To achieve this, the neutral stances of Jiujian Prefecture and Liudao Huangquan were of critical importance.
The timing was right now with Yao Qianjiang and Li Dao'ai breaking through to the Second Stage. Everyone was well aware that if Xu Ying and Zhuang Yu couldn't solve the life-threatening issue of these natural force evolvers when breaking through to the Second Stage, then defection to the 27th Army was only a matter of time.
Yao Qianjiang had no reason to refuse at the moment. Nothing was more important than preserving his life. Whether breaking through to the Second Stage was as dangerous as they claimed or not, after witnessing the scenes of animals exploding, even if it was part of the strategy devised by Cong Xia and others, he wouldn't risk his life on it. For him, breaking through to the Second Stage was the priority, and everything else could be evaluated afterward. Therefore, Yao Qianjiang didn't hesitate at all and said with great righteousness, "Since it's all for the future of humanity, I, Yao, have no reason to decline."
Zhuang Yao smiled and said, "Then, Prefecture Lord, please cooperate with Mr. Cong in the following actions. As long as we work together, we can undoubtedly lead humanity on the most correct path to revival."
After Yao Qianjiang left, Cheng Tianbi didn't have a pleased expression. Instead, he looked worried and said, "When you all return from the northeast, the conflict between the two armies may intensify. If the 14th Army wants to make a final stand, they will likely take action during the period when you and the Dragonblood Clan are away. I hope you all return safely because Beijing might be facing a tough battle."
Cong Xia sighed, "Uncle, this means you'll also be in danger."
Cheng Tianbi replied, "It's inevitable. This day was bound to come sooner or later. Even if the 3rd District falls, they still need me, so they won't harm me. I'm more concerned about Commander Cao..." He glanced at Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi said in a solemn tone, "The situation is in our favor. We shouldn't worry about our own safety; we should be concerned about Xu Ying."
Cheng Tianbi continued, "Commander Cao is a talented person, but he is nowhere near as ruthless as Commander Xu."
Cong Xia frowned, "Since it's so dangerous for us to leave Beijing during this time, why don't we postpone the trip to the northeast?"
Zhuang Yao shook his head, "We can't. We need to give Xu Ying an opportunity to explode. The longer this drags on, the more advantageous it is for us. However, Xu Ying will become more and more desperate, which won't be good for us. It's better to strike while he still has confidence, hope, and reservations. It's better than waiting for him to be cornered and lose sight of the bigger picture before taking action. Currently, he definitely doesn't want to provoke a war between the armies. But once all the mutant organizations defect like us, he will become a true mad dog, attacking anyone he sees. We can't let him reach that point. Besides, we can't delay the matter with Devil Pine any longer; it's growing bigger by the day and is about to poke a hole in the sky. So, leaving Beijing at this time is the best option."
Cong Xia shook his head, sighed, and had nothing more to say. The situation in Beijing was both deep and murky. He had thought he had a reasonably intelligent mind, but he now felt that his intellect wasn't sufficient. Fortunately, he had Zhuang Yao and his uncle by his side; otherwise, their situation would have been much more dangerous.
The next morning， Li Dao'aie arrived as promised, and he came alone. Although Cong Xia and the others had only seen Li Dao'aie twice, they had a deep impression of him. This man had an extremely steady demeanor, and his profound eyes seemed to encompass everything, making people instinctively feel that he was reliable.
Li Dao'aie nodded to everyone one by one and then sat down in the meeting room without any pleasantries. He got straight to the point and said, "Are we here to discuss the battle plan today? We can start."
Zhuang Yao asked, "Officer Li, don't you want to talk about breaking through to the Second Order?"
"I have already expressed my desire for Mr. Cong's assistance before. As for what you want from me, I can also guess. There's no need for further discussion; you probably know my answer as well. The most important thing now is the trip to the northeast. As for the matter of breaking through to the Second Order, we can discuss it after we return."
Zhuang Yao smiled, "Officer, you're really straightforward. Alright, let's talk about the trip to the northeast today."
Tang Tingzhi turned on the projector, and a full-view aerial photo appeared on the wall. A large expanse of lush greenery filled the entire frame. He said, "This is an aerial shot taken from a height of six kilometers. Devil Pine's height has already exceeded 800 meters, and we estimate that its roots extend at least 150 kilometers. We won't be facing just one pine tree; we'll be dealing with all the animals and plants controlled by this pine tree in the entire forest."
Cong Xia's face changed, and he instinctively clenched his fists.
155 Mystery of the End Times
After spending the entire day tossing around, most of the people didn't get any rest, but Cong Xia himself slept until the next afternoon. When he woke up, he found that Cheng Tianbi was already gone, leaving him a note instructing him to meet them in the underground training ground of District Six, and to eat before coming.
Cong Xia called for a bowl of wonton noodles, quickly finished eating, wiped his mouth, and hurried to District Six. He was looking forward to seeing the changes in the three of them after breaking through to the Second Stage.
Arriving at the training ground, he found that they were indeed there. The three who had just broken through the Second Stage were standing in the middle, while a few researchers with laptops were inputting data.
As soon as Cong Xia appeared, everyone turned their eyes towards him. Cong Xia was taken aback for a moment and automatically went to Cheng Tianbi's side, smiling, "I just woke up, how is it going?"
Cheng Tianbi said, "We just came down, and we are currently testing their energy changes. Have you eaten?"
"Yes." Cong Xia looked at Tang Yanqiu and Liu Fengyu, "How about you? Did you excavate any new abilities?"
Tang Yanqiu said, "My flying ability has increased by 20% compared to before, with a wingspan extended by 13 centimeters. The perception range of my biological radar has gone from 3 meters to 7 meters. My vision has also improved significantly. In addition, my sensitivity to the Earth's magnetic field and wind direction has become much stronger, providing strong support for my archery skills."
Liu Fengyu excitedly said, "You saw it yesterday, I can bloom in places with soil. In addition to that, the concentration of my digestive fluid has increased by 17%, and the production speed is twice as fast as before. The most amazing thing is that I am beginning to evolve the ability to heal my body!"
Zhuang Yao said, "This ability is not called self-healing, it's called regeneration. Plant regeneration is when the old branches and leaves wither, and new branches sprout. After the appearance of this ability in human evolvers, it manifests as the withering and shedding of damaged parts, followed by new growth. However, the process is relatively slow and cannot harm vital organs. But as the degree of evolution deepens, this will also become a very important ability. You can start trying to evolve in this direction."
Liu Fengyu looked at him warily, "How do I try? Stimulated evolution? Do I have to stab myself with a knife every day and train my regenerative ability?" He thought of how Deng Xiao used injections of venom to stimulate his own toxicity for evolution, and was somewhat worried that Zhuang Yao would use this twisted method on him as well.
Zhuang Yao said, "This method is the most effective."
Liu Fengyu flipped him off.
Cong Xia looked at Shen Changze, "What about you? Have you evolved the elementalization ability?"
Shen Changze nodded, and with a flick of his fingers, his fingers indeed transformed into fire elements.
Cong Xia sighed, "Too amazing, indeed, natural force evolvers possess the elementalization ability."
Tang Tingzhi's eyes lit up, his usually impassive face showing some fanaticism at the moment, "His and Al’s evolutions have given the Dragonblood even more research value."
Shen Changze ignored him and said to Cong Xia, "Thank you for this time. I owe you a favor."
Cong Xia smiled, "You're welcome."
Zhuang Yao continued to write and draw on the paper, speaking calmly, "Just saying thank you isn't sincere enough."
Shen Changze asked, "How do you want me to express my gratitude? Just let me know."
Zhuang Yao revealed a cunning smile, "I'll tell you when I've figured it out."
Everyone present knew that Zhuang Yao would definitely make good use of this "favor."
Zhuang Yao said to Cong Xia, "Most of the people in the capital already know the results from yesterday. Yao Qianjiang and Li Dao’ai have already contacted Professor Cong, asking for your help to break through to the Second Stage. Zhou Fenglan hasn't made any moves yet, but I believe he, like the others, is also at the critical point."
Deng Xiao snorted, "Who wants to help that bastard?"
Zhuang Yao chuckled lightly, "There are no eternal enemies... Zhou Fenglan still has a lot of value to us. In any case, Xu Ying and Zhuang Yu will definitely not let him die. If we lose this Thunder-based hybrid, it will also be very detrimental to our plan to retrieve the Puppet Jade. As for what they want to exchange for our help, we will have the final say."
Deng Xiao coldly said, "Let him kneel and beg us, otherwise, just blow him up."
Although Cong Xia, like everyone else, despised Zhou Fenglan, he also knew that Zhou Fenglan couldn't die, at least not now. Without Zhou Fenglan, they would lose a powerful force, and then the desperate task that should have fallen on Zhou Fenglan would have to be shared by them. Besides, their personal grievances were not as important as the future of humanity. For the greater good, even his uncle would not let Zhou Fenglan die.
Cong Xia said, "What about the other higher-level evolvers? We don't know how many of them can safely break through to the Second Stage."
Zhuang Yao said coldly, "Then we won't be able to manage them. Life and death are predestined; it's their fault for not having enough value to be useful."
Cong Xia sighed lightly. Although Zhuang Yao's words were harsh, they were undeniably true. He couldn't possibly manage so many evolvers. He could only hope that those people would use the cultivation method from the Ancient Jade and be able to safely break through to the Second Stage.
Cong Zhenzhong said solemnly, "Most of the higher-level evolvers are vice captains or squad leader-level figures. They have fewer opportunities to be reinforced by the Puppet Jade compared to the leaders, making them slightly safer. In another one to three months, when most of the higher-level evolvers break through to the Second Stage, we'll know how many of them can't survive the tribulation. Although this may sound cruel, as long as we can preserve the most precious natural force evolvers, the others can always be replenished."
Zhuang Yao said, "We have already made a schedule to go to the northeast. Within three days, all the weapons customized for you will be produced. The following week will be used for you to adapt to the weapons, and the last two days will be used to adjust your condition. Twelve days from now, we will set out for the northeast with a minimal team configuration, including the six of us, two Dragonbloods, and the six members of the Liudao Huangquan."
Liudao Huangquan!
Cheng Tianbi asked, "Are you sure it's them, Li Dao’ai and the others?"
"After comprehensive data analysis, the Wind, Fire, and Earth combination is the second-best option."
"The second-best?"
Zhuang Yao sarcastically remarked, "The best option is Wind, Fire, and Thunder."
Everyone immediately understood.
"That's the basic plan. Tomorrow, we'll invite Liudao Huangquan to District Six to discuss this mission with us. Does anyone have any objections?"
No one spoke. Everyone felt uneasy thinking about this trip to the northeast.
Zhuang Yao closed his notebook. "If there are no objections, then it's decided. You all can continue training, I'll take my leave."
Just then, Cong Zhenzhong's phone rang, and he answered, "Hmm? He's here? Alright, I got it." After hanging up the phone, he looked at Cong Xia and said, "Yao Qianjiang is here and wants to see Xia."
Cong Xia nodded, "Is it about the Second Stage breakthrough? He's too eager. Did you guys release the news?"
Cong Zhenzhong replied, "Yes, as soon as Shen Changze broke through to the Second Stage, we spread the news. It's an uplifting piece of information, but we didn't disclose Shen Changze's experience. Only a few natural force evolvers know the details; otherwise, it would cause chaos among the other higher-level evolvers. It seems that Yao Qianjiang has also reached the critical point and couldn't sit still."
Cong Xia looked at Cheng Tianbi and then at Zhuang Yao, "Should we meet him?"
Cheng Tianbi's expression wasn't great, but he still said, "Let's meet him and see what he wants to offer in exchange for our help."
Zhuang Yao sneered, "Today we meet Yao Qianjiang, tomorrow we meet Li Dao'ai. I don't believe Zhuang Yu can remain calm in his seat."
Cong Zhenzhong also smiled and said, "The situation is very favorable for us this time. Yao Qianjiang and Li Dao'ai both need our help to break through the Second Stage, so they are isolated. Two days later, we'll have another vote to decide whether to prioritize genetic modification experiments or new energy experiments. This time, we will definitely win and allocate our limited resources into the development of new energy."
"Let's go, we'll meet Yao Qianjiang."
Everyone followed Cong Zhenzhong back to District Three. Yao Qianjiang only brought one subordinate with him. He was dressed casually, with clean white shoes and gray sunglasses resting on his head, exuding an elegant and handsome charm, as if he were here for a business negotiation.
In terms of dressing, Yao Qianjiang always maintained a low profile while not compromising on taste. This was something he shared with Liu Fengyu, but unfortunately, as soon as the others appeared, Yao Qianjiang's gaze was fixed on Cong Xia.
"Prefecture Lord." Cong Zhenzhong walked over and shook hands with him.
Yao Qianjiang smiled and said, "Professor Cong, you've lost weight again recently. I brought some local herbs from Hunan this time, which are good for replenishing the body. I'll have someone send some to you later."
Cong Zhenzhong smiled and replied, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Yao Qianjiang's gaze shifted to Cong Xia, and he gave a faint smile, "Mr. Cong, it's been a long time."
Cong Xia nodded, "Prefecture Lord, you're looking well. I heard you successfully completed the mission and just returned to Beijing not long ago."
Yao Qianjiang smiled, "Yes, luckily, I wasn't injured, or else I would have troubled you again."
"Please, have a seat inside." Cong Zhenzhong gestured to the reception room.
Everyone entered the reception room, and Yao Qianjiang asked his subordinate to wait outside. Before he even sat down, Zhuang Yao went straight to the point, "Is your visit this time related to breaking through the Second Stage?"
Yao Qianjiang answered, "Yes, I heard that Lieutenant Shen has successfully broken through to the Second Stage. How is he? Has his body fully recovered?"
"Yes, he has already recovered. He's currently at the underground training ground," Cong Zhenzhong replied.
Yao Qianjiang nodded, but he appeared skeptical. Shen Changze had faced a life-threatening situation during his Second Stage breakthrough. Could he really be up and about after just one day? Unless Cong Xia had healed him. Thinking about how close Cong Xia was to the Dragonblood Clan, Yao Qianjiang felt somewhat uncomfortable. As a unique Ability Holder like Cong Xia, everyone wanted him for their own.
Zhuang Yao said, "If the Lord doubts it, you can visit him later."
Yao Qianjiang smiled faintly, "No need. I assume Lieutenant Shen is busy adapting to his new abilities, such as elementalization."
Cong Xia asked, "Has the Lord also reached the critical point?"
"Based on the information you provided, I should indeed be at the critical point. The speed of my cultivation has slowed down, and in the past few days, I've come to a halt. My energy core is almost full. I was already somewhat concerned about breaking through to the Second Stage, and after hearing Lieutenant Shen's experience, I believe I need Mr. Cong's help. We're all intelligent people here, and I came today for this matter."
Cong Xia said, "Prefecture Lord, not everyone will experience such risks during their breakthrough. Both members of our team successfully broke through to the Second Stage."
Yao Qianjiang smiled lightly, "Isn't it said that the longer one has been exposed to the Puppet Jade, the more dangerous it is to break through the Second Stage? My exposure to the Puppet Jade is similar to Lieutenant Shen's. If he almost exploded, then I'm also at the same risk."
Cong Xia shook his head and smiled, "This also depends on individual physique. The Lord doesn't need to worry too much." He was trying to raise the difficulty of the task so that Zhuang Yao would increase the price accordingly.
Yao Qianjiang naturally saw through his intentions and said, "What's the matter? Mr. Cong, is this task causing you a lot of trouble?"
Cong Xia immediately showed a troubled expression and said, "Let me explain the principle of how I helped Lieutenant Shen break through the Second Stage to the Lord. Let's say that when a person's energy core is at the First Stage, the capacity and purity are roughly the same. The energy strengthened by the Puppet Jade is what we call 'destructive energy,' while the energy obtained through cultivation is what we call 'safe energy.' Currently, three members of our team have already broken through to the Second Stage safely because they have been practicing for a long time, and their exposure to the Puppet Jade only happened in the last three months.
In other words, the amount of safe energy in their energy cores is more than the destructive energy. During the breakthrough to the Second Stage, the energy in the core increases several times instantly and runs wild in the body. If the amount of destructive energy exceeds the safe energy at that moment, it will be uncontrollable, leading to self-destruction. On the other hand, with sufficient safe energy, one can guide the process correctly with their willpower and break through smoothly.
What I need to do is similar to healing someone; using my safe energy combined with someone else's safe energy inside their body to suppress and guide the destructive energy. However, if you've strengthened yourself with the Puppet Jade a lot and have a large amount of destructive energy in your body, once the combined safe energy of the two of us is still insufficient to counter your destructive energy, not only will you self-destruct, but I will also be in danger due to energy depletion. Therefore, Prefecture Lord, I risked my life yesterday to help Lieutenant Shen." Cong Xia's words were half true and half false. Excessive energy consumption would indeed put him in danger, but he still had the option to extract energy. However, if he did that, Shen Changze would have no chance of survival.
From Yao Qianjiang's expression, it seemed like he believed it, and his expression became serious.
Zhuang Yao raised an eyebrow and threw an approving glance at Cong Xia.
Yao Qianjiang still maintained his noble demeanor and quickly regained his composure. He smiled calmly, "It seems this matter is indeed very dangerous. If it weren't for Mr. Cong, Lieutenant Shen might not have overcome this obstacle. However, I believe that Mr. Cong saved Lieutenant Shen not merely out of personal friendship, but to protect the advanced combat power of humanity. It is to achieve our aspiration of burying the Puppet Jade, rebuilding our homeland, and revitalizing our entire race. As a natural force evolver, since I am destined to have this ability, I will never shy away from the most difficult tasks. So I implore Mr. Cong to help me, and let Jiujian Prefecture dedicate its efforts to the future of humanity."
Yao Qianjiang's words were righteous and flawless, implying that Cong Xia should not "shirk from difficult tasks" either. As a skilled lawyer in the civilized era, Yao Qianjiang was naturally eloquent, and Cong Xia was no match for him in this regard. Cong Xia just smiled and left the upcoming negotiation to Zhuang Yao.
Zhuang Yao nonchalantly said, "We naturally want to help Prince. It should be said that we want to assist every strong evolver capable of recovering the Puppet Jade, as our goal is the same regardless of our stance. However, we have significant disagreements with the 14th Army in terms of the path and approach to rebuilding humanity. These differences are escalating and are likely to affect our future plans. This creates significant obstacles in our reconstruction efforts, as all our resources are diverted. Humanity still faces numerous common enemies, yet we waste time arguing and debating over which direction to take. It is undoubtedly very impractical. Therefore, since our goals are to rebuild humanity, it is only logical for us to help. In return, shouldn't the Lord also help us by clarifying our path, integrating resources, and establishing a collective direction for everyone?"
Yao Qianjiang smiled and remained silent, but a glint of shrewdness appeared in his eyes.
Zhuang Yao was pressuring him for a public stance, and he was not surprised. In fact, with the escalating conflicts between the 14th and 27th Armies, this day was bound to come sooner or later. The differences between the two armies would eventually have to be resolved, and there were only two ways to do it: starting an armed conflict that would lead to mutual destruction, or one side significantly overpowering the other in terms of military force and prestige.
Both armies wanted to resolve their differences through the latter approach. With the emergence of individuals like Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia, who upset the balance that had been maintained for a long time, it was apparent that the delicate balance was now disrupted. Once the equilibrium was broken, conflicts would quickly escalate, and the 27th Army would take every opportunity to suppress the 14th Army before an all-out war started. To achieve this, the neutral stances of Jiujian Prefecture and Liudao Huangquan were of critical importance.
The timing was right now with Yao Qianjiang and Li Dao'ai breaking through to the Second Stage. Everyone was well aware that if Xu Ying and Zhuang Yu couldn't solve the life-threatening issue of these natural force evolvers when breaking through to the Second Stage, then defection to the 27th Army was only a matter of time.
Yao Qianjiang had no reason to refuse at the moment. Nothing was more important than preserving his life. Whether breaking through to the Second Stage was as dangerous as they claimed or not, after witnessing the scenes of animals exploding, even if it was part of the strategy devised by Cong Xia and others, he wouldn't risk his life on it. For him, breaking through to the Second Stage was the priority, and everything else could be evaluated afterward. Therefore, Yao Qianjiang didn't hesitate at all and said with great righteousness, "Since it's all for the future of humanity, I, Yao, have no reason to decline."
Zhuang Yao smiled and said, "Then, Prefecture Lord, please cooperate with Mr. Cong in the following actions. As long as we work together, we can undoubtedly lead humanity on the most correct path to revival."
After Yao Qianjiang left, Cheng Tianbi didn't have a pleased expression. Instead, he looked worried and said, "When you all return from the northeast, the conflict between the two armies may intensify. If the 14th Army wants to make a final stand, they will likely take action during the period when you and the Dragonblood Clan are away. I hope you all return safely because Beijing might be facing a tough battle."
Cong Xia sighed, "Uncle, this means you'll also be in danger."
Cheng Tianbi replied, "It's inevitable. This day was bound to come sooner or later. Even if the 3rd District falls, they still need me, so they won't harm me. I'm more concerned about Commander Cao..." He glanced at Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi said in a solemn tone, "The situation is in our favor. We shouldn't worry about our own safety; we should be concerned about Xu Ying."
Cheng Tianbi continued, "Commander Cao is a talented person, but he is nowhere near as ruthless as Commander Xu."
Cong Xia frowned, "Since it's so dangerous for us to leave Beijing during this time, why don't we postpone the trip to the northeast?"
Zhuang Yao shook his head, "We can't. We need to give Xu Ying an opportunity to explode. The longer this drags on, the more advantageous it is for us. However, Xu Ying will become more and more desperate, which won't be good for us. It's better to strike while he still has confidence, hope, and reservations. It's better than waiting for him to be cornered and lose sight of the bigger picture before taking action. Currently, he definitely doesn't want to provoke a war between the armies. But once all the mutant organizations defect like us, he will become a true mad dog, attacking anyone he sees. We can't let him reach that point. Besides, we can't delay the matter with Devil Pine any longer; it's growing bigger by the day and is about to poke a hole in the sky. So, leaving Beijing at this time is the best option."
Cong Xia shook his head, sighed, and had nothing more to say. The situation in Beijing was both deep and murky. He had thought he had a reasonably intelligent mind, but he now felt that his intellect wasn't sufficient. Fortunately, he had Zhuang Yao and his uncle by his side; otherwise, their situation would have been much more dangerous.
The next morning， Li Dao'aie arrived as promised, and he came alone. Although Cong Xia and the others had only seen Li Dao'aie twice, they had a deep impression of him. This man had an extremely steady demeanor, and his profound eyes seemed to encompass everything, making people instinctively feel that he was reliable.
Li Dao'aie nodded to everyone one by one and then sat down in the meeting room without any pleasantries. He got straight to the point and said, "Are we here to discuss the battle plan today? We can start."
Zhuang Yao asked, "Officer Li, don't you want to talk about breaking through to the Second Order?"
"I have already expressed my desire for Mr. Cong's assistance before. As for what you want from me, I can also guess. There's no need for further discussion; you probably know my answer as well. The most important thing now is the trip to the northeast. As for the matter of breaking through to the Second Order, we can discuss it after we return."
Zhuang Yao smiled, "Officer, you're really straightforward. Alright, let's talk about the trip to the northeast today."
Tang Tingzhi turned on the projector, and a full-view aerial photo appeared on the wall. A large expanse of lush greenery filled the entire frame. He said, "This is an aerial shot taken from a height of six kilometers. Devil Pine's height has already exceeded 800 meters, and we estimate that its roots extend at least 150 kilometers. We won't be facing just one pine tree; we'll be dealing with all the animals and plants controlled by this pine tree in the entire forest."
Cong Xia's face changed, and he instinctively clenched his fists.
