Chapter 188: The Traveling Hero and Him
Chapter 188: The Traveling Hero and Him
The minor sickness a squad captain suffered from due to poor acclimatization didn’t draw much attention. Others from the Fallen Land also experienced some discomfort, with one or two falling ill similarly.
None of this was a big deal. After all, every martial artist coming from the Fallen Land into the New World was a walking epidemic.
Wherever they passed, even without killing, the viruses and bacteria they carried were enough to turn entire cities silent with death.
Martial artists from the Fallen Land didn’t care at all. Death only saved them resources.
Time had split cleanly in two since Lin Feng and Wandering Light divided it, becoming utterly opposing points in time. Even though they were one entity.
This eerie situation also meant things like the butterfly effect and the grandmother paradox couldn’t apply. Otherwise, with slaughter on such a massive scale, they’d likely kill a thousand enemies only to lose ten thousand themselves.
Chen Xiyi hadn’t studied it. So, he had no idea of the future consequences resulting from the convergence of these two points in time.
Of course, he didn’t intend to study it anyway. It wasn’t something he could comprehend. What he needed to do now was ensure all these people perished violently from the Force-Devouring Gu, becoming the nourishment resources he required.
“At least eight million troops. Who knew they could gather eight million in just three short days? More are still pouring in. Both the Imperial Court and the major sects are basically dead lands now. Except for some top leaders who escaped, ordinary folk and lower-tier martial artists down below probably have no way out.”
The future world had war chariots and airships. Communication and travel were frighteningly fast. They could just fly fighter jets over at ridiculous speeds.
And each one of them was either a Xiantian or Grandmaster Martial Artist. Who could withstand that?
“Yet they call themselves the Fallen Land. Seems they still haven’t realized this entire operation was actually Wandering Light’s doing, not them using Wandering Light.”
“Wandering Light’s control over the Fallen Land really is tight and well hidden.”
Chen Xiyi couldn’t help sighing. Thirty thousand years; even a slow trickle of infiltration would have been enough for Wandering Light to become the highest authority.
“Twelve more days. The first wave will begin falling ill. Right now, five million out of the eight million troops are infected with the Force-Devouring Gu. The number keeps climbing, and some Gu have already followed them back into the Fallen Land.”
“My earlier statement about eliminating half the martial artists within a month was too conservative. At this rate of spread, making martial artists at the Body Forging level and above rarer than giant pandas within a month shouldn’t be a problem at all.”
“I really don’t need to worry about this place anymore. Time to take a trip to the Fallen Land.”
For Chen Xiyi, since he planned to go toe-to-toe with Wandering Light, he naturally needed to know his enemy. Not to mention, he was very keen on the Internal Energy technology in the Fallen Land. It was a system developed over thirty thousand years, after all. Even if Wandering Light’s meddling had caused problems, well, small gains were still gains.
As for this place? Honestly, he had nothing to fear. With the shelter of the Five Immortals Cave, as long as those twenty-something people didn’t fight amongst themselves, it was basically foolproof. They could live forever, practically.
【Xia Ke had acquired the Dark Iron Sword Scabbard forged for him by the Blacksmith. Packed with enough food, he traveled into history. Return time: 10 days 23 hours 59 minutes】
This sudden Game Log made Chen Xiyi blurt out a curse. He hadn’t left yet, and this Xia Ke beat him to it.
“The Dark Iron Sword Scabbard… Is it because his own sword is better than the Fairy’s equipment?”
Chen Xiyi hadn’t expected the Blacksmith to make a scabbard for Xia Ke; he thought it would be a sword or some other weapon.
“Eleven whole days though… Wonder what local specialties he’ll bring back? I remember the minimum was Spiritual Items. But I don’t need Spiritual Items; better if he brings back some things imbued with Historical Connotation and complete Spirituality.”
Spiritual Items were pretty useless to Chen Xiyi. He’d much rather have more Fairies.
“Given the state of this world though, probably not many good things left. Snatching a few Spiritual Items back would be decent enough.”
This world’s very Internal Energy system wasn’t recognized by the Home Game. If it weren’t for the existence of that out-of-spec Ascension Ritual, probably nothing good would be left anyway.
After finishing up with his tasks at hand, Chen Xiyi informed Mei Yu about his departure. Then, using the transmission power of the Home Protector, he arrived at the nearest place to where the two time points converged.
Ever since leaving the Myriad Sword Manor and heading towards Miaojiang, he had occasionally dug Underground Shelters along the way. Better than idling, he figured, for future contingencies.
And now they came in handy.
Exiting the Underground Shelter, he found himself in the desolate wilderness. Going from there to the convergence point of the two time points was still roughly a hundred miles. He’d have to get there himself.
His current speed easily surpassed his Alloy Carriage.
Possessing the physical capabilities of a Longevity Martial Artist level, his control over his own body far exceeded that of those eleven Temporal Immortals perpetually stuck in their palace intrigues.
Especially with the aid of his Primordial Soul Martial Dao and his System. In an instant, he transformed into a blur racing towards the Fallen Land.
…
In the sunless Fallen Land, Chen Xiyi quietly killed a martial artist, changed into the victim’s clothes, and simply blended into the crowd.
The Fallen Land was actually huge, an exact one-to-one replica since it was literally the same world, just at a different time.
“The Temporal Response Bureau serves as the highest authority and enforcer across the Fallen Land. All martial artists fall under its jurisdiction. Whether soldiers or law enforcers and patrolmen, all are managed by it.”
“Twenty thousand years ago, the last imperial dynasty was overthrown by a man named Lin You. He established the Temporal Response Bureau to liberate everyone from Wandering Light’s oppressive rule. The Bureau has endured ever since, persisting to this day.”
“Little do they know. Lin You is simply a guise for Wandering Light. So many millennia have passed; who remembers that Wandering Light’s real name is Lin Feng now?”
“With time and years corroding things, aided by Wandering Light’s deliberate manipulation across ages, much of history is likely rewritten and twisted by his hand. The mere existence of traitors like Wandering Light Devotees proves anything is possible.”
Walking through the darkness, Chen Xiyi couldn’t stop muttering.
Over thirty thousand years of darkness, the Fallen Land had developed various technologies.
Such as night-vision goggles, night-vision optics, and so on.
“Honestly though, for thirty thousand years, their visual systems haven’t degraded? No way Wandering Light didn’t tamper.”
He’d noticed it before. Martial artists didn’t react poorly to light at all. It was as if they weren’t creatures of the dark.
Wearing night-vision gear couldn’t let them see in the dark like broad daylight, but with it, they could just barely make things out.
Then again, night-vision gear wasn’t the main thing. Given it was a society built around high-level martial artists – nine out of ten were Xiantian or Grandmasters – and they were raised in darkness from birth, their adaptation to it outstripped Chen Xiyi’s by far.
Luckily, Chen Xiyi was pragmatic. His ways of seeing were… plentiful.
The Primordial Spirit’s view evolved from Qi Sensitivity into Qi Manipulation and Spirit Wandering; the Spirituality Eye vision; the Eye of Qi Observation granted by Thousand Faces borrowing Tongmu’s Qi-Observing Sprite eyes; plus his Game interface; and even another set of eyes from the other side of Thousand Faces’s Dual Aspects of Good and Evil from the back of his head – he had five distinct sets of eyes.
If it weren’t for his System partitioning views and docking with his consciousness, juggling five sets of perception at once would be impossible.
People rushed about in the Fallen Land. It seemed the whole society moved fast. Nothing was slow.
“The Temporal Response Bureau?”
Invisible as a ghost, Chen Xiyi walked the streets, staring at a large building in the distance.
From the memories scrounged from the unlucky victim whose clothes he wore, the Temporal Response Bureau was the heavens in this Fallen Land. So what he needed must lie in its grasp.
Right now, the Temporal Response Bureau was headless. After all, Wandering Light was trapped grappling with Lin Feng. There was no free time to spare.
Lin Feng couldn’t afford distraction. Wandering Light would exploit any opening. Naturally, Wandering Light was the same, completely focused on the battle with Lin Feng. Both sought to consume the other.
Should Wandering Light consume Lin Feng – he would mend his incomplete foundation and set his sights on the future.
Should Lin Feng consume Wandering Light – he would overwrite Wandering Light entirely, inheriting everything of the past.
This conflict bridging Past and Future was a battle for ascendance. The winner took all while the loser faced complete destruction.
“First, figure out research institute locations and Fallen Land’s capital.”
A realization dawned: Information flowed differently here. Military communications were incredibly advanced, while civilian channels lagged at messenger-pigeon levels.
“Is public opinion firmly under Temporal Response Bureau control? Used to motivate the masses?”
Chen Xiyi eyed a thick stack of newspapers right outside the Bureau entrance. Freshly printed, headlines touting “8 Million Expedition Army Victorious” splashed across front pages complemented by color photos of the New World.
Only the Temporal Response Bureau printed newspapers. Total monopoly.
The silver lining? They were free. Passersby took copies as he stood there reading. Chen Xiyi watched some tuck a paper under an arm before rushing away.
Chen Xiyi put his copy back, then ambled inside the Bureau.
Inside the Temporal Response Bureau bustled with fast-paced work. Casually stopping someone, Chen Xiyi asked, “Where’s the Director’s office?”
The employee blinked, pointing deeper inside, “Directly down the hall, all the way to the back. Then turn left.”
“Thanks.” With thanks, Chen Xiyi walked where he was told.
After a moment’s pause, the employee seemed puzzled to themselves, “Wait, just now… Did someone actually ask me for directions?”
“Huh? I didn’t see anyone.” A coworker also looked confused, “Overworked? Hallucinating?”
“Maybe. Doesn’t matter. Gotta get this done quick. Assignment notices for the Migration Expedition come down tomorrow. Soon we relish New World pleasures.” The matter was quickly dismissed, replaced with excitement for tomorrow.
“Yeah. Finally our turn.”
Both sighed briefly. Then, utilizing Grandmaster-level physique, they dashed out of the Bureau to tackle the rest of their work.
Meanwhile, Chen Xiyi had already slipped into the Temporal Response Bureau Director’s office. There, he slowly extracted details from the man, drawing plans vital for what came next.
“Larger distance than I thought. No big deal though; I’ve got the picture. Just means a longer journey.” After obtaining knowledge from his target, Chen Xiyi pondered how to hitch a ride on that flight heading Temporal Response Bureau Headquarters.