Desperate Rescue

Inside a large conference room in the Extreme Martial Arts Hall Headquarters building in Jiangnan Base City.

"Judging from these materials, Xia Zhi has exceptional talent for cultivation. His physical fitness had already reached the Intermediate Warrior level when he took the combat assessment. During the assessment, he also displayed Microscopic-level movement technique, so we reported to headquarters and applied for him to participate in the Elite Training Camp assessment."

"Moreover, Xia Zhi is very diligent. In just two months since becoming a warrior, he has already killed more than fifty thousand Beast Soldier-level monsters."

"He has also killed nearly a thousand General-level monsters. His High-level General strength was absolutely earned through his own efforts."

Chairman Zhou Zhengyong held Xia Zhi's printed file as he introduced it to Ice Mountain, who sat in the seat of honor.

Ice Mountain's face, covered by a Golden Mask, showed no reaction. Zhou Zhengyong turned to Zhuge Tao beside him and asked, "Have the arrangements at the Yangzhou City branch been made?"

"The branch's director, Old Xiang, is online. He can report to the Special Envoy at any time," Zhuge Tao said with a smile.

Zhou Zhengyong nodded and swiftly activated the 3D virtual projection device.

A three-dimensional hologram formed in the center of the meeting room. The director of the Yangzhou City Extreme Martial Arts Hall, Xiang Zhonghua, appeared directly before them, as if he were physically present. The only difference was the faint halo around his body.

"Greetings, Special Envoy, Chairman, Supervisor." After seeing the situation in the conference room clearly, Xiang Zhonghua bowed first.

"Old Xiang, you probably know why we called for you."

Chairman Zhou Zhengyong said to him, "You are the person in charge of the Yangzhou City Extreme Martial Arts Hall. Xia Zhi lives in Mingyue Residential Area, and you were responsible for everything from his Quasi-Warrior Assessment and combat assessment to the report from a few days ago. You should be very familiar with his situation."

"Yes." Xiang Zhonghua nodded.

"This time, headquarters sent a Special Envoy to review Xia Zhi's file. There absolutely cannot be the slightest discrepancy. Report to the Special Envoy on how you discovered Xia Zhi's strength, as well as his usual performance," Zhou Zhengyong instructed.

"Yes."

A faintly proud smile appeared on Xiang Zhonghua's face. "Xia Zhi is the strongest genius Yangzhou City has seen in nearly twenty years..."

"That is all the important data and information I know." Xiang Zhonghua quickly finished presenting what he knew.

The conference room fell into a brief silence. After Zhuge Tao and Chairman Zhou Zhengyong exchanged glances, they both looked toward the Special Envoy, Ice Mountain, who had remained silent and listened quietly.

"Where is he? I will see him!" Ice Mountain finally spoke.

Xiang Zhonghua bowed slightly in the virtual projection and replied, "Special Envoy, Xia Zhi has been fighting and training in the Wilderness Zone recently. He returns to the base city once every seven days. At this time, he should still be in the Wilderness Zone."

"All right, Old Xiang, that's all for now." Zhou Zhengyong waved at him. "Your branch has done very well this time. You may leave first."

"Yes, Chairman." Xiang Zhonghua bowed slightly.

The 3D projection dispersed, and Xiang Zhonghua's figure vanished from the meeting room.

"Zhuge."

Zhou Zhengyong turned to Zhuge Tao and instructed, "You are more familiar with Xia Zhi. Call him first and tell him to return as soon as possible."

"No need! I'll go to the Wilderness Zone and arrange the assessment while I'm at it." Ice Mountain spoke again.

Zhuge Tao immediately answered, "Yes. I'll contact him right away, confirm his current location, and have him remain where he is until Special Envoy Ice Mountain arrives."

Inside City No. 012, the sky was gradually darkening. Thick clouds filled the air, and lightning occasionally tore across the heavens.

Xia Zhi sat cross-legged in the five-centers-facing-heaven posture, cultivating Gene Energy.

The omnipresent cosmic energy surged rapidly into his body through the five channels of his palms, soles, and the Baihui acupoint atop his head, then was ravenously devoured by the cells throughout his body, which had long been starved for it.

The energy-filled cells began accelerating their evolution and division. Only when every cell in his bones, muscles, and every other part of his body had become completely saturated did he exhale, roll to his feet, and rise in high spirits.

"The Nine Heavens Primordial Guidance Technique combined with the Supreme Body Refining Art is simply too effective for cultivating the body. My Blood Refining Chapter is about to reach completion. It won't be long before I break through to War God level!"

"I wonder what miraculous effects there will be once I cultivate an ultimate secret manual like the Primordial Golden Body Art."

As he was thinking, he suddenly felt his watch vibrate slightly.

Looking down, he saw a satellite positioning map appear on the watch, with a green dot on it.

"An emergency rescue signal?" he murmured. "It's less than two kilometers from me?"

Once someone encountered danger in the Wilderness Zone, they could send an emergency rescue signal through their combat watch.

The signal would be sent indiscriminately to every warrior within ten kilometers.

If they belonged to the same martial arts hall, the signal would appear red.

If they belonged to different martial arts halls, the signal would appear green!

Since combat watches were linked to each person's warrior card, they could automatically determine whether they belonged to the same martial arts hall.

"A green signal. They're not from our martial arts hall, but they're so close. We're all human, so I'll help if I can."

Xia Zhi swiftly put on his equipment, grabbed his weapon, and rushed out of his temporary shelter.

Inside City No. 012, roughly two kilometers from Xia Zhi's shelter, lay an abandoned luxury villa district.

Elegant buildings stood one after another, but these structures from before the Great Nirvana had long since fallen into ruin.

At that moment, the five members of Miracle Squad, affiliated with the Thunderbolt Martial Arts School, were quickly moving through the neighborhood's inner streets.

Every one of them was injured, and they looked utterly bedraggled.

"Captain, they shouldn't be able to catch up anymore, right?" one person in the team suddenly asked.

"Yeah, we're almost ten kilometers away from there. Go a little farther and we'll be out of the city. They definitely can't catch up."

Another person answered. He was presumably the captain of this warrior squad.

"Haha, we've struck it rich this time. This thing should sell for several hundred million, right?" the man asked again.

"At least that much. If we sell it to the HR Alliance, it might even fetch a billion." The captain sounded pleased with himself.

"Whew, a billion..."

"Risking our lives this time was worth it!"

At that moment, none of Miracle Squad noticed that—

Tiger Cat monsters were emerging one by one from the ruined buildings throughout the neighborhood.

The noise they made while moving had clearly disturbed the monster pack that had settled in this neighborhood.

ROAR—

With a tiger's roar, the five members of Miracle Squad paled in shock. Only then did they discover a vast pack of Tiger Cat monsters appearing in the darkness around them, already surrounding all five of them.

Most of this Tiger Cat monster pack consisted of ordinary Beast Soldier-level monsters, numbering more than five hundred.

Among them were more than thirty Beast General-level Tiger Cats with two tails and three tails.

Finally, a Four-tailed Tiger Cat, clearly the leader of the monster pack, slowly prowled out from the shadows.

A Two-tailed Tiger Cat was an Elementary Beast General level monster.

A Three-tailed Tiger Cat was a Mid-level Beast General level monster.

A Four-tailed Tiger Cat was a High-level Beast General level monster!

For an ordinary warrior squad, a High-level Beast General Tiger Cat was absolutely a nightmare.

"Zhang Lei, use your combat watch and call for help!"

The captain of Miracle Squad, a warrior wielding a long spear, shouted, "Brothers, we've stumbled into a den of beasts today."

"We'll have to fight for our lives! Everyone, charge with me! Use every last trump card you have. Rescue will be here soon."

The squad warrior assigned by the captain to call for help was Zhang Lei, the genius who had taken the assessment alongside Xia Zhi and had been specially recruited by the Thunderbolt Martial Arts School in advance.

After swiftly sending out the emergency rescue signal, he raised his Ghoul Head Saber and followed his captain as they charged toward the Tiger Cat monster pack on one side.

But his heart was ice-cold.

Today, I might die here...

Second update today. There will be another update at around eight tonight.

Thanks to new big supporters Wang Shuchi, hbsh, Eating Ash at Midnight, Novel's Glory, Wuling Jushi, Drunken Mencius, and others for their recommendation votes. Thank you for supporting this newcomer and new book! If you like it, please keep encouraging me~