Collapse, Kiana's Cross-Dressing Strategy, Chapter 38

Bai Yan continued to control the tornado, sucking everyone into it.

Those at the front of the convoy noticed and immediately scattered, but were quickly pulled back by the tornado.

Seeing that the situation was about right, Bai Yan continued to strengthen the tornado's height, lifting everyone high up.

He strode through the wind, weaving between the ascending objects, searching carefully.

Then, he withdrew his ability.

Everyone and everything plummeted from a great height, the dull thuds of impact echoing endlessly.

Bai Yan watched the scene from high above, waiting until everything landed before descending to observe the situation.

"Looks like they all died from the fall.

"The silencing is complete, time to collect the spoils."

Based on their conversation, Bai Yan judged that Cocolia was still unaware of everything that had happened.

Perhaps she was tied up with something and couldn't get away, or perhaps the situation was even worse.

But this wasn't what Bai Yan cared about; he was searching vehicle by vehicle.

Finally, in a heavy-duty vehicle, he discovered Wendy, still unconscious.

"I'll give you one chance at healing, poor girl..."

Bai Yan took out a golden pendant and waved it over Wendy. Soon, an energy emanated from it, enveloping the girl's entire body.

The next moment, the erosion marks on Wendy's body began to dissipate, her breathing stabilized, her heartbeat grew stronger, and her complexion became rosy.

She looked full of life.

Wendy's eyelids fluttered slightly, and Bai Yan immediately became alert. Seeing that she was showing signs of waking up, he quickly got up and left.

"This way, the Gem of Desire will be unaccounted for by others; I can spin a story to clear myself."

Bai Yan was overjoyed, having gained another trump card. Beautiful.

From all indications, although he wasn't the Hua of the Herrscher, his control over authority was at least as natural as breathing.

For a Herrscher, knowledge is power.

I, the Herrscher of Wind, used to be a village prodigy.

Bai Yan flicked his hair, activated his authority, and rose with the wind, this time flying close to the ground.

Keep a low profile, try to avoid being discovered.

"Bronya doesn't know where she is. Life won't be easy after being taken away by Cocolia."

He didn't have his communicator on him either, so he had completely lost contact with everyone else.

Bai Yan decided to return to their pre-arranged meeting point before making any further decisions.

The airflow swirled around him, his ice-blue long dress fluttering. This feeling of freedom was hard to let go of.

Bai Yan didn't regret using one healing opportunity on Wendy.

She was recommended for implantation experiments by Theresa, then used as a gem container for a long time, not only suffering lifelong disability but also enduring pain day and night.

Bai Yan couldn't bear to recall that pain even once, let alone how long Wendy had endured it.

She had done nothing wrong, yet no one had saved her.

Bai Yan felt it was worth it.

He still had two more, and one of them already had a candidate, but it required the right timing.

Bai Yan rode the wind, his speed increasing uncontrollably.

Cocolia being manipulated, World Serpent's schemes, and Schicksal's moves – this city had already become a battlefield of three-way conflict.

As the biggest beneficiary at the moment, Bai Yan had no desire to fight, only wanting to escape with his people.

As dawn approached, the moon gradually descended, its moonlight weak.

But the mass of giant metal blocks ahead was still very conspicuous.

Bai Yan slowed down, gripping his crowbar tightly.

There were over 20 of them, all powerful melee types, equipped with shields and capable of close combat.

They were standing in a circle, seemingly surrounding a certain target.

Bai Yan quietly flew up to the treetops and looked into the center of the field, his brow immediately furrowing.

It was Rita, leaning on her great scythe, panting, her hair disheveled, and with considerable injuries on her body.

Raven emerged from the mecha group, her clothes having been changed.

"Still not surrendering? You'll die if you keep fighting, Schicksal's S-rank."

"If you don't want to die, surrender. I won't kill you."

Raven regained her confidence, finally confirming that her previous defeat was purely due to carelessness.

How else would this S-rank Valkyrie have ended up in my hands?

Unfortunately, the opponent's fighting spirit was still intact and they had no intention of giving up, even with their body covered in wounds.

Bai Yan, observing from not too far away, wrapped himself in a barrier of wind and vanished.

"Despicable, attacking me by surprise." Rita knelt on one knee, her tone not heavy, but her mind was actually working on a way to break free.

"Heh, all's fair in war. Besides, losing your guard in a combat zone is the most fatal mistake a warrior can make—"

Suddenly, the crowbar shot out like a cannonball, carrying a storm as it flew directly at Raven.

The latter instinctively dodged, but it was too late.

She was hit directly in the back by a massive impact, sending her flying.

"Puk—"

Raven flew in a spectacular parabola, rolling repeatedly after landing, dazed and unsure how many new wounds she had sustained.

The mecha finally reacted, immediately aiming its cannons at the spot where Bai Yan had been standing and opening fire.

But Bai Yan had already moved, appearing in front of Raven.

The crowbar was stuck in her back, but it seemed it hadn't pierced her body due to her protective gear.

"Tsk, not enough force."

"You... you got out?!"

"If you can find clothes when you're stark naked, why can't I escape? But your wounds are healing really fast. What kind of technology is that?"

"Hmph! Despicable! Attacking me by surprise!" Raven gritted her teeth, as if enduring the pain from her injuries.

"Didn't you say it yourself? Losing your guard in a combat zone is the most fatal mistake a warrior can make."

"I'm not a warrior! I'm just an assassin!"

Bai Yan sized her up. "So, you don't belong to any organization?"

"Of... of course!"

"Then you have no ties. I'll take you back to be judged by the Bishop— you must know our Schicksal's greatest Bishop very well, right?"

Raven's blood ran cold, and she quickly slid to concede.

"No, no, no! I'll give you anything you want! Just don't hand me over!"

Bai Yan patted her down and pulled out a short sword.

It was an ordinary Honkai energy weapon, used by ranged combatants for self-defense, not a Divine Key.

It seemed World Serpent didn't trust her abilities either.

"Withdraw the mechs."

"Alright."

Raven said a few words into her communicator, and then the mechs collectively powered down. The autonomous cockpits detached, and there was a faint smell of burning.

"You don't have any backups, do you?"

"No, even the built-in backup power sources are burnt out."

"Here, take this. Your companion was ambushed before they met me, and they were poisoned. I could tell."

Bai Yan understood and took the small bottle.

Finally, he stabbed each of Raven's limbs, and she finally let out a sigh of relief.

This was her way of telling him not to get involved in the upcoming fight, and that leaving her with her life was enough.

She still had a lot of life to enjoy!

Bai Yan walked over to Rita, who finally showed a relieved smile when she saw his face clearly.

"I never thought I'd be saved by you, Xiao Yan."

"Can you still move?"

"I still ca—"

Before she could finish the word "n," Rita collapsed onto Bai Yan, her breathing becoming rapid.

"I..."

"It's okay, you'll be fine after a nap."

Bai Yan administered an antidote to Rita and bandaged her wounds. Soon, Rita fell into a deep sleep, her delicate body completely leaning into his embrace.

It was almost certain that she had come to save him and had been ambushed more than once along the way.

If Durandal had also come, she was likely being held up by someone right now.

"What is World Serpent planning? To have even Durandal tied up, they must be investing a huge amount of resources."

As he was thinking, Rita stirred awake again, which made Bai Yan feel a bit speechless.

To wake up from this, she truly was a born-winner with a sacred body.

"Durandal is being held up and we haven't heard from her yet."

"Are you really okay to go now?"

"The poison is completely gone, and I've rested well. I'm perfectly fine." She smiled and stroked Bai Yan's face as she spoke.

She then forced herself to stand, pulled away from Bai Yan's embrace, and picked up her scythe again.

"Let's go help her!"

Bai Yan could only nod.

At this moment, Rita's face was pale, but thankfully, after Bai Yan's examination, she was fine, aside from a slight weakness caused by the aftereffects of the antidote.

Bai Yan followed silently behind Rita. He didn't want to reveal that he had fused with the Gem of Desire.

Rita looked at the Gnius in her hand, feeling anxious.

Since she had last seen Durandal, her communications had not gone through.

Was she simply too occupied to break away, or...

She didn't dare to think about it, just kept moving forward.

However, halfway there, another squad of mechs blocked their path.

"Stop right there, the two of you. We can't let you pass."

The two halted and looked up to see a humanoid figure covered in metal.

Bai Yan recognized Gray Serpent.

This was just one of its avatars. It was hard to imagine what the other avatars were doing at this moment.

"Just a pile of scrap metal. Xiao Yan, cover me!"

With that, she grabbed her great scythe and began to attack the mechs.