Steel Wings Unfurled!

The tremors lasted for over thirty seconds.

"Was that really an earthquake?" the burly officer asked blankly.

The female officer suddenly held up the Button Intercom and listened carefully for a while, then shouted excitedly, "The Psionicists are retreating! Listen!"

Wang Jixuan's ears twitched slightly as he barely made out what was being said inside.

"Run! It's the Mechanical Body from the front lines!"

"Damn it! That bastard Kong Nu wants us to fight that kind of monster!"

"Retreat! Everyone retreat! Go back to Upper City! If she locks onto you, you're dead! Move! Let those C-Class Psionicists fight her!"

"Watch out for her Laser Cannon... Bzzzz—"

The intercom erupted with piercing static, and the entire fortress shuddered lightly again.

The five of them looked at one another.

Bzz.

Ling Tong's calm voice rang out through all five of their earpieces at once:

"Elevator No. 7 can come down directly now.

"Seven or eight Psionicists escaped through passages far from your current location. There are still three C-Class Psionicists here. They have been suppressed by firepower and will be cleared out shortly.

"Your squad performed well. You eliminated five Psionicists with minimal firepower.

"Please come down and regroup immediately to assist me with the investigation and evidence collection."

Wang Jixuan: ...

For some reason, he felt insulted.

He had no idea why.

They had finally gotten on an elevator;

Though it was not the luxurious, comfortable, free Central Area elevator.

The spacious Elevator No. 7 contained three rows of benches and all manner of safety and blastproof equipment, allowing them to sit securely.

The elevators running through the fortress were basically equivalent to buses in human cities during the Golden Age.

When Wang Jixuan's group of five reached the fortress's forty-fifth floor, several hundred Security Team members in light-blue uniforms had already gathered there, guarding the main passage to the forty-sixth floor.

This was Middle City, the usual route the upper-class dignitaries of Upper City took to the City of Joy. There had been a simple inter-floor hydraulic elevator, but it had now been blown up. Several handmade cars burned along the spiraling road downward, while scattered pieces of human bodies littered the area.

Clearly, a fierce battle had erupted here.

Wang Jixuan and Zhou Zhengde were both wearing Security Team uniforms, which undoubtedly made things much easier.

After a brief exchange, the five of them carried their weapons and equipment onto the spiraling road. They easily passed the Security Team checkpoint and entered the Central Area on the forty-sixth floor.

Light.

An abundance of light.

Nearly every light source in the City of Joy had been switched on. Gunfire from gang conflicts echoed in the distance, while dense smoke rose from one section of the City of Joy. Vehicles carrying gang members continually fled outward from that direction.

Wang Jixuan led the five-person squad only a few steps forward when a tremendous roar came from below, and a small mushroom cloud slowly rose.

Because the fortress interior was a semi-enclosed space, the shockwave from the explosion turned into a faint heat wave. It carried a lingering warmth when it struck Wang Jixuan and the others.

Immediately afterward, a purple Laser Beam suddenly appeared and fired straight upward at an angle, burning a red-hot patch into the metal ceiling overhead.

"Good heavens..."

Zhou Zhengde swallowed.

"How, how are we supposed to make this battle compliant?"

Wang Jixuan considered it. "The Psionicists illegally used heavy firepower."

Zhou Zhengde snapped his fingers. "Exactly!"

Ling Tong's voice came through the earpiece. "Please bring over Equipment Box No. 2. Thank you. It contains specialized equipment for hunting Psionicists."

"Alright."

Wang Jixuan answered, raising both hands into a Sword Finger gesture as he ran. Eight Divine Movement Talismans flew out again and stuck themselves to the outsides of Zhou Zhengde and the other four men's thighs.

He pointed forward with his Sword Finger, and the five-person squad's speed increased once more.

To ensure the talismans were not exposed, the final trace of spiritual power in the talismans Wang Jixuan lent out would be used to burn them up.

Wang Jixuan had thought seriously about this matter.

The reason he could defeat D-Class Psionicists while still in the Qi Refining Realm was fundamentally because he had mastered numerous cultivator "skills," such as methods, techniques, talismans, and formations.

That was his unique advantage.

Psionicists all possessed large amounts of qi within their bodies, and that qi could be stirred by spellcraft.

In other words, if his spellcraft were learned by others, they could easily master methods of utilizing their own qi, greatly increasing their strength.

Of course, Mottled Qi weakened the power of techniques and spells.

Daoist Wang felt that he was already hostile toward the 13th Institute, and this 13th Institute... truly did not seem like a group of good people...

Even Zheng Shiduo had not earned even the slightest bit of Wang Jixuan's trust for the time being.

Therefore, even if the 13th Institute captured and dissected him, he would never teach anyone skills such as spellcraft and talismans before reaching the pinnacle of cultivation again.

If he could reach the pinnacle of cultivation and ascend in daylight, then after killing the powerful demonic beasts ravaging This Realm, it would not be impossible for him to leave behind some talismans, methods, spells, formations, and cultivation techniques he had developed himself, so long as they did not involve the sect's rules.

Methods were not passed on lightly because the good and evil in living beings could not be determined.

These were only Wang Jixuan's own thoughts. As for how to ensure that the things he left behind would be used for good, he had not considered that yet.

Of course, he was actually more inclined to... leave nothing behind.

He was not here to spread the Dao.

As thoughts drifted through his mind, Wang Jixuan led the other four to the vicinity of the blast zone.

Ling Tong's voice sounded again. "Team Leader Mu, find a flat area and lay the box down according to its markings."

"Understood." Wang Jixuan flipped onto a low building nearby.

Zhou Zhengde shouted, "We'll go support the front!" and led the four team members charging ahead.

Wang Jixuan crouched and worked on the metal box. Before long, he heard the engine inside begin to operate. Accompanied by a hiss of venting gas, the upper panel of the box raised itself, and metal tubes extended from within before shooting toward a nightclub building three hundred meters away.

Flashes constantly flickered inside the nightclub, and Wang Jixuan could barely make out several figures weaving back and forth.

What was he supposed to do next?

Wang Jixuan was baffled when Zheng Shiduo's boisterous voice came through the earpiece.

"It's fine, it's fine! No need to charge in! Leave it to our Combat Machine! Come over here! Look what I found! Woohoo! The Industrial Fortress is seriously rich!"

Daoist Wang was somewhat confused.

The metal box before him closed on its own, so he hoisted it onto his back again. After several leaps, he landed on a rooftop outside the nightclub where the battle was raging.

Soon, several black lines appeared across Wang Jixuan's forehead.

On a rooftop dozens of meters away, Zheng Shiduo had somehow hauled over several massive speakers. He had even coerced a few gang members into setting them up, and they had just finished.

"Give us some music, something energetic!"

"Warriors! Now it's time for us to do our job! Team Leader Mu! Team Leader Mu, aren't you coming over? Fine, Captain Zhou, come join us... Haha! Right! Everyone take two glow sticks, line up in a row facing the battlefield, and move to the rhythm! Wiggle your hips, like this, make the glow sticks spin in crossing circles! One, two, three, four, switch directions, and again! Right! That's it! We're making a tremendous contribution to this battle!"

At this Psionicist's command, five figures lined up before the wall of speakers. Searchlights were deliberately aimed at them, and they began dancing in perfect unison.

Wang Jixuan: ...

Just as he was about to mock them and remind them that several powerful Psionicists remained unresolved, an explosive boom suddenly came from the nightclub beside them.

The nightclub's roof abruptly collapsed, and a figure shot skyward.

It was Ling Tong!

Wang Jixuan instinctively crouched low, his gaze fixed on Ling Tong as he gripped the Sniper Rifle.

A pair of Steel Wings appeared on Ling Tong's back. Her left Mechanical Arm had pierced through the chest of a man covered in long brown hair, pinning his corpse against the ceiling above and sending out a shallow shockwave.

Those "steel pipes" that had flown out earlier had unfolded into "metal plates," forming these Steel Wings.

Ling Tong pulled back her left arm and let the corpse before her fall freely, then lowered her head to look below.

On the collapsed rooftop of the nightclub, two scarred Psionicists looked up at Ling Tong with furious glares.

Ling Tong slowly turned around. Her loose hair drifted behind her, the halos on her Steel Wings flashing continuously. Her delicate face even took on a hint of sanctity.

A cold, indifferent sanctity.

The two figures below leaped at the same time!

Ling Tong tilted her head slightly and raised her right Mechanical Arm, spreading her five fingers.

Boom!

The Steel Wings fully unfurled!

The next instant!

Dense iron feathers fired forth like ten thousand arrows. A blazing rain of steel reflected in Daoist Wang's eyes!

The shrill screams of projectiles tearing through the air and the dense barrage of explosions drowned out the music from the speakers.

Zhou Zhengde and the other three, who had been doing cheerleading dance moves, covered their ears and crouched down. Only Zheng Shiduo remained standing there, shouting and laughing wildly.

The entire nightclub was instantly filled with the glare of explosions. The building rapidly collapsed, burying those two "precious" C-Class Psionicists along with it.

Ling Tong's voice sounded in their earpieces, as calm and emotionless as an ancient well:

"Cleanup complete."

How incredible!

Without cultivating qi, condensing the soul, or gathering the spirit, she could command so many weapons through the Art of Ingenuity alone!

Wang Jixuan's Dao heart was shaken by the sight before him.

He began to understand what had supported the humans of This Realm in their tenacious survival beneath the attacks of Blade Beasts.

Science and firepower!

Daoist Wang was not sure how to classify a Combat Machine's combat strength, but he felt this firepower system was quite formidable. Psionicists were actually far inferior by comparison.

That was also because he genuinely looked down on Psionicists a little...

Ling Tong descended toward them. The wings behind her disengaged on their own, each plate curling itself back into the form of a steel tube before racing toward Wang Jixuan with flaming trails.

Wang Jixuan understood immediately and laid the metal box flat. It opened automatically, spewing thick white smoke to clean and cool the steel tubes.

The halos beneath Ling Tong's elbows went dark.

She landed beside Wang Jixuan, then... staggered.

Wang Jixuan reacted swiftly and raised a hand to support Ling Tong's Mechanical Arm.

The Mechanical Arm was very hot, but that was not a major problem.

A thin layer of cold sweat appeared on Ling Tong's forehead. She frowned in pain and gave a soft groan.

"You're hurt?"

Wang Jixuan glanced at their teammates. They had also noticed Ling Tong's abnormal state and hurried over.

"No."

Ling Tong recovered quickly and spoke softly:

"This is why I am on leave. During my previous battle with a General-Class Blade Beast, I suffered a Mental Shock."

She straightened herself, her posture still elegant and upright.

Wang Jixuan carefully released her arm and praised her. "You're very strong."

"My strength comes from my logistics support team," Ling Tong said softly. "I am only a pilot and operator, one part of the team."

"I meant your Willpower," Wang Jixuan added.

Zheng Shiduo floated directly over, arriving first.

"Ling Tong, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Should we split up and act separately again?"

Zheng Shiduo took the initiative to suggest:

"If you're worried, let Zhou Zhengde and Mu Liang come with me. You investigate and collect evidence here. We've caused such a huge commotion here that Kong Nu is probably preparing to run already!"

Ling Tong asked, "Captain Zheng, do you think I lack intelligence?"

"I don't. You've been especially smart since you were little."

"I will not allow you, Professor Zhuang's representative, to act alone."

Ling Tong spoke calmly:

"My investigation into Kong Nu is only part of the process."

Zhou Zhengde and the others were still taking a detour below.

Zheng Shiduo froze for a moment, then sighed. "I knew it. You're actually investigating Professor Zhuang. Trash like Kong Nu does not even count as an important figure. Every class has its own struggles. It's truly disgusting!"

"If Kong Nu tries to escape by plane, the Defense Army will shoot him down directly.

"Our current mission is to enter the forty-ninth floor."

Ling Tong raised her left arm. Two tiny modules rose from it, and a simple Projection Screen appeared above them.

"Very good. I have obtained command authority over the Cleansing Force here..."

Zheng Shiduo pursed his lips lightly and lowered his head as though deep in thought. When he looked up, an eerie green light bloomed in his eyes as he looked toward the back of Ling Tong's head.

Balanced Psionicists possessed highly versatile abilities. Blade Beasts knew Mental Shock and sleep-inducing techniques, and Balanced Psionicists knew a little of those as well...

Suddenly.

A figure moved behind Ling Tong. Those pale golden eyes cut off Zheng Shiduo's gaze, and the two pairs of eyes collided.