Today was the third day of the apocalypse.
Many small countries around the world had fallen, leaving only a handful of Super Martial Artists and survivors clinging to life.
But several major Western powers, such as the Mijian Empire, Snow Bear Empire, Sunset Empire, and Eagle Empire, had managed to hold on.
The East had Ancient Martial Artists, while the West had legendary vampires and werewolves—beings that had once existed only in myths.
Over the years, in places unknown to the public, the East's Ancient Martial Artists and the West's vampires and werewolves had fought one another in secret countless times.
Even the small island nation had real Ninjas.
And now, there were Super Martial Artists as well.
The World United Network was a website that people from every empire around the world could access. It was the world's largest online platform.
Lin Manjiao immediately opened a livestream on the World United Network under the name of Yun City in the Hidden Dragon Empire.
The livestream showed Gu Qijue and the others in the city center.
The Hidden Dragon Empire was the largest country in the East.
As soon as the stream began, survivors from various empires soon discovered it and tuned in.
"Oh my God! Is this Yun City in the Hidden Dragon Empire? Good heavens, why is it such a mess? What's that tree?"
"Wow! Is that the Star Tree reaching into the clouds? Are those Star Fruits?"
"Good grief! There are so many monsters—all monsters! What happened in the Hidden Dragon Empire?"
People who entered the livestream and saw what was happening stared in shock, posting in their native languages or simply using the language of the Hidden Dragon Empire.
The livestream showed the scene from above, like a god's-eye view from several thousand meters in the air. The countless monsters and the towering tree that reached into the clouds made for a breathtaking sight.
The livestream on the Hidden Dragon Empire's platform was also drawing in huge numbers of viewers.
Shocked and horrified comments quickly filled the screen.
"Boss, you've got a call!"
Zhu Hongyu came over to Gu Qijue with a phone and said, "It's the Yun City authorities!"
Gu Qijue took the phone from her and said calmly, "What is it?"
"Mr. Gu, all the Super Martial Artists from our shelter are on their way to the city center. In addition, our Yun City shelter would like you to take command..."
The caller was Ye Zhanguo. He briefly explained that they had subdued Lin Zhengxiao and were preparing to follow Gu Qijue's lead.
"Good. You made the right call. My instincts tell me a catastrophic disaster could strike today. Gathering all of Yun City's forces together is a wise move."
Gu Qijue was very pleased after hearing the decision Ye Zhanguo and the others had made.
"Mr. Gu is right. We can't gamble with the lives of the eight hundred thousand survivors in Yun City. We've subdued Lin Zhengxiao and are waiting for you to return and decide his fate."
"If I make it back alive, we'll talk then."
With that, Gu Qijue ended the call.
The Star Mutation Tree was bearing more and more fruit, and its fragrance was growing stronger.
It was drawing every monster in Yun City toward it.
Gu Qijue had spotted no fewer than three hundred Aberrant Creatures.
There were also at least three or four hundred ordinary Calamity-tier monsters.
More terrifying still were the monsters from the ocean.
Even from several thousand meters up, the god's-eye view couldn't show how far the monsters covering the ground stretched.
Monsters flying overhead blotted out the morning light like a dark cloud.
As time passed, the Star Tree bore more and more fruit. Their number had already approached one million.
Its branches were laden with crystalline gray-green fruits, each sparkling like a tiny star.
After about half an hour, the more than two thousand Super Martial Artists from the Yun City shelter finally arrived.
Leading them were three Saint Tier Super Martial Artists, two men and one woman. They stepped forward and addressed Gu Qijue. "Boss Gu, all 2,365 of Yun City's second- and third-tier Super Martial Artists are here. Please give us your orders!"
"I have only one order: once the fruit on that tree ripens, fill your sacks and leave immediately. Don't get greedy. Make sure you get back alive!"
Gu Qijue showed no mercy to his enemies, but he fiercely protected his own people.
Since these people had chosen to follow him, he would do everything he could to keep them safe.
"Yes!"
Everyone nodded firmly.
They all knew that the odds of dying while fighting for the Star Fruits amid this ocean of Mutated Monsters were extremely high.
But they had come anyway.
If they didn't fight now, they might never get another chance.
Behind Gu Qijue stood more than three thousand Super Martial Artists, all clad in Super Martial Armor and carrying sacks on their backs as they waited, ready for battle.
As time passed, the monsters gathering in the area fought with increasing ferocity.
"Did you hear that?"
Gu Qijue's gaze suddenly sharpened. He had heard a sound from within the Mutation Tree—one like a heartbeat.
"Hear what?"
Everyone looked at him in confusion and shook their heads.
Seeing that none of them had heard it, Gu Qijue said no more, but his guard rose even higher.
"We'll move in first!"
A moment later, with the million Star Fruits on the tree about to ripen, Gu Qijue immediately assumed his strongest form.
Two Dragon Horns grew from his head. Layer upon layer of Dragon Scales appeared on his skin, a thick Dragon Tail sprouted from his tailbone, and his Dragon Teeth slowly extended from his mouth.
Boom! He unleashed the full force of his aura and shot forward amid crackling lightning. A spear-like Dragon Spear, wreathed in raging lightning, appeared in his hand as he charged ahead like a human-shaped tyrannosaur.
Splat!
As he swept his Dragon Spear across the battlefield, hundreds upon hundreds of lightning bolts shot through the air, sweeping away every Mutated Creature in his path in an instant.
The monsters caught in the sweep were left mangled and broken, as fragile as tofu.
"Charge!"
Seeing this, White Fox, Ji Shang, Zhu Hongyu, Xu Qing, Zhao Hu, Meng Bao, the Scarlet Emperor, and the others all summoned their weapons and followed close behind Gu Qijue.
"Roar! Awooo—"
Rumble! Crack!
Every Mutated Creature blocking the way was pulverized by Gu Qijue as he charged forward, lightning flashing around him. Anything touched by his spear was reduced to dust.
He fought his way forward, carving a path paved with flesh and blood.
Whoosh!
Gu Qijue raised a hand and sliced through the air in front of him. Hundreds of Mutated Creatures were instantly cut into several pieces.
He swept his Dragon Spear across the battlefield, clearing the area ahead in a single blow.
Like a meat grinder, he charged forward with thousands upon thousands of bolts of lightning surrounding him. Leading the more than three thousand Super Martial Artists behind him, he fought his way through a million Mutated Creatures and into the area covered by the Mutation Tree's branches.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
But just as Gu Qijue and the others entered the area beneath the branches, the Star Fruits ripened, releasing an incomparably rich fragrance.
Suddenly, countless sharp branches as thick as an adult's arm shot out from the massive Mutation Tree.
There were more than a hundred thousand of them. They swept and stabbed out in every direction in an instant, with Gu Qijue and the others directly in their path.
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