From Now On

A horrific massacre is unfolding beneath the building housing the Combat Command Center.

That's right, no matter who you look at it from, they wouldn't think it's a battle.

The screams of agony rose and fell, the scene was completely one-sided.

Even the members of the Team One were too lazy to lift a finger; the actions of just three members alone brought this Rebel Army of nearly ten thousand people to the brink of collapse in a short period of time.

Ordinary people, armed only with firearms, could not possibly pose a threat to any member of the City Direct Military Team One.

However, the abilities of the Team One members are all forces that ordinary people cannot stop.

Lu Bai, who was not far away, silently observed everything, but his usual smile was nowhere to be seen on his face.

His right thumb and forefinger were unconsciously rubbing together, clearly he was thinking.

Having conducted a large-scale social experiment in the world of cultivation, even though it was incomparable to the real world, his view of the system became less optimistic.

After careful consideration, only two choices remained for Lu Bai.

It involves establishing a relatively sound system and then trusting the wisdom of future generations.

Or will he sit high in the heavens, becoming a god among mortals?

First, let's talk about the former. Looking at the history of human development, it may indeed be a spiral ascent, but its essence has never changed.

The various so-called social systems that are constantly evolving seem to be influenced by factors such as productivity, philosophy, education, and the superstructure.

However, by looking through these distractions, we can see that they are all effects, not causes.

The most important factor, productivity, provides the driving force for institutional change, but it only determines the upper and lower limits of social systems.

So the question arises: what is the essence of a social system?

In general terms, it refers to the ownership of the means of production and the state of personal freedom.

From the first upright walking of humankind to the vibrant and energetic life of the information age, the formation of any social system depends on these two points.

The complexity of human nature dictates that these two points cannot remain unchanged; this is not pessimism, but an objective fact.

So.

What's the second option?

Many people have probably fantasized about what they would do if they had the power to change the world.

Perhaps it's a grand narrative about maintaining world peace and equality for all.

Or perhaps it's a case of true seclusion in the city, observing the everyday life of ordinary people with a detached, otherworldly perspective.

But the most likely scenario is that on the first day, one would want to protect the Earth, but on the second day, one would follow their inner desires and become someone who protects their own Earth.

Unlike most people who can only fantasize, Lu Bai truly possesses the power to change the world, and even to rule it.

At that moment, Lu Bai silently asked himself, if it were him, how long could he hold out?

He couldn't give a definite answer to this question.

However, he still slowly stood up.

Even the most thorough thinking cannot compare to concrete action.

"Then let's give it a try, starting now."

He looked toward the building housing the Combat Command Center and quietly initiated [read].

The next second, the lava that was bubbling up from the ground suddenly disappeared, leaving behind only some spiderweb-like cracks and a strong smell of sulfur.

Those Rebel Army who had been brainwashed and fired at their comrades regained control of their bodies and immediately removed their fingers from the triggers of their guns.

It must be acknowledged that even without supernatural abilities, these team members definitely belong to the elite category.

In close combat alone, any one of our team members could easily take on five or six strong men without any problem.

The problem is that even though they easily slaughtered most of the Rebel Army present, several thousand people were still left, and the difference in numbers between the two sides was ridiculously large.

Without the ability to use it, it's practically certain death.

Faced with such a sudden change, the members of the Team One of the City Direct Military unit inevitably became flustered.

The Team One Captain also found that he could not use his abilities. His face was extremely ugly, and he immediately took out his communication equipment to contact the Combat Command Room.

Many of the Rebel Army present, upon discovering that the lava blocking their escape route had disappeared, assumed that the members of the City Direct Military had taken pity on them and immediately scrambled to escape, frantically trying to get away from this place.

However, such individuals actually constitute a very small percentage of the Rebel Army.

To put it bluntly, the people who were willing to rally around the banner of the Rebel Army and follow Commander Zhang to the Forward Base despite the artillery fire and the collapse of the main force were already mentally prepared to die.

They had long known that they were like mayflies trying to shake a tree, and the killings of these City Direct Military only proved this fact.

Unwilling to be a dog anymore, there's naturally no need to look for a chance to escape; at most, there's just some frustration.

"What is this...?"

Why did they stop on their own?

"The City Guild's lackeys are indeed too formidable; it's not a fault of their fighting ability."

"I'm so unwilling to give up, we were so close to breaking through."

Of course, not all the Rebel Army stood there dejectedly. There were also many rational and intelligent people in the Rebel Army who immediately turned to observe the members of the City Direct Military.

This observation was quite significant. They quickly realized that the panic on the faces of these City Direct Military members was undeniable, and a bold guess began to form in their minds.

Mainly, he was intimidated by the performance of the previous City Direct Military members, which is why he didn't rush to verify his conjecture.

It must be said that in situations like this, only a hothead can break the deadlock.

Commander Zhang's arm was scalded through by lava, but he endured the excruciating pain and roared, "I will not retreat again! The spirit of resistance will live on forever!"

After saying that, he rested the butt of his rifle against his ribs, held the gun in one hand, and pulled the trigger directly at the several City Direct Military members at the gate.

The City Direct Military officers at the gate had already focused their attention on Commander Zhang when he shouted.

Sensing his intention to fire, they quickly hid on either side of the gate, preventing Commander Zhang from achieving any results with his burst of bullets.

But for the Rebel Army, that was enough.

The Rebel Army quickly realized that it wasn't that these city council lackeys had suddenly become kind; it seemed that they had used supernatural powers.

"Kill them!" the quick-thinking guy shouted immediately.

Before the words were even finished, and before the surviving Rebel Army could respond, a figure appeared out of thin air in their line of sight, blocking the building where the Combat Command Center was located.

Lu Bai stood about ten meters above the ground, ensuring that everyone present could see him.

Stop.

Lu Bai's voice was soft, yet it felt as if it came from the depths of everyone present. "Give me some face."