Pressure Testing

From the Main Peak Tianyu Mountain, Sword Light soared into the sky, then split into five arcs that swept across the entire mountain. Wherever it passed, a chain reaction occurred, blooming one after another, scene after scene, with colorful light shields. If one looked down from above, one could see that the array barriers on the entire Tianyu Mountain were activated layer by layer from top to bottom, like water lilies blooming. Clearly, the mountain-protecting array had been activated, protecting the sect's forbidden area.

Chen Sha's cave dwelling was even more so. Looking back, not only were there gusts of sword wind and dazzling light within the Starry Sky Sword Tomb, but one could also clearly see swarms of insects erupting in the forest, poisonous smoke obscuring the sky, and many giant insect demon gods, as large as mountains, awakening and besieging the demons trapped in the core of the sword formation and being slaughtered. The 'second stage' was also in a terrible state. It had been chased and mangled within the sword formation, and had just managed to escape when it was instantly caught up and devoured by the Gu worms. It could only howl and scream in agony, trapped and spinning in circles within the formation.

Fortunately, Zheng Zetian had anticipated this and managed to extricate himself in time. Otherwise, if he had been a few steps slower, he too would have been trapped in the insect field and suffered like 'Yuzan'.

However, the company came prepared this time, so the 'Yuzan' probably wouldn't be killed on the spot. The demon child Devil Embryo are very tough, so there's no need to worry about them. Without looking back, he turned around and left, skipping down the mountain with an invisibility talisman in hand.

He always carried the waist token and bamboo talisman of the Ink Bamboo Mountain disciple, so walking in his own sect's grand formation would not trigger any restrictions. Moreover, there were guiding lights everywhere, and every now and then an arrow would appear at a fork in the road or a secret passage, pointing him to nearby emergency passages and shelters for safety.

It's clear that Tianyu Peak has implemented targeted emergency response and evacuation measures in recent years in preparation for the possible attack by the demons. Most of the teachers, disciples, and international students on the mountain have also evacuated in an orderly manner according to the drill plan, and there is basically no one left to be seen.

Zheng Zetian originally intended to follow the instructions and retreat directly through the emergency exit, but the gold-inlaid jade waist tag that the company had given him suddenly flashed with light, and then the voice of a 'girl' came from inside his head.

"Zheng Zetian, your interview has been approved, your performance targets have been met, and your file has been created. From now on, you are a Level 24 formal employee of the 49327th Dimensional Subsidiary of the Sage Group. The verbal agreement is now a formal contract."

Zheng Zetian squinted, glancing at the subtitle that flashed before his eyes. "Talk to her a little longer."

"Twenty-four? I guess a higher number isn't always better for this level, right? Are there any rules for leveling up?"

The flashing waist badges projected a pyramid-like hierarchy.

"Employees of the head office are ranked from level one to level fifteen, employees of the main plane group are ranked from level twelve to level twentieth, and employees of the border plane subsidiaries are ranked from level sixteen to level twenty-four."

After three years of employment, the system will conduct its first performance evaluation, followed by annual evaluations. Three evaluations will determine the top performers, and those with outstanding achievements will be promoted and receive a raise, while those with the worst performance will be demoted and fined.

Indigenous employees can be promoted to level 17 through system performance evaluations. Beyond level 17, evaluations are reviewed by specialists dispatched by the head office. If they pass the head office's review and are promoted, they can take up a position in the main plane. The company can provide sponsorship for employees to participate in the security system evaluation and obtain citizenship for formal employment.

The 'girl' quickly went through the pyramid upgrade ladder diagram.

"As previously agreed, our company approves of your application for obtaining the Sword Manual, and you will skip the probationary period. In addition, there is an urgent task assigned to us by the company. Depending on the degree of completion, you can be awarded a major merit, and you will be automatically ranked first in the initial performance evaluation..."

Zheng Zetian quickly interrupted her.

"Wait, wait, wait, you don't really want a defenseless kid like me to clean up that good-for-nothing's mess, do you?"

"Are you kidding me? I gave it all the advice I could, did you even listen? Now look what happened, a great game ruined like this. How come all your employees are like this? Is your company even any good?"

The 'girl' was also helpless.

"Employees are unwilling to come to places like Ink Bamboo Mountain, where the deviation value is too high, for missions. We can only use Bio-Human and temporary workers to test the waters. However, almost all the adult clones have been slaughtered in Ink Bamboo Mountain. This brood is newly hatched, and their psychological age is less than a year old. They are bound to have some immaturity..."

In short, as long as you agree to join, I can make an exception and arrange an upgrade for you, giving you temporary authority as the head of the Ink Bamboo Mountain business team, with full control over and command of all clones and equipment for this operation, and to launch the attack ahead of time to avoid unnecessary losses."

'Agree to it'

Zheng Zetian narrowed his eyes.

"What? If you're so capable, why don't you take command yourself? Why drag me into this? Letting me lie low in Ink Bamboo Mountain to cultivate and cautiously provide intelligence is the most valuable way to use an inside spy, isn't it?"

The girl replied.

"I am an intelligent auxiliary system and have no decision-making power. The purpose of this mission is a stress test. We have obtained accurate intelligence that the Giant of Moshan is no longer in this plane, so we need to confirm the current maximum combat power and strategic trump cards of Ink Bamboo Mountain."

However, the tactical plan for this mission has already been approved and implemented by the company's upper management, and I have no authority to modify it. Now that the matter has been exposed ahead of schedule, and the other clones are not cooperating, it may cause Ink Bamboo Mountain to become vigilant, greatly reducing the significance of the test. Therefore, I need an employee to step forward and authorize a temporary change to the plan to launch an immediate attack.

If you agree to assist, the success of this raid on Tianyu Mountain will count as your achievement. The more valuable targets you kill and the more powerful techniques you acquire, the higher your mission rating will be.

"Oh," Zheng Zetian scratched his head, "Can you guys even manage this...?"

'No problem.'

'Girl' said,

"All you need to do is issue the order and grant the authorization; your undercover identity will never be exposed."

Zheng Zetian thought for a moment, "Well... in that case, I have three conditions. First, I don't know much about these clones and equipment, and I know nothing about the situation in Ink Bamboo Mountain. You have to share the information with me and explain it clearly before I can take over. Otherwise, if things go wrong, won't I get a major demerit and a fine? I'd better not go looking for trouble."

The girl agreed, "Of course. Is there anything else you want?"

Zheng Zetian, "It's bad enough that your 'Yuzan' is disgusting, but it has also tried to kill me time and time again. I cannot tolerate this. No matter whether it survives this ordeal or not, it must die."

The 'girl' acknowledged, "You have gained command authority and can directly order it to self-destruct."

Zheng Zetian's eyes darted around. "One promotion isn't enough. Promote me three times in a row. There's no room for negotiation."

The young woman refused firmly, "There's no such rule for making exceptions. I can't do it."

Zheng Zetian immediately retorted, "Then promote me two levels."

The 'girl' still wouldn't budge.

"I'm just a support system, not a manager or supervisor. My promotion criteria don't include a mechanism for skipping levels, nor do I have the authority to promote employees outside the rules."

Zheng Zetian then suggested,

"Then add more money. Although I'm young and don't understand your so-called mechanism, don't you all have a budget for buying books? And since you're a business organization, you should have a flexible bottom line on pricing, right? Otherwise, how can you do business?"

Besides, if you want a horse to run, you can't expect it to run without feeding it. If you don't want a promotion, give me a raise, and compensate me for the difference in my annual salary as a bonus or performance bonus. Just deposit it into my salary account to avoid putting you in a difficult position."

The girl hesitated, "... A business trip allowance wouldn't be out of the question, but..."

"Ah------!!!"

A bizarre, mangled mess, resembling a rag or carpet from afar, bearing the mark of 'Stage Three' on its head, broke through the barrier and flew through the sky, its body riddled with holes by a swarm of flying swords. A large swarm of buzzing insects followed behind, fleeing across the mountains and fields, only to be shattered by sudden bursts of formation, churned up in the sea of Sword Light and insects. It looked quite pitiful...

Zheng Zetian pointed to the sky,

"What, you still need to think about it? Look, it's almost dead. Hurry up and stop dawdling, okay? I was thinking of ordering it to kill itself."

The 'girl' was also helpless.

"Alright, then I'll classify you as a level 23 employee, a team leader, and grant you the salary and benefits of a level 22 employee, is that acceptable...?"

Zheng Zetian immediately shook his head, pointing to the diagram of the Heavenly Ladder and counting on his fingers.

"Didn't I say there's no room for maneuver after a three-level promotion? Besides, you were supposed to promote me one level in the first place, so you could make changes to the plan as a team leader, right? You should start from level 23 and go up three levels, enjoying the benefits of a level 20 employee."

The girl's tone of voice has changed.

"You just said... um... never mind... alright, the contract's been revised! Any other questions?"

Zheng Zetian looked at it carefully again.

"I just realized, you don't seem to have medical insurance? Even Ink Bamboo Mountain has medical insurance, why don't you? Only three free physical examinations? And you have to pay for treatment yourself? And those three times isn't even three times a year, it's only three times in total? This is outrageous!"

The 'girl' was furious.

"Hey, don't go too far! Do you know how expensive the medical insurance in Beyond Heavens is?! Who can afford personalized medical care without a level 10 salary?! You have to check the system and buy your own medicine when you're sick, okay?!"

Zheng Zetian his eyes and left, saying, "What a piece of trash company, go to hell."

The 'girl' is going crazy.

"Hey, hey, alright, alright! Here's the deal! Our company has a sanatorium that's having a promotion. Because of the war, there aren't many customers. I'll open a quarterly pass for you through the back office. During the renewal period, you can experience the Platinum Customer Package, and you'll get a 50% discount when you use your company card. Medical checkups are included in the treatment package. There's no better deal than this! Enough already, don't push me too far!"

Zheng Zetian looked up to the sky and sighed, "Sigh, well, I really did get tricked by you guys..."

'...'

As soon as Zheng Zetian agreed, the 'girl's' side quickly sent over a large amount of data.

Zheng Zetian quickly scanned the text, getting a general idea of what was going on.

In addition to various clones, drones, and weapons intelligence data, there are seven or eight combat plans, sorted and labeled according to success rate. As long as she selects one and nods, the 'girl' can arrange the operation.

Zheng Zetian glanced at the other party's battle plan and could see that the company was indeed determined to succeed. Moreover, since it was a stress test, they needed to put pressure on the target, so their goal was not just Tianyu Mountain, but the entire Ink Bamboo Mountain area.

Yes, the entire sphere of influence of Ink Bamboo Mountain will be attacked. Not to mention Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land and key secret realms like Tianyu Mountain, Lou Guan City, and Mozhu Mountain, even as far away as Changsi City in Li Country, the garrison sites of Lou Guan in various places, and even some inexplicable places like medicinal gardens, mines, and fishing grounds will be attacked.

Although the number of attackers at each location was not large, ranging from one or two to a dozen or so, it was clear that these "people" were all enhanced demons like the "Yuzan," capable of transformation, invisibility, stealth infiltration, sudden attacks, and possessing first, second, and third-stage side transformations, making them difficult to defend against.

Moreover, Zheng Zetian could tell at a glance.

These demons weren't targeting the Armored Soldier warriors or international students. They were after figures like Chen Sha, Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, peak masters, cave masters, and commanders—the backbone of the Ink Bamboo Mountain forces suppressing various regions.

For example, places like Lou Guan City, Moshan, Tianyu Mountain, and Yushan, where large armies gather, numerous formations are set up, and defenses are tight, may seem to have many attackers, but in reality, their numbers are far from sufficient. For instance, at Tianyu Mountain, apart from 'Yuzan,' there are only one or two demons; the rest are just temporary workers bluffing and clearly have no intention of actually taking down the mountain gate.

Although Ink Bamboo Mountain has armored Armored Soldier in various locations, and each peak master is guarded by a spirit beast, most of them are protected by magic arrays and dojos, except for a small number who are on missions in the wild. However, for the True Persons guarding local mountain dojos and resource mines, groups of two or three Demon Sons, coupled with drones, puppets, and extraterrestrial weapons, it is indeed a very difficult calamity to kill them.

Moreover, for each target, the 'Girl' system actually assessed the strengths and weaknesses of their Cultivation Method, their cultivation level, and designed targeted surprise attack strategies. It also developed targeted resistance and defenses against the opponent's high-threat skills and magical Cultivation Method of the cultivators from Ink Bamboo Mountain.

And don't be fooled by how pitifully the 'Yuzan' in the sky is screaming; it actually possesses properties like resistance to poison, regeneration, and rapid healing, making it not so easy to die.

To be honest, judging from such a detailed intelligence network, there's really no 'tactics' left. With so many plans, such a comprehensive design, and so many reserve teams lying in ambush, it's pointless to decide where to strike first. No matter how comprehensive Tianyu Mountain's defenses are, there will always be weaknesses in Lou Guan City, Changsi City, and so many other Daoist temples.

Although Zheng Zetian thought the Tai Su method of cultivation was fast enough, even though there were many mediocre people, there were also elites like Chen Sha who had just broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm and possessed the cultivation of those elders for thousands of years and the strength of two lightning tribulations. Thus, over the years, the nearly one thousand Nascent Soul Stage cultivators accumulated by Ink Bamboo Mountain could be considered as the top-tier strength of the Nine Great Xuan Sects.

But these clones and demon foes in the company are even more outrageous. Aren't they supposedly all hatched? Hundreds at a time! Even if most of the demon foes were wiped out by Ink Bamboo Mountain, these stragglers will still lurk in small groups, suddenly launching an attack and swapping heads with your core members. How many sects can withstand such a headhunting?

If the plan is followed exactly as the 'girl' planned, this operation could at least assassinate 30%, or even more than 70%, of the guardian cultivators of Ink Bamboo Mountain. The demon gods and protectors would probably be slaughtered with ease. Once this blood transfusion is successful, the core members that Ink Bamboo Mountain has accumulated over the years will be wiped out.

Clearly, no matter what he chooses, these demonic minions will definitely launch an attack, so...

"You're determined to get something on me so I'll work obediently for the company from now on, lest I end up secretly joining Ink Bamboo Mountain's side, right?"

The 'girl' did not deny it.

"Trust is mutual. If that makes it easier for you to understand, then yes, this is a pledge of loyalty."

Zheng Zetian nodded.

"Yes, so every cultivator from Ink Bamboo Mountain who dies in this calamity today will have their blood stained with my own."

Wasn't his hands stained with enough blood?

"Then let's begin."

"Authorization confirmed."

And so it began. Demons, both tangible and intangible, acquaintances and strangers, lurking around the True Person in various places, began to make their move.

Zheng Zetian and the 'girl' were silent for a while.

"So what's the situation now?"

"In the first round of attacks, seventeen people were killed on the spot, and twenty-four were seriously wounded and died."

The girl paused.

"There are four more rounds to go, but the number in the first round was too low, and we didn't kill many key figures. Now that Ink Bamboo Mountain is on guard, we won't be able to kill more than a hundred people in the end. We couldn't even take down 10% of the core members. They won't use their trump cards. The operation has failed."

Failure...?

Zheng Zetian remained expressionless as a line of text slowly flashed before his eyes.

'It's okay, someone will always end up tied to the tracks.'

Is that so...?

Suddenly, the target list provided by the 'girl' began to scroll, as if a hand from the void reached out and drew a card, placing it in front of Zheng Zetian.

The moment Zheng Zetian saw that 'card', he understood.

Goodness... you're really ruthless... okay...

So Zheng Zetian spoke up.

"You want to see the trump card hidden in Ink Bamboo Mountain, right? Then bring all your men here and besiege Chen Sha, the Poison Sword Immortal."

Now that she is no longer at Tianyu Mountain, without the protection of the great formation, without the Gu worms following her, and without any reinforcements, she is already in a deadly situation.

The Grand Master has nurtured her for so long, imparting sword techniques to her time and again. Their relationship is far beyond that of ordinary people; he would never abandon her in a life-or-death situation.

"Girl," "... Authorization confirmed, operation begins."