Several hundred miles north of Jiangnan Base City stood a military garrison.
One by one, fully armed warriors stepped down from the train. There were more than twenty of them, and they naturally split into four squads.
"Jiang Li, Luo Feng, when warriors go out to hunt monsters, they usually stop at a military garrison along the way to replenish supplies."
Chen Gu pointed to the tall tower ahead and explained, "Throughout Hanxia Kingdom—and even the rest of the world—every military garrison sets aside a special area as a Supply Base for warriors to rest."
"And that lighthouse symbolizes the light guiding us warriors home!"
Jiang Li nodded.
He thought of places in his previous life where there were similar lighthouses, built to guide soldiers home.
"Fire Hammer Squad, you'll be staying in E3. Go get some rest."
An officer at the Supply Base handed Gao Feng a key and clapped him on the shoulder with a smile. "Old Gao, if you come across anything good this time, the Underground Alliance would be happy to buy it. I'll make sure you get the best price."
Not everyone at the Supply Base was a soldier. Many came from the Two Major Martial Arts Halls, the Underground Alliance, and various powerful family clans.
They were there to serve the warriors, but they also bought valuable materials from them.
"Sure!"
Gao Feng laughed heartily. "Get someone to sort out dinner for us. Make it good—don't disappoint my two brothers!"
After they'd eaten, Chen Gu turned to Jiang Li and Luo Feng. "If you two want to rest, do it now. We're heading out tonight, so make sure you're wide awake when the time comes!"
"We're leaving tonight?"
Luo Feng looked surprised.
"Because it's too hot during the day."
Jiang Li glanced at the sunset spreading over the Wilderness Zone and explained, "Traveling during the day takes more out of you."
"I see!"
Luo Feng suddenly understood. Then he spotted a familiar figure at the Supply Base. "Is that Zhang Zehu?"
Zhang Zehu
At that moment, Zhang Zehu was wrapped in bandages, with faint traces of blood showing through. He was clearly badly injured and recovering at the Supply Base.
Zhang Zehu spotted Luo Feng and the others too, his face full of resentment. "Him?"
"Fire Hammer Squad?"
The one-eyed middle-aged man beside Zhang Zehu spoke up. "Hu, is that the Luo Feng you told me cost you 80 million?"
"What's Luo Feng? He's just a low-level warrior!"
Zhang Zehu's gaze fell on Jiang Li. "The one in white is the real trouble! I heard a War God-level big shot has taken an interest in him! If not for him, would I have paid that 80 million?!"
The thought of even the hall master having pressured him made Zhang Zehu seethe.
"Forget it. Don't dwell on it. Some people are simply beyond our reach."
The one-eyed middle-aged man patted his shoulder. "Focus on recovering. We'll head out again in three days. Once we take down that old beast, we'll have all the money we need!"
At dusk.
The seven fully armed members of Fire Hammer Squad left the Supply Base and officially entered the Wilderness Zone.
"Awooo!"
"Rooar!"
After Jiang Li and the others had followed the ruined highway for about five kilometers, the monsters' roars grew more frequent. They could even see monsters moving through an abandoned rest stop.
"Hmm? Luo Feng, there's an F-class Sawtooth Dog up ahead. You take it!"
Near the rest stop, Squad Leader Gao Feng spotted a monster inside one of the abandoned buildings and ordered, "This will be your first fight in the Wilderness Zone."
"Luo Feng, don't let your guard down!"
Chen Gu warned him solemnly. "These monsters are much more cunning than the ones raised in military compounds."
"Got it!"
Luo Feng nodded firmly.
Even in the same squad, the quickest way for a warrior to earn the others' respect was to prove his strength.
"Good luck."
Jiang Li even gave Luo Feng a rare word of encouragement.
The others watched as Luo Feng went over.
"Captain, isn't sending Luo Feng up against an F-class Sawtooth Dog for his first fight a bit much?"
Once Luo Feng had drawn his blade and engaged the dog, Chen Gu couldn't help speaking up. "It's his first time in the Wilderness Zone, after all!"
"So what if it is? You don't want him turning into dead weight, do you?!"
Wei Tie said in a deep voice, "Luo Feng's physical strength is every bit as good as an F-class monster's. He might have a rough time, but he should be able to take it down!"
"Physical strength matters, but so does combat experience!"
Wei Qing looked at Jiang Li and said seriously, "Chen Gu said your physical strength meets the standard for an Intermediate War General. Would you dare take on a Warrior General-level monster alone?"
"You mean that boar to the east?"
Jiang Li understood what they meant. After all, this was a fight on the edge of life and death, and no one wanted to bring along dead weight.
"An E-class Ironhide Boar?"
Hearing Jiang Li's words, Gao Feng finally noticed the gigantic boar charging toward them through the rice paddies on the other side of the highway. Its body was covered in black iron armor.
"Hrrr!"
The Ironhide Boar roared, suddenly picked up speed, and charged straight at them in a cloud of dust.
"Scatter!"
Gao Feng cried out in alarm. "It may be an E-class Beast General, but its iron hide is as tough as steel. Ordinary firearms can't pierce it!"
BOOM!
The group scattered as the Ironhide Boar barreled toward them, slamming into a small hill by the highway. Half the hillside collapsed under the impact.
It must have hit with at least ten tons of force.
"That thing's too powerful. Jiang Li might not be able to handle it alone!"
Chen Gu leaped seven or eight meters away and drew his M81, ready to fire.
"I'll give it a try first!"
This was Jiang Li's first time facing a monster like this. He couldn't guarantee that everything would go smoothly.
Whoosh!
Clang!
As soon as he spoke, Jiang Li sprang forward with his blade in hand. In midair, he became a streak of white light and struck the Ironhide Boar's nearly two-zhang-long body with blinding speed, sending sparks flying.
"Roar! Roar!"
After taking the hit, the Ironhide Boar recoiled, then kicked off with its hind legs and charged at Jiang Li like a tank.
"Jiang Li, watch out!"
Gao Feng shouted. Monsters at the Beast General level were already quite intelligent.
As he spoke, everyone saw Jiang Li shift slightly to one side, perfectly evading the Ironhide Boar's charge.
"That movement technique?!"
The Wei Brothers' pupils contracted. Gao Feng, who had been about to rush in and help, also paused. "He dodged the Ironhide Boar's charge that precisely?!"
"Is that a Subtle-level Body Technique?"
Zhang Ke exclaimed. "With a technique like that, Jiang Li is practically invincible!"
The Ironhide Boar had thick skin and tough flesh, but it lacked speed. Against a Subtle-level Body Technique, it had almost no chance of hitting Jiang Li.
"Yeah, but his strength seems a little lacking. He'll have trouble killing the Ironhide Boar."
Gao Feng was a Warrior General too, and a strength specialist at that. He could tell at a glance that Jiang Li's attacks were fast enough, but lacked power.
"Captain, I don't think so!"
Chen Gu suddenly remembered what Wu Tong had mentioned earlier. "Jiang Li should have mastered an attack secret technique!"
By then,
Jiang Li had landed on the ground. He watched the Ironhide Boar charge again and tightened his grip on the Bloodshadow Warblade.
"Raw strength can only injure its hide. To kill it in one strike, I'll have to multiply my attack power several times over!"
Jiang Li's eyes narrowed.
His blood and qi surged through him. Faint arcs of electricity coursed over the hand gripping his blade.
"What's that?"
The other members of Fire Hammer Squad watched, astonished.
As the Ironhide Boar charged at him, Jiang Li suddenly stomped forward. The ground split apart with a thunderous crack, and terrifying flashes of lightning enveloped him.
Several long, twisting arcs of electricity even spread across the hilt of his blade.
"Could that be?!"
Gao Feng had a sharp eye. He had seen someone use the same technique before. "The Ninefold Thunder Blade?"
Annihilation and the Ninefold Thunder Blade were the two ultimate manuals in the world.
Plenty of people trained in them, but few managed to master either one.
BOOM!
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