Swallowed Star: Heavenly Comprehension, Joined Chat Group

"Stop!"

Just as Gao Feng planted his foot for a leap, the White-Haired Elder barked out a shout and was about to make his move.

Shiiing!

A Blood Shadow War Sword shot through the air like a streak of crimson light, instantly piercing space to hover before the White-Haired Elder.

The White-Haired Elder froze on the spot!

The rest of Thunder Squad trembled as well, all staring wide-eyed toward the direction the crimson light had come from.

Jiang Li stood there expressionless, speaking calmly: "Don't move, or you'll die..."

"A... a Psychic?"

The white man Kalon stared fixedly at the Blood Shadow War Sword suspended before the White-Haired Elder, his heart pounding: "That fast—at least a mid-level Warrior General grade Psychic!"

It was common for Psychics to be one or two tiers above ordinary martial artists, and Jiang Li's Blood Shadow War Sword was so swift that even a high-level Warrior General couldn't react, proving Jiang Li's strength surpassed theirs.

As for War God?

Given Jiang Li's youthful appearance, they would never believe it.

After all, someone his age becoming a War God would have already shaken the world.

"I won't move!"

The White-Haired Elder slowly raised both hands, as if adopting a surrender pose: "But I advise you not to make a move either!"

"Otherwise, all of you will die!"

"Are you threatening me?"

Jiang Li knew the mixed-blood youth's background perfectly well.

His father was the War God Li Yao, known as Vulture, and his mother was Venina, one of the twelve great families of the HR Alliance—also a War God-level powerhouse.

Such a background would be untouchable in the eyes of other martial artists.

But to Jiang Li, it was nothing worth mentioning.

Still, Jiang Li had no intention of killing them. As long as Li Wei didn't court death, there was no need for bloodshed.

And then.

Boom, boom, boom...

From the distance, a terrifying thunder of stampeding hooves suddenly erupted, shaking the very ground beneath their feet, followed by a wave of low growls spreading outward.

"Not good, it's a beast horde!"

"They must have been drawn by the fighting!"

In an instant, everyone present turned to look toward the source of the sound. A pitch-black tide of monsters surged forward like a steel flood, each beast only thirty or forty centimeters in size—slightly larger than a human palm.

Yet this black torrent of tiny monsters moved like a bulldozer, collapsing houses and crushing beasts in its path wherever it passed.

As far as the eye could see, it was endless, with no edge in sight.

"What's going on!!!"

The mixed-blood youth Li Wei shrieked in terror, his face turning deathly pale.

Even facing Jiang Li's Blood Shadow War Sword, he had remained calm—after all, his father was Li Yao, and as long as no one surpassed War God level, they would show his father some face!

But this black tide of monsters couldn't care less whether his father was Li Yao or Li Gang!

"Is this...?"

"A Rat Tide!"

Luo Feng was jolted with shock. A Rat Tide, also called a Rat Plague—even a War God, once surrounded by an endless swarm of rats, would meet certain death.

"Protect the young master! Fang Squad, hold the rear!"

The White-Haired Elder roared urgently: "Run!"

"This is a Rat Tide! Flee!"

The rest of Fang Squad couldn't care less about the White-Haired Elder. Hold the rear? Screw that—anyone holding the rear for the War God's Hall would end up on a wall!

(End of chapter)

Chapter 36: War God Kitahara Tsuyoshi (Year of the Dragon, Good Fortune!)

"Run!"

Gao Feng stomped and leaped, swiftly regrouping with Fire Hammer Squad as they sprinted for their lives.

In the blink of an eye, the rat swarm swept over Pan Ya's position, tearing him into a skeleton in an instant.

"Hurry, head west! Cross the bridge first!"

Facing a Rat Tide, even Jiang Li dared not underestimate it. Fire Hammer Squad rushed across a river channel, and Jiang Li swung his Bloodshadow Warblade—a crimson arc slashed down, and the entire bridge collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Even so, it only bought them a sliver of time.

"Damn it, how does City 003 have a Rat Tide too?!"

Chen Gu, carrying the most gear, looked back at the pitch-black mass behind them and cursed while jumping and running, "Every time we run into the Fang Squad, we end up this unlucky!"

"There won't be a next time. I saw Pan Ya gnawed down to a white bone!"

"Zhang Zehu too!"

The Wei Brothers turned their heads back and spotted the broken bridge slowing things down, widening the gap between them and the Rat Tide. They breathed a sigh of relief.

"Site 003 is a bit better over here. Even if there's a Rat Tide, it's only a small-scale one."

After the Fire Hammer Squad escaped danger, Gao Feng let out a long, turbid breath and said, "If this were flatlands, once a Rat Tide showed up, it'd be at least Level Three!"

"There was a Level Three Rat Tide over at the Northern Military Region before. Even the War God Lu Gang fell!"

"Hah!"

Everyone still had lingering fear. Pan Ya's strength wasn't weaker than theirs, yet in the blink of an eye, he'd become a skeleton.

"Monsters are humanity's true mortal enemy!"

Luo Feng's eyes hardened as he clenched his fist. "And human martial artists are still fighting each other. At this rate, humanity's future is grim!"

"Luo Feng, don't be so pessimistic. People like Pan Ya are still the minority!"

Chen Gu comforted him. "Besides, aren't there still martial artists like Jiang Li and you? Humanity's future still has plenty of hope, haha!"

"Look, it's that Thunder Squad!"

Wei Tie shouted. The Thunder Squad from before was now fleeing toward them too, but unlike before, their original seven-man squad was down to just three!

"And in the sky... a Two-Headed Tiger Eagle?"

Gao Feng's pupils shrank sharply. "That couldn't be a Lord-tier monster, could it?"

Everyone looked over. The White-Haired Elder had already lost one arm, and the white man Kalon was covered in wounds. The two high-level War Generals crossed their movements to shield the mixed-blood youth, desperately blocking every attack from the Two-Headed Tiger Eagle as they fought and retreated.

"It's them!"

The White-Haired Elder also spotted Jiang Li and the others, grasping at them like a last lifeline. "Fire Hammer Squad, come over and help! Kill this beast, and the materials are yours!"

"Ha, even at a time like this, you're still putting on airs!"

Chen Gu set up his heavy sniper rifle, seeing more clearly through the optical scope, and snorted coldly. "Captain, do we help or not?"

Even though the Two-Headed Tiger Eagle might be a Lord-tier monster, the fact that the White-Haired Elder and the white man Kalon had held out so long meant it was naturally no match for Jiang Li.

With just one shot from him, he could instantly draw the Two-Headed Tiger Eagle's aggro.

"Jiang Li..."

Gao Feng didn't dare make the decision for Jiang Li and asked, "We'll listen to you!"

But before his words faded.

Suddenly.

"Hm?"

Everyone abruptly saw a human silhouette, moving at extreme speed with a trail of illusory afterimages, flash-stepping from behind. The long blade in his hand slid from its sheath along the direction of his movement, tracing a bizarre blood-red blade-light through the air.

Splash!

The blade-light flashed, directly slicing through the Two-Headed Tiger Eagle's neck. Both massive heads flew off instantly, and foul, stinking blood gushed out like a fountain.

Boom!

The Two-Headed Tiger Eagle's body plummeted straight from the sky, crashing to the ground. After trembling a few times, it lay still.

The scattered afterimages then merged back into one.

One slash killing a suspected Lord-tier Two-Headed Tiger Eagle?!

"Too insane!"

"He must be a War God!"

"Uncle Beiyuan!"

Recognizing the newcomer, the mixed-blood youth immediately ran over, repeatedly expressing his gratitude.

"Mr. Beiyuan."

The White-Haired Elder and the white man Kalon endured their injuries and bowed respectfully to that War God in thanks.

"Li Wei, you don't need to thank me. Your father received your distress signal and happened to know I was coming to Site 003..."

"If your father hadn't offered a reward I couldn't refuse, I wouldn't have exposed myself for you!"

This Mr. Beiyuan wore a cold expression, speaking in extremely stiff Hanxia. "Consider that you never saw me. Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no mercy with my blade."

"Then what about them..."

The mixed-blood youth's eyes suddenly lit up as he looked maliciously toward the distant Fire Hammer Squad.

At this moment...