When Disaster Strikes, Explosives Enter the World

"Heavens! Open your eyes and look at us! Since you chose to let us see a bright future, why won't you grant us the power to change that future?" Zhang Jiao raised his head to the sky, his haggard face filled with accusation.

"Heavens! As long as you give me the power to change all this, I'm willing to trade everything I have."

Faced with Zhang Jiao's sincere questioning, the heavens gave no response. Instead, a mechanical voice rang out.

"Zhang Jiao's will has been detected as compatible with Bai Fan. Twenty years of lifespan may be exchanged for Bai Fan's Faith Red Lotus."

"Do you accept?"

The system's voice rang in everyone's ears. Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Jiao agreed.

"I accept!"

The system took twenty years of Zhang Jiao's lifespan, then bestowed a Crimson Lotus that merged into his body.

"Transaction complete. Good luck to you all!"

Zhang Jiao stood where he was, sensing the wondrous changes within his body as new light bloomed in his eyes.

"You man-eating empire, it's time you witnessed our counterattack!"

Inside the Heavenly Screen.

That day, Bai Fan was at the critical moment of breaking through to level seventy.

Yet fate had always loved to toy with people.

The instant Bai Fan entered seclusion, the Heaven Dou Empire's army attacked.

Xiao Chenqiang stood atop the city wall and shouted, "The imperial army is here! Everyone, prepare yourselves!"

The expressions of the city's residents visibly turned panicked.

Da Niu, Goudan, and the others wore grim expressions.

"Goudan, do we have enough ammunition?"

"Brother Da Niu, we may have to fight to the death this time! There's barely any AK-47 ammunition left!"

"Fuck, these bastards really know how to pick their timing. The boss had barely entered seclusion when they attacked!"

After grumbling, Da Niu immediately calmed down and began arranging the battle plan.

"All Soul Masters, heed my command! Evacuate the city's residents immediately. Everyone else, hold the gates and protect our home!"

As for the Soul Masters in their ranks, they were all low-level Soul Masters who had been moved by Bai Fan's grand ideals and joined of their own accord.

They admired Bai Fan and were willing to contribute their own strength for this great cause.

"Brother Da Niu, what will you do if we leave? We can still fight."

"Looking down on us, are you? Don't think you're so amazing just because you're Soul Masters. Get the hell out of here!"

Da Niu spoke the gentlest words in the harshest tone.

There was a reason for his arrangement. Soul Masters could better organize the residents' orderly evacuation.

"Brother Da Niu..." The young Soul Masters choked up.

"Get lost! I hate people who dawdle and fuss!"

Da Niu shoved the Soul Masters away.

Goudan spotted Chen Qiang hiding in a corner. He grabbed him by the back of his collar and lifted him up. "Xiao Chenqiang, hurry up and leave with them."

Xiao Chenqiang's limbs flailed in midair. "No! I want to stay and kill nobles! I want to be a hero!"

"You little brat, do you think being a hero is easy? This is work where you keep your head on your belt. One mistake, and you'll lose your life."

"So what? Even if I die, I'm willing."

"You brat..." Goudan wanted to keep arguing with him, but Da Niu snatched Chen Qiang from his hands and tossed him toward the departing Soul Masters.

"Keep an eye on this little brat. Don't let him do anything stupid. He's the future of our empire."

Just as the Soul Master group left, the army before the city walls halted its advance.

At the center of the Heaven Dou army, Xue Jingyuan sat leisurely in a tall sedan chair, sipping tea.

Then he spoke faintly, "Rebels in the city, I advise you to surrender quickly. The empire is merciful and can spare your lives."

His casual words were relayed to the front lines by a designated herald, who then shouted them toward the people atop the city walls.

Standing at the top of the wall, Da Niu answered in a booming voice,

"Hahaha, ridiculous. Since we chose this path, we have never regretted it."

"On the other hand, you soldiers serving the Heaven Dou Empire—if you die here today, what will become of your wives and children?"

"Will the empire you love truly spend the effort to care for the families of so many of you?"

Da Niu's words struck at their hearts, and many Heaven Dou soldiers below the walls began to waver.

Seeing things turn unfavorable, Xue Jingyuan hurriedly arranged for his noble subordinates to stabilize the army's morale.

Beside Da Niu on the city wall stood a plump young man.

"Brother Da Niu, after all these days of research, I've finally made a breakthrough."

"You Cai, tell me quickly. What breakthrough?" Da Niu excitedly grabbed Zhu Youcai by the shoulders.

Zhu Youcai smiled, the flesh on his face squeezing his eyes into narrow slits.

Zhu Youcai handed Da Niu the tightly wrapped square package in his hands. "Brother Da Niu, this is my achievement. I call it an explosive. The contents can explode and cause area damage. Its power is enough to kill everyone within several meters."

Da Niu's blood surged with excitement. He threw an arm around Zhu Youcai's broad body. "You Cai, you really are incredibly talented! If I survive this battle, I'll reward you handsomely."

After hearing that, Zhu Youcai's mood sank slightly. He handed all the explosives on his body to Da Niu, secretly keeping one for himself.

Under Xue Jingyuan's arrangements, the Heaven Dou army's morale stabilized.

This time, he chose not to waste any more words and directly ordered the city gates destroyed.

Under the command of the leading Soul Master general, armored warriors wielding long spears charged toward the sturdy gates.

Once the soldiers entered firing range, Da Niu shouted, "Fire!"

AK-47 bullets rained down upon the soldiers below. The savage rounds pierced through armor and claimed one fresh life after another.

The earth outside the gates was stained red with blood. Fear began to take root in the soldiers' hearts, and they started to consider retreating.

"No retreat! Keep charging! I refuse to believe they can keep using such powerful weapons forever!"

Forced by their general's pressure, the soldiers continued their charge, and the dense gunfire gradually fell silent.

"Hahaha, just as I expected! Prepare to face our wrath!"

The Heaven Dou Empire's soldiers charged fiercely toward the city gates. Just as they were about to reach them, Da Niu threw down the first explosive pack.

A violent boom exploded beside everyone's ears. Flames shot into the sky, while billowing smoke spread in every direction.

The general who had been laughing wildly moments before was dumbfounded. After recovering his senses, he continued issuing orders.

"Keep charging! Anyone who dares retreat will be punished under military law!"

Under the Heaven Dou Empire soldiers' desperate charge, the explosives were finally exhausted.

Da Niu stood at the city gates with a broadsword in hand, his eyes filled with the calm resolve to face death.

"Are you afraid?"

"We're not afraid!" A neat, resounding answer came from behind him.

"All of you, heed my command! Charge with me! Even if we die, we must tear a chunk of flesh from these people and show them what we're made of!"

Da Niu was the first to leap down from the city wall, with the warriors behind him following close after.

A band of unarmored, untrained rabble wielded broadswords and hacked wildly through the Heaven Dou Empire's army.

Blood stained their clothes red, and their eyes reddened. No one knew whether it was the enemy's blood or whether they had slaughtered until their eyes had gone red. Like demons bathed in blood, they inflicted utter terror upon the Heaven Dou soldiers.

Yet human strength was ultimately limited. Even if willpower could unleash unprecedented power, the body's limits remained.

More and more people began to run out of strength, and the movements of their hands slowed.

A weaker warrior gripped his broadsword tightly and fell to his knees. An enemy's spear was about to pierce his skull.

Da Niu, who was still fighting, decisively abandoned his defense. He turned and used his broadsword to knock aside the spear thrust aimed at that warrior.

A spear relentlessly pursuing him from behind pierced through Da Niu's back. He gripped the spear shaft with his left hand, clenched his broadsword with his right, then spun and slashed fiercely.

The opposing soldier's head instantly fell to the ground. Da Niu dropped to his knees, gasping for breath.