Fantasy Collapse

Word of Power: Senluo could induce its target to see illusions. It was the ability of one member of the Zhou Family.

However, after they began studying the Magic System, the ways Word of Power could be cast became far more flexible.

Just as Emiya said "Trace on" whenever he suggested something to himself, others likewise did not chant Dragon Script when casting magic. Instead, they used incantations suited to their own traits as a form of suggestion.

A magical incantation did not merely mean opening one's mouth to recite a spell. It could also include specific actions, such as snapping one's fingers, grinding one's teeth, raising a hand, stomping a foot, and so on.

As for what exactly one chanted, that depended on whether it suited them. That was why Old Tang sometimes liked to snap his fingers and whistle to look cool.

The Zhou Family's incantations were full of distinctly Chinese characteristics, such as forming hand seals, stepping through ritual paces, or chanting, "As Quick as the Law Commands"...

Moreover, depending on the length and complexity of the incantation process, a spell's power and effects could be adjusted and altered.

Take the "Senluo" spell. By adding preparatory steps, its effect could evolve from "making the opponent see illusions" into creating tangible phantoms—visual illusions capable of deceiving both cameras and the human eye.

Thus, Old Tang's group had swaggered their way into Wushuang and made it all the way here.

"You're outrageously arrogant!" Seeing Old Tang surrounded by rows of gun barrels while still wearing a mocking smile, the Chen Family's Fourth Brother flushed crimson with rage. "Fire!"

In an instant, dense muzzle flashes from the mass of guns lit up the entire underground floor, accompanied by deafening roars.

But Old Tang, who had anticipated this, drifted backward just before the shots rang out. A different Zhou Family member immediately took the front—he had just finished reciting a lengthy scripture and uttered the closing phrase, "As Quick as the Law Commands."

An invisible force swept aside dust and even tiny particles in the air, forming a transparent protective barrier around Old Tang and the others. Just as the barrier met the metal storm of bullets coming from every direction, it did not retreat but surged forward. Within moments, it rapidly expanded and hurled the bullets back with lightning speed!

Magic: Dustless Land!

The Chen Family's Fourth Brother, who had been watching the battle closely, was scared out of his wits and instantly dropped flat to the ground. The armed personnel still firing their guns were not so lucky. The rebounding bullets retained every bit of their power, slicing through the air along their original paths and cutting down the unprepared men one after another.

Fortunately, a considerable number of the armed personnel had been hit in the bulletproof vests, so their combat ability had not been greatly reduced.

But the enemy had used this move to interrupt the barrage of gunfire and now launched a deadly counterattack like tigers pouncing into a flock of sheep.

The scene descended into chaos. Bullets ricocheted wildly and struck the fluorescent lamps overhead, sending sparks flying and knocking out large numbers of lights, noticeably darkening the surrounding area.

The Chen Family's Fourth Brother crawled uneasily along the rear of the battlefield. Terror filled his face as he secretly looked up and saw that these enemies were not chanting Dragon Script at all. Some raised their hands and formed seals to fire Palm Thunder; others sent bullets flying away with a single "As Quick as the Law Commands"; still others assumed the opening stance of Xing Yi Quan, their fists blazing with fierce flames before they threw punch after punch.

"!?"

What the hell are these things? Aren't you people going to follow the basic rules of mixed-blood combat?

In over twenty years of life, this was the first time he had seen so many people turn Word of Power into such bizarre and flashy variations—and they could cast while fighting without getting tired... Could he be dreaming? Had he not woken up yet?

His mind nearly stopped functioning from sheer incomprehension. Trembling, he struggled for a while before finally crawling to a certain spot and pressing the highest-level emergency alarm button.

In another warehouse district, Emiya and the others lay in wait. They had already seen a large transport truck stop at the entrance, while heavily wrapped metal crates were carried into the cargo compartment by sturdy mixed-blood armed personnel.

In truth, the terrain here was open and exposed, so it could hardly be called an ambush. It was only because all the team members were shrouded within Jiu De Mayi's "Word of Power: Underworld Reflection" field that the enemy could not detect them.

At that moment, Emiya said quietly, "We can basically confirm they're transporting Death Servants. The truck model and the metal crates... are exactly the same as when Old Tang, Zhou Yuxuan, and I encountered them. But why are they moving them tonight? Has our operation been discovered?"

"Probably not," Zero said calmly—because of her height, Emiya had to bend down to hear her—

"According to the transfer records we seized, the flow of goods through warehouses like this follows a pattern, and this is still within the normal range... What they are urgently moving now are key items like documents and equipment. Death Servants, in their eyes, may be sustainable as long as the supply chain remains intact."

"Even so, we can't let this batch of Death Servants get away—"

Before Emiya could finish, a shrill, piercing alarm suddenly rang throughout the building.

Even the armed personnel loading the Death Servants froze in unison. The next moment, they turned into ferocious mixed-blood thugs, drawing their guns and going on alert. At the same time, high-powered floodlights lit up before the warehouse, thick Light Beams dispelling the darkness as personnel began moving about frequently.

Jiu De Mayi exhaled softly. "We lack terrain suitable for concealment. If this continues, we'll be discovered."

"Old Tang's group should have entered the direct assault phase. There's no point in staying hidden," Emiya said as he opened his bow case and took out his bow, then nocked a long sword he had projected beforehand—Pseudo-Seven Star Longyuan.

The Zhou Family members behind him all carried large black sword cases on their backs. Inside were also sword-type weapons he had projected over the past few days.

When Red Archer fired Pseudo-Spiral Sword, he projected it on the spot. That was because, with Unlimited Blade Works, projection essentially only consumed a small amount of magical energy to retrieve a weapon from the Reality Marble. But Emiya could not do that yet.

Emiya currently had neither Unlimited Blade Works nor a vast supply of magical energy, so he could only rely on his accumulated energy to continuously project weapons in his daily life, manually building up his arsenal.

For this battle, he had brought more than half of his inventory.

He was determined to blast every one of the Death Servants raised by the Chen Family into the sky.

With the piercing alarm blaring, the Chen Family's armed members had already assembled. Well-trained, they swiftly began searching for enemies who might be hiding nearby under their captain's command. They also contacted nearby units to exchange information about the enemy and requested reinforcements from outside the compound.

Furthermore, the "Death Servant cargo compartment" that was already being loaded could not simply be left there. Several burly mixed-blood men shoved the last crate on the ramp into the compartment, then began closing its doors.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound that made their hair stand on end tore through the air. A cold gleam flashed as something shot out in an instant. At a hurried glance, it was actually a sharp melee weapon. It flew over their heads and shot into the cargo compartment that was about to be sealed shut—

Did the attack miss? And why had they fired some inexplicable cold weapon? Shouldn't they be launching grenades or artillery shells or something?

Alongside the tension of an enemy attack, countless questions flooded their minds.

The next second, light and heat beyond the limits of their perception swelled from within the cargo compartment. Everything around them burned wildly as incandescent radiance surged upward, like death opening a gigantic beak and mercilessly swallowing everything.

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