Flexible Application

Deploying millions of zombies alone took a considerable amount of time.

The metal disc had already disappeared beneath the zombie horde. Their frenzied, chaotic cries bore down on everyone's nerves, while the dense Calamity Aura relentlessly tested their psychological limits.

The seething mass of zombies dragged their twisted bodies toward them, faces hideously contorted. The sight of humanity reduced to such ruin exerted far more pressure than they had expected.

Even after repeatedly reassuring themselves that this was the Assessment, knowing they could defeat these monsters.

When that dark mass of zombies actually came charging at them, the urge to scream was almost impossible to suppress.

Ye Buyu's face went deathly pale. Her gun arm began to ache. She had lost count of how many bullets she had fired and could no longer make out the shouts around her.

Frenzied cries battered her brain. The zombies surged toward them in endless waves, but they were no unbreakable reef.

For the first time, she felt just how limited human strength was.

"How are we supposed to fight this? I can't imagine how terrifying they must look to everyone else."

All she saw were wooden figures, and even those were frightening enough. Wouldn't the zombies everyone else saw drive them mad?

Little Whale yawned. "Under the influence of Calamity Aura, they might actually go mad, but they'd clearly be teleported out the moment they lost control.

"Why don't you try stepping outside Mu Bingge's protective circle? Take a couple of hits, and all this will be over."

Ye Buyu exhaled. When she opened her eyes again, she had calmed down. She raised her hand, aimed at a distant wooden figure, and fired.

"Cut it out. I might escape this time, but what about next time? Sooner or later, there'll be nowhere to run."

Little Whale grumbled, "Running away is a coward's privilege."

Ye Buyu reloaded and aimed at a distant wooden figure. "But courage is humanity's anthem. I've got a good idea."

Beneath her snow-white lashes, a gleam flashed in her eyes, piercing the dark tide and locking onto a large wooden figure.

Ye Buyu raised the Flower Edict and aimed at the giant, murmuring, "I don't need materials. The price is... eliminating the Calamities around you."

Like a whisper from hell, her words carried a strange sigil that imprinted itself upon an invisible force, forming a shackle that burst from the muzzle.

Bang!

The vicious giant wooden figure froze. Its heart shuddered as an invisible hand of law instantly bound it, and a clear command echoed deep within its consciousness.

"Eliminate the Calamities around you."

A trace of red spread through the depths of the giant wooden figure's pupils. It turned, raised its enormous arm, and smashed it down on the surrounding Calamities.

Everyone who witnessed the scene stared wide-eyed, utterly shocked.

"Has that thing gone mad?"

"Calamities do fight among themselves, but they usually prioritize killing humans when we're around. What's wrong with that thing?"

"Is this someone's ability?"

A pale smile curled Ye Buyu's lips. "It really works."

Little Whale nodded approvingly. "Not bad. You're not hopelessly stupid after all. You've finally figured out the right way to use your ability."

Since it worked on high-level Calamities, controlling them to wipe out low-level Calamities was a viable approach.

She had made the Wind-Thunder Cantor toss her out before. Now she could make a giant wooden figure kill the Calamities around it.

Little Whale crunched away while clutching a bag of chips. "Calamities aren't at peace with one another, either. To high-level Calamities, the low-level ones are utterly insignificant.

"Instead of making them pay a painful price, demand something that benefits you. You need to learn to use that so-called compulsory price flexibly."

Ye Buyu curled her lips. "Then let's do it again!"

The bullet whistled through the air. Just before it struck the giant wooden figure, the creature grabbed a small minion and used it to block the shot.

Compelled to pay the price, the small wooden figure that had been hit howled and began fighting the Calamities beside it.

The giant wooden figure snorted, cast a mocking look toward Ye Buyu, and came charging over in great strides.

It seemed to be saying, Do you really think I'm stupid?

The smile vanished from Ye Buyu's face. "Don't figure out a counter that quickly!"

Little Whale laughed so hard they pounded the ground. "Who told you to keep milking the same target? Did you really think Calamities were idiots?"

Watching the giant wooden figure charge toward her, Ye Buyu completely lost her composure.

"Why are you coming this way? All I did was heal you once! Have a little gratitude, will you?"

Just as Ye Buyu was losing her mind, Mu Bingge leaped into the air.

"Nicely done."

Mu Bingge stared at the charging giant wooden figure. She had been struggling to get close to a large Calamity, only for one to deliver itself right to her.

The long whip in her hand sliced through the air and wrapped around its neck, rapidly closing the distance between them.

In a single instant, Mu Bingge reached its face. A sharp blade formed in her hand, and she drove it straight into the giant wooden figure's eye with the momentum of her body.

"Mirror Blade!"

The watery blade pierced its body. Shattered mirror fragments abruptly multiplied, traveling throughout its body with its blood before bursting apart and expanding.

The giant wooden figure had been about to grab Mu Bingge and throw her off, but mirror blades erupted all over its body. It looked like a doll impaled by shards of glass.

Its pupils trembled, slowly dilating as the life faded from them. Its enormous body crashed to the ground.

"She's so strong." Ye Buyu stared, dumbfounded.

"Hahahahaha! Looks like you still beat me to it, Mu Bingge. Want to compete?"

Ye Buyu looked toward the laughter. Lou Guanshan stood atop a headless wooden figure, a streak of dark red blood sliding down his heavy Mo Dao.

At the same time Mu Bingge took down a large Calamity, Lou Guanshan had activated his ability, [Rock Soul], raising stone to trap another Calamity's feet.

With the Mo Dao on his shoulder, he had charged up its arm and cut off the giant wooden figure's head with a single slash.

Kou Ying, who had been set down, glanced at the small Calamities closing in and sighed helplessly.

"So much for getting carried."

He glanced at the lunging Calamities. The shadow beneath his feet gradually spread, flowing in every direction through the surrounding shade.

Silently, it formed blades behind them and plunged into their bodies.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of roaring Calamities stopped in their tracks and died. Their piercing cries vanished, and their hideous bodies crumbled away, leaving only remains that fell to the ground.

Kou Ying's score suddenly shot up, soaring from zero.

Ye Buyu naturally saw it happen. With her own eyes, she watched a black spike strike a Calamity not far from her, killing it outright.

At the same time, blazing flames, roaring thunder, plants that sprang up out of nowhere, and dazzling light erupted in a chaotic burst of abilities, tearing through the dark tide.

As brilliant as blooming fireworks, they reflected in Ye Buyu's red eyes, leaving her utterly awestruck.