Tang Yinmeng collapsed onto the carpet, her molten-gold eyes reflecting the exhaustion after the ecstasy and a bone-deep weariness.
The reverse scale pendant in her palm, now gleaming with its pure silver light once more, felt heavy as a thousand pounds, almost too much to hold.
Ling Chen's gaze shifted from the time-space silver foil, the playful curve in the depths of his dark-red pupils vanishing quickly like a stone thrown into a deep pond, returning to the calm stillness of a deep winter pool.
"Zhuang Han."
Ling Chen's voice was low and clear, carrying an undeniable command.
"Roar!"
Zhuang Han's massive body trembled violently.
"Perimeter alert. Range: three kilometers outside the manor. Report any abnormal energy fluctuations immediately."
"Yes! Master!"
Zhuang Han let out a low roar, his body, covered in dark jade Bone Armor, crouched slightly, then burst forth with immense power!
His massive figure, like a cannonball, smashed through the heavy alloy door of the quiet room and disappeared into the depths of the tunnel leading to the surface.
The heavy footsteps quickly faded, leaving only the faint creak of the door hinges.
Ling Chen's gaze turned to Tang Yinmeng, who was sprawled on the floor.
"Your room is on the second floor, at the end of the corridor."
His voice was flat, devoid of emotion.
"Go rest. Do not come out without my command."
"Yes... Master..."
Tang Yinmeng struggled to get up, but her body felt drained of all strength. She tried several times but failed, eventually resorting to supporting herself with her elbows, inching towards the door in a disheveled manner.
Every move was accompanied by heavy gasps and trembling, as if she might collapse again at any moment.
Ling Chen did not look at her again, nor did he offer help.
He slowly leaned back into the dark purple crystal chair, his slender fingers unconsciously tapping the cold tabletop, producing a rhythmic, faint "tap-tap" sound.
His dark-red pupils lost focus, as if piercing through the thick alloy walls, gazing towards... the unknown distance.
The warmth of victory had long since cooled.
In its place was a chilling, bone-piercing sense of... crisis, coiling around his heart like a venomous snake.
On the surface, he had achieved a great victory in this battle.
The Panshi Fortress's elites were all dispatched, resulting in Xiong Yan's death, Li Fan's near-death, Chu Hang's half-crippled state, and heavy casualties among their soldiers, leaving them severely weakened.
Tang Zhao, that Limit Breaking Stage expert from the Tang Family, was eliminated by him using the desperate counterattack of Tang Buyu and the other two, along with the unexpected burst of the time-space silver foil, effectively killing him with borrowed hands.
The Zu Long Avatar, a terrifying existence at the Limit Breaking Stage Peak, was easily annihilated by a Gui Xu Silent Extinction Cannon from the Central Special Task Force, but it also indirectly helped him remove a huge potential threat.
As for himself, not only did he withdraw unscathed, but he also successfully repaired the time-space silver foil, subdued the highly potential Tang Yinmeng, and Zhuang Han's strength also improved after devouring flesh and blood.
However, beneath these brilliant achievements lay fatal hidden reefs!
One: The Cost of the reverse scale pendant and the Shackles of Life Span
Ling Chen's fingertips unconsciously brushed the reverse scale pendant, which floated deep within his mental space, emitting a cold glow.
This spirit artifact was his greatest trump card, and also... the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head!
In this battle, he used the reverse scale pendant twice!
The first time, he tore space, forcibly shifted the target of Chu Hang's Rule Judgment, and used a clone as a substitute for death! The cost: a hundred years of lifespan!
The second time, he amplified Thunder Wings a hundredfold, severely wounding Chu Hang and forcing Tang Zhao to retreat! The cost: another hundred years of lifespan!
In just one battle, two hundred years of lifespan... vanished into thin air!
Bone Eater Realm mutants have long lifespans, often several hundred years. But this longevity does not come from nothing! It relies on devouring!
Devouring the essence of other life forms' flesh and blood, plundering half of their remaining lifespan! He is currently Bone Eater Realm Level 6, having devoured a total of approximately 600 units of flesh and blood (one average adult male counts as 1 unit), plundering only... 300 years of lifespan!
Now, only... a hundred years remain!
A hundred years of lifespan! What does this mean?
It means he cannot easily use the reverse scale pendant again! The next time he uses it, it might be... the end of his life! His demise!
It means he must devour even more frantically! Advance even faster! Break through to a higher stage before his lifespan runs out! Gain a longer life! Otherwise... all his plans will be in vain!
The reverse scale pendant, his greatest trump card... is temporarily... locked!
Unless he can find a massive amount of high-quality flesh and blood! Or break through to the Bone Eater Stage Peak! Or even the Hundred Forms Stage!
Two: Complete Exposure of Identity and the Crisis of the Lair.
The name "Ling Chen," along with his distinctive crimson pupils, Thunder Wings, and Soul Jade Physique characteristics... have been branded like an imprint into the minds of every survivor of the Panshi Fortress!
And through the reports of top-tier ability users like Chu Hang and Lin Wei, they have been meticulously recorded in the Panshi Fortress's database!
What is the Panshi Fortress? It is one of the most technologically and ability-integrated military fortresses in the apocalypse! They possess a vast database!
They have Lin Wei's Discernment ability! They have Chu Hang's Rule Deduction! And even... possibly some intelligence shared by the Central Special Task Force!
What can they do?
Retrospective analysis!
From Ling Chen's initial appearance as "seriously wounded" in the fortress hospital, to his later infiltration, acquisition of the reverse scale pendant, causing contamination, faking death to escape... a series of events!
As long as they put their minds to it, they can connect the dots! Deduce some of his intentions and modus operandi!
Energy tracking!
The Thunder Wings energy he unleashed during battle, the Blood Ripple fluctuations, and even the special aura of his Soul Jade Physique... could all be captured, recorded, and used to establish an energy fingerprint archive by Lin Wei's Discernment ability!
Rule locking!
Although Chu Hang is severely wounded, as long as he lives, his Rule Deduction ability can help the fortress lock onto "causality" or "energy traces" related to him!
Big data screening!
Combining the fortress's knowledge of the Linghui Academy Ruins map, energy residue, and the activity patterns of the Bone Armor Corpse Ghouls... pinpointing his lair's location—the Ling Family Villa! It's almost... a certainty!
Exposure! Complete exposure!
What does this mean?
It means that Linghui Academy, this long-managed, relatively hidden lair... is no longer safe!
Given the Panshi Fortress's nature, and Qin Weiguo's current anger and humiliation! They will definitely not let this go!
The next attack will certainly not be a ground force assault! But rather... a destructive long-range strike!
How will they do it?
High-altitude reconnaissance! Pinpoint coordinates!
Missile saturation bombardment! Area denial strike! What about large-caliber armor-piercing shells, fuel-air bombs, thermobaric bombs, and even... small tactical nuclear bombs! As long as they can destroy the target! They will not be stingy!
Corpse ghouls? Bone Armor Corpse Ghoul? In the face of such world-destroying explosions and high temperatures, they are merely... slightly tougher... cannon fodder!
Zhuang Han? Bone Eater Stage Peak? Perhaps he can withstand one or two shots, but under a saturation strike... the outcome is already predetermined!
The supernatural abilities at this stage are not yet strong enough to fully contend with thermal weapons.
The underground quiet room of the Ling Family Villa? Those thick alloy walls? In the face of true destructive weapons... they are like paper!
Three: The Shadow of the Center and the Aftermath from the Tang Family
The Central Special Task Force's Roushou is like a cold Sword of Damocles, hanging over everyone's heads. Xuan Niao's cold warning still echoes in his ears.
Any large-scale ability activity or abnormal energy concentration will be deemed a threat and eliminated!
The spatial ripples he caused by repairing the time-space silver foil, though faint, but... could they escape Xuan Niao's bronze compass? He didn't know! But he dared not gamble!
Tang Zhao is dead, but the Tang Family still exists!
A reclusive family that can send out Limit Breaking Stage experts has unfathomable depths!
Tang Zhao's death will inevitably cause the Tang Family's fury and investigation! Will the fluctuations of the time-space silver foil become a new clue?
What's more, he killed Tang Buyu, which is equivalent to indirectly cutting off the Tang Family's lineage...
Crisis! Crisis everywhere! Like an invisible spiderweb, it enveloped him from all directions!
Ling Chen's fingers, tapping the table, suddenly stopped!
He suddenly felt a... an indescribable... bone-chilling... hair-raising sensation!
It pierced fiercely into his heart! The Soul Jade Physique's cold will instantly issued an extremely sharp alarm! It was... descending... at a speed beyond thought!
Target... locked! This location!
"Not good!"
Ling Chen's dark-red pupils suddenly contracted to pinpricks! He sprang up from the chair! His movements were as fast as lightning! Without the slightest hesitation!
Boom—!!!
The heavy alloy door of the quiet room was kicked open by him! The door panel twisted and deformed as if hit by a cannonball! It flew out!
It slammed heavily against the opposite wall! Emitting a deafening roar!
His figure rushed out like a ghost! Instantly appearing in the second-floor corridor! Target—Tang Yinmeng's room!
"Open the door!"
Ling Chen's voice was cold as a blade! Carrying an undeniable urgency! He didn't wait for a response at all! His right leg, covered in bone spurs, let out a piercing shriek as it tore through the air! Kicking fiercely at the door!
Bang—!!!
The sturdy solid wood door exploded like paper! Wood splinters flew everywhere!
Inside the room! Tang Yinmeng, who had just struggled onto the bed and hadn't even had time to catch her breath, was scared out of her wits by the sudden loud noise! She looked up in terror!
Her eyes were filled with incredible fear! Staring at Ling Chen, who had burst through the door like a demon god!
"Go!" Ling Chen gave Tang Yinmeng no time to react at all! He grabbed her slender wrist! The force was so great! It almost crushed her bones!
"Ah—!!!" Tang Yinmeng let out a short, sharp scream! Her body was violently yanked up by a huge force! She was tucked under Ling Chen's armpit like a broken sack!
Ling Chen's figure did not stop! Like an arrow leaving the bowstring! He rushed towards the end of the corridor! There was an extremely thick alloy secret door disguised as a wall!
Leading to the deepest part of the villa... the underground shelter!
Buzz—!!!
Just as Ling Chen, carrying Tang Yinmeng, burst through the secret door! And rushed into the narrow, downward-sloping tunnel lit by emergency red lights!
An indescribable, as if from the heavens, cold and destructive... terrifying pressure! Instantly transmitted!
Time... seemed to... solidify... at this moment!
Immediately after!
Rumble rumble rumble—!!!!!!
A... terrifying roar... that could not be described in words!
Like... the first thunderclap... of creation! Suddenly... exploded... overhead!
Not one sound! But... countless sounds! Merging into one! Like... the sky collapsing and the earth rending! Like... stars falling!
The entire earth! Trembled violently... frantically... like... a flea... thrown into boiling water!
Inside the tunnel! The dazzling emergency red lights flickered wildly! Then... instantly extinguished! Plunging into a deathly silence!
Terrifying shockwaves! Mixed with high-frequency vibrations... strong enough to tear steel!
Like... an invisible... storm of destruction! Fiercely... pouring into the tunnel!
Boom—!!!
Ling Chen, carrying Tang Yinmeng! Was hit hard as if by an invisible giant hammer! His body uncontrollably rushed forward! Slamming heavily into the alloy shelter door at the end of the tunnel! Emitting a dull thud!
Pfft—!!!
Ling Chen grunted! A streak of dark-red blood spilled from the corner of his mouth! The phantom of Thunder Wings instantly appeared behind him! Violent lightning flashed wildly! Hardening off most of the impact! Only then did he barely manage to stabilize himself!
And Tang Yinmeng, under his armpit! Let out a piercing shriek! Blood instantly overflowed from her seven orifices! Her body went limp as if all her bones had been drained! If Ling Chen hadn't held her tightly, she would have collapsed to the ground long ago!
Rumble! Rumble! Rumble—!!!
Overhead! Deafening explosions! Continuous! Like dense drumbeats! Pounding fiercely on everyone's hearts!
Terrifying shockwaves mixed with scorching hot airwaves! Poured wildly down the tunnel! Even through the heavy alloy shelter door! One could still feel the terrifying power of world destruction!
It lasted for... a full... minute!
Like... an eternity!
When the last wave of impact passed! When the deafening explosions finally ceased!
Inside the entire underground shelter! There was a deathly silence! Only the faint hum of the emergency backup power starting up! And... Tang Yinmeng's faint whimpers... like a dying small animal!
Ling Chen slowly loosened his arm. Tang Yinmeng slumped to the ground like a pile of mud, curled up in a ball, coughing violently, each cough bringing out dark-red blood foam.
Her molten-gold eyes were filled with extreme fear and... bewilderment! As if she had just crawled back from the edge of hell!
Ling Chen leaned against the cold alloy door, slowly raised his hand, and wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth. His dark-red pupils, in the faint light of the emergency lamp, flickered with... an indescribable... cold light.