Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 754 - 711: The Flames of War Are About to Ignite (Continued)
"Zhu Shi followed Fa Zheng and Jian Feixian, attacking the Post-mortem World..." I quickly came to a conclusion, "Has Zhu Shi completely mastered the power of the Yama Sword?"
Little Bowl nodded, acknowledging this enormous piece of good news.
"Yes, just two days ago, Zhu Shi completed her training," she said.
After such a long preparation and adjustment, Zhu Shi finally mastered the Power of Great Impermanence, gaining the strength to fight side by side with me.
I felt genuine joy, and couldn't help but start imagining the scene of me fighting alongside Zhu Shi.
"The gate to the Post-mortem World was also completed around the same time," Little Bowl continued, "Previously, we didn't know when you'd return, but the cooperation between you and Fa Zheng still remains, so to fill the gap, Zhu Shi decided to go in your place first."
"I see, it's because I wasn't present..." I understood.
With a comforting tone, Little Bowl said, "Actually, rather than the cooperative relationship as a factor, it's more likely that Zhu Shi acted out of her own will. The Evangelical Institute wants to slaughter all of humanity, which is something she can't possibly ignore. Previously, when her power wasn't sufficient, it was understandable, but now that she has the power, she surely wishes to be at the forefront more than anyone."
I understood that well, but I didn't plan to exclude myself from it.
Little Bowl must also understand my thoughts. It seemed that earlier, she deliberately wanted to remind me, making me more aware of how much Zhu Shi had contributed for me.
"Did only the three of them enter the Post-mortem World? Did Gua Tianshi not follow along?" I calculated both sides' battle power in my mind.
Excluding Huang Quan, whom I've already killed, those from the Evangelical Institute include Evangelical Institute Master Yan Mo, Great Demon God Shentu, the traitorous Ming Zhuo, and King Zhuanlun Shan Liangyi.
Shan Liangyi is confirmed to be active in the Living World; the Post-mortem World temporarily has only three formidable enemies. As for Ming Zhuo, let's leave him aside, and the extent of Shentu's power is unknown. Over at Yan Mo, my feeling is that although stronger than me and Xuanming, it doesn't form a significant gap. It's probably equivalent to Meng Zhang, supported by the power of "Paradise"—not the one ready to unleash with no restrictions but rather the Meng Zhang whom I and Water Navy Xuanwu had jointly suppressed.
At that time, Water Navy Xuanwu had an advantage of attribute restraint, facing Evangelical Institute Master Yan Mo, it's uncertain if Fa Zheng and Jian Feixian can rival him. From my knowledge, Jian Feixian's combat ability is on the same level as Ming Zhuo and Huang Quan, potentially becoming the weak link in Fa Zheng and Yan Mo's battle. If Zhu Shi, who controls the power of the Yama Sword, can be accounted for, perhaps the odds of victory will be more stable, but the Evangelical Institute still has Shentu and Ming Zhuo, and possibly other unknown cards...
In any case, including Gua Tianshi in the calculations is necessary for trustworthiness. After I join in, the apparent battle strength will change to us having the upper hand. However, the forces currently allocated in the Post-mortem World are quite worrisome.
"Gua Tianshi still needs to continue suppressing the Doomsday Space-Time brought by past Great Demons in the real world. Although he's trying to transform his Heaven and Earth Array, hoping to eventually free himself from this constraint, it doesn't seem so simple to achieve." Little Bowl explained, "Currently, Fa Zheng and the others don't plan a formal attack on the Evangelical Institute; instead, they want to wait for you and adapt to the unpredictable environment of the Post-mortem World.'
"Despite the Doomsday Space-Time unfolding in the real world due to Great Demons, its size is still not enormous enough. For a Great Impermanence to truly adapt to the chaotic and disorderly Doomsday Space-Time, it's necessary to experience it firsthand in the Post-mortem World. My blessing can open convenient doors for Zhu Shi; however, I can't aid Fa Zheng and Jian Feixian. This aspect relies on themselves.'
"Their activities in the Post-mortem World are as concealed as possible; the Evangelical Institute shouldn't yet be aware of their invasion. And thanks to Weichi's techniques, they can maintain real-time communication with Weichi living in the Living World while acting in the Post-mortem World. Before Brother Zhuang Cheng returned, I had already communicated with Weichi; everything is currently normal on Zhu Shi's end.'
Even so, if I eventually head over there, sure enough, events will immediately unfold, right? Mazao is likely planning to return to the Post-mortem World again, but the moment we step in, the Evangelical Institute is sure to strike.'
Thinking about this, I noticed a potential danger, "Zhu Shi spent a long time with Mazao, and she's likely to attract anomalies there or even trigger the Evangelical Institute's early attack, right? I indeed must hurry over...'
"No need to worry, Brother Zhuang Cheng. Zhu Shi is not infected by the Unfortunate star power now," Little Bowl said. "As for why Sister Mazao didn't follow into the Post-mortem World, aside from waiting for Brother Zhuang Cheng's return, part of the reason is to prevent triggering bad luck and inviting Evangelical Institute's early attack.'
This statement initially puzzled, as Zhu Shi spent such a lengthy time with Mazao; how could she not be infected by the Unfortunate star power? The last time I encountered Zhu Shi, I clearly observed related signs in her fate... Quickly following, I thought of a likely answer.'
Just as I was about to voice my guess, Little Bowl smiled and pressed a finger on my lips, saying, "News on that aspect shouldn't come from me; Mazao Sister should personally show it to you.'
This was akin to 'spoiling' the answer, but I wasn't ignorant enough to keep pushing for it, so I shifted the question in another direction, and she answered them one after another.'
Firstly, aside from suppressing the spread of Doomsday Space-Time in the real world, Gua Tianshi also did other tasks during this period, such as using his Divination Technique to check if the Evangelical Institute has other entry points from the Post-mortem World to the real world.'
Currently, it's confirmed the number of such entry points is zero. Perhaps back when they mobilized the Three-headed Great Demon into the real world to execute the Doomsday Space-Time expansion tactic, to prevent Fa Zheng from breaking into the Post-mortem World enraged with the super-enhanced Human Dao Divine Weapon after succeeding, no extra entry points were left.'
Simultaneously, Gua Tianshi set up his own detection spells everywhere, so that when any new entry point appears, he can detect the spatial fluctuations in the same moment and instantly launch a long-range strike to eliminate the forming entry point.'
The slow pace of his Heaven and Earth Array transformation is also due to being busy with this task. It's estimated that even after completing the array transformation, he will continue staying in the real world instead of participating in the Post-mortem World's invasion. This is to prevent an extremely troublesome possibility; if Luo Mountain's entire Great Impermanence strength is invested into the Post-mortem World, Yan Mo might exploit this opportunity to suddenly attack the real world, executing his human massacre plan.'
With the extreme destructive capacity that Evangelical Institute Master Yan Mo can exert at this level of Great Impermanence, finishing the dismantling of human civilization before all those in the Post-mortem World react is entirely feasible.'
Even with communication channels between the real world and the Post-mortem World, caution can't be neglected. Great Impermanence techniques are too diverse, and Yan Mo might eliminate all communication facilities to the Post-mortem World from Luo Mountain in the first instance and then fake communication to the front lines. A trustworthy powerful character must be stationed in the real world.'
Additionally, during this period, Fa Zheng and the others have tried rescuing a batch of Doomsday survivors in the Post-mortem World.'
A significant portion of Doomsday survivors are soul-loss patients from the real world, and their souls being locked in the Post-mortem World is due to blocked travel between the Post-mortem World and the real world. Now, thanks to Weichi's successful development of the "Du Shuo Mountain" Teleportation Array, this barrier has cracked. Using this Teleportation Door, soul-loss patients can return.'
Once those soul-loss patients' souls step on the soil of the Living World, they can automatically return to and recover through the inexplicable connection with their bodies—waking up from a vegetative state, opening their eyes.'
No. 7 used to worry if Little Bowl's soul could be maintained properly upon returning to the real world. Partly, the concern stemmed from her staying in the Post-mortem World without a chance of experiencing such phenomenon; additionally, she inadvertently stumbled upon the truth, as Little Bowl, being a Dream Avatar, was special, and this automatic soul-body return wouldn't occur for her.'
Numerous soul-loss patients were rescued from this literal hell, returned to the safe real world, and reunited with their loved ones. The only downside is they can't recover the memories lost due to Frenzy during the process.'
Perhaps a few awakened soul-loss patients may misunderstand themselves as 'Doomsday reborn,' which is unfortunate, albeit not entirely wrong. The Doomsday may indeed arrive one day in the future, reducing the real world to the same tragic state as the current Post-mortem World.'
Even after saving a small portion of soul-loss patients, the spread of soul-loss incidents hasn't ended. The Post-mortem World keeps randomly consuming ordinary civilian souls from the real world, with cases affecting some demon hunters.'
If the source of soul-loss incidents isn't resolved, even if Fa Zheng and the others rescue more soul-loss patients in the Post-mortem World, it amounts to scooping out water from an ever-leaking sinking ship.'
The number of leaks continues rising, no matter how diligently the water is scooped, the ship will eventually sink.'