Thriller Paradise Chapter 151: Earth Wasteland Arc (Seventeen) - Novel Cool

Chapter 151: Earth Wasteland Arc (Seventeen)

Chapter 151: Earth Wasteland Arc (Seventeen)

The difficulty of passing through the Fourth District was far lower than Hank expected. They practically encountered no meaningful resistance, and even Feng Bu Jue and Kuangzong Jianying hadn’t anticipated it would be this effortless.

The population in the Divine Protection Village’s Fourth District was never large—only a few hundred residents. These people valued their lives dearly; the moment the village alarm rang, they all locked themselves indoors. The guards numbered around a hundred, with 60% of them spread across various watchtowers and checkpoints, leaving only a small portion patrolling. Even though communication among the guards remained unimpeded, they lacked the manpower to organize any effective interception. With such limited numbers and no rapid-response units, their sporadic attempts to resist were futile against Feng Bu Jue’s group—three intruders moving swiftly and packing the combat power of monsters.

Kouben, stationed within the Temple, received the news of foreign invaders the moment the alarm sounded. He himself had ordered the alarm’s activation. If Feng Bu Jue’s group had numbered three hundred instead of three, Kouben might have already declared surrender. But as things stood, he felt little concern. After all, he possessed "divine power", and three measly intruders would never leave the Temple alive if they dared to enter.

Within ten minutes, the trio reached a spot less than 1,000 meters from the Temple. This half-buried starship wreckage had been transformed beyond recognition into a grand palace, though its original silhouette remained. At this distance, Feng Bu Jue finally grasped its true nature.

"I thought the Temple you guys kept talking about was some sacred structure", Feng Bu Jue chuckled. "Turns out it’s just a spaceship. That settles my last few doubts."

"Spaceship…?" Hank asked, puzzled.

"Oh, right, you wouldn’t understand that concept", Feng Bu Jue replied. "Let me simplify it: a gigantic Sharkfish Pod that flies into outer space."

"I see… Kouben told us the Temple was a divine creation, a dwelling place for the Chosen of God. Anyone who enters without permission will be cursed to death."

Feng Bu Jue had already pieced the puzzle together. "Forget the nonsense about gods and curses. From what I can tell, this spaceship was likely built centuries ago by the ancient humans—what you now call foreigners. I don’t know exactly what happened to your Earth, but it was probably environmental collapse or war that forced humanity to migrate into space. Some stayed behind for various reasons. Your ancestors were among those who couldn’t leave." He licked his lips. "This spaceship might be the one they rode here before crashing, or perhaps they discovered the wreckage and settled nearby. As for the Kouben Family’s version of history after seizing power… Well, religious stories all follow the same old formula. They brazenly spew nonsense and attribute everything to divine miracles."

"Feng Bu Jue… if you spoke like this outside the game, you’d offend a lot of people", Kuangzong Jianying remarked.

"Those offended can kneel in a corner and pray to their deities to strike me down with lightning", Feng Bu Jue countered.

As they spoke, the trio reached the Temple’s entrance. At the doorway, about forty guards stood in formation, ready to face them. They held gravity shields, forming a human wall, while anti-gravity launchers aimed metal projectiles at the trio.

"This is actually a rare situation. I’ve got a group-attack Consumption Skill I’ve never had the chance to test. Perfect timing", Kuangzong Jianying grinned.

"Is this the Sword Saint Storm?" Feng Bu Jue asked.

"Uh… no", Kuangzong Jianying replied.

"Oh, whatever then", Feng Bu Jue dismissed, clearly uninterested.

[Name: Yidao Style. Port Bird]

[Skill Card Attribute: Active Skill, disappears after one use]

[Skill Category: Martial Arts]

[Effect: Long-range slash attack from a single arm, unleashing a sword wave for wide-area damage. Strong power, medium speed (requires sword-based weapon).]

[Consumption: Stamina Value 300]

[Learning Condition: Martial Arts Proficiency D, Level 15+]

[Background: Created by a famous triple-blade swordsman born on Singles’ Day. In hindsight, the guy just gave a fancy name to a basic long-range slash.]

The guards wasted no words on the intruders. When the trio entered the 50-meter range, their leader shouted an order, and they fired their Catapults in unison.

Dozens of metal projectiles hurtled forward, but Kuangzong Jianying’s technique erupted just as swiftly.

He swung his arm in a diagonal slash, releasing a tangible sword qi that surged forward like a tidal wave. The incoming metal rounds collided with an invisible barrier and bounced harmlessly aside. The sword wave, however, lost none of its momentum, crashing into the guards’ formation.

A cacophony of clanging metal echoed as shields flew into the air. Except for the guards at the flanks, those in the center were struck like bowling pins, sent sprawling in all directions.

"Man, no one else even got a chance to shine", Feng Bu Jue muttered as he led the way into the Temple.

The Temple’s interior was no different from a typical multi-level mansion. Besides housing the Kouben family, it accommodated women undergoing "Baptism" and numerous servants—mostly elderly women past their prime. These servants had entered the Kouben family in their youth but bore no children. Once Kouben lost interest in their bodies, they were left to "serve" the Chosen of God family this way.

The starship’s interior was vast and labyrinthine. If Kouben chose to hide, finding him would be difficult. Fortunately, Hank knew where to go. In such circumstances, York Kouben would inevitably retreat to the "Divine Edict Chamber"—a sanctum strictly off-limits to outsiders.

The Divine Protection Village held large-scale gatherings irregularly, timed to specific needs. During these events, the Kouben Family staged "miracles" through rituals—such as healing the sick or predicting solar or lunar eclipses—and declared "divine decrees." These performances reinforced their rule, periodically reminding the villagers that the Chosen of God’s authority was inviolable.

While these rituals required an audience, the Temple plaza couldn’t accommodate the entire village. Only the "Chosen" villagers were allowed to attend. The selection process was simple: most attendees were randomly picked from the First and Second Districts. These witnesses would return to spread exaggerated tales of the Chosen of God’s power, creating excellent propaganda.

Hank had once attended such a "miracle." Though he’d never entered the Temple, he knew the general direction of the Divine Edict Chamber. From outside, it was visible beneath the starship’s command tower. During each ritual, the Chosen of God emerged from this room to stand on a high platform, displaying miracles and announcing decrees.

The trio advanced toward their destination without resistance. No guards remained inside the Temple—those that did would pose no threat. Soon, the Divine Edict Chamber’s doors loomed ahead. Standing in the corridor before it was a lone figure.

"This is York Kouben’s younger brother, Harweiz Kouben", Hank said.

Harweiz was shorter than Hank by half a head, with a rotund figure and a greasy face. Unfazed by the trio, he sneered at Hank. "Peasant, do you know what you’re doing? Do you realize the severity of your crime?"

Hank ignored him, raised his Catapult, and fired a pre-prepared projectile—a basketball-sized metal sphere hurtling toward Harweiz. The man didn’t dodge. He raised his left arm and caught it barehanded.

Pang! The metal clanged like it had struck iron, bouncing to the ground.

"Hmph, do you truly dare challenge the power of God?" Harweiz scoffed.

"No wonder you dared intercept us", Feng Bu Jue smirked. "You’ve had mechanical body modifications, haven’t you?"

His words pierced the veil of Harweiz’s "divine power." The latter’s expression darkened instantly.

"Hmm… possessing mechanical engineering knowledge without access to modern biological technology makes such modifications impossible", Feng Bu Jue mused. "This proves you not only inherited technology from this starship but also obtained resources from external civilizations. So… did you silence the priests who helped you?"

"We have endless replacements. Information is under our control. Who learns what, and how much, is our decision", Harweiz sneered. "Foreigners, even if you know things these peasants don’t, don’t grow arrogant. You won’t leave this village alive, and no one will believe your nonsense."

Sigh… Feng Bu Jue exhaled. "You’re so foolish I want to cry…"

Zeng! A flash of cold steel, and his blade was drawn.

Feng Bu Jue held the blade in his right hand, a pistol in his left. Advancing, he fired continuously. Harweiz raised his arms to protect his head, crouched, and charged forward with a guttural roar. The bullets pattered against his body like rain on a wall.

Their close-quarters fight was pathetic. Harweiz didn’t know how to fight at all—his skills were even clumsier than Feng Bu Jue’s. To put it simply, he’d never "seen a pig run", let alone "eaten pork." His flailing arms thrashed like a swimmer’s in water.

Feng Bu Jue merely stepped back twice, parried half-heartedly, and severed Harweiz’s arms with two slashes. He didn’t even use much strength—the force came mostly from Harweiz’s own momentum.

"How is this possible?" Harweiz stared at his severed limbs, stunned. He felt no pain, only shock at his "indestructible" arms being cut apart.

"I can’t even watch", Kuangzong Jianying shook his head. "You’ve clearly never fought a day in your life."

Suddenly, Feng Bu Jue tilted his head at a 45-degree angle and laughed. "Heh… ‘Not even my father ever hit me’… Is that your backstory?"

Kuangzong Jianying chuckled. "That’s why famous lines get ruined when people like you misuse them at inappropriate moments."

Feng Bu Jue holstered his pistol, gripped the steel blade, and approached Harweiz. "Let’s dissect how your ‘divine power’ works."

Harweiz, now armless and clumsy, stumbled backward a few steps before losing balance and collapsing. "Wh-what are you planning…?"

Ignoring him, Feng Bu Jue continued, "When I raised my gun earlier, you immediately raised your arms to defend. That proves you recognize handguns. Blocking your head means that part isn’t mechanical…" He plunged the blade into Harweiz’s thigh. The 【Robot Must Die】 effect worked perfectly against this biomechanically modified body, piercing defense with enhanced damage.

"Your limbs seem thoroughly modified—no pain anymore, right?" Feng Bu Jue withdrew the blade and stabbed the chest.

Harweiz gasped sharply but remained alive, though his breathing faltered and words failed him.

"Your heart and lungs are modified too", Feng Bu Jue observed. "No wonder you Kouben Family are prepared for any disaster. Even if the village’s air filtration failed, you wouldn’t need protective suits to survive in the atmosphere." He stomped on Harweiz’s beer belly, finally drawing a pained expression.

"Hmph… You didn’t modify your digestive system? Makes sense—eight-pack abs wouldn’t suit your lifestyle", Feng Bu Jue mocked, shifting the blade to Harweiz’s abdomen.

Harweiz couldn’t scream, but he thrashed desperately, eyes wide with terror, shaking his head in frantic begging.

"Don’t worry, just a joke", Feng Bu Jue said, sheathing the blade. "Since there’s no machinery in there, stabbing you wouldn’t earn skill points. Plus, I’d get your greasy fat and guts all over me. Gross."

Harweiz didn’t understand half of that, but he sensed a reprieve.

Too bad. The next second, Feng Bu Jue retrieved a pipe wrench from his satchel, his eyes gleaming with a serial-killer’s madness as he fixed his gaze on Harweiz’s forehead…

(End of Chapter)

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