Chapter 308: Fierce Desert Battle

Chapter 308: Fierce Desert Battle

A sonic boom tore through the sky.

In the darkness of night, Ji Xinghuo flew westward, but instead of going at full speed, he maintained a velocity just above Mach 1, a pace he could sustain for over five hours.

Moreover, carrying a 3-ton super-gravity bomb, he couldn't go much faster anyway.

After a few minutes, Ji Xinghuo left Chang'an behind, the bright city lights fading into the distance. Feeling the weight of the bomb in his hand, he couldn't help but examine it closely, using electromagnetic sensing and etheric resonance, but he couldn't discern anything unusual about it.

This tiny metal sphere possessed a power far more terrifying than a nuclear bomb.

Like nuclear bombs, super-gravity bombs also had yield values.

"I wonder what the blast radius of this one is?" Ji Xinghuo wondered. Due to the limited knowledge about Earth's super-gravity bombs and the lack of understanding of their manufacturing principles, it was challenging to gauge their true power.

However, the fact that the Qian Yuan Society went to such great lengths to bring it to Earth indicated that its range was likely significant.

And yet, they hadn't detonated it yet.

According to Shen Yucheng, he had brought the super-gravity bomb to Chang'an about three months before his exposure, and then, sensing danger, he had quietly buried it in Lishan Park.

During those three months, the Qian Yuan Society's superiors hadn't contacted him.

After Shen Yucheng's disappearance, the society couldn't find the bomb either, nor could they detonate it remotely.

Evidently, detonating it was no easy task, even for the Qian Yuan Society. Moreover, its blast radius probably wasn't that large, or else the society would have simply instructed Shen Yucheng to hide it in the center of Chang'an instead of waiting for the right moment to set it off.

"A gravity stringer..."

Ji Xinghuo recalled Li Hui's words—that only a gravity stringer could detonate the super-gravity bomb. His intuition told him that this might not be entirely accurate.

While gravity stringers were indeed rare, with none publicly known on Earth at present, they weren't the only option.

This particular spiritual ability branch was unique.

Most spiritual stringers needed only one tuning ability to master their respective spiritual nature, such as thermal or kinetic energy. But gravity stringers were different; their profession template was said to be complex, requiring multiple high-level variants.

It was similar to electric field stringers, who, despite having a basic grasp of electric energy, couldn't be considered electromagnetic stringers.

Only by adding magnetic field abilities and advancing to the electromagnetic overlord stage could one be deemed a true electromagnetic stringer.

But even that wasn't the end of the progression.

Due to the special nature of electromagnetic interactions, they dominated almost everything people could sense and experience, except for "gravity." Aside from that, all other matter and changes were manifestations of electromagnetic force.

On the other hand, gravity was relatively pure and thus gave rise to gravity stringers.

This didn't mean that gravity stringers were weaker than electromagnetic overlords; each had its advantages, depending on the individual's abilities rather than their profession template.

While Earth lacked gravity stringers, the Starry Realm undoubtedly had them.

Moreover, if the Qian Yuan Society was indeed backed by the Winged People, they might have secretly cultivated a gravity stringer or invited one from the Starry Realm.

Both scenarios were possible.

"Could it be that they haven't detonated the super-gravity bomb because a gravity stringer isn't in place yet?" Ji Xinghuo wondered. "Or is there another reason?"

A thought occurred to him.

"Can I put it into the dimensional pouch?"

Ji Xinghuo hesitated for a few seconds before giving in to his curiosity. The next second, the metal sphere in his hand disappeared.

"It worked!"

He breathed a sigh of relief as the super-gravity bomb rested quietly within his dimensional pouch, showing no signs of any adverse effects.

Gravity was highly related to space, and in essence, they were the same. What he feared the most was that the bomb might conflict with the dimensional pouch, and while it not being able to enter was acceptable, any unexpected incidents would be a path to self-destruction.

Just then, he received a message on his phone from Li Hui.

He had already arrived at the Yuan Prefecture and, to ensure the swift delivery of the super-gravity bomb to a secure location, had dispatched an empty sky fighter.

On board the fighter were another deputy director of the Sharp Sword Bureau, Ye Tongjun, and two Xuanyuan Swordsmen as escorts.

Ji Xinghuo's gaze sharpened as he read the message on his phone.

It took him a few seconds to reply:

"Received."

He stared at the metal sphere in his hand, deep in thought, before suddenly taking out a steel ingot from his dimensional pouch. Manipulating the metal with his abilities, he melted, deformed, and cooled it, making subtle adjustments until he had crafted a perfect replica of the super-gravity bomb.

"Qinghong," Ji Xinghuo called out.

The miniature Qinghong crawled out of his pocket, transforming into its one-meter-long form. It opened its mouth wide and swallowed the real super-gravity bomb, storing it within its body instead of a dimensional pouch.

"Hide well and make sure no one discovers you," Ji Xinghuo instructed.

Qinghong nodded in understanding.

Ji Xinghuo flew for a while longer. He was now over 300 kilometers away from Chang'an, with a rugged mountain range below him. Checking the map, he confirmed that this area had a low population density and nothing out of the ordinary.

Ji Xinghuo could sense Qinghong drifting with the wind, lowering his own gravity to a minimum as he floated downward like a falling leaf.

After a few minutes, Qinghong safely landed amidst the mountains and hid, remaining completely still.

Ji Xinghuo continued flying on his own.

The Teahorse Stargate was located just north-west of Chang'an, about 800 kilometers away. Not wanting to get too close to the stargate, he flew south to detour around it.

Before long, a medium-sized sky fighter approached from behind and caught up.

Ji Xinghuo scanned the interior of the fighter with electromagnetic sensing, detecting a total of ten people inside. Apart from the pilot, there was a sword team and three other individuals, all of whom were legendary powerhouses.

The sky fighter opened its rear cargo hatch and slowed down, allowing Ji Xinghuo to fly inside.

"Director Ye."

Ji Xinghuo's gaze swept across the people in the cabin, landing on the woman at the forefront. She appeared to be in her early thirties, but her actual age was over sixty. Her features were refined and capable, and if not for the tight-fitting light armor she wore, one might have mistaken her for a career white-collar worker.

She was Ye Tongjun, one of the three deputy directors of the Sharp Sword Bureau.

Ji Xinghuo had not interacted with this deputy director before but had heard of her.

Ye Tongjun was a legendary second-stage Shadow Warrior with formidable strength. She had joined the Sharp Sword Bureau at a young age, starting as a Fish Intestine Swordsman and working her way up through the ranks. She had served as a Pure Jun Swordsman, a Sword Team Captain, a Chi Xiao Swordsman, and a Xuanyuan Swordsman before eventually rising to the position of deputy director.

"Xinghuo." Without standing up, Ye Tongjun immediately asked, "Where is it?"

Ji Xinghuo patted his waist pouch, where a spherical shape bulged, but he did not take it out.

Ye Tongjun did not ask to inspect it. She said, "Take a seat."

"Yes."

Ji Xinghuo sat down casually on an empty spot in the cabin.

Ye Tongjun lightly pressed her earpiece and ordered the pilot, "Accelerate and head to the Qaidam Basin."

The sky fighter accelerated immediately.

Ji Xinghuo maintained a vigilant expression on his face and remained silent. Apart from the rushing wind outside, the cabin was quiet.

Swordsmen of the Sharp Sword Bureau, if they belonged to different sub-bases, rarely knew each other, even if they had carried out missions together, they only knew each other's codenames.

The sword team in the cabin was entirely unfamiliar to him.

However, Ji Xinghuo could confirm that they were genuine. Those two Xuanyuan Swordsmen were also unfamiliar faces. This was not surprising, as only the three directors of the Sharp Sword Bureau knew the exact number of Xuanyuan Swordsmen in the bureau.

Ji Xinghuo glanced at the two of them; both were male legendary powerhouses.

One of them, despite wearing a wig and false eyebrows, had not a single hair follicle on his skin, and all his pores were closed, indicating that he was a Halo Warrior. The other's profession template could not be discerned.

The swordsmen adhered to discipline and did not ask unnecessary questions.

Apart from Ye Tongjun, no one else in the cabin knew who Ji Xinghuo was or what their mission entailed.

Everything seemed normal.

Ji Xinghuo took out his phone to check for messages, but Ye Tongjun said, "At this time, all phones must be turned off to avoid being tracked through signal positioning and revealing our location."

"Yes." Ji Xinghuo immediately turned off his phone.

The fighter's speed was incredible, reaching 5 Mach after acceleration.

Ji Xinghuo gazed out at the night sky. Unlike others, who would see almost nothing from such a height, he could easily determine his approximate location and direction. Within minutes, they passed over the Teahorse Stargate and continued westward.

Moments later,

Below them lay a vast expanse of desert as far as the eye could see. The pilot reported, "We've reached the Qaidam Basin."

"Slow down and descend," Ye Tongjun ordered immediately.

The sky fighter found a random spot in the desert to land, shut down its engines, and activated its optical stealth mode, hiding in the darkness of night.

Ye Tongjun's expression eased, and she said, "This area is uninhabited, and it's nighttime, so we're safe enough here." She looked at Ji Xinghuo and continued, "Now, we wait for the director's message."

"Yes." Ji Xinghuo nodded, appearing reluctant to speak further.

The cabin fell silent once more, filled only with the sound of their breathing.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Suddenly, Ye Tongjun, who was sitting across from Ji Xinghuo, tilted her head as if listening to something. She glanced at Ji Xinghuo, then stood up and walked towards him. "The director wants you to hand over the item to me."

"What item?" Ji Xinghuo retorted.

Ye Tongjun's eyebrows furrowed, and she said sternly, "Are you going to disobey the director's order?"

Her tone turned sharply stern, and the swordsmen in the cabin exchanged confused glances.

"I don't want to disobey orders, but I'd like the director to give me the order personally," Ji Xinghuo replied, standing his ground.

Ye Tongjun's eyes narrowed as she fixed her gaze on Ji Xinghuo, a faint smile curving her lips. "Ji Xinghuo, you're clever and strong, but I advise you not to resist. It will only make your death less dignified."

Her words sent a chill through the surrounding swordsmen, who realized the danger of the situation.

"Director Ye! You..."

The captain of the Zhijian Squad, a Pure Jun Swordsman, voiced his protest, but his words were cut short as he clutched his neck, his face turning purple as he collapsed, suffocating.

The other swordsmen turned ashen, suffering the same fate as their captain, falling to the ground one by one, paralyzed.

"Neurotoxin!"

"Someone released poison in the cabin..." the swordsmen cried out in agony.

Ji Xinghuo's eyes widened in shock, his face paling as if he, too, was suffocating. He pointed at Ye Tongjun, his voice filled with disbelief. "You dare betray the Sharp Sword Bureau?!"

"Hehe, you're still too young..." Ye Tongjun replied, her expression indifferent.

The Xuanyuan Swordsman standing next to her stepped forward, his face grim. "Why bother talking to him? Just kill him, take what we need, and leave. We don't have much time; we need to enter the stargate soon."

Ye Tongjun drew a gun from her waist with lightning speed.

Ji Xinghuo recognized the gun instantly; it was the "Iron Hammer," a weapon he had used frequently in the past. Its power was immense, capable of blowing the heads off ordinary legends.

"Wait..."

Ji Xinghuo cried out in panic.

But Ye Tongjun paid no heed and aimed the gun directly at his head, pulling the trigger.

Bang!

Ji Xinghuo's heart sank as he realized the power of the neurotoxin in the cabin. It was silent and odorless, and he hadn't even noticed when it was released. However, thanks to his "Photosynthesis Ring," which negated the need for breathing, and the "True Marrow Injection," he was immune to its effects.

He had intended to pretend to be affected by the poison and extract some information from Ye Tongjun, but she wasn't giving him the chance.

In the instant the gun went off, Ji Xinghuo's eyes cleared, and he moved with lightning speed.

The three legends sensed something amiss.

Ye Tongjun was an Shadow Warrior, a profession not renowned for its marksmanship. However, her decades of training had honed her shooting skills to a level that rivaled that of specialized sharpshooters like rangers.

And yet, this shot, fired at point-blank range, missed.

The bullet tore through the cabin wall.

As metal shards flew, Ji Xinghuo sidestepped to his left, appearing to the side. Ye Tongjun's reaction was swift as she adjusted her aim and fired again.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Five deafening shots rang out in quick succession.

Ji Xinghuo changed directions in the blink of an eye, dodging left and right so swiftly that his movements left afterimages, as if there were five or six of him in front of Ye Tongjun.

Yet, not a single bullet found its mark.

The cabin wall behind Ji Xinghuo was riddled with bullet holes, and cold wind rushed in, circulating the air and diluting the poison.

Click.

The "Iron Hammer" had a capacity of six bullets, and Ye Tongjun's high-explosive rounds were now spent. The afterimages vanished, leaving only the real Ji Xinghuo standing before her.

Shock and disbelief washed over Ye Tongjun's face.

Despite her exceptional reflexes and marksmanship, she had failed to hit a target that was practically right in front of her—something she had never experienced before, even in her dreams.

Ji Xinghuo offered her a cold smile.

"You're not poisoned!" Ye Tongjun exclaimed, finally realizing that she had lost focus during the fight. She quickly retreated, tossing aside the Iron Hammer and drawing two short swords from her waist.

To her horror, she realized that despite her retreat, Ji Xinghuo was still right in front of her, having closed the distance effortlessly.

Ji Xinghuo threw a punch.

His right fist was surrounded by spiraling electric light, but it didn't connect with Ye Tongjun. Instead, it collided with a golden, shining fist.

The Halo Warrior, with his wig and false eyebrows, had timed his move perfectly, stepping in front of Ye Tongjun and unleashing a Pulse Burst, infusing his body with light energy and delivering a devastating Burst Punch.

Boom!

The two fists collided, creating an explosion of countless sparks.

The Halo Warrior's entire right arm disintegrated into powder, his wig and false eyebrows blasted away, revealing a gleaming bald head. His body was sent flying backward, smashing through the cabin wall and crashing into a sand dune a hundred meters away.

Ji Xinghuo's left wrist, adorned with the Spirit Sword Wristlet, released four sword beams infused with spirit energy, pursuing the Halo Warrior and delivering deadly strikes.

Ji Xinghuo himself suddenly retreated, leaping out of the cabin.

A thunderous boom shook the air as Ji Xinghuo barely had time to exit the cabin before a massive rock spike erupted from the desert below, impaling the sky fighter.

Ye Tongjun had vanished.

The other legendary powerhouse was also nowhere to be seen, and within a radius of several hundred meters, a violent sandstorm raged.

Ji Xinghuo now understood the profession of the other legendary powerhouse—he was a Sandstorm Lord, an advanced form of the Earth Walker and Sinister Wind Guest.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end