Chapter 734: The Midway Encounter
Chapter 734: The Midway Encounter
A cluster of objects rapidly approached Chen Chuan, but just as they were about to enter his attack range, they suddenly buzzed and flew off to the side.
They continued to circle around him from a distance, sometimes drawing closer, and other times retreating, as if luring him into taking action.
Chen Chuan observed them clearly; they were small birds with sharp beaks and teeth, adorned with a ring of flamboyant feathers around their necks, giving them a fierce appearance. Each bird was only slightly larger than a fingertip, and at first glance, one might mistake them for some kind of insect.
These birds were incredibly agile, and they moved as a unified group, flying, turning, and maneuvering in perfect harmony. Even during rapid rotations, not a single bird fell behind.
Chen Chuan had attempted to strike them with his psychic power, but it seemed to have little effect. These creatures appeared to possess an extraordinary ability to resist psychic attacks.
After circling him for a while, the birds seemed to notice that he wasn't moving and tried to approach again. However, once they reached a certain distance, they sensed danger and buzzed away.
Although they retreated, they didn't fly too far, as if constantly searching for an opportunity to attack.
Chen Chuan looked up; the swarm was so dense it almost formed a dark cloud, numbering in the tens of thousands. It would be futile to try to fight them off with force or weapons, as even if he managed to take out a few, there were too many.
He signaled to Chao Ming, who was hovering above, to keep his distance and stay as far away as possible. Then, Chen Chuan walked over to the two-wheeled motor vehicle, opened his bag, and took out the Thunder Cannon produced by the Dragon Roar Company.
This weapon was a semi-biological firearm. As soon as he attached it to his arm, the biological parts began to wriggle and quickly adhered to his arm, climbing up to his shoulder and locking the tail end in place.
His hand gripped the Thunder Cannon's trigger, which was not finger-operated but designed to be held with the palm. Pulling the trigger required a coordinated effort with the elbow.
Since the ammunition was already loaded, Chen Chuan stood still after securing the weapon.
After a while, the flock of birds once again rushed towards him, but just like before, they stopped at a certain distance and flapped away to a safer spot.
Chen Chuan, as if anticipating their movement, followed the birds' evasive direction with the Thunder Cannon and then swiftly pulled the trigger.
A loud boom accompanied a flash of fire from the muzzle.
A barrage of shotgun pellets sprayed out, forming two conical patterns within fifty to sixty meters in front of him. Every one of those strange birds within this range instantly vanished, leaving behind only scattered fragments of flesh and blood, with a few stray feathers sticking to the mangled remains, trembling in the airflow.
Chen Chuan didn't stop there; he turned and fired again at the remaining birds, then spun and fired once more. In an instant, he had fired four shots in four different directions, covering all the birds' flight paths.
When he finally stopped, not a single bird was in sight. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, and as the smoke from the muzzle and the echoes of the shots gradually subsided, Chen Chuan saw the ground littered with bloodied flesh and shattered bones, with a few stray feathers quivering in the wind.
Suddenly, the ground softened, and tiny creatures, like ants, emerged from below, gathering to devour the remains. Even the bloodstained soil was not spared, as they collected and carried it underground.
Within moments, all traces of the birds' existence were gone.
Chen Chuan glanced at them but paid them no further attention. These creatures usually posed no threat to living beings, but they seemed immune to psychic shocks.
Most of the creatures he had encountered on his journey feared psychic attacks, so what made these birds different? Was it their unique structure or some other reason? It was worth investigating.
However, he didn't have the time for that now.
He looked down at the Thunder Cannon in his hand; it was labeled as a gun but was more like a small cannon.
Indeed, it was highly effective at close range, and it came with twenty-four rounds of ammunition, allowing for twelve consecutive shots.
With the right speed and proximity, a few close-range blasts could severely injure an unprotected opponent, even a third-level fighter without a firm heart energy.
However, maintaining balance while wielding this weapon in combat was challenging, especially against equally skilled opponents. There was little chance to adjust, and the weapon was vulnerable to damage. Despite its high lethality, its practical application was limited.
But in certain situations, it could be incredibly useful.
He tapped his shoulder, and the weapon detached, retracting back into his hand. He then stored it in his bag on the side.
This encounter was likely a deliberate setup by the Unity Parliament members.
Chen Chuan had suspected as much earlier; the camp seemed to have been left behind for a while. Given the conditions in the convergence zone, it was unlikely to remain unchanged since their departure, even with the pest repellent and magic powder.
Unless there was some creature here, claiming this place as its territory, it would be difficult to maintain such a state.
Those small birds were a nuisance, hard to get rid of and even harder to kill. If that was all, it would be manageable for a fighter with their stamina. But the problem arose when they interfered with one's rest and environment during the convergence zone's night, which was almost unbearable for most.
The fact that the Union could utilize these birds was no simple feat, but there were likely limitations to this method.
As he pondered, he climbed into his vehicle and continued following the trail left by the Union members.
As evening approached, he spotted a second camp.
The very existence of the camp indicated that the Union members had left some sort of backup plan.
He glanced at the sky; he needed to find a place to stay before nightfall. This place seemed ideal—spacious, with leftover firewood and fuel near the previously used campfire.
He parked his vehicle to the side and asked Chao Ming to keep watch while he entered the camp, holding the Snow Lady Sword.
He wondered what he would encounter this time.
The surrounding woods and streams were unusually quiet, unlike the sounds of birds and insects he had heard along the way, indicating that something significant was hidden here.
In the center of the camp, a large tent caught his eye, but it had collapsed, seemingly covering something.
As he approached, the thing inside seemed to stir, causing the tent to rise and emit a low roar, making the stones on the ground jump.
Under the tent, six eyes glowed, and a strong, bloody smell filled the air.
Chen Chuan stood calmly, judging from the sound and size, it was a massive beast. The creature stared at him cautiously for a moment before lowering its body and slowly backing away.
Just as it made this move, its eyes seemed to flicker with uncertainty for a moment, then suddenly flashed with ferocity. With a roar, it charged towards him, its enormous size creating a powerful gust of wind, but the tent seemed sewn onto its body, not budging despite the force.
Chen Chuan held the Snow Lady Sword, ready. The creature leaped forward, and before it could even land, the unsheathed Snow Lady Sword slashed down with incredible speed, hitting its forehead with a loud boom.
The monster, due to its forward momentum, paused in mid-air for a moment, its massive weight and force unable to move the Snow Lady Sword even slightly. After a breath or two, it crashed to the ground with a loud thud.
Its brain and body were completely shattered by the force, lying there like a pile of mud.
Chen Chuan then stuck the Snow Lady Sword into the ground and bent down to pull open the tent. Inside, he found numerous secret sect ritual patterns.
To enhance the ritual's effect, the beast's skin had been peeled off, and the tent was sewn onto its body.
This camp had a different style compared to the previous one.
He recognized the patterns, similar to the First People's rituals, suggesting the Linax Federation's involvement.
After the First People's massacre and absorption, many of their belongings fell into the hands of the Linax people.
Indeed, the Union and the Linax Federation were working together.
He needed to catch up with them quickly. But after a day's travel, his vehicle was almost out of fuel, and the forest ahead grew denser, making the road more challenging. It seemed he would have to proceed on foot from now on.
After some consideration, he dragged the corpse out of the camp, returned, and thoroughly inspected the camp again. Finding no further anomalies, he tidied up and used the surrounding materials to relight the campfires, reapplying the magic powder. He then chose a dry spot to set up his tent.
Before nightfall, he was ready to begin his cultivation. He called Chao Ming back, zipped up the tent, and with the Snow Lady Sword, he sliced open a rift and sat down to meditate.
Cultivation in the convergence zone accelerated spiritual power, partly due to the breach in the World Ring. If sealed, even with the ability to slash open rifts, there would likely be restrictions.
He realized that the continuous flow of pure essence over the past few months would undoubtedly have global consequences, perhaps enabling fighters with little hope of advancement to make significant progress.
The world was changing, with more talented individuals emerging, a positive development for facing the other world. However, the struggle for resources would intensify, and the pursuit of relics could be seen as an extension of this conflict.
He stared at the rift, planted the Snow Lady Sword in the ground, and with his accumulated spiritual power, he embraced the essence and unknowns from the other side.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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