ccnovels #422 - Confrontation! [Vote request at the end of the month]
#422 - Confrontation! [Vote request at the end of the month]
'So, I ask you, why must there be fighting and killing?'
Hei Yao gazed through the porthole of the passenger spacecraft, watching the planet regain its vibrant blue vitality.
The last time he was here was, well, the last time.
Back then, he had Ye Zi drop a small asteroid to help Earth remodel its ecological environment.
Although later, humanity hid in fortresses and weathered that harsh winter without much effort.
Hei Yao had changed his appearance this time, donning the latest fashionable attire of Earth's civilization—leather pants, a leather jacket, and an afro.
From security checks to border control, Hei Yao had arranged sufficient backup in advance.
His organization was quite accomplished in the field of infiltration.
Hei Yao stood up and turned to look at the seats behind him.
A dozen pairs of eyes immediately looked over.
'Each one with a tense face, as if afraid of not being noticed by the border inspector?'
Hei Yao said loudly, "Alright, members of my company, you can admire the scenery of your home planet. Our civilization will surely become the overlord of this starfield. The home planet will probably become a museum in the future!"
The four Spirit Cultivators he brought nodded with a smile and clapped gently.
They were being very considerate.
The nine men and women with stiff expressions turned their heads to look at the porthole, gazing at the blue planet.
They nodded woodenly, without saying a word.
Hei Yao clicked his tongue softly, winked at the flight attendant who looked over, then sat back in his seat, picked up a projected newspaper, and began to read it with relish.
Hei Yao was now eager to see the look on Wang Zheng's face when he saw these law enforcers.
For the past eighty years, he had been thinking about this great pioneer day and night.
Hei Yao really didn't expect it.
After so many years of painstaking management, accumulating so much strength, obtaining so many resources, restraining Blade Beasts, and undermining Spirit Cultivation, he was still no match for the other party's explosive potential when facing this great pioneer.
Moreover, what Hei Yao was most worried about had indeed happened.
The rise of Earth's civilization.
Before his last visit to Earth, Hei Yao actually felt a bit sorry for this civilization.
Sorry that it had become a stepping stone on his path to realizing his ideals.
But during his last visit to Earth, Hei Yao discovered the problem.
They were too resilient.
Moreover, that mechanical autonomous development route seemed to have a higher upper limit than Blade Beasts, and for some reason, they could make that autonomous machine actively cooperate with them, without the risk of rebellion.
This was quite puzzling.
Over the past eighty years, Hei Yao had been watching Earth's civilization from afar, and he was very clear about the trajectory of their rise.
Hei Yao determined that behind this mechanical force, there must be a powerful mechanical body coordinating everything.
Recently, he had locked his target on the mechanical maid who followed Black Wind back when he was active.
Anything related to this great pioneer, whether it was a life form or a mechanical body, it would be normal for them to be a bit abnormal.
As Hei Yao thought this, a voice suddenly entered his ear.
"How do you plan to deal with it later?"
This voice was in the somewhat obscure and stilted language of the Spirit Cultivation civilization.
Hei Yao turned his head to look at the cold-faced woman behind him who was speaking to him telepathically, and replied telepathically:
"We agreed that I would bring you to this planet. I have already brought you here. You should be able to sense the strangeness of this planet.
"If you need me to take you to find Black Wind... you'll have to add some chips."
The cold-faced woman said impatiently, "You are too greedy, Spirit Cultivator."
"This is not greed," Hei Yao sighed. "You actually know my situation. I faced Black Wind head-on back then, and he planted a soul brand on me. For the past eighty years, I have been experiencing unbearable torment every day... I am taking a life-threatening risk."
"Now that we have arrived here, if you don't comply, we can also kill you directly."
"Then I'll shout loudly, and everyone will self-destruct together. This is the home planet of Earth's civilization. Who knows how many Spirit Cultivators and mechanical legions there are here."
Hei Yao said leisurely:
"First, we cannot know how strong Amina, who is closely related to Wang Zheng, really is.
"She has broken through the limitations of the Spirit Cultivator's core circuit.
"Second, this is just my clone. You can destroy it, and I won't make things difficult for you because of it, but if you fail to capture Black Wind this time, we won't have any possibility of cooperation in the future.
"Think about it yourself."
Hei Yao shook the projected newspaper in front of him and continued to read it leisurely.
The cold-faced woman was silent for more than ten seconds.
The flight attendant passed by pushing a small cart.
"Okay, what do you want?" the cold-faced woman asked.
"Of course, it's technology," Hei Yao said slowly, "Give me a soul-controlling technology."
"Humph, we can't leave anything behind."
"Or you can ask your superiors," Hei Yao said with a smile, "I can guarantee that I won't spread it, and I am also very interested in your organization."
The woman nodded and said nothing more.
She should be contacting her superiors.
...
Now, let's get back to the other side.
Hei Yao was taking this group to the Earth Space Station;
Wang Ji Xuan was also not idle.
Daoist Wang had just eavesdropped on the conversation of these four mysterious guests, and he was even more curious about their identities, and a little uneasy about the information conveyed by the jade talisman.
If the other party really was the kind of organization that maintained cosmic peace and traveled through various planes, would it attract more powerful enemies if he didn't obey them next?
But if he obeyed, how could he cultivate immortality?
Cultivation is about going against the heavens.
If they were 'acting on behalf of the heavens,' they would definitely not allow him to become an immortal.
Moreover, their current politeness was mostly due to the puppets here and his own strength.
If they could easily manipulate him, they probably wouldn't say anything and would directly arrest him and take him away.
"Difficult."
While Daoist Wang was worrying, Mudan, who had been hiding in the dark, suddenly sent a voice message.
"Commander, I seem to have detected some unusual psionic fluctuations, just outside the atmosphere, but I can't trace the source."
Wang Ji Xuan's spirits lifted.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure... at least seven or eight experts at the level of Spirit Cultivators."
Another group of people has arrived?
Or, did the jade talisman that these four people just sent already summon reinforcements?
That's too fast!
Wang Ji Xuan picked up the communicator and said, "Continue to monitor. If you find any unusual Spirit Cultivators or cultivators, kill them directly."
"Yes, sir."
Mudan agreed very easily, even with a little expectation.
She really wanted to show Daoist Wang how powerful the mechanical legion she now controlled was.
Wang Daoist immediately called Amina and the others to discuss it again.
They had to make a decision.
"I want to capture one of them and search their soul," Daoist Wang said quickly, "As long as I knock these four unconscious, I can peek into their memories."
Amina reminded, "Don't take risks. If it really is an organization that can cross planes, they must have taken corresponding precautions."
"Then what do we do? Force them to speak?"
Wang Ji Xuan said:
"The other party just crushed a jade talisman, and new psionic fluctuations were detected in outer space. If we don't take action now, wouldn't we be passive when they have enough people?"
Daoist Wang sighed softly:
"There's something I have to figure out.
"The second life ascension was actually successful, but before finally entering the Immortal Gate, it was blocked by someone.
"I need to know information about this, it's extremely important to me."
Red Snake said fiercely, "Then let's get them!"
"Okay!" Zheng Shiduo chuckled, "Going through fire and water, Brother Wang!"
"That, um," Gao Huating carefully raised her hand.
Wang Ji Xuan said, "Speak."
Gao Huating said softly, "Then, why don't we let them hear our conversation now? Put some pressure on them and see their reaction."
Wang Ji Xuan blinked, and a flash of inspiration flashed in his mind.
Yes, he was too impatient.
Since the other party had expressed goodwill, it was indeed inappropriate for his side to tear apart their faces. It would be better to think of a way to exert pressure.
Wang Ji Xuan smiled, "Okay, I'll make some arrangements and put some pressure on them to see how they react."
Immediately, Wang Ji Xuan sat back on the futon, and with a slight thought, he had already activated the control system here.
Clang, clang, clang!
Twelve bronze puppets were divided into left and right teams and walked out of the hall, quickly surrounding the side hall.
Two silver puppets appeared in mid-air, each preparing for battle.
The four people in the side hall were facing a formidable enemy.
Wang Ji Xuan used his spiritual sense secret technique, listening to them discussing there, and two hot-tempered people were already blaming their teammates.
For example:
"I told you! This Black Wind is wreaking havoc in this world, how could he easily come with us!"
"You still thought he was a good person! He's about to attack us!"
Lady Jia was very calm and said slowly, "Just a little probing. The other party should be trying to make a sky-high price and create some bargaining chips out of thin air."
"We can't attack, we can't attack! There are too many formations here! I feel that the total amount of spiritual energy here is almost catching up with our headquarters! No, it should be higher than our headquarters."
Wang Ji Xuan felt a little regret.
The spiritual energy concentration of 'headquarters' is similar to the City in the Clouds?
The headquarters of this organization should not be in the world of immortals.
He thought about it and asked Zheng Shiduo and Wu Man to go over directly, and told them what to say.
The two wore angry expressions. Zheng Shiduo kicked open the hall door, and all the bronze automatons simultaneously released their power.
"Good, you guys!"
Zheng Shiduo glared:
"My brother Wang treated you to good wine and good food! Yet you actually called for reinforcements to attack!"
"Called for reinforcements?"
The four of them were clearly somewhat surprised and spoke up one after another:
"We did not call for help."
Zheng Shiduo angrily said, "We have surveillance here. We saw you crush a jade talisman. Now outer space has detected a group of enemies' spiritual energy fluctuations! And you still say you didn't call for help!"
Wu Man slightly raised his head, a magical longsword already in his hand, its blade shimmering with a faint cold light.
The surrounding bronze automatons simultaneously took two steps forward.
The four exchanged glances, each gripping their magical treasures.
Wang Jixuan's eyes lit up.
They really are cultivators, and even if they don't come from my hometown's cultivation world, they must come from a similar cultivation world.
Look at their magical treasures!
The leading woman held a golden banner, surrounded by several spheres, the five elements of spiritual energy enhancing her;
One person grabbed two short spears, the ancient patterns on the spears gradually lighting up one by one;
One person held a pagoda in his palm, and the last person also gripped a precious sword.
Seeing that a great battle was about to erupt.
"Stop!"
Amina softly called out, her voice slowly appearing from the corner of the hall.
Amina looked apologetic, slightly bowing to the four, and sighed, "Sorry, those two are too rash. They discovered a new source of fluctuations and suspected that you were calling for reinforcements."
The leading woman immediately said, "We have not had any conflict with you. The coercion of that woman before was just for convenience and did not harm her. Why would we call for help?"
Wu Man said, "We also treat you with courtesy, discussing everything nicely!"
Bing Nan coldly said, "Even if the Black Storm doesn't want to leave with us, at most, we will only fail the mission. There are many experts here, and there is this strange city. We will naturally not be blamed by our superiors. Why would we take such a risk?"
"That being said," Amina softly asked, "can the four of you prove that these newly appeared experts were not brought by you?"
The four of them each pondered.
They did not realize that they had already fallen into a self-proving trap.
And clearly, they hadn't done anything. The previous jade talisman was only to report the situation here to their superiors.
Besides, even if they wanted to send more people over, it would take some time.
Amina waited quietly, not in a hurry at all.
The leading woman sighed:
"Forget it, since you don't want to talk, then we will just leave."
"Due to the rules set by our superiors, we really cannot reveal too much about this matter to you."
Amina proactively said, "How about this? You come with me to find the traces of those newly arrived experts… If they are not your people, they should be your enemies. If they are your enemies, then wouldn't cooperation between our two sides be mutually beneficial?"
The leading woman's heart stirred.
The four of them also had slight changes in expression.
They and another organization are irreconcilable. If they can kill the other party's members during a mission, the rewards are often greater than the mission itself.
If they can borrow the power here…
Wang Jixuan's voice suddenly sounded, "Your rules are that you cannot reveal information about yourselves and the organization you belong to… Then, how about introducing the other party to us? Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory."
His figure appeared in another corner.
The bronze automatons on all sides simultaneously turned, facing away from the hall.
The expressions of the four were uncertain, discussing something with their spiritual senses. This time, Wang Jixuan couldn't use his magic to eavesdrop face to face.
Soon, the leading woman gently nodded and slowly said:
"We need an item from their corpses to claim credit back home."
"No problem," Wang Jixuan said with a smile, "I need some information. You can directly introduce them."
"There are many things I can't say. There will be a force interfering in the dark."
"Choose what you can say, and you can use more metaphors and personification."
"Okay, but I need to find their traces first."
"Deal."