Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 1275
"So, you will answer whatever questions I ask you dutifully. As long as your information is satisfactory, I will be gone in ten minutes, and you can continue enjoying your woman comfortably. We can act as if this never happened. If you agree, nod."
Brutality flashed inside the fatty's eyes as he nodded quickly and stammered, "I—I understand."
"Very well." The voice seemed convinced and went on with a smile. "Tell me your identity first."
Li Yao's guess was correct. The fatty was indeed a merchant from a great gang in the Bloody Plateau Area. He had been in the slave business for a long time, especially the trade of young, beautiful female slaves.
Because the gang that he was in had been known for their infamousness in the entire Bloody Plateau Area, and the Black Water Gang had proven a trustworthy partner after several deals, along with some special reasons, he did not take too many guards on his trip, and it never occurred to him that he would run into his doom.
Li Yao was not interested in his filthy and despicable businesses at all. He got straight to the matter at hand. "Do you know why all the gangs in Double Dragons City have gathered? What are they discussing exactly?"
The fatty was indeed well-informed. After a brief hesitation, he said, "They are probably discussing how to respond to the invitation from the Fist King and whether or not to attack Liberty City together with the Fist King."
Li Yao was slightly dazed. "Who is the Fist King?"
The fatty was somewhat lost. "You—You don't know the Fist King?"
Li Yao sniffed. His spiritual energy was condensed into a sharp blade that was half freezing and half scorching as it brushed the fatty's neck.
The fatty's courage and passion had been released together with his blood just now. Under Li Yao's threat, he immediately flinched. After thinking for a long time, he could only say, "The Fist King… is the Fist King."
Some names were indeed hard to explain because they did not need to be explained in most cases.
For example, in the Star Glory Federation, no one needed to explain who the Vulture was. The Vulture was the Vulture, Li Yao. 'Vulture' Li Yao alone was enough to explain everything.
By the same logic, Ding Lingdang was Ding Lingdang and the Blazing Tyrannosaur. Not one word of explanation was needed.
In the Land of Sins, or at least in the cruelest Bloody Worlds, 'Fist King' Lei Zonglie was also a name that need not be explained. All one needed to do was submit to him, avoid him, or be crushed by him.
The legends of 'Fist King' Lei Zonglie had begun when he was sold as a slave soldier to a gang after the village that he was born in was slaughtered by another gang.
The slave soldiers were all cannon fodder. In the battles of the Bloody Worlds, their casualties were very high. Hundreds of them could die in a random gang fight.
The slave soldiers were the humblest scouts to explore the path ahead or bait during the hunting of mutated beasts. When the battle came, they would be injected with all kinds of exhilarants before they were sent to lunge at the enemy's cannons and chainswords while roaring like animals. Few slave soldiers could survive for a year and a half in such cruel eliminations.
However, 'Fist King' Lei Zonglie miraculously endured five years and even made great contributions to the gang. He even saved the leader of the gang many times at the risk of his own life. His own strength also soared in the battles as if his primitive intuition had been awakened. In the end, he successfully got rid of his identity as a slave and became the most dominating and ferocious member of the gang.
However, the good days did not last long; 'Fist King' Lei Zonglie's brilliant performance raised the jealousy and dissatisfaction of other tough bandits in the gang. The leader of the gang was wary of his expanding force, too, and concerned that he would hold a grudge because he had been treated as cannon fodder for five years. In the end, everybody reached a deal to set up a fatal trap in order to kill him.
At that time, he had just led his elite team to crush the commercial team of a hostile gang. He had been heavily wounded in the battle, but he was greeted with the siege of his own people in the end.
He fought and retreated almost a hundred kilometers, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Eventually, he was caught by his own people and slashed to death. His dead body fell into the crater in the ruins of a city.
Many people witnessed his body being ripped apart and pulled into the dark caves by the mutated beasts.
However, death was not the end, only the beginning of the real horror.
Ten years later, the Fist King returned—as a ghost.
Years ago, when his body was shredded and swallowed by the mutated beasts, part of his remaining soul survived. It was also said that he accidentally found a secret art to strengthen the soul. Then, after a series of unbelievable fortuitous incidents, his remaining soul was strengthened to an unprecedented level.
'Fist King' Lei Zonglie spent three years wiping out all the gangs that set him up and slaughtered his hometown. He did not even let go of the bandits who had left the gangs while he was away, hunting down each and every one of them before he crushed all their bones and blew up their bodies with brute force.
Then he established his own organization. With his iron fists that could summon storms and fight lightning, he became one of the most awe-inspiring experts in the Bloody Worlds!
The communication of information was very difficult in the Land of Sins. Also, because of the eternal fights, the death rate of the top-tier experts was very high. It was not usual for a dominating expert to be killed and left in the wilderness, never to be heard from again. Therefore, there had never been a fair rank of 'top ten experts'.
However, all the tough bandits in the Blood Worlds agreed that if there was indeed a rank of 'top ten experts' or 'top ten bandits', 'Fist King' Lei Zonglie would certainly be included, and he would probably be among the top five!
After hearing the fatty's vivid descriptions, and especially after the introduction of a few battles that 'Fist King' Lei Zonglie was involved in, Li Yao could not help but grow curious about the powerful spectral Cultivator.
Normal spectral Cultivators often preferred to choose erratic, unpredictable arts because they did not have a fleshly body. 'Mother White Lotus' Wan Mingzhu was a perfect example.
However, 'Fist King' Lei Zonglie defied common sense. Although he was a ghost, his arts were in the most violent, tough, and open style. According to the fatty, normal experts at the peak of the Core Formation Stage or even at the beginning level of the Nascent Soul Stage were no match at all. It seemed that he had indeed found some intricate training arts of ghosts from the Immortal Cultivators and was lucky enough to not get killed during his practice. That was how he had made such shocking achievements.
The form of Li Yao's soul was similar to a ghost. If he could learn some secret arts from 'Fist King' Lei Zonglie, would it not be a great enhancement for him?
After pondering for a moment, Li Yao asked with great interest, "The Fist King is going to attack Liberty City? What's the meaning of that?"
"Liberty City is an 'Elysian World'." The fatty swallowed hard and put on an expression of both hope and dread. "The Fist King intends to bring the leader of Liberty City down and become the new master of the city!"
The so-called 'Elysian Worlds' were the super metropolises that had enormous asset transmission tubes that were connected to the Heavenly Rails beyond the atmosphere and therefore had the support of the angels.
The prosperity and power of those places were beyond the imagination of the people from the Bloody Worlds and the Desolate Worlds. The random magical equipment or arts of the angels that leaked from the Heavenly Rails randomly would be enough to raise a storm of blood in the Bloody Worlds.
All the experts that controlled the Elysian Worlds were great men who had fought out of the Bloody Worlds after decades of battles before they established their reign.
It was also said that they had been approved by the angels, and they could directly be at the service of the angels and receive rewards. They also grasped a lot of contribution points that could allow people to rise to the City in the Sky.
Becoming the ruler of an Elysian World was perhaps the greatest dream for every tough bandit in the Bloody Worlds. The position meant infinite strength, power, fortune, and a vaster world beyond the firmament!
The Bloody Worlds were a hellish arena where the tiny bugs brutalized each other. Every couple of years, the strongest bug would distinguish itself and become the toughest bandit of the toughest bandits.
Those invincible and unstoppable monsters in the Bloody Worlds always cast their ambitious eyes on one of the Elysian Worlds without exception, trying to overthrow the precious ruler with a great army so that they could be the new lord!
It was said that the angels above the Heavenly Rails did not interfere with the conflicts in the Land of Sins. Whoever seized an Elysian World and got the situation completely under control would always be acknowledged by them.
This year, it was 'Fist King' Lei Zonglie's turn, and his target was Liberty City, the Elysian World at the edge of the Bloody Plateau Area!
Chapter 1986: Elysian War! |
There were fifty Elysian Worlds in the entire Land of Sins, which were fifty prosperous metropolises connected to the Heavenly Rails and indirectly controlled by the angels.
Of the fifty Elysian Worlds, Liberty City was a top-ten super city in terms of prosperity and development.
Decades ago, the leader of Liberty City had been an invincible bandit from the Bloody Worlds. After he seized control of Liberty City, he had pledged loyalty to the angels and worked diligently. It was said that he had solid support from the angels.
Therefore, Liberty City was not only one of the best luxury paradises of entertainment in the Land of Sins but also a place with the market of the most advanced magical equipment and the most fabulous and cruel arenas.
Moreover, the leader of Liberty City had a lot of 'contribution points' under his belt, and he often issued quests from the angels. He had also helped many sinners who had accumulated enough contribution points wash away their sins and ascend to Manjusaka, the City in the Sky, where they turned into the supreme angels.
The Fist King had focused his attention on such a Liberty City.
It befitted his personality perfectly. He might not attack for a long time, but when he did, he would certainly claim the fattest prey.
However, Liberty City was not so easy to be taken down. Xiahou Wuxin, the leader of Liberty City, certainly had his own expertise to have kept his enterprise running for decades. Countless forces had tried to challenge his reign, only to be finished by him cleanly and quickly.
The Fist King was unable to shake the leader of Liberty City's reign by himself. Therefore, while recruiting soldiers in the Bloody Plateau Area to expand his own force, he sent out countless invitation cards, asking heroes of the world to attend the great cause by attacking Liberty City in a coalition army!
The invitation cards sent by the Fist King were classified into different levels. Almost all the reasonably large forces in the thousands of square kilometers around had received one, including the force that the fatty was from.
From what the fatty had heard, the gangs of Double Dragons City had received an invitation card, too.
Whether or not to participate in the Fist King's coalition army, how the interests of the Red Fire Gang and the Black Water Gang should be coordinated, and how to ensure that their nests would be not occupied by the enemy while the gangs from Double Dragons City were launching an expedition to Liberty City… Such complicated details would be the issues being discussed in the meeting.
Li Yao finally understood why the Red Fire Gang and the Black Water Gang, which had always been hostile, would join hands to attack the Village of Peace and why they needed so much cannon fodder.
However, he was still confused about something else. "What do you mean by the levels of the invitation cards? Are those without invitation cards not qualified to join the Fist King's army to attack Liberty City?"
"That is not exactly the case," the fatty explained dutifully. "Attacking Liberty City, a top-ten city among all the Elysian Worlds, is a shocking event. The Fist King is an unparalleled expert whose fame has spread across the entire Land of Sins, too. Many people have high hopes in him and are willing to help him even without an invitation, hoping that they can claim some benefits afterward.
"But then, the missions that are involved during the attack of Liberty City and the distribution of interests after the city is occupied will be quite tricky. If all the gangs in the thousands of square kilometers around come to the Fist King in a mess, hesitate during the attack, hoping to better preserve themselves, and jump out to ask for a reward after the city is taken, the whole Liberty City will certainly be in chaos. So, why would the Fist King want such garbage to join him?
"The so-called invitation cards were actually a qualification, which means that the Fist King acknowledges the capability of a certain force and deems them qualified to earn benefits from the endeavor. Of course, they will have to listen to the Fist King's commands during the attack.
"According to the different levels of the invitation cards, the missions to be allocated to them will be of different danger levels, too. Naturally, if Liberty City is truly taken, the rewards that they will get will be different, too. All in all, the greater the risk, the more profits there will be. Although the Fist King is strong, he has always been fair in deals. Everybody knows that.
"As for the gangs who do not have an invitation card, it is alright if they want to 'attend the great cause', but as for exactly how much leftovers they will be after Liberty City is taken, it will depend on their own luck and the Fist King's mood."
"That explains a lot." Li Yao thought for a moment. To combine and organize a hundred disobedient, dishonorable gangs each of which had their own intentions, this was perhaps the only way.
"The way I see it," Li Yao said, "Double Dragons City is living quite an enjoyable life with the trade between the Bloody Plateau Area and the Thousand Lakes Area and with the assets from the Heavenly Rails. As a top-ten Elysian World, Liberty City will certainly not easily be taken. By your analysis, why are the gangs in this place involving themselves in the competition between 'Fist King' Lei Zonglie and Xiahou Wuxin, leader of Liberty City? Are they not afraid of failure?"
Upset, the fatty moved his lips, as if he was meaning to ask how Li Yao could possibly not know that. But after thinking for a moment, he swallowed his own question and explained, "You don't get to choose what you do in the Land of Sins. The few commercial groups and gangs in Double Dragons City are not very large. It is not up to them whether or not to be involved in the competition. If they turn a blind eye to the Fist King's invitation and the Fist King gets pissed off, they will likely become the Fist King's next target.
"After the battle of Liberty City is over, if the Fist King has truly taken it, there will certainly be a lot of 'contributors' that he must reward. If the benefits inside Liberty City are not enough for allocation, Double Dragons City will inevitably be offered by the Fist King. Perhaps the Fist King will grant the entire Double Dragons City to a certain gang that fought bravely in the battle and lend them a great army to attack the city. Let me ask you. How can the Red Fire Gang and the Black Water Gang in Double Dragons City expect to resist them?
"Therefore, after you receive the Fist King's invitation card, you have to join him in any case, unless—"
"Unless what?" Li Yao asked.
"Unless you make a decision quickly and join Xiahou Wuxin, the current leader of Liberty City, of course. Then, you will stand on the city leader's side, hoping that Xiahou Wuxin can defend Liberty City. But you will still be involved in their competition!"
Thinking for a moment, Li Yao asked, "Right, I believe that a lot of forces will take Xiahou Wuxin's side, won't they?"
"Of course, but the Fist King still has the advantage in numbers," the fatty explained. "First of all, although Xiahou Wuxin was a notorious, brutal bandit from the Bloody Plateau Area decades ago, he has been managing Liberty City for decades and barely ever attacked anyone. Therefore, his brutality is not well-known today. On the other hand, the Fist King has risen recently and swallowed a lot of gangs and commercial groups, blowing up countless experts. He is one of the most famous experts in the Land of Sins.
"Therefore, a lot of people think that the leader of Liberty City is no match for the Fist King. If the two of them truly have a head-on clash, the Fist King will certainly blow up Xiahou Wuxin with brute force.
"Secondly, and more importantly, as the saying goes, 'those who are barefooted are more fearless than those who wear shoes'. Right now, tremendous wealth and interests have accumulated in Liberty City, and Xiahou Wuxin has a lot of deep-rooted interest groups under his command. He is the guy wearing shoes here. But the Fist King has transformed all his wealth into war assets, preparing to take a wild gamble. He is the barefooted one.
"Even if you help Xiahou Wuxin defend Liberty City and defeat the enemy, it is impossible for him to distribute his core interests. Even if he is willing to, the interest groups under his command will not just submit the fat meat they have.
"The Fist King is different. In order to occupy Liberty City, he is willing to pay any price.
"Therefore, you will be risking your life on either side, but the odds of success on the Fist King's side are slightly higher, and the reward after victory are slightly greater. Naturally, most people have chosen to stand on the Fist King's side! Also, the more people stand on the Fist King's side, the greater his odds of success will be, and still more people will be attracted to the Fist King's army to attack the city. Eventually, the team will snowball and become larger and larger. How many people will take the leader of Liberty City's side in the end?"
