Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 36
“Something’s fishy here. It looked like the seven Blue Team members went somewhat retarded. They simply extended their necks, waiting to be killed. Can it be that this fellow is an expert in mental illusionary attacks? That he launched mental attacks against his opponents?”
“I know why. This fellow is from my school. His name is Li Yao. Although he looks ordinary and mediocre from the outside, in fact he’s actually a super ferocious person. Even Helian Lie can’t do anything to him!”
“He’s this amazing? Then I really need to pay good attention to him!”
Helian Lie had quite the fame in Floating Spear City and even in the surrounding few cities and towns. In this Limit Challenge Competition, his points ranking was always within the top 10. He was a renowned expert.
To be considered Helian Lie’s opponent, it was clear that Li Yao was not your typical sort of person.
“Ah! Again! He slaughtered a third scout group. These fellows are really too retarded. Come on and fight back! What are you all frozen for!? Are you waiting to be killed?”
“Hey you guys, do you think that this kid will continue slaughtering everything in his path? Will he bring forth a gargantuan counter attack?”
“That’s impossible. When teams face off, a single person alone is not enough. The Blue Team has the commander genius Gao Ye. They’ve already hold great influence. They won’t be rocked that easily. You guys look. Gao Ye has noticed that something’s off. He’ll make a response soon!”
The contents of the Red and Blue Teams’ communication channels were shown in real time on the hologram, so these retired competitors were also able to see the commander tactics of Gao Ye.
Gao Ye discovered that it has been a long time since he was able to contact the backline scouts in the communication channel. He determined that there was a valiant Red Team squad or a powerful Demon Beast behind the Blue Team’s backlines.
He commanded the majority of his army to cease attacking on the spot. He ordered them to be on alert and be on standby.
At the same time, he ordered the eight strongest combat units to combine by twos, to form a new scout group, and to completely sweep the backline for the fish that escaped the net.
“Everyone must be on high alert. Don’t let this temporary victory get to your heads. Until we completely annihilate the last of the Red Team, there’s still a chance of them making a comeback! Right now, there’s most surely a great enemy within our backlines. We must understand clearly what we’re dealing with. Let’s first eliminate this big enemy before we steamroll over the defeated enemy to the front!”
Gao Ye made his decisions quickly. His voice was calm and unhurried. He had quite the bearing of a general!
His tactics were quickly shown to be effective.
After annihilating the last scout group roaming around the north side of Devil Flood Dragon Island, Li Yao became tangled with a new scout group!
This scout group was formed from seven competitors. Each of them was as tall as an bull and as large as a horse. Their eyes were filled with vigor and energy. Their temples swelled and bulged. Their actual strength was incomparably powerful and daunting.
And leading the group was Li Yao’s acquaintance… Helian Lie!
Chapter 61: Where's Li Yao |
“Fellow Student Li Yao, Devil Flood Dragon Island is quite a large place. I never thought we enemies would meet face to face!”
At first, Helian Lie was stunned. But soon after, the muscles on his face twisted gradually into an evil grin.
“He’s a classmate of yours? How’s his actual strength?” The several Blue Team competitors did not dare to be careless. They adopted defensive stances and had asked filled with caution.
“His actual strength is very powerful!”
Helian Lie gritted his teeth in acknowledgment. “Not only is his strength very powerful, his methods are underhanded and despicable. He’s shameless and vulgar. He’ll do anything for victory. He’ll go to any length. He’s the most fearsome of opponents!”
“No wonder he was able to kill four of our scout groups in succession on his own. Everyone needs to be careful dealing with him. I don’t want to give him a shred of an opportunity!”
The seven Blue Team competitors raised their awareness to the max. One of them retreated to contact teammates in the area.
“Helian Lie, Devil Flood Dragon Island is quite large, yet it is also quite small… This sentence shall also be said by me to you. There really is some animosity between us. If you still consider yourself a man, come fight me one on one. Let’s settle this once and for all!”
Li Yao’s pair of hands crossed, pulled out the black Progressive Daggers, and licked the corner of his mouth.
Helian Lie laughed involuntarily. His expression was actually tranquil. He spoke unhurriedly yet not slowly, “Li Yao, you don’t have to goad me. I won’t be fooled. Right now, we’re in a competition. In accordance with the rules, I will use my greater numbers to bully your few. It will be several dozen versus one! If you want a duel, I will honor it anytime after the competition!”
“That’s fine! Just you wait!”
After speaking viciously, Li Yao blinked his eyes and jumped lightly back. Like a large ape, he leapt into the undergrowth and faded away without a trace.
He actually ran away!
Helian Lie and company were stupefied for a moment. They never thought that this kid would, in a blink of an eye, actually slip away faster than a mud fish after speaking such righteous and revering words.
Helian Lie suddenly grew angry. He felt that he had been toyed with savagely by Li Yao. His handsome face swelled deep red. He stepped forward, seeking to give chase. But Gao Ye’s voice sounded from the communication channel, “Helian Lie! Pay him no mind! The opponent’s goal is to infuriate you! To break your formation! Then, he will attack you one by one… Don’t be fooled by all means!”
Contained in Gao Ye’s voice was an indescribable authoritative power. Even the wild and unruly Helian Lie had his raging fury suppressed. Helian Lie took a deep breath and spoke through gritted teeth, “Gao Ye, what you said is absolutely correct. What do we do now?”
It took a moment before Gao Ye’s voice sounded out. It seemed that he had gone through some meticulous calculations. “Helian Lie, this person is your classmate. In the end, how is his actual strength?”
Helian Lie hesitated before speaking, “A month ago, he was just a piece of trash with mediocre strength. But through some unknown fortune, he flew ahead boldly in a month's time. Right now, he should still be beneath me, but the difference is minute. I just don’t know if he’s still concealing some strength or not.”
He paused a moment and continued, “Right, this kid grew up in the garbage dump. His circumstances growing up were extremely complicated. He possesses an extreme abundance of actual combat experience!”
Gao Ye cooly and calmly said: “Okay, let’s assume his actual strength is higher than yours, even to the point of being 1.5 times yours and that he’s an expert in jungle warfare… It’s still impossible for him to slay four of our scout groups in a flash without making a single sound. There is something weird with this matter!”
“According to my calculations, he holds some sort of secret weapon unbeknown to us in his hands!”
“Without first completely understanding his trump card, I do not propose launching an attack on him. That would just be feeding him one by one!”
“Right now, I will command all combat units to raise their alertness, consolidate their defensive lines, and be on standby. As soon as the enemy appears, do not take the initiative to attack. Rely solely on defense and immediately notify combat units in the vicinity!”
“As for Helian Lie. return with your scout group back to the command center immediately. I want to know all the data and information on this Li Yao and analyze what ‘cards’ he’s been holding in the end!”
“Okay! Let’s let him run wild for a while then!”
Helian Lie did not hesitate for even half a moment. He led his scout group and left in a hurry. After going through half an hour of trekking, he returned to the Blue Team’s command center set up within the forest in the center of Devil Flood Dragon Island.
Half an hour later.
A male with a somewhat short stature and a pair of eyes burning with life that constantly radiated light sat cross-legged on the ground. Looking lost in thought, he pounded a tree stump.
He was the commander genius, Gao Ye.
“Gao Ye, according to all my information, as well as the traces of battle we surveyed, what kind of judgment can you produce?” Helian Lie asked somewhat flippantly and hot-tempered.
Gao Ye’s eyelids closed a moment. A glow of energy glistened in his eyes. He was like a crystal processor operating at its maximum computational capabilities.
A moment later, he spoke perfectly composed, “The problem should stem from the Artifacts. The enemy is an Artificing expert. The artifacts we possess are all crafted by him. He must have installed a backdoor in them… This is a very common technique used in the battlefield. I never thought this would actually appear among common folk. This Li Yao… is really amazing!”
“It’s the Artifacts?”
Helian Lie was stunned for a moment, then he promptly tossed the Chainsword in his hand to the side, like he was shaking off a viper.
Gao Ye chuckled and spoke unperturbed, “You don’t need to be so anxious. According to my calculations, this type of backdoor doesn’t have too much killing potential. At most, it can make someone locked and rigid for a split second. Its effective range is also not that large. It can’t be controlled remotely from long range.”
Pausing for a moment, the energetic glow in Gao Ye’s eyes blossomed. “We don’t need to have all our people relinquish their weapons. We just need to choose a few elite troops to carry ordinary swords and form a small hunting squad. They will hunt down Li Yao… After he’s been slain, then we can use Artifacts without worry!”
Helian Lie frowned. “Then, we must have sufficient numbers. Too few would be suicide.”
Gao Ye nodded his head. “Relax. I won’t underestimate any opponent, especially someone as fearsome as this. I will specifically plan some tactics to hunt him. Not a hair of detail will be missed!”
Helian Lie pressed, “Gao Ye, according to your analysis, where is he hiding now?”
“Let me calculate for a moment!”
Gao Ye closed his eyes. His eyeballs trembled at high speeds beneath his eyelids.
Thirty seconds later, he suddenly opened his eyes and muttered, “I’ve analyzed with a 47% probability that Li Yao is concealing himself in the swamp region on the north side of Devil Flood Dragon Island. That area is covered with sludge and marsh. It’s disadvantageous for a large army to advance there. It’s the greatest place for guerilla warfare!”
“Other than that, there’s a 33% probability that he’s already passed through our defensive lines to return to the Red Team’s army on the south side of Devil Flood Dragon Island!”
“There’s still a 19% probability that he’s concealed himself in the large waterfalls on the west side of Devil Flood Dragon Island. He’s prepared himself to remain concealed all the way until the end of the competition, to rely on the points he had accumulated in the early stages, and obtain a decent ranking!”
“Finally…”
A ripple of astonishment emerged on Gao Ye’s expressionless face, like a clay sculpture suddenly splitting a small crack. “There’s still a 1% probability that he’s right on top of us!”
Before his voice had died away, a pitch-black metal ball dropped suddenly from the branches over his head. “Bang!” A ball of flame more dazzling than the sun suddenly exploded!
Everyone’s vision suddenly turned to boundless whiteness. They were completely unable to see anything!
“It’s a Flash Glyph Array!” someone shrieked miserably, covering his eyes.
At practically the same time, a gale of wind blasted from the skies. An unstoppable force headed straight for Helian Lie.
“Helian Lie, your life is mine!” Li Yao hissed and his daggers transformed into two black streaks of lightning!
Chapter 62: One Move Ahead |
“Don’t be fooled! I’m his true target! It’s absolutely not Helian Lie!”
Gao Ye shrieked. His short figure curled up into a ball and rolled backwards on the ground in a completely sorry manner.
Upon hearing Gao Ye shriek, several large and strong Blue Team competitors immediately threw themselves towards him, disregarding their own safety.
Gao Ye had long since calculated the possibility of the Red Team executing the “Beheading Tactic”, thus he had his teammates practice Anti-Beheading Tactics since the start.
In less than half a second, a sturdy and robust meat wall appeared in front of Gao Ye. Seven to eight ordinary blades danced vigorously, crisscrossing to form an unstoppable blade formation!
And sure enough, Li Yao had stopped and changed directions in an utterly strange fashion while in the air, as if he had fiercely stomped on a transparent wall of air to throw himself towards Gao Ye, ignoring Helian Lie.
It seemed like Li Yao did not foresee Gao Ye reacting so quickly. He suddenly crashed into the blade formation!
Fortunately, the Blue Team competitors had yet to recover from their dazed state caused by the Flash Glyph Array. Their visions were blurred and unclear, and all they heard were “Ding Ding Dang Dang” sounds of colliding swords. Li Yao shouted a blood-curdling shriek and threw himself back into the forest to fade away without a trace.
He left behind only a sentence: “Just y’all wait. I’ll be back!”
Three seconds later, every Blue Team competitor recovered from their dazed state. Each of them had deathly pale faces, were sweating like pigs, and looked at each other in dismay. They all saw panic in the depths of each other’s eyes.
“What a fearsome fellow. He actually tailed us without making a single noise and infiltrated our command center, all without being discovered!”
A Blue Team scout member had spoken traumatized. He could not hold back from looking at the crisscrossing branches above, as if Li Yao was still concealing himself in the darkness amidst the branches.
“However, he’s still no match for Gao Ye. In the instant, he threw out the Flash Glyph Array, we all thought his target was Helian Lie. Only Gao Ye still maintained a clear head, forcing Li Yao to fail in the end. Gao Ye, you sure are a natural commander!”
A different male had spoken cheerfully.
Gao Ye’s expression was incomparable grave as he spoke, “This is an extremely formidable opponent. He does not possess as strong computational abilities as I do, but he possesses a certain innate beast-like keen intuition. He knew for certain the difference between himself and Helian Lie. He knew that even an ambush may not have instantly killed Helian Lie!”
“What’s more…Although Helian Lie possesses tyrannical combat strength, he is not someone who is key for determining victory and defeat. Even if he slays Helian Lie, he would be beheaded from the competition a second later by our numerous blades. It would have been a mutual defeat between him and Helian Lie!”
“This… was something he absolutely did not want to happen!”
“I’m different, however. I follow the road of admin-type cultivators and my expertise lies in my computational and analyzing abilities. My combat strength is ordinary and mediocre. It would be very likely for him to slay me in a single blow!”
“And once I’m out of the competition, the Blue Team would be reduced to a sheet of loose sand. Chaos would emerge for certain shortly. If the Red Team was able to seize this opportunity, they may have been able to turn the tides!”
“This fellow figured this out, so he purposely used Helian Lie as his pretense. He made it appear that there were personal grudges between him and Helian Lie on the surface, so he recklessly tailed behind to settle things. Actually, his true target had been me from the start!”
“Even more, I truly doubt this was all deliberately planned from the time when we first found him. I’m certain that once he first discovered Helian Lie from the shadows, he took the initiative to show himself for the sake of discovering the location of our Command Center!”
“Formidable! This fellow is way too formidable! If it weren’t for my computational abilities computing a move ahead, finding out his plan in the last minute, he might have successfully pulled this off!”
Gao Ye had spoken with lingering fear. His forehead was drenched with sweat.
“However, he’s still no match for you, Gao Ye. The layers of tricks that he schemed with all his might were all seen through by you. He’s already lost the initiative. Now, we’re the hunters and he’s the prey!” a Blue Team competitor had shouted with excitement.
Gao Ye forced a laugh and spoke, “That’s true. Today, things have gone this way, but our comprehensive strengths are still on par with each other. Today, I was just lucky. If it were another battlefield, I can’t say for sure whether he would successfully slay me or not.”
Helian Lie remained silent and unspeaking to the side. Shame and anger were mixed in his heart; he felt the greatest humiliation and disgrace!
Li Yao’s target from the start hadn’t been him all along!
Li Yao absolutely did not pay a single ounce of attention to him. Li Yao only took him to be a pretense — to be bait!
Only Li Yao and Gao Ye were the opposing striving players in this chess match. He was nothing more than a mere chess piece being controlled!
Even if Li Yao was no match for Gao Ye, Li Yao still exceeded Helian Lie, a chess piece, by leaps and bounds. If Gao Ye had not laid things out clearly, he would have absolutely been unable to guess what Li Yao’s plot was. Just then, he even retardedly adopted the tightest defensive stance!
It was as if Li Yao had ruthlessly slapped the proud and arrogant Helian Lie across the face. Helian Lie’s anger caused his eyes to turn bloodshot and his teeth to clench tightly. He wished with all his hate to tear and consume Li Yao’s bloody flesh bite by bite.
