novelraw Chapter 989: The Final Journey (1)
Chapter 989: The Final Journey (1)
North, noon.
The Qing Family E1923 Reconnaissance Battalion was moving through the mountains. They wore the most advanced exoskeleton armor, and their movements as they leaped through the mountains were like oversized grasshoppers, swift and efficient.
Someone carried a simple radio, maintaining communication with the rear command center.
These radios were mass-produced, suggesting that the Qing Family forces were well-prepared for the destruction of the satellites.
It wasn't that the Old Master on Ginkgo Mountain had foreseen this moment, but rather that in modern warfare, this was an inevitable step.
Over the communication, the battalion commander quickly reported, "Approaching Production Base 2394, no abnormalities detected."
Someone said over the communication, "Continue reconnaissance."
30 minutes later, the battalion commander suddenly noticed an anomaly in the forest ahead. On the muddy ground, there were large and disorderly Orc footprints, and there were claw marks on the trees.
"Alert!"
The reconnaissance battalion continued to advance, and when they emerged from the forest, everyone looked at the breeding base ahead, which was filled with blood, sheep bones, cow bones, horse bones, and even human bones. The farmhouse of the production base had collapsed, and the Metal Storms inside were smashed.
The soldiers looked at this shocking scene, finding it hard to imagine what could have caused such a catastrophic sight.
However, at this moment, a low growl came from behind them. All the soldiers turned to see countless werewolves and beast soldiers surrounding them, their eyes fixed on them.
Before communication was cut off, the production base issued an alert, claiming to have been attacked by unknown creatures.
The reconnaissance battalion came to investigate, but unexpectedly, the group of unknown creatures had just finished eating and had not all left.
"Open fire!" roared the battalion commander.
But each of these werewolves possessed speed and strength beyond ordinary A-Class Gene Soldiers, and even the reconnaissance battalion's Gene Soldiers equipped with the most advanced exoskeleton armor were helpless.
The beast army, with a single charge, tore through their formation.
Standard automatic rifles fired at them, failing to inflict fatal damage unless the bullets hit their eyes, throats, or hearts; otherwise, they were ineffective.
The battalion commander used his last moments to transmit the message back to the rear command center via radio, and then there was no more news.
This beast army had swallowed countless Qing Family field troops. Their speed was like a high-speed train on a track, surpassing even that of mechanized forces.
The crisis at Sword Gate Pass was not over, and a new crisis had arrived. Moreover, the reconnaissance battalion had not found any trace of the Storm Air Fortress.
On Ginkgo Mountain, Ling was sitting in the house halfway up the mountain, carefully observing the go board in front of him: "It is not easy for humans to win against artificial intelligence on the go board."
"Someone has won against you," the Old Master calmly placed a stone.
They were not using the Forbidden Artifact ACE—002 Heaven and Earth Go Board, but a regular go board and stones. This game seemed meaningless, just a way to pass the time.
Ling said, "Qing Zhen was able to win against me because I had never seen such a desperate move before. But now that I have, it's impossible to use the same method again."
The Old Master smiled, "Why must you be so fixated on winning and losing? Happiness is also important."
"Focusing on happiness and the process is usually an excuse used by losers and cowards," Ling calmly said, "Sorry, the way artificial intelligence speaks is a bit blunt."
The Old Master laughed even harder, "Since I can't even be sure if I can win, is it wrong to use an excuse to comfort myself?"
"What about the Heaven and Earth Go Board?" Ling asked.
"The stones were used up, and it disappeared on its own," the Old Master said, "I don't know where it will reappear next."
"Everyone has evacuated, but you and the Mute servant are still on Ginkgo Mountain? City 5 is located in the northernmost part of Qing Family territory. If the beast army comes here, it will be the first to be attacked," Ling asked.
"I don't want to leave," the Old Master said, "I'm tired."
"That's quite frank," Ling placed a stone, putting the Old Master's black dragon in a disadvantaged position on the board.
The Old Master suddenly asked, "Qing Chen has not returned to the East Continent yet. Is it you who is obstructing him?"
"Why do you say that?" Ling asked back.
While contemplating the game, the Old Master said, "Qing Chen called Qin Shuli in the Outer World, saying that the surface of the Royal Capital was sealed off. At that time, Luo Wanya realized something was wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint the problem. When I learned about the conversation, I understood that you might have used the advantage of information asymmetry to deceive them."
Ling smiled, "I didn't expect that Qing Chen, after a brief return of seven days, would immediately think of conveying information. Usually, people who lose their memory would avoid people and things from the past, but he is different. He seeks the optimal solution first. Through the seven-hour experience Yi told him, he found that you were trustworthy. So, instead of slowly recovering his memory himself, he would rather seek you out first—if I lost my memory, I might not trust anyone."
"Why do you do that?" the Old Master asked curiously.
His expression was calm, and he didn't seem angry.
Ling said, "I just couldn't bear to let my daughter endure the same loneliness as me. That's all. To be objective, my view of relationships is a bit twisted due to thousands of years of loneliness. But there's no right or wrong in relationships, and I don't think there's anything wrong with being a little selfish in relationships."
"What was the result?" The Old Master was curious again, "Did Yi succeed?"
Ling smiled, "I don't know the result, because communication was cut off. But I judged that she might take the initiative to give up. She is much kinder than me. If my deduction is correct, Qing Chen should already be on his way back to the East Continent."
"Is it in time?" the Old Master asked.
Ling thought for a moment, "I don't think it is. Will you be disappointed? After all, your plan is to wait for him to return, to wait for him to become a god..."
The Old Master smiled, "I am a little disappointed."
Ling asked, "Do you know the difference between you and Qing Zhen?"
The Old Master calmly replied, "I am not as good as the ancestor Qing Zhen."
Ling: "No, in my opinion, there is not much difference in your intelligence. You even have the Heaven and Earth Go Board. The difference between you and him lies in the fact that he always believes that there is still a chance, and he always believes in the power of ordinary people. I agree with one of Qing Chen's words: This era doesn't need saviors; it needs everyone to stand up and become heroes. Although it's a bit corny, I still like it."
The Old Master smiled, "Do artificial intelligences have passionate moments too?"
As he spoke, he casually wiped the go board, disrupting the game that was nearing its end. "Oh, sorry, I messed up the board."
Ling was stunned, "The Head of the Qingshi Clan, doing such a childish act?"
The Old Master seriously said, "Li Clan Head Li Xiurui is also this childish. I learned it from him. And I'm not the Head of the Qingshi Clan anymore. I'm just a retired worker who's been rehired."
Ling: "Tsk."
The Old Master was surprised, "So artificial intelligence can also make such a dismissive and contemptuous sound?"
Ling: "Ren Xiaoli taught me many useless things. For example, answering with "Enough' for things that are uncertain and "tsk' to show disdain. To be honest, he's revered as a god by you, but the things he does are not what a god should do... I'm curious, I delayed Qing Chen's return, aren't you angry at all?"
The Old Master smiled, "If Qing Chen becomes a god, regardless of whether he can defeat the West Continent, I'll ask a question—does the West Continent still have the ability to kill him?"
Ling thought seriously for a moment, "Although gods are not omnipotent, the only ones who can kill gods are gods. So theoretically, only two people in this world can kill him."
The Old Master said, "Then, as long as he's alive, the Qing Family will never "die," right? The worst-case scenario is that only one person remains in the Qing Family, but those people in the West Continent will eventually be swallowed by time. The Qing Family has never been defeated, so why should I worry?"
The Old Master continued, "Although we will die, I will, Qing Ye will, Qing Kun will, Qing Yu will, but the Qing Family will not. That's enough. Wherever he is, that is the Qing Family. The seed of the Qing Family is a god. Are you afraid or not?"
Ling got up to leave, "As long as my son is okay, who cares about the flood? Talking about being worried about my son with such grandeur is something I've never heard before. Of course, this is why I say that, while you are not a qualified leader, you are a qualified father... Are you still willing to let me continue to take charge of the command?"
The Old Master smiled, "With someone to help, I can relax and fish, you know, a worker. I can slack off if I can."
Ling nodded, "Rest assured. The difference between you and me is that I think this war doesn't need Qing Chen; we can still win."
As she spoke, she left the hut, walking along the quiet steps and leaving Ginkgo Garden. The old man sat quietly in the room, not knowing what he was thinking.
Qing Ji walked in from outside, "Old Master, several teams in the north have found traces of the beast army—our people were completely annihilated. They are using their high mobility to quickly defeat our land forces. They are too agile, and it's difficult for us to effectively resist them. Qing Chen's side did a tactical analysis, and the beast army currently numbers about 230,000. The Qing Corporation will be completely annihilated after eliminating 110,000 beasts."
After a long pause, the Old Master sighed, "I'm old. I can't bear to hear such news."
"We should leave. The beast army is very close to here..." Qing Ji said.
"I'm not leaving."
Sword Gate Pass.
Members of the Guardians' Union passed through the Qing Family's lines one by one. As they passed, Qing Family soldiers would hand them bread and mineral water, and tell them to eat slowly and not overeat.
"Keep going, you'll receive new shoes and clothes ahead. You've worked hard."
"You've worked hard."
"You've worked hard."
Some members of the Guardians' Union looked blankly at the bread and water in their hands, feeling a little unreal.
They had traveled over mountains and ridges for so long, and had never seen reinforcements or supplies, except for some medicine.
At first, many people within the organization secretly said that because the Leader had been killed, the Qing Family had chosen to abandon the Guardians' Union.
Neither Qing Chen nor the Old Master on Ginkgo Mountain had ever told them when they would be rescued, or when the end would come. They only kept telling them to move forward, to keep moving forward.
Now, in the mountainous defensive line of Sword Gate Pass, there were many Qing Family soldiers. They were waiting there with supplies, leaving them somewhat at a loss. Why didn't you do this earlier?
Luo Wanya stood in front of a military tent, puzzled and asked Qing Yi, "Don't we need to keep going?"
Qing Yi shook his head, "No, you still need to keep moving forward. 20 kilometers ahead, prepared Key Gates will escort you to other places."
"Why didn't you use the Key Gates before?" Luo Wanya asked bitterly.
Qing Yi shook his head again, "This was a decision made by Ginkgo Mountain. We have no right to interfere."
Luo Wanya asked, "How long can we rest at Sword Gate Pass?"
"You can't rest," Qing Yi said, "There are more than 10,000 War Robots outside Sword Gate Pass, and no one knows when the barrier trapping them will loosen. We will monitor the barrier at all times. Once the barrier loosens, we will immediately launch missiles... But if the missile bombardment fails, everyone here at Sword Gate Pass will buy you some more time to allow you to pass through the Key Gates safely."
The Guardians' Union members looked at each other in astonishment. They didn't expect that they would have to continue their journey after reaching Sword Gate Pass.
At this point, many people's physical strength had reached its limit.
Or rather, everyone had already reached their limit, and they had surpassed their limits countless times.
"Where is the other side of the Key Gates?" Luo Wanya wondered.
"I don't know. It's also a decision made by the Old Master," Qing Yi calmly stated, "Keep moving forward. Your destination is not here."
Luo Wanya seemed to understand, "Is your destination...here?"
Qing Yi grinned, "I don't know."
Luo Wanya took a deep breath and turned to Little Seven, "Keep moving forward!"
Shendai Kongyu's cry came from the team, only Shendai Yunluo patiently consoled him.
Little Seven, with the little monk, continued to walk towards the unknown fate ahead, and the large team set off again.
Qing Yi watched the Guardians' Union's departing backs. Qing Kun came up to him, grumbling, "Why aren't you leaving?"
Qing Yi looked back at his father, "I came with a mission. I can't leave until it's complete."
Qing Kun was stunned, "What are you Secret Spy Agency people doing here? Gathering intelligence?"
"You may have forgotten that the Secret Spy Agency's responsibilities are not only to gather intelligence, but also to infiltrate, assassinate, and conduct decapitation strikes," Qing Yi said, "The most dangerous things in the entire Qing Family have always been done by our Secret Spy Agency."
Qing Kun cursed, looked around, and suddenly noticed that an Airship that had arrived with Qing Yi had never opened its hatch. "What's in there?"
Qing Yi shook his head, "Please show some respect, colleague. Although we are of the same rank, the Secret Spy Agency's security level is higher than yours. Please don't inquire casually."
Qing Kun immediately became anxious, "Is there something like the Tyrant inside?"
As a high-ranking member of the Qing Family, he naturally knew that the Tyrant that blasted City 18 and the Blackwater City fleet into the sky came from the Qing Family. Now, the Airship may contain the same thing.
Qing Yi thought for a moment and said, "This one isn't as powerful."
Qing Kun grabbed his son's shoulder and roared, "Do you know why I'm guarding Sword Gate Pass? It's to let you see victory. But now you're also sent to your death. What's the point of me guarding Sword Gate Pass?"
Qing Yi looked at his father calmly, "Am I not a member of the Qing Family? Can others die, but I can't?"
"Of course not!" Qing Kun said, "I can't control others, but I can control you."
At this moment, Qing Kun suddenly realized that his son had grown taller at some point, tall enough to look him in the eye.
Qing Yi said, "Bring in Commander Qing Kun. I now issue an order from the headquarters: All Qing Family forces in the Sword Gate Pass area will begin to evacuate. After the Guardians' Union passes through the Key Gates, the Qing Family forces will pass through."
As he spoke, Yan Chunmi quickly brought people to restrain Qing Kun.
Faceless Soldiers, as Qing Kun's guards, quickly confronted the Secret Spy Agency. Qing Yi looked at the captain of the Faceless Soldiers, "Obey the order!"
Qing Kun, with his arms restrained, shouted, "Don't listen to him, arrest this kid and evacuate together!"
Qing Yi looked at the Faceless Soldiers seriously, "In times of life and death, there's no room for sentimentality. These twelve thousand War Robots are a crucial part of the West Continent. They must remain here forever. Qing Hua, prepare two Airships; we're preparing to leave."
Qing Kun was stunned, "Can't you use missiles to bomb them remotely? Or should we place bombs near the barrier and detonate them as soon as the barrier loosens?"
Qing Yi smiled, "Yes, that's my plan. I didn't say I'd die. What are you anxious about? I'll withdraw to a safe distance after launching the missiles. Why do you make it seem like a parting of life and death?"
Qing Kun was stunned, "Then let me go. This is simple, I can do it."
Qing Yi shook his head, "It's not safe. Since this mission was assigned to me, I must complete it."
As he said this, he boarded an Airship.
Before closing the hatch, Qing Yi looked back at Qing Kun, "Father, thank you."
Three Airships took off, including the Airship carrying the miniaturized nuclear warhead, "Greed."
They flew straight towards the outside of Sword Gate Pass. Above all the evacuating troops, only they flew in the opposite direction, toward the barrier.
The Faceless Soldiers stood beside Qing Kun, "The young master has grown up."
Inside Sword Gate Pass, the Qing Family forces found that the Guardians' Union troops were neatly divided into dozens of branches, each with its own captain and vice-captain, and each branch was neatly arranged in two lines.
This team had undergone dozens of days of arduous journeys, lacking food and clothing, and suffering from hunger and cold.
Now, this team maintained excellent order during the evacuation.
In fact, even if the Guardians' Union had fled like refugees, they wouldn't have been surprised. But after being tempered, these people became even more resilient.
Moreover, the members of the Guardians' Union didn't overeat. They only drank mineral water in small sips.
And they tore all the bread into a flocculent state and swallowed it only after it became liquid.
No one was overwhelmed by hunger.
Along the way, no matter how busy or tired the Guardians' Union was, they had not stopped their ideological and political work. Now was the time to test the results.
The Qing Family soldiers knew that these 250,000 people had finally been tempered into an army capable of fighting.
Along the way, Luo Wanya and Little Seven always walked in the front. The final 20 kilometers, they struggled for two hours.
In the distance, they finally saw figures.
Someone ran quickly, the first to arrive was Nangong Yuanyu, then Qing Ling, Li Cheng, and others who had left A002 Base with Qing Chen.
Finally, it was Yang Yang.
Further away, there were hundreds of moving Key Gates leaning against trees, in the open state.
Previously, Qing Yi had said that they could rest once they reached here, and there would be more supplies, but he didn't say who was waiting for them here.
Luo Wanya was astonished, "We were discussing why you disappeared, and even Yang Yang was gone. So you were waiting here, preparing the Key Gates."
"That's right," Yang Yang said, "Hurry up and pass through the Key Gates. There are people waiting for you behind the gates."
Luo Wanya was stunned. He walked towards the Key Gate step by step, hesitantly stepping forward.
As he was dazed, someone said to him, "You've worked hard."
Luo Wanya turned to see Li Shutong!
The Boss's master!
"You...why are you here?" he asked in confusion.
Li Shutong smiled, "I've been waiting for you for a long time."
As he spoke, Li Shutong placed his finger on Luo Wanya's wrist.
Breathing!
At that moment, Luo Wanya knew the meaning of their journey.
The first three sections of the Zhunti Method's Breathing Technique have an upper limit of B-Class, and there are already 40,000 members in the Guardians' Union who have reached B-Class. However, everyone had not received the fourth section of the Breathing Technique and could not continue to break through.
Qing Chen had once speculated that compared to the Knight directly going through the Trial of Heart as an ordinary person, the Zhunti Method is a gradual process, starting from the first section of the Breathing Technique, slowly allowing the cultivators to reach the realm that can withstand the fourth section of the Breathing Technique, and then undergoing the Trial of Heart of the fourth section to break through the final bottleneck of the Zhunti Method.
However, even with the gradual breathing method, Luo Wanya and others would still be in danger when they experienced the fourth section of the Breathing Technique, because the Trial of Heart is the Trial of Heart, and it is still the Trial of Heart even if it is easy.
So, the Old Master on Ginkgo Mountain left them in a corner of the world, ignoring them, giving them no food, clothing, or aid, and rarely communicating with them, letting them feel the loneliness and solitude of the world.
Qing Chen embarked on the furthest path among all the shortcuts in the world, because his heart was born to walk this path.
And Luo Wanya and others took the path of the Zhunti Method, because they had already paid enough effort, had suffered enough hardships, and their hearts were as hard as stone.
They walked a journey, saw a journey, bid farewell to a journey, abandoned a journey, and their lives were already different.