《Run Away, This Civilization Is Cheating!》 Chapter 1: Star Jump Day!

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Star Jump Day!

``` December 23, 2025. The room was bright with light, it was already half past ten in the morning, and Shen Hao jolted awake from a dream. His face was pale, and he gasped for air. In his mind, it seemed as if the apocalyptic scenes from his dream still lingered. ncing at the bedside clock, Shen Hao rubbed his temples wearily. It had been a month. His gaze inadvertently moved downward, and there, in the lower right corner, was a crisp, almost intangible light blue progress bar that had reached ny-nine percent. Ever since he first saw this progress bar a month ago, on the day of great change in the world, he had been having dreams that seemed incredibly real, every single day. In these dreams, he was like a spectator, without a body, unable to intervene, just watching gargantuan apocalyptic scenes unfold. Yes, apocalyptic scenes. He saw a world frozen for thousands of miles, plunged into extreme cold, with countless people falling into eternal stasis amidst cries of despair. He saw endless fires, creatures burning alive, screaming in agony before turning to ashes. He saw a monsterrger than a, unscathed by the universe''s warships'' relentless fire, until it devoured the mother they desperately defended. There were nts that grew crazily in a short time, sweeping over and destroying the entire world. There were also monsters that swarmed out of unknown cracks like locusts, ughtering indiscriminately. Natural disasters, invasions, mutations... The scenes became more and more grandiose, the imagery more and more spectacr; yet even with civilizations stronger than thest, each facing threats and crises and even with countless magnificent figures akin to sacred deities from myths, they all ultimately headed towards the end of their civilization amidst the endless crises. Each time he dreamt, an indescribable sense of sorrow filled Shen Hao''s heart along with these images. It was as if he felt thements of numerous civilizations, the despair and rage of countless beings. This left him physically and mentally exhausted. "When it hits one hundred percent, I really want to see what you are actually about," Shen Hao exhaled deeply and walked out of the room. He had quit his job a month earlier and returned to his old home in a coastal city. One of the advantages of staying at home was that no matter howte he got up, someone would always prepare breakfast. ncing at his father who seemed to be on the phone on the balcony, Shen Hao didn''t pay much attention to it. He brushed his teeth, washed up, then sat in front of the television with a bowl of porridge and turned it onimmediately, the news channel came up. The attractive host stood in front of the United Nations Building, reporting the situation on the ground. "Today marks the thirteenth global summit since ''Star Jump'' day, with leaders from 347 countries worldwide gathered, aiming to reach a consensus on the ''Supreme Council Member'' issue within the global alliance system." "This is undeniably a major advancement for all of humanity and represents the most united moment in human history!" "Yet, we can still see arge number of protesters gathered outside the building,ing from around the world, with the content of their protests being extremely diverse." "Some are shouting about the end of the world, while others are protesting the resolutions already determined in prior meetings." "..." The camera panned, and the entire perimeter of the building was densely packed, leaving no path through the throngs of people. Every skin color, all kinds of banners, all sorts of slogans. Some even set themselves on fire in the street, causing even greater chaos. Looking around, there was nothing but noise, and asionally, one could hear the sound of gunfire. ``` Shen Hao''s brows were tightly furrowed. One month ago, on the very day that the progress bar had appeared within his field of vision, the entire world, the whole, underwent enormous changes that defiedprehension. The whole, including the Moon, had been transported! At first, no one knew what had happened. The first to discover that something was wrong were the outer space monitoring bases around the globe. It seemed to happen in just an instant; the vast starry sky, which had been eternally present since ancient times, disappeared without a trace! Whether through ground-based observations or outer space satellites, all equipment, through all means, could onlye to a conclusion that terrified everyone as if it were a nightmare. Their entire, their whole world! Along with the Moon, had all been transported to an unknown universe! An incredibly empty universe! A pitch-ck expanse, as if devoid of anything! Fortunately, within this universe, there was still a sun. It radiated a soft orange glow,rger, younger, and brighter than the sun they had known before. But clearly, this sun was not their original sun, a difference visible even to the naked eye. Not to mention, it was now the end of December, a time when it should have been bitterly cold winter, but the temperature was over twenty degrees every day, warm andfortable. This sudden and extreme changepletely surpassed human understanding. People named this day "Star Jump" day! But there was something even more intense and miraculous yet toe! Shen Hao switched through several channels before settling on an interview program. The person on screen was an older man who had been appearing on TV frequently ofte. A well-known domestic professor of dynamics. Yet, the professor was being interviewed not for his knowledge, but for his superpower. That''s right, superpower! Even though Shen Hao had seen such scenes many times before, when the professor known as "Chosen One" demonstrated the fireball floating above his hand on camera, Shen Hao felt an indescribable sense of disconnection. "ording to the information we have so far, ''Chosen Ones'' from around the world have mostly been born among the world-ss elites of various industries, but there are also those who have gained the status of Chosen One by ''luck''..." the TV host said gravely into the camera, "All Chosen Ones are requested to call the hotline as soon as possible to report their whereabouts, not to use their superpowers to cause chaos, and there is no need for undue concern, the state will not restrict your personal freedom..." Listening to these words that had been emphasized for half a month, Shen Hao looked back at the progress bar in his field of vision. As for being an elite, he certainly was not one. But he also wondered whether this thing could grant him the status of Chosen One. Let alone superpower, from what he could see, the entire world was taking the so-called "Chosen Ones" very seriously. Status, wealth, power, fame... n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Whatever one wished for, could be satisfied. During such a massive change when no one knew what might happen, such a status would obviously provide more peace of mind. "It''s almost there, already ny-nine percent!" Shen Hao couldn''t help but tense up. But at that moment, his father, who had been making a phone call on the balcony, suddenly walked in quickly, his face somewhat pale. "Little Hao, your mom called from school and said your sister hasmitted murder!" "..." Shen Hao''s eyes widened, as if he wanted to say something, but after his lips twitched, he found himself unable to utter a word. Chapter 2: Plugin Collection!

Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Plugin Collection!

Sister? Murder? How is that possible? In that instant, Shen Hao felt that the world was truly ridiculous. He was the only child by birth, and the sister in question, named Gu Qiuyue, was a rtive from his mother''s side of the family. Six years ago, when her family met with a misfortune and all her family members died, his mother, deeply sympathetic, went to offer condolences and ended up adopting the child. At that time, Shen Hao had just gone to university. Although they weren''t very close, he knew that his sister had a very good nature. Hardworking and sensible as well. Otherwise, his mother, a distinguished teacher, wouldn''t have brought her home out of sympathy. Now, her academic performance was top-notch, being a strong candidate for Qingbei despite only being in her first year of high school. Recalling his sister''s demeanor, Shen Hao couldn''t imagine at all how she could have murdered someone?! "It must have been in self-defense," Shen Hao forcibly calmed himself, "Things are quite chaotic now, and Qiuyue is beautiful. Didn''t the news just say that during special periods, all crimes are strictly dealt with? If it was just defense, it shouldn''t be a problem." "But your mom said over the phone..." Father Shen, a fairly sessful businessman, was shaking slightly, "She killed a girl." "..." Shen Hao''s mind was also a bit chaotic. "No matter what, we are heading there right now!" Father Shen, having regained hisposure, didn''t even change his clothes and headed straight for the door. "Okay." Shen Hao put down his hardly touched rice porridge and stood up. But just at this moment, he suddenly paused, turned his head, and spoke. "Dad, you go ahead, I''ll drive over myself in a bit." "Alright, hurry up." Father Shen, not in the mood to ask further, rushed out the door. The reason Shen Hao needed to wait a moment was because the progress bar he had been watching had finally reached one hundred percent! A blue frame popped up. [Loadplete, activate?] Shen Hao quickly went to his room, closed the door, drew the curtains, and without hesitation, "Activate!" Unprecedented changes had already urred in the world, even affecting his family. Now, regardless of what this frame was, Shen Hao was willing to ept it. In that instant, streams of information surged directly into his mind! "Civilization... Trial," Shen Hao muttered to himself, his body trembling slightly. He understood it all now. In the vast, endless multiverse, there existed an unknown, powerful entity. No one knew why it was created, nor did anyone understand its true purpose. The only known fact was that it continuously enveloped one civilization and world after another into its fold, then subjected them to endless trials. Indeed. This was not an individual adventure, but a trial for entire civilizations! Those who passed would receive a reward; the failed would face doom! As for the object in front of Shen Hao now. It originated from the reluctance of some powerful civilizations, amalgamating all the loopholes they could find, and then, with immense power, sent from the distant future to the present. To put it simply "A collection of hacks developed based on the Civilization Trial''s loopholes," Shen Hao eagerly summarized, looking at the light blue frame unfolding before him. Its appearance was very crude. The creators seemed to have not had the time to design its exterior, or perhaps it didn''t need a shy appearance. Inside the frame, there was just a simple sentence. "This is ourst struggle!" Below this phrase, there were densely packed characters. Some of them weren''t even Chinese characters and could not be tranted. However, from those that could be tranted, the content was clear. They were all names of different civilizations. "There must be nearly a thousand..." Shen Hao took a deep breath, grasping a clear understanding of the brutality of the Civilization Trial. The scenes he had dreamed of were just the tip of the iceberg. Countless civilizations had despaired in the face of the Civilization Trial. And now, it was the turn of Human Civilization to ept the challenge. After witnessing so many extinctions in his dreams, Shen Hao''s heart wasn''t even excited about possessing the golden finger anymore. It was more of a heaviness. His civilization was here, his family, including everything of his own, was all here. If this thing wasn''t powerful, to be honest, Shen Hao didn''t have much confidence in Human Civilization. Compared to the other civilizations he saw in the recent illusions, humans were just too weak. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Open it!" he clenched his fist and fully opened the hack collection pack! The interface shed, and quickly changed. It was still a very simple screen. So simple that there were only texts and options. "Detected that the current version of the Civilization Trial is 1.1487, and the following two hacks are avable." "One, a 100% chance to obtain the status of the Chosen One (manufactured by Arlo Civilization)" "Two, a 100% chance to obtain a Red Mythical Talent on the first Talent selection (manufactured by Wuji Civilization)" "Only two usable?" Shen Hao nced at the first line and spected. It seemed that these hacks were all disyed ording to the version. The Civilization Trial itself would also auto-update and automatically patch up loopholes. Some hacks would be useless after their version had passed. Therefore, future hack collection packs could only be sent back to the past to be effective. But even so, these two current hacks revitalized his spirit. Although he was unclear about the actual level of the "Red Mythical" Talent referred to by the second hack, he understood the status now held by a Chosen One. Recently, a Chosen One had also appeared in their ordinary prefecture-level city; it was a senior top-grade teacher, exactly at the school where Shen Hao''s mother worked. Once announced, she was immediately taken away by a military helicopter that flew in, and all her family members could receive the highest level of protection; the teacher''s mother did not want to leave her hometown, and they even deployed the army nearby for protection! Looking at other information on the inte, it was all the same, highly valued. Shen Hao didn''t have any persecution delusions, especially since, he only needed to keep the hack collection pack as his trump card hidden. If he obtained the status of the Chosen One, he would choose to reveal it! Not to mention anything else, right now his sister''s situation might just need this status! "Activate the first hack!" He did not hesitate and activated the first hack. Then, in that instant, he felt a series of gentle breaths rushing to his mind. With a boom, it seemed as if something had opened! This was not his illusion. Because in this moment, he could clearly feel that his consciousness seemed to "spread" out from his mind, even clearly "touching" everything around him, even behind his head. Chapter 3: Mythical Talent!

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Mythical Talent!

There was no need to turn his head; the bed, the cup, the pillow... all of it was under his "consciousness''s" perception and "touch". Even... Instinctively, Shen Hao exerted a little effort and lifted his own pillow. Then, he watched rather nkly as the pillow slowly floated in front of him. Apart from himself, the naked eye couldn''t see the "invisible hand". "Holy shit!" Shen Hao eximed subconsciously, his eyes wide. This was telekinesis! Genuine telekinesis! He had never imagined that merely the first plugin would grant him telekinesis, such a ssic superpower! Wasn''t the first plugin supposed to grant the identity of a Chosen One? Was he now a Chosen One? It didn''t seem like it. What about the Talent? While Shen Hao was bewildered, another interface suddenly popped up in front of him. [Detection: You are the most powerful superpower user within the civilization, congrattions, you have obtained the qualifications of the Chosen One!] Compared to the rudimentary plugin interface, this interface was very shy. It appeared very realistic, with its text in dark gold, and the edges had mysterious patterns, which seemed to move if one stared at them too long. After the initial prompt appeared, very soon, an even cooler interface popped up. It was divided into two parts. The left side disyed his appearance. With detailed information. [Name: Shen Hao] [Age: 24] [Species: Human] [Civilization: Blue''s Humans] [Original Talent: To be drawn] n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [Constitution: 9] [Spirit: 11] [Transcendent: 5] Below that, there were entries like a backpack bar, ability bar, and equipment bar, but currently, all were "none". The right side of the interface had only one option. [Do you want to draw your initial Original Talent?] [Note1: Original Talent cannot be removed, cannot be reset.] [Note2: The probability of White ordinary Talent is 99%, Blue high-quality Talent is 0.99%, Purple Epic Talent is 0.00099%, Golden Legend Talent is 0.0000099%, Red Mythical Talent is one in a billion.] "Is this the Chosen One of the Civilization Trial?" Shen Hao looked at the interface and then at the shrinking plugin on the other side, slowly understanding it all. No wonder, just a week after the "Star Jump" incident, all major nations immediately convened a summit. By then, they must have already known about the existence of the Chosen One. With such an interface, it clearly couldn''t be naturally urring. Thus, it proved that the "Star Jump" incident was the product of unknown life, an unknown civilization. Under such a threat, capable of taking away an entire, humans were as insignificant as ants. However, when Shen Hao saw "Note2," his heart couldn''t help but race. Initially, he hadn''t understood what a Mythical Talent meant within the second plugin, but now he knew. A one in a billion chance! The odds of winning the lottery were much higher! Although it was unclear how many Chosen Ones there would be in the future, given that there was only one Chosen One in Donghua City, the number of Chosen Ones around the world must have been pitifully small. If there were only a few thousand, then in that base amount, to not even mention a Mythical Talent, possessing a Purple Epic Talent would already be exceptionally good fortune! Shen Hao had not been very confident in this cheat initially, but at that moment, confidence surged within him! Being able to turn a one in a billion chance into a certainty waspletely irrational! "If the cheats thateter are all this powerful..." Shen Hao clenched his fist, stopped thinking further, and, filled with anticipation, immediately activated the second cheat! Instantly, the Talent selection option on his Chosen One interface automatically activated. White, blue, purple, golden, and a very faint red continually flowed across the interface. Until at a certain moment, that strand of red rapidly expanded. It formed two red characters, filled with a sense of divinity, dominating the entire interface! [Sovereign] Shen Hao felt as if his soul was vibrating, as if something entirely new and powerful was being infused into his body, changing his very essence. And it deepened more and more! Until at a certain moment, he seemed to see a figure seated on a throne, overlooking the entire universe, like a supreme being of the universe, merging with him as one! "Something has changed." At this moment, Shen Hao could clearly feel his transformation. His mood, originally subtly excited and tense, became supremely calm. His body also seemed to be incredibly real. Even the telekinesis he had just gained, that ufortable "sixth sense," also quickly disappeared. It was as if he had possessed the power of telekinesis for a long time, as if it inherently belonged to him. Even his limbs, wrists, skin, hair... It was an indescribable and wondrous feeling, but, he seemed to be able to control everything about himself! Shen Hao looked at the Chosen One interface in front of him, where under the [Original Talent] line, it no longer read "Not Yet Drawn" but disyed two red Chinese characters. [Sovereign]! Yes, it was Sovereign! With a thought, Shen Hao expanded the detailed information of the Talent. [Talent: Sovereign] [Quality: Mythical] [Level: 1st Tier] [Your status is equivalent to the universe, born to dominate everything, no existence can influence your will, plunder your power, or interfere with your self.] [Current Abilities: 1. Passive: Cosmic Level Supreme Status. 2. You can perfectly control all the powers that belong to you. 3. Active: Unleash the Suppression of the Sovereign, making all creatures submit.] [Note: All things are under my domination!] Shen Hao''s gaze quickly focused on the second ability. He understood where his current feelings originated from. Before this, although he had struggled through life, attended a decent university, and found a decent job upon graduation, whether it was in terms of personality, ability, or will, he was still within the realm of ordinary people, far from being a "top-notch" individual. He even struggled to control his own emotions. But at this moment, he felt an ability to perfectly control himself. Including his emotions. He wasn''t bing a heartless person devoid of emotion, but capable of controlif he chose not to be affected, he wouldn''t be disturbed by emotions. "Is this how people with a steadfast will feel?" Shen Hao quietly experienced his transformation. He felt that, even if his intelligence had not changed, just this control power alone had already made him a different person from before. How many people can remain unfazed by danger, possess a strong will, and maintain stable emotions? And He looked around his room again, merely with a thought the newly acquired telekinesis swiftly brushed through, controlling everything within the room. Chapter 4: I am the Chosen One!

Chapter 4: Chapter 4: I am the Chosen One!

``` The nket was folded neatly like a perfect square, with all the little fuzzy balls removed, even the fraying threads at the edges were cut off by "scissors" formed by telekinesis. The dust on the floor, the clutter in the corners, the crumbs on the desk... When Shen Hao first obtained telekinesis, he could barely grasp a pillow without it shaking. But now, he could do these fine tasks solely with the use of telekinesis. Even transform it into daggers, scissors, spikes... It was as if he had practiced for countless years, turning it into an instinct. Compared to his previous performance, it was like having two different abilities. It wasn''t just several times stronger! This talent seemed to be more effective in theter stages, but Shen Hao felt more and more that even in the early stage, he could achieve terrifying effects and at least save him a lot of training time. Even an ordinary person, if they could use their strength to the fullest, would be very powerful! However, there was no time to explore these thoughts in detail at the moment. Having be the Chosen One and gained confidence, Shen Hao did not dy any longer, hurrying out, with keys, clothes, and shoes all flying toward him in a few steps. By the time he left the house, he was fully dressed. "I can reveal my status as a Chosen One, it''s the fastest way to gain status, but the appearance rate of a Mythical Talent is too exaggerated, it''s better to conceal it," Shen Hao thought calmly as he drove, quickly pondering in his mind, "Good thing I have Telekinesis, I can use that as my talent, or maybe say nothing at all... It depends on the situation, maintain the mystery." He had now guessed that this first cheat was for securing his status as "Humanity''s Strongest Superpower User" to ensure he acquired the Chosen One identity. This loophole exploitation was simple and crude. After all, there were no telepaths in all of human civilization. But it did bring him a great advantage. Without telepathy, the initial power of his "Sovereign" talent would have been significantly lower. Considering the current situation of this talent, its effects would grow greater as time went on! Driving through the streets, aside from the sight of armed soldiers stationed at regr intervals, there wasn''t much difference from the past. However, the remains of the chaos that marked the beginning of "Starfall" could still be seen in some ces. The streets had been in disarray, with many people shouting about the end of the world, and a few even breaking into stores, but they were quickly suppressed by the military who entered the city. Now, schools have resumed sses, and stores are open for business, and order has mostly been restored. The mother of Shen Hao was named Gu Kaihong, and she worked as a teacher at Donghua First Middle School. School had just started the previous week. No one expected such a thing to happen. Yet, Shen Hao still had an uneasy feeling. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Based on the information provided when his cheat was activated, the Civilization Trial should have begun right after the "Starfall." But currently, there appeared to be no signs of it. Even though the initial trial was unlikely to be too terrifying, Shen Hao worried that the other Chosen Ones and even countries all around the world were oblivious to the existence of the "Trial." There were no clues on the Chosen One interface. "I have to find a way to provide some warning," Shen Hao thought back to the nightmare of that month, and suddenly felt a heavier burden on his shoulders. The existence of the "cheat" was thest struggle of countless civilizations; for human civilization to survive the "Civilization Trial," his opportunity was crucial. Having acquired the "Sovereign" talent, however, he would no longer be shaken by such pressure. Driving steadily, he soon approached the school. But then, he frowned. Military vehicles were blocking the way ahead, and cordon lines hadpletely encircled Donghua No.1 Middle School. Every two to three steps, there stood an armed soldier. ``` Many parents who came to pick up their children were blocked on the side. Shen Hao suddenly had a bad premonition. He found a ce to park, and calmly walked over. "What happened?" he casually asked someone. "I don''t know." The parent also seemed very anxious, "Those soldiers won''t say anything, they just won''t let us through. I just talked to my son on the phone, he said someone died!" "That''s right." Someone else chimed in, "I heard the same from my child." "I don''t know who''s in charge, what are they thinking? With such a serious incident, they should let the children go home quickly!" "Someone died, and they still keep my child in there!" "Exactly, what if my child is traumatized? Who''s responsible?" "..." Listening to the people around him, one after another, Shen Hao''s heart sank even further. He took out his phone to call his mom and sister, but no one answered. Even his father, who had arrived a few minutes before him, didn''t answer. In such a situation, he couldn''t help but worry. However, the Dominator Talent allowed him to perfectly control his emotions. Although he was extremely worried at the moment, he remained calm. Looking at the soldiers armed with live ammunition ahead, he directly strode towards them. There was also a crowd gathered there. A parent, who seemed to be a high-ranking official, received the same reply: "No one is allowed through." Until Shen Hao walked over. He used his third ability from his Talent Dominator Pressure cautiously, and on a small scale. He didn''t fully unleash it, just slightly stirred it, yet at that moment, Shen Hao could clearly feel the change in himself. It was as if an invisible aura had gathered around him and was spreading outward. So much so that when he moved forward, the once crowded people around him subconsciously, instinctively moved aside, unintentionally creating a path for him. This conspicuous scene among the crowd immediately caught the soldiers'' attention, and as they looked at Shen Hao, they involuntarily tensed up. They couldn''t exin why. It was as if the person approaching was not a simply dressed young man, but a ruler at the peak of power! Until an officer, seemingly unable to bear the pressure, quickly took two steps forward and spoke first: "The area ahead is under control, passage is not allowed, please go back." Upon closer inspection, it was visible that his hand gripping the weapon was exerting force, sweat was even emerging on his forehead, and his gaze was fixed firmly on Shen Hao! Even the others seemed to have noticed something. More and more people turned to look at Shen Hao. The previously noisy sounds had noticeably quieted down. However, Shen Hao acted as if he hadn''t noticed anything, just calmly looking at the officer in front of him, he slowly said, "My family is inside." "I am sorry, but no one is allowed..." "I am a Chosen One," Shen Hao interrupted him. In an instant, the voices around, which had merely quieted down,pletely vanished! Chapter 5: The Worst Case Scenario

Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Worst Case Scenario

The official on the phone also suddenly widened his eyes as he looked at Shen Hao, his voice sticking in his throat. All eyes focused on the youthful face of Shen Hao. Chosen One! These three words seemed to carry some unique magic power. Even the military officer in front of him was momentarily stunned. "I''m very sorry," he didn''t refuse on the spot but swallowed his saliva, his tone bing somewhat respectful, "May I ask if you can prove..." He hadn''t finished speaking when he stopped. N?v(el)B\\jnn Because at that moment, Shen Hao opened his palm, and a set of car keys quietly hovered above it, as if gravity had lost its influence. There was no need to say anything more. Such a seemingly simple feat couldn''t be exined away as "magic." A Chosen One''s identity might be impersonated, but their unique "Talent" was not something that could be faked! Suddenly, many people around opened their mouths as if they wanted to say something, but under the unique, indescribable pressure emanating from Shen Hao, the scene remained quiet, and they found themselves unable to speak. In the past half a month, there had been continuous news about the Chosen Ones on the inte. The nation''s high-level attention and those unimaginable yet incredibly powerful superpowers propelled the existence known as "Chosen One" to transcend social sses and rise to an entirely new level in a very short time. Some people who knew the inside stories were more aware than the average person. Like that official. He was well aware that when Donghua City''s previous Chosen One, that special-grade senior teacher, was escorted away by a military helicopter, all the city''s leaders had gone to see him off! And now this young man was a Chosen One? In which domain had he reached the top of the world? Some people wanted to forge a closer rtionship, but at that moment, they didn''t dare to speak up, as if even their breathing had halted. Not until the military officer, bearing the pressure, respectfully said, "Pleasee with me." "Alright," Shen Hao nodded and directly crossed the police cordon. Only after his figure hadpletely disappeared did a buzz spread from behind. "My god, is that the Chosen One?" "What kind of superpower was that?" "I don''t know, but it looked terrifying." "Right, I didn''t even dare to breathe." "He''s really like the immortals in the legends!" "..." Clearly, the "Sovereign Suppression" demonstrated by Shen Hao in a modest disy of his abilities, left asting impression on many. Meanwhile, Shen Hao met with the person in charge who had rushed over. "Hello, my name is Yang Jun, the person responsible here." This person in charge was obviously a soldier, and an experienced one at that, looking to be in his thirties, at least six feet tall, unremarkable in appearance with his skin even somewhat darkened, but with one handshake, Shen Hao could feel the strength in the other person. Leaving everything else aside, the thick calluses on his hands were extraordinary. More importantly, he seemed to have vaguely perceived something. "Are you also a Chosen One?" "Yes," Yang Jun admitted with some surprise at having been recognized so quickly, but he didn''t deny it, "I earned my Chosen One status with the identity of one of the world''s top special forces." "That''s truly impressive," Shen Hao couldn''t help but take a few more nces. Isn''t this the legend of the King of Soldiers? To be selected as a Chosen One really meant topping the world. "How did Mr. Shen be a Chosen One?" Yang Jun also asked. Shen Hao paused, then said, "World-ss luck." "..." This time, it was Yang Jun''s turn to be astonished. Although he knew that a few people became Chosen Ones by sheer luck, the probability was terrifyingly low. He had not expected to meet one in person. "If you know my surname, you must also know my identity," Shen Hao, concerned about his sister and parents, wasn''t in the mood for small talk and asked directly, "What''s the matter with my sister?" As Shen Hao had said, Yang Jun had already discovered his identity before he arrived. He also knew the reason for hising. The expression on his face was grim. "Your sister''s situation is indeed serious," he began as he walked Shen Hao towards the school, "The incident took ce in a corner with no surveince, but there are three eyewitnesses, including a teacher and two students, who all saw your sister punching the other girl in the temple and, while the victim didn''t fight back, using a fifteen-centimeter-long dagger topletely stab into her carotid artery at the neck, killing her on the spot." "..." Shen Hao fell silent. This was almost the worst-case scenario. And it was somewhat beyond his imagination. His seemingly fragile, earnest, and sensible sister, punching someone hard in the temple and then stabbing through their neck with a dagger while they didn''t resist? What a joke! Shen Hao instinctively found it hard to believe. But there was more than one witness! Shen Hao also felt it was extremely troublesome. It was still a period of military control, with troops stationed within the city, sternly cracking down on all criminal activities, let alone an incident severe enough to make national headlines even before. However, Shen Hao quickly realized something. He asked, "Even so, shouldn''t it just be a regr criminal case? Why lock down the entire school area and even send in a Chosen One?" Indeed, locking down the school and not allowing anyone in or out, as well as dispatching this clearly non-local King of Soldiers as a Chosen One, did not seem like a routine matter. But faced with Shen Hao''s question, Yang Jun fell silent for a moment, then shook his head, "This incident is indeed unusual, but some aspects are currently ssified, especially considering you are a rtive of the person involved... Mr. Shen, the country does indeed value Chosen Ones, but the more critical the moment, the more we must emphasize thew and order." "I just want to understand the specifics," Shen Hao stopped walking, looking at Yang Jun in front of him who seemed slightly wary, furrowing his brows and, after a moment, suddenly asked, "Right now across the country, how many Chosen Ones have non-White Talents?" "!" Yang Jun''s pupils shrank slightly. His gaze at Shen Hao became shocked and suspicious. In such a moment, to suddenly bring up non-White Talents, the implications behind this inquiry seemed self-evident! But was it truly a non-White Talent? Yang Jun tried to read something from Shen Hao''s expression, but with his specialized training, he couldn''t discern anything. Even as the other furrowed his brows, his gaze remained as calm as it was terrifying, as if the murder wasn''t by his sister, as if it was merely a trifle! Chapter 6: Supernatural Phenomena

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Supernatural Phenomena

At this moment, Yang Jun suddenly felt that the other party might really be of Blue Masterpiece grade, or even a stronger Talent. Possibly, a very powerful type! Otherwise, they wouldn''t possess such confidence, such calmness. If that were indeed the case, then their status and influence would bepletely different from that of an ordinary Chosen One. Yang Jun finally answered, "Currently, throughout the country, there are less than a thousand confirmed Chosen Ones. Across the whole world, there might not even be five thousand. How many do you think are not of White Talent?" "That should be about ten or so." Shen Hao nodded and said straightforwardly, "I am a Talent that is not white." His guess had been confirmed. What''s more, Yang Jun didn''t know if this young man did it on purpose, mentioning "not white" instead of "blue." Could it be that his Talent is of the Purple Epic grade? That''s a one in ten thousand probability! The whole world might not even have one! Yang Jun took a deep breath, looked at Shen Hao, and said gravely, "Can you prove it?" He took a step back, his body surging with Golden Light as he adopted a defensive stance. The method of confirmation went without saying. Shen Hao paused slightly. The next moment, an almost tangible Suppression howled towards Yang Jun. Boom! A muffled thud, Yang Jun instantly knelt down, even lying t on the ground, his eyes filled with utmost shock. The surrounding soldiers were also startled and in disbelief. In that instant, the young man before them seemed like an emperor wielding the power of life and death, an indescribable sense of awe enveloping their entire being. Even before Yang Jun could react, he had already prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to lift his head. Fortunately, the Suppressionsted only for an instant and quickly dissipated. But when Yang Jun, still pale, got up, he still instinctively avoided Shen Hao''s gaze. There was no need for doubt any longer. His Talent was defensive, named "Golden Light." Although it was only of White grade, it was considered extremely powerful among the White grade; based on previous trials, it could resist any type of Attack, even those from a Spirit Talent. With Golden Light shining, one remains unharmed! However, he was powerless in the face of the other party. Beyond the grade of Talent, he could think of no other exnation. Moreover, he even had a nagging suspicion that the other''s Talent grade wasn''t just that of a Blue Elite! At least, the few other Blue Talent owners in the country had never given him such a sense of oppression, theplete absence of resistance! "Please allow me to report this to my superiors first," Yang Jun said with a heavy voice. "Alright," Shen Hao nodded, paused, and then spoke quite seriously, "I''m not being unreasonable in wanting to clear my sister''s name. I just want to understand the truth of the matter. I hope you can understand my feelings." "I understand." Yang Jun let out a silent sigh of relief. But he felt somewhat helpless inside. Blue Talent, ah! In this current era, powerful Chosen Ones indeed hold an extraordinary status, and the entire world is actively gathering them. Not to mention that if the person right before us wished to take his family and flee the country, every other nation in the world would go all out to assist! This sort of influence is something that even the higher-ups must handle with extreme caution. It can only be said that after the emergence of traversal, the Chosen Ones with their great power, and the unknown aspects of the Chosen Ones'' panel... a series of changes had urred, and the world''s order and rules were inevitably altered. And as Shen Hao watched Yang Jun hurry off, he gained a deeper understanding of the significance of Mythical Talent. That''s right, he had not used his full strength just now. It could only be considered a minor test of his abilities. Originally, he thought that the main use of this Mythical Talent would be in the first and second abilities, but unexpectedly, this third ability was also not to be underestimated. However, thinking about Qiuyue''s situation, Shen Hao still found it tricky. This had nothing to do with the strength of his abilities; deep down, he truly did not want to rely on his power to flout thew and disrupt the orderthis would definitely not be conducive tobating the Civilization Trial. Yang Jun came back pretty quickly. "The higher-ups ce great importance on Mr. Shen and have authorized lifting all restrictions on ssified information," Yang Jun said, now noticeably more rxed, "Furthermore, if you are willing to vouch for her, you can take your sister away first. Of course, this would only count as bail pending trial. We will conduct a certain level of monitoring and strictly limit her movements." "I''ll learn more about it first," Shen Hao shook his head. N?v(el)B\\jnn For such a major criminal case, bail pending trial was clearly not ording to the rules. He still did not believe that Qiuyue would do such a thing for no reason. Yang Jun didn''t say anything more; he naturally hoped that the powerful Chosen One before him would respect thew. He handed over the tablet directly. "In this incident, every other aspect seems just like amon criminal case, but there is one differencethe girl who was killed rapidly lost all the blood in her body after death. It was aplete loss, other than some sttered around the surrounding area, none was found inside her body." "Completely gone?" Shen Hao was stunned. "Completely gone, as if it evaporated," Yang Jun said gravely, "In any case, it''s not something that fits within our current scientific understanding." Shen Hao looked at the images on the tablet. They were horrifying. From her clothes, it was clear that she was a young girl in the bloom of youth, but her current state was even more exaggerated than that of a mummy thousands of years old, as if she had been desated by some incredibly cruel method. Even the blood in the capiries beneath her skin waspletely gone. However, Shen Hao remained unmoved, only feeling a chill in his heart. Under the current circumstances, any event beyondprehension could potentially be rted to the "Trial"! And with his sister involved, he had no choice but to take it seriously. "Just this alone would not suffice for you to take the action of locking down the entire school," Shen Hao looked up at Yang Jun. "In the past half a month, there have been several cases where the victims lost all their blood after death, showing a certain clustering effect. There was even a car ident case where a family of six died and all showed the same condition, including a four-year-old child," Yang Jun exined, "We suspect that a certain contagious virus is causing this phenomenon, and this is the first time it has appeared in a densely popted school areaalthough we haven''t yet seen the threat posed by this phenomenon, such unprecedented supernatural events may well be rted to the''s traversal, as well as the appearance of us Chosen Ones, and we cannot ignore it." "A virus?" Shen Hao pondered. It was indeed possible that the virus could be one of the Trials. ording to the information transmitted to him by the cheat collection, the initial Trials would not be too strong, but any Trial could potentially extinguish an entire civilization! Chapter 7: They鈥檝e All Turned into Monsters!

Chapter 7: Chapter 7: They''ve All Turned into Monsters!

``` But if it really is a virus... With no symptoms showing for over a month, only death reveals the abnormality. How do you guard against such a virus, and to what extent has it already spread? A chill suddenly ran through Shen Hao''s heart. He realized that whether it is a virus or not, allowing the Trial to silently advance for a month is a terrifying matter. Especially since, apart from himself, no one else in the whole world is aware of the existence of the "Trial". At this time, Shen Hao felt some relief that his chosen Talent was "Sovereign". At the very least, he wouldn''t be tormented by negative emotions like fear, worry, and anxiety when facing the Trial. "Let me see Qiuyue first," he said. "By the way, my father should have arrived too." "Correct, he arrived before we sealed off the area, and now he is with your mother. I have already ordered someone to take them to the reception room, and they are being watched, so don''t worry," Yang Jun said. This was the benefit of status. Being a Chosen One allowed Shen Hao toe in directly, and the identity of a non-White Talent Chosen One further ensured high regard for him and his family. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Shen Hao quickened his pace and moved forward. Whether it''s his sister''s affair or the matter of the Trial, the most urgent task now is to obtain more information. He soon arrived at a reception room, converted from an office, led by Yang Jun and several soldiers. Both his parents were there, and even two military doctors. "Little Hao, you''re here," Father Shen''s face was haggard, showing extreme fatigue, while Mrs. Shen''s eyes were red-rimmed. Although Qiuyue was adopted, after six years together, from the age of ten to sixteen, their affection had grown deep. With such an incident urring, it seemed to the couple that there was no way out. Shen Hao''s gaze scanned the room and saw a middle-aged man on the side, along with two students whose faces were pale and who still seemed to be in a state of panic. "Are they the witnesses?" "Correct," Yang Jun nodded. "This is Mr. Liu." Shen Hao frowned slightly. He knew this Mr. Liu, who had also taught at his high school. He has a good reputation. He is very responsible and caring towards students, even having paid out of his own pocket to help students from financially struggling families, a genuinely kind teacher. The two students seemed normal, obviously having experienced a considerable shock. However After obtaining the Talent of "Sovereign", not only could he perfectly control his own power, but his perception also seemed substantially sharper, such as instantly identifying Yang Jun as a Chosen One. At this moment, he felt that something about these three was a bit off. But he couldn''t put his finger on it. Unable to discern anything at the moment, Shen Hao decided to look away and turned his attention to Yang Jun. "I''ll go see Qiuyue." "They won''t let you see her," Father Shen said helplessly. "Qiuyue has been locked up." He had just wanted to see Qiuyue, no matter how earnestly he begged, they did not agree. However, now was naturally different, Yang Jun nodded and said, "Please follow me." Father and Mrs. Shen both looked up abruptly. ``` "May I see the child?" Mrs. Shen hurriedly stood up, so unsteady on her feet that Father Shen had to steady her with a quick grab. This appearance,pletely different from her usual proficient demeanor. Shen Hao''s heart ached, but after hesitating for a moment, he said, "I''ll go see her first. It''s easier for a brother to talk." "Yes, yes." Father Shen nodded repeatedly, opened his mouth as if wanting to say something more, but in the end, he couldn''t utter a single word. What could he say under these circumstances? "Let''s go," Shen Hao pursed his lips. He turned around, his fists clenched slightly. If it really was Qiuyue... But if it was for some other reason, then he had to admit, he was utterly enraged. It was the kind of anger that, even if he could control it, he didn''t want to. Yang Jun led the way ahead, seemingly aware of Shen Hao''s mood, remaining silent until they reached a room guarded by a team of armed soldiers, when he spoke in a low voice, "Your sister hasn''t said anything since the beginning; she seems very scared, and we haven''t questioned her yet." "I understand," Shen Hao nodded. As the door opened, he saw Qiuyue at first nce, her hands bound, curled up in a chair. She seemed even more fragile than usual, withrge patches of blood remaining on her. The noise at the door caused her to lift her head, revealing a pair of swollen eyes. Upon seeing Shen Hao, joy erupted in her eyes, but it quickly turned to terror, and she even shrank back involuntarily. Shen Hao''s brows furrowed deeply. He nced at Yang Jun and then strode over. The closer he got, the more frightened Qiuyue became, her whole body shaking, unable to even look at him. "Qiuyue," Shen Hao tried to make his tone as gentle as possible, asking softly, "When did you... be a Chosen One?" "What?" Yang Jun was greatly surprised. This girl was also a Chosen One? Qiuyue also trembled. "Don''t worry, you see, I''m actually a Chosen One, too." Shen Hao stretched out his hand, and invisible telekinesisbed through Qiuyue''s messy hair. Feeling this incredible power, Qiuyue slowly lifted her head, her swollen eyes cautiously observing Shen Hao. "Is there something wrong with that girl?" Shen Hao looked earnestly into her eyes. "And Mr. Liu and those two students, that''s why you''re scared, isn''t it? You don''t know if I might have the same issue, right?" Indeed, just from the initial contact with Qiuyue''s eyes, Shen Hao had a vague guess forming in his heart. A terrible guess. Her fear was not directed at herself but was filled with bewilderment and uncertainty, fearing a stranger! It seemed that his words had finally had an effect. Qiuyue bit her lip, mustered up her courage, and with a trembling voice and sobbing tone, she said, "Brother, they all changed, turned into monsters! Dan Tong even tried to kill me, and Mr. Liu just watched, the other ssmates too. I don''t know who to trust, I''m not sure if Mom, Dad, or you, Brother, have turned into monsters, too." Shen Hao reached out to pat her shoulder, but his gaze was ice-cold. The spection was confirmed! This first Civilization Trial wasn''t about any virus at all, but about recement! Substitution! The student killed by Qiuyue, and the three people seen with Mr. Liu, they were no longer themselves! That''s why they attacked Qiuyue, that''s why they provided false testimony! Everything made sense now! Yang Jun, unable to contain himself, said, "What on earth is going on here, what does this mean? Dan Tong was the girl who was killed, right? She turned into what kind of monster?" Although he asked this, it was clear that his own expression had turned serious, and even a look of horror had crept into his eyes, indicating that he too had guessed something. Chapter 8: I command you, reveal your true form!

Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Imand you, reveal your true form!

Especially, Yang Jun recalled that corpse drained of all blood and thought of other cases scattered across different regions. "Try it, and we''ll know," Shen Hao said as he raised his hand. There was just a snap, and Qiuyue''s handcuffs directly shattered. Yang Jun might still be doubting, still not daring to believe, but for him, the likelihood of this spection had already reached over ny percent! Don''t forget, Shen Hao previously felt something off about those three people. That''s why he immediately spected in this direction after seeing Qiuyue''s reaction. More importantly, Qiuyue is the Chosen One! With her academic achievements, obtaining the status of the Chosen One as a "top student" is not surprising, and ording to the information sent by the cheat, the Chosen Ones are a group at the forefront of confronting the Trial. As long as the status of the Chosen One is not a problem, then she should not have been reced! Now, just thinking about those three "monsters" being with his parents, Shen Hao felt a surge of panic inside, and even more, a burning anger. After he freed Qiuyue from the handcuffs, he turned around and, propelled by telekinesis, sped off as if flying, with extreme speed! "Mr. Shen, Mr. Shen!" Yang Jun hurriedly followed with big steps, "The situation is still unclear, don''t be rash!" Shen Hao acted as if he didn''t hear. The situation is unclear? Try it, and we''ll know. No matter what kind of monster it may be, it should still fall within the category of "living being." All the way, no one stopped him, until he reached the door to the reception room, which Shen Hao forcefully pushed open with his telekinesis. Everyone inside the reception room, including Father Shen and Mrs. Shen, was startled. "Little Hao, you..." Father Shen recognized it was his son, but also noticed that there seemed to be something different about him. Shen Hao quickly scanned his parents and let out a sigh of relief in his heart, his perception telling him that probably nothing bad happened. Then he fiercely turned his head to look at Mr. Liu and the other two. Anger rose in his heart, and he took a step forward. Boom! A tremendous aura instantly swept through the room! Just like that, the three people directly fell to the ground, faces filled with terror, as if a massive weight bore down on their backs, and in front of them was some inexplicably supreme existence! "Little Hao?" Father Shen and Mrs. Shen were truly shocked this time. Even though they were not the targets of the "Dominator Pressure," just being bystanders, they could still feel the vast and boundless authority of Shen Hao at that moment. It was something that simply couldn''t be described with words. He was like an emperor, like a divine being! "Mr. Shen!" At that moment, Yang Jun and a throng of soldiers hurried over, their faces changing drastically upon seeing the scene, "Please stop, calm down, we can control them first, verify slowly, investigate!" But a cold smile appeared on the corner of Shen Hao''s mouth. Just now it was only ny percent, but now, it was a hundred percent. Because, the pressure of the Sovereign he exerted now,pared to when he dealt with Yang Jun earlier, was even stronger. Yet these three people still had the ability to struggle! "Imand you," Shen Hao said slowly, "Reveal your true forms!" Boom! The Suppression intensified again! The air itself seemed to stop, and the building, the floor, appeared to be warping! And these three had finally reached their limit! Blood began pouring out from their bodies, but not sttering, instead twisting like countless tentacles, forming various bizarre and distorted shapes, their expressions turning fierce and fearful, at times submissive, at times struggling. Until a certain moment. Mr. Liu''s voice was hoarse as he howled ferociously, "This world will eventually belong to us!" Boom! The scattered blood burst entirely, steam rose from the body, and the corpse quickly shriveled. Then came the second! The third! All had the exact same reaction. Father Shen and Mrs. Shen were gripping their lips tightly, shaking all over, and looking at this scene with fear and disbelief. The shock was simply too much for them! But the one whoseplexion was even more unsightly was Yang Jun. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om This was actually real! These three people, they really were all monsters! Thinking about how previously there were absolutely no traces, no ws in their demeanor, even the battle-hardened heart of Yang Jun was filled with a sense of trepidation at this moment. "Everyone, point your guns down, spread out, stay alert of each other!" he suddenly turned his head, staring intensely at the soldiers behind him. Suddenly, these soldiers, who likewise had somewhat pale faces, lowered their guns one after another, spreading out, warily watching theirrades. They had all witnessed that scene just now. Many had seen those three people before. If monsters could disguise themselves like that, It meant that monsters could very well be right among them! Even therades who had faced life and death together could not be trusted at this moment. This was the true root of the terror! Shen Hao also retracted his Dominator Pressure at this time. His mood was equally heavy. "These three, theymitted suicide," Shen Hao lowered his voice and spoke slowly, "I tried to control them, make them submit, surrender, but they killed themselves before they could bear it." The description of Dominator Pressure on the panel was very clear. [Actively unleash the Dominator Pressure, and you can make living beings submit.] It was precisely because of this line that Shen Hao thought he could use the Dominator Pressure to force the three to reveal their true forms, make them submit, and obtain more information from them. But all three chose death over submission. This was indeed beyond Shen Hao''s expectations. But this seemed even more terrifying now. "I must report this immediately!" Realizing this, Yang Jun felt he had to report it at once, hoping that this silent recement, this infiltration, had not yet reached the top. Otherwise, the situation was indescribably bad. This could turn into a major crisis! But as Yang Jun turned his head, he nced at Father Shen and Mother Shen, who were protected behind Shen Hao, as if thinking of something, and he quickly asked, "Mr. Shen, do you have a way to identify them?" "It''s just a hunch, like how I recognized your and Qiuyue''s status as Chosen Ones," Shen Hao raised an eyebrow and swept a nce over Yang Jun and the group of soldiers, "You should be fine for now, but we are also unclear about how exactly they rece us." "That''s enough, it''s good that nothing has happened for now," Yang Jun let out a slight sigh of relief. They had all just been transferred from the military area, and if something had happened to them too, it would have been unimaginable in the military. "Mr. Shen, please do not leave. In times of crisis, please lend us your strength," Yang Jun looked at Shen Hao almost pleadingly. Just the ability to distinguish the truth was enough to make Shen Hao''s importance iparable! "Of course," Shen Hao agreed without hesitation, recalling the dream of that one month, he also looked somewhat somber, "In such a crisis, no one can remain uninvolved." Chapter 9: This is a Do or Die War!

Chapter 9: Chapter 9: This is a Do or Die War!

Don''t mention cheats, even without them, there''s no standing aloof from the Civilization Trial. "Thank you!" Yang Jun had been on edge since he witnessed the monster, but in this moment, his tension finally eased somewhat. Shen Hao''s strength and ability were there for all to see. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om With such a powerful Chosen One assisting, the situation was bound to improve significantly. However, after he hurriedly left, although the soldiers also breathed a sigh of relief, they remained vignt towards each other. Only Mrs. Shen stood steadfast behind, took a deep breath, and asked, "Little Hao, what on earth is going on?" "Mom, let Qiuyue exin it to you." Shen Hao looked towards Qiuyue, who had also rushed over. The girl, with eyes red, threw herself into Mrs. Shen''s arms. At the moment, the onlyfort for Shen Hao was that his family was safe and sound. Watching Qiuyue begin to exin, Shen Hao opened his Chosen One panel. Right after those three monsters died, his panel had undergone new changes. Three messages popped up. [Trial Points earned: 332] [Triggered drop: Gauss Rifle A-23 (White, Level 1)] [Point Mall now opened.] "Killing monsters gives points? And there are drops?" Shen Hao looked thoughtfully at the content disyed on his panel, "No, it should be that fighting against the Trial yields rewards." The cheat provided him no detailed information on this aspect. It simply stated that the Chosen One could obtain rewards during the fight against the Trial to enhance oneself and the strength of civilization as a whole. After all, since it''s called a "Trial," not an "Apocalypse," there had to be a measure. Theoretically, the Civilization Trial surely offers a glimmer of hope. It''s just a matter of whether the entire civilization can seize it. Shen Hao thought for a moment, decided not to take out the Gauss Rifle for a look, and opened the Point Mall instead. An array of products appeared, far exceeding his expectations in quantity. And they went beyond his imagination in scope. It even made him gasp internally. From items with a Cultivation style like "Fiery Fire Talisman" and "Qi Refining Pill," to those seemingly born of technology like "Electromaic Hand Cannon" and "Powerful Boxing Gloves," and even "Magic Potion," at first nce, it was all beyond the limits of imagination. Even though all the visible products were only "White Level 1," and many were greyed out, suggesting certain purchase restrictions, this Point Mall still made Shen Hao deeply aware of the Civilization Trial''s prowess and wonder, probably beyond expectation. It was a colossal crisis and equally, a tremendous opportunity. At least, Shen Hao could no longer imagine what the future of Human Civilization would look like if it managed to survive and triumph in Trial after Trial! Moreover, it seemed there was only one path for all civilizationsdefeat the Trials, strengthen themselves. While Shen Hao was meticulously surveying the Point Mall, in certain areas, the news brought by Yang Jun had already caused a huge sensation! Monsters silently reced some among them! No one knew the means of recement, but they had memories and could carry out near-perfect camouge! "This is a crisis that could eradicate our whole world, our entire civilization!" "Lock down the information, we must contain the news!" "How many have been reced by now?" "We must root out all the monsters! Not a single one can be left!" "This is war, a life-and-death struggle!" "What exactly is the method of recement? Where do the monsterse from? How many are there? How fast are they spreading? And, is there any corrtion between the appearance of these monsters and the Chosen Ones? We must find out these answers as soon as possible!" "Most importantly, we need to find a way to identify them on arge scale!" "..." Anyone aware of this news could sense the immense crisis, as some had said, it was a moment of survival or extinction. Even if only one percent of the entire civilization had been reced, that would still amount to seventy million people! Enough tounch a war more brutal than the previous two world warsbined! One misstep, and the downfall of civilization, the end of the world, was imminent. Under such tremendous pressure, Shen Hao, who was the first to discover the monsters and had some ability to discern them, suddenly became the focus of all the informed parties. The efficiency of the response was undoubtedly astonishing. Shen Hao had prepared to wait a day or two, but just two hourster, Yang Jun came looking for him. "The higher-ups are still in an emergency meeting, but we''ve agreed on some points concerning our locality and decided to establish a special task force, starting from this school, this city, to investigate all intelligence regarding the monsters as thoroughly as possible," Yang Jun said, looking somewhat haggard but with a sharp glint in his eyes, filled with a soldier''s uniquebat spirit. Clearly, this veteran special forces operative, after the initial panic of having his world turned upside down, had quickly found his familiar stride. Identify the enemy, eliminate the enemy, protect the peopleit was that simple! "A special task force?" Shen Hao nodded. In the current situation, intelligence was of utmost importance. Having found a breakthrough here, ripping open the true disguise of the monsters after a month, starting from this point was indeed the best choice. "Mr. Shen," Yang Jun''s tone and expression suddenly became solemn as he addressed Shen Hao, "I now officially invite you on behalf of the nation to be the leader of this special task force. Please ept the invitation." "Me, the leader?" Shen Hao was taken aback. This was no small matter; even though he had agreed to help, to the system, he was still an outsider. And the authority of the leader of this special task force was bound to be significant! "Currently, you are the only one with the ability to identify the monsters, and your strength is formidable, that''s one reason. Second, we have reviewed your academic and work history, and your capabilities are already outstanding; third, this is your alma mater and hometown, the higher-ups believe you have enough responsibility to fully address the crisis," Yang Jun spoke very politely, "In short, this invitationes from careful deliberation and unanimous decision from above, it''s not a hasty choice." "..." Shen Hao fell silent. He wasn''t dazzled by the invitation; he was well aware that with power came responsibility, and it could well be a test and trial for him. But from the moment he got the cheat, the burden of responsibility was inescapable. Yet, even though he had made his decision, Shen Hao did not respond immediately. Chapter 10: Take Up the Burden!

Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Take Up the Burden!

Indeed, one could utilize the power of the system, which is the most powerful and effective force avable. But he was also uncertain how much attention the higher-ups were paying and whether they had realized the severity of the crisis. Therefore, he needed to set his own terms. "I just briefly looked at the teachers and students of the school." Shen Hao''s expression was somewhat grave, "the proportion of people reced in the school is about one in ten." "One in ten!" Yang Jun was greatly shaken. His expression momentarily became nk. He had known the total number of people in the school when he had first locked it down. More than four thousand eight hundred students and two hundred and thirty teachers! One in ten, how many was that? Easily five hundred people! Were these five hundred lives, five hundred families, quietly destroyed right under their watch? Yang Jun couldn''t help but clench his fists, his eyes slightly reddened. Protecting family and country, what family were they protecting and what country were they defending! "This school is a disaster area, and the area outside probably isn''t as bad." When Shen Hao had realized this point, he felt equally heavy-hearted, "But, considering how recently it has happened, you should understand what this speed of spread means." Indeed, even if you start counting from the day of "Star Jump," at most, it hasn''t even been a month. Since the Monster invaded this school, the time has definitely been even shorter. This is already one in ten! If a year or half a year passed without detection or awareness, could the entire world have silently be a Monster''s world? Shen Hao also felt somewhat frightened retrospectively. If he hadn''t received the cheat, if he hadn''t discovered it in time... Then maybe, without knowing from when, his family members, or even he himself, would have been reced by the Monster, and the Monster would still be masquerading under his face, pretending that he was still alive! "I will report this situation up the chain," Yang Jun took a deep breath to stabilize his mood and looked intently at Shen Hao, "You can put forward any demands you have, and we will certainly meet them! But please, you must take the role of team leader, we cannot let more people die!" At this moment, the only one who could possibly control the crisis was the man before him! They couldn''t do without him! "I have three demands." Shen Hao was straightforward, "First, I need support, including but not limited to the military and the Chosen Ones, especially the Chosen Ones. I want to gather a team of Elite Chosen Ones. Note, they must be elites, not necessarily with White Talent, but they must obeymands and have the courage to fight! Second, now that I am involved, I demand the highest level of intelligence sharing. Third, after this operation, the special task force must still be retained, and I should have a certain degree of authority over personnel and financial deployment." Three demands, one to address the current situation and two for future consideration. Yang Jun looked deeply at Shen Hao upon hearing this. These three demands almost meant that he had decided to join the system, at least to coborate deeply, and he demanded certain powers and status. Butin the present situation, it wasn''t that they feared his demands, but rather that they feared he would be afraid, not dare to step up, not dare to take responsibility! "I will report all your demands, but there should be no problem," Yang Jun said without hesitation, "Additionally, I will also join the special task force, and actually, a team of Chosen Ones is already being urgently assembled and ising. They are expected to be ready in three hours." "Good!" Shen Hao nodded without hesitation, "Then let''s not waste time. The school has been locked down for over three hours already, and there have been signs of unrest and noise among the students. To prevent any of the Monsters from detecting something and causing an uprising, we must first lift the lockdown and let the teachers and students return." "Yes!" Yang Jun too quickly fell in rhythm. For such amand, there was no hesitation. In fact, he could roughly guess Shen Hao''s thoughts. Acting within the school was far too dangerous. "Might as well let them all go, mark which ones are monsters, and then we can make a precise move." Yang Jun quickly went to arrange it. Shen Hao watched his retreating back, expressionless. Taking on the role of team leader meant taking on the responsibilities as well. It had to be said, the pressure was not small. He was increasingly grateful that his talent was "Sovereign"; without this ability to control emotions, he might not have been able to bear this pressure, let alone think rationally. "Brother," Qiuyue''s voice came from the doorway. "How are mom and dad?" Shen Hao nced at the wall beside him. N?v(el)B\\jnn His parents were in the next room, at this distance, he could clearly perceive their breathing. "They''ve mostly calmed down, but they''re still a bit worried, considering how suddenly dangerous the world has be." Qiuyue was obviously still somewhat frightened. However, as she looked at her adoptive brother, admiration also appeared in her eyes. She had almost despaired. She felt like the whole world was the enemy, feeling sorry for her adoptive parents. But she didn''t expect that her adoptive brother was also a Chosen One, who had guessed what had happened to her right from the start, quickly unraveling the truth. He even had the power to recognize monsters! She had heard it all from outside just now. Her adoptive brother was now the head of the special task force, responsible for the current crisis! If it were her, she couldn''t even begin to imagine handling this pressure. But her adoptive brother still maintained a calm demeanor, even seeming confident. "What is your Chosen One talent?" Shen Hao meanwhile was looking at his adoptive sister. He had adopted her just when he went to university and barely came home during the summer and winter vacations, so they hadn''t spent much time together. But he often heard praises about her from his parents. Indeed, she was outstanding. Her performance in school was one aspect, but seeing her now, she seemed to havepletely recovered emotionally. A normal sixteen-year-old girl encountering such things, it would be impressive not just to retaliate against the monsters, but also to maintain silence to protect herself without breaking down mentally. "It''s Boxer, but just a White Talent," Qiuyue said, biting her lip, seemingly a bit embarrassed, "it gives me a strong talent for boxing, increasing the power of my punches." Saying this, she demonstrated a few boxing moves. They were indeed very sharp and efficient. You could even hear the whooshing sound. Although it was the Extraordinary Talent that gave her such power, it was evident that she had been practicing in secret since bing a Chosen One, gaining the talent. "When you killed that monster, you must have also gained some points, right?" Shen Hao asked further, "How many, and was there a drop?" He wanted to analyze the rules of points and drops. After all, those three hadn''t been killed by his hand strictly speaking, but were more like suicides. "Yes," it seemed she remembered the scene then, Qiuyue''s face slightly paled, but she quickly recovered and hurriedly said, "There were a hundred and fifty points, and a first-kill drop, a Blue Elite Level ability ball." Chapter 11: The "Mother" of the Monster

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The "Mother" of the Monster

"Blue Ability Ball?" Shen Hao was startled. "Yes, it''s different from the Original Talent. It''s ced above the ability bar. I''ve already used it. It''s called ''Shock Wave'' and can emit shock waves of a certain strength from any part of the body." Qiuyue looked at Shen Hao, speaking in a low voice with a hint of embarrassment, "I thought if everyone turned into monsters, I could use this ability to break the handcuffs and escape through the walls. So I kept it as my ace up the sleeve and never revealed it." "So there are special drops for first kills." Shen Hao didn''t pay much attention to the ability itself. But the information that abilities could be obtained from drops and about first kill drops was still quite important. The monsters obviously weren''t ordinary ones, and even though they seemed manageable now, strength needed to be increased as soon as possible. Unfortunately, after using the two cheats, the cheat panel reverted back to a progress bar. [Confirming current version environment, Progress: 5.8%] Shen Hao didn''t know whether it always took time to prepare before using cheats, but for now, he wouldn''t be able to use them anytime soon. Luckily, judging by the progress bar, it looked to be just a matter of waiting three to four days. "If only I had an unlimited points cheat..." Shen Hao muttered to himself. Ever since acquiring the Mythical Talent, he was full of anticipation for cheats. Yet for now, he had only himself to rely on. "It''s good that you know to keep an ace up your sleeve and leave yourself a way out," Shen Hao came out of his musings, looked at Qiuyue with a smile, and praised her before his face turned serious, "Now, I have an important task for you." "Yes!" Qiuyue''s expression tightened. "Take good care of our parents," Shen Hao said earnestly. "Those monsters are not that simple, and my family is one of my greatest reasons for fighting. Before we can protect civilization with all our strength, we first need to protect our own little home." Protecting civilization. If the old Shen Hao had uttered these words, it likely would have sounded like a joke, an awkward one at that, like a child proiming his dreams to be a hero or an Ultraman maintaining world peace. Buting from Shen Hao at this moment, it sent a shiver through Qiuyue. Because right now, the students and teachers still alive in the school, even the surviving people throughout the city, genuinely needed his protection! Perhaps the whole of civilization did too! "I won''t let them get hurt, not even a scratch!" Qiuyue said solemnly. "With you here, I feel much more at ease," Shen Hao said with a faint smile, gently ruffling her hair as he added, "No need to be so tense. Having two Chosen Ones in our family is like starting a game with a royal flushpared to otherswe''re so much stronger." "Mhm!" Qiuyue nodded vigorously. Shen Hao''s reflection was truly heartfelt. Seeing those monsters in the school, he felt genuinely grateful for his opportunity and ability. But if he couldn''t protect civilization, everything he cared about would vanish sooner orter. "Go ahead." Shen Hao spoke calmly, not needing to take a deep breath to settle his emotions, he just walked forward steadily. Yang Jun had already prepared everything ording to his instructions. The only dilemma left was how to separate the students from the monsters without rming them and how to confirm each of their identities. While Shen Hao could sense the identity of the monsters, this intuition-based method from his Talent was not very efficient, especially when too many people appeared at once. So, the simplest solution at the moment was to control the flow of people lifting the lock-down, gradually easing it. He climbed onto a military vehicle at the school gate, which was positioned to allow a perfect view of the school entrance that was partially open. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Let''s begin." "All personnel take note, let the teachers and students out, but maintain order!" Yang Jun''s voice echoed through themand channel. Momentster, teachers and students, already arranged by ss, began to exit one by one through the gate. Each row had only three people. Shen Hao watched intently through the vehicle window, asionally tapping a key in front of him. A secretary beside him was recording and marking swiftly using surveince information, registering the "students" Shen Hao identified. With the speed of students leaving not being slow, the whole process was rtively swift. Seeing the increasing "monster annotations," Yang Jun felt a mix of worry and tension. Now, with monsters mixed among the teachers and students, a violent outbreak upon any realization would be unimaginable. He just hoped they could protect the surviving children safely. Time slowly passed by. Meanwhile, inside the school, within the line of a particr ss, an average-looking boy suddenly turned to look at his teacher, asking curiously, "Teacher Yan, where are Mr. Liu and Jiang Yang?" "They''re still giving their statements," replied a female teacher walking nearby after hearing the question. "They''re still doing that, after all this time?" the boy was taken aback. "Well, considering the seriousness of the case," Teacher Yan shook her head, her expression somewhatplicated, "It''s truly a shame for such a promising child." "Then I''ll wait for Jiang Yang at the gate, we''re headed the same way home, we can go together," the boy suddenly took out his phone, "and I should let my mom know, she''s still waiting for me outside." Teacher Yan nced at the phone, noting the contactbeled "Mother." She didn''t pay it much mind, considering the circumstances the school even allowed students to carry their phones. However, this boy''sbel was quite formal, unlike her own son, who saved her as "Tiger Mom." "Mother, the lockdown has been lifted, but Liu Changsheng, Jiang Yang, and Li Tong haven''t appeared. Could you please contact and inquire about them?" After sending the message, the boy didn''t wait for a reply, just put the phone away. Those of lower status like him didn''t have the ability to reach out to the others. But "Mother" could connect remotely with all of them. By asking "Mother," he would know the status of those three. There were many convenient things in this world, in this civilization. Once they took overpletely, he was going to thoroughly enjoy this "life." But recalling the faint sense of danger he''d unwittingly felt a few hours ago, unease crept into the boy''s mind. "Chosen One..." His ss''s name was towards the end of the list. By the time it was their turn, more than half of the teachers and students had left. Only about twenty sses remained, close to a thousand people. As the boy stood waiting by the door, the message from "Mother" didn''t arrive. His unease grew. Especially when he noticed therge number of "Soldiers" surrounding the gatefighters from this nation, not yet infiltrated by their parasites. Chapter 12: Sovereign, Full Firepower!

Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Sovereign, Full Firepower!

"That Li Dantong, such a waste," the boy thought irritably. "Couldn''t even handle a weak human, and got killed instead. If it weren''t for her, we wouldn''t have raised such a high level of alert." Perhaps affected by his emotions, a barely perceptible red glimmer shed in his eyes. Although his face still bore a casual expression, the way he looked at the humans emerging before him was as if he regarded them with a certain kind of hunger. All were top-grade Blood Food. If it weren''t for the orders from his mother to lie low and not to hunt, they would have lost control long ago. He wondered when he would get to feast to his heart''s content... "Keep an eye on that student, the one standing by the gate," Shen Hao had been watching this student for a long time, "He is a Monster, and his aura is very strong, much stronger than the other Monsters." "That''s a student from Mr. Liu''s ss, named Che Zhangjie. He''s neighbors with Jiang Yang, living in the same residential area," an officer reminded him. "He''s waiting for Jiang Yang there, they go back together every day." "How many students are left now?" Shen Hao asked. "About eight hundred." Shen Hao stared intently at Che Zhangjie. He very well knew that Jiang Yang was the one who hadmitted suicide under his Suppression. If those Monsters had a way to confirm the life and death of their kind... "Speed up! I can keep up!" "Yes, sir!" The school gates opened wider, and the students'' departure sped up. Seven hundred, six hundred, five hundred... Shen Hao''s fingers were flying, keeping an eye on Che Zhangjie, he marked every Monster he could identify as quickly as possible. Until there were only four hundred people left in the school. He suddenly noticed that Che Zhangjie''s expression had turned ferocious. "They''ve discovered our presence. Let''s give them a little ''wee gift,''" this was the order his mother transmitted to him at that moment! Blood red quickly rose beneath his skin. "Fire!" Shen Hao shouted fiercely, kicking open the car door and rushing out. At the same time, bangs sounded continuously; blood sttered on many people, and Che Zhangjie, along with Monsters just stepping out of school which Shen Hao had identified, were precisely hit by snipers who had been ready from afar. Che Zhangjie was given special attention; under the assault of a high-caliber sniper rifle, he exploded! This horrific and sudden scene left the students still inside the school stunned in ce. Then came the piercing, terrified screams. The order immediately copsed, and students scattered in extreme fear, with many copsing on the ground, crying uncontrobly. But Shen Hao didn''t care about them; his attention was fixed on "Che Zhangjie." Indeed, even though he had been blown to pieces, he was still alive. It looked like a mass of twisted blood, with broken bones and flesh all mixed together; the scene was a true challenge to one''s psychological limits! And that voice, although knowing not where it came from, still emitted a hoarse roar. "Move, the time to hunt has arrived!" Along with the sound of churning blood, streaks of blood rose amongst the crowd. Among the remaining hundreds of people, a good fifty Monsters stopped hiding. They sprayed blood from their bodies, forming all sorts of vicious weapons, mercilessly lunging at the students who stood no chance to react or escape! But in that instant. ! The world, stood still. No, it wasn''t stillness, it was that all living beings, all creatures, at that very instant, were renderedpletely immobile. Because a supreme Sovereign had arrived at this moment! Shen Hao''s eyes burst with deep starlight, as if sun, moon, stars, and the entire universe were converging within, a massive silhouette, seated upon a throne, faintly appeared behind him. That was the Cosmic Sovereign! The One! And the All! Dominator Pressure, for the first time, unleashed at full power! In that instant, even Shen Hao felt something being pulled out of his body. It seemed like his soul, or perhaps his consciousness, merging with the surrounding space, dominating everything! This was an indescribably mystical feeling. He felt as if he were seated high upon a throne, overlooking the universe. However, this sensationsted only a brief moment before an indescribable sense of dizziness began to assault his nerves. This frail body could not bear his exalted status! Yet, under absolute control, even just for a moment, even if the range of control wasn''trge, in the current situation, it was enough! "Kneel!" Shen Hao uttered these two words, and the Suppression, along with his will, swept precisely over each Monster! Thud thud! As the Dominator Pressure dissipated, one by one, the monsters that had been as fierce as Blood Demons, all fell heavily to the ground. Trembling, fearing, prostrating at the feet of Shen Hao! The others, whether students or Yang Jun, only felt an indescribable moment of suffocation, even a brief loss of consciousness in their heads. But when they recovered, one by one, they witnessed an incredible, indescribable scene. Shen Hao, dressed in ordinary white clothes, stood calmly there, at the heart of a prostrating swarm of monsters. Like their lord, their king! Even Yang Jun and the soldiers werepletely dumbfounded at this moment. Because the scene was too shocking! A second ago, they thought they would witness an irreversible, grand massacre today! These lucky students who hadn''t been reced would be torn apart by monsters! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The next second, all the monsters were prostrating and trembling! Wailing! In fear! As if, before this figure standing before them, these fierce and terrifying monsters were but ants that could be dominated at will! The impact of this turnaround was too great! But at this moment. One monster, already kneeling on the ground, trembling in submission, suddenly began to wail. Its entire blood erupted with a sizzling sound, rapidly dissipating. "No!" "No! Mother!" "Great Sovereign, save us!" "Lord!" "..." One after another, each monster did the same, no matter how they struggled or wailed, they could not change their fate of losing all their blood and turning into dried-up corpses. Shen Hao''s eyebrows slightly furrowed. Until, thest monster, which was Che Zhangjie, in the moment before dissipating, suddenly lifted its malformed head, stared fixedly at Shen Hao, blood churning, but what came out was a hoarse female voice: "This is just a small wee gift, Chosen One. You can''t save your world! It is ours!" Shen Hao and those eyeballs, through which one could see nerve fibers, locked gazes. Suddenly, starlight shone in his eyes. In an instant, Che Zhangjie recoiled as if greatly startled, then rapidly dissipated into a bloody vapor, leaving behind only a piece of withered, shattered remains. "That''s it?" Shen Hao seemed to scoff. Chapter 13: Teammates Arrive

Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Teammates Arrive

Exposed at the head, yet hidden at the tail, too timid as a mouse, and you also dare to peep into this world? Indeed, the unknown is what is most frightening. The more you understand, the more you feel it''s nothing special after all. This method of not daring to leave a single survivor actually revealed a certain guilt. Shen Hao''s gaze swept over the faces of the students who were still dazed and terrified, eventually settling on the excited and almost frenzied Yang Jun. "Soothe the students." "Yes!" Yang Jun responded loudly. He felt that this scene might forever be etched in his heart. This team leader, he is definitely more than just a Blue Talent, much more! Being able to save everyone in that situation, there might only be one such person in the whole world! Shen Hao did not bother with the remaining matters, be it psychological therapy or confidentiality, he left those tasks to others. He sat back in the car, savoring the feeling from before. The power of Mythical Talent was stronger than he had anticipated; in that state, the monsters didn''t even have the chance to choose suicide but instead submitted directly. If it wasn''t for the Controller behind the monsters, the entity they called "Mother" seemed to have the ability to remotely erase them, he could have captured dozens of prisoners this time. However, the more proactive, immediate, and decisive they are in erasing evidence, the more they reveal many things. It is afraid, afraid of being questioned for intelligence. "Those students who have been marked should be monitored, but be careful not to be discovered," Shen Hao turned his head and instructed a technical support officer. "Understood, we will adopt remote surveince and not use manpower to ensure concealment." With today''s surveince technology, if it''s taken seriously, the use of allworking cameras can indeed achieve remote monitoring. Therefore, the only thing to worry about is whether these "monsters," once they realize even their identities cannot be hidden, will rise up, causing chaos and death. At the moment, it''s like a pack of wolves disguised as sheep, lurking among the sheep. Ready to strike and prey on the sheep at any moment! "How much longer until the Chosen Ones arrive for support?" Shen Hao asked again. "The soonest two will arrive in thirty minutes." "There''s still time, then let''s pick a family of a reced person and take a look," Shen Hao wasn''t nning on wasting any time. Right now, across the nation, even all over the world, every minute and second could mean more humans silently being reced. If too much of the poption is lost in the first Trial, the subsequent Trials will only be more difficult. Shen Hao switched to a civilian vehicle, choosing a family of a "monster student" whose identity had been exposed and who was closest in proximity. It was a family of five. Besides the parents, there was a grandfather and a younger brother. The family was currently anxiously making calls, asking about the situation at the school, and they even called the teacher to ask if the blockade had been lifted and why their child hadn''t returned home yet. Whether it was their expressions, tone of voice, or gestures, they all seemed like a very warm, ordinary family. However "Let''s move on to the next one," Shen Hao said indifferently, "Mark this family aspletely reced by monsters." Whether it was the military official sitting in the passenger seat or the soldier driving the car, their expressions tightened at this moment, and then they clenched their teeth. It was a mix of trembling fear and extreme anger. A whole family! Looking again at the anxious parents concerned for their child, and thinking that this was nothing more than a monster''s disguise, one could feel a chill rising from within the heart. "Where exactly do these monsterse from?" the military official couldn''t help but ask in a low voice, as if talking to himself, yet also seeming to question Shen Hao. Shen Hao looked out the window at the bustling crowd, still full of the breath of civilized life. After a moment of silence, he said softly, "Maybe, it''s just a game of the gods." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Where the Civilization Trial came from and how it appeared was a question that, in those dreams, all the civilizations that perished under the Trial probably had the same wonder. But no one could provide an answer. In the face of the Civilization Trial, all civilizations could only fight; there was no option to refuse. However, no matter what, Shen Hao had to ensure that his own civilization continued to be victorious! By the time he had checked three families and returned to school, the first batch of Chosen Ones who hade to provide assistance had already arrived. There were two of them. One was a young and vibrant-looking girl, beautiful and full of energy, and the other a man in his forties, dressed in a suit, whose appearance and smile seemed very amiable. "Chen Sihui and Dong Gong?" In Shen Hao''s hands, he already had the information on these two individuals. They were both very formidable! And one of them was someone he had long been aware of. Chen Sihui, a genius scientist, started university at fifteen, graduate studies at seventeen, received her Ph.D. at twenty-one, and at the age of twenty-four, she already held three doctoral degrees, a somewhat famous physicist, and had a very high IQ. When Shen Hao was studying, many ssmates took her as an idol. Besides genius, another widely knownbel for her was "beautiful." At the moment, wearing a simple men''s sports jacket which couldn''t hide her slender figure, she was walking with headphones on and brown-dyed hair, a lollipop in her mouth, making anyone on the street unable to guess she was a scientist working at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, but would only see her as a vibrant and beautiful young woman. "The file says that your qualification as a Chosen One was ''top-level beautiful scientist''?" Shen Hao looked at her with some curiosity. "Correct," Chen Sihui answered straightforwardly, "On my own as a scientist, I still don''t reach the world''s top, and in terms of beauty, I can''tpare to those who can receive the Chosen One status just on looks, butbining the two, I guess I can be counted among the world''s elite." It was apparent that she did not avoid talking about her own attractiveness, but she also didn''t show any pride. A girl with quite a straightforward way of thinking, Shen Hao judged in his mind. "Your Talent is Skillful Hand?" Shen Hao looked back at the information, "Able toplete all kinds ofplex manual tasks with incredible precisionit seems quitepatible with your own abilities." "Exactly, I define myself as support staff," Chen Sihui said without hesitation, "Without proper armament on the battlefield, I''ll likely be a liability." "Then you''ll be in charge of support," Shen Hao decided promptly. The Talents of Chosen Ones are currently the most important abilities and will likely remain so in the future. Yet, Talents are random, and it''s rare to get one that matches one''s existing skills as nicely as hers. Although hers was just a White Talent, in her hands, it should be able to yield decent results. Chapter 14: A New War

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: A New War

Shen Hao thought for a moment, then raised his hand and took out the first reward that had dropped for him. [Gauss Rifle A-23 (White, Level 1)] "What is this?" Chen Sihui''s eyes, already quiterge, bulged even bigger as they were instantly drawn to the weapon that was full of a futuristic design. "You can consider this a Monster reward," Shen Hao exined. "Monster reward?" Dong Gong, who had been quiet until now, seemed to have his eyes shine slightly, "Defeating a Monster allows you to receive a reward from the Chosen One''s panel?" "Exactly, just like in a game," Shen Hao nodded. This piece of information was still a secret. Because up to this point, only Shen Hao and Gu Qiuyue had fought and defeated Monsters directly. So, the moment Shen Hao mentioned it, let alone the two people in front of him, even Yang Jun standing by lit up with excitement. "Is this how Chosen Ones be stronger?" Yang Jun thought to himself, clenching his fists involuntarily. What he most desired now was power, for his past battle-hardened experiences and vigorously trained specialbat skills were utterly ineffective in this new situation. This was apletely new kind of war! Only with power, power as strong as the squad leader, could one protect the people and the country in this conflict. Being King of Soldiers, he naturally had his own ambitions and beliefs. "It seems that the Monsters'' emergence is indeed connected to the existence behind the Chosen Ones'' panel," Gong shifted his focus elsewhere, "Transporting our entire to a new Universe, then selecting Chosen Ones, bestowing upon them abilities, and setting up Monsters, leveling up by fighting... It''s truly like a game." "But people don''t die in games," Shen Hao looked at him, "And we don''t have the luxury to refuse." "Indeed," Dong Gong smiled slightly and extended his hand proactively, introducing himself, "Squad leader, my name is Dong Gong." Yang Jun, who stood beside, was slightly surprised to see this scene. He knew that in the discussions above, this Dong Gong was actually one of thepetitors for the role of the squad leader. Because he was appointed as a Chosen One based on his identity as a top political figure. Indeed, this was a rising star official whose abilities were extremely prominent, and here he was, having abandoned his former position and status to be just a team member. If it had been Yang Jun, he certainly wouldn''t have epted this easily. But it appeared as though this man had already epted it. Or was this simply a politician''s tactic? Yang Jun felt some concern in his heart. Facing such catastrophe, he didn''t want to see discord within the team. Meanwhile, Shen Hao, after shaking hands with Dong Gong, also reviewed his dossier. He was somewhat surprised as well. Before bing a Chosen One, Dong Gong was someone Shen Hao didn''t even qualify to meet. However, it was just a moment of surprise. After having the power of the "Sovereign" to control his emotions, Shen Hao always looked at everything with a sense of detachment not out of disdain but as a natural ability obtained by controlling his emotions. He could truly remain unflustered even if Mount Tai were to copse before him. "Your Talent must bebat-rted?" Shen Hao noticed the line about Dong Gong''s Talent and raised his eyebrows, "Cold Frost could be quite effective against those Monsters." Yang Jun, standing to the side, felt nothing but envy. His Golden Light was formidable in defense, but it was utterly useless against those monsters. Those monsters, driving their blood, could Transform into various weapons as if they had no fixed shape at all. Even bullets could not inflict much damage. "He''sbat ss, and the Talent does seem to bepletely random," Dong Gong nodded, looking at Shen Hao, then suddenly asked, "Speaking of which, team leader, when I first arrived, I heard that you alone took down forty or fifty monsters in an instant. Such an ability must be more than just Blue." "That''s correct," Shen Hao said directly, "It''s Purple Epic, named Sovereign, with the ability to release Suppression that has a chance of subduing living beings." He had downyed his Talent to two levels lower than it really was. Still, even as he spoke openly at this moment, it still caused a certain level ofmotion at the scene. Even with his preconceived notions, Yang Jun couldn''t hide his delight. Chen Sihui, who was less informed, also widened her eyes again. Purple Talent! Ny-nine out of a million! That''s like one in ten thousand! Considering the current number of Chosen Ones in the world, it''s highly likely there are fewer than five thousand, meaning there''s a good chance this man is the only Purple Chosen One in the entire world! Epic Talent! Among a group of ordinary White Talents, he indeed stood out like a crane among chickens, and Chen Sihui''s envy was almost spilling out of her eyes. You should know, until now, fewer than ten Blue Talent Chosen Ones have appeared in the entire country! "If I''m not mistaken, this Talent should also allow you to stay sane," Dong Gong said withposure but also with a hint of admiration, "Sovereign, truly a name befitting its ability. This Talent could make you a natural-born leader." Yang Jun noticed a subtle change in Dong Gong''s tone and demeanor. It was as if a subordinate was interacting with a superior. He was somewhat enlightened. This elite politician had clearly guessed the level of the team leader''s Talent ahead of time, which was why he had given uppeting for the team leader position and epted his ce. In the face of disaster, the significance of a Chosen One''s Talent became even more pronounced. This team could do without Gong, but absolutely not without Shen Hao! However, Shen Hao seemed unaware, or perhaps, if he was aware, he didn''t care. Having acquired an external assistance, his vision and outlook had already dramatically changed. It was inevitable. "Now that we know each other, let''s get down to the main topic," Shen Hao tapped his finger on the table to focus everyone''s attention, then said in a stern voice, "I''m not sure about other areas, but the situation in Donghua City is very bad. I just visited the homes of three students who were reced, and those three families... they''ve been wiped out." As those words were spoken, the atmosphere on site became heavy. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om For them, who not long ago lived in an era of peace, the concept of a family being wiped out was rare. But in Donghua City at this time, even in the whole world, it was already unknown how many there had been! "Team leader," Dong Gong spoke up at this moment, "the families of those reced, or people around them, has anyone else been reced?" "I found only one family," Shen Hao said. "This means that this kind of spreading is not like a virus that can rece someone just by meeting them," Dong Gong clearly had done his homework, "Schools, families, the biggestmonality between the two is the close daily interaction. I have two hypotheses: first, it requires a certain amount of time to rece someone; second, it requires meeting some specific conditions, and these conditions are not that easy to achieve in a simple encounter." Chapter 15: (Extra release for more follows) Human War Potential!

Chapter 15: Chapter 15: (Extra release for more follows) Human War Potential!

Gong Dong''s two points were actually already considered by Shen Hao. If it really were a virus-type spread, one month''s time would have been enough to spread it all over the world. "You''re right, I have observed," Shen Hao nodded in agreement with what Gong Dong had said, "On the streets, the number of people reced by monsters isn''t high. This indicates that, at least in our country, we are still the hunters, and they are merely prey!" His gaze slowly swept over the others'' faces as he emphasized, "The most important things to do right now are two. First, rapidly annihte all monsters, ensuring none are missed. The second point, which is crucially important, is to quickly find out the monsters'' method and mode of spreading!" All the others nodded in agreement, obviously feeling the urgency. Dealing with these monsters is the same as dealing with viruses. One must race against time, and time is on the enemy''s side! "Furthermore," Shen Hao continued, "let''s not mention how to find the monsters, the problem of how to deal with them once found is also a challenge. Ordinary bullets are not lethal to monsters. We also need to enable ordinary soldiers to efficiently neutralize them. Otherwise, relying only on the Chosen Ones, even if all the country''s Chosen Ones unite, it might not be enough." "Report!" Yang Jun suddenly spoke up, "On this point, I have important intelligence to report." "Speak," Shen Hao looked towards him. "I suspect that the monsters likely have a vulnerability, which is the neck," Yang Jun''s voice was resounding. "In the recent battle, two monsters were killed by firearms. I checked them out, and both had been shot in the neck. Additionally, the monster killed by your sister was also stabbed in the neck with a sharp weapon and died from that wound." "I see," Shen Hao''s eyes lit up. Not just him, but also the other two showed looks of delight. Having a fatal weakness was undoubtedly tremendous good news! They had just learned from the records that a monster had been hit by a heavy sniper rifle and had not died, which was indeed terrifying. "But," Yang Jun''s voice lowered a bit, "aiming for the neck, after all, is difficult since it''s a small target, and not easy to hit inbat. Moreover, it''s easily protected, as these monsters tend to shield their neck with blood during fights." "No matter, knowing the weakness means there''s always a way to target it," Shen Hao seemed quite confident. "We can have the weapons research institute design some specific weapons," Chen Sihui suggested at this moment. "Not just for targeting the neck, there are many ways to counteract the blood. For instance, certain special chemicals, or we could consider burning, freezing, and even using sound, electric current, microwaves, and the like." "That''s exactly what I was going to mention next," Shen Hao nodded. "Everything you mentioned can be found in the system mall for Chosen Ones." "Chosen Ones have a system mall too?" The three of them were surprised again. Rewards were enough, but there is also a mall? "Correct." Shen Hao opened his Chosen One panel once more. Right now, while the cheat panel was in progress, the cheats wouldn''t work, but the official tform could be of assistance as well! After all, that''s the real way to face the Civilization Trial. The cheats are nothing more than exploiting loopholes to take advantage of the official system. By now, Shen Hao had umted a staggering number of points. 9724! Yes, the recent battle had awarded him over nine thousand points! When Shen Hao saw this number, he too was startled. After counting, he realized that each monster roughly provided him with about two hundred points. Taking into ount the first three in and the points Qiuyue had obtained, he coulde to a preliminary conclusion. In terms of earning points, conquering or controlling monsters yielded more than personally killing them, which in turn was more than being forced tomit suicide under threat. This system was practically throwing money at him, given his Talent! The only slight regret was that under the current level of the mall, there were only White Level 1 products avable, the most expensive of which was just over fourteen hundred points. It was a dagger with a dark sheen, cursed with potent dark magic, which Shen Hao had already purchased. It would perfectlyplement the use of Telekinesis. Besides, various high-tech futuristic weapons were all listed there. Such as methrowers, freeze guns, ultrasonic concussion grenades... With prices generally around a hundred points, Shen Hao bought over a dozen different types in one go. With a wave of his hand, the table was immediately filled with these items. Chen Sihui''s eyes practically sparkled. She had been fond of weapons from the start and now possessed the Talent "Skillful Hand." Seeing any formidable weapon made her long to touch it, not to mention those in front of her, all representing high-tech from the near future. With just a simple nce, she could ascertain they were at least thirty years ahead of their current weapons technology! And many parts were made from special materials, making the degree of advancement even greater. They were not limited to weapons; the applications were incredibly broad! "As long as you have points, you can buy the design blueprints for these weapons as well as the forms for the materials," Shen Hao''s mouth curved into a smile, as though he wasughing. "Let''s first see which are effective, which can be replicated quickly, then mass-produce and equip them rapidly, to give those monsters a taste of the human species'' war potential!" "Absolutely!" Yang Jun was undoubtedly the most excited, "Let those monsters witness it!" As a military Soldier, his desire was for the military to y a role. Not to rely solely on the Chosen Ones. After all, protecting the country was their mission! "Our civilization has always been in a state of war from the earliest recordings," Chen Sihui was all smiles, her big eyes turning into crescent moons. Even Gong Dongughed, shaking his head, "Violence is one of our inherent traits." Clearly, facing such monsters that silently rece your family members and disguise themselves to interact with you, no one would have any mercy. Peace? They all wished to employ the most effective and rapid means topletely exterminate these creatures in human disguise! This was a species war, with no right or wrong, no peace, just a struggle for survival! "Eliminating monsters doesn''t just reward points," Shen Hao looked back at the others and continued, "There are also some drops. I''ve gotten a total of six items, with roughly a one in eight chance, and three of them are ability balls." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As he spoke, he lifted his hand and three hazy, glowing White Ability Balls appeared before them. They instantly captured the attention of the three. After bing Chosen Ones, there were three empty ability slots below their panels. They didn''t know what they were for at first, but seeing these ability balls now, they instantly understood! Chapter 16: Find Some Experimental Subjects!

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Find Some Experimental Subjects!

``` Dealing with Trial Monsters while being able to gain such additional abilities! "These three are all White Abilities," Shen Hao''s gaze also rested on these three, "Basic Electric Shock, Vulnerability Strike, and Perception Enhancement." From these three abilities alone, one could see the gap between White and Blue abilities. Compared to the "Shock Wave" that Qiuyue received, which could immediately grant powerfulbat strength, these three, just by their names, fell short by far. What''s worse, Shen Hao had already asked Qiuyue, once an ability is chosen and used, it cannot be temporarily removed. Perhaps there could be a way in the future, but it mighte at a great cost, or might be impossible to erase. To Shen Hao, these three abilities didn''t even match up to his Telekinesis. He really didn''t value them. Equipping them wouldn''t bring much improvement to his strength. However, this was him. The three people in front of him were staring intently at the three ability balls. Quite tempted. Their Talents were only White, so naturally, they weren''t too picky about White abilities. Especially Yang Jun. Just relying on his Talent, he was nothing but a target in front of monsters! However, none of the three spoke up, they just looked eagerly at Shen Hao. "Under normal circumstances, a group should reward and punish clearly, rewarding after contributions," Shen Hao said with a slight smile, "But given the current crisis, we should prioritize enhancing your strength, these three abilities, whichever you fancy, just take it." All of a sudden, the three of them showed joy on their faces. They had already realized that, by following a powerhouse like Shen Hao, things like ability balls and various types of equipment will definitely not be in short supply in the future! Thinking of this as a game, Shen Hao was that kind of yer who was not only strong himself but could also lead his teammates to be powerful! "I want this ''Perception Enhancement''," Chen Sihui spoke up first, eagerly looking at Shen Hao, "I''ll focus on a supportive role from now on." "Thank you, team leader, then I''ll choose Electric Shock," Dong Gong pondered, "Let''s see if I canbine it with my Talent." "Then I''ll take Vulnerability Strike!" Yang Jun looked gratefully at Shen Hao, as what he wanted the most now was an offensive ability. Vulnerability Strike was exactly what he was looking for! "Since it''s decided, then take them," Shen Hao stood up from his seat, his eyes sharp, "Get ready, we''re going to look for some test subjects, that monster said it would give us a wee gift, right? We have to return the gesture properly, lest it thinks weck manners!" "Yes!" the three responded in unison. Having made the decision, everyone immediately set to action. Donghua Middle School has now be a temporary base, and from just a moment ago, more and more military forces were rushing over. They were notcking in manpower. Although they decided to act on some monsters to test weapons, considering that those monsters were all hiding in the city or even among the popce, a lot of preparations still had to be made. Monitoring the target, locking down the area, and setting up defense lines. ... The Humanistic District, a fairly upscale old neighborhood, has seen its property values soar over the years due to its proximity to Donghua Middle School, and many who bought here long ago have earned a lot. He Jin was a ssic example. His family bought over twenty properties here in the past decade. After graduating from college and mixing around for a few months, he felt it was better to return to his hometown to lie t and enjoy thefort of being andlord. Every day, he wandered around, collecting rent from various properties, and checking if there were any damages to the houses. ``` Today was the same. "Sister-inw, it''s time to pay the rent." He stood at the door of a house without entering. The tenant was a thirty-seven or thirty-eight-year-old charming young widow, staying here with her child for their education. Although seeing her always made He Jin''s heart itch, he still had his basic morals. Even to avoid suspicion, he would always collect the rent at the door with just a quick nce. But today was different. As soon as the door opened, a tear-stained, pretty face appeared, grabbing his arm tightly, "What should I do, Little Jin? The school has lifted the lockdown, but my son Lin Xin still hasn''te back, and I can''t get through on his phone." "Sister-inw, don''t panic." He Jin felt like his arm might have touched something, his throat slightly constricted, "Call the school and ask, and if that doesn''t work, call the police. There are so many soldiers around these days, he won''t be missing." "I did call, but I can''t get through to the teachers or the principal, and I asked Lin Xin''s ssmates too; none of them have returned home either. I hope nothing serious has happened." "Don''t worry, I know someone at the Ministry of Education. I''ll give them a call." "Thank you, thank you so much! Pleasee in and sit for a moment, I really can''t thank you enough!" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He Jin felt his arm being pulled inside. He had intended to say it was inappropriate, but at that moment, her grip was surprisingly strong, and he found himself being drawn in without much resistance. It wasn''t until the door closed behind him that he started to blush. Could it be that the sister-inw, having not seen her husband for so long, took a liking to him? Even the curtains seemed to have been drawn shut! Should he go along with it, or should he not? "Little Jin, have some tea." He Jin was indeed feeling a bit parched, but he remembered the pressing matter, "I''ll make a call first." "Thank you so much, have some tea first." "No rush, no rush." He Jin, looking at her pretty face, felt increasingly nervous and abruptly stood up, "I better call and ask first, you must be very worried." "Have some tea!" The young widow''s voice suddenly rose in volume, startling He Jin. And when he looked at her face again, it seemed somewhat fierce. "Drink the tea obediently, why can''t you understand that." "No, it''s just, sister-inw, you..." He Jin looked at her nkly, not understanding what was happening. Was drinking tea that important? But then, he saw a scene he would never forget. The once charming and seductive face of the young widow turned red, blood red. In fact, blood seemed to seep out from the pores like sweat. "Sister-inw, your face?!" He Jin trembled at the sight of the increasing amounts of crimson blood which bizarrely did not trickle down but instead clustered together, rolling across the face. "What a bother," a sinister whisper came, "Just drink the tea, it''s such a simple thing." "A ghost!" He Jin waspletely terrified, tumbling and leaping away, wishing more than anything that this was all just a nightmare! But then, strands of red, like nerves made of blood, rapidly bound him tight. "Good boy," beneath that rolling and covering mass of blood, the delicate voice of the young widow said, "Drink up this bowl of tea." "No! Don''t want to..." He Jin struggled with all his might, his eyes rolling back, almost fainting from the immense fear. But at that instant. Bang! Chapter 17: I鈥檓 a Player with Cheats!

Chapter 17: Chapter 17: I''m a yer with Cheats!

The entire door was kicked open! Yang Jun, dressed in in clothes, walked in with big strides, nced around, and his eyes lit up. Is it Parasitizing? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He had heard noises from outside, but he hadn''t expected to encounter such a scene! "Who are you?" The Monster, clearly startled by this sudden change, asked in a shrill voice. However, the bloody whip had alreadyshed out, its edge sharp as spikes. Clearly, being stabbed by it would be extremely painful. However, the whip was blocked by a thin golden light. "Chosen One!" The Monster recognized immediately, screaming loudly, its voice as grating as a chainsaw. "No need to shout, yourpanions can''t hear you." Yang Jun sneered, reacting swiftly, firing his strangely shaped pistol directly. The hit didn''t result in a bloody wound, but instead exploded into a cloud of white mist. Where the white mist formed, the temperature dropped rapidly, freezing the blood in an instant. The Monster, realizing the danger, screamed even more shrilly, tearing the frozen part and rushing towards the window. Even though this was the fourteenth floor, falling from here wasn''t fatal for the Monster. But Yang Jun reacted faster, aiming his weapon at the window first. Full auto mode! The sound of gunfire was incessant, as the ice fog spread, drastically lowering the temperature of the entire room. After the white mist dissipated, what appeared was a sculpturepletely encased in ice. Both its body and its blood had turned into ice sculptures! Yang Jun remained on guard for a while, but seeing that the ice sculpture made no movement, his face showed delight. "It seems, the Ice Bomb is quite effective." A voice came from the doorway. It was Shen Hao, testing the new weapon, although for simting the use by ordinary soldiers, but Shen Hao also acted as a safeguard, providing backup. They couldn''t let the Monster escape. "Much better than the Incendiary Bomb we just tested." Yang Jun nodded, feeling the sharp drop in temperature, and reached out to help He Jin, who was copsed on the floor, "Don''t worry, you''re safe now." "Thank you, thank you." He Jin, his face streaked with tears and snot, was still incoherent. Even though he knew about the great changes in the world, and even about the existence of the Chosen Ones and supernatural powers, he had never imagined that his own tenant would be a Monster! What about the other tenants? What about the other people around him? As He Jin gradually regained hisposure, he fell into an even greater fear, clutching Yang Jun''s arm tightly. "Take me with you! Please, I don''t want to stay here anymore!" "Don''t worry, we will protect you." Yang Jun could only try his best to reassure him. Meanwhile, Shen Hao walked over to the coffee table, looking at the shattered teacup on the ground, his eyebrows raised. "Sihui,e take a look." "Coming." Chen Sihui walked in from outside, first nced at the ice sculpture, then looked at the spot Shen Hao was pointing at on the ground. Her eyes widened suddenly. "There are traces here of something small that crawled over! It crawled all the way here and then disappeared." "Seal off the scene, collect traces! Especially the tea!" Shen Hao immediately guessed something and promptly instructed, then turned to look at the ordinary person who was still trembling and crying, and said in a deep voice, "Come here, I need to ask you some things." His voice, apanied by a slight suppression, seemed to possess a unique power, causing He Jin to tremble, unexpectedly calming down remarkably. One could say, his fear of the monster was suppressed by his awe of the man before him. It even brought him a measure of peace of mind. "Yes, sir," he said, somewhat fearfully looking at Shen Hao. "What did that monster just do to you?" Shen Hao intently looked at him and asked directly. "It, it made me drink tea." "Be more specific, did it force you to drink? Or was it going to knock you unconscious and pour it into you!" "It forced me to drink, tied me uppletely, and still poured the tea into me," He Jin hurriedly responded, his face turning pale as he remembered what had just happened. "When I entered just now, I indeed saw such a scene," Yang Jun also recalled the scene when he first entered, seemingly realizing something, and suddenly looked at Shen Hao, "Captain, are you saying it''s through tea, or water..." "If it could spread through water, the situation wouldn''t just be at this level right now, so I want to know if there are other conditions for the Parasite," Shen Hao pondered for a moment then shook his head, "Anyway, catching them on the scene this time should reveal quite a bit of information." With this thought, he couldn''t help but look at the man before him again. Their timing had been very fortunate. Had they arrived a littleter, this man might have already been parasitized. "Take him back, he''s earned his merit as well," he concluded. "Yes!" Yang Jun nodded, his expression somewhat exhrated. Shen Hao then strode out, watching as the cleanup crew entered and tore off a piece of talisman paper from the corner of the wall. This talisman paper, purchased from the mall, was a "Silence" talisman. It was to prevent theirbat from alerting the other hidden monsters, a method they had been using to silently dispose of over a dozen monsters in this neighborhood. It''s worth mentioning that Yang Jun used his exchanged weapon to kill or control the monsters, and he actually earned points! Yes, that''s right. Although the amounts were small, just single-digit figures, Big Head still allowed Yang Jun to earn them, yet this still showed Shen Hao another choice within the Chosen One system. Not only could he enhance his ability, but also arm the military, equipping other people who could likewise grow increasingly strong! "Civilization and individual, two paths, two choices," Shen Hao spread his hands out, then suddenly clenched them slightly, "Why can''t I have it all." He was, after all, a yer with cheats! "Yang Jun!" Shen Hao turned his head and called out, "Pick out a team of Elite special forces, I''ll provide the Equipment, let them try it out themselves!" "Yes!" Yang Jun''s expression shook, calling out loudly. Not just him, several Soldiers responsible for sealing the scene by the stairwell all suddenly looked over. None of them spoke, but their fervent battle spirit was nearly bursting forth. That''s right, they might not have top-tier talents, unable to be Chosen Ones, but as Soldiers in the face of such a war, no one wanted to helplessly hide behind! "Let''s go, find the next Monster, there are still plenty of weapon types to test," Shen Hao nced at his cheat countdown. About less than three days of time left. He wondered what kind of new cheats would appear. Chapter 18: Conditions for Monster Parasitism

Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Conditions for Monster Parasitism

Shen Hao was filled with anticipation for the new cheat types that might appear in three days. However, he also didn''t n to rely entirely on cheats. The Civilization Trial had already offered a certain chance for sess, and while exploiting cheats was naturally better, effort still had to be made on the "righteous path." Improve yourself, strengthen civilization. Subsequently, just as Shen Hao had mentioned, he picked out a team of elite soldiers. Even though they were using new weapons, these soldiers still demonstrated thebat quality of professional warriors to everyone. Locking on the target, breaching, attacking... all actions were done in one smooth sequence. Extremely fluid, highly efficient. The results were exhrating, except for one family of six that had all been parasitized by monsters, which proved to be a bit troublesome, the other monsters stood no chance at all! Of course, to replenish weapons and ammo, Shen Hao had cleared out most of his points. Relying on the achievements of these warriors, there was no way to break even on points in the short term, and since they weren''t Chosen Ones, they couldn''t earn "Big Head." Theoretically, when there were enough hands-on Chosen Ones and he still had strength to spare, leaving the tasks to them was actually a loss. "Is it necessary to use Chosen Ones as the main force?" Shen Hao tried to discern the intention behind the rules of the Civilization Trial. In other words, "analyzing the gamey." But such matters were actually pondered by specialists. In this one day, the meetings from above continued, yet various ns had been running non-stop. Including establishing the "Crisis Management Department," determining the coordination order among departments, protecting top talents who might be Chosen Ones, setting up rted research institutions... They were practically striving to mobilize all forces in the shortest possible time! After all, it seemed that this was not just a crisis but also an opportunity. Resolve the crisis, seize the opportunity! These eight words were the core policy being conveyed from the top. Even Shen Hao couldn''t help but marvel at the power of the system. N?v(el)B\\jnn By evening, four more Chosen Ones had arrived. "After the establishment of the Crisis Management Department, not only here but in various ces, simr teams of Chosen Ones are being set up, especially those areas where ''Blood Demon'' traces have also appeared. They are also activelyunching investigations, so for now, we can only bring these four people here," Dong Gong ryed the message from the top, nced at Shen Hao, and continued, "Of course, your location is still a priority, so your requests will be satisfied first. Other areas are hoping to learn from our handling experience here." After all, Shen Hao was the only known Chosen One with Purple Talent. Against the monsters named "Blood Demons," he also disyed overwhelming power. Today''s aplishments were likewise superb. "Four will be enough for now," said Shen Hao as he looked up at the four people in front of him. The most eye-catching among them were undoubtedly a young man and a young woman, both incredibly handsome and beautiful, and both top-notch in their looks. The man named Cheng Youqing looked very handsome with a sunny smile and a robust physique, but he wasn''t selected as a Chosen One for being "handsome." Instead, it was his status as a world-ss extreme sports enthusiast. Yes, those high-risk extreme sports. Climbing, wingsuit flying, skydiving, surfing... The resume in his file could make an ordinary person break out in a cold sweat, incapable of associating this young man with the genial temperament with the madman in the documents. However, whether or not he was crazy, his mentality was indeed strong. The other, a beautiful woman with a cooler demeanor named Liu Ruoxi, was certified as a "world-ss beauty" who obtained her Chosen One status just by her looks. Besides that, her family background was somewhat special. Daughter of high-ranking officials. With looks, money, and power, she was a person Shen Hao would have never been able to approach in the past. As for the other two, they were more ordinary: a man in his thirties, a world-ss programmer named Song Cheng, and a man in his fifties, a world-ss biologist named Jiang Weining. "Cheng Youqing, Liu Ruoxi, Song Cheng, the three of you will take onbat assignments," Shen Hao quickly made the assignment. "Mr. Jiang happens to be a biologist; let him temporarily lead the research on the monsters." "No problem," assured Cheng Youqing and the other two quickly agreed. Only Song Cheng hesitated somewhat awkwardly, "Uh, boss, look at my build, going to fight monsters is just like delivering food to them. My Talent isn''t that strong either, maybe I could be in charge of monitoring, investigation or something..." "Then you can leave," Shen Hao cut him off directly, "Right now, monitoring and investigation don''t require top-notch programmer skills. Here, your status as a Chosen One is more important than your past abilities. In one word, obey or leave!" "I..." Song Cheng stole a nce at Liu Ruoxi, gritted his teeth, "I will obey!" For the thirty-something-year-old homebody programmer, the half-month period after bing a Chosen One was like living a dream. The experiences he had and the people he met werepletely unimaginable before. And he knew that the man before him could very well be the current Strongest in the world! In such a crisis, having him as a backer provided a sense of security. "Then let''s have a meeting, do some summarizing and sharing," Shen Hao picked up a stack of documents he was about to distribute when Liu Ruoxi stepped forward first, took the documents, and silently began distributing them. Shen Hao gave her a nce and sat back down. "Today a total of one hundred and twenty-one Blood Demons were dealt with, ensnaring all rted Blood Demons that had made their presence known, totalling fifty-three. The most significant achievement at the moment is learning some of the parasitic conditions!" The rustling of page turning filled the air, and the photos on the documents were indeed shocking. Song Cheng''s face turned pale as he looked at them. He couldn''t imagine if one day his family or friends suddenly became such monsters in front of him; how horrifying that would be. But after flipping to the page about parasitic conditions, he also breathed a sigh of relief. "Known 1: The host must ingest a colorless small worm about thirty millimeters long and five millimeters wide through consumption, which can survive in liquid. It disappears after a period outside the liquid (suspected evaporation)." "Known 2: In addition to ingestion, a second condition is needed to ensureplete parasitism." "Guess 1: The host must be in an unconscious state." "Guess 2: The host must be restrained and cannot makerge movements." "Guess 3: The host must be in a state of fear." "Guess 4...." Chapter 19: The Outbreak on the Internet!

Chapter 19: Chapter 19: The Outbreak on the Inte!

The entire document roughly listed seven or eight different conjectures, some of which even seemed far-fetched, but it was certain that a second condition had to exist. Otherwise, in schools that shared water dispensers, it wouldn''t be possible that only one-tenth were parasitized. Moreover, it would have been easy to achieverge-scale parasitization. But as of now, the spread of parasite seemed to still ur on a one-to-one basis. Qiuyue''s encounter was the same; the Blood Demon had taken her alone to a secluded ce without surveince and made an attack that could have caused her to lose consciousness. The teachers and students in the school must have been targeted individually like this. This method of spread, although sufficiently frightening, had the major advantage that one didn''t need to worry about being targeted unwittingly. Besides, there were many other rted conjectures in the document. Like the incubation period, like the manner in which those "parasites" were born. Although these were just guesses, they were nheless crucial. Not to mention, when investigating personal rtionships, people who had opportunities to be alone could be specifically investigated, without the need to scrutinize every face seen on the street. "Based on these conjectures about parasitic conditions, some ces might be major disaster areas for the spread of Blood Demons, like bars, bathhouses, hotelsthese will also be our next focus," Shen Hao continued, "All in all, our core goal is to control the spread of the Blood Demons as quickly as possible and resolve all Blood Demonspletely!" "I have a question," Cheng Youqing suddenly raised his hand. "Speak." "Currently, you are the only one who can discern the monsters," Cheng Youqing looked at Shen Hao, "This adds quite a bit of difficulty to the investigation, after all, you can only be in so many ces at once." "It''s simple," Shen Hao said calmly, "Bring everyone with potential to me, if they resist, control them on the spot, and if they expose themselves, deal with them on the spot as well." Everyone suddenly understood. It was undoubtedly a crude method, but also undoubtedly a good one. Moreover, a few quick-thinking people had already figured it out. This method would allow Shen Hao to quickly umte arge number of points, effectively bringing monsters right to him for resolution. "But with this method, the Blood Demons won''t just sit back and allow themselves to be picked off one by one," Song Cheng seemed to want to show his insights as well and nervously asked, "I read in the documents that Blood Demons are likely to have a desire to devour humans and are also driven by a ''Matrix'' that dictates their every move. What if they simply stop hiding andunch a massacre on arge scale? Can we handle it in time?" "..." This question remained unanswered not only by Shen Hao, but everyone kept silent. The atmosphere seemed to grow heavier. After a long pause, Dong Gong finally sighed and slowly said, "It''s inevitable, of course, we would like to resolve all Blood Demons quietly, but since Blood Demons can nearly perfectly blend in among us, they must possess intelligence not inferior to ours. When ites to being resolved, they will certainly struggle with all their might." "Exactly!" Shen Hao emphasized, gazing intensely at each person, speaking sternly, "This is not a hostage rescue from kidnappers; this is a war where it''s a matter of life and death. On such a battlefield, the primary objective is always to eliminate the enemy!" Song Cheng sat there, stunned. Cheng Youqing and Liu Ruoxi also lowered their gazes. Although they had been aware of the existence of Blood Demons and anticipated an inevitably tragic war, sitting here, right in the front line facing the enemy, could they truly perceive the cruelty of the situation. Not to mention the potential sacrifices that might urter, even now, those who were parasitized, recedtheir families were already ruined. And somewhere in this city, new parasites were inevitably urring. The very existence of Blood Demons was creating tragedies! "Try to think positively, if it reallyes to that point, that means the enemy is cornered, and the prey that exposes itself has only one oue death," Shen Hao''s tone softened slightly, "If we can resolve all Blood Demons, or capture and deal with the Matrix before that situation arises, perhaps it won''te to that." This reassurance seemed to have an effect, as the atmosphere in the room lightened slightly. Regardless, they were still the hunters. If one day the world reached the point where humans had to hide from Blood Demons, that would truly be despair. Then, Shen Hao and the others discussed some other matters, like each individual''s Chosen One abilities, the effects of various weapons... n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It also let the team of eight gradually get familiar with each other. Shen Hao was fairly satisfied with this team, Indeed, Chosen Ones were all top talents in the world, even Song Cheng, who appeared the most ordinary, possessed a vision and temperament superior to the average person, otherwise, he would not have be a world-ss programmer. In the realm of programming, he was revered by many, and his skills had also amassed a considerable fortune. But just as the meeting was about to end, when they were preparing to rest a bit to face tomorrow''s battles in better condition, suddenly, a piece of shocking news arrived, catching everyone off guard, "This is a video that appeared on the internationalwork an hour ago. It has caused an explosive sensation on the inte in just one hour!" Dong Gong took on a grave expression as he turned on the projector and cast a video onto the meeting room''s screen. The video was clearly taken with a cellphone. As soon as the image appeared, there was a Caucasian man, drenched in sweat with a look of utter panic, "It''s all fake, they''re all Monsters!" the man cried out, his voice thick with tears as his sanity seemed to be on the brink, "God! My wife, my son, my daughter, my parents, even the mayor! The police officer! Everyone in the town! They''re all monsters! Aliens! They''re disguised as us, living among us, God! God!" The man was clearly fleeing, and the footage was extremely shaky, but it was still possible to vaguely see a glow emanating from his hand. Clearly, he was a Chosen One. But just then, a sh of blood-red dashed across the screen, and the man fell heavily. He screamed in terror, and by the time the camera steadied after a flurry of tumbling, a horrifying sight appeared on the screen! It was a little girl, seemingly no more than seven or eight years old, but her innocent face was streaked with blood, her small body was twisted, and wrapped around with several blood-red tentacles! Chapter 20: (Extra Release for More Follows!) The War is Escalating!

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: (Extra Release for More Follows!) The War is Escting!

This scene was undoubtedly extremely horrifying, not just because of the uncanny valley effect brought about by the monster disguised as a little girl, but the eerily realistic visuals also provoked difort and fear. The Blood Demon seemed not to notice the cell phone, slowly approaching with its bizarre appearance, even emitting the voice of a little girl. "Daddy, why are you running away?" "You said you would love me forever." "Come, be one of us." "Daddy..." "Get away! Get away from me!" The Chosen One was near copse, a bright light ring from his hand as he flung it out. It was an extraordinary talent simr to an Energy Bullet, traveling fast and piercing through the girl in an instant, leaving a clear bloody hole with a hissing sound following. But it was useless. To a Blood Demon, such an attack would not be fatal unless it hit the neck. "It hurts, daddy," the Blood Demon said, sounding shockingly like a little girl, with an empty, clear, and childish voice, "Before bing apanion, let your daughter have a good meal. It won''t hurt much, just need to tear off a little bit, just a little bit..." "An Nai''er, no snacking allowed." Another voice suddenly intruded. In the frame appeared the most horrifying scene yet! One after another, silhouettes continuously approached from behindall wearing residents'' clothes, taking on residents'' appearances, but each was drenched in blood, wrapped in ferocious tentacles, with twisted bodies and blood-red eyes... Song Cheng couldn''t help but shudder. It was unfathomable how desperate the Chosen One must have felt at that moment! The entire town was actually full of monsters! In that ce, humans were the prey! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Aaaah!" The Caucasian Chosen One predictably copsed, at that moment he even doubted whether the entire world was filled with monsters. Apanied by the fleeting crimson under the dim lights, the cell phone was knocked away, and all that remained in the frame were the chilling screams. Only after the footage ended did Shen Hao speak up, "Was that live streamed?" "Yes," Dong Gong''s face also looked rather pale, "It''s a recording of a live stream. The Chosen One in the video is called Bittel Mott, a world-ss race car driver. That town is his hometown with a poption of about eight thousand people. Bittel is also a slightly famous outdoor live-streamer. After bing a Chosen One, his fan base grew rapidly. Today was the day he returned to his hometown, which he specifically mentioned during the live stream." "What''s the reaction on the foreignworks?" Shen Hao asked. "It''s a mess." Dong Gong opened the foreign social media tform, and at a nce, the page was filled with an overwhelming amount of content rted to the live stream, involving countless media outlets, including some heavy-weight organizations. The sensation even surpassed the moment when the existence of Chosen Ones was first announced! "At first, most people thought it was a joke or a movie trailer, until Bittel''s assistant called the police and sought help on social media. Then, people started to believe it gradually. However, what really blew this up was the emergency notice issued by the Northern Alliance, forbidding anyone from approaching while iming to have dispatched fighter jets and legions,pletely sealing off the town," Dong Gong exined. Shen Hao saw that at that moment, the foreign social media was filled with screams and fear. Countless messages were continuously refreshed. "God! It''s an alien invasion!" "This must have something to do with ''Star Jump''!" "Damn it! I''m locking myself inside my house alone right now, I don''t dare to go out!" "I suspect my wife is a monster too! She actually cooked for me today!" "All of this is because of the Chosen Ones! The Chosen Ones are the original sin! This is God''s punishment for us!" "Who else can we trust? Who isn''t a monster?" "My parents were monsters, I killed them, hahaha!" "..." It had to be said, this kind of fear and chaos was one of the biggest crises brought on by the Blood Demons, even surpassing the threat they posed themselves! Because this would severely damage the trust and order within the humanmunity. Especially for ordinary people without abilities. They would begin to doubt their parents, their friends, even their children. What was worse, there truly were individuals among them who had been parasitized! Shen Hao couldn''t even guess whether more people would die in the ensuing chaos or at the hands of the Blood Demons once orderpletely copsed. And chaos undoubtedly facilitated the spread of the Blood Demons! "What''s our response on this side?" Shen Hao asked again. "We''re currently locking down the information, but the situation has created such a stir, it''s impossible to keep it under wraps for long." Dong Gong shook his head, "The higher-ups are urgently discussing it, and it''s estimated... that it won''t be long before we have to make the existence of the Blood Demons public." In this era of information, even the power of a nation had its limits when it came to information lockdown. The situation had caused such a sensation, there was simply no stopping it. To announce the news with authority and guide public opinion was the only choice. Shen Hao slowly exhaled a breath. "Get ready," he said softly, "The war is about to escte." Yes, even though this war had just begun, the situation was already rming. Not just domestically, but especially abroad! A small town of eight thousand people, ah! It had only been a month''s time! If a nation''s military fell under control, or even worse, allowed the Blood Demons to grasp humanity''s ultimate weapons... Shen Hao couldn''t even begin to imagine the consequences. Cursing ipetent teammates had lost its meaning. This was the Civilization Trial, subjected to the test not just a person, a city, a nation, but the entire world, an entire civilization! "Don''t rest tonight," Shen Hao stood up and decisively ordered the Chosen Ones who looked at him with nk expressions: "The list of confirmed Blood Demons will be handled by me, one by one. Furthermore, Liu Ruoxi, Cheng Youqing, Song Cheng, Yang Jun, the four of you will each apany the military. Follow the Blood Demons''work, bring all suspects to me, and for any Blood Demon that reveals their identity and resists, kill them on the spot!" All four named stood up reflexively. Even the exceptionally aloof Liu Ruoxi carried visible tension and unease at this time. But it was clear. Shen Hao had no intention of showing her special treatment just because she was a world-ss beauty. "I don''t care about your backgrounds, what you did before, or whether you''re prepared to face the battlefield and fight the enemy," Shen Hao released a hint of the Sovereign Suppression, his starlit eyes sweeping over the four, saying in a grave tone, "But now that you''re here, now that you have be Chosen Ones, now that you have the ability to fight, you must stand your ground. Any deserter will not be spared by me! But there''s no need to be afraid. As I''ve said before, now, we are the hunters!" Chapter 21: Follow Close Behind Me

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Follow Close Behind Me

At this moment, to everyone present, Shen Hao appeared to have undergone an earth-shattering transformation. If previously he gave off the vibe of a young person with a steady personality, attributed merely to his Purple Talent bestowing him the air of a "powerful being." Then now, there was only one adjective to describe him. Sovereign! An indescribable Suppression radiated from him, his eyes twinkling with Starlight as if they contained gxies, making everything else seem infinitesimal in the face of such vastness, with no choice but to bow down. Even the words he spoke seemed like universal truths! Though it was known that this was just the effect of the Talent, at this very moment, those who had felt unease found unspoken confidence welling up within them! Such a being, such a powerful figure, was on their side, even standing right behind them! What could the Blood Demon possibly amount to? Even after personally experiencing the power of the one before them, an incredible thought surfaced in their minds. This kind of Talent that seemed to rise to the Universe, to the entire cosmos... was it really just Purple Epic? After a brief pause, Shen Hao continued to issuemands, "Dong Gong, you take charge in coordinating all parties, the army, the police, thework, all under your coordination, everything must be orderly, the overall structure must not be in disarray!" "Yes!" Dong Gong immediately stood up. "Chen Sihui, you''re in charge of transporting the Equipment. I''ll earn as many points as possible in the shortest time, to exchange for weapons and Equipment with special effects against the Blood Demon. You lead your team to replenish these items promptly to Liu Ruoxi and the other three teams, ensuring the needs of all sides are met, and n the routes carefully!" "Yes!" Chen Sihui responded loudly as well. "Jiang Weining," Shen Hao finally said to the only person remaining, "you start researching the organizational structures that were frozen today immediately, striving to grasp as much intelligence as possible in the shortest time!" "Leave it to me." Jiang Weining stood up too. His Talent was Sealing, and although it was only White, it could be used inbat and in biological research. Being sent to Shen Hao''s side meant either their innate ability was outstanding, or, their Talent within the White category was exceptionally good! With this series of orders, everyone knew exactly what they had to do. Indeed, it feltpletely different. At the end, Shen Hao faced them, maintaining his Sovereign posture, his eyes gleaming with Starlight sweeping over each person. Then he spoke slowly but resolutely, "Finally, I leave you with these wordsif you feel lost or afraid, uncertain of the future, unsure what to do, just follow closely behind me, because I won''t be lost nor afraid!" The eyes of the crowd seemed to brighten more and more. In such a moment, some might wish to stand out themselves, but many more desperately hoped for a trustworthy person to stand before them! To bring them confidence! "Move out!" "Yes!" All dispersed, and Shen Hao paused on the spot for a while before also striding forward. In that moment, he seemed to grasp anotheryer of meaning of ''Sovereign.'' It was not only about controlling everything and punishing enemies, but also about giving those who followed him immense confidence and courage! "If you don''t know where to look, then look up at me!" Shen Hao whispered to himself, his steps not showing the slightest hint of hesitation. He had just one task for himself tonight. Earn points! Earn points efficiently! ... It was alreadyte at night, and the streets of Donghua City had fewer people than during the day, but there were still many living the nightlife. Most people were unaware of what was happening in the world, as if the loss of all the past stars had no impact on their lives whatsoever. But tonight was distinctly different. "Look! What is that?" At the entrance of a bar, a group of drunken people suddenly spotted the bright lights ahead, and when they realized what it was, each of them was taken aback. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Military vehicles! Genuine military vehicles! The alloy shell and the cold muzzle of the machine guns conveyed a chilling presence in an instant, as if they were in a war zone! "What''s going on in the middle of the night?" "Is there going to be a war?" "Even if there was a war, it wouldn''t reach us here, this isn''t the border." "Wait, are theying towards us?" "..." Thest remark left many people puzzled, but indeed, the convoy that looked quite spectacr within the city had split off, with seven or eight vehicles driving toward them. They stopped right in front of therge bar. Then, fully armed soldiers emerged, one after another, swiftly setting up a perimeter, encircling the entire bar. This scene, obviously, caused amotion, as men and women who had been enjoying themselves ran out in disbelief, eyes wide with fright at the spectacle. However, there were also quite a few daring ones, especially among those who had been drinking, who approached. "Officer, is there a fugitive hiding inside?" "We''ll cooperate, we''ll definitely cooperate." "Which military district are you from?" "Catching a fugitive, does it need such a big fuss?" "..." Seeing the crowd around her grow, Liu Ruoxi, who was sitting in the vehicle, pursed her lips. She opened the door and jumped down. Before the men and women, still flushed from the neon lights and wine, could be amazed by the stunning beauty with top looks and charisma, they saw her draw her handgun. "Bang, bang, bang, bang." She fired several shots into the sky without hesitation! In an instant, the entire ce was thrown into chaos. Many people who had originally crowded around started to retreat. "Everyone!" Liu Ruoxi''s gaze swept over the crowd, "Hands on your heads, squat down, get on the bus in turn! Not one can be left behind!" ording to the data, among them were seven or eight rtives of the Blood Demon students! In such a ce, it was highly likely that Blood Demons were hiding among them! Liu Ruoxi''s finger on the trigger of the gun tightened slightly. "Why should we?" a voice suddenly rose from the crowd, "We''re not criminals, why should we follow you?" "Right, in the middle of the night, who knows what could happen." "You don''t n to rebel, do you?" "I want to go home!" "Thedy is really beautiful; no wonder she''s such a young officer!" "Since when can soldiers aim their guns at civilians?" "Don''t be scared, everyone, how could they dare shoot us! The whole country would be in an uproar! Let''s just leave!" "..." It seemed as though certain words had taken effect, or perhaps someone had taken the lead, as the crowd gradually became more agitated, and the once-retreating line started to push and surge forward again. Chapter 22: Talent Swordsman

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Talent Swordsman

Liu Ruoxi knew that the person who had just spoken must have a Blood Demon! The most difficult part of dealing with Blood Demonsy precisely here. When mixed in a crowd, they were indistinguishable! Once the crowd was stirred up and surged, it was undoubtedly the worst scenario for them. Even without opening fire, a fight was inevitable. It was more likely that Blood Demons would take the chance to escape. However, Liu Ruoxi had already thought through the possible situations on her way there. She took a deep breath and stepped forward. ng! A razor-sharp Tang Sword responded to her motion, its de emitting a chilling glow. Liu Ruoxi swung the sword across a parked motorcycle nearby. Crash! The motorcycle''s tires, handlebar, and body were directly and smoothly cut through! Parts scattered all over the ce, and the smell of gasoline spread instantly. The crowd, who had been pushing forward, all froze in ce. After a moment, continuous cries of shock ensued. "Damn!" "Awesome!" "Chosen One?" "What kind of ability is this?" "My bike!" "..." Some people were already sensing something ominous. For most people at the moment, the Chosen One was a distant term because the probability was just too low. In Donghua City, there had only been one in the past month, a special-grade teacher over fifty years old, obviously not the person in front of them! Moreover, in most people''s perception, all Chosen Ones had already been recruited by the state, even being highly regarded and listened to by the government! Together with these military vehicles, these troops... Their appearance here tonight was no minor matter! Indeed, Liu Ruoxi coldly dered again, "There is a dangerous individual among you. Everyone must cooperate! Otherwise, you will be dealt with under the national emergency act!" By invoking the national act, coupled with the power of a Chosen One and such a heavily prepared setup, everyone finally squatted down and covered their heads in submission. In this country, most ordinary people still held a reverence for thew. Seeing this, Liu Ruoxi''s heart did not rx; it tensed up even more. It was even visibly tense. She wasn''t sure whether the Blood Demons lurking among them would obediently leave with them. Even the soldiers felt the same, each keeping a vignt watch from afar as the crowd boarded the vehicles one by one. The atmosphere was incredibly tense! One, two... The line seemed normal, but in an instant, blood erupted! It was unclear how these Blood Demonsmunicated, but at that very moment, seven or eight Blood Demons suddenly exploded, and in an instant, blood transformed into spikes stabbing toward everyone nearby. Screams erupted continuously. Everyone waspletely stunned by this sudden turn of events. It wasn''t until the soldiers, armed with point-based weapons, started firing that the heart-wrenching screams rose and fell, and the crowd scattered in utter terror. "Mommy!" "Monster!" "Help! Help!" "..." The scene became incredibly chaotic! Watching the countless terrified and distorted crowds; the people who suffered heavy blows and cried out loudly; the incredibly fierce monsters filled with blood. Even though Liu Ruoxi had anticipated such a scene, she still felt cold all over and trembled slightly. In the past twenty years, she had always been a very proud person. From a powerful family, with excellent education, and top-notch looks and temperament, she was always different from others, nevercking attention or courtesies. It was even to the extent that it annoyed her, forcing her to keep a cold expression. But now, standing here, when all the past things she had, including the so-called beauty, had lost their function and meaning, she realized. Her heart was not so different from those of ordinary people. When the battle erupted, fear and tension nearly devoured her whole! "Just a White Talent won''t do." "Relying on them is enough, with points weapons." "There''s nothing wrong with retreating now, can always go home." "Only half a month of sword training, what good will it do?" "..." Liu Ruoxi''s legs trembled; her heart wanted to escape, but she was rooted to the spot. It seemed something was preventing her. Pride? Or the punishment the team leader mentioned? "Be careful!" Suddenly, a loud shout came from beside her, and Liu Ruoxi''s eyes widened as she saw a Blood Demon forcibly tear through its half-frozen body, dragging its mangled form as it charged at her while roaring. In that instant, time seemed to stand still. Liu Ruoxi''s mind went nk, thinking of nothing, but her hand instinctively swung the long sword. Talent Swordsman! The de entered the body without resistance, slicing like it was cutting through a lump of soft solidifiedrd. By the time she snapped out of it, the Blood Demon had been split in half by her, but the remaining quarter of its body was still iling bloody tendrils, struggling to attack her. But Liu Ruoxi''s second de was alreadying down. It struck precisely at the neck. Not until the Blood Qi surged from the monster''s body, rapidly desating, did Liu Ruoxi feel a series of sharp pains on her face. She touched it with her hand, the pain apanied by fresh blood. N?v(el)B\\jnn "..." Liu Ruoxi suddenly started tough silently. Even with a long gash across her face, her smile still carried an indescribable beauty. She flicked the blood off her sword and charged forward boldly. Yes, she had understood. Though her face was worthless to the Blood Demon, in this battle, everything from her past was just as useless. Fortunately, she still possessed two things. The long sword in her hand, and her pride! Truly oveing her fear with the first strike, she realized that these seemingly fierce and terrifying monsters, which brought her great fear, weren''t so daunting after all. "The ones who should be afraid are you," Liu Ruoxi left everything to her instincts, to her Talent. The team leader was right. They were the Hunters! The prey exposed before the Hunter has only one oue! Death! ... "Really? Liu Ruoxi found her groove? She killed four or five by herself?" Shen Hao, hearing the voice through his earpiece, couldn''t help but smile, "Her kind of Talent, and my sister''s Talent belong to the same category, both are truebat ss Talents, made for battle, unlike your in Superpower." "Indeed." Dong Gong obviously felt the same, "I was most worried about her and Song Cheng on that front, but it seems she shouldn''t have any issues now." "No need to worry about Song Cheng either," Shen Hao said calmly, "To grow from a bullied chubby kid to one of the world''s top programmers, a fierce resolve must lie within him, and his Talent is long-range type, probably has an easier time than Liu Ruoxi." Chapter 23: Breaking Through the Intelligence Defense!

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Breaking Through the Intelligence Defense!

Shen Hao threw these few people, who possibly have never even fought, directly onto the battlefield against the blood demons, clearly had his own ideas and confidence. These people were all very outstanding in the first ce. On the other hand, at the current stage, the blood demons seemed not that strong, and with well-trained soldiers by their side, it undoubtedly was a good opportunity to get familiar with battle. Put simply, matters such as battles and killings could only contribute to rapid growth when one truly engaged in them. "I was too worried," Dong Gongughed. "I understand that these people were all carefully selected for me; since they are here with me, following my orders, I will naturally take responsibility for them," Shen Hao walked up the stairs, "Okay, I also need to hurry, notify me in a timely manner if there''s any situation." At this moment, he had arrived at the door of a residence, where a soldier was about to use a tool to pick the lock. Shen Hao raised his hand and with a click, the door swung open. Using his telekinesis to simte a key was simply effortless now. Probably because the noise made by the door was unabashed, a cautious voice came from the room. "Who?" Then, the sound of getting out of bed followed, and a man in pajamas quickly came out and turned on the light. Upon seeing a group of fully armed soldiers standing at the door, he was clearly startled. "Who are you?" Their expressions, postures, even the trembling in their voices when they spoke, were all beyond reproach. "Honey? What''s going on?" Another woman in pajamas came out behind him, and upon seeing the scene, she too screamed suddenly. The soldiers around Shen Hao couldn''t help but turn to look at him. No matter how you looked at it, these two didn''t seem like blood demons. However, Shen Hao''s face was cold. Without saying a word, stars red in his eyes, and his suppression surged forward like a tide. With two thuds. The couple directly knelt down, their faces showing ferocity and terror, and blood rapidly emerged from their bodies! Yes, these two were blood demons. They were family members of a blood demon student that had been recorded during the day. "In my presence, don''t try to disguise yourselves," Shen Hao said indifferently, "It''s disgusting." Boom! The suppression at that moment almost materialized, the expressions of the two blood demons changed instantly, each one crawled on the ground, shivering. 412 points were credited. Indeed, controlling the blood demons and making them submit was worth two hundred points each! And just then, Shen Hao suddenly felt a premonition. For, a new notification sound followed. [Total points rued have reached ten thousand, store level ''white'' Level 2 activated] "A higher-level store opened?" Shen Hao hadn''t expected that the store level would be determined by the total number of points rued. It was also quite logical. As the Chosen One''s sole current channel for gaining power, it couldn''t always be stuck at the lowest level. So, how would the quality be enhanced? Shen Hao''s nce lingered on the word "white" briefly, not choosing to check it immediately; instead, his gaze shifted back to the room. "In my presence, don''t hide anymore either." The suppression pierced through the walls directly, and from inside came the sound of wailing. Yes, there was another one inside! A little girl, no more than six or seven years old, had also transformed into a blood demon. The soldiers around Shen Hao were not facing a blood demon for the first time, but even so, they were still grinding their teeth with a crunching sound. Species warfare is just like that, absolutely devoid of mercy! But at this moment, Shen Hao raised an eyebrow. Not killed remotely by the Matrix? The Blood Demons that he had controlled during the day, all of them were remotely killed by the Matrix rapidly, leaving him no chance to interrogate them. At this moment, Shen Hao didn''t think further. Since these few weren''t killed, he directly asked for intelligence, "How do you parasite others?" "The parasitic process of First Generation Bodies requires the parasite to inject or ingest therva... but they can''t resist too violently, otherwise, otherwise it may fail." These Blood Demons trembled fiercely, not daring to lift their heads, their voices filled with despair and fear. Only by facing the Suppression of this being could oneprehend what a formidable existence it was. In this civilization with such beings, their entire species'' future seemed dim. "Record this," Shen Hao turned to someone beside him and continued to inquire, "Where are you from?" "Homnd... don''t remember, butah!" The Blood Demon suddenly screamed, its blood rapidly boiling, and within just a few breaths, they turned into mummified corpses. Clearly, the Matrix had acted. For the Blood Demon, there was still much that was unknown. Even an ordinary Blood Demon could provide quite a bit of valuable intel. Sin it controlled the life and death of the Blood Demons, any that surrendered to Shen Hao''s control were inevitably shown no mercy. However "Not killing immediately means that the Matrix can''t ascertain the situation of every Blood Demon instantly," Shen Hao narrowed his eyes and immediately turned, "Let''s see who''s faster, it or me!" On to the next one! Shen Hao hade to earn points tonight, and from the day alone, there were several hundred Blood Demons yet to be dealt with! After speeding up, his actions became more decisive and efficient. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Unlocking, exerting Suppression, all done in one swift movement, even perfectly controlling the strength to ensure the Blood Demons knelt without much struggle, sumbing to the fear of the Sovereign. Then he would swiftly interrogate. Though the Matrix''s responses were also fast, there was always a chance for Shen Hao to extract some information. Just after a short period of one or two hours, the information recorded and transmitted by Shen Hao had already garnered serious attention. Many who had been in meetings all day and had just gone to bed were now getting up again to watch the live broadcast from Shen Hao''s first-person view! "How many Matrices does your species have?" "Don''t, don''t knowah!" "Next, go!" "..." "Is there only one Matrix in Donghua City" "Yesah!" "Go!" "...." "What do you rely on to be stronger?" "Consuming bloodah!" "Next!" "..." On this particr night, whether it was the side of the Blood Demons or the humans, probably neither had anticipated that Shen Hao could leverage such techniques to forcefully rip a gap in what should have been an impregnable line of intelligence defense of the Blood Demons, digging out so much crucial intelligence! It could even be said that the human understanding of the Blood Demons had elevated by more than just one level! This scene had a considerable impact, both for humans and for the Blood Demons. Especially on the side of humans. When some people watched through the camera lens, observing Shen Hao easily unlocking door after door, his starglint-filled gaze sweeping over, and one Blood Demon after another just falling prostrate on the ground, trembling and struggling, they could even feel the helplessness and despair of these Blood Demons. Chapter 24: The Numerous Achievements of the Living!

Chapter 24: Chapter 24: The Numerous Achievements of the Living!

Having watched it numerous times, he even started to feel like the Blood Demons were nothing special, the young man was the real monster. Even knowing that Shen Hao was an exception. But he was indeed powerful! Domineeringly powerful! Even among the Blood Demons, some clearly had significantly stronger powers and initially could resist fiercely, but in front of Shen Hao, they too quickly kneeled! Until the distant horizon began to show a faint light, someone carefully counted and found that Shen Hao alone had eliminated over six hundred Blood Demons in one night! He visited over two hundred ces! Efficient! Precise! If it weren''t for the time spent on interrogations, he could have been even faster! Even at the current high-level meeting, everyone was numb. It wasn''t until a long whileter that someone, looking at the data summarized from the night, rubbed their sore nose and eyes and said in an undeniable tone, "If I were a Blood Demon, I would spare no expense to kill Shen Hao!" This statement clearly resonated with many people. "Exactly, we must protect him well." "Is the Purple Talent really that powerful? Could it possibly be Gold?" "I think there''s no need to worry too much about safety... With his efficiency, the number of points he gains will be terrifying." "We can''t be careless, his talent is powerful but not impregnable." "Yes, that''s also here. If it were abroad, he would definitely encounter arge-scale armed Blood Demon force tonight!" "..." At this point in the meeting, everyone was not stingy in showing great concern for Shen Hao. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om On one hand, they were indeed amazed at his powerful performance. On the other hand, in this special period, Blood Demons are the most important and most terrifying enemy humanity has to face. There were indeed concerns about the immense powers and control over beings demonstrated by Shen Hao, but at this moment, it simply couldn''t be voiced because any doubts or usations might lead to suspicions of "being parasitized". It wasn''t just here; the same was true in several known major countries. In situations where it was impossible topletely rule out suspicions of parasitism, fighting the Blood Demons at all costs was the best way to prove one''s innocence. Even if there really were Blood Demons disguised among them, as long as nothing suspicious could be detected in their fight against Blood Demons, prolonging their disguise wouldn''t easily bring much destruction. It''s not like no one had suggested that Shen Hao be examined. But the front lines couldn''t do without him, and moreover, one person''s power is ultimately limited, Shen Hao couldn''t be watching everyone at all times, his check could only ensure that he wasn''t parasitized before, but couldn''t guarantee that he wouldn''t be afterward. Better to wait until a suspect emerges and then hand them over to Shen Hao. With such an almost cheat-like scrutiny mechanism, if well used, his mere existence could bring a significant disadvantage to the "Werewolves" in this game of "Werewolf"! "Alright," a voice brought the meeting back to the main agenda, "Shen Hao''s ability and contributions indeed allow us to breathe a sigh of relief, but facing this unprecedented enemy in an unprecedented war, we cannot be negligent! Otherwise, we would be the historical criminals of our entire nation, even of the entire Human Civilization! Now, moving on to the third agenda item of the meeting, publicizing the existence of Blood Demons to all people." They had already discussed this issue yesterday. The biggest challenge was in not causing chaos. The mere existence of the Blood Demons, for humans, is a huge shock; it makes people feel danger is everywhere, that there are no absolutely trustworthy friends, rtives, orrades. This fear and caution are indescribable. Abroad is the best example at this moment. Just on the very first night that the news spread, chaos intensified. There were even arge number of wrongful killings. "These idental killings are truly a human tragedy!" That''s why they also found them extremely thorny. However, that night, Shen Hao undoubtedly brought a huge surprise. It wasn''t his power, but the piece of intelligenceid out in front of them! Fear, more often than not, stems from the unknown. The more one understands, the easier it is to eliminate fear and to prepare for it. "At a time like this, just this piece of intelligence is enough to etch Shen Hao''s achievements into the annals of human history forever, saying it saved countless lives is no exaggeration," someone remarked emotionally. It quickly resonated with many people. "The significance of this intelligence at this moment is indeed tremendous." "We could also benefit from it." "Exactly, though it''s a crisis, it''s also an opportunity!" "Having Shen Hao appear is indeed our luck." "Get ready." "..." At this point, Shen Hao had finished the difficult night and had returned to the base at Donghua Middle School. Many people had already gathered here. Temporary tents were erected on the yground, and many injured people were receiving treatment in the tents, but even more people sat elsewhere, maintaining a certain distance from each other, wary and frightened as they watched everyone around them. Clearly, the events of thest night had brought them tremendous shock. The friends and family beside them could actually be Monsters! They themselves were under suspicion of being Monsters! If it weren''t for the military and the guns aimed at them, not to mention the presence of more than one Chosen One, they would probably already be thinking about fleeing this ce. But without being able to prove they were not Blood Demons, they would never be allowed to leave. Fortunately, the officers were constantly soothing them, promising that they only needed to wait one more hour. This hour was naturally the time waiting for Shen Hao to return. Upon his return, the first thing he saw was several Chosen Ones in front of him. They seemed to have just returned recently as well, and their appearances were far from good. Covered in dust, their clothes stained with fresh blood, and many areas bandaged. Yet, their demeanors had clearly changed. Especially the three, including Cheng Youqing. When he had seen them the night before, they still possessed the distinct air of urban people, but now, each of them was significantly moreposed, rapidly transforming into warriors. Shen Hao''s gaze swept over them one by one, finally resting on Liu Ruoxi''s face. Half of her face was bandaged, and though the exposed half was still beautiful, the whole personcked a bit of her previous allure. At that moment, looking at Shen Hao with one eye, it was as if she was expecting something, her gaze almost naive. "You''ve performed very well," Shen Hao didn''t let her down and praised her. Lifting his hand, he tossed her a bottle of medicine, "Take this, it''s much better than what''s in the Level 1 store; it won''t leave a scar." Liu Ruoxi caught it, surprised by the level disyed on the Chosen One panel. "White Level 3?" Chapter 25: The Chosen One鈥檚 Upgrade

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: The Chosen One''s Upgrade

This cry of startled yelp, made the others look over all at once. White Level 3? Last night, they all had obtained quite a few points, among them Cheng Youqing, who had gone on a rampage, even amassed over four thousand points, naturally opening the Point Mall. But that was only White Level 1. It had only been one night, and here this person had even unlocked the White Level 3 Mall? Or was it actually a drop? "Cheng Youqing, take this to heal yourself." Shen Hao then threw another Healing Potion to Cheng Youqing. Among these three neers, it was Cheng Youqing who had sustained the most severe injuries. His Talent was "Enhancement," although it was white, it had a wide range of applications. Body, items, both could be enhanced. In theory, both ranged and melee could work, but Cheng Youqing had chosen thetter, having sustained several prating wounds in one nightif it hadn''t been for the White Level 1 Healing Potion he purchased, he might not have been able to stand here at all. It could only be said, truly, he was among the world''s top extreme athletes, this kind of madness>enjoying the rush of adrenaline, was just as relentless inbat. "It''s really White Level 3." Cheng Youqing also looked at the medicine in his hand, his face full of astonishment. He had experienced the White Level 1 healing medicinest night and was already surprised. Now seeing this White Level 3, it felt extraordinarily precious. "Boss" Song Cheng swallowed his saliva, curiously asking, "How many points did you getst night?" "Not many." Shen Hao nced at his interface, "Just a hundred and thirty thousand." "Gasp!" Everyone breathed in sharply, even Dong Gong, who knew of Shen Hao''s achievements was stunned momentarily. "Controlling Blood Demon grants more points than directly killing them," Shen Hao was not stingy with this information. "However, it''s hard to achieve, I just took advantage of my Talent, besides, a total of ten thousand points can unlock White Level 2 Mall, a hundred thousand unlock White Level 3." N?v(el)B\\jnn "That''s incredible! This is just too strong!" Song Cheng excitedly looked at Shen Hao. They already knew Purple Talents were strong, but this was far beyond expectations! Almost not on the same level. And after the shock, joy began to bloom in their hearts. Had it not been for the Blood Demon, jealousy might have been the dominant emotion, but in a battlefield that endangers the entire humanity, they could only wish their team leader to grow stronger! "Also, controlling Blood Demon increases the chances of rewards dropping," Shen Hao, since he started on this information, decided to continue, "My rate is about one in eight, while your drop rate for killing enemies is about one in fifteen, nearly half as much, furthermore, the ratio of Ability Balls to items is roughly one to two, and most items are White Level 1, only a few stronger Blood Demons can drop White Level 2, Cheng Youqing has experienced this." The crowd turned to look at Cheng Youqing. "Indeed, my main injuries were from a clearly stronger Blood Demon," Cheng Youqing nodded and with a flip of his hand, a sapphire blue crystal the size of a fingertip appeared in his hand, "Spirit Crystal, White Level 2, can enhance spiritual power, but I don''t know how to use it." "Just wear it close to your body." Shen Hao continued saying, "Speaking of abilities, abilities also have levels, we can each only choose three for now, but an important aspect the same ability can be stacked to upgrade." "Stacked upgrade?" This information energized everyone. Especially Yang Jun and his twopanions. They had previously received abilities from Shen Hao''s hands, thinking them quite precious, yetter determined that the drop rate wasn''t low, which was a bit disappointing. Perhaps better abilities weren''t hard to acquire, wasting an ability slot. But now, it seemed there was still the possibility of upgrading? "If you get a duplicate Ability Ball, it will disy this information." Shen Hao directly threw a white Ability Ball to Yang Jun, "This is another ''Vulnerability Strike,'' try it and you''ll see." "It really works!" Yang Jun, upon receiving it, immediately revealed a joyful expression, saw Shen Hao nod, and absorbed it directly. The Ability Ball turned into a point of light and merged into his body. A momentter, with joy, he said, "It''s really absorbed, I can feel the ability bing somewhat stronger." Not just him, others who had fought with Blood Demons had also received some Ability Balls, but none dared to use them since they could only have three ability slots, and the balls they received were all White Level 1. Yet if they could be upgraded, that was undoubtedly good news! Only by facing battle could one understand the importance of strength. No Chosen One isn''t eager to be more powerful! "If that''s the case, the trade channel between Chosen Ones bes very important," Dong Gong pondered, opening his mouth, "After all, the drop of Ability Balls is random, the chances of it dropping an ability one needs wouldn''t likely be high." "Exactly." Shen Hao nodded lightly, "And it''s not just this aspect, if you want to buy more advanced items to enhance your strength more efficiently, it''s undoubtedly a better choice to pool points onto one person, but that requires Chosen Ones to trust each other... Digging deeper, this rule itself is promoting stronger cooperation among Chosen Ones." Currently, only Shen Hao knew the true nature of the Civilization Trial, so he could quite understand these rules. After all, the entity undergoing the Trials is civilization, not individual Chosen Ones. Even if as powerful as him, he also umted a lot of loot he couldn''t use himself; giving them to others could also bring some points back via shared rules. Yes, not just equipment, whenever others used the Ability Balls from him inbat, he would gain some points. Last night, he received 54 points from Yang Jun. Though it was little, they added up to more. If two people traded, perhaps they could both benefit. In fact, Shen Hao was already guessing whether the principle of Civilization Trial''s allocation rules might be "causality". Allocating the death of the Blood Demon, the "effect," to each participant, the "cause". Currently, it seemed likely. However, this was just a spection, and Shen Hao hadn''t revealed it; he turned to Dong Gong and instructed, "Dong Gong, find some time to write up a trade tform proposal for Chosen Ones and our internal reward and punishment n for me to see." At these words, everyone realized something and couldn''t hide their joy. Song Cheng''s face even turned red, he clenched his fists, excited almost to the point of shouting out loud how awesome the boss was. Chapter 26: The Center of the Event!

Chapter 26: Chapter 26: The Center of the Event!

It''s no wonder they''re all like this. ording to the rules we know so far, the Chosen Ones working together undoubtedly have a much better shot than going at it alone! It''s like clinging to a strong thigh! And in the whole world, is there a thicker thigh than the one belonging to our team leader in front of us? One hundred and thirty thousand points in one night! At least seventy or eighty drops! Not to mention his own strength, just the efficiency alone, how much Equipment, how many ability balls, how many Treasures?! They''ve all realized what a precious opportunity it is to be able to follow Shen Hao so early! Even starting with just the White Talent, they can quickly widen the Distance between themselves and the other Chosen Ones! It''s impossible not to get excited! In the face of crisis, there''s no one who doesn''t want more power! Evensome, at this moment, are thinking even further. Like Dong Gong. He''s also excited, joyful, and as he looks at the Chosen Ones beside him gazing at Shen Hao, he''s deeply aware of the prestige Shen Hao has umted in just one day within this new group. And not just within this small group. Power and wealthbined are authority, and if one person holds both, that''s real strength in a civilization! Unless a second Chosen One appears who canpete with him on both fronts, his status and influence are truly unparalleled! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I''ll write when I''m free!" A smart person like Dong Gong naturally understands what a precious opportunity it is for an individual to be with Shen Hao! The sense of importance soars even further! "Good!" Shen Hao nodded, and stepping forward, he said, "Let''s go and see the people you''ve brought back." In reality, when he looked at the many points and drops yesterday, he had some thoughts. This efficiency cannot be considered as his alone. Such efficient scoring also depends on the group''s efforts. Assigning personnel, delineating routes, ensuring transportation, dispersing the idlers... Many people behind the scenes provided a series of support. Moreover, with the current rules for the Chosen Ones, he alone could never use up this number of points. In the White Level 3 Store, the highest-priced items cost just over eight thousand points and include a type of "Barrier;" moreover, the best resources for enhancing strength cost just one or two thousand points. He is currently wearing two Level 3 White Spirit Crystals and has swallowed three "Body Tempering Pills" to increase his Constitution. He''s only used up just over six thousand seven hundred points in total. It''s pointless to use any more before assimting them. Unless he upgrades the Store quickly to utilize better resources. The excess points can then go towards the "Legion" route. On one hand, increasing the strength of civilization to better face the Civilization Trials and on the other hand, also carving out more channels for himself to gain points. The Store Level is determined by the "total points gained"! "After all, points can''t be used directly for leveling up or building up personal strength," Shen Hao sighed somewhat unsatisfied in his heart. He nced at his own panel at that moment. [Constitution: 12] [Spirit: 15] [Transcendent: 8] Because of his Talent, he has a strong grasp over his own abilities, so he''s more aware of his own changes; each increase in these three values is approximately a 1.2 times enhancement. ``` His abilities had all improved more than twofold since he first became a Chosen One! Moreover, when he continuously used his Talent at night, the speed of his strength improvement was even faster. "Gaining abilities, using resources, and exercising should be the current way for Chosen Ones to enhance their strength," Shen Hao concluded in his heart. Just then, their group had also arrived at the yground. Since they had only taken care of a circle of key suspectsst night, the number of people actually brought back wasn''t too high, roughly around seven to eight thousand. But at this moment, there were some growing disturbances in the za. It wasn''t due to Shen Hao''s arrival but because of changes on the inte. As day broke and the number of online users increased, more and more news from abroad started to wildly spread on the inte. On various social media tforms, countless people were frantically posting messages. "Fuck, I wake up, and the entire foreign scene''s in chaos!" "Everyone be careful of every person around you! There are monsters!" "Real-life Werewolf game?!" "I have a video, if you want resources, add me." "Chosen Ones and monsters! How did the world turn out like this, how are we ordinary people supposed to live?!" "A word of advice to everyone, hurry up and buy food and daily necessities, then hide by yourself, don''t be with anyone!" "I can''t trust anyone anymore!" "If there are monsters among us here, spare my life please!" "I am a monster, tip me fifty, and my brothers will spare you." "..." Clearly, even though the mainstream media was still silent, they could no longer control the spread of information with inte censorship. Even though many people still thought it was merely a joke, a farce, or even a publicity stunt for some movie, as the number of circted messages increased, especially after the spread of that initial video, more and more people started believing it and fell into a state of panic. And the people in front of Shen Hao were, without a doubt, the most seriously affected! Most people had only heard the news, but they had witnessed the existence of monsters with their own eyes! "A small town of eight thousand people! All monsters?" "How many are around us?" "Don''te over here, everyone stay the hell away! Don''t me me for being rude if youe close!" "I want to leave, let us go!" "These soldiers have already turned into monsters, don''t trust them!" "Let''s break out!" "..." The unrest was expanding non-stop, and fear was also spreading rapidly among the crowd. Moreover, quite a few people took out their phones and started live streaming. There were too many for the streams to bepletely blocked, which drew even more online attention to the scene. The hashtag #MonstersInDonghuaCity# rapidly climbed the trending lists in a short amount of time. This seemed to give a huge outlet to the surging traffic, as countless people focused their attention here. In just a short while, the situation had developed beyond expectation. "What''s the word from above?" Shen Hao asked, turning his head towards Dong Gong. "They''re preparing to go public now, and they''re making preparations," Dong Gong was also closely monitoring changes in inte opinion, "But given the current situation, our location might be the center of the event." "After all, this is where the Blood Demon was first discovered and likewise the first official battlefield against the Blood Demon," Shen Hao had anticipated this kind of scenario. Other ces probably hadn''t even finished assembling their Chosen One teams yet. And they had already achieved significant results in the first battle. From this perspective, they were indeed at the forefront of the nation. ``` Chapter 27: (Extra Release for More Follows!) Savior!

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: (Extra Release for More Follows!) Savior!

One can only say that the outbreak abroad was indeed somewhat unexpected. Even though it was bound to happen sooner orter, it coincided with the discovery of Blood Demons within the country, and the outbreak was too violent all at once. Many things were toote to prepare for. If it weren''t for the "Star Jump" incident putting the country in a state of emergency, it would have taken more than a day just to get the troops ready. However, things hade to this point, and all they could do was try their best to deal with this unprecedented crisis in human history. Shen Hao was ready to discern just how many Blood Demons there were among these people. Just then, Dong Gong suddenly received a message and asked aloud, "Team leader, the higher-ups have asked me to consult your opiniondo you wish to stay behind the scenes, or are you willing to step into the public eye?" Shen Hao was taken aback. In an instant, he understood the meaning of the question. To stay behind the scenes, concealed identity, means greater safety, not bing a target of all, whereas stepping forward, into the public eye, one needs to face all the dangers head-on, which mighte from Blood Demons, or even, possibly from humans themselves. "It''s essentially a choice between a backstage guardian and a front-stage hero," Dong Gong continued, "There''s disagreement among the higher-ups as well; some believe that people need a hero, they need confidence, while others believe that your safety is of utmost importance, that too much attention could lead to unnecessary trouble. However, the final decision still lies in your hands." As he said this, he was also observing Shen Hao''s expression. But, he could discern nothing at all. This left him unsure how Shen Hao would choose, as it seemed either option was possible. And at this point, Shen Hao spoke up. He said softly, "The Talent I''ve received doesn''t actually help me eliminate fear, anxiety, or unease. Like you, I worry about the safety of my family, the fate of civilization, the uncertainty of my own future." Even though he spoke quietly, those Chosen Ones standing beside Shen Hao could hear him clearly. They turned their heads to look at their team leader who was immensely powerful from the start and on whom many people pinned their hopes. "Howeverthis Talent helps me control these emotions!" Shen Hao''s tone suddenly changed, bing more resolute, more powerful, "It allows me to understand clearly what I''m doing and what I''m after. So, just as I''ve said before, you can always trust me because I will never be lost, falter, or fear, nor will I be knocked down by any danger or despair!" Indeed, the Sovereign Talent gave Shen Hao more than just power. More importantly, it gave him will. He knew what he wanted, he had emotions but was not controlled by them; he was able to face everything firmly without the slightest wavering. Even without emanating the Dominator Pressure at this moment, these words alone were enough to touch the hearts of the group of Chosen Ones around him. This quality was especially important and precious in times of great crisis and war. Because they themselves could not do it. So the one who could do it stood directly in front of everyone, inspiring admiration. "A backstage guardian, a front-stage hero, neither of these choices is what I want," Shen Hao walked towards the crowd that was in a state of panic and unrest. He left only onest sentence for the few behind him. "What I want to be is the ''Savior''!" Yes, this was what Shen Hao had understood the moment he obtained the Talent of the Sovereign. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om All that he cared about was in this civilization, this world. To ensure that this civilization did not follow in the footsteps of those great civilizations that had fallen and perished in the face of the Civilization Trial, there was only one choice Savior! As long as it could save the world, guardian or hero? Either would do! Even if he was a demon, a Sovereign, or a Demon God, Shen Hao would still do it. If the Civilization Trial was truly endless, then he would keep winning endlessly! "Silence!" Shen Hao''s voice, amplified by telekinesis, boomed across the za like thunder. The crowd in the midst of the disturbance fell suddenly silent. Clearly taken aback. And when they turned to look toward the source of the voice, they couldn''t tear their eyes away. Because a man, a man whose eyes shone with the light of stars, stood on the tform emanating an awe-inspiring presence, naturallymandeering everyone''s attention. At this moment, Shen Hao had not fully unleashed his pressure, because what he wanted was not submission. He merely maintained a degree that made people watch and revere, but not enough to induce fear, as he gazed at everyone and said firmly, "Indeed, a monster has mingled among us, but there''s no need to panic. We are not the prey of monsters, but the other way around!" At this moment, many eyes and even cameras were trained on him. Whether it was the starlight in his eyes or the indescribable power he held, it confirmed his identity. The Chosen One! "But people have died! Many have died!" a voice suddenly shouted, "If the monster is really that weak, why have so many died? What else are you hiding from us!?" This statement seemed to stir up the sentiments of many once again, as some had witnessed the monster rampaging through crowds the night before. They even saw friends fall before them. But just as the disturbance looked to start up again. Swish! A chilling streak of light shed before everyone''s eyes; the person who had spoken clutched his throat, an expression of disbelief on his face, as blood spurted from the edges unceasingly. Suddenly, the crowd screamed loudly, and countless people retreated in horror. "Look carefully." Shen Hao''s voice exploded once again, this time with an additionalyer of dominance, irrationally suppressing the disturbance and making his voice crystal clear to every listener: "This is the Blood Demon; the enemy we face in this war. They dare only skulk among us just as you saw earlier, because they knowexposure means death!" The Blood Demon that nowy dead on the ground was having its blood rapidly evaporate, its entire body quickly withering. Those who had seen something the previous night, even if still fearful, couldn''t help but shout: "It''s really a monster!" "That''s what those monsters from yesterday looked like when they died!" "Damn, nearly got fooled!" "Can''t tell at all!" "..." As more and more people saw the mummified corpse and more voices joined in, and countless cameras pointed at the dry corpse, many faces whitened with fear, yet they found somefort. Because the one who died was truly a monster. And online, there was an uproar. Even Dong Gong and others did not expect that Shen Hao would take such a direct and brutal approach in front of the masses. However, looking at that awe-inspiring figure who seemed capable of dominating everything just by being there, they had to admit. For him, it should indeed be that simple! That brutal! Chapter 28: People Want Confidence ``` n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Indeed, as soon as Shen Hao stepped onto the scene, he was ready to use Dominator pressure to take control of the situation. Talking reason to a group of people gripped by fear and anxiety was pointless. When in a state of panic, humans might not even be able to maintain the most basic rationality, let alone listen calmly to an analysis. There was also the hidden Blood Demon, continuously stirring up emotions, heightening the anxiety. Even the mood on the inte was rapidly expanding and spreading into reality. It could be said that apart from Shen Hao, if it were anyone else, maintaining order in this situation would have been very difficult. But this Talent "Sovereign" was not just about dominating ones own power and emotionsit was about dominating others too! In the face of Dominator pressure, even though many people on-site were still consumed by fear, panic, and even skepticism, they no longer dared to speak up at will. Instead, they were trying hard to convince themselves to believe Shen Haos words, to believe what was happening in front of them. Only this could help them break free from the panic and achieve a greater sense of safety. Of course, this was just the reality. The inte at this moment hadpletely exploded! There were several dozen people livestreaming on-site, and each of their streams was filled with dense bulletments, where countless people were venting their emotions. "How can he dare to?!" "Isnt he afraid of making a mistake?" "God! Killing on the spot, and its being streamed?" "Are you stupid, he killed a Monster!" "Who is this Chosen One? He looks so powerful." "He must have a way to tell apart the Monsters!" "Kill! Our safety lies in killing them all!" "Shouldnt there be an investigation to confirm first, before killing?" "Terrifying, the person who spoke actually turned out to be a Monster! And I was thinking he was making sense." "Last night in Donghua City at least a few hundred Monsters were killed, and the sound of gunfire never stopped all night!" "..." Put simply, at this moment, Shen Haos actions were like tossing a me into a densely packed ocean of dry leaves. In an instant, the whole inte was aze. All sorts of voices emerged. It wasnt just the live streaming bulletments; rted information had swiftly appeared on the hot search lists of major tforms and was rapidly trending. #DonghuaCityMonsterKillLive# #ChosenOneSaysMonstersAreJustPrey# #ChosenOneShowsNoMercy# #ConfirmedMonstersAreAmongUs# #...# From the moment Shen Hao took action to when the Monsters identity was revealed, it was barely ten minutes. In that short time, every hot topic on virtually all tforms of the inte was focused on this single incident. This influence, this level of attention was unprecedented in the history of the inte. The news had even spread overseas. At this moment, more and more foreigners were crowding in, eager to see what was happening here and how people were dealing with it all. Of course, at this moment, Shen Hao wasnt concerned with the reactions on the inte; he couldnt see them. ``` Even though he had anticipated a sensation, there was no disturbance. He simply maintained his suppression, quietly observing as the thousands below gradually quieted down and refocused their attention on him. Only then did he slowly begin to speak, continuing, "I can understand everyones fear, I too am afraid that my family and friends may be reced by monsters silently, but remember, it is our fear that these monsters desire. They hide among us, stirring chaos, greedily longing to devour our civilization bit by bit. Only order can make them nowhere to hide, and only by fighting can we eradicate everyst one of them!" These words were not some remarkable insight, on the contrary, they were what every rational person should understand. But at a time like this, the significance of these words wasnt in their content, but in whether they could be etched in every persons memory. With the Sovereigns suppression, Shen Hao could make everyone listen quietly to his speech and even suppress most peoples courage to speak out, but he might not be able to engrave these words deep in everyones heart. "But we are not Chosen Ones like you," finally, someone mustered the courage to speak. "Weck the power to resist those monsters." These words seemed to speak for many peoples hearts suddenly. Suddenly, more and more simrments appeared online. "Thats right, were not Chosen Ones." "You have the power; of course, you can talk so easily." "How few Chosen Ones are there!" "Perhaps monsters are prey before the Chosen Ones, but we ordinary people are also prey before monsters!" "To rece so many people silently, these monsters definitely have the ability to annihte our entire civilization!" "We dont even know how many people have died." "..." Though Shen Hao was not aware of the voices on the inte, by looking into the eyes of the people below, and seeing the lingering shock and anxiety on their faces, he knew they stillcked confidence and were filled with fear towards the Blood Demons. Dominator pressure could simply and brutally suppress chaos and fear. But to offer confidence, what was needed was power! Power that could be seen, understood, and trusted! "The warriors before you, these soldiers, they are not Chosen Ones!" Shen Haos voice rose, spreading across the empty field, "But they dare to face the monsters, to hunt and kill the monsters! Even if it costs them their lives! This is what you all witnessedst night." The person who had spoken was suddenly stunned. His fear was precisely because he had witnessed the battle. He had seen the terror of the Blood Demon. But indeed, he had also surely seen the soldiers fight. "Yesterday at noon, we had just discovered the presence of the monsters, but in just one night, we located and eradicated nearly eight hundred of them!" Shen Hao did not pause, his voice even more forceful as he continued, "Twelve heroes sacrificed themselves in battle, and another fifty-seven were wounded. Tell me, do theyck power? In the presence of monsters, are they prey, or are they hunters?" There was no reply. The person who had asked the question earlier now shamefully lowered his head. Indeed, he, who was saved by these soldiers, had no right whatsoever to call them prey. Even on the inte, the originally dense barrage of messages momentarily paused. Some were shocked by the soldiers sacrifice, while others were stunned by this astonishing military achievement. A casualty ratio of twelve to eight hundred? Even the most ordinary person could understand what this ratio signified. It was a one-sided victory! A victory for humanity in the face of monsters! Chapter 29: Then Give Them Confidence! The inte was in a frenzy once more, following a brief pause. "Amazing!" "From this view, the monsters are nothing!" "They should include the Chosen Ones achievements in this as well." "Thats still amazing!" "Impossible! How could the Northern Alliance have suffered such heavy losses!" "Laughable, the monsters over there have several guns each, can you evenpare?" "Salute to the hero!" "Kill! Wipe out these disgusting monsters!" "..." Clearly, suchbat results, this ratio of losses, just by being announced, could itself be a powerful stimnt for those feeling threatened by the existence of monsters! It also validated Shen Haos words. It wasnt just the few in number Chosen Ones who could fight the monsters, people could still trust their country, trust their military! However, these achievements were only a part of the confidence Shen Hao wanted to inspire. He spoke again, this time with an even more resonant voice: "I know that this crisis, this kind of battle,es too suddenly for us in this era of peace, and panic is inevitable, but we must all understand that there is a group of people who are always prepared for war, and now they too stand before you, ready to protect your safety at all costs." "As a former ordinary person and now a Chosen One, I cannot guarantee that every single one of you wont be harmed by monsters, but today, standing here, I can promise to everyone" He pointed to his own eyes, twinkling with stardust, while several daggers glinting with cold light danced around him. At that moment, the Dominator pressure surged suddenly! Shen Haos words, along with the daggers, burst forth. "No monster can escape my gaze, should any appear before me, I shall bring them death!" Screams rose among the crowd as the cold light shed at a speed undetectable to ordinary people. One after another, figures clutched their necks and fell amidst wails. It was an execution on the spot! But at that moment, there was no spreading fear, not even screams. Enveloped by the Dominator pressure, the people either gazed admiringly at Shen Haos figure or excitedly at their surroundings, watching each monster fall and rapidly desate! On the inte, however, throughout the entire country, screams and shouts rapidly erupted in a crescendo! "Ahh, theyve all been found out!" "Kill! Kill! Kill!" "I knew it, this Chosen One can definitely identify the monsters!" "Those eyes are so cool!" "This is way too strong! What kind of ability is this?" "No way, the monsters just stood there to be killed?" "Exactly! Kill them all! Leave none behind!" "..." At this moment, the vast majority of people following this event were consumed with fear of these parasites capable of recing themselves. In such a state of extreme danger and insecurity, no one was inclined to be merciful! Rather, the vast majority of people wished fervently that all monsters could be annihted within a single day! Because only then could they swiftly return to their former lives and enjoy the peace of the past. In such a situation, Shen Haos actions undoubtedly ignited the violence ingrained in most peoples genes! Excitement, screaming! They wished they were right there at the scene! Even the timidest among them could only cover their eyes, yet they too couldnt control their excitement. Eventually, a Blood Demon, seemingly unable to bear the constant fear of potential death, erupted in an outburst. In that blood-surging moment, everyone finally caught a clear glimpse of the creatures appearance! Controlling blood, its limbs twisted, its expression vacant and ferocious! Screams finally broke out at the scene, especially from those near the monster, who wanted to flee in terror. But there was no need. Because Shen Hao was there! The starlight in his eyes zed in an instant, so brilliant that one could vaguely see the dazzling constetions they contained. The almost tangible suppression urately targeted each erupting Blood Demon. With no room for resistance, everyone on-site and behind the camera could clearly see the ferocious Blood Demons kneel in horror, crawling, trembling, struggling, but utterly powerless to resist, merely awaiting the inevitableing of death! Then they dissipated into mist, leaving behind withered remains. Only when all the Blood Demons had been vanquished and the oppressive force receded like the tide, and a few daggers returned to Shen Haos side, did everyone on-site finally realize that it was over. After a brief hesitation, they began to confirm the identities of their friends, embracing rtives with whom they had almost dared not have much contact before, and wept aloud. Only those who have lost can understand how precious it is to have someone to trust, someone to vent and share emotions with! The loneliness and fear of not daring to trust anyone, even fearing to approach those who had once been closest to you, because they too might be a monster, were indescribable. This scene was also captured by many cameras. People online expressed their envy. "Is there any way the big guy could also check out my ce?" "Im crying, I dont even dare to call my parents." "My friend suggested we live together for mutual support, but I dare not agree!" "I dont know if my wife and kids are real, Im almost neurotic." "Donghua City is probably going to be the safest city." "Im already on the car, moving to Donghua City right away, please take me in!" "..." Yes, most people had already realized this young Chosen One before the camera had the ability to identify monsters and also possessed the power to effortlessly kill them, leaving them utterly unable to resist! At this moment, the sense of security people could see in Shen Hao was unparalleled! Even the city where he was located instantly became the safest, happiest city in the country, perhaps even the world! At least, those who passed by him, even if just nced at from afar, could confidently embrace their families! And this was precisely one of the reasons why Shen Hao stood here today, spoke these words, and did these things. People wanted confidence, so he gave them confidence! At this moment, Dong Gong suddenly rushed onto the stage and whispered something to Shen Hao. Shen Haos eyes brightened, and he nodded his head, then raised his voice again, "You all can go back now. Also,st night we interrogated many monsters and obtained a lot of important information. It has now beenpiled into the First Edition Universal Blood Demon Prevention Guide for All Humans. It will be officially released on the national news conference in thirty minutes. Everyone must listen carefully and memorize the contents, which include the monsters fatal weaknesses, crucial for everyones daily prevention!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 30: God No Longer Favors Us This was precisely the news that Dong Gong had just told Shen Hao. Shen Hao took advantage of the moment to propagate it, providing a new direction for the massive traffic. And without a doubt, it had an effect. At this moment, countless people were excited. Compared to the power that Shen Hao had disyed and the promises he had made, the word "official" undoubtedly carried a greater weight in thisnd. It could be said that since the news from the external inte about the existence of Monsters had been spread and confirmed, countless people had been waiting for an official statement! People flocked continuously into the official live broadcast room, and even though it had not started yet, the ck screen was already covered with densements. "Its finally here!" "I knew it, theres always preparation before any movement!" "Our workce has already received a notice, asking all levels to be ready for wartime response!" "Will they recall veterans? I want to re-enlist." "If theres a war, we must respond!" "The Prevention Guide is crucial! Theres nothing like that anywhere else in the world!" "Right, Ive been searching for hours. All governments abroad seem clueless when asked!" "I hope theres a way to identify the Monsters!" "..." Clearly, the events at Shen Haos side, coupled with the official movement, had finally given the people who were originally in panic, anxiety, and even fear of the apocalypse a backbone to lean on, a reason for hope. Next, as long as the official response on all fronts was timely and effective, the countrys order could still be maintained. However, the attention sparked by Shen Hao was not limited to within the country. Now, people around the whole world were eager to know the answer, whether there really were such terrifying Monsters hiding among them, where they came from, and how to get rid of them. They crowded on the websites of governments worldwide, on almost all social media tforms, and even physically at the gates of official offices, just hoping to get the answers they desired. However, up to now, no one could provide an answer. Because the Monsters had appeared too suddenly, just like a "Star Jump," everything was without any warning. And the movement in the Eastern Country suddenly became an outlet. In a short time, countless gazes were cast from the inte. And not just ordinary people. At this very moment, within the West States high-level, an emergency meeting that had startedst night and continued until now was still unfolding in a tense atmosphere. The leader, an old man, hadnt slept all night but couldnt contain his anger. "Guys, tell me!" he banged heavily on the table, "Eight hours have passed, and we still know nothing about these damned Monsters, not how they appear, not how they rece us, we cant even capture one alive! What are our agents, our military, and those damned Chosen Ones actually doing?" "Sir," a General in a military uniform said helplessly, "its not that we havent captured any. Its just that they die quickly, as if every Monster is a member of a suicide squad." "You shouldnt be telling me this, you should be telling the angry crowd outside! See how they react!" the old man covered his forehead in pain, "God, why do these things keep happening during my term? I dont even know how many among those people, or even among you, are Monsters!" "Sir, whats most important now is our military," the Generals expression was extremely grave, "The Northern Alliances failure to encircle and suppress was because Monsters had infiltrated their ranks. Those creatures turned their guns on theirrades at thest moment, causing great panic. And if the same happens to us, then the Monsters will possess the strongest military force in the world... I swear, that would be the end of the world, sir, we would all be doomed!" It seemed that the words "end of the world" once again struck a chord with these high-profile individuals who hadnt closed their eyes for more than eight hours. They quickly perked up. The more one has, the more they fear death. No matter their past status or wealth, in the face of such a crisis, they all felt a profound fear. Even hidden in bunkers that could withstand nuclear sts, they couldnt guarantee that Monsters wouldnt infiltrate. Danger seemed to be everywhere, and the end of humanity had never been so close! "Lets think again..." Just as the old man was about to say something else, a somewhat exciting voice suddenly came from below. "Sir, theres news!" "What news?" everyone looked over; it was the head of the cybersecurity department. "That country in the East ims they will release the first version of the Monster Prevention Guide in a few minutes. The contents will include the Monsters parasitic methods, fatal weaknesses, and prevention suggestions. Oh, and they have named these creatures Blood Demons, the kings of blood." The person in charge looked very excited. But the rest were looking at each other in confusion. "Is the news reliable?" someone immediately asked. "How exactly did theye by this information?" someone else followed up with a question. "Send a message to contact them right away," another suggested, seeking more information, "we can share intelligence." "Could the Monsters be rted to them?" someone even spected about a conspiracy. The previously quiet meeting room seemed toe alive in an instant. All sorts of voices kept emerging. "Quiet down!" the old man at the head position finally shouted, "Investigate, find out how they got this information. I refuse to believe they can do better than us." "Well, I think we dont need to investigate." The cybersecurity head turned theptop to face everyone, "It seems to be the work of this Chosen One." In the video, it was Shen Hao using his dagger to precisely kill one Blood Demon after another in the crowd! All those present took a sharp breath. They were shocked, not just by this mans ease in ughtering Monsters, but by the fact that he could effortlessly identify who the Monsters were! "This is a Chosen One from the Eastern Country, whose name and identity are still unclear. But clearly, his eyes can recognize Monsters, and he is very powerful. The Monsters seem to be no match for him, and the intel from the Eastern Country is based on his interrogations of the Monsters." "..." Everyone fell into silence. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After a while, the old man turned to look at everyone. "Guys, who can tell me why we dont have such a Chosen One?" "Sir, its just a matter of probability..." the person in charge of the Chosen Ones started to sweat, "Maybe were just unlucky." "But didnt you tell me before that we have the most elites in the world, so our Chosen Ones are the most numerous and the strongest?" the old man said in disappointment, "Or is it that God no longer favors us?" Chapter 31: Formal Declaration of War! "..." No one could answer that question, but it had to be said, at this moment, they felt quite envious of that country in the East. And their envy was solely because of one person! The ability to identify monsters! The ability to ughter monsters! In the midst of this crisis, achieving either of these made one a natural hero, a darling of fate; it would bolster the entire countrys confidence! Their own safety would be greatly ensured! "Go dig him out!" the old man suddenly said, "I dont care what it costs, be it money or beauties, just dig him out, give him whatever he asks for! He will be the darling of the entire world, as well as ours!" "Yes, yes!" everyone hurriedly nodded. "What are you still standing around for?" "...Ah?" Everyone seemed somewhat dazed. "Arent you going to recruit a few skilled trantors, take out your steel pens, your notebooks, and listen carefully to that damn prevention guide!" the old man pounded on the table, gritting his teeth so hard that one might wonder if he would spit blood and faint the next second. Indeed, at this moment, it wasnt just them. The whole world, whether national leaders, billionaires, or ordinary people, as long as they received the news, all awaited the first official announcement from a major power with various means. They were eager, anxious to know the answer, to know the methods tobat the monsters. By the time of the announcement, leading up to the formal start of the press conference, the number of viewers had increased to an unprecedented level! As someone once said. Just this piece of intelligence was enough to record Shen Haos achievements in the entire history of humanity! The whole world would remember! It enlightened humans about the enemy; they were no longer in the dark! However, Shen Hao himself didnt feel much. Not that he was unaware of the intelligences importance, but he knew very clearly that this was just the beginning for him. The title "Savior" was meant to bear the grace of an entire civilization. He too was watching the conference at this moment. This time, it was obviously different from any before. Just the first sentence after the opening had already ignited countless emotions. "This is a war!" "We name the monsters Blood Demons, and the word Demon represents theirplete opposition to humans, for the presence of any Blood Demon signifies the deprivation of human life. Therefore, there is no possibility for reconciliation in this war; the only end is theplete eradication of Blood Demons from our civilization!" "This is our formal deration of war against the Blood Demons!" In the 21st century, few major countries make such extreme, upromisingly hostile derations in official speeches. Especially this country. But today, no one felt it was wrong, in fact, quite the opposite. It needed to be this tough! This fierce! At this moment, on social media, onement quickly rose to the top in a short time, with countless people liking and agreeing with it. "Every Blood Demon is born with the original sin of murder!" An eye for an eye, blood for blood; the hatred and fear brought by blood can only be cleansed with blood! This moments toughness and fierceness were undeniably the most reliable promise to all humans! It also set a tone, a consensus for this war. Either humans or monsters must perish! "We dont need to be overly afraid of the Blood Demons, as they are not without weaknesses, nor are they invincible; in fact, the scales of victory are still tipped in our favor at the current stage. Below are the weaknesses that we have discovered and summarized." The speaker had reached the crucial point, and everyone was listening intently. Abroad, there were countless trantors. Even in highly formal meetings, attended by numerous formidable personages, everyone was taking notes with utmost seriousness. "First: Blood Demons have a fatal vulnerability at the neck. If its shed, they can be killed instantly." In the video, a small screen was even divided from the main one, showing footage of Shen Hao killing a Blood Demon amidst a crowd. Even Shen Hao had not expected this. But, since he had alreadye to the fore, and had be thoroughly famous, he didnt mind the exposure. "Second: Blood Demons fear cold weather; in cold environments, their reactions be significantly duller." The footage switched to a scene where a Blood Demon was hit by a freeze gun. It could break free, but its speed and reaction time were visibly slowed. Those living in the north couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief. Even though there was a new Sun and the climate was a bit warmer than before, the north was still the coldest region. Blood Demons wouldnt like it there. "Third: Sharp sound waves cause greater irritation to Blood Demons; they are more painful than to humans." This third point was something Shen Hao had forced out the previous night, and it caught many peoples attention. Freezing methods might be hard toe by, but sharp sound waves were quite easy to generate. Even if its just scratching ss, that was something ordinary people could do. Even if it wasnt lethal to Blood Demons, as long as it provided even a slight chance to escape, it was a chance for survival! In fact, this could even be regarded as a somewhat imprecise and inefficient method of identification. Beyond these three points, several more were listed, although the effectiveness gradually diminished. For example, Blood Demons dislike salt and feel very ufortable when sprinkled with it, or Blood Demons detest dry environments... Everyonemitted these points firmly to memory. This intelligence was incredibly valuable at the current stage. And the more critical information was still toe. The parasitic method of the Blood Demons! The Blood Demonrvae, capable of dissolving into liquids, are introduced into the body by injection or ingestion, and the host must give up struggling! The disclosure of this fact greatly alleviated everyones fear. Even though they were still in danger, at least now they knew where the danger came from and didnt have to worry that mere breathing or even seeing something would result in being parasitized and reced! Even in a family, as long as one managed what was drank carefully, there would be a basic peace of mind. At the end of the press conference, numerous preventive suggestions were listed. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Do not consume any cold beverages; its best to drink only boiled hot water and not to casually look away even before the hot water cools down enough to drink." "Households can equip themselves with special noise generators, which we will also begin to design and produce as soon as possible." "Avoid being alone with others as much as possible; its best to remain in groups of five or more." "..." "If you suspect someone to be a Blood Demon, immediately call the police! Or look for the nearest patrol team!" "..." "If you are unfortunately parasitized, do your best to struggle! Never give up hope!" "..." Some of this content may seem simple or even superfluous, but if it can cause even the slightest disturbance to the Blood Demons parasitism and spread, it could save countless lives all over the world! Chapter 32: (Additional Release for More Follows) Where the Greatest Hope for Victory Lies! However, the most significant meaning of this press conference was that it greatly reduced peoples fear of the Blood Demon, preventing further spread and intensification of panic and chaos worldwide. The unknown is whats truly scary. By now, people at least knew who the enemy was and how they reced their family and friends. They even knew the enemys weaknesses. Even if ordinary people still found it difficult to deal with the Blood Demons, at least they now had a clear impression. No longer facing an unknown danger. At this moment, all humans throughout the world holding rational minds and basic morals were genuinely grateful from the bottom of their hearts. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Thank you for the selfless sharing, this information is invaluable!" "From a small town in the Northern Alliance, I am prepared to photocopy this document and distribute it to everyone." "Blood Demon is amon enemy of all mankind!" "People from different countries around the world should stand together!" "Can you tell me the name of the Chosen One in the video? Seeing him ying those Blood Demons, I suddenly felt a surge of immense courage." "My wife was very scared and dared note near me, but shes much better now, really thankful." "Envious efficiency, even more enviable order, I really wish I lived where you are." "..." Messages continuously appeared on social media, and though there were some differing opinions, they were quickly suppressed. It must be said that merely with this step, the Eastern Country and Shen Hao had significantly made a name for themselves worldwide. Such urrences were rare in the past. In fact, many people in the world were now aware that the appearance of the Blood Demon was also an opportunity, an opportunity to further unite all of humanity. Not just because of the crisis but also because of the unique properties of the Blood Demon. For instance, at this moment, whether on the inte or in reality, anyone questioning the content released by the Eastern Country, or speaking of conspiracies that sounded usible, could no longer achieve the effect they once did, and even faced fearful, doubtful, and alienating looks. People would inevitably suspect such individuals could be Blood Demons! This was truly the most malicious suspicion! It would cause one to be ostracized and even increase the risk of being targeted by the Blood Demons. It must be said, everything has two sides; if a disaster could unite humanity, it too had its positive aspects. However, all of this was predicated upon oveing the challenge! At this moment, Shen Hao had also returned to the conference room. "The press conference is just a beginning," Dong Gong exined to everyone while looking at an internal document. "A series of policies will be rolled out subsequently, including public announcements and the expansion of the Crisis Management Department, the recruitment and training of Chosen Ones, establishing a Blood Demon warning system, as well as the development of weapons and technology for Chosen Ones. Our society will undergo significant changes." "After all, we are in a state of war," Shen Hao wasnt surprised at all, "Everything will change, and not necessarily all for the worse." He stretched out his hand and lightly waved it. Two USB drives immediately appeared on the table. Chen Sihui and Jiang Weining, two researchers in the team, brightened at the sight. Even the rest looked over curiously. They had already guessed what these were. Indeed, Shen Hao pushed the two USB drives toward Dong Gong. "One contains rapid freezing material technology, and the other contains a type of sonic weapon technology. The former can be used to produce freezing bullets, while thetter is a non-lethal type, which can be poprized as a civil defense weapon. I found them in the White Level 3 Mall, although both are only basic versions, their total value still exceeds ten thousand points. Take them and let those scientists research and produce them as quickly as possible," Shen Hao said. "Thats already very impressive!" Dong Gong couldnt even suppress his joy and excitement and stood up without hesitation. "Now, only you could buy such technologies. Ill instruct someone to transfer them right away!" Indeed, although technology could be directly purchased from the Chosen One Mall, the cost was steep, and required a certain Store Level, which could be said to be quite restrictive. But even so, their significance to this war was tremendously great! It could even be said that the technologies from the Chosen One Mall were the greatest hope for achieving victory in this war that could be seen! After all, even though the number of Chosen Ones was still increasing, there were still too few; relying solely on Chosen Ones, it was challenging to win this war. Time was on the enemys side! But technological development could allow the entire Human Civilization to strengthen swiftly! "Now, those big shots will all get busy," Chen Sihui said admiringly, watching Dong Gong leave with the technology before licking a lollipop in her mouth, somewhat wishfully, "I heard that all capable scientists are being moved in batches to secure locations and heavily protected, all so that they can focus on their research." "Thats the right approach," Cheng Youqing interjected. "Our enemy is not a witless Monster. If I were the Blood Demon, I would certainly target the scientists first!" This statement made everyones expression darken slightly, but they couldnt help but agree. Scientists are likely candidates to be Chosen Ones and are the primary forces driving civilization forward. If the scientists suffered heavy losses, it would undoubtedly be a significant blow. More importantly, they were also aware that the enemy would not stand there waiting to be killed. They would be more cunning and more ruthless than any criminals before! This awareness brought a somber mood to the scene. While derations of war could be invigorating, the real frontline of war was not solely about fervor. At that moment, Shen Hao remained silent but when Dong Gong returned, he tapped the table to draw everyones attention. "No matter what response the enemy has, we only have two things to focus on right now," he said, raising two fingers. "First, enhance our strength as much as possible. Second, find and eliminate as many Blood Demons as possible." Everyone nodded slightly. The atmosphere was likewise uplifted. A team with a solid leadership is a true team. The same wordsing from Shen Hao gave a different impression. "The second point is particrly important," Shen Hao looked at Dong Gong. "The more Blood Demons we resolve, the more points we get. As the level of the Point Mall increases, we can obtain more advanced technologies, equipment, and even greater power. Currently, in both our country and worldwide, probably no Chosen One can match my efficiency in this regard." Chapter 33: Blockade the City, Set Up the Battlefield! ``` Yes, earning 130,000 points in one night, indeed, only Shen Hao could achieve that in the entire world. Fully increasing his points count, enhancing his Store Level, only then could he obtain higher-end technology the fastest! "Thats right, theres no doubt about that," Dong Gong had guessed what Shen Hao was about to say, his expression became serious, "The higher-ups have already ordered that all your needs should be prioritized, especially those that can aid in the war, you can make requests as you please." "Good!" Shen Hao nodded, waving his hand firmly, "I demand the lockdown of the entire Donghua City, to set up the battlefield, and then to gather the residents in open areas sequentially for aprehensive sweep! Dig out all the Blood Demons as much as possible!" Indeed, this was the most efficient next step in action that Shen Hao could think of. Dont look at therge number of Blood Demons they seemed to have caughtst night, but actually, most of these Blood Demons were unearthed based on thework of the ones found in Donghua Middle School. In the whole Donghua City, with a poption exceeding five million, there definitely were more than just these few hundred. Now, continuing to excavate further along the newly uncoveredwork might reveal some more. But that would be too slow, and it would only get slower and slower. Moreover, Blood Demons are not fools. Shen Hao identified Blood Demons by perception, or rather, intuition, but that only worked if the Blood Demon was in front of him and he carefully distinguished it. In the current level of the Store, there were no items that could identify Blood Demons. If the Blood Demons started ying hide and seek, hiding in the city from him, then relying solely on Shen Hao would make it very difficult to dig out every single Blood Demon from among these millions of people. Only by locking down the city and limiting movements for a carpet-style inspection could this work! However, such a task would require the mobilization of massive material and manpower resources. Locking down a city is not that simple; its aplete halt of peoples movement, aprehensive stoppage of the economy and life, especially since Shen Hao was only one person, and to facilitate his efficiency, all the others needed to strictlyply with order, a multi-faceted review in cooperation, to ensure that people waited for Shen Hao, not the other way around! It can be said that this is the most straightforward method for the mostprehensive hunt! And only at this moment of a formal deration of war could this be done! Dong Gong stood up promptly in response: "Yes! Ill arrange it immediately!" Yes, even if the method is simple, there should be no hesitation whatsoever. In this kind of war, everything else must yield to the war!s demands! Starting with Donghua City, afterpletely clearing out all the Blood Demons in it, its even possible to continue to the next city. This is not only for hunting Blood Demons but also for umting points for Shen Hao! "Approximately how much time is needed for preparation?" Shen Hao nced at the time. It was nine thirty in the morning. Having not slept at allst night, although he could easily cope with it due to his continuously strengthening body, he still felt some tiredness. After all, he had dealt with over six hundred Blood Demons in one night, using his Talent far more frequently than the other Chosen Ones. It was not without its toll. "To lock down the entire city and gather the first batch of residents should take about four to six hours toplete," Dong Gong obviously had knowledge of this area and, noticing Shen Haos fatigue, said directly, "You can rest for a while, Team Leader. Well notify you once everything is ready." "Okay," Shen Hao nodded. Then with a raise of his hand, a series of weapons were all piled up in front of him. ``` The focus is on the Frozen Gun, but there are also some items prepared for the Chosen One. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It even includes a good number of ability balls, to replenish the groups warehouse. "Once the city is locked down, those Blood Demons wont just sit around and wait for death. All kinds of emergencies could ur, thus these weapons, equipment, and ability balls are at your disposal. Once weve sorted out our internal reward and punishment system, well record and check these items. Moreover, you must not be careless, and try to minimize the deaths of ordinary people." "Understood!" Not only Dong Gong but others also stood up one after another. They naturally knew thatst nights battle was just the beginning. In the uing fights, they would face even greater challenges. However Every one of them had more or less experienced the allure of bing Transcendent, that feeling of being light as a feather and the constant increase in strength. Indeed, it was captivating. Blood Demons grow stronger by feasting on humans, but arent the Chosen Ones able to grow stronger by hunting down Blood Demons too? At this moment, everyone possessed a boiling battle spirit. As for Shen Hao, he nned to take advantage of this precious preparation time to get some rest. It was foreseeable that his working up would be the most important and also the busiest. But there was no alternative. In the war against the Blood Demons, every second mattered, and a prolonged war at all costs must be avoided. Otherwise, he would quite like to wait a couple of days to see if there were any new cheats avable before starting the war. Shen Hao quickened his pace and headed towards a temporary military bases teachers dormitory, which had now be the most heavily guarded area within the entire military base. With real and effective tripleyered security, all soldiers didnt stray half a step from monitoring, minimizing the risk of being parasitized. The reason for such high importance was because Shen Haos parents were currently inside. One could even say that those above were even more concerned about the safety of Father Shen and Mrs. Shen than Shen Hao himself. They needed to live, for Shen Hao to maintain his greatest will to protect! Even Shen Hao had to show his identity to enter at this moment. As soon as he entered, he saw Qiuyue practicing her boxing and Father Shen and Mrs. Shen sitting together. "Little Hao, are you done with your tasks?" Father Shen stood up as soon as he saw Shen Hao, with a delighted expression. "Not yet, the busy part ising up. I came over to rest for a bit," said Shen Hao with a smile. "Then go and rest. Ive already made the bed for you. Oh, have you eaten? If not, Ill warm up some food for you," Father Shen immediately got busy. In Shen Haos family, the roles of the parents were reversedpared to most families. Mrs. Shen, who was a teacher, yed the role of the "strict mother," while Father Shen was always cheerful, never angry, and despite being busy with business, he always looked after the home, a true "Kind Father." Shen Hao did not refuse and sat at the dining table, speaking directly, "Mom and Dad, youll have to stay here for a while. The Blood Demons will definitely target you. Well also have to see if theres a safer ce to move to. If there is, well move there, and Ill get some self-defense items for you. Qiuyue cant stay here protecting you forever." "Brother, I can handle it." "You cant," Shen Hao red at her, "Your name is already registered in my team of Chosen Ones. If a Chosen One doesnt find a way to earn points, they will be eliminated sooner orter. By that time, you wont be able to protect anyone." "Thats right, listen to your brother," Mrs. Shen nodded vigorously from the side, "Qiuyue, you are so talented, what are you doing staying here with us? In these current times, you all need to be strong to protect yourselves and others." Chapter 34: The Struggle of the Blood Demon! Qiuyue, as a Chosen One with potential, seemed very promising in Shen Haos eyes. The Boxer Talent is an absolutebat-oriented talent, and without engaging in battle it would be wasted. Moreover, Qiuyuesbat consciousness and psychological quality were excellent; not every sixteen-year-old girl could counter-kill a Blood Demon under those circumstances. This point was clear not only to Shen Hao but to Mrs. Shen as well. "Listen to that; our head teacher really speaks with such substance." Father Shen had no objections and said with augh, "Little Hao, that factory of mine, take a look and help me sell it. Keep the money, Ill consider it an early retirement." "Alright," Shen Hao nodded, "You were never cut out for business anyway." "What kind of thing are you saying?" Father Shen red at him, "You didnt talk like this when you used to ask me for money. Want me to remind you?" "I didnt, you remembered wrong, that wasnt me," Shen Hao replied, his expression unchanged, not feeling the slightest bit embarrassed. Their family always interacted in a very casual manner. Their conversations were uninhibited. This was also one of the reasons why Qiuyue was able to fit in so quickly. However, in times like these, for a family to still retain its original atmosphere was already quite remarkable. After casually eating a bowl of rice, Shen Hao stretched out his hand, and many objects appeared on the table. "These are for your self-defense. You probably wont need them, but having them handy will make me feel better. These are for you, Qiuyue. You dont have many points right now, but you cant fall behind in strength advancement either. Keep training your punch, Ill arrange a coach for you. As for these, mom and dad, give them a try. Even though you are not Chosen Ones and dont have Talents, they should still be somewhat useful, at least they are good for your health." Just these items alone cost Shen Hao twenty thousand points. The main items were two Protection Balls. One cost a hefty five thousand points, but offered very good protective power, considered top-notch among Level 3 Whites. As for the others, they were all used for enhancing strength. The Civilization Trial indeed brought a massive crisis sweeping across all of civilization, but it also brought opportunities previously unimaginable. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Not to mention living without pain or sickness, even flying and escaping, bing Immortal were not impossible. Given such opportunities, Shen Hao naturally would not be stingy in providing some for his parents. After all, his motivation to protect the world and save civilization included his family; they might not be everything, but they were a significant factor. "Okay, okay," both Father Shen and Mrs. Shen epted without refusing, Mrs. Shens eyes even reddened a bit as she turned her head away. The world had dramatically changed, and their son had suddenly be such an important figure, standing on the frontline of war. It was impossible not to worry, but they both understood that what they could do now was to try not to trouble Shen Hao as much as possible. After eating, Shen Hao returned to his room and took a nap. Although not in his own house, this sleep was still very peaceful. Meanwhile, Donghua City once again became the focus of many peoples attention online. But this time it was due to another trending topic. #DonghuaCityToBeLockedDownCompletely# At such a time, even those slow to react should realize what this lockdown was for. Although now officially at war against the Blood Demons, Blood Demons in most parts of the country were still in hiding, and the real battlefield out in the open was just in Donghua City for now. This itself had drawn great attention. Now, the citys lockdown was clearly aimed at battling the Blood Demons. Yet, the focus online not only hadnt been redirected, but had increased in promotion, concentrating traffic. Clearly, the higher-ups had realized the importance of the public opinion front; they not only nned to fully cooperate with Shen Hao but also wanted to use Donghua City as a battlefield to set an example for the nation and build greater confidence. This, naturally, had also been approved by Shen Hao. Because this would bring considerable psychological pressure to the frontlinebat personnel. However, Shen Hao wasnt afraid at all. If he couldnt even handle the Blood Demon in a single city, what kind of Savior was he? At the moment, many official media reporters were live streaming the situation in Donghua City on various tforms. "This is the main thoroughfare of Donghua City; we can see arge number of soldiers blocking the roads, setting up barricades, and arranging checkpoints," a reporter d in bulletproof vest and helmet, the very image of a war correspondent, said, "An hour and 30 minutes ago, Donghua City dered an emergency lockdown. All citizens must return to their residences within three hours and report and share their location through a designated app on their phones, ready to go to specified locations for identity checks at any moment..." The camera panned, clearly showing people and vehicles on the street rapidly evacuating, temporary barricades being moved to the sides of the roads, and some fully armed warriors were transporting weapons to various strategic positions and setting up fire points. Such scenes, in the past, were only seen in war-torn regions abroad. But at this moment in Donghua City, there wasnt the slightest incongruity. A portion of passersby interviewed on the street also showed ample support, some even being overwhelmingly excited! "Absolutely support it!" "Root out those Blood Demons early so we can rest easy." "The whole country is watching; no one will fail to cooperate!" "The sooner this is resolved, the better. Donghua City will be the safest ce in the country!" "This is our fortune. If anyone doesnt cooperate, Ill be the first to not let them off." "..." It could only be said that in the face of such a serious threat to personal safety, the vast majority knew what choice to make, and this strong arrangement, in turn, brought a great sense of security to the people. There were those who did not cooperate, of course, but under this controlled state, there was no leniency towards these individuals. They might even be suspected of being Blood Demons. However, those who were truly Blood Demons had emotionspletely opposite to those of ordinary people at this moment. A passerby, who had just been interviewed by the media, excitedly expressing support and almosting to tears, the moment he walked back to his house, his facial expressionpletely sank, and his gaze turned disturbingly empty. And in front of him, his wife, his parents, and even his three-year-old child, all stood emptily. Clearly, this whole family had been parasitized by the Blood Demons. "All the main roads are blocked, and the alleys are being watched too; its very difficult to find a way out of the city," the man said. "Have you received any instructions from mother?" the woman asked. "Not yet." "We could pretend to be sick, with an acute serious illness needing immediate hospital treatment," said the parasitized old man, "You two apany me for care, and a hospitals high-level staff is all our kind; we can hide there for a while longer." "That works." As they were discussing strategies, struggling with all their might, trying to avoid this carpet-style search, their mothers voice resounded in their minds at the same moment! Chapter 35: The Battle of the Front Line! "All children, conceal yourselves with all your might. If you cannot hide, then bring fear and death to the humans. Our civilization will rise again under this blue sky!" This was the voice of the mother, not just for them, but for all the Blood Demons born of this Mother within the entire city. They all received the same order. Conceal themselves with all their might, and if unable to do so, bring fear and death! The few Blood Demons looked at each other, all understanding what they had to do. A momentter, the man frantically dialed emergency services. The medical system was still operational and directly sent the mans family to the hospital. Moreover, it wasnt known whether it was a coincidence. At nearly the same time, there was a significant increase in sudden illnesses. Most were the elderly and children, but there were also a few young people. To say it was normal, it actually was. In the past period of time, the world had changed dramatically again, and the atmosphere in society swung wildly. Those with poor psychological endurance, already unhealthy, would definitely be more likely to experience sudden illnesses. However, now, Donghua City had the full support of an entire nation behind it. Countless brilliant minds gathered together, analyzing every single change urring in Donghua City! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Among these patients, there must be Blood Demons in disguise!" someone stated directly. "If I were a Blood Demon, facing this kind of carpet-like sweep, I would definitely not dare to appear before Team Leader Shen! I would surely be discovered and then killed, and I wouldnt even be able to take anyone down with me!" "Exactly." This opinion received widespread agreement. Shen Hao had already shown the entire world the powerful suppression he had over Blood Demons. With him at the scene, even if a Blood Demon were mixed in the crowd, there would be no chance to struggle. At least ordinary Blood Demons couldnt even think about holding hostages or harming those around them! "The methods they can choose are limited to just a few. First, hide away; second, disregard exposure and take hostages or start massacres; third, silently kill those nearby to parasitize or enhance power; fourth, attempt to escape." Someone else added, "Hiding in the hospital under the guise of illness is indeed an easy and good strategy. In fact, I believe hospitals might also be disaster zones." "Agreed, the hospital offers excellent conditions for parasitizing, the operating rooms, the diagnostic rooms, even the radiology rooms, all are conducive to parasitism... and with the entire city poption as potential hosts, its even more conducive to spreading." "Schools, hospitals, should we sweep these key areas first?" "I also suggest this. Schools have already dismissed, but hospitals indeed require priority in sweeping." "Everyone, the first residential area inspection has exposed a Blood Demon!" Thest piece of sudden news interrupted everyones discussion and analysis. In the video feed, from within a residentialplex, a wave of terrified screams could be heard, with countless people frantically fleeing from inside. A number of fully armed soldiers stood guard at the entrance, pointing their guns inward, equally vignt toward the escaping crowd. "What happened inside?" "While everyone was orderly heading to the inspection point, a Blood Demon directly revealed its identity, blocking the staircase and elevator, sealing off eight buildings, causing panic among the other residents in themunity." "Demons may be mixed among those who havee out, have them continue to the inspection area! Dont let them scatter!" "Where are the Chosen One squad and the Special Equipment squad?" "Theyre already rushing over from the inspection area." "..." In the video, it was clear to see four Chosen Ones, each leading a toon of soldiers with different attire, arriving at the entrance of the residentialplex. They were Cheng Youqing, Yang Jun, and two others. Not only was the Intelligent Group andmand center watching them, but the live television cameras were also aimed at them, at this ce. "Thetest news we received is that there are eight buildings taken hostage by Blood Demons, with the number already exposed ranging from about fifty to a hundred. The total number of people trapped reaching more than three thousand four hundred." A TV reporter was standing behind the Special Equipment squad. "I will follow the squad, recording and broadcasting live the front-line battle!" The reporters expression was very serious; clearly, she understood the dangers of her work. Even if just standing behind, once the squad copses, she will face the Blood Demons de directly. But, this is what war correspondents do, and its her task and mission. Since the deration of war earlier that morning, the nation had realized that there needed to be a change in the style of public opinion propaganda. After all, this war was unlike any other. The enemy was hiding among the people; death, bloodshed, brutality, these things were not just faced by soldiers and warriors, but threatened every person in society! Even the elderly, women, and children! Even infants werent spared! Rather than letting the enemy use these as weapons to disrupt order and incite the crowds, it made more sense for the official narrative to reveal this harsh reality, guiding everyone to have the courage to face this inescapable war head-on! The reporter recalled the content of the instructions given to her, keenly aware of the sanctity and importance of her job at this moment. She had to present the most realistic images, so people would abandon all illusions and extravagant hopes, clearly recognizing the cruelty and inevitability of war, while also fostering a desire and confidence to achieve ultimate victory. Right then, countless people were watching the screen intently, with barrage after barrage of messages filling up the chat. "Please be careful!" "Its so terrifying. I cant even watch." "Using civilians as a shield, do these Blood Demons have no humanity at all?" "How could monsters have any humanity?" "If we dont flush them out, wouldnt these things happen?" "Stop dreaming. Not flushing them out would result in more deaths, and in silence!" "People are definitely going to die! Otherwise, it wouldnt be a war." "..." Clearly, the majority of people could easily put themselves in the shoes of those in the video, wondering what it would be like if they were in that situation. Many of them understood that they could potentially encounter the same fate! However, at this moment, the four Chosen Ones preparing to enter all received a message. "Not just here, but four other ces have also erupted in simr incidents, some Blood Demons have abandoned hiding and seem to be threatening or disrupting our carpet-sweeping operation," Dong Gongs voice came through their ears. "Ive already sent someone to inform the Team Leader, you should split into two teams and head to the other more urgent ces first. Other Chosen One squads from different areas are already on their way to back you up." Chapter 36: Spare No Expense, Annihilate Them! ``` This situation was actually within expectations. Once the decision had been made to root out all the Blood Demons, they would certainly struggle desperately, bringing a lot of destruction and death. But if we didnt do this, and dyed the action, the death toll might not necessarily be less. The first version of the official Blood Demon Prevention manual, after all, was just for prevention. In reality, it could only pose a certain obstruction, and couldnt truly stop the spread and proliferation of the Blood Demons. Moreover, the strength of a civilization required points, it required battle! The authorities also nned to treat Donghua City as a test within this war, to see if a safe zone could be established, and how much sacrifice it would entail. So during this period, arge number of personnel had been transferred over. It was not just the military but also included other Chosen One squads. They were not directly under Shen Haosmand, but in this cleanup campaign in Donghua City, they were all coordinated by Shen Hao. "This is the center of propaganda. I suggest that Liu Ruoxi and I stay behind," Yang Jun said quickly. "Ill be in charge of the overallmand, and the camera will focus on Liu Ruoxi." "I have no problem with that," Liu Ruoxi agreed. She understood that her image was indeed more suitable for the camera. After thinking for a moment, she directly tore off the bandage on her face. After using the medicine Shen Hao provided, the wound on her face was healing rapidly, but not so quickly. At least for now, it still showed a fierce scar with visible pink new flesh. Paired with her face, one of the most beautiful in the world. This appearance, this contrast, needless to say, just the look itself could bring a powerful visual impact! "Hurry up. You lead the team to Building 28. All the hostages and Blood Demons are concentrated in the lobby on the first floor,"manded Yang Jun, taking over themand channel decisively. "After dealing with them, move on to support other areas." "Got it!" Liu Ruoxi immediately selected ten warriors. The notified reporters also hurriedly followed, cameras in tow. The Elite Squad, selected from the military, even from among the special operations forces, consisted of true elites. Although they were not Chosen Ones, each had seen their share of battles. Even armed with ordinary weapons, knowing the weaknesses, they could still deal with Blood Demons. Whats more, they were equipped with weapons purchased by Shen Hao from the mall. It could be said that they were now the strongest Non-Chosen One squad in this war! Each wore a helmet thatpletely covered their head. The moment they appeared on camera, they carried an air of formidable presence. Immediately capturing the attention of countless viewers. "So cool!" "Watching this makes me want to enlist." "What kind of weapons are they carrying? Ive never seen them before!" "..." But when Liu Ruoxi appeared on camera, the intensity of the barrage of messages increased explosively! "Oh my God!" "What happened with the scar on her face?" "No way! The Blood Demon did this?" "Im crying. She used to be such a great beauty!" "No! My heart feels so heavy all of a sudden!" ``` "I may not be beautiful, but if I got shed across the face like that, I definitely wouldnt want to live!" "Ahhh! Such a waste of beauty!" "..." As expected, Liu Ruoxis appearance, and the injuries on her face, brought a huge shock to most people in front of the camera. Even the reporters, seeing her for the first time, were momentarily stunned. But she reacted quickly now. She addressed the camera directly, "What everyone sees is a Chosen One. She is not a soldier, nor is she a warrior. Up until the day before yesterday, she was just a third-year jewelry design student. But it was this girl, who should have been the apple of everyones eye, who stepped onto the battlefieldst night and personally killed over twenty Blood Demons, suffering injuries all over her bodythis is the war we are in: What we cherish, admire, and appreciate, is utterly worthless and meaningless in the eyes of a Blood Demon!" To the average person, this scene was indeed very impactful! Liu Ruoxis beauty was undeniably world-ss. The moment she appeared on camera, she could easily go viral, garnering the adoration of countless people, bing the goddess of many, and enjoying a life cherished by thousands. But at this moment, she held a weapon, stepping onto the brutal battlefield! Facing the cruel, terrifying Blood Demons that didnt care at all about her peerless beauty! Why? Many people had this thought at that moment. Even as a Chosen One, why was she appearing in a ce that she seemed so out of ce? But then, as the figures of the Blood Demons appeared on camera, a new wave of shock hit everyone face to face! But this time, it was the extreme of gore and brutality! More than a dozen utterly monstrous Blood Demons were feasting in the lobby among a crowd of people, voraciously, insanely devouring humans amidst the wails and screams of hundreds, including even children a few years old! N?v(el)B\\jnn Even though the director promptly turned the picture to a grey hue and added mosaics to the scene, that instant still deeply shocked countless people! This wasnt a horror movie or a scene of morbid curiosity, but a live broadcast! It was something that was actually happening! "Ugh!" The hosts vomiting sound came through, and the scene before her eyes even caused this professional host to be unable to control her physiological reaction. This level of cruelty was unimaginable during the peaceful times of the past! In front of the camera, no one knew how many people were screaming loudly or even crying in fright. Even Liu Ruoxi felt her stomach churning at this moment. Even her Transcendent Constitution couldnt suppress her emotions at this moment! "Chosen One!" The Blood Demons had also noticed them, their hoarse and fierce voicesing through, seeming to carry the sound of chewing, "There are over four hundred people here. Itll only take us about ten seconds to kill them all. There are even more upstairs, but if you leave, well only eat a dozen or so each day." "Everyone!" the host continued, struggling to steady her voice despite her emotions, "We all heard it, the Blood Demons are negotiating terms. But ording to the official intelligence, consuming humans allows Blood Demons to rapidly grow stronger... Seeing such brutal scenes, its time to abandon all illusions, all naivety! Blood Demons are the true Monsters, and only one side between us can survive! So we must fight, we must utterly annihte them! We must eliminate them at all costs!" Towards the end, she was clenching her teeth, the words forced through the gaps in her teeth. Her fists were clenched as well. Even though her entire body shuddered, even though the blood-soaked scenes before her filled her with immense fear. But beyond the fear, there was anger! Extreme anger! "We humans took tens of thousands of years to stand at the top of the food chain! How could we be dragged down by such Monsters! Reduced to food!" Apanied by the hosts roar that seemed to burst from her chest, Liu Ruoxi moved! Chapter 37: (Extra update, please follow!) Kill all these monsters! Liu Ruoxi was only about twenty meters away from the Blood Demon at this moment. How long does a twenty-meter sprint take? The current world record is 2.62 seconds! And how long did Liu Ruoxi need? The answer is 0.93 seconds! This was an ability she had chosen for herself from among the spoils of war collected by Shen Hao, named "Swift Step"! Although it was just a White Level 1 Talent, Shen Hao had managed to umte six of them overnight, and all were stacked on Liu Ruoxi. By the time he added the fifth one, it had already be White Level 2, making it the first White Level 2 ability among all the Chosen Ones! With her continuously improving constitution, Liu Ruoxis all-out sprint burst out with a speed she hadnt even anticipated! Her long hair was pulled straight back in that brief instant, and her legs seemed to be constantly rolling with heat, and before anyone in front of the camera could react, Liu Ruoxi had already dashed into the building! But she didnt swing her sword; instead, she fiercely threw down a round little ball! Buzz! An extremely piercing buzzing sound erupted at that moment, and all the survivors inside the building clutched their ears in pain. Even the viewers in front of the TV could hear the piercing buzz through their screens, and the Blood Demons were in extreme agony, with even the blood spreading from their bodies erupting into countless tiny ripples! Now was the moment! Liu Ruoxi had already prepared earplugs, and although she was also affected by the Shock Sound Bomb, the impact was minimal. Her long sword, carrying a cold glint, effortlessly sliced through the neck of a Blood Demon. At the same time, gunfire erupted! The soldiers, who were prepared to fire, did so mercilessly. Their shooting, honed through countless training sessions, was extremely urate. Even with Ice Bombs, they still managed to precisely hit the necks of their targets, and together with Liu Ruoxis sword strikes, they disyed a highly efficient ughter right before the cameras. Compared to the bloody scene earlier, this moment exhrated countless people, exciting them to scream out loud! "So awesome!" "Thats right, kill all these monsters!" "Revenge! Revenge!" "Did anyone catch that? That instant sprint just blew my mind!" "I dere, from today onward, I am this Chosen One Misss number one fan!" "Damn it, Im enlisting right now! Lets kill them all!" "..." The scene was as exhrating and invigorating as it had been bloody and terrifying before! The most primal ughter brought out the most primal emotions! Not to mention Liu Ruoxis movements were so swift and sharp, the most realisticbat was something no movie or design could ever match in thrill! The Blood Demons, even wishing to fight back, were simply no match for the fierce gunfire and the formidable swordsmanship! A dozen Blood Demons, under Liu Ruoxis surprise attack and concentrated firepower, became mere dried-up corpses in just a dozen seconds. "A dozen seconds to kill four hundred? It would only take a dozen seconds to kill you all too!" Even the reporter was so excited that his voice broke. However, when Liu Ruoxi stopped, looking at the disaster strewn before her, at those nearly copsing survivors clearly suffering from severe psychological trauma, her heart held little joy from defeating the enemy or earning points. This war, although just beginning, had already umted hatred and blood debts beyond forgiveness! "Thank you, thank you!" A woman seemed to be scrambling over, apparently to express thanks, yet perhaps too terrified, and she fell right in front of Liu Ruoxi. But as Liu Ruoxi was just about to help her up, an Ice Bomb hit right at their feet. "Be careful, there might still be Blood Demons lurking." Liu Ruoxis actions paused for a moment. It was in that moment that the woman in front of them suddenly erupted. However, the warriors, already on alert, opened fire instantly, and Liu Ruoxi reacted even quicker, retreating rapidly backward as she instinctively shed with her long sword. As the Blood Demon fell, a long gash also appeared on her arm. This scene was also captured on camera. All the viewers, who were extremely excited just moments before, gradually calmed down. The shock of that moment frightened many, and the injuries on Liu Ruoxi made them realize the dangers of battle. Their enemies would disguise, deceive, and use every opportunity to confront them; danger seemed to be everywhere. But at that moment, Liu Ruoxi turned her head to look outside, at the soldiers who were quickly approaching, and for the first time, a smile appeared on her face. "Thank you for the warning, I was careless just now," she said. "Please stay alert, not all the Chosen Ones are as strong as the team leader," said the captain of the soldiers, ncing at Liu Ruoxis arm and breathing a sigh of relief since the wound was not deep. The uing battle would greatly rely on the formidablebat power of the Chosen Ones. "Understood, such a mistake wont happen a second time!" Liu Ruoxi nodded solemnly. She quickly walked out. She still had to go to the second building, even the medics were wrapping her wound as they walked. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The reporter seemed to realize something at that moment and hurriedly carried the camera as he ran towards her. "Are you alright?" "A minor injury, it was my mistake," she replied. "Many viewers want to know why a girl like you would risking to such a dangerous battlefield. Is it just because you are a Chosen One?" Liu Ruoxi stopped in her tracks, turned her head towards the camera. Her fair face, aside from the ferocious wound, was now also smeared with a lot of fresh blood. "Did you see what just happened, do we need to say more?" she said, her voice calm, but her eyes seemed to be aze, "This war is not just a soldiers war, not just a battle for powerful Chosen Ones, but a global one, a fight for our entire civilization, for every human being! Instead of fearing and running away, we should choose to fight." This question was, in fact, pre-discussed. But at that moment, Liu Ruoxis answer was also from the heart. She was exceedingly grateful that she was a Chosen One and that she hade here and picked up the long sword. After saying this, she didnt waste any more time and turned around, quickening her steps towards the next battlefield. The camera focused on her retreating figure. The reporter seemed to be saying something with fervor, but Liu Ruoxi didnt listen anymore; her eyes only saw the second building, and her heart focused only on the enemies. She needed to be quicker! Perhaps even she herself hadnt realized that deep within her spirit, such intensebat motivation could be harbored. But just then, a voice suddenly came through the earpiece. "Well done, and well spoken." "Team leader!" Liu Ruoxis face burst into joy. Chapter 38: Promises Last Forever Yes, at this time, Shen Hao had already gotten involved and connected to the mainmand channel. He hadnt slept much, only about three hours. However, he had found an "Energy Potion" from the store, so his condition had somewhat recovered. Within White Level 3, there were indeed quite a few useful items, this level was more substantial than Shen Hao had anticipated. Still, there were no items capable of discerning Blood Demons, and the difficulty of leveling up had increased several times. To ascend to White Level 4, one needed a total of five hundred thousand points, even controlling Blood Demons would require about two thousand of them. If by killing, almost five thousand were needed. Additionally, there was his own personal level. Shen Hao had just checked, his personal level had risen to Level 2, including his Talent level, which seemed to have synchronized with his personal level, also reaching Level 2. However, leveling up didnt bring much change to his panel. [Constitution: 13] [Spirit: 16] [Transcendent: 9] Compared to what he saw in the morning, each had only increased by one point, that is, his overall strength had grown by twenty percent, but his level had already reached Level 2. This made Shen Hao realize that this level wasnt a breakthrough in realm, but should only be aposite summary of actual data, and it should not include Talent, only referencing the three major data sets, reflecting the levels of the basic three dimensions. Otherwise, his strength was definitely more than just Level 2. But no matter what, gaining points, upgrading the store level, and enhancing the strength level were pathsid out in front of every Chosen One. "The Blood Demons on your side have always been in a hidden state, without any strength enhancement," Shen Hao said in the channel, "With your current strength and equipment, you should be able to handle it, I wonte over. Be extra cautious, and report anything unusual immediately." "Understood!" Liu Ruoxi felt a bit disappointed upon hearing the team leader wouldnte. However, thinking that the team leader had already gotten involved, she also felt a great sense of reassurance. In just one day, Shen Haos strength had already be deeply respected. With him around, no matter what, the Blood Demons in this city wouldnt be able to wreak havoc! Liu Ruoxis steps had even be much more steady and firm. At this moment, Shen Hao was walking towards the armed helicopter that hadnded on the field, listening to Dong Gongs report on the current situation. The helicopters rotor des whipped up a violent wind that blew his clothes and hair around. Shen Hao had already made a decision in his heart. "To the hospital! Which hospital has had the highest patient mortality rate recently?" "Its the Third People Hospital," Dong Gong said, his tone equally heavy. Only just now had they noticed that the death rate in the Third People Hospital had increased significantly in the past month. This was also considering the possibility of underreporting. The entire hospital, as if invisibly, had be a Demon Cave, a den belonging to monsters, continuously devouring human lives! "Then lets go to that one!" Shen Hao already had a n in his heart. "But, team leader," Dong Gong expressed some concern, "If that hospital has truly been controlled by Blood Demons, its not just about hiding. Your level will also need time to rise." Yes, mere parasitism wouldnt increase the mortality rate. The Blood Demon can enhance its ability by devouring humans! Even if Shen Hao had a powerful talent and had be the Chosen One, it was only for one day, or even just fromst night that he had started to enhance his personal level. For safetys sake, it would have been best to investigate the hospital after a period of substantial growth in strength. However, Shen Hao had vetoed this. "I dont do things when Im not certain." Dying it a bit further might be more prudent, but this is not a situation where one can be "overly cautious." Since he had already sensed something was amiss, he needed to deal with itotherwise, he had to either risk rming the enemy by preventing people from entering, or pretend to be unaware of the situation and continue to watch as patient after patient who should have been seeking healing fell deeper into the abyss. Neither option was a choice for Shen Hao. Moreover, when he said he was confident, it wasnt just talk. Although the new mod had not yet been activated, the strongest reassurance he could have was the "Sovereign," but being the Sovereign level, naturally, was not so simple, being a talent only one in a billion Chosen Ones could possibly have. Among his current three abilities, the first ability, "Cosmic Level Rank," was too mysterious and its specific use was unknown. However, the third ability, "Sovereign Suppression," had already proved its might, for so far Shen Hao had instantly killed any Blood Demon he faced. The second ability, "Absolute Control Power," also had applications powerful enough to be considered an ace up his sleeve. At this moment, Shen Hao opened the store, selecting special items one by one, pinning them for easy ess. "Frenzy Pill," "Blood Explosion Pill," "Demon Suppressing Pill," "Blood Rage Pill"... Just by hearing the names, one could understand the effects of these potions and elixirs. All were meant for bursting forth with power in a short period of time. Although all would bring certain side effects, as a Sovereign, could he really be harmed by his own power? Even if the power was borrowed temporarily, it would still be utterly under his control! Shen Hao had ample confidence in this! It was just as well that there were no items like "Evil Gods Power" or "Cursed Power" in the White Level 3 store, otherwise he would dare to use those too! "Since that is the case," Dong Gong seemed to sense Shen Haos confidence and suddenly asked, "Then, should we arrange some cameras for you?" "In that regard, you decide," Shen Hao wasnt concerned, "All I can say is, the promises I made before are still valid." What promise? To bring death to any Blood Demon that dared to appear before him! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Understood!" Dong Gong now had no hesitations, "The livestream from Liu Ruoxis side was very effective. This shows that we really need some more straightforward and potent demonstrations in our promotional work." Yes. Liu Ruoxis performance was quite remarkable, although there were mistakes and injuries towards the end, but this only spurred on peoples anger and courage. If such a young girl could dare to enter such a terrifying, dangerous battlefield, could gamble her life inbat with a Blood Demon, then why couldnt these people, even if not Chosen Ones, muster at least the courage to confront and fend off such dangers? This was not some unbeatable monster! One might say that in this unprecedented war, the importance of the battlefield of public opinion was in no way less significant than that of the actual battlefield, because people must have the courage to face, struggle against, and coordinate, in order to most effectively curb the spread of the Blood Demons and to extract them most efficiently from the masses. And at this moment, no one possessed a more potent force than Shen Hao did! Immediately, Dong Gong went to make arrangements. Chapter 39: Watching the Big Shot Slaughter the Blood Demon! Just as the armed helicopter arrived above the Third Hospital, viewers in front of the television noticed a switch in the camera angle, and a new reporter appeared on the screen. "Ladies and gentlemen, Donghua City has nowpletely turned into a battlefield. ording to thetest news, in just the past half hour, more than twenty locations have seen the emergence of Blood Demons. The army and the Chosen One have engaged in multiple battles with these Blood Demons." A small screen appeared on the disy, filled with variousbat footage. The fierce Blood Demons, unable to resist under the dense firepower,bined with some shy and fierce battles from the Chosen Ones, made the intensity of the battlefield palpable even through the screen. "The current battle situation is stable, although there have been some deaths and sacrifices. However, every Blood Demon that is spotted is quickly eliminated. Shen Hao, the leader in charge of this cleanup campaign in Donghua City, has decided to conduct a preliminary inspection of important facilities such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations....." The mention of Shen Haos name immediately invigorated many people. Even those who were unfamiliar with the name "Shen Hao" understood who he was after hearing such remarks. Suddenly, many people became excited. "He finally appears!" "I was wondering why I hadnt seen that Chosen One bigshot; it turns out he was inspecting important departments first." "Show him, I want to see the bigshot annihting the Blood Demons!" "Those Blood Demons must have revealed themselves early because they were afraid of bigshot Shen Hao." "Stop talking and just show it!" "..." With the situation developed to this point, and following the recent battle of Liu Ruoxi, it could be said that at this moment, everyone across the country watching this battle of Donghua City, as well as the people in Donghua City themselves, who were in panic and tension, all eagerly hoped to see the Blood Demons defeated! Their fighting spirit was ignited! Only bypletely crushing, eliminating, and ughtering the Blood Demons could they vent their feelings and experience relief amidst this suffocating tension. And speaking of who could easily achieve this it was none other than Shen Hao, who had casually identified and crushed a Blood Demon amongst the crowd that morning! Ordinary people didnt know what a Purple Epic Talent was; they could only see this kind of power! It was as if heeding the call of the people, the camera finally switched. But instead of showing Shen Hao, it shifted to the front of the hospital. The bright shining words "Donghua City Third Hospital" appeared there as arge squad of fully armed warriors disembarked from the military vehicles, swiftly setting up defenses and firepower points, encircling the entire hospital. These were not special equipment squads; this was also at Shen Haos request. In the situation where there was ack of special equipment, he needed only ordinarily equipped soldiers here. The goal wasnt to deal with Blood Demons but to care for the survivors and slightly hinder any escaping Blood Demons. However, this arrangement was enough for people to guess what was going on. "The hospital! I guessed it earlier!" "Hospitals, schools, these are the ces most likely to have problems!" "Going to the hospital now, definitely cannot be alone with doctors!" "Exactly, its best to haveworked cameras everywhere!" "..." Clearly, the wisdom of theizens could not be underestimated; indeed, ever since the mornings press conference disclosed the intelligence, numerous practical suggestions had emerged online in this short period of time. At this moment, seeing such a rigorous readiness, everyone also began to feel nervous. Because they realized that if there were indeed problems inside the hospital... it might mean the entire hospital waspromised! "This is Donghua City Third Hospital." The reporters voice also carried a hint of barely concealed tension, "Due to the earlier evacuation instructions, there are now only one thousand three hundred inpatients and apanying rtives left in the hospital, along with one hundred and thirty-six doctors and nurses who still stand by their posts. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Thirty minutes ago, the Battle Command Center of Donghua City had already issued instructions to the hospital, asking that all personnel, except for the special patients in the ICU, gather at Big Mouth for inspection. We can see that the helicopter carrying Team Leader Shen Hao has already arrived overhead!" The camera panned up, the roaring sound of the helicopters des drawing nearer and nearer. After descending to a height of seven or eight meters, Shen Hao, dressed in simple clothing, leapt directly down. Hended steadily on the ground. In just the moment he appeared on camera, countless people became excited. The drone even gave him a close-up, Shen Haos expression was utterly calm, with not a trace of nervousness! He, all alone, crossed the defense line and walked toward the hollow hospital entrance. This scene seemed to carry a unique symbolism! However, just then, a rustling noise suddenly came from off-screen, and the drones camera began to move, revealing a scene that made everyones pupils constrict. One after another, hospital beds with wheels continuously slid out from the doorway! Yes, just sliding out, unpushed by anyone, yet not stopping at all, each oney with a patient, some even with IVs and monitoring equipment still attached. Continuously flowing, densely packed, filling the entire entrance! Even the slowest to react could tell something was off from such a scene. Many were already furiously typing on the inte! "These are all Blood Demons!" "Damn, this is a Demon Cave!" "Oh my God!" "Shen Hao, you better retreat first, there are too many Blood Demons!" "Right, justunch the missiles and explode it! Everyone inside must already be dead!" "My heavens!!!" "..." Even the host was trembling somewhat and couldnt find the words to say, as each soldier clenched their weapon tightly, the muzzles aiming at every person on those hospital beds! Not until they saw a person in a white coat, leading a group of doctors, nurses, and rtives, walking out from the entrance and standing there steadily. Everyone stood there, staring back at Shen Hao. Between themy a multitude of hospital beds, a multitude of "patients". This scene made everyones spirits tighten fiercely! There was no longer any need for any hopes, any doubts! These were all Blood Demons! The camera moved, focusing on the man at the front. The hosts voice, slightly trembling, came through, "That man, is the head of Donghua City Third Hospital, his name is Zhuang Tianze, fifty-three years old, also a specialist in neurology, has saved countless lives in his life, but now, now..." Though a professional host, for the first time in her life, she faltered in front of the camera. But Shen Haos voice, in this indescribable feeling of suffocation, saved her. "Seeing me, yet you did not run away," Shen Haos eyes gradually lit up with starlight as he swept over the group, "Youre quite bold." Chapter 40: I am the Sovereign, Invincible! In Shen Haos eyes, all the people before himwhether they be doctors, nurses, apanying family members, or those lying on the hospital bedswere all Blood Demons! One could imagine that some of them had probably been turned into Blood Demons within thest two or three hours. If Shen Hao hadnte here and let these Blood Demons know they could no longer hide, perhaps every person who walked into this hospital would be infected! "Isnt this you asking us toe out and face your inspection?" the Blood Demon possessing Zhuang Tianze said with a smile, spreading his arms, "Now, weve alle!" They were merely Blood Demons, but at this moment, their arrogance, wantonness, and even wildness were on full and unrestrained disy. Coupled with the densely packed hospital beds and the empty gaze of the patients, everyone felt a chilling sensation. Many viewers in front of the television even covered their mouths, trembling with fear all over. On one hand, they were oppressed by the Blood Demons aura; on the other, they were terrified by the staggering number of them. A few Blood Demons in the crowd might just be prey, but the appearance of arge number of Blood Demons could make people feel an omnipresent danger! The fear of the people stemmed from being unable to imagine what would happen if they entered this hospital! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Even the soldiers who had undergone rigorous training had their muscles tensed and were gripping their weapons tightly! "Team leader, the situation is a bit dire; the number of Blood Demons far exceeds our expectations." Dong Gongs voice also rang in Shen Haos earpiece, "There are probably no survivors inside, why not just cleanse the ce with heavy firepower?" "We would lose many points that way," Shen Hao spoke soothingly, "Dont worry, numbers mean nothing to me." Indeed, it didnt matter. By now, Shen Hao had more or less understood what he was relying on to detect the Blood Demons. Humans, though frail, also contained some incredible potential, including some perceptions that were temporarily difficult to exin with science, intuition or sixth sense being among them. The perceptions of ordinary people are vague, sometimes working and other times not. However, after acquiring the Talent of Sovereignty, Shen Hao was able to control everything about himself, naturally including this intuition. Thats why he could urately identify the Blood Demons, and by the same token, he could also urately sense danger. Now, facing these more than one thousand five hundred Blood Demons, Shen Hao felt no sense of danger at all! Yes, absolutely none! Just as he had said, to him, numbers might truly mean nothing. But Shen Haos gaze settled on the leading Blood Demon. "You seem, a bit different," he squinted slightly. "Can you actually tell?" the Blood Demon wearing Zhuang Tianzes appearance didnt lessen his smile, looking at Shen Hao mockingly, "You must be the Chosen One with a Purple Epic Talentimpressive. A one in ten thousand chance among Chosen Ones, maybe you are the most powerful Chosen One of the entire Human Civilization." "..." Shen Hao remained silent. But just this exchange had already revealed quite a bit of information. The Blood Demons actually knew about the Talents of Chosen Ones! In fact, when Shen Hao spoke of differences, he was not referring to strength or aura, but to the fact that this Blood Demon seemed more sentient. From what was known so far, once Blood Demons exposed their true form and stopped disguising themselves, their eyes would be empty, their emotions null, only showing reverence in the face of the Sovereigns Suppression and instinctive fear in the face of death. However, this Blood Demon seemed different. He no longer disguised himself, but his eyes carried a bloodthirsty, mocking, and mad look. ``` Contrasted with the emptiness of the other Blood Demons around, it created a sharp distinction. Shen Haos silence didnt affect it in the least; instead, it made the smile on its face even more ferocious. "Too bad, you discovered it toote. Let me guess your level, Level 1? Or Level 2? Do you know my level?" The Blood Demon raised a hand, with four fingers upright, "Level 4! This is the power amassed from one hundred and twelve humans. The disparity between us has grown sorge you cant even imagine! If not for Mothers order to stay hidden, I wouldve longed to taste the vor of the strongest Chosen One! Never would I have thought youde to me on your own, so struggle as you might for my entertainment, insignificant food!" With thest sentence, the Blood Demons body began to swell rapidly, no longer just oozing blood; even its muscles roiled and transformed, as sharp, chilling bones rapidly spread from the bloated, twisted flesh. Within seconds, a monster standing three to four meters tall, covered in flesh and bone spurs, appeared before the camera! Roar! The roar burst from its Big Mouth, and one could even see visible waves of air tumbling forth! A monster! This is a true monster! At this moment, countless people turned pale, and even through the screen, they could feel the terror of this monster! This wasnt on the same level as any of the other Blood Demons before! The difference was visible to the naked eye! Somepeople were frantically typing on their keyboards. "Run!" "Only heavy weaponry can deal with such a monster!" "There are still over a thousand Blood Demons!" "We must cover Shen Haos retreat; if he dies, who can differentiate the monsters!" "Two levels difference?!" "My God! It has consumed over a hundred people!" "..." Perhaps not everyone thought Shen Hao wasnt a match, but all understood the importance of Shen Hao. At this moment, anxiety gripped countless individuals! However, it seemed like the Blood Demon didnt want to waste any more time. Lifting its sharp ws, it swiped lightly. In an instant, red blood surged forth from all the Blood Demons, forming into various weapons. Every patient, every doctor, every nurse, at that moment, became a ferocious monster, leaping and charging wildly! From beds, trees, buildings, and even mid-air... Under the cameras gaze, it was as if a monstrous blood sea had erupted! Even the reporters screamed aloud at the moment, more faces turned white as they closed their eyes, unable to discern if the screams were from the television or their own. Even Dong Gong at this time was clenching his fists, his spirit stretched to the utmost! However! Shen Haos expression remained calm. Because he felt no danger! Indeed, he had prepared a series of drugs, but even facing these thousand-plus Blood Demons, and even facing the monster far more gruesome and horrifying than the average Blood Demon, he still felt no danger. "So thats how it is." It seemed Shen Hao had understood something. He didnt retreat but instead took a step forward toward the seemingly endless tide of Blood Demons. "I am the Sovereign, thus invincible!" ``` Chapter 41: Super Explosive! Dominator pressure, apanied by that step, was unleashed in full force! Brilliant starlight burst from Shen Haos eyes, easily breaking through some supposedly unbreakable limits under the influence of will and Talent; the invisible pressure almost materialized in that instant! Boom! The formless roar shattered and impacted everything! All the Blood Demons rushing at him wailed as they fell, even those leaping in midair seemed to crash down as if pressured by a heavy force! The thudding sounds of impacts resonated densely. Looking around, the fallen Blood Demons spread outyer byyer as if a towering wave of blood was forcibly suppressed! And behind Shen Hao, an indistinct figure, high on a throne surrounded by stars, faintly emerged. This made the scene not look like an attack by Blood Demons, but rather like submission and worship! Such a strong visual impact, even through the camera lens, allowed everyone to clearly feel it! In front of the television, most people still had fear on their faces, even screaming loudly a moment ago as if they could already see Shen Hao being torn apart; but now, the great contrast stuck their screams in their throats, leaving them stunned, incredulously staring at the scene before them. One against one thousand five hundred Blood Demons. In an instant, the Blood Demons were kneeling in submission! It wasnt until a good whileter that the inte finally exploded! "So freaking awesome ahhhh!!!" "What the hell just happened?" "Damn! Crazy awesome!" "Why is he so powerful that hes not even in the same dimension as other Chosen Ones?!" "I was wrong! I was so naive, I even told the big guy to run..." "Invincible! Invincible! Invincible!" "..." The screen was filled with all sorts of chaoticments, mostly crazy "?" and "!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The scene was so shocking that it was beyond description in words! Apart from shouting, people didnt know how to release their emotions at that moment! The world has changed dramatically, with the appearance of Chosen Ones and Blood Demons all in such a short time; even though some people were aware of the existence of superpowers, it was hard to imagine that someone could be so strong! Over one thousand five hundred Blood Demons! Among them, there were Blood Demons far stronger than the average! As some people say, watching the performance of other Chosen Ones previously felt more like a novelty, even if the recent live broadcasts of some Chosen Ones battles involved defeating Blood Demons one by one with every stroke and thrust. The seemingly strongest among them would still get injured! But this scene waspletely on another level! One against a thousand, an instantaneous obliteration! Not just ordinary people, at this moment, even those business and political leaders, even Dong Gong and everyone in the Intelligent Group, were clenching their fists, caught in unspeakable awe. At this moment, in front of this scene, perhaps only Shen Hao was the calmest one. Even that Level 4 Blood Demon, still maintaining its huge form and standing in ce, seemed to have fallen into an unexpected silence. But it still reacted rather quickly. "I see," it continued to sneer viciously, "it seems that numbers indeed have no meaning to you, but maintaining such intensity of power has already reached its limit, hasnt it? Your current state..." Boom! Shen Haos eyes shed with starlight as the overwhelming suppression burst forth, bypassing all the Blood Demons and mming fiercely into this particr Blood Demon. It could no longer utter a word, its entire body abruptly copsing heavily to the ground! In its nimble eyes, there was unbelievable fear. Some powers can only be understood through personal experienceto know their terror! "Do all Level 4 Blood Demons talk as much as you?" Shen Hao stepped forward, and wherever he passed, all the prostrate Blood Demons scrambled to clear a clean path through the sea of blood for him. The so-called Level 4 Blood Demon was now trembling with fear, seeming to want to shrink back, but the extreme trembling suppressed all its actions, including its thoughts. It could no longer think about why this was happening because at that moment, in their eyes, in their spirits, it seemed like there was only one indescribable and magnificent existence It was Shen Hao, who was slowly approaching! "No, no..." The Level 4 Blood Demon, sensing the impending doom, twisted its faceoriginally horrific and ferociousin fear, tears as big as beans continuously streaming out. The drones camera even gave it a close-up. Weak, pitiful, and helpless. This stark contrast produced an indescribable sense of absurdity; even with its massive and fierce form, it seemed not scary at all. "Since you like talking so much, why not say something useful?" Shen Hao stood in front of the Blood Demon, stopped, looked down upon the massive figure utterly prostrate on the ground, and slowly asked, "How did youe to know about the Chosen One?" Indeed, humans discovered the Blood Demons and learned that they could obtain points from them only yesterday. But this one already knew about the Level. Unless a Chosen One had told them these details in this short time, Shen Hao tended toward another answer the Blood Demons had long known about the Chosen Ones intelligence, and even more likely, they knew about the existence of the Civilization Trial and that they themselves were part of the Trial! "It was the Matrix, the Matrix told us." Experiencing that deep, universe-like gaze, this Level 4 Blood Demon was clearly at its limit, utterly unable to resist Shen Haos will. "The Matrix of the Blood Demons in Donghua City should also be in Donghua City," Shen Hao seemed unsurprised by the answer, merely asking calmly, "Where is it hiding?" "She... she...." This Level 4 Blood Demon, filled with fear, trembling, was about to reveal something when suddenly, its gaze shifted. "Chosen One," a hoarse female voice emanated from the Blood Demons vocal cords, sounding more like the vibration of blood, with a disturbing, viscous texture, "You are indeed very strong, stronger than I anticipated, but you will not find me, nor will you save your civilization." Shen Hao looked down at her, or rather, at the Matrix hiding behind this Blood Demon. A hint of mockery appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Look at you, hiding and not daring to meet my gaze, and you think youre fit to pry into my civilization?" "Pathetic humans, you utterly fail to understand our greatness, you...." "Getting impatient?" Shen Hao abruptly cut off its sharply rising voice, "Save your words till I dig you out. Werent you here to kill your offsprings? What are you waiting for? Get on with it, Ive already taken the points, its just the trouble that remains." He had already testedst night that killing the Blood Demon after taking it under control did not yield any more points. Now that the Matrix had revealed itself, it wouldnt dare leave even one survivor for the humans. Chapter 42: Parasite Failure Shen Hao had been vying for time with the matrix the previous night, and after the whole night, he had already fully understood the matrixs style. At this moment, he no longer hoped to uncover more information, so he turned away and left without looking back. The drones camera, in this moment, focused on the Blood Demons incredulous and furiously angry gaze, which even carried a clear sense of fear. However, it now had to personally kill over a thousand of its offspring because these offspring had all been stripped of their will by awe. Subsequently, all the Blood Demons emitted cries of agony and a mist of blood arose from them. Including the so-called Level 4 Blood Demon, all turned into dried-up corpses in the wake of Shen Haos departure. It was as if they were honoring the king with their own deaths! This scene was faithfully recorded and rapidly broadcasted throughout the entire country, even the whole world! It left an unforgettable impression on all who witnessed it and injected immense courage into those who were steeped in fear. At least they now knew that humans could be so powerful! However, garnering more fans unintentionally was not Shen Haos biggest gain this time. Points were. Over sixteen hundred Blood Demons, in one breath, brought him a total of three hundred and forty thousand points and about two hundred dropped items! More than what he had gained the entire previous night! Especially that Level 4 Blood Demon. Shen Hao had paid special attention to it, controlling this Level 4 Blood Demon had provided him with over three thousand two hundred points, which was more than fifteen times the norm for ordinary Blood Demons. Of course, given the strength of this Blood Demon, the number of points was actually too few. But there had been a Blue Talent drop! [Electric Shock] In the past, Shen Hao had acquired many [Basic Electric Shock], but this abilitycked the word "basic" and was also a Blue Rare Level. Obviously, it was more powerful. However, after a brief consideration, Shen Hao still did not rush to use it. Firstly, his personal strength hadnt hit a ceiling yet; adding such a purely offensive method didnt really matter at this point. Secondly, although the Blue Talent was good, it was just Rare Level, and he wasnt aware of the ability bars substitution situation, there was no rush to use it, keeping each slot avable for a better ability. Thirdly, perhaps due to his cheating-level acquisition of the Mythical Talent, Shen Hao also anticipated that, in selecting future abilities, he might simrly cheat. "There are less than thirty thousand points left until the Level 4 Mall," Shen Hao checked his total points at this point. The upgrade of the mall was undeniably crucial for the trials; he had a faint premonition that the White Level 4 Mall might undergo a transformation. After all, five hundred thousand points was theoretically a significant threshold. If not for the Blood Demonsing in droves, even he wouldnt have umted this many points so quickly. "Continue to examine other key facilities," Shen Hao boarded the helicopter and ordered. "Yes!" Dong Gongs voice was filled with vigor. N?v(el)B\\jnn Clearly, the influence of Shen Haos unbeatable power affected not just the ordinary civilians. But also those who were fighting on the front lines! As the news began to spread, and as more and more people learned that Shen Hao had eliminated over fifteen hundred Blood Demons in an instant, including so-called Level 4 Blood Demons, both the Chosen Ones and ordinary warriors grew increasingly spirited in battle. Even ordinary people became more cooperative. For they knew that the bnce of victory in the battle of Donghua City had overwhelmingly tipped in their favor the moment Shen Hao stepped forward and disyed such formidable power! Victory was now just a matter of time. Afterwards, Shen Hao also began to get busy. Starting from vital departments, one after another was quickly scrutinized; many Blood Demons were still dug out, either by revealing themselves because they knew they could not hide, or by attempting to prematurely flee, trying to escape the citys blockade. However, their scales were notrge and in front of Shen Hao, they couldnt even aplish a final bloody ughter, each turning into points. The examination among the civilians also started to proceed in an orderly manner. From one neighborhood to another, all the residents of the entire city appeared before Shen Hao in sequential order, striving for not a single one to be missed. And somewhat reassuringly, the number and incidence of Blood Demons were clearly decreasing. ... "It seems that the Third Hospital is probably the biggest Demon Cave," Dong Gong spoke over themunication channel, "Weve already reviewed one million one hundred twelve thousand people, with this efficiency, it will all be done in no more than two days, team leader, youve worked hard." "This isnt tough, the sooner we clean out the Blood Demons, the better," said Shen Hao, who was by then aboard a helicopter, looking at the summary report just handed to him. It was already ten oclock at night, and the review had not yet stopped. Including yesterday, a total of three thousand six hundred twenty-four Blood Demons had been found and dealt with. At present, only Donghua No.1 Middle School and Donghua Third Hospital were the areas heavily infested with Blood Demon parasites, other ces were much better. It is estimated that the total number of Blood Demons should be around five thousand or so, roughly one thousandth of Donghua Citys total poption. But considering that the Blood Demons had appeared for no more than a month, this ratio was actually quite rming. Because the spread of Blood Demons would elerate, if really left unchecked, it would turn into something like that town in the Northern Alliance, where in just one month, all eight thousand plus people in the town became Blood Demons! "In addition, the mood of the public is gradually stabilizing, we keep adjusting and optimizing the review process, the probability of civilian casualties is constantly decreasing..." Dong Gong continued his verbal report. Realizing the potential countermeasures of the Blood Demons, they were also constantly adjusting their strategy. They no longer notified civilians toe out for review, but instead deployed military assaults to quickly take over every floors entrance, then let the civilianse out of their rooms in sequence, keeping a distance. In thetest review, when over twenty Blood Demons burst into attack in a neighborhood, there were zero casualties. Only a dozen civilians were injured, and the most severely injured was no longer in life-threatening danger, which was clearly an inspiring achievement. It must be said, human experience in the war against Blood Demons was also growing at an astonishing rate. Though Donghua City was fortunate to be the first city to be cleared of Blood Demons, it also became the "Experience Pack" for all regions nationwide, and the war experience gained here would bring great help to other regions, even to the whole world. And at this moment. Shen Hao had flipped to the final part of the report when he suddenly raised his eyebrows. "Found seven suspected Parasite Failures?" Chapter 43: Identifying Blood Demon鈥檚 Products! "Thats right." Dong Gong clearly knew this, "During the inspection operation in the daytime, a total of thirteen ongoing parasitic actions were discovered, among which three had been sessfully parasitized, the Blood Demons were executed, three were not yet parasitized, and these seven, are suspected failures, but everyone is still in aa, and we have sent them to the hospital and strictly guarded them. I dont know what will happen." Parasite failure. The likelihood of this situation urring is actually very low. Based on the intelligence explored from the Blood Demonst night, during the process of being parasitized by a Blood Demon, if one struggled with all their might, there indeed was a certain probability of parasite failure. However, the problem is that the Blood Demons were also aware of this, so during the process of parasitization, they would use various means to make the parasitized lose consciousness and unable to struggle. For example, suffocation into unconsciousness or hitting certain special parts. If the entire parasitizing process was under the watchful eyes of the Blood Demon, then even if one woke up and struggled midway, they would still be knocked out again. The possibility of sessfully resisting was really minuscule. Thats why the Blood Demons were able to hide for as long as a month. They have always been ensuring a high sess rate in carrying out the parasitization. But now, with city-wide inspections and everyone on alert, and even the emergency help number "111" activated, which could send the address information to the nearest Soldier and Chosen One squad instantly upon dialing, the probability of parasitization being interrupted and prevented had indeed greatly increased, naturally raising the possibility of parasite failures. Seven cases in one day is not many. However, what exactly would happen to those who suffered parasitic failures? "I have a premonition," Shen Hao suddenly spoke up, "These people represent the human spirit of resistance, and it should be more than just retrieving a life. If they wake up, notify me immediately." Just one look, whether there is any difference, his intuition should be able to perceive it. "Yes!" "Lets leave it at that for now," Shen Hao looked down at the people who were gathered below to undergo the inspection, suddenly showing a smile, "On my side, there might just be some good news first." "Could it be..." Dong Gong seemed to have realized something, his spirits lifted. "Exactly that." Shen Hao didnt jump down at all, and directly on the helicopter, he released his own suppression. Several Blood Demons could no longer hide and fell down wailing. Ever since getting over three hundred thousand points in one go from the Third Hospital in the daytime, the Blood Demons had apparently received some instructions from the Matrix. Once they realized they were about to undergo inspection, they would rather expose themselves early than be exposed in front of Shen Hao. It is clear, Blood Demons have a considerable understanding of the channels through which Chosen Ones be stronger. They dared not continue giving points to Shen Hao, the formidable Chosen One. This action greatly increased the difficulty Shen Hao faced in umting points; even though he acquires quite a lot of feedback through equipment and abilities sent out, he still hadnt gathered the remaining thirty thousand points. And now, he finally had enough! Fifty thousand total points, obtained! "White Level 4 Mall!" Shen Hao didnt even bother with the people below who passed the inspection, cheering and hugging each other; he just opened the newly unlocked White Level 4 Mall. Just opening it, his eyes slightly brightened. Because, the items inside the Level 4 Mall, indeed ascended a whole level! Not to mention anything else, the most expensive item, astonishingly reached twenty-four thousand points. Exactly four times the price of the most expensive item in the White Level 3! "High-density battery technology, impressive indeed, also very useful, but howe its not Blood Demon detection technology," Shen Hao felt somewhat regretful. This energy technology indeed ys a significant role in the development of civilization. Even if it could only increase the current battery energy density by two to three times, it could still spark a significant energy revolution. However, in the face of this war, what humans most urgentlyck is the ability to detect Blood Demons, even to actively locate them! Otherwise, relying solely on Shen Haos naked eye for identification, how many Blood Demons could be found? Auditing a Donghua City takes three to four days., so how long would auditing the entire country take? Shen Haos gaze continuously wandered within the Level 4 Mall. The resources of the Extraordinary Domain had increased considerably, some obviously more powerful than White Level 3. The growth of strength could also be faster. But, Shen Hao was not looking for these. Until, suddenly, an item appeared before his eyes that, without his Dominator Talent, would have probably made his heartbeat elerate in that instant! [Item Name: Sensing Talisman] [Item Level: White Level 4] [Item Description: Capable of detecting whether some items contain Spiritual Energy, sensitive response, reusable, but causes wear with a limited number of uses. It also has some detective effects on other non-Spiritual Energy extraordinary characteristics.] [Item Price: 100 points] "Sensing Talisman, Sensing Talisman, can it test for Blood Demons?" Shen Haos eyes grew brighter. If it only tests for Spiritual Energy, it might not be useful against Blood Demons, but with thatst statement, its entirely worth a try! Not to mention, Blood Demons dont seem to be purely technological creatures! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Controlling blood, strengthening through cannibalism, they must possess Extraordinary Power on their bodies, which means, using this talisman, it would be very likely to distinguish Blood Demons from ordinary people! "Dong Gong!" Shen Hao called out directly in themunication channel, "Arrange for someone toe over right now, theres an item in the White Level 4 Mall that could likely be used to identify Blood Demons!" "Really?" Dong Gong, at this moment, couldnt contain his excitement! Its not that he wasnt calm enough, but this matter was just too important! Not only was Shen Hao worried, but not just the high-level officials; after the existence of Blood Demons became public, the whole world was anxious about how to extract Blood Demons from the poption! Shen Hao indeed could do it, but he was only one person! And now, if the mall could do it, whatever the means, it would provide tremendous help in this war! If it werent for another task he had, Dong Gong would have wanted toe in person. He even temporarily put aside all other matters and quickly arranged a team to rush to Shen Haos location. Even the helicopter pilot, after hearing this brief conversation, couldnt quite contain the eleration of his heartbeat. The flying speed inadvertently increased quite a bit. "Take this and test it." Shen Hao handed over ten Sensing Talismans to the liaison personnel. "Yes!" The liaison personnel very carefully took the few thin yellow papers, as if they were taking heavy hope itself. Then a team quickly rushed to the testing site! Although there are no living Blood Demon captives now, there are still Blood Demons hiding in the entire city. Chapter 44: (Added to ask for follow-up readership!) Shen Hao is the trend! ``` If we really wanted to test it, there could be many ways to do so. Right now, not only Shen Hao was waiting in anticipation, everyone who knew about this was eagerly awaiting the oue! Inside the Intelligent Group, they even began discussing it quickly and excitedly. "One hundred points a piece, and theres a limit on how many times it can be used, this is too expensive!" "If its useful, we must quickly master the method for mass production!" "Theres a Chosen One with the Talent Taoist? And its a Blue Talent, we can let him try it out!" "Test whether Blood Demons blood can be detected. If so, we can narrow down the range and save on Spirit Talismans by using mixed blood screening!" "The key is to upgrade Team Leader Shens Store Level! The method to win the war is in the mall!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "..." Before this, the Intelligent Group had already made a rough guess about the White Level 4 Mall, believing that it might contain equipment or technology that could further counter the Blood Demons. After all, if it werent for Shen Hao, just eliminating them would require a Chosen One to kill three to four thousand Blood Demons to achieve a promotion. To umte such a number ofbat achievements in normal battles would take a considerable time, even for those with Blue Talents. If the Level 4 Mall obtained through such efforts turned out to be ordinary, it would be out of proportion with the difficulty of promotion, and the Chosen One Mall would seem more like false hope. After all, Shen Haos emergence was entirely a stroke of luck against the odds. More than one person was guessing that Shen Haos Talent wasnt just at the Purple Epic level. That kind of power that transcends levels and disregards numbers was truly shocking! The time needed for testing wasnt long. Ten Spirit Testing Talismans were precisely used in various experiments. Whether it was detecting Blood Demons in battle, testing the blood of Blood Demons, or using mixed screening to test everyones blood.... The answer exhrated everyone. "It works!" Dong Gong quickly reported back to Shen Hao, "Moreover, the lower the concentration of the substance being tested, the less it consumes. Direct detection of a Blood Demon individual can only be used once, but if its detecting a mix of fifty peoples blood, it can be used up to twenty times effectively. Unfortunately, a mix of a hundred peoples blood can no longer be detected, it seems like the Extraordinary characteristics are below the minimum detection range." "Have you reported this?" Shen Hao was equally happy, but quickly got to the point. "It has been reported, but if we want to carry out this kind of detection nationwide, even just preliminary screenings, the number of Spirit Talismans needed would be incrediblyrge," Dong Gong quickly exined. "Before we master the method forrge-scale production, we can only give priority to the screening of management groups and key units, especially military units. These are the organizations where infiltration by the Blood Demons must be prevented to the greatest extent possible." "Alright, since its useful, Ill exchange for a batch right away for emergency use," Shen Hao agreed. After the initial anticipation, he had realized that unless they could master the mass production of these talismans, relying solely on exchanges made it very difficult to carry out aprehensive selection. But being able to provide them to key organizations already made a tremendous difference. Just as Dong Gong had said, some institutions absolutely must not bepromised. "Additionally, theres been another suggestion," Dong Gong heaved a slight sigh of relief, but continued, "Some people rmend providing some of the Spirit Testing Paper to key leadership groups in other countries as a means of testing because if their order copses and they faceprehensive defeat, we would be under tremendous pressure." "...." Upon hearing this, Shen Haos brows furrowed. He understood that Dong Gong was correct; his concern wasnt whether or not to give, but about how to ensure these precious talismans were used in the right ces. ``` Indeed, once the Blood Demons detected by the Sensing Talismans he exchanged were killed, he would also receive points feedback. This further confirmed that the rule of points feedback was very likely operating ording to his "Causality" conjecture. In such circumstances, overseas was a Blue Sea for acquiring points. However, while he could still exert a certain supervisory effect domestically with his current strength and irreceable role, control over international situations could easily be out of reach. Shen Hao was not unwilling to trust those people, but he also did not wish to test human nature. If the Sensing Talismans were to appear inrge quantities and at high prices on the market, what would be the point? "I can give them, but not without a price," Shen Hao finally said in a deep voice, "I need to gather their top scientists to participate in the rted research of the Malls technology. I must have a share in the ownership and management rights of the research institute. Moreover, every Sensing Talisman needs reliable supervision; every use must be recorded to ensure they are used where they should be. If I ever find out there has been deceit, I will never trust them again, nor will I provide any further help!" Dong Gongs breath hitched, and even through themunication, he seemed to feel the overwhelming pressure at that moment! It was not Dominator pressure. But since the moment Shen Hao aplished the feat of instantly killing more than fifteen hundred Blood Demons by himself during the day, many already realized that the upper limit of the Chosen Ones power was unfathomable! And from that moment, Shen Hao had be the one standing at the pinnacle of all Chosen Ones, the symbol representing the strongest force of the Chosen Onesand he had already deeply ingrained himself in the hearts of the people! Especially since he was not alone, nor was he simply a "Superhero"! He was rational, powerful, with the ability and wisdom to establish a collective of interests, expand influence, and seize power! In this crisis threatening countless lives, as long as he continued to grow stronger, continued to make saving the world, saving civilization his mission, and kept bringing benefits and a sense of security to others, more and more people would rally around him! He was still somewhat young, but already a "Major Trend" that could be seen clearly! Even Dong Gong himself was also one of those pursuing this Major Trend, wasnt he? "I will convey your conditions and attitude," Dong Gong said respectfully. Nowadays, no matter from which aspect, Shen Haos voice could no longer be ignored by anyone. After ending themunication, Shen Hao directly exchanged for two thousand Sensing Talismans. Looking at the points that had suddenly decreased by almost half, he couldnt help but feel the importance of points. For his personal strength enhancement, he hardly needed many. But the consumption elsewhere was boundless. Not only Sensing Talismans, but the weaponry and equipment in the White Level 4 could easily allow soldiers to take on seven or eight Blood Demons without much problem. Moreover, the Store Level was also very important. As effective as Sensing Talismans are in detecting Blood Demons, the cost is too great, and the return on investment is too low. The research that could be undertaken was likely to be ineffective. After all, its a system that humans had not encountered before. "Indeed, I need to upgrade the Mall as soon as possible," Shen Hao thought to himself. Chapter 45: The Best News The Chosen One Mall seemed to have everything one might need, but in reality, many items were grey-white, unviewable, and not for sale. All products adhered to a certain strength limitation, and at White Level 4 Mall, one could only purchase items of that specific tier. Shen Hao flipped his hand, and two new Flying Knives hovered in front of him. Lighter and harder than the White Level 3 Flying Knives he had purchased before, the engravings on their surfaces seemed to emit a special airflow that allowed them to fly faster, as if propelled. In the hands of an ordinary Chosen One, they might perform quite well. But in Shen Haos hands, they were just so-so. No different from using a fruit knife. Either way, it was a one-stroke kill, no difference at all. "Team Leader Shen, weve received a report from the target residential area, revealing seven Blood Demons exposed and killed, with six more people missing and currently being searched for," reported a voice from the helicopter co-pilot through the headset. Again this scenario. "Then fly overhead and let me have a look," Shen Hao instructed, feeling somewhat helpless. This situation had been urring quite frequentlytely. By then, the sky was already faintly bright, and the points he was acquiring were diminishing. Clearly, the Blood Demons were preventing him from obtaining more points. In the current situation, piling up points on one person could yield greater effects. Even if other Chosen Ones obtained them, in White Level 1 and White Level 2 Malls, they could not purchase much of value. Moreover, realizing that it was increasingly difficult to engage in mass ughters that incited fear, Blood Demons were choosing to hide more and more. Even in a city full of surveince, it was hard to keep hiding, but with their numbers, they could greatly strain the resources and manpower. In such arge city, ying hide-and-seek was not easy. Not only were humanbat experiences improving, but the Blood Demons were also increasingly disying cunning behaviors. This was a war between two intelligent species. "Should I look for Blood Demons in other cities?" Shen Hao pondered internally. To unlock the White Level 5 Mall required a total of two million points. Although only four times higher, it was still a daunting number. He needed more Blood Demons. However, after a bit of contemtion, Shen Hao quickly dismissed the idea. This issue couldnt be resolved by merely moving locations. As long as arge number of people gathered, the Blood Demons could easily guess that he wasing to inspect and would take any measure to avoid appearing before him. Unless it was like the situation at the Third Hospital, where the demon cave was discovered beforehand, allowing him tounch a surprise attack to resolve it and gain a chance to earn a substantial amount of points. Shen Hao seemed to think of something and reconnected with Dong Gong. "Whats the situation in the viges?" Yes, the viges, especially those with close-knit rtionships and mostly elderly and weak residents, with rtively isted news, would simrly be ces where Blood Demons could easily parasitize and spread! The Intelligent Group had naturally realized this as well and had dispatched personnel to investigate early on. "The situation in several viges near Donghua City is indeed severe," Dong Gong had also just received the first-hand information, "When our troops began to gather the vigers, many Blood Demons directly fled into the forests. The most severe vige has beenpletely annihted, and many skeletons have been found. Judging by the number, there might be more than one Level 4 Blood Demon." Shen Haos heart sank slightly. ording to the investigation from the Third Hospital, Blood Demons consume humans to enhance their strength and also have a digestion period. The first instance of human consumption by the Blood Demon should have been twenty-two days ago. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Given the hospitals facilities, it could have consumed more, but it did not, which indicates that the number of over a hundred people is already the limit for this period. This means that currently, the strength of the Blood Demons should only be between Level 4 and 5. However, this was already troublesome enough. Although a Level 4 Blood Demon is no match for Shen Hao, thats only because Shen Hao is strong. Moreover, human monitoring intensity is limited to cities and cannot possibly cover the wilderness. The perception, speed, and strength of advanced Blood Demons are notcking, making them definitely harder to capture. "However, viges a bit further away seem to be safe," Dong Gong finally shared some good news. In front of him was a map of Donghua City with several key addresses highlighted in red and connected to form a circle, "The viges where Blood Demons have appeared are all rtively close to Donghua City. The Analysis Department spectes that the parasitism of Blood Demons might also have other restrictions, such as not being able to be too far from the Matrix." "That is indeed possible," Shen Haos eyes brightened, "The Matrix has strong control power over ordinary Blood Demons, even being able to ce its consciousness within ordinary Blood Demons to speak with me. I dont believe such control is without any distance limitations. If it were so, one Matrix would be enough for the entire world." Previously, interrogation of the Blood Demon had revealed that there is more than one Matrix. There are Matrices abroad and others in different ces. And the Matrix for these Blood Demons in Donghua City is right here in Donghua City! "If that is really the case, then it could be considered the best news in the past few days," Dong Gong also sighed in relief slightly, "ording to the worst-case scenario analysis by the Analysis Department, if Blood Demons have already spread through every city and all at a one-thousandth ratio, then in two to three months, the poption infested with parasites could exceed one percent of the total poption, and within four to five months, it could reach ten percent! After that... the Blood Demons would no longer need to hide, the ones hiding would be us." Although this is a prediction in the worst-case scenario, once the number of Blood Demons reaches a certain proportion, they can stop hiding, stop sneaking around, and brazenly consume and parasitize humans. The proportion could explode in a short amount of time. The situation where an entire town was infested, as in the Northern Alliance, is exactly such a case. From ten percent to one hundred percent might only be a matter of days! "We still know too little about Blood Demons. With the Matrix present, we cant even capture any alive to conduct specific research and experiments," Shen Hao spoke gravely, "However, if we can capture and control a Matrix, the situation will bepletely different." "Exactly!" Dong Gongs tone perked up, "The Analysis Department has just submitted a report on this, and I was about to send it to you, Team Leader." Although only two days have passed since the discovery of the Blood Demons, the importance of the Matrix has continued to emerge. Being able to remotely kill all Blood Demons severely hinders our research and understanding of them. Simrly, If we can capture and control a Matrix, the impact would be immeasurable. The guesses triggered by the situation in the countryside further underscored the importance of the Matrix. Even on the Chosen One panel, being the first to capture a Matrix would likely yield a special reward. Chapter 46 The Sinner of the Species "No need to look at the report, just increase the support. I demand that Donghua City be surrounded so tightly that not even air can get through," Shen Hao paused, his tone growing grave as he continued, "Since it likes to y hide and seek, let''s y along." "Understood!" Dong Gong responded. With Shen Hao there, the Matrix in Donghua City might be the easiest to catch among all the Matrices nationwide. Under no circumstances could they let it escape! Troops, drones, search dogs... All support must be increased! After hanging up the call, Shen Hao leaned forward to peer through the helicopter''s window, overlooking the city below that was just brightening with dawn. In just two short days, this once familiar hometown seemed to have bepletely different. The streets were eerily quiet, with only military personnel on alert and military vehicles speeding back and forth. In some ces, the sound of gunfire still erupted intermittently, keeping countless people awake all night. "One more day," Shen Hao looked at his external panel. The progress had already reached seventy-three percent. Shen Hao could now somewhat understand the sentiments of those civilizations in his dream. Being endowed with a Red Mythical Talent at the start gave him immense, unparalleled personal strength. But, when faced with this first Trial, he also felt extraordinarily challenged. If there were no more cheats, perhaps he could still win, but how many people would die? One percent, or ten percent? And how many would die in the next Trial? "Among those extinct civilizations, there must have been chances of a Red Talent at the start, but they still perished," Shen Hao pursed his lips, his heart urgently hoping that this cheat, which gathered thest struggles of countless civilizations, would be even stronger. When facing an enemy like the Civilization Trial, all possible measures should be taken. Cheating should be done as extensively as possible! "Team Leader Shen, a report hase in from the targeted neighborhood, three Blood Demons exposed and nine people missing." "Hmm, fly overhead so I can review the area," Shen Hao said. "Yes." "..." As Shen Hao continued to push the review and steadily shrink the hiding spaces for the Blood Demons, in the city, within some filthy, dark corner that was so squalid you couldn''t even see the sunlight if you looked up, several figures were converging. If an adult were to see the scene, they would surely find it ridiculous. Because four or five adults were kneeling reverently on the ground while three children sat squarely in front of these adults. One of them was even a girl who looked no more than three or four years old. But her expression at the moment was extremely sinister, coupled with an innocent and tender face, a nce was enough to determine this was not human, plunging the observer into an uncanny valley of terror. She was the Matrix of Donghua City! However, at this moment, she was looking discontentedly at the two children in front of her. "Only the two of you came?" "No, three of us," a boy about seven or eight years old replied in a softugh, though his voice was a hoarse female''s, "The other one can''t blend in with such small children, so it had its children wait outside." "Not enough!" the Matrix of Donghua City raised its voice, "I''ve been calling for help for a whole day, why have only threee!" "You should be grateful." Thest one, taking the appearance of a five or six-year-old boy, had a voice just as hoarse and viscous, as if it were the sound of blood vibrating. "More and more human troops are rushing here, do you know how much risk we took toe and support you?" Indeed, these two Blood Demons weren''t the children of Donghua City''s Matrix. Instead, they were the children of other Matrices. As early as the day before yesterday at Donghua No.1 Middle School, when it first locked eyes with Shen Hao, the Donghua City Matrix had sent out a distress call to the nearest other Matrices. But now, only three Matrices havee! The Matrix of Donghua City could feel the anger in the mood. "Risk? Letting the Chosen One continue to live is the greatest risk!" Its voice was sharp, "Didn''t you see that image? In such a short time, even children at Level 4 are no match for him!" "That''s because you''re too useless!" A Blood Demon Mother sneered, "If it truly was such a terrifying Talent, you should have eliminated all your children right away, see how many points you''ve fed him." "All right," another Matrix who seemed to be good-natured tried to mediate, "Killing our own children is too cruel for us, but right now, the most important thing is to escort you to escape." "..." The Donghua City Matrix was silent at the moment. Indeed, if a sufficient number of its own kind hade to support it, strong enough, maybe they could try to kill the Chosen One. But with only three, it dared not gamble.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om No matter what, it could not fall into the hands of the Chosen One, it had no assurance that it wouldn''t lose all its courage to resist under such an extreme and terrible Talent. Just a single nce at those eyes, even through its children, could bring it unforgettable fear. "Since you were able to get in, then take me out," the Matrix of Donghua City finally said. It was ready to flee. Escaping wasn''t shameful, for each Matrix was a precious foundation for the revival of the civilization. "It''s not that easy now, human reinforcements are constantly increasing, our blending in was also due to a rare gap." "We can''t dy any longer. Several Parasite Failures have already appeared, you know what that kind of individual means!" The Matrix of Donghua City sounded increasingly irritable, "Plus that damn Chosen One, the longer we wait, the harder it will be for me to leave." The words "Parasite Failure" seemed to provoke something. The other two Matrices, for a moment, remained silent. After a while, the one that looked like a five or six-year-old Blood Demon finally uttered a hoarse voice. "You are truly a sinner of our entire species." "..." The Matrix of Donghua City did not respond. Now, it couldn''t refute that statement. "Let''s move quickly, then." It was the other Matrix who spoke, "We will only let the children assist you, the original bodies will stay at the furthest distance, never getting close. Also, gather all your children hidden outside the city. In times like these, you shouldn''t think about keeping them anymore. In the end, if we can''t escape, then go back to the embrace of the great Mother Sea swiftly, so at least when our civilization revives, you may keep some decent legacy in the annals of our history." "..." The Matrix of Donghua City was silent for a long time before slowly speaking, "Okay." "How long will you need?" "Until tomorrow morning, those children have already been discovered," it replied "Good." After setting the time, the other two Matrices withdrew their consciousness, and the two Blood Demons that woke up, seeing the Matrix in front of them, respectfully prostrated themselves on the ground. Chapter 47 Plugin Update! In the world of the Blood Demons, the Matrix holds a position of supreme authority. Ordinary Blood Demons actually do not possess self-awareness, but rather function like machines, obeying the instructions of the Matrix and ying the role of the parasite in everything, reflecting emptily on all matters, only experiencing instinctual fear when faced with death. However, a qualitative change urs after reaching Level 4. It seems as if the parasites merge even more thoroughly, possessingplex emotions, which may interfere with or even dictate their actions. This intelligence was also supplemented today by the "Analysis Department," a group of experts. However,pared to the gains of the previous day, today''s intelligence did not make any significant progress. Even as night fell once again, and Shen Hao had inspected most of the city, no trace of the Matrix was found. The war that was now unfolding in Donghua City had changed its form, no longer centering around gathering crowds for inspection, but rather ying a dangerous and thrilling game of "hide and seek" with the Blood Demons, using an increasing number of drones, all the surveince cameras, and reports from the public. By one o''clock in the morning, all residents had finally been inspected. Shen Hao temporarily returned to the base located at Donghua No.1 Middle School. In a conference room, a huge white screen disyed the map of Donghua City, with the number at the top highlighted in red. 328. "Is this the current total of missing poption?" Shen Hao sat down, standing as he asked, "Some of them should be victims, right?" "Indeed, some skeletons hidden by the Blood Demons have been found." Dong Gong nodded, "The actual number of Blood Demons should be less than this figure." The number on the screen suddenly changed. It dropped by three. This indicated that three Blood Demons had been detected and eliminated. They could have been the Chosen One, special equipment warriors, or search teams formed by ordinary soldiers. During the day, Shen Hao had once again purchased arge number of weapons, the number of special equipment squads had multiplied several times, and together with the independent functioning Chosen Ones, the three hundred-plus Blood Demons could barely stir up any trouble. It was only a matter of time before they werepletely eradicated. However, the Blood Demons, or rather the Matrix, would certainly not just sit back and wait for death. "If I''m not mistaken, those Blood Demons outside the city should also be showing a tendency to converge on the city," Shen Hao spoke up. "Indeed," Dong Gong nodded, pointing to several spots on the edge of the map, "These locations have all had sporadic Blood Demon sightings in the past two hours, infrared detection has also yielded special findings, and much evidence is indicating that those Blood Demons that fled from the viges are converging on Donghua Citythese creatures are probably trying to escort the Matrix in breaking out." This was not difficult to guess. After the identities of the Blood Demons were uncovered, the war had effectively returned to a rhythm familiar to humans. It didn''t even require the Analysis Department to make a special analysis. Even a military enthusiast could probably analyze the situation quite urately. At the moment, it''s nothing more than a group of dangerous elements hiding within the city, attempting to leave, while another group of dangerous elements is preparing to assist them from the outside. "The Blood Demons outside the city are easier to deal with. Although they can hide and are very careful, infrared detection is our secret weapon to find them, and we have already begun the cleanup," Dong Gong continued, "But those inside the city are indeed troublesome. Donghua City can be considered arge city with all kinds ofplex structures and hidden corners. If the Matrix has parasitized a child or even an infant, the difficulty of finding it will increase greatly." He didn''t need to be told, Shen Hao knew that this game of "hide-and-seek" wouldn''t be easy to win. The baby was roughly the size of a cat, and just by putting Donghua City under such strict lockdown, a significant amount of human and material resources had already been expended. Infrared surveince covered nearly every outer area, with a massive number of drones conducting a carpet style search, and they also had to consider the Blood Demon infiltrating residents'' homes.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Experts predicted that the search operation couldst up to half a month at most if they continuously contracted the absolute control line, inching inward. That was too slow. Moreover, the Matrix would certainly choose to break out, and even more so, the time to do so could be faster and sooner, not giving them much of a chance to call in more reinforcements. Shen Hao didn''t have a good solution either. After waiting for the helicopter to refuel, he stood up and said, "I''ll continue patrolling, and also, send a few more helicopters to circle overhead." "Understood," Dong Gong said with a smile, "Now, the sound of armed helicopters is very intimidating to the Blood Demons. Just hearing the noise, quite a few Blood Demons voluntarily expose themselves." This was the deterrence Shen Hao wielded now. Although it was also a means used by the Blood Demons to prevent him from gaining more points, indisputably, this situation was heartening. Even some residents could only fall asleep peacefully when they heard the helicopters hovering nearby. Shen Hao then randomly hid himself aboard one of the helicopters. Looking at his cheat panel. It had reached ny-two percent. At most, just six more hours! He knew that the Blood Demons definitely had their ways, but that was fine, he would have his cheats! Shen Hao only hoped that the cheat would be powerful enough. Time passed bit by bit amidst the relentless search. Until the sky began to show a faint light, and then turned fully bright, signaling the official start of a new day, Shen Hao, who had been constantly watching the progress bar of the cheat, finally saw thest percentage pointplete! The cheat was updated! Without any pause, the interface changed abruptly. It was still the same crude-style drawing, so rudimentary that it was only text. [Confirming the current version of Civilization Trial as 1.1491. In this version, there is a certain censorship mechanism, allowing only one cheat to be loaded every 172 hours, 25 minutes, and 14 seconds. Currently, you can choose from the following five cheats.] [Basic Database External Tool: This can ess the database of the Civilization Trial to find the basic content of the current Trial (created by the Saiji Civilization).] [VIP Cheat First Edition: This cheat grants permanent VIP1 status and corresponding privileges in the Point Mall (created by the Kejin Civilization).] [Drop Hack First Edition: This cheat increases the drop rate by double (created by the Kejin Civilization).] [Points Hack First Edition: This cheat allows the user to earn double points (created by the Kejin Civilization).] [Map Cheat First Edition: Enables a map centered around the individual, searching and marking all point sources within the map range; the size of the map is determined by the user''s Spirit Points (created by the Saiji Civilization).] [Note: Some cheats may be prohibited from use after a significant version update, and new cheats will also be updated synchronously. Please choose carefully ording to the current Trial situation to maximize effectiveness.] Chapter 48 Powerful New Plugin! "Yes!" At this moment, Shen Hao even fiercely clenched his fist. He didn''t control his emotions at all, nor did he want to control the emotions of the moment! Although it was only a short three days, with the appearance of Blood Demons and the unfolding of the war, his expectation for external tools had grown immensely. And now, his expectations had been fulfilled! He was even somewhat impatient, wanting those Blood Demons to pay a painful price! However, before that, he still needed to make a careful selection. Shen Hao''s mood quickly calmed down. The text on the external tool interface was very clear, in the current version, he could choose only one external tool to load within a certain period, roughly calcted as over seven days and four hours. That is, choosing one from five external tools now, he would then be able to load the second one after seven days. "This information on the external tools is too scant," Shen Hao tried to let the external tool suite give more information about them, but he couldn''t achieve that. It seemed that the rudimentary content on this primitive interface was all there was. This undoubtedly made his choice more difficult. For instance, the Basic Database External Tool, how basic it is exactly, and how much intelligence about the Blood Demon could it provide him? Or take the Map Cheat, it seems urgently needed, but just howrge is this map? If it''s only a few hundred meters, then with his strength enhancement, his own perception could reach that. In contrast, the three external tools manufactured by Kejin Civilization seemed to have clear and definite effects. Especially the Drop Hack and points hack. Double drops! Double points! The former would greatly increase the number of ability balls acquired, as feedback from the frontlines indicated, the ability balls had a massive impact on the strength enhancement of the Chosen One, even with the same basic three-dimensional data, a Chosen One with strong abilities could demonstrate an overwhelming martial superiority. Thetter, needless to say, one could never have too many points! Swiftly upgrading the store level, was crucial for the entire trial, personal strength, and even the future development of Human Civilization! "I freaking want them all!" Shen Hao even burst out with a curse in his heart. It was the first time since acquiring the Dominator Talent that he felt thispleteck of desire to control his emotions. Nheless, a choice still had to be made. "The database has too many unknowns, the store VIP also unknown, exclude them for now, drops and points are certainly important, but they are safe choices, the doubling might need some time to show a sufficient qualitative effect, as for the map... it''s a gamble, if the range of the map isrge enough, I could be the greatest fear of the Blood Demons! But if it''s very small, then I could also find and identify Blood Demons myself," Shen Hao didn''t let himself get trapped in meaningless conflict, after analyzing the pros and cons of each external tool, he made his choice directly. Map Cheat, first edition! Right, since he could choose a second external tool after one week, then the needs of this week would be the focus. Since he was currently ying "hide and seek" with the Blood Demon Mother, Shen Hao was willing to bet on the strength of the Map Cheat! The moment he made his choice, he could feel through the "Sovereign" Talent that something had connected to his soul, on one side binding with the external tool suite, and on the other side, forming certain connections with the Chosen One panel. Simultaneously, the map unfolded in his mind! Radius three thousand four hundred meters! "My current spirit is 19 points, a radius of three thousand four hundred meters, nearly seven kilometers in diameter!" At this moment, Shen Hao let his joy burst forthpletely. Because he knew, he had bet correctly! This Map Cheat was powerful enough! His gaze swept over the map, and Shen Hao discovered that there wasn''t much on itno terrain, no buildings, just a nk space. However, as the helicopter patrolled, soon two or three red dots appeared on the map! "Move two thousand meters to the four o''clock direction," Shen Hao instructed. "Yes!" The pilot was somewhat puzzled but did not ask why. By this point, Shen Hao had already umted enough prestige in the hearts of these Soldiers; in such a war, no warrior wants to stand behind such a powerful presence. A distance of two kilometers, for an armed helicopter, was also just a matter of one or two minutes. Shen Hao soon realized that he could project the map annotations into his Perception whenever he wished. Under his current Perception, the two Blood Demons hiding in an abandoned house below were as clear as lights in the dark, even clear through walls, including their outlines! Even the most powerful infrared couldn''t achieve such an effect. "Hehe." Shen Hao''s mouth curved in a smile. The copilot, curious, watched him; this was the first time he had seen Team Leader Shen smile in the past two days. Had he discovered something? The next moment, he saw Team Leader Shen raise his hand and lightly flick, and two Flying Knives surrounded by currents of air plummeted down! Although the height was beyond the range of Shen Hao''s Telekinesis, under the powerful "slingshot" created by Telekinesis, the mixed soil walls could not block the sharp knives, and under the Sovereign''s control, there was no possibility of them going astray! The two Blood Demons, having no time to react, were directly pierced through their necks!N?v(el)B\\jnn Points changed hands! The points from killing were a bit low, with a Blood Demon worth only about one hundred fifty, but at that moment, none of that mattered! What''s more significant wasying hide and seek while cheating, how were these Blood Demons going to hide? "Shen... Team Leader Shen?" The copilot and pilot both stared nkly at Shen Hao, seemingly unable to grasp his actions. Or rather, they had grasped them, but were somewhat in disbelief. It wasn''t until Shen Hao faintly said, "There were two Blood Demons hidden there; they''ve been dealt with. Send someone to handle it," that the two finally believed that Team Leader Shen had indeed been attacking the Blood Demons! But how was that possible? That was over a whopping two thousand meters away, and he simply instructed them toe over! If Team Leader Shen could do such a thing, then the Blood Demons would have no chance to hide! "Yes!" Suppressing his inner excitement and curiosity, the copilot quickly informed, "This is Helicopter Number 4. Coordinates 54751478, Team Leader Shen has killed two Blood Demons from the air, deploying the nearest ground forces to take care of it, repeat, this is Helicopter Number 4..." He hadn''t finished broadcasting the notification when he heard Shen Hao give another instruction. "Direction seven o''clock, twelve hundred meters." "Yes!" The pilot''s voice was filled with uncontroble excitement. Although they didn''t know how Team Leader Shen had suddenly be so formidable. But, they knew. The "hide and seek" game was over, and the doomsday for those Blood Demons wasing! Chapter 49 The Game Has Changed The end of the Blood Demons was indeed approaching. If the first cheat, starting with a Red Mythical Talent, could still be considered within the "y" of the Civilization Trial, at most it was just good luck, then this second map cheatpletely broke the rules of the Civilization Trial! Parasite? Lurking? Hiding? As long as they entered within the range of Shen Hao''s map, all Blood Demons had nowhere to hide! This map was clearly directly invading and obtaining the core data of the Civilization Trial, marking information based on the potential sources of points, and in the current Trial, the only source of points for the Chosen One was the Blood Demons. It could be said that from this moment on, the rules of war hadpletely changed with Shen Hao. It turned into a head-on sh with the Blood Demons! "Six o''clock direction, two thousand three hundred meters," Shen Hao still had three Flying Knives, which he used to easily kill three Blood Demons hidden in the sewer. Then he reported the next address. Meanwhile, at the location he had just mentioned, several Soldiers cautiously entered the house, which was already uninhabited, and at first nce, they saw a wall pierced with a hole and two withered corpses that had fallen from inside a cupboard. "Two Blood Demon corpses found and recovered." The captain reported over the channel, and from the hole in the wall, one could clearly see the sky and even the distinct trajectory of the attack. From hundreds of meters up in the helicopter, throwing two Flying Knives to kill the Blood Demons hiding motionless inside the cupboard! Too strong. So powerful that it somewhat exceeded their understanding of Shen Hao. Just then, an excited voice, suppressed with urgency, came through themand channel again. "Direction 51452578, inside the sewer pipe, go recover three Blood Demon corpses, and don''t forget to collect Team Leader Shen''s Flying Knives as well!" "There''s more?" The captain quickly checked the distance, it was only thirteen hundred meters away! Which meant that after killing those two Blood Demons, Team Leader Shen headed straight there, not stopping for a moment! Having fought with the Blood Demons for two days, he naturally understood what this meant! Taking a deep breath, his emotions surged with excitement amidst the shock. "Quick! Clear up this ce, find the Flying Knives, let''s follow Team Leader Shen!" The rest of the warriors were equally exhrated. But they were still one step toote; another team closer to the scene was already taking care of it. Meanwhile, Shen Hao continued to report positions relentlessly. In just a short span of ten minutes, he had found and handled more than a dozen Blood Demons! Themand channel for the ground troops buzzed with activity, and more and more Soldiers chose to follow Shen Hao''s movements; even though they couldn''t keep up, just listening to the voices over the channel brought them great joy. Every time a voice appeared, it meant a Blood Demon had been found and dealt with! The efficiency of Shen Hao alone far exceeded the search efforts of countless others! The Analysis Department waspletely startled. An urgent call from Dong Gong came through. "Team Leader, have you mastered some new method for quickly finding Blood Demons?" he asked eagerly. "That''s right," Shen Hao admitted straightforwardly, "I''ve already advanced to Level 3. After trying out a blue ability that dropped,bined with my Talent, there indeed was a pleasant surprise." He didn''t borate on what the ability was, nor did he need to exin too much. In fact, if he kept on cheating like this, some performances would only be increasingly difficult to exin. It''s better to start maintaining a sense of mystery from now on. As his strength continuously grew and his status steadily rose, there wouldn''t be anyone daring enough to probe too deeply.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om At this moment, Dong Gong indeed had no interest in understanding what specific blue ability it was; he was urgently asking, "You were just conducting an experiment, weren''t you? How did it go? How many Blood Demons can you detect within the range? Is the uracy high?" "Yes, I''ve arrived at a conclusion," Shen Hao spoke with certainty, "Within a three-thousand-meter radius, if a Blood Demon appears, even for just a moment, it absolutely cannot escape my perception!" "A three-thousand-meter radius?" Dong Gong took a sharp breath and even stood up abruptly from his seat. All the people in themand center, for the most part, stopped what they were doing and looked at him intently. Even the Analysis Department and Intelligent Group, who were located online, at that moment, fell silent! Upon hearing the phrase "three-thousand-meter radius", some people''s hearts even skipped a beat! "That''s right, it might be more than three thousand meters. As my Spirit value increases, this range will further expand," Shen Hao didn''t waste any time and quickly instructed, "Based on a three-thousand-meter radius, n out our scouting route for me. Next, I won''t be killing them outright; instead, I will lower my altitude and control them with suppression, so we must prepare the groundbat troops in advance to contain them, avoiding any escape of the Blood Demons." Killing them so swiftly earlier was just to experiment with the map, but Shen Hao certainly hadn''t forgotten that capturing a Matrix alive was the core objective of this "hide-and-seek". "Yes!" Dong Gong shouted loudly, his excitement barely concealed. Not only him, but when he notified the other members of the Analysis Department, the entire Intelligent Group immediately stirred. "With a three-thousand-meter radius, sitting in a helicopter, it would only take two hours to scout the entire city!" "If we really can ensure there is no oversight, then not a single Blood Demon will escape!" "We must not be careless, considering the possibility of the Blood Demons hiding and the noise from the helicopter being quite loud." "How about moving on the ground?" "We''re not yet clear on the strength of the Matrix, but it definitely won''t be getting away!" "Gentlemen, within two hours, capture the Matrix!" "..." The excitement was palpable among them, yet they were also filled with shock and a sense of awe. Merely ten minutes ago, the atmosphere here was heavy, because finding a Matrix likely parasitizing a child, or even an infant, within a short span of time seemed incredibly difficult. If dyed too long, the situation would be much worse. Additionally, they had already invested tremendous manpower and resources in order to capture the Matrix. But nobody had anticipated that a problem which seemed insurmountable would suddenly be so simple! Adding a detection range with a three-thousand-meter radius directly reduced the difficulty of capturing the Matrix from Hell to easy. In fact, there was no need for this gathered group of elites; even if only Shen Hao conducted a sweep by himself, he had a high probability of making the capture! But no one felt they had be redundant! They would rather have it even simpler! Meanwhile, Shen Hao''s incredibly potent new ability also quickly spread upwards. Chapter 50 Inescapable! At the news, some at the high-level meeting even mmed the table fiercely. "Good! Very good!" The dull and anxious atmosphere of the meeting was swept away in an instant. "The Chosen One truly is the embodiment of a miracle!" "Shen Hao is the miracle, his ability couldn''t havee at a better time!" "Truly someone with the world''s top luck!" "We must capture the Matrix quickly, provide whatever support is needed!" "Correct, the situation around the world is deteriorating rapidly, we don''t have much time left." For the nation''s high-level, their position allowed them to see greater dangers, not just in Donghua City. Some situations had even left people feeling breathless. But it must be said, ever since this disaster began, every time they were greatly surprised, it was Shen Hao! Whether it was the Talent to identify Blood Demons from the start, the ability to control Blood Demons, or the powerful strength to take on a thousand single-handedly, Shen Hao''s levelpletely transcended any other Chosen One, and in this disaster, his importance had reached an indispensable level! Some even began to suspect that he might possess a Golden Legendary Talent. No matter how, in the face of such a disaster, all of humanity needed such a strong being to stand up! At this moment, in Donghua City, a massive number of people were mobilized, seemingly making up for the previous slow efficiency, everyone was holding their breath. Shen Hao''s route was quickly designated, tens of thousands of fully armed warriors assisted, striving to control every Blood Demon. Because of the map''s existence, Blood Demons couldn''t hide, and the mostplicated step was directly omitted from the whole process. Shen Hao only needed to find them, then lower his altitude, just sitting at the edge of the helicopter''s open hatch, his star-like eyes sweeping over, and the Blood Demons would fall to the ground without any resistance. Even if some Blood Demons heard the helicopter''s noise early or realized they had been exposed and tried to flee in advance, they couldn''t evade the surrounding. The remaining Blood Demons in the city were being rapidly cleaned up! This sudden increase in efficiency, by countless times, was obviously noticed by the Matrix. At this moment, in the Matrix of Donghua City, there was an unbelievable fear in its gaze. "Another one! How is this possible?" Several Blood Demons apanied it, but these lower-level Blood Demons couldn''t understand its anxiety, "How can we be found so quickly? What Talent does that Chosen One have?" At this moment, the Matrix even envied those Blood Demons beside it that had not yet developed emotions. They would not fear like it did. The fear of death was also one of the biggest weaknesses of their Species! "No, we can''t stay here any longer!" The Matrix of Donghua City knew that at this rate, it would be found before the appointed time came!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Just the thought of facing those eyes with its true body nearly overwhelmed it with boundless fear! Run! Run now! Without any hesitation, the Matrix of Donghua City mobilized all of its offspring hiding outside the city in advance! Among them were even four Level 4s! To avoid infrared detection, these Blood Demons had buried themselves deep underground, and the moment they received the Matrix''smand, they surged out of the shadows, charging fiercely toward the human defense lines stationed outside the city. "Enemy attack!" "Blood Demons spotted, numbers exceeding one hundred!" "Attack! Don''t be stingy with ammo!" "..." At the same time, as many as seven or eight defense lines were under assault by Blood Demons that charged fearlessly, barely hiding their forms, only protecting the vulnerable spots on their necks, like wild beasts lured by Blood Food, howling as they charged toward the human defense lines! ``` But this sudden attack not only did not cause concern at themand center, it actually brought waves of joy. "The Matrix can''t hold back anymore!" "It couldn''t wait any longer; if it did, escape would be even less likely!" "Hit them hard and fast, and clear out all Blood Demons swiftly!" "Send the Chosen One over! Let the Chosen One finish them off wherever possible, don''t waste the points!" "Wait, more powerful Blood Demons are appearing!" "..." In the front-line footage, indeed, more Blood Demons appeared. Although their numbers were notrge, they seemed stronger and swelled their bodies like Level 4 Blood Demons. There were as many as seven or eight of them! Each one signified the loss of more than a hundred human lives! Reinforcements? At this moment, many realized that this could very well be support from other Matrices! They quickly responded. "Quick, facial recognition, see where these Blood Demons came from?" "These are Blood Demons from other cities!" "The Matrices from other cities might have also arrived nearby!" "..." Indeed, it was support, but it also meant exposing more Matrix intelligence to humans! The sound of gunfire on the front lines intensified in an instant. Even the city''s residents could hear it. But at this moment, the sound of guns did not frighten them; instead, it brought them a sense of security. Because everyone knew that in this country, at the moment, guns still belonged to humans, and their barrels were aimed at the enemy! In the face of genuine military might of human civilization, even those seemingly fearsome Level 4 Blood Demons were no match at all! Even if they could withstand one shell, what about two or three? Appearing so audaciously in front of the military meant an inevitable end for these Blood Demons. Hence, Shen Hao did not inquire about the situation on the front line; he had his own mission. And that was to capture the Matrix! "Among the dozen attack points, one must be the Matrix''s breakout spot," Shen Hao narrowed his eyes, "We''re at such a point, and this Matrix still wants to y hide and seek." "Heh," Dong Gong even chuckled over themunication channel, "Through previous searches and the current actions of the Blood Demons, we have narrowed down all the possible areas it could be in to just four. With Team Leader Shen''s detection range, you canplete aprehensive search within the time limit. It won''t escape!" A detection radius of three kilometers is by no means a small area. "Which area has the highest probability?" Shen Hao asked. "I''ve sent it to you," Dong Gong''s tone carried a sort of anticipation, he said softly, "That''s the trap we prepared especially for it." Indeed, a trap. Knowing that a Blood Demon Mother has intelligence not inferior to humans; knowing it would absolutely not dare face Shen Hao; knowing it could track, even observe Shen Hao''s position through its offspring Blood Demons; knowing its current goal was to flee this city... Under a series of known conditions, a trap, tentatively prepared by many elites, was thus formed. This was not a desperate gamble but rather a probe, a collision. A test of the Blood Demon''s intelligence, and a sh of intelligence between two species! ``` Chapter 51 Got You! Shen Hao was also happy to cooperate with this attempt. Even if it ended in failure, his abilities were fully capable of covering for it. The Analysis Department had assessed his ability assuming a radius of three thousand meters, but in reality, it had originally been three thousand four hundred meters, and in just an hour and a half, it had already increased to three thousand five hundred meters. Shen Hao could absolutely control his own power, including his spirit, so he could clearly feel that the growth of the map''s radius was directly proportional to the growth of his spirit, at a one-to-one ratio. That is to say, when the value of his spiritual power increased by one point, the radius of the map would also increase by twenty percent. Evenusing items with special effects to enhance strength was equally effective. A pendant he had just bought was hanging around Shen Hao''s neck at this moment. [Tears of the Merman] It was of White Level 4 Quality, with the effect of increasing spirit by one point, effective when the maximum total spiritual value does not exceed twenty-five points. After putting it on, his map range instantly increased to a radius of four thousand two hundred meters! Even then, that wasn''t the limit. At this moment, Shen Hao also bought several different items that increased spiritual power, including an Aura Magic Scroll thatsted for an hour and a talisman that also had an immediate effect. All in all, he had spent about thirty thousand points. It wasn''t until he increased his spiritual power to twenty-five points that he felt he had reached full capacity. However, that was the limit of the items, not his limit. If he took some drugs that caused explosive growth in divine sense at this time, he could certainly go even higher! However, there was no need anymore. A map radius of ten thousand five hundred meters! When Shen Hao told the headquarters about this, Dong Gong was even plunged into silence for a while. After a long moment, he finally said softly, "By doing this, you''re making us feel quite left out." Suddenly, the entire headquarters, including the online conference, burst intoughter. This atmosphere was probably the first since the deration of war began. Of course, this was just a joke, and Dong Gong and everyone else wished for Shen Hao to be even stronger. But this joke also revealed their emotions. He was indeed too powerful. A ten-kilometer radius! Even without using any strategy, any intelligence, just the simplest method could easily find the Mother! A break out? How could they break out in front of a high-mobility, high-precision radar-equipped automatic cruising humanoid missile?! "Everyone," Shen Hao''s voice appeared seamlessly in themand channel, "I think I''ve found it, your trap worked." All at once, the entire headquarters and the online Analysis Department, the entire Intelligent Group, all became abuzz. Countless people showed excited expressions. "It really fell for it!" "I knew it, the intelligence of a Blood Demon is just so-so!" "Just a decoy!" "Where there''s a decoy, there won''t be the real body? That''s too naive!" "I even prepared thirteen contingency ns, what a waste." "..." Indeed, the trap was just a very simple psychological one, since this itself was a test, but if the Blood Demon Mother had been a bit more alert or smarter, it could have made better choices. In the words of some experts, that is, "If it fell for this, then this Mother has no hope in even passing a government exam"! Compared to falling into the trap itself, realizing that the intelligence of the Blood Demon was such that it was not exceptional, was the biggest gain! This gave people greater confidence! At this moment, Shen Hao was not concerned with the excitement of others; his gaze had already crossed a distance of ten kilometers, looking towards the mother fleeing. Yes, it was easy to lock onto. Not just because there were more than a dozen Blood Demons escorting around, but also because of Shen Hao''s intuition. At this moment, his intuition, under the effect of the Sovereign''s Talent, clearly conveyed recognition to him. That was the Mother! "Speed up!" "Yes!" The driver floored the elerator, and the small armored vehicle sped along the empty road, fully disying the ability expected of an elite driver. Indeed, Shen Hao had already switched transportation. Finding the Mother was only the first step; capturing it alive was the second. The sound of a helicopter''s propellers could easily alert, and Shen Hao was worried it would not be in time to prevent the Mother frommitting suicide. He had to descend like a Heavenly God, in an instant, instilling the greatest fear in that Mother! At this moment, even Shen Hao was somewhat impatient. The distance was rapidly closing. Eight thousand meters, six thousand meters, three thousand meters... Although the Mother had a bit of intelligence, the Blood Demons responsible for vignce were positioned two to three kilometers away. However, for Shen Hao, who could see the distribution of all Blood Demons clearly on the map, this arrangement meant nothing. The entire armored vehicle approached the Blood Demon Mother like a ghost, silently! Until it was five hundred meters away. Shen Hao leaped from the car door, his body soaring into the air!N?v(el)B\\jnn His current telekinesis couldn''t allow him long-term flight, but with the surge in his spiritual power at this moment, it was enough to let him perform a short sprint! And the Blood Demon Mother, which was carefully fleeing with nervousness and fear, suddenly twisted its body in horror. "No!" In a heart-wrenching scream, its greatest despair and nightmare descended from the sky! Eyes shining with starlight, an overwhelming suppression, and a hint of a ferocious smile, all came bearing down upon it! Truly like a descent of a Heavenly God! Boom! In just an instant, the Sovereign''s suppression violently impacted every Blood Demon, especially assaulting the Mother''s spirit. It couldn''t resist even for a moment, not even a fraction of a moment, and the Blood Demon Mother lost all self-awareness in that instant; its entire gaze, its entire soul, was fixed on only one figure. The Sovereign! To say nothing ofmitting suicide, all it could do at this moment was curl up, crawl in terror on the ground, trembling violently under Shen Hao''s gaze. And Shen Hao had also calmed his emotions by now. Looking at the Mother in front of him, he simply said. "Caught you." With a bang, themand center erupted in a mass of cheers. Everyone was so excited they stood up. Even hugging each other! Even knowing that, after Shen Hao disyed such terrifying ability, catching the Blood Demon was inevitable, yet in that moment, they still couldn''t help but cheer excitedly. After all, over these short three days, they had endured much attention and borne immense pressure. It was a matter of thousands of civilian casualties, including children! It was also the start of the entire war, and crucial! Chapter 52 Torturing for Intelligence! If they do not win this war soon, the current deaths are just the beginning; more and more people will die. If they lose, their descendants, human descendants, will only be able to live in a world owned by the Blood Demons, hiding and scurrying, or being reduced to bred livestock until they arepletely extinct! Now, capturing the Matrix not only signifies a major victory but also means they could obtain the greatest weapon against the Blood Demons! Information! "Team leader, are you sure you can control it?" Dong Gong cheered a few times as well but had to restrain his emotions now and quickly started asking. "Certain," Shen Hao said indifferently, ncing at the Blood Demon Mother shivering on the ground, and suddenly frowned, "Never show yourself in human form in front of me again." With just one sentence, the Blood Demon Mother trembled violently, and its entire form transformed rapidly. Blood flowed out, muscles tumbled, transforming into a Monster nearly two meters tall covered in blood-red tentacles. It was apparent that this Matrix was very powerful. Definitely stronger than the so-called Level 4 Blood Demon. That indeed was an important piece of information, yet it was unknown what the Blood Demon Mother relied upon to grow stronger. However, that did not matter in front of Shen Hao, its power was insignificant. "Bring the cage over," Shen Hao then ordered through themunication channel. "Right!" Dong Gong quickly responded, and then added, "Team leader,munications have entered the ssified sequence, you can start interrogating for some important information now!" He was still worried about potential problems and wanted to extract some vital information while he could. "Hmm," Shen Hao directly turned on the camera he carried and asked indifferently, "How many Matrices exist in the world?" "Two, two hundred and thirty," the Blood Demon Mother replied, devoid of any will to resist, its gaze filled with boundless respect and fear. "Are there any existences more powerful than the Matrix?" "The, the great Mother Sea is just our spiritual belief." "You also have spiritual beliefs?" Shen Hao looked at the Monster in front of him, which clearly could not have evolved naturally, and asked again, "Where are you from?" "Do, do not know," the Blood Demon Mother trembled violently, sticking tightly to the ground, its voice trembling as it spoke, "We are failures of the Civilization Trial, stripped of the name of civilization and most of our memories. Only by sessfully resurrecting civilization can we retrieve our past." "..." Shen Hao fell silent for a moment. Failures of the Civilization Trial? So, there is a choice to be other civilizations'' trials even after failing? It is indeed cruel in every sense of the word. Even though the system hacking group explicitly told him that the Civilization Trial itself is merely a self-updating system with predetermined programs, devoid of emotions, and without any signs that its creators still care, thus with vulnerabilities that allow hacks, Yet, Shen Hao could still sense the coldness and cruelty of the unknown creator behind this system. It seemed as if each civilization under its gaze was merely a valueless unit, to be used as long as it served the purpose the creator desired. As Shen Hao remained silent, Dong Gong''s voice trembled a bit as it came through. "Team leader, ask it, what is the ''Civilization Trial''?" Indeed, at this moment, everyone who heard the Blood Demon Mother''s statement sharply realized what was happening to their world, to their. "Star Jump," "Chosen One," "Blood Demon"... All of this could very well be rted to the so-called "Civilization Trial"! Shen Hao sighed inwardly and voiced this question. "Civilization Trial... is simply that, a trial for the whole civilization," even though the Blood Demon Mother still revered Shen Hao, at this time everyone could sense its even deeper reverence, "No civilization knows what it is, like the supreme True God in the infinite multidimensional universe, even Mother Sea is utterly humble before it. All we know is, it continually chooses one civilization after another, bestowing relentless trials. Those who prevail quickly grow stronger, and those who fail... will meet their doom." "..." Silence. Inside the earpiece, there was silence. The guess had been confirmed; everything that happened on this pointed towards one existence, one answer. However, this answer was more terrifying than the spections! Continuous trials? What did this mean, that defeating the Blood Demons wasn''t the end? The ones undergoing the trial weren''t confined to this alone? Had any civilization passed it? And who was orchestrating these trials? What was their purpose? Dong Gong spoke again, now conveying the questions from the high-level meeting that was also witnessing this inquiry; they were exceedingly eager to know everything about the Trial! Shen Hao did not refuse and asked each question. However, there were no answers. The Blood Demon Mother had no answers at her disposal. ording to her, their species "Blood Demon," originally lived in a worldpletely covered by oceans, a water-based species. The Trial suddenly urred, and the Chosen Ones also appeared, but their foes were not invaders, instead, thermal energy suddenly erupted from the''s core, continuously raising the temperature of the entire ocean. The Chosen Ones earned points by resisting the heat, saving individuals. How they ultimately failed, she no longer remembered, as most circumstances during the Trial were apanied by the sealing of most of the civilization''s memories. Only remembered, thest surviving two hundred and thirty-plus Chosen Ones saw the option "Civilization Resurgence Trial" on their proprietary Chosen One interface. Then they arrived here, became the Matrix, and simultaneously possessed the power of "Parasite." After the Blood Demon Mother finished narrating all she knew, the entiremunication channel fell silent once more. This time, the silencested even longer. Until Dong Gong, with a slightly hoarse voice,municated, "Team leader, after discussion, the information about the ''Civilization Trial'' has been temporarily ssified as top-secret." "Hm," Shen Hao responded indifferently. Perhaps it was this calm reaction that made Dong Gong persist, asking, "What do you think?" "..." Shen Hao was silent for a moment before he slowly said, "Things which we can do nothing about for now should not be overthought; our biggest enemy at the moment is still the Blood Demon."N?v(el)B\\jnn "... Yes!" Dong Gong responded emphatically. At this moment, the sound of armed helicopters was already overhead, a specialized cage was being delivered. This was specifically designed for the Matrix. Ever since the existence of the Matrix was known, they had been preparing for this moment! Chapter 53 Purple Ability! Shen Hao witnessed the Matrix being ced into the cage; it no longer had any will to resist, and the same was true for the other crawling Blood Demon Subordinates. Just these living Blood Demons alone were incredibly important and valuable spoils of war. Many targeted experiments and research could now be initiated. As Shen Hao had said, regardless of the future, the greatest enemy of the entire Human Civilization at present were the Blood Demons. And capturing the Matrix was still a crucial victory in this war that concerned the survival of civilization! There was no doubt about it! The rest of the team also began to take action, with many subsequent matters being urgently prepared, and Shen Hao also started to check the rewards he received as the first Chosen One to control the Blood Demon Mother. A few days earlier, Qiuyue, as the world''s first Chosen One to kill a Blood Demon, received a blue ability as the first kill reward, showing that the Civilization Trial had this mechanism, and the rewards Shen Hao received at this moment were undoubtedly even more impressive. A Purple Epic Ability, a Blue Level 5 Equipment. That''s right, Blue Level 5. In the few days since the war began, this was the first time he had seen blue equipment. And it was a type that was quite useful to him as well. Magic Wand. Yes, a Magic Wand, but clearly it was not just any wand. Just by looking at the sharp spike at its tip, one could tell it was intended for Melee Mages. But what Shen Hao valued most was its Spirit +3, Transcendent +2 equipment effect. It was still effective for those below forty points! At this moment, with a stretch of his hand, the two-meter-long Magic Wand appeared directly in his grasp, and in an instant, his map range expanded to a radius of seventeen thousand kilometers! A diameter spanning thirty-four kilometers! Just in that instant, the map disyed dozens more Blood Demon markers! "Indeed, equipment is very important," Shen Hao swung the Magic Wand in his hand, although he needed to hold it to utilize its effect, the result was enough to cover most downsides. It was no exaggeration to say that with this range, he alone might be able to gradually sweep the entire country clean of Blood Demons! There was also the Purple Ability. When Shen Hao looked at the Purple Epic Ability he had obtained, he could not help but raise an eyebrow. Thunder! "The blue ability I received before was Electric Shock, and now it''s Thunder. It seems I have quite the affinity with this," Shen Hao mused for a moment, then without hesitation, directly slotted it into his ability bar. In an instant, a purple thunder spread rapidly from his body, and his eyes seemed to sh with the light of lightning, but soon Shen Hao brought it under control, mastering the entire ability in just a moment. After a briefprehension, he couldn''t help but show a pleased expression. He chose to use this ability partly because Purple Abilities were already not easy toe by in the current situation. On the other hand, it was because he indeed needed a more effective means of eradication. While Telekinesis was versatile, it was limited by distance, and continuing to use Flying Knife also had certain areas where it was difficult to strike. But this "Thunder" ability, power aside, had a sufficiently long range! For the average Chosen One, it might be difficult to control after being deployed, but for Shen Hao, this wasn''t an issue. From the moment he acquired this ability, he had reached the highest degree of control. To the point of perfection. "Let''s give it a try." He did not board the armed helicopter but enveloped himself with Telekinesis, rising into the air. Just when the others had no idea what he was nning, they saw Shen Hao raise his magic wand and wave it. Boom! The sound of thunder, so close it almost seemed within reach, exploded in session! Bolt after bolt of twisting, writhing lightning kept shooting out, striking certain ces within the city. It even startled some of the unsuspecting residents and soldiers who were in the middle of their search. However, once the soldiers recovered, they too realized what had happened. They hurriedly rushed towards the locations struck by lightning. Indeed! At each spot, there were the desated remains left by the Blood Demons! Some soldiers, looking up at the figure in the sky at least fifteen kilometers away, couldn''t help but murmur, "It feels like Heavenly Punishment." Yes, this move was indeed too much like a Heavenly Punishment! Since ancient times, thunder has represented humanity''s primal awe of nature, and those who controlled thunder were all powerful Heavenly Gods! It was even a direct manifestation of the will of Heaven and Earththe punishment from above. And now, the Blood Demons'' Heavenly Punishment had arrived! Confident in its effectiveness, Shen Hao unleashed thunderbolt after thunderbolt without holding back, and as they roared through, all the Blood Demons were swept clean. Under that powerful control, no matter if the Blood Demons hid inside buildings or beneath the ground, Shen Hao could easily deal with them. Even those spherical lightning bolts could now be cast at will by him! This scene was recorded by some brave residents and posted online. In just a moment, it drew the focus of people anxiously following the front-line war. One explosion after another. "Holy shit, Thunder Skill!" "Take a look at this, Taoists of Dragon and Tiger Mountain!" "Is he pinpoint clearing Blood Demons? Is he hitting the right targets?" "Isn''t that Shen Hao, the Chosen One? Could he possibly have a new ability?" "Why does it feel like he''s gotten countless times stronger in just a few days?" "Big bro,e to our city too, I''m too scared to step outside now!" "..." Most people were astonished, marveling at the power, and many were inviting Shen Hao to their cities. In the face of the threat posed by the Blood Demons, it seemed as if Shen Hao alone was enough to safeguard the security of an entire city. However, people were soon drawn to another piece of official news.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om [Donghua City''s battle has achieved aprehensive victory! The end is near!] Once this news was released, it truly created a sensation, the impact of which extended not just across the nation but spread at an astonishing speed around the whole world! Countless people started to check spontaneously, share, and focus on this battlefield. More detailed information was subsequently disclosed. "After a continuous battlesting three days and three nights, we have basically eliminated all the Blood Demons within Donghua City, including the surrounding towns and viges... The total number of confirmed and cleared Blood Demons has reached six thousand eight hundred and twenty-one. Currently, there are approximately two hundred Blood Demons still in hiding. However, the leader of the Chosen One team in charge of this battle, Shen Hao, has mastered the ability forrge-scale precise hunting of Blood Demons. It is anticipated that in thirty minutes, aprehensive sweep will bepleted without any remaining... At the same time, for the first time, we have captured more than forty Blood Demon prisoners, which will allow us to gain a moreprehensive understanding of the Blood Demons..." Chapter 54 Pig Teammate In the war reports from the front lines, there was not only a wealth of textualmentary but also images and some videos. There were scenes of soldiers and Chosen Ones battling Blood Demons, as well as amassed Blood Demon carcasses gathered together. There were scenes of Shen Hao sitting in a helicopter, executing Blood Demons with Flying Knives, and recent scenes of him hovering in mid-air, bestowing Heavenly Punishment with thunder. And at the end, there were even Blood Demons, grotesque in appearance but only able to curl up and tremble, caged! It could be said that the entire announcement caused an uproar around the world. Countless people were incredibly exhrated! However, the reactions at home and abroad showed significant differences. Domestically, there was unbridled excitementthis was a genuine and significant victory. Even though everyone could see that a substantial reason for this win was the presence of Shen Hao, and it was the reason behind the war being confined to Donghua City, nevertheless, the fruits of victory wereid out for all to see! They had truly won and sessfully carried out aprehensive sweep of a city! Clearing away all the Blood Demons! Even more, they had captured prisoners! Many people and experts had already been spontaneously spreading the word about the importance of capturing prisoners to everyone! Lots of experiments could begin, including broad-scope methods for identifying Blood Demons, more of their weaknesses, and even the potential to discover special toxins effective against Blood Demons. If they could truly find a toxin or even a virus that was harmful only to Blood Demons and harmless to humans, theplete victory in the war would be within reach! What''s more significant is that the war had only started three days ago! If it took three days to clear a city with a poption of five million, how long would it take to clean the entire country? "Perhaps many will encounter danger, many will sacrifice, but our ultimate victory is beyond doubt!" This phrase surged instantly on major domestic social media tforms. At this moment, people truly burst forth with tremendous confidence. Even though dangers remained, victory seemed clearly visible! Obviously, one of the important reasons the officials published the good news in such a short time was that thisplete triumph was like a nuclear bomb on the battlefield of public opinion, capable of suppressing the fear brought by the Blood Demons in a short period! On the other hand, foreign inte forums werepletely different, filled with various forms of envy and anger! "What are our Chosen Ones and soldiers doing?" "Why don''t we have a Shen?" "I''ve had enough. I just personally witnessed a group of soldiers retreating step by step under the heavy fire of the Blood Demons downstairs!" "How could they possibly win? Those damn Blood Demons, one can control twenty guns!" "Who can save us, the situation is rapidly deteriorating, Blood Demons are brazenly charging onto the streets, wildly infesting the crowds! I don''t know how much longer I can hide!"N?v(el)B\\jnn "What the hell are the scientists doing, why can''t they capture any prisoners?" "..." As some people had said, with the existence of Blood Demons revealed, those in chaotic regions truly disyed their insanity. They had formidable order andbat prowess far surpassing humans; once they obtained weapons, an explosive and terrifyingbat ability was unleashed. A single Blood Demon simultaneously controlling twenty guns was not an exaggeration. If they were Level 3 or Level 4 Blood Demons, they could be even more ferocious. With ample weapons, one Blood Demon was a mobile firepower fortress! In some weaker nations and regions, the human side had already suffered aplete defeat. If not for the limited number of Blood Demon Mothers, the situation might have rapidly deteriorated beyond repair. In such circumstances, when the Far East countries suddenly announced a significant victory, one could imagine the shock and contrast it provided to the people. And at this moment, within the high-level ranks of West State, a group of already frantic individuals were also scrutinizing the intelligence from the East with great care. They received the information at the same time as the public but theirs was more detailed. Eyes bloodshot, they scanned the documents relentlessly, not daring to miss a single word. "Only two hundred and thirty Matrices? Thank God," someone muttered, making the sign of the cross over their chest. "If there were twice as many, we''d hardlyst half a year." "We canst half a year now?" The general in military attire still looked bleak, "Our entire fifty-sixth field artillery brigade is gone! And they were fully equipped with war machinery! Now, we can''t evenunch our fighter jets at will, neither can we randomly fire missiles, because we have no idea if those things will end up falling on our own heads!" "..." No one dared to utter a sound, even though it was just one field artillery brigade, it was still a heavy blow. "This information is crucial, sir." It was only when a thin old man wearing sses suddenly lifted his head to look at the elderly man seated at the head of the table that anyone spoke, "I suggest we ept the conditions of the Chosen One and send a top-notch scientific research team there. I can lead it." "Professor Filipo, you must understand, that condition is unfair," the senior man''s expression darkened slightly, "Moreover, we''ll soon be able to open our own White Level 4 Mall." Indeed, the abundant number of Blood Demons also had its perks. They had already arranged for a Chosen One belonging to the Military Department to pilot the highest-performance fighter jet and bombard regions densely popted with Blood Demons with indiscriminate,rge-scale strikes. To quickly umte points. A White Level 4 Mall was indeed not difficult for them. But the professor named Filipo shook his head and replied, "No, what''s truly important in that condition is not the Sensing Talismans in the Level 4 Mall, but the joint research institution." He lifted the document in his hand, raising his voice slightly, "Look at this data, the strength of the Matrices far exceeds that of ordinary Blood Demons. They each have powerful Talents simr to those of a Chosen One. Sir, we must recognize that without Shen, it''s very difficult for us to capture a Matrix alive, let alone control it. That means we have no captives, no experimental subjects, and even a multitude of top scientists can''t do much." "I''ve already sent someone to invite him at all costs," the elder''s face darkened further. "Let''s not discuss the likelihood of getting him toe. But at present, the Eastern Country indeed has the best chance to be the first to eradicate the Blood Demons and restore order," Filipo sighed, "Our constitution gives people the right to bear arms, and now, this same right has been handed over to the Blood Demons. Coupled with our culture and system, all this means that in this war, we are bound tog behind, to use an Eastern phrase, we are but ''a pig teammate''." Chapter 55 The Flashpoint of Human "..." Another silence fell over the meeting, but this time, it was not because of the direness of the situation, but because of the surprise at Filipo''s boldness and directness. The expression of the old man at the head of the table hadpletely darkened, seeming even to hold a clear hint of anger. "Professor Filipo, I must remind you, you have been invited as a biological consultant, not as a sociologist or a war expert! Additionally, the Eastern Country simply had the good fortune of possessing a formidable Chosen One, their people are powerless against the Blood Demon, whereas our people are armed and have formed self-defense teams forbat! I believe, victory will surely be ours!" His palm clenched into a fist and swung down forcefully, as if trying to imbue his words with greater persuasiveness. "It is good that you have such confidence," shrugged Professor Filipo, "However, I really do hold a PhD in sociology, and, I thought you invited me over because I am a Chosen One with a Blue Talent." "That is certainly an important reason," the old man rubbed his sore nose bridge and gave Filipo another look, saying solemnly, "Just for that reason, even if we truly are to send a scientific research team, Chosen Ones cannot go, especially not you, for you possess a Blue Talent, and you are one of our most powerful Chosen Ones!" This was also an important reason why they had rejected Shen Hao''s conditions. Although not every top scientist is a Chosen One, top scientists are the group most likely to be Chosen Ones. And now, the number of Chosen Ones continues to rise. Under any circumstances, they would not send Chosen Ones to the Eastern Country. That would be tantamount to voluntarily relinquishing their current international status. How would that make their allies regard them? Nevertheless, Filipo shook his head and stood up. "Compared to the identity of a Chosen One, which I''ve only had for less than a month, I still prefer being a biologist." He seemed to have anticipated the old man''s response, sighed, and looked at everyone in the meeting, slowly saying, "Actually, over the past month, I''ve been pondering, if there exists a being that has granted us the identity of Chosen Ones and the power of Transcendents, what would be the purpose of their doing so. After the appearance of the Blood Demon, I understood that the mission of Chosen Ones is to confront the Blood Demon, to protect the human civilization. This is the very reason for our existence." This statement made many people''s faces change color. They faintly heard an additional implication. A man responsible for the special services department outright interrupted, "Professor Filipo, please sit down. Are you betraying your homnd?" "Firstly, I am an immigrant; my homnd is not here. Secondly, in this situation, saving all of humanity should take precedence above all else. Thirdly" He looked at the old man at the head of the table once more, seemingly unable to hide his disappointment, "You can''t stop us, just like you can''t capture the Matrix. From the moment the Chosen Ones appeared, the power structure of the world has changed. The greatest power no longer belongs to you." After these words fell, he seemed to no longer wish to say anything else, his form directly dissipated with the wind. In an instant, everyone in the conference room was staring with wide eyes, thrown intoplete chaos. "An Avatar!" "It was an Avatar all along!" "Damn, didn''t he say Avatars have distance and time limitations?" "Lies, he had nned to defect long ago!" "Quick, send someone to his house, take control of his wife and children!" "..." Before they could give themand for the special agents to storm Professor Filipo''s house, they received news that, ten minutes earlier, a Chosen One with hallucinogenic abilities had silently taken away all of Filipo''s family members. Not just Filipo''s but also the family members of a dozen top scientists! In fact, some people in this conference room indeed had wrongly underestimated the schrs'' grasp of the situation. Their top-tier knowledge allowed them to easily see the essence of the situation. After bing Chosen Ones and gaining extraordinary powers, it greatly increased some people''s initiative. The scheme began when the high-level officials rejected the proposal for establishing a joint research institution, and determination set in when the Eastern Country captured the Matrix! By the time Shen Hao received this news, several hours had already passed.N?v(el)B\\jnn "How many people in total?" He was naturally happy. In facing the Civilization Trial, the best choice is to quickly gather all the forces of the world. However, it wasn''t so easy in reality. It required time, concessions from all sides. So, gathering a bit of force is still something. "Not too many, including the students, there are only about a dozen scientists. But among them are four Chosen Ones, and one possesses a Blue Talent," Dong Gong also had a smile on his face. The words "Chosen One" in themselves signify top level! Moreover, some of them truly are renowned schrs in the scientificmunity. "What conditions did they have?" Shen Hao asked further. "First, ensure the safety of their families; second, after theye over, they will only work against the Blood Demon; third, if there are significant discoveries that canbat the Blood Demon, these must be disclosed to the internationalmunity," Dong Gong sighed, "No matter where, there are always some people with aspirations." "In the wars of thest century, it was the same," Shen Hao''s mood was quite good. The human civilization undeniably has its ws, but it also undeniably has its shining points. Thetter, always help to augment one''s confidence in this civilization. Although a dozen people is not many, it is a good start. Shen Hao believed that there are definitely no few who are willing to stand on the united front, and those who still linger in the old world and obstruct the front for private gains will inevitably be eliminated by the tides of the times. After all, a divided civilization is clearly at a disadvantage when confronting endless Trials. This is the inevitable choice if a civilization wants to survive the Trial! "Is the journey''s safety guaranteed?" Shen Hao asked again. "No problem," Dong Gong nodded, "Among those Chosen Ones, one has formidable skills. Moreover, once they realized they couldn''t stop it, the official stance also changed. They are now iming they have epted your terms and are proactively sending a group of scientists, also requesting the Spirit Talismans that had been previously promised." "Tsk," muttered Shen Hao dismissively but was relieved. Looking at everyone seated at the meeting, he spoke seriously, "Alright, now let''s summarize the key pieces of intelligence we got from the interrogations. These are things you all need to know." At this moment, all the members of the group were seated in the conference room. The other Chosen One teams had left Donghua City after clearing all the Blood Demons and had been reassigned to other locations that might harbor Blood Demons. The battle of Donghua City was indeed a grand victory, but the war had just begun. Chapter 56 The Natural Enemy of the Blood Demon! In the past few hours, Shen Hao had not only swept away all the remaining Blood Demons in Eastern Sea City but also captured a good number of prisoners. Most of his time, however, was spent interrogating the Matrix. After all, it was only in his presence that the Matrix would reveal everything without reservation. The Dominator pressure is not some form of psychological hypnosis or personality reconstruction; it still retained its self-awareness. It was just that in front of the transcendent being, it lost all will to resist. And this interrogation yielded information that was indeed shocking. What was shared with other countries was only the first version. "First, the Blood Demons were once the Chosen Ones, and they still retained their own Talents," Dong Gong spoke first, his expression grave, "Considering they are thest survivors of a civilization, the proportion of Blue Talents among them is definitely not low, and there might even be Purple Talents, or even higher levels!" This was indeed extremely severe information. In many people''s eyes, the reason for their swift victory, even capturing the Matrix, wasrgely due to Shen Hao''s powerful Talent! And now, the Blood Demons were found to possess Talents as well! The only Matrix they had captured had a Blue Talent named "Frost Cold," which, whenbined with the Blood Demons'' ability to manipte blood, could exert astonishingbat power. However, it had no chance to use this in the presence of Shen Hao. If it encountered any other Chosen One, it might lead to heavy losses. "There''s only the Original Talent left," Shen Hao said withposure, "When extracting Talents, the Chosen One panel said that the Original Talent fused with the soul and could not be reced. It seems that''s true. The Blood Demon''s level, abilities, and equipment are all gone, and now there is no panel, no mall, but the Original Talent remains." He wasn''t very worried about this. Perhaps some Blood Demon Matrices'' Talents could cause trouble, but in the end, they were just a civilization that had fallen at the first trial. The number of Chosen Ones was definitely limited, so at most there would be Talents of the Purple Epic level. If there were really Legendary or even Mythical levels, they shouldn''t have lost the first trial. "Of course, you''re not afraid, boss," Song Cheng couldn''t help but quip, "But we are. There isn''t even a single Blue Talent among us here." "Then strive to enhance your strength," Shen Hao''s brows lifted slightly, "Afraid of being weak while following me?" He didn''t skimp on generosity, tossing out a pile of Extraordinary Resources, equipment from the White Level 4 Mall, and the ability balls obtained over the past few days. "Put all of these into the team''s rewards. The reward system has already been set up. I''ll give each of you a fixed loan quota, so you can improve your strengths and then earn reward points." At once, everyone''s eyes lit up. Leaving aside those ability balls and equipment, just those White Level 4 Extraordinary Resources were enough to make many Chosen Ones jealous! After all, the Chosen Ones currently did not have any cultivation techniques; their strength enhancements were solely reliant on consuming these resources. Spirit, Transcendence, Constitutionthere were corresponding resources for each, and the higher the level, the faster the enhancement!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Didn''t you see the team leader had already advanced to Level 3? However, once they actually used these resources, they would likely be disappointed. The reason Shen Hao could level up so fast was partly due to the level of the resources. On the other hand, he had no issues with control or digestion; the resources, once inside him, werepletely under hismand and could maximize his strength enhancement. No one else could possibly be this efficient. "Alright, let''s talk about the second key piece of intelligence," Shen Hao signaled Dong Gong to continue. "Yes," Dong Gong began speaking again, "There exists a ''Spiritual Network'' between the Matrix and all its offspring with a certain distance limitation. It seems like the Parasitic spawn is splitting off from the offspring, but in reality, it''s the Matrix that transmits a seed containing special information through the Spiritual Network, allowing for propagation and parasitism. Furthermore, the significance of the Spiritual Network is far more than just that, especially in the military field, and this is something you, Yang Jun, should see more clearly." "Indeed," Yang Jun said with a somber expression, "This means that amander can always control the position, status, and immediate surroundings of each soldier, andmands are absolute. All orders can be issued and executed immediately... this is terrifying!" Modern warfare is all about information, about intelligence. If themunications of a military unit are jammed, even the most elite forces would be rendered blind. This kind of Spiritual Network of the Blood Demons is precisely the kind of ability everymander dreams of having. In the previous battle in Donghua City, some soldiers were sacrificed at the hands of rapidly arriving, highly coordinated Blood Demons. Bear in mind that this was when the Blood Demons were weaponless, logistically unsupported, vastly outnumbered, and severely suppressed by Shen Hao. It''s not at all surprising that human forces in some parts of the world are retreating step by step. Well-armed, organized Blood Demons, in contrast to the scattered ones hiding in cities without weapons, represent twopletely different concepts. "All we can say is that military bases, armories, and weapon depots must be strictly monitored and protected from Blood Demon infiltration," Shen Hao spoke at this moment, "When you fight against Blood Demons, don''t engage them for too long, don''t pursue recklessly, and be conscious that you''re already within the Matrix''s sight." Everyone nodded silently, firmly remembering his words. "Furthermore," Shen Hao looked towards Jiang Weining, "although this Spiritual Network seems to be a purely Extraordinary Domain, there''s still an opportunity for research. You can focus on studying this." "Understood," Jiang Weining nodded firmly. He was very motivated now since the Blood Demon Research Institute was rapidly being organized with world-ss personnel and equipment, plus the captives. If he couldn''te up with any results, he would truly disgrace the title of a scientist. Shen Hao then looked at Dong Gong, signaling him to continue. "Lastly, we do have some good news," Dong Gong''s expression rxed slightly, "ording to the Matrix, while they acquired the Parasitic Ability, they also understood the consequences of failed parasitismthose who fail at parasitism will be their natural enemies!" Indeed, this was the best news extracted from the Blood Demon Mother. Even though Shen Hao suspected that the Parasite Failures would entail more than just escaping death simply, he didn''t anticipate they would be dubbed "natural enemies." "With the same ability to control blood, they can inversely draw from Blood Demons'' blood to be stronger, and more importantlythey can discern Blood Demons!" Dong Gong remarked, "With these three points, describing them as ''natural enemies'' is not an exaggeration." One could say that this intelligence elevated the strategic significance of capturing and controlling the Matrix to apletely different level! Chapter 57 The Most Precious Thing When some people hearing it for the first time, they were clearly surprised. To identify Blood Demons and even be stronger through hunting them! This was almost equivalent to being half a Chosen One, especially the ability to identify Blood Demons, which no other Chosen One could presently aplish. Although, the situation being what it was, even if one was clear-headed and resolute, the chances of Parasite Failure remained low. But, having the Matrix at hand, one practically possessed the potential to create Parasite Failures in bulk! If targeted research were conducted, it might not be impossible to enhance the odds. Suddenly, not just Shen Hao, but everyone in the group once again turned their gaze towards Jiang Weining. "If there were no Chosen One, this method might just be the humans'' greatest hope in defeating the Blood Demons," murmured Song Qing, "what does Mr. Jiang say, can it increase the sess rate?" "We still don''t know what specifically affects the Parasite Failure rate, however..." Jiang Weining also felt the pressure immensely, and even spoke with some difficulty, "To truly obtain efficient and quick results from this research, animal experimentation might not be useful, and human experimentation can''t be avoided." "Don''t worry about that," interjected Dong Gong at this moment, "Within an hour after this information was released, a wartime act involving ''death row inmates participating in Blood Demon Parasite experiments'' was passed in the high-level meeting, though, it still nominally adheres to the principle of volunteerism." "Volunteerism now?" Shen Hao raised an eyebrow. "There''s more to it," Dong Gong shook his head, "During such special times, punishments are stricter. If one refuses, then a death sentence is immediately carried out... Actually, this principle of volunteerism is just more for appearances and to somewhat mobilize the cooperation of the death row inmates. In times like these, one cannot afford to be overly old-fashioned." At this point, there was nobody who didn''t understand. Shen Hao also nodded his head. So many people had already died, mostly civilians, and the number of victims was increasing every moment, this was certainly not a war where there was room to preach morality or mercy! Everything that could increase the chances of winning needed to be pursued with all efforts! "Actually, even if there''s only a one in ten chance, a real ten-to-one death survival rate, many people would volunteer for the experiment," suddenly mentioned Yang Jun, "especially in the military, which even in this era, will neverck heroes with the spirit of fearlessness." "But it''s not yet so dire," Shen Hao shook his head, "Let''s try to enhance the probability as much as possible first. Some drugs and resources from the store might help, let''s try them out. Having a controlled Matrix, in this regard, we can confidently say we are ahead." Everyone present nodded in agreement, some looking at Shen Hao with clear admiration in their eyes. Three days! In just three days, to capture a living Matrix! Considering the importance of the Matrix, without Shen Hao, this war might have been dozens of times more difficult! And Dong Gong, who had already known some truths about the Civilization Trial, even more deeply recognized Shen Hao''s tremendous contribution to this war. If the trial truly wasn''t one-off, then this war wasn''t just about winning; it was about reducing the cost as much as possible! The high-level was so quick in pushing one unconventional act after another primarily because of the intelligence obtained from the Blood Demon Mother regarding the Civilization Trial. Pressure, dense and unstoppable, surged towards every informant like a tide! "Alright, those are the three important pieces of intelligence," continued Shen Hao, "In terms of research, Mr. Jiang will be in charge once the research institute is set up. He will report to me periodically, while the rest of you have a more important taskfurther clean up the Blood Demons!" That''s right, whether it''s researching the Blood Demons or experimenting with technologies purchased from the store, although important, were not what Shen Hao had to do. Possessing a mini-map, he himself was a special target and ultimate weapon against the Blood Demons. To bring death to the Blood Demons, that was what he had to do now!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Not to mention, gaining points, enhancing strength, upgrading the store, were also his critical objectives. Included were the others, who also held this understanding. At this moment, all eyes were focused on Shen Hao. "The previous allocation will now be fixed," Shen Hao said unapologetically, "Dong Gong is responsible for central coordination; you four lead the teams with me, handlingbat; Chen Sihui is in charge of logistical assignments and transportation, including both equipment and resources. Oh, and Liu Ruoxi, my sister Qiuyue will temporarily follow you." Over the past few days, a secret security area that gathered important family members of the Chosen Ones had also been set up. All staff members were personally vetted by Shen Hao. With the addition of props, there was no need to worry about safety issues. Qiuyue would also officially join his Chosen One squad. Naturally, she was categorized as abatant. She would surely mature quickly on the battlefield. What followed would definitely involve a lot of fighting! "Yes!" everyone responded in unison. Then they immediately began making preparations for movement. After several armed helicopters took off, thest camera in Donghua City also focused on them. "Although the battle in Donghua City has already achieved a great victory, and people have begun to gradually resume normal lives after three days of terror and danger, the war of heroes and warriors continues. They will bring significant destruction to the still rampaging Blood Demons on this greatnd..." At this moment, many people within the city, watching the camera and listening to the reporter''s voice, started to look up towards the direction where Shen Hao and others were departing, some huddling with their families, already tearful. The whole city was filled with countless car horns, honking intermittently. This was the people''s way of seeing off Shen Hao and others. Those online who envied this city, who envied them, probably could hardlyprehend everything these millions of people went through in just these three days. However, the envy of others was genuine, because at this moment, their sense of security had be the most precious thing in the world. ... "First, we need to vet the entire Military Department and all levels of key management within the shortest time," Shen Hao stated on the helicopter about the current tasks, "The whole itinerary will probably take about five days; you are responsible for maintaining order on the ground and deal with any Blood Demons that reveal themselves early." Previously, Shen Hao''s vetting capabilities were limited, and the efficiency of vetting the Military Department and various personnel was very low, but now it was different. Now, he only needed to fly overhead to quickly identify all Blood Demons. He even didn''t need to assemble the personnel! Chapter 58 Heavenly Punishment Descends! In actuality, the vast majority of the five days were spent on the journey. However, Shen Hao hade to further appreciate the efficiency of this country. Before they had even set out, hundreds of thousands of soldiers were already heading towards a designated location under orders, and it wasn''t just the blunt issuance ofmands. In order to avoid rming the Blood Demons, the entire movement was executed with a variety of different rationales, with dispersed and batched scrutiny. They even nned for Shen Hao the quickest and most efficient route! Merely two hourster, after a ne change, Shen Hao had already arrived above the first destination. This was a temporary military zone. Roughly one hundred thousand soldiers had gathered here, they were originally brought in to support Donghua City, but Shen Hao''s sudden use of a map cheat had directly hastened the end of the battle, so these troops just happened to be dispersed in this area. In order not to rm the Blood Demons, Shen Hao made a leap from an airne several thousand meters up. Maintaining short-term flight with telekinesis. "There indeed are Blood Demons." By the time he descended to an altitude of three thousand meters, the map was able to cover the entire area, and indeed, he spotted not a small number of Blood Demons.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om There were nearly three hundred! While the ratio might not seem high, it was likely due to the soldiers'' long-distance movement causing the offspring to lose touch with the Matrix''s Spirit telepathy range, hence unable to continue the parasitism. Yet, the lethality that these three hundred undercover agents could bring in the midst of war far exceeded that of three hundred enemies on the frontal battlefield! "Open field of view." Holding a tablet, Shen Hao spoke into themand channel, "The numbers aren''trge. I can handle them all by myself, but stay alert nheless." "Roger that." "Roger that." "..." The rest of the team members had already arrived on the ground ahead of him, preparing. Although Shen Hao could detect all the Blood Demons and directly mete out remote Heavenly Punishment with thunder, if their numbers increased, with his current ability, he wouldn''t be able to instantly kill all the Blood Demons spread across such a range in one go. Should they scatter and flee, it was possible for some to escape the range, and this required the vignce and encirclement of ground troops. However, looking at the current numbers, it seemed that ground support wasn''t necessary. "Ease up a bit." At this moment, Liu Ruoxi, noticing Gu Qiuyue apparently a bit tense beside her, revealed a trace of a smile, "Your Boxer and my Swordsman alike possess the instinct forbat. If you are really tense, why not rx and leave everything to your body." "Right." Gu Qiuyue was indeed somewhat nervous, but after all, it wasn''t her first battle, and she quickly shifted her emotions, looking up with a bit of worry, "Is it really enough just to be on guard?" "Haven''t you seen the team leader take action?" Liu Ruoxi''s expression was a bit strange. "Aside from the first time, I''ve only seen it on TV," Gu Qiuyue shook her head. Continue your adventure with empire "Well, now you can have a good look." Liu Ruoxi''s smile seemed to broaden, following Qiuyue in raising her gaze towards the duskden sky, filled with anticipation and whispering softly, "Such power, it truly inspires longing." Gu Qiuyue seemed to want to say something more. But in that instant, a dazzling brightness reflected in her eyes. It was a sphere of purple thunder, unexpectedly appearing in the high sky. And thensuddenly transformed into dozens of thunderbolts striking down! At that instant, the entire world amidst the dusk was filled with purple shes, countless soldiers subconsciously looked up, but before they could react, the unending roar of thunder exploded throughout heaven and earth! The thunderous booming was relentless! It was the vibration of thunder tearing through the air! At this moment, Gu Qiuyue waspletely stupefied. Although she knew from the television that her brother possessed the ability to wield thunder, and she had heard those thunderous sounds throughout the city, none of those moments were as astonishing as this one! If she hadn''t known it was her brother''s power, she would have thought it was a real Heavenly Punishment descending upon the world! The second wave of lightning came quickly as well, thunderbolts dancing like serpents in the sky! Instantly striking the ground! She could even imagine, those Blood Demons that were targeted, not to mention escaping, probably couldn''t even react before they turned into desated corpses under the thunderbolts! "Right," Liu Ruoxi reacted even more strongly than Gu Qiuyue, involuntarily clenching her fists, her gaze seemingly a bit blurry, "such power, as if born to bring hope to people!" Even some who were already aware of Shen Hao''s strength were somewhat shaken at this moment. Because he was growing too quickly. Not to mention three days ago, evenpared to just a few hours earlier, it was like he had bepletely different! Indeed, at this moment, Shen Hao had be several times stronger! This was not normal growth. Although his spiritual power figure had only increased by one point in these few hours, he was trying some resources for the first time that could temporarily boost his strength explosively. Most were focused on spirit, and a smaller part on transcendence. After all, the strength of the [Thunder] ability mainly depended on the "spirit" value, while "transcendence" was more like "Mana". And Shen Hao also confirmed somethinghe could indeed control the side effects of these resources. Some of them, like "Blood Burst Pill," were meant to unleash the body''s potential, which wasn''t very useful to him because he could already harness all of his body''s power. The other part provided some uncontroble power, like "Frenzy Potion," which he could consume and control to his heart''s content! "However, there is a limit to the quality of the drugs," Shen Hao concluded after various experiments. The resources in the White Level 4 Mallbined with various tools could raise his spirit by 7 points, with an upper limit of around twenty-seven. Coupled with the Blue Level 5 Magic Wand in hand, it perfectly brought his spirit to thirty points. Compared to his current twenty points, it was an increase of 1.2 to the tenth power, a gain of precisely six point two-fold! The total points required were close to six thousand. Furthermore, the side effects could be disregarded. Ordinary people using such resources recklessly would likely be on the brink of death after an outburst, but for him, all abilities were within his control! The [Sovereign] truly lived up to its mythical name! "Thirty points of spiritual power plus the rapid replenishment of ''transcendence'', enough for me to clear out hundreds of Blood Demons scattered across dozens of kilometers in two to three minutes," Shen Hao dealt precise Heavenly Punishments to the Blood Demons while summing up in his mind, "But this level of strength is probably the limit of the White Level 4 Mall, roughly equivalent to Level 5 or even Level 6. If I don''t elevate the Store Levelter, even if my power increases, taking more resources would only yield this degreeit''s still sufficient domestically, for the time being, though." Indeed, for the current stage, such a degree of power paired with the map cheat was already ample for Shen Hao to gradually push through the nation''s Blood Demons by himself! Right now, this was just the beginning! Chapter 59 Sweep! Sweep! While Shen Hao was performing precise demon-ying with Thunder from above, the soldiers below also demonstrated a high degree of order. It was only in the initial chaos that some people quickly came to their senses. Experience new stories on empire "Spread out! Stay alert!" shouts kept ringing out. Even if some Blood Demons knew they could not escape, arising in a frenzy driven by instinctual fear, they were quickly suppressed. The whole processsted less than two minutes. Efficient, precise, ferocious! When the Thunder in the high sky dissipated, there were no longer any Blood Demons within the range of Shen Hao''s map! "Forty-six thousand points." That was the number of points Shen Hao had earned in those one to two minutes. Although it was far less than the points he gained in the previous hospital event, if the number of such "Demon Caves" were to increase, it could be very troublesome. In fact, this situation, with Blood Demons scattered across a vast area, is the current domestic norm, and facing such a scenario, only Shen Hao could achieve such terrifying efficiency. After all, he was genuinely "hacking and grinding points." "There are no more Blood Demons," Shen Hao flew around high in the sky, confirmed there were no remnants, and flew directly towards the circling airne, "Retreat, to the next location."N?v(el)B\\jnn "Yes!" The other members of the group could already imagine that such scenes would likely happen frequently over the next few days. If the number of Blood Demons was notrge enough or spread wide enough, there would virtually be no opportunity for them to take action. "Surely the national Blood Demons won''t just be cleaned up by the team leader alone." Song Cheng couldn''t help but say on themunication channel, "That would be too easy." "Isn''t easy good? What, do you want more of a challenge?" Cheng Youqingughed. "No, what I mean is, Blood Demons won''t just sit still and wait to be killed," Song Cheng quickly exined, "After all, they are intelligent beings." "So what if they won''t?" Liu Ruoxi rarely joined in the discussion, "If Parasite Failures are the natural predators of Blood Demons, then our team leader is the Blood Demons'' Heavenly Punishment, their doomsday! No matter how they struggle, in the face of doomsday, they can only despair and wait for death." These words were confidently stated, yet no one could refute them. Because that was indeed the case! Parasite Failures could only identify Blood Demons and grow stronger by killing them. But Shen Hao could find Blood Demons across arge area and bring down Heavenly Punishment, sweeping clean in a short time! One was a natural predator, but the other was a genuine cmity! The more they discussed, the more excited the atmosphere within the group became. In fact, it was not just them; Shen Hao''s performance injected a strong dose of confidence in everyone aware of his actions, especially the army that had just finished sweeping. These warriors had realized that they no longer needed to worry whether theirrades beside them were Blood Demons, and they had unprecedented confidence in winning the warprehensively! Having lost the abilities to parasitize and hide, those Blood Demons were merely a group of enemies that would die when killed! "Really amazing, team leader, with this efficiency, not only could all active-duty soldiers be vetted within five days, but even the recalled ones could be vetted as well," Dong Gong also spoke on the channel at this moment. The recall of retired soldiers had begun on the first day the Blood Demons were discovered. However, among these retired soldiers, there would definitely be a substantial number of Blood Demons. So, they were only called back and had not been issued weapons, nor formally activated. It was initially thought that it would at least take the discovery of a method for identifying Blood Demons on arge scale before these veterans could be deployed into battle, but no one expected that Shen Hao would suddenly, as though flipping a switch, possess the ability to identify Blood Demons en masse. This identification range, this cleansing efficiency, even if it were just him aloneit would be enough! "You are in charge of coordinating all parties, arranging everything rted to the review, and I," Shen Hao, seated in the airne chair, slightly intensified his tone, "will be responsible for one thing onlycleansing, cleansing, and more cleansing!" "Yes!" Dong Gong responded! Indeed, that was the only thing Shen Hao was going to do next! After understanding his ability range and cleansing efficiency, the burden became heavier, even preparing a supersonic fighter to minimize travel time and maximize efficiency! It must be said that the Blood Demons clearly had the intention of infiltrating the military and administrativeyers, even though precautions and preventive measures were now in ce. Still, during the month the Blood Demons remained hidden, they managed to achieve a significant infiltration. The military and key sectors had discovered the presence of Blood Demons. Fortunately, Shen Hao''s timely interference meant the situation didn''t worsen. In just a few days, he and his team relentlessly traveled from one location to another, conducting the "cleansing n" with astonishing efficiency. Although they hadn''t made public the schedule for these days, most countries around the world had already guessed what Shen Hao was doing. As Dong Gong put it, "international aid requests" wereing in like snowkes. Unfortunately, for both Shen Hao and the overall situation of the Blood Demon war, the most crucial thing was to clean up domestically first. The future international battlefield must have a strong logistical base. Moreover, the Blood Demons, without a doubt cunning, had evidently noticed his cleansings of the military and key departments and managed not to let a single Blood Demon Mother get captured, despite having captured the tails of several and not being able to determine the location of the Mother. However, even so. Being able to escape the current cleansing might not mean escaping the uing nationwide cleansing! At this moment, the Blood Demon Mothers must be in fear, perhaps even preparing to flee? Shen Hao narrowed his eyes slightlywho said only the ones undergoing the Trial could feel despair? ... Indeed, it was just as Shen Hao had thought. On the fourth day of the cleansing n, nearly ten Blood Demon Mothers finally managed toe together. This was a dark ce in the wilderness, where the night forest provided the best shelter. Dozens of figures of different ages and distinctly different attire stood together without any hierarchy in their positioning. Clearly, this was a meeting of the Blood Demon Mothers. Though only their offspring were present, at this moment, it was their mothers'' consciousness that descended upon them. The atmosphere on site was very heavy. "The talent of that Chosen One is at least of Legendary level!" At the start of the meeting, a Mother hoarsely voiced the information it had confirmed, "He can instantly pinpoint the location of all our kind within a fifty-kilometer radius." "Fifty kilometers?" The scene stirred. The Mothers could not hide their terror. They wanted to win this war, to revive their civilization, and the stealth provided by their Parasitic Ability was crucial. But now, had this ability been rendered useless from the start? Chapter 60 The Timid Species "How can there be a Legendary Talent among the mere six thousand or so Chosen Ones of the human race?" A Matrix couldn''t contain her anger. "This is simply not fair. Do we have any Legends? No! Not even until the very end!" This anger seemed to suddenly ignite the emotions of all the Matrices. "Exactly! How is this possible?" "Golden Legendary Talent, and it just so happens to be the type that can restrain us!" "I will never ept this as mere luck!" "Our entire civilization never produced such a level of Talent until its final moments!" "..." Indeed, throughout their existence, the Blood Demon species had never witnessed a Golden Legendary Level ability. In reality, it wasn''t easy for such a thing to emerge. It was a one in a million chance! The number of Chosen Ones that appeared in a civilization was limited and would not grow endlessly; the Blood Demons'' past civilization couldn''t surpass fifty thousand until its very end. At such numbers, the Golden Legend was indeed nothing more than a legend for them! No wonder this group of Blood Demons was so furious. How many Chosen Ones does Human Civilization have now? Barely six or seven thousand, not even ten thousand! This is like a gambler, who has bet everything and never won the SSR, turning around and seeing someone else win it with a single pull! This could cause someone''s mentality to explode in an instant! Moreover, this was not some game yed for amusement but a matter concerning the fate of entire civilizations! If they had a Golden Legendary Talent from the beginning, maybe, just maybe, their civilization wouldn''t have perished! Forget that they are inherent enemies now, even if they weren''t, such iprehensible luck, with its intense and bitter envy, would be enough to make them want to tear this "Emperor Ou" civilization to shreds! However, there were still those who kept their cool. It was the same Matrix who first shared intelligence, also the one responsible for bringing these Matrices together. It spoke again, "This is an established reality now. Resentment is pointless. The Civilization Trial has never promised fairness." This Blood Demon Mother obviously had a certain prestige among the many Matrices. After it spoke, all the Matrices gradually calmed down. "Right now, we only have two options," it continued. "The first is to do whatever it takes to eliminate that Chosen One. The second is to flee this country." As soon as these words fell, one Matrix after another quickly voiced their opinions. "The first choice is simply impossible." "Exactly, all of our children hiding in the army have been discovered." "Without weapons, and with the number we have now, we are no match for the humans." "The power of that Chosen One is extraordinary; he will be hard to deal with." "Plus, a Matrix was captured alive, truly a sinner of our entire species!" "..." If a human were present at this time and heard such a group of hoarse, cold, and strange voices, they probably wouldn''t be afraid because the words were filled with unmistakable deep fear. At this moment, at least in this country, the Blood Demons were the ones who needed to fear. The leading Matrix, looking at its own kind, also felt a sense of sadness in its heart. "Enough!" it roared quietly. Suddenly, everyone turned to look at it. "Isn''t thisughable?" it said with anger, looking at each of them, "We''ve already lost the name of our civilization, lost our ownnguage, and even lost all of our culture, but we have certainly not lost our cowardice. Or rather, do you wish to be defeated once again?" "..." All the Blood Demon Mothers fell silent at that moment. However, just as the leading Matrix thought it had made an impact, it heard one Mother voice out, "What does this have to do with cowardice? If we cannot win, we cannot win." This statement seemed to express the sentiments of many Matrices, and the rest echoed the sentiment. "Moreover, we''re not nning to give up." "Every Matrix is precious to our civilization and cannot be carelessly abandoned here." "It''s only this country, after all. Other countries are more suitable for us." Enjoy new adventures from empire "Escape and find more humans to Parasite outside, thene back with human weapons and consume every person in this country!" "..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om These Matrices seemed unwilling to admit their own timidity, but no one nned to stay. If they were to run, the numerous Subspecies would not be easy to take along, but the Matrices alone wouldn''t have any issue. Each of them had individual Talents, mostly of Blue Level, and were very powerful. As individuals, the chances of escaping undetected were not low. But the leading Blood Demon Mother, seeing such a scene, could only feel even deeper sorrow. However, this was its species. Its civilization was never one of fearless spirit. As long as there was a way out, it always kept retreating until it realized there was nowhere left to retreat to. Falling in the first Trial was not without reason. But this time, it didn''t n to retreat just yet. "If you want to run, you can, but before escaping, cooperate with me," the Matrix controlling the Subspecies said, its grotesque mouth splitting in a sinister grin. "Since humans call us ''demons,'' we should bring them fear. Since we''re going to run anyway, we can do it at any time, so why not try cooperating with me first?" The Matrices remained silent. They really wanted to flee as quickly as possible. With the current situation, no one knew when the formidable Chosen One might suddenly appear before them. The fear of death was ingrained deep within the bones of the species. "If you don''t agree, I''ll reveal all your locations," the Blood Demon Mother threatened, seemingly running out of patience. "I have Epic Talent! Even if I expose my position, I can escape. You can''t threaten me!" Instantly, the surrounding Matrices were filled with shock and anger. Deep in the forest under the night sky, suppressed roars of rage echoed. ... Meanwhile, Shen Hao was on a ne, looking at a document. It wasn''t about anything else, but rather about the "Civilization Trial." In addition to the intelligence extracted from the captured Blood Demon Mother, there were summaries and analyses, including some opinions that Shen Hao wrote under his authority. "The Civilization Trial, being a ''Trial'' and bringing forth powers like the Chosen Ones, suggests that there must be hope of oveing it. By holding onto this belief, no matter how powerful or despairing the Trial seems, it''s essential to strive to find its weakness, just as with the Blood Demons. The more we understand, the less we fear..." Chapter 61 Sweep the Second Stage! The existence of the Civilization Trial is a secret to most people in this current world. Even though many have connected the "Star Jump incident," "Chosen One," and "Blood Demon" together, there is no clear direction. It wasn''t until the first Blood Demon Mother was caught, and the existence of the "Civilization Trial" was known, that everything came together. But what followed was deep fear. People didn''t know who created the Civilization Trial, nor what the purpose of this trial was. The only known fact was that humans, in front of such an existence, were even more insignificant than ants before humans, finding absolutely no room for resistance. Even the whole seemed like a ss ball in a child''s hand, able to be manipted at will. Yet, even so, burying one''s head in the sand, pretending to know nothing, was pointless. The document in Shen Hao''s hands was a file, one that temporarily would only be essible to those with enough trust and courage. Perhaps one day in the future, this file would be officially dessified and disclosed to everyone worldwide. Therefore, Shen Hao took this opportunity to write out some of the information he had obtained from the hack in his own name. "...I do not believe that the existence of the Civilization Trial is merely a game, or a fighting pit intended for amusement, because it provides a pathway to be stronger. In any case, surviving the trial and bing stronger until the day we know everything is what we need to do, and the only choice to survive in the trial." After reading thest paragraph he had written, Shen Hao flipped through other people''s opinions and analysis and then stored the file away. It appeared in his hands because he had the authority to decide whom he deemed qualified to ess it. However, the most pressing issue was still dealing with the Blood Demon. Shen Hao opened his Chosen One interface. After spending these five days clearing out Blood Demons and assimting resources, his data had changed significantly. [Constitution: 19] [Spirit: 23] [Transcendent: 13] [Level: 4] Yes, he had reached the fourth level. His tri-dimensional strength had also improved by more than double. However, as the data increased, he could clearly feel that the efficiency of his basic three dimensions'' improvement was beginning to slow down. Because the tier of resources in the store could no longer meet his needs. To boost his advancement faster, he needed better resources. Ultimately, it came down to the store level again. Over these days, he had cleared out approximately six thousand eight hundred Blood Demons. Since they were only kills, the points gained were one million one hundred thousand, and with the points he had before, his total now nearly reached one million seven hundred thousand. He was still short by over three hundred thousand points to unlock the White Level 5 Mall. This was an astonishing efficiency, and the only limitation to his scoring was the transportation speed and the number of Blood Demons. "Over three hundred thousand, just two thousand more Blood Demons should be enough." Shen Hao felt somewhat regretful, "If only I had the points hack now, I would have had enough already." But, he only needed to wait two more days! Shen Hao was very much looking forward to it. Points hacks are never too many. At that moment, Dong Gong''smunication also came through. "Team leader, we have only found two areas where the Matrix had been present for a short time, and moreover, we can''t guarantee that the Matrix is still in the same location," Dong Gong said somewhat helplessly, "because the Blood Demon Parasite event in this ce happened ten hours ago. If the Matrix realizes that the parasitic activity has been exposed, it might flee." "Not might, it definitely will flee," Shen Hao was not surprised. The Blood Demon Mother isn''t foolish, it most likely knows about his abilities by now. Rather, the best option should be to immediately try to flee the country. Those who don''t flee and even dare to continue parasitizing truly have guts. After all, within the vicinity of any Blood Demon exhibiting parasitic behavior, there must be a Matrix, as the Spiritual Network has a distance limitation. "Ten hours have already made it difficult to capture, and you have to count the time it takes for me to get there, we need to further increase efficiency," Shen Hao stated again. "Our alert system is continuously being optimized, but the Blood Demon''s parasitic actions are bing more secretive and are now showing mobility, not remaining in one ce," Dong Gong exined, "Although this considerably slows down the spread, simrly, under stable conditions to act, those being parasitized don''t even have the chance to press the alert button." In fact, Shen Hao had exchanged for quite a few Sensing Talismans during this time. But limited by the number, he could only send them to various cities for random checks. Indeed, traces of Blood Demons had been spotted in many cities through these checks, but typically, the Matrices had already relocated and didn''t stay in their original cities, which substantially increased the difficulty of capturing the Matrices. The current method of detection still depended on the alert system; some people managed to press the alert button during their struggles, or their actions were noticed by people around them or by surveince, only then confirming the parasitic actions in progress. Even so, some Blood Demon Mothers, realizing they had triggered an alert, would quickly flee. After all, once Shen Hao arrived, they only had a dead end, not even a chance to y hide and seek. "Give me the address of the other location first; dealing with one is better than none," Shen Hao finally said. Even though he knew that the worldwide Blood Demon war was still not looking optimistic and time was still very tight, at this point, other than being a bit more patient and upgrading the store rapidly, there weren''t many good options left. "Yes!" Dong Gong acknowledged. The entire cleanup n had just finished its first stage,pleting the first review of strategic departments such as the military zone, weapons, and management. Now, it was time for the second stage. To locate and capture all the Blood Demon Mothers nationwide! However, when Shen Hao quickly arrived at the first city aboard a supersonic fighter jet, his brows were slightly furrowed. "Only over a hundred Blood Demons, the Mother must have arrived not long ago, how long before did the parasitic event ur?" he quickly asked. "Two hours and thirty-seven minutes ago," Dong Gong reported, "All the outbound channels had been intercepted at the first opportunity." "Then there should still be time," Shen Hao immediately used resources to boost his Spirit to thirty points.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The map rapidly expanded. Then, his eyes lit up. "Found them!" About thirty kilometers from the city, a dozen Blood Demons were rapidly fleeing. With the roads blocked and vehicles made unreachable, a mere two hours were not enough to allow the Mother to escape the range of Shen Hao''s map! It can be said, the moment the Mother''s figure appeared on the map, the oue was already sealed! No need to take another flight, Shen Hao directly used Telekinesis to levitate and rapidly dive. As hended in front of the Mother, another Mother became a captive under the Sovereign''s suppression! Chapter 62 Points Wealth Code! The entire process didn''t even require much description. Even though the Matrix''s strength was continuously growing, the speed of Shen Hao''s growth was still surpassing them by arge margin. This was the power brought by great Talent and abundant points! Unless there was a sufficient number of them and they were armed with heavy weapons, or even formed into a well-equipped army, they could potentially pose a certain threat to Shen Hao at this moment. But domestically, being able to get a hold of handguns was already impressive! A few handguns couldn''t even break through Shen Hao''s protective gear. "How many subordinates do you have?" Shen Hao asked directly. "Seven, seven thousand four hundred," the Matrix trembled. "Over seven thousand people?" Shen Hao''s expression darkened. The number was actually within predictions, in the first month alone, a Matrix could develop thousands of subordinate in somerger cities, even if the efficiency of parasitic growth had slowed down significantly over thest week, but with carefulness, there was still a chance to develop more subordinates. If the number of Matrices in the country exceeded fifty, that would already mean nearly four hundred thousand victims! It was imperative to capture the Matrices as soon as possible. Of course, the subordinates couldn''t be overlooked either! Shen Haomanded directly, "Order your subordinates to gather together!" He had already experimented with another Matrix before, directly ordering the Matrix to kill its subordinates didn''t yield any points. However, themands of Matrices were irrefutable to the vast majority of subordinates! Therefore, just bring them all together and solve it with Sovereign suppression, and obtain more points! So, at this very moment, a bizarre scene began to unfold within several cities. People suddenly rushed from all directions to a certain ce on the outskirts of the city. Initially, no one realized what was happening. Until the number of gathering people increased, some taxi drivers and civilians noticed this anomaly, quickly reported it up, and even posted it online. It rapidly sparked a lot of public attention and discussion. "What''s going on with these people?" "They look so strange." "It couldn''t be Blood Demons, could it?" "Silly, the scariest thing about Blood Demons is their ability to hide and conceal themselves, standing out and gathering together is akin to courting death. No need for Boss Shen to make a move, one missile would solve it all." "Maybe they really are courting death." "..." Some braver ones even approached to film, these people crowded together, seeming very peculiar to each other, with some discussions heard among them. It looked normal yet strange. But shortly after, a roaring sound came from high above, and when they looked up, they could see a long trail crossing the clouds. That was the noise brought by a supersonic jet beginning to slow down and decrease its altitude! A ck dot plunged directly from the sky. In an instant, all the gathered Blood Demons became distressed, some of the Blood Demons seemed to realize something, frantically wanting to flee, but were restricted by the Matrix''smand! However, even if they wanted to escape now, it was already toote! When Shen Hao arrived, all the Blood Demons could only wail and fall to the ground under the overwhelming suppression, some even uncontrobly revealed their true faces. The people holding cameras nearby werepletely stunned.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Thousands of Blood Demons, all of them were Blood Demons! Online, it suddenly exploded. "Is this for real?" "Boss Shen, that''s Boss Shen Hao!" "My God, they are actually lining up to die!" "What''s going on? This group of Blood Demons collectively challenges Boss Shen to a one-on-one?" "Lord, I''m right in this city, and there are so many Blood Demons!" "..." No wonder people are so shocked; the scene looks too bizarre and too stunning. There had been no news of Shen Hao or the battlefield for several days, and even though everyone knew that the war was still ongoing, with many people continuously fighting on the most dangerous frontlines, theck of specific information about the battles made people uneasy. Blood Demons had be the focal point of the entire society and civilization in just one short week. On the inte and television, domestically and internationally, various news and voices highlighted the terror of the Blood Demons. Especially abroad, it watched by people with trembling hearts. This war was now a matter of human survival! But what was this? Thousands of Blood Demons voluntarily stepped out from the crowd, gathered together, and then their strongest Chosen One took them down in one fell swoop? If it weren''t for the Blood Demons in front of the camera painfully wailing and trembling on the ground, people might think this was just a fantasy from a dream! At this time, the official finally issued an announcement. "Team leader Shen Hao has once again sessfully captured and controlled a Matrix. Upon inspection, this Matrix''s Parasitic Subordinates have infected seven thousand three hundred forty-two people, scattered across areas including Lingxi City, Hong City, Chenxi County, Dongming County, and Lantian County. All Blood Demon Subordinates are now gathered outside the city under themand of the Matrix, please all citizens stay away and do not risk contact..." This not only stunned people within the country but also around the world who were following the situation in the Eastern Country. It was indeed a genuine lining up to die! Previous messages had not been released, and although many people knew that a Matrix had been captured in the Eastern Country, they were not clear on what the Matrix could do. But now, they knew. The Matrix could evenmand the subordinate bodies to die! Yes! The powerful control ability of the Matrix over its subordinates should have been a strength of the Blood Demons, but this strong hierarchical order turned into a guillotine at the Blood Demons'' neck after the crucial surrender of the Matrix. Controlling the Matrix meant controlling most subordinates! Even if some subordinates sensed danger and were too afraid toe, they could not escape the precise elimination by the Matrix in the Spirit Network! Of course, there were a few who could defy the will of the Matrix under a survival instinct, escaping the range of the Spirit Network, but these were only a very few. Moreover, the Matrix could still sense the general direction and range. This type of Blood Demon just needed to be handed over to others for a follow-up hunt. Once deprived of their Parasitic Ability, the subordinate bodies posed no significant threat. It can be said that Shen Hao''s appearance in front of the camera once again brought huge victories and hope for victory to people around the world! However, at this time, Shen Hao didn''t pay much attention to the sensation on the inte. He was just looking at his Chosen One panel and couldn''t help but remark, "Sure enough, the Matrix is the treasure code for points!" He had previously spent five days handling slightly more than six thousand Blood Demons, mostly just killing them, averaging one hundred fifty points per demon. But now, just by visiting a few ces, he had harvested over seven thousand! All were harvested using Dominator suppression, each one earning two hundred points! In this short time, he had directly harvested over one million four hundred thousand points! White Level 5 Mall, unlocked! ncing at the requirements for the Sixth-level Mall, he was surprised to find that it only needed a total of five million points. It was less than expected. However, what Shen Hao was more concerned about now was what important items were in the Level 5 Mall. Chapter 63 The Time of Harvest ``` ording to the current rules of the Civilization Trial, it is clear that the normal way to pass the Trial is through the "Mall". The Chosen One must devise ways to continuouslybat the Trial, obtain points, upgrade the Store, and enhance both their own and the entire civilization''s strength. Although Shen Hao could cheat, cheating could not lead directly to passing the Trial, it was still an auxiliary under the rules. Therefore, his anticipation for the Store was only natural. Every upgrade of the Store was a moment of great harvest! After opening the White Level 5 Store and skillfully arranging the purchasable items, just at first nce, he discovered a product named "Spirit Testing Ball". [Product Name: Spirit Testing Ball] [Product Level: White Level 5] [Product Description: Capable of detecting whether objects within a hundred-meter radius contain Spiritual Energy, with a sensitive response. Replenishing Spiritual Energy allows for extended use. It also has a certain detection effect for other non-Spiritual Energy extraordinary characteristics.] [Product Price: 2000 points] "Capable of detecting within a hundred-meter radius!" Shen Hao''s eyes sparkled. This thing was clearly an upgraded version of the Sensing Talisman, as many items in the Store were such that higher-level Stores contained upgraded versions of products from lower-level Stores. Although the Spirit Testing Ball also had usage conditions and a not-sorge detection range, this kind of tool could still greatly enhance his detection efficiency. Not to mention, equipping a Chosen One squad with one would be of great use during the pursuit of fleeing Blood Demons! Although it was a bit expensive, it could be used for a long time! Replenishing Spiritual Energy was not a problem, as "Spiritual Energy Crystals" had appeared as early as in the White Level 3 Store, which could be worn long-term to enhance one''s constitution. No matter how you looked at it, it was much better than the Sensing Talisman, which was a consumable! The demand was definitely huge! "I''ll exchange ten for a test first." Without any hesitation, Shen Hao exchanged for ten, ready to hand them over to the research institutes for testing. In the previous days, dozens of top-tier research institutes had been established in this country, scattered across various locations, on one hand to protect the scientists collectively, and on the other hand, because there was now a plethora of things, directions, and categories that needed research. Blood Demon Research Institute, Spiritual Energy Research Institute, Magic Research Institute, Weapon Research Institute, Talent Research Institute... While Shen Hao was diligently eradicating Blood Demons, even more people across the entire country were taking rapid action.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om One could imagine that with each upgrade of the Store Level, these research institutes were not only the busiest, but also the most thrilling. Shen Hao continued to browse the Store. Besides the Spirit Testing Ball, there were quite a few other great items. "Ice Grenade, all-epassing Binding Grenade, basic sma Rifle, Electric Shock Bullets..." Shen Hao was on a ne heading back to the nearest military base while purchasing weapons and equipment that might be effective against Blood Demons. Dong Gong had already been waiting there with the team members. As soon as Shen Hao got off the ne, they all gathered around him. "Team leader, how did it go?" They were all eagerly looking at Shen Hao. ``` ``` The anticipation for the White Level 5 Mall wasn''t limited to Shen Hao. It was everyone! The researchers at the institutes were even more eager! "Not bad at all," Shen Hao said with a smile, taking out all the items he had purchased and sorting them, "Take these to the various institutes, ce these in the team''s warehouse, and these ability balls and equipment, allocate them as before, although the level of the dropped equipment is a bit low for you." The loot from the Blood Demons was determined by their own level, and although there were many of them, most were only at first and second levels. In the Eastern Country, where Blood Demons were hard to avoid, there wasn''t much opportunity for major cannibalistic leveling. However, low-level wasn''t useless, it could still be effective when given to ordinary soldiers. Moreover, ability balls could rapidly enhance a Chosen One''s strength. Shen Hao''s "Thunder" although purple, could still be upgraded by stacking simr low-level ability balls. Such as "Electric Shock," "Electric Current," and so on. This portion, he kept for himself. After using almost a hundred, his "Thunder" had now reached Level 2, much more powerful than initially. "Team leader, is there a technical blueprint for this type of equipment?" Chen Sihui asked, holding a full-wrap restraint grenade and seemingly in awe, "This thing is amazing, it''s a non-injury type of restraint device! If we could add an automatic rm system and mass-produce it, we could distribute it to the public for defense against the Blood Demons! It would also make it easier to spot parasitic behaviors, but, the technical level is really high!" "Can''t figure it out?" Shen Hao looked at the gadget in her hand. He remembered this product as well. The description said it could be adapted to creatures of various body types. Conventional restraint equipment wasn''t very effective against Blood Demons. Blood Demons were able to manipte their blood and were almost unstoppable. "With our current technological level, it''s quite difficult," responded Chen Sihui as she quickly disassembled the device. With her "Skillful Hand," and incrementally higher level, she had easily grasped the basic structure of such gadgets, and finally, holding a metal capsule, she said, "The core is this, a material that can rapidly expand into a high-strength adhesive. It''s breathable but waterproof, perfect for capturing creatures, definitely useful against Blood Demons, but weck the preceding technology, and we had no such technical foundation before." Shen Hao understood and felt a bit of regret. Shaking his head, he said, "Such a weapon costs seven hundred points each, not cheap, and we don''t have the technology, but I''ve bought whatever technology was avable." "Seven hundred points?" The others were somewhat astonished. They had already seen the "Spirit Testing Ball," an upgraded key item, and understood its importance. Indeed, buying three of these restraint devices was not as good as buying one Spirit Testing Ball. After all, situations requiring live capture of Blood Demons were rare. If it couldn''t be produced and poprized on arge scale, it wasn''t very useful. "If we can''t buy it now, we will be able to in the future," Dong Gong remained optimistic, smiling, "Not to mention the technology, just these items alone can greatly increase the technological level of our entire civilization. Without the Blood Demons, this opportunity would have been unimaginable in the past!" Indeed, the Chosen One Mall wasn''t just for dealing with Blood Demons. Rather, its real purpose was to improve the strength of civilization! The current focus wasbating Blood Demons, so what was exchanged were mostly weapon-rted items, but in reality, technologies and equipment important for civilian life, production, and even key domains were also plentiful in the mall. Moreover, it included the incredible Extraordinary Powers! In fact, after experiencing five levels of the mall, everyone had gained a rough understanding of the current Chosen One Mall. ``` Chapter 64 The Leader of the Eastern Country Blood Demon? Although it seemed chaotic and had everything, the number of items actually avable for purchase was not that many and could be divided into three major categories. Technology, Magic, Cultivation! However, ording to the intelligence received from the Blood Demon Mother''s side, their past civilization''s Chosen One Mall did not have the same three categories. The categories in the Blood Demon''s former mall were Technology, Totems, and Mutation. Only Technology was the same. Unfortunately, all rted knowledge and specific contents were erased and sealed at the moment of trial failure. But even just a name was enough to spark imagination.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Many experts spected that these three directions were actually initial rmendations made by the Civilization Trial based on the characteristics of the civilization. Moreover, judging by the many unlocked items in the Chosen One Mall, it was very likely that there would be ways to unlock more pathster on. Otherwise, there was no need to list these products. Regardless, for Human Civilization today, among these three directions, "Technology" was the most cost-effective one. Because they already had a foundation in this direction. The other domains were not useless either. Not to mention targeted items like the "Sensing Talisman," even ordinary resources for personal strength growth held extremely high research valuepotentially enhancing the entire army or even the individual quality of All People. The existence of Parasite Failures had already shown that one did not need to be a Chosen One to step into the Transcendent realm. The resources in the Extraordinary Domain within the mall could likely be used by ordinary people as well! The words Shen Hao wrote in the "Civilization Trial Records" thus gained the agreement of many. "Survive the trials, be stronger!" Many were now fantasizing that if they could continually survive the trials, Human Civilization might have the chance to reach a stage far beyond imagination! "Alright, upgrade those who should upgrade, enhance those who should enhance, and experiment with those who should experiment," Shen Hao finally said, "The offspring registered under the caught Blood Demon Mother have mostly been captured, but a few have escaped, including several Level 4 Blood Demons. Now, only some of the Chosen Ones have the ability to pursue them. You may need to act separately from me." Upon hearing this statement, the present Chosen Ones all became solemn. Level 4 Blood Demons were indeed very dangerous. Although Blood Demons that had separated from the Mother were unable to use their parasitic fission ability, they could still consume humans to be stronger. In them, Level 4 Blood Demons would only be more cunning and more ferocious. Till now, the Chosen Ones within Shen Hao''s team, thanks to the high-level resources received here, had just managed to reach Level 3. Relying on their Talent, abilities, and equipment, they might be able to battle a Level 4 Blood Demon, but other Chosen Ones did not have such favorable conditions. Even though Shen Hao had made avable all the resources he didn''t need, only some of the Chosen Ones could benefit from them. After all, the Chosen One Market had not fully formed yet; everyone was "borrowing" resources from Shen Hao, hence eligibility for resource allocation naturally had to be selective. Those who dared to fight and had the determination and will to take responsibility were the focus. The Chosen Ones in Shen Hao''s team were no exception. He naturally had to continue finding and controlling more Blood Demon Mothers, as well as precisely eliminating some focused in the city areas, but the more scattered Blood Demons would definitely need to be handled by others. "Don''t worry, group leader," Cheng Youqing, who appeared to be the most eager to fight, said, looking almost impatient, "We won''t let you down." The others nodded in agreement, including Qiuyue; none were cowards. Now, there weren''t just one or two Chosen Ones who were envious of them; some even managed to send membership applications to Dong Gong. However, the team had already begun to form a tacit understanding, and Shen Hao had no intention of adding more members for the time being. He wanted to first observe their performance. As a Cheater, Shen Hao had already decided to follow both the "Personal Strength" and "Legion" tracks simultaneously! After a brief gathering, everyone quickly split up, with each person assigned their own tasks. Although the domestic situation seemed to have secured an advantage, the overallbat situation was still tense, and there was no time to waste, especially not too many deaths in this first Trial! Therefore, Shen Hao had not even kept too many points; forting points would only increase. Keeping points in hand was hardly useful. He aimed to quickly utilize them, while also gaining some return on points by rapidly transforming them into strength on various fronts. Just from others'' point feedback, he could now umte over twenty thousand points daily. Though not much yet, it was starting to scale up. Don''t forget, he still had the chance to cheat! However, just as Shen Hao achieved another significant victory and was rapidly digesting his gains, on the other side, a Blood Demon Mother, seeing the news online, could no longer tolerate the situation. "We must start now!" This Blood Demon Mother seemed to be the only one preparing to do something rather than merely thinking of escaping. The face it had acquired through parasitism seemed even more human. The next day, as Shen Hao was rushing to a city identified with a concentration of Blood Demons, he suddenly received an urgentmunication from Dong Gong. "Group leader!" Dong Gong''s voice was hurried, "Three minutes ago, a Blood Demon Mother posted a video online!" "What?" Shen Hao was momentarily stunned. "For now, just take a look," Dong Gong replied. "Alright!" Shen Hao immediately opened the link Dong Gong had sent him. The video had a rather sensational title. "I am the leader of the Eastern Country Blood Demon Race, seeking dialogue with Shen Hao." Yes, that was the title. Self-proimed as the leader of the Eastern Country Blood Demon Race, it even sought to have a dialogue with Shen Hao. In the current inte frenzy, such a headline was maximally attention-grabbing. Shen Hao immediately started the video. The scene depicted a rtively well-lit room, but it waspletely barren with empty walls, resembling amon under-furnished house. A girl wearing a mask, slim in stature and appearing like a high school student, stood there. "I am the leader of the Blood Demon Race in the Eastern Country, also a Blood Demon Mother," she stated. As soon as she spoke, that raspy, dark, moist female voice immediately made Shen Hao''s gaze sharpen. That was indeed a characteristic of a Blood Demon Mother''s consciousness descending upon its offspring. Because it was not about controlling vocal cords to produce a sound, but rather controlling the blood to mimic vocal cords, creating vibrations to generate sound. Next, this Blood Demon Mother made an even more convincing demonstration. Stretching out a hand, blood directly seeped from the capiries, gathering in front of her, continuously transforming! Chapter 65 Blood Demons Struggle! (Added chapter, please follow for updates!) If the video isn''t fabricated, then this feat could only be aplished by a Blood Demon or a Parasite Failure! That''s why this video could spread so wildly in just a few minutes! The rate of spreading even far surpassed the one from the video where the Blood Demon crisis broke out! Although Shen Hao hadn''t enabled thement stream, he could imagine that the number of viewers was skyrocketing. Indeed, it was the first time that a Blood Demon had appeared before the public through ''active conversation''! The screen continued its broadcast. The demonstration of its blood control ability seemed only to confirm its identity. Without retracting the blood, the Blood Demon Mother continued speaking in this posture: "As you are aware, we are neither human nor are we unintelligent beasts, but rather another intelligent species. The name ''Blood Demon'' isn''t our species'' original name, but until we re-establish our civilization, we will ept this name in respect for the original inhabitants of this world. Additionally, you may address me as ''Shadow King,'' which is my official title among our species!" The hoarse voice of the Blood Demon was not as cold as machinery, but rather full of clear and rich emotions. He sounded like he was not some monster with a human appearance, but truly a leader of the opposing force. This gave people an indescribable sense of eeriness. But the Blood Demon''s speech didn''t pause: "A few days ago, your leaders dered war on us, and today this video can serve as a response. Although war is not our intention, the war between our two species is indeed inevitable. This is not about morality, right, or wrong, but purely about the survival and reconstruction of our civilization!" This statement caused an instant uproar on the inte. If Shen Hao were to open thement stream now, he would see a flurry of messages so dense they could nearly crash the server. Angry, excited, and even some attempting dialogue. Regardless, in this war, one side''s deration had now received an official response from the other! This fact alone continuously amplified the significance of this video. Even within this short period, the video had been tranted and was beginning to spread to the entire world. However, this self-proimed ''Shadow King'' Blood Demon Mother released the video obviously not just to provide a response. For the Blood Demons, and for humanity, there was not much need for it. Their parasitic actions were already unforgivable acts of war to humans. Thus, the Shadow King swiftly moved on to the main point: "But I must admit thatpared to our kin elsewhere in the world, we in the Eastern Country have sufferedpletely unexpected setbacks, and all this because of the presence of one individualChosen One Shen Hao. Having such a Chosen One, your country is indeed extremely lucky. His strength even surpasses ourprehension, and even I, as one of the strongest among my species, am not confident of surviving against him. This is the fundamental reason I have issued thismunication in this form, because I am profoundly aware that if this continues, we will suffer immense losses before him!" As these words were spoken, everyone could feel the Blood Demon Mother''s seriousness. Even concealed behind a mask, one could almost sense the gravity in its expression. Shen Hao couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow as he watched. And on the inte, the viewers burst into chaos once again. Yet,pared to the initial disorder, there was a moment of unanimity now. The majority felt an indescribable sense of relief. "Good to know!" "Since you know, better surrender quickly." "You''re out of lucking to our territory!" "Shen Hao is the world''s strongest Chosen One!" "Are you contemting surrender? Impossible; you''re doomed!" "That''s right, we won''t ept surrender!" "So many have already died; it can only be blood for blood!" "..." It must be said that happiness is realized throughparison. The inte has been dominated by messages mostly concerning Blood Demons and war, with the bulk of messages noting from within the country, but from abroad.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om After all, domestically, aside from Donghua City''s battle drawingprehensive attention, other battles were localized and on a smaller scale. Internationally, the tumult was increasing drastically. Particrly after the battle in Donghua City, some of the Blood Demons'' actions had be exceedingly frantic. Some experts analyzed that it was Shen Hao''s presence, together with the sessful live capture and control of the Blood Demon Mother, that had ced considerable pressure on the entire Blood Demon species, prompting those overseas to be more aggressive, trying to grow stronger before Shen Hao could interfere. Inparison, although there was a significant sacrifice domestically with many casualties, the situation had improved countless times over. And now this sense of "happiness" drawn fromparison was directly ignited by the leader of the "Eastern Country Blood Demon"! Even the Blood Demon Leader had acknowledged Shen Hao''s strength and admitted their disadvantage. Could the country''splete victory be far off? Some even had the illusion that this sudden, strange, and dangerous war might soon end! However, at this point, Shen Hao''s heart was somewhat furrowed. He didn''t believe the Blood Demon Mother woulde forward to tter him for no reason. Moreover, within the seemingly ttering speech, there were some intriguing implications. It was as if the current situation in the Eastern Country was entirely his doing. Shen Hao knew that although he was powerful, he was far from being able to solve everything by himself. If he were to go abroad now, facing Blood Demons armed with heavy weapons, he would still be in a difficult position. He couldn''t hunt Blood Demons as recklessly as in the Eastern Country. After all, behind his recent victories was the strong support of the entire national system! The video hadn''t ended yet, and Shen Hao held back his spections and thoughts to continue watching. "I understand that whether a dialogue in times of war can stand depends on the cards each holds. If Mister Shen Hao is watching this video, I hope youprehend three fundamental realities. First, we are a highly united species, and with my Epic Talent, I have already received the recognition and obedience of all Mothers within the Eastern Country. Second, there are already over five hundred thousand Blood Demons within the Eastern Country! Third" The Blood Demon Mother got to this point, then lifted a third finger and emphasized dramatically: "We are an intelligent species. We may not be your match, but we will not sit idly by. We will definitely struggle with all our might and at any cost!" Chapter 66 Behind the Schemes Seeing this, Shen Hao''s expression darkened slightly, as he had already guessed the purpose of the Blood Demon Mother releasing this video. Sure enough, after this, the tone of the Blood Demon in the video suddenly became chilling: "500,000 Blood Demons! And they are scattered among the humans, 500,000 Blood Demons! Our species'' average individual strength far surpasses that of humans, and even without firearms, one Blood Demon can kill dozens of people in a short time! What casualties could 500,000 Blood Demons, pushed into a corner, bring if they stopped hiding and started ughtering humans with full force all at once?" "At least 30 million people! Maybe even more!" At this moment, the people who were somewhat excited because the Blood Demon Mother had capitted, suddenly fell silent. And some even felt a chill run through their bodies. 30 million people! How many people does the entire country have in total? This number had already reached one-fiftieth, which means that out of every fifty people, one would meet their demise. It may not seem like a lot, but for ordinary people, it''s an unimaginable cmity! Especially since there had already been many such incidents abroad. The scenes of Blood Demons picking up weapons and suddenly going on killing sprees among crowds of ordinary people had urred countless times! Even though people had learned to carry weapons when they went out, there would still be corpses left behind. "Maybe you, Mr. Shen Hao, don''t need to fear our threats. Perhaps we will ultimately be defeated by your power, but before that, we can certainly bring massive casualties to your country! That is our trump card." The words of the Blood Demon in the video continued, the eyes that should have appeared lively were now seemingly filled with a chilling determination. And he finally threw out the "demands" of the negotiation. "Therefore, I hope you, Mr. Shen Hao, will seriously consider our following demands: First, immediately stop the capture of the Matrix, and release the two Matrices that have been captured. Second, provide us with more than ten safe routes to other countries, which we will use to cautiously and graduallyplete the evacuation of all Blood Demons. Third, you must appear on camera 24/7 during the entire evacuation process to ensure we know your location. I believe these three demands are reasonable and beneficial to both sides. I hope you, Mr. Shen Hao, will consider them carefully, with the interests of the species and national security as your top priority. We will give you some time to await your reply, but it won''t be long." The video ended there. At this very moment, the entire country, and even the whole world, was in an uproar because of this video. This was the first time the invader, the Blood Demon, had publicly addressed humanity. And the message it contained was too abundant and too special. After watching the entire video, Shen Hao silently pondered for a while before reconnecting with Dong Gong. "Team leader, the spread of this video is too wide, and the attention it''s getting is too high, it''spletely impossible to block it now," Dong Gong spoke without any heaviness in his tone. "Is the number of 30 million people real?" Shen Hao asked directly. "It''s definitely exaggerated," Dong Gong said very assuredly. "First of all, our army, after scrutiny, has been stationed in all cities in shifts, plus every city has its own armed forces, so they are not entirely defenseless against Blood Demons. Secondly, without weapons, a Blood Demon killing sixty people in a short time would only be possible in densely popted public ces. But if all cities are locked down and people are prohibited from moving around, then it''s not so easy for the Blood Demons to create a massacre. In fact, ording to the Analysis Department''s simtions, if all Blood Demons stopped hiding and started killing with the sole purpose of murder, the final casualty count could be kept under 7 million." 7 million people, huh. Shen Hao was certainly more inclined to believe that number. Actually, in this situation, the options and cards that the Blood Demons could y were inherently limited; the worst scenario would be to stop hiding andunch simultaneous retaliatory attacks with all Blood Demons.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om There was definitely a contingency n for this. Dispersing the military forces across all regions, especially focusing on cities where Blood Demons had been detected, was one such precautionary measure. The 30 million mentioned by the Blood Demon Mother was, in its entirety, a way to exaggerate the threat and spread panic. However, the main goal of this Blood Demon who proimed himself as the Shadow King in releasing the video was definitively not just to evacuate all Blood Demons. "I didn''t expect that the Blood Demons would also y the game of lifting to strike down." Shen Hao seemed to be sneering. Yes, lifting to strike down. "The Analysis Department holds the same view. It should be said that the intention is quite clear," Dong Gong stated. "It downys the role of the state, highlights your strength and status, and with the added threats, it''s as though the lives of 30 million people are entirely in your hands. It tries to use public opinion to coerce you, and possibly it even aims to undermine the Global United Front. I guess our neighboring countries must be feeling the tension now." Exactly. Even if 500,000 Blood Demons were really to retreat, they couldn''t possibly flee via the sea; they would be sitting ducks. They could only retreat to nearby countries. Even if we took a step back and managed to reach an agreement where the Blood Demons retreated honestly, the influx of such a number of Blood Demons would inevitably bring significant destruction to neighboring countries and might even further provoke international discontent with the Eastern Country. At the least, the public could easily be incited. Given the current circumstances, it''s clear that the Global Front is the key to surviving this Trial. If other countries suffer aprehensive defeat, no matter how intact their own nation remains, they will still have to face a colossal crisis of extinction. The best oue would merely be mutual destruction. Yet, how many people can have such perspective and vision? Even if the reasoning isid out inly and exined clearly, faced with the immediate threat of death and a path that seems less fearsome, how many can make the right choice? Just as it''s difficult for them to exin the difference between 7 million and 30 million, it''s equally challenging to justify why they should give up on the chance to save millions of theirpatriots. What''s more important isthis resentment would converge on Shen Hao. You''re so powerful, even the Blood Demons fear and revere you, so why can''t you protect us? This thought can spread and take root very easily. Raising Shen Hao to an undeserved height was precisely the fundamental strategy of lifting to strike down! It can be said that the scheming behind this Blood Demon Mother''s manoeuvre indeed appears sufficiently sinister. But Shen Hao suddenlyughed, and evenughed out loud. On the other end, Dong Gong also chuckled softly a few times. Chapter 67 Too Naive! "It''s trying to be clever with us, engaging in conspiracy." Shen Hao''s gaze was ice cold, but indeed, he was smiling, "How naive!" "Indeed naive," Dong Gongughed, "There is a saying that goes, in the face of absolute power, all conspiracies and tricks are meaningless. To think they can y with public opinion and conspiracy on ournd, they truly underestimate us. Moreover, this situation is actually within our contingency ns. It''s just that we didn''t expect a Blood Demon Mother, especially one that ims to be the Blood Demon Leader, to do such a thing." Yes, this Blood Demon had made a fatal mistake. It had overestimated the power of public opinion and underestimated the determination and power of the system! And even more so, it underestimated the versatility andplexity of humanity! Once the nation''s propaganda machine starts, such level of public opinion maniption poses little trouble, not to mention that the sentiment generated by the Mother isn''t wless. Not to mention, can we just let go of the tragedy of 500,000patriots, the blood feud of 500,000 people? The fear of death is one side of ordinary people, but the courage to fight is also a trait of this nation, this ethnicity! That''s why Shen Hao has never defined himself as a "nanny" of civilization. In front of the Trial, death and fear are unavoidable, but he believes that after the initial confusion and panic, the entire civilization will inevitably grow swiftly. The Civilization Trial ultimately needs to be confronted by the whole civilization! And more importantly, the inte is not awlessnd! "Since it ims to be the leader of the Eastern Country Blood Demons, regardless of how much truth there is to this title, it must have intelligence on other Blood Demon Matrices," Shen Hao''s eyes grew brighter, "Since it has already shown such a clumsy hand, don''t tell me we still can''t locate its approximate position!" "The investigation was initiated the moment the video went live," Dong Gong immediately said. "It''s clear this Blood Demon Mother has put some thought into this. The video was released simultaneously on different tforms, each originator''s address is different, and they''ve used hacking techniques to cover their tracks. However, those techniques are trivial, and the Analysis Department believes it probably had its offspring carry the video to different cities for release. But no matter if it is online or offline, from the moment the video appeared, it left a trail." "How long will it take?" Shen Hao said, "We just need a rough range!" "We''ve already called in arge number of experts; tracking online presents no difficulty at all. At the same time, we''ve initiated a lot of offline investigations. If all goes well, we could have results by tomorrow morning, at the very least, we''ll be able to find the location of this offspring showcased in the video!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The inte has evolved to the point where the official cyber capabilities are beyondmon people''s imagination; even a top hacker, if one truly resolves to capture them, can be caught. Not to mention the world''s top technological personnel, but the level of hardware andwork permissions alone are far beyond what an individual can match. Moreover, in this country, online security has long been a priority, and "the inte is not awlessnd" is certainly not an empty phrase! It can only be said that this move by the Blood Demon Mother was far too naive. Releasing the video via an offspring is more like burying its head in the sand. After all, being able to descend also means it can establish a connection to the Spiritual Network; the Matrix must be near this offspring! Shen Hao was even getting a bit anxious. It was mainly that term "leader" that the Mother had used which piqued his interest. If they could follow the trail to other Matrices, they might even have to thank this one for the points it delivered, which would greatly reduce the threat to themon peoplea real windfall! "If you need to use any items from the shop, just let me know," Shen Hao even threw in a bit of insurance, "There are still some items in the shop that should be useful, such as insect bionic surveince devices, high-performance chips, People-finding Talismans..." "Then we''re even more certain!" Dong Gong was not bashful. He was clearly aware of the significance of this matter. Catching this Mother could potentially save millions of lives and further elerate theprehensive victory at home! It can be said that since the emergence of the video, the whole country has mobilized a tremendous amount of power! If it had kept a low profile, concealed itself, that would have been one thing, but since it stepped forward, it should be given a lesson, lest it truly believe it was defeated only by Shen Hao. After hanging up the call, Shen Hao didn''t waste time, as if he hadn''t seen the video, and continued to hunt Blood Demons and their Matrices. A response? A dialogue? It''s not impossible, just unnecessary. However, the inte at this moment was thoroughly buzzing with activity. Shen Hao didn''t make a sound or respond, but the nation''s reaction was fast. Only about fifteen minutes after the video began spreading, the military was the first to release thetest statement. It was a video. In the video were countless warriors stationed in city after city, from well-known metropolises to obscure small towns. Every warrior appearing in front of the camera was fully armed, their expressions grave. As more and more scenes emerged, densely packed together, a single voice filled the screen: "We are in every city. To harm the people, you must step over our dead bodies first!" This video sent a profound shock through the popce. Even though most people could see patrolling soldiers in their own cities, it was only at this moment that they realized how, within just a few days, soldiers had spread throughout the country! And this was just the beginning of the battle of public opinion. More and more images were disclosed one by one. There were scenes of fierce battles between soldiers and Blood Demons, salutes to fallenrades afterbat, survivors wailing over the bodies of deceased family members, empty homes once filled with life, and the grey photos and names of the victims... Nothing made the horrors of war and the changes of this era more tangible than these, stirring after grief was a growing intensity of rage. Even though many still believed that epting the terms to reduce their own casualties was the way to go, this viewpoint was no longer overwhelmingly dominant. Voices againstpromise began to increase gradually. "What credibility do the words of Blood Demons hold? Who can guarantee they will all leave?" "A war to the bitter end with no room forpromise!" "They want to flee after being overpowered? It''s not that easy!" "So many have already died. How can we let these monsters kill tens of thousands of our people and then just swagger off?" "Our troops are already stationed in every city. 30 million is a ludicrous number!" "Abandon wishful thinking, cast aside fear. Between humans and these monsters, only one can survive!" "..." Chapter 68 Loading Cheats Again! Actually, even without the video of the Blood Demon Mother, the top had already decided to gradually guide the people to ept the radically changed world and to establish the courage to face everything. Because, ording to the intelligence information obtained from the captured Matrix, it was very likely that there were more than one Civilization Trials. The Blood Demon was just the beginning; war and disaster might be the norm.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But people had no choice; they could only face it head-on. Achieving this kind of transition was not easy. However, overall, most of those in the know were confident, and this naturally included Shen Hao. Disaster had not been absent from thisnd; this country''s mythology, history, and culture were all filled with the theme of "struggle". People just needed to adapt, to change, to realize that there was no way back. So, Shen Hao did not pay too much attention to the online discussions and public opinion. He just needed to do his own things. Besides capturing the self-proimed leader of the Blood Demon Mothers, another matter that required attention was about to happen. It was time to load the new hack! When the night passed and the sunshine covered thend, the countdown Shen Hao had been watching finally came to an end. After confirming that there was no new hack appearing, Shen Hao did not hesitate and directly chose "Points Hack First Edition"! [Points Hack First Edition: This hack allows the user to earn double points (manufactured by the Kejin Civilization)] After making the choice, the same countdown appeared again, the next hack still could only be loaded after seven days. But at this moment, the new hack had already begun to take effect. The most direct manifestation was Shen Hao''s points number, which was originally jumping continuously, suddenly elerated! These points were derived from the weapons, ability balls, resources, and other items he had taken out. As these items were used by others in the process of fighting the Blood Demon, a portion of the points would be retroactively added to his ount. You see, since the appearance of the Blood Demon and the start of the war, it was not just Shen Hao fighting for the country, nor was it only his team members. Over a thousand Chosen Ones had begun to step forward, joining the battle against the Blood Demon. They were stationed in different cities in batches, working with soldiers, seeking the Blood Demon in various ways. It might be the Blood Demon exposing itself, or maybe it was by narrowing down the search area with a Spirit Talisman, or perhaps it was with the batch of Spirit Testing Balls that Shen Hao had recently sent out, but regardless, the battle continued, and the feedback of points Shen Hao received was the best proof. Previously, he could earn about ten thousand points a day, but now, it would surge to twenty thousand points! "Double indeed, it''s double across the board!" Shen Hao did not suppress his joyous mood. It might seem like only doubling, but the Point Mall is the "legitimate way to pass" the Civilization Trial! To put it bluntly, just with this one hack, the probability of most civilizations surviving the initial Trial would greatly increase! But Shen Hao''s goal was not just to win; he also wanted to minimize losses as much as possible to prepare for subsequent Trials. "A whole day has passed, howe we can''t find a single Mother?" Shen Hao directly asked Dong Gong. Right now, he felt like someone holding a hammer and was somewhat eager to learn where the nails were. "Ever since that video appeared yesterday, Blood Demon Mothers seem to have temporarily ceased their Parasite behavior as if by some agreement," Dong Gong replied, somewhat helplessly, "The Analysis Department believes that this is probably because they saw the possibility of fleeing with their offspring, or they detected the danger of Parasite activity." "What about the investigation into the Blood Demon Mother from the video?" Shen Hao asked further, "How far has it progressed?" "There has been a breakthrough in progress!" At this point, Dong Gong obviously perked up. "We found the initial people who posted the video, used Spirit Testing Balls to confirm their Blood Demon identity without rming them, and then we started an investigation. Using these few Blood Demons'' locations and movement models, we have been able to narrow down the Mother''s location to a certain range, and now we are further narrowing down..." "Just send me there," Shen Hao interrupted Dong Gong, "I will join the investigation." "Yes!" Dong Gong responded immediately. If Shen Hao was to get involved from this point, it would indeed lighten their workload. Actually, they were very, very close to that Blood Demon Mother! They would soon be able to narrow it down to Shen Hao''s "locking" range! The supersonic fighter jet took off again. Nowadays, Shen Hao''s travels were basically by jet. There were seven of thetest jet models and ten pilots at his exclusive service, ensuring he could reach every ce that needed him in the shortest time. Even because Shen Hao himself also had the ability to fly, he saved even the time ofnding and boarding. Just by slowing down to a certain speed, Shen Hao could get on and off himself. At this moment, the Blood Demon "Shadow King" was unaware that the greatest danger had approached within this short span of a day. It was closely monitoring the situation of online public opinion. But its mood was not good. "How could there be so many people opposing? And so easily forming a deadlock?" it seemed incapable of understanding, "In this society, there are clearly so many people dissatisfied with the state, with the rich and powerful upper echelons. My proposal concerns their life safety, in any case, the contradictions should quickly focus on Shen Hao..." The Blood Demon''s understanding of human society was not unfounded. It reliedrgely on the memories of its parasites. The one that this Blood Demon Mother had parasitized was an ordinary person, and particrly one who loved toin about everything, most fond of making snide remarks and sarcasticments about the various affairs of this country on the inte. The like-minded people it usually came across online mostly felt the same. This undoubtedly gave the Shadow King a certain perception. The internal contradictions of this country had reached a certain extent, the threat of five hundred thousand Blood Demons was enough to ignite it! Shen Hao? A lucky one, high above everyone else. He''s not afraid of Blood Demons, so what gives him the right to expose us to danger? It should have been like this, right! It had even mobilized all its subordinate "Water Army" incarnations to stir up trouble in various ces on the inte. However, the effect was far from as great as expected. You could say that the Blood Demon inherited only memories, not emotions, and its confusion could be easily exined by just about anyone. After all,ints are a form of venting, a bitter non-resistance, distinct from true enmity or hostility. Manyinants do not necessarily equate to many that hold deep resentment. Chapter 69 Locking Position! However, the Shadow King was still not anxious, though it couldn''t understand the current situation. From the beginning, it had never believed that the other party would agree to its terms. The true purpose of releasing the video was actually twofold. First, to incite chaos within this nation, especially to incite hatred and hostility towards Shen Hao among the people, dragging this powerful Chosen One into internal strife within his own Species. Second, to establish its authority among the Blood Demons! Even though it possessed Talent of the Purple Epic caliber, this did not mean that all other Matrices would recognize it; the strict hierarchy among Blood Demons only existed between the Matrix and their subordinates, not among the Matrices themselves, and "leader" was a title it had imed for itself. But it was keenly aware that facing a Chosen One who might possibly have a Golden Legendary Talent, they must change their current state. Without consolidating power, they would simply be crushed piece by piece by this Chosen One. Therefore, it had to step forward and be the true leader of the Blood Demons! "We should further amplify people''s fear," the Shadow King mused. "The inte is a magical thing; it connects people all around the world closely together, allowing news to spread rapidly to everyone. Unfortunately, we do not control inte ess." It had indeed attempted to spread fear online. For example, by recording some gory and brutal videos. However, as soon as these videos appeared, they were immediately banned. This was also because these minor incidentscked sufficient attention and spread, making them much easier to suppress. It hadn''t been without thoughts of creating some major spectacle, like attacking gas stations or crowded ces. But this nation was clearly prepared; every ce with potential for significant damage was guarded by heavily armed forces. They also restricted poption movement, promoted working from home, monitored location information in real-time, and increased patrol intensity... It could only be said that while 500,000 Blood Demons seemed like a lot, whether scattered or congregated, they were still weak in the face of this nation''s power. The Blood Demons, no matter what they wanted to do, would be dealt with in the shortest possible time as long as they showed themselves. They were far less unrestrained than their kind abroad. Unless, as it said in the video, 500,000 Blood Demons rebelled at the same time, there might be a possibility of inflicting a heavy blow on this nation. But as for how much damage it could truly cause, it had no real confidence; the "30 million people" mentioned in the video was a number it fabricated that seemed usible. "We can only sacrifice a certain number of children," the Shadow King resolved in its heart. "One thousand, no, two thousand. Two thousand children rising up at once, setting off explosions at gas stations, or wielding incendiaries to spread fire and murder, would surely provoke attention too huge to be suppressed, amplifying the panic!" The strength of a Blood Demon Matrix increases with the number and quality of its subordinates. Therefore, every Blood Demon Matrix actually cherishes its "children" highly. This was also one of the main reasons why many Blood Demon Matrices had not fled the country. Despite the heartache, the Shadow King knew this sacrifice was necessary! Even if those two thousand children would surely be killed by Humans, as long as it could incite chaos and provoke conflicts, it would be worth it. It stood up and looked out the window. The sunlight was glorious, high-rise buildings loomed. This beautiful world would ultimately belong to them, including all the legacies of Human Civilization, their intelligence, their knowledge, all would be the foundation for the reconstruction of their Species!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om However, the Shadow King did not know that at this very moment, its most dreaded Shen Hao, had already arrived in this city! "Could it really be here?" Shen Hao did not arrive by helicopter, nor did he make a grand entrance, but instead sat in a military vehicle, its interior obscured, entering covertly without any fanfare. The streets were much quieter now, with many soldiers and military vehicles patrolling. Thus, even if Blood Demon Subordinates were secretly observing the streets, his patrol would not attract attention. However, this was a vast city. Coastal City, just as its name implied, a city built by the sea, flourished economically due to the convenience of trade, with a permanent poption of 15 million. Just upon entering the city, Shen Hao had already detected a significant number of Blood Demons on the map. A Matrix had surely appeared here! But it may not still be here now. In a metropolis like this, which had now be a focal point of security and defense, with a substantial number of Chosen Ones and special teams equipped with mall Equipment stationed, it would be pretty risky for a Matrix to remain in such a ce. After all, with the avability of Sensing Talismans, Spirit Testing Balls, and through experiments on death row inmates, they now had a certain number of "Parasite Failures," so the detection of Blood Demons could indeed proceed continuously. Especially in such densely popted metropolises, inspections and checks were a priority. Although not as efficient as Shen Hao, if the Matrix could not be found momentarily, Shen Hao would definitely prioritize cities like this one to eliminate Blood Demons. The risk for a Matrix hiding here was indeed significant. "But we''ve found the filming location of the video, and determined the time of shooting. Combined with other evidence, we can almost be sure that the Matrix from the video is still in the city, and all Blood Demons here are likely the subordinates of this Matrix," Dong Gong was sitting next to Shen Hao, showing the tablet in hand. "Although we haven''t detected any current parasitic behavior, the Analysis Department believes that the Matrix might be using the tactic of hiding in in sight, tricking us into thinking that the city''s Matrix has long fled." Indeed, surveince of personal movement had been intensified like never before. Particrly in suchrge cities. While restricting movement, they also mandated the ess to location data on everyone''s phone, established one-on-one phone-to-person binding, required periodic video checks to ensure phones were still in the owners'' hands, and recorded all individuals who came into close contact over a specific period. If such behavior had urred in the past, it would have felt like a total invasion of privacy. But now, it had be a significant way for people to feel safe. The vast majority cooperated, and for the few nonpliant, armed personnel would visit with warnings. This was also an important factor in pinpointing that the Matrix was in this city, as every individual''s location had been monitored! "Then what we need to do now is just one thing," Shen Hao said as he looked at the map. "Find it!" The others had alreadypleted their work, and now, it was Shen Hao''s turn! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 70 Delivering Yourself into the Line of Fire! However, this actually presented a problem. The current version of the map was unable to urately identify who the Blood Demon Mother was. All Blood Demons on the map were just red dots. Shen Hao took a cursory look at the distribution of Blood Demons and found that there were quite a few. After unlocking the White Level 5 Mall, his equipment had been upgraded once again, his Spirit Points had broken through the thirty-point mark, and the map''s range had expanded once more, easily covering the entire city. So, after a careful count, there were actually more than fifteen thousand Blood Demons in the city! Considering that since the deration of war, major cities had greatly increased their defenses, the parasitic behavior of Blood Demons had been greatly impacted. This meant that these numbers of Blood Demons were most likely all parasitized by this Matrix in just the past month. This was nearly double the average number of the other Matrices! This Matrix, indeed, was out of the ordinary. "We can''t let it escape," Shen Hao muttered to himself. For humans, every Matrix had tremendous sins in their hands. Not one should be let go, especially this one! However, because of this, Shen Hao couldn''t act rashly. Although he had enough confidence in himself and in the map, the Matrix also possessed Talent. If the Matrix dared toe forward and call itself "leader," it might have some card up its sleeve. And his appearance would inevitably rm the other party. "I''ll mark the positions of the Blood Demons and increase our defenses first," Shen Hao turned to Dong Gong and said, "Once we make a move, if the Matrix panics, it''s likely to mobilize all the Blood Demons. Anyway, let''s focus on being as covert as possible for now." "Yes," Dong Gong nodded, efficiently coordinating the task. He might not be as strong as other Chosen Ones inbat, but when it came to this kind of work, he was extremely adept and efficient. These days, Shen Hao had be ustomed to having such an assistant at his beck and call. In just a short while, the number of military vehicles on the streets had increased without notice, and fully armed soldiers dispersed into the city. Especially in areas where Blood Demons were concentrated, more special equipment squads and Chosen One teams were deployed. The members of Shen Hao''s team were likewise involved. As some of the strongest Chosen Ones in the country, they had been extremely busytely, running around from ce to ce. A dark web targeting Blood Demons was quickly being woven. Shen Hao maintained the calm of a hunter, and the Analysis Department was also working quickly, using the information he provided to conduct their investigations and analyses, determining the most likely locations for the Blood Demon Mother''s appearance, and developing the best battle ns and strategies. However, just as the encirclement was about to form, Shen Hao''s gaze suddenly sharpened. "We have a situation!" he closed his eyes, but his mind remained intently focused on the map, "A group of Blood Demons has suddenly started moving, about two thousand in number! They''re concentrated near the B-4 area!" Indeed, with the restrictions on people''s movements, most people were stationary. The movement of some Blood Demons was very conspicuous. Not to mention two thousand Blood Demons, starting to move at the same time! "Our setup has been discovered?" Dong Gong was also startled. But there was no reason for it, their encirclement was very cautious, each team even had a dedicated person in charge of routemand! Themand center reacted quickly, immediately conducting an investigation based on the situation Shen Hao provided.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Squad 247 reporting, sniper spot has detected people leaving their residences in substantial numbers. They''re avoiding surveince, wait, it''s confirmed, they are Blood Demons, repeat, their identity as Blood Demons is confirmed!" The frontlinebat team''s report was directly ryed into themunication channel. Right now, several snipers positioned at high vantage points were tensely observing the area below. In their line of sight, they could clearly see dozens of Blood Demons using blood to form grappling hooks, swiftly moving through shadows and between buildings, doing their best to avoid detection by surveince cameras and the patrolling drones overhead. It was obvious they were amassing! However, they probably knew thatplete concealment under pervasive surveince was impossible. Mere grouping of a certain numberdozens, even hundredswas enough for them to stop hiding their figures! Using walls and buildings as cover, they rapidly converged toward a particr direction! "It''s the fuel station!" came the voice of the overallbatmander through themunication channel. "The Blood Demons are targeting the fuel station! Open fire! All squads, open fire immediately, do not let the Blood Demons get close!" The target was so unmistakable, one might say they made no attempts to disguise it! They were heading straight for thergest fuel station in that area! Even the smaller fuel stations were also targets for some Blood Demons! They were looking to create a massive explosion! Instantly, the sound of gunfire erupted intensely! The Blood Demons that had just burst out of the neighborhood were met head-on with heavy fire. The military troops, already gathered nearby, quickly established defensive lines and firing positions. More and more armed drones and helicopters converged on this location, even attacking with heavy weapons like rocketunchers. To the citizens in those districts, it seemed as though the intense gunfire and deafening explosions happened all at once, akin to New Year''s firecrackers, only louder! Suddenly, the residents of the entire city tensed up. "What''s happening? Why the gunfire?" "Everyone stay away from the windows, beware of stray bullets!" "Holy shit! This is too intense!" "What''s going on? They''re even using cannons now!" "..." Though gunshots had been heard from time to time these days during tests resulting in small-scale battles, nothingpared to the current situation. People near the area felt as though they were right in the middle of a fierce battlefield. It was as if the shells couldnd on their heads at any moment! But in reality, the situation was not so dire. After all, there had been vignt prevention, and the discovery was timely. Though individual Blood Demons were strong, theycked weapons and their weaknesses were well-known; thus, they could be repelled and killed by concentrated firepower, particrly when special equipment teams and the Chosen One cooperated. This was evident from the variousmands given by themand center. Reinforcements were gathering rapidly, and all interdiction actions were organized and systematic. "It seems coincidental," Dong Gong also breathed a sigh of relief at this point, even feeling somewhat fortunate. "That Blood Demon Mother likely intended to create a spectacle causing panic and further influence public opinion, threatening us." At this point, he couldn''t help but turn to look at Shen Hao. It was definitely timely for the squad leader to havee over. If that Blood Demon Mother knew that Shen Hao had already arrived here, it certainly wouldn''t make a move. Where Shen Hao was, gathering Blood Demons would not be about concentrating forces to create a spectacle; it would be like lining up for execution! Even though Shen Hao had yet to take action, just marking the Blood Demons'' locations was enough to significantly enhance their preventative capabilities! Chapter 72 No Escape! ``` The map wasn''t just a cheat that made it easier for him to score points and capture Blood Demons; in urbanbat like this, it could have an incredible anciry effect! Some at themand center would even describe it asit''s like having a God''s eye view! The soldiers fighting on the front lines could feel it too, not just themand center. Though they hadn''t reached a point where they could sync and pinpoint every Blood Demon''s location, once more than a hundred Blood Demons gathered and moved, they would know immediately! And they were always one step ahead of the Blood Demons! From the start of the battle, they had been continuously cornering and repelling the Blood Demons; never once had they been surrounded. Even the Blood Demon Mother had be aware of this point. However, in the eyes of the Blood Demon Mother, this scenario was more a result of the omnipresent surveince throughout the entire city! "They have definitely added a lot of hidden surveince!" Shadow King said in an extremely gloomy mood. The human Legion''s defense line in the city had not only surprised it but even filled it with fear! More crucially, its children had hardly any decent weapons! Once exposed, they were doomed to be targeted by concentrated fire, and once caught in the thick of it, even if they defended with all their might, they couldn''t protect their weak points! Not to mention those heavy weapons. For these Level 1 Blood Demons, the prating power of machine guns was simply irresistible! Fortunately, they still held the initiative, and in Shadow King''s perception, more and more children were continuously rushing into the core area. A considerablyrge oil station! Even though humans were also converging here, their speed was still a notch faster. "Six thousand is enough," Shadow King said tightly clenching his fist, his expression unspeakably ferocious, "Take down the oil, and it''s like having weapons!" Even if it was just basic incendiaries, it could still make this city understand what fear truly was. Meanwhile, at this oil stationa key attack point for the Blood Demonsquite a few people had already gathered. Two of Shen Hao''s Chosen Ones had also arrived. It was Yang Jun and Qiuyue. They stood within the defensive line, watching the Blood Demons that kept converging but merely hid in various buildings without eagerly attacking, naturally aware of the Blood Demons'' objective. Nothing more than to amass a sufficient number of progeny, then surge forward all at once. "The Matrix behind themcksmand ability," Yang Jun said, holding a somewhat exaggerated weapon, his face seriously worried, "But even so, Blood Demons undermand and those without are two different matters." He had to admit, if the team leader were not here today, they would need to pay a certain price to hold this oil station. After all, their forces were limited, and in a city with many ordinary civilians, many heavy weapons were unusable. Moreover, once the Blood Demons managed to parasitize a soldier amidst the chaos and sessfully infiltrated, the situation would be even more troublesome. Many foreign battlefields had fallen exactly because of this. In urbanbat, the Blood Demons truly had an advantage. "Don''t just stand here watching; the more we can kill, the better," Yang Jun turned his head and said to Gu Qiuyue, and then leaped out of the defense line, striding toward a gathering point of the Blood Demons. "Wait, this ce isn''t..." ``` Qiuyue seemed to remember something and hurriedly shouted. "It''s okay, let him go," the voice of Dong Gong came through themand channel, "Qiuyue, you go as well, to prevent the Blood Demon Mother from suspecting anything." The Blood Demons were indeed intentionally let in for the team leader''s preparation, but if they didn''t engage in a proper battle, it wouldn''t be good if the Matrix became suspicious. After all, the other gas stations that were being attacked all had strong Chosen Ones defending them; it would not make sense if the biggest onecked defense. "Alright," Gu Qiuyue understood as well. She didn''t follow Yang Jun but instead aimed for another area where Blood Demons were converging and took a stance as if gathering energy. Boom! A huge Shock Wave hit the ground, propelling her up high like a cannonball! It was the Blue Ability, Shock Wave! In the past few days ofbat, Gu Qiuyue''s experience and strength had grown significantly. Coupled with a blue ability and the Boxer''s Talent, she was even starting to reach the top tier within the fighting quintet. Especially with the enhancement from the blue ability. And how well it paired with the Boxer Talent. Facing the Blood Demons that knew they couldn''t escape and were viciously wielding various blood weapons, Gu Qiuyue simply concentrated the Shock Wave in her fist and unleashed her punch. The air itself turned into a visible fist imprint, and with a muffled thud, the entire neck of the Blood Demon, along with its head, exploded! Indeed,bining the closebat Talent of a Boxer with the Shock Wave allowed her to develop a powerful long-range method ofbat! With the addition of the ck boxing gloves on her hands, which were specially selected by Shen Hao to increase attack speed, her fists now swung so fast that they created countless afterimages, the meteor-like punch imprints continually exploding forth. It turned her into a mobile artillery unit, with no Blood Demon able to get close to her. The style of fighting was extremely wild. Even she herself had fully adapted to the gruesome scenes of exploding blood and mangled flesh. "Six thousand isn''t enough!" the Shadow King gritted his teeth wretchedly through the perspective of its child entities, "We need nearly eight thousand! And excellent children as well!" Although it had let most of its offspring join the operation, it still retained some reserves. Not many Level 4 Blood Demons had been activated. Under the current conditions in this country, cultivating a Level 4 Blood Demon was not easy. Only ces like hospitals, funeral homes, or remote viges provided the right conditions. Therefore, it had kept all its Level 4 Blood Demons in reserve, still dormant. These Level 4 Blood Demons were also one of its guarantees for escaping from this country! But now, it had no choice but to deploy them. In this country, apart from the unimaginably powerful Shen Hao, other strong Chosen Ones existed! If push came to shoveit would make a move personally! Meanwhile, Shen Hao had noticed the sudden shift in the Blood Demons on the map.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Of the remaining fourteen stationary Blood Demons, six have started moving," he said over the channel, "heading towards thergest gas station with great speed." "It seems that the Analysis Department''s deduction is correct," Dong Gong said, "These are all high-level Blood Demons." "Hmm." Shen Hao then turned his attention to the remaining Blood Demons that were still motionless. Clearly, the Blood Demon Mother was very likely one of them. With the range narrowed down this much, unless the Matrix had the ability to escape dozens of kilometers in an instant, there would be no escape! Chapter 73 Points Skyrocket! "Prepare to close the," said Shen Hao. "Shouldn''t we wait a little longer?" asked Dong Gong. "No need to wait, we''ve already gathered over seven thousand Blood Demons; the general offensive should beunched soon," Shen Hao observed the movements of the Blood Demons even faster than themand center. With just a nce, it was clear that at most, less than eight thousand Blood Demons could be assembled. The others were too far away. If they all came together, it would be somewhat false. Rather, the fact that they could converge so many of the city''s Blood Demons in one ce without the Matrix noticing, its battlemand ability and level of awareness were as amateur as themand center had analyzed. At best, it was on the level of self-entertainment. The intelligence of the Blood Demons was also stolen from humans. The military vehicle started up, blending into the support convoy, heading towards thergest gas station. At this moment, the Shadow King still had no idea what awaited it ahead. It was just bing more and more eager as it watched its children approach, as if it had found a sessful way to converge. That was to take back alleys and climb fences, using routes ordinary humans couldn''t take! Like parkour! "Our species is ultimately stronger!" it stared fixedly at the battlefield, "Given the same weapons conditions, the same numbers, humans could only be crushed!" On the battlefield at this moment, Gu Qiuyue and the other Chosen Ones also faced dangerous opponents. Those were Blood Demons, three to four meters tall, ferocious and terrifying! Level 4 Blood Demon! A total of six appeared, and four of them emerged where she was. "Do you feel my threat is greater?" Gu Qiuyue was not frightened, but rather felt a touch of joy. She might never surpass her brother, but she did not wish to be a mere weakling in need of protection. She took out a small bottle and drank it all in one gulp, surging energy pouring from her continuously. Her two fists, equipped with gauntlets, collided in front of her, and a visible Shock Wave rolled out. "Come on!" She had no intention of fleeing, instead charging at the huge, ferocious Blood Demons! The vast difference in size made her look like an infant surrounded by adults. However, at the moment of the head-on collision, it was the Blood Demons that were thrown back! The petite body contained strength far surpassing its size; that''s what Chosen Ones were. "That potionwhat level has it reached in the mall?" the Shadow King''s expression grew solemn, "Never mind that, just hold her off. Move in, all my children, attack!" The final victory wasing! The moment the order was given, the Blood Demons that had already gathered nearby burst from buildings, alleys, and all over the city, roaring. From the high-altitude camera view, it looked like countless blood spots rising from the scarred earth, a visual shock provided by their thousands! In contrast, the Human warriors defending in front of the gas station appeared sparse. This was probably the first time that a numerical reversal between the two sides had urred in this battle! But the soldiers showed no fear whatsoever; in fact, at that moment, some even showed expressions of resignation mixed with surprise. Because, at the same time, the superiors who had been telling them not to fear sacrifice, to hold their position at all costs, suddenly issued apletely oppositemand. "Everyone, hold your fire. These Blood Demons are a ''gift'' for Team Leader Shen Hao." Yes, a gift! The Shadow King stared intensely at the screen; having confirmed that human reinforcements couldn''t arrive in time, it seemed as if it could already see the gas station being overrun and the entire city turning into a sea of fire afterwards! "Fear, wail, and then remember, this is what I bring to you! Humans!" It even roared at this moment. Then The Sovereign descended! Shen Hao did not descend from the sky; he sat in a military vehicle parked in front of the gas station, opened the door, and looked out casually. An invisible Suppression, like a tsunami, swept out! Overwhelming! The ferociously charging Blood Demons couldn''t even withstand it for a moment. One after another, they tumbled to the ground, moving forward one after the next with great density! These Level 1 Blood Demons, in front of the present Shen Hao, didn''t even have the privilege to kneel and tremble; they simply lost all consciousness. Shen Hao''s points also skyrocketed at the same time! Almost seven to eight thousand Blood Demons, under the cheat of double points, brought him an average of four hundred points each; with this round, Shen Hao''s points skyrocketed by three million two hundred thousand! The Sixth-level Mall instantly opened up! This number was even close to the total of all points he had acquired before. Now, the total umted points soared to six million eight hundred thousand! He was now only three million two hundred thousand points shy of the ten million needed to ess the White Level 7 Mall! "I truly have to thank this ''gift''," Shen Hao said with a light chuckle over themunication channel. At this moment, the entiremand post was also filled withughter. Everyone was extremely excited. Although this battle still brought certain losses and sacrifices, it was doubtlessly a greater victory than the battle for Donghua City! Even more important than the victory itself was the meaning it brought! With their performance in reality, they demonstrated that the Blood Demons'' threats were utterly ineffective! It would thoroughly destroy thest trump card of all Blood Demons in the nation! From this moment on, the Blood Demons in this country had been utterly defeated! "No rush, there''s still one ''present'' left," Shen Hao said as he looked at the map again, especially at the few red dots that hadn''t moved from the beginning. At this moment. The Shadow King waspletely stunned. It seemed unable to believe everything it saw. What is this? Why had Shen Hao suddenly appeared here? Its expression gradually turned ferocious, even bordering on hysterical.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I get it! I get it now! Damn it, damn it all!" Yes, it had realized this was all a trapthe humans had known it was here all along! No wonder their gathering was so difficult, no wonder the city''s defensive forces were so strong! It had yed its best card right into the humans'' trap! It even gathered its children together and presented them to Shen Hao! How many points would that give away? The traitor of its species, was it itself? "Damn it all!" it despairedpletely in an instant. Because it clearly understood what utter defeat in this battle meant! They were going to bepletely and utterly defeated in this nation! And this defeat came directly from its own hands! "But! You cannot catch me!" It red fixedly at the figure of Shen Hao and, in extreme pain, resolutely killed all its children! It didn''t even leave behind the Level 4s! Despite the pain, it was exceedingly decisive! Because they couldn''t escape, it couldn''t possibly leave any more points to Shen Hao! This Chosen One had be the greatest enemy! However, it could escape! The Shadow King''s form quickly dived into a patch of shadow and vanished without a trace, demonstrating its TalentShadow! Even though its current strength was far from its peak, this powerful Purple Epic Ability could only be used in the most basic fashion. But when it came to hiding and sneaking, it was still incredibly powerful! It had the confidence to hide! At this moment, Shen Hao also noticed on the map the rapid disappearance of red dots, one after another. Finally, only thest one remained, quietly staying in its ce! Chapter 75 Yes, We Caught the Shadow King Shen Hao finally had time to check the items in the Point Mall on his way back. The more he looked, the happier he became. The Point Mall truly was the "normal path of progression." Even if all the items were of White level, each increase in level represented an elevation in power tiers. Moreover, it covered three domains, three paths! Shen Hao even saw the possibility ofrge-scale detection of Blood Demons within! However, it seemed it would no longer be needed domestically. The battle in Coastal City was not just about eliminating one Matrix, followed by tracing and eliminating four others. It almost signified the nation''s stride towards victory in the war! It indicated that within this country, the Blood Demons no longer had any chance to struggle! At this moment, following the news Shen Hao shared and confirming that no other Blood Demon Mothers could be found shortly, a globally-oriented war report press conference was officially underway! As soon as the news was announced, the eyes of the world converged here. After all, with the day''s events fermenting, people across the globe knew of the existence of the Shadow King. Countless individuals fervently discussed every phrase uttered by the Shadow King, with various opinions spreading rapidly online! And merely one day after the Shadow King sought dialogue, news about the battle in Coastal City from the Eastern Country was broadcasted again. How could this not lead to spection! At this very moment at the war reporting news conference, it was swarming with reporters from around the globe! Even before it had begun, the inte was already teeming with diverse opinions. Many even bypassed firewalls to watch the domestic livestream. This directly resulted in a substantial presence of foreignnguages in the domestic livements. "God, let''s hope it''s good news." "I hope they aren''t epting the agreement." "Do not ept the agreement! Please don''t! We''d be doomed!" "The Eastern Country has be the hope for all of humanity!" "Can someone tell me how to move to the Eastern Country? Our family is quite wealthy, with several million in assets!" "I''m fed up with the awful news around here, hoping for some good news here." "..." As some have said, with the onset of this civilization war, the Eastern Country certainly became unique, distinctly special. Even though other countries had been fervently promoting the Eastern Country''s victorytely, something unprecedented before, they were also worried about their own citizens losing hope. At this time, the domesticizens were rather serene as they had already obtained thetest news from various sources. At least, as early as this afternoon, there had already been no more sounds of gunfire in Coastal City!N?v(el)B\\jnn Although some areas were damaged and others were still burning, overall, the city was moving towards calm. The oue of the battle was clear. What concerned them more was whether this battle was rted to the Matrix who had proimed herself the Shadow King. Moreover, would Shen Hao eventually show up, and if so, would he agree to the condition proposed by the Shadow King! Finally, when the servers could barely handle the tremendous pressure from the overwhelming attention, the spokesperson stepped up. Standing before the podium, with no unnecessary pleasantries, only after the hall had quieted down, he slowly began to speak: "We know that many of you have already guessed the content of this press conference, yes, we have captured the being self-proimed as the ''Shadow King,'' the Blood Demon Mother!" "...." Silence, after these words fell, the venue experienced a deathly stillness. Then, at a certain moment, a thunderous uproar exploded all over the ce. Countless shlights lit up, one reporter after another stood up with microphones, asking all sorts of questions in variousnguages of the world, excitedly and loudly. The order of the venue even copsed momentarily! But the Eastern Country had captured the Shadow King! The Blood Demon Mother, who had released videos online seeking dialogue, iming to be the leader of the Eastern Country Blood Demons, and attempting to threaten Shen Hao, had been captured by the Eastern Country in just one day?! Remember, during this day, the entire world was guessing how the Eastern Country would respond, specting what Shen Hao would decide! All neighboring countries had even dered a state of emergency at the borders, frantically mobilizing armies, and voicing out wildly under various circumstances! Voice from around the world just couldn''t stop! Many people spected that Shen Hao would agree, for the sake of his own country, and many believed the Eastern Country would refuse, for the sake of the war for all of humanity! Some even thought the Eastern Country would fall into chaos, as countless people would hope to ept this condition. However, very few people believed that the Eastern Country, in less than a day, would capture the Shadow King! Less than a day! "Quiet, quiet!" The spokesperson loudly maintained order, and after a long time, the excited reporters finally calmed down, their faces flushed as they looked at the spokesperson, almost unable to control their emotions, desperate to know everything immediately! "After the Blood Demon released the video, we used online methods and offline investigations, sesfully pinpointed this Mother''s location in the shortest time, right in Coastal City," the spokesperson seemed to understand the emotions of everyone around the globe, and now wasn''t the time to hold back information, he directly provided the most concise exnation of the entire process. Simultaneously, on the big screen behind him, footage began to appear. It was the footage of Shen Hao arriving at Coastal City! "After pinpointing the city, Squad Leader Shen Hao arrived immediately, and in the shortest time got to grips with the Blood Demon infiltration in the city. At the same time, the self-proimed Shadow King Blood Demon Mother attempted to prove its threat, brazenlyunched a violent attack on the entire city, and after our evacuation, a total of fifteen thousand Blood Demons surged at the same time." Images appeared showing every Blood Demon on the streets of the city, causing a sensation amongst the attendees again. But soon, gunshots rang out, fully armed Eastern Country soldiers also appeared in greater numbers, their movements precise! Bullet after bullet furiously unleashed upon all the Blood Demons. Scenes like this were not isted, they kept appearing! There were even battles involving the Chosen Ones, it seemed as if the whole city had instantly turned into a fierce battlefield! Even the residents of Coastal City, though they had experienced it all, watched with their hearts in their throats. Most of these people, only at this moment, truly understood what had happened in their city! War was right beside them! If the army had lost, they couldn''t imagine what would have happened to them! However, they had won! "The Blood Demons tried to threaten us with death, tried to provoke fear, they even attacked our refueling stations recklessly, wanting to turn the entire city into a sea of fire, but clearly, they severely underestimated our power, underestimated our resolve to defend our homes and our people! It also proved that their threats were nothing more than ludicrous delusions!" dered the spokesperson with unwavering certainty, "We showed all the Blood Demons with factswe do not ept threats! We do not fear battle! We do not dread sacrifice! And we will inevitably achieve victory in this war!" Chapter 76 The Comprehensive Defeat of the Blood Demon! Fact is always the most advantageousnguage. Find your next read on empire Even though some people still doubted and wanted to question how to prove that they had really captured the Shadow King, as more facts about the battle were revealed, more and more people epted this irond truth. They had indeed defended a city with a poption of fifteen million during a sudden mass uprising of the Blood Demons! Although sacrifices were inevitable and there were casualties, this number made some people abroad incredibly envious. "The same number of uprisings, and our casualty numbers are a hundred times theirs!" "Exactly, think about everything that happened in Brussels City! The sacrifices were dozens of times the number of Blood Demons, and they still im it was a great victory!" "It indeed was a great victory, at least we barely recaptured that city." "Yes, and we even have over a dozen cities that havepletely fallen into the hands of the Blood Demons!" "I envy the people of this country; they can sleep soundly on the battlefield because they know they can win!" "..." At this moment, the number of foreignnguages in thements even far exceeded those in Eastern Country''snguage! Although the people of the Eastern Country were also happy, they clearly weren''t as excited as those from abroad. Many people were urgently asking when they could go to support other countries. Especially Shen Hao. He had now be a Savior-like figure in some countries'' propaganda, as if the Eastern Country''s continuous victories in a short period of time were all due to Shen Hao''s presence, because of his sheer fortune in acquiring an incredibly powerful superpower. Even at this press conference, a reporter raised this question. "I can only say, very soon," the spokesperson replied for the first time positively, "We cannot abandon the other countries of the world, there are no nations in this war, only two species, however, we still have a lot to discuss and finalize in terms of the specifics of the Global United Front, so it might take some time, but we will soon have all the Blood Demons within the country eradicated, and then we will inevitably turn our attention to the world." Yes, very soon, incredibly soon. This battle in Coastal City was telling all Blood Demons that continuing to struggle and stay here would only lead to a dead end. There was no room for resistance and no hope whatsoever. Even at this moment, while the press conference was underway, some region''s Matrices, overwhelmed with heavy emotions, were forced to ept this reality. Whether the Eastern Country had captured the Shadow King or not was no longer important. They had already lost theirst trump card. Sneakily parasitizing was a dead end, mobilizing all their offspring to resist was a dead end, even threatening with the death of civilians had be a dead end!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om To escape, they could only flee! At this moment, some Blood Demons directly received orders from the Mother to no longer hide themselves and to escape with all their might. Some Blood Demon Mothers, to prevent their children from distributing points, actively killed most of their children before fleeing. Simrly, some Mothers decided to vent their anger, issuing the same order to all their offspring to revolt, but didn''t dare stay here themselves. There were even Mothers who did nothing but silently leave, embarking on the road to escape this country. Continuously, more and more Blood Demons began their final struggle. At the same time, all defensive forces of the nation sprang into action. Forces and Chosen Ones, already stationed in various ces, began to fight all the exposed Blood Demons. Paratroopers continuously flew in the sky, preciselynding in every city that needed support, and even Shen Hao took a fighter jet to the most urgent battlefield. "Just as the Analysis Department predicted, the Mothers started to flee collectively, they couldn''t take their offspring nor could they continue tomand them after breaking the range of telepathy, all made various choices," Dong Gong''s report came through to Shen Hao''s ear via remotemunication. "Indeed," Shen Hao hovered over a third-tier city, from his brand-new scepter, continuous bursts of purple lightning shot down, urately striking each Blood Demon below. Even with such a clear deration of his arrival, the Blood Demons merely scattered in panic, none killed by their Mother. It could only be said that their Mothers had indeed already left. "We haven''t broadly publicized this situation, but there are inevitably some messages online, and the act of fleeing has a gathering effect," Dong Gong said with a markedly lighter tone, "once Mothers realize that many are fleeing, more and more will be forced to make the same decision, as staying behind is even riskier." This was the greatest significance of the Coastal City battleit hadpletely crushed thebat morale of the Blood Demon Mothers in this country. They were made clearly aware that staying would just mean a slow death. In this country, they werepletely defeated. "However, there are still arge number of Blood Demons fleeing the cities, escaping into the wilderness," Shen Hao observed the map, watching Blood Demons frantically fleeing outward. Where he was, he naturally wouldn''t let the Blood Demons escape, but in the current situation, even though he never stopped, he couldn''t cover much ground. "We have already been gradually relocating the rural poption into the cities, these Blood Demons might hide for a while, but without their parasitic ability, they will eventually be thoroughly eradicated," Dong Gong stated, "This will also be the main task of some Chosen Ones and Soldiers in theing days." "That''s all we can do now," Shen Hao killed thest few Blood Demons within the map range and quickly ascended, "Call a fighter jet to pick me up, to the next location!" "Right." Dong Gong quickly made arrangements, then, without wasting Shen Hao''s time en route, spoke with a hint of anticipation, "Team leader, the next refueling spot has already been arranged with the transport squad, and they will quickly deliver goods to various research institutes using transport nes." They now knew that Shen Hao had opened Level 8 Mall! This is Level 8! Initially, even capturing those four Blood Demon Mothers, at most they expected to open the White Level 7 Mall, and together with the previous Level 6, it already gave them great anticipation. But Level 8? Twenty million points? Shen Hao did offer an exnation, albeit briefly, simply saying it was "rted to Talent." Well, while others got only 150 points per Blood Demon kill, the team leader controlling a Blood Demon got 200 points; thus, with his Talent further upgraded, earning 400 points could certainly be possible... Chapter 77 Press the Fast Forward Button! After all, no one knows what the Golden Talent is all about, and there isn''t a second person with such a Talent now. In the face of the facts before them, no one was asking questions, either. However, Shen Hao''s image had begun to assume an air of mystery in the eyes of some people. But for the moment, what''s more important is the Mall itself! Although a major domestic victory is within sight, it''s overseas where the greatest crisis in this Trial lies! Looking at the current situation, if it were not for the number of Matrices limiting the speed of Parasite creation, they would have no choice but to face a world-scale war. And even with the limitation on the number of Matrices, if things drag on, in less than three months, they will still have to face the Blood Demon army! The solution can only be found within the Mall! "There is a type of Xijita Metal Material that has the ability to sense Magic Energy Fields and can respond to most Extraordinary Powers," Shen Hao began, his tone bing solemn as he spoke of the items in the Mall. "The biggest difference from the Sensing Talisman is that this material is not purely in the Extraordinary Domain; it can employ technical means to expand the detection range, although the specific effectiveness will depend on the level of technology." "Arge-scale detection device?" Dong Gong took a slow breath, speaking with extreme gravity, "All of humanity will thank you." "Let''s first make the device before we talk about gratitude. The technological level is not low," Shen Hao remained calm. "In addition, there''s a whole set of microwave weapon technology that can directly incinerate the fluids in living organisms, which is exceptionally effective against the Blood Demon. No need to look for their weaknesses, one shot annihtes a group!" "The front lines need this technology!" Dong Gong, now with steadied emotions, was growing more and more expectant. Truly worthy of rising four Levels! However, no matter how good the technology is, the most important thing is to rapidly apply it to the battlefield! Their domestic production of Ice Bombs had only just begun to enter the assembly line four days ago, slowly being introduced to the front lines before the press conference, while the civilian high-frequency sonic self-defense weapons were even more challenging to produce. Although a basic version existed, it could only cause some disruption to the Blood Demon. Read exclusive chapters at empiren/o/vel/b//in dot c//om To quickly assimte these technologies, they must concentrate the scientific research capabilities of mankind. Not just domestically, but also internationally. And with these technologies, the Global United Front would undoubtedly be able to advance even more swiftly! "Besides technological fields that can be used forbat, there are also many that are not insignificant." Shen Hao looked at the Mall, "There''s a type of spider robot, which I find quite good C fast, unimpeded by any terrain, capable of being equipped with various weapons, naturally including Ice Bombs, and more importantly, they are affordable C only five hundred points each, and with our level of technology, they should be maintainable." "If you, Team Leader, think it''s feasible, let''s get some to see how they perform first!" Dong Gong immediately said. "That''s a good idea. There really is a vast number of goods at these few levels, including off-the-shelf microwave weapons, and there are some items that should significantly increase the likelihood of Parasite Failures." Shen Hao''s tone was calm, but his heart felt a measure of pleasure. "It''s time to push the fast-forward button on this Trial!" Rising four levels in the Mall truly was like hitting the fast-forward button. After all, under normal circumstances, no Chosen One could have umted a full twenty million points by now. That would require one to single-handedly y over a hundred thousand Blood Demon! It was possible for Shen Hao because he could control the Blood Demon and also enjoyed the double points! The efficiency of the other Chosen Ones was several notches slower. From this perspective, he indeed became the Savior of countless people, saving innumerable lives! Subsequently, in the lull before changing warnes, Shen Hao took out all the goods he had purchased. It was not just the items he had just mentioned, but also a lot of equipment and resources for Chosen Ones, as well as weaponry for Elite Soldiers and Extraordinary Props used in the hunting process. Points spent have a purpose. However, the most expensive item in the Level 8 Mall was not suited for distribution. It was a suit of single soldier full-coverage armor! Valued at a full 2.8 million points, powered by microfusion charging, its energy core was also purchasable for 200,000 points, supporting high-speed flight and possessing substantial protective power, designed for protection and speed as a support armor! The only drawback was that it demanded a high Constitution from its user. Conveniently, it was suitable for Shen Hao''s use. It might be overkill domestically, but going overseas would be a different matter. Indeed, Shen Hao had already set his sights overseas. Strictly speaking, outside the Eastern Country is where the main battlefield of this Trialy! In the following two days, Shen Hao was constantly on the move domestically, rushing to all regions in need of support. Later on, the fleeing Matrices didn''t even dare tomand their offspring to riot, because such actions could very well draw Shen Hao''s attention, with three Matrices being captured in this way. And it wasn''t until this point, as more and more news spread online, that the new press conference was finally called. Just two days after the previous conference, yet the interest in this press conference remained colossal. Now, across the world, more and more people viewed the Eastern Country as the sole hope in this Species War! "Since the press conference two days ago, there have been twenty-two incidents of Blood Demon uprisings across our country. After investigations, we have confirmed that these are thest struggles of Blood Demon Mothers before their attempted escape. Up until now, we have captured three Matrices, but thirty-two are confirmed to be atrge. We immediately alerted the neighboring countries and shared all intelligence..." The spokesperson''s message sent shockwaves through the inte. This time, it was primarily domestic, and people were incredibly exhrated. "Forty-one Matrices, is this the end?" "It should be over for us here!" "All in all, it only took ten days!" "We fought all night yesterday where I am, thinking we were an anomaly. But to think so many incidents erupted!" "The Blood Demon Mothers aren''t fools. Facing no hope here, why wouldn''t they flee instead of waiting for death?" "It''s not us who let them go, they fled on their own." "I only care about whether we are safe now?" "..." Clearly, even though the spokesperson had not dered it explicitly, more and more people realized that the domestic war situation seemed to have be entirely clear, the threat of death that loomed over each of their heads dissipating significantly. In the end, the spokesperson finally stated: "Since the discovery and deration of war against the Blood Demon, we have eradicated 173,400 Blood Demon, and the Blood Demon Mothers have killed 214,600 of their own. As of now, the number of Blood Demon remaining in the country has dropped below one hundred thousand! We can dere that the domestic Blood Demon war has achieved aprehensive and stage victory! Next, we will proceed to localized eradication phases!" Chapter 78 Desperate for Help Yes, aprehensive victory, if only in this phase! As of now, such an announcement can indeed be made. Although nearly a hundred thousand Blood Demons have escaped the city, spreading across the wilderness, and there might still be a Matrix that has yet to give up, that hasn''t fled, the Blood Demons face nothing but relentless pursuit. At least in this country, they have already utterly lost the possibility of victory and can no longer instill fear and pain in the people. And at this moment, merely thirteen days have passed since the formal deration of war! The entire world was instantly abuzz, with all sorts of headlines and reports flooding every corner of the global cyberspace. "Eastern Country deresprehensive victory within its borders!" "Thirteen days to defeat the Blood Demons!" "Savior in the East!" "Thirteen Days! That''s the speed of Eastern Country!" "Eastern Country took thirteen days to win, how long can we keep from losing?" "...." It''s not that other countries wanted to promote this, but at this moment, the victory of Eastern Country had be the most empowering and shocking source of confidence in this global conflict! At the very least, it was necessary to let some of those who were close to despair know that Humans have not lost, and will not lose! Under this overwhelming media coverage, countless people marveled and envied, and more and more wealthy and powerful individuals across the world tried to make their way to Eastern Country, with the number of people smuggling themselves across the border surging overnight. But more than these were the pleas for aid. Realizing that Eastern Country might finally be able to lend them support, requests for aid poured in from around the world like snowkes, dense and incessant, ready to utilize the utmost extent of public opinion and propaganda! Even on the curtain of the tallest skyscraper in West State, a ce of symbolic significance, there now hung an image of Shen Hao brandishing Thunder on the battlefield, apanied by a line of enormouslyrge font. We need a Savior! Yes, it''s simplicity and directness taken to the extreme! Online, there were even more cries for help. Especially from people in dangerous areas, who seemed totch onto theirst lifeline, desperately sending out messages. "Save us, our entire city has fallen!" "I''m hiding in the basement; Blood Demons are everywhere outside!" "We need help, we need the invincible Mr. Shen Hao!" "The damn politicians are useless; we need a powerful Chosen One! We need Shen Hao!" "You can send the army, even rule over herewe don''t care!" "..." Experience tales with empire This deluge of pleas also left the domestic popce astonished. They indeed had paid the lives of nearly a million people, but such a price, inparison to the whole world, could actually be considered a tremendous victory.N?v(el)B\\jnn This is war, this is disaster. However, the war had not ended. Recruitment notifications were still being continuously sent out, more and more people mustered the courage, stirred their passion to enlist in the military, and the armies stationed in the cities had notpletely withdrawn. The battlefield hadn''t disappeared, it was merely shifting, from inside the cities to the outside, from domestic to international. At this moment, Shen Hao finally had time to sit down and summarize the gains from this period. Through three days of relentless sweeping, he had captured a total of five Blood Demon Mothers. Sadly, the other two had already killed all their offspring, and the remaining three provided only twenty thousand Blood Demons in total. Including those he had killed, he had gained a total of eleven million points these days. He was still nearly twenty million points short of opening the White Level 9 Mall. That was fifty million cumtive points. At this rate, White Level 10 might very well require a hundred million! The number of Blood Demons remaining within the country had dwindled and were highly dispersed. Rather than wasting time chasing them down, it would be better to set his sights abroad, where there were more Blood Demons. "Has all the intelligence beenpiled?" Shen Hao looked at Dong Gong. "Just came out." Dong Gong, looking at various data on hisputer, spoke with a grave expression, "Looking over the global battlefield, the situation is very bad, even worse than our initial expectations." "Exin?" Shen Hao also became serious. "First of all, the distribution of Blood Demon Mothers doesn''t seem to be based on poption." Dong Gong stated, "The total number of Blood Demon Mothers in our country should be around fifty, the Northern Alliance''s number is downward of forty, but West State definitely has more than sixty!" "You mean to say that there are about two hundred and thirty Mothers globally, and just in our three regions, there are over one hundred and fifty?" Shen Hao nodded slightly, "Thinking positively, at least we don''t have to worry about densely popted but poorly managed and equipped countries turning into oceans of Blood Demons." "That''s true," Dong Gong''s face showed a hint of helplessness, "However, thebat power of Blood Demons is not merely about numbers. They can quickly master all the knowledge and even skills of their hosts, which means they will get the opportunity to rapidly plunder our technology and industry." "..." Shen Hao fell silent for a moment. Indeed, the strength of a nation in the industrial age wasn''t measured by poption. It was measured by technology, by the level of industry. In that case, it would be better if they had been distributed by poption. Without sufficient weapons and strong industrial power, Blood Demons, no matter how numerous, were just points banks in his view. "How exactly is West State faring now?" Shen Hao inquired. "They have already deployed tactical nuclear weapons." Dong Gong''s expression was heavy, "After we sent over the measurement spheres, they first ensured the safe use of some weapons of mass destruction and took the lead in using them in areas that werepletely overrun. That managed to reverse the situation a bit, but then, the Blood Demons dispersed into the urban areas. In the past couple of days, the number of battles and destruction in various cities have been countless. Human forces have no advantage in street fighting and often have to pay an even greater price to achieve victory. Some major cities are showing signs of falling." He showed Shen Hao some of the data. It was indeed a horrific sight to behold. Chaos was everywhere, everyone was forced to take up arms to fight back, but with the same level of weaponry, how could civilians possibly match Blood Demons? Some areas had be like the dawn of the apocalypse. Even when the military arrived, it only intensified the destruction of the battles; cities were rapidly turning into ruins. "Aside from the cities, military factories and various important armories are the main targets of Blood Demons'' attacks. Most of these ces are far from urban areas and can barely be defended, but some small military factories have already fallen. More importantly, Blood Demons continue to replenish their forces unceasingly from within the cities. The trend of diminishing returns is very evident." Dong Gong paused, then added somewhat helplessly, "We even airlifted a batch of Ice Bombs in an emergency, and the technology has been transferred to them, but due to the situation, their production efficiency has actually decreased." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!