Chapter 195: Confidence: Part 1
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“The existence of the Ironfist Society is an obstacle to our plan to annex Xilin.”
“First, get rid of the followers, and then launched a comprehensive siege against the Ironfist Society to set an example. Operation Blood and Fire must not be compromised!”
“The actions of Khadula has severely undermined the strongholds from where the military launched its offensive against Xilin. But we also need to rea.s.sess the strength of the Ironfist Society to reduce risk.”
“That’s right. As our military has now seriously stretched to the max, we should be extra careful when fighting a multiple-front war.”
Inside Redwin’s Third Command of Xilin Operation, each commander had a different opinion, and each was trying to convince the other. Sitting at the middle was a stout middle-aged man with shoulder-length blonde hair. His expression was grave, silent as he waited for the others to finish expressing their opinions. It was only until the last person wrapped up his speech that he knocked the table lightly.
“So far, Khadula is the only person we are concerned with. Aside from him, we know little about the Ironfist Society. In contrast, the tacit alliance between the Heart of the Ocean and the Revivalists is more worrying.”
“General, you mean…” An elder asked in a low voice.
“I will inform Isaac, let him relay the message to the Heaven’s Spire, and we will work out a strategy depending on the situation of the encirclement.” The middle-aged man said faintly.
“If during the encirclement of Khadula, the Ironfist Society responds with strong resistance, we will delay the operation and concentrate on gathering intelligence. If they could not even handle this kind of a.s.sault, it only means that they have little counterforce, and I will sign the special paper to launch a full-scale operation against the Ironfist Society.”
“Depending on the situation. Good one, General. But we may face more pressure from the Heaven’s Spire,” a commander said. “It is akin to using them to corner the Ironfist Society.” He frowned.
“That is their business. It was the Starfury Clan that started the vicious circle with the Ironfist Society. So we don’t have to worry about it,” the general said calmly.
“Understood.”
“Then, we shall proceed with the plan. Next, about the Strike Team Bluewhale deployment by the Heart of the Ocean…” The arguments arose in the command center again.
…
While talking with the man, Lin Sheng drank like a child who had not seen water for a week before he headed back to his dorm and hit the sack.
In his dream, instead of going around again, he meditated in the temple. He was still struggling to digest after collecting the soul of the Steel Lord. It would be a while before he dared to harvest another one. He would probably get schizophrenia over time if he could not overcome the soul indigestion problem. That was why he had taken a short break, letting his mind do its work before going hunting again.
While meditating, Lin Sheng gained many ax skills from the memories of the Steel Lord. But what really gave the Steel Lord strength was not martial arts, but the blood of the Fire Dragon flowing in his veins.
In the memories of the Steel Lord, the Fire Dragon bloodline was declining across generations, but it was still far more powerful and ten times more concentrated than that of Lin Sheng. This was also on top of the mighty Redstar battle-ax that he inherited from his family and the impenetrable armor. No wonder the Steel Lord could ascend to the top echelon of Blackfeather City to become a senator.
Early morning in the lecture theater, Lin Sheng saw the library girl again. Wearing a pair of gla.s.ses, the girl sat alone in the corner listening to the lecture, face cool. She looked gracefully quiet. But Lin Sheng sensed strange energy in her.
“What the h.e.l.l?” As he sat down in his chair, his gut feeling told him that something was amiss. So he skimmed his surroundings, eyes sweeping across the lecture theater. He was dumbfounded as one out of ten persons he saw carried the same strange energy that he found in the unfinished building last night. This energy was nasty, unafraid of physical attack, and could only be dispelled using a special power.
On the stage, the lecturer was writing on the huge blackboard, which was already filled with various complex formulae and equations. Below the stage, most students were busy writing notes, utterly unaware of what was wrong with their bodies.
Lin Sheng could only see this energy after making a new breakthrough in his sacred power. He had almost attained Level-5, thanks to the soul power of the Steel Lord.
“Oh, I think it is necessary to waken a divine ability to become a Level-5 Temple Warrior.” A thought came to mind as Lin Sheng recalled the memories of Temple Warriors. With that awful lot of memories in his head, his mind became an encyclopedia. All he needed was to enter a keyword, and the contents he looked for would pop up before his mind’s eye.
Just as he wished, the information about the divine ability necessary for Level-5 sacred power came to mind very quickly.
Divine Word—Nowhere to Hide. In the long course of cultivation, the temple warriors have awakened a pair of eyes that could see the extraordinary existence. These eyes can see most of the unhidden extraordinary beings without needing the use of sacred power. It is a pa.s.sive ability.
“No wonder I could suddenly see the renovation worker last night.” Lin Sheng suspected he had seen a ghost. Same as the man of last night whom he felt not quite ‘ordinary.’ But his focal point was not on the man himself but his ident.i.ty as a regular police officer. And this made Lin Sheng felt a h.e.l.l lot better.
When the bell rang, Lin Sheng got to his feet, packing his stuff on the desk.
“I wonder what the situation on Khadula’s side is.” When he occasionally focused his mind on meditating, he could sense Khadula was in combat. But what he could not perceive was the intensity of the battle. Although both Khadula and the Steel Lord were the avatars of his soul, Lin Sheng could only fully receive Khadula’s latest experience when he was back.
“Just hope that everything is fine.” Lin Sheng lamented. Khadula had been in a fight with someone for a night, and Lin Sheng was eager to know who would emerge a victor. The least he could do now was hoping the Steel Lord could rescue Khadula in time before he was slaughtered.
Carrying his bag and walking out of the lecture theater, Lin Sheng suddenly rooted to the spot before the handrail on the staircase. His already weak mental connection with Khadula had suddenly broken off entirely. He scrambled to reconnect with Khadula, but it was futile.
“Please don’t die… Khadula.” By nature, elemental summoning did not muster the same creature repeatedly. Just like the soldiers that Lin Sheng had summoned before, most of them had perished, and when Lin Sheng mustered these soldiers again, they were not the same persons. Just that they looked alike. So, he was unsure what would be the consequences if Khadula perished.
“More so, this battle could affect the force projection of the Ironfist Society in the world. Only through force projection that I can gain some breathing s.p.a.ce and quickly develop my abilities.”