Chapter 374: Battle Doctrine
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The chilly moonlight of the two bright moons shrouded the millions of giant mottled emerald green trees of the Oasis World.
The smallest tree was about several hundred meters tall while the tall ones seemed to be able to reach the sky. Countless canopies were spread out in the air, covering the moonlight tightly from entering.
There was no gap in the canopies but the s.p.a.cing between trees on the ground was very large. Other than protruding thick rhizomes between two trees, there were also enough s.p.a.ce to fit in numerous weeds of more than half a meter high and colorful wet moss and mushrooms that reached the height of a human’s ankle.
In this world that seemed to be lived by giants, Zhang Lisheng who had returned to his normal shape, sat on the rhizome of a large tree that stretched upwards over a kilometer tall. With his body entirely covered with ferocious beast’s blood that was enchanted with a witchcraft spell before, he was being surrounded and devoured by thousands and thousands of insects.
By right, with the weight of the young man that was just slightly over 100 pounds, his body should have been devoured into a pile of white bones in seconds but in truth, he could withstand being chewed very well. Even though his entire body was already covered with holes, with countless poisonous insects drilling holes on his b.l.o.o.d.y body, there was still jumbled meat hanging from his bones. He could not die no matter what.
On the contrary, the insects that were boring into Zhang Lisheng’s body would soon melt away gradually like a candle that came across a fire. Drop by drop, thick liquid with a weird stench dripped from his body and corroded the giant python-like tree roots, that were bulging out to several dozens of meters tall, till they were covered with dotted scars.
Such a strange bloodcurdling scene was just too horrifying. The pain endured by Zhang Lisheng, who was immersed in it, was even more unimaginable. Even so, in the midst of his sharply distorted and twitching face, he seemed to be screaming with overjoyed delight, “Drawing up plans behind closed doors is indeed not a good idea. This China trip is really worth it! So totally worth it!”
His shout was overpowered by the wing fluttering and chirping sound of the swarm of insects that covered the entire sky, leaving behind only a maniacal smile on the young man’s skull-like face that was covered with holes and blood.
Some of the insects would crawl into his mouth from the hole on his cheeks or his nostrils but he would just bite, chew and swallow them into his stomach. Every time this happened, white flashes could be faintly seen growing from all over his body.
Time flew slowly. Gradually, the bright moons in the sky set and was replaced with the sun.
At this time, the witchcraft spell that had lasted all night began to lose the power of its incitement. As the witchcraft method’s cultivation progressed, normal poisonous insects would suddenly shrink dozens of times when they approached Zhang Lisheng. An insect that was originally the size of a thumb would suddenly become as small as a mosquito larva. For this reason, new insects could no longer be lured in and the insect fog that had its source cut off soon disappeared in the young man’s body.
The insect fog dissipated, and the flesh on his body began to grow. Gradually, the b.l.o.o.d.y holes on Zhang Lisheng’s body began to turn fade and even out. After that, the remaining skin on his body began to grow and spread out, retransforming into intact human skin.
After he had recovered, there was no trace of blood on his face at all. The skinny and young yellow man who looked as though his bones were merely wrapped with skin, sat for a long time before breathing a sigh of relief and opening his eyes to stand up shakily.
“I’ve actually endured it! I wonder if Grand Wizard Chen would have his eyes fall out of his sockets if he saw this most brutal and superior method of cultivating the Gu Nest Spell by luring thousands of poisonous insects all at once. However, the method of cultivating this witchcraft method must have an effect of making a person lose his senses and rationality or otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to endure it. Ah, my blood essence is greatly lost now. I must make up for it right away!” As the young man was muttering, faint black, almost colorless scales grew on his body as he leapt up into the sky and disappeared in the air without a trace.
After a while, a beast with sharp teeth, that had a deer head and a bull body of 17 to 18 meters long with a weight of several dozen tons entirely covered with black wrinkled hard skin, that was fixing its b.l.o.o.d.y red eyes on a group of elegant and graceful yellow spotted animals that were eating mushrooms from the ground, suddenly felt a gush of wind caressing its neck. Without a sound, it neck dropped without warning.
Then, a slender monster that was covered in blood in the b.l.o.o.d.y rain was faintly revealed. In just a few seconds, it suddenly transformed into a ferocious-looking giant that was more than ten meters tall who had steel-like muscles. The giant tore and chowed down on the deer-head bull-body giant beast with a roar and finished eating it completely.
“Actually, it’s not so disgusting when I think of it as eating beef sas.h.i.+mi…” After swallowing a large amount of b.l.o.o.d.y food, Zhang Lisheng transformed his Money Toad’s incarnation back to the lizard incarnation and concealed himself. Resisting the nausea rising up his throat, he comforted himself and began to leap agilely through the foreign world’s jungle, all the way back to the campsite.
When the young man showed himself again in the bathroom, he looked in the mirror and noticed that there was not much difference on him than last night, aside from the slight exhaustion on his face. When he looked at the hanger and saw that the clothes he had taken off were still in the same place, he felt great relief.
Pleased, he showered and put on his clothes to walk out of the bathroom and return to his wire bed. After he had finally relaxed himself, his emotions started to surge high as he recalled his own harvest, prompting him to ponder right away, “When I just became a wizard, I could command four ordinary wizard gus. Based on this calculation, a Rank-2 Wizard should be able to command eight ordinary wizard gus. When I reached Rank-3 Wizard, the consumption of commanding a double refined wizard gu has become bigger so I can’t increase the number by double, but I can still reach about 14.5 wizard gus… in Rank-5 Wizard, I can command about 36 quadruple-refined wizard gus. After I’ve transformed Money Toad in my Rank-6 Wizard level, I’ve broken away from the shackles of a mortal person completely. After undergoing the sixth refining process, the power of ordinary wizard gus had been increased by a notch but it still is not a transformation. However, the number I can command the wizard gus have increased by sixfold and this also resonates with the change undergone by witchcraft for every six levels. 36 times 6 is 216, which will become 432 when I reach Rank-7 Wizard, 1777 when I reach Rank-9 Wizard! 1777, 1777… The books in the Gate of Witchcraft’s library has stated that the witchcraft powerhouses protecting the human tribe in ancient times who were tempered from mountains of corpses and oceans of blood would all have their own unique battle tactic. These 1777 octuple-refined wizard gus that could shrink and enlarge up to 36 times will be my battle doctrine uniquely combined from my innate witchcraft incantation G.o.d and the acquired witchcraft method…”
As Zhang Lisheng was calculating, he became even more excited and began to leap down from the bed with his mouth muttering. Walking back and forth in the tent, he did not notice the delicate fragrance specific to girls due to his excessive concentration.
As he was walking around, a sharp gaze unknowingly appeared in the young man’s eyes. Then, his ferocity sprung up thanks to this and had actually broken through the shackles of the Mask of the Comedy King stuck on his forehead and oozed out vigorously. All of this just so happened to be witnessed by Pei Youliang who had just awakened and was peeking through his thin quilt.
With a substantial daze-like mental a.s.sault, this Gate of Witchcraft’s silver-clothed disciple who had become unlucky since he came to the Oasis World’s campsite and stayed in the same camp with Zhang Lisheng fainted once again.
Of course, Zhang Lisheng was not bothered by the tragic experience of his tent-mate. By the time he had calmed down, the odd-job soldier came to send breakfast for them and asked why Pei Youliang did not take his meal, the young man answered that it was because Pei Youliang would fast after lunch.
“H-He would fast after lunch? W-Wouldn’t he be hungry? This is not healthy for the Senior Officer’s body right? Or maybe I can ask the kitchen to make a light dinner for him,” Upon hearing Zhang Lisheng’s words, the 18 or 19 years old odd-job soldier, who was at the age of having a big appet.i.te, could not help but show his concern.
“There’s no need for that. Actually, it’s good for the body to have a few days of such fasting every month. Besides, you can also see that Brother Pei sleeps all day long only to attain his mental composure and doesn’t have much energy consumption.” As Zhang Lisheng was speaking, his heart gave a jolt. “Not only that, I also plan to copy him these next few days so there’s no need to send dinner for me as well. I want to clear my stomach.”
“S-Senior Officer, you don’t want to eat dinner as well?”
“Yeah, I don’t want dinner,” Zhang Lisheng opened the food container and saw that the breakfast was porridge, pancakes and a few delicious pickles. He stopped talking and proceeded to chow hastily.
Upon seeing him becoming quiet, w.a.n.g Liansheng moved his mouth but dared not say anything else. After pondering, he saluted. “T-Then, I’ll ask the kitchen to add the volume of your lunch. Senior Officer, please eat slowly, I’ll take my leave first.”
Turning around, he took equally wide strides and walked out of the tent.
Just like this, Zhang Lisheng managed to obtain a whole afternoon of idle time with just a clever sentence of his.
At this time, he had nothing to ask for at all in his heart. One could be austere if he had no selfish desires. For this reason, his actions gradually became unscrupulous. After lunch, he began to take the risk to transform using the lizard’s power to go to the foreign world’s jungle to cultivate his witchcraft method and collect wizard gus before returning to the campsite in the next morning.
After he had gone through these three days safe and sound, the day of the Gate of Witchcraft’s disciples exploring and mopping up the jungle in the north had finally come.
The star s.h.i.+ning on Oasis World today had just gradually arisen from the horizon. Zhang Lisheng, who was still drinking a soy drink, suddenly saw Min Lan, who was wearing a camouflage windbreaker, open the tent’s curtain and appear in front of him.
That windbreaker was the military material that campsite’s military had given out during yesterday’s lunch. It was thick and it was said to be made of a new material, which was able to defend against the biting of large beasts. The young man had also put it onto himself already.
“Sister, you really look valiant and heroic in the camouflage dressing!” Upon seeing Min Lan, Zhang Lisheng smiled. “Are we leaving now? But it’s not even eight o’clock yet!”
“What valiant and heroic? Wouldn’t it be stretched to shreds when we transform when we meet with real danger?” Even though Min Lan answered so, she still showed a happy smile being praised by someone. “Don’t talk so much. Hurry up and finish up your soy drink. The armored car picking us up is here already. Junior Brother Pei, you must hurry up as well. Don’t delay the time! If you’re really feeling unwell, just plead to Big Boss Su but you must not be late, or otherwise you’ll suffer.”
“Y-Yes! Thank you, Senior Sister Min, for reminding me. I-I’m coming now!” Pei Youliang, who was as pale as paper, struggled to climb up from the wire bed. He stared fixedly on the ground, not even dare to look at Zhang Lisheng from the corner of his eye. After slowly putting on his clothes, he staggered towards the curtain.
When Min Lan saw his half-dead demeanor, she sighed in her heart but right now, she could not think of anything at all. She could only turn around and leave the tent together with Zhang Lisheng, who was walking up to her, with light footsteps.