Like the last coma, Li Tianlan woke up after less than three hours’ sleep.
He felt wide awake.
Fatigue and drowsiness completely disappeared when he opened his eyes.
The light in the room was on. Soft lighting shone on the mottled walls. Shabby furniture was indistinctly visible. Outside the window, the rain fell in torrents in the long night. Darkness and dampness permeated all corners of Changdao.
After staying for a while, Li Tianlan stood up slowly and pulled up the infusion bottle.
He still felt pain because his gunshot and knife wounds of varying depths were stimulating his nerves.
He felt very painful.
He also felt comfortable.
As long as he was neither hungry nor tired, he felt comfortable.
After breaking through the limit, his willpower kept him stay rational throughout. In this state, Li Tianlan would not be in a coma, as a perfect fighting machine. He had the most firm will, but he was short of physical energy. As long as he restored some strength, he could break out the most potent fighting force.
However, his injury kept getting worse.
He was still able to fight, but n.o.body was optimistic about the consequences. A machine might completely break down after overloading operation, let alone a human being.
Li Tianlan stood up and looked serenely. At least for now, he could not think about other things on the battlefield without a rear area. On the battlefield, one had to kill enemies as long as he was alive. Only when a person died, he closed his eyes.
How about the future?
The battlefield had no rear area. Naturally, there would be no future.
When the evening fell so hard, time pa.s.sed slowly but steadily in the pouring rain.
Li Tianlan looked out of the window.
The seventh day was approaching.
There was only one more day…
If everything went well, they should be on the way to Zhongzhou State at this time tomorrow.
Whether it went well or not, how many of those elites from Zhongzhou State could go back?
Li Tianlan turned back and went out of the door.
When he opened the door, a slender figure put her hand on the doork.n.o.b as if she wanted to come in.
Li Tianlan pulled the door while the figure outside pushed the door. Both of them were defenseless. As a small scream of surprise rang out, a soft and sweet figure fell into Li Tianlan’s arms. She hugged him around the waist subconsciously.
Li Tianlan gave a cold stare. He was about to launch attacks by instinct. However, he suddenly relaxed his vigilance after seeing her face.
“Sister Bai?”
He glanced at Bai Youming and took the initiative to greet her. Bai Youming seemed to be paralyzed.
Bai Youming was absent-minded. After several seconds, she came to herself and said, “Ah, are you awake? How do you feel?”
Not bad.”
Li Tianlan felt awkward because Bai Youming was in his arms all the time and did not plan to leave. He abruptly changed the topic. “What’s going on outside?”
“Not good. It’s terrible.”
Bai Youming shook her head and naturally stood up straight. She pinched Li Tianlan’s arms and said with a smile, “Not bad. Although you’re seriously wounded, you’re physically strong.”
Li Tianlan did not know whether to laugh or cry. When he just wanted to say something, Bai Youming threw a bag into his arms. “Put it on. Samsara Palace sent it over to you a few days ago. It’s a good thing. In this situation, safety comes first.”
Li Tianlan took the bag. He felt it unexpectedly heavy, almost 3.5 or 4 kilograms at least.
There was a white coat in the bag.
The white coat was slim-cut and long. It might be a king-size coat in summer, but it felt ice-cold. One would not feel hot wearing it. However, if one wore it in summer, it would be…
Li Tianlan twitched the corners of his mouth. He did not know what to say.
“It’s made of cloud silk and is a rare thing even in the Dark World. It’s warm in winter and cool in summer. Meanwhile, it’s flame-resistant…”
“Is it impervious to sword or spear?”
Li Tianlan forced a smile and interrupted her.
“It’s more than that.”
Bai Youming treated him with disdain. “Additionally, it can absorb energy. Only a few people below the Thunder-shocking Realm can break the defense of cloud silk. Even if I launch an attack personally, the force applied to you will become less through the cloud silk.”
“Cloud silk is a top material and only second to the murderous weapon. At present, only Zhongzhou State, Star State, and Snow Country have mastered the technique. The coat is made of cloud silk. Not to mention whether Samsara Palace’s technology reaches the standard, they must spend heavily on the cloud silk, including bloodshed. Powerhouses of the Invincible Realm probably fight for the cloud silk.”
She reached out her hands and flicked the coat gently.
There seemed to be the sound of wind and thunder in the air.
When Bai Youming flickered with her delicate finger, the pure-white soft cloth uttered the tinkling of gold and iron, with a shower of sparks splashing around.
“Such clothes are only a few in Zhongzhou State. It’s possible to make it, but it’s a complete waste of cloud silk. If it wasn’t for the fact that you’re my brother, I perhaps hide this coat from you and Samsara Palace. If I can bring it back to the Bai family later, it can be the treasure of my family.”
Bai Youming was somewhat envious. She suddenly tilted her head to one side and said with a smile, “What’s going on between you and Qin Weibai? You haven’t known each other very long, but she’s willing to do anything for you. Did she owe you in her previous life?”
Li Tianlan smiled wryly and put on the coat without speaking.
He looked tall and thin as he wore it because the white coat was close-fitting. He felt cool and soft as the coat sticking to his body. Meanwhile, he felt warm, like holding Qin Weibai in his arms.
However, there was no natural and intense fragrance.
Li Tianlan suddenly remembered that he had not smelled Qin Weibai for a long time.
He missed her smell.
Li Tianlan touched the white coat gently and said to himself, “I haven’t seen her for a long time.”
“If the retreat goes well, you shall see her in Huating at this time tomorrow.”
Bai Youming said with a smile, but she looked more serious.
Li Tianlan abruptly raised his head and stared at Bai Youming, “Retreat?”
“We have to retreat.”
Bai Youming said calmly, but she was unreconciled at all.
Li Tianlan said nothing but looked at Bai Youming quietly, waiting for her explanation.
Zhongzhou State fought against East Island.
The overwhelming momentum shook the whole Dark World.
From Huating to East Island, Northern Europe, and North America, they arranged in-depth and made a great sacrifice. How could they retreat when nothing came out?
Who would willingly retreat?
“Most elites of East Island who had been trapped in Huating broke through and escaped.”
Bai Youming said dryly, “Tianhai Wuji and Liusheng Cangquan, the two grandmasters of the Invincible Realm, will come to Changdao tomorrow, with many masters from the Special Warfare System of East Island… Tianlan, we have no alternative.”
What could they do if they were unreconciled?
n.o.body could change the general trend.
“We can race against time with East Island!”
Li Tianlan felt wronged. He did not have a clear sense of belonging to Zhongzhou State. He did something with all his heart for the first time since he entered the secular world, including fighting, escaping, and struggling. Unexpectedly, they retreated at the most critical moment, which was exasperating.
“We have no time. If we continue to hold off time, we’re doomed to die.”
Bai Youming shook her head and said coldly, “The Heroes’ Club and the Polar Ground Alliance already launched an attack against us. We can’t confirm if they had agreed with East Island. The two experts of the Invincible Realm of East Island are about to return. They can’t get East Island, so they will probably cooperate with East Island to suppress Zhongzhou State. We can’t afford such losses, so we have to retreat!”
The attack from the Polar Ground Alliance and the Heroes’ Club was just a precursor.
Before everything became clear, the five superpowers in the Dark World always cooperated with each other.
The two superpowers launched an attack against Zhongzhou State first. And then, the other three superpowers would show their cards.
East Island would cooperate with the five superpowers to attack Zhongzhou State.
It was utterly a hopeless situation for elites of Zhongzhou State in Changdao.
“Can we retreat successfully?”
Li Tianlan immediately calmed down. He remained silent for a while and suddenly asked.
“We need to sacrifice. You, w.a.n.g Shengxiao, and Gu Hanshan must leave. The most elite and youngest force, including me, must retreat first. As for the others…”
Bai Youming said dryly, but she did not finish.
She did not need to finish.
Naturally, the others were cannon fodder.
However, those who were treated as cannon fodder were not less powerful. They were the most powerful people, including several experts of the Half-step Invincible Realm.
Without enough strength, how could they cover their retreat?
“It’s worth making sacrifices.”
Like self-hypnosis, Bai Youming said, “It’s better than the annihilation of the whole army.”
If Li Tianlan, Gu Hanshan, and w.a.n.g Shengxiao died here, Zhongzhou State would lose three experts of the Invincible Realm in the next few decades!
Such a loss would cause enough damage to the discourse power of Zhongzhou State in the Dark World.
Everyone else could be sacrificed, except for the three young talents. Anyway, they must be protected from death at all costs.
No one knew how many people would successfully retreat. However, as long as Li Tianlan and the other two men could leave, Zhongzhou State was not precisely suffering a crushing defeat.
Even if they could leave, the next thing Zhongzhou State would face was the worst loss in decades or even centuries.
If they failed this time, Zhongzhou State’s influence would considerably wane in the Dark World.
Since they had decided to retreat, they were well prepared to face the consequences.
“Is there no other way?”
Li Tianlan looked at Bai Youming and asked.
He wore a white coat and stood upright in front of Bai Youming, with an arrogant air.
“East Island has no other tricks, so it has to keep up in one place at the expense of others.”
Bai Youming shook her head.
“Others? Where?”
Li Tianlan said sharply.
Bai Youming looked severely and said very slowly, “Annan State!”
Anyway, the ‘rebellion’ of Annan State marked Zhongzhou State’s changing from strength to weakness.
To get compensation, Zhongzhou State could only start from Annan State.
“I can fight once again!”
Li Tianlan said with a low but firm voice.
Bai Youming took a deep breath and sighed. “It’s an irresistible trend. Tianlan, let’s drift with the tide. “For Zhongzhou State, the most important thing is that you three are alive.”
The phone rang suddenly.
Bai Youming took out her phone and saw a strange number.
She answered the phone in surprise. “h.e.l.lo!”
“H’m. It’s me. Yeah. Tianlan is here. Who is that? Oh…”
She babbled and handed over the phone to Li Tianlan. She said with a strange expression on her face, “Military Counselor of the Samsara Palace could not connect you, so he asked me. I guess that he will persuade you to leave.”
Li Tianlan knitted his eyebrows and picked up the phone, saying, “This is Li Tianlan.”
The pitter-patter of rain was heard through the phone.
The rain pitter-pattered on trees.
Li Tianlan got palpitations again.
He seemed to wake up on Tribulation’s back suddenly. He felt panic as if he lost the most important thing.
Military Counselor’s voice finally sounded on the phone. He said in a coa.r.s.e and weary voice, “Young Master Li, the boss is missing in Changdao.”
Li Tianlan’s brain buzzed. His mind instantly went blank.
Outside the window, a flash of lightning lit up the dark sky.
Li Tianlan remained silent.
Abruptly, Changdao was engulfed in the loud rumble of the thunder.
The thunder m.u.f.fled everything.
The dim light in the room suddenly went out.
Bai Youming unconsciously called Tianlan in the darkness.
No response.
Bai Youming’s expression changed. As she waved her hand, a blue light lit up.
Li Tianlan’s figure disappeared.
Bai Youming’s countenance changed due to fear. She dashed out of the room at the fastest speed.
The heavy rain kept falling.
The thunder rumbled in the sky.
The sky seemed to become bright.
As the rain got heavier and heavier, the night of the sixth day pa.s.sed away.
The dawn was breaking.
Where there was night, there was morning.