143: S-Rank Inheritance Quest Begins

Shen Xiaochuan stood by the tarmac of the military base as dawn broke. The wind blew from afar, carrying the scent of iron and heat. He looked down at his phone; his faith points were still rising, increasing by one every second at a steady rate. There were only two hours left until the passage opened; time was running out.

He turned and walked into the command room, opening the Believers list. Three thousand people had been confirmed, all of them elites with combat power over 1200. He divided them into three units: the Skydome Guard, the Iron Spine Battalion, and the Wave Breaker Army, with one thousand people in each. Everyone was issued three B-rank skill scrolls: "Basic Block Enhancement," "Group Coordination Formation," and "Night Vision Adaptation Training." Their armor had also been replaced with new gray-black sets that were impact-resistant and high-temperature resistant, equipped with signal lights on the backs for easy identification.

"Leader," the logistics supervisor ran in, "the weapons are ready. Each person has a short spear and a folding saber."

"That's enough," Shen Xiaochuan nodded. "Add an emergency kit for everyone containing water purification tablets, hemostatic powder, and a communicator. Make sure everything is packed."

"Understood."

"Notify everyone to assemble at the East Plaza within thirty minutes."

After the supervisor left, he picked up his backpack and checked it once more. The Northern Territory Coordinates leather scroll was still tucked under his pillow, and he remembered the gathering point he had drawn last night clearly. He tucked the leather scroll into an inner pocket and zipped it up.

The sound of footsteps outside grew louder. Three thousand people arrived one after another, standing in three phalanxes. No one spoke; there was only the sound of boots hitting the ground. Shen Xiaochuan walked out, stood on the high platform, and scanned the troops.

"This mission is S-rank," his voice was heavy. "We need to investigate why an Evil God fell. Once we're in, the time inside will be different from the outside. When a day passes outside, only a little over two hours will have passed inside. We only have thirty days in there, and we must find clues within that time to prevent disaster from happening."

Someone in the crowd frowned.

"Leader, is this mission dangerous?" a warrior in the front row asked loudly.

"Ninety-nine percent of the people who go in won't come back," Shen Xiaochuan looked at him. "But I don't want to lie to you. I want to come back alive, and I want all of you to return safely as well. So, follow orders and don't charge blindly."

The man didn't speak again.

"Has everyone checked their equipment?"

"Checked!"

"Are there any unreported injuries? It's not shameful to back out now."

No one moved.

Shen Xiaochuan nodded. "The last stop before we set out is the Star Spirit Forest. I need to hand over the city."

Half an hour later, the storm chariot drove out of the city gate with three thousand people following on foot in a long column. No one spoke on the road; there was only the sound of wheels crushing gravel. Two hours later, the convoy stopped at the edge of the forest.

Qiao Yao was already waiting. She wore a light green dress with her hair in a braid, carrying a basket of herbs in her hand.

"You're here," she said.

"Yeah," Shen Xiaochuan jumped off the vehicle. "I'm leaving the city to you. I've already set the Level 3 alert authorization; if there's any anomaly, activate the defense System."

"What about the Beast Girls?"

"I'll cover their expenses." He took a purple gold card from his bag. "Money will be deducted automatically every month; if it's not enough, I'll add more."

Qiao Yao took the card and looked at it.

"On this trip, you might not come back." She looked up at him, worry in her eyes.

"But I must go," Shen Xiaochuan said. "I didn't become stronger for myself; I want the people who have fought alongside us to be able to live with dignity."

Qiao Yao was silent for a few seconds before nodding. "I will guard this place. You don't need to say goodbye when you leave; just tell me when you're back."

"Alright."

He turned toward the troops. "Move out!"

Three hours later, the Evil God Altar appeared before them. The ground was cracked, and black Qi rose from within. The altar looked like an inverted bowl, covered in strange symbols, with dark red liquid still flowing in the central groove.

Shen Xiaochuan walked to the stone platform and opened his portable space. His hands shook slightly as he placed ten strange beast corpses into the groove one by one.

Rumble—

Purple and black light exploded, the ground shook, and the cracks widened. A circular totem floated up, its blood-colored patterns crawling to his feet. The air grew heavy, and whispers sounded in his ears like someone crying.

[Sacrifice complete, Favorability +15, Current Favorability: 65]

Just as the prompt appeared, five dark shadows rose from the center of the altar. They were faceless, wearing tattered cloaks, holding three-meter-tall halberds.

[Alliance relationship unlocked: Can summon five Evil God Guardss as temporary reinforcements]

Shen Xiaochuan stared at the five shadows. "How long can they last?"

"Ten minutes each time," a voice rang out. "Two-hour cooldown."

"That's enough."

As the words fell, five stone boxes were pushed out from the base of the altar. Personal guards stepped forward to open them, revealing five new weapons inside:

The first was a curved-blade scythe with a serrated back, engraved with the name "Soul Breaker."

The second was a double-headed hammer, one end rounded and the other pointed, entirely black and very heavy.

The third was a spiked whip made of leather with a hidden metal chain inside; it sounded like the hiss of a snake when swung.

The fourth was a shoulder blade worn on the right shoulder, capable of popping out a three-inch blade, suitable for close-quarters sneak attacks.

The fifth was a throwing axe set containing six axes with balance patterns on the handles for steady throwing.

"Put them away," Shen Xiaochuan ordered. "Place them in the S-Rank Armory; only those in the top thirty on the military merit leaderboard can claim them."

The personal guards did as ordered.

At that moment, the altar began to hum. The ground split open, and a vortex-shaped portal rose up, twenty meters in diameter, with gray and yellow mixed together inside like churning muddy water.

"The passage is open," someone whispered.

Shen Xiaochuan looked back at the troops. "Everyone, check your gear. Once inside, no one is allowed to leave the unit or move without orders. The scout squad goes first, the main force follows. Maintain formation!"

"Yes!"

He took one last look at the sky. In the direction of Skydome City, the white smoke from the steam towers was still visible. Then he stepped forward, being the first to enter the portal.

As he passed through, his body felt as if it were being torn apart and then pieced back together. His ears were filled with noise, and images flashed before his eyes: burning villages, kneeling people, broken statues of gods... A second later, his feet hit solid ground.

The ground was gray-yellow and felt soft to step on. The clouds in the sky were motionless, and the air had a foul stench. The distance was obscured as the wind kicked up dust.

[Instance Activated]

[Countdown: Thirty days (Local time)]

[Mission Objective: Investigate and prevent the fall of Aminos]

[Faction Distribution: Human Race Settlement (Southwest), Demon Activity Zone (Northeast)]

[Time Flow: Local time is 10x that of the outside world]

The three thousand people emerged one after another, quickly forming ranks. A few warriors swayed and crouched down to retch.

"Endure it," Shen Xiaochuan said. "Don't look at the sky, or you'll get dizzy."

He pulled out a map and cross-referenced the terrain. A red dot was flashing three thousand meters ahead; it was a drone's signal.

"Send a squad to scout the way," he said. "Travel light, take communicators, and report any situation immediately."

Ten minutes later, a scout ran back, his face pale.

"Report! There's a village ahead being attacked. Black-armored monsters are charging in and killing people; fires have already broken out. The villagers are fleeing, but many can't run..."

Shen Xiaochuan narrowed his eyes.

"The demons moved this quickly?"

"It seems they specifically chose this moment."

He looked down at the map, his finger tracing the small path leading to the village.

"Main force, advance," he ordered. "Vanguard Battalion of five hundred, be ready for combat at any time. Everyone else, maintain formation and watch the flanks."

The troops began to move. Their footsteps were orderly, thumping against the ground. The wind grew stronger, and the flags fluttered loudly.

Qiao Yao stood on a high point in the Star Spirit Forest, looking at the place where the portal had closed. She held the purple gold card, flipping it over in the sunlight.

"You said you'd come back," she whispered. "Then I will wait until that day."

Shen Xiaochuan walked at the very front, his right hand resting on the saber at his waist. He stared ahead where firelight was flickering, like a danger signal in the dark.

The communicator suddenly rang.

"Report! A survivor has been found. He's an old farmer with a leg injury, crawling this way."

"Bring him over."

A few minutes later, soldiers helped over an old man whose face was covered in dust. His clothes were torn, his pant legs ripped open, and his wounds were bleeding.

"The village... is gone..." the old man gasped. "Black-armored men crawled out of the ground and killed everyone they saw. The temple collapsed, and the priest was nailed to the wall... They said... 'The old rules should end'..."

Shen Xiaochuan's eyes tightened.

"They mentioned the rules?"

"Yes... they also said... Lord Aminos will wake up soon..."

The surroundings suddenly fell silent.

Shen Xiaochuan looked up toward the burning village in the distance.

"Increase speed," he said. "We must find the truth before everything is destroyed."

The vanguard units began to run, the sound of their footsteps like thunder.