113: Chapter 113 Lin Mo's Choice

The wind atop the Command Headquarters roof was very strong.

Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe leaned against the railing, a cigarette more than half-smoked. The ash was scattered by the wind and fell onto his collar, but he didn't care.

Lin Mo stood beside him, silent.

The two of them stood in silence, watching the city in the distance that was being rebuilt.

After a long while, Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe spoke.

"Have you decided?"

Lin Mo nodded.

He took the SS-grade Lightning Combat Armor and the SSS-grade combat saber, Dragon Abyss, from his spatial ring and gently placed them on the railing.

Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe glanced at them but said nothing.

Lin Mo took a deep breath.

"General Zhao, I appreciate the sentiment. But I cannot accept these things right now."

Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Go on."

Lin Mo looked at him.

"I've taken everything you said last night to heart. The Sealed Land, the Azure Dragon Inheritance, and those seniors who are fighting to the death on the front lines—I respect them from the bottom of my heart."

"But after thinking about it for a long time, I still feel that now is not the right time for me to join the War God Temple."

Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe remained silent.

Lin Mo continued:

"It's not that the War God Temple isn't good; it's just that the path I'm walking is different."

"I prefer combat, constant slaughter. The wilderness, secret realms, the borders—those most dangerous places are where I belong."

"Joining the War God Temple would bring resources and status, but it would also inevitably bring responsibilities and entanglements."

He paused.

"I'm still too weak. At Third Stage Ninth Layer, I wouldn't even count as cannon fodder in the Sealed Land."

"I want to wait until I've truly become strong, until I can stand on my own, before I report to the War God Temple."

He looked directly into Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe's eyes.

"When that time comes, as long as the War God Temple needs me, I will not hesitate."

Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe was silent for a long time.

A long length of ash had accumulated before he finally flicked it away.

"Kid, do you know how long I've waited for a talent like you?"

He sighed and patted Lin Mo's shoulder.

In that smile, there was disappointment, but even more so, there was gratification.

"Since you've made up your mind, then I respect your choice."

He looked at the armor and saber on the railing.

"However, once I've given something away, I don't take it back."

Lin Mo was stunned for a moment.

"General Zhao..."

"Keep it," Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe waved his hand.

"If you don't want it, you can throw it away. Regardless, once I, Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe, have spoken, it's like spilled water—there's no taking it back."

He suddenly smiled, looking a bit mischievous.

"Besides, only if you're wearing our War God Temple's combat uniform will other factions default to thinking you're one of ours."

Lin Mo couldn't help but laugh.

"General Zhao, your calculations are quite..."

"What?" Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe glared. "Got a problem?"

Lin Mo shook his head.

He solemnly put away the armor and the saber.

"Fine, I'll take them then."

Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe nodded.

He turned around, looking at the city being rebuilt in the distance.

"For the battles ahead, you can only rely on yourselves."

"Vicious beasts, Mimics, the borders, secret realms. All these things are whetstones."

"Only those who are honed by them become true divine weapons."

"Those who aren't, even if they go to the Sealed Land, are destined to be cannon fodder."

He turned his head to look at Lin Mo.

"Do you understand?"

Lin Mo nodded.

"I understand."

Vice Hall Master Zhao Shanhe smiled.

"Good that you understand."

He stubbed out his cigarette on the railing.

"Go on, then. Do what you need to do."

...

On the other side, when Chu Tianye arrived at the southern city wall out of breath, the sight before him made his eyes twitch.

The ground was trembling, trees in the distance were falling in swathes, and dust rose into the sky as if an invisible giant dragon were turning over underground.

Thousands upon thousands of vicious beasts surged out from the dust like a black tide, overwhelming and stretching as far as the eye could see.

Iron-Backed Wolves, Armor-Rending Tigers, Shadow Leopards—those fast-moving beasts had already rushed to the foot of the city wall, huddling together in a dense mass.

And in the distant mountain forests, even more beasts were pouring out.

Wave after wave.

It was as if they could never be fully killed.

And at the very front of that tide was that mountain-like figure.

The Mountain-Hugging Demon Ape, a Fifth-Order Beast King.

It was even more violent than the last time they met. The old wound on its chest had completely healed, and the killing intent in its eyes was ten times more intense than before.

It stood there like a living mountain, looking down upon the tiny humans at its feet.

Further away, several blurry figures could be vaguely seen, standing quietly on high ground, overlooking the battlefield.

Chu Tianye's throat felt dry as he looked back at the Awakeners behind him.

There were veterans, newcomers, wounded soldiers who had just retreated from the front lines, and students who couldn't even hold their blades steady.

Fear was written on everyone's face.

"Regiment Commander Chu..."

A young voice came from the side, trembling.

"Can we... hold out?"

Chu Tianye did not answer.

He looked back; why hadn't that figure arrived yet?

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out from the back of the crowd.

"Get out of the way! Everyone, get out of the way!"

Several young people squeezed through the crowd, heading toward the very front of the city wall.

The leader was in his early twenties, burly, with an air of insufferable arrogance on his face.

Liang Yue, a senior at Jiangcheng University, President of the Student Union, and the most outstanding genius from Jiangcheng University in recent years.

Behind him followed seven or eight people, all lackeys who usually hung around with him.

"Liang Yue! What are you doing!"

A middle-aged man's voice came from behind, filled with anxiety and anger.

It was the Dean of Jiangcheng University, whose strength was only at Third Stage Late Phase, inferior even to his student, Liang Yue.

He caught up and grabbed Liang Yue's arm.

"Stop this nonsense! That's a Fifth-Order Beast King! This is no place for you to show off!"

Liang Yue shook off his hand.

"Director Zhou, don't stop me."

He stared at the mountain-like beast in the distance, a flash of fanaticism in his eyes.

"It's just a Fifth-Order Beast King."

He smiled.

"Whatever Lin Mo can do, I, Liang Yue, can do as well."

He glanced back at the lackeys behind him.

"Brothers, follow me!"

The seven or eight people drew their weapons and charged down the city wall.

Director Zhou stood frozen in place, his face pale as ash.

"Stop them! Quick, stop them!"

But it was already too late; Liang Yue had already reached the edge of the wall and leaped down.

With a dull thud, Liang Yue landed steadily, smashing a shallow pit into the ground.

He stood up and looked up at the mountain-like beast in the distance.

His entire body's blood was burning.

So this is a Fifth-Order Beast King?

Its aura is indeed impressive.

However...

The corner of his mouth curled into an arc.

You will soon become the stepping stone for me, Liang Yue, to achieve fame in a single battle.