236: Chapter 236 Colluding with the Abyss

Inside the hidden compartment, a black crystal lay quietly.

The crystal's surface lacked any luster, yet it emitted a nauseating abyssal aura.

The moment the surrounding air touched the crystal, it became distorted.

Zhao Tianjue looked at the crystal, a flicker of struggle passing through his eyes.

He knew that once he used this thing, there would be no turning back for the Zhao family.

Colluding with the Abyss Cult was a capital offense that the human race could absolutely never tolerate.

Once discovered by the military, the Zhao family would face total destruction; not even a dog would be left behind.

However, he had no other choice.

Lin Fan had already pushed the Zhao family into a dead end.

If Lin Fan wasn't killed, the Zhao family would eventually be devoured bit by bit.

Rather than waiting for death, it was better to risk everything.

“Lin Fan, you forced my hand.”

Zhao Tianjue bit his finger and dripped a drop of dark red blood onto the black crystal.

The crystal rapidly absorbed the blood, and eerie blood-red patterns began to surface on it.

A cold, evil will was transmitted into Zhao Tianjue's mind through the crystal.

“Zhao Tianjue, you are finally willing to contact me.”

A low, seductive voice rang out in the secret room.

“I have been waiting for your summons for a long time.”

Zhao Tianjue took a deep breath, suppressing the fear in his heart.

“Archbishop, I need your help.”

Zhao Tianjue's voice became incredibly cold.

“I want Lin Fan, and everyone around him, to die without a place for burial.”

The blood-red patterns on the black crystal flickered violently.

The Abyss Cult Archbishop's voice echoed in the secret room, carrying a seductive power that struck directly at the soul.

“Killing Lin Fan is not difficult.”

“Though he is exceptionally gifted, before the power of the Abyss, he is still just a slightly stronger bug.”

The Archbishop's voice was laced with absolute confidence.

“However, the blessings of the Abyss are never free.”

“Zhao Tianjue, are you prepared to pay the price?”

Zhao Tianjue's withered fingers gripped the crystal tightly.

“What do you want?”

“As long as Lin Fan is killed, I can give you half of the Zhao family's remaining resources.”

Zhao Tianjue gritted his teeth as he offered the terms.

The Archbishop let out a harsh, mocking laugh.

“Half?”

“Zhao Tianjue, you think too highly of your Zhao family's current scrap metal.”

“What I want is all of your Zhao family's resources, including that secret Armory you have hidden outside the city.”

The Archbishop's words caused Zhao Tianjue's heart to sink suddenly.

That secret Armory was the Zhao family's final trump card; it was absolutely not to be used unless there was no other choice.

“That's impossible, that is the Zhao family's last foundation!”

Zhao Tianjue flatly refused.

“Without the Armory, how will the Zhao family establish itself in Kyoto in the future?”

The Archbishop was in no hurry, his voice remaining unhurried.

“Do you think that when Lin Fan completely raids and confiscates your Zhao family, you will still have a chance to consider the issue of establishing yourself?”

“Exchanging a pile of dead objects for the continuation of your family is a very good deal. If the family is gone, no amount of resources or foundation will be of any use!” The Archbishop's voice was full of seduction.

“Moreover, I will not only help you kill Lin Fan.”

The Archbishop threw out his true objective.

“I also want to set up an Abyssal Sacrificial Array during the upcoming Kyoto University Freshman Trials.”

“I want to sacrifice Lin Fan, along with all the genius students of this year's Kyoto University class, to the great Lord of the Abyss.”

Zhao Tianjue sucked in a breath of cold air.

Cruel and ruthless as he was, he was still shocked by the Archbishop's insane plan.

Massacring all the freshmen of Kyoto University!

This was equivalent to directly severing the human race's foundation for the next ten years.

Once the matter was exposed, the military and the Ministry of Education would absolutely go insane.

At that time, let alone General Ye Canglan, even the High Command would personally issue an execution order.

“You're crazy.”

Zhao Tianjue's voice was trembling.

“By doing this, the entire Huaguo will be overturned.”

“What, are you afraid?”

The Archbishop's voice was full of mockery.

“Since you have already contacted me, it shows that you have no way back.”

“As long as the sacrifice is successful, the Lord of the Abyss will descend a miracle.”

“At that time, you can use the divine power to break through to the true Martial King Realm, or even higher.”

“With absolute strength, do you still need to fear those old fogies in the military?”

Martial King Realm.

These three words had a fatal magic, gripping Zhao Tianjue's heart tightly.

He had been stuck at Half-step Martial King for a full ten years.

If he couldn't break through, his lifespan would soon reach its end.

Desire finally triumphed over fear.

A flash of frenzied killing intent passed through Zhao Tianjue's eyes.

“Fine, I agree.”

“I will give you the internal route maps and defense plans for the Kyoto University Freshman Trials.”

“However, the transportation of the Array Foundation Stones must be handled by you yourselves; the Zhao family must absolutely not show its face.”

Zhao Tianjue proposed his final bottom line.

“Deal.”

The Archbishop laughed with satisfaction.

“Pleasure doing business with you, my dear ally.”

The light from the black crystal gradually dimmed, and the secret room returned to a dead silence.

Zhao Tianjue looked at the crystal in his hand; he knew he had completely become a traitor to the human race.

But he didn't care.

As long as he could survive and become stronger, it didn't matter how many geniuses died, and even if the human race was wiped out, he would feel no guilt.

...

The outskirts of the Kyoto South Suburb Base.

The night was deep, and a cold wind howled across the wilderness.

A convoy of unmarked black trucks was struggling along a bumpy, uneven dirt road.

Around the trucks, over a dozen martial artists in black combat suits were fully armed, alertly watching their surroundings.

This was a convoy secretly transferring materials for the Zhao family.

To avoid detection, they had deliberately avoided the main roads and chosen this long-abandoned old path.

However, they didn't know they had long been targeted by a pack of wolves.

On a distant hillside.

Old Drunkard lay on the cold rock, holding a specially modified heavy sniper rifle.

He unscrewed the flask he carried and took a large, satisfying gulp of strong liquor.

The spicy liquid flowed down his throat, making his gaze even sharper.

“Hou San, the convoy has entered the ambush zone.”

Old Drunkard whispered into his headset.

“Total of five vehicles, fifteen guards, highest cultivation is an eight-star Martial Master.”

“A bunch of rookies, not enough to even fill the gaps between my teeth.”

Hou San's wretched laughter came through the communication channel.

“Drunkard, don't be careless.”

“Brother Fan said that the Zhao family is like a cornered dog now, who knows what dangerous things they might have on those trucks.”

Hou San was currently lurking in a patch of bushes ahead of the road.

His small frame almost merged with the surrounding environment.

“Iron Bull, get ready to move.”

Hou San issued the attack command.

“Received.”

A low voice came from underground.

The next second.

The ground in front of the convoy suddenly bulged violently.

A thick rock spike burst from the earth, directly piercing through the hood of the first truck.

Boom!

The truck instantly flipped over, bursting into a raging fire.

The convoy was forced to make an emergency stop.

“Enemy attack! Protect the supplies!”

The guard captain shouted, drawing the combat blade at his waist.

But just as he finished speaking—

Bang!

A dull gunshot pierced the night sky.

Old Drunkard's sniper bullet accurately pierced through the center of the guard captain's forehead.

Having lost their commander, the remaining guards immediately fell into a state of chaos.

Iron Bull crawled out from underground, his entire body covered in thick rock armor, turning him into a human tank.

Wielding his massive fists, he charged directly into the crowd, initiating a crushing defeat without any suspense.

In less than three minutes.

All fifteen guards had become cold corpses.

Hou San crawled out from the bushes, brushing the dirt off his clothes.

“Nice work, brothers.”

Hou San walked to the last truck and skillfully pried open the latch on the cargo hold.

He had originally thought it would contain precious pills or high-grade materials being transferred by the Zhao family.

But the moment he pulled open the door, he froze.

There were no pills or materials in the cargo hold.

Only dozens of pitch-black stones.

The surfaces of these stones were covered in eerie, complex blood-red runes.

An extremely uncomfortable, cold aura emanated from the stones.

Hou San couldn't help but shudder.

“What the hell is this?”

Hou San reached out, wanting to touch a stone.

“Don't touch it!”

Old Drunkard had walked over at some unknown point and grabbed Hou San's wrist.

His expression was very grave.

“This thing isn't right. The aura on it is very sinister; it doesn't match the characteristics of ordinary array materials.”

Old Drunkard had spent years wandering on the edge of life and death, and his perception of danger was extremely keen.

Hou San swallowed and pulled his hand back.

“Then what do we do? Smash them all?”

“Don't act rashly.”

Old Drunkard shook his head.

“Brother Fan is knowledgeable; take some photos and send them to him to see.”

Hou San quickly took out a special communicator and snapped several high-definition photos of the stones in the truck.

Then, through an encrypted channel, he sent them to Lin Fan.

...

Kyoto University, Office of the Special Strategic Department Minister.

Lin Fan was leaning back in a large executive chair, his legs propped up on the desk.

He held a steaming cup of goji berry tea, leisurely enjoying a rare moment of peace.

Beep beep.

The communicator on the desk suddenly rang.

Lin Fan set down his teacup and picked up the communicator to take a look.

It was an encrypted message from Hou San.

“That monkey, what good stuff has he found in the middle of the night now?”

Lin Fan smiled as he clicked on the photos.

When he saw the black stones covered in blood-red runes in the photos—

The smile on his face instantly vanished.

An inexplicable sense of crisis surged in his heart.

Even through the screen, he could still feel the ominous aura emanating from those stones.

Lin Fan sat up straight, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Activate Eye of True Sight.”

Lin Fan chanted silently in his heart.

A golden light flashed deep within his pupils.

His vision penetrated the barrier of the screen, directly analyzing the essence of the objects in the photos.

The next second.

A line of piercing blood-red system prompts flashed frantically before Lin Fan's eyes.