357: Spear of Godslayer

Los Angeles, the slums.

Inside a cheap, musty rental room, the windows were tightly sealed by heavy curtains, blocking out all sunlight.

Liu Lian sat cross-legged on the creaking wooden bed.

Under the subtle adjustment of his spiritual power, his appearance had been changed to that of a most unremarkable ordinary white man—messy blond hair and a face full of freckles, the type that would disappear instantly in a crowd.

The injuries within his body had mostly recovered under the circulation of vast Spiritual Power.

But the massive void left in his heart because of Katie could not be filled, no matter what.

A hideous crack had appeared in his Dao Heart.

Strangely, this crack did not cause his cultivation to regress; instead, it allowed his comprehension of the Dao of the Sword and his control over power to enter an unprecedented new Realm.

He could feel that he was stronger than ever before.

But he couldn't be happy at all.

Just then, an old-fashioned mobile phone on the bedside table suddenly rang.

Liu Lian slowly opened his eyes. Those pupils, which should have been as sharp as a sword, were now a dead, desolate gray.

He picked up the phone and pressed the answer button.

"You're still alive."

Xie Wangsheng's extremely calm voice came from the other end of the line.

Liu Lian did not speak.

"I order you to return home immediately!"

Xie Wangsheng's tone suddenly became severe.

"The Authorities of the entire America, along with the remaining forces of 'The Company,' are hunting you down like mad dogs. If you stay there, you'll be a live target!"

"I'm not going back."

Liu Lian's voice was hoarse and cold, devoid of any emotion.

"I can't wait ten years. Some debts must be repaid today."

The other end of the line fell into a brief silence.

Xie Wangsheng understood immediately.

A Heart Demon had arisen, and the Dao Heart was damaged.

The current Liu Lian would not listen to any advice.

"Can you still track the Sword Qi imprint you left on those two people from the Morak Family?"

Xie Wangsheng changed the subject.

"Yes."

"Deal with them, then come back."

Xie Wangsheng's tone softened slightly, carrying a hint of imperceptible worry.

"No."

Liu Lian refused again.

"I want to pull out 'The Company's' roots in America, inch by inch."

Xie Wangsheng sighed helplessly. He had already used network positioning to discover that the signal source of the phone Liu Lian was using belonged to a recently deceased unfortunate soul.

He hung up the phone.

Liu Lian casually threw the phone onto the ground and closed his eyes again.

Only revenge remained in his world... Dragon Country, Jiang City, Xie Family Courtyard.

Xie Wangsheng put down his phone, his brows tightly furrowed.

Something was wrong.

Liu Lian's state was very wrong.

He was now like a Puppet completely devoured by his Heart Demon, forcibly maintaining his last shred of consciousness purely through the obsession with revenge.

Xie Wangsheng could almost foresee what Liu Lian would become once he completed his revenge and the obsession supporting him vanished into thin air.

Completely lost, falling into the Demonic Path.

"I cannot let him stay in America alone."

Xie Wangsheng's eyes narrowed, and he quickly made a decision.

He swiped open his phone screen and skillfully operated the internal communication software of Kunlun Academy.

A discussion group named "International Kindness Delivery" was quickly established.

[Xie Wangsheng invited Lin Xiao, Fang Yuan, Han Li, Zhang Qiqi, and Lu Miaomiao to join the discussion group.]

The next second, Xie Wangsheng sent a brief message.

"Something has happened to Liu Lian."

"He's about to become a demon."

Almost immediately after the message was sent, responses appeared in the discussion group.

Fang Yuan: "Address."

Han Li: "I'm booking a ticket right now."

Zhang Qiqi: "Count me in."

Lu Miaomiao: "When are we leaving?"

Lin Xiao: "Wait for me."

...Meanwhile.

America, The Pentagon, Highest Secrecy Rank Conference Room.

A group of high-ranking generals wearing stars and powerful politicians sat stiffly, the atmosphere so oppressive it felt like water could drip from it.

The holographic projection in the center of the conference room was continuously playing footage of Liu Lian single-handedly destroying three armed helicopters and several infantry fighting vehicles on the streets of Los Angeles.

Every explosion caused the hearts of the seated officials to violently twitch.

"This is a national disgrace! It is a humiliation we have never suffered in over two hundred years since the founding of our nation!"

Secretary of Defense John slammed his hand onto the table, veins bulging on his forehead, roaring in fury.

"Secretary John, please calm down!"

A white-haired General, sporting four stars, spoke coldly.

"The facts have proven that conventional weapons are ineffective against him! Any aggressive military action is simply joking with the lives of our soldiers! It is foolish!"

"Foolish? Are we just going to watch him get away with it and let him become the laughingstock of the world?!"

John was uncontrollable in his rage.

The two men argued fiercely, and the tension in the conference room grew thicker.

Just then, the heavy metal door of the conference room was pushed open.

The President walked in, expressionless, surrounded by a crowd of Secret Service agents.

The entire room instantly fell silent.

"Gentlemen."

The President walked to the main seat and sat down, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room.

"The votes of the public are more important than any of your strategic analyses."

"Right now, the people of the entire America are plunged into immense panic and anger toward the transcendent beings. They require an explanation."

He paused, his voice turning cold.

"Capture him, or eliminate him."

An aide reported in a low voice: "Mr. President, we have already exerted pressure on Dragon Country through the highest diplomatic channels, but Kunlun Academy refuses to hand over Liu Lian. Their attitude... is highly arrogant."

"Arrogant?"

The President's lips curled into a ruthless arc.

"Very well."

He looked at Secretary of Defense John.

"Activate 'Prometheus' Plan."

"Transport the 'god-slaying spear' to Los Angeles."

"What?!"

Hearing the term "god-slaying spear," the four-star General who had just been so resolute instantly turned ghastly pale, his body trembling uncontrollably.

That was not a weapon!

That was America's highest secret, created after they analyzed the remains of an ancient deity excavated from a ruin... true "god-slaying" technology!

The President ignored the shock of the crowd, stood up, looked down upon everyone, and delivered his final ultimatum.

"I don't care what method you use."

"Within twenty-four hours, I want the whole world to see that Dragon Countryman's corpse through the lens of a global broadcast!"