96: Objective! A technologically advanced wasteland world.

As Chu He stepped through the spatial rift flickering with silver-blue electrical light, a completely different set of world Laws instantly acted upon his body.

The dense Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was gone, replaced by thin and violent energy particles mixed with a radioactive aura that made even him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

The scene before his eyes also shifted from the world of fire within the Heaven-Reaching Pagoda to a vast, crimson wasteland.

Red-rusted earth, twin moons hanging in the sky.

One moon was blood-red, the other a ghastly white; the two massive orbs hung high in the dark purple firmament, casting an eerie glow.

The smell of rust and gunpowder permeated the air, and in the distance lay rolling city ruins that looked like the skeletal remains of giant beasts.

This was the Azure Star.

A graveyard of technological civilization, destroyed by war and viruses.

“Is this... a technological world?”

Chu He hovered in mid-air, observing this brand-new world with great interest.

His Soul Transformation Stage Divine Sense spread out in all directions like an invisible giant net.

Everything within a radius of thousands of miles was clearly presented in his mind.

He “saw” hordes of Zombies with rotting skin and sluggish movements wandering aimlessly among the collapsed skyscrapers.

He “saw” massive, hideous Mutant Beasts tearing at each other in the canyons of the wasteland, fighting over a long-rotted corpse.

He “saw” a group of ragged, emaciated survivors gathered around a campfire in an underground bunker built of steel and concrete, gnawing on some unknown roasted meat.

He also “saw” a team composed of several menacing steel chariots speeding across the wasteland, chasing a mutant rhino as large as a small hill; metal tubes mounted on the roofs occasionally spat out dazzling energy beams.

“Interesting.”

The corners of Chu He's mouth curled up slightly.

The energy level of this world was indeed very low.

The strongest of those so-called Zombies were only equivalent to the Body Tempering stage.

Most of those massive Mutant Beasts were only at the level of Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment.

Only a few powerful Mutant Beast kings and the “Awakeners” among the survivors could reach the Golden Core or even the Early Nascent Soul Stage.

For instance, in the chariot team he had locked onto with his Divine Sense, the energy fluctuations within the leading red-haired woman with a hot figure were comparable to a Cultivator at the Early Nascent Soul Stage.

But that was all.

In this world, his Soul Transformation Stage cultivation made him an invincible existence.

He was... a God!

“In that case, I should consider where to start harvesting.”

Chu He's gaze pierced through hundreds of miles, landing on the massive city ruins.

According to the information provided by the System, these large city ruins were often the essence of old-era civilizations, burying a large amount of technological heritage and high-energy resources.

At the same time, they were places where danger and opportunity coexisted.

Tens of millions of Zombies resided there, including terrifying existences that had evolved to extremely high levels, and there might even be a “Zombie Emperor” comparable to the Late Nascent Soul Stage.

For the survivors of this world, that place was an absolute forbidden zone.

But for Chu He... “A decent experience pack and resource point.”

He gave his evaluation.

However, before heading to those city ruins, he needed to find a few “locals” to learn more specific intelligence about this world.

For example, the distribution of survivor factions, what the most valuable resources were, and where the world's “Luck” was concentrated.

His gaze fell once more on the chariot team hunting the mutant rhino.

“I'll start with you.”

With a thought, Chu He's figure instantly vanished from the spot... On the wasteland.

“Boom!”

With a loud blast, a high-energy particle cannon accurately struck the mutant rhino's knee, blowing a bloody hole in its incredibly hard carapace.

“Roar—!”

The mutant rhino let out a painful roar, its massive body crashing to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

“Nice shot! Fire Fox!”

Excited cheers from teammates came through the communication channel.

On the leading chariot, a tall woman wearing a red skin-tight combat suit with short, neat hair slowly lowered the sniper cannon in her hands, a hint of fatigue on her face.

Her name was “Fire Fox,” and she was the captain of this “Mad Rhino” mercenary squad, a powerful A-Rank Peak Fire-type Ability User whose strength was comparable to the Great Perfection of Golden Core Stage among Cultivators.

“All personnel on alert! Clear the battlefield! The crystal core of this A-Rank Mutant Beast, the ‘Iron-Armored Storm Rhino,’ is enough to trade for half a year's worth of supplies!” Fire Fox issued orders through the communicator.

Several chariots immediately spread out in a combat formation. A few mercenaries jumped off the vehicles, holding energy guns and vigilantly observing their surroundings, while others took professional cutting tools and walked toward the fallen mutant rhino.

At that moment, Fire Fox's pupils suddenly constricted.

Her Mental Energy sensed an unusually powerful biological magnetic field approaching them at an incredible speed!

No, it wasn't approaching!

It appeared out of thin air!

“Enemy attack! Maximum alert!”

Fire Fox's sharp shout exploded in the communication channel.

Almost the instant her words fell, a young man in green ancient-style clothing with black hair and black eyes appeared without warning in mid-air, a hundred meters in front of their convoy.

He didn't use any flying devices; he just hovered there quietly as if stepping on invisible stairs.

This scene left all the mercenaries who saw him dumbstruck, even forgetting to breathe.

“God... what is that? A holographic projection?”

“He... he's flying! Is he an S-Rank Expert?!”

“No! Our Shelter No. 7 doesn't have an S-Rank Expert like this at all! Who on earth is he?!”

Everyone's minds were filled with shock and questions.

Fire Fox's heart sank to the bottom.

From that man, she felt an unprecedented, terrifying pressure as vast as the deep sea.

Before that pressure, her A-Rank Peak ability, which she took pride in, was as tiny as a grain of dust.

She was certain that even the director of Shelter No. 7, that legendary S-Rank Expert she had once seen from a distance, definitely did not have such a terrifying aura!

Who was this man?

Just as everyone was filled with suspicion and uncertainty, the man hovering in mid-air slowly spoke.

His voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly entered everyone's ears, as if sounding directly in their minds.

“Which of you is in charge?”