124: Annihilate the "Shadow Fang"! Reach the top!

Collapse happened in an instant. Gao Zhongji completely lost the will to fight; his only thought was to escape this demonic swamp that had devoured his companions.

He abruptly turned, fleeing desperately towards the deeper part of the swamp, where the fog was thickest, attempting to find a glimmer of hope by using the complex terrain and dense mist as cover. His heavy footsteps splashed large amounts of murky water on the slippery mud.

"Hmph, trying to leave?" A cold sneer echoed from behind him as Ji Linghan moved. He didn't pursue; instead, he slammed the heavy war hammer in his hand onto the muddy ground again. The lightning on the hammerhead flared intensely. He pointed his left hand, fingers together like a sword, towards Gao Zhongji's panicked retreating figure, and uttered a cold word: "Bind!"

Rip—!

Several chains, composed of pure lightning and shining with dazzling white light, appeared out of thin air. They ignored distance, instantly crossing space, and precisely wrapped around Gao Zhongji's ankles, instantly injecting him with violent lightning power.

"Ah—!"

Gao Zhongji let out a shrill, distorted scream, his body convulsing violently. The powerful electric current paralyzed his nerves, destroying his balance. He toppled forward, crashing heavily into the cold, viscous mud, splashing a large amount of filth.

He struggled with all his might, his hands frantically clawing at the muddy water, trying to break free from the lightning's 束縛, but only sinking deeper into the life-devouring quagmire. Each struggle was accompanied by the intense pain of electricity coursing through his body and uncontrollable spasms.

Just then, a milky white light dispelled the lightning chains, relieved his paralysis, and rapidly healed his injuries. Gao Zhongji immediately struggled to his feet, but as soon as he propped up his upper body, he was impaled by a gigantic illusory spiritual sword, nailing him back into the mud.

Zheng Xiuli, the Divine Attendant at the very back, was now all alone. She had witnessed her companions fall like autumn leaves, and immense fear chilled her to the bone, making even her fingers, which were meant to conjure divine spells, tremble uncontrollably.

She futilely waved the short staff in her hand, and layers of precarious, faint shields flickered around her, like candles in the wind. She leaned against a huge dead tree, with no way to retreat or escape, her eyes filled only with boundless despair.

She looked at Yu Yue, the Radiant Knight, holding his giant shield and maintaining the Holy Light Barrier; she looked at Xu Bai, the Abyssal Summoner, with his unfathomable gaze; she looked at the lightning arcs leaping on Ji Linghan's war hammer, the Divine Punisher; she looked at Han Ruoxue, the Moon Goddess, her cold gaze locked onto her; finally, her eyes fell upon Chu Yixing, whose eyes were calm and unmoving, a calmness that made her feel a chill more profound than any savage killing intent.

Zheng Xiuli opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to beg for mercy, to curse, to let out a final cry, but extreme fear choked her throat, producing only a few meaningless whimpers. Her last Holy Light Shield shattered and dissipated like fragile glass under a mundane impact from Yu Yue's giant shield.

Chu Yixing didn't look at the Divine Attendant's face, twisted by fear; he merely gently waved the green lotus immortal sword in his hand.

Buzz—!

A Sword Net, composed of countless sword qi, formed out of thin air, completely covering Zheng Xiuli and the area behind her.

Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!

The dense, suffocating sounds of flesh and bone being pierced merged into one, almost simultaneously. The precarious divine spell shield was instantly torn to shreds like paper. Zheng Xiuli's figure didn't even have time to let out a complete scream before being completely engulfed by this destructive Sword Net. Her body, pierced by the Sword Net and the sword qi that followed closely behind, ultimately turned into a blurry mass of flesh and blood.

The swamp fell into a deeper silence than before. The heavy smell of blood mixed with the putrid odor of the mud, forming a nauseatingly sweet and 腥 scent that pressed heavily on every corner.

Almost at the same moment Zheng Xiuli was engulfed by the sword qi, the cold and grand battlefield announcement, like a thunderclap from the heavens, resoundingly exploded in every corner of the battlefield, echoing deep within the consciousness of every Transferee:

[Battlefield Announcement (Scarlet)! Battlefield Announcement (Scarlet)!]

[Warning! Park Min-young (Lv.40 Curse Master), a member of Goryeo Country's "Shadow Fang" Squad, has been killed! Killer: Chu Yixing (Lv.38 Sword Immortal), a member of Kyushu's "Qilin Squad"!]

[Warning! Lee Soo-min (Lv.40 Onmyoji), a member of Goryeo Country's "Shadow Fang" Squad, has been killed! Killer: Xu Bai (Lv.37 Abyssal Summoner), a member of Kyushu's "Qilin Squad"!]

[Warning! Kim Soo-chul (Lv.41 Shadow Dancer), a member of Goryeo Country's "Shadow Fang" Squad, has been killed! Killer: Chu Yixing (Lv.38 Sword Immortal), a member of Kyushu's "Qilin Squad"!]

[Warning! Gao Zhongji (Lv.40 Ice Archer), a member of Goryeo Country's "Shadow Fang" Squad, has been killed! Killer: Chu Yixing (Lv.38 Sword Immortal), a member of Kyushu's "Qilin Squad"!]

[Warning! Zheng Xiuli (Lv.40 Divine Attendant), a member of Goryeo Country's "Shadow Fang" Squad, has been killed! Killer: Chu Yixing (Lv.38 Sword Immortal), a member of Kyushu's "Qilin Squad"!]

[Battlefield Announcement: Goryeo Country's "Shadow Fang" Squad has been annihilated by Kyushu's "Qilin Squad"! Squad points cleared! National total points deducted: 22405 points!]

[Kyushu's "Qilin Squad" successfully plundered 22405 points! Squad total points increased to: 44500 points! Regional ranking rose to 1st place!]

[Kyushu's total points increased by 22405 points, current national total points: 119540 points! National ranking rose to 1st place!]

[Goryeo Country's total points decreased by 22405 points, current national total points: 86560 points! National ranking dropped to 6th place!]

The scarlet text scrolled mercilessly.

Chu Yixing waved his hand and opened the scoreboard.

[Squad Scoreboard (Real-time)]

1. Qilin Squad (Kyushu), Points: 44500

2. Kulhe Squad (Bear Country), Points: 19045

3. Anfield Squad (Eagle Country), Points: 18945

...6. Azure Dragon Squad (Kyushu), Points: 14814

... [National Scoreboard (Real-time)]

1. Kyushu, Points: 119540

2. Bear Country, Points: 104000

3. Eagle Country, Points: 101020

...6. Goryeo Country, Points: 86560

...

Both the Transferees within the battlefield and the spectators outside were in shock at this moment.

That Goryeo Country squad, which had just completed the annihilation and plunder of a Kyushu squad and seen its points surge half an hour ago, was annihilated by another Kyushu squad just half an hour later, its members and points completely wiped out.

"Qilin Squad"? Chu Yixing? Sword Immortal?

This name, like a blood-stained brand, was instantly etched deep into the minds of all Transferees worldwide.

The Kyushu Transferees watching from outside the National War Instance, after a second of dead silence, exploded like a lit powder keg, their bullet comments erupting.