556: Chapter 556 Ancient Civilization Relics, The Other World

Chapter 556: Super Ancient Civilization Ruins, Other Shore World

"Xiao Family? The military?"

Fang Cheng's brow raised slightly, looking somewhat surprised.

The hand he had raised halfway down did not come down, remaining suspended above the Masked Man's head.

"The secret you speak of had better be able to save your life."

Fang Cheng said indifferently, looking down at him with a cold gaze.

The Masked Man shuddered all over and swallowed hard.

The suffocating sense of oppression above his head felt like it could crush him into pieces at any moment.

Not daring to hesitate in the slightest, he replied at a rapid speed:

"The secret I am talking about is a Super Ancient Civilization Ruins! I know the exact entrance location and the method to enter this ruins!"

After finishing, he stared closely into Fang Cheng's eyes, trying to catch even a trace of shock or greed in this expert's eyes.

However, Fang Cheng's gaze was like a bottomless cold pool.

It appeared completely without ripples, just as if he had never heard of the term before.

"Super Ancient Civilization Ruins?"

Fang Cheng murmured softly, his tone carrying a hint of doubt.

Seeing this, the Masked Man was stunned.

A monster possessing this kind of physical strength that crushed S Rank actually didn't know of the ruins' existence?

Then where did his earth-shattering abilities come from?

But the Masked Man did not dare to ask, and could only bite the bullet and explain, fearing that the other party would directly crush his head out of impatience.

"To put it simply... it is the site of a certain old world that once appeared in ancient times and has survived to this day."

Lying on the ground, the Masked Man carefully observed Fang Cheng's expression while racking his brains to organize his words:

"This kind of thing is recorded in many ancient classics: the Daoist blessed lands, the Buddhist Small World, the World Tree in Western mythology... they are actually all talking about the same thing."

"It is normal that you are not clear about it; 'Super Ancient Civilization Ruins' is actually the term used by official researchers."

"In our mutant circles, there is another more common name, called the Other Shore World."

While they were talking, a rustling sound of footsteps came from around them.

The Illuminati members who were originally scattered around were aroused by the "secret" spoken by the Masked Man, and one after another, they drew closer.

Panghu cradled his fractured broken arm, wincing in pain, yet he stubbornly didn't utter a single sound.

Old Chen bit on his unlit cigarette, and Feiying twirled a butterfly knife at his fingertips.

The three of them stood around in a pin-shape formation, invisibly sealing off all the Masked Man's retreats.

Eagle Eye squatted at a commanding height, the pitch-black muzzle of his sniper rifle locking onto Huolong, the last remaining member of Blood Thorn, to prevent this fellow from slipping away at the opportunity.

Stared at by several pairs of eyes filled with Killing Intent, the Masked Man couldn't help swallowing hard again, and could only bite the bullet and continue:

"To speak of these spaces, they are like an enlarged version of the noble families' Legacy Secret Realm, but they are hundreds of millions of times larger; after all, those are genuine worlds."

"They originally attached themselves around the world we live in, connected to each other through special channels, possessing independent natural Law and ecosystems."

"Millions of years ago, a doomsday-like cataclysm occurred, and those worlds were completely destroyed, their channels thoroughly cut off as well, leaving only a few fragments scattered in the myths and legends of various countries."

Panghu listening from the side was utterly confused, and couldn't help scratching his bald head, interrupting:

"Cut the crap, since they're all destroyed, what does that have to do with us now? It sounds just like a quack telling stories!"

"Of course it has to do with us!"

The Masked Man hurriedly shouted, fearing that his words wouldn't arouse everyone's interest and that his life would be forfeited at any moment:

"Over the past few decades, everyone has been saying that Spiritual Qi is reviving, and mutants with Awakening abilities are becoming more and more numerous. How do you think that came to be?"

He first asked a rhetorical question, immediately following it by throwing out a startling truth:

"That is because the doors of the ruins have loosened, and those disconnected channels are reconnecting!"

"The so-called Spiritual Qi is not any gift from heaven and earth at all; it is actually pollutants from those worlds, a high-concentration radioactive energy."

"These pollutions continuously seep through the cracks of the ruins, eroding ordinary people's genes and forcibly inducing mutations. Those who can't endure it die, and those who survive become mutants like us."

Hearing the word "pollution", Old Chen's eyelids jumped fiercely.

He subconsciously touched his ears, which were different from ordinary people's, a flash of thoughtful cold light crossing his eyes.

"In fact, governments of various countries discovered these ruins all over the world long ago. Following the clues, they found the entrances, established the highest-level military restricted zones, and then dispatched suicide squads inside to explore."

The Masked Man caught his breath, adjusted his condition slightly, and continued to toss out bait:

"Just a little bit of the things flowing out from inside would be priceless treasures."

"Whether it is black technology far surpassing modern civilization, Cultivate Resources that can transform a person's body and bone, or various rare treasures, none of them can be found in our world at all."

"For instance, this 'Clown Mask' on my face is a rare item peeled off the face of an ancient corpse, capable of resisting fatal damage."

As he spoke, he pointed to the eerie mask he wore to prove his words were not false.

Fang Cheng lowered his hand, crossed them across his chest, and asked seemingly casually:

"Since there are so many resources and treasures, why is it called a civilization ruins? What about the humans inside?"

"Because... they died out long ago."

A trace of fear flashed in the Masked Man's eyes, as if recalling some nightmare:

"That can be said to be a true Hell; no matter how glorious the previous civilization was, now there are only scarred ruins left."

"Those who enter only see architectural wreckage and those monsters twisted by radiation; there are no intelligent creatures capable of communication at all."

"Come to think of it, humanity in our world likewise experienced a doomsday, yet we were still able to survive, multiply and grow, and rebuild civilization—we practically won the lottery jackpot."

"How do you know this so clearly?"

Feiying toying with the butterfly knife squatted down, the tip of the blade swaying in front of the Masked Man's nose:

"Don't tell me you're making up stories to trick us?"

"I'm not making it up! I crawled out alive from inside there!"

The Masked Man's voice suddenly raised, and he abruptly raised his hand to remove the mask on his face, revealing an incomparably ugly face.

That face was covered with dark purple mottled patterns, like scars infected by mold, terrifyingly ferocious.

"More than a year ago, Daxiong and I were members of the suicide squad, forcibly thrown by the military into that ruins numbered 03."

"Before going in, experts gave us special training, and these words were all popularized by them."

"The environment there is harsh and very fatal to ordinary people. You must wear biochemical protective suits like astronauts and put on life-support masks to barely hold on."

"Yet even so... more than half of the people still died inside, and most of the rest went mad, or turned into monsters that ate human flesh and drank blood."

"These scars on my face were left by radiation erosion from staying inside for too long!"

Speaking of this, he glanced at Daxiong's huge corpse not far away, a hint of complex meaning flashing in his eyes:

"Of course, Daxiong and I were relatively lucky; we didn't die inside, and we even mutated. I underwent Awakening for psychokinesis, and Daxiong turned into a monster with boundless strength."

Hearing the Masked Man's words, Old Chen couldn't help asking a question:

"Did you go in just to explore and search for resources?"

"No, those are secondary."

The Masked Man shook his head, his voice growing low:

"The main task we were responsible for was establishing long-term outpost bases inside and carrying out 'living assimilation'."

"Living assimilation?"

Hearing this inexplicable yet sound-impressive term, Fang Cheng couldn't help being taken aback.

"To put it bluntly, it is a living sacrifice."

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of the Masked Man's mouth, his tone full of self-derision:

"The environment of that world is full of pollution sources, naturally repelling outsiders like us; the various ancient viruses inside alone are enough to be fatal."

"Therefore, scientists came up with a method: massively migrating animals and plants from our world into it, using them to neutralize the pollution sources."

"During this process, these creatures will undergo drastic mutations and evolution, cultivating new species that are more adaptable to the ruins' environment."

"Even at the very beginning, the authorities also threw a large number of death row inmates and prisoners of war inside, making them work while acting as 'human-shaped filters', forcibly paving out a safe zone."

"It was only in recent years that experts developed special protective suits, adding safety measures for explorers."

Hearing this, Fang Cheng's brows couldn't help wrinkling slightly, his tone growing a few degrees colder:

"Did you capture those orphans also for the so-called living sacrifice?"

"No, they are higher-level 'active Materials'."

The Masked Man shook his head again, saying through gritted teeth:

"The group of mad scientists in the military laboratory discovered a research finding: the blood of mutants with Awakening abilities contains natural antibodies against pollution sources, allowing them to survive in the Other Shore World for a longer time."

"Especially young mutants who have suffered less pollution themselves, whose Bloodline is relatively pure, and whose genetic plasticity is strong; they are the best living blood banks."

"They extract specific gene sequences from the blood to make a neutralizer, injecting it into explorers so ordinary people can move around in the ruins just like in the normal world."

"To mass-produce this drug, the Xiao Family went around like mad dogs capturing Loose Cultivator mutants. Our Blood Thorn Mercenary Group accepted their mission, which was why we were forced to do these heaven-defying deeds!"

Speaking of this, the Masked Man squeezed out a few tears and began to play the victim:

"President Fang, big brothers, I had no choice either..."

"Although Daxiong and I acquired special abilities, our bodies developed mutated lesions as a result, and we have to endure piercing mental torment every day, relying only on that drug to suppress the pain."

"I didn't actually want to kill people. Back in the day, I was also a Law-abiding good citizen who helped old ladies cross the street."

"It was all those bastards from the Xiao Family and the military forcing us into prostitution! They forced us into the ruins, and also forced us to risk our lives for them everywhere collecting experimental Materials; I truly am a victim too!"

"Bah!"

Panghu unceremoniously spat a mouthful of thick phlegm onto his face:

"You were still so arrogant just now, wanting to kill our whole family, and now you've become a victim? Your shameless skin is even thicker than Daxiong's hide."

The Masked Man didn't even dare to wipe it off, only continuously begging for mercy:

"I was wrong, I was truly wrong! We have no past grudges and no recent enmity; this is actually all a misunderstanding."

"How about this, I can compensate you for your medical expenses and give you all five hundred million in my Swiss bank account."

"And as for that ruins, I know a secret smuggling channel that can bypass the military blockade line."

"I am very familiar with the environment inside and can be your guide. The good things inside, we can split two-eight... no, they all belong to you!"

Fang Cheng looked at the fawning fellow beneath his feet, pondering silently as if seriously considering it.

The silence lasted for a few seconds.

For the Masked Man, these few seconds were longer than ten years.

Afterward, Fang Cheng suddenly spoke, asking a very untimely question:

"I just killed your own brother, don't you hate me?"

"Hate? How could I hate you!"

The Masked Man acted as if he had heard some joke, his head shaking like a rattle-drum at once, pointing to the sky and swearing:

"That was because his skill was inferior! In this dog-eat-dog world, weakness is the original sin, and no one else can be blamed!"

Seeming to feel his reasons weren't sufficient enough, he eagerly added a few more sentences, spittle flying everywhere:

"Besides, Daxiong's brain had long been fried by radiation, turning him into a monster that only knew how to eat flesh and drink blood."

"Keeping him in this world would only be a scourge; being able to die at the hands of an peerless expert like President Fang is a blessing he cultivated over eight lifetimes!"

"Really, I must even thank you for your great mercy in helping him get rid of this stinking bag of skin!"

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere on the rooftop instantly became somewhat subtle.

Panghu beside him widened his mouth, looking at the Masked Man as if looking at an alien, and finally could not hold it back, turning his head away with a face full of disgust:

"Damn it, I used to think I was dark enough mixing in society, but compared to you, I'm simply as pure as an elementary school student."

Even a cold-blooded killer like Feiying couldn't help raising his eyebrows at this moment, putting away the butterfly knife in his hand.

As for Huolong shrinking in the distance, he felt chilled all over upon hearing this, feeling like he was meeting this usually domineering boss for the first time.

In order to survive, this dignified leader of the Blood Thorn Mercenary Group had completely thrown away his face.

Fang Cheng narrowed his eyes, his fingers gently rubbing his chin.

Although this person was a shameless spineless coward, the chips he held were indeed of some value.

Five hundred million in cash was secondary; the key was that secret channel leading to the ancient ruins.

It was not a matter of a single day or night for the Illuminati to develop and grow.

If they could acquire the black technology or Cultivate Resources in the ruins, then the entire organization's strength would undoubtedly usher in a qualitative leap.

Moreover...

Fang Cheng recalled the "death world full of monsters and radiation" described by the Masked Man just moments ago.

If it were an ordinary person, they might feel fear.

But what surged deep within his heart at this moment was not apprehension at all, but a trace of long-lost excitement.

Stronger monsters, harsher environments.

Wouldn't that mean higher experience values and an opportunity to break through physical limits?

"It sounds quite nice..."

Fang Cheng calculated silently.

Just as he was about to speak,

Tat-tat-tat-tat——

A muffled rotor sound came from afar, breaking the silence on the rooftop.

"What sound?"

Old Chen alertly raised his head, tilting his ear to listen.

Everyone subsequently also looked in the direction of the sound.

They saw that in the pitch-black night sky in the distance, a few red signal lights were flashing rapidly.

Between the rows of towering buildings, neon lights flickered and blurred.

An armed helicopter with a dark gray matte coating, like a giant black eagle tearing through the night curtain, swooped down rapidly toward the top of the Silver Wing Building.

Beneath the belly of the aircraft, the pitch-black cannons emitted a cold metallic luster under the sweep of the searchlight.

Huolong, shrinking in the corner, saw this scene, and wild joy instantly surged on his previously ashen face.

He leaped up abruptly, waving his hands, and shouted as if he had seen his biological father:

"They're here! It's our people! The military's reinforcements have arrived!!"

Seeing this, the Masked Man's eyes also lit up instantly.