82: Chapter 83, Level C, Tenth Floor

However, Lu Chen felt a sense of unease in his heart.

He had no idea where this monster had come from.

He had previously conducted a thorough search of all the nearby wilderness areas.

Yet, aside from that three-headed giant python,

he hadn't found another C-Class Monster.

He needed to leave.

No one in the city could withstand a monster like this.

He turned to look at Luo Nianwei and her mother.

"Nianwei, Auntie, I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"No!"

Luo Nianwei stood up abruptly.

She grabbed his sleeves with both hands.

Her voice was trembling.

"You can't go! This pressure couldn't possibly be from an ordinary monster; that thing must be incredibly powerful—you'll die!"

Song Yue's eyes were also wet with tears.

"Son, you can't—"

However,

he simply shook his head gently.

Then,

his Mental Energy fluctuated slightly.

The eyes of everyone in the room began to glaze over.

If he didn't go,

this city would cease to exist.

He closed his eyes.

Then he exhaled.

Everyone in the room slowly slumped to the floor,

falling into a deep, unconscious sleep.

He walked over to Luo Nianwei's side as she lay on the floor.

He spoke in a low voice.

"Forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye. I promise, I will come back to you."

Next,

he activated the Mind Armor technique.

Amidst a blinding flash of purple light,

his entire body was covered in a layer of purple elemental armor.

Its intricate patterns emitted shimmering flashes of lightning,

making him look like a god descending upon the world.

Then he stepped out of the room.

He summoned his Clone to protect this place.

—This room held everyone he held dear in this world.

Then he stepped onto his sword,

transformed into a streak of purple light,

and soared into the sky.

...

On the fortress's western wall,

gunsmoke filled the air.

It was a scene of total chaos.

Cai Jiguang stood on the battlements.

Behind him stood rows of the city's highest-ranking warriors.

Above their heads,

a terrifying Griffin circled,

its eyes burning with malevolent fire.

Cai Jiguang had already contacted the Alliance high command,

but it would take time for their reinforcements to arrive.

And time was exactly what they lacked.

Commander Liang Wanjun swallowed hard,

his voice hoarse as he spoke.

"Sir... do we have a chance?"

Cai Jiguang did not answer.

His silence said everything.

Below them,

soldiers operated the massive Laser Nuclear Cannons—the city's last hope.

Liang Wanjun turned around,

his expression grim.

He roared:

"Listen up! You are the shields of humanity! This is our home—our families are right behind these walls!"

"I don't care if you're afraid! You must hold the line, fight with everything you have—until your very last breath!"

"Defend our home to the death!"

The soldiers roared back in response,

though their voices trembled with fear.

A reporter clung tightly to the parapet.

As she spoke into the microphone,

the camera in her hand shook violently.

"This is—this is the Western Defense Wall—Director Cai Jiguang has mobilized all the elite warriors in the city—the Laser Nuclear Cannons are ready—but—"

BOOM—

A pillar of energy shot out,

striking the Griffin's chest.

The intense beam of light was like a damp squib against the creature's body,

leaving not even a scratch.

"SCREE!"

The Griffin shrieked.

The sound was so deafening

that every window in the city shattered into fragments.

The female reporter screamed and fell to her knees,

clutching her ears.

Blood dripped from her ear canals.

Cai Jiguang's face turned ashen.

He drew his military saber

and stepped into the air.

With every step, he gathered momentum,

accumulating a terrifying amount of power.

With a furious roar,

he unleashed his most powerful Combat Technique.

A blinding white light split the clouds,

cutting across the sky,

and struck the iron-like feathers on the Griffin's chest.

—And then it bounced off harmlessly, having caused no damage.

In that moment,

Cai Jiguang knew.

This city was doomed.

Even Lu Chen... the hope of humanity...

Please,

he prayed from the bottom of his heart,

don't come here.

Run.

Live on.

...

The Griffin's bloodshot eyes fixed on Cai Jiguang.

As its massive wings flapped,

a tremendous gale blasted toward him.

Cai Jiguang felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him,

crushing his chest

and shattering his ribs.

His body plummeted toward the ground like a falling meteorite.

He tasted iron.

Streams of blood flowed from his mouth,

forming a thick slurry.

He gasped for air,

struggling to look up at the sky.

High above,

the Griffin spread its wings,

gathering its strength.

Its beak opened,

taking a deep breath.

The very air itself trembled.

A compressed vortex of wind and fire began to form rapidly in front of its mouth,

emitting a high-speed, terrifying whistle.

If this ball of wind and fire were to hit the city,

nothing but dust

would remain.

In the control room,

every monitor displayed the same scene.

Despair spread like a contagion.

Soldiers and civilians alike fell to their knees,

their eyes hollow.

No one could look away.

No one could muster even a shred of hope.

It was all over.

They were finished.

However,

somewhere far from Base City C-6,

in the dim sky,

four figures hovered in mid-air,

quietly looking down on everything

as if they were from another world.

"This is your punishment,"

a cold voice rang out,

filled with hatred.

"This is the punishment for bringing that Lu Chen into this world, and for his audacity in insulting the Pei Family Bloodline."

Pei Renxun's face was contorted,

veins bulging on his forehead.

Floating beside him were Pei Yuanzhao and two elders of their Family.

Pei Renxun's teeth ground together,

sounding as if they were about to crack.

His thirst for revenge was still unquenched;

he wanted nothing more than to tear Lu Chen apart with his own hands.

"You shall all perish today," he spat viciously, letting out a manic, piercing laugh, "Hahahaha!"

But

at that moment,

a streak of purple light pierced the pitch-black night,

like a thunderbolt descending upon the world.