"It's alright, we're just trying. If we can go, we'll go. If not, we'll think of another plan."
"Okay then."
The young commander had them prepare a meal to host them. Since it was still early in the day, he ordered weapons to be prepared and planned to depart. Just as they stepped out, a group of people blocked the entrance to the military zone.
"Commander Lan, where are you going?"
About twenty to thirty people had arrived, all looking fierce and glaring at them with dissatisfaction.
A lieutenant yelled at him, "Don't you already know where we're going? Stop pretending! If you have something to say, say it. If not, let us pass."
"You're going to help these people fight the monsters from the north. Commander Lan, didn't you say those weapons were for breaking out? What's the meaning of giving them to these people now? There are still over a hundred thousand people in the city. Where have you placed their safety?"
"Beep—"
Chong Yan honked the horn for a long time, startling the arrogant person in front of the vehicle. He stuck his head out and cursed, "Why are you so full of yourself? If you're not convinced, fight me."
"You!"
"These people are from the south, and they're going to Central City. I'm entrusting them with bringing some things. It's for everyone's benefit. You people from the Ice Thunder Association should just mind your own business."
They had previously mentioned that the organization of ability users was called the Ice Thunder Association. The leader was an ice ability user and a thunder ability user, both with strong offensive capabilities. Besides them, there were over thirty more ability users of various types. Thirty-odd people could go against tens of thousands of soldiers, not only because they were ability users but also because they had many ordinary people with them.
Otherwise, they wouldn't be so bold.
"Such a big matter, why didn't you inform us? After all, our Ice Thunder Association is also a part of B City. Commander Lan, do you need help?"
"Then you all can come with us."
As the vehicles passed this group, Chong Yan gave the most arrogant person a middle finger.
That person gave him a fierce glare.
They hadn't traveled far before those people caught up.
Over a hundred people in vehicles drove through the dilapidated streets. The once prosperous urban area was now full of ruins. This place looked like a lost city. If they couldn't drive away the monsters and rebuild it, perhaps in a few more years, all traces of human existence would be gone.
The cars drove for nearly an hour before stopping in front of a pile of broken concrete. The "walls" on both sides stretched far and looked like they were artificially built. The buildings on that side were even more dilapidated. Just looking at those things, one could imagine what had happened not long ago.
They all got out of the cars.
Commander Lan said, "We can't get through here. There's an artificial lake ahead. It was dug and connected to the Liang River more than ten years ago. Now, the things in there have also come out. We can go that way to get across, but it's the same, it's blocked."
Chong Yan jumped and looked around, "There must be a bridge over the lake, right?"
The grizzled man's eyes widened, "You want to cross via the bridge?"
"Didn't you say the artificial lake and the Liang River are connected? Then going upstream means crossing the river, which is more or less the same. Let's go through here."
After he spoke, he prepared to climb over the pile of rubble and gravel. As soon as he moved, he suddenly felt something jump up and then fall down, followed by a loud splash of water.
Commander Lan looked at the world on the other side of the "wall" and said, "I'm afraid it won't be that easy to get through."
They climbed over the wall together and saw an artificial lake covering an area of over five square kilometers. A cross-shaped bridge was built over it. The ground around the lake was wet. Looking into the lake, it was not calm at all. As they got closer, they could see fish swimming around below.
Fish so large they couldn't see the end of them.
"Wow! Such big fish!"
As soon as he spoke, something else jumped out of the water and plummeted straight towards them. Its massive shadow loomed overhead. If it had landed on them, they would all have been smashed into the ground.
Chong Yan was already very accustomed to using weapons that didn't quite fit him. He drew his long sword and rushed out, his body instantly flying into the air. The long sword emitted a golden light and grew several times its size. With a few swift cuts, he sliced the fish, at least seven or eight meters long, into over a dozen pieces.
Although they were still quite large, they wouldn't kill anyone if they fell now.
The others had prepared to run away, but they hadn't expected him to act so quickly. The grizzled man's eyes were even wider. He couldn't help but wonder if he had misheard earlier.
This person wasn't from an ancient martial arts family, but a cultivator!
"Look, such big fish! Let's have grilled fish!"
Chong Yan excitedly returned to Zhu Ling's side, pointing at the fish pieces on the ground. "Let's have grilled fish."
"We just had lunch."
Zhu Ling said as she pinched his face, "Water splashed on your face."
Chong Yan touched his face and wiped off the water, saying, "Next time, I'll fly above it and cut it."
Zhu Ling turned to the others, "Let's go. It's easier to be attacked in the cars. We'll walk directly across."
Those who had been trembling in fear from the giant fish were now, besides surprise, filled with an unprecedented sense of security.
With these two powerful weapons leading the way, they instantly felt like those monsters were just food, not so terrifying.
A soldier said to Commander Lan, "Commander, we'll head off first. If you don't find it troublesome, you can wait for us to return before going back to H City together. There will be more people then, and it will be safer."
Commander Lan nodded reluctantly.
It wasn't safety in numbers, but safety with super experts.
Led by Zhu Ling and Chong Yan, their group calmly stepped onto the bridge. The people behind them, still tensely watching, hadn't moved yet.
They had only traveled about ten meters when a long tongue suddenly shot out from the water, extending towards Zhu Ling, who was at the front.
Chong Yan swung his long sword and instantly severed it.
Immediately after, over a dozen similar tongues flew out simultaneously, attacking them. Fish also leaped out, trying to knock them off with their tails. Zhu Ling waved her hand in mid-air, and the fish's body suddenly plummeted towards the lake and then directly floated on the water.
Its enormous body had become a dried fish.
The people by the lake watched in stunned silence.
The man who had whistled at Zhu Ling earlier now had legs so weak he almost fell to his knees.
He had thought she was just a woman who got ahead through her looks, but he never expected her to be so powerful. He remembered that if he had spoken disrespectfully, his fate might have been to become a dried corpse. He turned pale with fear.
"So annoying!" Chong Yan jumped up and chased the tongues with his sword, slashing at them. The others stayed tightly by Zhu Ling's side. At first, they were all worried about falling into the water and being instantly devoured by those giant fish.
However, gradually, they realized that nothing could get close to them.