Getting Stronger By Fighting

It exploded!

It exploded!

It damn well just exploded without a word!

Without a shred of hesitation or any precaution, like a balloon, it just blew up.

No need to ask, no need to say more. Just by observing the Sun in the distance—evenly bright, constantly radiating its light and heat upon the ground—one could sense the danger and energy condensed within. For now, however, a protective membrane shielded it, keeping its devastation from the world.

Thus, the moment Wang Zhan yelled, all hearts clenched in fear, their souls unconsciously throbbing, brows involuntarily furrowed.

"Run! Run! Run!"

Time waits for no one, and Wang Zhan had no time to waste. He didn't even bother to chat or reconnect deeply with that woman, Yuan Mengru. Instead, he swept her into his arms—his clone, that is. Then, he swiftly departed the scene, like a bird gliding freely.

However, compared to the clone's hurried escape, the main body was the true source of fear, unease, and terror. This wasn't a joke; people could actually die.

But in truth, Wang Zhan didn't need to say much. By the time the Beast Nest truly exploded, all the beasts panicked as if they had lost their souls. They turned and fled, a panicked, chaotic rout. Though no grass or paths existed, their flight churned the earth into trails of yellow mud. Some tracks resembled round pits, others large plum blossom imprints, or deep, bottomless holes; some even held staggered traces of water from unknown sources, emitting a fishy stench.

They even forgot to resist—or perhaps dared not—trampling their companions' bodies, their minds blank, concerned only with desperately escaping in droves.

Who the hell knew if provoking these madmen of the Human Race would mean being dragged down with them?

However, deep in the hearts of the many beasts, a more critical reason spurred their flight. If the Beast Nest is destroyed, their life imprints will vanish. This means they'll have no second chance; once dead, they are destined to become mere dust in the history of the Beast Clan. The Beast Nest's insane self-destruct attack wouldn't spare their fragile flesh; it wouldn't mind wiping them out along with the humans. After all, who would care about one or two missing, when a typical birth yielded forty or fifty offspring?

But their disregard for the humans, their deliberate avoidance, inadvertently turned Wang Zhan and his group into a neglected—or rather, avoided—pocket of safety.

Therefore, as Wang Zhan roared, the surviving warriors—their minds dull, barely clinging to life—unhesitatingly followed his lead. They desperately moved alongside the beast groups. It was as if two factions, who normally wouldn't dare interfere with each other, were now like two swarms of equally weak ants, terrified and struggling to survive another day.

Humans and beasts mingled in an unusually harmonious chaos—what a sight, a veritable 'Humans and Beasts Fleeing Together' masterpiece.

「...」

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Just moments ago, Su Tao had nearly been scared to death, an overwhelming panic seeping into his very core. He had bolted, running for his life. Fortunately, Yang Qi, who could run on air, was beside him. Yang Qi grabbed him, preventing Su Tao from becoming the first reporter in history to fall from the sky mid-battle and be crushed to death by his own considerable bulk.

"What are you doing?! My Essence Energy is almost depleted! I'm trying to escape, you know!" Yang Qi was frantic. He was just a Grandmaster, not some inexhaustible powerhouse. He lacked the ability to carry Su Tao indefinitely, yet the reporter stubbornly, and dangerously, began to struggle again.

Su Tao cursed, "You weakling! Isn't it just elixirs? I have plenty! Here, take them, no need to pay me back! Now hurry up and put me down! You're such a weakling, even worse than Wang Zhan!"

As he spoke, a bottle of Mixed Essence Pills indeed appeared in his hand. Even now, clutching his camera while being dangled by Yang Qi, he cut a rather comical figure.

Yang Qi was stunned for a moment, then erupted in helpless fury. "Damn you! I'm a weakling? I'm worse than Wang Zhan?!"

"Crud! So what if I'm worse? If you've got the guts, go compete with that kid! Say one more word, and I swear I'll throw you down to the beast groups!"

Su Tao wasn't one to be easily intimidated. "What the hell do you know?! Hurry, get me onto your shoulder! I need to take pictures! I need to take pictures! This scene below will go down in history! Do you know what that means? It means countless money, a boundless future, and endless women! You don't understand a thing, yet you still argue with me? If Wang Zhan finds out he lost over ten billion because you wouldn't cooperate…"

He even invoked Wang Zhan, trying to pressure Yang Qi.

But he wasn't lying about some things. If he could capture the scene below, turning it into images or a recording, then, without a doubt, he—the only lowly reporter who dared enter the core area of the battlefield—would become famous.

A jolt went through Yang Qi. Right, this concerns Wang Zhan's interests! That kid would fight to the death over something like this!

Immediately, without a second thought, he heaved Su Tao onto his shoulder. Standing in mid-air, he said nothing more and just focused on fleeing.

Actually, they were only a tiny bit faster than Wang Zhan. This was mainly because that madman Su Tao had actually poked Yang Qi in the rear a few times, then, like one possessed, began to tremble violently as he faced the unfolding chaos behind them.

It almost scared the piss out of Yang Qi. Then, hearing Wang Zhan's furious shout to run, who wouldn't flee without looking back? Anyone could be a bit slow-witted, but the desire to live was a universal one.

And so, Su Tao was satisfied. Despite nearly throwing up his dinner from Yang Qi's rough handling earlier, and his hands trembling so much he almost dropped his equipment, he didn't care. What mattered was the footage recorded and stored inside his device. A smirk spread across his face, growing more pronounced and... somewhat unsettling.

"I'm rich! I'm rich! Wang Zhan, you're my personal God of Wealth! Hahaha! Don't worry, when I get out, I'll definitely give you that ten billion. As for the rest... I'll reluctantly enjoy it on your behalf! Hahahaha…"

"Hmph, I'll inform the Young Master..." an eerie voice suddenly interjected. It wasn't clear if he meant the Yang family's young master or the Wang family's young master, but it undoubtedly made Su Tao's face stiffen.

Su Tao's demeanor instantly changed, his face all smiles and amiability. "Hey, Yang Qi, there's no future in following Wang Zhan. How about this: you follow me, and I'll give you one billion when we get out. What do you say?"

Su Tao felt his heart bleed—One billion, then another one billion! What kind of crazy world is this? Just to bribe a junior Grandmaster errand boy, he's worth that much? That's enough money to advance to Grandmaster...

Yang Qi scoffed, "Hmph, one billion? You're looking down on me. The Young Master has fed me Sky-grade Elixirs. Have you ever seen me care about money?"

He genuinely didn't care, alright? It wasn't like he could pay it back anyway... Not only was Su Tao driven to tears by his attitude, but Yang Qi himself was about to be driven to tears by Su Tao. They were just mutually tormenting each other.

Meeting Wang Zhan ruins your life; you end up selling your skills and your very soul, never a moment's peace! Yang Qi lamented internally.

He then said fiercely to Su Tao, "Besides, I'm loyal to the Young Master! Never mind one billion; even if you offered ten billion, I wouldn't budge!"

It's Wang Zhan's, all Wang Zhan's, everything is Wang Zhan's! What does it have to do with me?! Argh! Thinking this, Yang Qi felt increasingly aggrieved. Why? Why did Su Tao, a mere Martial General, not have to sell himself, while he, a Grandmaster, had to? Did he think he was doing him a favor? He didn't need that kind of favor!

Su Tao tried to console him, "Sky-grade Elixir my ass! How could that kid have any Sky-grade Elixirs? How about this, I'll test him for you later. Maybe a Mixed Essence Pill is all it takes to buy your freedom."

Yang Qi looked at him as if he were an idiot. You really are an idiot. Who is Wang Zhan… *Sob sob*, I don't know him.

"I hear the Young Master's mental energy is very strong," Yang Qi said. "What do you think will happen if he finds out you're badmouthing him behind his back?"

Sure enough, Su Tao's heart tightened. Peeking through his lens, he saw Wang Zhan, as if by telepathy, turn his gaze towards him. Su Tao's heart immediately trembled.

"What are you looking at? What are you looking at? Get lost and run your own race!"

「...」

"Wang Zhan?"

Yuan Mengru was stunned. The indistinct figure in front of her was nearly identical to Wang Zhan. Did this mean the madman who went on a killing spree in the wilderness battlefield earlier tonight was Wang Zhan himself?

The clone, possessing limited awareness, didn't respond. He was solely focused on running while carrying Yuan Mengru in a bridal hold.

"Wang Zhan?" Yuan Mengru asked softly, probing.

The figure's expression remained unchanged, as numb as a machine.

However, after just a few breaths, a flat, detached voice suddenly spoke. "Hello, classmate. I am Wang Zhan's father. May I ask, what is your relationship with my son, Wang Zhan?"

Yuan Mengru's body trembled slightly. She almost struggled in surprise, her face suddenly flushing crimson. "No... none at all..."

But she wasn't a fool; she wouldn't blindly believe whatever this figure said. The main thing was his uncanny resemblance to Wang Zhan, which was deeply unsettling. His features were strikingly identical.

Could it be Wang Yidao, Wang Zhan's father, renowned throughout the Federation? But that didn't make sense. Who ever heard of a son being a spitting image of his father, and looking just as young, with almost no difference at all?

As she pondered, she secretly glanced at the figure's appearance, trying to find traces of Wang Zhan in this somewhat ethereal form.

Her next words, however, nearly frightened the clone to death.

"Wang Zhan, I like you!"

BOOM! It was like Mars crashing into Earth; the sudden confession nearly shook Wang Zhan's clone to pieces.

Yuan Mengru's face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. Yet, looking for all the world like a shy young girl, she obediently buried her head in Wang Zhan's chest.

"I... I knew I wasn't mistaken."

Was that a confession just now? He won't reject me, will he? This is so embarrassing. If he tries to kiss me, what should I do? Refuse? Or accept? I'm clueless about relationships! Online now, waiting for advice! So urgent...