World Version Updates

Night, in the abandoned town outside Gathering Point Thirteen.

Moonlight pierced the cracks in the surface, cascading like silver threads into the ancient underground castle within this small town.

A suffocating oppressiveness permeated the damp air, while the moss climbing the stone walls emitted an eerie phosphorescence, casting the entire space into increasingly sinister shadows. Forty-six figures in black robes stood silently in the circular hall, their presence seemingly severing this area from the outside world.

Beneath the dome, the candle flames flickered in the cold air, the flickering light and shadow elongating the silhouette of each black-robed figure, with a heavy and oppressive aura permeating the air.

Finally, a transcendent on the high platform broke the prevailing silence, and a deep voice slowly echoed.

"I have convened this meeting today to discuss strategies against Him. If anyone has suggestions, feel free to speak up."

As soon as the transcendent uttered the words "Him," the atmosphere in the air began to shift.

The crowd began to stir because of those two words, with whispers arising among them.

"Pfft! We don't even dare to say his name out loud and can only refer to him as Him, yet we still dare to discuss countermeasures?"

"Discuss? What's there to discuss! Even if we all band together, we're no match for the Yin Soldiers army; we might as well surrender directly."

"If I had known this day would come, I wouldn't have gotten involved in that matter initially."

"Exactly! If it weren't for Him coming back, I would still be ruling Gathering Point Fifty-One as a tyrant king.

Now, as the top expert of Gathering Point Fifty-One, I'm like a sewer rat scurrying around."

"I must have been deluded at the time, fighting over some illusory cultivation technique from the Underworld. The more I think about it, the more wrong all of this seems."

"Could someone have been secretly using this matter to frame us?"

"I've never heard of any expert in any gathering point having an extraordinary ability to meddle with perceptions on a large scale. However, I've vaguely heard that the Underworld might have such methods."

Amidst the chaotic discussions, some were eager to surrender quickly, some were waiting to be butchered, some suggested capturing the culprit to save themselves, and others proposed fleeing to the other side of the ocean to eke out a living...

Some suggestions were mere vents of dissatisfaction, but a portion was seriously contemplating the feasibility of these ideas.

But no one thought of striking against Lu Yan directly, facing the terrifying army of the Underworld.

Amid the discussions, eight transcendents on the high platform, who had remained silent from the start, finally took action.

One among them, a tall, black-robed transcendent, stepped forward.

"Silence!"

His voice thundered through the underground castle, the simple two words seeming to carry a soul-crushing pressure that silenced all discussions.

Though wearing a black robe, the moment he spoke, everyone knew the identity of this black-robed transcendent.

The nine-tier transcendent, known as Zhao Hongzhong, the Thunder God.

Zhao Hongzhong, controlling the Thunderous Extraordinary Ability, once faced off against a nine-tier Corpse King and several eight-tier Corpse Kings without falling behind, making him a top fighter even among nine-tier transcendents.

Lightning seemed to burst from Zhao Hongzhong's gaze, brightening the dark basement instantly.

Zhao Hongzhong, with a cold glance sweeping over everyone present, spoke in a deep voice:

"We have invited you all here to face the Underworld Envoy. Please refrain from those dispiriting remarks to avoid affecting morale."

Though Zhao Hongzhong's strength was formidable, some still would not acquiesce.

Someone in the crowd boldly spoke:

"Zhao Leigong, I respect you as a protector, but do you truly believe that just by standing here and discussing, we can find a way to confront the Underworld Envoy?

In the apocalypse, strength is what matters. Even if we all attack together, there's no way we can resist the army of the Underworld.

Instead of discussing these pointless topics, wouldn't it be better to find a way to escape the Underworld Envoy's pursuit?

According to reliable sources, he has been missing for ten days now, and based on the route, he's already moving towards Gathering Point Thirteen."

His words immediately drew a chorus of support.

"Indeed, we can't beat the army of the Underworld, so what's the point of talking more?"

"If you really want to resist the Underworld Envoy, at least provide a plan."

"Do you really intend to do it head-on? Zhao Leigong wouldn't plan to use us as cannon fodder, would he!"

Zhao Hongzhong's face turned an iron blue.

Under normal circumstances, there would be a vast difference between eight-tier and nine-tier transcendents, with a few not even reaching nine-tier transcendents daring to defy him lightly.

But as Lu Yan continued to hunt down his former pursuers, resulting in dozens of high-tier transcendents falling to the army of Yin Soldiers, the remaining became like grasshoppers on the same rope.

In the face of a life-and-death crisis, few would still care about status differences.

Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, another nine-tier transcendent, Gu Yan, stepped forward.

"Since we've convened this meeting, it shows that we already have a way to deal with the Underworld Envoy, so everyone please calm down."

With this statement, the crowd erupted in astonishment.

Someone immediately impatiently asked, "What method?"

Gu Yan replied confidently:

"The Underworld Envoy is strongest in commanding the Underworld army, with thousands of Yin Soldiers in formation even a nine-tier transcendent can only submit.

But this also exposes a fatal weakness of the Underworld Envoy, which is that his personal strength isn't strong; otherwise, he wouldn't have been relentlessly pursued by various forces at the start."

"According to verified information, the Underworld Envoy's rank only barely reaches a five-tier transcendent. Anyone here in a one-on-one scenario would have the opportunity to kill him.

So we just need to divide a portion of people to hold off the Underworld army, while the others break through the battle array to kill the Underworld Envoy.

At that point, without the control of the Underworld Envoy, the Underworld army would be like a rootless duckweed, and we need not worry about being besieged anymore."

After Gu Yan's words, the underground castle first fell silent, but soon there was a burst of derisive laughter.

"I thought it was some plan, but it turns out to be the same old decapitation scheme."

"Back at Settlement Thirty-two, they also tried the decapitation plan against the Underworld Envoy. Two ninth-tier Transcendent and twenty-one experts above the fifth tier couldn't even touch the Envoy's shadow."

"The Underworld Envoy seems to possess some sort of spatial technique, so let's not bring up such foolish plans."

Zhao Hongzhong folded his arms across his chest and spoke with a cold snort:

"We have eight ninth-tier Transcendent here, thirty-eight Transcendent above the fifth tier. As long as someone can hold off the Underworld army, killing the Underworld Envoy is a piece of cake.

Moreover, we have reinforcements this time."

Everyone's expressions were filled with doubt and suspicion.

"Reinforcements, what reinforcements?"

"Under such circumstances, who would dare to strike against the Underworld Envoy?"

The other Gu Yan smiled mysteriously:

"In such circumstances, naturally no one dares to strike, but I never said it was humans."

As his words fell, the shadows of the underground castle started to solidify, and in an instant transformed into a figure elegantly dressed in a tuxedo.

If one were to overlook the other's pale flesh, everyone present would likely believe this was a noble of high birth.

A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, sharp teeth gleamed with a bloodthirsty intent under the candlelight.

"Good evening, everyone."

"Corp... King?" Someone in the crowd muttered in shock and doubt.

Zhao Hongzhong pointed to the Corpse King in tuxedo with a smile and said:

"That's right, this Shadow Corpse King is our reinforcement in hunting down the Underworld Envoy.

Aside from the Shadow Corpse King, several powerful Corpse Kings leading armies have long been lying in ambush. With just a command, hundreds of thousands of zombie soldiers along with the Corpse Kings can hold off the Underworld Yin Soldiers, while all we need to do is kill the Underworld Envoy."

"Six ninth-tier Transcendent, forty Transcendent above the fifth tier taking action, even if he has powerful cards, he won't escape death!"

These words caused an uproar in the underground castle.

There were expressions of surprise but many Transcendent looked angry, rebuking:

"To think you're the leader of Settlement Thirteen and you'd collude with the Corpse King!"

"My parents were killed by zombies; even if I die, I cannot cooperate with zombies!"

"Zhao Hongzhong, you're a madman. Those who conspire with tigers will never meet a good end!"

The Shadow Corpse King smiled warmly and said:

"The means of revenge from the Underworld Envoy against you is ruthless, but his methods of killing our zombie race are even more brutal, exterminating cities and species at the drop of a hat.

Joining forces with you is merely for self-preservation, there is no difference between us.

Collaborating to kill the Underworld Envoy allows you to remain rulers of settlements, and we can eliminate the major threat of the Underworld Envoy; isn't this a win-win situation?"

Though the Shadow Corpse King's words were lofty, some Transcendent below felt a chilling sensation from the heart.

After thirteen years of apocalypse, the conflict between zombies and humans had reached an irreconcilable level, and they wouldn't believe the words of a Corpse King.

"I won't get involved in this matter, I choose to exit!"

"I'm withdrawing from this meeting."

Immediately, some Transcendent announced their withdrawal, and it was at this moment that Zhao Hongzhong sneered coldly:

"Thinking of leaving now, it's too late!"

"I've secretly disseminated tonight's meeting details to the Underworld Envoy through channels, according to timing he should be nearing this underground castle.

Your only option is to rise up and resist, otherwise, there is only one path left—death!"

Many Transcendent showed anger, finally realizing that today's meeting was a trap set by several ninth-tier Transcendent and Corpse Kings.

The moment they entered the underground castle, there was no turning back.

At this point, a sixth-tier Transcendent fiercely tore off the black robe from his body and stomped on it.

"Bah!"

"Even in death, I, Liu Hao, will not be complicit with you traitorous villains!"

Liu Hao's words immediately inflamed the emotions of the many Transcendent present, causing the originally stabilized situation to become turbulent once more.

The Shadow Corpse King gazed meaningfully at Zhao Hongzhong: "Mr. Zhao Hongzhong, it seems your control over the situation isn't as good as you claimed."

Zhao Hongzhong's face transformed, glared at Liu Hao: "You're courting death!"

Taking a step forward, Zhao Hongzhong's body launched like a thunderbolt, crashing toward Liu Hao, thunder breaking Liu Hao's surrounding Extraordinary Power instantaneously, then grabbed Liu Hao's neck.

Facing Zhao Hongzhong, a ninth-tier Transcendent, Liu Hao had no ability to resist and was lifted into the air.

"I've already given you the chance to live, and since you refuse to cherish it, prepare to die!"

As his words fell, Zhao Hongzhong exerted his fingers intending to crush Liu Hao's neck.

At that moment, an invisible blade swept through the underground fortress; Liu Hao fell from mid-air onto the ground, and along with him Zhao Hongzhong's hand also dropped.

Zhao Hongzhong's hand, which had been grasping Liu Hao's neck, silently severed, its wrist cut like a mirror surface.

"I never thought changing my identity would allow me to witness such an interesting play."

From the high platform, the cloaked figure who had remained silent removed his hood, revealing Lu Yan beneath the cloak.