When Jiang Kai woke up, he saw Old Hu tending to his wounds.
"Captain Kai, you're awake. You were pretty badly hurt… Nuannuan gave me some healing medicine she made before, and I used it to treat your wounds a bit," Hu Yan said as he finished up with Jiang Kai and then dragged Ruan Yu over.
Jiang Kai propped himself up with his left hand and leaned against a tree stump, "Did you take Liu Xuan's wristwatch?"
"Got it," Old Hu said, "I checked the records inside, and there are some notes documenting how he secretly hired assassins, attempting to ambush us while we lured the BOSS."
As he spoke, Hu Yan let out a cold laugh, "That Liu Xuan even prepared three different plans. The situation we encountered was actually the most normal one."
"Hmm? What about the other two plans?", Jiang Kai asked curiously.
"If we didn't complete the mission, whether we failed to lure the BOSS to the designated location or got killed by it, they planned to deliberately direct Light Domain Guild's members to create a tragic casualty scene and then frame us for it, and afterward come looking for trouble with us."
"If you were killed and they didn't get your wristwatch, assuming you'd immediately log in again, they had an ambush set up outside the main city too."
Jiang Kai squinted slightly and let out a cold snort, "Looks like they won't stop until I'm dead."
"But now, the evidence is in our hands. I want to see who ends up dead."
At this moment, the sound of artillery had already stopped outside the forest.
Ruan Yu turned over and opened her eyes as well.
With Hu Yan supporting the still-injured Jiang Kai and the dazed Ruan Yu, the three of them walked out of the forest together.
When the three arrived at the battlefield, they were instantly stunned by the scene before them.
The front of the safety zone was already a complete mess. A large portion of the distant forest had been blasted beyond recognition by artillery fire and was still billowing with thick black smoke.
In the war zone between humans and beasts, trees were toppled, the ground was riddled with cracks and craters, and bloodstains were everywhere.
In some places, massive earth spikes had emerged, thick vines were spread out, and there were visible signs of freezing and scorching.
Broken armor and weapons were scattered all over.
One could imagine that if the corpses of the dead didn't disappear, the battlefield would be littered with countless bodies…
The originally several million people gathered in the safety zone had now dwindled to less than a third.
Among the more than one million survivors, the vast majority were covered in wounds, their armor and weapons damaged, and every face was filled with exhaustion.
A large number of doctors were treating their injuries.
Jiang Kai couldn't help but stop in his tracks. He looked at the devastated battlefield and squinted slightly.
Su Lanlan had said that for this defense against the beast tide, the general had specifically ordered an increase in manpower. Yet even so, the defensive line in Zone 18 had still almost been breached.
People kept saying that pioneering new lands was becoming more and more difficult. Jiang Kai hadn't really felt it before, but now, he finally understood.
To occupy a new area, all the map BOSSes must be killed, and each time, it required paying such a heavy price.
In fifty days, Huaxia had occupied 98,000 square kilometers. Who knew how many such brutal battles had to be endured in the pioneering process?
And the development of Ghost Star was tied to Earth's survival.
On one hand, developing Ghost Star was getting harder and harder; on the other, the threat of the Beast God was growing ever stronger…
Jiang Kai suddenly understood what Wei Ying meant by that sentence back then: 'We don't have much time left!'
———
The three of them returned to the Lord God Guild stronghold. With Su Nuannuan's special medicine, Jiang Kai's injuries recovered quickly.
That very day came the news that the five major guilds had successfully killed the map BOSS, Dìzàng Great Emperor.
As the lowest-level map among the four, Zhu Lu Ridge's current development progress was also far ahead.
Only 4 king-level BOSSes remained, and one map BOSS left. According to military estimates, within about a year, they would consider occupying Zhu Lu Ridge.
However, due to the heavy casualties this time, to prevent beast ambushes, the safety zone remained in lockdown, entry was allowed, but no one could leave.
Jiang Kai assigned a green pass slot to Shen Yi, thinking he'd come online soon. After all, calling your ex-girlfriend "auntie" every day wasn't pleasant for anyone.
But who would've thought the guy still hadn't logged in.
On the seventh day, just as Jiang Kai's wounds had fully healed, he was preparing to take Hu Yan and Ruan Yu to the military stronghold.
However, before they even stepped out the door, seventy to eighty people suddenly rushed toward the Lord God Guild base and quickly surrounded the three of them.
Leading the group was a man with a War God Hall badge on his chest.
The others all bore the title of "Light Domain Guild" guild leader.
"It's Chen Chunsheng, guild leader of Light Domain Guild," Hu Yan whispered behind Jiang Kai.
So it was Light Domain Guild's leader. Jiang Kai let out a cold laugh, "What, Guild Leader Chen, do you have business with me?"
"Cut the crap!", Chen Chunsheng shouted, "Hand over the thing!"
"What thing?", Jiang Kai looked at Chen Chunsheng with a half-smile.
"Don't play dumb with me," Chen Chunsheng's eyes widened with rage, "Liu Xuan's wristwatch!"
Jiang Kai smiled faintly, "Regiment Commander Liu's wristwatch, why aren't you asking him for it? Why ask me?"
"Looks like Guild Leader Chen knew Liu Xuan was lying in ambush for us in the forest."
Chen Chunsheng's eyelids twitched. He spoke coldly, "Jiang Kai, let's not beat around the bush. As long as you give me the item, I'll let bygones be bygones. From now on, you walk your sunshine road, I'll walk my single-plank bridge, we'll stay out of each other's way."
"But if you dare hand that thing to the military, sorry, I'll say it now: none of your Lord God people will ever leave Zone 18 alive again!"
"I suppose you know the background of the Black Tortoise Guild, right? You've got backing, sure, but do your subordinates have the same backing as you?"
Jiang Kai raised his eyes and looked at Chen Chunsheng coldly, "You dare touch my people!"
Chen Chunsheng didn't flinch at all. He said coldly, "So what if I do? I advise you not to be ignorant of what's good for you. Give me the watch, and I'll pretend none of this ever happened!"
Jiang Kai couldn't help but laugh.
"You ambushed me during the beast tide defense and now act like you're doing me a favor, saying it never happened? I've seen shameless people before, but never one as shameless as you."
"Chen Chunsheng, I'm telling you, if you want the watch, not a chance. Once I hand it to the military, even your War God status might be in jeopardy, and you're still here threatening your grandpa?"
A murderous glint already appeared in Chen Chunsheng's eyes.
This brat Jiang Kai clearly doesn't respond to force.
The problem is, based on his personality, he might really go through with it.
By now, Chen Chunsheng realized that using force on Jiang Kai would only provoke stronger resistance.
After a moment, Chen Chunsheng suddenly spoke, "It was He Shishi who ordered your assassination. Our Light Domain Guild was just following orders. But even if you hand the watch over, it won't harm Black Tortoise or He Shishi in any way."
Jiang Kai snorted coldly, "Thanks for the reminder… But aren't you working for Black Tortoise too? Taking out Light Domain Guild is the only way to truly drive Black Tortoise out of Jiangzhong City."
Chen Chunsheng quickly said, "I can resign as guild leader and take all my men with me, hand over Light Domain Guild to someone unconnected to Black Tortoise. Also, you want to take on Black Tortoise? I'll give you a chance, but you must give me the watch."
Jiang Kai looked Chen Chunsheng up and down again.
Chen Chunsheng was extremely desperate for the watch, so much so that he was willing to betray Black Tortoise.
He did come from Black Tortoise, yes, but if the watch is handed over, the evidence inside would only prove that Light Domain Guild started internal strife, not that He Shishi was involved.
By then, the punished party would be Light Domain Guild, not Black Tortoise Guild.
And personally, it would be Chen Chunsheng taking the fall.
In other words, Chen Chunsheng wanted the watch more for self-preservation than for Black Tortoise.
Jiang Kai sneered, "Talking like this from the start, maybe there would've been some room to negotiate… Fine then, let's hear what kind of 'chance' you're offering."
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