Chapter 607: Chapter 593: Putting Interests First
"This is the Insect Realm..."
In the night sky, Chen Feng stood beside the Insect Realm. At this moment, his gaze was incredibly profound, as if he had already pierced through the world’s depths, a hint of gloom appeared on his face.
Subduing Su Tan signifies that the Gorge Gate no longer has voices of opposition; all forces have aggregated together. It took only three days, and within a thirty-mile radius, ordinary people had disappeared, replaced by a chilling ensemble of bones!
The Undead Mage cast a large-scale Transformation Skill. Now, within a thirty-mile radius, there are at least tens of thousands of Skeleton Warriors. They stood silently on the ground, like buried terracotta warriors, without any unnecessary movements, yet as soon as there was any disturbance, they would transform into the most terrifying executioners, using bones to pierce their prey’s bodies!
Compared to humans, these fearless Skeleton Warriors are undoubtedly the best defensive fortifications. Although their individual strength is not high, they can effectively guard against lower-tier insects.
"The thousand-mile dike is destroyed by the ant’s nest."
Sometimes, the most terrifying threat isn’t the High-tier Insects. Their size is immense, appearance bizarre, and often, they’re recognized at first sight, then quickly assembled against and slain.
Those lower-tier insects seem weak, but their numbers can reach tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands. Once they invade a city, whether fields or buildings, it spells catastrophic damage!
The numbers of these Skeleton Warriors are far from adequate. Chen Feng’s thought is to fully resurrect the buried bones in this city. Then, with millions of Skeleton Warriors surrounding the Insect Realm, unless a legendary Insect Emperor arrives, even Golden Insects won’t breach the defenses to enter human habitation!
Laid to rest?
This is just old thinking from the past. "Under a fallen nest, no eggs remain unscathed." Once a city is breached, the land gets slowly corroded by insects; bones will soften under poison, becoming nutrients for the insects!
In the face of major trends, no one can stop it. Even a Golden-tier powerhouse before Chen Feng is no more than a mantis trying to halt a cart; it will shatter completely with just a touch!
Reviving the Skeleton Warriors is one of the most vital decisions before us.
But speaking of millions, many buried are incomplete skeletal remains. The Undead Mage will cast spells, causing mutual consumption, then emerge with complete bodies. Calculated, managing even three hundred thousand Skeleton Warriors is already the limit!
Actually, a step above Skeleton Warriors are zombies, but they possess decaying bodies that will spread disease around. A few hundred aren’t much problem, but once they exceed a thousand, it’s highly likely to cause an epidemic. Thus, Chen Feng abandoned transforming zombies and ordered the full transformation into common skeletons!
People have different classes.
Skeletons also have varying talents.
Now, ten silver-colored skeletons stood at the front. Their hollow eyes flickered with eerie Soul Fire; in mutual devouring, these ten skeletons consumed copious Soul Fire and advanced to Silver Tier. They command the rest of the skeletons, akin to a giant cauldron, becoming this city’s Guardians.
"The lord is simply ingenious to use these skeletons to defend the Gorge Gate!" Beside him, Lin Tianxiu gazed at the Skeleton Warriors, marveling, yet his eyes held some apprehension.
"However, these skeletons are still Undead Creatures. What if the sudden smell of humans drives them mad? It’ll likely cause casualties."
Compared to Su Tan, Lin Tianxiu bore a belief shackle in his heart. Now, he had wholly submitted under Chen Feng’s banner.
"No need to worry. See those few Mutated Skeletons? They’re the commanders of these skeletons. With them around, no rebellion will occur among the others. Also, their intelligence isn’t static; as long as they consume some intelligent life, they can develop intellect. Though not reaching humans, they can understand ordinary commands; wield the staff, and they will obey you."
The staff is akin to the Tiger Talisman left by the Undead Mage; control the staff, and you control the skeletons.
"Mutated Skeletons suppress ordinary bones, while you control the Silver Skeletons—layer upon layer of suppression ensures absolutely no accidents!"
"Lord..."
Lin Tianxiu was startled. He hadn’t anticipated Chen Feng would trust him with controlling this Undead Army. Momentarily, he was astounded, not knowing what to say.
"Alright, although I’ve placed a shackle in your heart, it’s fundamentally not a drawback to you. As long as you remain loyal to me, that belief is not only harmless, it could even aid you in reaching further, even unto a completely new realm!"
This was not baseless talk from Chen Feng.
He wielded Power of Faith cherished even by Evil Gods. Currently, as a Golden Tier, he’s unable to harness this energy—like a child wielding a hefty golden-backed machete, it’s sharp but unusable.
Yet, once he steps into the legendary, Chen Feng can naturally call upon this energy. Then, if Lin Tianxiu prays loyally, he can gift refined energy to him, greatly enhancing his chance of reaching the legendary tier!
It relies on whether Lin Tianxiu seizes this opportunity. If he remains faithful in serving Chen Feng, why not grant him an extraordinary chance?
That’s right!
For Chen Feng, his greatest wealth right now is not the Summoning Skill, not the Blood Sacrifice, and certainly not the Demon Transformation. As for the Sub-divine Artifact, it can only be counted as half, while the true treasure is the Power of Faith within him that cannot be harnessed.
Faith.
This is the keyword to becoming a deity.
From Bronze to Gold, no matter how strong, it’s still just a mortal body. But once one steps into the legendary realm, they will grasp the Power of Rules, and by then can naturally wield faith to strengthen their soul, even transform it into pure energy for easy absorption!
"Those who haven’t reached the legendary realm are all ants."
Chen Feng sighed silently in his heart.
"My lord, you said this Skeleton could advance simply by devouring intelligent beings, but I’m unsure, is it better to use professionals, or... will ordinary bodies suffice?"
Lin Tianxiu asked Chen Feng with a somber face.
What Chen Feng valued in Lin Tianxiu was his ruthless spirit, which grasped the key point from the wording and then inquired directly.
"Professionals are too wasteful, ordinary living beings will suffice. Just after the law was issued at the Gorge Gate, following the ’killing chickens to warn monkeys,’ even the most vicious characters have become sheep. In my urgency, there’s naturally a mix of opportunists among them. Under the law, they abide by the rules without any ill intent, but humans act under heaven’s watch..."
"You’ve been here long enough to know some of the wolf-like types, those who commit heinous crimes are unforgivable. They’ve lived long enough already, time for the Skeleton to perform a rite; use these people’s blood to console the souls of innocents."
"Remember, make sure the operation is covert."
Lin Tianxiu lowered his head, eyes glinting with red light: "Rest assured, my lord, I will naturally ensure that this is flawlessly done..."
A character so ruthless that he could kill all his confidants for self-preservation, how would he care about the lives of some evildoers? At first, he feared Chen Feng was merely a righteous moralist.
After all, since Chen Feng took power, he issued many benevolent policies, even re-employing ordinary people with rich work experience, promoting them to professionals’ superiors. As a new human, Lin Tianxiu didn’t understand how ordinary people, powerless against monsters, could manage such work?
Back then, Lin Tianxiu instinctively saw Chen Feng as an idealist pursuing justice, but the subsequent series of changes led him to reevaluate his view.
Ordinary people rose to power, new laws were promulgated, and professionals, accustomed to throwing their weight around, naturally couldn’t adapt, even forming alliances to protest these orders. And the result? Thunderous storms, anyone daring to resist was met with one word: kill!
Kill until submission!
Kill until obedience!
Dozens of powerful professionals were hanged in the square, even at this moment, some corpses were left exposed on flagpoles for public display.
And now, digging up graves, making all the bones into Skeletons, and even having live Priests teach them wisdom; such means are so chilling that even Lin Tianxiu dared not speculate further about him.
"One general succeeds from the bones of thousands; he is truly a formidable figure. All these actions are not for others but entirely driven by self-interest. I feel that even the benevolent policies toward ordinary people are part of his plans."
Lin Tianxiu was indeed a human genius; in his seventies, after becoming a Golden Tier powerhouse, he not only did not experience typical old age decay but his mind seemed rejuvenated. Energy granted him youthful vigor while also imbuing him with decades of insightful experience, allowing him to pinpoint the essence.
Of course, Chen Feng valued this aspect of him.
"Buzz buzz..."
While the two were conversing, distant cracks suddenly emitted some hissing sounds, promptly, some repulsive figures descended onto the ground.
"This... is the insect swarm back?" Lin Tianxiu stood aside, unable to conceal his surprise; after all, the insect swarm was just beaten back, if another hundred thousand came charging, it would be downright despairing.
"Don’t worry, it’s like an aftershock. This crack is only a tenth of the previous one; it won’t be long before it closes off."
Chen Feng waved his hand: "This crack has already merged with this city and won’t disappear, like an unhealed wound on the body; even if bandaged, without healing ability, it will still bleed. It is a disaster, yet also a human opportunity. These insects will provide the desperately needed food, the Insect Realm has been around for many years, the protein and energy within far exceed the nutritional value of ordinary beef by tenfold. Consuming sufficient meat might even give a chance at awakening successfully. My aim is to use war to sustain war; these insects see this land as an invasion target, but I, on the other hand, see them as delicious prey."
