Generational Change

"How is it? Did the operation in Northern Myanmar go smoothly?"

In Yanjing, East Xia, within a completely sealed underground facility, countless computers ran without pause, continuously archiving all manner of data and footage in multiple forms.

Yet that information always vanished in ways human scientists could not comprehend.

This Southern Heavenly Gate Project headquarters had gathered researchers from many of East Xia’s top universities, along with leading experts from every field.

The man leading them was a middle-aged man currently dressed in a casual Tang-style shirt.

His name was Zhong Tianming. He was nearing fifty, but his temples were meticulously groomed, and he carried an imposing air without needing to show anger.

Operators throughout the facility did not even raise their heads as information continuously flowed into the supercomputer known as Heavenly Palace, then was distributed to leaders at every level according to clearance and need.

The woman holding a tablet and wearing translucent special optical glasses was dressed in military uniform. Her expression was cold, and she radiated an iron-blooded aura. She was Yan Qiu, the highest-ranking person in charge of the Azure Dragon Department and the primary commander of the Northern Myanmar operation.

"Of the target intelligence modules we established before the operation based on internal information, two have now been confirmed to have turned blank."

"In other words, even if that information has been eradicated, we have reason to believe the operation has made some progress."

"Tianjie contacted headquarters seven minutes ago and requested the addition of an Ability User capable of dealing with Yin spirits and cursed spirits. We have therefore created a new blank file for this case, codenamed Yin Ghost. We currently have no further information on the target. It has been provisionally designated a dangerous-level target."

Humanity would never submit to the unknown, even if information could be completely erased.

A blank record was itself a record.

Before the operation began, the people of the Southern Heavenly Gate Project had deliberately sorted and categorized the target information sent back by Miss Hongye. Every file had been framed and archived, with an individual code name and filing cabinet.

As Yan Qiu spoke, Zhong Tianming rose and walked to the row of white electronic filing cabinets, numbered from 001 to 372.

These were the records of Ability Users whose information had been verified and collected by the East Xia government so far.

He raised his head. Cabinet 001 was clearly labeled Song Xian, while the last one was the newly added Yin Ghost.

Files completely trusted, like Song Xian’s, emitted a gentle green glow. Yin Ghost’s emitted a yellow glow. Above those were the high-ranking targets shining red, as well as file 177—the Great Sun of Finality file sealed inside a black cabinet.

Yet several electronic filing cabinets before Yin Ghost had become blankly luminous, and aside from their numerical labels, their code names and titles had vanished.

Other than those Ability Users, no ordinary person could remember what had once been recorded in those cabinets.

This was Cognitive Interference…

Zhong Tianming was both worried and curious about this unknown ability. He came from a high-tech background, yet no country in the world possessed research like this.

This was technology that completely surpassed existing human civilization.

He vaguely sensed that a new era had arrived without a sound.

Yan Qiu did not share Zhong Tianming’s sentiment. She was as cold as a machine. Even though dozens of elite soldiers she had personally trained had already been lost since the operation began, she seemed to feel nothing.

She merely waited indifferently for more archives to be emptied.

Unlike Zhong Tianming’s open and accepting attitude, Yan Qiu disliked Ability Users. Even Song Xian, the first to stand on their side, was an unstable factor in her eyes.

The only thing she wanted to see was every archive cabinet along the wall emptied.

As a human, eradicating those incomprehensible monsters through humanity’s own methods was the pursuit she would devote the rest of her life to.

Cruel images flashed through Yan Qiu’s mind.

"Report to South Heaven Gate. A South Pacific patrol ship has detected unusual footage. Transferring it now…"

Yan Qiu projected the footage onto the large screen. The next moment, everyone from Zhong Tianming to the operators looked up. On the enormous display, a massive steel giant swept its hands through the air, and several fighter jets exploded midair. Then it lifted a warship and hurled it across the distance at the Free Federation’s most famous aircraft carrier.

A silent chain explosion followed in the footage. Countless shells were poured onto the steel giant by other warships and fighter jets, but they had no effect whatsoever.

"Eureka Striker. That’s something from that movie…"

Zhong Tianming was willing to accept new things. He had seen Pacific Rim, so he recognized the origin of the gigantic Mecha.

At this moment, the secret information those Ability Users could not directly tell them had also been confirmed. The source of those people’s powers was perhaps now clear.

But at this moment, that was not the most important thing. The most important thing was…

They were witnessing the decline of a hegemon.

The destruction of the most powerful aircraft carrier symbolizing the Free Federation’s global dominance might also symbolize that power over this planet was about to change hands.

Looking at the colossal robot and the land left unscathed after the nuclear explosion, Zhong Tianming could not help having that thought.

Before the fist arrived, electric current had already surged through the air toward Qilin Temple.

But he had maintained a magical barrier around himself at all times. The current struck the barrier and scattered in every direction.

The next moment, the violent fist smashed through the barrier with a thunderous crash. The force was like a bomb exploding directly in front of him.

Qilin Temple had no time to consider why Mercenary Tao had gone mad. His body flashed away again. This spatial movement ability, with its extremely brief casting time, was a life-saving divine skill coveted by many reincarnators of the magic side.

Buzz.

Qilin Temple appeared a hundred meters away, his face dark. Just as he was about to speak, he was startled as scorching breath sprayed toward him like smoke.

The enlarged Mercenary Tao had actually already appeared behind him.

What kind of speed was this? A supernatural trait of the speed type?!

Buzz~

Qilin Temple flashed again, but this time, before he could turn around, a fist pierced through his body from behind.

Bai Cangshu stared indifferently at the top-hatted man whose chest he had pierced with a single strike, frowning.

"So this is Title-level? So weak…"

Flesh and blood dripped from his fist. He was still in the Tier 5 Instant state.

Hearing Mercenary Tao’s words, Qilin Temple turned his head. His body slowly broke apart, transforming into hundreds upon hundreds of brown Worms that wriggled onto Bai Cangshu’s hand and spread toward his body.

Crackle!

Electricity erupted. Bai Cangshu’s body shook violently, and the countless Worms were instantly shattered.

This form of attack was utterly useless against him. He felt neither disgust nor fear.

The next moment, a figure rose from the magma, crimson flames burning across the man’s body as well.

Rainbow Mage: Qilin Temple had completely analyzed how Crimson Night functioned. Though he could not fully replicate it because it was a Title Ability granted by the space.

But to have himself "join" it, he only needed to understand how this magical barrier operated and the nature of its magic power.

"Mercenary Tao, have you misunderstood something?"

"Someone like you probably can’t understand us… Pfft!"

A string of sonic booms exploded through the air, and Qilin Temple’s body, which had just condensed from the magma, shattered instantly.

From within the Reality Marble, Hongye watched the scene from afar and revealed an inexplicable smile.

Should she call herself lucky, or call Qilin Temple unlucky? He had actually encountered such a poorly matched opponent.

His destructive power was strong enough to instantly shatter protective magic, his speed was so fast even flashing could not escape him, there was no opportunity to cast large-scale magic, and all his abilities had absolutely nothing to do with magic power.

Bang bang bang…

Amid a continuous series of explosions, Hongye watched Qilin Temple emerge from the magma again and again, only to explode apart again and again.

She knew very well that Qilin Temple had intruded into her Reality Marble. In this state, he would become a phenomenon. So long as an observer remained, he would regenerate countless times.

Hongye looked at the seemingly crazed Mercenary Tao, yet she could clearly sense that his attention was still focused on his surroundings. He was still waiting for her to reveal herself.

"Then let’s make this more interesting."

She closed her eyes and began to chant. A faint voice emerged alongside magical fluctuations, and both Bai Cangshu and Qilin Temple reacted at once.

Taking advantage of Mercenary Tao’s distraction, Qilin Temple twisted his body in an instant and produced hundreds of afterimages. Forming hand seals with both hands, he summoned golden chains that bound Mercenary Tao.

"Strength, speed… You know nothing about the essence of power, Mercenary Tao. In this space, it’s impossible for you to kill anyone."

Bai Cangshu felt unprecedented killing intent upon his body. It was the first time that woman had revealed killing intent toward him. His heart pounded violently.

But the corners of his mouth rose, revealing an increasingly obvious smile.

For some reason, Bai Cangshu could understand that woman’s thoughts. It was as if, in this kind of battle, he instinctively knew the thoughts and patterns of thinking of others.

He was beginning to approach the mysterious state he had entered when facing the Black King that day, and it made Bai Cangshu even more excited.

That woman was casting a terrifying technique, targeting everyone present.

And before that technique fell, he would kill the man before him and escape successfully.