Although not as obsessed as Zhu Hanyi, Wan Haihao has recently been studying Seven Vortex Swordsmanship as well.

After a quick glance, he realized that the additional text in the diary was actually the continuation of the Seven Vortex Swordsmanship teachings—two chapters: "Skeleton" and "Dao"!

"Sword Master."

Wan Haihao cautiously asked, "What is this?"

Lin Qiubai's voice echoed in his mind, "To pass on the Sword Dao and forge good ties."

"As an ally, the value of Earth is much higher than I anticipated."

The time they have known each other is not short.

In front of Lin Qiubai, Wan Haihao seemingly has no secrets.

Even when writing in his diary, he occasionally exchanges a few words with the Sword Master.

Having been taunted numerous times, Wan Haihao gradually got used to Lin Qiubai's personality, and their relationship has been improving bit by bit.

Though Lin Qiubai's words are sharp, hitting where it hurts, often leaving Wan Haihao flushed and embarrassed, yet...

Wan Haihao knows this is Lin Qiubai's way of showing care.

This peculiar way of "caring" is not something every Tom, Dick, and Harry has the fortune to enjoy.

Wan Haihao stood up to this heavy concern.

Not because he has a good mindset or a strong endurance.

But because...

The subtle connection between them often makes Wan Haihao feel he can vaguely perceive Lin Qiubai's mood and state changes.

When Lin Qiubai scolds him, it's out of frustration at his lack of progress.

When Lin Qiubai criticizes him, there's a hidden bit of expectation in his heart.

When Lin Qiubai hangs him on the ceiling, it's meant for him to grasp the philosophy of life.

In short...

The Sixth Sense does not lie!

Now, to Wan Haihao, Lin Qiubai is an extremely prideful and awkward person, and at the same time, a good person.

Clearly wanting what's best for him, yet unwilling to let him feel a debt of gratitude.

Shaking his head, Wan Haihao quickly washed and opened the door.

Standing at the doorway, he said solemnly, "Sword Master."

"If it's not necessary..."

"Try not to make a move."

During the time when Sword Dao was taught at the Grass Hut Academy, Lin Qiubai dispersed sword light and controlled all the students instantly. Wan Haihao had vaguely sensed his fatigue at that time.

The subtle connection with Lin Qiubai made Wan Haihao certain that—after Sword Master killed the Eye-Stealing Monster's main body with a single strike last night, he became even weaker.

After all, Lin Qiubai no longer had a body, with only a remnant soul left.

Though seemingly powerful, he was actually a castle in the sky, a rootless drift, and water from no source.

Power gets less with each use.

To act as recklessly as before, the consequences would be unimaginable!

Lin Qiubai's voice rang out, seemingly with a hint of laughter: "Waste, are you worried about me?"

Wan Haihao originally intended to nod and reply with a simple "hmm."

But after thinking for a while, he decided to learn from the other's style and use the same approach: "I'm just afraid that after you die, no one would clean up the soul fragments you leave behind, sullying my memory."

The Sword Master laughed heartily.

...

In the morning, at 7:45.

As usual, Zhou An's breakfast was a fried dough stick and a bowl of noodles.

Slurp...

Zhou An took a sip of the noodles expressionlessly.

The taste was nice.

But no matter how delicious something is, eating it every day for 365 days of the year can make it taste like wax.

Zhou An was an ordinary white-collar worker, clocking in punctually for work daily, except for occasional overtime during project wrap-ups, usually going home at the dot to play games and catch up on novel updates, never delaying.

Day after day, Zhou An felt that life had smoothed his edges, making him live like a walking corpse, devoid of passion and lacking the motivation for struggle.

When bored to the extreme, he'd fantasize about crossing over to an Otherworld, or about an apocalypse suddenly descending.

Like now.

For the current project, the team Zhou An was in had already completed everything, but he still had to go to the office to clock in, spending the whole day by that computer which couldn't play games.

"Oh... no, I have to cooperate with the bigwigs above to carry out some 'evacuation drills'.

Thinking of this, Zhou An pouted: "In less than half a month, they've done it six or seven times."

"No idea what use these fancy tricks are."

"If the apocalypse really comes, social order will collapse instantaneously, who would still organize..."

"Holy crap!"

Zhou An instinctively clenched his chopsticks, accidentally overturning the bowl of noodles.

The red hot oil and noodle soup spilled all over the table, dripping onto his trousers.

But Zhou An did not react at all, just stared blankly ahead, like a wooden doll.

He couldn't believe what he was witnessing!

Brambles glistening with metallic sheen broke through the ground, piercing the skin of a few unlucky pedestrians.

The bloodstained thorns glimmered coldly under the sunlight.

More and more brambles appeared out of thin air.

They extended from reinforced concrete buildings, freely sprouting from pavement and hexagonal tiles along sidewalks.

Looking far and wide, the entire city seemed to be engulfed by these iron brambles.

Screams and wails echoed continuously, ceaselessly ringing out.

Buzz!

Buzz!

Buzz!

The buzzing sound of the air raid alarm echoed throughout the city.

"Please remember the instructions, citizens, and evacuate the city in an orderly fashion following the route from the drill!"

"This is not a drill!"

"Attention! This is not a drill!"

Zhou An sat in his chair, staring in disbelief as two robust young men in casual attire carried an injured person and ran southeast.

A gray, dense fog gradually spread throughout the city.

This mist emanated an eerie white light, stinging people's eyes.

The visibility was very low; beyond fifty meters, nothing could be seen.

Zhou An was about to take out his phone to ask his colleagues about the situation, but suddenly realized his phone screen had turned black.

"Out of battery? Impossible! I always leave home with a full charge!"

"Is it broken?"

"I'm never using this brand again! It fails at crucial moments!"

After some complaints, Zhou An finally snapped back to reality, stumbling as he ran toward the city edge.

Although he didn't know exactly what was happening, the situation seemed very dangerous.

Following orders at a critical time is better than running around aimlessly, right?

Drive?

This idea just popped into his mind and was immediately dismissed by Zhou An.

Given the current road conditions, even a shared scooter couldn't move!

No point in trying to drive!

Walking would be faster!

"Hurry! Hurry!"

Zhou An noticed that every short distance, there were fully armed soldiers directing the evacuation at the intersections.

Maybe it was the bad road conditions, but he felt especially exhausted today.

After only running two miles, he was panting like a dog, feeling as if his lungs would burst.

His legs felt like they were filled with lead, only able to move forward slowly.

Zhou An soon observed that those soldiers seemed in a similar state, all appearing quite fatigued.

Among the fleeing crowd, a few people occasionally moved against the flow.

Some wore military uniforms, seemingly there to change shifts.

Others in everyday clothes, with glazed eyes, staggered toward the city center.

Rationality told Zhou An to leave the city as soon as possible.

But he couldn't help looking back, as if an invisible hand was tugging at him, urging him to stay longer.

"No! I mustn't!"

Zhou An slapped himself: "Follow orders! Your life depends on it!"

The pain on his face cleared his mind, and he hunched over, continuing his escape out of the city.

...

In the center of Lotus City, what was once an office building was now covered with rocks and soil.

From the outside, it looked like a towering mountain.

This mountain seemed alive, constantly eroding the surrounding urban landscape, slowly spreading.

At the mountain's core, there were three areas not filled with stones and soil.

"Command room."

"Power chamber."

"Memory bank."

X9500, dressed in white protective clothing, surveyed the surroundings, the eyes under the mask glowing with intelligence, muttering in a language Earthlings had never encountered: "The mobile temporary base has been initially completed."

"Network infiltration progress is now..."

"Zero point one percent."

"However, the reason behind Team Nine's repeated mission failures has been confirmed."

While speaking, X9500 tapped the control console.

Knock! Knock!

A 3D model of an Earth human suddenly appeared before him.

It was a boy with black and white hair.

"Ma Ran."

"Suspected to have foreknowledge abilities, along with strong life force, skilled combat ability, and high intelligence."

"Preliminary judgment suggests it's a product of beneficial genetic mutation."

X9500 extended his finger, making a virtual swipe in front of him, revealing a dynamic map of the entire Lotus City in front of his eyes.

"Found it!"

"Hiding a hundred kilometers to the southeast."

"So, is it because of the previous accumulated achievements that you were promoted to Battlefield Commander?"

X9500 looked at the character model in front of him, chuckling lightly: "Young hero..."

"No matter how outstanding, you're just a native of a low-level civilization."

"Even if you give it your all, how long can you really last against me?"

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