Chapter 114 - 109: The Safe Zone’s Direct Lineage Powerhouse

Chapter 114: Chapter 109: The Safe Zone’s Direct Lineage Powerhouse

It was widely acknowledged and known to everyone that the Member Level experts of the Safe Zone were powerful.

However, many people had no real concept of just how powerful they were, or how high their status actually was.

The bigshot members sat in the lobby just like them, drinking the same beverages and eating the same little buns. Many Dream Descenders had even shot the breeze with these Member Level experts.

Now, after hearing it from a few knowledgeable veterans, they finally realized...

There were so many bigshots around them!

It turned out that the real-world status of these bigshots was incredibly high.

"I know the bigshot Profound Sword! I had the privilege of receiving his guidance while cultivating at the Extreme Intent Martial Arts Hall a few days ago. At the time, Master Yang, who was in charge of our hall, marveled that his own Curse Power control and Curse Art attainment were far inferior to Profound Sword’s. Master Yang is a great master who has taught hundreds of Dream Descenders!"

"And Group Leader Song! Once when I went to the black market, I saw Group Leader Song on an inspection tour. At the time, the helmsmen of several organizations in the black market accompanied him, keeping their postures very low and submissive!"

Not to mention the Deputy Captains and Captains of the Countermeasures Bureau.

A team in the Countermeasures Bureau didn’t have many people—only a few dozen. Among them, those who could actually carry out combat missions to conquer Nightmares were even fewer, perhaps just ten or twenty.

A Captain Level figure commanded a mere twenty Elites.

It seemed like a small number.

When actually fighting in the Nightmare World, the number of people in a team was often even smaller. But that was due to environmental limitations.

In reality, the authority of a Captain Level figure was two tiers higher than that of the branch bureau chiefs in various districts and counties of the Countermeasures Bureau. If there was a real-world operation, they could directly command hundreds of personnel; their actual influence was much greater.

However, most of the time, Dream Descenders didn’t have a strong desire for power.

Because they were still being hunted by Nightmares.

At this time, some Lone Wolf figures who weren’t very familiar with the Dreamfall Circle also understood the true weight of experts like Returning Stream, Profound Sword, and Xi Xue.

"If any one of them made a move, they could easily wipe out a Nightmare that had invaded reality."

"But these bigshots all seem to find it tricky. Just what kind of Nightmare is that?"

Since his own members had the intention to clear it, Shi An temporarily shelved the thought of taking action himself.

Of course, taking action didn’t mean doing it personally, nor did it mean using his ’Night Shadow’ persona—though he had indeed considered the latter.

The combat power of the Shadow Incarnation was incredibly formidable, and he would have no reservations in striking. It was just that it might not necessarily be able to defeat this Black Armor Ghost.

His intuition told him that the Black Armor Ghost was far stronger than the mutated Withered Wood Ghost from before.

Shi An had originally prepared to let Little Blood or Miao take action, and make a few attempts. Attempts to see if it would attract the awareness of the Nightmare’s consciousness.

The previous Black Crow Boss was likely a relatively special case. Besides, he now had the Power of Faith as a safety net.

He thought, "Let’s observe for now."

"Let’s test this Ghost’s strength first," Profound Sword said.

The group walked slowly toward the distant Ghost, stepping into the hundred-meter radius! They attacked in an instant.

Meanwhile, in the distant ruins.

Several figures in black trench coats were cautiously weaving through the rubble. They were heading outward, but they all tried their best to avoid that Black Armor Ghost.

They had carved out a path that could bypass it entirely.

"Wait, Captain, something’s not right."

In the squad, a Refining Stage Dream Descender responsible for reconnaissance, who possessed the Eagle’s Vision Curse Art, suddenly spoke up.

He observed for a moment longer and said, "Captain, someone has entered this Nightmare. I’ve already seen over a dozen Dream Descenders. They... they seem to be preparing to conquer the Black Armor Ghost!"

"What? Conquer the Black Armor Boss?" Captain Fen Huo was astonished. "Are these Dream Descenders crazy? No, most Dream Descenders probably don’t know the difference between one Tier One Ghost and another."

The difference between Tier One and Tier Two Ghosts was actually very easy to distinguish. Whether in size or presence, the latter was far stronger than the former—an existence that one couldn’t afford to provoke at a mere glance. They were equivalent to Extraordinary humans.

But for the former...

Fen Huo thought to himself, "Many Dream Descenders don’t know that Tier One Ghosts are actually divided into three tiers: Ordinary Ghosts, Elite Ghosts, and Leader Ghosts.

"Occasionally, mutated Ghosts appear among the Ghost population, or they might be the Guardian Bosses of Core Level Nightmares in Shallow Areas. These are often Elite Ghosts. They’re not common. Most High Tier Dream Descenders, growing all the way from the newbie stage to the Refining Realm before falling into deep Nightmares, often have never even seen an Elite Ghost.

"And as for Leader Level Ghosts..."

These things were much rarer than Tier Two or Tier Three Ghosts!

As the Captain of the Countermeasures Bureau’s Fifth Team and the resident commander of Lu Yao Camp, Fen Huo had only ever seen two Tier One Leader Ghosts.

One of them was a wandering Ghost called the ’Necromancer’, which didn’t follow Nightmare Rules and could even traverse from one Nightmare to another just like them Dream Descenders. Fen Huo had once nearly died at the hands of that Ghost.

The second one was the Black Armor Ghost right before his eyes!

"The Black Armor Leader’s hunting rule is that it only attacks Dream Descenders who step within a hundred-meter radius. However, once it drinks blood or fights for a long time, this rule briefly becomes invalid. It will step out of the hundred-meter restricted zone and no longer be bound by it.

"Quick, warn—no, stop them!" Fen Huo shouted in a low voice.

He was anxious. Because it was simply impossible for anyone in this area to conquer the Black Armor Boss.

He himself had no confidence in being a match for the Black Armor Ghost.

If all the Elites of his Fifth Team were mobilized, Fen Huo would have the confidence to take down this Leader. However, how many casualties would they suffer in doing so? He himself would also likely be injured. It was absolutely impossible for them to do such a thing.

The scout Ding Ran said, "No, Captain, I think we’re too late."

A loud boom echoed from afar, sending dust flying into the air.

At this moment, Fen Huo couldn’t care less about concealing his aura, nor was there any need to anymore. He quickly climbed to the top of a pile of ruins and looked into the distance.

Profound Sword dodged rapidly using the Instantaneous Sword and Phantom Step. He had already cultivated both of these Curse Arts to the Peak of Mastery Level, wielding them as effortlessly as his own arms.

The normally straightforward Instantaneous Sword was actually used by him to perform zigzagging maneuvers. Wherever the Phantom Step treaded, it left behind phantoms convincing enough to confuse the enemy.

Yet, even so, Profound Sword was still narrowly escaping death.

The pitch-black sword radiance repeatedly burst forth behind him, shaking the earth. The flying debris struck his back, causing a burning pain.

"Hey, look over here!"

Xi Xue condensed a massive silver javelin. The javelin tore through the air, howling as it swept across the ground, and arrived in front of the Black Armor Ghost in the blink of an eye.

However...

BOOM!

The Black Armor Ghost simply threw a punch, completely shattering the ’Silver Blade’ that Xi Xue had unleashed with all her might. It was as easy as smashing a rotten piece of wood.

This was extreme violence, sheer overwhelming suppression!

Returning Stream Chen Baichuan also made his move.

After advancing his studies in the Safe Zone, his strength had similarly seen significant growth. He wielded a special weapon forged by the Countermeasures Bureau, from which thick currents of water surged.

He slashed out with a water-colored sword strike.

But, just like the others, it was easily shattered by the Black Armor Ghost in the very next instant.

"This Ghost—no, this is a Leader Level Ghost!" Chen Baichuan finally realized something was wrong. "We’re not a match for this kind of Ghost! Even the top-ranked Captains in the bureau might not be its match!"

Xi Xue and Profound Sword also came from large organizations and clearly understood the terrifying nature of a Leader Level Ghost. It was just that they hadn’t realized it at all earlier.

At first glance, this kind of Ghost didn’t look much different from an Ordinary Ghost.

"Retreat!"

However, the Black Armor Ghost’s sword radiance was exceptionally terrifying.

In just the blink of an eye...

BOOM!

Bearded Old Wang and the man in the duckbill hat dove to the ground, but their clothes were still torn to shreds, and their backs were reduced to a bloody pulp.

Several other members were also struck by the flying rocks sent soaring by the slashes. And this was merely from being caught in the crossfire.

The sword radiance’s speed was simply too fast, and its destructive power was far too dreadful!

Aside from Profound Sword, Xi Xue, and Chen Baichuan, who could barely manage to dodge, if anyone else were locked onto, it would spell certain death.

Profound Sword gritted his teeth. "I’ll hold it off!"

He pushed the Phantom Step to its absolute limit. His spirit was completely taut, and he didn’t dare blink for even a fraction of a second.

He knew full well that a single, minuscule mistake could result in him dying on the spot. Profound Sword held on for a few seconds, the cold sweat on his forehead growing increasingly dense.

At that moment, the Black Armor Leader no longer merely stood in place swinging its weapon. It paused for a moment.

Profound Sword didn’t breathe a sigh of relief. Instead, he felt the pressure enveloping his body growing heavier and heavier, surging toward him like a suffocating tidal wave.

In the next moment, the Black Armor Leader bent its knees slightly.

BANG!

It shot forward, like a heavy truck suddenly accelerating to a hundred and twenty miles per hour.

It stepped out of the hundred-meter restricted zone.

Even the sword radiance it swung from a distance was enough to make people tremble in fear. Profound Sword didn’t dare imagine how many moves he could withstand if he was caught by this Black Armor Leader. If that happened, he’d probably be chopped into pieces scattered all over the place.

He thought, "Run! Run back to the Safe Zone!"

The others were already retreating. The members who dared to approach this place had mostly mastered a Body Technique Curse Art, making their running speeds incredibly fast.

But they were still not as fast as the Black Armor Leader.

Further away, Fen Huo was also in pursuit. He had the ability to hold off this Leader Ghost. However, the direction the Black Armor Leader was chasing was the exact opposite of where he was, so he couldn’t reach them anytime soon.

This was the Nightmare World.

Even a Refining Stage powerhouse could lose their life due to a single accident.

But at that moment, a figure was slowly walking over from the end of the gray wasteland.

She was wearing a gothic dress and a top hat, carrying a small parasol.

The members recognized the newcomer.

"Miss Zhuo Ling."

She was both familiar and unfamiliar to them. Familiar because, over the past few days, they could actually see her patrolling around the Safe Zone.

But she was unfamiliar in the sense that... she seemed to have popped out of nowhere.

Many of the Safe Zone’s employees had been recruited by the Manager from among the Dream Descenders. Yet, this person’s identity was a mystery, and she had directly taken a position in the Safe Zone’s management.

However, members like Xi Xue had absolutely no understanding of Zhuo Ling. She appeared very aloof and never spoke.

But they had their guesses. Combining her background and position, it wasn’t hard to guess...

"It’s impossible for the Manager to have built the Safe Zone all by himself."

"So, this Miss Zhuo Ling’s true identity is... an expert from the Manager’s Direct Lineage!"