Chapter 196: The Sword of Tears, Embodying the Battlefield

The Hunt-Patrol Mech-Dragon in Transcend Mode was locked in combat with the fused, enlarged monstrous octopus.

The two were fighting so fiercely it was impossible to separate them.

Clearly, the power of this giant fused monster far exceeded that war machine from the fourth level.

"Level 13? Not really surprising though."

Since that old woman could mention that the first Level 13 item appeared sixty-six years ago, it was obvious she had existed in this train world for a very long time. If she didn't possess at least one or even more Level 13 items, Ye Qiyan wouldn't have believed it.

This monster was probably one of them.

"Hey! Brother Ye, time to go! This place is about to collapse!"

Zhu Xingshu flew over on her broom, her body enveloped by a layer of darkness, with ominous signs, misfortune, and even more curses manifesting around her.

"Stop! You'd better not come any closer."

Ye Qiyan stepped back two paces with clear distaste.

When she only had misfortune affecting her, Ye Qiyan was already very reluctant to have any contact with her. Now, she carried more than just misfortune.

"Hehe, call back your powerful dragon, we really need to leave. If we don't go soon, this place will collapse."

Zhu Xingshu didn't seem to mind Ye Qiyan's aversion at all, stopping her flight with a beaming smile, looking quite pleased.

"What about that person?"

"Of course I defeated him! But my final attack missed slightly, didn't hit, and he escaped."

"The only pity is I couldn't seize his Curse Card. So annoying, I was just that close to getting it, if only I weren't so unlucky."

Her face showed no real regret, and Ye Qiyan didn't believe a word of this woman's nonsense anyway.

Didn't get it? Or did get it but doesn't want to say?

Menrojina's words were still fresh in his mind.

["All of Zhu Xingshu's actions are aimed at obtaining card sequences—either acquiring card sequences or making those who possess them join the organization."]

The latter was impossible—that curse player probably hated the Imperial Sequence Organization to death.

As for the former...

He silently glanced at the aura of misfortune swirling around Zhu Xingshu.

Couldn't help but chuckle.

"Heh."

Indeed, it was time to go.

But leaving just like this felt like too much of a waste.

Ye Qiyan's gaze fell upon the remnants of black stone tablets left after the black hole's destruction.

And that monster.

"To be able to fight the Hunt-Patrol Mech-Dragon in Transcend Mode to this extent, then..."

He thought silently to himself.

Zhu Xingshu had already opened a door using that golden key.

"Can still last three minutes~ Hmm... alright, I'll leave first then."

She passed through the doorway.

In the gray world, two giant beasts were battling each other.

So, what if an external force of equivalent level intervened...

"Red Tears."

The demon girl quietly arrived.

"Draw your sword."

The Tear-Engraving Sword was slowly unsheathed.

Normally, this sword's main function was releasing sword energy for continuous slashing.

As a Standard Level 13 item, its capabilities naturally extended beyond that.

The rain fell heavier.

This space shouldn't have had rain in the first place.

[Tear-Engraving Sword]

[Re-manifests all attacks from the ancient battlefield]

Thunder roared violently.

Ye Qiyan looked at his spirit stat.

"Only 22 points left, but that's fine."

Pop—

He uncorked the bottle.

Spirit recovery potion poured into his mouth.

"Tastes awful... I thought it would be sweet..."

One bottle, two bottles, three bottles—

Until the moment his spirit recovered to 102 points.

The Red Tears Demon quietly approached, using her non-sword hand to take Ye Qiyan's palm.

She stood before him, raised her head, the light in her eyes hidden under her hat brim slightly brightening.

From her crimson eyes, a single tear trailed down her cheek.

But, she, was, smiling?

"Red Tears?"

No response.

Still the same puppet-like demon girl.

Yet it felt like something more had been added.

Spirit was being consumed.

The battlefield was manifesting.

The gray world was replaced by an even darker gray world.

Ancient battlefield—

Countless powerful beings with indistinct faces flashed by.

Among them were Train Conductors, monsters, all sorts of things.

Flickering, selecting!

One figure after another passed before Red Tears.

She gently extended the Tear-Engraving Sword, its tip pointing forward.

A faceless silhouette was drawn into the Tear-Engraving Sword.

The sky was weeping.

The earth was bleeding.

Suoluo City was also experiencing this red rain.

People felt sorrow and pain.

People felt the terror called war.

Those fighting stopped.

Those killing each other also ceased hostilities.

A girl's crying echoed in everyone's ears.

"Ah~"

Battlefield manifestation.

The Red Tears Demon joined her sword-holding hand with Ye Qiyan's.

She wanted her master to swing the sword together.

"Together?"

"Alright, then..."

"Let's try."

Raised the sword.

Swing—

Hum—

An invisible ripple softly chanted as it passed through the fused giant monster.

Then...

"ROAR!!!"

The monster's body split into two sections, four sections, eight sections! More!

Slash attack!

Dimensional slash!

Despite being just one strike, it cleanly diced the monster into neat tofu blocks.

"This attack... actually consumes extra stamina too?"

Ye Qiyan's body felt somewhat fatigued.

But his spirit remained bright.

Summoned the demon raven, which flew forward to retrieve an eyeball-like item from the slain monster.

Along with the fragments left by the stone tablets, all brought back to their master.

"Phew..."

"That should take care of it, right?"

Zhu Xingshu's "open sesame" was right beside him.

He stepped through.

This charlatan hadn't left.

Quietly sitting on her broom, waiting patiently.

Her hands were clasped together.

Galaxies flowed in her eyes.

"Hmm~ Brother Ye, you're out, hehe."

"Has anyone ever told you something?"

"Huh? What?"

"You'd have much better social connections if you were mute."

After leaving these words, Ye Qiyan rode the Hunt-Patrol Mech-Dragon to the third level.

Time was just about right.

Today felt exceptionally long.

If he wrote down everything he'd done in Suoluo City as a story.

And showed it to his fellow Train Conductors from the same batch.

Probably, no one would believe it.

Zhu Xingshu remained in place.

Seemingly seriously contemplating what Ye Qiyan had just said.

After a long while, she gently clapped her hands.

"If I couldn't speak of fate~ how could I witness the fascinating sight of others reversing their destinies~"

Third level.

The battle between Zhao Xi and Grace was nearing its end.

This short-statured Grand Judge's combat prowess was naturally formidable.

But Grace understood her weakness perfectly.

In this wasteland world, she was a genuinely good person.

Good people don't harm others.

And her powerful attacks would absolutely cause many innocent people to die.

Grace had deliberately chosen this third level as the battlefield.

Tap—tap—tap—

Leaning on her staff, Grace created transparent platforms in the air, moving directly toward Zhao Xi who was panting heavily.

"Little Xi... you've lost."