Yan Zhichun finalized the tactics and exchanged glances with the others nearby. The group quickly dispersed to their positions, ready to launch a full assault on the Tian Niu.
But before the plan could be executed, Yan Zhichun suddenly felt a sharp pang in her heart.
Clutching her chest, she looked up toward the exit of the “cargo hold,” sensing as though something vitally important had just vanished in that instant.
“Zhichun, what’s wrong?” Jiang Ruoxue moved closer, studying her expression.
“I don’t know…” Yan Zhichun’s lips trembled slightly, her eyes reddening. “I suddenly feel so… devastated.”
“You need to pull yourself together now,” Jiang Ruoxue whispered. “There are still people counting on us.”
“Right… right…” Yan Zhichun nodded, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. She didn’t understand why she had been overcome with such emotion, but there was no time to dwell on it.
The Black Sheep was already battered and barely standing after several clashes with Tian Niu, swaying unsteadily on his feet. Fortunately, Yan Zhichun had devised a foolproof plan—she was confident they could corner Tian Niu in the final moments.
When Tian Niu, hidden in the shadows, finally regained her bearings, she realized the numerous “participants” had repositioned themselves in strange locations.
But they still couldn’t see her—what could they possibly do now?
Yan Zhichun, Jiang Ruoxue, Old Sun, and Su Shan stood together in one corner, staring into the air, while Zhou Liu took advantage of the chaos to reach the Black Sheep and the swarm of “ants.” Everyone was in place, and this sudden coordination made Tian Niu uneasy.
Yet, burdened by the bizarre “door” on her shoulder, she had nowhere to go. That damned Black Sheep, despite being covered in wounds, stubbornly refused to fall—as if he didn’t care about his own life.
“Tian Niu…” The Black Sheep slowly lifted his head, blood dripping down his face. “I’m in a hurry… come out and fight me already. Stop wasting time.”
Tian Niu remained hidden, weighing her options. This unexpected turn of events was far too troublesome.
Why did these people have to show up now, just as she was about to place the “door”? Forced to retreat with the door in tow, she couldn’t afford to set it down—if these people saw it and chose to destroy it, all the “ants” would be unable to reach “Paradise.” If Qinglong found out, she’d be as good as dead.
But the door was far too large—carrying it meant she couldn’t escape via the long staircase.
Countless questions swirled in Tian Niu’s mind. How had these people bypassed the lengthy corridor and reached the cargo hold directly?
And why was their timing so unnervingly precise?
If the “participants” had intended to rush here, they should have headed straight for the cargo hold immediately after boarding—delaying even a second would have exposed them to unpredictable dangers.
At that time, she had just entered the cargo hold and hadn’t yet retrieved the door, meaning she could have easily fought back.
But these people had clearly waited before making their move, striking at the exact moment she was trapped between a rock and a hard place.
So what was happening outside?
For a large group of “participants” to waltz in here without obstruction—had everyone else been wiped out?
Yan Zhichun took a small step forward, her eyes fixed ahead as she whispered to Su Shan, “Can you see her?”
“Yes,” Su Shan replied softly, her gaze unwavering. “She’s standing at my eleven o’clock. I’ll keep track of her.”
“Good.”
Yan Zhichun signaled to Zhou Mo in the distance, who nodded before glancing at Officer Li.
Understanding the cue, Officer Li stared at a shattered corpse in the distance, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a bloodied eyeball.
Then, crouching down, he rolled the eyeball gently toward the center of the plaza.
Every single “ant” instantly sensed the eyeball. They subtly adjusted their stances, as if recalibrating their coordinates—yet none of them moved.
“The eyeball’s rolling direction is twelve o’clock…” Yan Zhichun’s heart pounded in her throat. “They understood Zhou Mo’s tactics…”
“The tactics aren’t the hard part for them…” Jiang Ruoxue murmured. “The real challenge is on our end…”
“Don’t worry, I’m here,” Yan Zhichun said firmly. “Begin the operation.”
At the command, Su Shan immediately widened her eyes, focusing intently ahead. “She’s at seven o’clock relative to the eyeball.”
“『Heavy, heavy—light, light, light.』” Yan Zhichun ordered.
Old Sun closed his eyes and waved his hand toward the sky. Seconds later, five stones—two large, three small—materialized midair before crashing to the ground.
**Thud! Thud! Tap! Tap! Tap!**
The impact of the falling stones sent tremors through the ground.
Before Tian Niu could process what was happening, a horde of “ants” lunged straight toward her.
Shocked, she barely dodged to the side as the swarm missed their mark.
What the hell was this?!
The “ants” seemed to know her location, yet their attacks were chaotic, like casting a wide net.
“Three o’clock,” Su Shan reported.
“『Heavy, heavy, heavy—light, light.』”
More stones fell, and another wave of “ants” charged. Tian Niu’s back prickled with cold sweat as she scrambled away, still burdened by the door.
Many of these “ants” were former “Earth-level” beings—their physical prowess was no weaker than hers. If they caught her, the consequences would be dire.
“Her footing’s unstable,” Su Shan noted quietly. “Now, six o’clock.”
“『Heavy—light, light, light, light.』”
The relentless assaults left Tian Niu overwhelmed. The sheer number of “ants” made evasion nearly impossible—each attack involved hundreds moving in unison, leaving her with scant room to maneuver.
Desperate, she activated “Levitation,” soaring into the air and putting distance between herself and the battlefield. Turning back, she stared down, trying to decipher how her enemies had coordinated this joint offensive.
One side was the “participants,” the other the “ants”—they shouldn’t have been able to communicate, yet they seemed united now.
Just a few stones falling, yet they commanded over a hundred people to act precisely in sync… What kind of tactic was this?!
“Target has left the coordinate range. Recalculating position immediately.”
Su Shan flashed tactical hand signals to Officer Li in the distance.
Nodding, Officer Li patted one of the “ants” beside him. The creature immediately scuttled forward and crushed the earlier eyeball underfoot.
Then, Officer Li retrieved another eyeball from his pocket and rolled it toward the new position Su Shan indicated.
All the “ants” adjusted their orientation once more, realigning their “twelve o’clock.”
“New coordinates—ground to air, four o’clock,” Su Shan announced, her eyes burning with intensity.
“『Heavy, light, heavy.』 『Light, light, light, light—heavy.』”
Tian Niu never could have anticipated such meticulous tactical design. Before she could react, a massive swarm of “ants” leaped high into the air—straight toward her.
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