Chapter 1100 Inviolable
To be honest, if Jiang Bai wanted to, destroying a city here would be an easy thing to do.
No one can stop him.
"Jiang! I know you're not what you used to be, but you also need to know that this is Country A, and we are the most powerful country in the world, without exception!"
"Anyone who messes with us will pay the price! Even you!"
Apson said with a gloomy face. His originally smiling face was now almost frosty. Seeing his behavior, the soldiers around him raised their weapons and pointed them at Jiang Bai.
The previously harmonious atmosphere instantly plummeted to freezing point, as if they would riddle this arrogant Chinese boy with bullets at Apson's command.
"Tch." Jiang Bai scoffed at this.
The most powerful country in the world?
That's really bold. A country that has only been established for a little over two hundred years has become a nouveau riche, possessing extraordinary financial and military power, but that doesn't mean they are truly invincible.
The truly powerful nation is China. Despite a century of suffering, China's true strength has never declined.
Those immortal sects, if they were given a chance, would be enough to destroy Country A several times over, provided they don't sabotage each other and engage in endless internal strife.
It's important to know that the most distinctive characteristic of Chinese people is their tendency to fight amongst themselves.
"Jiang, I'm not joking!" Apson was furious when he saw Jiang Bai's behavior and shouted angrily.
"I know you're not joking, and I'm not joking with you either. You want me to leave? No way! If you have the guts, try and fight me. Not only will you not leave alive, but I'll also raze this city to the ground and take you with me!"
"Now that I'm in a bit of trouble, you all want to kick me while I'm down? Let me tell you, no way!"
"You want me to leave? It depends on my mood! I can come and go as I please!"
"I'm really afraid something will happen. Don't waste my breath on me. Don't you say you're the most powerful country in the world? Go tell those bastards in the Vatican not to come over, and tell those bastards in the Dark Council to shut up. Wouldn't that solve everything?"
"You don't dare to go after them, but you come after me? What, do you think I, Jiang Bai, am easy to bully?" Upon hearing Apson's words, Jiang Bai immediately slammed down what he was holding and roared fiercely at Apson.
He was quite angry, feeling that these bastards from Country A were treating him like a pushover, trying to drive him away because they didn't dare to confront those two behemoths.
No way!
In fact, if it weren't for them coming to his door, but rather the Dark Council or the Holy See, Jiang Bai would probably have run away as fast as he could.
But since it was precisely this group of people who came knocking on his door, Jiang Bai decided not to be polite to them.
Jiang Bai felt that they were discriminating against him, and he would never let anyone who discriminated against him get away with it.
As for why the other party discovered him here, Jiang Bai didn't ask, because that was nonsense.
Country A is so small, and its intelligence organization is so powerful, it's not surprising that they discovered us.
"You... Jiang, you'll regret this. We're not to be trifled with either. We have powerful backers. This isn't a place where you cultivators can do whatever you want!"
"You'll regret it if you anger us!" Apson said viciously.
But after saying that, he didn't dare to lay a hand on Jiang Bai. Seeing Jiang Bai's disdainful look, Apson was quite ashamed and indignant. He turned around and left without mentioning anything about fighting.
Because he knew that he was no match for Jiang Bai.
If he could have fought Jiang Bai a year ago, he would no longer be a match for him now, because according to the news, Jiang Bai has grown to an indescribably terrifying level.
In the face of such a person, an army of a few hundred men would be utterly vulnerable and wiped out in a matter of minutes. The reason they brought so many men was merely to bolster their morale and let Jiang Bai know their determination.
Now that Jiang Bai isn't buying it, these people are no longer of any use. What can Apson do besides leave?
Are we really going to fight Jiang Bai, hand him our heads, and have this city wiped off the planet while we're at it?
Apson isn't that stupid.
Therefore, he simply left with these words, then turned back and said, "Jiang, you have considerable economic interests in Country A, unlike them. I hope you will consider this carefully and not fight on our territory."
"That would cause great destruction and the deaths of many civilians, after all, your level has already surpassed the power that humans should possess."
"Don't do that, otherwise it will really not do you any good. We also have the power to defend ourselves, and we are unwilling to use it lightly unless necessary. But if you cause a large number of civilian casualties... we will spare no effort to completely destroy you."
Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow but did not answer, and Apson left helplessly.
Watching him leave into the distance, Jiang Bai frowned and began to ponder Apson's words: what was the power behind Country A?
What kind of power gave him the confidence to say such things to me?
Moreover, the "you" in this context refers to a wide range of people, not just Jiang Bai, but also the people of the Dark Council and the Holy See. Apson actually dared to say such a thing, which shows that Country A has quite a deep foundation.
Jiang Bai was really curious about how Apson and Congress A would react if he did something.
But I imagine it will be quite intense.
That'll be quite a show.
"General, why don't we take action? He's all alone, yet he's so arrogant and disregards our laws! We…" A colonel sitting in the car asked Apson with some dissatisfaction.
He couldn't understand why Apson wouldn't fight Jiang Bai. This yellow-skinned kid was so arrogant, yet the usually awe-inspiring General Apson had compromised, which he found very incomprehensible.
After glancing at the assistant assigned to him by the Department of Defense, Apson said with a deep look in his eyes, "It's not that we don't want to, but that we can't. If we had made a move just now, I'm afraid no one would have left alive."
"You don't know this person. He's a vindictive person. These soldiers are all young, and I don't want them to die innocently because of my personal pride. There are also so many civilians here, and I don't want them to die because of me."
One sentence turned the colonel's face pale, a flicker of fear flashing in his eyes. After a long pause, he cautiously asked, "Is he really that terrifying? There are hundreds of us..."
"It's even more terrifying than that, Colonel. You're a qualified soldier, but there are some things you don't know, and you don't understand that world. People like him… are definitely more terrifying than I can tell you."
Chapter 1101 Absolute Forbidden Zone
One sentence silenced the colonel.
After a long pause, he gave a bitter smile, as if he understood what Apson meant, and said with some difficulty, "If that's the case, what should we do?"
"Before you came, you said that if they fought, it would cause a disaster and harm the civilians, so you wanted him to leave."
"But if he refuses, what should we do? Evacuate the residents here, or talk to his opponents?"
"Talk? How can we talk? This Jiang Du is so arrogant that he's difficult for us to deal with. What about the Dark Council, which is even more powerful than him and capable of hunting him down? Do you think we can talk to them? Would they even pay any attention to us?"
"As for the Holy See... Jack, you are also a believer, you should know their power, you should know that they did not decline at the beginning of the new century, their influence does not even require the deployment of any experts."
"All it takes is for that big shot in the Vatican to say the word, and the president will have to send the two of us to South Africa to work in the mines. What right do we have to negotiate with them?"
With a bitter smile, Apson felt utterly helpless about Colonel Jack's problem. If even Jiang Bai couldn't reach an agreement, there was even less hope for the other two families.
After all, those two families were much stronger than Jiang Bai, and their influence in Country A was much greater. More importantly, although they were the ones hunting down Jiang Bai, they were actually the victims.
The intelligence agencies of Country A, as well as Apson and others, were somewhat aware of the animosity between the two sides.
Frankly speaking, while the Holy See and the Dark Council may have some faults, Jiang Bai's mistakes far outweigh those of the Holy See and the Dark Council.
In this situation, should the righteous side abandon its dignity and face for the benefit of country A?
How... is this possible?
The other side is not one of those weak island nations.
"Then what should we do?" Colonel Jack asked bitterly. Neither side could reach an agreement. Should they be allowed to start a war on their own soil?
Since it's described as so terrifying—that one person can destroy a city—the person hunting him must be equally formidable. Just thinking about having such a person wage war on his own soil sends chills down Jack's spine.
"Send me to see the president. I need to talk to him about this personally. Tell them to prepare the plane. It seems we need to prepare early. If they really dare to start a war on our land and cause huge harm to civilians, we will have no choice but to use some unconventional methods."
With a bitter smile, Apson uttered a bewildering remark.
However, Jack was a loyal soldier, and soldiers are duty-bound to obey orders.
Therefore, although he was somewhat puzzled by Apson's words, he did not ask again, but instead quickly prepared everything as Apson had instructed.
Half an hour later, Apson boarded a plane and headed straight for the special district where the presidential palace is located.
Jiang Bai was unaware of all this; at that moment, he was in his room frying steaks.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean, news had already reached some people that two planes had taken off from southern and central Europe respectively, heading straight for country A.
"Mr. President, we are now at a critical juncture. I think you all know about Jiang Bai's power. Before this, our spy satellites had already captured images of his actions in the Caucasus region."
"Sir, you and the cabinet members have all watched the video. You should know that this is no longer a normal human being. He has surpassed the limits of humanity. With a single hand, he can create a force comparable to a nuclear bomb out of thin air."
"Although there is no radiation, its actual power is not weak at all. Hot weapons have no effect on such a person. The army is just paper in front of him. All our deterrence has no effect on him."
"He has immense destructive power, supersonic speed, and a body of steel. We are helpless against him."
"The two enormous powers in Europe that we have been guarding against, which terrified our ancestors and forced them to cross oceans to escape, have now been enraged by this person."
"According to our latest news, four ascetics from the Vatican have flown to the United States. Any one of them is no less powerful than Jiang Bai."
"At the same time, another plane took off from the Germanic direction. It was a group of ancient creatures, all of whom we fear, equally powerful and equally terrifying."
"If they wage war on our soil, then our civilians will suffer a great deal of casualties."
"This is something we cannot tolerate!"
"Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to cast your precious votes and allow us to open the absolute forbidden zone, Area 51. I beg our allies to abide by our covenant! Stop these guys who could destroy our land and slaughter our people."
Apson delivered a passionate speech, during which he brought out a video of Jiang Bai being filmed in the Caucasus region, allowing everyone to relive the moment, before saying this.
These words caused a stir. People around looked at each other and discussed among themselves. Finally, the president, sitting in the center, looked at Apson with a solemn expression and asked in a deep voice, "General, how many casualties do you estimate there would be if they fought on our soil?"
"You know, our allies are hard-won and not easy to use. Every time we use them, the price we have to pay is enormous. Unless there is a truly massive disaster, we will never allow them to be mobilized lightly."
"This is our founding principle, which the Founding Fathers decided from the moment the Declaration of Freedom was written."
One sentence silenced all the discussions, and everyone's eyes were fixed on Apson. Everyone's gaze was solemn. Even a veteran like Apson, an SSS-level superhuman, felt heavy pressure at this moment.
Taking a deep breath, Apson said solemnly, "Mr. President, although I am a soldier, I am not a warmonger, and you should know that."
"I know that the price we have to pay for that agreement is enormous, but... we have no other choice!"
"Jiang Bai's city, as you all know, is a major city on our west coast with a population of tens of millions. If they were to fight there, the entire city would be destroyed."
"Moreover, their strength is extremely powerful and deadly. I believe it would be difficult for anyone to escape from them. My initial estimate is that at least five million people will perish."
"This... is only the result of the other side keeping the battle within the city. If they can't kill Jiang Bai in one go, this battle will turn into a chase..."
Chapter 1102 Allies
"If this battle turns into a chase, then..."
At this point, Apson's expression became unusually grave and grim.
"What will happen?" someone couldn't help but ask anxiously.
"Then the losses will be incalculable. We will suffer continuous losses before Jiang Bai is killed. The situation will spiral out of control, and the entire West Coast will be in ruins. At that point, it won't just be a matter of millions of people dying. I..."
Before he could finish speaking, the president, who was sitting in the center, stood up and said in a deep voice, "General, I understand. I approve this operation to open the absolute forbidden zone and allow our friends to fulfill their alliance."
"Ladies and gentlemen, if anyone objects, please stand up!"
"I support..."
"I support it."
Voices rang out one after another, clearly indicating that faced with such terrifying consequences, comparable to the destructive power of a thermonuclear war, even the most rigid gentleman would not stop the opening of the absolute forbidden zone.
Although they will have to pay an unbearable price for doing so, it is still much better than the entire West Coast being completely ruined, tens of millions of people being homeless, and millions of people being killed or injured.
Of course… some may suspect that Apson is exaggerating, but… even if we reduce the losses Apson claims to one-tenth, the millions of people homeless and the hundreds of thousands dead and injured would still be unbearable for the United States.
"General, I now authorize you as a special envoy to enter the absolute restricted area with my warrant to discuss this matter with our allies. I hope to gain their support and persuade them to fulfill their alliance."
Ultimately, the president gave Apson these words, and the matter was passed unanimously. Apson was granted special privileges and quickly left the special zone, heading straight for the absolute forbidden zone in the desert.
An hour later, Apson, who was on a private jet, landed in the absolute no-go zone of the Nevada desert.
After passing through numerous barriers and layers of guards, and handing over his presidential warrant, he was led into an air force base in the center.
There was no one around, no birds in the sky, and the sky was clear and blue. The base in front of him was in a terrible state, which made Apson a little stunned.
These are all old buildings from decades ago. Apart from a few old houses and a dozen or so planes parked on the spacious airport outside, there is nothing else.
It was completely different from the absolute restricted area that Apson remembered.
Even someone of Apson's rank only knew that such a place existed, but had never been there. Not to mention Apson, even the president who had been in power for many years had never entered this place.
Apart from the State Security Advisor, almost everyone else here is completely isolated from this place.
This adds another layer of mystique to this mysterious place.
I walked in aimlessly, and when the car approached a huge hangar in the center, it stopped. There was a small door in front of the hangar, just big enough for one person to pass through.
Frowning, Apson stepped inside and discovered a hidden world within. The hangar was actually a metal fortress; everything outside was just a disguise. Once inside, a massive metal building appeared before him.
Spanning several thousand square meters, the area was bustling with people coming and going. And this was only the first floor. Led by the staff, Apson boarded the elevator that had ninety-nine floors.
Descending from the transparent observation elevator, layers of space appeared before Apson, who was astonished to find that the space above the hangar was extremely cramped.
The space below is getting bigger and bigger, and there are more and more staff coming and going.
All sorts of sophisticated instruments, unlike anything we've ever seen before, are constantly turning, and robots are working in close proximity to humans.
However, the legendary allies have not appeared. Since Apson arrived here, he has not seen a single close ally of the so-called beacon of the world. They are either robots or purely human.
Some of these humans have probably served here since their ancestors and have never left to this day.
Upon reaching the 49th floor, the elevator suddenly stopped. Apson followed the staff out and then walked through a futuristic corridor to a spacious and luxurious central hall.
Through the transparent glass, you can see the lava piled up outside, constantly flowing and radiating an enchanting light.
Twelve young men and women sat upright in the center of the conference room, as if they had been waiting for a long time. Each of them was extremely handsome and beautiful, with rare tall statures and curvaceous figures. Each of them had a unique temperament, like goddesses.
They were all...humans?
This left Apson somewhat bewildered. Just as he was about to ask a question, one of the middle-aged men sitting in the center stood up and smiled, saying, "Welcome, our ally."
"ally?"
Apson was a little confused. These people were his allies? Allies of the United States for a hundred years, but they... seemed no different from him.
Isn't it said that they might be... aliens?
Before he came, he had mentally prepared himself to face some strange creatures and had already thought of his lines. After all, persuading those strange creatures to help his country was not an easy task.
Although they had managed to protect their territory several times during their century-long history as a nation.
Humanity's current technological achievements are inseparable from their support and assistance.
However, he was still somewhat bewildered when he met his so-called "allies".
Because these people are almost no different from him.
"Um... I've come here today because I need your help with something extremely important. We hope you can fulfill our ancient covenant and help us. Right now, the Beacon of Light is in danger, and we are not capable of dealing with it."
Apson, being an SSS-level expert and a man who had seen the world and experienced countless bloody battles, quickly realized what was happening and spoke in a deep voice to the group of people in front of him, hoping to get their help.
Then he recounted what was about to happen.
The main problem is this mess with Jiang Bai.
This silenced everyone around them. They exchanged glances, but no one spoke. Then, the middle-aged man who had spoken first thought for a while and said in a deep voice, "My friend, I hope you can give us some time to consider this. It doesn't need to be long, ten minutes will be enough. We need to discuss this."
Apson understood and wisely chose to leave the room, knowing that the matter was of great importance and that even these powerful allies needed to consider it.
They are not immortal; some of them were injured in several battles in which they helped the United States.
Although their numbers are small, they have paid the price of several lives over the past two hundred years, because according to ancient records, they were originally eighteen people.
Now there are only twelve left.
Chapter 1103 Unable to Bear It
"Marilando, do you really want to agree to their terms? You should know how serious this is!"
"We came here by chance, and we cannot interfere in what is happening here. Although we have exported a lot of technology over the years and helped this planet improve its level of civilization, these are all minor and insignificant matters."
"But getting involved in their conflict is absolutely unacceptable. You should know that this is not an ordinary place; this is..."
As soon as Apson left, dissenting voices arose from inside the room. A young woman who looked to be in her twenties stood up and anxiously tried to persuade her leader.
Those people from the beacon nation don't understand the fundamental nature of this world, but they do know that this is no ordinary place, not one of those native planets where they can do whatever they want.
They changed technology, transformed lives, established systems, and granted freedom to ordinary people—these are all tolerable side effects.
As for the fact that this desolate continent was developed in a roundabout way and reached its current scale, it was actually an accident, and they paid a heavy price for it, with four of the eighteen people dying or being injured.
This... is still because those truly terrifying beings are busy fighting.
With each other checking and balancing each other, they were able to eke out a living here.
However, this does not mean that they have the ability to intervene in real terrorist conflicts.
The consequences of doing so are... things they cannot afford.
But before the woman could finish speaking, she was interrupted by the middle-aged man who stood up.
"I know where this place is, and I know what the consequences would be if we rashly intervened in their conflict."
"We have been able to exist until now entirely because of the various struggles and mutual checks and balances between them; otherwise, we would have disappeared long ago."
"Even the spread of our civilization and the flourishing of technology in today's society are due to the tacit approval or even the behind-the-scenes promotion of some people."
"Logically speaking, we shouldn't get involved in this, but..."
"But as you know, we can't do without their support. Over the years, with the rise of the United States, countless resources have poured into this place, which has allowed our warships to be repaired to their current state. Now we've reached a critical moment, and we can't afford to lose them."
"Once we lose their support, we will have no hope of leaving this place."
"So many years have passed, and I imagine you all are homesick. Our lifespans are also running out. If we cannot return to the Republic before then, we... will probably be stuck here forever."
"Instead of doing that, we might as well take a gamble."
The middle-aged man, known as Maryland, frowned and spoke his thoughts with a worried expression. It was a helpless move, and he knew all too well what kind of outcome he would face if he got involved in the struggle of those terrifying beings.
However... he couldn't avoid getting involved, because it concerned their own vital interests.
"But you should know that we are no match for those people. They have been hiding for various reasons all these years. The early battles caused them heavy losses, forcing them to recuperate, which gave us the opportunity to develop."
"What's more, the fact that the technology of the Beacon Country and even ours could spread was merely a counterattack by the Dark Council in order to weaken divine authority, and we were only able to survive by making the greatest compromises."
"This matter now involves a terrifying struggle between Eastern cultivators and two major forces. If we get involved, we are likely to be regarded as enemies by them. If that happens, we won't be able to hold out for long."
"If we mess with those really troublesome guys, we'll be wiped out in an instant. Have you forgotten how our six comrades died?"
"If Duli hadn't sacrificed herself to become someone's servant, we wouldn't be alive today."
Nevertheless, there are still people who firmly oppose this.
They have survived here in a foreign land only because of the sacrifice of their companions. Some of them even lost their freedom forever and became playthings of some powerful being. Only in this way can they barely survive.
This approach is undoubtedly disrupting the delicate balance.
Preventing them from fighting in the United States is a minor matter, but if it incites hatred, it will be a catastrophe.
"Then... do we have any other options now?" However, not everyone agreed with this. One of the old men gave a bitter smile and asked the question to the questioner in a dry tone.
They are now in a dilemma. If they refuse to abide by the alliance, then undoubtedly... their restoration plan will be shelved, and the volunteer contributions given by the United States over the years will likely disappear.
Their lifespans were nearing their end, and with no possibility of returning to their hometowns, they ultimately died.
However, if the alliance is upheld, it is very likely that several powerful forces that cannot be offended will be offended, and the consequences in the future are unpredictable.
"We are also the Republic's finest soldiers, how did we end up like this! Damn it, it was a mistake for us to land here in the first place. The universe is so vast, there are so many planets, why were we so unlucky as to land here!"
"If this were any other native land, we could easily destroy it and plunder everything, but now… we can only cower here, timid and hesitant!" someone said angrily, slamming their fist on the table.
He felt that the worst thing that had ever happened to them was landing in this damned place, this untouchable place.
Otherwise, with their powerful combat capabilities, advanced technology, and terrifying weapons, how could they have fallen to such a state?
"Enough of that. What we need now is a vote on this matter: whether we help or not. Please think it over carefully. Those who agree, please raise your hands!"
Maryland also sighed, then spoke in a deep voice to the group.
Finally, he raised his hand first, and one by one, the people around him raised their hands. Seven to five, the decision to uphold the covenant was passed.
Then Maryland said in a deep voice, "Everyone, please be careful this time. We are only trying to prevent an unbearable conflict from happening on the land of the United States, not to make enemies of them."
"Our attitude must be firm and unwavering; we absolutely cannot allow any action against any of them, otherwise... we cannot bear the consequences!"
Although he knew everyone already knew the answer, he still couldn't help but emphasize it.
Whether in the East or the West, they are far more complex than they appear. They have angered key figures, and the consequences are unbearable for them, not even for the distant republic behind them.
Chapter 1104 It seems there's trouble.
"Alright, everyone understands now. It's time to call our allies back. We've paid such a high price; we deserve some reward. Getting what we want as soon as possible and leaving this damned place is the wisest choice for us."
"This place is not something that we, or the Republic, have the right to interfere with."
"Let the bloodshed and meat grinder of millions of years be left to the truly terrifying beings."
At this moment, Marylandu seemed to have returned to his previous state, revealing a bright smile as he spoke.
A few minutes later, Apson was brought back again, looking at the twelve most important allies of the United States with trepidation.
He was also aware of the situation of his allies. Despite their immense power, they maintained a considerable degree of awe towards the Holy See and the Dark Council for some reason, and even showed extreme reverence when they came to the East.
Otherwise, given their capabilities, they wouldn't have allowed the other side to freely develop its power on this land.
This matter may seem like a small thing, but it has far-reaching implications, even involving two major camps. He was really afraid that these people would not be willing to help, and then the United States would have no hope.
"Our allies, after our discussions, we have decided to uphold our ancient covenant and help you drive away threats from the outside."
Maryland used the word "drive away" instead of "eliminate," and although it was just two words, the meaning was already very clear. Unfortunately, the excited Apson didn't understand the meaning.
He smiled excitedly and quickly said, "Thank you... thank you for helping us. The United States will never forget your friendship."
"However..." But what the other party wanted wasn't friendship, but real benefits.
So this is what came out, leaving Apsen stunned.
"But what?" Apson's heart tightened, and he asked unconsciously.
"However, we will have to pay a heavy price this time. If things go wrong, we will face unimaginable pressure and may even be destroyed as a result. So, even though we are allies, I still have to set conditions."
After glancing at Apson, Maryland said in a deep voice that as the leader and the captain, he had to consider the fate of his remaining members. There were thousands of people who came out with him, but after the disaster, only the eighteen strongest remained.
Two hundred years have passed, and only twelve remain. With their numbers dwindling, he had to make plans for them.
Since you've made a sacrifice, you must expect a return.
"Please speak." Apson's heart tightened, but he also knew that while the other party did have an alliance with them, they would have to make some sacrifices to get their help.
"We need to triple the supply we've been doing, and do it every year thereafter. We've reached a critical point; we can't keep wasting time like this." Marylandu stated his conditions.
This made Apson open his mouth, but he didn't dare to speak for a long time. Apson didn't know what was supplied in the past, but as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he knew that 15 percent of the annual military budget was sent here under various pretexts.
The number used for support was terrifying.
This places a heavy burden on the United States, and now it wants to triple the amount? And will it continue like this every year? Wouldn't that mean taking out 45 percent of its military budget?
This number is simply unbearable.
"Too much, we can't handle it."
"It will take us at least three years, at most five, to complete everything. We will no longer need your support. I know it will be difficult, but not unbearable," Maryland said in a deep voice.
"Well... alright." Apson had received special authorization before coming here, and now... it comes in handy. He couldn't agree to a long-term supply, but a short-term supply of three to five years might be manageable.
Money... They still have a lot.
Of course, converting this money into the resources they need would be a bit troublesome, but it's not impossible.
It's far better than the overall depravity of the West Coast.
Jiang Bai was completely unaware of all this. At that moment, he was sitting with his legs crossed, drinking in a bar, and flirting with a blonde woman with a smile.
He knew he wouldn't be able to stay here long. No matter how he answered Apson, he definitely couldn't stay in the United States. The reason was simple: since Apson had found him so quickly and caused such a commotion.
Given the capabilities of the Holy See and the Dark Council, they should be able to receive the news and find them soon.
Perhaps the troops have already set off.
Thinking of this, Jiang Bai couldn't help but smile bitterly, feeling as if he had mistaken the vast world for his own home.
However, he showed no intention of fleeing in panic. As long as the Pope and that prince did not come, Jiang Bai was not afraid of anyone else.
Those two were clearly beings who had surpassed the Great Celestial Realm, and like Xu Changsheng and the Supreme Dao Master, they were figures at the top level.
It is the genuine Tai Tian position.
Jiang Bai should not rush into dealing with them.
But the others weren't so scary. Even among the peak Great Heaven Realm cultivators, Jiang Bai wasn't necessarily afraid, of course... provided the opponent was alone.
If the opponent has a large and powerful force, like Feng Feifei, who is a high-level Grand Heaven Realm expert or even a peak Grand Heaven Realm expert, and has a bunch of underlings with her, Jiang Bai will still have to run away.
Because even fighting alone is extremely difficult, let alone being attacked by a group of people.
However, he wasn't worried about that. With enough prestige points, Jiang Bai could teleport multiple times. If he couldn't win, couldn't he at least run away? Jiang Bai wasn't worried about that at all right now.
As long as his stored prestige points haven't run out, there's nothing to fear.
Before this, he had over two million prestige points and used teleportation three times, traversing hundreds of thousands of kilometers, yet he was still well-prepared and had nothing to fear.
After chatting with the blonde beauty from Los Angeles for a while, she invited him to her home for coffee. Jiang Bai thought about it and politely declined, because now was not the time.
The other party seemed quite displeased and turned to leave. Jiang Bai chuckled lightly, said nothing, and walked out of the bar. Just then, he saw a plane speeding across the sky, paused for a moment, and narrowed his eyes.
At his level of cultivation, his spiritual senses are extremely sharp, and nothing within a radius of several kilometers can escape his eyes, including the plane speeding past overhead.
"Oh dear... looks like I'm in trouble. It seems there are three people here, and they're quite strong..." Jiang Bai muttered to himself, squinting.
Chapter 1105 First-Class Ascetic
After saying that, he thought for a moment, then headed straight for the airport, took off, and sped through the night sky.
There was no reason not to shoot down the plane, not because it was impossible, but because it wouldn't make much of a difference. For those people, even if the plane crashed, they would be unharmed, so why bother?
I rushed to the airport in the distance, stood on the top of the airport building, and watched the plane slowly land.
Three Westerners in tuxedos slowly stepped out of the plane, each turning their gaze toward Jiang Bai's location.
Jiang Bai knew that they had also discovered him.
"Hehe, I didn't expect you to arrive first. Why are you fighting here, or should we go somewhere else?" Jiang Bai, smiling, appeared in front of them, squinting at the three people in front of him.
Both were at the Great Celestial level, possessing considerable power. Their strength was unpredictable, as they belonged to different systems. However, one could still sense energy fluctuations emanating from the other that were no weaker than or even stronger than their own.
Once you reach the Great Celestial level, you can get a general idea of your opponent's strength, even if you can't see it at a glance.
"Duke Duranka, First Class".
"Third-class Dukes Billanus and Anus".
"The Prince sends his greetings." The three vampire experts squinted and introduced themselves to Jiang Bai, maintaining basic etiquette.
These guys are clearly a bunch of despicable rats, yet they consider themselves nobles, always insisting on etiquette and acting as if they are so high and mighty, which left Jiang Bai speechless.
But then she blinked and asked a curious question: "First-class duke? Third-class duke? What are the different ranks? What about that Dracula I killed before?"
"Dracula, a third-ranking duke? Heh, just a young junior. A sixth-generation vampire, what status would he have if he hadn't gained the prince's favor?"
"He only gained some fame because of the Prince's favor; it's nothing to mention."
"Besides the first, second, and third-rank dukes, there are also a certain number of Grand Dukes, but these fifth-generation Grand Dukes are not people you can easily meet."
Grand Duke Duranka chuckled and did not refuse Jiang Bai's question. However, he seemed to disdain Dracula when he spoke of him, as if the man did not hold a high position in his eyes. Although he was infamous, he was just a minor figure in his system.
On the contrary, they spoke of the supreme dukes with awe.
Vampires are a strange race. They are divided into generations. Apart from the so-called titles, the most important thing is actually bloodline. The older the bloodline, the more powerful the ability. The fifth generation is already a very powerful generation.
According to mythology, the third generation of vampires can rival the gods.
Of course... In Jiang Bai's opinion, it's all nonsense. Whether these things even exist is another matter entirely.
Even if they did exist, they have probably long since disappeared into the annals of history. For example, the Xuanyuan clan, which founded the ancient martial arts, has left no trace except for an ancient imperial family.
Some say he ascended to heaven, others say he became one of the Three Sovereigns, but in Jiang Bai's opinion, he's probably long since turned into a pile of bones.
After all, how could a martial arts practitioner possibly ascend to immortality?
"Let's start fighting~?" Jiang Bai also wanted to try his hand at fighting these people first. If he couldn't win, he could run away. He had no psychological pressure. He just wanted to see how powerful he really was.
If he has the upper hand, he wouldn't mind wiping out these bastards in front of him, just to vent his anger and let everyone know that not just anyone can hunt down Jiang Bai.
Feng Feifei and her Jin'ao Island dared to do this because they had a large and powerful force, not because Jiang Bai was incapable.
As they spoke, the two sides were already on the verge of fighting, but just then a plane slowly descended from the sky.
Airport staff in the distance are also on their way.
Of course, they weren't important. What was important was the private jet that was about to land, because Jiang Bai sensed an unsettling atmosphere here once again.
The dukes' expressions weren't very good either. Jiang Bai sensed that they were somewhat nervous and angry.
This gave Jiang Bai a somewhat amused look; he knew... the Holy See had arrived.
As expected, the plane soon landed, and three barefoot old men with aged faces, dressed in coarse linen clothes, without any trace of holiness, and carrying chains and thorns on their backs, appeared in front of Jiang Bai and the others.
"Three more first-class ascetics have arrived... This is troublesome." With a bitter smile, the surrounding dukes exchanged dry glances, one of them clicking his tongue in surprise.
Basically, the classification of ascetics is similar to theirs.
Now that three first-class ascetics have arrived at once, they feel immense pressure.
Although their goals were aligned—to deal with Jiang Bai—the feud between the two families, spanning millennia, ran too deep.
These ascetics weren't like the quick-witted vampires; they were basically all giving up everything for their faith, and were somewhat dim-witted, far less pragmatic and adaptable than the cardinals.
Grand Duke Duranca found encountering them extremely troublesome.
Suddenly, the atmosphere at the airport became extremely strange. The three groups stood on opposite sides, staring at each other, but no one made a move, resulting in an eerie silence.
As for the staff who were originally heading this way, they seemed to have received some orders, their expressions changed, and they fled in panic.
The plane that was originally scheduled to land here circled twice in the sky before flying straight away, changing its destination.
In the vast airport, only the three groups of people remained, standing there staring at each other.
No one uttered a sound until Grand Duke Duranka finally couldn't hold back any longer and shouted to the few blank-faced ascetics in the distance, "Holy Church guys, we have no interest in fighting you here. Our target is Jiang Bai."
"I know that your target is also this alien race. If you are willing, you can join forces with us. If you are not willing, you can step aside and we will handle it ourselves."
Unfortunately, the three first-class ascetics standing there remained expressionless, none of them responding or speaking, and continued to stand there quietly.
They were watching Jiang Bai and the extremely vampire-like Duke.
Put pressure on them.
This made Duranka smile bitterly, wishing he could slap himself. Why did he have to waste his breath talking to these brainless idiots? If they were truly intelligent and believed in others, why would they become rigid ascetics?
Why not enjoy a good life instead of hiding in the deep mountains and forests to torture yourself?
I must have been incredibly stupid to even talk to them. Compared to them, Jiang Bai was much easier to persuade, since he was clearly a smart guy.
Chapter 1106 The Star-Picking Hand Displays Its Power
"Kid, it seems they're not willing to cooperate with us. How about we join forces to deal with them first? These guys are not to be trifled with."
"I reckon these two beside me can't even handle one of them. I'm confident I can win, but they can only hold them off for a while at most. As for the remaining one, I can't deal with him. Why don't you go and deal with the other one?"
"It won't take long. As soon as I've dealt with one, I'll come over to help you immediately." Suddenly, Duke Duranka made this suggestion to Jiang Bai, leaving Jiang Bai completely taken aback.
His eyes widened in disbelief, and he thought to himself, "This old guy must have lived for who knows how many years; he's a shrewd old man."
They have no integrity whatsoever. Just a moment ago they were clamoring to join forces with others to deal with me, but now, seeing that the other party didn't respond, they've directly joined forces with me?
Jiang Bai's eyes were extremely strange: "Please... it seems like you're here to kill me, okay?"
However, Jiang Bai was also a quick-witted person. After a brief consideration upon hearing the other party's suggestion, he made a decision in the blink of an eye.
"Okay, but you go first."
"Um...you go first..." Grand Duke Duranka said this subconsciously, his expression strange.
Then he smiled and said to Jiang Bai, "Don't worry, we will definitely take action. I swear on the name of our ancestors and on the honor of our clan."
Whether it was true or not, Jiang Bai was too lazy to pay attention to him. He knew that this guy was wary of him, so he made the first move. Anyway, if he couldn't beat him, he could run away. He was immortal, so there was no way he would be instantly killed.
Jiang Bai wasn't worried. He glanced at the other party mockingly and charged directly at one of the ascetic cultivators.
The first-class ascetic's originally dull face suddenly turned fierce. He drew a long sword from somewhere, his whole body burning with milky white light, and rushed out, turning into a stream of light to fight Jiang Bai, who was wielding the Blazing Sun Heaven-Burning Halberd.
Then, the Grand Duke of Dulanca kept his word and rushed out to choose an opponent, while the remaining two third-class dukes joined forces to unleash a strange blood magic.
A giant, crimson dragon, wings outstretched, charged directly toward a monk.
The airport was thrown into chaos.
This is no ordinary, secluded mausoleum, Lishan. In the blink of an eye, a few people fought and the place was reduced to a mess. The ground was destroyed, planes exploded, and the spacious ground was overturned.
It was truly a cataclysmic event.
Within a radius of several kilometers, there was no place to play in an instant. On the edge of the battle, screams could be heard from the evacuating crowd in the airport.
It seems that innocent people have been affected.
This was a last resort. They had reached such a level that even if their target wasn't ordinary people, the aftershocks of the fight could be deadly.
This is just the beginning; as the fighting intensifies, it's estimated that even more people will die.
Destroying a city is not a joke, because it is extremely possible.
With a loud "boom," Jiang Bai was thrown back, and his opponent also took two steps back. The ground where the two of them fought cracked open, and a chasm appeared out of thin air, extending to both sides.
"Hehe, I guess you used to be a powerful warrior? Now that you're a first-class ascetic, you're not weak either. In fact, you're even a bit stronger than me?" Jiang Bai said with a light laugh, but he didn't dare to be careless in the slightest.
His strength was overwhelming, far exceeding that of his peers, yet his opponent was able to easily withstand it. Although both held back some of their power in their initial exchange, which was merely a trial by fire, Jiang Bai's strength was inferior to his opponent's. Jiang Bai was well aware of this.
However, although he was not as strong as his opponent, his reaction speed was fast enough and not weak at all. In an instant, he rushed out and the two exchanged blows hundreds of times.
The scene was chaotic and devastating, yet Jiang Bai only suffered a slight setback, sustaining two cuts on his body. However, his opponent fared much worse, with injuries far more severe than Jiang Bai's.
Jiang Bai is protected by his immortality, and he can recover from injuries in an instant. His opponent, however, does not have this ability, and once he is injured, he is truly injured.
Most importantly, his once gleaming white sword was now riddled with dents and scratches.
It looked as if it could break at any moment, and that was only because Dong Xi was no ordinary item. If it were an ordinary one, it would probably be reduced to dust in an instant. The fact that the Blazing Sun Heaven-Burning Halberd was collected by the Qin Emperor speaks volumes.
It's not something that ordinary goods can compete with.
"Blazing Sun Heaven-Burning Halberd, Eighteen Forms of Heaven-Burning!" Jiang Bai brandished his halberd, and in an instant, the sky collapsed and the earth cracked, with countless halberd shadows filling the sky.
Besides its inherent power, the Blazing Sun Heaven-Burning Halberd also possesses the incredibly profound and powerful Eighteen Forms of Heaven-Burning, which Jiang Bai unleashed without reservation at this moment.
Before this, although he had learned it, he had no opportunity to use it. Either the opponent was too strong or too weak, so Jiang Bai had very few opportunities. Now he had encountered a guy who was evenly matched with him, or even stronger than him.
Just the right time to strike.
The opponent was no weakling either. He chanted some incantation that was of unknown origin, and his entire body radiated a milky-white light that almost melted everything. The moment it enveloped his body, all his injuries were healed.
Then he rushed over and fought with Jiang Bai.
In an instant, a dazzling light burst forth in the sky, and a surge of energy erupted from the spot where the two clashed, transforming into waves that impacted everything.
After a loud bang, the surrounding buildings were completely reduced to rubble. The once magnificent airport was razed to the ground and turned into ruins. The surrounding residents were also affected, and hundreds of people lost their lives.
"Star-Picking Hand!" Jiang Bai unleashed this vicious move. This was his third martial arts technique. He had long ago obtained the secret manual for the Star-Picking Hand, but had never had the opportunity to use it.
Just now, when the opponent arrived, in order to strengthen his own power, Jiang Bai spent one million prestige points to directly learn this skill, and now he is using it.
A giant hand, shimmering with starlight, appeared out of thin air and attacked the opponent, possessing the power to chase stars and seize the moon.
It's not that Jiang Bai's Heavenly Emperor Handprint isn't powerful enough; in fact, it's far more powerful than the Star-Picking Hand. Unfortunately, its power is too great, and its consumption is also enormous. Each time it's used, it consumes almost half of Jiang Bai's power.
Now, once he uses it, he has no follow-up moves and cannot use it again, which is not a long-term solution. On the other hand, the Star-Picking Hand is not like that. Jiang Bai estimated that with his current cultivation level, he could use it ten or eight times without any problem.
So I learned this stuff.
Jiang Bai's attack caused the opponent's expression to change, and he hurriedly tried to defend himself, but it was too late. The Star-Picking Hand descended from nowhere, completely destroying the area within a hundred meters centered on this first-class ascetic cultivator. He was hit hard.
Chapter 1107 It's Time to Stop
However, Jiang Bai did not stop there, because the opponent was not dead at all, although he was injured.
The Star-Picking Hand struck him suddenly and severely injured him, but the opponent's vitality was exceptionally tenacious, far exceeding the strength that an ordinary person should possess.
Despite being caught off guard by Jiang Bai's attack, she was still not seriously injured and managed to withstand it.
Although this cost him dearly, leaving him severely injured inside and out, with his internal organs almost shattered and his longsword reduced to a shard of iron, he still managed to block the attack.
So Jiang Bai quickly took action to kill the man.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. At this moment, a first-class ascetic who had withstood the blood magic of two third-class dukes and even suppressed them suddenly chanted a spell, and a white light enveloped Jiang Bai's opponent before Jiang Bai could react.
The opponent's injuries were mostly healed in an instant under the holy light.
"Damn it!" Jiang Bai couldn't help but curse.
I almost killed someone, and then they recovered. How am I supposed to play like this?
The halberd had already reached the opponent's chest in the next second, piercing through his body. He subconsciously dodged to avoid a vital spot, but Jiang Bai still tore off large chunks of flesh.
However, they managed to avoid vital areas.
"Star-Picking Hand!"
Jiang Bai made another move, a hand descending from the sky to strike again. This Star-Picking Hand was not as powerful as the Heavenly Emperor's Great Handprint, but it consumed very little energy, and Jiang Bai could use it multiple times.
With a loud "boom", it crashed directly into the other person's back.
The next second, another loud noise came, and the first-class ascetic was caught in Jiang Bai's hand. The power of starlight began to erode his body, dismembering him inch by inch.
"Holy light shines everywhere!"
The voice came again. The first-class ascetic, who was equivalent to two third-class dukes, actually had the strength to fight against Jiang Bai at this moment and used the Holy Light spell to heal his companion.
"Die!"
Jiang Bai was furious. This fight was never going to end. The Heavenly Emperor's Great Handprint, as majestic as a mountain, descended from the sky and fell straight down. The hundred-foot handprint appeared out of thin air, containing an aura of world-destroying and supreme power.
The people around were so frightened that they all ran away. The first-class ascetic was beaten on the spot and vomited blood, barely alive.
The two third-rank dukes immediately pounced on him, baring their fangs, eager to draw his blood.
"The blood of holy light, is that something you can take?" Unexpectedly, the first-class ascetic who was fighting Duke Duranka sneered and, instead of helping his companion, uttered this cold remark.
The two men, their four fangs already at each other's necks, bit down hard.
The next second, a scorching white light emanated from the two third-rank dukes, enveloping them completely in the intense light, and their faces contorted in agony as they turned to ashes.
"These two damned idiots! Whose descendants are they that are so stupid!" Duranka's expression changed, and he couldn't help but curse.
He thought these two were the most stupid fools he had ever seen, trying to steal the blood of the community's top-tier ascetics? Didn't they know that these guys had already reached the level of Holy Light entering the body?
Their bodies had long been reforged by holy light. For ordinary people, blood is a panacea that can regenerate flesh from bones, but for vampires, it is the most deadly poison.
Even the most foolish vampire wouldn't do something so idiotic. These two guys have actually reached the level of third-class dukes, yet they don't even know this basic common sense. They are terrifyingly stupid.
"Die!" Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jiang Bai used the Blazing Sun Heaven-Burning Halberd to pierce through the body of the person in front of him, tearing this first-class ascetic cultivator to pieces.
In an instant, the originally uneven lineup became relatively even.
At this moment, both sides retreated, clearly separating themselves, with Dulanca and Jiang Bai facing off against two first-class ascetics respectively.
They stared at each other silently, none of them making a move. Everyone was injured, and even Jiang Bai had expended a lot of energy, having used the Star-Picking Hand twice and the Heavenly Emperor's Great Handprint once. He was extremely tired.
Stop fighting and look at the surrounding ruins. At least within a five-kilometer radius, the battle between those few people had turned the world upside down, and countless people had suffered.
In theory, Jiang Bai was unwilling to do this, but it seems there is no other way now.
Since they came knocking on his door, and it wasn't someone from his own country who died, Jiang Bai didn't feel any guilt.
"I said, are we still going to fight or not?" Jiang Bai squinted at Duranka and said noncommittally.
"You shouldn't be asking me that, you should be asking those two idiots who have something wrong with their heads!" Duranka said indignantly.
Then, not caring that Jiang Bai was right in front of him, he angrily roared at the two first-class ascetics from the Holy See: "You bunch of idiots, have you forgotten what our purpose is today? We all came here to hunt down Jiang Bai, but because of you stubborn fools, I ended up joining forces with him to deal with you!"
"Now look what happened, everyone's dead and injured!"
"Evil cannot coexist with the Holy Light, and sinners should be judged by the Master!" Finally, the two ascetics spoke up at this moment. The two first-class ascetics said the same thing.
It's really speechless.
"Go ahead and fight."
With a bitter smile, Dulanca frankly admitted that he and Jiang Bai were never on the same side from the beginning. They only joined forces out of necessity because he knew very well that if he didn't team up with Jiang Bai, once the three first-class ascetics dealt with Jiang Bai, he would be the next target.
I did this out of desperation, and what I said just now was in the hope that the other party would realize their mistake.
However, it seems that the other party is not aware of this.
Since that's the case, in order to protect himself, he has no choice but to join forces with Jiang Bai. As for whether the ruling prince will be angry or embarrassed, that's not something he should care about, since he's not that prince's son anyway.
"Gentlemen, your rampages on our territory have caused enormous damage. It's time to stop!"
Just as both sides were about to make their move, a voice suddenly rang out.
Jiang Bai's old acquaintance, Apson, reappeared, but this time he was not alone. He brought more than ten people and appeared out of nowhere in all directions.
A dozen or so people, whose auras were completely imperceptible but whose blood energy was powerful and whose physical bodies were incredibly strong, appeared in front of Jiang Bai and his group. They were all of Western race, some white and some black, surrounding the group.
They didn't look weak, and I wonder where they came from.
"Hmph, I thought it was someone else, but it's you. What, do you want to start a war with us?" Duranka clearly recognized the people in front of him, and said with a cold smile and some disdain.
Chapter 1108 Do you think I, Jiang Bai, am easy to bully?
A hint of disdain flashed in his eyes. Jiang Bai didn't know where his confidence came from. If he wasn't mistaken, these people in front of him were not weak, at least not much weaker than himself.
In particular, the leader gave Jiang Bai a direct sense of danger, a feeling he had only truly experienced with Xu Changsheng and others.
This is a master who is no weaker than the Pope or a vampire prince.
Duranka has the audacity to speak to the other party like that; it's unclear where his confidence comes from.
"The majesty of the Holy See is inviolable, and anyone who opposes God is guilty." The two first-class ascetics spoke at the same time, in unison. If it weren't for their different appearances, Jiang Bai would have really suspected that they were twins or something.
The words were roundabout, but the meaning was very clear: they were unwilling to stop.
"Gentlemen, we are allies with Country A, which is no secret to you. The government of Country A asked us to fulfill our alliance, so we had no choice but to come out. We have no ill intentions towards you."
"However, I hope you will not continue fighting here, because your destructive power is simply too great."
"Whatever your grudges, please leave here. Once you leave this land, you can do whatever you want. Otherwise, we will not be polite."
"If we are truly forced to do so, we will not hesitate to use force!"
"You should know that you are no match for us."
The middle-aged man in the lead was not surprised by this, and said in a deep voice, the threat of which was very clear.
Jiang Bai didn't react to these words, but Dulanka and the two first-class ascetic cultivators all changed their expressions.
The two first-class ascetics exchanged a glance and said in a deep voice, "Are you going to oppose the Lord?"
"That's not what we meant. We were forced into this situation. You should know that we need their support, so we had no choice but to take action. Besides… you've caused a lot of civilian casualties this time, including some members of the Holy See."
"They may disregard the lives of these people, but as first-class ascetics of the Holy See, do you have no compassion?"
"Even if it doesn't apply to infidels, what about those who believe in you?"
This unknown person spoke skillfully, not directly confronting the two first-class ascetic cultivators, but instead speaking indirectly, which surprised the two first-class ascetic cultivators.
They then exchanged glances, and one of them stepped forward, made the sign of the cross, and said, "The Lord teaches us to have mercy and compassion. While heretics deserve to die, the Lord's followers should not suffer too many casualties. This time it was our fault."
"For the sake of these believers, we will let Jiang Bai go for now."
These words brought a sigh of relief to those around them, but then the other party added, "However, we will report what happened today to the Pope as he forced us. You heretics broke the agreement, and you should know the consequences."
"I hope you can withstand His Holiness the Pope's wrath."
Having said that, he turned and left without looking back, soaring into the air and disappearing in an instant.
This made those who came with Apson look rather unpleasant. They had tried their best to be polite and tactful, but these first-class ascetics of the Holy See really didn't take them seriously and even said such things before leaving.
They really wanted to keep these two people, but they didn't dare. With a bitter smile, they watched the two first-class ascetics leave.
"I won't stay any longer. You've broken the agreement. Heh heh, I'm going back to talk to His Highness the Prince about this. I hope you'll still have the courage to speak to the Prince when you face him."
After saying this, Dulanca glanced at the middle-aged man leading the group and said, "Marilandu, you are absolutely forbidden from taking action. You're here this time too. I wonder what the Prince of Regent will think when he finds out."
"You should know that when the agreement was signed with you, Prince Sharon had already fallen into a deep sleep. The current Prince Grand is not from the same lineage as Prince Sharon."
"I suspect... you're in for some trouble."
After saying that, Duranka chuckled, and huge bat wings stretched out from his back and disappeared into thin air. The speed was astonishing. This guy... didn't even use his full strength just now.
Both groups ran away, leaving Jiang Bai alone. He was stunned to see everyone's eyes on him. Jiang Bai shrugged helplessly and said to the group in front of him, "I was being chased. This is not my fault. If you won't let me stay here, I'll leave."
Jiang Bai had no idea that the other party had about ten Great Heavenly Realm cultivators and one who was probably at the Supreme Heavenly Realm. He wondered why the other party was so cowardly.
Why did the Holy See and the Dark Council dare to provoke them again? But... he knew he definitely couldn't beat them.
So he readily agreed that he could leave country A and not cause trouble for anyone here.
Because... that's definitely not something a smart person should do.
Duranka and the two first-class ascetics dare to be so arrogant because they have the backing. They have powerful backers and can solve any problem with their superiors.
But Jiang Bai is an enemy of the world, with enemies stretching across the east and west. If he were to make enemies here now, Jiang Bai fears he might not make it back alive.
"Hmph! Get out of here! I don't want to see you for even a minute. So many people have died here because of you, Jiang Bai. You are not welcome here, nor is anything related to you. Please don't come back again!"
Apson roared angrily at Jiang Bai, his eyes practically spitting fire.
In his view, all of this—the thousands of dead and injured, and the surrounding ruins—was caused because Jiang Bai refused to heed his advice.
Jiang Bai is the culprit behind all of this!
If it weren't for the fact that his allies had told him beforehand not to get involved, they would have focused on driving him away rather than creating enemies out of thin air.
That's why he didn't say anything harsher; otherwise, he would have wanted to keep Jiang Bai here and prevent him from ever leaving.
"Tch, what a lousy place. Do you think I want to stay here?"
"If they don't welcome me, they don't welcome me. If they don't want me here, there are plenty of other places that will!" Jiang Bai muttered, then turned to leave.
Just then, the middle-aged man known as Marylandu suddenly spoke up: "Wait."
These words immediately put Jiang Bai on guard. He narrowed his eyes at the unknown man in front of him, Marylandu, and said in a deep voice, "What, you let them go, but you don't want me to leave?"
"You think I, Jiang Bai, am easy to bully?"
Chapter 1109 Cooperation? Us
No wonder Jiang Bai thought that way. Both groups had been arrogant and domineering before. Whether it was Duke Duranka or the two unknown first-class ascetics from the Holy See, they were all so arrogant and domineering.
It was practically like pointing a finger at him and saying, "You dare offend me? You're screwed! Wait till I get back and report to the boss to deal with you."
But he didn't say a word more. Now it was his turn. He was just about to leave tactfully and leave a couple of complaints when he spoke up.
What does this mean?
Isn't it because they think they're weak and vulnerable and easy to bully?
"No, that's not what I meant, my friend." The other person spoke fluent Mandarin, and it was unclear who they had learned it from. It didn't have the awkwardness of a foreigner's accent, and their pronunciation was even more standard than Jiang Bai's.
"Huh?" This surprised Jiang Bai, who didn't understand what the other person meant.
"My friend, I think we should find another place to talk. This is really not the place to talk. Don't worry, I have no ill intentions towards you."
"Although I had some minor conflicts with Mr. Xu Changsheng from your place back then, we eventually became good friends."
Maryland suddenly said this to Jiang Bai.
Xu Changsheng? A friend?
Jiang Bai looked at Marylandu with a strange expression, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
He thought to himself, "Could this guy also be someone who was taught a lesson by Xu Changsheng?"
Of course, Jiang Bai wasn't sure about this, because it was a long time ago, at least ten years ago, or even longer. Xu Changsheng had come here once back then.
It seems this has caused quite a stir, even alarming Maridur.
Whether their relationship is as he described remains to be seen.
However, the fact that he could mention Xu Changsheng's name at least indicated that he knew Xu Changsheng, and he didn't seem to have any ill intentions. After thinking for a moment, Jiang Bai nodded, which was considered an agreement.
The group left together. Apson glanced at Jiang Bai with a gloomy expression, then began calling for rescue. Moments later, dozens of rescue helicopters that had been prepared arrived from afar.
Hundreds of cars honked their horns from a distance.
It's clear that this was all planned in advance. After confirming that the fighting had ceased, these rescue personnel, who were already fully prepared, began their operation.
After leaving the ruins, Jiang Bai got into a car and drove to a desolate area outside the city. He got out of the car with Maryland, and the car drove away on its own, which made Jiang Bai frown.
There was no one around, and the surroundings were silent. He was the only one there with Marylandu and his group. There were more than a dozen people in the group, and he was the only one. Among them was Marylandu, who was suspected to be a master of the Tai Tian level.
This made Jiang Bai wary.
You can know a person's face but not their heart; sometimes, and in some situations, you have to be on guard.
Seeing Jiang Bai's slightly wary expression, Maryland smiled slightly. Then, a beautiful young woman next to him extended her wrist, and a transparent, glowing watch appeared out of thin air on her wrist.
With a gentle tap, the previously silent sky suddenly brightened, and a futuristic fighter jet appeared out of thin air and descended from the sky.
The aircraft was armed with strange weapons beneath its wings; it was unclear what kind of equipment they were.
The aircraft was quite large, comparable to a large transport plane, and landed calmly and directly here.
"What kind of technology is this?" Jiang Bai was stunned for a moment.
Stealth technology, complete stealth technology, not the kind of aircraft that hides from radar, but the real stealth technology that you can't see even if it's right in front of you.
Moreover, it doesn't have an external propeller, it's not jet-powered, and there isn't even an external engine, so we don't know what kind of power it has.
The sudden appearance of lifeless creatures from the sky left Jiang Bai somewhat stunned.
"This is an unimaginable technology. This is our small fighter jet, well, in your words, it's the kind of carrier-based aircraft used for space warfare."
"Unfortunately, this is the only one we can offer now. We used to have many, but they've all been destroyed."
"The principle behind this thing is hard to explain to you, but it's far beyond current technology. It's capable of solo space travel. Well, it's at least a thousand years ahead of current human technology, maybe even more."
A woman smiled at Jiang Bai, appearing quite friendly, and offered an explanation, though she didn't go into too much detail.
"Who are you people!" Jiang Bai was on high alert. In the past, this world was full of fantasy elements, and Jiang Bai could tolerate it. But as his strength gradually increased, he had long since broken the common sense of humanity and become a part of this fantasy world.
But damn it, the style has suddenly changed, and a sci-fi vibe has appeared. Jiang Bai couldn't stand it at that moment.
It's understandable that they would appear tense and on guard.
"Shall we go inside and talk?" With a light laugh, Maryland invited Jiang Bai to come in and negotiate, seemingly unsurprised by Jiang Bai's attitude.
To be honest, he wasn't familiar with him, and the other party was very strong. Now, he wanted to enter the interior of this futuristic airplane. If Jiang Bai didn't have the system with him and feel unaffected, he really wouldn't have dared to agree.
But it didn't matter for now. He followed Marylandu and his group of unknown origins into the plane.
The plane then took off, and they entered the high altitude. Inside the plane, which was filled with science fiction elements and virtual screens everywhere, Jiang Bai and a group of people sat facing each other in a conference room.
"So, what do you want from me?" Jiang Bai sat on the chair, which was made of some kind of soft yet incredibly resilient material, crossed his legs, lit a cigarette, and asked rudely.
He was very curious about what these guys, who were of unknown origin and had brought out technology that surpassed the level of a thousand years of modern technology just to talk to him, wanted.
Jiang Bai exchanged glances with them and noticed that many people looked bewildered. Although they looked at each other, most of them were actually staring at Maridur, who was sitting in the center.
Finally, he spoke, saying, "We hope to cooperate with you."
"Cooperation? Us?" Jiang Bai was taken aback. He had considered many possibilities, such as the other party contacting him to reminisce about old times or to use him to make contact with Xu Changsheng.
Or perhaps it's a warning to oneself not to come again, a way of demonstrating one's strength.
Or they might sabotage themselves, tricking them into coming here only to kill them...
However, Jiang Bai was momentarily stunned when the other party brought up the matter of cooperating with him.