Cosmic Demon

Chapter 300: The Evolutionary Path of the Path, Encountering an Acquaintance on the Front Lines!
Rumble!
Sensing a deadly threat, the howling earthworm instinctively tried to shrink its massive body back into the ground.

Unfortunately it's too late.

Qin Shi's figure blurred, as if a frame had been cut, and he vanished from the spot in an instant.

When the crisp military uniform became clear, it was already directly above the howling earthworm.

The falling figure and the giant hand that was pressing down arrived simultaneously!
chi chi-

The black spikes shooting upwards shattered like fragile glass the moment they touched the phantom of the platinum giant hand, and were eventually annihilated!
The mental screams emitted by the howling earthworms had no effect and were crushed by the torrent of Qin Shi's will!

Time seemed to stretch out, slow down countless times, as the purest and most authentic power firmly locked onto the Disaster Level 3 Familiar of the attacking convoy.

boom!
A dull, loud noise erupted from the entire space, as if it were being squeezed by a heavy object.

The howling earthworm trembled violently, like a fly sealed inside amber, completely losing its ability to resist.

The platinum giant hand landed squarely on the forehead of the man covered in pustules and wailing faces, but there was no explosion, no flying blood and flesh.

The massive body of this third-level calamity's familiar collapsed silently, like a sandcastle thrown into a crusher.

That ultimate, pure, and authentic power flowed down!

Click!

A chilling cracking sound rang out.

Cracks instantly spread across the howling earthworms, rapidly expanding from top to bottom!
This creature could not even utter a final lament before its massive body, like a mountain, crumbled from within!

Snapped!
Like a mass of carbonized flesh and blood polymer, the moment Qin Shi stepped on the forehead of the howling earthworm.

The enormous body collapsed and dissipated, turning into scattered black ash.

The air currents swept past, and the ash, like black snow, landed on the shoulders of the dumbfounded soldiers.

"Is this the fighting strength of the number one fighter on the Western Front...?"

The convoy commander's throat bobbed, his gaze almost blank.

Knowing someone's strength is different from witnessing it firsthand.

The relatives of those at the third level of disaster are not actually a high threat, as long as they do not appear in large groups.

Any well-equipped and well-fired battalion-level unit can handle it.

However, this is in the case of individuals encountering each other directly.

Even those who have become experts in their field need to go through tough battles.

The escorting lieutenant Qin only used one move.

The deal was completed in seconds!

From the moment he leaped out of the airship to the moment he crushed the howling earthworm, the entire process took no more than three seconds.

All eyes were fixed on the crisp military uniform, and admiration arose in their eyes.

The howling earthworms that had suddenly appeared were gone, leaving only a huge crater and a patch of air that had been briefly "purified".

The mental pollution that tormented the soldiers vanished along with the death of their companions.

"The warm-up wasn't even enough."

Qin Shi stood in the center of the deep pit, its edges as smooth as glass.

The ground beneath his military boots radiated a slight warmth. He slowly withdrew his right hand, which had been pressing down, and the platinum brand between his eyebrows disappeared.

"It's boring."

Qin Shi looked up, somewhat disappointed.

He used the two paths of Lao He and Lao Qi to connect martial arts and spiritual energy, and forged his own "true" path. His combat power rose like a bull market stock, showing an unstoppable and rapid momentum.

The relatives of those in a mere third-level disaster zone don't even have a chance to withstand a single blow head-on.

"If Typhon of Blood River reappears, I might... have a chance."

The Kirov airship is slowly descending, the side hatch is opening, and the suspension ladder is being lowered.

Qin Shi leaped up, grabbed the suspension ladder with one hand, and nimbly returned to the cabin.

"Boss, there's no need for you to deal with the Howling Earth Worms. The convoy's firepower is more than enough to handle them."

Long Qiuyuan closed the hatch, shutting out the complex gazes and drifting ashes below.

"It is also the duty of a commander to try to avoid casualties among soldiers."

My battery life is sufficient.

Qin Shi understood what Long Qiuyuan meant: someone like him, who directly confronts the fourth level of disaster, has extremely high strategic value.

According to the command's usual strategy, it will not be used lightly, which can reduce the consumption of military resources.

"Wailing Earthworms are low-ranking servants of the third level of disasters, and usually exist as companion servant groups of higher-ranking races."

There is no obvious social structure among individuals, but they may form clusters driven by strong regional pollution sources or psychological commands…

Ye Xiaotang sighed:

"Boss, next time you can leave the body intact. The contaminated samples of the Howling Earth Worm, as well as the extracted pheromones, are quite valuable."

It's roughly equivalent to half a barrel of fuel for an hour's flight of a Kirov airship.

"I'll pay attention next time."

Qin Shi shrugged. He absorbed all the military supplies supplied by the Western Front Command in one go, and his vitality grew rapidly.

Despite having a "super stomach" for digestion and transformation, a powerful torrent of energy fills every cell in the body.

This prevented him from having the same subtle control over every bit of power as before.

This is also why Qin Shi personally intervened when he saw that even the relatives of those at the third level of the disaster were not spared.

He needs to fight constantly to solidify his position as a professional-level fourth-tier late-stage fighter.

"The mission continues."

Long Qiuyuan's voice was transmitted into the public communication channel.

Once the Kirov airship climbed to the escort altitude, the convoy below seemed to wake up from a dream.

The commander said with awe, "Thank you, Lieutenant Qin! The convoy... continue! Destination: 'Anvil Outpost'!"

……

……

"finally reached!"

After three days and nights of travel, the convoy arrived at the anvil outpost.

It was a hastily constructed defensive outpost built on a partially collapsed alloy bunker, with crude outer fortifications and an air pollution concentration so high it was pungent.

Soldiers need to be equipped with simple filter masks to maintain their activity level for extended periods.

The convoy stopped in front of a makeshift roadblock outside the outpost. After verification, the airship was allowed to pass and slowly landed.

Qin Shi stepped out of the cabin, refused the filter mask offered by Long Qiuyuan, and calmly stepped onto the highly polluted, scorched earth of the front line, which was shrouded in thick smoke.

The life field unfolds, keeping out the silent erosion of pollution.

"Lieutenant Qin!"

A middle-aged officer, wearing oil-stained combat uniform and bearing deep signs of fatigue and weathering, strode forward to greet them.

His shoulder insignia indicated that he held the rank of captain.

"I am Zhao Tie, commander of the Anvil Outpost. Thank you and your team for escorting me all the way!"

Zhao Tie's gaze swept over the steadily docked Kirov airship, finally settling on Qin Shi, his eyes filled with undisguised respect.

News of the encounter with the Howling Earth Worms and their instant kill by Qin Shi had already been transmitted back to the outpost via the convoy's communications system.

"The duty lies."

Qin Shi nodded, his words concise and to the point.

"The mechanical sergeant is in the third armored vehicle."

"Understood! We'll arrange it immediately!"

Zhao Tie acted swiftly and decisively, turning around to direct the soldiers to provide backup.

Soon, a heavily armored mechanical sergeant with an exoskeleton stepped off the armored vehicle, surrounded by a crowd.

Most of his face was covered by a helmet and breathing mask, with only a pair of calm and focused eyes visible.

In his right hand he carried a heavy, silver-white metal box bearing the symbolic emblem of "Divine Machine".

"First, identify the pollution points, then install purification equipment."

The mechanical sergeant's voice was unexpectedly soft and pleasant.

It's actually a girl?

Qin Shi was somewhat surprised.

The mechanical approach, much like civil engineering in the past, was dominated by a group of rough and uncultured people, with women being a rare breed.

"Her name is 'G-73'. She is the only remaining mechanized sergeant in the Western Front Command. A month ago, the 7th Battalion, which was escorting the mechanized sergeant, was ambushed and almost completely wiped out."

Long Qiuyuan said.

The advance on the western front was achieved at the cost of heavy sacrifices. In many unseen corners, countless soldiers paid the ultimate price, allowing the front line to move forward little by little.

"G-73?"

Qin Shi found the name somewhat strange, as it sounded like a machine number. "The mechanical path requires establishing 'rules,' then 'practicing' them, relinquishing certain human traits, and thus achieving 'ascension.'"

It's obvious she's abandoning her own name.

Long Qiuyuan truly lives up to his reputation as a senior expert at Xuyang Heavy Industry, possessing extensive knowledge and experience.

"I see."

Qin nodded; he really didn't know that there was such a thing as a mechanical approach.

Then he thought of his youngest sister, Qin Lan. He didn't know what she was thinking, but she insisted on choosing the mechanical route.

"The core ritual is expected to begin in three hours."

"After a flurry of activity," said Mechanical Sergeant G-73.

Although her voice was soft, it showed no emotion.

"This mechanical sergeant is clearly an 'ascended' type. He has abandoned his flesh and blood to embrace steel."

This type is the most dangerous on the front lines, as they are easily contaminated and subsequently corrupted.

So she was fully armed, her exoskeleton power armor densely imprinted with the Divine Machine emblem.

Seeing that Qin Shi seemed interested, Long Qiuyuan continued.

"The level of pollution at the front is indeed too high."

Qin Shi watched the mechanical soldier as he initiated a purification ritual, using the power of the divine pillar's rules to dispel the deep erosion of the Netherworld.

"Lieutenant Qin."

Zhao Tie approached, looking somewhat uneasy.

"What is it, Captain Zhao? Is there something you need?"

Qin Shi raised an eyebrow.

Although Zhao Tiejun held a higher rank than him, he did not have the authority to command or give orders.

"We just detected a high-energy pollution reaction in the northeast direction, and there are a lot of them."

Zhao Tie scratched his head, clearly feeling embarrassed to trouble Qin Shi.

"The purification system is still three hours away from activation. The outpost may not have enough troops... so I'd like to ask Lieutenant Qin for a favor."

Qin Shi understood that he was good at being a henchman to clear out the small fry.

"no problem."

He readily agreed.

"The outpost is also short of supplies and can't offer anything good."

Zhao Tie knew the "rules": military experts of high strategic value expend a great deal of energy after a battle and must replenish their strength in a timely manner.

However, the Iron Anvil Outpost was just a base and did not have sufficient logistical support.

"Consider it a warm-up."

Qin Shi waved his hand, his sharp gaze fixed on the northeast.

At the edge of his perception zone, a thick, chaotic cloud of pollution was rapidly moving toward the outpost.

It contains complex, not weak, fluctuations.

"They weren't organized groups of relatives; they were more like a 'beast tide' driven by something."

Long Qiuyuan quickly analyzed the shared information.

"The energy signatures are mixed. Based on a rough assessment, there are 'swamp beasts,' 'sword-spine hounds,' and even more powerful 'howling earthworms'? There's more than one!"

Ye Xiaotang glanced at the boss,

Ran Bin quickly took his sniper rifle from the airship and began assembling it.

"Ready to fight."

Qin Shi said calmly.

"Captain Zhao, the outpost will be taken over by our side, is that alright? A Qiu, you will be in charge of piloting the airship, providing air support and fire suppression."

Binbin and Xiaotang, you two take care of the targets that pose a higher threat level.

Leave the rest to me.

Lieutenant Qin was truly decisive and efficient.

Zhao Tie thought to himself, "He truly deserves to be called a combat hero on the western front; his straightforwardness is extraordinary."

"We will do our best to cooperate with Lieutenant Qin and provide all available supplies."

Qin Shi didn't reply. He followed the path of breaking through the limits of the old martial arts, accumulating boundless energy with his extraordinary body, unlike the dedicated masters of the new martial arts who needed a huge support team to take care of them.

Completing at least one moderate-intensity battle lasting two hours is no problem.

……

……

Fifteen minutes later.

After refueling, the Kirov airship took off again.

Long Qiuyuan, Ye Xiaotang, and Ran Bin each performed their respective duties.

Qin Shi was not on it.

He drove a military off-road vehicle alone, heading straight for the northeast direction of the outpost.

Before long, a surging, boiling "black tide of pollution" appeared on the horizon.

"There are quite a few."

Qin Shi stepped on the brakes and stopped the SUV.

He stared at the grotesque and distorted beasts, a cold smile curving his lips.

boom!
Its extraordinary body shattered the atmosphere, transforming into a blurry afterimage as it hurtled towards the polluted black tide.

The hem of the military uniform was stretched taut by the strong wind generated by the high speed!

Qin Shi did not use the Perfect Electric Shock Blade, as the blood from the cuts would easily stain his clothes.

He threw a punch solely based on pure speed and power.

Click!
The air was compressed into a visible white shock wave, like a heavy hammer smashing into sticky silt!
The dozen or so swamp beasts that were the first to be hit had their tough skins shattered like paper in an instant.

His muscular body exploded, and blood, flesh, and bones mixed with a foul stench sprayed backward!

boom! boom! boom!
Qin Shi's figure left trails of afterimages in the black tide, each flash accompanied by a dull thud.

He cut through butter like a red-hot blade, slicing through everything in his path, from the thick-skinned swamp beasts to the swift blade-ridged hounds, and even the howling earthworms that tried to ambush him.

They all fell under the field of life!
That extremely pure and real power was like a platinum sun that melts away all things, wantonly dispelling the rolling, viscous pollution!
"This……"

Zhao Tie witnessed this scene through the screen in the command room and immediately felt his mouth go dry.

This Lieutenant Qin didn't use any fancy techniques, only the most direct and brutal crushing!
The Kirov airship hovered in mid-air, its gun hatches open. Long Qiuyuan calmly operated the machine guns, strafing any stragglers that tried to bypass Qin Shi and attack the outpost's defenses.

With Ye Xiaotang's shared vision, Ran Bin kept pulling the trigger.

The sniper rifle emitted a dull, rhythmic hiss, each specially designed armor-piercing bullet precisely striking the vital points of the subordinate creatures, relieving Qin Shi of the flank pressure.

This small team, which had not had much training or practice together, displayed amazing chemistry and teamwork.

In less than twenty minutes, thanks to the terrifying efficiency of Qin Shi's "sharp knife," the originally raging black tide of pollution was as if it had hit an invisible dam, and its momentum was forcibly contained!
"This is the role that high-value strategic units play."

Zhao Tie sighed.

One person is an army!
This one-sided, crushing "massacre" lasted for about an hour and a half.

Once the suppressive fire subsided, Qin Shi had already pierced through the entire polluted black tide.

He stood in the center of the battlefield, his body radiating a platinum-gold aura that repelled the polluting aura that tried to approach.

"Captain Zhao can send men to clean up the battlefield and retrieve valuable samples."

Qin Shi's voice came through the outpost's communication channel.

His military uniform was spotless. He drove his off-road vehicle back along the same route and stepped back into the Iron Anvil Outpost. Zhao Tie ran up to him quickly.

"Lieutenant Qin! Thank you so much!"

Zhao Tie's face was filled with gratitude.

"It's your job."

He did not claim credit during the Qin Dynasty.

Suddenly, he seemed to be touched, and his gaze turned to another direction.

"It seems some of our soldiers are arriving? Captain Zhao, was that the reinforcements you called for?"

Zhao Tie nodded and said:
"I sent out a distress signal two days ago."

Before long, a well-equipped convoy drove into the outpost.

Qin Shi raised an eyebrow as he saw a familiar figure.

"Lao Zhou?"

(End of this chapter)