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Chapter 191 Thunderstorm and Sea of ​​Clouds, Crushing and Violent! (Update 35 of 2 words)

the next day.

Rather than early morning, it was more like a point in time where the scale of time became blurred within the perpetually dark space inside Iron Anvil Fort, filled with the smell of cheap tobacco and engine oil.

Fang Qingyu was awakened by a violent cough and indistinct cursing from next door.

"Pah! Damn it, my bones will fall apart after sleeping in this godforsaken place for one night! Those two bastards next door howled for most of the night, are they trying to kill me?!"

Chu Kuanglan's muffled complaints penetrated the thin, cardboard-like iron partition, sounding as clear as if they were right next to his ear.

Fang Qingyu opened his eyes. The small room was still dark, and the air was filled with a strange smell of rust, sweat, and rotten food from the previous night.

Jiang Wei was curled up on the inside of the iron bunk bed, her brows furrowed, clearly not sleeping well.

Lu Jiuyuan's voice followed, tinged with helplessness: "Alright, Lao Chu, enough said. This is how it is here. Who do you think lives here?"

With a creak, the door next door opened, and Chu Kuanglan walked out rubbing his eyes, just in time to see Fang Qingyu also pushing open his door and coming out.

"Good morning, Fang Shen. Did you hear what happened last night? It was unbelievable!" Chu Kuanglan lowered his voice, still filled with resentment. "This wretched place is worse than a doghouse!"

Wei Banmeng and Lu Jiuyuan also came out.

Wei Banmeng's cold face remained expressionless as she calmly stated, "Iron Anvil Fortress, and indeed all the outposts in the 'Abyss,' are pretty much the same. Over 90% of the people living here are not federal officials."

Her gaze swept across the narrow, filthy passageway.

Looking at those figures hurrying by, their eyes either numb, greedy, or fierce.

“Part of them are the ‘field operations teams’ of the major financial groups and top families in the Federation.” Wei Banmeng’s voice was flat. “They are stationed here year-round, collecting rare materials unique to the ‘Abyss’ for the forces behind them. The Source Tide, and those Life Ghost materials that have been mutated by the special environment of the Abyss, are simply impossible to buy outside and are priceless.”

“The other group,” she paused, a hint of coldness creeping into her voice, “are the desperados. They risk all their merits, even borrowing or mortgaging, for a chance to enter the ‘Abyss,’ fighting for a breakthrough or to make a fortune. If they succeed, they might turn their lives around; if they fail, they either die in the wilderness or remain forever at the bottom of this stronghold until the next ‘Abyss’ opens or they are exhausted of their last bit of value.”

“We can get out anytime, but they’ve staked their lives on this place,” Wei Banmeng concluded, her tone calm yet revealing the stark survival rules behind this chaotic stronghold. “So, here, apart from necessary transactions, don’t easily trust anyone, and don’t meddle in other people’s business.”

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan nodded silently, their resentment replaced by solemnity.

Fang Qingyu glanced at the shifty-eyed figures in the passageway, but remained silent.

Without further delay, the five of them quickly washed up and, braving the foul air inside the stronghold, passed through the noisy and chaotic trading area on the ground floor and the "entertainment area" filled with cheap alcohol and the stench of sweat, heading straight into the depths of the stronghold.

The merit exchange office set up by the Federation is located in a relatively independent alloy compartment. The environment is much cleaner than outside, but it also has a cold metallic feel.

The uniformed staff behind the counter were expressionless, but very efficient.

As they waited in line to exchange for the resources and emergency medical kits needed to enter the thunderstorm cloud sea, a lean young man in a dark green combat uniform in the next line saw Wei Banmeng.

A smile of familiarity spread across his face as he quickly walked over.

"Junior Sister Wei? What a coincidence."

"Senior Brother Li."

Wei Banmeng nodded slightly, recognizing the other party as Li Zheng, a disciple of the Tiangang Martial Arts School.

Li Zheng approached, his gaze quickly sweeping over Fang Qingyu and the others, lingering on Fang Qingyu for a moment with obvious scrutiny.

His smile remained unchanged, but his voice was extremely low and he spoke very quickly:
"Half-Dream, be careful. Someone's watching you."

After saying that, without waiting for Wei Banmeng to ask any further questions, as if he had completed a simple notification task, he immediately turned around, quickly merged into the crowd next to him, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Wei Banmeng, Chu Kuanglan, and Lu Jiuyuan frowned instantly, their eyes sharpening as they warily scanned their surroundings.

The exchange counter was crowded, but no one seemed to be paying attention to them.

"Targeting us? Who?"

Chu Kuanglan asked in a low voice, his muscles slightly tense.

Lu Jiuyuan's eyes flickered: "People from Project Hidden Dragon? Or long-time residents here? The news spread so fast?"

Wei Banmeng's face remained ashen, and he did not answer immediately.

Fang Qingyu stood beside her, his gaze calmly sweeping over the diverse crowd in the exchange area, finally settling on a few middle-aged men on the periphery who appeared to be casually strolling around. They wore old tactical vests, had bulging muscles, exposed skin inlaid with life-ghost materials, and obvious surgical scars.

Just as Li Zheng whispered his warning, Fang Qingyu's sense of danger clearly detected a fleeting, chilling malice emanating from those people, like a venomous snake locking onto its prey.

The target is clear: just a few of them.

"Not one of the Hidden Dragon Project members."

Fang Qingyu's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the three people.

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan were both taken aback: "No?"

"Hmm." Fang Qingyu withdrew his gaze, his tone flat and calm, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself, "A group of Transcendent-level modified martial artists, it's hard to say which family they're raised."

A cold glint flashed in Wei Banmeng's eyes, and she instantly understood Fang Qingyu's meaning.

They are either outlaws in those strongholds, or cleaners kept by certain forces!
These people are like a persistent thorn in one's side, specializing in ambushing lone or seemingly "easy targets" groups outside strongholds or in the wilderness, killing and robbing them.

"Interesting." A cold smile curled at the corner of Wei Banmeng's lips, the shadow of being watched transforming into a sharp fighting spirit. "It seems someone thinks we're easy to manipulate."

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan also realized what was happening, and a sinister smile appeared on their faces.

Profound Realm?
Or was it forcibly piled up using materials from the Fate Ghost?
In the eyes of these core disciples of top martial arts schools, this kind of trash is nothing more than a chicken or a dog.

"Let's go, buy everything and then set off. Thunderstorm and sea of ​​clouds."

Wei Banmeng stopped looking around and decisively told the counter what supplies she needed.

A few modified hyenas are nothing to disrupt their plans.

After exchanging their items, the five of them didn't linger. Braving the murky air inside the stronghold and countless obscure, unreadable gazes, they strode quickly toward the heavy alloy gate that led to the storm outside.

The floodgates burst open, and a violent storm swept in once again.

Without the slightest hesitation, the five figures quickly disappeared into the dark rain and sped off towards the thunderstorm cloud sea marked on the map.

Leave the outpost area and venture deep into the wilderness.

The rain was icy cold, stinging my face as it hit.

The wind howled like countless giant beasts in my ears, and the swirling pebbles struck my protective qi and blood with a dense crackling sound.

The dark red rocks beneath my feet had become as slippery as oil-soaked leather after being washed by the torrential rain, and each step required extremely strong control of my qi and blood to keep my balance.

The view was fragmented by the gray rain curtain, and visibility was extremely low.

I could only make out the outline of the rugged terrain a few dozen meters ahead.

But what is even more awe-inspiring is this world itself.

"This is the Abyss."

Chu Kuanglan wiped the rain off his face, his voice distorted by the howling wind.

Looking up at the leaden-gray, seemingly collapsing, thick clouds, his eyes were filled with shock and a hint of barely perceptible awe.

"It feels completely different from the weather in our world. This is the true power of heaven and earth!"

Lu Jiuyuan pursed his lips and scanned his surroundings with sharp eyes.

To their left, on the distant horizon, a massive, dark gray tornado moved slowly like a giant python, its swirling dust forming a curtain that blotted out the sun. Even from such a distance, one could feel the oppressive, heart-pounding force of its destructive suction.

To their right, a strange, heavy snow was falling. The icy snowflakes and the torrential rain met and disappeared at an invisible boundary, forming a chaotic zone of light and shadow.

On the distant horizon, a patch of light flickered with chilling purple lightning. Each burst of light was accompanied by a muffled boom that seemed to strike the chest directly, and the air was filled with the acrid smell of burning and ionization.

"The power of nature. Fierce, chaotic, and supreme."

Wei Banmeng's voice was exceptionally clear in the wind and rain: "To master it, you must first face it, understand it, and even integrate into it."

The deeper you go, the more pronounced the extreme nature of the environment becomes.

The gale was no longer just a force, but carried a brutal tearing sensation, as if it wanted to pull a person's soul out of their body.

The protective qi and blood were blown about, flickering unpredictably, and the body had to constantly resist the enormous force that was blowing it away.

Chu Kuanglan tried to open his mind to "feel" the flow of the wind, but was immediately torn apart by the chaotic, disorderly, and unpredictable violence, causing his blood and qi to surge. He groaned and had to refocus his mind to defend.

"Damn it, this wind isn't for enlightenment, it's trying to tear people apart!"

He complained, panting.

The icy rain and hard hail brought not only a biting chill and physical pain, but also a persistent, irritating, and suffocating feeling.

The dense knocking noises were pervasive, interfering with hearing and making it difficult to concentrate.

The thick, leaden clouds that seemed almost within reach, the distant yet awe-inspiring tornadoes, and the blizzards that fell silently yet froze everything—all exuded a despairing eternity and indifference.

Unlike extreme weather in the real world, it will eventually end, giving people hope.

The rage here seems to be the norm of this land, unchanged since time immemorial. This very perception is a tremendous form of spiritual oppression.

Chu Kuanglan gazed at the moving tornado in the distance and muttered, "If I stay in this godforsaken place for too long, I'm afraid I'll even forget who I am."

Fang Qingyu walked silently in the group, his vision piercing through the rain.

I also tried to understand the natural order behind this chaos.

But there was no sign of it.

Fang Qingyu tightened his grip on Jiang Wei's hand and looked into the distance. "Let's keep going. This level might be a bit too high for us right now."

Anyway, the federal government gave them three months.

Don't rush this moment.

The five men braved the increasingly violent wind and rain as they trekked across the rugged, gray wilderness.

The environment is getting worse and worse. A faint smell of ozone is beginning to permeate the air, and a slight tingling sensation is also felt on the skin.

Finally, after crossing a black mountain ridge that looked like the fangs of a giant beast.

The sight before them caused the five people who were walking at a fast pace to stop involuntarily, gasp, and even their breath caught in their throats!
Thunderstorm and sea of ​​clouds!

Arrived!

Several kilometers ahead, the view of the sky was completely different from that behind.

The thick, leaden-gray clouds were completely torn apart and replaced here!
An endless, surging, and eerily deep purple "sea of ​​clouds" filled the entire field of vision!

This sea of ​​clouds seemed to writhe and roar as if it were alive!

Countless thick, twisted, pale white lightning bolts, like wildly dancing giant pythons, frantically multiplied, spread, and exploded inside and on the surface of the clouds!
The continuous, deafening thunder was no longer a single explosion, but rather a terrifying roar that never stopped, as if it would crush the heavens and the earth!
Boom boom boom boom——! ! !
Beneath the purple sea of ​​clouds, the earth appears as a scorched black, repeatedly burned and churning, riddled with huge craters and cracks flowing with dark red lava.

The air was filled with an intense, suffocating smell of ozone and violent electrical charges!
Standing on the ridge, the hair on the five people's exposed skin stood on end, and their hair fluttered slightly.

With each breath, I feel tiny electric currents stimulating my respiratory tract.

A sense of insignificance and palpitation, stemming from the instinct for survival and the face of the vast power of nature, instantly gripped everyone's hearts!
"Oh My God"

Chu Kuanglan stared, mouth agape, at the devastating purple sea of ​​lightning, his voice trembling, "This...this is where we're supposed to go? How...how are we supposed to survive here?"

Lu Jiuyuan gripped the hilt of the knife tightly.

His knuckles were white, and his eyes were filled with shock and a hint of barely perceptible fear.

Wei Banmeng's usually cold face was also full of solemnity. She took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the pounding in her heart.

Just then, Fang Qingyu's icy voice rang out, like a quenched blade, instantly slicing through the suffocating roar in the background:
"Let's get rid of the flies before we go in."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

Wei Banmeng and the other two focused their gazes, instantly pulling themselves out of the shock of the thunderstorm and sea of ​​clouds, their eyes becoming sharp as eagles.

Jiang Wei's small hand also gripped Fang Qingyu's clothes tightly.

On the way here, Fang Qingyu, relying on his sense of danger, had already locked onto those few figures that were following him like leeches, and had subtly reminded his companions of their location and distance several times.

However, since the other side remained inactive and the main target was the thunderstorm and sea of ​​clouds, the group temporarily ignored them and let them follow.

But now, before venturing into truly dangerous territory, these venomous snakes lurking in the shadows must be completely eliminated.

Wei Banmeng nodded silently, Chu Kuanglan grinned with a ferocious smile, and Lu Jiuyuan's hand holding the knife steadied, his killing intent subdued.

"position."

Fang Qingyu's voice rang out again, cold and precise.

"Three piles of rocks on the right rear ridge. Two behind weathered rock pillars on the left front."

"action!"

The moment Fang Qingyu finished speaking, the five figures scattered like arrows shot from a powerful bow.

Without the slightest hesitation, without the slightest delay!

It looked like they had rehearsed it a thousand times!

Wei Banmeng's figure transformed into a cold, clear streak of light, moving so fast that it left afterimages in the rain, its target pointing directly at the massive, severely weathered rock pillar to its left!

Behind the rock pillar, two modified warriors, who were peeking out and staring greedily at the backs of the five people in the distance, had their smug smiles on their faces not even frozen before their pupils reflected that extremely fast cold light!

"What.?!"

puff!puff!
Two soft sounds were almost drowned out by the thunder.

Wei Banmeng's figure swept past the side of the rock pillar like a ghost, and two short swords as thin as cicada wings appeared in her hands without her noticing.

The flash of the blade was fleeting.

The two modified warriors felt a cool sensation in their throats, followed by a gush of scalding liquid.

They instinctively clutched their necks, their eyes filled with disbelief, horror, and despair, their bodies collapsing limply, their blood instantly staining the charred rocks.

at the same time.

Chu Kuanglan, like a humanoid tyrannosaurus, crashed into the pile of rocks on the right ridge with a violent momentum!

"Get the hell out here!" A furious shout exploded like a thunderclap!
Behind the pile of rubble, the three modified martial artists who were preparing to launch a sneak attack turned pale with horror.

One of them reacted faster, roaring as he swung his arm armor, inlaid with hideous bone spikes, and smashed it towards Chu Kuanglan with a whistling sound.

"court death!"

Chu Kuanglan grinned maliciously, neither dodging nor avoiding. His large, fan-like hand, covered with a dense aura of blood and qi, was like a giant stone lock. He struck first, hitting the bone spike arm armor that was smashing towards him!
Click!

A teeth-grinding sound of bones cracking was heard!

The modified warrior's thick, altered arm armor, along with the arm bones inside, shattered like rotten wood before Chu Kuanglan's pure and extreme power.

He let out a piercing scream, his entire body was slammed backward by the enormous force, and he crashed hard into the rocks behind him, his chest caved in, and it was clear that he would not survive.

The other two were terrified; one raised his knife to strike, while the other turned to flee.

But Lu Jiuyuan's blade was faster than his turning motion!

A streak of sword light, like lightning tearing through the rain, was silent yet incredibly fast.

puff!
The gunman's head flew into the air, blood gushing from his severed neck like a fountain, and the headless corpse fell stiffly to the ground.

The fleeing man had just taken a step when he felt a chill run down his spine as a cold blade pierced through his chest.

He looked down at the blood-stained blade protruding from his chest, his eyes filled with resentment and fear, before he breathed his last.

The entire battle process.

From the moment Fang Qingyu gave the order to the end, only a few breaths had passed.

Five Transcendent-level modified martial artists, who were notorious in the stronghold and specialized in hunting newcomers, were like five insects that were crushed at will. They didn't even have time to put up a decent fight before they died!
Crush! Absolute crushing!

Brutal! Utterly ruthless brutality!

Fang Qingyu didn't even make a move. He just stood there, holding Jiang Wei in one arm and letting the other hang casually at his side, watching his companion deal with the trouble as easily as cutting melons and vegetables.

A sense of crisis permeates the battlefield, ensuring that no unexpected incidents occur.

The battle is over.

The wind and rain continued to rage, and the thunder continued to roar.

On the scorched ground, several corpses lay scattered, their scalding blood quickly spreading and fading in the cold rain before being washed into the cracks in the ground.

In addition to the smell of ozone, the air was also filled with a strong stench of blood.

Chu Kuanglan flicked non-existent blood off his hands and grinned, "Pah! A bunch of blind scum!"

Lu Jiuyuan sheathed his sword with fluid movements, as if he had just casually swatted a few mosquitoes.

The twin swords in Wei Banmeng's hands had disappeared at some point. Her cold face was expressionless, but her gaze was once again fixed on the churning purple sea of ​​lightning.

Fang Qingyu's gaze swept over the corpses on the ground, then looked at the storm clouds, his voice returning to its previous calm:

"The flies are gone. Time to go inside."

The five regrouped, putting aside the insignificant bloodshed behind them.

Stepping into this desolate place, one glance is enough to instill fear in anyone.

(End of this chapter)