Forge a path to success.

Chapter 392 The Mediocre Army (Part 1)

The reason why he spoke so eloquently when mocking the imperial power was because Guo Yutu was a similar person.

Even in his childhood, he independently developed the self-evolving combat AI "Black Death Army." Combined with remotely controlled machines and hacking skills, he became an unseen and invincible killer. Physically strong opponents could be dealt with by simply deploying a few more soldiers, while wealthy enemies could simply acquire the technology itself. He remained hidden in the shadows, watching the changing tides of fortune with amusement, and was invincible.

Intelligent, arrogant, and overconfident. He believed he could control everything with his intellect and skills. To him at that time, everything was a "game," the only difference being that the Blood Alliance's missions were games that had to be won, while side jobs were simply high-difficulty "challenges."

He maintained this mindset as he grew into a cynical adult, until his perception was shattered by reality.

It happened during a vacation. He was in Kyoto to see the cherry blossoms when he received a job to assassinate the new leader of a certain clan. This was commonplace within the Blood Alliance. He airlifted a large force, analyzed intelligence on the enemy's ace beforehand, and remotely controlled the operation from a distant Shinkansen bullet train. At speeds of up to 320 km/h, even the most skilled enemy hackers would have no chance of pinpointing his location.

A perfect strategy. There is no possibility of failure. Even if the Black Death Army is defeated, they can escape unscathed.

However, enemy hackers located him. The enemy assassin caught up with the Shinkansen.

The moment the sacrificial serpent burst through the window, Guo Yutu's worldview collapsed.

His confidence shattered, his common sense easily shattered, and his pride in his technical skills defeated by sheer brute force. In that instant, he was utterly powerless; death was the inevitable outcome.

But Guo Yutu survived. Ironically, there happened to be another monster on the train as well.

In mere seconds, the Shinkansen became a battlefield between two monsters. He fled in terror amidst the hail of bullets, utterly insignificant.

·
Having miraculously survived, he began to re-examine everything around him: the outcasts, the blood alliance, his peers, and that ranking list he had once scorned.

He was fifth. When Guo Yutu first saw that ranking, he laughed his head off. How could he not be first?

可如今看来那真是确切的评价。远离0与1那样的人间之神，赶不上2与3那样的怪物，甚至没有4那纯粹的疯狂。

His prized skills, his sole specialty, were easily surpassed by those few. Not only was his ability inferior to his talent, but even his intelligence paled in comparison. This self-proclaimed extraordinary child finally experienced the moment of growing up, and he deeply realized his own "ordinariness."

A mediocre 5th place. Very accurate, even fair.

That's why I feel resentful.

A strong sense of resentment that has nothing to do with interests or status.

·
"call……"

The destructive power of the Undead Cannon raged, its attack mode shifting to decompose into self-pursuing cluster bombs that blasted out shimmering chrysanthemums across the sky. Amidst the pure white petals, a flickering black dot appeared—the sacrificial serpent, evading with incredible speed using its Deathwing.

Thirty seconds have passed since the artillery barrage began, and the enemy remains unharmed, but has not closed the distance. The bug behind Guo Yutu remains unscathed.

Guo Yutu adjusted the artillery trajectory again, dispelling distant memories. Controlling the giant lily single-handedly had placed a considerable mental burden on him, hence the distraction.

The assassin who rushed to deliver the message saluted him: "Do you need help, Commander?"

This tall man, wielding an antique samurai sword, is the No. 10 "Rusty Blade," a master swordsman who prides himself on his ancient style of swordsmanship. Guo Yutu had collaborated with him several times during his time on Earth and greatly admires his abilities. His quick wit and adaptability, as well as his lethality in single combat, are both top-notch; in a previous era, he might have even been a contender for the title of the best in the world.

But in the 21st century, teeming with monsters, even a man like him could only rank tenth. The ranks above him, No. 9 and No. 8, are implicitly "vacant," representing the insurmountable gap between the top seven and the rest of the assassins. He wasn't a gatekeeper of geniuses, but rather the pinnacle of mediocrity. To put it bluntly, even the strongest ordinary person can only reach this level.

To be able to fight the top players and last two rounds against a Serpent of Sacrifice or a King's Authority before being defeated is already a remarkable achievement, isn't it?

"Just wait in the city," Guo Yutu told him. "Remember this is a job; he won't kill you if you don't go too far."

"I think you should say that to yourself," Rusty Knife said with a smile. "Your aura is terrifying, like an angry demon."

The rusty knife vanished in the light of divine power transmission, and the remaining assassins took their positions in the "sandbox" constructed by the information flow. NO.11 Rusty Gardener, an assassin who fights using mutated plants. NO.17 Muddy Lurker, an assassin skilled in underground attacks. And then there's NO.15, who survived the battle at the Thorn Flower Festival, and the pursuing NO.18 and 19…

From the tenth rank downwards, the strongest surviving assassins gathered together. This was naturally due to the king's order, but Guo Yutu felt much more comfortable.

The more people, the better; the more chaotic the battle, the better. We've staked everything, so you can also deploy your forces as you see fit. If he's really going to fight Chu Hengkong one-on-one with the giant lily, he might as well just hang himself—that would be more dignified.

This is a siege battle; the victory condition is not killing the target, but breaching the city's defenses. Since they are ascendants on the path of the Fallen World, they should settle their differences on such a battlefield. "A chaotic battle is about to begin; all units, prepare yourselves," Guo Yutu said. "Activate the Evil Spirit Sandbox."

·
Above Mansa Star Fortress, Chu Hengkong, who was dodging the artillery fire, suddenly felt a surge of emotion. The atmosphere had changed, indicating that Guo Yutu had come up with a new tactic. Before he could think it through, eight of the twelve cannons simultaneously raised their heads and fired high into the sky.

Eight artillery strikes of 6-mass power were enough to cover the battlefield above; at this point, only a forced landing was possible. He retracted his Death Wings and landed back on the ground, but the objective distance between him and Mansa Star Fortress had not shortened. Guo Yutu's artillery fire was formidable, but it would inevitably come at a price.

When Huaisu entered the city, he did not fire the cannons, most likely because operating the Undead Cannons would also cause him a great deal of exhaustion. Therefore, he deliberately let the invasion pass, wanting to concentrate all his forces on the decisive battle against himself.

"It's rare to see such enthusiasm this time. Is the royal power really that generous?"

Chu Hengkong uttered a trash talk and landed, then suddenly raised his Divine Slash and parried behind him. He just happened to block a rusty samurai sword; the samurai wielding the sword was a puppet.

The warrior wore a black iron mask and possessed a retro puppet-like body; he was a modified member of the Black Death Army. However, his speed and martial arts skills far surpassed those of ordinary soldiers. In the blink of an eye, after three rounds of combat, the black iron warrior had completely defended against all of Chu Hengkong's attacks. Chu Hengkong frowned.

"A rusty knife?"

"It's an honor that you still remember me." Black Iron Warrior, No. 10 Rusty Blade, assumed a starting stance.

Chu Hengkong dodged the attack: "You've been cursed and turned into a puppet?"

"Well, why don't you guess for yourself?"

A thrust, a slash, a backward kasaya slash. Rusty Blade's swordsmanship was near perfect, yet a discordant flash of blood suddenly pierced the transitions between movements. Chu Hengkong saw through the sword's path at a glance, severing the weapon and right arm with a single strike. Rusty Blade, severely wounded, knelt down, his puppet-like body exploding as his inner energy surged through him.

Chu Hengkong remained vigilant, dodging the next barrage of artillery fire before grabbing a new rusty knife. Another Black Iron Warrior stood amidst the dust, his body identical to a puppet, yet possessing an even greater aura!
"So... the Black Death Army."

“We sometimes wish we could find a class to work in,” the rusty knife puppet chuckled. “Rusty Knife, officer of the Black Death Army, reporting for duty!”

One by one, puppets emerged from the sandstorm: puppets dressed as gardeners, puppets dressed as athletes, puppets as imposing as mountains. The assassins he had previously defeated revealed themselves, but this time they were all members of the Black Death Army, united as an undead force!

Evil Spirit Sandbox: Army of the Dead. This allows warriors' ghostly forms to be deployed as "pilots" into a specially crafted army of the dead, enabling precise long-range combat without harming the original warrior.

This technology is meaningless to high-level powerhouses; even the best puppet cannot surpass one's own body. However, for assassins of level 4 and below, the puppets meticulously crafted by Guo Yutu are "machines" far stronger than themselves.

With the Black Death Army's production bases as aid, damaged bodies can be replenished immediately. Thus, the assassins can rise again after "dying" and fight the strongest once more.

Yes, assassins outside the top ten can only exchange a couple of blows with the snake at most.

But if the assassins could rise again, if they were immortal, then even an army of mediocre could halt the advance of geniuses!
Slay, fall, rise. The monotonous process repeated endlessly, yet the sacrificial serpent gradually retreated. The barrage from the undead cannons continued; the Black Death Army was unafraid of losing a puppet, but Chu Hengkong could not afford the risk of being hit by the cannon fire.

He unleashed a wild and unrestrained attack, forcing back numerous assassins, and shouted towards the city wall, "You've used every trick in the book? Is that all you want to win!"

"Who wants to fight you one-on-one? I'm a commander who commands an army all by myself," Guo Yutu sneered. "Reinforcements or strategies, use whatever means you have. This is my battlefield, and I will not lose!"

Six cannons facing the battlefield fired simultaneously, their concentrated fire switching to a wide-area attack mode. The aim wasn't to inflict casualties, but rather to disrupt and delay Chu Hengkong's advance, assisting the assassins. Numerous black dots flickered amidst the gunfire. Guo Yutu patiently awaited the enemy's movements, his gaze shifting between different monitoring signals.

The Heartless One and the Female Heretic have basically dealt with the demons of the Fifth Meridian Order and are now moving towards the battle line; Ji Huaisu is cooperating with the charade inside the Prosecutor's Office, and Banningtik has no reason to let her go for the time being; the other captains are all on standby at their respective headquarters, and the three Point Fives from the bookstore are busy maintaining order.

As expected, only Verus was nowhere to be seen. She was likely engrossed in deciphering the structure of the giant lily to pinpoint its weaknesses. This time, the enemy employed the safest tactic: she would locate the target, and then a blitzkrieg would be launched with snakes.

Once he identifies the weakness, he will unleash his strongest power to finish the battle quickly. Therefore, simply observing Chu Hengkong's actions is enough to understand the enemy's progress.

He is currently still entangled with the army of the undead. However, the blinking speed is increasing. He is gradually adapting to the rhythm of the attack, or perhaps he is already preparing a feint.

With lightning speed, he outmaneuvered most of the assassins and moved to the western part of the defensive perimeter. Rusty Blade gave chase. Guo Yutu initiated communication before the engagement.

"how?"

"He's serious!" Rusty Knife shouted.

(End of this chapter)