Chapter 123 - 8: Drone

And they must have provided information on Panx Juan’er, which led to this whole series of events.

’Well, the intelligence department is still TBD!’ That was Panx Juan’er’s assessment.

Zhang Deming guessed they were most likely from the Foreign Service’s special agent department—or, even more likely, officially-sanctioned assassins.

This Celestial Universe Federation was really a bit like a certain country from his past life.

At least its Foreign Service agents were quite similar. Domestically, they were intelligence agents, but externally, the entire department also moonlighted in the assassination business for other countries.

As a side gig, they would even get mixed up in the political struggles of other nations.

They might even shed their official status entirely, operating from the shadows and becoming a government-sanctioned version of an assassin organization.

’Yes, the resemblance is uncanny.’

"Just how unpopular are you in the Inner Sect to have ended up like this?" Zhang Deming said.

Panx Juan’er shook her head. "This whole incident is probably because of the Spirit Nurturing Holy Land’s Entry Order. It must have driven someone to take a desperate risk."

"What do you mean?" Zhang Deming asked.

Panx Juan’er’s gaze flickered. "It’s... it’s nothing. Are we just going to keep running like this?"

Panx Juan’er changed the subject.

Seeing she was unwilling to say more, and since he couldn’t get involved in the Inner Sect’s conflicts right now, Zhang Deming didn’t press the issue.

He changed the subject as well. "Are you familiar with the agents behind us?"

Panx Juan’er shook her head. "I didn’t see them before, but our Celestial Spirit Sect only has one Celestial Universe Diplomatic Station.

If they’re from the Celestial Universe, it’s probably that group."

"So you know them?" Zhang Deming asked.

Panx Juan’er nodded. "I know a fair bit about them."

"So, how strong are they?" Zhang Deming asked.

"For some unknown reason, very few of them are capable of cultivation. Because of that, Cultivators hold a very high status in their government.

Over here at the Celestial Spirit Sect, they don’t have anyone like that," Panx Juan’er said.

"So the people behind us are all Ordinary people?" Zhang Deming asked.

Panx Juan’er nodded, then shook her head again. "Their Artifact Refining techniques are extremely unique. A well-equipped Ordinary person can even threaten an unprepared Duality Ancestor.

If you’re thinking of fighting them, we should just keep running."

’Heh. Tech and equipment are powerful, but that’s predicated on an information asymmetry between both sides.’

’If I understand the technology and my Spiritual Power isn’t disrupted, the outcome is far from certain.’

’So, there’s no need to keep running like this.’

Zhang Deming glanced back. The drone was still cautiously trailing them.

After the earlier surprise attack, the enemy was being extremely careful. A direct approach was no longer an option.

But from Zhang Deming’s observations, while this disc-shaped drone was high-tech...

...it had also sacrificed a lot in pursuit of a combination of factors like being small, convenient, and agile.

In the ordinary world of his past life, these trade-offs wouldn’t have mattered much and would have been wise choices. People on the ground really would have been helpless against it.

But in this world, that wasn’t necessarily the case.

As he ran, Zhang Deming quickly surveyed the terrain, and moments later, he reached a very advantageous position.

A faint Spirit Wind emerged from the heels of Zhang Deming’s feet. The miniature Light Wings on his heels were now vibrating rapidly.

"Doing that will rapidly increase your Spiritual Power consumption! We won’t be able to run for much longer," Panx Juan’er said worriedly, afraid that Zhang Deming was unconsciously speeding up out of anxiety.

This time, however, she didn’t suggest he leave her behind.

Zhang Deming ignored her, continuously pushing his speed to the limit. The drone behind him accelerated to keep up.

As he sped up, he left a faint trail of Spirit Wind, which coalesced into a tail of air. In moments, Zhang Deming was like a comet, pulling a long tail of wind behind him.

Looking at the tail of wind behind him, Zhang Deming smiled.

’This is the benefit of a Mastery Level Technique. You don’t have to use a Technique mechanically like a Skill; with a bit of your own development, you can create extensions.’

He glanced back. The tail of wind was now long enough to reach beneath the drone.

’That’s enough!’

"I heard some Rumors. They say that a wind of Spiritual Power will erupt suddenly, just as I command."

’Even though I’ve never learned a proper Wind Technique, by adding a rumor, even my Agility Technique can be used as one!’

As Zhang Deming spoke, the comet-like tail of wind behind him suddenly surged upward, blowing toward him like a powerful gale.

Zhang Deming stopped abruptly, spun around, and leaped toward the sky.

The drone’s AI instantly captured Zhang Deming’s movement, simultaneously halting and pulling back.

But by then, the Spirit Wind had already risen and struck the drone. The force of the already-powerful Spirit Wind, combined with the drone’s sudden reverse momentum, was devastating.

To achieve its small size, convenience, and other features, the drone’s design had sacrificed risk-resistant control stability and many other seemingly non-cost-effective traits.

At that moment, this drawback was instantly exposed.

Blasted by the powerful Spirit Wind, the reversing drone was instantly flipped over.

It tumbled through the air, immediately losing its balance.

Swept up by the Spirit Wind, it came tumbling down toward Zhang Deming.

Zhang Deming leaped up, bursting through the treetops, and snatched the disc-shaped drone out of the air before it could regain stability.

With his prize in hand, Zhang Deming dropped swiftly back to the ground.

...

The four pursuers farther back were startled by Zhang Deming’s sudden move. A replay of the entire maneuver flashed across their tactical visors.