Translated and Editted by: La0o9
A night quickly passed as the Eastern sky lights up.
Today there is no rain.
The sun slowly rose, hanging from the cloudless blue sky above.
Gu Qing Shanâs figure suddenly appeared in a dense forest area.
The serpent demonâs corpse still lying at his feet, about 200 meters away, numerous arrows are still stuck deep on tree branches and trunks.
Spending one day in the other world and one hour will have passed in Reality, but going back to the other world from Reality and not even a second has passed.
What a strange flow of time.
Gu Qing Shan checked his inventory bag, inside it was still full of snake blood, teeth and his other loots.
The most valuable things are the snake livers, he himself had already eaten one, the other is silently sitting in the Inventory Bag, occasionally emitting a dim light.
This truly is a good thing to have, right now Gu Qing Shan can still feel his bodyâs blood essence increasing nonstop, almost rivalling that of a Martial Cultivator.
Should he learn some martial artist Skills?
Gu Qing Shan thought for a bit.
No, donât worry about these things yet, I still have to return to the outpost.
I still havenât eaten anything today, although Zhao Lu is useless in combat, his cooking skills are quite something.
Gu Qing Shan packed up his stuff, quickly followed the path to go back.
On the way he didnât make any stop, avoiding demon beasts even if he saw them.
Hunting demon beasts for a whole night, created a new Mobile Mech right after returning to Reality, meeting Anna, fighting a Grandmaster, meeting the President and Martial Saint, go on TV, right now even he feels a bit tired in both body and spirit.
This time in the other world, he might as well spend a day to reorganize himself.
When he came back to the outpost, Zhao Lu was standing at the outpostâs gate, seemingly waiting for him.
As soon as he saw Gu Qing Shan, he quickly spoke: âBrother Gu, not goodâ
âWhat happened?â
âYesterday so many demons appeared at nightâ
âHm? What exactly happened?â
Gu Qing Shanâs expression tensed up and tried to ask.
Zhao Lu doesnât really understand military terms so even after a while couldnât explain what he saw.
Gu Qing Shan couldnât do anything but be patient and questioned him slowly, for every 3-4 questions, Zhao Lu would give an answer from memory.
After a few minutes, Gu Qing Shan finally pieced everything together.
The demonâs dispatch yesterday wasnât the main army, only small squadrons of unique demons.
These squadrons all have intricate equipment and considerable strength, in Zhao Luâs own words: âLooks scary as hell, even fiercer than the ones from beforeâ
The demon squadrons all used their highest speed, and passed by the outpost gate on their way.
To ensure both mobility and secrecy, the demonsâ numbers arenât too overwhelming, they also acted in silence.
If Zhao Lu hadnât woken up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night, he wouldnât even have found out.
After hearing Zhao Luâs story, Gu Qing Shan remembered the Faceless Giant and Bloodthirsters that appeared yesterday, becoming even more suspicious.
The demon army dispatched so many elite troops, but what for?
âThis is the last year of peace right?â he spoke questioningly.
âYeah, the last year of peaceâ Zhao Lu nodded in agreement.
Gu Qing Shan became even more confused.
He has confirmed over and over that this is the first time that war broke out, both demons and humans are still testing each otherâs strength, both sides still havenât dispatched their strongest troops for an all-out battle.
These demons that only appeared during the later stages of the war, all suddenly showed up here at once.
Gu Qing Shan went silent and began to seriously recall the details of the past.
Heâs already feeling a sense of unease.
During the past life, he was the supreme commander of Chinaâs national guild, as well as the World Alliance Armyâs strategic General, so heâs especially sensitive to military dispatches. (1)
He has carefully spent time to research each and every single military campaign that happened in the game.
Before, he had only just returned, plus his cultivation was so low, as well as the wounds on his body, so Gu Qing Shan had placed more attention on himself.
But now when the situation changed again, heâs once again using the eyes of a strategic General to seriously consider everything.
Gu Qing Shan threw away all useless thoughts and begin compiling the facts.
If the dispatch wasnât the main demon army, then whatever happens isnât happening on the main battlefield.
Then the possibility of a direct attack can be ruled out.
If so, would it be a raid?
Gu Qing Shan closed his eyes and reviewed the map in his map again.
His own squad was stationed at the frontline, right now already considered the fallen sector.
In the vicinity, would there be any humanity strongholds or fortresses that are worth the demons dispatching their strongest elite squadrons to attack?
The closest humanity stronghold is right outside the border town, about 1000 kilometers away.
So thereâs no humanity targets that are worth a raid around this area.
If so, he can also rule out the chance of a raid.
After ruling out two possibilities, Gu Qing Shan became even more nervous.
Could it be, an assassination operation?
Gu Qing Shan silently thought.
During this one year, there were many strong cultivators of humanity that died in battle.
During the sudden outbreak of war, which important human cultivators were assassinated by the demons?
Names rushed through Gu Qing Shanâs mind one after another.
As he recalls, heâs also ruling them out one by one.
Suddenly, Gu Qing Shan remembered two people.
Two shockingly brilliant people, two figures that stood out in history.
Many historians later came to the conclusion that if either of them were to not die before the war fully broke out, the direction of history couldâve been turned.
Gu Qing Shan suddenly asked: âWhat month and date is it today?â
Zhao Lu scratched his head and answered: âThe 7th of Juneâ
Gu Qing Shanâs heart jumped, thatâs it!
The Holy Gates Grand elder, formation Grandmaster Gong Sun Zhi, fell in battle on the 8th of June.
Heavenâs Limit Sect, Heavenâs Limit Saintess Ning Yue Xi, fell in battle on the 9th of June.
Gong Sun Zhi was surrounded by 3 million demons and died of exhaustion inside his own formation.
Ning Yue Xi was surrounded by 5 demon generals and fought a hard battle for one day and night before dying.
Many players that saw this history record was completely flabbergasted, unable to understand.
Because formations are known to be the best at hiding and evading, even at its weakest it could trap the enemy.
Of all the clans and sects, Gong Sun Zhi was a man who brought formation to its very limit, a formation Grandmaster that almost rivalled the heaven itself.
With his skills, accidentally trapping himself inside to be surrounded by millions of demons is completely nonsensical.
Heavenâs Limit Saintess Ning Yue Xi death was particularly tragic.
Heavenâs Limit Sect was one of the strongest sects in the world of cultivation, Ning Yue Xi being so young yet she was already its Saintess, her cultivation and talents are both considered top-notch in the whole world of cultivation.
Such a talented and brilliant girl, was surrounded by 5 demon generals, fought for a whole day and night, finally died of exhaustion.
If she could just send out any message at all, within that one day and night, there definitely would have been strong people who came to her rescue.
But right until the moment she died, no one in humanityâs top brass even noticed that she had been fighting the demon army for one day and night.
A great cultivator once confirmed, if Gong Sun Zhi hadnât died, the first campaignâs results might not have been a loss; and if Ning Yue Xi hadnât died, in just a few dozen years, she wouldâve had the ability to rival even the Nine Hells Demon King, changing the fate of humanity.
But that is only a sigh of grief, as history had already happened, and the people in later years saying âwhat if...â didnât change a thing.
Gu Qing Shan paced back and forth, silently thinking.
Today is already the 7th of June, in just 2 days, both of these legendary characters will have died one after another.
The reason the demon army dispatched their elite squadrons, is probably this.
The place where these two legends died was...
Gu Qing Shan silently recalled, very quickly remembered and cross referenced with his mental map.
Sure enough, the place was not far from here, about 100 kilometers.
Thatâs right, Gu Qing Shan could feel his thoughts cleared up.
If two human cultivators as powerful as them showed up in demon territory, it would definitely cause the demons to rush to surround and eliminate them.
This level of an encirclement battle, with Gu Qing Shanâs measly qi training stage 5 cultivation, he couldnât even get close.
Even the weakest demons on the outer ring used for alert could easily kill him.
For him, the only thing that he could do would be to take the chance and run back to humanityâs area of control.
Take the chance when the demonâs attention is still focused on the two legends and run away from this fallen sector.
Gu Qing Shan quickly made his decision.
Under a situation like this, as long as he runs the opposite direction of where they are, he should be able to avoid most dangers.
A journey from this outpost to the stronghold outside border city would take about one day and one night.
It isnât a short journey, and the dangers he could face on the way are numerous, but still much better than staying still at this outpost thatâs about to be destroyed.
If he wants to go, he has to take this chance when the two legends are still in battle with the demon army to leave as quickly as possible!
Gu Qing Shan didnât even rest, quickly checked the items on his body.
Snake blood, snake teeth, snake liver, all here; the military bow is still in good condition, not many arrows left, so he will have to replenish them before he leaves.
The military machete wonât do much, but at least itâs a weapon, for the off-chance that he might get into close combat.
âPack up quickly, we have to leave nowâ
Gu Qing Shan cleaned up his items, also telling Zhao Lu to prepare
âLeave? Leave where?â Zhao Lu opened his eyes wide and asked.
He was still holding the newly seasoned dried demon beast meat, about to dry it out under the roof.
âLeaving this fallen sector, towards humanityâs stronghold, of courseâ Gu Qing Shan answered.
Zhao Lu hesitated: âBut... but we already found the spirit stones, using the formation, we can just hide here for another whileâ
Gu Qing Shan spoke: âThis Invisibility formation is effective for demons before Golden Core realm, above that, just one glance and theyâll be able to see through itâ
He continued: âThe demon called Faceless Giant from a few days ago, it already discovered us, but because it was on a mission, plus we were just ants to it so it didnât bother to do anythingâ
Zhao Lu took a step backwards, then another, shaking his head: âBrother Gu, why are you telling me lies, what good is there to lie to meâ
Gu Qing Shan kept patiently explained: âIf Iâm not wrong, this area will soon become a battlefield, if we still want to live to have to quickly leaveâ
Zhao Lu: âDidnât you just go out to hunt beasts? How do you know these things?â
Gu Qing Shan answered: âJust looking at the demon dispatches and I already know, donât worry, this is the only thing I wonât be wrong aboutâ
Zhao Lu kept shaking his head: âYouâre wrong! You have to be wrong, the outside is too dangerous, I can lose my life at any time! If you want to leave so much then go, Iâm not leaving!â
Gu Qing Shan thought about the Healing pills he received from him, sighed and tried to convince him again: âCome with me, this place wonât hold, losing your life will just be a matter of timeâ
Zhao Lu still shook his head: âGoing outside is more dangerous, the outpost has a formation, this place is very safe, and the human main army will soon reclaim this place anywaysâ
Gu Qing Shan tried to convince him again, but seeing Zhao Luâs firm attitude, plus the begrudging look in his eyes, he gave up.
âI hope you understand your choiceâ Gu Qing Shan serious said once more âwhen the demons come, itâll be too late for you to regretâ
Zhao Lu stood firm, not saying a word.
Gu Qing Shan seeing that reluctantly turned around and left, not looking back at the outpost any longer.
Finally, when Gu Qing Shanâs back couldnât be seen anymore, Zhao Lu spat out
âBullshit! Going out is more dangerous, those soldiers all died in the mouth of demons because they left in the first placeâ
âEveryone else is in the dead pit now, only Iâm aliveâ
âI thought you were reinforcement, but turned out to just be a newbie that got lost, fooling me into taking care of you for days for nothingâ
âRidiculous, if you want to die then go by yourself, trying to lie to meâ
Zhao Lu angrily got back into the outpost.
Note:
(1) China: in the raw it also said China, so I assume the author meant that China is a real country in this world and not that he made a mistake. Seeing how Gu Qing Shan was essentially considered a low-life criminal in the Confederate in the past life as well as how Impartial Goddess does thing, him becoming a strong character in the game wouldnât have changed that fact. The other 2 big nations also wouldnât have discovered or valued his talents too much, so it makes sense that he would be at another country (remember, itâs an established fact that there are more than just 3 countries in this world, just that there are 3 big ones that more worth mentioning more than the others)