Chương 48: War God — Chapter 48 - Sis, Tone It Down a Notch

The group boarded the steel-forged train. The moment they stepped inside, a voice crackled through the speakers.

"Hello, passengers on this train."

"You are riding the Z1150 battle train."

"This train passes through the following relics: Shadow Wolf Cavern, Skeletal Blade Tomb, Wind Eagle Ravine, Tiger Roar Pool. The final stop is the F-rank unmanaged zone: Insect Valley Town. Total travel time is 78 hours, with a half-hour stop at each station and a half-day stop at the final destination."

"The next return trip departs one week from now."

"Please plan your time accordingly if you intend to return to the city."

"According to border city intelligence, due to the vitality tide several days ago, Shadow Wolf Cavern now has over 10 Saber-Fang Wolves that have mutated into Twin-Headed Saber-Fang Wolves, with life force approaching double digits. Danger level is relatively high."

"Wind Eagle Ravine has produced 5 aberrant Wind Demon Eagles with life force exceeding triple digits. Martial artists below the Second Realm are currently advised against entering..."

"Tiger Roar Pool has birthed a Crimson Blood Mountain Lord with life force exceeding 5 digits. Its blood is ferociously potent. Its scent can ignite a martial artist's internal vitality and provoke carnal desires. Exercise extreme caution! The infection level of this relic has reached 69% and is rising at 0. 01% per day. It has officially been upgraded to a B-rank large-scale relic!"

"Insect Valley Town has produced miniature hemipteran aberrant beasts. The Western Shu Aberrant Beast Research Institute has named them: Taiko Cicadas. These aberrant beasts possess extremely high stealth capabilities. They emit a continuous, drum-like cicada song that can shatter a martial artist's spirit from a kilometer away, inducing a hallucinatory state..." The sweet broadcast voice carried an undertone of tension. Looping on repeat. The train had only 5 cars total, each containing 2 or 3 squads.

Wang Xian had boarded car 3. Right now, most people were grumbling. Hearing this broadcast had clearly soured everyone's mood. These relics weren't static. They changed constantly. Those aberrant beasts transformed too.

"Tiger Roar Pool has actually become a B-rank large-scale relic..." A veteran who'd just boarded clicked his tongue.

"Half a year ago it was still C-rank, wasn't it? Now that it's B-rank, doesn't that mean only Fifth Realm martial artists and above can go there?"

"That Crimson Blood Mountain Lord, with life force exceeding 5 digits, and inside a relic... truly terrifying..."

"The main issue is the infection level. Nearly 70% infection means there isn't much vitality left in the relic."

"Once you enter, supplies become critical..."

"What's that got to do with us?" The buzz-cut guy grinned at Wang Xian.

"Right, Little Feng? We're just First Realm Martial Artists. Can't worry about all that. Besides, Skeletal Blade Tomb hasn't changed much. Isn't that even better?"

"Exactly." The twin-tailed girl suddenly looked gleeful.

"That young master went to the place with the mutated Twin-Headed Wolves... seeing how cocky he was... he'll probably get carried back in a week..." Wang Xian said, "He's got a Third Realm martial artist protecting him. Nothing too serious should happen..." Third Realm martial artists were formidable. They could project their vitality outward. The powerful ones had even begun touching advanced martial techniques. An F-rank relic, even with a few mutated beasts, would at worst produce E-rank aberrant beasts.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Even if a Second Realm martial artist couldn't handle them, a Third Realm one would find it easy.

"Hey, brothers, you guys heading to Skeletal Blade Tomb too?" The captain of another squad suddenly grinned.

"What a coincidence. So are we!" This squad wore black combat suits. Two men, two women. They looked young, probably university students. Though probably not from a top-tier martial arts university.

"Hey, all of you going there?" The captain of yet another squad stood up, looking at both groups, and smiled. This squad dressed in a motley assortment. Some even carried thermal weapons. Clearly a ragtag group, not a fixed squad. Their captain wore flip-flops, looked around 28 or 29, and seemed extremely laid-back. Still, anyone who dared go out in flip-flops probably had serious strength. Unified attire usually indicated a fixed squad. Long Yuan stood up and waved.

"We're training a newbie. That place is safer."

"Haha, we're training a newbie too. Hey kid, come out and say hello!" The black-clad captain pointed at a shrinking, freckled youth in their squad.

"Hello, everyone..." The freckled youth waved awkwardly, then became too socially anxious to continue, constantly rubbing his head to mask his nervousness.

"Hello everyone, I'm the newbie of the Yunlai Squad. You can call me Xiao Rong." From the ragtag group, a girl with delicate features stood up and said in a crisp voice, "I'm currently just a tiny bit short of becoming a First Realm Martial Artist..." Despite her words, clear confidence shone in her eyes. Wang Xian could sense it. The confidence of a top student.

'First High School student.' Wang Xian guessed casually. The squads were all young people. Very chatty. Add their shared destination of Skeletal Blade Tomb and the fact they were all training newbies, and there was mutual appreciation. Unknowingly, several hours passed. They gradually became familiar.

"Not even a First Realm Martial Artist yet..." The veteran clicked his tongue.

"Little beauty, have you passed the beginner-level holographic intelligent beast challenge? Aren't you afraid something might go wrong?"

"Not yet." Xiao Rong shook her head.

"Every time I reach the eighth one, I just fall apart..." The veteran was about to offer guidance when he suddenly thought of something. This girl looked under 20. When he was her age, he could barely defeat one holographic intelligent beast. He fell silent.

"My name is A Bing..." The freckled youth gave a silly grin.

"I'm 19, just started university this year. A week ago I barely managed to pass the beginner-level holographic intelligent beast challenge..."

"You're a new student at Shu University this year, right?" Xiao Rong giggled.

"Shu University's martial arts program isn't that great. Keep at it!"

"Thank you!" The youth's face flushed red. Then Xiao Rong looked toward Long Yuan's group, her gaze settling on the veteran.

"This guy is the newbie, right?" The veteran: "..."

"Why me?" the veteran asked.

"You just look like you're not very impressive."

"..." Speechless, the veteran pointed at Wang Xian.

"Sorry, but this brother here is the newbie."

"..." Xiao Rong said in surprise, "He doesn't seem like one..."

"How does he not seem like one?" The others looked over, curious. Xiao Rong sized Wang Xian up from head to toe.

"This handsome guy gives me the feeling that he's very formidable." Wang Xian: "..." Your intuition is spot on. As expected of a First High School top student. Able to challenge the eighth holographic intelligent beast within a week. You've got 80% of my strength. Looking at it this way, First High School students are pretty impressive.

"Hahahaha..." The veteran burst out laughing.

"Then your feeling is wrong." Long Yuan also laughed.

"Little Sister Rong, your feeling is indeed wrong. His name is Wang Feng, and he really is the newbie in our squad." At that moment, a voice came over the train's intercom:"Attention, a swarm of F-rank aberrant beasts, Blood Wasps, is heading toward the train. Position is roughly between car 3 and car 4."

"Estimated number: over 200!"

"The train will immediately decelerate and proceed at reduced speed! All martial artist squad members in car 3, quickly move to the top of the train and prepare for battle!" The train had been traveling for several hours.

"Blood Wasps, huh." Long Yuan pondered for a moment.

"Didn't expect such relatively weak aberrant beasts... They're classified as F-rank, but their actual life force is only around 7 to 8. Their speed is just about on par with a martial artist who's just entered the First Realm. It's just that there are so many..."

"Indeed..." The black-clad captain thought for a moment.

"Why not let the newbies use them for practice... Blood Wasps are aberrant beasts created through infection. They count as native wild aberrant beasts. Quite different from true relic aberrant beasts."

"Good, good!" Xiao Rong glanced at A Bing and Wang Xian.

"Let's have a competition! Consider it an appetizer before entering the relic! We can even earn some battle merits!" Once the train entered an unmanaged zone, being attacked by aberrant beasts was common. Usually the soldiers aboard handled it. When numbers were large, they'd conscript squad members on the train. After exterminating the aberrant beasts attacking the train, a certain amount of battle merits would be awarded.

Battle merits were one of the best rewards for entering unmanaged zones to kill aberrant beasts and clear relics. Battle merits could only be used within the military department. Once accumulated to a certain level, they could be exchanged at Dragon Country's major military districts for battlefield martial techniques, secret skills, talent gene cultivation methods, and more. A very rare type of currency.

"Alright then, Wang Feng, go give it a try." Long Yuan said.

"Little Feng, go all out with confidence!" The twin-tailed girl rubbed her hands together, her expression somewhat infatuated as she looked at Wang Xian. She wiped drool from the corner of her mouth.

"If you get hurt, big sister will treat you!" Having said that, she stretched out both hands and made a grasping motion at the air.

"..." Wang Xian. Seriously, sis, tone it down.