Chapter 143 – Settle Matters Within Before Fighting the Enemy Without

Volume 3: Rising Winds and Clouds

The expedition into the Outpost Treasure Land had ended abruptly.

Its aftermath, however, swept across the world like a storm.

First came the deaths of Sequence 7 and Sequence 9. Those losses would certainly change the balance of power in Russia and Japan, though their effect on Huaxia was limited.

Far more important was Sequence 5's betrayal. It enraged Lin Haifeng-and sounded an alarm.

If the Demon Race, or rather the Demon Worship Cult, could win over someone as powerful as Sequence 5, then the cult had already become a cancer the Military could no longer ignore.

A cancer that could turn fatal at any moment.

…

Lin Haifeng's solution was simple.

Better a short, sharp pain than prolonged suffering. When an abscess grew on your body, the best solution was to take a knife, cut it out at the root, and crush it.

He had no desire even to call Peng Jun and negotiate. Instead, he mobilized large numbers of Class Holder troops and all manner of heavy weapons, preparing to roll over Modu Settlement.

The intelligence available to him put the likelihood that Peng Jun led the Demon Worship Cult at no less than eighty percent.

Eighty percent was enough for Lin Haifeng to make his decision.

A decision that might destroy Modu Settlement entirely.

…

"Our objectives are Peng Jun, the leader of Modu Settlement, and the powerhouse serving under him: Sequence 5, Yang Pengguang. We're bringing them in."

Kuangliu paused, then added with solemn certainty:

"Dead or alive."

"Get ready. We leave in three days!"

At a sweep of his hand, everyone in the conference room filed out swiftly and in order.

They were all Super Soldiers of the Military.

The Military had lost five Super Soldiers in the Outpost Treasure Land. Three had been killed by the Ancient Demon Seed, all near the Outpost's Control Core.

But the expedition had also produced a large number of high-level Class Holders for Huaxia's Military.

Its strongest assets were now Kuangliu, a Level 5 Class Holder, and Vermilion Bird, a mid-Level 4 Divine Beast Species.

Below them were more Level 4 Class Holders than could easily be counted.

With that kind of force brought to bear on Modu Settlement, anyone would expect Peng Jun to lose-and quickly.

Of course, not everyone agreed.

…

In Modu Settlement, Peng Jun was chatting with Yang Pengguang. Neither their expressions nor their leisurely postures betrayed the slightest tension at the prospect of war.

"Sequence 2 is that strong?"

They had been discussing events in the Outpost Treasure Land. Only when Yang Pengguang reached the subject of Wen Yu's strength did Peng Jun interrupt him.

Yang Pengguang nodded firmly.

"Kuangliu reached Level 5 too. He's terrifying. In a head-on fight, I doubt I'd last more than a few seconds."

Despite his words, there was no trace of fear on his face.

As though…

He already had a way to deal with both Kuangliu and Wen Yu.

Peng Jun took a small sip of tea, then raised an arm.

A black blur streaked through the air. A tiny black Eagle perched on his forearm, the black crystal in its forehead flickering with light.

"By the way, you've settled things with Guardian No. 1?"

Yang Pengguang nodded at once.

"Guardian No. 1 says that until the preparations are complete, he doesn't dare openly lure Sequence holders to their deaths. But trapping them for a while won't be a problem."

Peng Jun relaxed further. He rose and walked to the window, looking down at the people coming and going below.

"Lin Haifeng has begun assembling his troops. In a few days, Yanjing's main force will reach the outskirts of Modu. Look at those people…"

He pointed at the crowds laden with bags and bundles, looking for all the world like refugees, then at the troops below who were beginning to fall into disorder.

His voice brimmed with confidence.

"Yes, we don't have enough troops. Even with the army of The Forgotten, we aren't strong enough. But these pieces of trash aren't what decides who wins a war!"

"I really do want to see Old Lin's face when he dies…"

…

Kuangliu had promised Wen Yu three days to rest. Only one had passed before he came rushing to Wen Yu's house.

"Come on, come on! Time to go!"

After a full day of thought, Wen Yu had buried the information he had obtained from the Demon Seed in the deepest corner of his mind. The Black Container had gone into his Spatial Ring as well.

He would keep using the Exchange Pillars when he needed them. But using the Black Container to absorb the Human Race's Magic Crystals crossed a line he would not cross as a human being.

His spirits restored, he watched Kuangliu bustle about and couldn't help twitching the corner of his mouth.

"Didn't you say three days?"

"That's how long the Military's main force needs to get ready. The two of us are going ahead. Ideally, we'll take Peng Jun and Yang Pengguang down ourselves. The old man wants us to catch them off guard. Pull that off, and we won't need a full-scale war! You have no idea-he's already raised this operation to the highest war footing. If fighting breaks out, he hasn't ruled out hitting Modu Settlement with nukes…"

Kuangliu rattled on until Wen Yu's head began to ache.

"All right, all right. You win. Let's go now."

Wen Yu headed for the door.

"Wait. How are we getting to Modu?"

Following behind him, Kuangliu answered in all seriousness.

"We're flying."

Wen Yu looked up at the sky. "Where's the plane?"

Kuangliu jutted his lips toward Wen Yu.

…

After a little over a day, Xing's injuries had healed completely.

Wen Yu opened the Second Soul Realm and Third Soul Realm, releasing One-Eye and Xing.

The moment they appeared, the two claimed their favored positions-on his head and in his arms.

He took out a few low-level Magic Crystals and fed them to the pair. From the way they wolfed them down, their time in the Soul Realm Space had left them ravenous.

After giving both of them plenty to eat, he directed Xing toward Modu. Looking down at Yanjing Settlement, where preparations for war were already underway, Wen Yu turned to Kuangliu in puzzlement.

"Why is Commander Lin making such a huge show of this?"

"Settle matters within before fighting the enemy without! Besides, this mobilization is a rehearsal… A full-scale rehearsal for the war that's coming!"