Chapter 1349: You Didn't Hold Back

"The sea of clouds showed your appearance, and I think we can all agree that it attacked this gathering point because of your presence. Many hunters' friends and comrades-in-arms, and even family members, perished in this battle, and they need a target to vent their emotions against," Lin Lingfeng told Zhang Lie.

"And I became that target."

"Fortunately, there were few hunters who had family here, or many would have tried to seek revenge against you."

Zhang Lie frowned. "And they targeted Li Qianlin too?"

"To be more precise, they targeted your airship, demanding compensation from you but in truth hiding their greediness. I expect there were a few masterminds behind the commotion with the eventual aim of stealing your airship."

Zhang Lie asked, "How many died?"

Zhang Lie didn't think that a group of weak hunters who couldn't even beat Cthaat's son could take over his airship.

Lin Lingfeng replied, "After the first wave killed five of them, they began protesting outside the shooting range. I expect Li Qianlin was so annoyed by their antics that she flew off."

Zhang Lie asked, "You didn't stop them?"

Lin Lingfeng shrugged. "Not too many people died. Why bother?"

Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes at her. "And because you stand to benefit too, I'd imagine."

Lin Lingfeng stilled, then laughed. "As you said. There were quite a few hunters dead in the gathering point, and the rest of them need a target to vent their frustrations on. If they can't do so, something will happen sooner or later. I apologize that I haven't been proactive about this."

"When will Li Qianlin return?"

Zhang Lie didn't intend to push matters further—he hadn't lost anything, after all.

Although Zhang Lie didn't intend to take responsibility for what had happened, it was true that Cthaat's son had come targeting him. It would be pointless to try to pin the blame on someone. Lin Lingfeng replied, "Li Qianlin returns about once every ten days to see if you've returned from the Milky way. She told me to hang a red banner from the top tower of the city when you're back. It'll be about another week before she returns."

"Very well. I have some matters to take care of, so I'll come back in a week."

"Is something the matter?" Lin Lingfeng asked.

Zhang Lie waved a hand. There's no need for you to worry about it. When Qianlin returns, let her stay in the gathering point and wait for me. I'll be back soon enough."

As the hunters of the gathering point watched on, Zhang Lie left the gathering point and headed along the coordinates that Hong Tianqi had left him. Along the way, he found a peak-grade lifeform to use as mount, which he controlled with his disaster-grade mistmeld clam soulshard. In less than half a day. he had arrived at the gathering point that Hong Tianqi had constructed in the fourth realm.

According to Hong Tianqi, he built this gathering point within a mountain, and there were plenty of escape routes.

When Zhang Lie headed over, he saw no mountain, caves, nor escape routes. The air was filled with dark clouds and endless lightning.

He was just about to approach when lightning struck from the heavens like a dragon.

Zhang Lie frowned. He aimed a fist at the heavens and shattered the bolt of lightning, but more fell toward him.

"Annoying..."

Zhang Lie snorted. He clenched his fists tightly. Pale blue genetic energy rippled about Zhang Lie's arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend around them. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air. magic

A howling gale swept over the space. As more and more genetic energy gathered around Zhang Lie's arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"

A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish slammed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.

Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged black dragons, flooding the space and striking the bolts of lightning in the sky.

The world reverberated with force. As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie's signature genetic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Light and shadow danced in the air, dispelling the clouds and restoring clear skies once more.

Within the mountain, one human hunter fretted. "It's been thundering for three whole days now! Our mountaintop has been exploded clean off, and half the mountain's gone! We won't be able to hold out for long."

"I can't bear the sound of thunder anymore. My ears are ringing!"

One Milky Way hunter murmured respectfully, it's a good thing the martial sage built the gathering point so deep within a mountain, or it would never have lasted this long." Another Milky Way hunter laughed. "Ha! No, Cthaat's son is toying with us like a cat with mice—it has the ability to level the entire mountain, but it's doing it bit by bit to enjoy the feeling of driving us all to despair."

Another human hunter sighed. "I've already sent a report to the highest authority of the united world federation, and the Heavenly Monarch said that we'd be getting reinforcements soon. Just hold out a bit longer."

If Zhang Lie were here, he would immediately recognize the human hunter who had spoken—General Yan Long of China.

General Yan Long asked, "How are our men doing?"

One hunter replied, "The majority have evacuated through the teleportation apparatus, leaving just us defenders behind."

What Cthaat's son wasn't aware of was the fact that the hunters of the Milky Way were able to return to the Milky Way via the teleportation apparatus.

Yan Long lit up a cigarette and nodded. "Very good."

The cigarette was made of ersatz components found within the dimensional world.

For smokers, not having access to cigarettes was an arduous thing, so many industrious hunters had found similar herbs that could be used as a replacement for tobacco.

Cigarettes were able to calm smokers down; to hunters who had to fight with their lives on the line, it was a necessity—though of course, like tobacco, these substitutes would damage their bodies in the long term.

"Everyone's fine, but it's a pity about this gathering point that's survived for so long..."

The remaining hunters still harbored a ray of hope in case the situation were to change.

Another human hunter said, "If only the reinforcements could send Cthaat's son packing..."

The Milky Way hunter frowned. "Who among the hunters of the Milky Way could take down Cthaat's son?"

"Zhang Lie!" General Yan Long replied proudly.

The Milky Way hunter shook his head. "I've heard of his name before—supposedly, he's made miracles happen in the second and third realms, but the fourth realm is different. It's full of such characters."

The other Milky Way hunter agreed. "How many pioneers have given their lives and blood just to create a bit more breathing room for us all? This Zhang Lie might have made waves in the second and third realms, but can he alone do more than our predecessors?"

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