Chapter Ninety-Four: Slaying the Demon Liang Jing

At midday, outside the village, the entire settlement was encircled by a loosely formed chain of armed personnel. Beyond them, at a distance, swarmed an even larger crowd—ten times as many—gathered merely to watch and stir up excitement.

“Is everyone ready?” Gong, the political commissar, asked as he watched Wu Yong approach. Wu Yong was one of the awakened individuals Gong valued highly. Before the apocalypse, he had been a small business owner; during the chaos, he had awakened innate abilities. Gong had gone to great lengths to secure Wu Yong as his subordinate, recognizing his potential.

“Commissar Gong, all forces are cooperating fully. No mistakes have been made. Liang Jing cannot possibly escape now,” Wu Yong replied calmly, his thick brows and large eyes betraying nothing. Gong was accustomed to his steady demeanor and paid no mind to it. Upon hearing the report, Gong and the few remaining faction leaders beside him—led by Master Tu—exchanged glances of satisfaction. This time, they believed Liang Jing was truly trapped.

Gong himself felt assured. He had personally overseen the operation, and so far, it had gone well. Not a single suspicious individual had slipped through. Even if other factions didn’t actively participate, they had quietly cooperated in relocating, acknowledging him as the leader of this massive group of over a hundred thousand souls—a position of unparalleled strength. Not even Master Tu was on equal footing; Gong had always looked down on this so-called “second-generation rich kid.” Their alliance was purely transactional, a necessary compromise for future gains, but in this place, the gap was vast. None dared to defy him here. At this moment, Gong felt a rare sense of supreme authority. He relished the sensation of having everything under his control.

Yet, thinking of their target, Gong frowned. He despised Liang Jing’s reckless audacity. Suddenly, his eyes brightened.

This adversary had demonstrated impressive capabilities—singlehandedly causing the factions to falter and scatter. Perhaps he could be “reclaimed” as a subordinate, which would greatly strengthen Gong’s power. The thought brought an involuntary smile to his usually stern face. Those around assumed his joy came from the imminent capture of Liang Jing and joined in the laughter. They did not realize that Gong’s confidence stemmed in part from his trusted enforcers—Gao Yaotai, a hardened awakened with formidable qi cultivation and physical enhancements; Wu Yong, an awakened telepath with a keen eye for subtle cues; and several other capable individuals. Unlike Master Tu’s reckless minions, Gong valued only those with genuine strength.

If Liang Jing’s current abilities persisted, Gong mused, his opponents might soon face betrayal from within—be it sudden assassination or the leakage of critical weaknesses. Who would remain a true rival then? The more Gong pondered, the happier he became. Liang Jing was quite remarkable.

Those nearby chuckled, puzzled by the commissar’s enthusiasm. They had only just finished preparations; Liang Jing hadn’t even appeared or been captured yet. Could they really be so pleased already? Only Wu Yong, who had just reported, stiffened slightly at the corner of his mouth. He sensed Gong’s true intentions and underhanded thoughts. This man was far too weak to be a true leader, and Wu Yong felt resigned. He could not betray now. Though gifted, capable of anticipating others’ thoughts, sensing did not equate to changing fate. He still had to face Gong’s strength. Despite his awakened abilities, Wu Yong’s physical prowess was only marginally superior to an ordinary person. His role was destined to be support, diplomat, or strategist.

But Gong did not suit his taste—a thorough hypocrite, a liar hiding behind a veneer of righteousness while indulging in corruption. Unfortunately, Wu Yong lacked the power to resist. Though the government’s influence waned, its military strength remained formidable. He had no choice.

Suddenly, a rumble rolled through the air—

“He’s out! He’s out!”

“Is that Liang Jing? He looks formidable. Just look at that ironclad armor and the massive sword on his back—must be heavy.”

“Didn’t expect him to emerge so soon. Well… he’s a hero in his own right. A pity it ends like this…”

Almost everyone, upon seeing the robust figure clad in dark metallic armor, his pale, deep-set eyes calm and inscrutable, with a dark golden greatsword strapped behind him and a leather satchel at his waist, instinctively recognized him as Liang Jing. His appearance and aura matched the legend perfectly.

With a swift motion, Liang Jing pushed aside the debris of a collapsed hut and stepped out. The armed guards surrounding the village tensed, disengaged safeties, and awaited orders to fire on this so-called terrorist.

In truth, it was indeed Liang Jing. He felt a twinge of helplessness—he’d been unlucky. For nearly a day and a night, he had maintained total focus, immersing himself in sensing the flow of true qi through his acupoints and dantian. Momentarily neglecting the outside world, he was caught off guard as his enemies enacted their plan. It was a cruel coincidence. By the time he snapped back to awareness, their deployment was complete—one he had never anticipated or prepared for.

But perhaps fate had decreed this encounter; he himself desired a face-to-face showdown to reach a final resolution. Otherwise, he feared he would be forced to strike first. The opposition had already breached his patience.

Clutching the dark brown scrolls in his hands, feeling the special metallic armor—his Steel-Spine Beast Armor—and the bulletproof vest beneath, Liang Jing brimmed with confidence.

Before arriving, he had prepared for the worst, ready to face even their most powerful weapons.

As he emerged, he sensed various energies directed at him—some hostile, others neutral. Most posed little threat now, except for a few heavy machine guns and, more ominously, two colossal war machines.

Tanks? Armored vehicles?

Staring at the two giant beasts looming before him, their barrels exuding an overwhelming, suffocating pressure—a sensation akin to impending death—Liang Jing’s spine chilled, hairs standing on end.

His body had been purified and strengthened by pure life essence energy, his mind clear and alert. With ever-improving physical conditioning, his sensitivity to energy fluctuations and danger was acute. He distinctly perceived the lethal threat from these ancient mechanical monsters—more direct, more focused on him than anything he had faced before. Never had such a targeted menace approached.

Even the previous golden boss Baroque, the “Flood Dragon” monster, and the rat swarm had not posed threats so singularly aimed at him. They had either ignored him or had different objectives. This time was different.

In the next moment, Liang Jing’s mind fully regained clarity. Though it felt like an eternity, barely a blink had passed. He had defenses—the scrolls, obtained from one of the three awakened sent by Tu’s faction, a beastly ape named Bailin; life essence healing; and potent life potions. With these, dying would prove difficult.

“Commissar Gong, give the order. Fire immediately—kill that demon Liang Jing!” Tu Guiwu could no longer contain his impatience. Beside him, Dai Wu and Jing Hui nodded in agreement. Though Liang Jing was fully armored, his aura was unmistakable. To these powerful awakened, he did not mask his presence.

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