Chapter 476 - 420: The Seventh Page of the Wordless Book (Part 2)

Chapter 476: Chapter 420: The Seventh Page of the Wordless Book (Part 2)

He opened his hand and looked. A pattern of two interlocking black triangles had appeared in his palm.

’Is this a Spiritual Anchor Point in the form of a totem?’

Guan Tong gazed at the pattern formed by the two black triangles. ’The Wordless Book must have taken my idea about using an anchor for mental stability,’ he thought. ’It probably figured that triangles are the most stable shape, which is why it designed the totem with two of them. Well, the form doesn’t matter, as long as it works.’

The cost to create a Spiritual Anchor Point varied. It required a minimum of one hundred points of Psychic Power, but there was no upper limit.

’It seems the cost determines the anchor’s level of Resistance.’

To maximize its Resistance, he naturally maxed out the cost, using a little over one thousand Psychic Power for its creation.

It wasn’t just for him, either. Each of his teammates would definitely need one.

’Breaking through the Cultists’ Array used up nearly three-quarters of the reserves I’ve built up over the past month. I’ll have to be frugal with what’s left.’

Once he had finished developing the ability, Guan Tong tucked the Wordless Book away and prepared to head to the training grounds.

Just as he stepped out the door, he saw Shangyuan Zi approaching.

"We’re about to leave. I came to get you," she said.

"Okay." Guan Tong held out his right hand to her. "Take my hand. I have something for you."

"?"

Though Shangyuan Zi was confused, she still extended her left hand, removed her glove, and grasped Guan Tong’s right hand.

The next moment, she felt a warmth spread through her left palm. After letting go, she looked down and saw that a pattern of two interlocking black triangles had appeared on the scales of her palm.

Guan Tong breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the anchor pattern appear. "I was worried it might not work on you since your body is covered in scales. Glad I was overthinking it."

"What is this?" Shangyuan Zi asked, looking at the pattern with curiosity.

"It’s a Mental Stability Anchor. It helps resist or weaken mental attacks to a certain degree."

Shangyuan Zi was a little surprised. She’d been on missions with Guan Tong for some time and knew this must be something he’d just concocted, specifically for the rules and enemies of this operation.

Then again, she was used to Guan Tong constantly coming up with new things. Out of respect for his boundaries, she didn’t press for details and simply put her glove back on.

"It will form a second layer of insurance along with Wenren Yizhi’s black chess pieces," Guan Tong said. "But to be on the safe side, you should stay with Chen Na and the others during the fight."

Shangyuan Zi’s abilities were strong, but this battle came with many restrictions.

In particular, her power to create Snake Servants required her to gaze at her target with her Snake Eyes, a method that was directly countered by the Crimson Fear.

"The pattern on this Mental Stability Anchor is black, the same as your shadow," Shangyuan Zi said. "How about we call it a ’Shadow Anchor’?"

"Shadow Anchor?"

Guan Tong thought about it and decided it was a good name. The anchor didn’t just provide mental stability; it also had a teleportation function. Guan Tong could use it as a target for his Body Shifting ability. This meant he could instantly teleport to anyone holding one of his anchors, which was much more convenient than before.

The two of them then headed to the training grounds, where the rest of the squad was already gathered. Li Meng saw them arrive and immediately gave them a briefing.

"The lieutenant general just informed us that, according to satellite reconnaissance, the enemy’s main force will reach the outskirts of the city in less than ten minutes. Our operational plan is to intercept them in the suburbs. We cannot allow them to enter the urban area. You need to depart immediately. The first batch of the Annihilator Legion will arrive on the scene in fifteen minutes."

"Understood," Guan Tong said. "Then let’s go. I’m ready."

Li Meng didn’t ask what Guan Tong had prepared, only urged them one more time, "Remember what I told you before: your lives are more important than this city. If the situation turns bad, abandon the mission and retreat immediately!"

"Understood."

The six of them immediately departed with the remote guidance equipment.

...

"WHIRRRRRRR—"

The helicopter’s rotor blades created a deafening noise. Even though the passengers wore noise-canceling headphones, they were still agitated by the racket.

The pilot from Soloma glanced into the rearview mirror at his passengers.

He had received orders to transport the team to the suburbs at top speed to confront the impending Cultist Legion.

He knew exactly how dangerous this was. Even for powerful Ascenders, it meant facing an imminent threat of death.

That these foreign Ascenders were still willing to fight under such circumstances filled him with a profound sense of respect.

In the back seats, Silver Fox looked relatively relaxed, while Yang Ran muttered under his breath, trying to ease his own fear.

Chen Na was wringing her hands, occasionally tugging at the corner of her clothes. ’My performance will be crucial for this mission,’ she thought. ’I have to concentrate.’

Bai Xuewu gently patted Chen Na’s shoulder, signaling for her to relax. She then turned her head, her gaze crossing the narrow aisle to Guan Tong, who was seated by the port-side window. He had one hand propped against his chin, the lower half of his face hidden by his long, draping hair. His calm eyes stared out the window, as if he were gazing into a world only he could see.

’As one of the most famous Ascenders in the world, what could he be thinking about right now?’ she wondered. ’What has his goal been all this time?’

"We’re almost at the landing zone!" the pilot shouted. "Go get ’em! Make sure you knock those bastards’ teeth out!"

After the helicopter landed, some Soldiers of Soloma were still on the scene. They had blocked the road into the city with wire mesh and barricades and had also constructed some fortifications.

Gazing toward the far end of the road, they could already faintly make out the convoy of the Cultist army advancing on their position.

"The enemy is almost here. You all should retreat. Be careful not to accidentally see a photo of Crimson Terra." Silver Fox took a radio from a soldier’s hand. "Just leave this place to us."

"Alright, we’re counting on you!"

The on-site Commander led his soldiers in retreat, and soon, only the six of them were left on the vast, wide highway.

Staring at the convoy rapidly approaching at the horizon, Yang Ran said with a woeful expression, "We seem so insignificant!"

"The Annihilator Legion is projected to be deployed to the scene within five minutes," Li Meng’s voice came through everyone’s earpieces. "You only need to hold out for five minutes, and then you can guide the Annihilators to eliminate the enemy!"

Guan Tong said, "Everyone, come over here for a second."

As the others watched in confusion, he shook hands with each of them, giving them a Mental Stability Anchor.

The others looked at the black triangle pattern that appeared in their palms, and they were all surprised when they learned its effect. "Captain," Yang Ran asked in amazement, "is this some new item you found on the terminal market?"

Silver Fox narrowed his eyes. "I doubt he found it on the market. The moment the new rules were released, any items that could resist mental attacks were completely bought out. Looking at the pattern’s color, it seems to be in the same vein as your Shadow. I’m guessing it’s a newly developed ability?"

Silver Fox’s judgment was precise. Guan Tong nodded. "You could say that. Which is why you can also call it a ’Shadow Anchor’."

With that, he glanced at the distant convoy and began issuing commands as the team’s captain. "Silver Fox, Yang Ran, Shangyuan, you three get into the fortifications with Na. Na, you can activate your ability now. Bai Xuewu and I will use your power to stop the enemy from advancing."

"Right!"

Protected by Silver Fox and the other two, Chen Na entered the fortifications that the Soldiers of Soloma had prepared earlier. She closed her eyes and activated her [Perception Realm].

With her at its center, everyone within a one-kilometer radius appeared on her "Perception Map."

Just as she herself had previously stated, this perception was not "sight," and was therefore unaffected by the Crimson Fear.

"Bai, Guan, I’m ready. Please follow my instructions."

Bai Xuewu summoned her [Snow White Traceless] Mecha, shut down its visual module, and was instantly plunged into total darkness.

For a visual species like humans, the feeling of absolute blackness was deeply unsettling. But she wasn’t overly nervous, because she knew she had reliable teammates.

"I’m attaching some of my Shadow to your Mecha," Guan Tong’s voice came through her earpiece. "Just treat it as an ’add-on weapon.’"

Shadow didn’t need sight. As long as it split into enough pieces, thousands of Shadow Lines could spread out, detecting and eliminating enemies through touch alone. Guan Tong chose to have a portion of his Shadow attach to Bai Xuewu’s Mecha, providing both a layer of protection and a way for her to damage surrounding enemies.

Hearing his voice eased Bai Xuewu’s mind, but she said, "Hmph... The last time your Shadows were attached to my Mecha, it was a pretty awful feeling."

"Now is not the time to be bringing up old grievances from Holy Grail Island."

"The enemy convoy has closed to within five hundred meters," Chen Na reported, her tone highly focused. "They’ve already spotted your Mecha, Bai. The convoys on the flanks are accelerating to surround you!"

"My Shadow will block the flanks," Guan Tong said. "You focus on dealing with the enemies to the front."

"Got it! Na, let’s begin!"

"Right!"