Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 569 - 534 Tai Sui Army

Chapter 569: 534 Tai Sui Army

The journey here was relatively uneventful, despite encountering a couple of strange attacks that I easily dispatched. Compared to the travels before meeting Little Bowl, it was like smooth sailing. I found it hard to muster any enthusiasm for such a safe situation, but I was also quite weary of the kind of strange attacks that couldn’t truly threaten my life or possessions, despite their sheer numbers.

Now, we’ve finally found the stronghold of the Tai Sui Army.

This stronghold was situated beneath the cliff of a mountain peak, appearing as a military facility seamlessly integrated with the cliff itself, with the main entrance being a cave. Two people dressed as guards stood there, scanning the surroundings with vigilant eyes. Nearby, there were also watchtowers and patrol teams, exuding an air of disciplined training.

After a brief observation, I headed straight for the main entrance with Little Bowl. The two guards reacted immediately, and I could also sense some spells being activated. It felt as if powerful guns and cannons were secretly being aimed at us, ready to fire at any moment.

Both guards assumed combat stances, and one of them shouted loudly, "Who goes there!"

"I am Zhuang Cheng," I said. "There should be a woman of the Great Success Rank here... or perhaps a Demigod in your terms? I have matters to discuss with her.

"There’s no need to be so tense. I am not your enemy. If it’s inconvenient to let me in to find someone, I can wait here. You just need to send someone to inform them."

I thought I was being quite polite. If they were to launch an attack, or adopt an unconditionally resistant stance, I would use my power as well. Of course, my killing intent wasn’t so heavy that I’d start with deadly force, as that might not be conducive to subsequent interactions with the mysterious woman.

My Power of Word Spirit has initially revived, although it hasn’t reached the point of being able to cause large-scale effects on time and matter. However, using it to constrain humans is unrestricted, and I can handle anyone below the Great Success Rank as I wish.

Perhaps I should first demonstrate my mana fluctuations to prevent them from underestimating us? I’m not very experienced with negotiations of this sort, as I mostly broke in and caused havoc before. Anyway, ensuring they don’t see us as easy prey seems important. Such a show of strength should count as a kind of etiquette.

Though judging people by appearances is often criticized as a social vice, it’s unavoidable when out in the world. If one doesn’t show a level worthy of attention, they can’t complain about not being taken seriously.

Just as I was about to demonstrate my mana fluctuations, I noticed the two guards exchange glances and then the one who had questioned me before said, "Zhuang Cheng... Excuse me, is it the ’Zhuang’ from farmland? And ’Cheng’ is..."

Noting his slight hesitation, I continued, "—the ’Cheng’ from success."

The other guard took a piece of paper from his pocket, and with his partner, glanced at it out of the corner of his eye. Even from a distance, I could sense it was a mind-written photo, with a frontal image of me.

It seemed the mysterious woman had prepared for my arrival in advance.

The two guards gestured to their surroundings, and the spells aimed at Little Bowl and I subsided. Seeing this, I continued to approach with Little Bowl as they adopted welcoming postures, not inquiring about who Little Bowl was beside me.

"Please follow this way, Mr. Zhuang Cheng," one guard spoke with a tone of reverence.

He took on the role of the guide, leading us into the stronghold. After passing through a wide, rugged tunnel, the first sight before us was an undecorated concrete-colored hall.

This place, similar to a parking lot, housed many vehicles and simultaneously served as a cafeteria, with rows of wooden tables and chairs on the other side. It seemed to be mealtime, with dozens of people in gray tactical outfits gathered here eating.

In the center of the hall stood a large blessing, burning like a festival bonfire with white light standing on a wide fire pit, brightening the hall considerably.

The appearance of me and Little Bowl, as strangers, made these people halt their eating and conversations as they looked over with unfamiliar and wary eyes.

However, they seemed to have heard there would be guests arriving, as they gradually returned to their previous activities. Nonetheless, a considerable number of individuals were still covertly observing us.

"...Ugh..."

Little Bowl, too, could feel those prying eyes. Clearly uncomfortable entering such a crowded place and being scrutinized like this, she moved closer to me, her small body seeming to want to cling tightly, while holding my left hand with both of hers.

I firmly held her hand in return and said to those eyes, "Keep enjoying your meals and conversations."

"..."

Everyone simultaneously withdrew their attention, continuing to eat and chat as if nothing had happened.

Seeing this, Little Bowl also breathed a sigh of relief.

The guide guard’s expression became even more reverent.

This phenomenon wasn’t because those people were obedient, but because I had infused a slight trace of Word Spirit power into my voice. No one present could defy my command.

Although Little Bowl seemed to be plotting how to use the power of Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena behind the scenes to promote and make the people here my subordinates, it’s actually completely unnecessary. To turn these people into my followers, all it takes is a single word from me.

Whether facing a thousand, ten thousand, or even a hundred thousand, a million people... As long as they can hear my voice, I can turn them all into my slaves.

Of course, considering the Doomsday Era’s constant frenzy that inexplicably changes and even mutates minds, maintaining stability afterward is the real challenge, but for the moment, it can be easily achieved.

In the modern world, for Impermanence to conquer its country, it’s just a matter of one sentence. The nation of ordinary mortals is powerless before Impermanence. The reason why this hasn’t happened is not due to a lack of strength but rather the abundance of Impermanence. Extraordinaryism and Governance Ideology are in opposition, allowing organizations like the Human Bureau to develop in the cracks.

This reminds one of what happened when Mazao first traversed into the modern world—Luo Mountain couldn’t lock onto Mazao with the power of Divination at the beginning not because Divination was ineffective, but because too many people were pulling strings behind the scenes. Some even secretly added multiple anti-divination measures to prevent Mazao’s position from being revealed.

Sighing, I slightly scanned the full layout of the base with my Perception.

Besides the hall, the base has many interconnected corridors and rooms, with a total number of about two hundred people active within. This is merely the number on standby; there should be some personnel operating externally. Even so, the number is too small to call it an army.

However, if judged by the standards of a Doomsday survivor organization, it’s exceedingly many.

According to what I’ve learned from Mazao about the conditions of Doomsday survivors, a survivor group with ten-plus people is already considered large, and assembling a group of dozens is a death wish. A single Sin Demon emerging from within could lead to instant ruin.

It’s said that the remnants of Tai Sui, or the Tai Sui Army, have experienced more than one split. During the initial escape from the Evangelical Institute’s reckoning, the total might have reached a thousand. To persist, such an organization must have either robust internal purging capabilities or enormous blessings.

Based on my judgment, more than half of the personnel here are Blessed Monks, along with a mysterious woman of Great Success Rank, there’s no shortage of internal purging capability. As for blessings...

The large blessing in the hall’s center feels extraordinarily powerful to me; just standing nearby, I can sense chaos in time and space being greatly subdued. As long as we don’t leave this range, even frenzy can’t easily taint the souls of survivors, and Sin demonization phenomenon won’t occur easily.

The power of the blessing light is also the guarantee of the Evangelical Institute having established a super large human force in the Doomsday Era; the Tai Sui Army, as a splintered force, seemingly took part of its essence during the chaos.

"Who is that Demigod woman to you?" I asked.

The gatekeeper, serving as a guide, spoke with a veiled pride: "Hongcao’s Excellency is our leader."

"So she’s called Hongcao..." Little Bowl murmured.

Hongcao... this name strangely strikes a chord with me.

The name sounds somewhat familiar, yet I’m certain it’s the first time I’ve heard it. I thoroughly searched my memory with this pronunciation and then concluded: indeed, it’s the first time hearing it.

However, I don’t think this familiar feeling is imagined. Although the impression is quite faint, I must have encountered it somewhere before.

"Where is she now? It seems she’s not in this base," based on my earlier scan with Perception, I made an assessment.

"Yes," the guide said, "I wonder if you’re aware, our Tai Sui Army is currently being pursued by Great Demon Xuanwu. Just a short while ago, Great Demon Xuanwu was on the verge of reaching our area.

"In this crisis, the leader stood out and actively lured Great Demon Xuanwu in another direction, allowing us to transfer and move to this base."

Lured in another direction... this likely corresponds to the event where the mysterious woman appeared at the abandoned Tai Sui Evangelical Institute.

Originally, she attracted Great Demon Xuanwu to Tai Sui Evangelical Institute’s ruins, unaware I brought wandering souls and Tan Xiang into it. Initially, she probably intended to kindly drive us away from Great Demon Xuanwu’s target area, only to unexpectedly discover I was "No.3," leading to my fight with Great Demon Xuanwu.

Great Demon Xuanwu... Sooner or later, I will settle the score with it.

To heal Mazao’s soul, and also to avenge the beating it gave me last time.

I am someone who harbors grudges.

"Um... may I ask a question?" Little Bowl raised her hand.

The guide then turned to her, addressing her in a child-friendly tone, "What is your question?"

"Why did Great Demon Xuanwu abruptly start chasing the Tai Sui Army?" Little Bowl inquired.

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