Chapter 1131: The Evacuation Begins
"If I evacuate... what about the rest..."
Cloud Yao shot a complicated glance at Chu Tianqiu.
"Everyone else has their own fate," Chu Tianqiu said solemnly in a low voice. "Even someone as strong as Zhang Shan can't fully resist the White Tiger. He can only temporarily possess a strengthened body, but the White Tiger also has lethal 'Echoes.' So those who can evacuate need to leave first."
Cloud Yao nodded after hearing this. She felt that Chu Tianqiu seemed somewhat different again.
This was a state she had never experienced before. His words just now seemed to show concern for his teammates.
In the past, the phrase Cloud Yao heard most often from Chu Tianqiu was, "For more people to survive, it's normal for some to die."
These two viewpoints seemed to point in the same direction, yet they were somehow different.
Cloud Yao shook her head and stepped back. "Tianqiu, the White Tiger just said... we might not have another cycle."
"I figured as much." Chu Tianqiu looked up at the sky. "But the Heavenly Dragon won't wake until tomorrow. There's still a lot we can do. This is just the beginning, right?"
"I hope so..."
Cloud Yao sighed and retreated, quickly disappearing into the crowd.
As she passed by Jiang Ruoxue, she turned her head to glance at her. Neither of them spoke, merely brushing past each other in that instant.
The White Tiger hadn't expected that someone on the field could actually clash head-on with him. For a moment, he became cautious.
But he quickly understood the situation. This person must possess either "Divine Strength," "Brute Force," or "Tianxingjian." Regardless, one could only possess one of these abilities.
Moreover, judging from the punch he had just blocked, the burly man before him wasn't crazy enough. No matter which "Immortal Art" enhanced one's physique, it would strengthen or weaken based on the user's level of rationality.
For a highly rational "Participant" like this, even "Brute Force" would be enough to overpower "Tianxingjian."
The White Tiger made a decisive move, charging forward and exchanging blows with Zhang Shan. Their bizarre fight drew the attention of everyone present.
Zhang Shan mostly used mixed martial arts techniques, combined with the immense force of "Tianxingjian," trying to lock the White Tiger down. Meanwhile, the White Tiger's fighting style was more like a wild beast that had lost its mind.
He would even crawl on all fours, then headbutt his opponent's nose. Throughout this, giant trees kept falling from the sky, and the White Tiger's body would burst into flames from time to time.
Fortunately, Zhang Shan had "Tianxingjian," which allowed him to heal from ordinary injuries.
Their fight was like a chain-reaction car crash. The massive shockwaves kept everyone nearby at a distance. Zhang Shan felt pain all over his body, as if he were in close-quarters combat with someone wearing armor. But at this point, he was probably the only one who could hold the White Tiger back. If he retreated, everyone would die.
However, he soon realized a more serious problem. Based on his memory, his "Tianxingjian" wouldn't last long. He would probably be defeated within a few dozen seconds.
He could only use his last chance to dodge a fatal attack from the White Tiger, then swung his fist toward the opponent's cheek. The White Tiger immediately lifted his arm to block.
The next second, a layer of cotton suddenly appeared on Zhang Shan's fist, followed by a large boulder behind the cotton. In just a single breath, many iron spikes protruded from the stone.
As this punch landed, a thunderous sound erupted. All the stones on Zhang Shan's arm shattered, and the iron spikes pierced into the White Tiger's arm, forcing him back five steps.
"Hah..." Zhang Shan's fist was now bleeding, but the wound began to heal instantly. "I told you all along, if everyone pitches in, what problems can't we solve?"
As he spoke, he felt his fist still aching. Looking down, the wound was healing unusually slowly.
"You..."
The White Tiger gritted his teeth, pulled the iron spikes out of his arm, and lunged forward again. The next moment, several corpses nearby stood up and rushed to embrace the White Tiger.
Under the combined "Echoes" of many people working together, the White Tiger gained no advantage for the time being.
Suddenly—
During the struggle, a rustling sound like a rainstorm hitting the ground began to echo across the square.
The White Tiger and those around him stopped moving, carefully searching for the source of the massive noise.
A moment later, the White Tiger turned his head and looked once again at his "empty" back.
In the void, the air now rained down countless fragments the size of beans, like a torrential downpour.
Those black fragments poured down, as if a bag full of rice had been slashed open in midair.
When the black fragments hit the ground, they flowed away like sewage, continuously making rustling sounds upon impact.
The giant bell and the display screen were indeed gone, but the fragments were still being generated from above.
The White Tiger trembled as he walked forward, trying to catch the fragments with his hands, his expression filled with sorrow.
But countless fragments merely flowed through his fingers, showing no intention of stopping.
In just a short moment, the fragments of the giant bell and the display screen finished pouring down from above. The square fell silent again, leaving only a layer of debris on the ground.
Yan Zhichun knew that all four giant bells had collapsed. From this moment on, "Echoes" would become an open secret that everyone could see and hear no more.
"Everyone, I am Yan Zhichun. I am the Monarch of Extremity."
The White Tiger had truly gone mad. He roared about killing all "rebels" while simultaneously striking Zhang Shan, sending him flying.
"Our first phase mission is complete. Now, follow your respective team leaders and escape."
The many "Participants" who had been stunned for a long time finally understood their current objective upon hearing the White Tiger's order. They began following the White Tiger's lead, frantically attacking all the "Extremists" present.
Zhang Shan's "Tianxingjian" had worn off. Just as he was about to be killed, Xiaoyanjing rescued him. Chu Tianqiu covered the rear, and "Heaven's Gate" began escorting all "Extremist" members in their retreat.
The "Extremists" changed their target, first forming teams randomly with those around them, then running toward the team leaders Yan Zhichun had designated earlier.
"If anyone finds it too difficult, you may rest on the spot. We'll meet again in the next cycle."
"Wait...! Our team has too many people!" Jiang Ruoxue shouted amid the chaos. "Split some off to follow Xiaoxiao!"
"Because from now on, we will be fleeing until dusk arrives."
The White Tiger's eyes were bloodshot. He charged straight into the crowd, unable to distinguish between "rebels" and "Extremists." He continuously used flames, turning the entire square into a sea of fire.
The massive explosions and smoke became an excellent tool for everyone to conceal themselves. Those who weren't blown to death on the spot immediately lowered their profiles and began weaving through the crowd.
"And after dusk, we will board the train of certain death."
"That is our starting point, and it will also be our destined end."
"Everyone, long live the Extremity."