I Have Infinite Skill Points-Chapter 484?
"BANG—"
"Good!"
At the Western Regional Command, Lin Yao excitedly slapped the table and exclaimed.
"Commander, what’s the matter? Is there a mistake in the intelligence?" the regional command’s chief of staff asked curiously.
"The headquarters’ red urgent intelligence... Have you ever seen it be wrong? Let me tell you, the intelligence from headquarters is extremely accurate. Ten minutes after our battle commenced, the Exotic Beast tide reached the Ice Cliff from within the Chaos Mist."
"Oh? Then how could..." The chief of staff’s face showed disbelief as he looked toward the sand table. "After entering the Ice Cliff, did they go elsewhere? No, behind the Ice Cliff is an open plain, and at that time we were engaged in a hundred-regiment battle. Given the nature of Exotic Beasts, it’s impossible for them not to attack our battle positions after entering the Ice Cliff."
"Exactly! That’s because the Exotic Beasts didn’t manage to break through the Ice Cliff at all. They were stopped outside the Ice Cliff by the Green Maple Pioneer Legion."
"How is that possible?" the chief of staff exclaimed in shock. "They’re only 500 strong. How could 500 warriors hold off 100,000 Exotic Beasts?"
"No, it wasn’t 500 warriors against 100,000 Exotic Beasts, but one man," Lin Yao said, his chest heaving slightly, as if a stone were pressing down on it.
"One man? How could that be possible?"
"Wang Lan, a senior intern sent from the Star Martial Academy of Modu City. In these three months, he’s been the one behind the rise of the Green Maple Pioneer Legion’s reputation. I’ve been wondering, how could a student be so capable?"
"I later specifically asked around and found out that Wang Lan is not just any student. He is also... the son of the Flame Emperor."
"The son of the Flame Emperor? When did the Flame Emperor get married?"
"I don’t know! He appeared out of nowhere three years ago, as if he’d sprung from a stone. But even Eld Di acknowledged him as the son of the Flame Emperor, and so did the entire Flame Emperor lineage. There should be no doubt about his identity."
"But even if he’s the son of the Flame Emperor... he’s only a senior," said the chief of staff, feeling his understanding of the world crumbling.
No matter how prestigious one’s identity is, you’re still human, after all. Even if you’re a bit more talented, there’s no need to be this exceptional, right? One person defending the Ice Cliff, facing 100,000 Exotic Beasts alone...
"Although it seems that Wang Lan is at the Galaxy Stage, a military friend of mine said that Wang Lan’s strength has likely reached the level of a Titled Strongman. My friend is a direct descendant of the Flame Emperor. Recently, the Flame Emperor lineage has been building momentum for Wang Lan, so this information has become known to the outside world."
"The strength of a Titled Strongman? My God, this talent shouldn’t be any less than Princess Yu’s, should it?"
"Last year Princess Yu broke through to the Star Sea stage, and the build-up lasted an entire year. Now everyone knows that Princess Yu is the youngest Star Sea stage practitioner and will also be the youngest Titled Strongman. To think that Wang Lan... might be even more of a demon than Princess Yu."
"A single person holding off 100,000 Exotic Beasts—his name will shake the world."
"No, you’re wrong," Lin Yao said indifferently.
"I’m wrong? Where am I wrong?"
"It’s not about one person holding off 100,000 Exotic Beasts, but... one person slaughtering 100,000 Exotic Beasts."
"HISS—"
The chief of staff stared blankly at Lin Yao, as if trying to find a hint of jest on his face, but there was none. Lin Yao’s expression was very serious.
"It can’t be true, can it? Even if the Five Emperors came... they might not be able to accomplish that."
"Do you think the Green Maple Pioneer Team would joke about a military report? Even if they dared, do you think Li Yi would join them in the jest?"
The military reports from Li Yi and Duan Qingfeng arrived at the same time. Although from two different people, the content was the same, and there could certainly be no mistake.
The headquarters of the Cloud Sea Pioneer Space was located in the central military base of the five cities within the Cloud Sea Pioneer Space.
Shen Xiaowu, a Titled Green Tiger of Jade Country, was a peak Star Sea stage strongman.
Almost all Titled Strongmen were at the peak of the Star Sea stage. However, not all cultivators at the peak of the Star Sea stage could become Titled Strongmen. A Titled Strongman is recognized not just for strength, but also for reputation and military achievements.
Shen Xiaowu stood quietly at the window, gazing into the distance. Although he listened to the reports from his subordinates, his thoughts had long since drifted to the southwest region. Upon learning of the Exotic Beast tide, Shen Xiaowu immediately deployed countermeasures. He placed the Pioneering Legions in the southwest, due south, due west, northwest, and due north regions on high alert, ready to strike at any moment.
Too abnormal. It was just too abnormal.
In the past, even if a beast tide erupted, there was always a long period of precursors. The brewing and formation of the beast tide were foreseeable. Shen Xiaowu had been in the Cloud Sea Pioneer Space for seven or eight years and had experienced four beast tides. But every time, they had prior warnings and reacted accordingly.
Even though the beast tides still caused casualties, the losses were within a controllable range.
This time, however, was the sole exception. The beast tide arrived with such suddenness; there were no preceding signs. To make matters worse, beast tides erupted simultaneously in various locations.
What on earth was going on with the Exotic Beasts in the Chaos Mist? Had they all gone mad? The other regions were manageable, and upon learning of the beast tide, Shen Xiaowu immediately issued warnings. However, the response from the southwest region made Shen Xiaowu feel as though he had fallen into an icy abyss.
The Southwestern Military Region actually launched a large-scale battle at this time!
If it weren’t for the beast tide, Shen Xiaowu considered this battle to be very beautiful and classic. But...why did the beast tide have to appear at this time?
When the intelligence was delivered, it was already a step late; the battle involving 100 Pioneer Legions had begun half an hour ago. Half an hour might just be the start for regular troops, but for Star Martial Warriors, half an hour could mark the end of a fight.
All 100 Pioneer Legions of the Southwestern region had been fully committed to the battlefield; a single move could affect the outcome. At this moment, if even one Pioneer Legion were to extricate itself, the situation would collapse completely like a row of toppled dominoes.
So when Shen Xiaowu received this reply, his mood was the same as Lin Yao’s. The Southwestern region was finished; the 50,000 Pioneers stationed there were doomed.
A horde of 100,000 Exotic Beasts had surged into the Southwestern region, while each Pioneer Legion was scattered across various battlefields, unable to support or respond to each other. How many could survive in the end?
However, Shen Xiaowu couldn’t dispatch troops for rescue at the moment. The beast tides in the other four regions had also started. The Pioneers in the four regions could only consolidate their forces, abandon many front-line fortifications, and fall back to larger rear defense lines to withstand the beast tide.
In this situation, Shen Xiaowu had to make an instant decision and pull troops from the four major regions to set up a defense outside the Southwestern region. Yet these forces could not go to the aid of the Southwestern Command; they could only ensure that once the Exotic Beasts broke through the defense line, they would not continue east and impact the rear.
When the Exotic Beasts from the southwest hit the rear defense line, the other regions should have already withstood the beast tide, right? Then I could draw forces to push back the beast tide from the southwest.
This was about gaining a time advantage, but the cost would be watching the Southwestern region fall before my eyes.
This decision was very painful. Thus, for two full hours, Shen Xiaowu was preoccupied.
"White Dragon, where is Black Fox?" Shen Xiaowu suddenly asked.
"The beast tide in the Northwestern region posed the greatest risk, so Lord White Dragon is there resisting the beast tide. Lord Black Fox is in the due west, where three powerful Exotic Beasts have emerged, and the brothers there can’t hold on."
"Inform Xiao Qian to contact White Dragon. Resolve the battle as quickly as possible and rush to the Southwestern region. Save as many as possible."
"Yes!"
"BANG—" A loud noise, as if the command room’s door had been kicked open.
"Commander, the latest military report from the southwest!"
Hearing this, not only did Shen Xiaowu’s face lack joy, it revealed a look of utmost pain.
A report delivered at this time is unlikely to be good news like, "We’re safe, headquarters, don’t worry." It’s most likely the final report from the Southwestern Regional Command.
I know Lin Yao—that proud man would never abandon his soldiers and retreat alone, even if he had the strength to retreat safely.
When I dispatched the intelligence, I made it clear, allowing Lin Yao’s command to withdraw immediately to save their designation. But Lin Yao refused. If he had wanted to retreat, he would have done so already.
Shen Xiaowu took a deep breath and didn’t turn around, still looking out the window.
"Read!"
"Yes!"
"Honorable Commander, while initiating a clear-out operation in the Southwestern region, a beast tide emerged from Ice Cliff at the southwest corner amid the Chaos Mist. A horde of 100,000 Exotic Beasts rushed out, striking Ice Cliff."
"At this moment, our side’s battle had begun, and each Pioneering Legion had been put in place with no time to retreat. In this hour of peril, Lin Yao has made the firm decision to share the fate of the Southwestern Pioneers."
"After two hours of combat, the clear-out operation proceeded smoothly, and the Pioneer Teams successfully completed their coordinated operations..."
Listening up to here, the color drained from Shen Xiaowu’s face. He slowly turned around to look at the young officer reading the report. The content of this report is different from what I guessed. The clear-out operation was completed? In two hours? How is that possible?
"The operation ended smoothly. Concerned about the situation at Ice Cliff, I urgently ordered the Poison Sting Pioneer Legion to rush to Ice Cliff. It was confirmed at Ice Cliff that indeed 100,000 Exotic Beasts had charged toward the Ice Cliff defense line, while the Ice Cliff was defended by only 500 members of the Green Maple Pioneer Legion... holy shit!"
"Holy shit?" Everyone in the command center stared at the officer reading the report in shock. "Holy shit?" he exclaimed? Reading a military report? Would such words actually be written in the report?
"No... I’m sorry, I lost my composure, but the content is just too... too exaggerated."
"Read on!" Shen Xiaowu ordered sternly, fixating on his junior.
"In the Green Maple Pioneer Legion, there was an intern from Modu City’s Star Martial Academy, Wang Lan. Wang Lan alone emerged from Ice Cliff. Standing like a sentinel, he single-handedly slaughtered the invading horde of 100,000 Exotic Beasts. Outside Ice Cliff, the Ice Snow melted and the ground shattered. Corpses of Exotic Beasts blanketed the earth, and Soul Beads were piled up like mountains."
"All 100,000 Exotic Beasts were annihilated outside Ice Cliff; the Green Maple Pioneer Legion suffered no casualties, and not a single Exotic Beast breached Ice Cliff. The Southwestern region was preserved, the clear-out operation concluded perfectly, and the 50,000 Pioneers in the Southwestern region survived—all thanks to Wang Lan’s efforts."
"With a single strike, he turned the tide, controlled the raging waves—"
The report ended, and the entire headquarters fell into dead silence. Everyone was stunned, staring at the reporting officer, their minds a whirlpool of disbelief.
