Chapter 55 Times Have Changed, Tang San! When Tang Clan Hidden Weapons Meet Anti-Material Sniper Rifles
Killing City, Inner City, Ninth District.
The air was thick with the lingering smell of gunpowder, mingled with the musty stench of blood, creating a unique, suffocating odor. At the end of the street, outside the arena freshly stained with blood, countless fallen warriors furtively watched with awe and fear as a group of people emerged.
Ye Feng walked at the front, carrying a glowing Gatling gun (which had been folded and concealed under the Thousand Chance Umbrella), the cigar in his mouth flickering. Behind him were five stunning beauties: Shui Bing'er, Dugu Yan, Huo Wu, Hu Liena, and Zhu Zhuqing. In this hellish city of slaughter, such a group was like a beautiful yet deadly spider lily blooming amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
"Is that guy with the umbrella... a devil?" "Shh! Don't look into his eyes! Be careful, or you might get your head blown off by one of those 'bullets'!"
Just then, a solitary, aloof figure blocked Ye Feng's path. It was a young man dressed in coarse black cloth, his face covered by a black mask, revealing only a pair of piercing purple eyes. Unlike the others, he didn't exude a repulsive aura of evil; instead, he possessed an extremely restrained killing intent. He didn't carry the heavy sword or battle axe commonly found in the Killing City; his hands were empty. However, Ye Feng's "Wisdom Skull" scan revealed at least thirty-six deadly small metal objects concealed in his cuffs, waist, and boots.
Number: 9528. Identity: Tang San
The two stared at each other. The air seemed to freeze.
"Get out of the way." Ye Feng exhaled a smoke ring, his eyes playful.
Tang San didn't move aside. He stared intently at the Thousand Manifestations Umbrella in Ye Feng's hand, his Purple Demon Eyes working frantically, trying to decipher the principle behind the wildly spinning metal tube he had just seen on the arena.
"What kind of hidden weapon did you just use?" Tang San's voice was hoarse and deep. As a disciple of the Tang Clan, he had never seen such a domineering and unreasonable mechanical hidden weapon.
It requires no sophisticated techniques, no internal force to propel it; relying solely on mechanical operation, it can unleash thousands upon thousands of attacks in an instant. This defies the understanding of the Tang Sect's "Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record." The Zhuge Divine Crossbow is nothing more than a toy in its presence.
"Hidden weapons?" Ye Feng laughed, a laugh filled with sarcasm. He took two steps closer, almost touching Tang San's face. "Tang San, your perspective is too narrow." "You call this a hidden weapon? This is science, industry, and truth."
Tang San's pupils contracted slightly, clearly shocked that Ye Feng had revealed his real name. "You know me?"
"Of course. The renowned successor of the Clear Sky Sect, a genius with twin martial souls." Ye Feng lowered his voice, speaking in a tone only the two of them could hear: "What? Have you gone mad from practicing with hammers here? Still playing with your outdated flying needles and hidden arrows?"
"Outdated?" A flash of anger crossed Tang San's eyes. The Tang Clan's ultimate techniques were his pride, not to be desecrated. "No matter how ingenious your mechanisms are, they are ultimately external. Here, only one's own strength is eternal. Without those iron pipes, you are nothing."
"Is that so?" Ye Feng wasn't angry, he simply pointed to Tang San's waist. "How much of your 'Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moon' weapon stockpile is left? Dragon Beard Needles? Bone-Piercing Nails? Since you can't use soul power here, your hidden weapon recovery rate must be very low, right?" "And me..." Ye Feng patted the Thousand Manifestations Umbrella. "As long as you give me enough metal and gunpowder, I can have as many of these 'hidden weapons' as I want. I can mass-produce ten thousand of them, equip ten thousand ordinary people, and then riddle your so-called Tang Sect experts with bullets." "That's the dimensional reduction attack of an industrialized workshop."
Tang San fell silent. Although he didn't understand what industrialization meant, he understood the word "mass production." If such terrifying weapons could really be in everyone's possession... the thought sent chills down his spine.
"Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together." Tang San coldly uttered these words, stepping aside to make way. "I hope you'll still be this confident on the hellish road a hundred times later."
"Don't worry." Ye Feng led the women past. "When the time comes, you'll be begging me to take you flying."
Safe house, basement arsenal.
This place was originally a treasure trove of fallen people, but Ye Feng has now transformed it into a makeshift workshop. Under the dim candlelight, various metal parts are scattered all over the floor.
Zhu Zhuqing sat at a workbench, her eyes focused and burning with intensity. Before her lay a long, black, heavy firearm exuding a chilling aura. It was no ordinary rifle. It was the AWM·SoulSniper, custom-made for her by Ye Feng over three days, utilizing a high-strength alloy found in the City of Slaughter and combining it with the flexibility of the Thousand Chance Umbrella.
"This...is for me?" Zhu Zhuqing's fingers gently traced the cold barrel of the gun, as if caressing a lover's skin. As an agility-based Soul Master, she had always pursued ultimate speed and single-target damage. But after losing her Soul Skills, she was reduced to a melee assassin, a position fraught with extreme risk. This weapon before her gave her a completely new, thrilling sense of control over life and death.
"That's right." Ye Feng sat to the side, carving intricate patterns (physical grooves to increase armor penetration) onto the bullet. "Zhu Qing, your calm and patient nature makes you a natural sniper." "This gun uses a 'dual compression' principle." "The stock has a high-pressure chamber, combined with specially made explosive powder. Here, where soul power cannot be used, its effective range is… two thousand meters."
"Two thousand meters?!" Hu Liena exclaimed in surprise. In this world, even a Title Douluo's mental perception range is only this far. This means that Zhu Zhuqing can take the enemy's head without them noticing at all.
"Give it a try." Ye Feng handed Zhu Zhuqing a specially made bullet. It was an armor-piercing incendiary round with its tip painted black.
Zhu Zhuqing skillfully pulled the bolt. Click! A bullet was chambered. She lifted the 30-pound sniper rifle, her body remaining perfectly still. The Netherworld Cat's martial spirit foundation endowed her with exceptional physical coordination and stability. Through the optical scope polished by Ye Feng, her field of vision instantly zoomed in.
"I want to become stronger." Zhu Zhuqing's voice was cold and firm. "With it, even if that coward Dai Mubai stood in front of me, I could shoot him dead with one shot."
"Very good." Ye Feng nodded in satisfaction.
Then, he turned to look at Hu Liena. Hu Liena instinctively shrank back. "Why...why are you looking at me? Do I need one of those big tubes too? They're too ugly, I'm not taking them!"
"What are you thinking? With your small frame, the recoil would shatter you." Ye Feng casually tossed her a tactical belt, which was covered in round metal balls and a gleaming short-barreled shotgun. "You're a control type; even without your soul skills, your strategic thinking is still there." "These are flashbangs and stun grenades." "When you encounter enemies, throw the balls first. While they're blinded and deaf, use this shotgun to finish them off." "That's called—physical charm."
Hu Liena's lips twitched: "Physical...charm?" Blinding someone is indeed a form of control, no problem.
As for Shui Bing'er and Dugu Yan, Shui Bing'er received an assault rifle with an extremely high rate of fire, responsible for mid-range fire suppression. Dugu Yan, on the other hand, received a grenade launcher, which was not loaded with explosives, but with concentrated poison gas extracted for her by Ye Feng.
"Everyone has changed." Ye Feng stood up, the data in his eyes surging again. "Tomorrow, there's a special competition." "The King of Slaughter seems very dissatisfied with us and has arranged a 'Hundred-Man Slaughter'." "And... as far as I know, that unlucky guy named Tang San is also in the same competition."
The next day. Hellish Slaughter Field.
The atmosphere today is exceptionally heated. The King of Slaughter has personally ordered a change to the competition rules. It's no longer a ten-person free-for-all; instead—it's survival mode. One hundred hungry, bloodthirsty demonic wolves (mutated soul beasts native to the City of Slaughter) and fifty fully armed death row inmates will be released into the arena. The "prey" thrown into the arena consists of only two groups. One group is Ye Feng's full-time team (5 people). The other group is Tang San (9528), who is alone.
A massive iron cage descended. Inside the dimly lit arena, hundreds of pairs of red beast eyes gleamed.
Tang San stood on the left side of the arena, wielding a jet-black Clear Sky Hammer, his expression grave. Without soul power, he couldn't use soul skills, and even he felt immense pressure facing so many thick-skinned demonic wolves. "Is this a death trap set for me?" Tang San wondered to himself.
On the right side of the field, Ye Feng, accompanied by four girls, acted as if they were on a picnic. "Everyone, listen to the tactics," Ye Feng said casually, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
"Zhu Qing, find a high vantage point and hunt freely. Prioritize taking out those death row inmates with heavy weapons." "Nana, guard the left flank, prepare flashbangs." "Yan Yan, release poison on the right flank to block the wolf pack's route." "Bing'er, provide support from the center." "As for me..." Ye Feng's Thousand Chance Umbrella clicked as it transformed into a double-barreled shotgun. "I'll go say hello to that guy with the hammer."
Roar—!!! With a command, the iron gates opened. Hundreds of bloodthirsty wolves surged out like a tidal wave, frantically attacking the living people in the arena.
Tang San moved. Ghostly Shadow Steps! His figure moved like smoke and mist, his Clear Sky Hammer swirling into a black whirlwind. Bang! Bang! Bang! With each swing, a demonic wolf's bones were broken and tendons snapped. Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique! Although lacking the enhancement of soul power, this pure strength and skill was still terrifying.
But he quickly found himself in a fierce battle. There were too many wolves! And the death row inmates were hiding behind the pack, constantly throwing javelins and axes. "Damn it!" Tang San dodged a flying axe, but was bitten on the calf by a demonic wolf. He grunted and smashed the wolf's head with a backhand hammer. His strength was rapidly draining away.
On the other hand, the style changes abruptly.
Bang! A muffled, thunderous gunshot echoed throughout the arena. On a stone pillar in the distant stands, Zhu Zhuqing lay prone, a flash of fire erupting from the muzzle of her AWM. Eight hundred meters away, a death row inmate preparing to ambush Tang San had his head explode like a watermelon. The headless corpse swayed twice before collapsing.
Immediately afterwards, rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat! Shui Bing'er's assault rifle began firing in bursts. Before the charging wolves could even get within ten meters, they were struck in the eyes or throats by precise bullets. Dugu Yan's poison gas exploded among the wolf pack, sending large numbers of wolves foaming at the mouth and collapsing to the ground, convulsing.
This was a massacre. A one-sided massacre.
Tang San swung his Clear Sky Hammer while watching the battlefield on the other side in shock. It was too fast! The efficiency of the killing was too high! For each wolf he killed, he needed to swing his hammer, maneuver, and dodge, expending a great deal of energy. Meanwhile, the girls over there hadn't even broken a sweat; they simply snapped their fingers a few times, and the pack of ferocious demonic wolves fell in droves.
"This is...industrialization?" A certain conviction within Tang San began to waver. Among the Hundred Solutions to Hidden Weapons, was there truly a method capable of countering this? Even Guanyin's Tears, even Buddha's Wrath Lotus, could they truly withstand this relentless barrage of fire?
In the instant Tang San was distracted, a gigantic demonic wolf suddenly darted out from the side with astonishing speed. It dodged Tang San's hammer, opened its blood-red maw, and lunged straight for Tang San's throat! The distance was too close! Tang San's strength was exhausted, and he could only watch helplessly as the fangs drew near. "Should I use that move..." His hand reached for the "Death warrant" from the Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlit Night. It was his trump card for survival; each use meant one less chance.
Just then, Boom! A burst of fire exploded at the wolf king's waist. It was a close-range shotgun blast. The wolf king screamed in agony as its massive body was blasted away, its waist a bloody mess.
Ye Feng appeared beside Tang San. He held a double-barreled shotgun in one hand, smoke rising from the muzzle. His other hand was casually in his pocket.
"Looks like your hammer isn't very effective, Sect Leader Tang," Ye Feng said jokingly.
Tang San's face turned ugly, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Mind your own business."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to save you." Ye Feng shrugged. "I just think that wolf king's fur is nice, and I'd like to skin it and make a coat from it."
After speaking, Ye Feng tossed the hunting rifle aside. The Thousand Chance Umbrella transformed once more, becoming a long sword. "Melee Mode - Phantom Sword Dance!" Ye Feng charged forward, his sword flashing like a waterfall, instantly slicing the heavily wounded Demon Wolf King into eighteen pieces.
The battle ended quickly. One hundred demonic wolves and fifty death row inmates were all wiped out. Ye Feng's team killed 130 units, while Tang San killed 20. The disparity in kill count was enormous.
The stands were completely silent. Everyone realized that the world in this city of slaughter had truly changed.
On the high platform, between the thrones.
The King of Slaughter's wine glass shattered in his hand. The crimson liquid trickled down his fingers. His gaze was fixed on Ye Feng, or more precisely, on the weapon in Ye Feng's hand.
"Your Majesty, that boy… has disrupted the balance," a black-veiled maid said, trembling. "If this weapon becomes widespread, the trials of the City of Slaughter will lose their meaning."
"I know." The King of Slaughter's voice was deep and thunderous. "Don't worry." "No matter how powerful a weapon is, it's still an inanimate object." "Besides…" A strange red light flashed in the King of Slaughter's eyes, a mad consciousness a mixture of Asura's divine will and the Nine-Headed Bat King's. "I'm also very curious, if I arrange an opponent he absolutely cannot defeat, will his iron pipes still be able to save him?"
"Pass down the order." "The 100th match. Open the Hell Road." "And... awaken that giant sleeping at the bottom of the Blood Pool." "I want Ye Feng and Tang San to go in together." "Raising Gu... naturally, the two strongest Gu worms should fight each other."
Post-match, in the rest area.
Tang San was wiping the blood off his Clear Sky Hammer. Ye Feng and the women passed by.
"Ye Feng," Tang San suddenly spoke. "What's the name of your weapon?"
Ye Feng stopped and turned back with a smile. "That sniper rifle is called 'Netherworld,' and that rifle is called 'Ice Breath.'" "What? Want to learn?" "Call me Brother Feng, and I'll consider giving you an old, discarded pistol for self-defense."
Tang San ignored Ye Feng's teasing and said with a complicated expression, "You've gone astray. Over-reliance on external things will eventually stop you from making progress." "But I admit, at this stage... your iron pipes are indeed very strong."
This was the greatest recognition that the proud and arrogant Tang San could offer.
Ye Feng's smile faded, his eyes deepening. "Tang San, you're wrong." "I don't rely on external things." Ye Feng pointed to his head. "I rely on this." "Wisdom is humanity's strongest martial soul." "And..." Ye Feng glanced at the distant, lofty Palace of the King of Slaughter. "The Road to Hell is about to open." "If we're all thrown in, let's cooperate." "Your hammer, plus my gun." "We'll pull that high and mighty Bat King... down from his throne."
Tang San was taken aback. The Bat King? He looked at Ye Feng in surprise. This kid knew the true form of the King of Slaughter?
"Don't ask me how I know." Ye Feng waved his hand and turned to leave. "Prepare well. The road to hell ahead isn't a picnic." "It's a... one-way street to the underworld."
Watching Ye Feng's departing figure, Hu Liena couldn't help but glance back at Tang San. That once-heart-stirring genius of the Clear Sky Sect now seemed somewhat...dimmed under Ye Feng's brilliance. "Has the era... truly changed?" Hu Liena touched the flashbang at her waist, a deep worry for the Spirit Hall's future arising in her heart for the first time. If Ye Feng were to attack Spirit City with this army called "guns and cannons" in the future... could His Holiness the Pope stop him?
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