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"It's hard to say... In fact, they haven't arrived yet because of some accidents on the way, even though they were traveling by helicopter. In short, Mr. Luo and your companions are the only reinforcements I can think of in the short term."
The implication was that by the time the reinforcements from Beidu arrived, it would be too late. Although Qin Feng's tone wasn't urging, it still indirectly expressed his hope that Luo Jiajun would give him a reply as soon as possible.
After all, time waits for no one!
'Digimon…Rosemon…' Luo Jiajun's eyes narrowed as he quickly began to think.
As the highest-level "Ultimate" Digimon in Digimon, Rosemon's combat power is beyond doubt. Its predecessor, "Lilimon (also known as Lilimon)," already appeared in the most classic "Digimon Adventure" anime, which can be considered a childhood memory for Luo Jiajun.
As for why no one on Qin Feng's side recognized the Digivice and seemed completely unaware of what Digimon looked like, Luo Jiajun wasn't surprised at all. He guessed that these high-value items with "fan fiction" elements were probably like the harem he summoned, with information and memories of the related works completely erased from this world.
Only Luo Jiajun himself still has the memory.
In short, after a brief moment of thought, Luo Jiajun gave Qin Feng his reply:
"Alright then, Captain Qin, as you just said, your helicopter will come over first and take me and my companions to check the situation. I will then decide whether or not to take action."
"...Okay, Mr. Luo, in fact, we are almost over Zhongyue Shopping Mall."
"Alright, I'll take my men up to the rooftop now."
The conversation ended there. Luo Jiajun quickly assembled his team in the shopping mall and led everyone upstairs while explaining the situation.
Upon learning that their mission would involve confronting Crimson Corruption, Leda frowned and immediately advised Luo Jiajun against the risk. The female knight knew all too well the power of Crimson Corruption—a terrifying force that even "gods" were powerless against!
"Don't worry, we're just going to check the situation first. If it's really difficult, I won't force myself to help," Luo Jiajun explained patiently. "Besides, even if we do help, it won't be for nothing."
If they could obtain the Rose Beast, it wouldn't just be a powerful fighting force, but also another absolutely loyal harem member! Moreover, Luo Jiajun had given it careful consideration. First of all, the fact that the impact of Ma Xiaolian's "blooming" didn't even completely cover the small city of Kuncheng showed that Ma Xiaolian was no match for Marlenia.
The crimson decay within Ma Xiaolian's body originated from the "Ionia Fruit" that grew from the Devil Fruit Tree.
In the Elden Ring, Malenia is essentially possessed by the "Goddess of Corruption." Can a fruit imbued with the power of the Goddess of Corruption compare to the Goddess of Corruption herself?
So while Marlene's "flowering" can pollute an entire province of Galid in the French Ring, the damage caused by Ma Xiaolian is estimated to have affected at most a few blocks.
Secondly...
You should know that the Terminator is a being that can't be killed even by a nuclear bomb!
Even under the threat of nuclear bombing and radiation, it has evolved again and again, becoming stronger and stronger!
Not to mention, they also have healing items like the Red Dew Grail Bottle and Senzu Beans.
In gaming terms, even if Crimson Corruption is a powerful DoT that lasts for a very long time, my Terminator has high health and more than one life! Maybe I can even be immune to Crimson Corruption!
Even in the worst-case scenario, if you keep draining my health and manage to cripple a tank like me, so what? Dude, I can drink two sips of the Holy Grail and be fully healed. The Terminator transformation refreshes once a day, and with two transformations plus my human form, that's three lives. Plus, red potions automatically regenerate, not to mention the Senzu Beans as a backup...
Thinking about it, Luo Jiajun suddenly realized that he didn't know when he had become an unkillable cockroach.
With this in mind, partly to boost morale and partly to liven up the atmosphere, Luo Jiajun looked down at the harem members around him and said:
"When have we ever lost? Everyone should have confidence. Those crickets, those crimson, rotten parasites... Ha! They're nothing but a bunch of cheapskates!"
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When Luo Jiajun arrived at the rooftop with the women around him, the military transport plane carrying the Tenglong Special Task Force also arrived, and the rooftop was filled with the piercing noise of helicopter rotors.
A short while later, as the helicopter slowly landed on the spacious rooftop of the shopping mall, Qin Feng led the special task force soldiers off the helicopter and strode towards Luo Jiajun and the others.
Qin Feng, leading the way, went straight for Luo Jiajun. Upon meeting, he shook hands with Luo Jiajun, and the dozens of survivors from the western camp on behalf of the city expressed their gratitude to Luo Jiajun.
Luo Jiajun shook his head and said:
"Captain Qin, there's no need to thank me. I'm just taking my companions to check out the situation first. I might not be able to help later."
Although Luo Jiajun's words sounded incredibly cold, Qin Feng only felt awkward for a moment before quickly regaining his composure and saying to Luo Jiajun in a deep voice:
"We are already very grateful that Mr. Luo was willing to make this trip."
Time was of the essence, and the two did not talk much more afterward.
Luo Jiajun called Zhou Meiling and the others behind him to board the helicopter. After sitting in the cabin, he felt as if he had forgotten something.
The two groups sat together in the cabin. Although it wasn't their first time meeting, the Tenglong Special Task Force soldiers couldn't help but cast curious glances at Luo Jiajun and his group. After all, Luo Jiajun's team included figures like the three-meter-tall Archina, the knight-dressed Leda, and the non-human Zyra—all strange enough to be hard to ignore.
Luo Jiajun, on the other hand, seemed to have been somewhat forgotten. Qin Feng had originally wanted to say something to Luo Jiajun, but as soon as Luo Jiajun sat down in the cabin, he closed his eyes to rest, so Qin Feng didn't disturb him.
At this moment, the feeling that he had forgotten something in Luo Jiajun's heart grew stronger. That's why Luo Jiajun kept his eyes tightly closed, deep in thought.
What exactly is it that he has forgotten?
--suddenly!
A flash of inspiration struck Luo Jiajun.
Then Luo Jiajun lowered his head, slightly opened his eyes, and silently brought up the game interface, his gaze immediately focusing on the [Encyclopedia] option.
"Damn, I almost forgot to acquire a new ability!"
Summoning Zhou Meiling previously unlocked two new synergy badges for Luo Jiajun in the character encyclopedia: "Overwatch" and "Scientist".
However, I've been living too comfortably lately. Even though it's the apocalypse, I hardly feel any urgency. I've been "playing and dancing" day after day, completely relaxing, to the point that I've forgotten about something as important as using the newly unlocked badges in the encyclopedia to acquire new abilities.
"I really shouldn't get too caught up in pleasure!" Luo Jiajun sighed to himself as he silently clicked into the encyclopedia interface again.
[Overwatch Badges, rewards are being earned...]
[Congratulations! You have gained the special ability "Shadow Step"]
[Scientist Badge, Rewards Available...]
Congratulations! You have gained the special ability "Multi-purpose Capsule"!
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【Shadowstep】: One of the skills possessed by the classic Overwatch character "Reaper"; consumes a portion of mental and physical energy to teleport to any visible location within a 20-meter radius. If the selected location cannot accommodate the user's size, the ability cannot be successfully cast.
【Universal Capsule】: A magical capsule from the world of Dragon Ball; it conjures up a random type of capsule, which can be re-rolled even if the capsule is not activated, but there is a 168-hour (one natural week) cooldown period between each re-roll.
……
After seeing his two newly acquired abilities, Luo Jiajun's heart started racing.
Simply because both of the newly acquired abilities are extremely useful!
Shadow Step goes without saying; it's a noble movement skill, and even with a 20-meter range limitation, it's still very powerful.
Now, let's talk about the multi-purpose capsule—the "capsule" here doesn't refer to medicine. It's a magical storage device that's extremely small and capsule-shaped. In the classic anime "Dragon Ball," capsules are a very common item. Simply press a switch and throw it on the ground to release what's sealed inside, including but not limited to: mecha, vehicles, and even an entire house.
Although Luo Jiajun's ability—the Capsule of Faith—is random, the good thing is that if he is not satisfied with the type of capsule he gets, he can "re-select" it, which gives this ability infinite possibilities. It should be noted that the types of capsules in the Dragon Ball world even include heavyweight types such as spaceship capsules and time machine capsules.
"It's a pity I can't try the capsule right away!" Luo Jiajun was also a little itchy, but unfortunately he was currently on a helicopter and might soon face a battle that he had to treat with utmost care.
Kun County is just a small city. The helicopter did not fly for long before it reached the airspace above the official camp in the west of the city.
As the pilot relayed the message, the rear cargo door slowly opened.
Qin Feng beckoned to Luo Jiajun, and the two went to the open hatch, immediately peering down to observe the current situation of the western camp below...
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The propellers churned the air incessantly as the military transport plane hovered over the western camp, its cabin filled with an almost solidified heaviness.
Luo Jiajun and Qin Feng stood side by side at the open cabin door, the strong airflow stinging their faces, but neither of them seemed to notice, their eyes fixed on the scene below... a scene of hell on earth!
That official shelter.
At this moment, we have completely fallen!
The swarm has breached it!
Luo Jiajun looked down and saw a shocking expanse of crimson.
It wasn't a single hue stained with blood, but a nauseating color, a symbol of decay and withering. In the center of the camp, in an open space, a huge, eerie, blooming orange-red flower, like a heart emerging from the depths of hell, throbbed violently amidst the ruins.
That is the Ionian Flower, the embodiment of crimson corruption.
At that moment, in the heart of the flower, a naked figure was kneeling blankly, his hands supporting him on the ground.
It's Ma Xiaolian.
But at this moment, she was no longer human. Her once delicate face and body were now covered with festering wounds, and her skin was a mottled mix of gray and scarlet, like rotting tree bark.
Her eyes were empty, devoid of any spirit, as if her soul had long been devoured by that demonic flower, leaving only a shell thoroughly corrupted by the power of decay, becoming a scarlet offering.
Centered on her, a terrifying force of corruption, like an invisible plague, continues to spread and erode outwards.
Inside the camp, almost no intact corpses could be seen.
As far as the eye could see, there were only remains that had been rapidly decaying after being corrupted by the power of corruption, and then shattered into pieces by the frenzied devouring of the insect swarm.
Severed limbs, internal organs, shattered bones, and decaying tissue mingled together, turning the entire camp into a thick, dark crimson hue, and the air itself was thick with a suffocating stench of blood and rot.
And this was the damage that occurred shortly after Ma Xiaolian had just "bloomed"!
A chill ran through Luo Jiajun's heart. His gaze swept beyond the camp, where he saw that the mutated plants that had thrived wildly during the apocalypse of plant mutation had also succumbed to the same fate. They had lost all vitality; their leaves were withered and curled, their branches were gray and rotten, all stained with that ominous mix of gray and scarlet, as if they had undergone centuries of weathering in an instant.
"What...what on earth is going on?" Qin Feng's voice trembled with disbelief, his face deathly pale. He had witnessed countless battles and sacrifices, but the sight of all life turned into rotting mud was far more terrifying than any hail of bullets!
“Crimson decay…”
Luo Jiajun's voice was low and solemn, carrying a hint of barely perceptible apprehension:
"This power will devour all life, dragging everything into decay. If it is allowed to spread..."
At this point, Luo Jiajun paused, then turned his gaze to the hazy outline of the city in the distance.
If the crimson decay is allowed to spread, not only the camp below, but also several surrounding blocks, and even the entire county, will eventually be stained crimson.
However, it is in this crimson inferno that symbolizes absolute death.
An anomaly, a struggling lone figure, firmly attracted the attention of Luo Jiajun and Qin Feng.
On the ground, in the heart of the camp ruins, near the Ionian Flower, a gigantic figure could be seen charging fiercely through the black tide of the insect swarm!
The figure was easily three people tall, with bulging, bulging muscles exuding explosive power. He was shirtless, his skin an unnatural bluish-gray, veins bulging like twisted tree roots. Most striking was his gleaming bald head, reflecting the sunlight! (Just in case you've forgotten, this is the bald man who appeared in Chapter 53.)
Luo Jiajun recognized the bald man at a glance. He wondered what kind of strange change the guy had undergone, causing his body to swell to such a terrifying extent. "Where's Mei? Mei's busy? Lin's here...?"
He wielded a twisted, deformed metal lamppost pulled from the ruins, as if wielding a giant god's warhammer. Each sweep brought a whistling sound as it tore through the air, smashing and crushing the giant centipedes and millipedes that pounced on him. Their hard shells shattered like fragile eggshells before his terrifying power, sending dark green juice and carapace fragments flying everywhere.
Even so, the swarm of insects continued to surge towards the gigantic bald man like a tidal wave, attempting to overwhelm and tear him apart. But the bald man was like a reef standing firm in a raging storm; with each swing and each trampling, he stirred up waves of blood and flesh within the insect tide. He roared, his voice like that of a wounded beast, filled with pain, rage, and a desperate madness.
The direction he charged towards was none other than the blooming Ionian flower, and the decaying body within its heart—Ma Xiaolian!
But faced with such a terrifying swarm of insects and that bizarre source of corruption, the bald man's actions were tantamount to suicide.
"Something's not right..." Qin Feng's sharp eyes quickly caught the key point, "The swarm of insects on the ground seems to be protecting that flower! Protecting the woman inside the flower!"
Sure enough, as the bald man got closer to the heart of the flower, the swarm's attack became more frenzied and more organized.
They no longer merely instinctively pounced on flesh and blood; instead, they clearly deployed more forces, forming layers upon layers to block the bald man and Ma Xiaolian, even going so far as to form a wall with their bodies in an attempt to slow down the bald man's advance.
Some larger, darker-colored, and more humanoid insectoids also appeared in the swarm, emitting sharp hisses as if directing the swarm's attack. Their attacks on the bald man were more cunning, attempting to target his joints and vital organs.
This unusual behavior undoubtedly confirmed Qin Feng's judgment—the swarm was indeed doing its utmost to protect Ma Xiaolian, the source of the scarlet corruption!
"Roar--!"
At that moment, the bald man let out a deafening roar, and the huge lamppost crashed down with immense force, smashing a giant insect-man and several centipedes that were blocking its way into a bloody pulp.
He took a huge step forward and finally broke through the densest defense of the swarm. His huge figure, filled with intense bloodlust and killing intent, rushed to the front of the Flower of Ionia, only a few steps away from Ma Xiaolian, who was sitting in the heart of the flower!
The intense killing intent, like a tangible ice pick, pierced the decaying body.
Just then, in Hua Xin, Ma Xiaolian, who had been kneeling motionless like a statue, slowly and stiffly raised her head.
Hollow, festering eye sockets met the bald man's bloodshot eyes, filled with rage and pain.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
The source of corruption and the struggling tyrant stand in stark contrast.
The bald man's massive body jolted violently. He stared at Ma Xiaolian's terrifying, demonic face, at the rotting marks on her face that symbolized destruction and impurity. A complex mix of fear, hatred, and despair instantly overwhelmed his raging will.
The lamppost in his hand drooped slightly, the muscles on his face, stained with insect blood and bits of flesh, twitched violently, and a low growl, a mixture of pain and nausea, escaped from deep in his throat:
"You monster!"
These words instantly struck Ma Xiaolian, who had been standing there like a wooden statue, lost in thought. She slowly got up from the ground, her mouth wide open, and burst into a maniacal laugh that sent chills down the bald man's spine.
The surrounding insects quieted down, no longer attacking the bald man, but instead bowing down to Ma Xiaolian like devout believers worshipping a deity.
Ma Xiaolian's hoarse and manic laughter quickly subsided. She turned to the bald man and whispered: