Chapter 39: 'Friendly' Visit (Part Two)

Upper District of Planet Sha

Central Administrative Hall

In contrast to the lower district and the mining areas, where most people struggled to survive and couldn’t even afford water, the upper district had no concerns about water resources.

Within the administrative hall, the central building of the upper district, water was available in limitless supply.

Crystal-clear water was continuously poured into a swimming pool as large as four football fields. The fountain in the center of the pool occasionally sprayed water outward, drenching the surrounding edges.

Scantily clad, beautiful men and women frolicked in the pool, while on the shore, Planet Sha’s administrator, Tataru, soaked in a transparent flower-filled water tank, sipping expensive wine and enjoying the view before him.

Next to the ice-filled tank were various toys for Tataru’s amusement.

Tataru was a man in his 50s. He was lean, with noticeable dark circles under his eyes, a clear sign of his excessive indulgence.

Tataru owed his position as administrator to being born into an influential family. His father was a major general in the Canglan Star Region and died in the Star Region Spirit Runes Battle four years ago. His mother, a professionally trained lady from a prominent family, inherited a large estate after her husband’s death and doted on her child without restraint.

At Tataru’s repeated insistence, his mother bought Planet Sha and presented it to him.

Thus, this irresponsible idle rich young man smoothly became the administrator of Planet Sha.

Since becoming the administrator, Tataru had imposed heavy taxes and oppressive rule, gathering around him a group of similarly hedonistic nobles to exploit the people of Planet Sha.

The people in the lower district had long been resentful but, due to the overwhelming power gap, were forced to live hopelessly on Planet Sha.

But how could Tataru possibly care about the lives of those in the lower district?

He only cared about his personal comfort.

"It is said that the Water Runes are almost here. What are you planning to do with them?"

A second-generation noble asked.

Tataru: "Create a water bed, set up a water prison punishment room, hold a Water Splashing Festival every night, and build a swimwear bar. Any good suggestions from you?"

"I’ve heard it’s interesting when frozen. What about an ice prison?"

Tataru gave a sinister smile. "Good suggestion. You certainly know how to enjoy yourself!"

"Not at all."

"See anyone you like? I’ll give him to you later."

The second-generation noble, eyes lighting up, said, "Then I won’t decline. Thank you for your generosity, Lord Tataru."

Just as the second-generation noble was about to choose someone, the sound of hurried footsteps interrupted their mood.

Tataru never carried a communicator device when playing, so announcements had to be made in person.

The communications soldier entered the room, immediately knelt down, placed his hands flat on the floor, and crawled to Tataru’s feet.

"Report! Someone is forcing their way into the upper district. What should be done, Lord Tataru…"

Before the soldier could finish, Tataru kicked him aside.

"Don’t trouble me with such trivial matters. If they’re ugly, cripple them and throw them into the mines. If they’re good-looking, drug them and send them here."

"Do I need to repeat the regulations after all these years?"

The communications soldier gritted his teeth but had no choice but to respectfully accept the order and climb back out.

"Yes."

He walked out of the luxurious gaming room, his expression grim.

From behind, he could still hear bursts of flirtatious laughter like "Oh my, your skin is so smooth" and "Lord, please don't," drifting through the air.

The communications soldier clenched his fists and, without another word, relayed his final order as a communications soldier.

"Our guests are esteemed; we must not be neglectful."

He was done with being a communications soldier.

*

With the coordination of multiple parties, Cang Cheng and Mù Xīng flew the aircraft smoothly without any obstruction.

Since the patrol army had been alerted, they flew past the upper district's patrol team without issue.

Due to the communications soldier's order, the defense information department of the upper district quickly allowed them to approach the administrative hall.

They encountered no blockades along the way.

Cang Cheng and Mù Xīng arrived at the entrance of Sha's administrative hall.

Compared to the lowest-level trapezoidal administrative hall on Luo Ri, Sha's administrative hall appeared exceptionally extravagant and luxurious.

The palace-like complex stretched endlessly, with various gems embedded in the outer walls, reflecting a myriad of colors under the sunlight.

The aesthetic here was comparable to Simon's taste.

Twelve fountains in front of the administrative hall sprayed crystal-clear water.

From this view, one would never guess that Sha was a planet severely lacking in water.

"Unknown guests, two of you."

It wasn't until Cang Cheng and Mù Xīng approached that two sleepy Planet Sha Guards woke up from their slumber.

Seeing that both Cang Cheng and Mù Xīng appeared rather delicate, not at all as burly as typical Spirit Warriors, the guards saw no need to be on guard.

And because Cang Cheng was exceptionally good-looking, they instinctively assumed he was there for that type of work.

The guards had long been accustomed to such people.

"Are you here to attend to Lord Tataru?"

The Planet Sha Guard's brazenly inspected Cang Cheng, a greedy look in his eyes. "To prevent you from carrying any dangerous weapons, undress for our inspection before you can enter."

The two Planet Sha Guards posted at the entrance of the administrative hall were Tataru's trusted aides.

Usually, relying on their connections and the convenience of their positions, they had made numerous unreasonable requests of visitors. Attractive visitors who came here were almost always asked to undress and had many photos taken of them; otherwise, they would be sent to the mines under the pretense of endangering the administrator.

So, when they saw someone like Cang Cheng, they naturally made such a demand.

Cang Cheng tilted his head and gave an innocent smile. "Me?"

"If not you, then who? Hurry and undress. Or do you want me to help..."

A sharp Blade of Wind suddenly pierced through the guard's neck.

Straight blood droplets appeared on the neck, followed by a gush of blood, staining the entire security hall red.

Cang Cheng lowered his hand as fluorescent blue light swirled around his fingertips.

"The wind today is as sharp as ever, as always."

Seeing this, the other guard was frightened and trembling. He slammed his hand on the red button, pressing it with a loud thud.

"Alert! Hostile attack! Alert! Hostile attack!"

The piercing sound of the alarm echoed throughout the administrative hall.

Mù Xīng didn’t hesitate and threw a purple mushroom potion toward the guard.

Immediately, the vial shattered, and the liquid splashed onto the guard's skin. In an instant, purple mushrooms took root and began parasitizing his body.

"Aaah! What is this...!"

His scream was abruptly cut short.

He tried to swat away the sudden growth, but was paralyzed mid-motion.

Helplessly, he could only watch as his body tissues were invaded, his body mutating, and endure the pain while fully conscious.

Mù Xīng jotted down a note: "Diluted Star King Snake venom can paralyze a person, and it works very well with mushroom potions."

After recording it, he stowed away his light computer.

A group of well-trained troops suddenly surrounded Cang Cheng and Mù Xīng.

They were fully equipped with B+ grade battle armor, which glinted in the sunlight. The weapons in their hands were inset with three Spirit Runes.

Some carried heavy weapons, still others wielded dual guns, some were sniping from afar, and a few were defending the front with specially made shields. Their duties were clearly delineated.

This elite guard unit served the upper district exclusively and followed orders only from Tataru and some nobles. They had committed numerous morally questionable deeds.

"Surrender, or face the consequences!"

Cang Cheng and Mù Xīng remained silent.

The leader of the elite squad made a hand gesture, and the weapons rose with a 'swish' as safeties were clicked off.

"We will count to three. If you have not surrendered by then, we will open fire."

"Three..." he counted, his voice cold and unwavering.

"Counting down in front of enemies is a dangerous habit."

A certain red-haired General from the arena had lost because of this 'good' habit.

Cang Cheng’s eyes narrowed, cold and darker than the night. "Let’s cause some chaos, Mù Xīng."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Spirit Runes in his hand turned into particles and dissipated into the air.

Immediately after, the ground shook violently.

A violent tremor suddenly erupted beneath their feet, causing the elite squad to stagger and be unable to stand steadily.

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

"Is it an earthquake?"

...

Faced with the sudden situation, the elite squad, though equipped with excellent gear, were utterly disoriented and unsure of what to do.

The team leader attempted to rally them. "Don't panic! Turn on your jetpacks and fly into the air."

As soon as he finished speaking, some people quickly activated their jetpacks and flew into the air, while others were frantically searching for the buttons.

The team leader also activated his jetpack.

He had just flown about 0.5 meters off the ground when he heard the people around him screaming in terror.

"Ah!"

"Help!!"

"The ground... the ground is dangerous!"

...

The trembling earth suddenly erupted with soil and rock spikes shooting straight up.

The spikes were initially deflected by the battle armor, shattering upon impact, only to re-form and launch fresh attacks.

The excellent battle armor could not withstand the sustained attacks for long and soon shattered into pieces.

Blood ran down the jagged soil spikes, quickly staining the ground.

This caused the newly formed soil spikes to turn a deep red.

The entire scene was eerily strange.

The rumbling of the earth continued, along with the cries of agony.

It wasn't until the fountain plaza lay in ruins, the once vibrant elite squad either dead or injured, that the sudden disaster finally ceased.

Only three to five people managed to activate their jetpacks and escape the disaster. Nearly 50 members of the elite squad had almost completely lost their combat effectiveness.

What just occurred here?

It was a catastrophe… a disaster!

The team leader's body couldn't stop shaking.

His gaze quickly locked onto Cang Cheng and the other person standing nearby, his eyes filled with rage. "What did you just do?!"

The entire fountain plaza was devastated, except for the spot where Cang Cheng and the other person were standing—not a single spike lay beneath their feet.

It didn't take much to figure out that this disaster was undoubtedly caused by them.

"Just removing some obstacles," Cang Cheng responded coldly.

Cang Cheng said casually.

"Thank you for assisting me in testing the new Spirit Runes."

Primordial Earth-Element Intermediate Magic — "Wrath of the Earth"

Runes Level: B-Rank

Runes Effect: Condenses energy on the earth's surface to form cracks, tremors, and earth spikes, with energy consumption and formation time halved in areas dense with earth elements.

As a nature-based magic capable of creating effects similar to an earthquake, "Wrath of the Earth" is undeniably outstanding, and when used well, it can be as effective as A-Rank offensive magic.

However, this magic is restricted by the terrain. For instance, if the ground is too wet, it cannot form hard earth spikes. Similarly, in a forest, where tree roots intertwine with the soil, the extent of the earth cracks is affected.

Due to these limitations, it is classified as intermediate magic. However, in specific terrains, it can achieve its maximum potential, such as, for instance, on a planet with hard and dry geology like Planet Sha.

The smell of blood filled the air, and the sight of countless dead and wounded comrades formed a stark contrast with Cang Cheng's unscathed appearance.

This is the man.

This is the one... the culprit!

Reason collapsed in an instant.

"You demon, die!"

The leader roared and activated his jetpack, charging towards Cang Cheng.

Cang Cheng remained expressionless; he simply flicked his finger to channel magic.

A 10-meter-high earth spike emerged from the ground, impaling the leader instantly.

"Cough, cough..."

The leader, unwillingly, gasped: "You deserve to die..."

"Ah, sorry about that, but I'm sure I'll outlive you."

The leader closed his eyes.

Cang Cheng never showed any mercy to his enemies.

As for the other two who had managed to escape, they were also impaled by suddenly rising earth spikes. They lost their ability to move temporarily.

What was originally a grand-scale offensive was utterly routed by Cang Cheng with just one rune.

In the past, who would have thought that a single rune could achieve the destructive effect of a large-scale weapon comparable to heavy cannons?

Mù Xīng's gaze was always following Cang Cheng. Seeing Cang Cheng use the new Spirit Runes this time, Mù Xīng was not surprised by its exceptional effect.

Cang Cheng's immense power left an impact on him.

He had to work harder; otherwise, he would never catch up to Cang Cheng.

"Yes, an Earth-based Spirit Rune, not bad, right!"

"Very impressive, Lord."

Cang Cheng then channeled a bit more magic power.

The earth began to tremble, and the ground spikes retracted one by one.

The ground, once covered in ground spikes, became smooth as the ground shifted.

It was as though nothing had happened.

Only the elite squad lying nearby, barely breathing, and the reddish soil indicated what Cang Cheng had just done.

*

Within the main control room of Sha's administrative hall, a group of security officers immediately switched to the central fountain area after hearing the triggered alarm.

The screen only showed the figures of Cang Cheng and Mù Xīng.

"Who are these two? How did they get to the administrative hall? Where are the patrol officers, the city defense line? Where are they all?"

"They seem weak? Is this a false alarm?"

"Wait a moment, look, there's blood in the guard hall!"

With this prompt, the security officers noticed the blood flowing from the guard hall to the ground.

Instantly, the main control room was filled with the sound of swallowing, an involuntary reaction out of fear.

Many of them were shivering.

"There's blood... Why is there blood?"

"Did someone, die?"

It was always said the main control room of the administrative hall was a leisurely and safe job, how could they be seeing dead people now?

Just as some were still in shock, the elite squad swiftly and decisively arrived.

The people in the main control room collectively sighed in relief.

"Whew..."

With the elite squad on the scene, everything should be fine, right?

After all, their equipment is the best on Planet Sha.

However, just three seconds after they relaxed, what happened next on the screen sent shivers down everyone's spine in the main control room.

The earth trembled, the ground cracked, and in the blink of an eye, hard ground spikes eliminated each member of the elite squad.

An earthquake?

How did ground spikes pop out?

How... is it... possible?

A chill crawled up their spines accompanied by strange anomalies and the casualties of their comrades.

Their hearts beat rapidly while their body temperatures became irregular.

And when they saw that Cang Cheng, whom they initially thought was 'weak,' was actually able to control the earth...

A ridiculous thought suddenly arose in the minds of the inhabitants of Planet Sha.

Is he even human?

Is he really a human?

Can we inhabitants of Planet Sha really deal with a monster like this?

The commander's expression turned grave as he ordered:

"Activate the administrative hall's defense system. Deploy the annihilation cannons in the fountain area and aim."

"Ensure these two are eliminated immediately!"

The operator shakily entered the activation command, his fingers trembling uncontrollably, mistyping several characters in a row.

After finally inputting the complete command, he pressed the execute key.

However... nothing happened.

The operator pressed the buttons frantically, but still nothing happened.

"Commander, still no response."

"Try switching to the fiber-optic network."

"Still nothing."

"What about the city-wide alarm?"

"Still not working."

He tried numerous commands, even using ones that were rarely employed, like the cleaning command, but none of them worked.

Planet Sha's Grade C defense system had completely failed.

The commander slumped in his seat. "Go inform Tataru about this."

"But... Tataru won't care at all!"

"I said, go now!"

With reluctance, the operator left.

Just as his hand touched the fingerprint lock, a buzz of electricity surged and knocked him unconscious.

Simultaneously, all the screens in the control room went black, displaying only one line of text:

"I have taken over Planet Sha's defense system.

Signature: M"

The commander slumped, unable to utter another word.

Sha's administrative hall has run into big trouble this time.

*

Cang Cheng noticed that the cameras in the administrative hall were continuously following him, and he also noticed that the weapons inside the building seemed to momentarily aim at him.

However, Cang Cheng did nothing, as he knew that Ming Bai had already taken control of Sha's defense system, and the other party would take care of these high-tech devices for him.

The result was obvious, and Cang Cheng made his way through the Sha's administrative hall without any interference from electronic devices.

Even the suspended screens that were originally part of Sha's devices were now displaying Ming Bai's messages.

"Lord, this way.

[Small robot holding up a sign]"

"Lord, there are three teams ahead, 45 people. Stay safe.

[Little robot cheering]"

……

"Damn it, why hasn't the defense system activated? Are the people in the control room dead or what?!"

"There are only two of them, don't be afraid, let's attack together!"

As soon as the words were spoken, half of Sha's people were taken out by their own defense system.

Cang Cheng casually finished off a few Chain of Wind Blades or Wrath of the Earth.

In an instant, a dark, densely packed crowd of enemies was completely wiped out.

They didn't figure out before losing consciousness why their own defense system was helping the attackers. Could there be a traitor in Sha?

Group after group of elite teams were annihilated under the coordinated effort of internal and external cooperation between Cang Cheng and Ming Bai.

When Cang Cheng's magic power was running low, he crushed an Energy Gathering Rune to restore it, while Mù Xīng used Spirit Runes to attack or threw mushroom potions to cover the damage.

The three of them efficiently swept through the first three floors of the Sha's administrative hall, eliminating several thousand elite troops.

When they reached the fourth floor's balcony, a message from Ming Bai appeared on the suspended screen: "The highest combat force of Sha, originally from the space pirates, is guarding behind the door, Lord, please be careful."

Cang Cheng smiled nonchalantly, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly.

"Mù Xīng, are you prepared?"

"Fighting for you, Lord."