CHAPTER 147: CHAPTER 142: PREPARE! BLACK DEMON TIDE INCOMING

"Hey? Why did you stop? Keep talking."

Chen Pingchuan’s brow furrowed slightly. As his gaze fell upon Liu Haofeng’s bloodless, paper-white face, his heart jolted in alarm.

I almost forgot. My current persona isn’t that of a kind and harmless high school student anymore, but the mysterious and unfathomable Divine Envoy.

Chen Pingchuan quickly forced the corners of his mouth upward into a benevolent smile and reassured Liu Haofeng, "Rest assured, Liu Tongxue. With me, the Divine Envoy, present, no one can harm you. You can tell me anything you wish."

"Um..."

Gazing at Chen Pingchuan’s hypocritical expression, Liu Haofeng felt his own future grow ever more dark and desolate.

He enjoys pretending to be weak, but he’s actually incredibly powerful. He’s ruthless, viciously cunning, hypocritical, and yet completely lacks vanity... A potent combination of traits. Would a person like that really let me leave with his secrets?

Liu Haofeng didn’t know, nor did he dare to dwell on it. He could only take things one step at a time and focus on surviving the present moment. Though terrified that Chen Pingchuan would silence him permanently, Liu Haofeng’s words were just as hypocritical.

"Lord Chen, what I’m about to say is purely my own conjecture, so its authenticity has not been verified. If you feel that I’m wrong, please just treat it as a joke for your amusement."

"Speak your mind!" Chen Pingchuan laughed heartily, patting Liu Haofeng’s right shoulder once more.

"As I was saying, there are only two possibilities for a temptation so great it would make the Black Demons abandon their instincts. The first is evolution. They require immense energy to evolve, and the Energy Crystals from the energy mines can be devoured by Black Demons to fuel this process."

"Of course, if this hypothesis is correct, then it raises another issue. You have to understand, low-level Black Demons are mindless. Only high-level ones possess a basic instinct for self-preservation."

"To control such a vast number of Black Demons implies that a powerful leader has emerged within their ranks—one with absolute strength, authority, and considerable intelligence."

"If that’s truly the case, then I’m not optimistic about the coming battle to defend the mine. Although we humans have a defensible position with natural barriers, we lost a lot of manpower in the great battle two days ago. And then there’s the sheer number of Black Demons..."

Liu Haofeng didn’t continue. Based on yesterday’s scout reports, the sky was blotted out and the ground was completely covered by an innumerable, black torrent. The sheer scale suggested that every single Black Demon from the outer districts of the City of No Night must have mobilized to create such a commotion.

"Tell me the second possibility."

Chen Pingchuan’s expression turned grim as well. He had already suspected as much; after all, the simulation information had hinted that this instance was a tower defense game. That meant all the people and defensive structures within the Spring City high-yield White Crystal Mine were his "towers," and the attackers were the Black Demon monsters. Reality wasn’t like a game. There was no such thing as upgrading defensive towers, and the Black Demon Army’s assault wouldn’t leave the slightest opening. They would swarm in and tear every living being in the mine to pieces.

"The second possibility is my own personal speculation. It sounds a bit ridiculous, but perhaps they’re searching for someone. This might not be the first time they’ve launched an operation like this. There is someone in the City of No Night who is extremely important to the Black Demon swarm."

"Therefore, they would be monitoring everyone who leaves the city. The probability of this being true is extremely..."

The word "low" never left his lips. A new possibility suddenly struck him: since Chen Pingchuan proclaimed himself to be a divine messenger, it was perfectly reasonable that this swarm of terrifying, mutated Black Demons was waiting for *him*.

And compared to my first theory, this feels much more like the truth!

After all, a year had passed, and no one had ever heard anything about Energy Crystals being able to make Black Demons evolve.

Liu Haofeng’s second theory stunned Chen Pingchuan for a moment. He had never considered such a possibility.

It’s true what they say: an outsider often sees things more clearly. Being in the thick of it, I almost forgot that my pet Black Demon had run off.

Could it be Black Demon One? Chen Pingchuan muttered to himself, his voice so low only he could hear.

"Hm. Thank you for your analysis. You can go now. Check the perimeter of the mine for an escape route. If you find one, take them and leave that way."

Hearing Chen Pingchuan’s words, Liu Haofeng was stunned for a moment before his face broke out in ecstatic joy.

I won the gamble! I get to live!

Suppressing the euphoria in his heart, Liu Haofeng didn’t dare get carried away. He gave Chen Pingchuan a deep bow before turning and leaving the tower.

Several hours later, under the fading glow of sunset, a tide of ink-black darkness surged from the horizon. It was a black ocean poised to bury all creation, to devour everything in the world. The Black Demon Tide had arrived.

At the edge of their vision, wherever the black tide of beasts passed, vegetation withered and the earth cracked. The terrifying force of its passage sent intense vibrations through the high tower where Chen Pingchuan stood.

Chen Pingchuan descended from the high tower to the defensive platform at the mine’s main gate. The members of the Nightingale Squad, Li Laoqi and his men, and Special Envoy Xue’s cyborg guards were all utterly stunned by the sight. The horrifying scene that met their eyes was beyond imagination. Forget the subordinates; even the leaders themselves had never witnessed anything so dreadful.

In front of the main gate, the mine guards stood as if facing a formidable army. The faces of the Nightingale Squad members were grim, and Special Envoy Xue’s dozen cyborg guards were poised for battle. Every one of them gripped their weapons, their faces as heavy and dark as storm clouds, their eyes locked on the Black Demon Tide surging toward them like a black flood. A wave of despair washed over them, each person keenly aware that in the face of such a terrifying catastrophe, survival seemed like an impossible dream.

This bone-chilling fear was even greater than that of the apocalypse a year ago—in fact, it was far more terrifying.

"Chen... Lord Divine Envoy, do you really have a plan?" Li Laoqi asked. "If not, let’s just run for it!"

No matter how hard he wracked his brain, Li Laoqi couldn’t imagine any way to reverse this hopeless situation, where the chances of survival were almost nonexistent. But it was too late to think about retreating now. He could only place all his hope in Chen Pingchuan. This charlatan calling himself the Divine Envoy wouldn’t be stupid enough to get himself killed too, right?

"It is of no concern. When they arrive, you only need to resist for ten minutes. I have my own way to wipe out all of these monsters in one fell swoop."

"You must understand that my very purpose in coming here is to save humanity, eliminate the Black Demons, and end this apocalypse!"

"Alright, I, Li Laoqi, will put my faith in the Lord Divine Envoy this one time! Since you dare to enter the fray yourself, then I, Li Laoqi, though a crude man, am no coward who clings to life."

"I trust that Captain Nightingale is a reasonable person as well. In a moment, I will order my men to release your restraints. I hope you won’t act on emotion, as we’re all in the same boat now."

"Besides, you wouldn’t want to ruin the Divine Envoy’s plan to save the world, would you?" After speaking, Li Laoqi turned his gaze toward Nightingale.