Chapter 388 Cluster Pressure

A few minutes ago, Chu Hengkong and Velvet were still fighting hard.

Second pulse sequence.

"This is City-State 24 Hours, bringing you the latest intelligence."

"Three minutes ago, our enthusiastic citizens caught up with two terrorists in the fourth phasic. Their vehicle has been completely destroyed, and their speed has now dropped to no more than 60 kilometers per hour!"

The female anchor, Landa, made an exaggerated expression: "60 kilometers! Even I can catch up with that speed."

"That's right. The terrorists have run out of tricks. Now, you in front of the water curtain can also contribute to Jingsha." The male anchor Gang Saburo made an inciting gesture. "Also, the whereabouts of the third terrorist, Ji Huaisu, have been confirmed. She is currently in the Second Pulse! Soldiers, now is the time for you to serve your country!"

·

"What nonsense are those shitty anchors talking about!"

Soldier Glaru threw his spear, smashing through the public water curtain with one blow. The independent soldiers covered their heads in confusion. Although the wanted Ji Huaisu was running in a car not far away, these soldiers had no intention of taking action.

"I've never understood what's going on." A large soldier managed to speak. "Isn't it pure bullshit to say Mr. Chu is a terrorist?"

"Has the media been infiltrated by outsiders?"

"But that's what the Speaker said..."

"The Speaker's words may not be entirely correct! Maybe he really was deceived..."

"But we are soldiers! The orders have been given, are we just going to stand by and watch?"

The sound of strife was endless in the military camp. The focus of the dispute was no longer just the issue of independence, but the crucial decision of whether to obey orders. If they disobeyed even the highest instructions of Mansa Star Fort, it would be considered treason, which the loyal soldiers would never accept.

Fortunately, the barracks still had someone who could make the decision. Captain Huange's voice boomed, "Sergeants! The source of Mansa Star Fort's intelligence is quite ambiguous, and the truth still needs further confirmation. Until Lord Shenshu personally issues the order, please remain in the barracks and refrain from any rash actions!"

"Yes, Captain!"

With Huan Ge as their core leader, the soldiers remained steady. A few loyal independence factions attempted to take advantage of the situation, but were stopped in time by the second group of Ghost Face Soldiers.

Ji Huaisu sped down the road in his ice sled, while his secretary, Hill, tapped away on the keyboard in the back seat, connecting with Team Two. Huan Ge's projection popped up: "This is truly a loss of composure... We can't move now!"

Through the projection, Ji Huaisu was able to see Huan Ge's current state. White ribbons bound him, tightly restraining the giant man at the Second Squad headquarters. The ribbons were covered in dense text: "Suppress Terrorists," "The Divine Guards Must Attack," and "Captain, Perform Your Duties." As the camera zoomed in, countless chaotic voices could be heard.

"It's okay, Captain Huange. The same situation has occurred in other veins," said Vander. "I'm afraid this is a new tactic of Parriman. Please be careful."

"Don't worry about me. Benintic just got some news. He'll try his best to create opportunities for you." Huan Ge's face was solemn. "Let's resolve this farce as soon as possible and stop the media in Mansa Star Castle."

"I have a bad feeling Parriman wouldn't do anything pointless!"

Communications between the two sides were severed, and further discussion might lead to sanctions. The border of the Second Order emerged before them, connected by a dark brown root-shaped log bridge, and on the other side stood a pure white wall reminiscent of the end of the world.

The city wall curved and converged above the clouds; it was the Great Lily, the city's defense device. From the perspective of Ji Huaisu and the others, the Great Lily appeared impenetrable, pure white. But from within Mansa Star Fortress, the wall was completely transparent. The first team members could prepare in advance, but no attack was currently underway.

"No attack?"

"This should be the opportunity created by Benintic. Hurry up and attack now!"

·

Somewhere on the border of Mansa Star Castle, in a secret room filled with screens.

Guo Yutu stopped typing, raised his hands, and stood up calmly. Benningtick pushed open the door, clutching a thick stack of documents.

"In compliance with the city-wide manhunt ordered by the Speaker, we are now conducting a security inspection of your unit. Please present your entry permit, large equipment operation certificate, and operating permit."

"Here." Guo Yutu handed over a stack of documents that had been prepared long ago. "I have permission from the Speaker. Please check it."

Benintic wiped his glasses and said, "I'm sorry, my eyesight isn't very good, so this might take more time than necessary."

"I'm nearsighted too, so I completely understand," Guo Yutu said considerately. "Take your time. We're all just working, so there's no need to get emotional!"

·

Beneath the walls of Mansa Star Castle, the three people's intense work was almost completed.

Two streams of information floated out of the frozen car. Finder sat in a custom-made mental amplifier, his single eye emitting a twilight light. As he watched, numerous lines emerged from the white city wall, forming an illusory door.

"It went smoothly... Just as Velvet speculated, it's the information barrier implemented by the divine power circulation system, so my hypnosis is effective..." Vander muttered to himself, "Give me half a minute to lay a small trap, and then we will rush in at once."

"That's a great help, Vander."

Ji Huaisu tapped his watch repeatedly. No one spoke in the car. The soldiers' anxious chatter and the endless chatter of the water curtain broadcast came on the evening breeze. Vander exhaled.

"You still feel something is wrong, right?" Ji Huaisu said.

"Well, it's something that's not relevant to the current situation..." Vander said, "After we completed the operations in the fourth and second veins, we basically concluded that Pariman possessed the ability of large-scale mind control. Of course, the facts do seem to be so, but the more I think about it, the stranger it seems."

"If Parriman has the ability to manipulate people's minds, then what's the point of his speeches, canvassing, and public opinion campaigns?" Finder was a little uneasy. "I mean, a mind controller doesn't even need to stand in front of the stage. Wouldn't it be better for him to hide somewhere and just have a puppet stand in front of the stage to attract attention?"

"Maybe Parriman is the puppet."

"I don't believe that all of us are so stupid that we haven't discovered the person behind Parriman after all this time."

Ji Huaisu pondered for a moment: "Does that mean these political actions are good for him? Being the Speaker, passing bills legally, labeling us as terrorists, these things can help him brainwash us. The higher his reputation, the stronger his mind control ability will be..."

Vander was a little anxious: "If a person's brainwashing ability is proportional to his or her voice, can this ability still be called 'brainwashing'? I feel like this is completely..."

"The channel is established!"

At this time, Hill warned Ji Huaisu, and she rushed into the big lily first. She was fully prepared. Even if the Dark Kingship was waiting at the door, she was confident that she could block the first batch of attacks.

But she saw nothing. The main road to Mansa Star Fort was completely deserted. Not even a single person, let alone pursuers, was visible. The only sounds on the empty road were leaves blowing in the wind and the clamorous announcements from the public water curtain.

Then she felt the "pressure".

Pressure is everywhere.

The ice sled collapsed the moment it entered. Invisible pressure crushed the solid ice to the ground, transforming it into water droplets that flowed into the cracks between the tiles. Fander screamed in agony, feeling as if he were being crushed, his eyes about to burst from the overwhelming pressure. Ji Huaisu hurriedly shielded the two with a light shield, but even he found it difficult to move forward.

This pressure wasn't something you could describe with mountains or ocean tides. It felt like countless people standing on their backs, blocking their path. It was like the power of hundreds of thousands, tens of millions, and even billions of people converging on the shoulders of just three people. Even the most powerful would be overwhelmed by this sheer force.

Ji Huaisu forced herself to raise her head, finally realizing the true nature of this pressure. Every window was open, the citizens of Mansa Star Fort watching them from their homes. Through the public water curtains, through divine surveillance, through the open windows along the street, the gazes of countless citizens converged, forming a heavy pressure as heavy as a mountain!

"Citizens, please look! Our divine surveillance has finally located the third terrorist!" the female anchor's excited voice echoed. "Just as the intelligence said, they have lost their vehicle and are struggling to move due to their severe injuries. Now is your best chance to contribute to the city-state!"

"Thirty million green branches and the Speaker's commendation are right before our eyes!"

The pressure grew intense, fueled by the people's gazes. Doors flew wide open, and nobles bearing powerful relics and soldiers who had been waiting rushed out in unison, their shouts shattering the silence as a massive, black tide gathered.

Ji Huaisu sneered, she stood still and threw cards into her arm armor, which were the "Fire Sword" and the "Wind" that represented freedom.

【Fire Sword】【Raging Wind】【Fusion Advent】

"Holy Judgment of Discipline: Burning Army Storm!"

A searing fire tornado descended instantly, splitting into four branches and advancing towards the city, leaving a scorched cross in its wake. The crowd instantly dispersed, and the pursuers were left in disarray. This was a war technique designed to launch a wide-area strike on the battlefield, further enhanced by Ji Huaisu. Without the protective power of the Dual Love Divine Tree, this single strike would have razed the center of Mansa Star Fort to the ground!

The Shenli Live broadcast just happened to capture the moment the fire tornado rose. The female anchor's face turned pale: "This is... this is..."

"This is an enemy illusion!" Male anchor Kosaburo rushed to the rescue. "There's a problem with our divine surveillance. Please wait a moment, viewers."

The livestream urgently switched to a promotional advertisement for the independence bill, and Ji Huaisu sneered. The pressure on them suddenly eased significantly, as the public's gazes were filled with fear and suspicion.

Fander was still in shock: "Amazing! He can still play Freestyle after being down to level 3?"

"It's the Knight System's Sealing Technique. Since I got this, I've been carrying around a bunch of Sanction Cards. Even if my main body is suppressed for a short period of time, it won't have much of an impact." Ji Huaisu showed a stack of cards. "But I can't use the Dragon of Misfortune just yet! Hill, go to the livestream room by yourself. I won't have time to distract myself from protecting you from now on."

"Understood. Please be careful, both of you!"

Hill wasn't too nervous. After working so hard for her boss, she was already accustomed to the immense pressure and unexpected events. She activated the Dustless Land's cloaking device and silently departed. Ji Huaisu stretched his arms vigorously.

"What do you think? That pressure."

"It's probably the ability to materialize the public's 'belief,'" Vander said. "That's the significance of public opinion warfare. If a large number of citizens believe that we are completely wounded and powerless to resist... then this ability will probably make belief become reality."

"Then we must hurry."

Ji Huaisu could sense the invisible pressure expanding from the borders of Mansa Star Fortress to other regions. The enemy's main force must be on Akong's side; he had to disrupt this power before the pressure could interfere with them.

A familiar silhouette emerged at the edge of his vision, a silent procession of black iron soldiers advancing. After a brief trial run, Guo Yutu's Black Death Army officially launched. Ji Huaisu took a deep breath and suddenly punched to the side.

Her fist struck the invisible dagger, slicing through her gauntlet and leaving a deep, bloody scar on the back of her hand. The Pure Fire ignited in time, but some force prevented the wound from healing.

In the direction the knife was coming from, a black-haired woman holding a crossbow appeared. She was wearing a sharp black combat uniform and an eye patch, and her plump figure was comparable to Ji Huaisu's.

Laelna Barry flicked her long hair and said proudly, "I advise you to surrender now. As long as my opponent is not the Sacrifice Snake, I will not lose!"

Ji Huaisu slashed with a wind blade, but Lerna dodged it as lightly as a weightless piece of paper. She threw her knife again to shatter the lightning arrow, and the fierce battle between the two sides officially began.

(End of this chapter)