107: Chapter 107 How come I heard you've been spreading rumors that I'm dead?

Karuge roared as his giant blade tore through the air, slamming down ruthlessly toward Gu Changming's position.

Gu Changming's figure flickered, transforming completely into a deep black phantom that instantly vanished into the shadows of the beast tide created by the Mimic Beast below.

The giant blade crashed down.

A deep crater several meters wide exploded into the ground. A violent shockwave rippled outward, catching several nearby exotic beasts and instantly causing their bodies to burst into a blur of bloody pulp.

Gu Changming looked at the spot where he had just been standing and clicked his tongue; that was indeed the performance of an A-rank ability user.

Even if the opponent's power had been forcibly boosted and their other attributes couldn't keep up, the aftershocks of the battle alone could shake C-rank beasts into mincemeat.

Gu Changming shuttled through the shadows, putting considerable distance between himself and his opponent.

It was fortunate that he had transformed his body into the Shadow Devourer form, while also having the buff from the nightwalker gloves, plus the "living cover" of the constantly moving, chaos-inducing shadows created by the Mimic Beast.

If any one of these three had been missing, he would have long since been locked onto by that giant blade and flattened into meat paste.

As Gu Changming continued to evade, Karuge clearly became increasingly irritable.

The phantom of the Ancestral War Soul on his body had already faded by more than half, and that forcibly elevated violent aura began to show unstable fluctuations.

The power behind the blade swings remained terrifying, but it was obvious that he was starting to get anxious.

On Gu Changming's side, he remained calm while dodging and observing at the same time.

The opponent's secret technique of overdrawing life and soul could not possibly last long.

Gu Changming could also sense that the opponent's aura was sliding down from its peak, gradually weakening...

Staring at his opponent, Gu Changming silently calculated the time in his heart, pondering how much longer the other could hold out.

He wondered if he could stall until then to finish the guy off, or if he should take the chance to run... anyway, Jiang Chen and the others should have all escaped by now.

But it was at this moment.

"Rumble..."

From the side and rear, toward the distant horizon, came a dull and dense sound of vibrations.

That sound was just like the previous beast tide—heavy, like countless heavy hammers striking the earth simultaneously.

Gu Changming and Karuge stopped their movements almost at the same time and turned to look.

At the edge of the crimson plains, two massive clouds of dust and smoke rose up.

Beneath the smoke was a dark, surging torrent.

It wasn't a beast tide.

It was Orcs.

Thousands of Flame Beastmen, riding Wind-Flame Steeds or other mounts, were split into two distinct columns, sprinting at full speed toward the exit of the secret realm portal.

Seeing this, Gu Changming's expression froze in surprise.

Karuge, however, suddenly let out a "ha" of laughter.

The laughter was hoarse and laced with bloody froth, yet held little surprise; instead, it carried a mocking sense of "as expected."

"Wind Flame... Burning Fang..." he whispered the names of the two tribes.

It was just as Geer, the Tribe Priest, had predicted.

Those two bastard tribes hiding in the back would only dare to jump out and join the ranks after their Blazing Flame Tribe had fought desperately to open the way and clear the obstacles.

He felt no anger, nor disappointment.

This was part of their plan... or rather, it was the nature of people they had foreseen.

Their Blazing Flame Tribe had led the charge, sacrificing the life of the old priest Geer, and even the life of Karuge himself...

As long as the other two tribes still considered themselves Flame Beastmen, they would have to acknowledge this sacrifice and this primary merit.

After the war, they would have to provide compensation and concessions to the Blazing Flame Tribe during the distribution of interests.

This was the biggest difference between Orcs and these humans... humans were hypocritical and cunning, even betraying their own. Orcs were different; the souls of their ancestors were always watching them from the heavens.

Karuge withdrew his gaze and locked back onto Gu Changming.

He pulled back his blood-stained lips, revealing a nearly frenzied smile.

"It is we... who have won!"

His voice was incredibly excited; everything was within his and Geer's expectations.

Though some twists had occurred, for the survival of the tribe, all sacrifices were worth it.

They had won; their tribe was going to a new world.

Listening to his roar, Gu Changming also turned to look, pursed his lips, and spoke:

"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

Karuge naturally couldn't understand Gu Changming's words either. He continued to laugh wildly, and then his remaining power erupted. His momentum surged as he dragged that massive, door-like blade.

Like a maddened lava behemoth, he charged at Gu Changming once again.

"Die!"

He had to resolve this final trouble, Gu Changming, for the sake of the Flame Beastmen.

However, almost at the same instant he started, Gu Changming also moved.

He raised his right hand, making a beckoning motion toward the center of the beast tide.

Receiving Gu Changming's command, the Mimic Beast swarm suddenly paused. Immediately after, all the divided black beasts melted and contracted like a receding tide, rapidly converging.

In the blink of an eye, they turned back into a head-sized black jelly-like original body and zipped back onto Gu Changming's shoulder.

Watching this strange scene, Karuge's expression was one of astonishment.

At the same time, Gu Changming's legs bent slightly, and Psychokinesis exploded beneath his feet!

"Bang!"

At Gu Changming's original position, only a ring of expanding air and a few bits of flying dust remained.

His entire being had already turned into a blurred black shadow, shooting out toward the entrance of the secret realm!

An unexpected situation had arisen; those two Orc tribes with intact formations and rested troops were already charging toward the portal.

He couldn't predict how things would develop, so he could only retreat for now.

Otherwise, if something happened to the secret realm portal and he got trapped here, it would be truly life-threatening.

"Roar!!"

Karuge's furious and unwilling roar came from behind as he gave chase.

Gu Changming didn't look back. He pushed his Mental Power to the limit, using Psychokinesis to form a continuous propulsion behind him.

He was like a black line streaking across the crimson plains, his speed getting faster and faster as the red rocks and scattered flaming plants on either side blurred into streaks of color.

...

Outside the secret realm.

Near the roots of a tree not far from the portal exit, Tang Ningfei leaned against the trunk.

Her face was still pale, and her forehead was covered in a fine cold sweat. Although she was still weak, she forced down the throbbing pain in her head and spoke repeatedly:

"Notify everyone immediately... tell everyone in the camp to give up defending and evacuate separately!"

Her hands waved unconsciously in the air.

Those Orcs inside the secret realm were about to rush out, and their people—along with the combat-capable adventurers in the camp—had suffered heavy losses in the beast tide. Holding the camp would only result in more casualties.

It was better to preserve their strength and evacuate first.

Later, once the news here spread, they could organize a counterattack with human forces from other nearby Strongholds...

She gasped for breath and was about to continue when—

"Enough," Jiang Chen's voice interrupted her. "Don't think about it anymore. People are already doing those things. Rest for now; we'll handle the rest of the arrangements."

Hearing this, Tang Ningfei's tense nerves relaxed slightly.

She had indeed reached her limit; otherwise, she wouldn't have been so muddled as to think no one else would react.

She panted, just about to ask for another bottle of mental recovery potion.

But in the next moment.

Hmm?

She was suddenly stunned.

The violent suction from the whistle in her hand—the one that felt like it was draining her soul—had vanished.

Without that drain, her consciousness began to recover, and the feeling of dizziness quickly receded.

She took a deep breath and, leaning against the tree trunk, stood up somewhat shakily.

The team members nearby were surprised to see her get up.

Tang Ningfei waved them off and said, "I'm fine, the Mental Power drain has stopped..."

As she spoke, she raised her head and looked toward the shimmering entrance of the secret realm, her face showing clear astonishment.

Then, her expression changed as a grim suspicion flashed through her mind.

"He didn't die in there, did he?"

Hearing this, everyone looked at each other, and Jiang Chen's face also darkened.

But at that moment, a flat voice with a slightly lazy, questioning tone sounded from behind them.

"How is it I hear you're telling everyone I'm dead?"

Whoosh!

Everyone turned their heads instantly.

Gu Changming stood behind them with an expression of helplessness.

Tang Ningfei was just about to speak, her lips barely moving.

"Vrumm!"

A low spatial tremor abruptly came from the direction of the secret realm entrance.

Almost everyone turned their heads simultaneously, their gazes fixing on the mirror-smooth portal vortex.

The casual look on Gu Changming's face vanished as he whispered to himself:

"They're coming out?"