158: Chapter 158: Even Gods Have to Admire Technology
Inside and outside the valley, it was dead silent.
Everyone had been stunned by what just happened.
The purple lightning that tore through the sky, the earth-shattering electric light, and those fifty-plus living people who had instantly turned to ash.
This incident would likely become a nightmare that no one would ever forget for the rest of their lives.
" Gulp. "
Someone swallowed hard, and in this dead silence, the sound was exceptionally clear.
" The enemy... are they gone? " a soldier asked in a low voice over the comms.
No one replied.
Everyone was still dazed.
Even Zhang Liancheng, a commander who had seen his fair share of big scenes, felt his throat go dry.
He turned his head to look at Jiang Ning not far away; the look in his eyes was no different from looking at an immortal.
But as for Jiang Ning, she was still the same old self, with not a ripple of emotion on her face, and she even had the leisure to pick up a piece of compressed biscuit and chew on it.
It was as if that earth-shaking strike just now was as ordinary to her as drinking water or eating a meal.
" What are you staring at? " Jiang Ning noticed his gaze and glanced at him indifferently. " Is the work done? Engineering troops, continue. Security troops, go out and clean up. "
" Oh... Yes! "
Zhang Liancheng trembled all over and immediately stood at attention.
He grabbed the communicator, steadied himself, and tried his best to make his voice sound less shaky.
" Listen up! Threat neutralized! "
" Third and Fourth Squads, continue building! Must be finished within one hour! "
" First Squad, maintain security! Second Squad, come with me, pick up anything that can be used! See if there's anyone still breathing. "
" Yes! "
The soldiers' response came through the communicator, uniform in sound, but clearly suppressing a sense of excitement and trembling.
Once the order was given, the frozen atmosphere in the camp immediately came to life, resuming efficient operation.
But this time, when all the soldiers worked, there was something extra in their eyes—awe, and also fanaticism.
When they looked at Jiang Ning again, it was no longer just looking at a superior officer.
It was looking at a living, omnipotent god.
...
Outside the valley.
A squad of soldiers held their guns, set up a tactical formation, and cautiously crept out.
The air was still filled with the burnt smell of roasted meat, choking and unpleasant.
Scattered on the ground were charred and deformed fragments of flying swords; apart from that, there was nothing else to prove that over fifty people had been standing here just moments ago.
" Really... really clean, " a soldier smacked his lips, " even cleaner than a crematorium burn. "
" Shut up! Stay alert! " the squad leader leading the team barked.
Soon, they found a " survivor " in a crater.
Calling him a survivor was a stretch; he only had half a life left.
Wu Xiangtian, the previously majestic head of the Wu Clan, was currently lying in the crater like a dead dog.
His whole body was charred black, his clothes were long gone, there wasn't a single patch of intact skin, and he was still emitting wisps of smoke.
His breath was so weak it was almost imperceptible; he could stop breathing at any moment.
" Still breathing. " A soldier scanned him with an instrument.
" Cuffs on, take him away. " The company commander waved his hand.
Two soldiers went up, locked Wu Xiangtian with special shackles, and dragged him out like a sack.
Wu Xiangtian did not resist at all throughout.
It wasn't that he didn't want to, it was that he couldn't move.
That bolt of lightning hadn't killed him, but it had destroyed most of his meridians, crippling most of his cultivation; he was now worse off than an ordinary person.
His mind was still clear.
He could feel two mortals, who in his eyes were no different from ants, rudely dragging him along.
He could hear those mortals discussing him in the tone of discussing a piece of cargo.
The sense of humiliation burned him like fire.
He, Wu Xiangtian, had rampaged through Black Stone Valley for over a hundred years; when had he ever suffered such indignity!
He wanted to curse, to struggle, but the moment he opened his mouth, he spat out a mouthful of burnt-smelling black blood.
In his eyes, apart from resentment, there was even more of an unshakable fear.
These people... these mortals... what exactly was their background?
What kind of dark magic were they using?
That lightning that struck down from the sky was definitely not a power that humans could control!
That was divine might!
They... they could actually invoke divine might?!
Could it be that they were celestial soldiers and generals sent down from the upper realm to punish mortals?
An absurd and terrifying thought frantically emerged in his mind.
...
" Chief Engineer, the outside is all cleaned up. "
An hour later, Zhang Liancheng stood before Jiang Ning.
" We retrieved forty-seven flying sword fragments, all sent for analysis. Five Storage Pouchs, containing some low-level spirit stones and pills. We captured one alive, their leader, who has been locked up and is currently receiving emergency treatment, preparing for interrogation. "
" Mm. " Jiang Ning nodded, not having much interest in these spoils of war.
A small, unranked family wouldn't yield much profit.
She was more concerned about another matter.
" How is the camp? "
" Reporting, Chief Engineer! " As soon as Zhang Liancheng heard this, he immediately perked up, pulled up a holographic projection, and pointed to the already-formed base model on it:
" Four ' infrastructure puppets ' are firing on all cylinders; phase one of the construction is done! "
" We now have an A-class defense tower, one ' Heaven's Punishment ' system, a small energy center, three barracks, one Command Center, and one warehouse. "
" We buried three layers of perimeter defense, one hundred and twenty sensor mines. Eight automatic machine gun turrets have also been mounted on the mountaintop. "
" Our base is now an iron turtle! Let alone Gold Core cultivators, even if a Nascent Soul old monster comes, they won't be able to get in easily! "
Zhang Liancheng spoke with great animation.
Watching a military base from a sci-fi movie rise from the ground in two hours, that sense of accomplishment and security was indescribable.
Jiang Ning looked at the brand-new valley and nodded with satisfaction.
This was the power of industry.
Cultivators relied on individuals when fighting and had to hammer away themselves just to build a house. But they relied on systems and processes.
When it came to Infrastructure Construction, they were professionals.
" Not bad, " Jiang Ning said, " However, this is just the beginning. "
She swiped her finger across the holographic projection, and a larger, more complex phase two plan appeared.
" Next, the target is this mountain. "
Jiang Ning's finger pointed to the black main peak next to the base.
" Within three days, hollow this mountain out for me from the center! "
" Inside the mountain, build a permanent underground fortress that integrates production, R&D, living quarters, and defense! "
" This... " Zhang Liancheng looked at the terrifying amount of work and his eyelids twitched.
Three days to hollow out a mountain?
Even Yu Gong would have to call her 'big brother' if he saw this, right?
" Any problems? " Jiang Ning looked at him.
" No problems! " Zhang Liancheng immediately puffed out his chest, " Guarantee to complete the mission! "
Just kidding! Even heavenly lightning could be summoned, so what the hell was hollowing out a mountain?
With Chief Engineer Jiang, there was no such thing as " impossible "!
Just then, a long-lost notification sound rang in Jiang Ning's mind.
[ Ding! ]
[ Detected that the host has successfully established a stable interdimensional base, crushing local forces with absolute technological superiority, and firing the first shot for Earth civilization. ]
[ Event Rating: Milestone. ]
[ Reward merit points: 20000. ]
[ Unlock new technology: " Intermediate Resource Extraction Technology Package ". ]
[ " Intermediate Resource Extraction Technology Package ": Includes blueprints for " Spiritual Energy Oscillation Mining ", " High-Precision Mineral Vein Detection ", " Automated Ore Refining Assembly Line ", etc. ]
Jiang Ning's eyes lit up.
Twenty thousand merit points, not bad.
But what surprised her even more was the technology package that followed.
Mining, prospecting, automated refining...
It was exactly what she needed!
Wasn't their biggest goal in coming here resources!
With this set of technology, the efficiency of mining spirit stones could increase by at least a hundred times!
The most important link in " Industrialized Cultivation " had been filled!
" Looks like we are going to get rich soon. "
Jiang Ning was in a great mood.
However, a soldier in charge of interrogation ran over in a hurry.
" Chief Engineer! Regiment Commander! "
" That captive, he confessed! "
" He... he said he knows some information about your former sect, the ' Qingyun Sect '! "
" Qingyun Sect? "
Hearing this name, Jiang Ning raised her eyebrows.