Chapter 00072: Merit Discussion
# Merit Discussion
Chapter 72
Novel: After the Myth
Chapter 72: Merit Discussion
"Commander, there are two more over there, look..."
A voice filled with excitement called out again.
Even without the reminder, Zheng Fang had already noticed the situation on the other side.
Aside from a young woman leading a team to swiftly eliminate the beasts, there was also a male and female student on the other side, cutting down the beasts with the same efficiency.
As the first wartime commander, Zheng Fang always kept a close eye on the battlefield to make necessary adjustments.
Today, however, the situation had exceeded his expectations, forcing him to seek new breakthroughs.
But once he focused on the battlefield, nothing escaped his notice.
"I didn’t expect so many strong individuals from the top ten academies of Blue Star to show up. Are these fifth-year students from Zhenyu Academy?" Zheng Fang’s voice was filled with excitement.
Seeing so many young talents emerge, he knew there was hope for the human corridor defense line.
If this defense line had hope, humanity had hope.
Zheng Fang had been fighting genetic beasts for over a decade, even before the human corridor defense line was established.
Now, standing on the frontlines against these beasts, he understood better than anyone that humanity’s survival couldn’t rely solely on holding this line.
It was unrealistic.
He knew the future of the human corridor defense line couldn’t depend solely on old-timers like him.
For humanity to survive, they had to break through the defense line and eliminate all the beasts.
What if, one day, a massive beast emerged elsewhere? What would humanity do then? At that point, this defense line would be a joke.
Seeing so many young talents emerge one after another, Zheng Fang felt a sense of relief.
Only by continuously infusing fresh blood could the human corridor defense line—and humanity itself—have hope.
Suppressing the genetic beasts across the globe wasn’t something one person or one nation could achieve alone.
This was a task for all of humanity.
...
With Qu Yi leading a team to eliminate beasts on one side, Fang Chong and Aixi led their teams to do the same on the other.
The number of beasts charging at the defense line quickly dwindled.
When the beasts were no longer numerous enough to overwhelm the soldiers and martial artists, the tide turned into a one-sided slaughter.
The genetic beasts were clearly outmatched, and just as they were about to be wiped out, sharp roars echoed from the distance.
Hearing these roars, the surviving genetic beasts seemed to hear a divine melody, frantically charging toward the outer walls.
Some even leaped from the high steel defense walls, disregarding their own lives.
However, the base of the walls was already piled high with beast corpses.
Even if they jumped from great heights, the worst they’d suffer was injury, not death.
"We’ve won!" Cheers erupted from the distance.
More artillery shells rained down, as if sending the fleeing beasts off.
Under the barrage, rows of beasts were obliterated, while the surviving ones fled like a tidal wave toward the undersea passage.
By now, the undersea passage had become a stronghold for the beasts.
...
"Fang Chong, you’re amazing! I was stunned watching you from afar."
As soon as the beast crisis was resolved, Lü Zi was the first to rush over, his face filled with excitement.
Compared to when he first met Fang Chong, Lü Zi had become much more outgoing.
"You’re not bad either. Your blade technique took down quite a few beasts," Fang Chong said, patting Lü Zi on the shoulder.
Lü Zi replied, "It’s all thanks to you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to kill so many. When you have time, you have to teach me the rest of it."
"Don’t worry, I’ll teach you," Fang Chong assured him, knowing Lü Zi was referring to the later stages of the Thousand Veins Gene Technique.
Lü Zi lowered his voice, "Fang Chong, is Aixi with you now?"
Fang Chong scoffed, "What nonsense are you talking about? I already have someone I like."
"Then why does she know your techniques? And her strength seems almost on par with yours," Lü Zi pressed.
He suspected Fang Chong had taught Aixi the Thousand Veins Gene Technique, which would explain her incredible power.
Fang Chong nodded, "The three of us are at the same level—fourth-level gene cultivators. To be honest, my Invisible Wind Blade technique was actually taught to me by Aixi."
"That’s amazing! She knows such a technique. Fang Chong, you have to teach it to me later," Lü Zi said enviously.
Fang Chong shook his head, "I can’t do that. It’s not my creation. But I can teach you my own Solar Finger technique. Don’t underestimate it—it’s just as powerful as the Wind Blade."
"Deal. By the way, how did Aixi reach fourth-level gene cultivator so quickly? Did you teach her the Thousand Veins Gene Technique?" Lü Zi asked, recalling Aixi’s strength.
Fang Chong didn’t hide it, "Yes, I did teach her the Thousand Veins Gene Technique."
"Ah..."
Lü Zi stared at Fang Chong in shock.
The Thousand Veins Gene Technique had been passed down to them by their mentor, Ding Huan.
Without Ding Huan’s permission, Fang Chong had actually taught it to Aixi?
"Mentor Ding told me that if I thought it was appropriate, I could teach it to others," Fang Chong explained.
"That’s incredible. I mean, Aixi is incredible. She must have foreseen this and chose to join the Great Han Yi Academy," Lü Zi marveled.
In his eyes, if Aixi hadn’t joined the Great Han Yi Academy and learned the Thousand Veins Gene Technique, she wouldn’t be as powerful as she was now.
"Brother Fang, Brother Lü..."
A group of students gathered around.
Among them were students from the Great Han Yi Academy and the Guardians, as well as students from other academies.
Even though Fang Chong and Lü Zi were only first-years, in this era, strength was what mattered.
Seeing how easily they dispatched the beasts, everyone knew how powerful they were.
"Fang Chong is definitely going to be the first among us to earn an international planetary defense rank, and it’ll be a high one too. Among our group, he and Aixi are definitely at the top," one student said enviously.
Fang Chong laughed, "I just have a good mentor. Without Mentor Ding Huan, I wouldn’t be where I am today."
"Sigh, why can’t I meet such a good mentor?" someone lamented.
"Fang Chong will definitely earn an international planetary defense rank, but it might not be the highest," another student chimed in.
Lü Zi recognized the speaker and asked curiously, "Zhang Qiang, Fang Chong killed so many beasts, and he and Aixi led teams to rescue so many people. Who among us has killed more beasts than him?"
Zhang Qiang pointed to a group in the distance, "There’s a girl over there. I don’t know her name, but her methods are similar to Fang Chong and Aixi’s. In fact, she’s even more efficient—she’s killed more beasts and saved more people."
"Who is she?"
"She’s from the Security Bureau."
"Since when does the Security Bureau have such experts? The strongest, Director Zong Han, is still recovering from injuries, right?"
As everyone continued to discuss, a broadcast echoed over the defense line:
"All participants in the beast attack, including support teams, please proceed to the Merit Hall by unit. Defense forces, proceed by company."
Chen Dongqin, the director of the Huacheng Security Bureau, also called out, "Everyone, please follow me. The battlefield needs to be cleared, and the injured need immediate treatment."
Chen Dongqin was injured, half of his body stained with blood.
But as an Earth-level martial artist, he knew the extent of his injuries.
The fact that he hadn’t gone for treatment meant his life wasn’t in danger.
As Guo Qingrong led Fang Chong and the others to follow Chen Dongqin, someone came to take Guo Qingrong away.
...
The Human Corridor Defense Line.
This was a defense line jointly established by all nations to block the genetic beasts.
One could only imagine the immense resources poured into it.
Despite the high mortality rate here, the rewards were equally staggering.
Most of those who earned international planetary defense ranks had come from the Human Corridor Defense Line.
Here, merits were not subject to bureaucratic delays.
After each battle with the genetic beasts, merits were tallied immediately.
Thus, after every beast tide was repelled or every attack was launched, merits were discussed right away.
Delays never exceeded twenty-four hours.
If they did, it was a sign of incompetence among the commanders.
When Fang Chong and the others followed Chen Dongqin into the Merit Hall, over a thousand people were already inside.
Fang Chong knew they were newcomers and hadn’t been assigned to units yet.
Once settled, they would be organized into teams of ten to thirty people.
After the merit discussion, all representatives had to ensure that rewards were distributed to individuals within twenty-four hours.
Though it was said to be twenty-four hours, since the defense line’s establishment, no one had ever waited more than six hours post-battle to receive their rewards.
Fang Chong’s group, all from the Great Han Yi Academy, sat together in one area.
While the lower ranks were still arriving, the higher-ups were already present.
"Is Mentor Guo not here yet?" Fang Chong noticed that after some time, Guo Qingrong still hadn’t arrived.
"Don’t worry, I’m here," Guo Qingrong’s voice rang out.
"Mentor Guo, what kept you?" Aixi asked softly.
Guo Qingrong chuckled, "Good news. Just wait and see. Let me introduce you to some of the leaders here..."
Through Guo Qingrong’s introductions, Fang Chong learned that the elderly man in the center was Hu Jiatian, the overall commander of the Human Corridor Defense Line.
Beside him was the tall, bearded middle-aged man, Zheng Fang, the first wartime commander.
The white man was Kendi, the wartime chief of staff.
There was also a young woman, Secretary Anne.
(End of Chapter)