Chapter 00067: Surprise Attack
# Surprise Attack
Chapter 67
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 67: Surprise Attack
In the many bits of knowledge passed among the Chosen Ones, while everyone acknowledges that the Ember lineage is truly unable to fight, another point must also be admitted — the wielders of craftsman power reign supreme within their workshops.
One could say that one can’t even be on the same level as the workshop owner; sometimes, even those at the Immortal level might suffer beneath the bizarre tools hidden in certain workshops.
It’s much like facing a heavily fortified fortress with bare hands.
Not to mention the crossbows, arrow carts, rolling stones, and wooden logs, there are even truly vile individuals who, sitting atop the city walls, boil filth just to fling it at any intruders.
Ji Jue firmly believed that even if the sky were to crumble and the entire Haizhou was swallowed in a quake, as long as Professor Ye remained in his workshop, everything would carry on as usual.
The defensive and suppressive power of that place was simply terrifying.
Unfortunately, a qualified workshop isn’t merely a room with a furnace.
Just as pushing a button for electric curtains doesn’t equate to a fully smart home, a workshop is not such a flimsy thing either.
A proper workshop requires more than three generations of craftsmen spending hundreds of years to complete.
It needs an entire set of tools for all aspects of alchemical applications, possibly even specialized and modified according to its own lineage’s techniques—this is just the basic requirement.
It requires a power source capable of supplying all spiritual matter consumption—according to the official channels of the Taiyi Circle, the cheapest portable "Spiritual Matter Sun" costs 242,094,411 coins.
Don’t ask why there are such peculiar numbers; Ji Jue had used all his coupons yet still fell short.
Moreover, the installation of spatial spiritual matter circuits and the embedding of runic containers involves countless secret arts and blessings, enhancing productivity for high-quality results.
Heaven’s Yuan grants craftsmen stronger control, while turbines allow craftsmen to remain unscathed even if their workshops face direct explosions.
Let’s not even mention the external defenses, which include the all-seeing risk control system and necessary alchemical aids—each of these is a bottomless pit, something that would take any craftsman years of effort to tackle successfully.
The fact that this entire system can be lightweight enough to slip into a pocket shows just how valuable the Ghost Craft Ball is as a mobile workshop.
Inside, it contains all temporary emergency processing tools, and the myriad of basic commands engraved within its core is vast enough to respond promptly to any unexpected situations.
It could even engage the workshop’s defense system on equal footing!
Unfortunately, a simplified version is just that—a simplification.
The operator remains Ji Jue, a mere apprentice who knows nothing beyond pressing buttons; he is already on the brink of crashing while trying to defend.
Right now, they were facing a master who encompassed the entire rift within his workshop! A god who was omnipotent within workshops!
Such a fierce situation was akin to Ji Jue, a mere fledgling demon, entering the merciless kingdom of mercury, simply left at the mercy of others.
If they wanted to mash him flat, they could; if they wanted to mold him round, they could do that too… who knows, he might even end up thrown into a furnace, becoming a literal hot weapon!
The good news was the mercury seemed finished.
Seemingly!
The bad news was the mercury was indeed dead.
There was no more administrator authority to manipulate the workshop and let them out; they had to directly confront a workshop filled with various defense commands and extermination protocols.
No, what if it wasn’t utterly dead...
Just the thought of an old ghost from who knows how many years ago lurking in the shadows sent shivers down Ji Jue’s spine.
Fortunately, at least the Ghost Craft Ball was still robust.
After taking in a burst of spiritual matter and an EMP hit, it still managed to power on by itself, even enough to dodge the workshop's searches and help Ji Jue cloak himself from detection, sparing him from being treated as a pest under the workshop’s extermination measures right upon entering.
For now, at least, he was safe.
When the Ghost Craft Ball unfolded, it formed a safe space with initial workshop characteristics, even including a shower and restroom, maximizing user comfort in the wild.
With the protection of the Ghost Craft Ball, Ji Jue and Xiao An managed to get in a decent sleep.
After five hours, as they regained their energy, they set off once more, cautiously heading towards the church located at the heart of the city, following the clues provided by the Ghost Craft Ball.
To be precise, they moved towards the towering bell tower, standing tall amidst the ruins and debris of the rift.
From their brief encounter earlier, the Ghost Craft Ball had accurately pinpointed the flow of spiritual matter within the rift, marking several key locations.
Most notably, the place that was likely the heart of the workshop was that bell tower.
Alas, the bell tower was far too conspicuous.
Not only could they see it, but anyone with eyes would probably notice its abnormality after a quick scan.
Whether there were clues or evidence was irrelevant; the search in the rift called for patience and meticulousness regardless.
Some individuals had already very wisely set their sights on other Chosen Ones.
I can’t deal with the bell tower, but I can’t handle you either?
Who doesn’t drop coins when there’s an explosion?
Twenty minutes after setting out, Ji Jue had already found a second tripwire mine among the ruins of a necessary path... he was increasingly worried about the mental state of today’s Chosen Ones.
Why does everyone turn every game into a survival of the fittest?
Where have love and peace gone?
But since everyone had opted out of being morally upright, Ji Jue would… also have to make himself comfortable.
He turned the tripwire bomb around and set a new one in a more conspicuous spot, issuing a command based on his abilities—if anyone tried to dismantle the wires, it would immediately blow!
“Truly ruthless,” he muttered, criticizing the underhandedness of other explorers, feeling helpless yet righteous in the act.
“Brother Ji Jue, so upright!”
Xiao An, who had witnessed all of Ji Jue's actions, jotted down in his notebook: he actually didn’t deliberately use a disabling explosive to lure others before springing a trap.
Instead, he chose to give his opponent an instant death — how noble and kind indeed!
Such steadfast character shone brightly even in the dark rift.
While carefully observing and learning, the young man's face changed slightly.
Blessing of the White Deer, murderous intent—Chánzhī!
“Brother Ji Jue, someone’s coming.”
The less mobile boy sprang up from his cow-horse, the sound of metal scraping under his sleeve became evident, gradually understanding: “They probably came for me. Sorry, I’ve caused you trouble again.”
He reached for his folding cane and was about to hop down from the cow-horse when Ji Jue held him back.
“Stay put on the ride.”
Ji Jue shook his head, “I’m not one to sell out my teammates.”
Setting aside his connection with Sister Wen, just since entering the rift, Xiao An had saved him countless times.
If anything went slightly wrong and he were to walk away, Ji Jue would have no respect for himself.
After all, it was not his first PvP rodeo.
He reached for the shotgun mounted on the cow-horse, cocked it.
As the drone took to the sky, a deafening explosion erupted!
Above!
In that instant, the shattered skylight collapsed!
A massive figure plummeted from the sky!
At the same time, a sharp killing intent approached from behind!
“Found you!”
Two minutes earlier, within the wrecked building, a Chosen One holding a water tray grinned widely: “Just ahead, less than five hundred meters.”
“Can you be sure it’s him?”
The burly leader warned warily: “Don’t make a mistake.”
“Absolutely. The White Deer's path, looks like a woman enough, only has An’s charm. Plus, short hair and a limp… no mistaking, that’s our target. He has taken many risky jobs within the Safety Bureau, and the bounty on the collective crowdfunding in the Wild Collective soared to over seventy million!”
“Don't let the one next to him go either; he holds a huge bounty too.” The woman sharpening her blade grinned: “I’ve kept tabs, especially before the rift opened; there’s been a significant increase.”
“Very well, everyone ready.”
The leader raised his hand, pressing the pneumatic injector against his neck, pulling the trigger as a full cartridge of serum shot into his artery, his face visibly reddening, even his physique bulging.
Heavy armor erupted from beneath his skin, transforming him into a three-meter-tall giant in an instant, fingers sharp as blades, yet his movements were astonishingly graceful.
He quickly scaled the ruins, following the ethereal Chosen One for navigation, stealthily advancing.
As soon as everyone was in place, he silently grinned.
The giant clenched his fists and brought them crashing down onto the already fragile floor.
Thus, they fell from the sky!!
In that same instant, Ji Jue watched in shock as Xiao An, who was sitting atop the cow-horse, suddenly spun around, metal glinting in his sleeve, sweeping towards Ji Jue!
In an instant, Ji Jue remained still, his aim steady.
He focused on the descending Chosen One.
He pulled the trigger!
Boom!!!
The twin loud bangs overlapped, erupting without delay.
A single round, decorated with numerous insignias, struck true against the plummeting giant, sending him flying backward in the air, his arms raised defensively, the armor and bones showing deep cracks, sweat pouring down his face.
At that moment, a shadow unexpectedly appeared behind Ji Jue; the dagger-wielder's weapon got deflected by Xiao An’s thrown metal shard, shattering.
Yet neither of them halted their counterattack against the attacker.
The giant’s wound shrank instantaneously, forcibly sealing shut, as the earth trembled from the massive force directed at them.
Simultaneously, the assailant hidden within the illusions closed in again, targeting Ji Jue with fierce intent.
Midway, the woman swept out with her other hand.
In an instant, colorful lights exploded from the void, flashing violently, the scene around them starting to spin madly, as if thrown into a washing machine.
Everything inverted!
Nothing was clear anymore!
Ji Jue barely had time to follow Old Zhang’s teachings, empowering his legs through the White Deer’s insignia, propelling forward, diving, and flat on the ground.
He marveled at the deft and deadly assault.
One couldn’t ignore the fact that with the Blood Bull of the Swirl lineage as a tank and main offense, the reflective lineage’s Chosen hiding in the back as support, releasing control skills while aiding those lurking in the shadows for a coordinated attack… and they managed to seize the initiative.
The setting was scarce in mechanical constructs, grounded amid the ruins.
They occupied every advantage—the timing, the terrain, the numbers—everything!
If it were just Ji Jue, he would undoubtedly be dead in the first wave.
Thankfully, Xiao An was there.
And even more fortunate was…
The woman who clung to him like a shadow, with something strapped to her waist.
You thought you could just ambush me… but why add a grenade to your arsenal?
As Ji Jue tumbled through the air, he quickly huddled low on the ground, expertly positioning himself for impact, gripping tightly with his right hand.
—[Explosion]!
(End of chapter)