Translated by XephiZ

Edited by Aelryinth

"Maybe you guys forgot to turn it off, so its energy has been depleted?" Zhang Xiaohou asked.

"Impossible! I'm certain that I checked the Barrier Core recently. Its energy should last for more than half a month. The barrier was even shut off after it didn't work against the Sandstorm Demon Locusts. How corrupted would a person have to be to steal the energy of the Barrier Core!?" Liu Zhuo was infuriated. He slammed his fist on the crystal wall nearby.

The Barrier Core was the town's hope. Liu Zhuo finally found a glimpse of hope for Anjiao Town to survive, but he did not expect such an outrageous thing to happen.

"No wonder the magic aura was deactivated. The question is, who else knows about the Barrier Core apart from you?" Zhang Xiaohou asked.

Mo Fan pulled Zhang Xiaohou's arm and pointed at a crack. A black insect with broken wings was stuck inside.

"Don't you feel like this insect is familiar?" Mo Fan asked.

Zhang Xiaohou took a closer look and shuddered. How could he not recognize the insect? It was the poisonous insects that had killed everyone in the cave where the Earth Pistil was, the same poisonous insects that Shi Qianshou was controlling!

"Could it be Shi Qianshou?" Zhang Xiaohou blurted out in shock.

"I bet it's him. He just got his hands on the Earth Pistil, but its energy had been depleted, so he took the opportunity when Anjiao Town was attacked by the Sandstorm Demon Locusts to steal the energy of the Barrier Core so he could replenish the energy of the Earth Pistil!" Mo Fan said.

"I thought he ran away. I didn't think he would be so bold as to show up again," Zhang Xiaohou said through clenched teeth.

Zhang Xiaohou detested Shi Qianshou. He could not wait to kill the man with his bare hands, but to his surprise, Shi Qianshou was mad enough to sneak into the town to steal the Barrier Core's energy!

If they left Shi Qianshou alone, who knew what kind of terrifying things he would do with the Earth Pistil?

"Wasn't he able to control the Sandstorm Demon Locusts? I think he's the only person that can enter Anjiao Town freely," Mo Fan said.

"But he already left; how are we going to find him?" Zhang Xiaohou said.

"He shouldn't be too far away. This kind of poisonous insect will die after it is separated from the host for too long. We can let this insect go, and it will lead us to Shi Qianshou," Mo Fan said.

"Shi Qianshou, General Shi?" Liu Zhuo asked in surprise.

"Yes, it's him, but he already turned into a devil."

"If it's him, he would know about the Barrier Core and the magic aura on the entrance too! However, there's nothing you can do even if you found him. There's no chance you can take him on," Liu Zhuo said.

"It's true that we don't stand a chance against him at other places, but that might not apply here in Anjiao Town!" Mo Fan smiled.

---

Zhang Xiaohou followed Mo Fan's instructions and released the poisonous insect with broken wings. It immediately headed in a certain direction. It was moving at a fast pace even without its wings.

The poisonous insect led the three to the west of Anjiao Town. The area mainly consisted of factories and accommodation for the miners. These houses clearly did not suit the Sandstorm Demon Locusts' appetite. They were the only buildings left in Anjiao Town.

The factories were huge. The Sandstorm Demon Locusts were still flying in the sky outside. They would rest on the roofs of the factories when they were tired. The roof was covered in dark layers of insects. It was ghastly to see...

The little insect jumped to the roof of the factories. Mo Fan and Zhang Xiaohou finally saw a man in a military jacket covered in blood among the Sandstorm Demon Locusts. He was sitting right in the middle of the Sandstorm Demon Locusts, but the demon locusts did not attack him. They were circling him as if they were interested in something in his hand.

"Piss off, you lowly beings have no right to covet my treasure!" Shi Qianshou's eyes were bloodshot. He had gone mad from the overwhelming greed driving him.

The Sandstorm Demon Locusts scattered after the man roared out. They were clearly afraid of the poisonous insects around him. They did not dare to harm him as long as the poisonous insects were around.

"Eat, eat as much as you want. Once you're done, this land will be mine!" Shi Qianshou fondled the Earth Pistil in his hand, as if it was his child.

"Oh, I almost forgot, there should be people in the bunker still. Since they are going to die either way, they should make some meaningful contributions to me instead!" Shi Qianshou grinned when he suddenly remembered something.

His men and the energy of the Barrier Core he had recently obtained were nowhere enough to replenish the energy of the Earth Pistil.

The Barrier Core of a small town was like an insignificant piece to the Earth Pistil. The energy that he needed to replenish the energy of the Earth Pistil was equivalent to the energy needed to support the barrier of a city with around a million people. The Earth Pistil was even stronger than the Core of the Tarim Basin Fortress!

It would be perfect if the Core of the Tarim Basin Fortress was still intact!

Shi Qianshou jumped down from the factory. He was having a hard time remembering where the underground bunker was. Most of the buildings had been destroyed, and the Sandstorm Demon Locusts were everywhere. It was quite tricky to find the entrance to the underground bunker.

As soon as Shi Qianshou took a few steps, he discovered a ring of fire amid the dark Sandstorm Demon Locusts that were circling the area like a black tornado.

The Ardent Sunset was a special kind of fire. Its color hinted that it was no ordinary fire. Shi Qianshou was quite curious about who the Fire Mage was; the man was able to move freely among the Sandstorm Demon Locusts, just like him!

"Shi Qianshou!" Zhang Xiaohou yelled furiously. He had the urge to turn into a monster and tear the maniac into pieces.

Shi Qianshou waved his hand to drive the Sandstorm Demon Locusts that were blocking his vision away. He burst out laughing when he saw Zhang Xiaohou inside the ring of fire.

"So it's you, the poor wretch that escaped! I believe the man beside you is the lucky kid that was away when we showed up. Both Zheng Tong and Tong Zhuang warned me about you. Mm, you're quite impressive indeed, since you are able to move freely among the Sandstorm Demon Locusts," Shi Qianshou said disdainfully when he saw it was them.

"The army knows what you did, you're going to die!" Zhang Xiaohou snapped.

"HAHAHA, the army? What difference does it make? The army is struggling to look after themselves. What can the army do to me as long as I'm with the Sandstorm Demon Locusts? Once I replenish the energy of the Earth Pistil, the army is going to submit to me!" Shi Qianshou laughed wildly.

Shi Qianshou had noticed that the Sandstorm Demon Locusts had mutated and were invading human territories after he came out from the desert. He was overjoyed, since no one could possibly harm him as long as he stayed with the Sandstorm Demon Locusts. He could even abuse the Sandstorm Demon Locusts against his enemy.

He had used the Sandstorm Demon Locusts to kill everyone at the relay station that no one cared about, yet did anyone know that he was behind it?

Even now, as long as he was walking among the Sandstorm Demon Locusts, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts would take responsibility for every death he caused. As for what Zhang Xiaohou had told the army, Shi Qianshou was not afraid of the consequences. A little Commander without any evidence had no chance of taking him down, not to mention that he now had the Earth Pistil. The whole Tarim Basin Fortress would have to listen to him!

If he could maintain a barrier strong enough to protect a city with a million people, the people in the west would be treating him like a god. An accusation without evidence and a barrier that had come just in time to save the people; it was obvious that the army knew which was more important to them!

As for his mischief? Shi Qianshou was actually amused by how naive they were!

Was there any authority in a high position that had not done something that they did not want others to know about?

Compared to a city that could protect the lives of a million people he was trying to build and the achievements that would make him go down in history, the little mischief he had done was not even worth mentioning!

"To be honest, I'm really not that interested in taking your lives now. Tell me where the underground bunker is, and I might consider giving you a high position in my city. You know, I might have the Earth Pistil now, but I do lack some reliable subordinates. That being said, if you aren't used to my methods of taking innocent lives, I can promise you that I'll do a lot more good deeds after I become the mayor. I know better than you what a city needs, and what a mayor should do!" Shi Qianshou said indifferently.

Zhang Xiaohou felt like he was about to explode after hearing the words.

-Is this assh**e seriously asking me to bring him to the bunker so thousands of people will be made sacrifices to his insane ambition?-

"They are going to die either way. Isn't it better if they die for a greater cause?" Shi Qianshou smiled.

"I think it's better if you die, everything is going to be a lot simpler!" Mo Fan stepped forward. The fire of the Ardent Sunset grew stronger, driving the Sandstorm Demon Locusts further away.

"You want to kill me? Leaving aside the fact that your Intermediate and Advanced Spells aren't strong enough to harm me, you won't be able to cast a single spell because of the noise that the Sandstorm Demon Locusts are making. Just forget it, I'm like a god here. No one can oppose me!" Shi Qianshou smilingly said.

"Don't you have trouble using your magic, too?" Mo Fan said.

The sound that the Sandstorm Demon Locusts was producing was like a huge magic-forbidding aura. Only those whose mental strength had reached the Advanced Stage could use their magic inside the strong interference!

Mo Fan did not believe Shi Qianshou's mental strength had reached the Advanced Stage. Shi Qianshou was using the disastrous invasion of the Sandstorm Demon Locusts as his umbrella, but Mo Fan was also using it as his shroud. Mo Fan was able to take Shi Qianshou on, since he was unable to use his Advanced and Super Spells too!

"My Poison Element isn't affected. My poisonous insects can deal with you easily!" Shi Qianshou sneered.

"Same as my fire, it's unaffected, too!"

Mo Fan clenched his fist. The flames of the Ardent Sunset swam along Mo Fan's arm like a dragon, gathering at his wrist and fist!