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Three people? Yes, one is missing. Now Franton realized that Lin Xiang was nowhere to be found. He turned around but couldn't find him. Strange? Where did he go?

Andreyevna's powerful voice rang out again, and wisps of white smoke rose continuously from the strings, appearing as a white mist in the moonlit night, like rain falling from the sky.

Franton was baffled by the sight. He only vaguely saw Andreyevna's body trembling in the white mist. The trembling grew stronger and stronger, and the white mist thickened until she disappeared from sight, leaving only a cloud of white mist. What was going on? Franton was filled with curiosity. Could it be that B-rank attributes would produce such a phenomenon? Sensing something was amiss, Franton tried to stand up, but he couldn't muster any strength in his limbs.

Although Andreyevna's eyes were closed, she could still feel the flow of fighting spirit within her body. Her ten fingers were flexed and extended, and she was now playing the strings entirely by instinct, without any conscious control. She knew very well that the fighting spirit was continuously flowing through her meridians to her ten fingers, which was a slow and agonizing process. The trembling of her body and the discord between her playing the zither had already proven this.

The first movement of Moonlight Sonata had been played countless times, and countless mutated corpses had fallen. Under the moonlight, the entire city became even more eerie. Suddenly, a howl like that of wolves rang out, and a large number of mutated corpses rushed forward in a dense swarm, like a surging river. Andreyevna felt a tightness in her chest and couldn't help but spit out blood.

Lin Xiang frowned. He had clearly heard the howling just now; it was the signal to launch a general attack. He was afraid that the three of them were in grave danger. He quickened his pace and leaped into the city as fast as the wind.

The city of Darl was blocked by mutated corpses. Looking down, they were like thousands of ants, so numerous it was chilling. Lin Xiang didn't linger. With a single step, he shifted his body and ran into the city without stopping, stepping on the heads of the mutated corpses. At this moment, he could only pray that they could hold out for a little longer and that they would arrive soon.

Andreyevna's fingers went numb, the aftershocks of the strings lingering. She smiled, and in her eyes, a tidal wave of mutated corpses surged towards her. Franton knew it was time. He didn't close his eyes; he wanted to see how he would die. Akagi Haruko, pale-faced, clung to Franton with her eyes tightly shut. She dared not look, nor dared she think about what would happen next.

A minute passed, and the mutated corpse ran very fast, rushing towards her from the outside. Andreyevna wanted to act with superhuman willpower, but her weakened body could no longer obey her commands. At the last moment, she had to admit that she had done her best.

Just then, a dark shadow flashed before Franton's eyes, and a figure stood in the moonlight. The person sneered, "Hahaha... Great, you're still alive."

Lin Xiang? It's Lin Xiang! Franton recognized the voice as his and the figure was very similar. Strangely enough, although Akagi Haruko was originally very scared, the cold laugh made her feel a jolt, and her nerves seemed to be reassembled. She forgot her fear and turned her head to look at the dark figure.

Lin Xiang turned around and smiled at Franton and Haruko Akagi. The two were dumbfounded. What time was it? How could he still be smiling? Just as they were wondering what was going on, Lin Xiang raised one hand, pointed to the night sky, and shouted:

"A rain of silver needles!"

Suddenly, silvery-white dots appeared in the night sky, increasing in number until they filled the entire sky. What... what is this? Franton, Haruko Akagi, and Andreyevna were all taken aback. Could it be snowflakes?

After more than half a month of recuperation, although the region had already experienced the transition from winter to spring, it was still not snowing at night. If it wasn't snow, then what could it be? The three of them were confused. Franton and Akagi Haruko couldn't figure it out, while Andreevna could only roughly guess that it was some kind of skill effect. For her, having cultivated for twenty years since childhood, she had never seen such a spectacle.

In ten seconds, white dots fell from the night sky like arrows. The mutated corpses that rushed up had no time to dodge. Countless sounds of falling and collisions mingled together. The overwhelming attack caused the mutated corpses to crumble instantly. The scene before them left the three dumbfounded. It was too powerful. Such a wide-ranging and powerful skill could not be compared to the Holy Knight Swordsmanship and Moonlight Sonata. The two knew in their hearts that even if their own skills reached the highest level, they probably could not compare to this.

Lin Xiang stood before the three like a celestial being. His figure in the moonlight filled them with deep emotion. They finally understood why he had appeared in the no-man's-land, and why he had been able to survive there for two years, coming and going as he pleased. The power before them showed that he was a terrifying person.

Andreyevna smiled; she had finally found her purpose in life.

Franton's eyes lit up, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Haruko Akagi was stunned, completely shocked by what she saw, and didn't know what to do. Her mind went blank.

Lin Xiang let out a soft sigh of relief, slowly withdrew his right hand from the air, turned around and smiled, "Hey! What's wrong with you all? You're all like you're still dreaming."

Unable to contain her excitement, Andreyevna felt her blood rush to her head and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Lin Xiang quickly stepped forward to check on her, taking her pulse and saying, "Hmm, she has internal injuries and needs some recuperation." He patted Andreyevna's shoulder and comforted her, "A few days of rest will make you fine."

After saying that, he helped Andreyevna into the car to rest, then looked back at Akagi Haruko and Franton. The two were mostly unharmed, except Franton was rather weak. Akagi Haruko was still able to move, so he helped them back into the car. The moonlight was bright and clear in the deep night, carrying a tranquil atmosphere. "Lin Xiang, is it safe tonight?" Akagi Haruko asked with some concern.

Lin Xiang leaned against the car window, gestured towards the inside, and laughed, "Don't worry! After that battle, I believe the mutated corpses in Dar City have been cleared out. No more monsters or demons will come knocking on the door, so you can sleep soundly!" He took out a cigarette, lit it, and exhaled the smoke far away, then added, "I'm still here to guard it, so it's very safe!"

With Lin Xiang's words, the three nodded, closed their eyes, and peacefully drifted off to sleep.

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang (Side Story): Alien Invasion Chapter 8: The Transformation of the Dead

Chapter word count: 2255 Update time: 08-05-28 11:57

Lin Xiang gazed at the three people through the car window; their peaceful sleeping faces suggested they were exhausted.

Darl City was already a deserted city. There was no electricity here. The moonlight was somewhat clear tonight. Lin Xiang gradually fell into deep thought, exhaling smoke rings. Then he took out a map and marked Darl City with a pen. Upon closer inspection, the map was already densely covered with red checkmarks. Lin Xiang seemed to be deep in thought and sighed.

The night came and went quickly. When dawn broke, there was no crowing of roosters or any noise; all was quiet. Franton was the first to wake up. Although the battle the night before had exhausted his fighting spirit and left him extremely weak, after a night's rest, he still saw stars in his eyes and felt as if his whole body had fallen apart. He was limp and had no energy at all.

The second to wake up was Haruko Akagi. When she woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. It's clear that girls like to sleep in. Haruko Akagi was also exhausted; she almost lost her life last night.

Andreyevna was still fast asleep and it seemed she wouldn't wake up until the afternoon. Akagi Haruko was already starving, and she was surprised to find that there was a ready-made breakfast. Franton and Lin Xiang were already enjoying it, with hot milk, bread, and delicious food. She didn't care about anything else and just picked up her chopsticks to eat. She must have been starving.

"Lin Xiang, what are our plans next?" Franton asked while eating. Ever since he witnessed Lin Xiang's strength last night, he had been completely impressed. Being with someone like him was a blessing from God. Even if Franton had to work like a slave, he probably wouldn't hesitate.

Speaking of her plans, Haruko Akagi also put down her chopsticks. She had been wolfing down her food earlier, completely lacking any ladylike demeanor. In front of Lin Xiang, it would be better to maintain a bit of restraint.

Everyone had different thoughts. Lin Xiang said while eating, "Let's rest here for now. The mutated corpses in Dar City have been eliminated by us and will not reproduce or reappear in the short term. Use this time to cultivate properly so that you won't be in so much danger if you encounter a similar situation next time."

Lin Xiang's words deeply moved the two of them. His concern and his cultivation were both very tempting. It is often said that true feelings can only be seen in the face of life and death. Lin Xiang's words showed his good intentions.

Lin Xiang took out a small booklet and handed it to Akagi Haruko, saying, "Take this! I hope it will be useful to you."

The booklet was gray and looked like a book. There were several symbols-like words on the cover, which seemed to be the title. As for what was written on it, Lin Xiang didn't know. Although he had seen Japanese before, he had never studied it, so he only knew that it was a sword manual.

Franton was quite surprised. He understood Japanese, and the booklet had three words written on it: "Three-Sword Style." This was the secret of the Three-Sword Society. How could it be in Lin Xiang's hands? You must know that nowadays, sects and societies are very cautious and secretive about their affairs, especially skills, which are related to the life and death and status of sects and societies.

Haruko Akagi was no less surprised than Franton. The Three-Sword Style—this was the essence of the Three-Sword Society. How could it be in Lin Xiang's hands? Without thinking too much, she reached out and took the booklet, gently turning to the first page. Sure enough, the page depicted a human-shaped sword manual. "This... what's going on?"

Lin Xiang watched as the expressions on their faces changed countless times, then shook his head and said, "I found this by chance two years ago. Since you are a successor of the Three Knives Society, it's time to return it to its rightful owner."

Lin Xiang only mentioned it casually, but Akagi Haruko still asked anxiously, "Can you tell me the truth?"

Franton remained silent. He knew there must be some twists and turns involved, and besides, this concerned matters of social order, which was not something he could interfere with. However, he couldn't help but be curious, so he could only sit quietly and listen.

Lin Xiang had already anticipated her question, and after a moment's thought, he said, "Two years ago, I had just entered the no-man's land searching for survivors when I unexpectedly encountered a woman. At that time, she was at her last gasp and was surrounded by a large group of mutated zombies..."

"A mutated corpse demon?" Franton and Haruko Akagi exclaimed in surprise. What is this? They've never heard of it before.

Lin Xiang frowned, thinking that it was not surprising that these two people, who had just come to Earth from the moon, did not know what mutated corpse demons were. But then he wondered, did the instructors at the lunar superhuman academic academy not mention this? Or did they simply not know?

Lin Xiang paused briefly before continuing, "Mutant corpse demons are a very powerful type of demon. To understand mutant corpse demons, we must start with mutated corpses. What you encountered last night were mutated corpses. Mutant corpses are the lowest level, meaning that most of them are transformed from the dead..." At this point, Lin Xiang did not continue.

As Lin Xiang had predicted, Franton and Haruko Akagi's reactions both indicated that they were unaware of the connection and asked blankly, "What is dead person conversion?"

Lin Xiang was now in a real bind. What exactly did the textbook on lunar superhumans say? And how did those so-called instructors teach it? In fact, Lin Xiang didn't know that Franton and Akagi Haruko's knowledge and understanding were limited to the fact that if a living person was scratched or bitten, mutations would occur through blood transmission, and they knew nothing else.

"Dead person transformation is the process of using corpses to undergo mutation."

"How is that possible?"

"Why is it impossible? You two are both superhumans, capable of flying and disappearing into the earth. From a scientific point of view, it's impossible. But the facts are right in front of us. Since you both exist, why can't the conversion of the dead exist?"

Lin Xiang's words were somewhat far-fetched, but not entirely without merit. The two looked at each other, seemingly confused yet understanding.

"If the dead are transformed into mutated corpses, wouldn't there be more of them than living people?" Speaking of the dead, there have been countless dead throughout history, which is beyond our imagination. Franton and Haruko Akagi were so frightened that their faces turned pale.

"Well, you could say that. There are currently many times more mutated corpses on Earth than humans. That's why there are so many mutated corpses at night, like ants."

"Then tonight wouldn't be..."

Lin Xiang waved his hand, interrupting the two, and said, "Don't worry! The resurrection of mutated corpses is monthly, basically once a month. If all the mutated corpses were to resurrect at once, there would be no humans left on Earth."

Lin Xiang sighed, "Actually, I don't understand what's going on either. If some force or creature wants to destroy the earth, why not just revive all the corpses at once? Why go through so much trouble? It's illogical and doesn't make sense. What unspeakable secret is hidden behind this?"

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang (Side Story): Alien Invasion Chapter 9: The Yin Moon Martial Soul Blade

Chapter word count: 2243 Update time: 08-05-28 11:57

"Oh, right, where were we?"

“Dead man conversion!” Franton reminded him from the side.

"The process of converting the dead involves injecting them with bones. It could be a virus or a forbidden technique, which allows them to return to the realm of the dead and be resurrected. However, they have no independent consciousness; they are simply simple, pure monsters."

"These are all very low-level attributes, like the mutated corpses you encountered last night and those we encountered before. And the second one? It's the mutated corpse general..."

"Mutant Corpse Generals? Do such things really exist?" Franton and Haruko Akagi were quite surprised. This trip to Earth had truly broadened their horizons.

Judging from their expressions, they really didn't know anything. Lin Xiang had originally intended to hide something or probe for something, but since he had already spoken, he simply told them directly, "Well, a mutated corpse general is a relatively high-level demon. In other words, a mutated corpse general is the leader of mutated corpses, and it possesses the ability to speak like a human..."

"It can talk?"

"Of course, it can not only speak, but also think." Thinking of the demon that lured him out of the city last night, it was a mutated corpse general.

"The mutated corpses are a special breed directly mutated from living people. Before they died, they were users of a certain type of strength attribute. After being bitten by a special mutated corpse demon, they developed their evil nature. However, they are just half-human, half-beast replicas. In terms of strength attribute, they are equivalent to B-level attributes of human superhumans." Lin Xiang smiled and continued, "You two are D-level attributes. I'm afraid even if the two of you join forces, you can't defeat it."

At this point, Franton and Haruko Akagi looked dejected, both fully aware of their own limitations. They clenched their fists tightly, Haruko Akagi's eyes fixed on the sword manual in her hand, her gaze brimming with confidence. Lin Xiang, with a barely perceptible smile on his lips, continued, "The mutated corpse generals will reach the third level, which is the mutated corpse demon. Mutated corpse demons are commanders, a very powerful type of demon. Their strength attributes are equivalent to or higher than A-level of a superhuman. If you really encounter them, it will be a very troublesome situation."

"Above Grade A?" The two shook their heads. If they really encountered them, they would be at their mercy. On the strength attribute ranking, they all claimed to be strong, and the distinctions were very clear. There was a huge gap between the higher and lower grades. Moreover, only the instructors at the Moon's Superpower Academy could reach Grade A strength.

"Is there a distinction between A-level and above? Isn't A-level strength the highest?"

"Hahaha..." Lin Xiang laughed, and instead of answering, asked, "What do the instructors and textbooks say and record in your lunar superhuman academic academy?"

Haruko Akagi thought for a moment and answered seriously, "F is the lowest, then E, D, C, B, A, with A being the highest."

Franton nodded in agreement, indicating that Haruko Akagi was right; that was indeed how it was recorded in the textbooks, and that was what the instructors said as well.

Lin Xiang shook his head after hearing this, "No! No!" Then he gestured with chopsticks, "The F-level and E-level you mentioned do not exist on Earth, and are not feasible in actual combat. The lowest level should be D-level. That is to say, the two of you are currently at the lowest level. If you want to cultivate to become a strong person, you must first find your own position, and then you can better determine your belief in power in terms of strength and consciousness."

Lin Xiang didn't care whether the two could understand him or not, and continued, "Actually, A-level strength is not the highest level. Above A-level strength are Special A-level, Super A-level, and BOSS-level. As for whether there are other levels, I don't know at the moment."

Franton and Haruko Akagi were stunned. This was the first time they had ever heard of Lin Xiang's comments on the ranking system. Was it really true? Lin Xiang had saved their lives, so he shouldn't have lied to them. Why would the instructors and textbooks lie to them? Was there a lack of scientific verification?

The two fell into deep thought. Lin Xiang smiled slightly and asked, "By the way, Akagi Haruko, you're Japanese, so how come your Three Swords Society's sword manual ended up in China?"

Haruko Akagi was surprised, wondering why Lin Xiang would ask such a question. It seemed that he meant no harm, and he had even saved her life. Now he had returned the missing sword manual from the club. This great kindness could not be repaid at any price. So she said, "Two years ago, the sword manual of the Three-Sword Style in the club suddenly disappeared. At the same time, Inoue Sakura also disappeared. At that time, the club president issued a kill order to retrieve the sword manual. Who knew that two years of searching would yield nothing? I never thought she would run away here."

"Oh, I see." Lin Xiang seemed to understand somewhat. Before she could ask, he said, "Two years ago, when I entered the no-man's land, I encountered a group of mutated corpse demons. They were besieging a woman. The battle was extremely fierce. When I arrived, the woman was already on the verge of death. She asked me to fulfill her wish and return the sword manual to the Three Swords Society. She died before she could finish speaking. Japan was destroyed two years ago, so the sword manual was delayed for two years. Now it has finally been returned to its rightful owner."

"According to what you're saying, that woman should be Inoue Sakura, around twenty years old, with a mark on her left cheek."

Haruko Akagi nodded, indicating that his description was correct. His eyes were lowered, revealing the sword manual. She knew that what happened back then was not so simple, and she had heard some secrets, but she had not thought about them in depth. However, besides the sword manual, there should also be a sword, a long, curved sword. Two years ago, Sakura Inoue not only stole the sword manual, but also took the sect's treasured martial spirit sword. The martial spirit sword is divided into two, Yin and Yang, and is the treasure of the Three Swords Society. At that time, Sakura Inoue took the Yin Moon martial spirit sword.

The Martial Soul Blade is a weapon imbued with the soul power of a samurai. It was forged by Rukawa Kaede, the founder of the Three Swords Society. Having undergone the test of time and offerings, it possesses extremely strange power and ranks third among historical weapons in Japan.

Lin Xiang smiled, knowing what Akagi Haruko was thinking, and reminded her, "I don't know the origin of the weapon that Inoue Sakura brought, but I can sense that it is a cursed sword, an ominous object. If you want it back, you must have an ability of B-rank or higher. If one day your power reaches B-rank, come find me!"

Lin Xiang didn't say much. Akagi Haruko wanted to say something but didn't, and the atmosphere became a little tense. Franton changed the subject and smoothed things over, saying, "Akagi Haruko's matter is resolved, so what about me? Lin Xiang, can you teach me a few moves so I can show off next time I encounter a mutated corpse?"

Lin Xiang stared at Franton for a long time without saying a word, then suddenly burst into laughter, leaving Franton and Haruko Akagi completely bewildered: What's wrong with Lin Xiang?

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang (Side Story): Alien Invaders Chapter 10: Fraton's Identity, Robot?

Chapter word count: 2342 Update time: 08-06-01 10:33

After laughing, Lin Xiang remained silent with a smile, which greatly worried Franton. After all, Haruko Akagi's matter had been settled, and it wouldn't be long before she would reach the B-rank attribute power. Andreevna already had B-rank attribute power, or even higher. As for Lin Xiang, judging from his words just now, he had probably reached the Special A-rank. Now, only he himself was left with D-rank attribute power, which was definitely a tragedy.

Everyone knows that in this no-man's-land, if you don't have absolute power, you'll probably find it hard to move an inch. Even though he has a peerless master like Lin Xiang by his side, he still needs someone else's protection. What's the point of being a person then? Moreover, the two beauties are both stronger than him. As a chauvinist, Franton just can't accept this fact.

"Andreyevna, you're awake?" Haruko Akagi exclaimed in surprise.

Lin Xiang and Franton turned around at the same time upon hearing the exclamation and saw Andreyevna walking in with faltering steps. "Oh! Why didn't you sleep a little longer? Your body is still very weak." Lin Xiang went forward and helped Andreyevna sit down.

The three were chatting and had lost track of time. It was already noon. They had thought that Andreyevna wouldn't wake up until the afternoon, but she woke up so quickly, which was quite unexpected.

Andreyevna looked listless, glanced at the three of them, then picked up a piece of bread and started eating, completely ignoring their expressions and gazes. After finishing two pieces of bread and a glass of fresh milk, she slowly said, "Don't look at me! Keep eating and keep talking!"

Haruko Akagi and Franton both turned their gazes to Lin Xiang. Lin Xiang smiled and said, "Don't worry! She's fine. Last night I used silver needles to clear the blockages and improve her blood circulation. She'll be fully healed in a few days."

"What were you discussing just now? It seemed like you talked for quite a while?"

Had she already woken up and knew that the three of them were chatting? Lin Xiang smiled and said, "They didn't say anything, just talked about the current situation..."

"I think I just heard Franton say something?" Andreyevna interrupted Lin Xiang and glanced at Franton.

This reminder made Franton suddenly remember something, and he quickly said, "Oh right! How could I forget? Lin Xiang, please teach me a couple of moves! I'll even become your apprentice."