Chapter 111: The War Zone in Shock! Awakening! The Moonlight Body! [7500 words]
Hanzhong Safe Zone.
Near the northern stretch of the Yangtze River’s main channel stood a grand architectural complex.
This was a crucial stronghold within the Hanzhong Safe Zone and served as the headquarters for the entire Central Theater Command.
At this moment, having received synchronized reports from the Jingmen Safe Zone, an urgent meeting was swiftly convened here for discussion.
The meeting primarily provided a brief overview of the battle conditions in the Jingmen Safe Zone. It mentioned the suspected emergence of a "secondary-level civilization" and "lord-class monsters" in the Moonlight Domain, as well as plans to send reinforcements to Jingmen Safe Zone.
After the meeting concluded, five individuals naturally gathered in a corner office of a guild amidst this magnificent architectural area.
At the forefront sat a man in a black suit, casually settling into the office sofa and lighting a cigar. The others took their seats, and atop the coffee table lay several stacks of documents—clearly more detailed than the information shared in the meeting room, including additional intel concerning the "Black Mage."
"The Jingmen Safe Zone has stirred up quite a bit lately. This Black Mage seems to be quite formidable," the man in the black suit remarked, taking a puff from his cigar and crossing his legs.
"A mage, at least S-tier skills, with terrifying magical power accumulation. He’s probably crossed into uncharted realms," he added.
"Indeed. I’ve also received reports. From the current situation, the Black Mage seems to be aligned with Qilei. This complicates matters. It was probably this Black Mage who eliminated Anqing before. I suspect Qilei already knows about Anqing’s connections with us," another commented.
“That’s unlikely. I handled the Anqing matter thoroughly; there’s no trace leading back to us. Those two bounty hunters were commissioned, but I didn’t expect the Blood Hunter to die so swiftly,” said a man clad in a black robe, shaking his head. Unlike the others, beneath his robe was a black mechanical arm.
All present were councilors here and held senior positions in certain guilds within the Hanzhong Safe Zone.
After a pause, the man in the black suit inhaled deeply and spoke again, “If Jingmen Safe Zone really spawns another Qilei, things won’t be easy for us going forward.”
“There’s already an order from above; they intend to consolidate the various Safe Zones. Apparently, North America has begun constructing a comprehensive federal system, and a major reorganization is imminent. If Jingmen Safe Zone cannot be subdued, then at least we must secure Dongting Safe Zone and the two eastern Safe Zones,” another said.
“Dongting is no problem; I’ve basically got it under control,” said a man dressed in leather armor. “As for Jingmen, I’ll send someone to investigate that Black Mage. The Sky Alliance Guild seems to have closer ties with them.”
The group exchanged information casually in the meeting room, but any word leaking out would surely send shockwaves through countless explorers.
Their tone suggested they held the entire Hanzhong Safe Zone firmly in their grasp.
---
Jingmen Safe Zone.
A secluded mountain cabin in the western ranges.
Dawn was breaking gradually, with the sounds of various animals echoing through the forest and the air fragrant with flora.
A guard stood at the gate of the small courtyard as a jeep swiftly entered. A swordsman clad in white stepped into the cabin.
Zhan Yu’s expression was weary.
Though Yi Shen had absorbed most of the pressure on the front lines, nearly everyone who went to assist afterward had to face attacks from multiple Moonlight Mimics.
“Brother Lei,” Zhan Yu greeted as he entered an office.
Qilei was on a communication device, while Xiao Yu was helping him organize various documents.
Qilei motioned for Zhan Yu to wait aside.
After finishing the call, Qilei asked, “How is he doing now?”
Though he did not mention names, Zhan Yu knew he referred to Yi Shen.
“He told me he needs to rest first; his body is probably overexerted,” Zhan Yu replied, still uneasy recalling the battlefield.
Yi Shen had been advancing almost single-handedly across the entire front line.
Had it been any other mage, even if their mana capacity could endure, their mental fortitude would surely have suffered greatly.
“Surely no one knows his true identity?” Qilei pressed.
“It’s hard to say.” Zhan Yu shook his head. “Many high-level explorers have since arrived.”
He briefly recounted the battlefield situation to Qilei, including how Yi Shen had cleared the outer areas of the Black Mist.
It was foreseeable that countless individuals would come to probe the Black Mage’s identity in the near future.
These might include major guilds from Jingmen Safe Zone, outsiders, higher-level strategists, and even hidden enemies lurking in the shadows.
“The higher-ups are already inquiring about the Black Mage. The Unified Coordination Bureau will send personnel here in the next few days. I may need to step forward. The front line remains under Yu Tian’s charge, and Li Rongsheng will investigate the Blood Pill matter,” Qilei said.
“Meanwhile, you should maintain communication with Yi Shen. His identity is sensitive; I worry that if it leaks, many will target him,” Qilei added.
Yi Shen’s power had far exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Qilei had anticipated some of Yi Shen’s traits—such as ultra-low cooldowns and rapid mana regeneration—but now these traits were turning the tide of battle, indicating a much deeper significance.
Moreover, Yi Shen’s age was completely disproportionate to his strength.
Records showed his transformation had occurred within just two short months. The outside world now considered him a deeply concealed veteran or a high-tier explorer who had acquired special abilities or bloodlines.
But if it were known he was barely twenty, the entire nation, even the world, would be stunned. Countless would flock to uncover the secret behind his rapid rise, and hidden civilizations would turn their gaze upon him.
Qilei paused, then continued, “Go to the Information Bureau, stir the waters around discussions of the Black Mage’s identity. Assign him a plausible alternative background. When the Unified Coordination Bureau arrives, we’ll have an explanation ready.”
The Unified Coordination Bureau was formally known as the China Security Statistics and Investigation Bureau.
Outwardly, it was an official agency.
Inwardly, it maintained top explorers across China, divided among theater commands and regarded as the highest echelon. Entry was reserved for those who could impact strategy significantly.
Their arrival signaled that the upper echelons had noticed Yi Shen.
His talent and power were far more terrifying than Qilei had imagined, prompting new plans.
Rumors suggested a reshuffling of theater commands was imminent, and naturally, Qilei hoped Jingmen Safe Zone would gain more influence.
After a brief chat with Zhan Yu, who then withdrew, Qilei faced a flood of communications requiring his attention.
“You haven’t rested for nearly thirty hours. You should take a break,” Xiao Yu reminded softly. She now wore a different outfit—no longer yellow—but still had a black cloth covering her eyes.
“I’m fine,” Qilei waved her off. “Let me finish processing these materials first.”
He coughed lightly, still suppressing lingering red mist around him, as usual.
His thoughts drifted.
These years in Jingmen Safe Zone had been difficult—not only because some veteran explorers had become disloyal but also because outsiders kept coveting their territory.
Due to historical reasons, many Safe Zones remained autonomous over the past two decades. Personal strength greatly influenced city control, and guilds wielded more power than theater commands.
Though the Security Statistics and Investigation Bureau had begun curbing guild authority, large guilds were reluctant to lose their share.
Eight years ago, during the Blood Pill incident, some had openly criticized Qilei and demanded his replacement as commander.
He had fought hard, even ingesting Blood Pills himself, to neutralize the beast and stabilize the situation, securing nearly a decade of peace.
But now the Blood Pill had resurfaced, and many of Qilei’s members had been bribed, raising his concerns.
Recent intel also made Qilei suspect the Taohuawu incident was more complicated than thought, likely orchestrated by others with grander ambitions.
---
In the northern independent enclave.
This area did not belong to any Safe Zone but was controlled by a single guild. Two dimensional gates stood nearby, and all members here were affiliated with this guild.
“There’s a special dimensional anomaly near Jingmen Safe Zone, even spawning another civilization. Level 60 special dimension. Looks promising,” one said.
“Not just that, there’s a lord-class monster too. Didn’t number three need a lord monster for his breakthrough quest? Should we check it out?”
“Sure, the Black Mage is interesting too. Not sure who’s stronger, him or the Flame Emperor.”
“Let’s go see. It’s boring lately. A level 60异空间 might yield some good loot. That civilization could’ve been attracted out by this anomaly.”
---
Jingmen Safe Zone’s central commercial street.
Inside a lavish hotel, a few oddly shaped individuals conversed.
“Qilei has discovered the Blood Pill’s existence. Li Rongsheng caught six of our recruits. Sigh.”
“Have we identified the mage using Wind Blade?”
“Yes, apparently from Taohuawu. Their shop is nearby. They’re very strong. Old Xiao was slain before even casting a shadow. We shouldn’t provoke them yet.”
“What does the boss say?”
“Boss says to wait. Hanzhong Safe Zone will send more people later. The situation in Jingmen is complex; we should lay low.”
“That’s good—we can finally rest.”
These individuals soon reverted to normal appearances. Two bore the Jingbei Industry insignia; two more displayed Taohuawu’s mark.
In the hotel room, several girls lay motionless on the beds.
---
Yi Shen’s sleep lasted far longer than expected.
Perhaps due to mental exhaustion, he only awoke late afternoon on the third day.
His mother was home.
Fearing for his safety, Lin Putao had canceled many social engagements at Taohuawu to check on him periodically. Since Yi Shen messaged her before sleeping, she didn’t dare disturb him and waited in the living room.
Stretching, Yi Shen felt no drowsiness. Instead, he was brimming with energy, his senses sharper than ever.
He heard birds outside, the wind rustling, passing vehicles, and distant birds in flight.
This was a wholly new sensation—as if the world had been refreshed.
His communicator was flooded with over a hundred messages.
He had slept too long; many worried about him.
Some were from the three Zhu sisters; others from Zhan Yu and Bai Hongjiang.
Yi Shen picked a few important messages to reply to before leaving his room.
His mother, working in the living room, stood immediately upon seeing him awake, concern etched on her face.
Seeing him unharmed, Lin Putao’s heavy heart eased. She quickly reheated some food, worried he’d be hungry after waking.
Soon, a sumptuous meal was ready—reheated but still delicious.
“Xiao Shen, be honest with me—what were you doing early the day before yesterday?” Lin Putao asked, lowering her voice. “Who exactly is this Black Mage?”
Yi Shen had slept three days straight, and she was deeply anxious.
She was the only one who had seen the strange glow emanating from him—a magical aura discouraging close approach. She had even tentatively tried casting Holy Light but stopped, fearing her magic might affect him.
In recent days, Lin Putao increasingly suspected her son was connected to the Black Mage, or perhaps the Black Mage himself.
But she wanted to hear the truth from him.
“I am the Black Mage,” Yi Shen confessed plainly, eating as he spoke.
At this point, hiding the truth was pointless.
Moreover, Zhan Yu and others already knew his identity. There was no need to conceal it from his mother anymore.
He now possessed the strength to protect both himself and her. Concealing it might only cause misunderstandings.
“Are you really the Black Mage?” Lin Putao was incredulous.
“Absolutely,” Yi Shen nodded. “Otherwise, why would Zhan Yu have backed you up back then?”
During the integration of Taohuawu, Zhan Yu had appeared once, fulfilling a promise to Yi Shen.
Lin Putao was speechless but deeply moved.
Rumors about the Black Mage had spread wildly—some said he was a hidden big shot in Jingmen Safe Zone; others claimed he was a missing top-tier explorer returning; some even believed he was a powerful mage from an alien civilization.
Taohuawu had held repeated meetings discussing the Black Mage’s impact, especially since his first appearance involved attacking a district chief and his presence near Taohuawu during the first assault.
Most members currently believed the Black Mage was friendly toward Taohuawu.
But they could not imagine—he was practically one of Taohuawu’s major shareholders now!
Some speculated that after the last turmoil, Taohuawu would gradually fade.
But if Yi Shen’s power was truly so terrifying, Lin Putao believed Taohuawu might rise even higher!
---
Soon after reassuring his mother, Yi Shen visited the three Zhu sisters.
Their villa was only minutes away, a small estate where the sisters and their mother lived under Taohuawu’s protection, ensuring safety.
Zhu Qing had not stopped helping Yi Shen procure materials and had arranged a batch of new fire- and water-element materials with the Sky Alliance.
When Yi Shen arrived, Zhu You and Zhu Ke said little, hoping he would stay to keep them company, but it was clear he had no time.
He did not meet Bai Hongjiang in person, merely sent messages urging him not to spread rumors, then contacted Zhan Yu and headed toward Qilei.
The Black Mage incident was now city-wide news.
Yi Shen realized he had gone a bit overboard that night, inadvertently killing so many monsters that his specialization points soared to 170,000.
Zhan Yu responded promptly but, wary of other high-level explorers tracking Yi Shen, did not personally pick him up. Instead, he gave Yi Shen a location where someone would meet him.
Yi Shen was indifferent and soon arrived.
---
While traveling through the western forest, Yi Shen suddenly noticed a strange change on his data panel.
He hadn’t paid much attention to it before, but out of boredom, he tried to use specialization points to upgrade skills and was shocked to find new additions.
Under the special bonuses section, a new category appeared: Bloodline.
Its full title was “Moonlight Physique.”
Furthermore, in his talent interface, besides the previously known Heart of the Mage, he gained a new talent skill:
Bloodline: Moonlight Physique (A): Possesses the legendary bloodline of the Moonlight Clan, significantly enhancing perception under moonlight. Can be further enhanced with Moonlight Core and Moonlight Source.
Talent: Moonlight Walker (A): Under faint light, the entire body enters the Moonlight Walker state, increasing overall attributes by 10%, and attacks gain a certain amount of moonlight energy enhancement.
Both the bloodline and talent were A-rank. Yi Shen clearly remembered they were not present before he slept.
“Is this because I killed so many Moonlight Mimics? Or because I decomposed so many Moonlight Sources?” Yi Shen wondered.
He had never expected to awaken a bloodline under such circumstances.
Previously, his only talent had been the legendary Heart of the Mage, already formidable.
Now, with Moonlight Physique and Moonlight Walker, who knew what new powers might emerge?
“Surely this isn’t unique to me?” he thought.
Since they appeared without his consent, he doubted it was exclusive.
Forum discussions mentioned bloodlines could be replaced.
Generally, bloodlines were extremely hard to obtain. Even rare professions might never awaken one. Only through extraordinary fate could one unlock a bloodline.
Most forum posts spoke of D- or C-rank bloodlines as already powerful.
Yet he had simply killed many monsters and gathered moonlight attribute materials, and now possessed an A-rank bloodline. Perhaps it wasn’t as rare as said.
Or maybe this bloodline was closely related to the Heart of the Mage.
Perhaps it was his specialization in the Heart of the Mage that allowed his body to absorb moonlight energy.
While sleeping, Yi Shen had felt enveloped in a special, comfortable energy that rapidly restored his depleted mental strength.
If every rest could be this rejuvenating, he might even consider returning to the Black Mist area.
From a talent perspective, Moonlight Walker’s 10% attribute boost under faint light was a notable advantage.
Yi Shen pondered whether entering the Moonlight Walker state would yield new effects against the Moonlight Domain monsters.
---
Yi Shen sat in a fully black car leaving Jingmen Safe Zone.
The driver was a middle-aged man dressed in special attire, likely a member from the mountain cabin area.
He did not speak throughout the journey. Yi Shen said “thank you” twice and examined the data Zhan Yu had sent him.
The emergence of Moonlight Physique was a pleasant surprise, lifting his spirits.
However, some of the information Zhan Yu forwarded caused his brow to furrow.
“So much has happened?”
Yi Shen read through the updates, surprised that during his three days of sleep, many events unfolded covering various aspects.
First, Hanzhong Safe Zone had officially declared unconditional support for Jingmen Safe Zone.
After confirming the secondary-level civilization and the presence of lord-class monsters, the top five guilds from Hanzhong Safe Zone pledged unconditional reinforcement.
Those already on site would remain to defend the lines.
This seemed off to Yi Shen—why wait until the monsters were mostly wiped out to announce support? Or was it because of the strange purple aura near Jingmen Safe Zone?
Second, though Yi Shen had cleared many monsters, the opposing side was rebuilding the Black Mist with stronger defenses.
Moreover, when explorers approached, the Moonlight Mimics retaliated from afar with greater strength.
This was troubling news.
If they were not backing down, it likely meant they had found ways to counter the Black Mage and were boldly expanding.
Now that both sides had ignited tensions, no one would hold back.
The spatial rift light curtain north of Jingmen Safe Zone continued to grow, with elite gargoyles patrolling above.
This confirmed a strong connection to the Moonlight Domain monsters, signaling the area’s unusual nature.
Third, Qilei informed Yi Shen that higher authorities wished to meet him—a department called the Unified Coordination Bureau.
Yi Shen had never heard of it on the forums but soon realized its significance from Qilei’s description.
Several names mentioned were renowned figures on the national forums.
Though Yi Shen did not feel inferior, being approached by such an agency was nerve-wracking.
First-time jitters were natural, but he steeled himself, hoping for a smooth interaction.
Another key update: a mirror image resembling his father had been found among the Moonlight Mimics.
Yi Shen had long watched for his father’s reflection among them but had not encountered one—partly because he feared what killing such a mimic might mean for finding his father.
Now, according to Zhan Yu’s reports, such a mirror image had indeed appeared.
Besides this, many had fled the Jingmen Safe Zone recently, causing shifts among various guilds.
For example, Blood Butchery announced plans to rebuild an elite team guided by top explorers.
Also, there were deepening ties between some merchant guilds in Hanzhong and Jingmen, with rumors of impending theater command reforms.
These scattered hints all related to the aftermath of the Moonlight Domain.
Having a general understanding, Yi Shen searched for his own name on the forums.
He was startled to find that even after three days, half of the top ten posts in Jingmen Safe Zone were about the Black Mage.
Various impersonators appeared—some claiming the Black Mage existed before the anomaly, as an internal test explorer; others said the Black Mage was a woman.
Additionally, other Safe Zones’ forums featured threads and speculations about the Black Mage, amplifying his fame.
---
[Author’s note: I wrote all day, originally over 10,000 characters, but trimmed to 7,000+ as some content felt weak. Hope the long chapter isn’t too overwhelming; I’ll consider splitting in the future if needed.
Thanks to Snowy Night’s Flourishing Street for the 3,000 starting coins reward!]
(End of chapter)