Chapter 26

Team Celestial, a team formed by the leaders of various teams. Everyone unlocked to at least the second stage. And secondly, the members came from different countries. Each person had their own set of perspectives. The member didn’t admire each other in the team. Though they were all strong enough individually that no mishap happened to the team. Casualties were rare when the whole team were leaders unless they encountered a change of plot by God. But they had the advantage of sharing the risk over each person at those situations. When strength reached a certain degree, a normal change of plot wasn’t enough to kill them.

Since there were Celestials, there were Devils. The first-time team Celestial ran into team Devil, team Celestial had two people in the third stage and the overall team strength was strong. One of the third stage member obtained an S rank enhancement. They chased team Devil throughout the movie world. It took team Devil great efforts to escape. After that, they began to underestimate team Devil.

Several movies later, a blond young man joined team Celestial and the team’s situation changed.

This man was Adam. He didn’t show off his strength and kept a calm expression. Two movies passed then the members began to realize he could foretell many of the events. Since these members were capable enough to become leaders, they were aware of the existence of people with supernatural abilities in the real world. For a while, they thought Adam had the ability of premonition. Then they began to consult him. Adam didn’t hold back with any of their requests. The team reaped large bonuses in the movie worlds. The only Chinese member even become a disciple of the cultivators from the mountain of Zu.

Then, team Celestial encountered team Devil again. However, the battle this time went back and forth as they ran and chased each other. The leader of team Devil was a Chinese man with a pair of bat wings. He took on seven members of team Celestial by himself and destroyed the body of their second strongest member, cultivator Luo YingLong. And he beat their strongest member, Song Tian, into fatal condition. Furthermore, he killed two members from team Celestial. If it wasn’t for the calculations from Adam, the team might have been wiped right there.

Team Devil only lost two weak members. Team Celestial weren’t the only team with someone scheming from behind. Such person also existed in team Devil. However, Adam was hiding from the dark and managed to win by half a step. He brought team Celestial back to God’s dimension.

Six members remained after the fight. Team Celestial realized stronger people existed at places where they couldn’t see and began to stay low profile. They also realized Adam wasn’t a fortuneteller but someone with capable intelligence and scheming ability. There was no Guide in team Celestial but he gradually became the leader of the team.

The thing team Celestial wanted most was annihilate team Devil. As players who reached the second and third stages and gathered from Adam’s analysis of the realm, they knew that only one team were to return to the real world in the end. If team Devil were to continue growing, their hope of returning was near nonexistent. The second wish they had was to kill the demon’s original before he reached the same stage as the clone.

“It’s easy to speculate this since the beginning. They were both inside the border of China so they entered team China. My efforts of setting up the scheme over several movies didn’t go to waste. And finally, in this five-way team battle, the scheme is closing up. Even with Chu Xuan’s intelligence, he shouldn’t be able to survive after falling into such a long scheme. However…” Adam muttered to himself in front of two people.

They were a man and a woman. The woman had blonde hair. She was the one that jumped on the desert when they first entered the world. Her name was Lina. The man was a SongTian, a mixed blood and part Chinese. Adam assigned the two of them to follow him. The other three members of team Celestial spread out at different areas of this world. They were to search for bonus missions by themselves since few living beings in this world could harm them.

SongTian looked like a reliable man. He sat in front of Adam and asked. “However? Was his death too unexpected?”

Adam nodded. “Correct. Chu Xuan’s death was too unexpected. Even though we saw his death through Luo YingLong’s phone but the way he died seemed like a joke. Yet, if he wanted to feign death in such a laughable way, he wouldn’t be Xuan. That man won’t be able to come up with such a naïve scheme. So, I thought his death was fake. However, the message was they indeed lost a point. Which means he actually died.

There are two possibilities I can think of. One, Xuan died. He wanted to die so he chose to stand there. We are similar after all. Or two, he didn’t die. He exchanged an ability of enhancement or found a method to exist in the same way as Luo YingLong’s core that allows him to revive after returning to God’s dimension, while the death still deducts a point.

Both possibilities are plausible. We know the location of the two parties of team China. One is heading to Mordor and the other to Gondor. The party going to Gondor is their main force. The one going to Mordor is composed of sci-fi weapon users. They basically pose no threat. Although the sniper with Gauss rifle may be useful, our defensive items can totally block one or two shots. He will die after the first shot. There’s no need to worry about them. What we need to consider is the main force that’s going to Gondor and Xuan who might still be alive.” Adam looked at them without emotion.

He continued to mutter. “This is an overt scheme. Whether his death was real or fake, it stopped the next step of my plan. I originally planned to send SongTian and Luo YingLong to snipe the demon. The two of you together should be fine even against the demon. He has only just entered the beginning of the fourth stage. He has the strength but lacks the control. However, Xuan’s death means that SongTian can’t go attack the demon. You are stronger than Luo YingLong but you don’t have the ability to revive as long as a core survives. If Xuan faked his death, I fear for the outlook of the battle at Minas Tirith. You can’t go. I will send two others to assist Luo YingLong. The battle at Minas Tirith is extremely important and it is the only chance we have to kill the demon.”

SongTian paused for a moment. “The only chance? It can’t be. There is still more to come after the battle. They must come to Mordor or they won’t be able to return. Can’t we kill them all after they arrive at Mordor?”

Adam shook his head. “That’s the reason for Xuan to choose this time to execute his scheme. This isn’t the original movie. They entered the world much earlier than us and obtained the influence from the alliance of man. They will grasp these influences firmly in their hands after the battle at Minas Tirith. I don’t have to analyze it for you. Just think about the movie and you can see the strong forces in this world. The Rohan riders, Gondor infantry, elves, Ents, and the Army of the Dead. If Xuan is still alive, these forces will march at Mordor once man wins the battle at Minas Tirith. Do you think the half-orcs can defend? Even with the Ringwraiths and Sauron, it will much many times more difficult to kill the demon.

Incredible overt scheme. It forced us to hold back at the battle in Minas Tirith. And if we were to go all in, we must be prepared for a wipe. The unknown is always the most terrifying. I am behind by half a step no matter he’s still alive or not.”

Lina suddenly said. “Things can’t be so bad. Doesn’t your plan still have the advantage of scheming their other party? Once those four members of team China died, what can they do in Minas Tirith even with Chu Xuan? Don’t you always say that once strength reaches a certain height, all wits are laughable. We are many times stronger than team China at the current moment. I say YingLong can kill them all by himself. You are too careful.”

Adam looked at her calmly until she blushed. “I am not speaking for that stupid, even though he’s my boyfriend. I am just speaking the truth!”

“I know.” Adam closed his eyes. “I feel I missed a step in my calculation. But what is it? Even if Xuan recognized that HaoTian entered the realm because of the information I sent back to the real world, even if he realized HaoTian’s entrance was all too sudden, even if he was aware of the disadvantageous position he was in by being in the open while I was in the shadow and HaoTian was in the open, what does he have to overturn the situation? What card does he have that can rival us?

What is Xuan hiding? Or is there someone in team China that’s a threat to us?

What is it?”

What Xuan was hiding wasn’t always so important. At least ZhuiKong didn’t seem to care when he looked at Adam with a smile.

Adam appeared to care about ZhuiKong. SongTian stepped in between them. A moment of silence followed between the two parties.

Adam opened his mouth. “Zhao ZhuiKong, when my team went to take the ring, you had already taken it. The biggest influence in this world actually fell into your hands. Although I don’t want this to happen but you have decided to compete with us in this world, correct?”

ZhuiKong’s smile didn’t change. He didn’t express his position and looked at SongTian. “You also reached the fourth stage? Early phase… how unexciting. If you can’t control yourself, just allow yourself to kill like a wild beast. Death is a beauty of its own. Forcefully suppressing your killing desires twists what god has bestowed upon you.”

SongTian also didn’t express himself as he remained calm. “At least I will be able to fight with you monsters. The future of humans can’t be decided by you monsters!”

ZhuiKong shrugged but he seemed to be enjoying this.

Adam waved his hand. “Let’s get to business. I will give you a choice. Either we abandon team China and kill you right now or you leave Mordor and don’t appear in front of me until the battle at Mordor is over. You can come back no matter who wins.”

ZhuiKong raised his head and pondered. After a while, he smiled at the three people in front. “I choose neither. My future should be seized in my hands. You want me to go against my heart by just saying a line… do you really think I will allow this to happen?”

His eyes gradually became sharp. SongTian felt an extraordinary killing intent from ZhuiKong. An antique looking Chinese broadsword appeared in his hand the next moment. It was unknown where the sword came from. It radiated a sense of chill and forced ZhuiKong’s eyes to fall on him.

ZhuiKong gave SongTian a good look then said. “Good… Too bad I am not interested in ripen fruits.” A dagger appeared in his hand. It was small and thin. When looked at from the side, the dagger was translucent as a piece of glass. SongTian backed half a step as soon as ZhuiKong had the dagger in hand like he was facing a mighty foe. He held the sword with both hands, getting ready to attack at full force once ZhuiKong moves.

Adam suddenly said. “The person you’re interested in… is it Zhao YinKong? What if we keep her alive or hand her to you?”

ZhuiKong stopped. He gave Adam a meaningful look then accepted pleasantly. “Good, just like you said then. I won’t come to Mordor before the battle is over. Oh, and save a few newbies from the other teams. You can take the rest.” He leaped backward into the woods and quickly disappeared.

SongTian loosened up once ZhuiKong was gone. He was still holding onto his sword and was breathing intensely. “This psychopath reached the same height as his clone. It feels helpless that these monsters are stronger than us pure humans. Is this the advantage of being a mixed blood?” He forgot that he was a mixed blood as he said this.

Lina felt confused and asked. “What’s the point of this, Adam? Don’t you think that was a waste of time? You called the psychopath over to ask a few questions and almost got into a fight. What are you thinking?”

“Confirmation.” Adam said. “I need to confirm what Xuan is hiding. Obviously, it isn’t Zhao ZhuiKong. Then what is it? Something that Xuan believes can turn the tide of battle, enough to let him fake death. What exactly is this thing? If the situation becomes dire, we will have to abandon Anaviya and Lekela. Luo YingLong won’t die anyway and you two are next to me. We won’t get wipe at the worst-case scenario.”

Anaviya and Lekela were a Caucasian man and black man of team Celestial. However, it seemed that these two members had a rather low position in the team. SongTian and Lina didn’t argue with Adam’s decision.

“Then we will stop here… Notify Anaviya and Lekela to help Luo YingLong kill Zheng Zha during the battle at Minas Tirith. At the same time, reduce the human alliance force as much as possible. Mordor winning the battle is the best result… Xuan, let me see your reaction.”

While team Celestial made their decision, a slab of ice floated up from a swamp in the marshes not too far away. The ice cracked. A naked man jumped out at once then he fell on his hands and knees and grasped for air. A long time passed before he stood up. However, he still seemed feeble. He fell multiple times trying to get up. Then his hands reached for the ice slab and climbed. He was barely standing.

The man raised his head and shouted. “I am not dead! Just wait! Whether you are team Celestial or team East America, you just wait! You are no heroes for sneak attacking. Wait for the wrath of my Ice Age! Arghhhhh….”

The mud and water beside him froze as he shouted then they exploded.

“Neos, what are you thinking about?”

The air in the Lord of the Rings world was extremely clean. There was no pollution. Once night fell, they could see the countless stars as they raised their heads. Even the dimmest starlight was visible to the naked eye. Surprisingly, there was also a milky galaxy in this world. It was like a silver ribbon that hung across the sky, beautiful and dazzling.

Neos lay on a boulder and gazed at the starry sky. Somehow, he seemed doleful. Aya, who was paying attention to him, couldn’t help but asked.

Neos rubbed his brows. “Aya… I don’t know why but I feel that this path might lead to a great danger if we continue.”

Aya was surprised. “Then are we not going to Minas Tirith? The Ents can find their way there anyway. There’s no need for us to go.”

Neos smiled bitterly. “It’s not so simple. The Ents will become suspicious. We are the ones who guide them there and if we run away, they will not give all they have to save the human alliance. Secondly, the battle at Minas Tirth is important. If we win the battle, the journey to Mordor won’t be as dangerous because we will have obtained enough influence to overwhelm Mordor. Furthermore, if team Celestial and team East America wants to fight us, they are certain to send their members to Minas Tirith. There is no escape. We must head to Minas Tirth. Instead of running away then head to death in Mordor, we might as well give what we have now. If we managed to arrive at Mordor, we will have enough to threaten them… Our team is very weak.”

Snow didn’t look like she understood. Aya and Richard fell into silence.

A while later, Neos broke the silence. “It’s ironic but our hope lies on team China. So, we must be there in Minas Tirith. Else if team China falls, we will lose our advantage to surviving. Sigh…”

“Even if there’s danger ahead, we must attend this battle!”

Team Africa’s saviors weren’t at a good spot either. The road ahead of team China without Xuan was once again clouded. The successor of Xuan that they expected didn’t come. Furthermore, the other four members of team China, the newbies, and the veterans of the other teams disappeared. None of the five members remaining were the strategic types. In the end, all they had was Zheng analyzing the situation through simulation.

“I still haven’t fully grasp the fourth stage. I am only at the early phase so the simulation is at fifty to sixty percent. I don’t know why I have never been able to simulate Xuan. Analyzing at half of HongLu’s strength is really suboptimal…” Zheng said to the others.

After a while of analysis and no conclusions were reached, they had no choice but to follow the development of the original plot, head to Minas Tirith and help the human alliance win the battle. This was all they could do now.

Among the five teams, some were on the verge of being wiped, some were having fun the world, some were calculating each other, and some were worried. However, as the plot continued to advance, all the teams placed their eyes at the battle coming up in Minas Tirith. This battle would shake the world!