Chapter 732: A Surge of the Ultimate

Beep beep beep beep beep——

In an instant, as most of the detection devices were already pushed to their limits and on the verge of collapse, another set suddenly flashed a dazzling red light before erupting into piercing alarms.

The unexpected change left every detection officer in Qinggang, as well as everyone in the command center, frozen in shock.

Earlier, the devices had targeted the mental forces invading from outside the city.

But this time, they pointed at Doll.

It was hard to tell whether shock or delight prevailed.

Everyone’s gaze turned to Doll.

At that moment, she floated in mid-air, radiating a brilliant white glow.

Countless visible white chains swirled around her, clattering as they sliced through layers of the mental realm. Every mental monster drawn in by her psychic force was shattered and bound, symbolizing her unrivaled dominance.

That was absolute control.

It left no room for any resistance, representing overwhelming suppression.

This scene sent everyone’s heart in Qinggang racing.

They were struck with immense delight that exploded like a volcanic eruption in their hearts.

……

……

“No way…”

Professor Chen Liqing was the first to stand up, his voice hoarse: “Doll, what’s happening here?”

As the expert in charge of the Doll project, he knew her inside out.

In some ways, he understood her even better than she knew herself.

Thus, he was fully aware of Doll’s strengths and weaknesses, her limits. Moments earlier, he had felt utterly desperate, knowing that despite her best efforts in such dire circumstances, it still wasn’t enough.

What worried him most was that she might try to hold on any longer.

Because that would only endanger her further.

But he never imagined that in the blink of an eye, Doll would deliver such an astonishing surprise.

What kind of power was that?

Why did it resonate so perfectly with Doll, yet be so overwhelmingly powerful, as if beyond any known level?

“That’s the Ultimate!”

Suddenly, a voice nearby exclaimed the answer with excitement.

Including Professor Chen Liqing, Mr. Su, Minister Shen, and others, none could suppress their excitement. With endless questions in their eyes, they turned to see Professor Bai, equally animated, gesturing wildly as he explained in a booming voice.

And every answer was concrete, devoid of any philosophical nuances:

“We’ve already covered this in the training sessions…”

“For an ability user to ascend to a higher level, they must absorb the powers of others within the same group…”

“Don’t look at me; of course, Doll would never absorb anyone else’s powers…”

“But besides absorbing the powers of their peers, there’s another way to reach a higher level…”

“……”

At this point, Professor Bai paused for a moment before loudly declaring, “The Ultimate!”

“Hunt down the Ultimate, seize its essence, and you too can ascend!”

“……”

“Did someone grant Doll the essence of the Ultimate?”

Professor Chen Liqing, too stirred up to think clearly, blurted out, “Who?”

“Who else?”

This time, it wasn’t Professor Bai but Mr. Su—smiling like a blooming peony—who, ever sharp, quickly reacted, laughing and slapping the table as he exclaimed, “It’s got to be the Single Soldier. Only he could pull it off…”

“You all reported that the Single Soldier collected leftovers from Flame City for Doll, which I found hard to believe…”

“Who would ever present leftovers as a gift?”

“That’s the true gift he delivered to Doll—a shot of Ultimate power for her ascension…”

“……”

Everyone had already pieced it together and could easily guess the truth behind it…

They were overwhelmed with indescribable joy.

Minister Shen was the first to snap into action, leaping up and shouting, “This is the signal!”

“All departments, prepare to counterattack these invading mental monsters!”

“……”

Professor Bai then ordered over the channel to Chen Jing and the others, “Connect with the Information Analysis Department—I will personally oversee the pollution cleanup.”

It took the nanny teams a while to grasp what was happening, and their faces lit up with delight.

Amid their excitement, a hint of indignation emerged: “Is this supposed to be a bride price?”

……

……

“Clatter…”

While the command center erupted in jubilation, above Qinggang Main City, the white chains swirling around Doll had secured absolute control over the mental realm, barring countless mental monsters outside the High Wall from entering.

At the same time, additional chains stretched out toward several other cities in Qinggang, excluding Satellite City No. 2.

These white chains rapidly extended through the omnipresent psychic network into other cities.

The drunkard, Watchdog, and others had already been ensnared by black chains originating outside. Then, both the black and white chains clamped down on them simultaneously, creating a massive tug-of-war and a brief stalemate.

The black chains from outside wielded greater strength.

The white chains emanating from Doll were purer in power.

The dual forces entwined around these ability users rendered them evenly matched.

“Crack, crack, crack…”

Amidst the tension as the two forces pulled, and as the black chains tightened, crisp footsteps resounded.

Beside each ability user, an elegant female figure appeared like a shadow.

She emerged from the end of the street, stepped out from an open doorway, and advanced through the chaotic crowd.

Every one of them clutched a pair of scissors, aimed at the taut black chains, and snipped them gently.

“Snap…”

Though the black chains were sturdy, the stalemate with the white ones made them susceptible to being cut.

In an instant, all ability users were freed, looking around in astonishment.

But then, they all felt their power surge dramatically.

The white chains granted them unprecedented power augmentation.

Thus, the Drunkard unscrewed his thermos and downed a large gulp of alcohol.

He grabbed the thermos, ready to hurl it to the ground.

However, just as he lifted it, he hesitated, retracted it, screwed the lid back on, and tucked it away. Then he pulled out an ordinary-looking suitcase and, facing Satellite City No. 4—which was under relentless assault by mental monsters—his face turned grim:

“For crying out loud…”

He muttered as he opened the suitcase.

At another Satellite City, Watchdog panted heavily. Upon realizing that moments ago he had been completely subdued with no chance to resist, his heart burned with anger. With a muffled roar, he tore off his black leather coat.

Instantly, a scar-riddled body resembling a monster more than a human appeared before everyone.

He roared with monstrous fury as he charged towards the mental monsters.

Simultaneously, the Godly Woman took a swig, cleared her throat, and prepared to hurl curses.

Red Serpent, having touched up her makeup, began scanning the invading mental monsters for one resembling a relative…

“Copy that, on my way to support the Captain…”

Gecko responded loudly over the channel to Tie Cui’s orders while checking the ability users assigned to him. After counting twice, he complained, “Dear Linda, I know you have your issues with me, but you can’t short-change me during a mission, can you?”

“You only sent me two ability users, and one is a kid. Why did you say three?”

“……”

“……”

Amid the excitement, the steel panels atop Qinggang Main City and its six satellite cities peeled away from the High Wall, revealing vast gaps. From within emerged 30-centimeter-diameter cannon barrels, with a tangle of cables and instruments beneath.

Under orders from the City Defense Department commander, all the railguns rapidly recharged, scanning for opponents.

One by one, special treatment teams clad in unique protective suits arrived at High-wall City, transported by military vehicles.

Across the wasteland outside the city, special protective armed forces from various directions—formed by major settlements with Qinggang’s aid as special pollution cleanup teams—rushed to help upon receiving distress signals.

Among them, the most exceptional unit came from the southeast.

It was an endless, dense crowd—each one a dead person.

They wandered the wasteland tirelessly and obliviously, like a moving fortress.

Amidst them, on an oversized truck…

In the truck bed lay a body that looked female, but with a stomach as enormous as that of an ant queen.

She huddled quietly in the truck bed, enduring the drowsy jolts from the rugged road.

Clenching a chocolate bar in her mouth, her expression was one of lazy indifference.

She really didn’t want to be here, yet had no choice…

……

……

Qinggang’s counterattack had begun.

Doll made her move, and the ability users guarding the satellite cities sprang into action.

The support teams engaged, and the railguns were activated…

Reinforcements were nearly here—both the token ones and the real backup alike…

Lu Xin sighed deeply as he gazed beyond the High Wall; among the countless enforcers, one figure became increasingly clear—a giant leaning on a long sword, its cold stare fixed on its wielder, its smile gradually fading.

Then, slowly, he raised his hand and beckoned subtly.

In the distant wasteland, the statue of a sword-bearing executioner among countless others seemed even more silent.

After a moment, it slowly drew its massive sword from underground.

It looked identical to the Judgment Swords held by the enforcers—just magnified countless times—but as it was raised and pointed at Qinggang from afar, it revealed itself to be rusted and stained with blood.

That sword aimed at Qinggang Satellite City No. 2, a direct response to Lu Xin’s provocation.