Chapter 413 - 274: Is Tier Three That Strong?
"Finally, there’s the third category, which evolved from the second. They’ve completed large-scale rituals, causing Tier Four Monsters to spawn in their cities and granting them even greater power. The Moon Worshipers call them Blood Moon Envoys, and they already possess Tier Three strength."
"The power progression of these third-category Moon Worshipers is even faster than our warriors who’ve earned Special Merits. Judging from the situation abroad, it’s highly likely that individuals at the Tier Three Limit have already appeared among them."
Lin Qi already knew about the three categories of Moon Worshipers from Wei Yue, but he lacked a systematic understanding of their Extraordinary Power levels.
More than one Tier Three, perhaps even some at the Tier Three Limit—in Wang Qiang’s eyes, this was an insurmountable force.
Unless the Dragon Country gathered all its forces in a single city, it would be difficult to confront this group of Moon Worshipers head-on.
Wang Qiang felt that since the Mo University Camp was being targeted by such a force, there was no other option but to flee.
But in Lin Qi’s eyes, things were far from the point where they needed to abandon the camp and run.
’Tier Three?’
’A large number of Tier Threes?’
’Even some at the Tier Three Limit?’
’Right. No matter how powerful the Moon Worshipers are, they’re still fundamentally human.’
’They can’t aggregate individual strength limitlessly like a gestalt monster.’
Tier Four is a threshold in the Extraordinary Domain, marked by the near-physical condensation of one’s will. For the Moon Worshipers and Blood Moon Envoys, this is also a difficult barrier to break through.
It was just Tier Three Extraordinary Power. Even if they were at the Tier Three Limit, Lin Qi wasn’t really afraid.
’We can fight them!’
’But there are risks.’
The risk lay with the Tier Four Monsters that were spawned when these Blood Moon Envoys first came into being.
Lin Qi had previously seen Moon Worshipers in Shuining City who seemed to be able to control the power of Tier Three Monsters.
’If every one of these Moon Worshipers is a master trainer who brings Pokémon into battle, then things will get very troublesome.’
"Can they control Tier Four Monsters?"
Lin Qi asked the final question, one that would determine his ultimate decision.
Lin Qi looked straight at Wang Qiang, awaiting his answer.
Finally, Wang Qiang shook his head. "Tier Four Monsters are incredibly powerful. Not even the strongest Moon Worshiper can completely control one. They can only influence its behavior to a limited extent."
’They can’t control Tier Four Monsters!’
’Good news!’
’The advantage is mine!’ Lin Qi thought.
’Flee?’
’Flee from what?’
’We’re not running!’
Lin Qi said to Wang Qiang, "I understand. Go get some rest for now. I have a few things to discuss with the people in the camp."
Wang Qiang simply assumed Lin Qi was going to announce the evacuation.
A dozen or so hours would be enough for the Mo University Camp to complete its personnel evacuation.
As long as they reached Hongshan Camp and transferred via train, the Moon Worshipers would never be able to catch up.
Wang Qiang said no more. He turned and left, preparing to await Lin Qi’s orders.
Lin Qi took the elevator down from the sixth floor, walked straight out after reaching the first, and headed toward Wei Yue’s building.
He still needed to discuss and double-check some intelligence details with Wei Yue.
For example, the Extraordinary Levels of the Blood Moon Envoys and their ability to control monsters.
...
About half an hour later, Lin Qi returned to the sixth floor of the Club Activity Building.
The information he got from Wei Yue was not much different from what Wang Qiang had described.
In Wei Yue’s words, given the current state of the Blood Moon, it was impossible for a Blood Moon Envoy to become Tier Four.
Unless the Blood Moon awakened further and more of its Will Power descended upon the Earth, the Blood Moon Envoys could not complete their promotion.
The promotion of a Blood Moon Envoy was almost entirely dependent on the Blood Moon Will.
If the Blood Moon Will on Earth was that strong, Wei Yue would have been finished long ago.
As for the possibility of controlling monsters?
Lin Qi got his answer for that, too.
Moon Worshipers could only completely control a monster through ritual power during its promotion to Tier Three.
Once the ritual was complete, the most a Moon Worshiper could do was prevent the monster from harming them.
Their influence over the monster’s actions was extremely limited.
Having obtained this intelligence, Lin Qi’s worries were mostly dispelled.
’Not running!’
’There’s nothing to run from!’
A mere group of Tier Three Extraordinaries wasn’t enough to force Lin Qi into such a pathetic retreat.
What hadn’t Lin Qi been through in the Cyber World? He’d even scammed Tier Four Extraordinaries out of their shoes.
Now, in the Doomsday World, these Moon Worshipers didn’t even have a single Prosthetic Body. On what grounds could they make Lin Qi back down?
’Avoid their spearhead?’
’Not happening!’
After returning to the Club Activity Building, Lin Qi dove straight into the Pharmacy Laboratory.
He began producing the enhanced A-Class Potions.
Since he had decided to face this group of Moon Worshipers head-on, Lin Qi also had to make preparations.
’Five million per potion!’
’I’ll have a fire sale for the Capitalists or Master Ma!’
’Trade money for combat power. Get some sufficiently powerful Prosthetic Bodies and weapons from the Cyber World and bring them to the Doomsday World.’
’Let these local Moon Worshipers witness what a grand cyber-shock looks like.’
Lin Qi was busy for a long time and produced six enhanced A-Class Potions.
’For now, it’s still difficult to mass-produce A-Class Potions in the Doomsday World. The variety and yield of Extraordinary Materials are insufficient, so I often need to substitute materials on the fly. I have to craft them personally.’
’But once the new batch of materials is finished, this will be much less of a hassle.’
Potion production was another reason Lin Qi was unwilling to abandon the Mo University Camp.
Many Extraordinary Materials were in the final stages of production and would soon be ready for use.
Abandoning the Mo University Camp now would be too great a loss. At a minimum, it would cost Lin Qi more than five days of time.
In Lin Qi’s eyes, time was the most important cost—bar none.
Carrying the potions, Lin Qi walked out of the Pharmacy Laboratory and saw Wang Qiang again.
Wang Qiang was just about to knock.
Wang Qiang’s eyes were wide as he stared at Lin Qi. Standing next to him was Wang Ziru.
Wang Ziru said to Lin Qi, "I really couldn’t stop him. He insisted on seeing—"
Before he could finish, Wang Qiang interrupted, "Lin Qi, what I told you before wasn’t a joke. We have less than six hours at most. Even if we move now, we’ll be cutting it close."
Wang Qiang didn’t speak plainly, so it seemed he hadn’t told Wang Ziru yet.
Lin Qi, holding the six brand-new potions, said to Wang Qiang, "Major Wang Qiang, rest assured, I’m already taking action."
These six potions, even at the lowest price, could net Lin Qi a full thirty million Credit Points.
’What can thirty million get you in the Cyber World?’
’You can buy four to five standard S-Class Weapons!’
’You could equip ten A-Class Implanters with cheaper Prosthetic Bodies!’
’If you used it to hire Mercenaries, the cost-effectiveness would be even higher. If it weren’t in the Asian Administrative Region, you could even hire an S-Class Implanter.’
’This sum is more than enough for me to give the Moon Worshipers a grand cyber-shock.’
Wang Qiang’s expression remained grim. "Lin Qi, you have to believe me. Headquarters really can’t spare any extra forces. Reinforcements aren’t coming."
Wang Qiang thought Lin Qi was gambling.
Gambling that Headquarters hadn’t told him the whole truth.
Or perhaps Lin Qi thought this was just a ploy by Wang Qiang to get him to go to Headquarters.
Wang Ziru, standing to the side, froze for a moment.
’Reinforcements?’
’What reinforcements?’
’Is something bad about to happen?’
Neither Wang Qiang nor Lin Qi paid any attention to Wang Ziru’s reaction.
Wang Qiang just looked at the unfazed Lin Qi and continued his persuasion, "Lin Qi, we’re talking about a number that could exceed ten Tier Three Awakened. It’s possible the top Moon Worshipers from the entire Southeast Asian Region have come."
Hearing these words, Wang Ziru’s brain short-circuited again.
’What the hell?’
’More than ten Tier Threes?’
’The Mo University Camp isn’t about to face an enemy like that, is it?’
’Holy crap!’
’A force like that is strong enough to wipe out all the monsters in the entire Modu Region, isn’t it?’
Wang Ziru looked at Lin Qi.
Strangely, Wang Ziru didn’t see the slightest hint of panic on Lin Qi’s face.
He seemed to have a plan already, with everything under control.
Seeing Lin Qi’s expression, the panic in Wang Ziru’s heart was instantly soothed for the most part.
’Lin Qi must have a way.’
Then, Lin Qi spoke, his emotions steady: "Are Tier Threes supposed to be strong?"