Chapter 134: The Formidable Garrison Troops

Under the guidance of Zhuang Ting, Zhang Ze and his companion were busy familiarizing themselves with everything inside Anqing City.

Around the same time, the juniors from the Jiuhua Gate and the Wen family, who had been dispatched to this star domain, also arrived.

After being reprimanded by Woody, the officer was in a foul mood. "Set up your camp here. You must report all your movements to the garrison headquarters!"

"Understood."

The officer, his face dark as thunder, didn't bother engaging with Duan Qingkuang and the others before turning on his heel and heading toward the headquarters.

The members of the Jiuhua Gate and the Wen family were finally reunited behind the star gate, yet the atmosphere was stiflingly heavy.

In reality, although the government had previously shown no particular favor to these stubborn, traditional sects, it had never gone so far as to send them to the star domain; at most, they were left to their own devices.

Now, everything had changed.

Duan Qingkuang and his companions were forced to face the brutal attacks of alien races on the front lines, effectively serving as the vanguard for humanity.

It is worth noting that Duan Qingyang, Wen Ran, and Wen Tianming were not stationed with Duan Qingkuang’s group. After all, two of them were Grade 5 experts, and Duan Qingyang was a Grade 6 powerhouse; their utility was far too great to be squandered.

Duan Hong’s expression was one of fury. "Uncle Qingkuang, there is always a way out. Just as I entered the star domain, I ran into Zhang Ze and Zhang Yue!"

"What?" Duan Qingkuang’s eyes turned bloodshot, and he let out a low growl.

As a Grade 4 martial artist, he understood exactly what being sent to the star domain meant. To put it nicely, they were guarding the human front line, but in plain terms, they had been exiled.

Wen Qing, seeing Duan Hong and Duan Qingkuang whispering together, felt a dark, ominous sensation creeping into his heart.

The crystal in Woody’s hand shifted from black to white, and his figure reappeared. He chuckled, "The garrison has finished their rest. I’ll take you two over to test their blades."

With that, he led Zhang Ze and the others toward the garrison camp on the northeastern corner of Anqing City.

As they came to a halt, a vast expanse of military tents unfolded before them. At the foot of the city wall lay an expansive training ground where dozens of young soldiers were sparring.

Using his system, Zhang Ze was surprised to discover that these people all possessed roughly Grade 2 cultivation. Considering that many of these soldiers looked quite young, such a level of strength would have been enough to qualify for training in the Martial Arts Bureau.

As he marveled at this, Woody led the three of them to an open area of the training field. Seeing the arrival of Zhang Ze’s group, the soldiers on the perimeter began to jeer.

"This is it?"
"That kid hasn't even grown his beard yet, has he?"
"Haha!"

They knew why Zhang Ze and his companions were there, and they couldn't help but roar with laughter. Zhang Ze frowned, but to his surprise, his teacher Woody, who usually had a short temper, remained completely unmoved.

A moment later, a middle-aged man approached Woody. He had a short, flat-top haircut and a long, narrow scar across his face. The first impression he gave was one of rugged, fierce lethality.

"Commander Qi." Woody shook his hand.

Commander Qi offered a faint smile and gestured toward the soldiers behind him. Five young soldiers stepped forward—all of them Grade 3 experts.

Zhang Ze narrowed his eyes. It wasn't their cultivation that bothered him, but the aura they exuded. Having fought the evil cults so many times, Zhang Ze knew exactly where that pressure came from; you don't develop an aura like that without having killed at least a thousand people.

"Let these five little ones play with your students, Woody." Commander Qi did not show any fear of Woody, implying that his own cultivation was likely formidable.

Commander Qi added, "Your students have always returned home defeated. If either of them wins even one bout today, I’ll consider it your victory." As he spoke, he eyed Zhang Ze and Zhang Yue.

Woody’s expression darkened, but he said nothing, merely gesturing for Zhang Ze to pick a soldier to test the waters.

The five young men all seemed incredibly formidable to Zhang Ze. Ultimately, using his system, he chose the one with a cellular strength of around 820S. There was no helping it—it was the weakest one there.

"Zhou Yonghao." The young man stated his name in a low voice and stepped up to face Zhang Ze.

Commander Qi spoke from nearby: "Begin." He didn't forget to add a warning: "Be careful. This is just a spar; don't cause any permanent injuries."

Zhang Ze felt a sting of humiliation. *Good grief! It hasn't even started yet, and you say that? What the hell is that supposed to mean?*

Not giving the man a chance to continue, Zhang Ze growled, cutting him off. "Don't worry, I won't hurt your soldier!"

Commander Qi’s eyes widened, and he let out a sharp scoff, thinking, *You fool, do you think I was talking about you?*

*Bang!*

*Stumble, stumble, stumble.*

Regardless of how sharp Zhang Ze’s tongue was, the moment he clashed with Zhou Yonghao, he felt the man's immense power. They traded a heavy blow, and Zhang Ze felt his right arm go numb.

In truth, what made the fight so difficult for Zhang Ze was the opponent’s terrifying, murderous intent.

*Clang!*

Relying on his nearly 1000S cellular strength, Zhang Ze managed to hold his own. However, he soon realized something was wrong. Zhou Yonghao’s moves were all very standard, reminiscent of basic military combat techniques. These moves required very little energy, unlike Zhang Ze’s specialized martial arts, which drained his cellular energy rapidly.

Consequently, Zhang Ze’s condition began to slip, while Zhou Yonghao showed no signs of fatigue. If not for the slow recovery of his cellular strength provided by his wealth points, Zhang Ze wouldn't have lasted long.

*Thump!*

A heavy punch struck Zhang Ze’s shoulder, knocking him off balance. The young soldier stepped forward swiftly, closing the distance. One more strike would have been enough to put Zhang Ze in the hospital. But Zhou Yonghao held back, a gesture that wounded Zhang Ze’s pride deeply.

"Damn it!" he cursed.

As he stumbled and fell to the ground, Zhang Ze slammed his right hand into the dirt. His feet left the ground in an unconventional, almost dirty maneuver, and he lashed out with a kick at the young soldier.

It was a classic "scoundrel’s" fighting style. Nearby, Woody’s face turned grim, while Commander Qi chuckled. This was the gap between the sheltered students of the Martial Arts Bureau and the hardened soldiers of the front line.

"Roar!"

Just as the battle between Zhang Ze and his opponent reached a climax, a series of roars erupted from not far away.

Commander Qi moved instantly, and the soldiers who had been mocking Zhang Ze moments ago reorganized into formation in the blink of an eye. Even Zhou Yonghao stopped his attack, turning his gaze toward the dust clouds on the perimeter.

Not far from the military tents, Duan Qingkuang and Duan Hong looked frantic. Even for Duan Qingkuang, who had just entered the star domain for the first time, this was his first encounter with such hideous star beasts.

As the two fled in a panic, Duan Hong shouted to Duan Qingkuang, "Can these ugly things really help us stall the garrison?"

Duan Qingkuang’s expression was wild, and he did not respond.