World's End: My Keyword is One More Than Others-Chapter 492: A single stone stirs up a thousand waves

Next, Xiang Jiaojiao and the others showcased their abilities one by one, leaving Du Jianming and the others in awe.

Whether Du Jianming was genuinely considering the bigger picture or secretly plotting against Du Ge, no one mentioned the slap incident again, as if it had been forgotten.

The military didn't bring it up, and naturally, Xu Wan and the others didn't dwell on this minor episode. With more than a dozen Alien Star warriors gathered together, they formed an invincible group. A mere slap was insignificant; if it could help them grow, what did it matter if it cost him his life?

It's just that Du Ge wasn't interested in seizing power this time. Otherwise, with his capabilities, he might have already taken the president's seat.

Among everyone, only Nalan Li worried for Lin Hong. The military was never easy to deal with, and she was deeply concerned that one day on the battlefield, Lin Hong might be sabotaged by his own people.

But she didn't dare voice her concerns, fearing that if she did, Lin Hong might eliminate the threat entirely, which would only lead to bigger troubles.

...

With Du Ge and the others joining, Du Jianming had no more excuses to delay, and the Seventh Army Group marched grandly towards the Kingdom of Malta.

Meanwhile.

The leader of the Doomsday Cult, Tong Niya, suddenly revealed Du Ge's identity in a high-profile manner, calling on all Qi Yuan Star compatriots scattered across Bi Xing.

The Doomsday Cult also began a new round of expansion, starting with a propaganda war. Gao Ming expertly exploited the disaster in New Jinhua City to spread doomsday theories on the Battle Network.

Gene technology was described by the Doomsday Cult as opening Pandora's box. Once it spread unchecked, Bi Xing would be overrun with demons and monsters;

Bi Xing had no effective means to deal with the Hill people;

The arrival of Alien Star warriors was because Bi Xing was chosen by a higher civilization as a playground. Even if they survived the Hill Civilization's invasion, more disasters would inevitably follow...

At the same time, Gao Ming used his skill "Doomsday Fantasy" extensively, centering on Haibin City and spreading to surrounding cities, implanting scenes of impending disaster into many people's minds, and using despair to crush their spirits;

The Doomsday Cult called this divine revelations.

Many high-ranking officials brainwashed by Gao Ming stepped forward to testify to the reality of the doomsday, deepening people's fears. In just two days, the Doomsday Cult grew like a snowball...

Gao Ming's arrogant actions drew the attention of all Alien Star warriors, primarily because he invoked Du Ge's name.

Typically, when Du Ge's name was invoked, it often signaled the beginning of a harvest.

...

Third Army Group.

Lu Tingjie browsed the news on the Battle Network, his expression serious. After a long pause, he asked, "Ke Ye, do you think this Tong Niya is actually Du Ge?"

"The methods seem similar," Ke Ye replied.

These past few days.

They had recruited about a dozen Alien Star warriors from Proxima Star, but most were focused on offense and defense, with none awakening control or mental skills. This was why they had stopped expanding, fearing they might hit a wall.

But with Ke Ye's persuasive tactics, they indirectly controlled the Third Army Group.

"So, is Du Ge's keyword this time 'despair'?" Lu Tingjie asked. "This keyword is at best second-rate, unlikely to awaken any good skills, right?"

"Perhaps that's why Du Ge has been lying low for so many days, not daring to show himself," Ke Ye said.

"But why has he suddenly appeared now?" Lu Tingjie asked in confusion.

"Probably because the Homeland Defense Bureau's harvest in New Jinhua City made him feel threatened, so he took a risk to grow quickly and attract more Qi Yuan Star people to unite," Ke Ye explained.

"If Tong Niya is Du Ge, then who is behind the Homeland Defense Bureau?" Lu Tingjie asked.

"Who knows, but it's probably not Du Ge. The person behind the Homeland Defense Bureau operates in a completely different style from Du Ge," Ke Ye sneered. "Moreover, his methods are somewhat lowbrow. He lacks the ability to control the situation yet insists on doing so, resulting in a complete mess. Now he doesn't even dare to admit that he was behind the New Jinhua City incident. What a fool."

"Now that Du Ge has surfaced, what should we do?" Lu Tingjie asked.

"Jie, what's your ranking now?" A seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, spinning a shield in her hand, suddenly interjected.

"Fifth," Lu Tingjie replied.

"Jie, I think the outer space front is the key," the girl smiled. "Du Ge's appearance is perfect for drawing others' attention. We should find a way to control the president, enter outer space, and use the space front's weapons to directly destroy Bi Xing. Then this Alien Star Battlefield will be over, and it won't matter who the Homeland Defense Bureau or Du Ge is. No one can survive a planetary explosion."

"The Homeland Defense Bureau has the Black Cat Hero and Ten Steps to Kill One," Lu Tingjie hesitated for a moment. "The Black Cat Hero is too fast; I fear I can't keep up with her speed."

"My Unharmed Shield should be able to protect a few of us," the girl said.

"The Bell Star Alliance once controlled the Black Cat Hero with gravity, but the one who controlled gravity was forcibly summoned away," Ke Ye said. "Xia Rong, even if you raise the shield, if someone forcibly summons us, we'll suffer a crushing defeat. Going head-to-head with the Homeland Defense Bureau is too risky."

"Ke Ye, have Cao Taihua issue a statement, claiming that the tragedy in New Jinhua City was due to the Homeland Defense Bureau's incompetence. Then raise our flag, and the Third Army Group will replace the Homeland Defense Bureau in fighting the Doomsday Cult," Xia Rong said. "Once we draw the Homeland Defense Bureau's attention, we'll turn and head straight for the Imperial Capital."

...

Sixteenth Army Group.

Yin Feng was also monitoring the situation across various regions via the Battle Network. As a newcomer to the Alien Star Battlefield, he found it somewhat challenging to adapt. After all, Nine Dragon Star was a high-martial world, but Bi Xing was technology-driven. Even with the memories of the natives, he still struggled to accept the various aspects of a technological world.

In the first few days, aside from exploring keywords, he mainly focused on figuring out how to retrain his internal energy.

Back on Nine Dragon Star, each Alien Star warrior was a martial arts master, which led Yin Feng to mistakenly believe that Alien Star warriors were suited for martial arts. In his view, while mechas were powerful, they were too cumbersome compared to the convenience of martial arts.

But after trying for a long time without success, Yin Feng realized that Alien Star warriors ultimately relied on keywords. The attributes enhanced by keywords allowed them to cultivate internal energy and control mechas.

By then, several days had passed, and Ten Steps to Kill One and General Feng had already gained fame on the Battle Network. Remembering the fear instilled by Alien Star warriors, Yin Feng decisively abandoned his initial restraint and began fervently honing his keywords.

Yin Feng was a master of dark arts on Nine Dragon Star, and on Bi Xing, his randomly assigned keyword was "Madness," which perfectly matched his personality.

He possessed the body of a logistics officer in the Sixteenth Army Group, and with sheer madness, he single-handedly defeated an ace mecha pilot, eventually earning the commander's recognition and tasting the benefits brought by attributes and skills.

At a banquet in his honor, he went on a killing spree, taking out the commander of the Sixteenth Army Group and half the officers, using his formidable martial prowess to seize control of the high command and forcibly take over the Sixteenth Army Group, summoning new Alien Star warriors from Nine Dragon Star.

Later, the Sixteenth Army Group declared independence and engaged in the reckless bombardment of the Kingdom of Malta. This extreme behavior of madness propelled Yin Feng's attributes to new heights, pushing him to the second position.

As more members from Nine Dragon Star gathered, witnessing various miraculous skills and the rise of different factions, Yin Feng finally settled down, maneuvering between the two major army groups that restrained him while contemplating his next moves.

He was a master of dark arts, fearing Alien Star warriors but not harboring the same hatred as Mo Shengmin.

Having experienced the power of Alien Star warriors, Yin Feng focused more on how to gain more benefits for himself on the Alien Star Battlefield and then return alive.

"Commander, Du Ge's influence seems significant. The Third Army Group is heading to fight the Doomsday Cult. Should we join the fun in Haibin City?" Yin Feng's adjutant, Yan Wenya, approached him and asked, "Killing other Alien Star warriors can inherit their strength, and there must be quite a few gathered there."

Yin Feng glanced at Yan Wenya and pointed to the location of the Imperial Capital on the map: "If we're going, let's go here."

"The Imperial Capital?" Yan Wenya was taken aback.

"The Imperial Capital has the Academy of Sciences and the president, who represents the highest authority. Previously, the Homeland Defense Bureau and the Third Army Group were here. Now, with the Third Army Group heading to Haibin City, the Homeland Defense Bureau will surely follow, leaving the Imperial Capital vulnerable. It's the perfect time for us to take it," Yin Feng said. "Seizing the president and the Academy of Sciences will allow us to make this world even more chaotic..."

...

Eighth Army Group, Bi Xing Business Union, Assembly Line Organization... Alien Star warriors from various planets all turned their attention to the Imperial Capital after Gao Ming, posing as Du Ge, made a high-profile appearance.

However.

They didn't openly state their intentions.

Du Ge's notorious reputation was too overwhelming. Whether to fight or ally, declaring their stance prematurely would be disadvantageous to their position.

The most troubled was the Benevolence Association from Valley God Planet. After Gao Ming revealed Du Ge's identity, he openly invited them, putting them in a difficult position.

In the previous Alien Star Battlefield, Du Ge indeed proposed an alliance between two planets, but times have changed. With only three spots left, and Du Ge's keyword being a seemingly hopeless despair.

Under such circumstances, who dared to join forces with him?

So, Huang Li from the Benevolence Association pretended not to see Gao Ming's invitation, cursing while hastily preparing various defenses to prevent any planet from mistakenly thinking they had allied with Du Ge and causing trouble...

...

Kingdom of Malta.

Guo Yougui from Blue Star was also overwhelmed by the complex situation. His keyword was "expansion."

He was a veteran Alien Star warrior, having just returned from the Alien Star Battlefield. As a victor, he should have been enjoying a peaceful retirement, but he was sent back to the battlefield, harboring resentment.

Before entering the battlefield, he crammed a lot of information about Du Ge and, after witnessing Du Ge's terror, held little hope for this battlefield.

Once on the battlefield, anger fueled his courage, and with a reckless mindset, he never intended to hide his keyword or aim to kill Du Ge for any rank, only wanting to enjoy a glorious moment.

But after capturing the Kingdom of Malta and declaring independence, his mental power inexplicably surged, surpassing the gains from the previous Alien Star Battlefield in just a few days. This newfound joy made him consider seriously managing this Alien Star Battlefield.

Then the Sixteenth Army Group's artillery shells rained down on him, nearly costing him his life, and infuriating Guo Yougui.

Especially after learning that the Sixteenth Army Group was from Nine Dragon Star, he dared not relax, knowing what he had done on Nine Dragon Star.

In panic, Guo Yougui began his rapid expansion, realizing that this Alien Star Battlefield was unlike any before.

Failing to adapt quickly to the complex situation could mean not surviving until the end-of-month rankings. Even if he had a reckless mindset, he didn't want to last only a month on the Alien Star Battlefield.

"Senior Guo, the Seventh Army Group is on the move, likely with the help of Alien Star warriors," Li Han asked. "Should we fight or retreat?"

"Retreat? Where to?" Guo Yougui said. "My keyword is expansion. Losing territory would plummet my attributes to the bottom, and then everyone would come to beat a drowning dog."

"Senior Guo, no one would compare themselves to a drowning dog," Li Han glanced at Guo Yougui and said. "Also, what you just said is quite inauspicious."

"Inauspicious?" Guo Yougui squinted at him, then looked at a twenty-something woman sitting in the corner with a troubled expression and called out, "Yuan Xiaoyan, your keyword is divination. Tell me, if we fight the Seventh Army Group, what is the omen?"

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Yuan Xiaoyan looked up at Guo Yougui, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz: "Brothers at odds."

Though her voice was soft, everyone present had keen hearing and clearly heard the term. Guo Yougui asked, "What does it mean?"

"It means there's a high chance that the Alien Star warriors in the Seventh Army Group are our people," Yuan Xiaoyan said, her face particularly grim.

Guo Yougui was stunned for a moment: "Damn, are you saying the Alien Star warrior in the Seventh Army Group is Xu Wan from the Homeland Defense Bureau?"

"There's a high chance it's her," Yuan Xiaoyan replied.

"But didn't you divine for her before?" Guo Yougui said. "You said the omen was twin lotus flowers, separated into two branches, which was more favorable for us, a great fortune."

"..." Yuan Xiaoyan's expression grew increasingly bitter. She stammered, "Senior Guo, maybe I misunderstood the omen at the time. Twin lotus flowers might not mean two separate branches. Considering today's omen, twin lotus flowers might mean two flowers competing for nutrients from the root, inevitably leading to a conflict."

"Damn!" Guo Yougui was exasperated. "I knew your fortune-telling was unreliable. Can you even interpret omens? How can you derive two meanings from twin lotus flowers?"

"Senior Guo, I have no choice. The omen only gives one word, and I don't know what that word will ultimately mean!" Yuan Xiaoyan pursed her lips and said, "But 'brothers at odds' shouldn't have a second meaning."

"..." Guo Yougui was speechless. "If we have to fight this war, who will win?"

"Senior Guo, do you still want to divine?" Yuan Xiaoyan asked timidly.

"Divine," Guo Yougui said.

"Hen crowing at dawn." After a moment of silence, Yuan Xiaoyan provided the omen again.

"What does that mean?" Guo Yougui asked.

"On the surface, it means a hen replacing a rooster to crow at dawn..." Yuan Xiaoyan said, "But the omen might have different interpretations."

"Is there a more auspicious interpretation?" Guo Yougui asked.

"..." Yuan Xiaoyan frowned, pondered for a moment, and shook her head.

Guo Yougui's face turned extremely grim in an instant.

Li Han looked at Guo Yougui, then at Yuan Xiaoyan: "Senior Guo, if it's Xu Wan over there, why don't we surrender? At worst, we let Xu Wan lead, and since she's also from Blue Star, it would fit the omen of the hen crowing at dawn."

"Is surrender an option?" Guo Yougui turned to Yuan Xiaoyan again. "Divine it."

"Will-o'-the-Wisp." Yuan Xiaoyan quickly replied.

"What does that mean?" Guo Yougui asked.

"..." Yuan Xiaoyan looked at Guo Yougui, shook her head, and was on the verge of tears. "Senior Guo, I don't know either. Maybe it means it's all for nothing!"