Volume Two: The Expedition! Chapter 82: The Faint Light

As the Supreme Commander of the Air Force, Li Junhe naturally had to accompany the planes. He and Wang Na boarded early, while Zhao Tian and fifty members of the War God Squadron were distributed among the thirty aircraft, joining several Japanese soldiers to supervise the civilians inside each cabin and prevent any disturbances that might arise from the crowd.

Once the last plane’s rear hatch closed, Liu Cong switched on the communicator. “I’ll be controlling the flight myself—no need for engines. Inform the civilians in your cabins to take their seats and grip the armrests. The planes will move much faster than usual, so be careful not to get hurt.”

The pilots, having rested and eaten, boarded the planes only to find themselves perplexed as they looked at the tightly packed aircraft around them, wondering how they would take off. When the instructions came through their headsets, each couldn’t help but feel a bit bemused.

So now I’m not even flying the plane? Why am I here, just to fill the numbers?

Despite their frustration, previous landing experiences had earned them deep trust in this so-called Sword Immortal, and all promptly signaled their understanding.

The pilots’ confirmations were relayed to Li Junhe and Zhang Yuqiang, then passed on by Kim Soo-ji and Zhang Yuqiang to Liu Cong. Once everyone was ready, Liu Cong mobilized his powers, enveloping the thirty large transport planes.

This time, it consumed even more energy than usual, but finally, all thirty aircraft slowly rose into the air. Before the long line of waiting planes, they spread their wings and soared into the sky.

Though the planes had departed, the civilians still queued up in the safe zone awaiting their turn were even more elated. As the mighty fleet of transports lifted off, tears of excitement brimmed in every eye. Those thirty steel behemoths, together with the lone figure floating high above, were carrying everyone’s hopes toward the distant Promised Land.

And those still in line—they were the next passengers.

By the window, Masao Nakamura watched the fleet disappear into the distance, the gloom in his heart gradually dispersing.

“Sir... Sir! Safe Zone 3... has lost contact!”

“What?! Weren’t they just attacked by mutant creatures? How did it fall so quickly?”

“I don’t know. The last message... it sounded like... it was breached from the inside...”

High above, dense black clouds stretched across the sea, a heavy mass blocking the path of the transport fleet.

“Commander, should we go around?” Zhang Yuqiang gazed at the vast, ominous cloud bank and exhaled, asking for instructions.

All the pilots awaited the Sword Immortal’s decision, each hoping they could avoid the clouds. At the edge of that dense mass, a few unknown flying creatures could just be seen darting to and fro.

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“This cloud bank is too vast. Detouring would take too long. We’ll go straight through,” Liu Cong declared.

Zhang Yuqiang, much as he respected the Sword Immortal’s abilities, doubted he could protect all the planes. “But...”

“Don’t worry. It’s fine,” Liu Cong replied, then switched off his communicator and led the planes into the oppressive darkness. The blue aura surrounding the transports grew more intense, shielding them from the clouds’ touch.

He wasn’t showing off—his newfound power and mastery of Blackfire had reached new heights. Ordinary mutant creatures were no threat. Even if a T4-level bird appeared, he was confident he could dispatch it instantly.

As the planes entered the cloud bank, it was like a stone plunging into water, shattering the calm.

Within the clouds, many mutated birds, their forms mostly hidden in the black mist, fluttered their wings and lunged. Their talons, protruding from the clouds, gleamed like alloyed blades.

“My god! These birds are enormous!” a pilot shouted, his voice trembling as he glimpsed one of the mutant creatures in full. Giant birds, each rivaling a transport in size, tore through the clouds and dove at the fleet. Their bodies were pitch black, feathers glowing with a sinister luster, terrifying to behold.

“We’re doomed! They’re coming right at us!”

“Kim Soo-ji, have the Sword Immortal do something!”

Li Junhe’s eyes widened as the monstrous birds swooped in, urging frantically. Not only the pilots, but the civilians, too, glimpsed the shadowy forms through the windows, sending the cabins into a panic.

Just as everyone braced for the birds to tear through the fuselage, countless black streaks of light suddenly burst forth—like volleys of arrows, piercing the giant birds’ bodies again and again. Each shadowy bolt, after skewering one bird, would immediately turn and impale another, weaving back and forth with blinding speed.

The streams of darkness crisscrossed, their trails forming a vast, shimmering net across the sky, leaving everyone dumbstruck.

As the birds, pierced by the lightning-fast bolts, froze in midair and fell lifelessly, cheers erupted inside the cabins. No one had expected the Sword Immortal’s first intervention to be so awe-inspiring—far more stunning than any movie special effect.

From then on, every new bird that appeared in the clouds would be riddled with dozens of holes by the spectral bolts. No one knew what those black streaks were, but their unerring aim and merciless pursuit—like cruise missiles—stirred excitement and admiration among all who watched.

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Only Liu Cong knew that these were the Slaughter Feathers, conjured from his Blackfire. Had anyone seen him at that moment, they’d have noticed that his sleek black attire was now covered in exquisite, jet-black feathers, as if he wore a robe crafted from midnight plumage.

Whenever a mutant bird appeared, the Slaughter Feathers would automatically lock onto the enemy, detach, and launch their attack. After striking, they vanished, only to be replaced by new feathers sprouting from his clothing.

These feathers acted independently; Liu Cong didn’t even need to control them. From the moment they came into being, they seemed imbued with a mysterious law and spiritual essence.

Liu Cong vaguely sensed that this was the very power granted by the vision of the Blackfire Phoenix that had appeared in his mind when he attained mastery over its transformation.

Under Liu Cong’s control, the planes moved far faster than they could on their own, breaking through the heavy clouds and returning to bright skies in just ten minutes.

Though the danger had passed, the spectacle was over; people were left with mixed feelings of relief and regret. Many felt the scene was one they could boast about for a lifetime, while others, more astute, had secretly recorded videos to bolster future tales.

Aboard one of the Korean planes, Li Junhe switched off his recording phone and, after a moment of silence, said, “Miss Kim, the abilities of this Sword Immortal are truly astounding. Each of those mutant birds was at least T3 level, yet he didn’t even draw his sword—he dispatched them with ease. Incredible.”

Kim Soo-ji’s eyes widened in agreement as she recalled the battle’s terrifying beauty. “Yes, amazing. The videos I’ve seen before only showed a fraction of his power. I’ve never seen such miracles online.”

Li Junhe was still caught up in the memory of the fight, unaware that Kim Soo-ji beside him was lost in her own thoughts.

Not only was he powerful, he was strikingly handsome. In her mind, Liu Cong’s image grew ever more dazzling, and an unspoken desire grew stronger with each passing moment.

It’s no myth—heroes love fine swords, and beauties love heroes. Kim Soo-ji was certain that no woman could remain unmoved by a man like Liu Cong. Biting her lip, she made a secret vow.

To hell with the mission—if I let such a man slip by, I’d regret it for a lifetime.

Gentle and demure on the outside, she possessed a steadfast heart, and now she resolved not to let go of the man who, for the first time in twenty-four years, had truly moved her.

Liu Cong, oblivious to the thoughts of those inside the planes, continued piloting. After two hours in flight, he finally caught sight of the faint, threadlike coastline in the distance. Their destination—G15—was now close at hand.