Ian was just about to deploy the next phase of the "Purification Action," giving these adrenaline-pumped magnetic field tough guys another chance to have some fun, when Xiao Zizai suddenly stopped playing with his loot.
"Which blind fool is peeking from the side? Do you think we're blind?" Xiao Zizai's voice wasn't loud, but the murderous intent within it chilled the air by several degrees.
The moment he finished speaking, before the other party could even react, an invisible magnetic shockwave blasted toward the distant shadows.
Boom—!
With a dull thud, several sections of ruined walls exploded, revealing a few slightly disheveled figures behind them.
The man in the lead still wore a smile on his face even under these circumstances. This person was the acting head of Quan Xing, Wu Gensen.
The people behind him did not have weak auras either; they were clearly powerhouses of Quan Xing.
The Quan Xing group had just snapped out of their daze when they immediately felt the weight of dozens of gazes carrying physical pressure. This lineup caused even the fearless members of Quan Xing to feel an involuntary surge of terror.
Only Wu Gensen's smile remained, but when his gaze inadvertently swept through the crowd and locked onto Feng Baobao standing quietly there, his smile froze instantly.
In his eyes, a flicker of an extremely complex emotion flashed—one almost impossible to describe in words. There was shock, confusion, inquiry, and a kind of palpitation that even he himself hadn't realized.
Feng Baobao merely tilted her head, staring at him. Within those clear yet hollow eyes, a trace of an imperceptible ripple seemed to surface, but she said nothing.
Ian took all of this in, a playful arc curling at the corner of his mouth as he broke the brief silence.
"Yo, isn't this the infamous spokesperson of Quan Xing, Wu Gensen? What's the matter, coming all this way just to play 'hide and seek' with us?"
"Do you find the scenery here particularly unique, or are you looking to score a free meal?"
As he spoke, Ian pulled out a box of blood-stained Japanese military rations and held it out toward Wu Gensen.
Wu Gensen quickly regained his composed demeanor, as if his momentary loss of cool was just an illusion. He walked out calmly and cupped his hands toward Ian. "This gentleman must be joking. I am Wu Gensen. To have the honor of witnessing the divine might of the seniors of the Magnetic Field Sect today is truly the fortune of three lifetimes. I am filled with admiration—truly, I am prostrate with respect."
He candidly admitted his identity without the slightest concealment.
"In particular, your sect's world-changing Magnetic Field Martial Arts are simply unheard of and unseen. It is truly captivating. I wonder if I might have the honor of asking Sect Leader Yang for a bit of guidance?"
He was quite straightforward, directly stating his intent.
Ian was amused. "Want to learn? Sure, I'm a very easy-going person." His tone shifted, his smile carrying a bit of mockery. "However, my Magnetic Field Martial Arts aren't something just anyone can learn."
He didn't speak aloud again. Instead, through magnetic resonance, he transmitted two choices clearly into Wu Gensen's mind. The voice carried no emotion, yet every word cut to the heart.
Option One: You, Wu Gensen, personally take action to 'optimize' every single one of those dregs in Quan Xing whose hands are filthy, who have committed absolute atrocities, and who everyone has the right to kill. If you can clean your own house, I will pass the core cultivation method of Magnetic Field Rotation to you.
Option Two: Take that group of still-breathing Quan Xing lunatics under your command and go head-to-head with the Japanese invaders. Specifically pick the strongholds with the tightest defenses and the fiercest firepower. Consider it accumulating some hidden merit for your Quan Xing, using the blood of the invaders to slightly bleach your 'corporate culture' that is currently turning purple from all the black. Whenever those heinous villains of your Quan Xing have all died off on the road of 'sacrificing for the nation,' you, Wu Gensen, will naturally get what you want.
These conditions were incredibly harsh, directly handing the knife to Wu Gensen and making him choose between cutting his own flesh or breaking his own wrist.
The smile on Wu Gensen's face vanished completely. He stood there, motionless.
The Quan Xing members behind him couldn't hear Ian's transmission, but seeing their leader's unprecedentedly solemn expression, they knew things were definitely not simple. None of them dared to breathe loudly.
Seconds turned into minutes, and the atmosphere grew so oppressive it was almost suffocating. Finally, Wu Gensen slowly raised his hand and held up two fingers.
Without hesitation or wavering, he chose the second path. Some of the people in Quan Xing were indeed as the man before him said—burdened with heavy sins. This could be considered leaving them with a good ending.
After making the choice, he seemed to heave a sigh of relief, yet also seemed to shoulder something even heavier. He turned, preparing to lead the Quan Xing people away.
However, they had only taken a few steps when Wu Gensen came to a sudden halt. A look of disbelief appeared on his face, which then turned into a complex, indescribable realization.
Ian's voice rang in his head once more.
"Fine. Since you've chosen a path, don't be as dawdling as a broad. Take this and get the hell to work. Don't delay my upcoming 'Spring Cleaning'."
A massive and pure stream of information instantly flooded into Wu Gensen's sea of consciousness, containing the basic theories and core cultivation methods of Magnetic Field Rotation.
Wu Gensen closed his eyes, digesting this sudden "gift." A moment later, he opened his eyes, which now held a light that had never been there before.
He gave Ian a deep look. He didn't offer thanks or waste words; he simply gave a slight nod and then led his Quan Xing subordinates to vanish quickly into the ruins. His silhouette projected a sense of indescribable determination.
"It's time for you all to start as well." Ian's voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable weight.
Behind him, the power that had just settled within the nearly hundred magnetic field experts began to stir once more.
"Brother Ian, what's the play this time?" Zhang Chulan rubbed his hands together, his face filled with uncontrollable excitement.
Ian glanced at him: "This time, let's play big. Disperse as individuals, follow my orders, and converge at any time."
His finger traced through the air, and that massive map of China manifested once more, the red dots upon it still eye-piercing.
"Remember, our goal is 'Purification,' not simple slaughter. Wherever we pass, I want the imprisoned compatriots to regain their freedom and the looted resources to be returned to their rightful owners."
"As for those dregs, let them experience what true 'physical salvation' feels like in the midst of despair."
"Understood!" The crowd responded in unison, their voices full of power.
In the next instant, dozens of figures turned into streaks of light, soaring into the sky from this scorched earth. They shot off in all directions, toward those crimson points on the map representing the invader strongholds.
A massive "Purification" operation sweeping across several provinces had officially begun.