Otherworldly Desert Dust-Chapter 573 - 528: Who is Hunting

...

On the edge of the dark jungle, a Prison City rose abruptly from the ground, with its purple beams sweeping toward the horizon. Soon, a massive and terrifying contour emerged within the distant mist. More than half of it plunged below the ground, while the rest towered above the jungle, standing tall like lofty mountains. Scorching thermal energy burst into the sky, and the air was filled with burning dust and ash, falling like crimson snow.

Levi stood in the crystal command room of the city, his face etched with worry.

"Grand Canyon City has spotted another delicious prey and is advancing at full speed. But this is good news for us; we don't have to worry about ambushes from Grand Canyon City on our journey or at the stations ahead," Fan Ke breathed a sigh of relief.

As their Prison City developed, they had already been listed as the primary prey by Grand Canyon City.

With their current combat strength only half that of Steel Eagle City, they needed ample time to enter the next phase of power. During this period, they must avoid all conflicts and collect the necessary Dark Energy, only then would they be entitled to contend with Grand Canyon City.

"Believe it or not, I want to chase after them and have a look," Levi suddenly said.

"Prison Director, have you gone mad? We should be avoiding them at all costs, let alone following them. What if they turn around and attack us suddenly?" Hu Lu said.

"How many times have I told you, call me Mayor!" Levi said irritably. As he gazed in the direction of the speeding Grand Canyon City, he ultimately gave the order: "Full speed ahead, follow Grand Canyon City."

Cheng Liang, who had taken the role of Executive Officer, did not hesitate to activate all the dormant Dark Energy Engines. In an instant, the entire city, forged from silver steel, catapulted out from the jungle, then streaked across the vast land like a thick stream of silver light, chasing after the fiery red Grand Canyon City.

"Cheng Liang, have you eaten something wrong too??" Hu Lu screamed, hurriedly sitting back down in her seat to avoid losing balance from the shock of breaking through the Qi Barrier.

Meanwhile, Mo Chuan and others who had just been placed in the Prison City were also lifted by such intense barrier-breaking energy. They felt as if they had just experienced an invisible tsunami, which rolled them into the air and suspended them for a few seconds before they fell back to the ground.

"What's happening?" Mo Chuan asked in surprise.

"Nothing to worry about, we've just gone full speed. Our city damper device is still from the previous era; starting and stopping abruptly feels like a roller coaster ride. Once our researchers break through this technology, our entire city will fly through the sky like a meteor—even colliding with a real meteor won't spill a drop of water from our cups," explained the elderly residential officer.

Inside the command room, Fan Ke remained silent but looked at Levi with questioning eyes.

She knew Levi was very wise; many of his seemingly reckless and foolish actions were actually based on deeper considerations.

Although she did not object, she still hoped Levi would offer her an explanation.

Feeling Fan Ke's gaze, Levi understood that his position today was inseparable from the economic support of the Royal Family behind Fan Ke.

"Grand Canyon City sustains themselves using biological production of Dark Energy, but this energy actually harbors significant risks, producing more and more Evil Spirits, which puts greater strain on their Ancient Temple. That's why, during their hunting, they need to be selective about their prey, meaning the growth rate of their entire city is slowing down... We are different. Our development speed will only get faster from here on out."

"But Wei Yan couldn't possibly be unaware of this point. Once we reach our transformation period, they will spare no effort to flatten us. If we keep avoiding them, we'll always be rabbits in a cave. Unless we starve to death in our own burrow, going out hunting will surely result in us being caught by this hungry wolf—it's just a matter of probability."

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"Aren't you curious? Even though they smelt our scent, they suddenly gave up the ambush and pounced in one direction like mad wolves. What are they hunting?"

"That thing must be the key to their climb up the higher ranks. Now we might be glad they turned their hunting direction to other herbivores, but the muscles they will grow after feeding will become the biggest threat to our future."

"Theoretically, we should avoid Grand Canyon City as much as possible."

"But if the opportunity arises, we must also take the initiative to strike, sabotage their Ascension process, and disrupt their hunting plans. Cutting off their city's resource supply chain is also the best protection for us—offensive defense."

Levi also shared his thinking with the other Commanders to make them understand that he wasn't courting death but was considering the longer term.

The development of their Prison City was destined to battle Grand Canyon City to the death, perhaps in ten years' time.

But ten years from now, could their city truly emerge victorious in full?

Wei Yan would certainly attempt to break them when they were just sprouting saplings, taking their nutrients and eliminating a potential threat.

So, avoiding their sharp edges doesn't mean giving up offense; rather, it means launching an attack when conditions are ripe, biting off one of their legs, ensuring their safety for the next few years, and impeding their progress while their own city can expand more boldly.

"They expose their position, we are in the dark, they are in the light," Fan Ke nodded, "We can watch them and then decide whether to act."

"Exactly!" Levi nodded immediately, "We are weak, but that doesn't mean we have to be afraid. Fear means we'll never have a turnaround—we need to seize every single rare opportunity, especially when we're at our weakest."

In Levi's view, Hell Nine-Headed City was like a crocodile lurking in the river.

The most dangerous time is definitely not when it appears, but when it lurks in the shallow sands; this means that those animals approaching the riverbank must always be cautious.

Now that the crocodile has shown itself, there is, in fact, no need to be afraid. Follow it to see what it's up to, then strike from the shadows!

"That girl named Mo Chuan has strong personal combat abilities; she can conduct deeper reconnaissance for us," Fan Ke said.

"Hmm, call her over. Now that she has become one of our city's members, she should start working too!" Levi nodded; he was in need of talent like White Radish who could fight solo.

...

Levi always maintained a safe distance from Grand Canyon City.

When they sped up, Levi sped up too.

When they moved slowly, Levi followed suit.

Only when the prey on the ground was confirmed did Levi deploy Mo Chuan for reconnaissance.

It wasn't long before Mo Chuan brought back news; her expression was incredibly complex, clearly having witnessed something that saddened her.

"What are they preying on?" Levi asked.

"I saw the thin realm," Mo Chuan said.

"What's that?" Levi asked, puzzled.

"It's a layer that separates Nuwa God End from Desert Dust, a divine garment invisible to creatures from the outside. Only guides from the Divine Realm can penetrate the thin realm and see Nuwa's Sky Shadow," explained Mo Chuan, a native of Nuwa God End who could naturally see that Sky Shadow.

Mo Chuan also immediately realized that it was another Nuwa God End, very likely the one where Wu Tian resided, a young homeland still brimming with life's vitality and untouched by otherworldly contamination.

"Damn it, I knew Wei Yan, the old thief, wouldn't have given up on ambushing us... He's after the divine power of Nuwa God End!" Levi cursed immediately.

"What use is the divine power of Nuwa God End to them?" Fan Ke, on the contrary, didn't understand.

"They are already in serious trouble with their Evil Spirit issues; relying on the Ancient Temple for purification is impractical, yet they need more energy. Nuwa God End is the Immortal that only drinks dew, and all the people of Shenduan also gather Yuan You to sustain the life vitality of the Divine Realm. To Wei Yan, the entire Nuwa God End is a pure Yuan You Mother Tree. Enslaving its inhabitants can provide a continuous source of Yuan You. They could also absorb their ancient technologies; considering the presence of the Ten Thousand Melt Evil Cauldron, those ancient technologies could become their most formidable weapons!" Levi immediately understood.

"Furthermore, the strength of the Human Clan inside Nuwa God End is not strong; their hunt this time might not even result in any injuries," Cheng Liang added.

"What are your plans now?" Fan Ke asked.

"Of course, to sabotage their feeding plan – Wei Yan has gone mad enough to even prey on the most sacred Divine Mother Tree of the Human Clan. What wouldn't he dare to do!" said Levi.

"But how can we sabotage them? The entire Grand Canyon City is like a hungry beast from Hell; our claws can't even scratch their rocky golden hide."

"Harass them, help the Divine Realm escape," Levi said.

"Hold on, hold on, why is Prison City charging towards the Nightmare Realm?" Fan Ke, maintaining a hint of rationality, carefully scrutinized the incoming information.

"It implies that Nuwa God End is hidden in the forests of the Nightmare Realm," Levi stated.

However, Mo Chuan shook her head at that moment, stating earnestly, "The soil of the Nightmare Realm lacks the nutrients needed by Nuwa God End. It's impossible for it to root there. On the contrary, the Dark Energy of the soil in Da Xuan, in essence, is Spiritual Energy Recovery, beneficial to the nurturing of Nuwa God End."

"I don't get it; are you suggesting that the human leader of that Nuwa God End is an idiot who doesn't know what their Divine Realm truly needs?" Cheng Liang asked.

"Yes, that's also something I couldn't understand just now. For a Divine Realm to root in the soil of the Nightmare is akin to moving the entire race onto cursed land," said Mo Chuan.

They had deliberately avoided the Nightmare Realm for their Divine Realm.

"No, the leader of that Nuwa God End isn't a fool... The Nightmare Realm is a breeding ground for Evil Spirits. Once our Prey City of Da Xuan steps in, the rate of Evil Spirit proliferation inside the entire city would increase tens or hundreds of times..."

Levi's expression changed; he suddenly realized that the leader of that Nuwa God End might very well be as bold and meticulous a madman as himself!

It's hard to say who is hunting whom!