Many soldiers began to discuss in a hushed tone.James thought for a while and ordered, “Check if there’s anything inside the collapsed pile of rocks.”“Yes, sir.” The soldiers nodded.Although the place seemed creepy, they dared not go against James’ orders.James was their idol, the War God, and their inspiration as soldiers. Even though he had been stripped of his title, it did not change their views of him.The soldiers walked toward the stones and began searching.The statue had collapsed into rubble, making it easy for the soldiers to move it.The rubble was quickly cleared away.James walked over, holding a flashlight. He shined it on the ground.“Clean up a little more,” he ordered. “Understood.”The soldiers began clearing up the smaller stones from the ground.James held up the flashlight and illuminated the area.Soon, he discovered a clue.He squatted down, tapped on the ground, and realized it was empty. He looked around and found a gap inside the ground. He

The mercenaries were equipped with strong weapons.Moreover, they had headlamps. Their lights shone brightly, illuminating the dark and giving off the illusion of daylight.James knew he had to shoot. Otherwise, they would die if the enemies got close.He aimed his gun. Bang!He decided to shoot.A gunshot resounded, taking down one of the men nearby.“Seek cover!” A voice roared in the dark.The whole team quickly found cover and hid from sight.James dared not make any rash moves after firing a shot.He knew they were experienced mercenaries who could quickly pinpoint his location. If he fired again, he would be asking for a shower of gunfire in return.James backed away and hid behind a rock.He only had one chance at survival, and that was to seize the opponent’s weapon.It would be a cinch if he were healthy. However, he was not. A sense of helplessness brewed in his heart.The enemies had turned off their lights due to his earlier fire. Despite that, he could hear

It was a dangerous gamble.One that would cost him his and Thea’s life if he lost.James crouched down to pick up the chest. At the same time, he secretly picked up a few small stones.He slowly got up, his eyes fixed on Dominator all the while. The man stood about two meters away from him. With a smile, he said, “You’d better watch closely or you’ll miss it. This is how you should open the chest…”Dominator’s eyes were fixed on the chest in James’ hands as he tried to watch him open the chest. Naturally, everyone else’s eyes were also drawn toward the chest.Suddenly, James’ hands trembled, and he dropped the chest to the ground.“Aghh…” James let out a frustrated cry.Looking back up weakly, he said, “I-I’ve no strength left, and my hands aren’t steady. I need someone to help me hold it.”Dominator looked at one of his men and used his head to gesture in James’ direction. “You, go help him.”One of the mercenaries quickly walked over and picked up the chest.Like lightning,

“I was out for that long?”James was surprised to find out he was unconscious for three whole days.“How’d it go? Is… everyone okay?”Hearing his question, Quincy went silent. Her lips were drawn into a taut line.“Answer me.”It took some time for Quincy to form a reply. “Thea’s fine, but because she sustained two gunshot wounds and lost a lot of blood, she’s still in the ICU. General Highsmith was also severely injured, but he’s being treated as we speak. As for the rest, they…didn’t make it...”She choked on her words as they left her mouth.James’ mind went blank when the news hit him.Leaning back on the hospital bed, he looked at the white wall in front of him, and the soldiers' faces flashed in his mind.His eyes suddenly became moist, and tears began cascading down his face uncontrollably. “N-none of them survived?”He could not believe it.Dozens of soldiers laid down their lives for him.“James…”Seeing James’ shell-shocked state, Quincy held his hand and attem

“Wait, what?”Both of them looked at James with their mouths agape.James continued to elaborate on his earlier point, “The medical skills I learned ten years ago were from the first volume, and this book is the second volume of the same series. It has records on how to use the Crucifier in its full capacity.”The second volume of the Medical Book was beyond anything James could imagine.Not only did it have texts on cultivation methods and how to use True Energy, but it also explained further applications of the Crucifier.The first volume of the medical book was akin to a book on the letters of the alphabet, while the second volume taught one how to combine said letters to form different words.Once she realized the implications of James’ words, her eyes lit up. “So, you’re not going to die?”“Mhm.”James responded affirmatively and said, “I can learn how to cultivate True Energy with this book. The venom in my body will naturally dissipate when I cultivate True Energy.”“Th