Chapter 150: The Bizarre Sphere of Evolution (Recommended Votes Bonus Chapter)

Click! Clack-clack!
From within the crimson spatial rift, a four-meter-tall skeleton warrior glowing with a purple aura slowly dragged itself out, clutching a three-meter-long battleaxe in its hands.
"We cannot run!" Jiang Ye declared with resolute force.
Wei Zheng, Yue Hu, and the instructors from the other schools stared in utter bewilderment. Why couldn't they run?!
Jiang Ye said in a deep, grave voice, "Don't you know what is happening? Last week, a grade-S Evolution Orb mysteriously appeared atop the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Surrounding this grade-S Evolution Orb were four grade-C Evolution Orbs. The Egyptian government was ecstatic, believing they were about to activate the world's very first grade-S Evolution Orb. But the moment they drew close to the grade-S Orb, the grade-C Orbs directly detonated, tearing open a massive spatial rift! The Pharaoh of Egypt has been resurrected, crawling out from the red spatial tear and charging forth with an army of mummies.
At first, the Egyptian government believed they could suppress the threat. But soon, the situation spiraled completely out of control. Egyptian troops suffered heavy casualties, and even the most powerful evolutionary organization in Egypt—the Ennead, comprising their nine strongest evolvers acting in unison—failed to halt the Pharaoh's advance.
The mummy army poured forth endlessly like a surging river, ceaselessly climbing out of the spatial rift.
The Pharaoh led the mummy army to conquer Cairo, inflicting hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties.
The Egyptian government lost all control; their military and modern weaponry were utterly incapable of stopping the Pharaoh's onslaught!
With no other options left, Egypt was forced to appeal to governments around the world for assistance, proclaiming that whoever could annihilate the Pharaoh and his mummy army would be rewarded with the grade-S Evolution Orb! First come, first served!
Japan's three major ninja organizations dispatched all their most elite Grand Shinobi to Egypt. Numerous nations across North America and Europe sent evolvers to vie for the grade-S Evolution Orb. China was no exception: Lei Dongtian personally led a force, bringing a full fifty thousand elites of the Shadow Legion and over a hundred Heavenly-tier Hounds to contend for Earth's very first activated grade-S Evolution Orb. I've heard that international reinforcements have already fought their way inside the rift; they must destroy something called the Orb of Destruction located within the rift in order to halt the monsters' respawn rate. Furthermore, only by completely destroying all the Orbs of Destruction can the grade-S Evolution Orb truly be unlocked!"
Even as Jiang Ye was describing the Pharaoh of Egypt's assault on Cairo, another four-meter-tall skeleton warrior stepped out holding a bow and arrow—this must be a skeleton archer!
Following that, an eight-meter-large giant skeleton emerged from the spatial rift, bearing a skeletal shield in its left hand and a gem-inlaid longsword in its right—this was a skeleton swordsman-shieldbearer!
Finally, a colossal skeleton towering sixteen meters high strode out, gripping a magical staff, enveloped from head to toe in a golden protective barrier, and wearing a golden crown that emitted a piercing, grating cackle!
Not just four skeletons, but sets of four skeletons; group after group, they crawled out from the spatial rift!
Wei Zheng understood now. Their current predicament was identical to Egypt's. If they didn't take advantage of the monsters' still-low numbers to press inside and destroy the Orb of Destruction, the surrounding villages—and perhaps Xing City as well—would all be reduced to a living purgatory!
A flash of resolve crossed Wei Zheng's eyes as he spoke sharply, "I have already notified all members of Xing City's White Cloud Hounds to come reinforce us. Until the reinforcements arrive, all students of Pingli Middle School, hear my command: follow me and charge in! For honor! For Xing City!"
True to being the finest one hundred students meticulously handpicked by the school, not a single one flinched. Stirred by burning passion, their voices rose in a high-pitched roar: "Understood! For honor! For Xing City!"
Fang Zhongyong, the instructor from Mingdian Middle School, refused to be outdone: "Hear my command, all students of Mingde Middle School! The time to prove the worth of Mingde Middle School has arrived. We will show everyone the true strength of Mingde Middle School! Protect the civilians! Protect Xing City!"
"Protect the civilians! Protect Xing City!" roared the students of Mingde Middle School at the top of their lungs.
The instructors of Changjun Middle School and the High School Affiliated to Normal University issued their orders as well. This concerned the survival of an entire city; Xing City was a major provincial capital with a population of nearly eight million. If this city fell, it would inevitably trigger a chain reaction—a butterfly effect—and the surrounding hostile nations would surely seize the opportunity to kick them while they were down and launch an attack. By then, it would mean life or death for the entirety of China!
Therefore, looking at the bigger picture, even if every single Shadow warrior, instructor, and student here perished, as long as they could destroy the Orb of Destruction, it would be entirely worth it. Moreover, doing so would secure a grade-S Evolution Orb for China!
No one knew what lay inside a grade-S Evolution Orb, but with only a few in existence worldwide, its value was undeniable!
Jiang Ye was likewise prepared for death, hoisting his Solstice Greatsword high as he bellowed, "I have already notified the Shadow Legion headquarters. Although Commander Lei is absent, Major General Nian Zhanyao is present, and he will lead an elite force to reinforce us. Until then, we must not let these skeleton monsters crawl out.
All warriors of the Shadow Legion, hear my command! The time to defend the people, protect the country, and fulfill the glory of a soldier has come. Look at how these kids are charging ahead—we cannot let them make a laughingstock of us. All personnel, hear me! Charge in!!"
Boom!!
The sixteen-meter-tall golden skeleton raised its scepter, casting the skill Soul Harvest!
Five spectral black hands instantly erupted from the golden scepter, ruthlessly seizing five students who had attempted to attack the skeleton monster!
Ah—
A miserable cry rang out.
The bodies of the five students were hoisted into midair by the dark hands, and then, visible to the naked eye, their vital life force actually streamed along the black hands and was sucked into the Skeleton Mage's scepter! Buzz, buzz, buzz! The golden glow of the scepter grew even more brilliant!!
"Chang Yu! Zhou Hou!" cried Mingde Middle School instructor Fang Zhongyong in agonized anguish. Those five students had belonged to the same team, and they were students whom Fang Zhongyong cherished dearly!!
Powerful! Incredibly powerful!! Their strength was actually comparable to grade-S zombies from the PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds instance!
Chen Mo, execute data scan!!
[Skeleton Mage]
[Grade S]
[HP: 10,000]
[MP: 10,000]
[Physical Attack: 0]
[Magic Attack: 5,000]
[Skills: Unable to inspect]
Whoosh—
Phew!
Fortunately, although the Skeleton Mage's abilities were far more terrifying than a grade-S zombie's, its health pool was clearly limited, standing at only ten thousand! Even without activating the Great Demon King form, Chen Mo could easily handle this in his Little Prince form!!
Jiang Ye commanded, "Don't act rashly! Fall back first! Bazooka squad, get ready! Fire!!"
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
A full fifty rocketeers adjusted their angles, locked onto the skeleton monsters, and launched their rockets!
Such a large-scale, concentrated bombardment would have reduced even a fortress to ruins!
Yet, these eight skeleton monsters emerged completely unscathed. Aside from being blown backward or tossed into the air by the force of the blasts, not even a single bone was knocked loose—they possessed complete immunity to rocket-propelled grenades!
The fiery passion in the hearts of many students instantly cooled, replaced by the seeds of fear: "Another skeleton has crawled out! There are getting to be too many of them!"
Fang Zhongyong said coldly in a sharp voice, "Useless trash! I refuse to believe these skeletons are invincible!"
Fang Zhongyong executed a character switch, donning full grade-C equipment, wielding twin blades, and executing a Cross Slash! Slash!
Swish, swish!
Moving with blistering speed, Fang Zhongyong transformed into an "X"-shaped afterimage in midair, attempting to cleave the Skeleton Mage apart!
Swoosh—
A skeletal arrow directly locked onto Fang Zhongyong's afterimage, striking with unerring accuracy to pierce straight through his heart!
Thud!
Fang Zhongyong's eyes widened in utter shock and horror! Unreconciled, his knees buckled and hit the ground. Striving with all his might to force a sound from his throat, no sound came forth at all as he slumped forward onto the earth.
"Instructor!!" cried the students of Mingde Middle School.
No one could have anticipated that an instructor at the peak of the General tier would be instantly killed by a skeleton archer that looked nothing more than a mere grunt!