ABRIWMTHM Chapter 101

The division of mental power for beasts is the same as for humans, starting from low to high, beginning with F-level: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS, with 3s being the commonly accepted upper limit.

However, the mutation levels are the opposite; mutation levels only exist in beasts, starting from A-level, with A-level being the lowest mutation: A, B, C, D, E, F, with F-level mutation being the upper limit.

Generally speaking, C-level mutated beasts are already quite rare.

Going higher, Royal-level beasts’ mutations are defined as the highest F-level.

For mutated beasts within the range from C to F, if their tracks are found at the border line, the stationed troops are required by regulation to report to their legion immediately, with a strategy primarily to drive them away. Neighboring stationed legions must respond to the distress signal without delay.

Now…

Er Ya choked on water, coughing violently. Fei Chu handed her a tissue, and when she stabilized her breathing and raised her head, her face was red.

Incredulously, she asked, “Are you sure?”

The communicator nodded and spoke truthfully, “Energy signals were detected an hour ago. Because the distance was too far, we’ve already released an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. The signals it detected have just been transmitted back, and after multiple comparisons, we’ve reached this conclusion. The drone is still advancing, and the exact results may take another half an hour.”

Er Ya looked up at Chi Yao, the two exchanged a glance. Chi Yao asked, “Only one beast was detected?”

The communicator replied, “More than one is expected, but the only beast with a clear signal is this one at the highest level.”

“How many more beasts are estimated to be present?”

Communicator: “Three to four adult beasts, two of which should just have reached adulthood.”

This time there was no need to exchange glances; Er Ya let out a long breath, “That would be it.”

“Beasts with mental power above 3s and mutation levels around D are already capable of establishing their own communities. They are not in a companion relationship, and the difference in mental power among beasts in the community can be quite significant.”

Er Ya lives alone on a small asteroid and travels between various planets, plus her abilities are unique, giving her exceptional insight into the structural composition among beasts.

Chi Yao decided, “Activate the defense system immediately and notify the nearby Fourth Army to prepare for defense together.”

Fei Chu looked a bit confused, “Are we going to fight?”

Generally, upon hearing 3s along with mutation, his first reaction would be to retreat.

Chi Yao glanced at Shi Xing and said seriously, “The mental power that mature Blue Star humans radiate has a strong attraction to beasts. Even if we want to drive them away, I’m afraid this group of beasts will not give up easily.”

Once they are attracted by Shi Xing’s mental power, the decision is no longer in their hands.

Er Ya quickly calmed down, “Actually, it might not be a bad thing. As the level of the stars increases, the barrier should also be strengthened. If there are no high-level beasts, it would be difficult to test the limits of the barrier.”

And now, there are.

Er Ya said, “If the currently detectable one is a D-level mutated 3s beast, the remaining ones won’t be this strong, and it can be used for training.”

Fei Chu: “……”

Er Ya can still think about training, which made him realize his short-sightedness.

With a decision made, the military acted swiftly.

Shi Xing followed Chi Yao, observing how he commanded the troops, learning about border defense and planning from the sidelines.

Some time in the afternoon, while communicating with the commander of the Fourth Army, the unmanned reconnaissance aircraft transmitted the final accurate data before self-destruction.

A total of five beasts.

The highest is the D-grade mutated 3s beast mentioned by the communicator.

There are two S-grade beasts, one of which is mutated C-grade, and the other is normal.

Two SS-grade beasts, one B-grade mutated and the other normal.

Er Ya let out a sigh of relief, “Except for the leader, the others are fine.”

After pondering for a moment, she then added, “That B-grade mutated beast would be a good teaching material.”

Fei Chu fell silent for a moment, withdrawing the intelligence from Er Ya’s hands, and discussed with Chi Yao the activation degree and range of the border line barrier.

Fei Chu: “If they don’t speed up, it’s predicted they will reach the deserted star released by Er Ya in three days.”

“The movement speed of the beast community is also being monitored, and any changes will be reported immediately.”

Chi Yao looked at the star chart, his finger pointed at the projections of the three stationed planets, “First, open the outermost barrier, along with the nearby Fourth Army, to act in unison, so that the beasts, if they can’t break through here, won’t go attacking them.”

Chi Yao added, “We’ll observe first and then attempt to drive them away. If that fails, we will begin hunting.”

Fei Chu nodded and set about preparing with the intelligence and star maps.

Chi Yao asked Er Ya, “If we engage, the strongest one will definitely be blocked outside the barrier. The worst-case scenario is that the remaining four enter the interior of the barrier.”

Er Ya replied, “Then we’ll split into several routes. It would be best to lure away three of them. If, unfortunately, my teaching material gets trapped in the same area as other beasts, and only two beasts are left, I think it would be best for my team with Shi Xing to handle it. If there are three beasts, let someone pursue the remaining one. If all three are together, we’ll just kill them outright, to prevent them from teaming up and becoming difficult to handle.”

In other words, if the B-grade mutated SS-grade teaching material cannot be isolated for confrontation, then Er Ya would prefer to forgo it rather than risk training Shi Xing.

Chi Yao thought the same way, and the two quickly reached an agreement.

After Er Ya left, Shi Xing looked at Chi Yao with bright eyes, curiously asking, “Is the barrier we are going to open the one I’m thinking of, the border defense barrier?”

Chi Yao replied, “You seem quite eager?”

Shi Xing’s eyes widened, “Of course! It was introduced in the textbooks since I was little. I’ve never seen how the border defense barrier opens.”

When Shi Xing was at the border line, Lu Li’s area did not have many beasts, let alone beasts of this level attacking, so he never saw the fundamental establishment of the border line—the deployment barrier in action.

Chi Yao smiled, “Want to see?”

Shi Xing nodded.

Chi Yao pulled up a series of Elder Council document projections in front of Shi Xing, urging, “Once we finish dealing with government affairs, let’s go together.” Checking the time, he added, “It will probably be until the evening before it can be opened.”

Shi Xing took the documents, filled with anticipation.

The deployment barrier is established between planets, and when opened, it manifests a surface that can intercept all activities of beasts and warships. Unless in special circumstances, it won’t be opened lightly.

However, the emergence of a D-grade mutated beast is clearly a special circumstance.

Everyone got busy; not many people were present for dinner. Fei Chu and Fu Qing were eating with the team, while Er Ya discussed combat formations with Ying Geng regarding the teaching materials. She later had a meal with Ying Geng’s team, while Bi Shu did not return from practical classes in the forest, so Yan Changyue went with meals to find him.

Counting just about a table’s worth, only Chi Yao, Shi Xing, and Xu Jin remained.

With the arrival of high-level beasts imminent, the atmosphere was somewhat tense, and Shi Xing’s eating speed quickened.

Worried about recent excessive consumption, both Chi Yao and Xu Jin asked him to eat another half bowl after finishing.

Shi Xing listened and obediently took another bowl of rice to finish.

In external hunting, government affairs have been handed over to the palace document officer, so the government duties on Shi Xing and Chi Yao’s side are not too many.

After a short rest post-meal, Shi Xing was called up by Chi Yao, saying the border defense barrier was about to be opened.

Shi Xing followed to watch.

“How is the border line discussed in the current teaching materials?”

On the way, Chi Yao asked.

Shi Xing answered, “It mentions that it was established three hundred years ago during an unprecedented beast tide that invaded the star system.”

“That’s right,” Chi Yao confirmed.

“Various star systems often encounter beasts and beast tides, but most of the scales are not as large as an army, with a few hundred beasts being considered a large beast tide.”

But the beast tide three hundred years ago was different.

That beast tide was led by a particularly powerful Royal-level mutated beast.

Their intelligence seemed to have evolved, attacking with strategy and rhythm.

Upon learning that their numbers were measured in the tens of thousands, most of the planets within the star system collapsed.

Chi Yao shared some points beyond the teaching materials, “They should have migrated from distant planets. Beasts do not engage in production; they only plunder planetary resources. After the resources are depleted, they leave to find the next one; this is their fixed way of life.”

“They have occupied more than one star system; otherwise, they could not have grown to such a scale.”

After the planets on the edge of the Twin Star Galaxy were successively wiped out, realizing that fighting alone could not stop this beast tide, all planets within the star system united to construct the border line to resist the beast tide.

“The war lasted nearly a hundred years, and every planet paid a terrible price.”

Chi Yao’s parents were also severely wounded during the battle against the royal beast.

Looking down, Chi Yao suddenly said, “The planet we are standing on now is one of the first to be ravaged during the beast tide.”

And the border line is mostly built on the ruins of these lost civilizations.

After a pause, noticing something, Chi Yao raised his head, “It’s starting.”

Shi Xing looked up to the sky.

Beneath the vast starry sea, a deployment barrier large enough to encompass several planets unrolled slowly from one side, through the planets and fixed satellites, and special launch and receiving instruments, like a scroll.

Feeling the intense fluctuations of energy, Shi Xing blinked again as the brilliant energy membrane refracted colorful illusions, slowly extending from one end of the sky to the other.

This layer of barrier can effectively isolate the beasts and warships from ambushing them in the first instant.

In the sweeping beast tide three hundred years ago, it was always open and served as the first line of defense for the Twin Star Galaxy.

However, a barrier covering several planets is destined not to be too solid; it can only provide the army some buffer time to prepare.

But having this buffer time is a good thing.

It allows for the deployment of long-range weapons, greatly reducing casualties.

Chi Yao: “Tonight we can only open the outermost layer; we’ll estimate the inner layer will need to wait until they arrive to open, to further isolate the cooperation of the beasts.”

Shi Xing nodded, sighing, “Really spectacular~”

Chi Yao smiled, extending his hand. Shi Xing grasped it back, and the two stood side by side, quietly watching the barrier fully unfold.

Three days later, the group of beasts arrived at the barren star as scheduled.

Half a day later, following the scent, they found the planets where they were stationed.

They attempted to drive them away twice, but it was ineffective.

When all the beasts had gathered outside the deployment barrier, a general led a team to disperse the beasts in preparation for the subsequent hunt.

The highest-ranked one was surrounded by several unmanned warships, and heavy energy cannons and energy beams were fired in sequence, forcing it to separate from the other beasts.

As for the remaining four beasts, under guidance, they were successively led into the deployment barrier, facilitating the army’s individual hunting.

Er Ya’s teaching material was still behind; the unfortunate part was that the first beast that landed was a C-level mutated S-grade beast, with low mental power but tricky levels of mutation.

After discussion, taking advantage of the fact that the other three beasts were still trapped in outer space and the clouds, Shi Xing’s team took the lead.

Shi Xing released a special barrier to wrap the beast, fixing it in the air.

Ying Geng’s mech team quickly followed; without allowing the beast to struggle and break free, they spiraled upward in a helicoid, surrounding the beast while launching rapid attacks to block all its escape routes.

In just a few dozen seconds, within a minute, after the rapid attack, the beast within Shi Xing’s barrier became wrecked, floating in mid-air, its limbs broken and barely alive.

Er Ya urged, “While it’s still not released, give it a try.”

Er Ya wanted Shi Xing to absorb the mental power of the S-grade beast through the barrier.

After several attempts, Shi Xing shook his head, “I can’t do it.”

He just couldn’t grasp the method of drawing mental power from thin air.

Er Ya looked up at the sky and quickly said, “This one’s level is too low; don’t bother with it, just toss it on the ground.”

As soon as she finished speaking, at the same time Shi Xing retracted the barrier, another beast separated from the encircling warship plummeted rapidly.

Watching the bursts of mutated mental power erupting in mid-air, Er Ya brushed her hair back, joyfully saying, “The teaching material has arrived.”

Seizing the moment, she called out, “Shi Xing.”

As her words fell, a barrier covered all the soldiers in the low air, while the warships encircling in high altitudes received orders to disperse early. The beast, however, crashed directly into the barrier, disoriented.

It was Shi Xing’s composite barrier.

Ying Geng said, “It’s too close.”

Shi Xing pushed outward.

With his movement, the barrier rapidly pushed outward, and the beast outside the barrier was also sent flying by Shi Xing’s sudden force, unable to resist at all.

Over the course of more than half a year, Shi Xing’s growth has been terrifying.

Chi Yao’s voice came through the communicator, “The D-level mutated beast outside the deployment barrier can probably be held for an hour. We’ll tentatively start hunting it after an hour; you guys keep track of the time.”

Watching the B-grade mutated SS-grade beast stabilize in mid-air, Er Ya rubbed her hands together, pleased, “Then let’s start testing with the first defense formation.”