Chapter 326: 326
CRACK—
A sound like a jammed mechanism rang out as the Zanpakuto was firmly lodged in the opponent’s defensive armor. But the moment the sound arose, a clap of thunder echoed. The Zanpakuto was instantly enveloped in lightning, slicing into the opponent’s body amidst the thunder.
HISS—
A slash accompanied by lightning streaked by; the blade sliced across the opponent’s shoulder, and, in an instant, Wang Lan brushed past him.
"HISS—" Fresh blood instantly burst from the shoulder of the Galaxy Stage Star Martial Warrior.
Such an injury would normally be insignificant to a Galaxy Stage Star Martial Warrior, as long as it didn’t penetrate deep into their vital organs. What was a three-centimeter-deep wound to the shoulder?
But Wang Lan’s strike was peculiar; it left half the body paralyzed.
The man’s expression changed drastically. "Not good!" he exclaimed, then warned, "Be careful of his blade! It has Star Martial Toxins—"
Amidst the warning, Wang Lan had already found his next target.
"Water Burst—" The opponent’s Star Power surged, and his chest swelled suddenly; in an instant, a water bullet furiously shot toward Wang Lan.
"Unleash, Sword of Light—"
In a split second, the Breaking Swords transformed into a long sword made of converging golden light, and it thrust toward the opponent in the nick of time.
HISS—
The water stream parted around the sword, but the powerful impact made it difficult for Wang Lan to advance even an inch.
Seeing Wang Lan’s figure halted, a hint of a smile appeared on the opponent’s face. However, that expression changed dramatically in a flash.
A beam of golden light had somehow penetrated his shoulder.
Under such powerful impact, even a large truck could be flipped over. How could Wang Lan’s sword have gone upstream to pierce his shoulder?
It was simply... incomprehensible.
An ordinary sword naturally couldn’t go upstream. But Wang Lan wielded the Sword of Light, possessing the properties of both sword and light. Water cannot block the penetration of light. So... the late-Galaxy Stage expert felt his strength drain away as his body grew numb.
"Captain—"
Taking down two men took less than two seconds. Although he struck both of them, neither suffered substantial harm; their bodies simply became numb. Wang Lan would not kill unless it was necessary.
While they belonged to the Duanmu Family’s camp, it didn’t necessarily mean they were all guilty. Especially those at the lower levels who were simply following orders.
Besides, such ignominious crimes wouldn’t be known to the underlings. Within the entire Duanmu Family, only a few were truly guilty.
Procedurally, the Tianjian Bureau only needed to arrest Duanmu Qingsuang and several high-ranking members of the Duanmu Family. With the Yu Family and the Tianjian Bureau joining forces, the Duanmu Family wouldn’t dare to resist.
But... with undercurrents swirling, even though Yu Ruoyun was unharmed, she had indeed been the target of an assassination attempt. The mere fact that the attempt occurred was enough to violently agitate the public.
When emotions ran high, people were easily incited, so they needed an outlet. Conveniently, the Duanmu Family was a perfect ’chicken’ to make an example of.
Furthermore, the best strategy in the current situation was to cut the Gordian knot. The Yu Family and the Tianjian Bureau had no time to engage in a drawn-out dispute with the Duanmu Family, and they couldn’t rest easy with a poisonous snake that might bite at any moment left unattended.
As for any inquiries from the outside world about why the Yu Family and the Tianjian Bureau were taking such drastic action against the Duanmu Family?
The answer would be: it was related to the assassination attempt on Princess Yu.
What exactly was the relation? People could fill in the gaps with their imagination. That’s why, if they were to act, they had to go all out against the Duanmu Family. Since the Duanmu Family wasn’t being wrongly accused, they had no grounds to feel aggrieved.
Although anyone who dared to resist upon knowing that the Tianjian Bureau had come knocking could be executed without mercy, Wang Lan still had a bit of kindness in his heart and deemed it unnecessary to engage in a massacre.
Of course, if his own safety was threatened, he would not hesitate to deliver a lethal blow when necessary.
In total, there were just over twenty of the Duanmu Family’s subordinates. Among them were five at the Star Sea Stage and three at the Galaxy Stage. With Wang Lan—who appeared to be at the Star Cloud Stage but unleashed numerous S-rank Star Martial Skills as if they cost nothing—the battle was resolved in less than a minute.
BOOM—
Suddenly, a loud noise erupted, and from within the Duanmu Family residence, a colossal two-headed beast burst forth. The beast stood forty meters tall, as large as a building.
"Damn it, the Duanmu Family actually released a Contracted Beast!" a Star Martial Warrior from the Yu Family cursed.
"What’s a Contracted Beast?"
"It’s a subdued Exotic Beast, bound by a soul contract to serve as its master’s fighting force. It’s normally kept in a Different Dimensional Space and summoned for battle. The Duanmu Family’s Double-headed Shark is extremely powerful, at least on par with a Titled Strongman."
Seeing Wang Lan’s squad performing so well, the Yu Family warrior explained a bit more.
"We’ll go support the other side. Leave the task here to you. Make sure to find the women and children of the Duanmu Family and get them out safely."
"Yes!"
Breaching the Duanmu Family stronghold naturally involved capturing prisoners. The women and children of the Duanmu Family were of utmost importance; they had to be protected at all costs. If any of them died during the operation, their actions would lose all claim to justice. That was the bottom line.
The Duanmu Family, when cornered, was capable of anything. And this was not the first time something like this had happened.
It had almost become a pattern: when raiding a crime syndicate’s den, the heartless criminals would take their own children and relatives hostage to negotiate with Law Enforcers.
At such moments, they were not husbands, sons, or fathers. They were nothing but raw, naked demons.
They killed their own kin with no more hesitation than they would a mortal enemy. As long as they could escape legal sanction, they would do anything.
After splitting from the Yu Family’s squad, Wang Lan immediately pressed forward. The battle where the Contracted Beast had appeared seemed to have reached a stalemate. Many people were rushing towards that area, from which horrific explosions and powerful Star Energy Fluctuations surged wildly.
"Go!" Wang Lan commanded, and the five-man squad successfully advanced a hundred meters.
"Stop, kill!"
Another dozen or so Star Martial Warriors appeared before them. Their average strength was Star Cloud Stage, with three or four among them at the Galaxy Stage. Such power was mere fodder for Wang Lan’s squad.
Wang Lan’s form transformed into a streak of light. A Galaxy Stage opponent, sensing Wang Lan’s Star Energy Fluctuation level, sneered contemptuously. A mere Star Cloud Stage cultivator dares to charge so brazenly?
He clearly doesn’t know how the word ’death’ is written!
Just as this thought arose, in an instant, Wang Lan’s figure vanished from sight.
The Galaxy Stage master was still in shock when suddenly he felt a chill on his back. Wang Lan had appeared behind him at some point, and the Sword of Light gently swept across his back.
The Zanpakuto’s attack struck both body and soul. So, even if the wound wasn’t severe or seemed negligible in combat, the spiritual paralysis would stiffen his body, rendering him incapable of resistance.
How to describe the intercepting team rushing towards them? They were like instant coffee. Upon colliding with the overwhelming momentum of Wang Lan’s five-man squad, *whoosh*—they vanished.
They headed downstairs. Reaching the entrance to the underground parking lot, the five stormed in, their momentum irresistible. Although dozens attempted to intercept them, these Galaxy Stage and Star Cloud Stage individuals were no match for Wang Lan’s elite squad.
The Duanmu Family’s main forces had all gone to the central battlefield, making the family seem less formidable than imagined. The five-man squad advanced, slaying gods and Buddhas who dared to stand in their way.
In less than ten minutes, the five reached the second basement level of the underground garage, where a thick iron door was already closed. But such a barrier could only stop ordinary people; it couldn’t even hinder a Star Shine Stage Star Martial Warrior.
Wang Lan struck with his sword, carving a three-meter diameter circle on the iron door. He then kicked the section open, and the five strode unimpeded into the garage.
What met their eyes were countless pairs of terrified eyes. Many women and elderly people clutched children, staring at them in horror. This scene left three of Wang Lan’s men momentarily at a loss.
We clearly represent justice... so why... why do they look at us as if we’re murderous demons?
"We are special operatives from the Modu City Tianjian Bureau’s Action Department," Wang Lan announced. "We are tasked with protecting and relocating the ordinary people, the dependents of Star Martial Warriors, and the children of the Duanmu Family. Your situation is perilous, so please cooperate with us.
If you comply, we will not harm a single one of you. Remember, we represent the state, not murderous bandits or executioners."
The children might not understand, but the adults should. Wang Lan then said, his voice like a soothing breeze reaching everyone’s ears, "Now, everyone form a line and follow me."
"Officer!" Suddenly, a young girl stood out and shouted, "I want to know exactly what crime the Duanmu Family has committed that warrants such a massive operation for their arrest?"
"The Duanmu Family has violated very serious laws, and the evidence is irrefutable," Wang Lan replied. "Moreover, many individuals participated in these crimes; it’s possible that not everyone among you is entirely innocent. But rest assured, we only convict based on solid evidence. If you have done nothing illegal or disorderly, you have nothing to worry about."
In the end, the girl didn’t get to hear from Wang Lan exactly what the Duanmu Family had done. But she didn’t press further; they knew the working style of the Tianjian Bureau, which had very strict confidentiality protocols.
Although many children were crying, the adults were relatively cooperative. Besides, the Duanmu Family’s order for them to stay in the underground shelter, rather than evacuate the dangerous family residence, had already given them a bad premonition.
Perhaps in the end, the Duanmu Family would use them as hostages. After all, such incidents were not uncommon, and women married to Star Martial Warriors had heard plenty of such stories.
The large group of nearly five hundred people streamed out of the underground garage, heading towards a sealed entrance not far away. Wang Lan led the way with Yang Yang at the rear, while Liu Yifeng and his two companions kept watch in the middle.
Having walked only about two hundred meters, Wang Lan suddenly stopped in his tracks. Dozens of people suddenly emerged from the surrounding flower beds. Without uttering a word, they raised their firearms and began shooting at the crowd.
"Defense—" Wang Lan bellowed. Zhang Xiao and Bai Xu quickly took action.
"Vacuum Pressure—"
"Earth Flow Bi."
BOOM—
A violent series of explosions erupted. The children, shielded in the center, immediately burst into tears again. The women holding them had complex expressions on their faces.
Many young girls had tears in their eyes.
They didn’t recognize the people who had suddenly appeared, but they had to be from the Duanmu Family. But what were they doing? They opened fire without a single word!
Most of these women were associated with the Duanmu Family. But among them, how many were truly ordinary, non-cultivating individuals? Probably less than one in ten.
In the world of Star Martial Warriors, virtually all who married and had children were Star Martial Warriors themselves.