However, Wang Xia’s bomb expertise differed significantly from common skills, largely due to the presence of Chu Xuan, which led to the creation of numerous high-yield explosives. One of the greatest applications of his bomb technique was discovered: controlling existing bombs to vastly increase their destructive power, with the detonation time and location entirely at his command. Especially after acquiring the miniature nuclear bomb, a piece of high-tech gear from Starship Troopers, Wang Xia’s long-range, wide-area combat capability reached the absolute limit below the Fourth-Tier Gene Lock level.

At this moment, three members of the Demon Squad arrived; a mental power controller provided remote support, and the strengths of the two accompanying Demon Squad members were unknown. Among the members of the Central Continent Squad present, the combat abilities of the two rookies were negligible. Wang Xia’s fighting style was ill-suited for close-quarters brawling, and Cheng Xiao was certainly weakened after a major engagement. As for Zhang Heng... his loss was truly regrettable. Had Zhang Heng not died, facing these three Demon Squad members would have been almost a sure victory. After all, Zhang Heng was one of the Central Continent Squad’s truly powerful main combatants. Even without unleashing the Six Arrow Volley, even two or three arrows would have been more than these three could withstand. It had to be admitted, these three had arrived at the most inconvenient time possible.

Wang Xia immediately detonated a miniature nuclear bomb near the insectoid man. The violent explosive wave washed outwards. Because the two parties were so close at this juncture, the detonation of this miniature nuke was certain to affect the Central Continent Squad members as well. Even though the Giant God Soldier intercepted the initial shockwave, the resulting gale-force winds would still blow everyone a considerable distance away.

The first casualties were the remains of Zhang Heng and his clone, Ming Wei.

As the shockwave hit, the corpses of both were swept high into the air. Before anyone else could react, they were violently torn into shreds by the immense force, scattering a shower of bloody fragments into the sky. The surviving Ming Wei was also caught in the shockwave and hurricane, but her luck was considerably better. After flying for only a few seconds, Cheng Xiao twisted and turned mid-air, surging towards her.

He shielded her within his embrace, and the two were flung out for at least a hundred meters before they slammed into the ground with a thud. If they hadn't both been members of a Reincarnation Squad, possessing superhuman physical fitness, a fall like that would have pulverized any ordinary person into a paste.

Before Cheng Xiao could even sit up, he vomited several mouthfuls of black blood the moment he hit the ground, the blood thick with fragments of shredded flesh. His entire face was frighteningly ashen, yet Ming Wei, whom he protected, suffered minimal harm. It seemed she had merely stumbled hard.

She quickly moved out of Cheng Xiao’s embrace and urgently asked, “Why did you save me? Can’t you see I wanted to die? Zhang Heng is dead; what reason do I have to live alone? Moreover, this is the final battle; I’ll only drag everyone down...” “Idiot... I didn't save you for you; I have no interest in getting involved with someone else’s woman...” Cheng Xiao chuckled, blood continuously welling up in his mouth, with streaks of blood visible around his nose and ears. Despite this, the man still smiled happily. He said, “I only have one creed... I will not allow a woman to die before me. As long as the woman isn't an enemy, that’s fine, hehe...” After speaking, Cheng Xiao suddenly pushed off the ground and jumped up. This single movement caused the bleeding from his mouth and nose to surge even more violently, but he didn't care.

He wiped a trickle of blood from his nose and said lightly, “I know. Everyone has their own past. Whether you hate Zhang Heng, or you despise his cowardice, or Chu Xuan’s cold indifference, or Clone Zheng Zha’s resentment and despair—everyone has their past. I have mine too... That’s why I absolutely refuse to let a woman die in front of me. If someone must die, at least let it be after I am already dead...” With that, he burst into hearty laughter.

Simultaneously, Wang Xia’s miniature nuclear bomb proved remarkably effective. The small man with the vacant stare was indeed blasted into pulverized dust. The earth within a radius of dozens of meters around him collapsed inward, leaving not even a shred of meat behind; he was thoroughly obliterated. However, those insect exoskeletons were incredibly tough. Over a dozen larger insects were killed by the shockwave and explosive ripples, but their shells remained intact, looking neither metallic nor iron-like—it was unclear how flesh had transformed into such a durable substance.

The other mixed-blood brawny man, who had positioned himself much farther away, appeared completely unharmed. When buffeted by the shockwave and hurricane, he stood rooted to the ground, unmoving. Only after the entire shockwave and gusting winds had passed did this behemoth suddenly roar towards the sky, his body swelling several times over. His skin darkened continuously, and his hair grew rapidly. Within mere seconds, the man had transformed into a gigantic, grey-furred werewolf.

“Gah, another werewolf?” A few people around muttered inwardly. Was the werewolf enhancement attribute really that popular in the Reincarnation World? Previously, the Central Continent Squad had encountered a werewolf expert when fighting the Indian Continent Squad, and later, Ba Wang had also enhanced into a werewolf. It seemed the Demon Squad also had someone who enhanced with the werewolf attribute. But... was this man strong? As the mixed-blood’s transformation completed, he let out a roar to the heavens and charged first toward Cheng Xiao and Ming Wei. Both of them were heavily wounded, while Wang Xia’s group remained largely unscathed, especially the Obelisk Giant God Soldier, towering dozens of meters high, presenting a significant oppressive presence. Although this mixed-blood was under mental control, his basic instincts remained. His immediate priority was naturally to eliminate the two weakened and injured targets.

The others saw a blur; the werewolf covered the hundred-meter distance in one or two seconds, lunging a claw towards Cheng Xiao’s head. The speed and power were astonishingly immense, easily a hundred times greater than Ba Wang’s. This man had at least reached the level of the Third-Tier Gene Lock, making him undoubtedly one of the Demon Squad’s main combatants.

The werewolf possessed overwhelming advantages in both speed and power, so Cheng Xiao dared not engage head-on. He leaped into the air, and as the werewolf’s claw swept out, he sailed over the monster’s head and landed behind it. Immediately, blood streaks erupted from the werewolf’s body. The South Dipper Waterfowl Fist allowed attacks during leaps, strikes capable of cleaving metal.

Unexpectedly, against this werewolf, the attack only drew a few sprays of blood, perhaps not even cutting through the muscle—it seemed only to have sliced the epidermis. This werewolf was infinitely stronger than the assassin werewolf from the Indian Continent Squad or the half-baked werewolf, Ba Wang, from the Central Continent Squad.

The werewolf took the attack without flinching, supporting itself on one leg and kicking backward. Immense force and speed erupted, perfectly coordinated into a single, astonishing move. Cheng Xiao, who had just landed, could not possibly defend against it. This kick sent him tumbling like a rolling gourd, and his body emitted a crack upon impact. Lin Jun Tian’s skeletal structure had clearly been fractured.

This exchange happened in the blink of an eye. Wang Xia, standing farther away, finally reacted. He dared not use a high-yield bomb against the werewolf, so he yelled loudly to Liu Yu: “Liu Yu! Use the Giant God Soldier to save Cheng Xiao!” But Liu Yu did not respond to his call. Instead, he stared fearfully in another direction. Over there, the remaining swarm of dozens of insects was charging toward him and Wang Xia.

Although they had all suffered injuries to varying degrees due to the blast epicenter, these creatures were insects, possessing tenacious vitality. After such a violent explosion, several dozen small insects remained alive and stubbornly moved toward Wang Xia’s position, determined to tear the three of them apart. They were called "small," but these insects were all over half a meter in size. For instance, there was a praying mantis nearly half a meter long; a strike from it would certainly be capable of cleaving metal. There was also a mosquito whose wings had been blown off, measuring half a meter long, its elongated proboscis resembling a sharp sword. This looked less like something that sucked blood and more like something that could drill a hole the size of a bowl straight through a person.

Seeing the insects rush over, Wang Xia was helpless. He could only toss a high-explosive bomb into the swarm. Yet, the violent explosive wave only managed to blow them aside; it couldn't eliminate them completely. These insects were truly tenacious. However, it stood to reason: the higher the yield of a skill, the greater its limitations. The man must have used his own flesh and blood as a catalyst to summon these insects. To put it crudely, the man was already thin, with little flesh to spare. Even if he turned into a skeleton and converted all his tissues into insects, he couldn't possibly field an insect army. Against Fourth-Tier experts, one strike per insect, and soon he would run out of flesh to summon them. Therefore, this skill was essentially a mutually destructive technique that harmed the user.

It was fortunate that Wang Xia used the miniature nuclear bomb in time. Otherwise, if that thin man had summoned even more insects, it would have truly been an insect hell for those among them lacking high-end destructive power.

Seeing Wang Xia’s high-explosive bomb was ineffective, Liu Yu gritted his teeth and steered the Giant God Soldier toward the insect swarm. The colossal metal figure advanced tens of meters with a single step, covering the distance to the swarm in one or two strides. Smash! It crushed an insect resembling a cockroach. But as soon as the Giant God Soldier lifted its foot, the crushed cockroach began crawling forward again, albeit much slower than before. Truly deserving of the name of the most resilient common pest; even such a crushing force failed to kill it. This sight made Wang Xia and Liu Yu, standing nearby, gasp internally, unsure how to deal with them.

“Wang Xia! Throw another nuke!” Cheng Xiao suddenly roared from nearby, even as he was smacked away by the werewolf once more. Four deep, bone-visible gashes were torn open on his right chest. However, the moment he landed, he sprang up again, acting as if every blow was just a surface wound, stubbornly forcing the werewolf to engage him continuously, preventing it from approaching the collapsed Ming Wei.

This werewolf seemed to have developed a killing frenzy. This time, when Cheng Xiao leaped up again, it didn’t raise its claws to attack. Instead, it opened its gaping maw and lunged to bite the landed Cheng Xiao. This biting attack was much slower than its claws. Cheng Xiao was about to jump away again, but just as he prepared the leap, a force like a giant hammer struck his mind, making his spirit dazed. He couldn't execute the jump this time and was savagely bitten in the stomach by the werewolf. Hiss! Even his intestines were bitten out.

“Damn it, this mental controller is infuriating... Wang Xia! Detonate the nuke, or I won’t be able to close my eyes even when I die!” Cheng Xiao vomited another large mouthful of blood, feeling the strength draining from his body. He immediately cursed out loud.

Wang Xia, watching from afar, felt his eyes turn bloodshot, wishing he could rush over and blast the werewolf into mince with a barrage of bombs. But Cheng Xiao and Ming Wei were near the werewolf. Detonating a nuke now...

“Wang Xia, detonate the nuke... Do you remember what we said before the battle? We must win this final fight. I think Ming Wei is prepared for death, and now that she has forgiven Zhang Heng, her will is no less strong than any of ours! Detonate it!” Cheng Xiao’s voice was already hoarse, a ragged scream torn from his throat. Finally, Wang Xia took out a miniature nuclear bomb and applied his bomb technique controls to it.

He guided the miniature nuke toward the location of Cheng Xiao and the werewolf. Seeing this, Cheng Xiao finally displayed his rogue-like smile.

“Really. This isn’t like you at all, Wang Xia... Farewell, partner.”

“...Farewell, partner!” Wang Xia roared, detonating the miniature nuclear bomb. The instantaneous light resembled a solar flare, completely engulfing Cheng Xiao and the surrounding space.

Then came the rolling shockwave and hurricane. The rising dust soared hundreds of meters high, and the three people caught within... were utterly gone, leaving no trace of bone behind.

The immense seismic ripple continued to spread. Liu Yu, standing beside Wang Xia, was the first to break down in tears. He was, after all, still just a boy. He might be able to face the horrors of various film worlds and dangerous environments, and he might survive trials of life and death, but he was only a youth. Facing the sacrifice of comrades, facing the death of a partner... all he could do was weep.

“Stop crying, Liu Yu. You are also a member of our Central Continent Squad. You can become a powerful warrior and a true hero in the future. So remember... our Central Continent Squad will surely become the strongest team in the entire Reincarnation World, and we are members of the strongest team. Therefore, never disgrace the name Central Continent. Not even in death should you hesitate.”

As Wang Xia spoke, he turned his head to look at the approaching insect swarm. After being trampled by the Obelisk Giant God Soldier, only about a dozen insects remained. But these remaining dozen were lethally dangerous. Coupled with Liu Yu’s depleted mental energy and the Giant God Soldier reverting to a card, there was no barrier left between the three of them and the insect swarm. Wang Xia had also just used two miniature nuclear bombs in succession and could not deploy any more explosives right away... They were in extreme peril.

“...The Central Continent Squad must win, even if I die, the Central Continent Squad must win this final battle!” Wang Xia suddenly raised his head and declared, a calm yet firm look appearing in his eyes. At the same time, he began walking toward the insect swarm, with several miniature nuclear bombs hovering around his body—it was unclear what he intended to do.

(My Bomb Dominator attribute’s final move is to turn myself into a giant bomb. If combined with these miniature nukes, the resulting power would be no less than a true hydrogen bomb explosion. But if I do that, Liu Yu and the others will certainly die too... I'm sorry, partners, for dragging you along in death for the sake of the Central Continent Squad’s victory, I apologize...) Wang Xia gritted his teeth, preparing to charge into the insect swarm. However, before he took more than a few steps, a small, delicate figure suddenly flashed into the midst of the insects. With a few swish-swish sounds, the first two insects were cleanly sliced in half. The woman didn't slow down, continuing to flicker between the insects. The swarm that had left Wang Xia’s trio utterly helpless was easily wiped out by this woman—a clear case of one thing conquering another.

After neutralizing the insects, the woman slowly turned around. It was Zhao Yingkong, one of the Central Continent Squad’s main combat strengths. However, her expression seemed peculiar, perhaps even colder than before. Her small face appeared slightly transparent, noticeable only if one looked carefully.

“...I need to go help Zheng Zha. You three stay out here and ensure absolutely no one disturbs them. Wang Xia... you did well.”

Zhao Yingkong looked deeply at Wang Xia, and a look of sighing seemed to cross her face. Then, without anyone seeing how she moved, she vanished in a flash. Wang Xia didn't even know the manner of her movement. Simultaneously, the mental power controller in the sky suddenly had its head fly off, and the entire body plummeted from mid-air, completely dead.

“What happened? What did Zhao Yingkong mean by her last words? And why does she look so strange?” Wang Xia finally let out a breath of relief, withdrawing the miniature nuclear bombs hovering around him. However, Zhao Yingkong’s sudden appearance and disappearance were too abrupt, and her words were too cryptic. Wang Xia’s mind was filled with confusion, unable to decipher her meaning.

Nevertheless, the three Demon Squad members were now dead. Although the Central Continent Squad was reduced to Wang Xia and two rookies, the main battlefield had been cleared. For now, there was no concern about anyone else disturbing the battle between the two Zheng Zhas. What happened next was beyond the ability of these three to influence. Their mission was nearly complete; all that remained was to await the conclusion of the final battle—whether victory or defeat.

Not long after, Lin Jun Tian, who Wang Xia had knocked unconscious with a palm strike, also woke up. He seemed initially unaware of what had transpired until Liu Yu recounted the entire battle. The man then fell into silence. Misery loves company; as a member of the Central Continent Squad, albeit a newcomer with weak strength and no firm belief in becoming stronger, he was weaker than Liu Yu among the Central Continent Squad’s weakest members. Seeing so many powerful individuals fall before him, he didn't know how to feel—both sorrowful and helpless, wishing he could remain unconscious.

“Don’t dwell on it too much, Lin Jun Tian. Most people who enter this Reincarnation World don't possess superpowers, or special abilities, or mastery of martial arts—those are all lies. Most people who come in grew strong step by step, empowered by the will to survive. So, you don't need to feel too weak; you just have too little experience...” Wang Xia patted Lin Jun Tian’s shoulder.

Lin Jun Tian didn’t look back and suddenly asked, “Wang Xia, what is your reason for growing stronger? To become the strongest in the Central Continent Squad? That sounds too childish...”

“Childish? No, I don’t find it childish at all...” Wang Xia suddenly looked up at the sky. After a long pause, he spoke quietly, “Only if the Central Continent Squad wins can what we gain in this Reincarnation World—whether cultivation techniques, enhancements, various gene data, or technology and magic—have a chance to transmit back to the real world. Only then will our nation grow stronger... That is my creed for becoming strong.”

Lin Jun Tian looked at Wang Xia with surprise, but his face showed no admiration; rather, it held a hint of disdain. After a while, he said, “For the sake of the nation? That reason is even more...”

“Is that so?” Wang Xia gave a wry smile and didn't argue. He merely took a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and began to smoke silently.

The atmosphere among them seemed to settle into a silence when Liu Yu suddenly interjected, “Brother Lin Jun Tian, I have found my own creed for becoming strong too... It is pride—the pride of holding the title of the strongest in the Central Continent Squad. I will strive to become a powerhouse worthy of that title. Even if I don't know how long it will take, I believe I can achieve it!” Hearing this, Lin Jun Tian grew even more silent. He said nothing, only bowing his head in deep thought.

However, the peace among the three did not last long. Suddenly, a howl echoed from the far distance, a sound that shook the heavens, as if some gigantic monster had emerged from that direction. That direction was precisely where Luo Yinglong’s primordial spirit had self-destructed. Instantly, the hearts of the three tensed up again. Wang Xia glanced back toward the main battlefield of the two Zheng Zhas, and without hesitation, he took Lin Jun Tian and the other boy into the sky, flying rapidly toward the source of the sound on the Green Goblin Skateboard.

It wasn't long before the source of the sound materialized in their sight: a colossal, flesh-and-blood giant dozens of meters high—no, calling it a giant was inaccurate. It was more like a monstrous entity bearing a vaguely humanoid form. Over a dozen wings of light sprouted from its back, its entire body a purplish-red hue, thick with knotted muscle. Faintly visible, a rhomboid AT Field enveloped its form.

The Evangelion Unit-01 had regenerated. After sustained, high-intensity assault from Luo Yinglong, this monstrous being—synchronized at four hundred percent and possessing the Infinite Light of the Mind—was finally forced into silence for over ten minutes. Its body, which could normally repair itself instantly, still hadn't fully healed by this point. Furthermore, its mobility had significantly diminished; it was no longer suspended in mid-air by its AT Field, but was instead walking, step by deliberate step, toward Zheng Zha's battlefield.

“Is this the monster that fought Luo Yinglong earlier? It’s astonishing,” Wang Xia muttered, his expression grave. “The land for tens of miles around has been completely leveled. Those two violent explosions just now were terrifying, yet they still failed to eliminate this creature…”

Instinctively, Wang Xia felt the sheer terror emanating from the EVA Unit-01. It was a primal feeling, the way a rabbit senses a wolf, or an ant senses an anteater. This alone spoke volumes about the EVA’s power.

“Liu Yu, can you still summon a Giant God Soldier?” Wang Xia immediately turned to Liu Yu.

The young boy shook his head silently. “No use. My mental energy is completely depleted. I summoned one during the fight with the Celestial Team, and then again just now… I can’t summon another Giant God Soldier.”

“Is that so?” Wang Xia sighed inwardly, shaking his head with a bitter smile. He then turned to Lin Juntian. “What about you? Can you still materialize elemental hydrogen?” Lin Juntian also managed a wry smile and shook his head. “No chance. Previously, I only managed to materialize hydrogen at that level because Qi Tengyi was helping me. Now, forget elements; I can’t even materialize something the size of a molecule—no, even nano-scale matter. The best I can manage is something around a millimeter in size.”

“Nothing at all?” Wang Xia sighed silently again.

While the three were talking, the EVA Unit-01, which had been moving agonizingly slowly, began to accelerate. The AT Field surrounding its body gradually became visible to the naked eye. As time passed, the Unit-01, empowered by the Infinite Light of the Mind, was growing stronger. It could be assumed that given enough time to repair, it could potentially return to the peak condition it held before battling Luo Yinglong.

Wang Xia clearly perceived this shift. Seeing the EVA’s increasing speed and the growing intensity of the Light of the Mind on its surface, he immediately triggered a miniature nuclear warhead to detonate near the Unit-01. A massive mushroom cloud erupted from the ground.

The three of them were flying high in the air and were unaffected by the blast radius of the miniature nuke. When the dust settled, the EVA Unit-01 stood precisely where it had been, completely unharmed, and even seemed to look up at the three figures hovering above.

“No effect… Wait. There was an effect. The Light of the Mind is noticeably thinner, and its speed has started to slow again. If we had enough firepower to sustain the shockwaves, we could certainly shatter its Light of the Mind instantly and destroy its body again…” Wang Xia muttered to himself. Just as he prepared to use another miniature nuke, his body suddenly felt weak, and he nearly tumbled off his Green Goblin Glider. He had fought several intense battles in quick succession, especially after enduring the super-intense detonation unleashed by Ya Dang, which had nearly killed him. After that, he had used several more miniature nukes. At this moment, he truly had no residual strength left to contend with the EVA Unit-01.

“Damn it! How can I fail at this final moment! How dare I let this monster interfere with Zheng Zha’s decisive battle?” Wang Xia cursed loudly, and without thinking, he pulled out all the miniature nuclear warheads from his spatial pouch, followed by the miniature nuclear missile launcher. He roared, “A man can’t die of thirst just because he needs to piss! Since I can’t increase the power, I’ll counter it with sheer quantity!” With that, a miniature nuke shot from the launcher toward the EVA Unit-01.

With a deafening boom, Wang Xia didn't pause. He continuously fired miniature nuclear warheads at the EVA Unit-01. A chaotic barrage erupted, blasting more than a dozen craters into the ground. Even without amplified explosive capability, the yield of these warheads was immense. After more than ten consecutive detonations, the resulting mushroom clouds never ceased rising from the ground. Wang Xia only stopped when the very last miniature nuclear warhead remained in his hand, and he gazed silently into the dust cloud.

Moments later, the dust cleared. Nearly half of the EVA Unit-01’s body had been vaporized by the blasts centered on it. Its AT Field had weakened to a state invisible to the naked eye. Its flesh was writhing and repairing itself, and it seemed it would take at least ten minutes before it could move again. Seeing this, Lin Juntian and Liu Yu both breathed a sigh of relief. Liu Yu quickly urged, “Brother Wang Xia, quickly fire this last one! This monster looks done for. Even if this bomb doesn’t kill it, it will surely tear its body apart further, buying us more time…”

“No… I can’t,” Wang Xia said, his tone slightly bitter. “In battle, we keep one last round—we call it the bullet of glory. Because we refuse to be captured, refuse to fail, this bullet is our final conviction when supplies are exhausted. This last miniature nuke is for myself.” He continued, his voice tight. “If I fire it, yes, it will shatter the creature further, but what if it repairs itself again? What means will we have left to stop it? None. Therefore, this final nuclear device is reserved for me…”

“Lin Juntian, you always thought my ideology was naive, didn't you? Well, I’ll tell you now—even in death, my beliefs will never change. This! Is the conviction that drives me to live, to fight, to grow stronger! It will never change!” Wang Xia looked at Lin Juntian with utter seriousness. Having spoken, he quietly cradled the miniature nuclear warhead against his chest. Ignoring the shouts of the other two, he let out a great laugh and piloted the Green Goblin Glider straight toward the EVA Unit-01.

“Turning myself into a bomb, monster! I want to see if you can withstand this final blast!”

…Always, the most beautiful and sublime thing in my heart was the Five-Starred Red Flag. Once, my Young Pioneer neckerchief was a corner of that flag… So, I joined the army, hoping to dedicate my body to my beloved motherland—the nation that bore and raised me… At some point, those around me began to change their minds, one by one leaving the service. Was it the great economic surge? Or the reality that scoffed at the very word ‘patriotism’? Once… I visited Tiananmen Square. The Monument to the People's Heroes, standing tall amidst the square, reflected the rising golden sun—so glorious, so beautiful. I saluted the monument… only to be met with the laughter of the youths beside me. Has my steadfastness truly become irrelevant? Once… I swore an oath to the flag, to water it with my own blood, to guard it with my life. But now, the corruption of officials, the endless buck-passing in government, and the undercurrents swirling within the army… Will my vow ever see its fulfillment? Mother… her hair is turning white, yet she still believes her son is a hero. Can I change this country? Can I truly become a hero? The Central Continent Team… only Zheng Zha achieved victory. That kind, good man, with Chu Xuan's help, they are certain to bring the technology and power of this reincarnation world back to the nation—even if that nation is already filled with filth, even if many of its people have begun to rot… As a soldier… always a soldier, I have never been as resolute as I am now! My conviction, my courage, my life, for the motherland I love the most—even unto death, I will never yield… Even if much of this nation has succumbed to decay, even so, I… I, Wang Xia! Will never be corrupted!

With a thunderous roar, an explosion equivalent to a hydrogen bomb detonated at close range, completely engulfing the EVA Unit-01… Jumping toward…