This morning, newspapers across the land carried a sensational headline: "Lord Fengshen Found the Assassin Organization's Lair and Annihilated Them Overnight, Leaving No Survivors!"
The news was incredibly shocking. Many factions had heard of the organization known as Tianya Alliance, yet almost no one knew the location of their base. Now, Shen Feng had not only found it but had wiped them out. Such a drastic turn of events was bound to cause a stir.
The newspapers were filled with graphic images of bloody scenes on a mountain. On one side, a photo of Shen Feng, radiating killing intent, stood in an open space. His hands were empty, but his body was splattered with blood. The once spirited youth had transformed into a terrifying executioner.
A fearless reporter interviewed Shen Feng, asking why he had acted so ruthlessly. Shen Feng replied calmly, "The rules of the jianghu state that family should not be involved. These people killed my parents. Since they dared to kidnap and kill my parents, I will ensure that everyone in their families meets a violent end!"
Upon the report of this incident, many immediately began to praise him. "Lord Fengshen acts decisively, without any hesitation. He said he would kill their entire family, and he did. This is the demeanor a martial artist should possess. Moreover, the other side broke the rules of righteousness first. Lord Fengshen's actions are merely an eye for an eye."
After reading the newspapers, a large number of people lauded Shen Feng's actions, deeming them entirely justified. The revenge for a father's death could be sought for nine generations, a principle even mentioned in the Spring and Autumn Annals, thus proving the righteousness of Shen Feng's conduct.
"I think Shen Feng's actions were too brutal. Killing the instigators would have been enough, but he killed their families too. I saw many children's corpses. How could he do such a thing?" While there were voices of praise, there were also many criticisms. Many felt Shen Feng's method of wiping out entire families was too extreme.
Everyone assumed that Shen Feng's annihilation of the assassin organization marked the end of the matter. However, they never expected Shen Feng to subsequently issue a bounty: "Evil must be eradicated completely. The Tianya Alliance assassin organization has committed countless wicked deeds, killing numerous gifted individuals. Their crimes are too numerous to recount. To my knowledge, many informants still provide intelligence to the Tianya Alliance. A bounty is now offered: anyone who reports a Tianya Alliance informant will be rewarded with ten Evolution Bases."
Following the release of this bounty, almost everyone along the southeastern coast took action, scrutinizing their surroundings for Tianya Alliance informants. Even many gifted individuals participated, as the bounty offered by Shen Feng was incredibly enticing.
Only by obtaining sufficient Evolution Bases could people break through evolutionary barriers. Without Evolution Bases, reaching the fourth tier was impossible. Gifted individuals were also troubled by how to acquire Evolution Bases, as they could not be bought with money. Almost all Evolution Bases in the Chinese region were produced by Shen Feng; this business had become a monopoly, and ordinary people lacked the ability to produce them.
Now, everyone saw an opportunity to earn Evolution Bases and was eager to seize it. Consequently, many Tianya Alliance informants were discovered in the southeastern region. These individuals had provided Shen Feng with considerable data on gifted individuals for profit. They had believed this was merely a normal way to earn money, but now disaster loomed, and they could not escape.
Countless people were brought before Shen Feng. After their guilt was established, they were swiftly executed. In the southeastern region, Shen Feng caused a great many deaths.
Shen Feng's actions were undoubtedly extreme. If he continued killing at this rate, it was unclear how many tens of thousands of people he would have to kill. However, ordinary people were powerless to stop him. Furthermore, many people were focused on earning the bounty. Catching a single Tianya Alliance informant meant acquiring an Evolution Base – what a lucrative deal.
Shen Feng remained in the southeastern region for half a month, killing almost every day. He sought to alleviate his grief through killing, and his killing intent grew stronger, his gaze alone often enough to terrify others.
What finally stopped Shen Feng from continuing his killings was a phone call from Yuzhou. Chang Jianyi made the call, stating earnestly, "Shen Feng, hurry back. Something major has happened in Yuzhou. Locusts have entered Yuzhou and Chuan Province. Much of the grain has been eaten, and the newly sprouted crops have been completely devoured. You need to return quickly to resolve this problem!"
"Is the problem really that serious?" Shen Feng asked hesitantly.
At this moment, Shen Feng was still immersed in the grief of losing his parents. He could not fathom that his parents had left the world due to an accident. Thus, he needed to kill constantly, to gain a sense of satisfaction through killing to quell his sorrow. In his eyes, these informants who provided intelligence deserved to die.
However, upon learning that his home was in trouble, Shen Feng could not ignore it. He wanted to know the severity of the situation.
"The situation is extremely serious. If it's not handled properly, there will be a widespread famine in the autumn of this year, and many people will starve to death!" Chang Jianyi said earnestly on the phone.
Shen Feng fell silent, still contemplating whether to return.
"There's also one more thing you need to handle: your parents' funeral. If you don't come back, we can't proceed without your consent. You are a filial son!" Chang Jianyi continued.
"I understand. I will return as quickly as possible. Don't worry, my mind is still clear!" Shen Feng finally replied in a low voice. After half a month, he had gradually accepted reality. The dead could not be brought back to life. The most important thing now was to ensure his parents were buried with dignity.
Subsequently, Shen Feng canceled the bounty and, after issuing the reward, rushed back to Yuzhou.
Upon his return to Yuzhou, he discovered the gravity of the situation. In previous years, the farmlands at this time would be lush green. However, now the farmlands were bare, devoid of any crops. Locusts could still be seen flying about, and the crops in the fields had already been eaten by them.
"Didn't we block the locust invasion earlier? How did the locusts get in again?" Shen Feng asked, confused upon seeing the locusts in the fields.
After Shen Feng returned to Fengshen Palace, he quickly saw the mourning hall. His family, clad in mourning attire, was holding the funeral. People came to pay their respects daily. Even Shen Feng's three children knelt on the ground with their mother. Shen Yu appeared much more haggard.
Mencius said, "Only in sending off the dead is it proper to make great efforts." Therefore, holding a funeral is very important. The most pressing matter for Shen Feng upon his return was not the locusts, but to ensure his parents were buried with great honor.
Over the next few days, Shen Feng was busy with this matter. Only in his spare time could he listen to Chang Jianyi explain the origin of the locusts.
The roads from Hanzhong into Chuan Province and Yuzhou had been blocked, guarded by Chang Haojie. The locusts could not cross the Dabashan Mountains. However, these locusts flew everywhere they could, carried by strong winds. Eventually, they reached the Jingxiang region in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.
Yuzhou and Chuan Province had experienced drought for several months. The dry climate was highly favorable for locust reproduction. Thus, the locusts directly entered Yuzhou and Chuan Province from the Jingxiang region. These detestable locusts, while flying, also devoured crops and could quickly lay eggs. Under suitable conditions, these eggs would hatch into more locusts.
"The reason for the locust plague is actually the arrival of the Little Ice Age. The north has suffered consecutive droughts, creating soil suitable for locust reproduction. The northern water conservancy facilities are also inadequate. Whenever there is a severe drought, locusts appear in endless numbers," Li Keyi also explained to Shen Feng.
After hearing this information about the locusts, Shen Feng found the situation very troublesome and not something he could easily resolve. Soldier bees had queens and their reproduction rate was not high. They tended to cluster together when facing danger, and a large group could be killed at once. However, locusts were different. Not only did they lay many eggs, but they also lacked a leader. Their flight direction was entirely dependent on their mood. It was not easy to completely exterminate locusts.
"For now, we can only take it one step at a time. Fortunately, we still have food in hand, which should last for at least half a year," Shen Feng mused silently.
Currently, many regions in the north were in chaos due to the appearance of locusts. Generally, locusts preferred dry areas and did not frequently appear in the south. However, this situation was unusual. Chuan Province and Yuzhou had already experienced drought, allowing the locusts to penetrate deep into the region and cause immense damage in the south.
While Shen Feng was preparing his parents' funeral, his three children met their aunt for the first time. Xiao Long and Xiao Hu had seen their aunt on phone screens before, but Shen Yishi was meeting her for the first time and couldn't help but cling to her aunt's side.
Shen Yu also greatly liked the three children. The lively children eased her inner turmoil significantly. However, every time she thought about the future, she felt lost. Although she was married, she had recently received unexpected news: Xiao Sheng had been paralyzed and would be unable to stand or walk for the rest of his life.
Now, with her parents' accidental death, her hometown destroyed, and her husband paralyzed, Shen Yu had no idea how to cope. She had wanted to rely on her brother, but her brother's family was happy and harmonious. She felt like an outsider staying at Fengshen Palace.
Thus, Shen Yu became increasingly melancholic, unsure of what the future held.
Shen Feng was also very concerned about his sister's current state, as he was now her only relative to rely on. It would be truly excessive if he neglected her. Rongcheng had been destroyed, and rebuilding it was no small feat, especially in the apocalypse. She could not return to her hometown, and he had to ensure his sister received good care in Yuzhou.
Moreover, Shen Yu had a husband and her own family. Shen Feng could not let his sister live in his home indefinitely, as it would lead to gossip. Therefore, Shen Feng wanted to help Xiao Sheng stand up again. If he could recover his health, he would still be a capable man.
However, fate seemed to be playing tricks on Shen Yu. After a detailed examination by doctors, the conclusion was that Xiao Sheng might never be able to stand again.
When Shen Feng's family was abducted, Xiao Sheng desperately tried to stop them. However, in the crowd, he was attacked from behind by an enemy, which ultimately resulted in his lumbar spine being broken. During human evolution, the spine was one of the most crucial elements. Once the spine was damaged, humans were essentially sentenced to death. They could not even perform simple actions like bending over, let alone fighting.
Xiao Sheng himself could not accept this cruel reality. He had once been a high-ranking gifted individual, but suddenly learning that he had become crippled was a drastic change that no one could accept.
Shen Feng was preparing his parents' funeral in Yuzhou. It was meant to be a grand affair, ideally attended by the major powers of China. However, with locust plagues raging everywhere, many places did not have the time to attend the funeral. Thus, it was eventually decided to hold a grand ceremony in Yuzhou, sufficient for the people of Yuzhou to attend.
The appearance of the locust plague also presented Shen Feng with a golden opportunity. Since Chuan Province was also severely affected by the locust plague, Yuzhou still had some grain reserves. However, many areas in Chuan Province had completely run out of food. Without food, famines began to appear in various parts of Chuan Province, and the influx of refugees was unstoppable.