Game World: I Can Share Talents

’This isn’t right. This kind of sanity-shattering corruption is rare, even in the midst of Chaos Erosion.’

’Even when it does happen, it shouldn’t be this fast.’

’The degree of Chaos Erosion is far more severe than I imagined. Is this what the Mortal World is like when Chaos has the overwhelming advantage?’

In all of Westheid’s experience, there was no phenomenon that could compare to this. The Chaos Hundred Forms cataloged in the future were completely useless as a reference in this distant past.

Before he could dwell on it any longer, the Floating Battleship had already arrived directly beneath the corrupted battleship.

A countdown sounded in the landing craft, and it began to tremble violently.

"We’re going in. Stay behind me. I’ll protect you."

Wan Qi stressed to Westheid once again.

"Don’t worry about me holding you back. My blade is as sharp as ever."

He was unaccustomed to this ancient environment, which prevented him from using the full power of his Tier. Even so, Westheid’s Combat Techniques and experience hadn’t faded in the slightest.

KA-CHUNK! KA-CHUNK! KA-CHUNK—

Hundreds of landing craft launched from the battleship’s flanks, heading straight for the canopy of Chaos.

Many of the landing craft were shot down during the advance, but most of the vanguard still managed to smash into the corrupted battleship. The thermal-melt beams on their tips melted through the outer shell of thorns and tumors, allowing them to come to a stop deep inside the Chaos nest.

SHIIING—

The moment the hatch opened, Wan Qi drew her saber. Forged from Soul Bone, the blade instantly unleashed a violent gale, shredding all the hideous, foul Demons that had swarmed them.

Westheid took a deep breath of the tainted air and followed the gray-haired girl, advancing into the depths of the corrupted battleship.

They cut down every enemy they met, completely unstoppable.

Once in combat, Wan Qi was completely different from her usual self. Aside from glancing back at Westheid from time to time, she was focused on the ruthless slaughter of the Chaos Creatures within the corrupted battleship.

’Just as he had said, Westheid didn’t hold Wan Qi back. ’Even without my anti-Chaos specialization, Shadow-Born, I can still annihilate the enemy!’’

The two of them carved a path of destruction from their landing point, wiping out all the Chaos Creatures in their way. Even with Chaos at maximum erosion levels, the grunts weren’t that much stronger. A High-tier Transcendent performing at their normal level was more than enough to mow them down.

However, the power of an individual was insignificant on a battlefield of this scale. When Wan Qi and Westheid had slaughtered their way through nearly the entire corrupted battleship and looked back from the upper deck, they were met with a suffocating sight.

The entire sky was set ablaze. The Xuli fleet had engaged Chaos in close-quarters combat. Even in this ancient, precursor civilization, it was an accepted truth that blades were superior to guns.

Countless battleships and landing craft smashed into the dense, chaotic dark clouds, but even more ships became floating wreckage in the sky. People fell screaming into the abyss, devoured by the surging Chaos Tide.

Above, the sky was a burning battlefield. Below, countless viscous arms reached up from the walking dead... It was just like Purgatory.

Wan Qi, who had been panting, took a deep breath at the sight and said in a low voice:

"West... Let’s go to the next nest."

"My thoughts exactly."

The encounter felt endlessly long due to its sheer brutality. Westheid lost count of how many corrupted battleships he and Wan Qi had destroyed.

Through wave after wave of suicidal attacks from the Xuli Warriors, the sky-canopy occupied by Chaos was forcibly torn apart. Finally, the Chaos nest blocking their path was completely dismantled.

There were no techniques, no tactics—just a victory built on pure sacrifice and bloody courage.

The survivors of the boarding parties returned to the Floating Fortress aboard a battered transport ship.

The first thing that came into view was their main base, a large chunk of which had been chewed away—damage caused by a gargantuan Chaos beast that had nearly sunk the Floating Fortress.

There were no cheers or celebrations along the way—no one had the time or the heart for it. Everyone was busy with the post-battle cleanup. Repairing the fortress, replenishing equipment and vehicles, and treating the wounded occupied all their energy.

Besides, there was nothing to celebrate. The casualties in this battle were so heavy they beggared belief. From what Westheid could see of the battleships that had sortied, fewer than one in ten had returned.

"You should get some rest."

Westheid said softly, looking at the gray-haired girl beside him.

Wan Qi had fought too desperately. Now, she could barely stand, even while leaning on her saber.

"No, I still have things to do."

Wan Qi shook her head forcefully, rallying her spirits, and walked towards the field hospital that had been temporarily set up on the deck.

’What else could there be? Is she injured?’

Westheid was stunned for a moment. Then, he recalled the information he had read, and his pupils contracted.

’Holy fuck, could it be...?’

"Cultivator."

As soon as she arrived at the field hospital, a soldier immediately approached Wan Qi, giving a respectful bow.

"Please grant our brothers and sisters a merciful release, so that their souls may... ascend to the heavens."

Hearing this, Wan Qi’s pupils trembled. She subconsciously tightened her grip on her hilt, then relaxed it before nodding.

"I understand..."

Then, with heavy steps, Wan Qi entered the tent behind the soldier.

Inside the large tent were rows of neatly arranged beds. The groans of pain and the deathly silent aura of Chaos filled the air.

The Xuli soldier closest to Wan Qi, half of his face already calcified, reached out with his last breath and rasped a plea:

"Cultivator... I’m begging you..."

"Rest in peace. May you ascend to the heavens."

The gray-haired girl forced a trace of gentleness into her crimson eyes as she reversed her grip on the Soul Bone Long Saber.

SHLICK—

The sharp blade pierced the infected man’s chest, then slashed, tearing his body completely apart.

Then, she withdrew the saber and walked to the next wounded soldier.

"Thank you..."

SHLICK—

"Cough, cough, cough... Take me away!"

SHLICK—

........

Westheid stood to the side, watching calmly as Wan Qi executed all the infected, one after another, as if she were mechanically processing products on an assembly line.

If they were merely simple external wounds, they could naturally be saved. But after battling Chaos for so long, how could one not be affected by it?

Those who were severely eroded... had essentially been sentenced to death. They had to be executed before they could mutate.

The person who carried out this execution was the Cultivator... because people believed that if they were taken away by an emissary of the heavens, their souls would not fall into corruption, but would instead ascend to the heavens. And the more thoroughly the body was destroyed, the higher the soul could rise.

Or perhaps, people chose to believe this—had to believe this. Otherwise, they would lose even the courage to face death.

After nearly a thousand heavily infected people had been given their final rites, the girl’s white robes were soaked in blood.

Her gray hair was also flecked with crimson. In contrast, her once-crimson eyes now looked empty and lifeless.

Wan Qi walked out of the tent with her head bowed. The soldiers who had been waiting for a long time all gathered around her.

"Have our brothers and sisters... ascended to the heavens?"

The gray-haired girl looked up. Her eyes, which had been overflowing with pain just a moment ago, were now filled with piety and tranquility. She crossed her hands over her chest and offered a practiced smile:

"Yes. Their souls have all reached the heavens."

The crowd wept with joy:

"That’s wonderful!"

"May our prayers be heard! Merciful heavens, take them far from this tainted earth!"

"Cultivator, thank you for your hard work. We are eternally grateful!"

"If I ever get infected, please be the one to purify me too!"

"..."

Watching this joyous scene of endless gratitude, Westheid, the bystander, suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of absurdity.

After finishing her work of administering the final rites, Wan Qi politely declined the soldiers’ enthusiastic requests for a sermon and returned to the Monastery with Westheid.

The moment they stepped through the door, Wan Qi threw her arms around Westheid. The gray-haired girl hugged his neck tightly, burying her head deep in her partner’s chest.

"Never... Never before have I had to perform so many final rites."

"Why must my hands be stained with so much blood..."

Westheid gently stroked the girl’s soft, beautiful hair. "Do you believe it? The part about ascending to the heavens?"

"I’ve never believed it. There are no gods in this world."

Wan Qi’s answer was unhesitating. She gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"If there were gods who took pity on the world, how could they let us suffer this torment? How could they not hear such desperate prayers?"

"We’re just lying to ourselves."