Translator: CinderTL
Boom!!
An energy beam tore through the sky vault, ripping a massive fissure across the cratered wilderness below.
An armored vehicle and cyborg special forces unit vanished without a trace, replaced by an explosive inferno and shards of disintegrating metal.
"What?!"
"Have they gone mad?"
"They're deploying the fleet!"
The empire's warriors were shaken to their core. Some on the battlefield witnessed the energy beam graze past them, obliterating everything in its path.
Beneath the fortress canopy, the empire's generals' faces darkened. Standing in their command posts on the fortress walls, they stared up at the monstrous weapons looming like sky-borne beasts.
Dense formations of floating turrets and aircraft deployed, activating their defensive light shields.
Several warships converged, forming a fleet that pressed against one side of the battlefield, advancing directly toward the fortress.
While warships possessed immense firepower, their repair costs were astronomical. In past fortress engagements, both sides had exercised restraint, rarely deploying them, relying instead on small-scale probing skirmishes.
But now...
"The people of the Taiduo Kingdom are treacherous and cunning. They wouldn't mobilize their fleet without a sinister motive."
"General Xu, we must be on our guard!"
Someone suddenly warned, sensing the anomaly.
The fortress generals standing on the wall platforms nodded in agreement, their gazes shifting toward the center, where the highest-ranking officer—a two-General Star general—stood.
Dressed in a brown military greatcoat, his complexion was sallow.
He appeared to be in his fifties, his face etched with deep wrinkles and an air of stern resolve.
"You all speak wisely," he said in a deep, resonant voice, his eyes cold and fixed on the enemy fleet looming in the sky. "From this moment forward, the fortress enters the highest state of combat readiness."
"Furthermore," he continued, "activate the energy weapons and deploy the Air Annihilation Cannons!"
Boom!!
The fortress shuddered.
On the jagged alloy walls, cannon turrets glowed crimson as they charged their energy weapons.
Massive alloy gates swung open, releasing several hundred-meter-long land battleship cannons that resembled small mountains.
The Imperial generals watched this display with grave expressions.
Before they could speak, General Xu, the supreme commander, waved his hand decisively.
"Whatever schemes the Taiduo Kingdom may have," he declared, "from this moment forward, we fight to the death without retreat!"
Boom!!
The fully charged main cannon unleashed a torrent of Blazing Energy, igniting the battlefield and launching a counterattack.
Mechanical soldiers, deployed moments earlier, were torn apart by the energy stream, exploding in rapid succession.
The land battleship cannon, known as the Air Annihilation Cannon, anchored its massive metal base deep into the bedrock.
After only a few breaths of charging, its Force Field light shield deployed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Muffled explosions reverberated like the blows of a colossal hammer striking the earth.
Circular shockwaves erupted from the cannon's muzzle as specially designed missiles spiraled skyward, tearing through the air toward the sky vault.
The massive recoil shook the ground for kilometers, nearly burying the colossal land battleship cannon.
Whirrr! Whirrr! Whirrr!
In an instant, the piercing whine of rotating projectiles filled the heavens.
The fleet's cannon fire was shredded and disintegrated, while the Warships' light shields buckled under the relentless assault.
"These imperial barbarians," the Taiduo Kingdom's fortress legion general snarled, his face darkening as he observed the battlefield through the light screen.
Spinning missiles tore through the enemy fire, embedding themselves like explosive darts into the honeycomb-patterned light shields.
Before the floating turrets and aircraft could intercept them, the missiles detonated violently, igniting flames that nearly shattered the Force Fields and breached the defensive lines.
"Order the ground forces to accelerate their advance and prioritize neutralizing the Air Annihilation Cannons!"
"Mecha pilots, coordinate with the mechanical soldiers. Use the armored vanguard vehicles as your spearhead and advance immediately!"
The cold, commanding voice echoed across the battlefield, and orders were swiftly relayed to the troops.
In an instant, black torrents of mechanical soldiers flooded the battlefield, unleashing a relentless barrage of gunfire.
The entire wilderness, stretching over ten kilometers, was engulfed in artillery fire. Aircraft and floating turrets rained down suppressing fire as they surged forward.
Despite their apparent advantage, the empire's armored vehicles and tanks showed no fear, unleashing relentless volleys of their own.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The deafening roar of bullets and artillery fire reverberated across the wilderness, staining the sky vault crimson.
The intensity of the battle escalated rapidly, plunging into a full-scale engagement.
Every moment, mechanical soldiers exploded into fiery fragments, their charred remains scattering across the scorched earth.
Simultaneously, imperial soldiers fell to the ground, their blood staining the earth crimson.
The two military fortresses transformed into colossal beasts, devouring the sky and spitting out the sun. The war became a meat grinder, relentlessly consuming blood and alloy fragments.
The battlefield was a maelstrom of fire and destruction.
An invisible magnetic field subtly pulsed, transmitting the scene to the central capital of the Taiduo Kingdom.
"Though the empire is decaying, its foundations remain formidable."
"Who would have thought the Air Annihilation Cannon from the previous era would still possess such destructive power today?"
"Moreover, intelligence suggests that Fortress Seven is guarded by four legendary cyborgs and connected to the Imperial Heart, allowing for immediate high-dimensional teleportation to summon reinforcements."
Voices echoed through the command center of the capital city. Through the explosion-proof fiberglass windows, a colossal Star Ring Device hung suspended in the sky, spanning the horizon.
Warships hovered amidst swirling cloud layers, forming a vast fleet around the ring.
This was a floating city built around the Star Ring, housing numerous warships.
Mecha Warriors frequently launched into the air, patrolling alongside floating turrets and extending light screens for surveillance.
Anti-gravity devices propelled combat pods and mecha teams into the area, providing reinforcements and resupply to the fleet.
"Fortress Seven is the central hub of the ancient empire's southern defense line. A high-ranking lord must be personally stationed there."
"And there's the troublesome Imperial Heart providing reinforcements. Serik, are you truly willing to take such a risk?"
High above the main city, a golden-haired man in white, gold-trimmed armor sat cross-legged, his pure white, divine wings floating behind him.
No one knew of his presence; he seemed to have merged with the void itself.
Only the intelligent voice from the deep web echoed beside him, surprisingly human-like in its curiosity, repeatedly questioning him.
"How will we know if we don't try?" the golden-haired man replied calmly, his youthful appearance suggesting he was in his early twenties.
His skin was pale, his brown eyes tinged with a dark golden sheen.
The deep web intelligence paused, as if invisible electromagnetic waves rippled through the air, analyzing his words and emotions.
"This isn't like you," it suddenly said, its tone tinged with human-like doubt.
"The empire is formidable. Even if we capture Fortress Seven, it doesn't guarantee a complete invasion of the empire's southern territories."
"You've always disliked actions without a complete plan and certainty."
"And I can sense your urgency. Is it because of the Black Tide Disaster that erupted recently?"
At these words, the golden-haired man named Serik fell silent for a moment.
His brown eyes flickered with a dark golden light before he finally nodded.
"The Black Tide came too quickly."
"Though the supreme being has restrained the King of Angels, the evil god's chosen will not cease their advance."
"Our civilization is on the brink of collapse. Only by unifying as soon as possible and combining the empire's resources can we hope to withstand this calamity."
His voice was wistful, filled with deep emotion.
The Black Tide's invincibility cast a shadow over all civilizations, a bloody lesson etched in ancient records.
"Why not join forces with the empire and lay down your arms?" the deep web asked, its curiosity piqued.
According to its calculations, cooperation would maximize both civilizations' chances of survival.
Why then wage war, complicating matters further?
It struggled to comprehend such thinking.
"So, you're not human."
With a soft sigh, Serik offered no further explanation.
The ancient empire and the Taiduo Kingdom had long-standing grudges, and the "supreme being" and "Imperial Holy" factions were also at odds. It was nearly impossible to set aside these deeply ingrained prejudices.
Unless faced with imminent annihilation, relying solely on the current situation to negotiate a united front—and expecting everyone to abandon their conflicts—was a pipe dream.
"Send the order," Serik said, shaking his head. He suppressed his lingering doubts and gazed down at the floating city and the Star Ring fleet below.
"Prepare to advance. Commence the descent."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Artillery fire roared ceaselessly, lighting up the sky.
The battlefield between the two fortresses devoured everything, as countless mechanical soldiers and armored vehicles exploded one after another.
Mecha pilots led the charge, closing in on the fortresses in an attempt to destroy the powerful Air Annihilation Cannons. But each time they approached, they met with fierce resistance from the Imperial forces.
"These Imperial fools truly intend to fight to the death," the Taiduo Kingdom's legion commanders sneered as they observed the battlefield through the light screen, noting how fiercely the land battleship cannons were being defended.
While Imperial soldiers were fearless in the face of death, mechanical soldiers felt no pain or fear of destruction.
Instantly, all eyes turned to the battlefield.
A swarm of mechanical soldiers, finally coordinated with mecha pilots and vanguard armored vehicles, erupted from the ground, surging toward the land battleship cannons.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Self-detonating strikes obliterated everything in their path. High-energy explosive shells radiated outward for hundreds of meters, shattering the force field light shields that had previously protected the land battleship cannons.
Flesh and blood bodies were either pulverized or engulfed in flames.
Before the fortress's energy weapons could retaliate, and ignoring the cyborgs' panicked attempts at defense, several mecha pilots deliberately ejected from their machines and dove to the ground.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Another wave of self-detonating strikes cleared all remaining obstacles.
The indestructible land battleship cannons buckled and twisted, their barrels shattered, nearly toppling over.
A breach had been torn in the empire's southern defense line.
"It's done!"
The Taiduo Kingdom's legion general sneered coldly, immediately ordering the high-altitude fleet to advance aggressively, suppressing the imperial fortress with overwhelming firepower and pinning down its cannon turrets.
The tide of battle shifted subtly, with the Taiduo Kingdom's advantage growing steadily.
More and more land battleship cannons were detonated, leaving the high-altitude fleet virtually unopposed.
"Perhaps we won't even need Lord Serik's intervention to breach this fortress."
"Hahaha! At this rate, storming the empire will be child's play!"
The soldiers' voices rang with exhilaration and fervor.
The Taiduo Kingdom's high-ranking officials eagerly awaited the battle's outcome, their eyes glued to the light screens displaying the battlefield as they coordinated tactical deployments across dozens of sectors.
Buzz!
Suddenly, an anomaly flickered across a light screen monitoring the border region, specifically the surveillance outpost.
[Dole Squad has been eliminated. Star core-grade mecha destroyed!]
[Regional casualty rate has increased by 2%!]
The intelligence alert flashed, indicating a soldier squad had lost contact.
The screen went black, the casualties seemingly significant but insignificant compared to the overall battlefield.
However...
"A star core-grade mecha?"
The officer overseeing the sector, seated in a corner of the command room, felt a twinge of surprise and ordered the intelligence to retrieve more data.
He and his adjutant exchanged a startled glance as the anomaly's implications became clear.
"This anomaly hasn't been resolved yet?"
"I thought we sent a squad to investigate? They even ambushed an imperial soldier squad and wiped out their reinforcements."
"Exactly! To be safe, we established three layers of defensive lines while investigating the anomaly."
A chorus of puzzled voices filled the room as the intelligence finally displayed the retrieved data.
"Twelve earth rock-class mecha, six lightdust-grade mecha, one star core-grade mecha."
"How could the casualties be so high?"
Secretly alarmed, the responsible officer pondered the situation, increasingly sensing something was amiss.
Damage had clearly occurred, yet the intelligence system, the "Deep Web," seemed to be experiencing some kind of interference, failing to issue an immediate warning.
If not for the star core-grade mecha's higher-level combat readiness management, they might still be completely unaware of the situation.
"Something's not right!"
Alerted, he tried to retrieve the last images recorded by the investigation team before their deaths, hoping to uncover the cause.
But the footage froze, showing only an empty forest scene.
No data, no sound, no human figures—it was as if they had suddenly died without warning.
"Magnetic field interference?"
"Network intrusion?"
The officer in charge of the area and his adjutant exchanged alarmed glances, both sensing the gravity of the situation.
Without hesitation, they compiled the intelligence analysis and reported it to higher command.
Within moments, data analysis appeared on the command light screen.
"Oh?"
"It seems this is an attempt by an Imperial force to launch a flanking attack."
"Such a clumsy tactic."
The generals shook their heads, their expressions calm and composed.
They had witnessed such scenarios countless times before, and compared to the overall fortress battlefield, this was utterly insignificant.
Without further debate, a commander quickly issued orders.
"Issue the order. Inform Rear Admiral Rogue."
"Authorize him to deploy two squadrons to flank and eliminate these ants."
The command landed, and the others nodded in agreement.
Rear Admiral Rogue was the fortress's top combat asset, capable of unleashing the full power of a domain-class mecha. Combined with the firepower of two squadrons, hundreds of mechanical soldiers, and the coordinated efforts of other mecha pilots, they could crush most imperial forces.
"It's time to show these imperials," one officer declared.
"Compared to our mecha pilots, their so-called iron-blooded soldiers and cyborgs are nothing but fragile insects."
Whoosh!
As the words faded, a squadron of aircraft silently departed from the fortress gates.
At the same moment, inside the off-road vehicle speeding toward the fortress:
"Hmm?" Star Spirit suddenly exclaimed in surprise. "They've detected my biomagnetic field interference."
"This civilization's intelligence is quite impressive after all," she mused, completely unconcerned about being discovered.
Meanwhile, Chen Feng remained seated in the back, his eyes closed in rest.
The howling wind filled his ears, like the thunderous footsteps of a colossal giant sprinting beside them, smashing through towering trees and shattering boulders in its path.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Debris flew everywhere as the golden-bronze behemoth tore through everything in its path. Pandor grinned, his eyes burning with battle lust, his spirit soaring higher with each destructive stride.
(End of the Chapter)
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