The base of the Dawn Society in Heavenly Origin City was hidden deep within a desolate canyon, its exterior resembles an abandoned ancient mine.
The rusted iron gates and collapsed walls perfectly conceal the modern facilities inside. The remnants of the setting sun cast a dark red glow on the mottled metal walls.
Normally, this place was eerily quiet, but today, the air was thick with a suffocating tension.
"Report, Captain! The soul cannon of the third mecha squad is fully charged!"
"The fourth mecha squad has entered the designated attack position!"
"Radar reconnaissance shows the southeast side of the base is the weakest!"
Voices from various units continuously reported through the communication channels. Xu Lingfeng, the captain of the Heavenly Origin City Soul Guidance Battalion, stood on the shoulder of a black-level mecha, his black military coat fluttering in the canyon's fierce wind. He narrowed his eyes, looking at the seemingly dilapidated mine, a cold smile playing on his lips.
"The Dawn Society... Do they really think this disguise can fool us? The Emperor and the Speaker just hadn't made up their minds before, but now your time is up!"
He raised his right hand and swung it down sharply: "All forces, attack!"
In an instant, hundreds of blinding lights lit up on the ridges of the canyon. Soul cannons fired simultaneously, and a dense rain of soul guidance rays poured down like a storm, drawing deadly arcs in the sky.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
In the deafening explosions, a semi-transparent blue barrier lit up around the base's perimeter. The soul guidance cannon shells explode into countless ripples of energy on the barrier, the shockwaves shattering the surrounding rocks.
Xu Lingfeng coldly commanded, "Relay the order! Concentrate fire on coordinate H- 7!"
With the command issued, a special mecha unit rushed out from the formation. These mechas were equipped with giant soul guidance siege cannons on their backs, the barrels glowing with dangerous energy.
"Lock on target, fire at will!"
Three blinding white streaks of light shot across the sky, hitting the same spot on the barrier with precision. Under continuous bombardment, the blue barrier finally let out a strained cracking sound, dissipating into a shower of light particles.
"The barrier is down, all forces charge!" Xu Lingfeng ordered. Dozens of mechas activated their thrusters simultaneously, a steel flood stirring up a cloud of dust in the canyon.
At that moment, the rusted iron gate of the base suddenly exploded.
Just as the mecha army was about to storm the base, the rusted iron gate suddenly exploded, and a dozen mechas along with dozens of soul masters charged out, but they were quickly suppressed by the Star Luo forces.
Xu Lingfeng looked at the scene with satisfaction, a slight smile curling his lips. He turned to Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena, who were standing not far away, his tone tinged with self-satisfaction, "It seems the Dawn Society's base here isn't much of a threat. It seems you two have made a wasted trip."
His gaze lingered on them for a moment, a trace of caution flickering in his eyes.
In the encirclement plan, the main force was naturally their Star Luo army. The strong from the Douluo Federation were only there as a deterrent and insurance, in case the evil soul masters hid unexpected strength, ensuring everything went smoothly.
But in Xu Lingfeng's view, aside from the Holy Spirit Sect behind the Dawn Society, dealing with the Dawn Society alone didn't require such caution.
They were just a bunch of rats in the gutter. If the higher-ups hadn't been too busy to deal with them, they would have been wiped out long ago.
This Dawn Society base in front of him didn't seem to have much strength. If they still need the soul masters from the Douluo Federation to intervene, not only will the military lose face, but the parliament will also question its abilities. He couldn't let these two have a chance to act.
"Seeing Star Luo's military might be hardly a wasted trip."
Huo Yuhao responded casually, but the soul guidance screen in his arms suddenly beeped.
Huo Yuhao looked down at the soul guidance screen, his brow furrowing. Gu Yuena noticed the change and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
"..."
Huo Yuhao was silent for a moment, then sent a telepathic message with a strange expression:
"There's a spy among the enemy, turned by a soul spirit."
Gu Yuena was stunned. Knowing the inside story, she didn't know how to react.
Soul sold to Star Luo spirits were divided into two categories: some were purely for smuggling, while others were "spies" planted in Star Luo.
Given Star Luo's lack of large soul beast gathering areas, the demand for soul spirits among soul masters here was immense, making soul spirit smuggling a huge market.
Some wanted to use this to strengthen Star Luo, some wanted to profit by harvesting Star Luo's unique resources, and others even wanted to use this to win over soul master families in Star Luo.
In such a situation, it was likely that even some within the Spirit Pagoda were involved in spirit smuggling. Some high-ranking officials in the Spirit Pagoda decided to play along, secretly setting up a scheme.
Want soul spirits? Fine, we'll add some sand to the mix.
In other words, some soul spirits were actually undercover agents planted within the Star Luo Federation.
After a moment of silence, Gu Yuena frowned, "Could this be Star Luo's scheme?"
Compared to humans, soul spirits were relatively simple, and their actions were easily restricted. It was somewhat difficult for them to act as spies, but they had their own advantages.
They had plenty of time to observe, find trusted people, and influence their contractors to achieve a defection.
However, even if they selected the most intelligent and clever soul spirits, after years in Star Luo, so far from the mainland, it was hard to say if problems wouldn't arise, given Star Luo's current state. Hence, Gu Yuena's question.
Huo Yuhao glanced at the battlefield and slightly shook his head, "The other side made the choice at the last moment, so it must have been a struggle. Let's see what he plans to do."
Those soul naturally spirits didn't know his contact number, but they knew the emergency contact method within the Spirit Pagoda and could relay the through a special channel.
With that, Huo Yuhao directly contacted the Dawn Society members being besieged, right in front of the Star Luo officers.
Xu Lingfeng saw Huo Yuhao "indulging in trivial matters" but said nothing. It was good that he wasn't participating; then the credit will be his.
But at that moment, he suddenly heard a frantic report from the communicator:
"Captain, abnormal energy reactions detected inside the base! Detected... detected at least a level seven fixed soul guidance cannon activation signal!"
"What?!"
Xu Lingfeng's face changed drastically, and he immediately ordered, "All forces, retreat!"
Whether on the Douluo Continent or the Star Luo Continent, fixed soul guidance cannons were strictly controlled, classified as prohibited military equipment. Only authorized military institutions can possess and use them; no private individuals were allowed to own or trade such weapons.
Because their power was simply too terrifying.
The power of a level seven fixed soul cannon was equivalent to an attack from a Title Douluo, with an explosion radius exceeding a kilometer in diameter. If caught in the core explosion zone, only Three-Word Battle Armor Masters and Title Douluo level experts could survive.
If his mecha battalion suffers heavy losses, not only will he miss out on commendations, but he might even lose his current position.
But he was worried too soon; he should have been worried for himself.
A blinding white light erupted from deep within the Dawn Society base, and a cannon shell was hurtling straight toward his position!
Xu Lingfeng's pupils contracted suddenly, the shadow of death instantly enveloping him.
To prevent the Dawn Society from escaping, the army had been mobilized nearby. While their Heavenly Origin City mecha battalion wasn't weak, it wasn't top-tier within the Star Luo Federation, lacking a red-level mecha master.
As a Soul Douluo and black-level mecha master, he felt he probably, possibly, couldn't withstand a level seven fixed soul guidance cannon.
As the soul guidance cannon shell drew closer and was about to explode, at the critical moment, a dazzling silver light suddenly lit up the sky.
Gu Yuena stood in mid-air, her slender jade-like finger gently pointing.
The space in front of the cannon shell suddenly twisted and folded, forming a silver light screen that spanned the heavens. The level seven fixed soul guidance cannon shell collided with the light screen, slowing down as if trapped in quicksand, its energy restrained.
Gu Yuena's silver dress fluttered in the energy storm, her stunning face showing no trace of panic, instead exuding an air of disdain for all beings. Her slender fingertips shimmered with silver light, drawing a graceful arc in the air.
"Transfer."
Two simple words, yet they made the entire space tremble.
The cannon shell, half the height of a person, suddenly disappeared in mid-air, and immediately after, a violent energy fluctuation was felt in the distance.
"Boom—"
An energy pillar over a kilometer in diameter shot into the sky, tearing a massive hole in the clouds above the canyon. The shockwave swept through like a tidal wave, shaking the entire canyon and toppling many mechas.
Xu Lingfeng stood frozen in place, cold sweat drenching his back, both relieved to be alive and horrified by what he had just witnessed.
He had heard of Huo Yuhao's strength, but he hadn't known the girl beside him was so powerful. Seeing Gu Yuena effortlessly transfer a level seven fixed soul guidance cannon shell left him utterly shocked.
He had thought Huo Yuhao was the main combat force sent by the Douluo Federation, but he hadn't expected this silver-haired girl to be equally unfathomably strong!
"Thank you for saving my life, Miss."
Xu Lingfeng ignored Gu Yuena, but she ignored him, stepping aside Huo Yuhao after blocking the cannon shell, her demeanor cold.
Xu Lingfeng didn't mind.
The strong had the privilege of pride.
Xu Lingfeng calmed himself and looked back at the battlefield, ready to continue commanding, when another urgent alarm sounded from the communicator—
"Report, Captain! High-intensity soul power fluctuations detected! A Title Douluo level energy reaction inside the base!"
Xu Lingfeng's pupils contracted sharply, and he immediately looked toward the Dawn Society base.
On the battlefield where they had the upper hand, a black-level mecha suddenly descended, two giant hammers in hand, swinging with such force that it lifted the previously flagging morale of the Dawn Society.
But he wasn't focused on the black-level mecha. With his experience, he could easily tell that the pilot was only a Soul Emperor, no match for him. He was focused on the Dawn Society base's gate that had just opened behind it.
There, a red mecha was slowly emerging.
With both a level seven fixed soul guidance cannon and a Title Douluo level expert, this Dawn Society base was deeper than he had imagined.
The red mecha raised its arm, and a dark red beam shot out, instantly vaporizing three Star Luo mechas!
Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Xu Lingfeng immediately turned to Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena, "You two, please lend your strength! This evil soul master's power far exceeds expectations; we likely can't hold them off!"
His voice carried a hint of urgency, clearly realizing that Star Luo's military alone couldn't withstand this red mecha and the Title Douluo within.
By now, Huo Yuhao had looked up from the soul guidance screen, his gaze steady on the red mecha, "Captain Xu, have your men fall back. Leave this to us."
Gu Yuena stepped forward, her silver-white battle armor enveloping her body, six soul rings lighting up at her feet, purple, purple, black, black, black, red!
The appearance of the eerie 100,000-year soul ring silenced the entire battlefield.
Feng Linwan, the pilot of the black-level mecha within the Dawn Society, was the first to notice this, his expression darkening.
He was a renowned genius within the resistance, only twenty-seven years old but already a Soul Emperor, seen as a rising star with the potential to become a god-level mecha master.
But compared to this silver-haired girl, he was like a firefly next to a full moon!
Not to mention, behind her was Huo Yuhao, the top genius of the younger generation in the Douluo Federation...
"Is this... the pinnacle of genius in the Douluo Federation?" he argued, a trace of resentment flashed in his eyes.
This was Star Luo's internal affair, yet the higher-ups had invited experts from the Douluo Federation to suppress it, filling him with an indescribable sense of humiliation.
He thought of the civilians oppressed by nobles, the soul masters exploited by the royal family, the dark side of Star Luo that the Dawn Society had shown him, were all these to be forcibly suppressed by external forces?
Just then, a hoarse voice came through his communicator, "Linwan, what are you daydreaming about? Take the men and retreat! Leave this to me!"
Feng Linwan snapped out of it, gritting his teeth, "But sir, you alone…"
"I'll be fine." The old man in the red mecha, Lin Junjie, looked gravely at Gu Yuena approaching in the distance, "Follow the plan. I've just given you the locations of the Dawn Society's trusted bases. If we scatter, seek help from those places."
"This..."
"Go!"
"Yes!"
Feng Linwan clenched his teeth, took one last look at the red mecha, and pushed the control stick. The black-level mecha's thrusters burst with a dazzling blue light, carrying the survivors toward a hidden passage on the other side of the canyon.
Huo Yuhao in the distance seemed to have no intention of stopping them.
Seeing this, Lin Junjie recalled their conversation earlier.
"Words are empty; how about you first offer a token of sincerity?"
"What do you want?"
"According to Star Luo's plan, they aim to force the Dawn Society to gather its strength through encirclement for a direct confrontation. But we both know the tricks involved. Since that's the case, why not attack the Dawn Society bases not included in Star Luo's plan? I'm sure you don't like those places either…"
Lin Junjie came back to reality, shaking his head with a bitter smile, "Fighting all my life, this is the first time I've seen such a situation."
The enemy general is our spy?
What kind of scheme is this?
"Next, we'll have to put on a good show..."
Before he could finish, Gu Yuena's silver spear was already piercing through the air!
The red mecha hastily raised its arm to block, the dark red energy barrier clashing with the silver spear light, producing a deafening roar. The shockwave swept out, flipping the ground within a radius of dozens of meters…