The officers and soldiers of the White Tiger City Fortress would never forget this day for the rest of their lives.
From the sky came countless roaring rockets, falling like a rain of fire upon the fortress's solid stone walls, causing violent explosions that shook the very earth. Just one rocket was enough to blast a massive hole into the seemingly impregnable defenses, and with every explosion, countless soldiers stationed on the outer perimeter were swallowed by death.
Under the horrified and disbelieving gazes of the fortress's defenders, these rockets rained down at an astonishing rate—no less than 2,400 shells per second—turning the entire area into a raging inferno. In mere moments, the proud White Tiger Fortress had transformed into a living hell of fire and destruction.
Ten seconds later, after emptying their entire arsenal of rockets and sealed milk bottles, the three hundred rocket launchers finally fell silent. The once thunderous sky was quiet again, save for the crackling roar of flames now consuming what remained of the fortress. Thick, black smoke rose like a funeral shroud into the heavens.
At the front pass outside White Tiger Fortress, Dai Hao and his soldiers no longer looked in the direction of the Sun Moon Empire. Instead, they stared blankly at the fortress behind them, their faces pale, their bodies rigid with shock. The fortress, their bastion, had been reduced to a field of ruins—a burning wasteland reminiscent of hell itself.
"What on earth happened..." a Soul Douluo-level general of the Western Army murmured in a voice trembling with fear. They hadn't even glimpsed the Sun Moon Empire's main force. Instead, death had rained from above—countless blazing meteors shrieking across the sky before slamming into the fortress. The once-invincible walls crumbled like paper under the relentless bombardment, vaporized by explosions too swift and violent to resist.
There was no doubt—the White Tiger City Fortress was no longer a fortress. It had been annihilated.
Dai Hao's hands, gripping the reins of his sweating warhorse, trembled uncontrollably. He could hardly comprehend what he was witnessing. Never in his worst nightmares had he imagined that the Sun Moon Empire's soul tools could reach such devastating power.
In truth, even the old Sun Moon Empire could have destroyed the fortress using fixed-mounted soul-guided artillery shells. But now, with the advent of sealed milk bottles and the cheaper, high-powered heavy weaponry developed by Huo Yuhao, their capabilities had evolved beyond recognition. The days when soul master corps were needed to operate expensive, delicate artillery were over.
Yet even so, the consumption of sealed milk bottles was massive. Mingde Hall was currently racing to develop a newer generation of cheaper sealed milk bottles to meet the demands of the brutal frontline warfare. Everyone knew—wars fought with hot weapons burned money like kindling. Still, no one could deny that the destructive results were well worth the price.
The sudden, overwhelming "skyfire" attack shattered the morale of the Western Army Group. Chaos erupted among the ranks. Dai Hao acted quickly, barking orders to restore discipline, dispatching elite soul masters with strong defensive abilities to inspect the ruins of the fortress and assess the damage.
"They won't just stop here," Dai Hao muttered through gritted teeth, trying to suppress the churning dread in his chest. He was already considering a retreat. After the devastating bombardment, the Western Army Group was weakened, while the Sun Moon Empire's forces remained intact and unscathed. Defending the ruined fortress now held no strategic value.
Yet even as he realized this, Dai Hao's heart writhed with unwillingness. If he simply abandoned the fortress without putting up a fight, how could he answer to the souls of the fallen soldiers, to the citizens of the Star Luo Empire who looked to him for protection?
The soul masters stationed within the fortress still lived. Dai Hao steeled his resolve. He would deal a blow to the enemy forces, even if it meant risking everything. Only after bloodying the Sun Moon Empire's nose would he consider withdrawal.
And so, he made the second grave mistake of that day.
"It's truly spectacular," Xu Tianyuan said, marveling as he watched the rows of rocket launchers begin withdrawing to the rear to make way for the main army. Their ammunition was exhausted, but their display had left an unforgettable impression.
"Naturally," Huo Yuhao replied, his tone calm. "Sudden long-range strikes on wide-area targets—destroying manpower, technical weapons, and shattering enemy morale—that is the purpose of rocket artillery. Compared to the slow, clumsy parabolic launches of fixed-mounted artillery, we now have smarter propulsion methods. In fact, Senior Xu, Mingde Hall is already developing even more advanced long-range explosive strike weapons. Perhaps one day, we'll be able to sit comfortably in Mingdu and bombard Star Luo City thousands of miles away."
Xu Tianyuan stroked his beard thoughtfully. "It's breathtaking. I believe this is the true future of soul tools. Xiao Yuhao, if I'm not mistaken, much of this achievement must be credited to you."
Huo Yuhao smiled modestly, offering a polite nod, his demeanor humble despite the pride glowing in his heart.
Xu Tianyuan cast a look filled with admiration at the young man standing beside him. 'If this child fully matures,' he thought, 'what kind of legend will he carve into the future of the Douluo Continent?'
"So, the next step," Xu Tianyuan continued after a moment. "Our scouts report that the White Tiger City Fortress is now little more than a burning graveyard. The only remaining opposition must be Dai Hao and a few scattered remnants."
"Dai Hao didn't retreat?" Huo Yuhao asked, narrowing his eyes. "After the last barrage, there's no longer any point defending that fortress."
"Hmph," Xu Tianyuan snorted. "I know that man's character well. He will not abandon the field without a fight. He'll try to bleed our forces before he's crushed. After all, he's the White Tiger of the Star Luo Empire."
Huo Yuhao chuckled coldly. "So it seems that my dear father is destined to make mistake after mistake."
There was no warmth in his voice.
Xu Tianyuan sighed inwardly. It was no longer a secret among the Sun Moon Empire's high ranks that Huo Yuhao was the illegitimate son of the White Tiger Duke of Star Luo.
Those who learned of the connection could only sigh in amazement. Who would have imagined that the White Tiger Duke's own son, twisted by hatred, would become the architect of the Sun Moon Empire's greatest military might? If such a genius had belonged to the Star Luo Empire instead, who could say what the outcome of this Holy War might have been?
'Fate truly loves its cruel games,' Xu Tianyuan thought.
"Senior Xu," Huo Yuhao said, his voice steady. "Since Dai Hao insists on confronting us with his soul master troops, let's grant him his wish. I'll order the Second Army's Power Armored Division forward. Let's see if the supposed invincibility of soul masters still holds against our steel warriors."
"You'll personally lead the charge?" Xu Tianyuan asked.
Huo Yuhao nodded. "It's been too long since I fought. This time, I want to step onto the battlefield myself."
Xu Tianyuan stroked his beard thoughtfully again. "Xiao Yuhao, are you sure you won't need me and the Royal Dragon Legion to intervene? The White Tiger City Fortress has no shortage of strong defenders. They still have a soul sage-level force of a hundred men, three soul douluo commanders, and even Dai Hao himself, along with another titled douluo stationed in the fortress. Those are not enemies to be underestimated."
Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. "There's no need. The stronger the opponent, the more meaningful the victory."
(End of Chapter)
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