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墨書 Inktalez
The armies of the Moon and Earth clashed for the first time in the forest park, while the citizens of the city remained blissfully unaware. Only a few looked up to see two beams of light, like divine punishment descending from the heavens, marking the start of the battle. These fleeting rays of destruction were so quick that no one had the chance to pull out their phones to capture the moment.
All the citizens knew was that there were sudden, violent explosions echoing from the outer forest, followed by a bright orange arc streaking across the sky.
The setting sun, filtered through the branches of the Poplar trees, scattered its light among the leaves, painting the evening sky and the faces of passersby in shades of red.
“Wow! Look at that candied strawberry skewer!”
The little girl holding the skewer was also basking in the sunlight's warmth. She lowered her hand holding the treat and popped a strawberry into her mouth, savoring its unique sweet and tangy flavor.
After she set down her candied fruit, that arc in the sky seemed to emerge from behind the obscured twilight, racing past the commercial street, drawing curious glances from children with wide eyes as it soared into the distance.
“Daddy, what’s that in the sky?” she tugged at her father’s shirt, asking.
Meanwhile, Liu Xuan was too focused on flying rapidly through the air to notice the pedestrians below or appreciate the deep red sunset. The thrusters on his back roared to life again, shifting into high-gear jet mode. The dark blue gas erupted with immense pressure, propelling Liu Xuan and his last two family members toward home like a fierce volcanic eruption.
“Mom, hang in there! We’ll land soon!”
As he flew, Liu Xuan kept an eye on his mother. However, she merely hung limply in her harness, seemingly devoid of life.
Ma Yihan anxiously gripped the indentations in her mechanical arm, fighting against dizziness from their high-speed flight as her hair whipped wildly across her face. She was terrified but understood that Liu Xuan needed reassurance more than ever; she couldn’t burden him further.
Her hair tangled and blocking her view, Ma Yihan struggled to comfort Liu Xuan: “It’s okay; everything will be alright, alright?”
Liu Xuan didn’t respond; he was praying silently for speed—faster and faster—to leave death far behind.
Finally, he could see their home coming into focus. He spotted Shengfeng Village’s entrance and villagers moving about. Liu Xuan activated his thrusters’ retrograde energy jets; countless small engines on his wings reversed to slow them down. The immense deceleration helped him land steadily on his feet.
Ma Yihan quickly freed herself from the mechanical arm, her face pale with fear and hands trembling uncontrollably—evidence of how terrified she had been up there.
If this had been before, Liu Xuan would have embraced her tightly to comfort her as best he could. But he didn’t; instead, he immediately bent down to check on his mother’s injuries. In Liu Xuan’s heart, his mother had always held the topmost place.
Once calmed down, Ma Yihan wanted to help Liu Xuan but felt helpless about what to do. Her hands hovered over him uncertainly; she feared interrupting him and could only stand by anxiously praying.
The two young people could clearly see that their mother's eyes had become vacant and dazed, with dried blood at the corners of her mouth blown there by the wind. A large charred hole had been burned into her abdomen by the electric arc of Xiu Sha, penetrating through her body.
"It will be alright, Mom, don't close your eyes, look at me, don't close your eyes..."
Pleading, Liu Xuan immediately summoned a medical kit from the Time Portal and took out the gel filler used by Nars to stop his mother's bleeding. However, he knew very well that this would be a drop in the bucket and could not prevent the deterioration of her condition.
"Liu Xuan, I must tell you, the light arc of Xiu Sha is highly toxic. The Spell Arts he practices have no cure that our Inner Beings can provide..." Nars warned cautiously.
"No, that's impossible! If it's an illness, there must be a cure!"
"But..."
"Shut up!"
In Ma Yihan's eyes, Liu Xuan was now talking to himself. She did not know the real situation and only thought Liu Xuan was on the verge of collapse from anxiety. The only thing she could do was to stroke Liu Xuan's back while exhausting her vocabulary to comfort him.
"My son, and Han'er..."
Perhaps Liu Xuan's cries awakened their mother's consciousness. Liu Wenxin struggled to open her eyes, using all her strength to extend her trembling hand toward her son Liu Xuan's face, weakly saying:
"My son, although I don't know what you've been through, I have witnessed your growth with my own eyes. I am already very satisfied..."
The silence that arose unknowingly shattered into countless sparkling tears falling from Liu Xuan's eyes.
"It will be alright, soon! Soon..."
Liu Xuan lifted his mother's clothing. The penetrating hole in her abdomen, which had hollowed out flesh and blood, radiated numerous bluish-purple filaments. Even with the gel filler inside, they continued to grow at a visibly rapid pace.
"Xuan'er, remember, after I am gone, Han'er will be your only family and also the only woman you love. Take care of her and protect her; this is a man's promise to his woman, alright?"
"I understand! But you won't leave us, will you? I will protect both of you..." Liu Xuan was already at a loss for what to do; his trembling fingers could barely grip the handle of the solidifier. The gel filler spilled all over the ground as he turned to grab the blood cleaning agent. He held it shakily but ultimately dropped it on the floor.
"Son, in this lifetime, watching you become a hero, I..."
"Mom! What are you saying... please stop!" Liu Xuan's emotions had crumbled to the brink of destruction.
"In this lifetime, it's enough. Xuan'er's dream of being a hero has come true..."
At that moment, the clock in the village struck six, and as the melodious chime rang out, the arm that Mom had raised fell heavily in the home where she had lived for decades.
That sound shattered both Liu Xuan and Ma Yihan's hearts completely. Ma Yihan covered her mouth and nose with her hands, unable to speak through her tears. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed weakly against Liu Xuan's back as he convulsed violently.
"Mom?"
"Mom!"
"Mom—"
The last cry was like an avalanche swallowing his final shout, more like a baby crying as it watched its mother turn away.
Nighttime, 5:34 AM, inside the main battleship.
It was a pitch-black world, devoid of any embellishments; black seemed to be the most primordial existence. The effects of anesthesia were gradually fading, and waves of pain were continuously stimulating Eckton's face.
"Am I blind?" Upon regaining consciousness, his first thought was of the human sniper who had shot him from hiding. He was filled with rage. "I will personally kill that person!"
"Lord Thunder Eye, you are awake! We have installed a brand new prosthetic eye for you; you can try to open your eyes and see..."
Eckton incredulously attempted to open his eyes.
"The modular imaging processing program is ready."
The internal devices of the mechanical eye echoed in his mind. This dimensionally marked information view felt very unfamiliar to Eckton. He tried to turn his head and look around before finally raising his hand to curiously touch the eye.
"Why is it still ringing?" Eckton muttered, but deep down, who wouldn't be happy to see the light again?
Eckton noticed that this eye seemed to provide him with the desired shooting trajectory in real-time based on environmental factors. This mechanical eye was tailor-made for him, complete with functions like zoom and night vision.
"If the master thinks it's good, perhaps... you could promote us a bit in front of Master Xiu Sha," said the internal Human chief physician, rubbing his hands and bowing slightly in request.
"No problem! Just for this eye, I will definitely satisfy you!" Eckton assured, thumping his chest, as the flames of revenge surged even more fiercely in his heart. He quickly got up and stretched his limbs.
"Has Lord Thunder Eye been unconscious for so long and still hasn't woken up?" A soldier questioned as he opened the door and stepped inside. Upon seeing Eckton with the mechanical eye installed, he quickly apologized, "I'm sorry! Lord Thunder Eye! I didn't know..."
"What is it?" Eckton interrupted the messenger rudely while grabbing the battle armor hanging nearby.
"Uh, the commander said to check on you from time to time. When you wake up, please go find him immediately."
"Understood."
The seemingly calm Thunder Eye merely nodded, but he felt very puzzled inside. Perhaps Master Xiu Sha was just concerned about him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't that simple.
Meanwhile, in the commander’s lounge of the Ghostly Twilight-class battleship:
"Late last night, the B1 spacecraft departed from the Inner Quality Territory and successfully made a hard landing in a deep mountain not far from C County. I wonder if he was injured. He should be arriving soon."
The stalker stood next to Xiu Sha, playing with his double-edged dagger while chatting idly. Upon hearing this, Xiu Sha burst into laughter.
"After knowing him for so long, don't you understand him yet? With his defensive capabilities, falling from five hundred meters is nothing to worry about; just wait for his report."
"Are you really planning to replace Eckton?"
"Isn't it obvious that he has shown weaknesses in battle?"
The door opened.
Xiu Sha turned around with anticipation, but it was not someone he expected; it was Thunder Eye Eckton.
"Awake? How does the new eye feel?" Xiu Sha asked him. Thunder Eye stepped forward and saluted, "Everything is fine, my lord. I think after a few days of adjustment, I will be able to charge into battle again. Their weapons can hardly hurt me."
"But you have a fatal weakness," Stalker said. "Your eyes."
"Uh, I admit that. But at least for the operation against Vamulel, no one can replace me as the leader of the Heavy Infantry, right?"
"Oh, don't speak too soon." Xiu Sha seemed to be hiding something, his words carrying an underlying meaning.
"What?" Eckton realized something was off and looked around the room but saw no one else.
"For this campaign, I reported everything to Emperor Ban Sa. According to him, you will no longer need to risk your life charging into battle for us. Your marksmanship is excellent; you could easily serve as a qualified sniper," Xiu Sha confessed as he turned away from Eckton.
Isn't this clearly indicating that I'm being replaced? Upon hearing this, Eckton immediately became displeased and wanted clarification: "Then who will lead the Heavy Infantry in future operations against Vamulel? Master Xiu Sha, you understand the importance of coordination among troop types in combat. As a second-tier commanding general, I have led countless troops and am fully capable of handling this! I know this operation was a failure on my part, but please forgive me—"
However, before he could finish speaking, heavy footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the ship's hull. Each step fell in rhythm, sounding extremely weighty; it felt as if each step could dent the ground.
Eckton suddenly understood. He couldn't accept it and shook his head, his gloomy face guessing, "No, please don't tell me it's him."
The door opened again, and with the first step taken inside, the entire lounge shook twice.
"Reporting to Commander Xiu Sha of the Sun Army Group, dispatched by the expeditionary force, frontline heavy armored warrior, second-tier commanding general, Gad reporting for duty!"
The loud and familiar voice made Eckton feel somewhat disoriented; he steadied himself before scrutinizing this old adversary.
The man stood about two and a half meters tall, with shoulders twice as broad as an average human's. His massive frame was always clad in thick armor, with only his head exposed. His face was fierce yet calm; his expression was devoid of emotion but still exuded authority. Two prominent tusks jutted from his mouth, and his dark green rough skin was encased in blood-red explosive reaction armor. His enormous stature instilled fear in those who beheld him.
Upon seeing Xiu Sha, Gad instinctively saluted, but as he passed by Eckton, he acted as if he were invisible, brushing past him with a dismissive kick.
At that moment, Thunder Eye's mechanical eye displayed Gad's information in accordance with its master's gaze.
"Gad, one of the mid-level leaders among the internal humans, code name 'Shatterer.' He earned this title due to his use of a massive war hammer and reckless charge tactics. During the Battle of Wamido, he gained fame by leading just over sixty heavy infantry to break through the thousand-strong defense of the Inner Beings—"
"Shut up! Enough with the nonsense!" Thunder Eye angrily shut off the information, not wanting that name to pop into his mind. Originally, due to their differences, the command hierarchy had separated the two—one following the Emperor on an expedition while the other remained in the Sun system army. Now, with Gad being specifically reassigned back to the Sun system army, it was clear that the Emperor had ulterior motives.
"I'm so glad you could make it, Gad," Xiu Sha welcomed him. "With you here, our strength will surely increase significantly."
"The Commander is too kind," Gad's deep voice exuded authority. "The Emperor places great importance on your actions against Vamulel. He has indicated that after some time, more personnel will be sent to support you. Our goals are no longer limited to Nars; he seems particularly interested in certain resources from our neighbors."
After saying this, he slightly turned his head, his cold expression hidden from Thunder Eye. "Master Xiu Sha can inflict massive casualties on opponents with ease, unlike someone who was injured by mere Vamulel people from the start—how laughable."
"What do you mean?!"
Eckton's yellow exoskeleton flared up in anger, resembling a fish's gills as he stepped forward and glared at Gad, his frustration erupting instantly.
"You took my position back then; I endured it. But now you're back! What do you want?!"
"What do I want?"
Gad's enormous hand suddenly grasped Thunder Eye's head, lifting him off the ground effortlessly!
"Ask yourself honestly: with your small frame, do you deserve to command such an important unit as heavy infantry? Since you took office, heavy infantry has not achieved any notable victories! Meanwhile, under my leadership, how many civilizations have we conquered for the Emperor Godslayer? You only deserve to hang back and shoot from a distance! Don't deny it; one day I will turn your ribs into a necklace and wear it around my neck so that the entire universe knows just how incompetent you are, Eckton! If you lack ability, don't shout for power—understand?!"
"Enough!"
Xiu Sha stepped forward with his left hand behind his back, signaling Gad to release Eckton, who was flailing his legs in mid-air.
"There’s a saying among Vamulel: every profession has its specialization. Each has its strengths; no one should look down on anyone else! If we can't even secure Nars without such division among ourselves, how can we talk about expanding our dominance in the future?"
Gad listened, slowly putting down the Thunder Eye and tossing it onto the ground with a cold snort.
"Now, back to the main topic. Everyone present here is among the elite of the internal Human army, and you might not take Nars seriously. I must clarify this before we set off."
Xiu Sha cleared his throat and continued solemnly, "Even though Nars currently resides in a human body, among the four of us, I am the only one capable of confronting him. It's not that I look down on you all; it's just that you don't yet understand Nars well enough. He is cunning and treacherous, possesses cutting-edge technology, remarkable combat power, and even excels in the extremely rare field of Spell Arts. Capturing him is merely the beginning, but every beginning is difficult. Nars has already formed his own human alliance, and his strength should not be underestimated. So, Gad, do not underestimate Nars, nor blame Eckton for his incompetence; if blame is to be assigned, it should be directed at my underestimation of the Vamulel people’s strength. This young man Nars has taught this old man a lesson; it seems we need to develop our power in Vamulel as well, or else we may not truly be his match."
As Xiu Sha shook his head in frustration, the stalker beside him suddenly moved.
"Commander, I have a candidate for this," she spoke after a long silence.
"Oh?" Xiu Sha turned to look at her in surprise.
"In our assassin training, there is a mandatory course on utilizing strong molecules carrying Cosmic Energy combined with phosphorus elements to create temporary gas explosive devices to aid in escape. However, this explosive device has a significant potential danger due to its reaction principle: this rapidly corrosive superconductive gas can easily destroy a physical body with the immense energy released upon detonation. But if we can control the explosion precisely and correctly balance the components, we can use it to turn this body into a soulless entity—what the Vamulel people refer to as the Grim Reaper. My informant on Earth found an unusually large graveyard while searching for Nars."
"A graveyard, phosphorus..."
Xiu Sha suddenly realized, a sinister smile appearing on his otherwise darkened face.
"So we want to use humans to create a Grim Reaper; we only need a strong molecular implosion device that releases strong molecules carrying Cosmic Energy to react with phosphorus elements. All we need is a victim to transform into the Grim Reaper."
"And we must make him believe that everything is orchestrated by Nars. Humans do not possess our information advantage; framing him will be as easy as pie," the stalker added.
"This plan is brilliant... Approve the operation!"
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