The fourth-generation genetic modification had transformed Hui into a true Son of Light; he could maximize the release of his internal nuclear energy.
His explosive power was like an avalanche, capable of destroying a city effortlessly. His full-power energy output was equivalent to 50 million tons of TNT.
The name "Son of Light" was well-deserved.
He'd often imagined Mei's power, but lacking any previous encounters, he couldn't fathom her true strength.
He knew Mei possessed an incredibly long lifespan, but her combat ability remained a mystery. Could she destroy a continent? Could she destroy Earth?
In reality,
Mei's power far surpassed his imagination.
A blinding light bloomed on the ground, like a sun descending. Immense energy converged on Hui's fist, yet couldn't approach Mei.
Despite the short distance, it felt like a galaxy separated them. As the nuclear energy surged, the nuclear tide Hui summoned was repelled by a more powerful force.
Boom!
The retaliatory nuclear energy instantly riddled Hui with countless holes, the immense force carving a chasm hundreds of kilometers long into the ground.
The earth trembled violently.
Mei had suppressed her power; otherwise, Earth couldn't have withstood her force. She remained motionless, a mere thought inflicting grievous wounds upon Hui.
At the end of the valley.
Ocean water surged backward as Hui slowly rose, his grievous wounds rapidly healing under the restorative power of nuclear energy. Facing that seemingly insurmountable figure,
He optimistically shook his hand. "We're not on the same level, but even so, this battle was meaningful…"
With that,
He transformed into a streak of light and charged towards Mei again. This time, Mei acted first, gently flicking her hand in mid-air.
Ripples of star energy spread out. Without warning, Hui was caught in the energy wave, his body freezing in mid-air.
His shattered body, like glass, crumbled. Beams of nuclear energy erupted uncontrollably, rapidly destroying his body and emitting a dazzling light.
He sighed resignedly.
"The difference… is too vast."
Mei appeared before him, asking, "Satisfied?"
"Ha ha, completely."
Hui showed no concern over his defeat, his body gradually disintegrating under the raging nuclear energy. He cast one last look towards Mars.
He smiled at Mei. "Overall, I did pretty well, right?"
Mei heartily agreed.
"You were a great leader."
Boom!
Endless light erupted; Hui's body, disintegrated by the nuclear explosion, scattered across Earth's land and oceans as fundamental particles, carried on the blast wave.
At the age of ninety.
Mei exited the accelerated spacetime, retracting the spacetime energy enveloping the Solar System into the Spacetime Crystal; the Solar System's time flow returned to normal.
A month before returning to Hyperdimensional Space for her third mission, Mei conducted a sweep within 100 light-years, eliminating all detected faith marker holders.
The faith marker exchange updated rapidly.
[Tokens Acquired: 1000]
[Tokens Acquired: 5000]
[Tokens Acquired: 20000]
[Tokens Acquired: 80000]
...
Within a 5000 light-year radius, Mei had no rivals; she didn't need the Spacetime Crystal; her Star Spirit power alone could overwhelm any lifeform.
However, the range of detection between faith marker holders didn't increase with personal ability. Mei confirmed that she could only sense faith marker holders within 5 light-years.
Therefore, clearing out faith marker holders required so much effort. While their numbers weren't vast, the sheer number of civilizations and lifeforms in the universe was immense.
Mei's sweep of 100 light-years yielded a large number of tokens, enough to purchase something specific.
Mei opened the faith marker exchange.
[Remaining Tokens: 1.2 Million]
——
[Item: Star Spirit Restoration]
[Type: Information Type]
[Description: Star Spirits not only innately control star energy but also possess powerful psionic abilities. Based on their unique lifeforms, death and restoration are not difficult.]
[Price: 1 Million]
——
This Information-type item in the faith marker exchange was a technique exclusive to Star Spirits, something Mei had noted. She purchased it immediately.
The price of 1 million tokens was comparable to a top-tier Tier 4 item in Hyperdimensional Space. Considering the technique's value, the price was reasonable.
[Spent 1 Million Tokens]
[Purchase Successful: Star Spirit Restoration]
[Remaining Tokens: 200,000]
Upon successful purchase, information flooded Mei's mind; she now possessed the method for utilizing Star Spirit power to achieve resurrection.
Star Spirits are unique lifeforms composed of star energy and psionic power. Even if reduced to fundamental particles, their consciousness can cling to the dispersed psionic energy.
Given time, they can gather star energy to reconstruct a body for their consciousness, achieving resurrection.
After the purchase, Mei naturally mastered this technique. Her previous self-understanding was superficial; she now realized that her consciousness resided not in her brain but in her psionic energy.
Then,
She effortlessly anchored her consciousness to her psionic energy, gaining the ability to resurrect as a Star Spirit.
However, if an enemy were aware of her resurrection ability and also possessed psionic powers, it would be dangerous. They might detect Mei's consciousness clinging to the dispersed psionic energy and destroy it completely.
Nothing is ever easy. Therefore, Mei needed to continuously grow stronger. This resurrection technique provided sufficient self-preservation for now; she didn't expect more.
To be precise, Mei was not only a Star Spirit lifeform but also a Planck Membrane Lifeform. Her body was now composed of unknown matter, stronger than her Star Spirit form. As long as her energy wasn't depleted, her defense was virtually limitless; eliminating her wouldn't be easy.
If she couldn't win, couldn't she run?
It wasn't about strength; the different lifeforms were the key. Even if an opponent could destroy a galaxy, Mei could escape by entering the Planck membrane.
Unless the opponent was impossibly powerful; encountering such an opponent would simply be bad luck; Mei couldn't do anything about that.
Then,
She entered Hyperdimensional Space, freezing time on Earth universe.
...
Quickly,
When the thirty-day countdown ended, a spatial interface appeared before Mei and her fellow Void Wanderers, displaying the mission information.
[Mission Type: Tethered Mission]
[Mission Difficulty: Tier 1]
This was Mei's third tethered mission. After completing this one, she would have to participate in an advancement mission, increasing her mission difficulty to Tier 2.
However, this wouldn't significantly impact Mei; her strength far surpassed her current Grade.
Tzzt—
Mei's form flickered and vanished. Instantly, she appeared on a street, wearing an old-fashioned black suit.
Ding-ding-ding!
A middle-aged man in a similar black suit rode a bicycle past Mei. He looked around, and Mei, using her star energy perception, determined the world's time period.
It appeared to be the early stages of the electrical age.
An interface appeared.
[Main Mission・Phase One: This world is under attack by an unknown force. Please determine the nature of this force.]
[Mission Reward: 300 points]
[Mission Commencing]
...
[Name: Mei]
[Grade: Tier 1]
[Points: 7300]
[Abilities: Star Spirit・LV16, Planck Membrane Lifeform, Limit Break]
[Items: Personal Spatial Storage・Galaxy, Chapter of Gaia, Tyrant's Heart, Super Active Cells]
...
Her Personal Spatial Storage actually contained the Spacetime Crystal, but since it wasn't a Hyperdimensional Space item, it couldn't be brought into the space or mission worlds.
Mei waited a moment; the interface updated.
[Target detected]
[Authority installation in progress]
[Installation complete]
[Random upgrade selection in progress]
[Random selection: Super Burst]
[Super Burst upgrade complete]
After the external enhancement was complete, information flooded Mei's mind; she instinctively mastered this ability called Super Burst.
——
[Ability: Super Burst]
[Level: LV1]
[Description: Focuses all power into a single, instantaneous attack with five times the normal power.]
——
Mei's eyes lit up.
With this ability, she could instantly unleash a terrifying power far exceeding her full strength. Combined with [Limit Break], the power would be unimaginable.
Furthermore,
This was only the LV1 power level; further upgrades were unknown, but Mei liked this kind of straightforward, visually clear power.
After the random selection, the Upgrade Tasks updated.
[Upgrade Task 1: Penetrate 10% into the Negative-Energy field; upgrade the Super Burst ability by one level.]
[Upgrade Task 2: Penetrate 20% into the Negative-Energy field; upgrade the Super Burst ability by one level.]
[Upgrade Task 3: Penetrate 30% into the Negative-Energy field; upgrade the Super Burst ability by one level.]
...
There were a total of ten Upgrade Tasks.
"Negative-Energy field?"
Reviewing the Main Mission and Upgrade Task clues, Mei determined her next objective: finding the unknown force invading this world.
Secondary to that was understanding the so-called Negative-Energy field. She knew what negative energy meant, but whether her understanding was correct remained to be seen.
Using star energy perception to assess the planet, Mei easily detected the unknown force.
It was obvious.
"Madam, newspaper?"
A young newsboy with a distinctive dark, almost black birthmark-like spot on his face offered a newspaper.
"One please."
"Thank you, Madam!"
Mei paid two cents for a newspaper, her gaze sweeping the street. Several individuals, besides the newsboy, had similar dark spots.
These weren't birthmarks.
Ordinary people might consider them a disease, but Mei's sensitivity to energy revealed that these dark spots were a form of energy corroding the human body.
It was even a type of star energy.
This was almost certainly the unknown force mentioned in the Main Mission.
Mei wasn't in a hurry to investigate. Having just entered the mission world, she had ample time. She needed to blend into the environment and strategize for maximizing efficiency.
Two passersby walked past Mei, looking at their newspapers with worry. "This war will probably last forever."
"Who knows? It's been going on for almost a hundred years."
Mei opened her newspaper; the headline read: [Brutal Battle! The Alliance and the Kingdom clash violently at the Six Rivers, with casualties exceeding a thousand!]
This planet had hundreds of countries of varying sizes. The three most powerful, in terms of economy and military strength, were the Alliance, the Kingdom, and the United States.
Their locations formed a rough triangle. The Alliance and the Kingdom's territories stretched from the North Pole to the equator, their borders intertwined in a constant struggle.
The United States was located south of the equator. The three countries' territories were contiguous, engaged in various conflicts and intense battles for a hundred years, hence the name "Hundred Years' War."
With technological advancements, the world had moved from the steam age to the electrical age. The development of firearms had led to increasingly severe casualties and intensified conflicts, rendering reconciliation unlikely.
A global war was inevitable.
Mei was currently a regular citizen of the Alliance, a physics teacher at a high school, as evidenced by a teacher's certificate she pulled from her pocket.
"Ooh?"
In a corner, Shiro cautiously peeked out. It seemed unsuitable to openly appear in human society and had to remain hidden.
...
The following day,
Mei visited an orphanage that housed children who had lost their parents due to the dark spots—a common occurrence in this world.
The orphanage director explained, "Those dark spots aren't birthmarks; they're a disease, incurable. Once they appear, it's just a matter of waiting to die. That's why many children are abandoned."
People of all ages could contract the disease. Once the spots appeared, they would gradually spread across the body, and bodily functions would steadily decline until complete failure. The disease's progression varied; some could survive for decades, others for mere months.
The director continued, "Adults can still support themselves, but children become burdens on their families. We try our best to help these orphans."
"Lia, come here!"
The director called over a young girl with blonde hair and dark eyes. The girl had striking blonde hair, but her features leaned towards the Alliance aesthetic; she appeared to be of mixed Alliance and Kingdom descent.
"Director, what is it?"
Lia approached, a teardrop-shaped dark spot adorning her delicate face; at a glance, it looked like a beauty mark.
"Miss, Lia is our most well-behaved child. The disease hasn't significantly affected her; she's very healthy."
Lia immediately understood the situation; someone was adopting a child. She nodded eagerly, her clear, watery eyes making her even more endearing.
"Madam, Lia is very healthy!"
Hearing this,
Mei offered a gentle smile, stroking Lia's blonde hair while discreetly sensing the dark spot, delving into the energy to identify its source.
Instantly,
Mei sensed a vast ocean of energy, unlike their world. This was an ocean of antimatter energy.
Antimatter possesses an opposite electrical charge to matter. When they collide, annihilation occurs, releasing immense energy.
This is a far more efficient energy release than fission or fusion. Fusion's energy release is several times that of fission; annihilation's energy release is hundreds of times greater than fusion.
Mei now understood. While slightly different from her concept of negative energy, antimatter was sometimes referred to as negative energy.
Therefore,
This was the so-called Negative-Energy field!
At that moment,
The interface updated.
[Main Mission・Phase One・Complete]
[Points Acquired: 300]
[Main Mission・Phase Two: The Negative-Energy field invasion causes the disease, but it seems to bring something else. Investigate further.]
[Mission Reward: 2000 points]
The disease was essentially a corrosion of the human body by negative energy. No treatment could solve the problem; the patient was like a ship with a hole, negative energy constantly flooding in. Unless the hole could be plugged, the problem couldn't be solved.
On a planetary scale, the world was like a giant wheel with holes—each diseased person a hole. Under the Negative-Energy field's influence, the world was riddled with holes, destined to be consumed by negative energy.
With this planet's technology, they couldn't understand the disease's nature, let alone solve the Negative-Energy field problem.
The universe contains vast amounts of antimatter, even stars and star systems entirely composed of it. Perhaps the Negative-Energy field originated from these antimatter stars and systems; or perhaps it was another universe entirely. Mei wasn't particularly interested in pursuing this.
Having located the Negative-Energy field, the next step was simple. As she probed it, she sensed resistance—the deeper the penetration, the greater the resistance.
Clearly, penetrating the Negative-Energy field wasn't easy; otherwise, the Upgrade Tasks wouldn't have been divided into ten stages based on penetration level.
Mei withdrew from the Negative-Energy field when her perception could penetrate no further; she hadn't completed the first Upgrade Task, meaning her penetration was less than 10%.
Mei knelt down with a gentle smile and asked Lia, "Lia, if I were to adopt you, allowing you to go to school like other children, would you like that?"
"Yes!"
Lia nodded excitedly. The orphanage conditions weren't good; the children dreamed of being adopted; having a home was wonderful; going to school felt like a dream.
"Director, please help with the paperwork."
"Certainly, please wait a moment."
The director smiled kindly, taking Lia's hand to process the paperwork, explaining necessary precautions. The director was delighted that someone wanted to adopt these children.
As a teacher, Mei held a respectable position in the Alliance, making the adoption process smooth and successful.
Using the ubiquitous star energy, Mei constantly sensed everything happening on the planet; the secondary phase of the Main Mission was now her focus.
As long as anything related to the Negative-Energy field appeared, Mei would sense it. She focused her energy on penetrating the field.
Two weeks passed. Phase Two of the Main Mission remained elusive, but research into the Negative-Energy field had made some progress.
"Sister, Lia's home!"
Lia's blonde hair shone in the twilight, her bright mood evident as she opened the door. She'd had a good day at school.
"Okay, eat dinner first. Remember to wash your hands."
"Okay!"
The vacuum tube lamps illuminated the room. After dinner, Lia diligently did her homework while Mei quickly read through a book.
Soon, she had finished all the books on the shelf; her powerful psionic abilities granted her exceptional information processing efficiency.
Simply put, Mei had a perfect memory; her brain was like a computer.
The reason she couldn't penetrate the Negative-Energy field further wasn't difficult to determine. As a Star Spirit, controlling energy was her innate ability and instinct.
Negative energy was a type of star energy. Mei could directly extract energy from the Negative-Energy field for her use, but efficiency was the issue.
A significant barrier existed between the Negative-Energy field and this world; each layer acted as a filter, blocking vast amounts of negative energy. The small amount that managed to seep through was already considerable.
The "layers of barriers" were a figurative description, but the resistance was real. To extract more negative energy efficiently, Mei needed to overcome this resistance and penetrate deeper into the Negative-Energy field—the key to the Upgrade Tasks.
Over several days, Mei experimented with various methods, eventually summarizing the complex energy extraction process into a mathematical equation.
She named it the Negative-Energy Field Depth Equation, similar to the mass-energy equivalence formula or nuclear physics equations. Determining the equation's results would reveal more efficient energy extraction methods, enabling deeper penetration into the Negative-Energy field.
This was an equation requiring continuous calculation; the results, ranging from 1% to 100%, might take a considerable time to compute.
Currently, Mei could only calculate up to 5%. While insufficient to achieve 10% penetration, she had found a clear method.
She knew that solving the Depth Equation couldn't be done alone. Supercomputers far surpassed human computational capabilities, but even supercomputers didn't equal the collective intellect of humanity.
Considering this,
Mei had a plan. She intended to once again act as a mastermind and a major boss in this world.
Since solving the Depth Equation required immense intellectual resources, Mei decided to publicly release it, enlisting the entire planet's help.
She would then simply reap the benefits.
However, why would humanity help solve this equation? It needed to be linked to their interests to incentivize participation.
Mei could easily extract energy from the Negative-Energy field. If she could enable others to do the same and tie this ability to the war, nations would desperately try to solve the Depth Equation for their security.
Mei would then reap the benefits of their further progress. This was a highly feasible strategy.
In reality, Mei could easily control the entire planet and even thousands of light-years worth of civilizations, but that would be too obvious; who knew what secrets this world held?
Regardless, Mei still didn't know what else the Negative-Energy field brought besides the disease.
What if it was some kind of higher lifeform? She needed to play it safe and remain low-key.
...
Time flew by.
Five years passed in the blink of an eye.
It was now 805 AD. Lia, twelve years old, had just graduated from elementary school and entered middle school.
Five years had passed, and Mei still hadn't found any clues for Phase Two of the Main Mission. She suspected it would be even more time-consuming than previous missions.
That year,
Mei, using her identity as a physics teacher, published her research and theories in a scientific journal, focusing on the disease and the Negative-Energy field.
She openly introduced the concept of the Negative-Energy field, citing recent research to support its existence.
This was a deliberate attempt to provoke a response from the world's nations, laying the groundwork for further exploitation of the Negative-Energy field and an escalation of the war.
After years of effort, Mei finally solved the Depth Equation to 10% depth, completing the first Upgrade Task.
[Upgrade Task 1・Complete]
[Super Burst Level Up]
[Super Burst・LV2⬆]
With Super Burst reaching LV2, the full-power attack's fivefold increase in power had become tenfold—a clear and substantial improvement that pleased Mei.
"Next, let's see when the fish takes the bait."
Mei waited patiently.
Within two weeks, Mei's research spread like wildfire throughout the Alliance and quickly spread to other nations.
After all,
Her findings were astonishing. The disease wasn't a disease but a manifestation of access to a limitless energy field. The research sounded insane, like a fantastical delusion, yet it was logically sound and irrefutable.
Soon, Mei's research caught the attention of the Alliance's high command. The director of the Alliance's scientific research institute put down the journal.
A young, uniformed lieutenant general asked, "Director, I don't understand the science, so I'll be blunt. Is this research credible?"
The director simply replied, "We need time to verify its validity."
The lieutenant general asked again, "Assuming this limitless energy field exists, could it enhance the Alliance's military strength?"
The director nodded.
"The Alliance would be invincible."
"Understood."
The lieutenant general turned and left.
...
Kingdom's Scientific Institute.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
A sleek, chubby man looked at the journal in his hand, his laughter booming. "Connecting the disease to some Negative-Energy field? Am I still asleep? Someone's having a hallucination! Ha ha ha ha!"
The chubby man's name was Eddie, the honorary chairman of the Kingdom's Scientific Institute. Despite his title, he was clueless about research; he was a businessman.
Eddie was the Kingdom's Scientific Institute's biggest supporter and a major shareholder in the Kingdom's largest arms and munitions company—one of the wealthiest individuals in the Kingdom.
Seeing the researchers seriously preparing verification experiments, he laughed even louder. "Ha ha ha, you actually believe this!"
A researcher replied,
"We only believe in data and experimental results."
Another researcher said expectantly, "Sir, if this is true, we're on the verge of a new era—an era of limitless energy!"
Limitless energy.
This was a fatal temptation for any civilization.
Similar scenarios played out in many national scientific institutes. If this new era was truly dawning, they wanted to ride the wave.
…
The following day.
"Teacher Mei, when did you start researching the disease? Connecting it to an energy source… I'm impressed!"
Mei returned to her office after school, greeted by teasing colleagues. Before she could respond, several soldiers burst into the room.
The office fell silent. A soldier approached Mei and saluted. "Ms. Mei, please come with us."
"Alright."
Mei calmly placed her textbook down, leaving the office amidst the astonished gazes of her colleagues.
The teachers looked at each other.
"What was that about?"
A teacher pointed to the scientific journal on the desk, turning to Mei's research paper. Her expression was shocked. "Could it be because of this?"
Mei was taken to the Alliance's scientific institute, where she met the gray-haired director and a young lieutenant general.
Verifying the dark spots wasn't complex. Before Mei arrived, the institute had completed the verification, confirming that the spots contained a specific energy.
This greatly excited the researchers.
The director stated directly, "Ms. Mei, the Alliance is very interested in your research. If you're willing, we can provide you with superior research conditions."
"No problem."
Mei didn't waste words; she'd anticipated this. Her composure surprised the two men. She then added, "I also have a foster daughter…"
"Our people have taken care of her."
The young lieutenant general stated, "Ms. Mei, your research will be classified as top-secret. Your movements will be strictly restricted. We apologize in advance."
"It's fine."
From that day on, Mei's previous identity vanished from public view; she became a top-secret, protected individual of the Alliance.
...
——
[Item: Super Active Cells]
[Type: Item]
[Grade: Tier 3]
[Description: Consuming these cells grants unparalleled self-healing abilities; even a single piece of flesh can regenerate.]
——
Mei retrieved a vial of crimson liquid from her Personal Spatial Storage—an item obtained in the Star Beast world—now ready to be used.
Her research focused on enabling humans to extract and control energy from the Negative-Energy field. However, human genes made them insensitive to energy.
Modification was necessary.
Star Beasts could control energy and possessed extraordinary self-healing abilities, making them suitable for human genetic modification. However, using the Super Active Cells meant destroying the item; it was no longer usable.
After extracting the Super Active Cells, Mei used biological technology to cultivate twenty vials. Perhaps due to the loss of the item's effect, the copied cells' activity was significantly reduced; they wouldn't regenerate from a single piece of flesh.
It didn't matter.
Mei's requirements weren't high.
She wasn't genuinely conducting scientific research.
Mei completed this task in three days. To other researchers, she seemed to effortlessly overcome challenges; her progress was astonishing.
...
A month later.
The research entered the experimental phase. The initial volunteer was a dying young man, thin as a rail, with dark spots covering his entire body. Desperate for survival, he was willing to gamble; even if he died, he had nothing to lose.
"Akaman."
Mei looked at his identification card, confirming again, "Are you sure you want to participate? I must remind you that this experiment is extremely risky."
Akaman, his breathing shallow, nodded weakly.
"I voluntarily participate."
"Alright."
At Mei's nod, an assistant led Akaman into the experimental chamber. A pale blue liquid filled the chamber as the Super Active Cells were injected into his body.
There was no violent reaction; Akaman seemed to have fallen asleep.
"Ms. Mei, everything is normal!"
Even within the Alliance's scientific institute, Mei's research and experiments were top-secret, prioritized above all other projects, with the Alliance providing every possible support.
Negative-Energy Field Strategic Plan.
Lieutenant General Kelvin, in charge of Mei's project, closed the document bearing this title and personally sealed it in the highest-security archives.
806 AD.
A year after Mei unveiled the Negative-Energy Field Strategic Plan, deafening explosions rocked the Six Rivers airspace; the Alliance and Kingdom armies continued their intense conflict.
That year, the Alliance and Kingdom fought back and forth, the Six Rivers changing hands repeatedly. The Kingdom's latest offensive lasted only a few hours before being repelled by the Alliance.
Boom!
Black earth scattered under the cannon fire; white smoke lingered in the mud. After countless bombardments, the soil was loose; even a light rain turned it into mud. It rained frequently here; the conditions were appalling.
"Alliance forces are attacking! Open fire!"
Alliance soldiers unleashed concentrated fire, assaulting the Kingdom's defenses. The Kingdom's forces immediately retaliated.
The Kingdom's forces finally repelled the Alliance's assault, but their joy was short-lived.
A middle-aged soldier grumbled angrily, "What's the point of this war? It's nothing but a waste of money and soldiers' lives!"
The war had lasted a hundred years. Soldiers and citizens alike, in the Alliance, the Kingdom, and the United States, increasingly resented the war.
As they complained, the war seemed utterly pointless.
Just as the Alliance's assault was repelled, the Kingdom's forces witnessed an astonishing sight. Ten young soldiers in uniform emerged from the Alliance's lines and charged towards the Kingdom's positions like hunting panthers.
Without any support, they didn't even wear helmets, fearlessly exposing themselves to the barrage of fire.
"What's going on?"
The Kingdom's forces were initially stunned, then opened fire.
"Eliminate them!"
Shells rained down, splashing blood across the ten figures, yet they didn't falter.
No matter how intense the bombardment, the ten men seemed invincible, charging through the Kingdom's defenses.
"What's happening?!?"
"Why can't we kill them?!"
"Fire! Fire!"
"They're breaking through!!!"
Bang!
A figure, radiating savage killing intent, leaped into the Kingdom's lines like a ferocious beast. The Kingdom's soldiers were terrified, confronting the man's ferocious face at point-blank range.
Akaman grinned.
"Hello there!"
Suddenly,
A bloody massacre ensued.
That day, the long-stalemated Six Rivers front collapsed. While the Alliance released a triumphant report, the Kingdom was incredulous at the complete loss of the Six Rivers.
Lieutenant Colonel Fred stared at the battle report in disbelief. "Completely annihilated? Are you sure this report is accurate? The Six Rivers troops… completely annihilated?"
"Yes, Lieutenant Colonel Fred."
Fred remained incredulous. The Kingdom and the Alliance had been locked in a protracted struggle at the Six Rivers; even with territorial changes, complete annihilation hadn't occurred.
Beyond the surprise, Fred understood the implications of losing the Six Rivers; the Alliance would likely intensify its offensive, which wasn't good.
"Ugh, when will this mess end?"
Fred made no secret of his disgust and weariness with the war. After the initial shock, he quickly dismissed the situation, believing the Kingdom's forces would quickly recover.
For a hundred years, it had always been the same. The Alliance and the Kingdom possessed comparable military strength; even if one side was initially overwhelmed, they would quickly reach a stalemate, neither side gaining significant advantage.
However,
This time was different.
Fred had expected the Kingdom's forces to withstand the Alliance's offensive, but incoming reports painted a dire picture—the Alliance was advancing relentlessly, the Kingdom's forces retreating continuously, suffering heavy casualties.
His expression grew increasingly serious and grim; the situation was spiraling out of control. He couldn't understand.
"What's happening on the front lines?"
This question also perplexed the Kingdom's high command.