novelraw Chapter 984: The Disappearance of Shendai Yunluo
Chapter 984: The Disappearance of Shendai Yunluo
Central Plains, 370 kilometers north of City 18. This place, originally known as the Impact Plain, was named for the Spring Thunder River's ice jam.
In winter, the surface of the Spring Thunder River freezes over. In spring, the ice gradually breaks up and the river water washes the ice floes onto the riverbanks, making the banks look like shimmering fish scales.
At this time, on the Impact Plain, a ten-kilometer-diameter amber stretches across the earth: a giant whale, the Yamata no Orochi, a mirage tower, a Fate Weaver, an airship, and three thrones from the air age. He will do this, I will do this, and in the future, you will do this as well. Our Fate Weaver family has grown from the chaos to where we are today, half through a god's-eye view, and half through the willingness of generations to sacrifice themselves. All of this has given us a foothold in this world.
"Understood, Father," Storm Duke calmly replied,
"I will do everything I can for the family."
The aging King Roosevelt stroked the edge of the amber: "Go, take the Forbidden Artifact Ant Queen and 20,000 orcs to where I last saw the destination of fate. That is the final battlefield. The kingdom is yours, and the world will be yours."
"Father, where are you going?" Storm Duke asked.
"Sword Gate Pass," King Roosevelt smiled back,
"That's where my destiny lies. I'm going to help you eliminate the last hidden danger."
Storm Duke turned and left without hesitation, boarding the nearby airship and returning to his Storm Air Fortress. Beneath the Air Fortress, countless werewolves surged. They were tall, muscular, and had sharp claws and teeth.
These orcs had completely lost their minds, and would only obey Storm Duke's orders under the control of the Ant Queen.
Further north, the Storm City land army was driving waves of slaves, and along the way, the soldiers selected the strongest males and injected them with newly produced Gene Medicine.
They completely disregarded the required time intervals for the Gene Medicine, instead injecting it every two days, supplemented with auxiliary drugs to turn these people into beasts, completely ignoring the harm caused by the side effects.
The slaves who died from the side effects of the medicine were simply thrown into the orc army to become their marching rations.
Wherever the orc army passed, corpses littered the ground, like a human purgatory.
The Storm Fortress slowly sailed through the sky, not heading south, but straight towards the direction of Forbidden Zone 001, the direction fate had guided them.
In the Ginkgo Garden of City Five.
Li Shu said gravely:
"In this battle, only 17 Li Clan members survived. Shinguji Maki's Night Parade of a Hundred Demons was also sealed by that strange Forbidden Artifact. We paid such a heavy price. If the outcome is not good, then what is the meaning of this battle?"
"Is this the result you want?" Li Changqing looked at Ling: "The Li Clan can sacrifice themselves for this war, but I need to know if the result after the sacrifice is what we expect."
"What if it's not what you expect?" Ling smiled and asked back: "No one can see the end of fate now. The world lines have been peeled away. Li Clan head Li Yunshou didn't know whether his decision was good or bad. He didn't know if his decision would help the victory, but this was his last attempt."
Ling changed the subject: "After I came to the East Continent from the West Continent, I first went to City 10. I heard everyone discussing that terrifying Rat Tide. I also experienced the same Biological Contamination, what you call the Creeping Vine Disaster."
Everyone looked at each other. They had never been sure of Ling's identity. Most people only knew that she was a robot from the West Continent, but they never expected her identity to be so profound!
The Creeping Vine Disaster happened in Ren Xiaosu's time, and was the first Biological Contamination in the history of Metahumans. At that time, an entire fortress was swallowed by creeping vines on the wasteland. The creeping vines used human blood as their sustenance, killing the people of an entire city without mercy.
So, could this Ling be the AI that once destroyed the East Continent's Second Epoch? But wasn't she supposed to have been eliminated in that decisive battle?
Ling continued, as if oblivious to the others: "At the beginning of that disaster, if humans had united to burn half the city, they might have survived. But there was no organization, no one was willing to sacrifice, no one was willing to stand up, and eventually the city fell. This Rat Tide is different. It was more ferocious, yet 6 million people survived. Now I ask you, in that disaster, did Dianfu and other Kunlun Members, and those Guardians' Union members, ever think that we were doing this because we would definitely win?"
Li Shu was stunned.
Ling shook her head: "No, they didn't know if they could win, but they still did what they had to do. When you start to know the future, you will lose many things, such as your courage, blood, and confidence. You don't know your future either, but you beg others to give you an answer, such as "Can we win?", "Can we survive?", you want a definite answer. But I will tell you clearly, this time, fate has no answer."
Li Changqing said calmly: "The outcome will be determined by others."
"I understand, we will continue to obey your orders, we will watch our own fate."
"That's right."
Ling smiled and said:
"The only difference between me and the Old Master of Ginkgo Mountain is that I think you shouldn't wait for Qing Chen's return anymore. Whether he's alive or not, you should consider him dead from this moment on. If the fate of tens of millions of people depends on one person to save them, how sad are those tens of millions of people. Everyone, you must save yourselves."
Everyone looked at each other. Recently, everyone has been waiting for Qing Chen, as if everything would be alright once he returned. Gradually, their fighting spirit was fading, as if the war would be lost as long as Qing Chen didn't return.
They no longer believed they could win the war on their own.
Ling asked: "Have you ever thought that Qing Chen has already done enough? When he wasn't sick, he was thinking about how to buy you time every day, even when he was seriously ill, he still went to the West Continent to try to sabotage the Fate Weaver's plan to awaken the old monster. If he has done so much, and you are still unable to win the war, then what is the meaning of your existence?"
Li Changqing pondered: "Do you think we can win this war now?"
Ling smiled: "Before, I thought it was impossible, but these past two days, I suddenly think we can try."
Ling was also amazed by the power of the Forbidden Artifact ACE-002 Heaven and Earth Go Board, but today she wanted to tell everyone that they cannot be kidnapped by what fate has predetermined.
The fate everyone sees is only a fragment, and the gaps between those fates need fire.
Li Changqing said: "Today I will lead people to Sword Gate Pass to rendezvous with the Qing Corporation army to support the Guardians' Union."
"No need."
Ling shook her head:
"We're no longer needed there. You should start evacuating the city today to prevent the West Continent from directly dropping missiles into the city."
Liu Dezhu curiously asked: "Don't they need people?"
Ling: "The entire Central Plains is theirs. Losing the population of the southwest is nothing. Staying here will make us a target, and will also implicate the city's residents. Get ready, we'll evacuate at dawn, evacuate to the edge of Forbidden Zone 001, or even into Forbidden Zone 001."
At night, Li Tongyun and Shinguji Maki sat at the highest point of the Ginkgo Garden, surrounded by tombstones, but they weren't very afraid.
Little Maki was very depressed. Li Tongyun asked:
"Is it because your Shikigami were sealed?"
"Yeah," she nodded, "Some were friends I just met a few days ago."
At the moment when the amber was about to devour everything, Little Maki looked up at the giant whale before entering the Shadow Gate, but there was no fear in its eyes, only peace, as if it were looking after its own junior.
Li Tongyun comforted her: "Luckily, you can also travel and return with us now. After getting used to having you in the Outer World, it always feels a bit uncomfortable not seeing you in the Inner World. Don't worry about those Shikigami. When your master comes back, he'll help you solve it. As long as those Shikigami are still there, he'll be able to help you find them all."
"By the way, you left without saying goodbye in the Outer World. Did Shendai Yunluo take you to complete the Trials of Life and Death?" Li Tongyun asked curiously: "Where did you complete it?"
"In the Guatemala Sinkhole," Little Maki replied, "But Teacher Shendai Yunluo seemed to always have something on his mind. He talked about so many things."
"What did he say?"
"Teacher said that the reason we became beta testers is that someone has already chosen a certain destiny for us. I have mine, and he has his. Teacher said that if we can meet again, he will help me build a legacy academy on Whale Island to teach Time Travelers how to cultivate Yin-Yang Master heritage. By then, when I grow up, he will be content to sweep the floor there, watching the children laugh and play, sneaking food from the kitchen for the children who have been punished."
Li Tongyun looked up in astonishment. She had a bad feeling about this.
On the Southwest Wilderness, all the Guardians' Union members were hiding under camouflage netting.
All the Guardians' Union members didn't even dare to breathe, afraid of making any noise that would be detected by the sonar equipment above. However, even with such caution, accidents still occurred.
In the sonar equipment, even if the enemy heard the sound of a branch breaking, they would immediately drop an incendiary bomb to probe. Once a wail came from below, they would immediately conduct a fire strike on the surrounding five-kilometer area until a B-Class Airship had exhausted a batch of ammunition before leaving.
It is difficult to distinguish the ground camouflage netting from the sky, but the West Continent fleet's firepower was relentless, pouring out without mercy.
No matter how many Guardians' Union members there were, they couldn't do anything about the airships in the sky.
When the airship left, Luo Wanya lifted the camouflage netting and gasped, "This won't work. Now there are only more than ten B-Class Airships, and we are stuck in the wilderness and unable to move. According to the original plan, we should have already arrived at Sword Gate Pass, but now we are still a day's journey away."
Little Seven nodded, "There will be more and more West Continent fleets freeing up their hands in the rear. By then, we will be completely locked in this wilderness. We must find a way."
At this time, Qin Shuli suddenly said:
"I have an idea."
"What idea?" Luo Wanya looked over.
Qin Shuli said seriously:
"There are only 17 airships now. Every time they find a confirmed target, they will assume that there is an entire Guardians' Union detachment lurking on the ground, and then conduct a fire strike. After the strike, they need to go back to replenish ammunition, right?"
Little Seven hesitated: "Yes, this is the pattern we've summarized."
Qin Shuli said: "Then we'll split into groups of 17 each time, scattered throughout the wilderness to act independently. Once we encounter an airship searching the mountain, we'll make a noise and wail to attract the airship for a fire strike. In this way, we can use 17 people to buy everyone about two hours, allowing everyone to advance at full speed after the airship leaves."
Luo Wanya looked at Qin Shuli, his expression calm as he spoke the most cruel method.
History is often cruel. Its cruelty lies in the fact that we often talk about victory, but rarely mention how many people were sacrificed.
Even if history tells you the number of sacrifices, it usually won't tell you the names of the sacrifices. These 17 people would definitely not survive, because the meaning of their independent actions was to die, to use their deaths to buy the enemy a meaningless fire strike.
Qin Shuli said: "I came up with the method, so I'll lead by example. Let me lead the first group of 17."
Luo Wanya grabbed Qin Shuli: "Wait, anyone else can go, but you can't!"
"Why can't I?" Qin Shuli asked back:
"Actually, I've felt very guilty about being made into a puppet and leaking so much information about the Guardians' Union members."
"That's not your fault. The Puppeteer's methods are unavoidable," Little Seven said.
Luo Wanya said: "Your relationship with the Boss doesn't allow you to take risks. If he comes back and finds you dead, what will he think? I know you feel guilty towards the Boss, so you've been working day and night, but you don't have to pay for it with your life."
Qin Shuli shook her head:
"Actually, you don't quite understand my relationship with him. Now that I think about it, I only owe him in the Outer World. But I'm not doing this because I want to compensate him. As a member of the Guardians' Union, this is what I should do."
Saying this, Qin Shuli broke free from Luo Wanya's grasp and turned to walk towards the rear.
"Those without parents, wives, or children, or any attachments, 16 people come with me!"
For a moment, hundreds of people stood up from the grass. Qin Shuli smiled and said:
"No need for that many. Around Sword Gate Pass, the Qing Corporation army is stationed in the mountains and fields."
Qing Yi, looking weary, got off an airship and walked into a green tent with a confidential document in his hand. He handed the document to Qing Kun:
"This is intelligence from the West Continent."
At this time, Qing Yi's face had completely lost its youthful look. At the age of 15, he took up the banner of the Secret Spy Agency and managed the Secret Spy Agency in an orderly manner. He no longer had his watermelon head, but a neat crew cut that was easy to manage.
Qing Kun grumbled and rubbed his head:
"You kid doesn't even call me Dad anymore. Where have you been all this time? You keep it a secret from me too?"
Qing Yi said coldly:
"Respect yourself. I'm now the director of the Secret Spy Agency, and I'm on the same level as you. During wartime, you and I are not father and son, but colleagues. My actions are top secret, and I can't tell you."
Qing Kun opened his mouth:
"Damn."
Qing Yi continued:
"Spies in the north sent word that the puppet army drove a group of civilians to the wilderness, and the Gene Medicine production factories in six northern cities have all been transformed and placed under martial law. I suspect they're secretly experimenting with new Gene Medicine on civilians. Also, the Royal Capital's army has left City 18."
Qing Kun, in the temporary field command post, carefully read the documents. This front-line commander was a bit of a slob, but he always knew the priorities.
After reading the documents, Qing Kun gasped:
"They've brought out their trump card too early. It should have been kept for the most critical moment."
He glanced at the time: "It's already the time we agreed to meet, but none of the Guardians' Union has arrived. Qingshan Fortress can't buy us much time. According to the information from the West Continent intelligence system, the Royal Capital army did not participate in the encirclement and suppression of Qingshan Fortress. They may have already reached the southwest Hengduan Mountains."
Shendai Yunluo, wearing a white hunting robe, closed his eyes and rested, ignoring the female secretaries in the command post.
Shendai Kongyu stood behind him with his sword, watching his surroundings vigilantly.
Shendai Yunluo sighed: "You are a Yin-Yang Master, not an Ittō-ryū. What are you doing with Yunxiu's sword all the time?"
Shendai Kongyu glanced at him: "I'm worried someone will be blind."
"Things have changed, everything has changed. You weren't like this before," Shendai Yunluo sighed: "Do you want to rest for a while? They already know what's going on, you don't need to keep staring."
Qing Kun interrupted angrily:
"When we're talking about important matters, you two shouldn't be flirting. According to my deployment, I'll wait for the Guardians' Union for at most 24 hours. Once that time is exceeded, my troops must retreat in an orderly manner."
Qing Yi asked in a stern voice:
"The order you received was to defend to the death."
Qing Kun said nonchalantly:
"You know how much effort your father put into this army, right? If they all die here, what will you rely on to gain a foothold in the Qing Family? Once this army is gone, the Qing Family will only have Qing Yu in the north."
Qing Yi frowned:
"It's already this time, and you're still thinking about this."
"You don't understand politics. To have a seat at the political table, you need chips, and this army is your father's chips."
Qing Kun said: "Without guns, you don't have a strong back. This is for your own good too. Think about it, you became the director of the Secret Spy Agency at a young age, but you're not a Shadow yet, the Shadow position is still vacant."
Qing Yi shook his head: "I don't need to consider this kind of thing, and my master wouldn't consider this kind of thing either."
Qing Kun asked: "What if your master doesn't come back?"
Qing Yi said seriously: "If the skin is gone, the hair will not exist. If the country is gone, what use are the chips? Qing Kun, I'll supervise on the front line. If you disobey military orders, I will... I will personally send you to a military court."
Qing Kun chuckled: "I don't believe you."
Qing Yi turned to leave: "I'll keep my word. Get me a tent, I need to rest for three hours."
At this time, the spies Yan Chunmi and Song Niao Niao followed Qing Yi out. Qing Kun stopped Yan Chunmi: "How long has this kid been without sleep? He looks so haggard."
"Boss has only slept for six hours in the past three days," Yan Chunmi said:
"But sir, be careful. Boss is really ruthless now. Anyone who doesn't do their job well will be scolded. If you disobey Ginkgo Mountain's orders, he really has the authority to send you to a military court."
Qing Kun chuckled, "I know, I know."
Yan Chunmi was a little surprised: "You're not angry?"
"What's there to be angry about? My son has become successful, I should be happy," Qing Kun waved his hand:
"Go, the combat meeting on my side is also top secret, the Secret Spy Agency can't eavesdrop."
After there were no outsiders in the command post, Qing Kun's expression turned serious: "Order the air force fleet to prepare for takeoff. The Guardians' Union no longer has a chance to reach Sword Gate Pass. We can't wait here, we have to go out and meet them."
A combat staff officer said anxiously: "Sir, our air defense facilities are all in Sword Gate Pass, and we can't adapt to the complex terrain outside Sword Gate Pass. If we can't rely on ground air defense facilities, our casualty rate will be very high! The West Continent's air force is stronger than ours!"
Qing Kun was silent for two seconds: "Actually, I understand the Old Master of Ginkgo Mountain very well. On his chessboard, the decisive battle is not us. Our existence is to protect the Guardians' Union troops who are crossing the wilderness, they are the real decisive force on the battlefield."
Qing Kun had been cunning since he was a child. When the Qing Family Old Master asked him to go to Ginkgo Mountain to participate in the previous Shadow Succession, he refused, saying that he just wanted to be a dandy.
In fact, he knew how cruel the Shadow Succession was. Either you die, or you submit to the Shadow. He didn't want either path.
So he entered a project company and started from the bottom, gradually showing his talents, and finally, he found another way to become a feudal lord in the Qing Family.
Qing Kun looked at his deputy who had been with him for many years and asked:
"Do you think I've climbed to the top because of what?"
The deputy quickly said: "It's because of your far-sighted vision, your intelligent wisdom."
Qing Kun sighed:
"That's your commoner's perspective. I rely on my father's high position."
"Ah?" The deputy was dumbfounded: "Why don't you follow the rules?"
Qing Kun relied on his ability, and his high-ranking father to make his business flourish. But just when he was complacent, his father fell seriously ill and was about to die, calling him to his bedside for a final bedside conversation.
His aged father, covered with a blanket, looked at the burning fire in the stove and said, "I know you're smart, and I know you're afraid of death. You're unwilling to participate in the Shadow Succession, and you're unwilling to take on more important responsibilities, you just want to guard your own piece of land and be the emperor. But you must understand that in this life, there are always things you can't escape."
Qing Kun suddenly thought that his Old Master was right.
There are some things that cannot be escaped.
He can hide, but Qing Yi won't.
He can survive, but the Qing Family won't.
"If the Qing Family is gone, what are you and I?" Qing Kun cursed:
Three hours to prepare military supplies, after three hours, leave Sword Gate Pass with me to meet the West Continent fleet.
"Give you three hours."
Since the Guardians' Union couldn't reach Sword Gate Pass on time, they would go out to meet them.
At this time, Qing Kun scanned the tent. When he saw Shendai Yunluo, he said: "Let's go together! You are a great expert appointed by Ginkgo Mountain, and you must escort us."
Shendai Yunluo smiled:
"Okay, Shendai Kongyu, Yunxiu, you cooperate with them to count the personnel, we will all go. Mutou Ying, Takahashi Ryosuke, you two come with me to play cards, and when they are ready, we'll all leave together."
Shendai Kongyu raised his eyebrows:
"What time is it, still playing cards?"
"I can't even talk to women, can't I call two men to play cards? It won't delay things!"
Shendai Yunluo muttered as he crawled into his tent to play cards.
However, more than two hours later, when Shendai Kongyu and others had prepared their supplies and were about to set off, she went to find Shendai Yunluo's tent.
She could still hear the shouting from outside, but when she opened the curtain, she only saw a player inside.
Shendai Yunluo, Mutou Ying, and Takahashi Ryosuke were gone.