Translator: CinderTL
Boom!!
Explosions erupted, engulfing the forest in flames.
The wreckage of drones shattered into fragments, while the corpses of mechanical soldiers disintegrated into ash.
"These ants truly fear no death," Pandor said coldly, his silver mecha warrior having just crushed an enemy pilot's cockpit with a chest-piercing strike.
Since rescuing the imperial soldiers, this was the third wave of Taiduo Kingdom forces they had encountered.
Suddenly, his bronze-gold arm pulsed with power.
Boom!
Flesh and metal exploded, sending debris flying in all directions.
Witnessing this, the rescued imperial soldiers stared in awe, their minds reeling.
"She's too strong."
"Even a Fifth-Tier Cyborg wouldn't be this formidable, would they?"
"What level of awakened is this Master?"
Their awestruck murmurs had grown numb. The soldiers had already injected medical stimulants to stabilize their injuries.
Apart from one critically wounded man, most could still move with some difficulty, retaining limited mobility.
The squad leader, his bloodstained left shoulder throbbing from shrapnel wounds, remained silent.
He merely gestured for his men to inspect the Taiduo Kingdom team's camouflaged off-road vehicles.
Their jeep was damaged beyond immediate repair, and attempts to contact reinforcements had failed, suggesting the support team had been ambushed and communication lines severed.
To escape this place and return to the fortress, relying solely on foot would be too time-consuming. Naturally, they needed to make the most of the captured vehicles.
Moreover,
His gaze filled with awe as he subtly glanced at the black-robed youth behind him.
He could sense the youth's extraordinary nature.
Whether it was commanding such powerful figures or maintaining that utterly calm demeanor, he was certain the youth possessed immense status and power.
"Who exactly is he?"
"He saved us and opposes the Taiduo Kingdom... Could he be a lord of the empire?"
Confused and curious, he even felt like he had seen the youth's face somewhere before.
Meanwhile,
Chen Feng stood silently at the rear, neither intervening nor uttering a word.
He simply walked calmly toward another captured jeep, watching Pandor handle the remaining reinforcements.
"The Taiduo Kingdom, the ancient empire... This world is truly fascinating."
"And mecha pilots! Their technology is remarkably similar to the supreme mecha technology we left behind. It seems this world's civilization has inherited our legacy."
The Star Spirit's voice echoed in his mind as she split off another sub-body to accompany him.
Through questioning imperial soldiers, Chen Feng's explanations, and witnessing the earlier battles, she had gained a deeper understanding of this world. She was now convinced that the technological advancements of the two great nations were undeniably connected to Ancient Taiduo.
"I even suspect that the name of their civilized nation comes from our Ancient Taiduo," she mused.
"Tsk tsk, how intriguing! I'm suddenly quite curious about their intelligence database. It might contain information that could supplement my own knowledge," she said with a smile, her voice tinged with excitement.
A sub-body of hers remained on the world ark for maintenance purposes.
As for security, the Holy Shield Colossus guarded the ark, and the Martial Artist Yan Changkong had also stayed behind to conceal its presence and defend against most threats.
"What about the supreme mecha technology?" Chen Feng asked. He rarely heard the Star Spirit mention this technology.
He wasn't entirely surprised, however. During his Dream Incursion into the Radiant Light, he had glimpsed Mecha Warriors in historical images of Ancient Taiduo's civilization.
"It's a new technology developed after legendary transformation," she explained.
"Its potential far surpasses transformation. To some extent, it bypasses the Source Consciousness requirements of mechanical modification and reduces the risks of mutation associated with Biological Modification."
"In theory, anyone can pilot a mecha, using intelligent assistance to fight. It could even grant an ordinary person formidable individual power at any moment."
"Speaking of which, our Divine Technology was also derived from the supreme mecha technology. Through gradual refinement and evolution, we finally achieved success."
She explained for a few moments, her voice tinged with awe at the end.
Chen Feng understood the gist.
Mecha and cybernetic augmentation were distinct technological paths.
One focused on external enhancements, allowing for wearable and removable devices, while the other focused on internal modifications, directly altering the physical body.
It was difficult to judge which was superior, but based on their theoretical limits, mecha seemed to have a higher potential.
"How powerful can a supreme mecha become?"
"Stronger than a typical third-stage legendary warrior. It possesses a built-in super energy core, but still falls short of a Sacred Being."
The Star Spirit elaborated, adding some speculation.
"I attempted to infiltrate the mecha pilot's intelligent deep web earlier, but encountered an extremely powerful firewall."
"The intelligence was highly advanced, comparable to my own."
"In short, this world's civilization may rival your Red Nation, and might even possess Sacred Beings."
Chen Feng nodded, confirming his own suspicions.
To be precise, he had formulated a plan the moment he decided to engage these imperial soldiers.
The Windrider had sustained significant damage, requiring substantial metal resources and advanced technological components for efficient repairs.
His own divine transformation was still ongoing, requiring substantial resources to accelerate its progress and complete it as soon as possible.
After much deliberation, he concluded that there was no better approach than to engage with a powerful civilization and forge a cooperative alliance.
As for plunder?
The Star Spirit's warning echoed his own concerns, ultimately dissuading him from raiding the Taiduo Kingdom again.
The battle against the federation had starkly revealed the vast gulf between divine beings and angels.
The Taiduo Kingdom, his sworn enemy, would undoubtedly strike if they possessed a divine presence.
In contrast, the ancient empire occupying the northern territories—the Taiduo Kingdom's rival—emerged as the ideal partner for cooperation.
Thud, thud!
Footsteps approached. Pandor had already dealt with all the enemies.
His towering, bronze-gold frame slowly shrank as he deliberately controlled his size, approaching the vehicle.
"Lord, I sense something amiss," he rumbled, analyzing the situation. "These Taiduo Kingdom patrols are appearing with increasing frequency."
Despite his volatile nature, Pandor usually maintained his composure and reasoned through situations.
"Ignore them," Chen Feng replied with a slight shake of his head.
Chen Feng's gaze swept over the imperial soldiers who were destroying the tracking devices and attempting to start the vehicles' engines to continue leading the way.
He had already guessed the key point.
The Taiduo Kingdom's civilization possessed extremely advanced technology, and this region was close to the fortress border.
There were undoubtedly numerous hidden surveillance devices along the route. Unless they maintained complete silence, any anomalies would be detected.
Moreover, he knew that Pandor's swift elimination of the enemies had likely already drawn the attention of the Taiduo Kingdom's border forces.
"Let's continue," Chen Feng said, withdrawing his gaze without further comment.
He wouldn't ask Pandor to conceal his strength; there was no need.
Besides, a certain display of force would make the ancient empire truly value this collaboration and weigh its significance.
"Understood," Pandor replied. Without another word, he strode to the captured new off-road vehicle, took the driver's seat, and led the way.
Vroom!!
The jeep's engine roared to life, and the convoy resumed its advance.
The group navigated through the forest, steadily heading north.
The black off-road vehicle leading the way remained on high alert, relying on Pandor to eliminate all encountered enemies and blocking strange beasts.
Meanwhile, the jeep following behind maintained a steady pace, its occupants showing no signs of alarm.
The imperial soldier driving the vehicle held his breath the entire time, his face tense and serious.
He occasionally glanced through the rearview mirror at the back seat, where Chen Feng sat with his eyes closed, seemingly resting. Despite being in the midst of a hail of gunfire, he appeared utterly unconcerned.
Who exactly is this Master? the soldier wondered, filled with both awe and curiosity.
He also recalled his captain's instructions.
For some reason, he too felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if he had seen this man somewhere before, though he couldn't quite place it.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Artillery roared, missiles streaked across the sky.
This vast, Gobi-like wilderness was being relentlessly bombarded. Dozens of shells slammed into the rocky earth, tearing it apart and leaving behind a cratered landscape.
Shrapnel flew in all directions, and dirt erupted in geysers.
Several armored vehicles exploded into twisted metal scraps, while tanks that had just fired their missiles were instantly obliterated by energy beams.
"Kill them all!"
"Slaughter them all!"
The roars echoed across the battlefield, reverberating through every corner of the wilderness—from the Rift Canyons to the rocky hills.
Looking around, one could see numerous small squads of soldiers desperately charging across the rugged terrain, riddled with ravines and craters.
Tanks and armored vehicles from the northern region advanced relentlessly, crushing through the craters without fear of destruction.
Behind them, fully armed imperial soldiers in camouflage uniforms followed the assault, carrying shoulder-mounted rocket launchers and rifles.
Boom!
Amidst the explosions, warriors were thrown back by the shockwaves.
Some lost limbs or suffered grievous injuries, while others were blasted into the air by stray missiles, their blood and flesh staining the earth crimson.
On the opposite side of the battlefield, a dozen mechanical soldiers were similarly battered by the relentless barrage. Missiles rained down like a torrential storm, reducing them to twisted scrap metal in mere moments.
The source of this devastation lay in two massive military fortresses, one to the north and the other to the south, spanning the horizon like impenetrable barriers.
Their towering walls, forged from alloy and reaching dozens of meters high, stood as imposing bastions. A translucent light screen stretched upward from the walls, forming a barrier that sealed off the sky.
The northern fortress bristled with cannon turrets, its dark gray exterior exuding an ancient, menacing aura of ironclad resolve. Squads of imperial soldiers were dispatched in waves.
The southern fortress shimmered with a silvery-gray sheen, its surface covered by a light shield that periodically unleashed energy beams. Black rectangular pods were deployed onto the battlefield, transforming into ground-based obstacles.
"The people of the empire fear death little," a high-ranking general of the Taiduo Kingdom remarked in the southern fortress's command center, shaking his head as magnetic blue arcs flickered across the holographic display before him.
"Sometimes I truly can't tell if this is courage or sheer folly."
The wilderness battlefield stretched for over ten kilometers, its vast expanse making it impossible for the naked eye to grasp the full scope of the conflict.
At this moment, thanks to the intelligent deep web's electromagnetic links to all warriors and the support of advanced detection systems, the entire battlefield situation was being relayed in real time.
From the distant smoke and cratered terrain to the imperial warriors instantly vaporized by stray shots, the question of how flesh and blood could withstand a steel torrent answered itself.
Boom!!
Explosions erupted as another hundred mechanical soldiers were deployed, coordinating with drones and small explosive devices for suicide attacks.
Meanwhile, a handful of elite mecha pilots dispersed to the flanks, acting as spearheads to strike at the empire's tanks and armored vehicle formations.
The empire's casualties rapidly mounted, and the Taiduo Kingdom's battlefield commanders exchanged smug smiles.
"The ancient empire has long since decayed, mired in ignorance."
"Mark my words, they are destined to become withered bones, forever gazing up at us."
The assembled officers nodded in agreement.
Light screens automatically materialized in mid-air, processing and displaying real-time battlefield data for all to see.
The legion generals seated around the metal round table received battlefield updates instantly, their expressions growing increasingly calm and confident.
Boom!
Suddenly, several drones were struck by missiles, erupting into fiery explosions and leaving behind charred wreckage.
The mechanical soldier formation below was sent flying and exploding as if struck by a truck, their metallic components disintegrating mid-air.
The smiles froze on the faces of the Taiduo Kingdom legion's high command. Then, a towering figure covered in silver-gray metal, seemingly a heavily augmented human, appeared on the battlefield.
Gray smoke billowed from the cannon turrets on its shoulders, and its clenched metallic fists radiated immense weight.
A crimson glow pulsed in its chest, and in the next instant, a blinding red beam erupted from it.
"Mech-Augmented Human!"
The legion general who had previously criticized the empire's decadence now wore a grim expression.
Before he could speak again, the battlefield situation on another light screen shifted dramatically.
Boom!
A Mecha exploded, its pilot screaming in agony.
The pilot's chest and abdomen had been torn through, blood dripping from the steel-clawed wolf paws.
As the corpse collapsed, a figure materialized in its place: a half-human with a wolf's head.
Bio-Armor molded perfectly to its massive frame, crushing the cratered earth beneath its feet.
Sparks still flickered amid the scorched mud and sand, remnants of the Mecha's bombardment that the figure had swiftly evaded.
"Biological Modifier."
The legion general who had spoken earlier frowned deeply, and the smiles faded from the faces of the other officers in the command room.
The ancient empire was undoubtedly corrupt and even foolish.
Yet it couldn't be denied that they still possessed immense power, having preserved much of their former glory.
"If they were so easily defeated, they wouldn't have been able to hold us back for so many years," a voice suddenly declared.
All eyes turned to see a new light screen materialize in the command room.
A white mecha, inlaid with golden patterns, radiated an eternal, flowing light.
The golden-haired youth within resembled a divine angel, his noble and imposing presence filling the room.
"Lord Serik!"
Recognizing his identity instantly, the legion generals were momentarily surprised before scrambling to their feet, addressing him with utmost respect.
Serik nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the assembled officers.
"This is the empire," he stated calmly.
"As our long-standing adversary, the Taiduo Kingdom has much to learn from them."
"Though corrupt and foolish, they remain a formidable power that cannot be ignored."
His voice remained even as he spoke, his tone matter-of-fact.
The officers nodded repeatedly, daring not to contradict him.
"However..."
Serik's tone shifted, his gaze remaining steady.
"Though I admire such an enemy," Serik said, "it's time to end this fortress war."
The assembled officers froze, some immediately sensing something was amiss.
Fortress wars were frequent, but always contained within certain limits. Even now, despite the ongoing skirmishes, the fighting remained low-intensity and small-scale. Both great nations understood that a decisive victory was unlikely, and a full-scale conflict would inflict devastating losses on both sides.
This was especially true for the military fortresses facing each other. Though merely strategic points on the battlefield, not its sole focus, these fortresses had stood for centuries, reinforced with countless defensive structures, making a direct assault nearly impossible.
"Master, do you mean...?"
"Yes," Serik replied with a calm nod, offering no further explanation.
Yet the legion generals present understood immediately, quickly grasping the implications.
The fortress possessed a Star Ring Device, capable of teleporting reinforcements. If activated at a critical moment, it could shatter the fortress defenses and tear a hole in the ancient empire's southern defense line.
"But what about the empire's response?"
"I have a plan for that."
Serik calmly shook his head, understanding their concerns.
The ancient empire possessed similar countermeasures.
But...
His expression remained impassive, and he said no more.
Though puzzled, no one pressed him further.
Finally, the visible light and shadows dissipated without a trace.
The legion generals exchanged glances before ultimately deciding to obey the orders. They activated their warships and intensified the artillery bombardment.
Whoosh!
Instantly, the fortress canopy rippled like a virtual ocean surging with waves.
Massive warships materialized majestically, piercing through the cloud layer.
Energy lasers swept across the battlefield, effortlessly annihilating small groups of armored vehicles and cyborg units on the ground.
Boom!
In the blink of an eye, the intensity of the war escalated.
Artillery roared, and the sky turned crimson.
Even dozens of kilometers away, the blinding flashes of explosions and the continuous tremors shaking the ground were clearly visible.
Whoosh!
The scene unfolded before them.
Inside the black off-road vehicle speeding onward, several imperial soldiers gasped in shock, their faces shifting with disbelief. They had never imagined the fortress battle would escalate to such a scale.
In contrast, Pandor grinned slightly, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"War, is it?"
Chen Feng observed their reactions, his gaze deepening as he glanced at the light screen.
To secure cooperation with the ancient empire, he needed to prove his value through strength.
Steel Bones and Heart of Glory were still some distance from their next upgrades.
Therefore, this moment...
Clearly presented an opportune moment.
(End of the Chapter)
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