After traversing the long and not entirely smooth sea of stars, they finally entered the arm of the Milky Way Galaxy, steadily approaching the azure Planet marked as "Chi Wu Star System - Earth" on the star chart.
Inside the bridge, the atmosphere had relaxed considerably compared to when they were ambushed, but a professional state of alert was still maintained. The Zhuifeng Squad performed their respective duties, monitoring all data inside and outside the ship. Artoria and Minerva stood before the main observation window, gazing at the increasingly clear and enchanting blue Planet outside the porthole.
A color so similar to home, yet entirely different. The blue of home was a blue of resilience and hope, where humanity joined hands to rebuild after being baptized by the fires of war. The blue of the Planet before them, however, was primitive, full of vibrant life yet harboring hidden fragility and crisis. Sunlight filtered through the atmosphere, casting light and shadows over the azure oceans and mottled land, with white clouds drifting slowly like soft gauze veils. There was no space defense network, no orbital defense platforms—only a few single-function man-made satellites orbiting lonelily in low Earth orbit.
"So beautiful..." Artoria sighed softly, her eyes filled with a complex gaze. This similar sight stirred a deep-seated homesickness and gave rise to an indescribable sense of pity and concern for this Planet about to face a storm. She could "see" beneath those layers of clouds and continents, countless living beings living according to their own trajectories, perhaps having only a vague premonition or even knowing nothing at all about the impending disaster.
"But also very fragile." Minerva stood beside her, gently taking her hand. She could feel the fluctuations in Artoria's emotions.
"Mm." Artoria nodded, suppressing her complex emotions. She came here not just to witness, but perhaps... she could also do something. Her teacher had said to act as she thought.
"Excellency Artoria, we are about to enter low Earth orbit," Captain Zhui Feng's voice came through the communication channel. "We have received a blurred signal inquiry from Earth's 'giant gorge,' as well as... a dedicated guidance signal from the top of the 'Angel International Building' in Juxia City. Requesting landing coordinates."
"Go to the Angel International Building." Artoria hardly hesitated. She didn't want to land directly on the 'giant gorge,' which represented the Earth's Military and the Super Seminary; that would be too formal and easily trigger unnecessary suspicion and attention. The Angel International Building, as a public 'property' and contact point for the Angel Civilization on Earth's surface, was relatively neutral and better suited her current identity as an 'Angel-related visitor.'
"Understood. Adjusting course, target: Juxia City, the rooftop helipad of the Angel International Building. Activating optical camouflage and conventional energy concealment," Captain Zhui Feng ordered crisply.
The massive hull of the morning glow adjusted its angle slightly, light shimmering across its surface. The huge vessel quickly became transparent and blurred in the visible light spectrum, eventually appearing to merge into the background of the starry sky, with only the most precise detectors able to capture its faint gravitational disturbances and energy traces. Like an elegant and invisible giant bird, it silently slipped into Earth's atmosphere, descending toward the top of the skyscraper that stood at the peak of the bustling city.
...
Juxia City, Angel International Building, top floor.
This place had been temporarily renovated, with simple and efficient Angel-style decorations replacing the original luxury. Large floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of Juxia City's bustling scene, but at this moment, the atmosphere inside was far from relaxed.
Angel Yan, Queen Keisha's Left Wing Guard, was currently leaning casually in a high-backed chair, her long legs crossed, her fingertips unconsciously playing with a strand of her falling golden hair. Opposite her sat a young goddess wearing black armor, with hair as red as fire and a clear look of impatience and defiance between her brows—the main god of Lieyang Star, Sunlight, Reina.
The air between the two was somewhat stagnant. Clearly, the 'exchange' just now had not been pleasant.
Yan's mission was to contact representatives from the Super Seminary and Earth, convey certain positions (or rather, warnings) of the Angels, and observe the situation. Reina, as Lieyang's 'representative' on Earth, as well as a'student' and 'instructor' of the Super Seminary, was in an awkward position and naturally very resistant to the Angels' high-and-mighty, almost judge-like posture.
"So, what the Angels mean is that while the demons are causing trouble on Earth and the Taotie are about to attack, you'll just watch from the sidelines and, by the way... supervise us so we don't 'mess up'?" Reina's tone was mocking. "That's quite the 'righteous' way of doing things."
Yan raised an eyebrow, her red lips curling into a half-smile. "Supervision is hardly the word; it's just necessary... risk assessment and prevention. After all, Earth is currently a gathering place for too many 'unstable factors.' Lieyang's Sunlight, the demons' Fallen Queen, the God of Death's minions... oh, and the Styx is quite peaceful now." She added pointedly, clearly aware of the 'erasure' that had recently shaken the Universe.
Reina's expression changed slightly. Lieyang had naturally monitored the bizarre incident where the Styx Galaxy vanished instantly, and General Pan Zhen had already sent the highest-level warning. This deepened her wariness of the Angels, but she refused to back down verbally: "So what? Our Lieyang..."
Her words were interrupted by an extremely faint but unignorable spatial fluctuation. The fluctuation came from the top of the building.
Yan and Reina looked up at the ceiling almost simultaneously. A flash of realization crossed Yan's eyes, while Reina showed a look of vigilance and curiosity.
Almost at the same time the fluctuation appeared, the light on the open-air helipad outside the floor-to-ceiling windows distorted strangely. A sleek, silver-white painted small spaceship, emitting a faint holy aura, emerged from the void like it was surfacing from water, landing steadily in the designated area.
The hatch slid open silently.
First to step out were ten Angel Warriors clad in silver armor with wings on their backs, their auras composed and capable. They quickly and orderly dispersed around the ship, taking up several key sentry positions. Their movements were swift and coordinated, clearly marking them as battle-hardened elites. The leader, Captain Zhui Feng, scanned the surroundings with a sharp gaze, nodding slightly in greeting when he saw Yan.
Then, two figures stepped out hand in hand.
On the left was a blonde young girl. She wore silver-gray, form-fitting clothing convenient for movement, the style simple yet carrying a sense of technology not belonging to Earth. A longsword that looked simple but faintly shimmered with a restrained, majestic light was belted at her waist. Her features were delicate and pretty, her eyes clear with a hint of curiosity and caution upon arriving in a strange land, but more so a sense of calm observation.
On the right was a woman who made both Yan and Reina startle slightly. She wore similar light-colored casual clothes, her posture upright, her beauty so exquisite she didn't seem mortal. Her skin shimmered with a luster as warm as jade, and her long white hair fell like a waterfall. Most striking were her eyes, as clear as the starry sky, deep and serene, currently watching the black-haired girl beside her tenderly. She exuded an extremely pure, gentle, yet elusive energy fluctuation, entirely different from the Angels' holy energy, Lieyang's stellar energy, or even the demons' Dark Energy.
"A surface guard of a Third Generation God Body elite squad... and this one..." Yan's gaze lingered for a moment on the 'star dome' at Artoria's waist, a very faint flash of surprise and amusement in her eyes before she looked at Minerva, quickly assessing in her heart, "A special energy lifeform? No, more like... a perfect creation of highly integrated information and energy? Interesting..."
Reina, on the other hand, frowned. She could feel that the blonde girl's own energy fluctuation wasn't very strong, roughly at the level of a first-generation Super Soldier, but to have a squad of Third Generation God Body Angels guarding her so solemnly, her identity was definitely not simple. And the 'person' beside her... gave Reina a feeling somewhat like General Pan Zhen, but more restrained and... 'new'?"
Artoria walked down the gangway, her gaze scanning the top of this unfamiliar skyscraper, sweeping over the bustling street scene of Juxia City below, and finally landing on the two figures behind the floor-to-ceiling windows who were clearly watching her.
One was a beautiful Angel with long golden hair and an aura that was sharp yet lazy—Artoria had seen her in the records: Holy Keisha's Left Wing Guard, Angel Yan.
The other was a young goddess with hair as red as fire, wearing black armor, with defiance and vigilance between her brows—Sunlight, Reina.
It seemed she had arrived at quite the "opportune time."
Just then, the door leading from the top floor of the Angel International Building to the open-air platform was pushed open, and Angel Yan walked out, her face wearing her signature smile, one tinged with scrutiny and amusement.
"Welcome to Earth," Yan's gaze swept over Artoria and Minerva, finally resting on Artoria's face. Her tone was casual but carried an imperceptible hint of inquiry. "It seems we've been waiting for a... special guest. The Heavenly Base King's student, the wielder of 'star dome,' Artoria, right? And this one..."
"Minerva," Minerva spoke up proactively, her voice clear and gentle as she nodded slightly to Yan.
"Pleasure to meet you." Yan nodded in return, her gaze lingering on Minerva for another second before looking back at Artoria. "Was the journey smooth? I heard you encountered some 'minor trouble' on the way?"
Artoria knew she was referring to the ambush by the Styx; news seemed to travel fast. She nodded. "A close call, but no harm done. Thanks to Captain Zhui Feng and the others."
Captain Zhui Feng also walked over at this time and gave Yan a Military salute. "Lord Yan. Mission accomplished; the target has arrived safely."
"Good work." Yan waved her hand, then looked at Artoria, her tone carrying a hint of invitation. "As it happens, I'm having a... friendly exchange with Lieyang's main god, Reina. About the current situation on Earth, the demons' movements, the Taotie threat... perhaps you'd be interested? Would you like to come in and listen?"
Her invitation was natural, as if just a casual mention. But Artoria understood that this was an opportunity for her to quickly understand the attitudes and points of conflict among the various factions on Earth, as well as a chance for her to formally 'enter the stage.'
She glanced at Minerva beside her; Minerva gave her a slight smile, her eyes full of support.
Taking a deep breath, Artoria nodded, her gaze becoming firm.
"Alright, let's go take a look."
She wanted to know what kind of drama was unfolding on this stage where gods gathered, on this blue Planet so similar to her home. And how she should 'act as she thought' and do something.
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