https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-13-The-Initial-Fusion-Core-of-a-Grade-1-Floating-Land/12833189/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-15-The-Purple-Atomic-Fusion-Reactor/12833191/
Chapter 14: Success
Chapter 14: Success
Above the core of the floating land, which radiated terrifying heat, the Sky Vault shuttle's hatch slowly opened. A tractor beam shot out from the shuttle, aiming directly at the core's fusion mass.
The moment the tractor beam touched the fusion mass, Song Chi felt a strong resistance. It was the core's instinctive reaction against this unfamiliar constraint.
This resistance made the Sky Vault's tractor beam progress particularly slow.
Seeing this, Song Chi, who was closely monitoring the psi-shield components, looked extremely grim. Just a second ago, the psi-shield's value had dropped below 200, leaving only a little over 100 points, and it was still decreasing by nearly 10 points per second.
Song Chi had no immediate solution. Fundamentally, the Sky Vault was just a standard zero-class psi-shuttle. Attempting to tractor a first-class peak object was like using a small horse to pull a large cart. Neither the psi-shield nor the Fire Helianthus soldier puppets had any direct connection to the tractor beam.
If it weren't for the fact that the floating land core was still in its early stages of formation, lacking a fully developed instinct, and the unique characteristic of the Ember Ship, which could convert any star sea curiosity into harmless Ember components once it was onboard, Song Chi would never have risked such a dangerous mission.
Another ten seconds passed, and with the tractor beam's efforts, the floating land core's fusion mass was now just a short distance from the Sky Vault's hatch. Success seemed within reach.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
However, at this moment, several sounds of breaking air came from behind. A dozen heavy-footed, first-class White-Winged beings were closing in again.
This time, they were smarter. Knowing their attacks were unlikely to damage the Sky Vault in a short time, they shifted their target to disrupt the tractor beam.
Song Chi's eyes turned cold. After all the effort, he couldn't allow this to happen.
"Block those attacks!"
Upon receiving Song Chi's command, ten fiery red figures darted out of the Sky Vault's hatch. Each held a tungsten alloy shield in one hand and a tungsten alloy spear in the other, charging straight at the incoming attacks with unwavering resolve.
Clang, clang, clang...
A series of continuous metal clashes echoed, and the ten Fire Helianthus soldier puppets did not let a single attack penetrate their defenses.
Phew!
Song Chi took a deep breath, his heart, which had been in his throat, finally easing. He then issued the "free attack" command.
Immediately, the Fire Helianthus soldier puppets, holding their shields and spears, stepped forward in unison. The fiery red light emanating from their bodies created a visually pleasing spectacle.
However, Song Chi knew this was just a surface show. Relying on their puppet bodies, the floating land core's pressure and heat had little effect on them in the short term, but once they engaged in a direct confrontation with nearly twice their number of White-Winged beings, the Fire Helianthus soldier puppets would quickly fall into a disadvantage.
After all, the ten Fire Helianthus soldier puppets were only at level 10, just entering the first class. The tungsten alloy shields and spears they carried were durable but had very average attack power.
But this didn't matter. As long as the Fire Helianthus soldier puppets could hold off for more than five seconds, it would be enough. Song Chi never expected to defeat or kill these White-Winged beings.
Time seemed to stretch endlessly, what was usually just an instant now felt incredibly long.
56/990
47/990
37/990
Just before the psi-shield's value reached zero, the first-class floating land core's fusion mass was finally fully tractor-beamed into the Sky Vault's hatch.
Closing the Shuttle Hatch
Reorienting the Shuttle
Overloading the Psionic Engine
Without the time to check the attributes of the now-converted Floating Land Core Fusion Module, Song Chi's mind raced as soon as he realized the tractor beam had succeeded.
His mental focus was so intense that he managed to push past his limits, multitasking with unprecedented efficiency.
Humming...
With the engine's roar, the Sky Sovereign streaked through the air, hurtling toward the rift above.
There was no time to examine the Floating Land Core Fusion Module or even worry about the Fire Chrysanthemum Soldier Constructs. Song Chi's sole focus was on escaping the rift space as quickly as possible.
Without the strong energy fluctuations from the Floating Land Core Fusion Module, the hundreds of White-Winged Clan members were no longer restrained. The psionic shield was on the brink of collapse, leaving the Sky Sovereign at its most vulnerable. Even a few more attacks from the Zero-Class White-Winged Clan could be catastrophic, let alone those from the First-Class members.
Fortunately, the ten Fire Chrysanthemum Soldier Constructs were holding off most of the First-Class White-Winged Clan, or Song Chi would have considered retreating to the Marketplace of All Realms.
However, he would only take that step as a last resort.
While hiding in the Marketplace would ensure his safety, there was no guarantee that the Hearthship's return function would work inside the Marketplace. If it didn't, he would be stranded in this unknown star domain indefinitely.
Based on multiple tests over the past few dozen hours, entering and exiting the Marketplace of All Realms was always centered on his location.
In simpler terms, he would always reappear in the same spot he entered the Marketplace.
Because of this, if he missed the Hearthship's automatic return, he would be stuck shuttling between this star domain and the Marketplace, with almost no chance of returning to the Hearth Human Civilization's domain.
The thought of this possibility filled Song Chi with dread.
Even though the Marketplace's monthly trading sessions would ensure a steady supply of resources, allowing him to continue his enhancements and advancements, the lack of a strong civilization backing him made his situation extremely dangerous. In this dog-eat-dog fragmented star sea, even the strongest individual could be overwhelmed by the hidden power of a civilization with a ten-thousand-year heritage.
The Sky Sovereign raced forward, even as Song Chi pushed the speed to its limits. Despite this, several White-Winged Clan attacks still struck the shuttle.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The main and secondary cannons on the Sky Sovereign continuously fired backward, either directly targeting the pursuing White-Winged Clan or blasting the rock walls on either side to create a barrier of flying debris to slow them down.
However, the sheer number of White-Winged Clan members made these efforts seem futile. Soon, the psionic shield, already on the verge of collapse, shattered completely, and attacks began to hit the Sky Sovereign's hull.
The only thing that gave Song Chi some comfort was that he had reinforced the hull armor to Level 7 during his last enhancement, along with the psionic shield. While the Level 7 hull armor provided far less protection than a First-Class psionic shield, it was enough to withstand attacks from Zero-Class White-Winged Clan members for a while.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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