Chapter 176: Superconducting Shield Array
Chapter 176: Superconducting Shield Array
Bang!
With the sound of a gunshot, the staff member's head exploded, but not a single drop of blood splattered.
His body also exploded, instantly expanding a hundredfold. Tendrils of black, smoke-like energy radiated outward, forming a massive cloud of darkness from which emerged the tall silhouette of a human figure. The figure was shrouded in sinister black mist and let out a terrifying shrill as it rushed towards Ji Xinghuo.
"The Freak Prodigy!"
Countless spectators shouted in surprise.
The commentators were equally bewildered, exclaiming in shock, "Such a large expanse of Dark Fog form, he's a Legendary Freak!"
The Freak Prodigy possessed the "Mimic" ability, allowing him to alter his appearance, including voice and iris pattern, through physical contact. He was nearly indistinguishable from the real thing unless one performed a genetic test.
The staff member whose head was blown off was an impersonation!
However, what puzzled everyone was why a Legendary-level Freak Prodigy would disguise himself as a staff member and infiltrate the venue? And how did the shooter realize this?
How was he able to bring a gun into the stadium?
Amidst the flurry of questions, the spectators witnessed Ji Xinghuo turn and run, his speed astonishing as he crashed through the soundproof glass of the entrance hall and dashed into the open space in the middle of the stadium.
The black mist that was the Freak Prodigy pursued relentlessly like a fierce gale.
On the platform, the three selected spectators and the staff members were petrified with fear. The terrifying aura of a Legendary Freak left their minds blank.
Shi Renzhong stood stunned in his original spot.
At that moment, a buzzing sound reverberated throughout the Tianqin Stadium, causing the hairs on everyone's bodies to stand on end. A massive surge of electrical energy was gathering, and the lights atop the stadium flickered erratically, foreshadowing an impending catastrophe.
"The Superconducting Shield Array has been activated!"
Finally, someone realized what was happening, but it was already too late.
Boom!
With a thunderous roar, a shallow blue shield rose from the edge of the oval field, forming a protective dome that enveloped the entire area.
The shield was transparent, allowing a clear view of the interior.
Hexagonal patterns emerged on the massive shield, resembling a honeycomb cross-section. Though it appeared insubstantial, the shield was incredibly resilient.
The spectator stands were outside the shield's range, unaffected by its activation, but everyone was bewildered by the sudden development.
The Superconducting Shield Array was one of the most influential technological inventions of the past two centuries, originally derived from ether technology of the Starry Nation, combined with physical technology. It utilized superconducting materials to construct shield generators, powered by controlled nuclear fusion, to generate a shield capable of withstanding physical impacts and energy attacks!
By arranging multiple shield generators in an array and supplying more energy, the size and defensive strength of the shield could be increased.
The Superconducting Shield Array could even withstand a nuclear explosion!
As long as the array was strong enough and the nuclear blast didn't hit the shield directly, the shockwaves, light radiation, and nuclear radiation from the explosion would be unable to harm anyone or anything within the shield.
This significantly weakened the threat of nuclear weapons.
Humankind had mastered this super technology in the year 2067, and in the following years, laser weapon technology was applied to space-based anti-missile systems.
Thus, the Third World War erupted in 2080.
It was the most devastating global conflict in human history, surpassing even the Fourth World War that occurred in 2161 in terms of scale and casualties.
During this war, nuclear weapons were indiscriminately used as conventional arms, resulting in nuclear bombardments on nearly every continent.
Large swaths of Earth were transformed into nuclear wastelands.
In just two short years, most major cities worldwide lay in ruins, with incalculable economic losses and a sharp reduction in the global population by a third. The death toll was even more terrifying than the invasion of the Beiluoshimen Tribe.
Humankind had nearly driven itself to extinction.
As the war raged on, threatening the very survival of humanity, no one could persist. Eventually, all nations unanimously signed the "Peace Declaration," bringing an end to the Third World War and leading to the second Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, aimed at curbing the spread of nuclear weapons once more.
It could be said that the Superconducting Shield Array altered the course of human civilization.
From then until now, the technology behind the Superconducting Shield Array has continually improved, and its defensive capabilities have become stronger.
Nowadays, the Superconducting Shield Array is widely employed throughout human society, particularly in crucial government institutions, military facilities, fusion power plants, key industrial zones, and other locations. It serves as a protective measure against potential nuclear attacks.
Many economically valuable and densely populated buildings are also equipped with shield arrays.
The Tianqin National Stadium is one such location.
The stadium's shield array has a unique purpose—when activated, it enables Legendary Freaks and above to battle with their full strength without endangering the spectators in the stands.
But now, it had been activated!
"What's going on?"
"Who activated the shield array without any notification?" Shi Renzhong shouted angrily from the platform, but no one could provide an answer.
The entrance halls located at both ends of the oval field were within the shield's range.
Coaches, competitors, and other experts were left outside the shield, while only a few dozen staff members, eight spectators, and the two teams of Freaks participating in the exhibition match remained inside.
Shi Renzhong turned his gaze towards the platform on the opposite side of the field.
Among the Tianxing Walker team, Yu Meiling, always eager for more exposure, had volunteered for the exhibition match.
At that moment, the members of the Dising Star team emerged from the changing room.
"Turn off the shield array immediately," Shi Renzhong ordered the club manager through the transparent shield.
"What's happening?" Everyone else was equally perplexed.
Zhao Manying's eyes narrowed as she spotted Ji Xinghuo in the field, and her expression shifted slightly.
The faces of the hundreds of thousands of spectators paled, and many immediately guessed that the Freak Prodigy's target was to kill the selected spectator! This was too bold; he dared to take action in front of so many people.
There were several Legendary powerhouses present.
There was even a King!
"Stop him quickly!" cried a worried spectator.
Immediately, someone shook their head and said, "How can we stop it? The Superconducting Shield Array has already been activated. We can't get in or out. Even a King wouldn't be able to break through instantly."
At that moment, everyone finally understood.
While the Superconducting Shield Array provided protection, for those inside the shield, it was also a cage.
As long as the shield remained active, the Freak Prodigy could pursue and kill his target without restraint.
Several figures flew out from the top of the spectator stands, including the "Great Magician," Shi Hongyi. He raised his hand, and a ball of light formed in his palm, instantly bursting into a dazzling beam that struck the shield. The shield wobbled but quickly stabilized.
Shi Hongyi attacked several times in quick succession but failed to break the shield.
He frowned, his face grim.
The other Legendary powerhouses also ceased their attacks. Even a King couldn't break through the shield, let alone them.
In fact, everyone was well aware of the Superconducting Shield's formidable defense. Even a King would find it challenging to breach. Since the birth of this technology, there had been no recorded instances of a Freak breaking through the Superconducting Shield. The only ways to breach it were with high-energy weapons or by cutting off the array's power source.
Another booming sound echoed through the stadium.
A second layer of the Superconducting Shield rose, even larger than the first, enveloping the entire stadium. Hundreds of thousands of spectators were now seated between the two layers of shields.
The spectators immediately stirred in panic.
The host quickly tried to calm them down. "Please don't panic, everyone. Remain in your seats and wait for the situation to be resolved. The activation of the Superconducting Shield Array is merely a technical issue and does not pose any danger. Everyone is safe."
If the hundreds of thousands of spectators were to panic and stampede, the resulting casualties would be catastrophic.
Shi Hongyi's voice also rang out across the stadium.
"This is Shi Hongyi. Please rest assured, everyone. I, along with the two clubs, will work together to protect everyone here. Please do not move around for the time being."
As he spoke, he directed the other Legendary powerhouses to spread out.
The competition Freaks from the two teams also dispersed throughout the spectator stands, calming the audience and guarding against potential attacks.
At that moment, three Legendary powerhouses appeared outside the shield, hovering in mid-air. They were Zhou Yishang, his wife Yao Xuan, and another Xuanyuan Swordsman. They had received Ji Xinghuo's message and rushed over, but they were still a step too late.
Shi Hongyi's figure flickered, and he appeared at the edge of the shield, communicating with Zhou Yishang and the others through the shield.
"Chairman Shi." Zhou Yishang's expression was grim, but in front of a King, he dared not show his anger. Instead, he asked coldly, "What is the meaning of this?"
"Director Zhou, is that a Swordsman from the Sharp Sword Bureau?" Shi Hongyi asked in return.
"Yes."
Zhou Yishang did not elaborate further. The matters concerning the Sharp Sword Bureau were confidential, and even though Shi Hongyi was a King, he was not an official member and thus could not be informed.
Shi Hongyi said, "The control room for the Superconducting Shield Array is underneath the center of the field. I cannot break through, so it's best to cut off the array's power source."
"The Sharp Sword Bureau has already notified the power company," Zhou Yishang replied.
"The Tianqin Stadium has backup power," Shi Hongyi said, his eyes fixed on Ji Xinghuo in the field. "Even if the power is cut off, the Superconducting Shield Array can still maintain itself for about 10 minutes." He sighed. "Can that Swordsman withstand a Legendary Freak for 10 minutes?"
Zhou Yishang did not answer.
He, too, was unsure, and he suspected that there was more than one Freak Prodigy present. At the very least, there was another enemy in the control room for the Superconducting Shield Array.
"Two, maybe three..."
"Let's hope he can hold on."
In the center of the stadium, Ji Xinghuo kept running, avoiding direct confrontation with the Freak Prodigy.
Even before he took the stage, he had sensed the presence of this Freak Prodigy. The other's magnetic field was exceptionally strong, indicating that he was no ordinary staff member. Ji Xinghuo had pretended not to notice and approached him from behind, immediately confirming that he was the target. Without hesitation, he had taken the initiative and fired the first shot.
Indeed, the Freak Prodigy had revealed his true form.
Unfortunately, this Legendary Freak's reaction was incredibly fast. The Freak Prodigy had no weak spots, and the headshot had failed to kill him.
Seeing the situation turn dire, Ji Xinghuo turned and ran.
His plan was to buy time until the Sharp Sword Bureau's reinforcements arrived, so he didn't have to risk his life in battle.
But with the activation of the two layers of the Superconducting Shield Array, Ji Xinghuo knew he was in trouble.
The Freak Prodigy could fly, and its speed and attack range were vast. Ji Xinghuo barely dodged several close calls, exerting himself to the limit.
Suddenly, a section of the field flipped over, and dozens of figures rose from beneath. Each one held firearms and cold weapons.
Ji Xinghuo swept his magnetic field senses over them and immediately felt a chill down his spine.
These were androids!
Androids, or humanoid robots, were each a ruthless killing machine, expensive to create and typically only deployed on battlefields. What were they doing here?
Before Ji Xinghuo could grasp the situation, the androids opened fire.
In an instant, the center of the Tianqin Stadium turned into a deadly battlefield of bullets and explosions!
(End of Chapter)
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