Chapter 221: The Significance of the Summoning

Chapter 221: The Significance of the Summoning

As the special plane landed at the Southern War Zone military airport, a shocking secret was unveiled in Fusang, creating a massive uproar.

This secret was none other than the Soulstealer Incident.

Evidence proved that the Sumitomo Corporation had used Soulstealers to control multiple Fusang politicians, thereby manipulating the country's political situation.

This incident was exposed by Lin Zeyu, who had asked someone to reveal it before Lu Heng's departure from Fusang.

Currently, it was mid-October in the Abyssal Descent, and in Lu Heng's previous life, the Soulstealer Incident had erupted a year after the Abyssal Descent.

According to the timeline, the October Abyssal Descent should have been the first summoning of the Soulstealers, but in the previous life, this summoning attempt had likely failed.

Two months later, a second summoning occurred, and it was then that the summoned metahuman race exposed the Soulstealer Incident.

However, based on Lu Heng's memories from his previous life, although the incident was exposed, its impact was suppressed by the Sumitomo Corporation, and only the three exposed Fusang politicians disappeared.

In other words, the Soulstealer Incident in the previous life was not entirely resolved; it merely exposed the existence of Soulstealers.

After all, behind the Soulstealer Incident, there was also a bronze gate leading to a realm of evil spirits in the Abyss.

The outcome of this incident in this life was entirely different.

With Lu Heng's involvement, the bronze gate was destroyed, thoroughly resolving the incident with a higher completion rate than in the previous life.

As soon as the news broke, Fusang was in an uproar, with the Sumitomo Corporation frantically suppressing public opinion and blocking information to minimize the impact.

However, the person Lin Zeyu had found was not one to back down easily, and they continued to fuel the public's outrage.

Many Fusang citizens demanded physical examinations for the exposed politicians, as the Sumitomo Corporation's usual method of handling incidents would likely result in their disappearance.

...

Regardless of the magnitude of the upheaval in Fusang, Lu Heng had no interest in paying attention to it.

After the fifteen members of the Banseer Tribe landed at the Southern War Zone airport, they were escorted to the reception hall and formally met with Li Guining.

Although Iron Arm had never experienced diplomatic meetings of this caliber, as a leader, he had seen the world and did not falter when meeting Li Guining.

Both parties engaged in friendly conversations, expressing goodwill.

This official diplomatic meeting between the two civilizations was a resounding success.

After all, Great Xia was a nation of etiquette, and there were no conflicting interests between the two parties; they even shared a common external enemy.

Under these circumstances, if not for the fact that it was their first contact and the time was too rushed, they might have even signed an alliance agreement.

As the Banseer Tribe's return time was approaching, the meeting was brief, and Iron Arm led his tribe to depart later that afternoon.

They still had to accompany Lu Heng to Forge Castle to meet with their former ally.

In the evening, a minibus drove into the Coastal City Flame Emblem Club, and a group of short individuals followed Lu Heng up the clock tower and into Forge Castle.

When Iron Arm and Gru met, both of them were momentarily stunned.

They were strangers to each other, yet there was a hint of familiarity within their strangeness.

The Abyssal Black Iron Dwarves and the Banseer Tribe had indeed been allies, and even though they had never met, they had heard of each other in legends and seen each other's races depicted in murals.

Lu Heng introduced the two to each other.

Iron Arm and Gru simultaneously burst into tears and embraced each other.

Lu Heng couldn't understand their emotions, but he could empathize.

It was easy to understand when one thought about it.

The Black Iron Dwarves and the Banseer Tribe had been allies, and the Banseer Tribe's forging and blacksmithing techniques were learned from the Black Iron Dwarves.

The relationship between the two races was very close.

However, with the Abyssal Descent, the fate of the two races began to change.

The Abyssal Black Iron Dwarves and the Banseer Tribe had spent the past few centuries constantly migrating to escape the Abyssal invasion, leading to a decline from their initial prosperity and nearly reaching the brink of extinction," Lu Heng explained.

"When I was summoned to the Demon God's Burial Ground, there were only a few thousand Banseer Tribe members left in Stone Hammer Fortress," Lu Heng continued.

"If we hadn't defeated the Demon Baron Barton's servants and stopped his resurrection ritual, the Banseer Tribe would have likely faced extinction."

The Black Iron Dwarves were in a similar situation, constantly migrating to evade the Abyss.

Gru eventually moved Forge Castle away from the Abyss, escaping to Blue Planet and hiding in overlapping spatial dimensions.

However, this was only a temporary solution.

If one day, Blue Planet was also consumed by the Abyss, then it would become a part of the Abyss.

At that point, Forge Castle would once again fall into the Abyss.

Thus, the meeting between Iron Arm and Gru was a reunion of two nearly extinct allies in a different world.

In their memories were centuries of hardships endured by their races, and they had survived against all odds to finally meet their former allies again.

This emotion was something outsiders couldn't comprehend.

Gru was overjoyed and decided to treat his former allies to the finest cuisine in Forge Castle.

Lu Heng's heart skipped a beat when he heard this, worried that Gru might serve fried cockroaches, but thankfully, he brought out mushroom soup instead.

Iron Arm and Gru talked from evening until late into the night.

At midnight, it was time for the Banseer Tribe to return.

The tribe collectively returned to their world, teleporting away from Forge Castle.

Before leaving, Mia quietly set a spatial anchor in Forge Castle, deciding to teleport over whenever she had the time.

...

After seeing off the Banseer Tribe, Gru sat on the doorstep of Forge Castle, resting his chin on his hands and staring into space.

He had been sitting there since the night before, in almost the same position as the previous night, like a statue. Lu Heng was surprised and exclaimed, "Master, you've been sitting here all night."

Guru sighed, "Seeing the allies of the Banseer Tribe made me miss my old home and my people..."

Since the descent of Forge Castle upon Blue Planet, Lu Heng had never asked about the Black Iron Dwarves. In his previous life, Forge Castle had never seen a second Black Iron Dwarf.

However, Lu Heng had heard about the Black Iron Dwarves from other Metahumans.

Sensing Lu Heng's thoughts, Lu Heng asked, "Do you miss your kin?"

"Yes, I do. But the Black Iron Dwarf clan is probably extinct by now. In a few decades, when I'm gone, there will be no more Black Iron Dwarves left in the world."

Guru looked up at Lu Heng and said, "By then, Forge Castle will be yours. Hang my portrait in the castle, so history will know that Forge Castle was originally the castle of the Black Iron Dwarves."

Seeing Guru's melancholy expression, Lu Heng said, "I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

"The bad news, please."

"The bad news should be heard together with the good news."

"Then the good news."

"I heard from other Metahumans that they've seen Black Iron Dwarves in the Abyss Battlefield, so you're not the last Black Iron Dwarf. There should be more of your kin scattered in some corners of the Abyss World." Lu Heng shared what he knew.

Guru's expression immediately turned to delight, and he eagerly asked, "Really? Where are they?"

Lu Heng spread his hands and said, "That's the bad news. I don't know where they are."

Although this was indeed bad news, Guru wasn't discouraged. He excitedly said, "It doesn't matter. As long as there are still survivors, there's hope. Lu Heng, can I ask you for a favor?"

Lu Heng had already guessed what he wanted to say, "You want me to help you find your kin?"

Guru nodded, "Yes. If one day you encounter other Black Iron Dwarves, tell them that Forge Castle is still here, and ask them to keep living. Forge Castle will always be their home."

Lu Heng nodded in agreement, "Alright, I promise you."

But this was a difficult task to fulfill.

Whether or not he could encounter Black Iron Dwarves in the Abyss Battlefield would depend on luck.

Even if he did meet Black Iron Dwarves in the Abyss Battlefield, how to save them would be a significant problem.

In fact, even if Guru hadn't made this request, Lu Heng would have tried to help.

The Abyss had devoured many worlds and destroyed countless civilizations.

Some civilizations, like the Banseer Tribe and the Black Iron Dwarves, had resisted the Abyss for centuries, but they were gradually facing extinction.

Relying on a single civilization to fight against the Abyss and uncover its truth was almost impossible.

Perhaps, the only way to truly oppose the Abyss was to unite the forces of various civilizations that had been invaded by the Abyss.

This was a thought that Lu Heng kept in his heart, but it had never been proven, and there was no way to prove it.

In the face of the Abyss, the power of a single civilization was too weak.

Lu Heng's belief that only by uniting with other civilizations to fight against the Abyss could they win this planar war wasn't just a figment of his imagination.

In fact, the Abyss Battlefield's conscription had already provided the answer.

Whether it was humans being conscripted to other worlds or otherworldly races being conscripted to Blue Planet, the facts all pointed to one thing.

The purpose of conscription was to provide support to civilizations invaded by the Abyss.

Lu Heng's conscription to the Demon God Burial Ground was to support the Banseer Tribe and help prevent the resurrection of Demon God Barton.

Being conscripted to the Sekis Civilization was to stop the Abyssal Tumor from consuming Sekis' Second Gaia.

The Banseer Tribe's conscription to Blue Planet was to support humanity, resolve the Soulstealer crisis, and destroy the Abyssal Gate.

Even the first conscription into the Demon Overlord Army's Hunting Ground seemed like the will of the conscription, hoping someone could save Forge Castle and help the Black Iron Dwarves.

There were many modes in the Abyss Battlefield, including the Essence Contention Battle, which could cause conflict among the conscripted.

However, only by peeling back these appearances and reexamining the meaning of conscription could one discover its true intent—to provide support to other civilizations.

It was for this reason that the more a civilization was invaded by the Abyss and pushed to the brink of crisis, the greater their chances of receiving conscription support.

Unfortunately, not everyone could see this meaning.

Most Metahumans only wanted to compete for resources in the Abyss Battlefield, even resorting to fighting and killing each other.

Some even accepted Abyssal missions and became traitors.

Lu Heng had experienced the Abyssal Descent firsthand and witnessed things that others couldn't see. He had made up his mind to hold onto this belief and do his best to unite with civilizations invaded by the Abyss, searching for a way to oppose it.

No matter where this path led, he would persist.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end