Chapter 533: Conquering Kingdom
Chapter 533: Conquering Kingdom
Li Shuan gazed at the rows of cavalry formations, his thoughts echoing, "They've finally arrived."
The remnants of the Former Imperial Court had always harbored ambitions of restoration, aiming to reclaim their dominance over this realm.
This time, with the Hive Mother's split and the rift in the World Ring, it was inevitable for the Former Imperial Court to intervene. The question was, how much force would they deploy this time?
Fortunately, they were prepared.
This location, north of the Riverbank District, was one of the most unstable areas in Central City. With the coast nearby, Central City had established numerous military facilities and stationed a dedicated army here.
Upon detecting the anomaly ahead, the patrolling airships in the sky immediately headed towards the area.
Meanwhile, from the rear, a loud rumbling sound echoed as the artillery stationed within the base began to fire. However, when the shells hit the sea surface, it seemed as if they passed through a phantom, without making any contact. The seawater exploded in a burst of spray.
This was because, although the rift appeared to be within arm's reach, the convergence between the two worlds had not yet fully materialized. The cavalry had not crossed over from the other side, and at this moment, only their sounds, lights, and images had leaked through.
At that instant, the central cavalry moved to the sides, and beneath the fluttering banners, a towering figure emerged from within, mounted on a horse. He strode forward and crossed the rift.
From head to toe, he was encased in thick armor, his face hidden. Beams of bright light reflected off the armor plates on his chest, and his stature, along with the horse, stood at over five meters tall. A white helmet plume adorned his head, and he held the reins with one hand while gripping a long, black iron spear adorned with a white pendant in the other.
After emerging from the formation, he slowly approached.
The airships had already arrived nearby, and the machine guns below unleashed a torrent of flames, firing upon the figure.
The bullets struck an invisible barrier around him, causing a shimmering, bright light to erupt in flashes around his body, and the bullets fell harmlessly.
Just then, artillery shells landed nearby, sending up huge splashes of water. However, the knight seemed unaffected, continuing his steady advance. His horse's hooves touched the sea, and the waves splashed as if he were walking on the water.
The cavalry behind him moved forward in unison, forming a broad formation that stretched endlessly. This movement resembled a moving wall, exuding a unique aura and grandeur reminiscent of ancient military formations.
Li Shuan fixed his gaze on the towering figure, noticing the flag behind him and his ornate armor. This was a Conquering Kingdom General of the Former Imperial Court! The title of Conquering Kingdom General was bestowed by the Former Imperial Court, and those who received this title were said to possess the ability to conquer a nation alone.
If such a person existed in the new era, they would be known as... a Fighter!
He asked, "Has that person arrived yet?"
The female assistant replied, "Not yet."
Li Shuan sighed inwardly. That person was supposed to arrive punctually before noon, but it had already been over three hours, and they still hadn't shown up. If the person on the other side charged over, the opposing army wouldn't be able to stop them.
So, unless they arrived...
At that moment, the figure abruptly reined in the horse, causing it to halt.
A man, dressed in a blue plaid shirt and exuding a mature and handsome demeanor, albeit with a hint of weariness, stood in front of them. With his hands in his pockets, he exhaled, "Thankfully, I made it in time."
He casually glanced at the cavalry formation behind him, then looked up at the towering figure on horseback and smiled. Raising his hand in a fist, he said, "I am Xue Shou. I seek your guidance, esteemed one."
However, after he finished speaking, the mounted general remained motionless.
He, too, stood there casually.
For a moment, the only sound was the surging of the sea.
Both figures radiated a flickering light, and the seawater beneath their feet seemed to sink, forming a depression as if the water itself were succumbing to their presence.
Li Shuan breathed a sigh of relief. This fighter had been specially dispatched by the capital, considering the situation in Ji Bei Province.
The opposing side knew that as long as they had a counterpart here, this battle might not erupt.
Without sufficient incentives, individuals of such caliber would not initiate conflict in the convergence zone. The opposing cavalry would not genuinely charge their pre-established defenses.
This cavalry force was likely deployed to divert their attention, forcing them to maintain a presence here.
Therefore, if they didn't act here, it was likely that they would seek a breakthrough elsewhere, a classic application of the Yin-Yang tactical strategy.
Where would that be?
He turned to the Central City display on the light screen, knowing that any breakthrough would occur through a formed rift, and it would be a larger one.
This was also related to the split bodies. If not promptly retrieved, they would continuously expand their survival environment, gradually tearing the rift and making the gap more extensive and stable.
Hence, the timely retrieval of the split bodies was crucial. Earlier, the command center had dispatched additional backup support, hoping to improve the situation.
After waiting for over ten minutes, the watchtower sounded, "Twenty-three locations have been cleared, and the retrieval is estimated to be completed within thirty minutes. Five locations are pending assessment, and one response force has dispersed, losing combat capability. The emergency team members are currently engaging the blocking target."
Liang Shuan immediately ordered the specific details of the location to be brought up on the light screen.
On the screen, a nearly stable rift flickered erratically nearby, and in front of it stood a figure nearly three meters tall, with a long rectangular face, thick eyebrows, and piercing eyes. He was about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old, and even with just a simple stance, he exuded a formidable aura.
Within a half-kilometer radius in front of him were over twenty members of the response force, all knocked down. Firearms and vehicles were smashed, and one vehicle was engulfed in raging flames.
Through the information provided by the sentinel, the man's identity was annotated on the screen:
"Chang Kuanghai, disciple of the Eternal Life Pavilion of the Heavenly Forgiveness Guild."
At this moment, an emergency team that had arrived later was attempting to take him down.
The team consisted of two third-limit fighters, three gunners, and two logistics members. This was sufficient to deal with ordinary fighters, but the current situation was far from ideal.
To reach the split body behind the rift, they had to act without certainty. One of the fighters slashed at Chang Kuanghai's arm, only managing to leave a white mark. In response, Chang Kuanghai grabbed the fighter's wrist and, with a crisp snap, broke it. Another team member took the opportunity to stab Chang Kuanghai in the neck.
However, Chang Kuanghai remained unmoved. His neck only slightly indented, and with a casual wave of his hand, the team member's face shattered, and they were sent flying away.
The team member whose wrist was grabbed immediately drew their pistol and fired at Chang Kuanghai's face at close range, but to no avail. The bullets merely created small indentations on his face before falling off.
Before he could continue, a massive fist from the front slammed into his face, and he fell backward, blood spraying.
Chang Kuanghai looked at the team member he had just knocked away and said in a deep, powerful voice, "You are not the ones I'm waiting for. Leave."
The team member asked in a slurred voice, "Who are you waiting for?"
Chang Kuanghai didn't answer. Instead, he crossed his arms and stood firmly with his back to the rift.
In the command hall, Liang Shuan watched this scene and silently said to himself, "Heavenly Forgiveness Fist..."
The martial arts of the Heavenly Forgiveness Guild originated from the former imperial court's Heavenly Forgiveness Army. Among them, the Heavenly Forgiveness Fist was a powerful horizontal combat technique used for charging and breaking through enemy formations.
"Heavenly Forgiveness" came from their ability to raze cities and overthrow nations.
Ordinary fighters were no match for this man.
Given the man's appearance and the presence of a fully formed rift behind him, it was hard not to suspect a connection to the former imperial court, especially with a split body on the other side.
Swift action was necessary!
Liang Shuan asked, "Is there another emergency team available for deployment nearby?"
After a brief search, the sentinel responded, "The nearest emergency team is twenty kilometers away and will arrive within fifteen to twenty minutes... A combat squad from the Defense Department is on standby within a seven-kilometer radius."
Liang Shuan glanced at the map and noticed it was Chen Chuan's squad. He asked, "Is their communication smooth?"
"The squad's signal has been consistently on our platform."
After a moment's hesitation, Liang Shuan looked up and said, "Let Captain Chen lead the team to deal with this target!"
Inside the mansion, Chen Chuan, after opening the Heaven Gate and finding no immediate threats, was searching for information on the platform. At that moment, the entire squad received an order from the Defense Department.
The three team members turned to him and asked, "Captain?"
Chen Chuan checked the marked location on the map, which wasn't far from their current position. He said, "We'll head there immediately." He tossed the keys to the armored vehicle to Qin Qingque, "Executioner Qin, you drive."
"Yes, sir!"
The four of them were well-prepared, and at the command, they exited the mansion. Ten Sword Guards remained inside, and a machine gun defense net was available if needed. This was sufficient to handle ordinary threats, but not a direct rift.
As they exited the mansion, before getting into the vehicle, Chen Chuan seemed to sense something and paused, looking outward.
At the end of the road, a group of people dressed in oceanic combat attire was approaching. Leading them was a short-haired individual wearing round-frame glasses, a red robe, and a black skirt, with a green-sheathed longsword at their waist.
There were five people in total, almost all third-limit fighters.
Yuan Qiuyuan, Qin Qingque, and Su Wei also noticed them. They spread out and drew their guns, signaling to the mansion's rear.
The leader raised a hand, and the others halted. He stepped forward alone.
He stopped about twenty meters from Chen Chuan's group, bowed slightly, and straightened up, revealing a warm smile.
"I am Gong Ying Changxiu. Mr. Chen, you should have received my challenge letter, right?"
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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