In Heihe.
Within the military command center, Liao Chengdong stood in silence, his gaze fixed on the unfolding scene before him.
The two figures displayed on the screen perfectly matched the individuals documented in the military's prior intelligence.
They were none other than Lin Mo and Su Chen, the same individuals captured in the footage from the Yuncheng Store and the 029 County Road Exit.
Based on Professor Chen's personal criteria, these two had been designated as S-level talents. They stood at the pinnacle of the talent hierarchy, with only a single exception—Mu Wenshan, a 73-year-old veteran known by the codename "Rotten Wood," who possessed an S-level presence.
While news had arrived earlier from a beleaguered unit near the Hecheng Store, indicating the possible presence of an S-level talent who might attract the favored individual, Liao Chengdong and his colleagues were still taken aback when they witnessed the sheer monstrosity of the "S-level talent" and its overwhelming prowess.
What astonished them even further was the fact that immediately afterward, a second S-level talent was vanquished!
These two S-levels—one fully transformed into a monstrous being, and the other equipped with battle armor—brought about an impact entirely distinct from the recorded accounts. Most significantly, the explosive power exhibited by these two talents far surpassed anything documented, surpassing even the S-level "Rotten Wood" that the military had cultivated and armed. The disparity was immeasurable.
Just then, an urgent report reached Liao Chengdong. The sender was the same individual he had previously cautioned—the commander of the beleaguered unit. It was through this report that the sender, Su Chen, revealed his identity as a talented individual who had arrived to provide assistance.
Although this would normally be considered acceptable, Liao Chengdong immediately discerned the underlying issue. He spoke solemnly, "Have the commander of that unit come see me once the situation is under control."
He had no time to attend to the affairs of this self-appointed, lower-level unit.
Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, new developments were unfolding, altering the course of the situation.
The dry shadow—the Cthulhu Blessed's ability to instantaneously detonate the missile barrage—had caught Zongzhi off guard. The failure of the initial wave of attacks had the potential to disrupt Zongzhi's carefully laid plans. Trapped within Yuanliao City, his forces were limited, with scarce opportunities and resources at his disposal.
However, the sudden appearance of these two S-level talents was about to overturn the immense impact caused by the failed initial assault.
These two individuals had directly confronted the favored one!
The scales of war were tipping in an instant!
...
Su Chen didn't perceive that he had successfully struck the dry shadow. His rocket had been deftly evaded. From the front, the rocket hurtled through the air at high speed, missing its mark by mere inches. The dry shadow swiftly maneuvered, flying past and crashing onto a distant mound, resulting in a massive explosion as a towering fireball erupted.
Yet, the dry shadow appeared motionless, as if it had foreseen the rocket's failure to hit its mark.
However, Su Chen "saw" more. After days of intense training to sharpen his perception, he had taken a critical step forward, even if he hadn't fully reached the second level. Now, even without the aid of advanced magic alterations, he could release a portion of his body's energy, causing the dark energy within the space to vibrate. He could "see" the actual fluctuations within the realm of dark energy.
The rocket had been on track to strike its target, but in the final moments, it was deflected by a subtle angle due to the gust of dark energy manipulated by the dry shadow. It passed by with the slimmest of margins!
Its "perception" traversed the spatial expanse, moving within a spherical region with a fifteen-meter radius centered around itself. Dark energies interplayed, continuously shifting and transforming. At its whim, it could manipulate these dark energies, unleashing fierce gusts of wind and igniting ionized fireballs within the space.
The fifteen-meter sphere seemed like an expansive realm of dark energy, with the dry shadow serving as its omnipotent ruler.
Su Chen and Lin Mo materialized simultaneously, causing the dry shadow to halt mid-air, frozen like a scene from a paused video. Its cold gaze fixated on Su Chen's form, scanning him up and down, as if searching for something.
Su Chen had a rough idea of what it was seeking, but with the battle armor concealing it, the Ring of Anowal remained hidden from view.
The two met in the sky, nearly two hundred meters apart, their eyes locked in a wordless exchange. Su Chen spoke urgently, "Approaching it is dangerous. It possesses a dark energy field completely under its control. Utterly perilous."
Lin Mo replied, "I once engaged it in Xicheng District. It attempted to manifest, but got stuck in the process. Half of it remained in our world, while the other half was trapped in its own. If we manage to inflict a single blow, the delicate balance it strives to maintain will crumble, rendering it powerless on our side."
Lin Mo's words were remarkably insightful. With no technical assistance, he possessed such knowledge, acquired solely through arduous battles.
In an instant, Su Chen's mind raced with possibilities. If the dry shadow possessed such strength, its lack of action during their encounter at the Cloud City store might indicate that it hadn't yet achieved its current state. It could have been a mere projection. This could also explain why the attacks had yielded similar outcomes. Moreover, the previous sacrifices in the Central, West, and East districts near the Yuncheng store might have been intended to bring about its actual manifestation. However, due to the military's destruction of the sacrificial sites, it had become trapped in this perplexing state.
Su Chen inquired, "What abilities do you possess?"
"The last time I encountered it, it wasn't this formidable," Lin Mo shook his head. "It only partially materialized but seemed to be pushing its way in..."
Su Chen swiftly responded, "Let's launch an attack and gauge its capabilities!"
"Ensure it doesn't advance towards the factory behind us," cautioned Lin Mo.
Su Chen glanced back, spotting a young girl peering up from the outskirts of the burning factory.
"Agreed," Su Chen ascended slowly. "We'll force it away from the Hecheng factory!"
A resounding roar pierced the air as Lin Mo's jet-black wings generated a gust that reverberated through the heavens. With lightning speed, he darted forward, leading the charge!
Su Chen veered to the side, hurling a massive battery at the dry shadow even before Lin Mo could strike!
In a distant location, military aircraft engaged in chaotic aerial combat with a horde of dark giants. Fierce battles played out in the skies, intertwining with one another.
Three fighter jets, like nimble fish, broke away from the aerial formation, flying at low altitudes. They unleashed a barrage of missiles aimed at two of the three colossal giants that roamed the ground.
Six missiles trailed magnificent flames as they soared over the burning factory, leaving behind six thrilling trails within Bai Mo's dark eyes...
The tension in Zongzhi's atmosphere was palpable. The question lingered—would the dry shadow intercept their advance this time?
Many onlookers furrowed their brows, their gazes fixating on the three battlefields of Lin Mo, Su Chen, and the favored one. Their attention seemed particularly drawn to Su Chen's battlefield.
If their eyes hadn't deceived them...
The individual named Su Chen had swiftly approached, only to... throw a battery?
What kind of tactic was this?
A battery funeral?
Meanwhile, individuals like Liao Chengdong, privy to more intricate and classified information, suddenly realized something profound: perhaps... that was the fabled fusion weapon of dark energy, the very weapon mentioned in the classified records about Su Chen!
...