Military surveillance satellites are moving in low Earth orbit.
Commonly referred to as "demonic mist" by civilians, it is officially named "self-diffusing void mist particles" by the military.
These particles can exist stably, carrying their own charge and undergoing self-splitting. The resulting mist-like particle field can block most optical, electromagnetic, and sound wave detection, enveloping the entire fallen northern Central Plains in an eerie fog, making it impossible to see inside clearly.
Wherever there are puppet soldiers, there will be a large amount of mist particles.
However, a classic characteristic of mist particles is their sensitivity to energy anomalies. For instance, when stimulated by high temperatures or when an object with immense kinetic energy passes through, they undergo corresponding state changes, allowing military satellites in space to capture energy reactions within.
This includes traces of large puppet soldier groups passing through, or battles involving high-level demons, and so on.
Starting from last week, continuous energy reactions have been monitored from the north by the Wuchang team: nearly countless puppet soldiers being eliminated, creating a large blank area on the map, followed by numerous high-energy reactions, undoubtedly battles involving demonic gods.
The judgment of the researchers: it should be a particularly powerful newly ascended demonic god.
High-level demons have territorial awareness because they use the puppet soldiers within their territory as "food." The stronger their power, the larger their territory, and the more their territories border those of other demonic gods, until a balance of power is reached.
Once territorial boundaries are established, demonic gods do not frequently engage in battles. Only a newly ascended demonic god lacking territory would recklessly start numerous massacres to seize land.
However, the scale of these battles is terrifying. In just one week, nearly thirty demonic gods have been drawn into the conflict, affecting an area roughly equivalent to two provinces.
Undoubtedly, once the territorial boundaries are reestablished, a terrifying great demon will emerge, posing a significant threat to the Longxiang Army committed to their northern expedition.
However, if the Jian'kang court, which is content to rule a small corner, cannot be dealt with, even a fragmented Central Plains will drag down the northern campaign. After all, it's not formidable opponents but inept allies that are worrisome. Thus, taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime internal chaos in the Central Plains, Wang Chuzhong, Duke of Wuchang, resolutely launched a war of internal unification.
Eliminate the Sima, cleanse the state!
From Wuchang along the river, advancing all the way to the small town of Gushu south of Jian'kang, the Longxiang Army encountered no substantial resistance.
This was anticipated by the strategic team. Currently, the two armies under Jian'kang's control, the Yulin Army, are not designed for field battles; their primary role is defense and extermination of demons. The Shenwu Army must maintain the eastern front, guarding against attacks from the puppet demons in the ruins of Songjiang, thus lacking the capacity to extend their front lines and intercept the Longxiang Army from a distance.
The forthcoming war will break out between Gushu City and Jian'kang City, within a roughly 50-kilometer range along the river.
The offensive the Longxiang Army aims to unleash is overwhelming and unstoppable, like thunderous lightning and a mountain pressing down!
As the main force from Jingzhou arrived at Gushu, officials, gentry, and business representatives from the northern Dangtu County quickly came to pledge their allegiance and seek protection before the Duke of Wuchang.
However, before they could meet the Duke of Wuchang, they saw a massive shadow sweeping across the sky.
The Jingwei, the flagship of the Longxiang Army, a super air fortress said to be equipped with numerous deadly weapons, capable of wiping any city with a population in the millions off the map.
For a moment, the delegation from Dangtu County was trembling with fear, utterly terrified, thinking that the Jingwei would fly to the sky above Dangtu County and annihilate a county-level city to show the Jiankang court its power.
However, they soon realized that the aristocratic circles in Dangtu were probably not significant enough to catch the eye of the Duke of Wuchang, let alone warrant special attention.
So, they continued to wait outside.
"Is the Duke of Wuchang still unavailable?" After about half an hour, a representative from the business community couldn't hold back any longer and asked a passing noble scion.
"The Duke is still testing equipment." The noble scion clearly looked down on these common merchants, brushing them off dismissively.
The business representative was naturally infuriated. He was a small entrepreneur locally, and in terms of wealth, ability, and contributions, he surpassed the other party. However, the noble scion dared to show him such contempt just because of his noble lineage.
"He's probably just a low-tier, seventh-grade useless ability user," he thought to himself.
As he was thinking this, a sudden thought interrupted him.
Eliminate the Sima clan, cleanse the state!
He felt a sense of fear and dread because this thought seemed to emerge from the depths of his mind, coming out of nowhere, yet spreading quickly like a physical necessity such as hunger or fatigue, soon filling every corner of his mind.
Eliminate the Sima clan, cleanse the state!
Eliminate the Sima clan, cleanse the state!
Eliminate the Sima clan, cleanse the state!
The entire delegation from Dangtu County, all at once, became possessed, with only hatred for the Jiankang court remaining in their hearts, mechanically and fanatically shouting.
They had been completely transformed into rebels.
Wang Chuzhong emerged from the building, accompanied by a large group of esteemed family members and senior officers of the Longxiang Army. The crowd turned their attention to the waiting delegation from Dangtu County.
The Duke of Wuchang, an elderly man with a clear and vigorous appearance, seemed unremarkable at first glance, yet his eyes held a restrained brilliance. He wore a semi-enclosed helmet with numerous pipes and miniature antennas extending across its surface, with circuits connecting to a man-sized piece of equipment behind him.
Several technicians pushed this equipment, continuously checking its operational status and parameter changes. Additionally, a few technicians hurried to the Dangtu County delegation with instruments, beginning to assess their physical conditions.
"No obvious abnormalities in physical condition."
"Brainwave activity shows expected enhancement, no pathological excitement, hormone levels are normal."
"Preliminary confirmation of the mental control state is effective."
Wang Chuzhong nodded solemnly, signaling the technical team to take these individuals back to the laboratory for further examination and confirmation.
On a distant rooftop, Shen Shiju gazed at the Duke of Wuchang, whose head resembled an octopus, and a vague sense of fear began to emerge within him.
He was different from those noble families who had come to seek refuge in Jingzhou.
The latter feared that Wang Chuzhong would purge their families after his victory, while Shen Shiju had no such concerns—his Wuxing Shen family was merely a local prominent clan, with lesser achievements in the field of abilities compared to even the fifth-grade noble families, posing no threat to Wang Chuzhong.
His choice to join the Duke of Wuchang was purely a political gamble, aiming to secure a better position for the Wuxing Shen family.
However, upon witnessing the mind amplifier of the Taiyuan Wang clan and its mysterious, unpredictable power, he realized that the upcoming factional conflict would be far more perilous than he had initially anticipated.