Luo Luo's team had been exploring for more than two hours, encountering only some low-level herbs and animals along the way. They hadn't seen a single useful item; this is the norm in interdimensional exploration. Most of the time, they come back empty-handed, and with bad luck, an entire journey can end in failure, leading to wasted time and effort with no gains.
"Bro! Sis! Why is there nothing here? I heard that exploring other worlds is exhilarating; why is it like this?"
"Shut up! Exploring other worlds means there could be any situation. You can't always think about an exciting adventure. If something thrilling suddenly happens, can you handle it?" Before Luo Luo could respond, Luo Cai launched into a tirade at Luo Xin. The two were like this; as long as they were together, there was never a moment of peace. If they could get through two hours without incident, that was already remarkable.
At that moment, what was Luo Luo doing? Luo Luo was examining an animal carcass that had been chewed on, which had been brought by an elf warrior who was on guard outside.
Seeing her cousin focused on the carcass, Luo Lin felt something was off and immediately interrupted the two arguing: "You two, stop it. There seems to be something unusual; pay more attention."
The two children moved closer to the carcass and began to examine it.
"This is an animal that has been corroded by magical energy. It might have been attacked by magical energy or devoured by a creature infused with magical energy."
"This is dark energy!" Luo Xin was the first to notice, as his divinity was related to the dark element. He recognized it instantly; this energy was of the same root as his own but appeared more violent.
Luo Luo, lacking knowledge of magical energy in the divine realm, could sense it but did not know exactly what type of magical energy it was.
"Then do you know what kind of creature could cause such wounds?"
Luo Xin examined it carefully with a stick. "These look like bite marks from the Demon Race. No doubt, it's the Demon Race. I once saw information about them in the library."
"The Demon Race? How come I've never heard of them?" It was clear that this was Luo Cai's skeptical voice.
Luo Xin, however, became very focused. Ignoring Luo Cai's doubt, he said seriously, "Because they are quite special. The Demon Race is not a name for a species but rather a phenomenon. They are humanoid beings affected by dark energy, transformed from normal life forms by the influence of hellish energy."
"Hellish energy!"
"Exactly! If creatures from the hellish race want to conquer a certain place, the first thing they must do is wage war against all living beings in that area. The first step in waging war is to use hellish energy to influence a group of normal beings, turning them into what I just referred to as the Demon Race."
"They serve as vanguards for the hellish army, essentially being used as cannon fodder. But even though they are only cannon fodder, these beings are still quite formidable. They possess skills similar to immortality; as long as their vital areas are not struck, they will remain unharmed. However, they are bloodthirsty and hostile to any normal life."
"Most importantly, once they injure their target, they will infect them with hellish energy, impeding the healing of wounds."
"At the same time, hellish energy can serve as coordinates for the hellish race. Once entangled, it becomes difficult to escape. However, places inhabited by the hellish race are usually barren and lifeless. Here, with so many trees, unless..."
"Unless the hellish race has not yet conquered this land."
"Uh! How do you know that?"
"Stop asking questions. My eagle scouts have discovered two groups engaged in battle ahead."
"One group is probably the Demon Race you mentioned, and the other should be the legendary Treefolk."
The Demon Race resembled the zombies that Luo Luo had seen during the Earth era, but they were certainly stronger.
Moreover, the two shared some traits: both were infectious, thoughtless, and had features of immortality.
"No wonder the hellish race hasn't occupied this place. Although the Demon Race is powerful, they are not invincible, and the Treefolk are highly resistant to them. Life forms with strong vitality, like the Treefolk, have no fear when facing the hellish race. Natural energy can neutralize hellish energy, thus eliminating the primary advantage of beings like the Demon Race."
"From what I know about the hellish race, they despise all life and have a strong possessive instinct. Once they discover a new interdimensional entrance, they often send demons out first to scout. If demons can eliminate the opponent directly, that would be ideal. If not, the hellish race will dispatch even more powerful adversaries. Given the current situation, it seems this place has just been discovered by the hellish race."
Everyone turned to Luo Luo, waiting for him to make a decision.
Before this interdimensional exploration mission, they were unaware that another race had also found the coordinates of this realm. This led to a rather awkward situation. Both parties were just beginning their exploration and were bound to cross paths; whether it would result in conflict or peace was not up to Luo Luo and the others. After all, considering the nature of the hellish race, a battle was inevitable, and they were merely fledgling demigods who had just begun on their path to divinity.
Even though the limits for this interdimensional realm were set at Level 7, it was still not reassuring for Luo Xin and the others. Just the thought of having to confront the entire hellish race sent chills down their spines.
Luo Luo was also contemplating this issue. He had been too focused on developing the divine realm and, even though he had reviewed materials before, most were about common races. Knowledge about the hellish race, which was more obscure, was something he only knew but did not fully understand.
This time, credit was due to Luo Xin. Although he had a carefree personality, he was the only member of Luo Luo's team who had detailed knowledge about the traits and power levels of the hellish race.
Turning to Luo Xin, Luo Luo said, "Right now, the information I have is too limited. I need you to tell me all the details about the hellish race; understanding the enemy will allow us to make more accurate judgments."
Seeing the determined expression on his cousin's face, Luo Xin knew that he must not have given up. After all, this was their first interdimensional exploration, and to come excitedly only to leave in a hurry certainly did not fit his character. Everyone hoped to avoid such an outcome.
However, Luo Luo remained rational. Without understanding the enemy, acting rashly could bring them considerable trouble and jeopardize their lives—a risk he would not allow. As the team leader, he had to take on this responsibility.
This was the family's expectation of him and his own expectation as well.
"As was mentioned earlier, the hellish race usually sends the Demon Race as vanguards. However, in most cases, the Demon Race is not a native species of the hell dimension. They are primarily local natives infected by the hellish aura emanating from the spatial rifts."
"According to the information we currently have, the demons attacking the Treefolk are humanoid. This allows us to make a bold assumption: there are humanoid beings present in this interdimensional realm, and they should be in the dominant position, numbering in large quantities, which makes them the primary target of the hell dimension's attack."
"Furthermore, these demons have been aggressively assaulting the Treefolk's territory. There are two possibilities: one is that they want to use the hellish aura to infect the Treefolk, rapidly creating a batch of powerful combat units, thus saving the hellish race a lot of trouble."
"Crossing over from an alternate dimension to another requires considerable resources. Initially, the spatial rift merely serves as a positional coordinate. To expand this accidentally appearing spatial rift, many precious treasures must be used, and each time a creature crosses, some resources are consumed."
"Most dimensions, when invading others, operate with the principle of conserving resources, and the hellish race has the innate advantage to preferentially use hellish aura to infect auxiliary units to fulfill their goal of dominating the interdimensional realms."
"However, the likelihood of this scenario is very low. The other possibility is that the Treefolk have some treasures they urgently need. This is why they have dispatched a large number of Demons for their assault, which is a more likely explanation."
"But in either case, the reality is that the two races have entered a stalemate; neither side can gain the upper hand. Based on my analysis, if this situation persists, the ruler of the hell dimension may send even more powerful creatures to invade this interdimensional realm."
"Above the Demon Race, there are several types of creatures from the hell dimension. Hellhounds are a common low-level race among them; these creatures mostly serve as vanguards in the hell army—the so-called cannon fodder. Of course, they are slightly higher in status than the Demon Race. After all, they are faster, stronger, and possess a more concentrated hellish aura."
"Then there are the Wraiths and Ghouls. These are the main forces of the hell army and the enemies we should be concerned about. One is an incorporeal entity, while the other is a solid being. One primarily uses magic, and the other focuses on physical presence. Their combination on the battlefield makes them extremely hard to deal with, posing a significant threat to us. Beyond this, I am not sure."
"However, I've come to understand that the hellish race is governed by different hellish lords."
"Below the hellish lords, there are five ranks: Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron, managing territories of varying sizes. Generally speaking, most rulers prefer to use hellhounds as vanguards because the resources consumed during the transport of hellhounds and Demon Race are the same, yet a single hellhound can contend with five demons without taking any damage. This explains why most hellish lords favor sending hellhounds as vanguards."
"In the hell dimension, rulers who use demons as vanguards are often deemed failures. After all, deploying such lowly creatures indicates a lack of strength on their part. This presents an opportunity for us."
"All creatures are greedy, even the lords of hell. Upon discovering an unknown interdimensional coordinate, most would think of claiming it for themselves rather than sharing it right away. To completely win would be the right choice."
"Only when faced with problems and troubles they cannot solve would they notify other rulers or higher-ranking lords to complete the task together. If this is done, the person who discovered the interdimensional coordinates will see a significant reduction in their harvest. Most of the profit will be taken by higher-ranking rulers."
"Analyzing the situation on the front lines, although both races have entered a stalemate, the Treefolk do not have the capability to eliminate the invading hellish race. In this case, the ruler on the other side of the rift would surely not call others to share the spoils."
"If he wants to monopolize it, the price to pay is that he can only use the fighting force from his territory, and he cannot send most of his combat power to the interdimensional realm. If they do that, it openly signals to those nearby, 'I've made a discovery; come and take it.'"
"To summarize, even though we are facing a troublesome hellish race, we are temporarily fortunate that we are dealing with a weak lord who hasn't reported this information to more powerful beings. If we can quickly eliminate all of his combat power in this interdimensional realm, we may gain ownership of this realm and various resources. We might even get a chance to explore the hell dimension and observe the environment and biological characteristics there."
"If we can loot some treasures, that would truly be a significant gain."
Luo Luo glared at Luo Xin. "Let's first resolve the current situation without overthinking it. I'll notify the other teams in training to pay attention to the movements of the hellish race. It would be best if we could ascertain their range of activities. Knowing where their spatial rift is located would also be ideal."
Everyone fell into deep thought.
At that moment, Luo Lin spoke up: "I think the Treefolk might know something."
Just then, the eagle team sent out by Luo Luo had returned. Leading them was their captain, Eagle One. According to wartime regulations, all soldiers in external wars are assigned their own unique code names for better command.
"My god, we detected a large number of reinforcements appearing behind the demons. They are dog-like creatures, with numbers exceeding a thousand."
"I think we can't wait any longer." Luo Luo realized the seriousness of the situation. After all, while the Treefolk were strong, they were few in number, only about five hundred. The demons surrounding them numbered at least five thousand, plus this additional thousand with higher combat capability. The Treefolk's defeat could come at any moment.
Luo Lin continued, "If the Treefolk are defeated, we will lose the opportunity to gather intelligence about the interdimensional realm and interact with the local natives. Moreover, if the Treefolk weren't drawing such a large number of enemies, they might be scattered throughout the interdimensional realm, which would not be favorable for our exploration."
"Let's quickly arrange some tasks. Luo Lin, you continue monitoring the situation behind the hell army with your Tree Sprites. If new reinforcements arrive, inform us at once. Eagle One, your team will assist with observation, primarily focusing on battlefield changes. Luo Xin, I remember that your Evil Goblins also possess a certain energy. Have all your goblins surround the battlefield, but do not attack; mainly prevent any fleeing enemies."
"Mo Meng, you do the same. Scatter the Shadow Clan around the perimeter to deal with any escaping hellish creatures. Don't let a single one escape to avoid alerting others."
"Luo Cai, when the battle starts, command your Spirit Dragon to unleash energy disruption skills on the battlefield. After that, it can remain on standby alongside them; I will take charge of the main battlefield."
At this point, Luo Cai said, "Brother, if I have the Spirit Dragon unleash the energy disruption skill, you will be affected too."
"It's fine; I have a plan."
Luo Luo's confidence comes from the emergence of the energy diffusion technology in the divine realm, which causes the energy bullets to explode violently upon contacting the target. He had previously tested it, and before contacting any target, the bullets were very stable, contained within a small range of energy fields.
The impact from the outside is minimal; only when using items to induce early explosions can this stable state be broken.
This is why Luo Luo wanted Luo Cai's Spirit Dragon to use the energy disruption skill. In this way, the energy bullets shot by the Mechanical Race would only explode upon contact with the target. If chaos ensues, it wouldn't matter to Luo Luo because the damage from these energies would still target the area of the enemy.
The energy disruption only makes the energy-based skills you release harder to control. However, its energy level does not change, nor does the damage to the outside. As long as the enemy is confined to a fixed area, this method can be employed.
This is a tactical guide that Luo Luo specially devised for himself. While the Mechanical Race can fight close-range and is not weak, comparatively, their long-range attack capabilities are more robust. Figuring out how to leverage this advantage has always been on Luo Luo's mind.
After learning about the Spirit Dragon's skills, he gained a lot of inspiration.
"Since I cannot decide how the enemy will act, I will artificially create a controllable scenario to maximize my power."
Luo Luo named this original concept of his- the Chaos Battlefield Mode. Besides the Mechanical Race itself, he needs the cooperation of other races that can influence energy flows. However, due to his divine rights, none of the divine realms can achieve this goal, necessitating allies' cooperation.
Of course, this strategy is only applicable against armies commanded by lower-level races. If intelligent races guide them, they can quickly devise countermeasures. After all, energy disruption is limited by the skill level of the Spirit Dragon race and can only be used within a fixed small area. If they are determined to break through the encirclement, this plan will fall apart.
What Luo Luo focused on was preventing the lord from descending and leading an attack against him.
Once the leader of the squad sets the target direction, all members must follow the orders of their captain without any negligence; this is the survival rule on the battlefield.
The encirclement rapidly closed in, and Luo Luo directed the latest type of war robots to advance toward the battlefield, targeting the mixed forces of demons and hellhounds.
Z2 Combat Robot (Improved High-Efficiency Weapon Version)
Level: LV2
Physique: 15
Strength: 15
Agility: 15
Spirit: 2
Talent:
Mechanical Life: Four attributes remain constant, can only evolve through high-level metals or technology.
Faith Constant: Faith value is related to level (LV1 10; LV2 20)
Skill Constant: Skills remain constant during manufacturing and can only be changed or upgraded through other technologies; cannot be acquired through learning or divine endowments.
Skills:
Psychic Energy Burst Bullet: Bullets created using energy diffusion technology that explode upon touching the target (attack effect).
Chaos Alloy: Entirely made of new-level two chaos alloy, reducing physical damage taken by 20% (passive).
Precision: Loaded with shooting modules to enhance shooting accuracy.
Overload: Equipped with a new energy storage stone power system that temporarily increases pressure, unleashing stronger speed (lasts 10 minutes, cooldown of 1 hour).
Description: This robot has upgraded both its defense and modified its power system. Its weaponry also incorporates the latest research findings. These war robots are far superior to the first generation and serve as harvesting tools on the battlefield, a nightmare for the enemies.