The strike was precise, and when the shell was dropped, a building was inevitably destroyed.
Those hiding inside the building didn't even have time to utter a sound of struggle before they were buried in a cloud of dust.
The explosion lasted for a quarter of an hour. After that, the ground was reduced to scorched earth, the buildings shattered, and as for the remains of the people? They were all buried in this wasteland.
The satellite's life detection system showed that there were no survivors left in the area.
Real war is nothing like how it's portrayed in movies.
It is violent, brutal, and almost every second, it devours human lives.
In the face of increasingly advanced firearms, the fragile human body is as delicate as paper, effortlessly torn to shreds by these weapons.
What was even more tragic was that the victims of the bombing were innocent—people who knew nothing, whose lives were abruptly taken in the chaos.
"..."
There was a long silence among the group, unable to recover from the shock.
Their emotions were complex. Was it sorrow for the fallen? Perhaps, but not entirely. Through this event, they witnessed the cruelty of the world, their hearts feeling as cold as if frozen to the bone. In the end, the suffocating pressure made it hard to breathe.
By this point, it was over. Everyone handed over control of the surveillance to Athena and left the area, naturally walking into the sunlight, allowing the burning rays to drive away the chill.
Yet, the sunlight couldn't bring warmth. Sitting under the scorching sun still felt cold, even the sweat was cold.
Eventually, they all left, donning their training outfits once more, pushing themselves through intense workouts.
Zhao Lun did not attempt to console them, but instead retreated to his room and swiftly entered the Divine Realm.
The Divine Realm was serene, with only the soft flutter of butterflies and bees' wings and the joyful laughter of the flower fairy Aya breaking the stillness.
The unicorn had brought her joy recently.
Her laughter was pleasant to the ears, pulling Zhao Lun out of his cold abyss.
In less than fifteen minutes, Zhao Lun felt the vibrant life of the world once again.
Looking up, he saw the blazing fireball in the sky, which reminded him of the warmth of the sun.
Within that fireball, the Phoenix Egg stirred the flames, greeting him.
Seeing this, Zhao Lun recalled recent updates from the Divine Realm as it absorbed two types of energy.
As the Divine Realm grew, certain information would become more precise, and even the Phoenix Egg's data was updated.
There had originally been two Phoenix Eggs, one male and one female. If they had hatched normally, it would have taken about half a month, but unfortunately, time had claimed one, and the remaining one's origin had been affected.
The Phoenix was a divine bird with a spirit, and it was supposed to hatch within half a month. However, upon sensing the surging flames, it chose not to rush its emergence. Instead, it remained hidden within the fireball, accumulating strength to replenish its origin.
A divine bird won't emerge if its origin isn't replenished.
Approaching the spring near the divine treasure chest, Zhao Lun extended his finger, activating the starry patterns on the chest. The patterns shimmered, revealing a puzzle nearly as tall as him. Zhao Lun raised his hand and, using all his strength, began to push it into place.
The new lock was nearly open, and the closer he got to the goal, the more difficult it became.
Such a tightly sealed lock made Zhao Lun eager to know what treasure lay inside.
When he left the Divine Realm, he was so exhausted that he could barely move. Upon seeing his bed, he collapsed into it, falling into a deep, restful sleep.
This puzzle had taxed him greatly, draining both his strength and energy, leaving him utterly fatigued.
When he awoke, Zhao Lun found that not only had he changed into his sleepwear, but he had also been bathed. Now, he felt completely refreshed.
He didn't question who had given him the bath or changed his clothes. Instead, he stood up, facing the rising sun, and began throwing punches, exercising as he felt inclined.
The body was the foundation. The stronger the body, the greater the potential for future development. Zhao Lun didn't miss any opportunity to grow stronger.
During breakfast, everyone was silent.
Zhao Lun understood—they had not yet recovered from yesterday's events.
He didn't try to console them, hoping instead that they would find their way out of it on their own.
After the meal, they returned to their training, while Zhao Lun resumed his daily routine.
In the laboratory.
Two fishmen, who had been starving for days, had dull scales, dry skin, and were extremely weak.
When Zhao Lun entered, they no longer had the strength to move and could not emit a cry of defiance to attack.
"Give them some water and food."
Zhao Lun instructed Athena to provide them with just enough to sustain their lives.
The two fishmen, being of an exotic species, immediately surged with vitality upon receiving food and water, and without hesitation, launched an attack on him.
"Hmph! They don't know when to quit!"
"Zzi zzi…"
Without him needing to lift a finger, the high-voltage current quickly subdued them.
The two fishmen were exceptionally strong, surpassing ordinary fishmen. They were persistent—whenever they had the strength, they would launch another attack. This was not the first time such an assault had occurred.
Despite repeated failures, they remained resolute.
This kind of persistence was somewhat frightening. If these enemies were allowed to escape, they would undoubtedly cause significant trouble for him. Zhao Lun hated trouble, so he decided to be more stringent with them.
He confined them to the Divine Realm, using its power to restrain them.
The Divine Realm was still expanding. Closing his eyes, Zhao Lun communicated with the Divine Realm through his mind, sensing a breathing life form, consuming unseen energy.
This energy, much like the food a person eats, nourished the growth of the Divine Realm.
As the master of the Divine Realm, Zhao Lun also gained small benefits from this energy. These benefits quietly changed him, uplifting his soul, expanding his physical potential to accommodate his transcendent soul.
The essence of blood in his heart had, without him noticing, merged into his body, subtly transforming his constitution.
His skin became rosy, like fine jade, with a soft glow.
His aura was naturally fresh, making others feel as if they were bathed in warm sunlight, giving a comforting sensation.
Through his perception, Zhao Lun could sense that even his bones had undergone a transformation. His bones, skeletal structure, were now much denser and stronger than a normal human's.
If observed under a microscope, one would notice that his immune cells were more powerful, rapidly devouring the virus cells in his body. If this continued, it wouldn't be long before he achieved the legendary state of "purity."
His temperament was also changing, developing towards perfection.
Perfection was not only in appearance, but also in breath, body, and soul…
Perfection was flawless, without a single defect. It was a kind of miraculous beauty that mortals could neither see, imagine, nor even comprehend.
This perfection was still immature, like a sapling of the World Tree—just beginning to grow, but needing a long path to truly mature.
The sapling of the World Tree was inherently high, unlike any ordinary seedling. It had its own consciousness, though it was as blank as a piece of paper.
The initial perfection was the first manifestation of charm, a kind of allure recognized by all—whether of the same species or from other races.
Zhao Lun had not yet reached that level. His influence only extended to those around him, who felt an increased sense of closeness and affection towards him, always eager to sit near him.
Zhao Lun was unaware of this. He only felt that he seemed to have more friends nearby.
In gaming terms, it was as if his "favorability" had increased by +1.
This enhancement was subtle, like gentle rain nurturing everything in silence, with everything falling into place without any loud commotion.