Chapter 54: Entering the City

Just as Foxie opened her tortoiseshell pupils, a massive surge of pink ethereal energy gushed forth from her dantian, erupting from within her body. A colossal and thick ethereal shield instantly materialized before Dai Longmei and the others.

"Clang!"
"Boom!"

The ethereal energy enveloping the heavy shield successfully absorbed the formidable kinetic momentum of the cutter-head's charge. The pink ethereal fire melted away a large portion of the sandworm's blade like burning, fluttering peach blossoms.

"Warning! Warning! Shield cutter-head severely damaged! Must be repaired by a maintenance robot immediately!"
"Warning! Warning!"

The alarms of the central control chip blared incessantly. Yet, this gigantic mechanical monstrosity could acutely feel the damage inflicted upon it by the pink ethereal energy, and the distorted souls fused to its core consequently harbored a profound, burning hatred.

"Clatter! Clatter!"
"Clatter! Clatter!"
"Clatter!!!"

The sandworm's massive body emitted another thunderous roar. The colossal mechanical iron python lunged fiercely toward the group.

"You beast! Still coming for more!"

Dai Longmei drew his bow and nocked an arrow. The ethereal-infused shaft soared like a swift falcon, aiming straight for the wound just inflicted.

The burning jade energy, combined with the arrow's kinetic force, raged and scorched frantically within the sandworm's body. Not only was it corroding its central control chip, but it had even begun to ignite the distorted souls trapped inside.

"Pain!"
"Pain!"
"The war... the war is not over yet..."
"The gods... the gods have sent down divine punishment..."
"Defend... defend this city!"
"Ugh! Defend the city of Longteng!!!"
"Anyone! Anyone! Ugh... anyone!"
"Shall not enter the main city alive!"
"Die!"
"Die!"
"Die!"

Accompanied by the electronic voice emitted by the central control chip, the souls trapped within the sandworm let out wave after wave of furious roars. Its horrifying, bloody, cut-open maw twisted as it slammed directly into Foxie's heavy ethereal shield.

"Bastard, you still haven't learned your lesson after taking a hit like that."
"Do you really take this lady for one of those jade-beings who know nothing of ethereal energy?"

Foxie's seductive eyes blinked smugly. Lily noticed that her pupils, originally resembling tortoiseshell, were gradually turning pink as the surging pink ethereal energy poured out.

"Let me show you this lady's Dream-Control Arts—"

However, contrary to Foxie's expectations, the ethereal energy that had just been so abundant within her body was rapidly draining away. Dai Longmei saw those pink ethereal streams flying toward the dark purple mountain crag, as if someone were absorbing her ethereal energy.

"No! How is this possible!"
"Only a master of the Dream-Control Arts should wield such power... How could..."

Foxie looked up at the towering dark purple cliff.
"Senior Brother... Is that you?!"

"Boom!"

***

The heavy ethereal shield, deprived of its ethereal energy support, was shattered by the sandworm's frenzied impact.

"Take a gamble, Chasing-Wind!"

Seeing that even Foxie could not hold off the monster, Dai Longmei decided to take a gamble. He shouted loudly, urging Chasing-Wind forward, preparing to ride along a tiny surviving strip of the rock wall in front of the West Gate.

"Look! Plum, something's been smashed open at the gate..."
"Yes, Lily, I see it."

Although the sandworm's two fierce impacts were not enough to destroy the sturdy main city gates, they had fortuitously cracked open a small opening in the lower half of the gate. Small opening though it was, it was just enough for the two of them to pass through.

This was the exact opportunity Dai Longmei was gambling on.

"Rumble!"

The sandworm's massive tail also whipped out from the crater. Its frantic soul had no intention of letting anyone go, sweeping like an iron whip toward the remaining path of survival.

"Whoosh~~ Swish~ Boom!"

A strange launching sound echoed from afar, and it was not just one.

On either side of the dark purple mountain crag, hundreds of Javelin missiles popped out from their launchers, then shot vertically upward. More than a hundred flying missiles pierced through the dust kicked up by the sandworm.

"Boom!"

The armor-piercing warheads struck the sandworm's colossal torso with swift, precise, and ruthless force. Even as a creation of an ancient civilization, facing such a massive volley of Javelin missiles, the sandworm's body suffered severe damage, halting its attack with a violent twist. The distorted soul within consequently endured excruciating agony.

"Ugh, ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

The agonized roar of the soul echoed before the West Gate.

"Direct hit, Commander."
"The boys are shooting true!"

The woman in the baseball cap behind the binoculars said calmly, "Don't stop! Fire all three Javelins we brought!"

Hundreds of Javelin missiles once again tore through the sandstorm. A dense barrage of steel rained down upon the sandworm's body. Though incapable of dealing a fatal blow to the monster, it severely impeded its mobility.

"Ugh, ahhhhhhhhhh..."
"The war... is not over yet..."
"The enemy... the gods... are attacking again..."
"So painful... Pain!"
"Kill! Slaughter the gods!"
"Kill!"

The sandworm pivoted, lunging toward the warriors hidden atop the mountain crag.

"Good, it's coming for us."
"Tell the boys to stay sharp, operate flexibly in groups of three, and lure this lunatic back to the desert."

The skeleton warriors beside her nodded in assent. They bore a strong resemblance to the ghostly soldiers from earlier, except that the ethereal energy glowing within their eye sockets was orange. Their tactical combat suits bore the insignia of the Longteng Kingdom.

"Long live Longteng!"

The woman silently recited the slogan, and the skeleton warriors nodded. Though they possessed only a faint trace of orange ethereal energy, it was enough to grant them mobility far surpassing ordinary men.

They leaped onto all-terrain vehicles and charged forward.

"Whoosh!"

The third volley of Javelins was launched from the racing convoy, striking squarely on the forehead of the sandworm as it lunged toward the Longteng special operations team.

"Die!"

The sandworm emitted a bizarre, mechanical, thunderous screech, twisting its body as it smashed straight through the dark purple cliff to pursue the decoy squad.

"Have Plum and the others... made it inside?"

Liu Huaxi struggled to rise from the stretcher. He cared not whether this jade-body might shatter; he simply needed to reach the edge of the cliff to confirm whether Dai Longmei and the others were safe.

"Brother~ They went in ages ago."

The surviving rocky path had already collapsed due to the tremors triggered by the sandworm. Yet, near the cracked little opening, a trail of galloping hoofprints caught the woman's eye.

"And that fox?"

The woman put her binoculars away into her storage ring and turned to steady the unsteady Liu Huaxi.

"She... probably followed them inside..."
"It's fine... I intercepted a good deal of the ethereal energy she brought into the jade realm... She won't pose as much of a threat to Plum and the others."

Liu Huaxi spoke, only to cough up a mouthful of blood.

"Brother, you should sit down and rest... Honestly, that rotten Jade God really knows how to give you trouble."

The woman adjusted her baseball cap in annoyance, helping Liu Huaxi sit back down against the dark purple mountain crag.

"We must still be cautious..."

Liu Huaxi gazed toward the desert to the east.
"That Stardust person is still tailing closely behind."
"A fox, a bunch of star-people—they're all after little Lily, this key~"

Liu Huaxi looked at the dust-settled yet devastated West Gate.
"And that little Lily... is still my former sister-in-law~"
"Why don't you mention how she's also someone you've harbored a crush on for god knows how many years, seriously..."

The woman was deeply displeased with the Jade God's arrangement, having had her eldest brother lie dormant in the jade realm for years only to serve as "background support" for Jade Dragon Blue Phoenix.

"You shouldn't put it that way, Xiao Xuan~"

White Tiger said, looking at Xuanwu who was clad in modern military attire.
"So that your eldest brother and sister-in-law wouldn't have to suffer and die in vain, and for the ideals burning in their hearts—"
"Trusting the Jade God's word is far better than trusting those bastards of the Jade Seal Realm..."

The pain made him nearly pass out.

"Stop talking, Brother~"
"Sigh~ Tsk~ Alright~"

Xuanwu retrieved a bullpup assault rifle from her storage ring, expertly chambering a round before lifting it high.
"Anyway, big brother, you've been trapped in this Western Wasteland for so many years, unable to leave or escape."

Many years had passed. Compared to White Tiger, who lived under the identity of "Liu Huaxi," Xuanwu had long forgotten what name she had borne a thousand years ago in the Longteng Kingdom.

"Commander, all members of the Hawk-Owl Team B are ready to depart. Awaiting your instructions."

The skeleton officer behind her reported.

"All members, advance rapidly toward the Central Peace Plaza in the heart of the city."
"According to intelligence from the Jade God, the mice hiding Lily's body are concealed somewhere near there."
"Advance with caution, and assist Dai Longmei and Lily in retrieving her body."
"Additionally, Team C, rendezvous with and escort the evacuating Liaodong servants, providing cover from the shadows."
"Watch out for the Yang-Polar Ghost Soldiers."
"Operation start!"

Xuanwu glanced back at her unconscious older brother, stepped forward, and leaped into the dark main city beyond the gates using a paraglider.