Chapter 613 - 394: Railgun Bombardment

Chapter 613: Chapter 394: Railgun Bombardment

Zhou Chen made a report call to the "Prophet."

And so, thousands of miles up in orbit, machinery whirred to life. A massive satellite adjusted its angle, completing a precise coordinate lock in less than five seconds. Its Investigation Mirror, like the eye of God, silently surveyed the entire azure planet, taking in everything.

A steel ring around the satellite jetted fire, slowly adjusting into position. Then, six circular apertures on the ring lit up with a blinding glare.

After a brief charging period, six satellite Railguns fired at medium power—aimed at the distant earth below.

Blazing light erupted. Six slender beams, like iron needles, shot across the Cosmos. In an instant, they pierced the atmosphere and descended upon the earth like falling stars.

Zhou Chen peeked out from behind a tree. He looked up and saw six beams of light streaking across the night sky, and the color drained from his face.

’Fuck, an orbital strike!’

Without a second thought, he frantically used Flame Jump to get away. A wave of regret washed over him. He was too close to Dupe’s private army—less than five hundred meters away. If he’d known the Star Association would resort to a direct Railgun bombardment, he would have stayed at least a kilometer away, no matter what!

Just then, someone in the private army pointed at the sky and cried out, having spotted the beams of destruction hurtling down from the Cosmos. The speed of the Railguns was unimaginable. An instant after their collective shout of alarm, destruction rained down from the heavens.

BOOM!

The columns of light slammed into the ground. A deafening roar tore through his eardrums, nearly shaking his very Soul to dust. Amidst the overwhelming sound, the world seemed to fall silent for an instant. The deep night blazed as bright as day, illuminating everything.

The light of death, seething with heat and destruction, swallowed Dupe’s private army, which was sprawled across the mountainside. Everything within the blast radius evaporated in an instant. Human bodies and steel tanks alike met their end in a moment of silent, brutal annihilation.

The earth wailed as it was ravaged, shaking violently. A terrifying shockwave, powerful enough to topple mountains, surged out in all directions.

After using Flame Teleportation several times, Zhou Chen reached a relatively safe position and braced himself against the ensuing shockwave.

As the light gradually faded, six massive craters appeared before his eyes, leaving behind nothing but scorched earth. Thick, scorching smoke billowed from the soil. It was a horrifying sight. Dupe’s army, which had covered the mountainside, had vanished without a trace. Not a single person was left.

Zhou Chen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and swallowed hard. "This off-site support really packs a punch..."

’I thought they’d send a Star Association combat team, not call in the damn Railguns!’

Dupe’s private army was probably cursing up a storm in the Netherworld right now. They thought they were facing a ground assault, but the Star Association didn’t play by the rules and just called in an orbital strike.

"That’s standard procedure," Jiang Che said calmly through the earpiece. "Once they have exact coordinates, the Star Association has no reason to waste time and manpower. A direct bombardment is the most efficient solution. It’s not like we’re in a city."

Zhou Chen collected himself. Just as he was about to press forward, he saw another beam of light fall from the night sky, striking Liushan Prison.

However, the prison wasn’t flattened as he’d expected. A golden Defense Array covered in strange runes materialized out of thin air, blocking the Railgun’s blast. Immediately, cracks began to spread across its surface, visible even from a distance.

Another Railgun blast followed. Amid the blinding light, a shattering sound rang out as the golden Defense Array exploded into countless fragments, which then dissolved into ethereal Essence and vanished.

A third Railgun blast immediately followed.

Just as Zhou Chen thought the now-unprotected Liushan Prison would be obliterated, the descending Railgun beam suddenly bent in mid-air without warning, reflecting back toward the sky at a sharp angle.

In the vastness of space, a beam of light shot up from the planet below and struck a weather satellite. The satellite, which had been in service for over a hundred years, dissolved in the brilliant flash, and was thus retired.

Nearby, the barrel of the satellite that had been charging the next shot went dark, aborting the orbital strike.

"This..."

On the ground, Zhou Chen was momentarily speechless. The satellite Railgun blast had been reflected. ’That has to be the work of a Tier Four Uncrowned, at least, right?’

He wasn’t too surprised, though. It would be stranger if Dupe *didn’t* have a Tier Four Uncrowned by his side. After more than a decade as the Grand Councilor for Asia, nurturing a few Tier Fours would be a simple matter. All he had to do was use brainwashing on them when they were still weak to gain unshakably loyal Warriors who would never betray him.

’I can probably take on one Tier Four, but I’m screwed if any more show up...’

The thought had barely crossed Zhou Chen’s mind when he saw space distort in the distance. Several Any Doors appeared, and a few figures stepped through. Among them were some familiar faces.

—"Titan," commander of the Raven Legion, with whom he had fought at Jinzhu.

—Orlando, the handsome male Elf Priest from the Dawn Church whom he had recently met.

—Anna, the green-haired girl he had seen on several occasions. She was still carrying that enormous "Book of My Thoughts." The girl was practically the Star Association’s model employee, having shown up for multiple major incidents.

’Okay, we’re in the clear for now.’

Seeing so many powerful allies appear, the tension in Zhou Chen’s chest eased considerably.

For one thing, Anna was one of the strongest Uncrowned below Tier Five. With her "Book of My Thoughts," she could take on two or even three opponents at once. And that wasn’t even counting veteran Uncrowned like Orlando and Titan, both of whom were ferociously strong and highly experienced. This lineup was absolutely stacked.

At the same time, five figures flew out of Liushan Prison. Without a word, they launched their attack.

BOOM!

Immense Power collided in the void. Haloes of Essence flared, and the clash of Rule against Rule twisted reality itself, creating a temporary visual black hole. To look at that spot was to see only nothingness.

·

While the Uncrowned began their battle, a stealthy figure slipped quietly into Liushan Prison.

The moment he stepped inside the prison, Zhou Chen felt a pervasive, bone-deep chill. The corridor was brightly lit, yet he couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that countless monsters were lurking in the shadows, watching him...

No!

It wasn’t just a feeling!

A stream of dreamlike light coalesced in Zhou Chen’s hand. He suddenly stabbed at a dark, writhing shadow on the wall. A pained hiss echoed in his ears as the shadow swelled, peeling off the wall in the silhouette of a deformed monster. Before it even touched the ground, it was reduced to ash by the purifying power of Dream Light and Shadow.

TAP, TAP, TAP...

Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor, right behind Zhou Chen. They sounded like a dull drumbeat, each step seeming to land on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

He spun and swept his Crystal Spear, its cold glint tracing a sharp line through the air.

But it hit nothing.

To be precise, there was no one behind him.

He frowned slightly. The next second, a pair of hands cupped his head from behind and twisted—hard.

CRACK!

Zhou Chen’s head spun a full one hundred and eighty degrees. His neck was broken, the sound of dislocating bone sickeningly clear.