The capital star was already in chaos, the sky swarming with crisscrossing aerial craft, the ground choked with pedestrians like ants, weaving a desperate, apocalyptic tableau.

Zhong Yun led the contingent from the Andu Empire, flying low above the city. Their speed surpassed even that of the best atmospheric vehicles. Dozens of figures were encased in egg-shaped protective shields of various colors, slicing through the air with sharp screeches, making them glaringly conspicuous.

They headed straight for the city center. The embassy was located in the political heart of the Red Feather Federation, on the outskirts of Red Feather City. Their true target, however, was the core of the city—the Government Building.

As the nexus of national power, Red Feather City was heavily fortified. During this critical period, to prevent any unrest, all nearby security forces—including the garrison troops and police—had been concentrated to maintain the capital’s order.

As the capital, this city was permanently garrisoned by an elite force, soldiers drawn from the best divisions across all military districts. They were formidable, superbly equipped, consisting entirely of six-star mechas, numbering fifty thousand. Coupled with the city’s various defensive installations, it was truly an iron fortress.

With such power, let alone the small number of people the Andu Empire had brought, even if the entire nation’s elite forces charged forward, they would never breach it.

“Stay close behind me.” As they were about to smash directly into the garrison's defensive perimeter, Zhong Yun’s voice echoed in everyone’s ears.

Every heart leaped into their throats. Charging headlong into the core zone in such a perilous moment was tantamount to suicide.

But turning back was useless now. Everyone present possessed sharp spiritual senses and already felt themselves locked onto. That chilling sensation told them that whatever had locked onto them must be a heavy-caliber sniper cannon. Turning now would likely mean faster death.

It was all because they flew too fast; before they could react, they had already rushed into the sniper cannon’s effective range.

They had no choice but to bite the bullet and push forward, silently cursing Yun Zhongyu’s entire lineage a thousand times over for leading them to their doom.

Strangely, the closer they flew, the less the defending forces fired. While they were still puzzled, they had already burst inside the encirclement.

The feeling of being targeted vanished. Everyone experienced a terrifying relief, realizing they had just narrowly escaped death. Simultaneously, they were immensely impressed by Yun Zhongyu; no one knew what method he had used to bring them through.

If Zhong Yun hadn't been certain, he wouldn't have dared lead them into certain death. He wouldn't be foolish enough to confront the Red Feather Federation’s massive elite forces head-on. That would only make them targets for everyone. Trying to slip into the jump point then would be harder than ascending to heaven.

His confidence stemmed from a super-authority device he had seized from the Zhao family patriarch. Relying on it, he could gain supreme administrative access to this planet’s central mainframe, allowing passage through the emergency jump point. Only a few major families in the Red Feather Federation possessed such an item.

Just as they were euphoric about entering the city limits, Zhong Yun's heart suddenly lurched. He stabilized his figure and roared, “Stop!”

At that very moment, ten kilometers ahead in the sky, a massive column of light descended from above, and a huge mushroom cloud erupted from the ground.

“Rumble—” A world-shaking explosion roared to life.

Although Zhong Yun was prepared, he was still flung several meters by an unparalleled shockwave. Forgetting any need to conceal his strength, the Yuan energy within him surged, manifesting as a tangible purple light screen surrounding him, deflecting the residual energy from the blast.

He was blown dozens of meters away before finally regaining his balance.

Looking forward, tremendous waves crashed in his mind. What met his eyes was no longer orderly urban architecture, but a scene of sheer hell on earth.

“They’ve gone mad,” Hong Yuting muttered blankly, staring ahead a short distance away.

Zhong Yun took a deep breath and shouted, “Move!” He shot forward first. He could already see countless black dots appearing in the sky, surging menacingly toward the city.

Because they were far away, although the group was brushed by the explosion's after-effects, no one was injured. Hearing Zhong Yun’s command, they followed without hesitation at top speed.

They too could see the Nottan Empire’s forces breaking through the atmosphere. They had no time to wonder why the Nottan military had arrived so quickly.

All they knew was that the Nottan military, desperate for victory, had become utterly reckless. Such a massive energy cannon, they dared fire it into the planet’s interior, directly targeting a major city.

The Nottan military’s cruelty chilled everyone to the bone. They had shed the last shred of moral restraint belonging to an advanced civilization, transforming into naked beasts of war.

They had no doubt that once the Nottan forces conquered this planet, they would slaughter everyone they saw.

That single blast had leveled a quarter of the city. Fortunately, the location of the jump point remained untouched. Otherwise, Zhong Yun would have had to find a place to hide and figure out a plan after the war ended.

In the heavens, energy beams rained down like torrents onto the ground. The defense forces had already engaged, initiating a brutal battle.

That single shell had torn a huge gash in the otherwise flawless defense system. The Nottan mecha units poured through that gap like locusts; the capital city had fallen.

The jump point of the capital city was located at the very center of the city, beneath a memorial tower.

They were only ten kilometers from the memorial tower, but the Nottan mechas behind them were rapidly closing in. Zhong Yun was consumed by anxiety. If it were just him, those pursuing mechas would never catch up.

But he was leading a group.

The Nottan mecha contingent advanced with extreme speed; their orders were to secure the Government Building as quickly as possible and capture the rulers of the Red Feather Federation in one sweep.

Soon, the foremost Nottan mecha squad spotted Zhong Yun’s party. A group of people encased in rapidly flying multi-colored shields was hard to miss.

The squad leader realized they had stumbled upon a major prize. The speed at which these people were flying was astonishing; these dozens of individuals were clearly masters. If they weren't high-ranking officials of the Red Feather Federation, why would so many experts be gathered?

The leader grew excited. Capturing them would surely be a great merit. Without hesitation, he ordered his subordinates to pursue.

Zhong Yun quickly detected the mecha unit shadowing them relentlessly. Fifty mechas—if they were caught, the trouble would be immense.

He inwardly cursed his bad luck. If necessary, he would have to abandon the others and flee with only Qin Liuxing.

As the mecha unit relentlessly drew nearer, Zhong Yun was preparing to give up, when suddenly a cluster of black dots appeared ahead. His heart jolted, and he shouted, “Speed up! Reinforcements are here!”

The people behind him felt as if they had received a powerful injection of adrenaline, and their speed instantly increased.

The black dots ahead were indeed the mecha unit sent to meet them, numbering at least two hundred. It turned out the Central Mainframe had detected the approach of a super-authority holder and ordered the defense squad to rendezvous.

By this time, most of the Red Feather Federation's high command had already evacuated, leaving all matters of the capital star to the Mainframe. This was why such a situation had arisen; had the leaders been present, they would never have dispatched a relief force.

The Red Feather Federation mecha unit intercepted their pursuers from behind, and Zhong Yun’s group finally escaped danger.

Near the memorial tower, heavy troops were stationed as guards. As they were about to reach the tower, Zhong Yun suddenly paused, a thought flashing through his mind. The people behind him, expecting him to continue, had already flown ahead of him.

“Brother Yun, what is it?” Qin Liuxing had kept pace right beside Zhong Yun. Due to his comparatively weak power, his flight speed lagged, so Zhong Yun had kept him close.

Zhong Yun glanced back. The Nottan mecha squad was already clashing with the Red Feather mechas guarding the area around the tower. They wouldn't be able to break through immediately. Having made up his mind, he said, “Wait for me here. I’ll be right back.” Then, his figure flickered, and he vanished.

Qin Lianbai and Lan Yuling, having witnessed his teleportation ability before, were unsurprised. The others, however, were greatly startled. Teleportation was an exceptionally terrifying psionic ability, as rare as the power of Laws themselves.

Their perception of Yun Zhongyu’s strength deepened into something unfathomable.

In a flash, Zhong Yun reappeared on the other side of the street. Buildings blocked his line of sight, so he summoned the virtual net. “Where is the nearest Origin Stone?”

A map instantly appeared before his eyes. He scanned it briefly and saw several red dots illuminating specific locations.

He flickered again, appearing before a tall structure. “Open the door.” As the words fell, the door slid open.

The super-authority device was indeed a marvelous thing, Zhong Yun mused inwardly, not slowing his pace as he walked inside. From the outside, this was just an ordinary building, but within, it housed a secret. In fact, besides residences, this structure concealed a turret. There were many such turrets near the memorial tower.

Furthermore, two energy shield generators were hidden underground, one large and one small, capable of deploying a protective dome in a crisis to ensure safety.

Zhong Yun’s goal was the large energy shield generator underground. This shield spanned several kilometers and consumed an enormous amount of energy. To ensure its prolonged operation, vast quantities of Origin Stones were stockpiled here.

When the Nottan fleet attacked the capital star, the President of the Red Feather Federation had even diverted a significant supply of Origin Stones here as a precaution. Unexpectedly, they benefited Zhong Yun.

The underground area was a base, but for Zhong Yun, possessing supreme authority, it was like walking through empty space. Following the map directly, he arrived at the inventory room.

Along the way, he encountered several people, but upon seeing him walk through brazenly, not a single one stopped him.

When he reached the massive door of the inventory vault, Zhong Yun’s eyes lit up. Inside the spacious room, numerous crates were neatly stacked.

“Excuse me…” Finally, someone appeared—the steward of the inventory room.

“You’ve arrived just in time.” Zhong Yun beckoned, calling the man over. The steward had seen how easily he had opened the vault door and knew he was a figure of great importance, so he approached respectfully.

“Where are the Origin Stones kept?” Zhong Yun inquired.

The steward didn't know why he was asking but replied, “They are in Warehouse Three.”

“Lead the way.”

The steward guided him through several warehouses to a slightly smaller one, pointing to a dozen or so boxes on the floor. “These are the Origin Stones.”

Zhong Yun walked over with undisguised excitement, muttering, “I’m rich, I’m rich…”

The steward suddenly felt a terrible premonition. He watched as the esteemed gentleman picked up a box and vanished into thin air. Struck as if by lightning, he cried out, “Sir, no, you can’t do that…” He rushed forward to grab Zhong Yun’s hand, pleading, “These are strategic reserves, you can’t take them…”

Zhong Yun merely flicked his hand, throwing the man aside, and loaded all dozen crates into his storage space. He clapped his hands and strode away under the steward’s stunned gaze.

First Release