Silver Fox was simply stunned by the terrifying combat energy before his eyes! In just this short span, his opponent's combat energy intensity had surged by another massive leap, reaching a terrifying value of 800,000!
Such an eerie method of increasing combat energy was unheard of!
Although he possessed a limit combat energy reaching 1.4 million in intensity, reaching that state required a buffer period. Yet, the cruel reality clearly informed Silver Fox that his opponent would grant him no such opportunity!
There was no chance of winning this battle!
In an instant, Silver Fox’s heart plummeted to the bottom!
For the first time, Silver Fox considered retreating! Or, to put it bluntly, fleeing! But would his opponent give him that chance?
Iron Eagle also perceived Silver Fox's precarious situation!
Thus, he reacted immediately! In fact, during the time Silver Fox had been dueling Star, Iron Eagle had made full preparations! He was ready to launch a coordinated support strike!
Initially, he thought he was worrying needlessly. He had never imagined Silver Fox would actually be defeated, but what he saw now forced him to accept this harsh reality!
Fortunately, he had already quietly activated the fourth level of the Burning System, ready to offer aid at any moment. ^^Lxx.^^^^.Ansuge.^Look at the Book Tower*
Mighty combat energy was instantly poured into his blade!
Likewise, Silver Fox sensed Iron Eagle's movement! The two had trained together since childhood; though they later separated to lead armies, the tacit understanding forged over two decades remained.
Almost instantly, Silver Fox understood Iron Eagle’s intent!
Therefore, at this moment, he hesitated no longer!
Almost paying the price of internal injury, Silver Fox forcibly urged the combat energy within him to its absolute limit!
Roar! Amidst a wild roar! Silver Fox suddenly cleaved out a streak of Blazing Sword Qi! This attack, with an intensity of 600,000, did not fly toward the descending Blood Sun Red Sky, but toward Iron Eagle beside him!
Simultaneously, Iron Eagle, at the same instant, cleaved out a streak of Blazing Sword Qi! This one flew toward the Blazing Sword Qi unleashed by Silver Fox!
Two astonishingly intense streaks of Blazing Sword Qi collided fiercely, like two meteors!
However, the two colliding streaks of Blazing Sword Qi did not explode. Instead, in an instant, they fused together, transforming into one colossal, dazzling sword energy dragon!
“Ah!”
“It’s Soul-Shattering Slash!” Nile’s expression shifted drastically, and he cried out in alarm!
The immense golden fire dragon shot out like lightning, slamming into the crimson sword energy that Star had swept out!
Rumble!
Amidst a dull, heavy roar, the two sword energies of incredible might finally crashed together fiercely!
The earth-shattering explosion sent vibrations that threatened to rupture everyone’s eardrums, and the underground passage instantly burst open with a massive halo of light! It manifested as a churning, rippling blur!
It was as if a giant black hole had suddenly appeared in the void! The terrifying shockwave of the explosion wildly surged outward, impacting everything! Even Nile, Nia, and the others, who were a distance away, were involuntarily thrown backward, slamming deep into the passage behind them!
Silver Fox, Iron Eagle, and Star were jolted so hard they almost vomited blood, rocketing away before crashing into the ceiling of the passage above them!
This terrifying impact nearly caused Star to fall apart on the spot!
However, as he forcibly stood up through the acute pain, Silver Fox and Iron Eagle were already swiftly darting toward the far end of the tunnel, the direction leading to the surface!
Before Star could even process what was happening, the figures of Silver Fox and Iron Eagle had vanished!
“Damn it,” Star exclaimed in astonishment, quickly followed by an exasperated shout: “They actually dared to run! What kind of warriors are you?” Recapturing his stance, he sprang up and chased after them like lightning!
“What running?” Silver Fox’s mocking voice drifted from the far end of the passage: “This is called strategic redeployment, understand? If you have the guts, fight me on the surface.”
One chasing, two fleeing—they vanished in the blink of an eye! On the other side, Nia and the others, who had been thrown into confusion, finally reacted!
“They actually ran away…” Nia and Lan Qi could hardly believe that Silver Fox and Iron Eagle had fled so disgracefully.
“Chase them!” Nile roared in fury: “As expected of Silver Fox, truly cunning. If Star is lured to the surface, things will be terrible. [.nsuge.**]*Look at the Book^Pag”
Facts proved Nile’s worry was entirely unnecessary! When Star saw the sky outside the tunnel entrance in the distance, he wisely stopped!
Silver Fox and Iron Eagle, having run out of the passage, did not rush to escape. Instead, they leisurely stared at Star from the tunnel entrance: “What? Not chasing anymore?” Frankly, Silver Fox had not expected to be forced into such a pathetic state, so he decided to salvage some dignity.
“Do you take me for a fool?” Star huffed, clearly annoyed.
“If that’s the case, we fight another day.” Star’s chagrined expression made Silver Fox feel he had finally regained some face.
Strictly speaking, Silver Fox hadn't truly lost, as his most powerful aerial combat divine beast had yet to enter the fray. The same applied to Iron Eagle!
If Star dared to pursue them into the open air, they would absolutely make him suffer a terrible end!
The two let out a joint, long cry!
Swoosh! Two blurred figures flashed like lightning from the distant sky!
Star, deep within the passage, hadn't seen them, but his biological computer clearly captured their images!
It even measured their speed!
That incredible velocity made Star almost unable to believe it!
The biological radar instantly reported a number that made Star’s heart pound violently!
Mach 1.82 (1,963 km/h)!
What astonishing speed, almost comparable to a modern F22 Raptor fighter jet! And they hadn't even confirmed if this was their fastest speed!
They were simply monsters!
So these were the so-called aerial combat divine beasts. Although Star had already learned the relevant data about aerial combat divine beasts when Nia introduced them earlier, he still felt a sense of regret at not seeing the actual creatures.
Of course, at this moment, Star absolutely dared not pursue them to the tunnel exit!
These two blurry afterimages, after reaching the sky above, cleverly swept out a circular trajectory and, in an instant, impossibly slowed their speed!
They then circled slowly in the air! Although they were a distance from the tunnel mouth, Star still captured the life-force fields of these two aerial combat divine beasts through his biological radar!
One registered 2 million, the other 2.4 million!
With such terrifying data, combined with that astonishing speed, Star was certain that if he appeared outside, he would be instantly annihilated!
No wonder the Nile tribe had always remained hidden deep underground for so many years, refusing to confront them head-on!
“Until we meet again…” Although deeply unwilling, Silver Fox and Iron Eagle clearly knew that with Star guarding the passage, these people of theirs stood no chance of taking down the Nile tribe!
Although the aerial combat divine beasts possessed frightening attack power, it was sheer fantasy to expect them to punch through 27 layers of reinforced steel plates with a defense rating above six million. Thus, they could only retreat!
In the end, the battle resulted in a stalemate, with neither side overcoming the other.
However, the Nile tribe paid a heavy price: the outer fifth, fourth, third, and second defense zones were all destroyed, leaving only the final, deepest first defense zone.
And the Longtian Legion suffered the loss of two Gold Warriors, plus an unknown number of Bio-Warriors.
Yet, it was fortunate that this battle was not entirely without reward; at least the prototype Thunder Set had a successful initial combat trial.
Especially the combat power displayed by Star, which allowed Nile, Nia, and the others to see hope. It also greatly boosted the morale of the other warriors of the Nile tribe who had long been confined underground!
Returning to headquarters, Star and Nia, along with the others, received a fervent welcome!
“Well done,” Uncle Jin exclaimed excitedly: “I didn't think even Silver Fox could be defeated.”
“So cool,” Meimei also cheered happily, running to Star’s side with an expression of pure admiration: “You even beat Silver Fox!”
“A toast to victory!” At some point, Lili had wheeled in a beer cart, causing the crowd to erupt in earth-shaking cheers!
Nile, however, maintained a calm demeanor, but those familiar with him could tell from his relaxed brow and slightly upturned lips that this man was currently filled with excitement. It was just that, as a commander, he habitually suppressed his emotions.
“Honestly, such a hypocrite!” Uncle Jin muttered under his breath.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Longtian, who turned and left, wore an expression of resentment, but the covetous look in his eyes was even more intense, especially the fiery gaze directed toward Star, almost scorching him.
This made Star feel uneasy.
“Kid, relax,” Uncle Jin chuckled: “That guy can’t stir up much trouble now that we’ve broken away from the military’s subsidiary bodies and become an independent fighting unit on par with regular legions. He won’t be able to dictate terms to us anymore.”
“If only that were true,” Star sighed softly.
People like that were never easy to dismiss, especially given the combat strength displayed by the Thunder Set in this operation.
Perhaps no authority figure consumed by power would remain unmoved. It was likely Longtian would make a move soon!
Nile’s solemn and uneasy look toward Longtian’s retreating back also gave Star a vague sense that things wouldn't end here!
He only hoped their internal strife wouldn't interfere with his rescue plan!
After the great battle, ruins lay everywhere. However, the (Wolong) World possessed the finest architectural engineers, so reconstruction of the defense zones began immediately after the fighting ceased.
The various combat units took this rare downtime to recuperate.
Everyone knew clearly that today’s fight was merely the beginning! Silver Fox and Iron Eagle might have been routed, but it wouldn't take long for the Xiangtian Tribe to launch an even fiercer assault, and they would likely send more than just Iron Eagle and Silver Fox next time!
So while Star and Nia were resting, Nile, Meimei, Lili, and Uncle Jin remained busy deciphering the Thunder Set!
It was at this critical moment that Star appeared in the research laboratory!
“Is something the matter?” Nile was slightly surprised by Star’s grave expression.
“Indeed, there is,” Star stated calmly: “I want to ask if the Nile tribe can find me a female Bio-Warrior, model number XY080, designated Moon Shadow.”
“XY080 Moon Shadow model?” Nile paused slightly: “That’s a very ancient model; there are no production lines for that type anymore.”
“No production line?” Star urged: “Then can you find a suitable substitute?”
“That’s very difficult,” Nile replied: “At least within the Yingyue Tribe and the four main branches, we cannot find that type of Bio-Warrior.” Nile looked puzzled at this point: “What do you need this kind of biological chassis for?”
“To be frank,” Star admitted: “My Guardian Hero belongs to this exact model of Bio-Warrior. Unfortunately, she perished in the previous battle, so I want to recreate one.”
“Guardian Hero?” Nile was startled: “Are you equipped with the Twin System to control a Hero?”
“Twin System?” Star frowned slightly: “What is the Twin System?”
“How is that possible?” Meimei, standing nearby, leaned in curiously: “If you can control a Hero, how can you not know what the Twin System is?”
“....” Star still shook his head in confusion: “Obtaining the Hero was completely accidental.” After a brief consideration, Star recounted the circumstances of acquiring Moon Shadow.
“Based on what you’ve described, you were likely forcibly implanted with the biological computer without your knowledge, and the computer you were implanted with is the master control computer possessing the Twin System!” Nile continued: “And the Moon Shadow model 080 is the most ancient original model. Judging by the designation number, we can infer this belongs to the initial production batch from thirty thousand years ago! This suggests that the place you accidentally broke into must be some bio-base left over from thirty thousand years ago!”
“That’s true,” Star thought inwardly, amazed at how Nile could deduce the production date of Moon Shadow based solely on the model number—truly formidable!
“Only the Xiangtian Tribe still uses the Twin System. Neither our Yingyue Tribe nor the Chenxing Tribe uses it anymore,” Nile stated.
“I was wondering why Lan Qi and Nia don’t have Guardian Heroes. So that’s the reason,” Star finally understood his long-standing confusion: “But aren't Guardian Heroes very powerful? Why don’t you use them?”
“It’s not that we don't want to use them, but the core technology of the Twin System has always been held by the Xiangtian Tribe. Furthermore, we have grown accustomed to relying on our own strength for combat, so we didn't invest significant effort into cracking the Twin System, nor did we manufacture these types of Bio-Warriors.” Nile added: “In essence, a Guardian Hero is merely a controlled Bio-Warrior, no different from a standard combat Bio-Warrior, except it’s better at coordinating with the host. Instead of spending effort controlling a single combat unit, it's more efficient to let them form coherent combat units under unified command to maximize their combat effectiveness. Therefore, our mass-produced Bio-Warriors are only equipped with the most basic combat systems, not the more complex Twin System.”
“I see,” Star understood: “Your mass-produced Bio-Warriors are those Heavenly Demon Warriors and Thunder Warriors, right?” Star recalled the Bio-Warriors who died when the Nile tribe was massacred, and those who fell fighting for the Longtian Legion were also Thunder or Heavenly Demon level warriors.
It seemed that in this world, Bio-Warriors at the Thunder or Heavenly Demon levels were mere cannon fodder—humanoid machines without emotion or thought, knowing only how to fight! The thought was chilling.
“Yes,” Nile confirmed.
“Then why haven’t I seen the Xiangtian Tribe deploy the Heavenly Demon Warriors and Thunder Warriors you mentioned on the battlefield?”
“The Xiangtian Tribe is different from us,” Nile sighed resignedly: “They possess the far more capable Fire Dragon Legion. The combat power of one Fire Dragon Lizard is equivalent to five Thunder Warriors or ten Heavenly Demon Warriors. Yet, the cost to produce one Fire Dragon Lizard is only equivalent to two Thunder Warriors. Therefore, they have no need to produce the same type of Bio-Warriors as us; instead, they chose the much more cost-effective Fire Dragon Lizard Bio-Beast as their primary combat unit.”
“If that’s the case, why don’t you also produce Bio-Beasts for combat? At least you could save a lot on cost,” Qingshan interjected.
“It’s not that we don’t want to, but it’s absolutely impossible,” Nile said with a bitter smile: “All Fire Dragon Lizards are hatched from eggs laid by the giant Fire Dragon Matriarch, which then grow to become the main combat force. However, the entire Wolong World has only one Fire Dragon Matriarch, and she is controlled by the Xiangtian Tribe.”
“One Matriarch?” Qingshan was greatly shocked: “One Matriarch can lay that many eggs?”
“What’s so strange about that?” Nile explained: “Never mind the astonishing size of the Fire Dragon Lizards, their eggs are no different from fish roe. The Fire Dragon Matriarch lays billions of eggs at once. These eggs are preserved by the Xiangtian Tribe using special methods and are hatched when needed. A Fire Dragon Lizard only takes less than three months to go from hatching to becoming a combat unit, consuming only 200 calories of life energy during that time. Both its growth cycle and maturation cycle are far shorter than our Ascension Warriors.”
“.......” Qingshan was at a loss for words to describe his shock. No wonder the Yingyue Tribe and Chenxing Tribe had been suppressed by the Xiangtian Tribe for so many years.
Whether in individual main combatants or mass combat, the Fire Dragon Lizards, alongside the Phoenix Knights, were clearly far superior to the Yingyue Tribe’s Gold Warriors and Ascension Warriors!
With such a vast disparity in overall strength, it was remarkable they had held out until now!
However, after learning these details, Qingshan did not abandon his plan to resurrect Moon Shadow.
“Do you have a way to manufacture a suitable substitute for me?” Qingshan recalled that Nia had previously used Lan Qi’s clone to kill Nico.
“If you can provide her cellular tissue, we can clone one for you,” Nile offered.
“Cells, tissue…” Star was stunned: “Moon Shadow turned to dust long ago; nothing was left behind. If I had known, I should have kept even a single strand of hair.”
“We can’t do anything about that either,” Nile said helplessly.
“Is there truly no other way?” Star remained unwilling to give up.
“Isn’t it just a Moon Shadow model Bio-Warrior?” Meimei, standing by, said easily: “We don’t have them, but the Xiangtian Tribe does. I remember that the guard teams in several strongholds of the Taurus Defense Zone seem to have Moon Shadow model Bio-Warriors. As long as we capture one of them, or extract cells from them, we can manufacture this type of Ascension Warrior.”
“That’s a decent idea,” Nile nodded repeatedly.
“The Taurus Defense Zone?” Star was overjoyed: “That’s great! Capturing an ordinary patrol guard shouldn’t be difficult, right?”