It was the moment of truth. Feng Hu clearly understood the need to protect the emerging Eggs, and countless beings, hidden even from human detection systems, appeared within the projection's view.
The sky was not the dominion of humanity! On the contrary, it belonged to the Demonic Beasts, all manner of bizarre creatures, some even possessing capabilities that mimicked combat helicopters.
Demonic Beasts! Endless Demonic Beasts! The largest ones were no smaller than the massive Mobile Armors used by humans, and with their strange biological configurations, Qin Fen had no doubt they could match the Mobile Armors in a fight.
Flying in the sky, running on the ground, swimming in the water—just as humanity had its navy, army, and air force, the beasts of Pandora Space possessed the same configuration, the only difference being that they had evolved directly into these forms.
Even merely watching through the projection screen, observing those Demonic Beasts brimming with murderous intent and eyes full of aggression, the Martial Arts Masters felt their scalps tingle.
A fifteen-star Martial Arts Master was already incredibly powerful. Even facing this army of Demonic Beasts, they still possessed ample grounds for pride. But the sheer number of the beast army before them was so vast that it could easily drown all the Martial Arts Masters present using simple horde tactics.
Kirin looked at such an array deployed to protect the unhatched Emperor! Even if they wanted to execute a preemptive strike, the chances of success looked slim.
The Demonic Beast collective differed from humanity; if viewed through the lens of human history, they resembled a pure monarchical state. The only difference was that they required no inculcation of loyalty or patriotism. From the moment they were born, these beasts were one hundred percent loyal to the Queen Bee, and they would also be loyal to the Emperor who had yet to break its shell.
For the Queen Bee and the Emperor, they could completely disregard their own lives. They were a truly fearless fighting force!
Kirin had understood this very clearly after engaging the Demonic Beasts multiple times. These creatures acted like humanity’s combat drones, completely ignorant of what death meant. If mutual destruction could eliminate an opponent, they would collectively choose self-annihilation to wipe out all foes.
Another projection materialized not far from Kirin’s body. Upon seeing it, nearly all the martial artists present bowed in deference to the figure within.
The Martial Venerable! The Martial Venerable of the Sacred Martial Hall! Most of these Martial Arts Masters had emerged from the Sacred Martial Hall. Even those who hadn't were connected to it in some way; some had even been guided into the Martial Arts Master realm by those who had trained there. In essence, the Sacred Martial Hall could be considered their grand-master.
“Kirin, it seems the preemptive strike is facing the same situation we calculated previously,” the Martial Venerable said, cupping his hands towards Song Wendong. “Given this, if we wish to proceed with the preemptive strike, there seems to be only one path left.”
Song Wendong’s facial muscles twitched slightly, and his voice emerged dry and low:
“The military.”
“Precisely! The military!” The Martial Venerable’s demeanor was calm, showing no change in expression. “I know you don’t wish to involve civilians in this battle, but whether you want to or not, that time has passed.”
Song Wendong sank into thought, his face grim. While they hadn't factored the Emperor in deeply, their previous simulations regarding killing the Queen Bee had hinted at this very possibility. This was precisely why the Sky Combat Network existed, why there had been repeated military drills, and why terrorists could never be completely eradicated.
But to reach the point where the entire Federal Army must be deployed to gamble against the Demonic Beasts—even the high-and-mighty Divine Beast Martial Artist Song Wendong had to briefly consider the potential human casualties.
At this moment, who would ultimately claim the title of Divine Beast Martial Artist was irrelevant. Whether it was Qin Fen, Xue Tian, Harpos, or Shangguan Chuanqi, each had demonstrated their exceptional qualities.
The selection of a Divine Beast at the Assembly of Heroes was purely for the purpose of the preemptive strike against the Queen Bee.
Now, all four possessed the capability to participate in the operation. The title of Divine Beast could wait until they survived the preemptive strike.
Kirin picked up his phone, one that rarely made outgoing calls, and dialed a number. The resulting projection opened into a conference mode, showing the conference rooms of high-ranking military officials from across the Federation.
“General!”
The moment the soldiers saw Kirin, they simultaneously snapped to the most standard military salute, the clack of their boots echoing in the room.
Marshal—a rank long removed from the standard military structure. Only those who wielded true military power knew that only one person in the world still held the title of Marshal: Kirin.
“Do you remember the simulation drill you all experienced on the internal military battle network?” Kirin’s voice was as quiet as ever.
The military officials from various regions froze simultaneously. The internal military network drill was something new recruits encountered only after being assigned to their main units. Their opponents in these drills were not humans but simulated monstrous, semi-human entities.
Compared to the Federation’s Sky Combat Network, this internal drill felt more like the grid games from humanity’s pre-near-space era, where people controlled a mouse to kill enemies like 'Goblins,' 'Slimes,' or 'Orcs.'
Kirin looked at the military brass and stated calmly, “What I want to say is this: the internal network drills were not fake. Those things are all real.”
“What?”
“No way…”
Ignoring the reactions of the military officials, Kirin continued speaking in his own rhythm, “Remember the highest difficulty setting? The simulated preemptive strike against the Queen Bee? The emergence of the Mountain-Blocking Emperor? This time, it’s not just a drill anymore. The Emperor is about to be born. I will show you a scene.”
The vast, endless army of Demonic Beasts instantly shocked the military officials. This news was utterly unexpected.
Qin Fen and the others didn't quite grasp what Kirin meant by the 'internal military battle network.' After the New Recruit Competition, the young powerhouses had all pursued their own paths—either joining special forces or deliberately keeping a distance from the main military structure, not staying long enough to encounter the so-called internal network. They certainly didn't know that Kirin had even set up such a thing for the preemptive strike.
“In my capacity as Marshal, I order you: mobilize the entire army immediately! Be it warships, Mobile Armors, ground forces, or air forces—all units must enter top combat readiness status, and then we will embark on an expedition!”
“Marshal, are they on another planet?”
“What are the coordinates of the planet where the Demonic Beasts reside?”
Song Wendong sighed and said softly, “Assemble the army rapidly at the departure point in top combat readiness. When the time comes, a spatial rift will appear before the army. Crossing it will take you there. Prepare yourselves. After informing everyone, just relay the truth I told you.”
The projection closed again, and the arena fell into a heavy silence. The Martial Arts Masters quietly watched Song Wendong. An event that forced all Divine Beast Martial Artists into grave seriousness, an event that required the mobilization of the entire military, was certainly no small matter. Facing such a horde of Demonic Beasts, the force composed of Martial Arts Masters would absolutely become the sharpest blade.
Those who managed to become Martial Arts Masters were rarely foolish. Everyone waited for Kirin’s explanation. This situation was critical for the Martial Arts Masters; trying to refuse participation seemed unlikely, as the Divine Beast Martial Artist wouldn't allow it.
Willing or unwilling, everyone watched Song Wendong quietly.
Qin Fen took a small step forward, bowed slightly, and said softly, “Just let us know the departure time. I believe no further fighting will occur here, so we will take our leave for now.”
Song Wendong gazed at Qin Fen and sighed softly again, “Why must you walk the Martial Path?”
The Martial Arts Masters looked at Kirin, bewildered. Song Wendong had never been jealous of the rise of the younger generation; why was he so unhappy about Qin Fen choosing the Martial Path?
Only a few present knew that the preemptive strike, according to older calculations, was a path with nine parts death and one part life. Since Qin Fen possessed the strength to participate, he had to join! Consequently, if he died in battle, what about Song Jia?
Song Wendong was the Kirin Divine Beast Martial Artist, but also an ordinary elder who cherished his granddaughter. When these two identities conflicted, the resulting emotional turmoil inevitably surfaced in his heart.
Qin Fen smiled, scratched the back of his head, and focused his gaze on Qin Zhan, standing not far away. He walked over to his elder brother and whispered, “There is still some time. I want to see if there’s a way to give my friends just a little more strength before this battle.”
Qin Zhan clapped Qin Fen on the shoulder, “Go on, kid! You’ve reached this stage; seeing me won’t be difficult later. Once this is settled, we brothers will have a proper chat! Watching you grow up bit by bit from behind has made me anxious.”
“Oh, right,” Qin Fen whispered into Qin Zhan’s ear, “Brother, you don't seem too busy before the war starts. If you have time, why not go see Sister-in-law Phoenix and Sister-in-law Wang Ting?”
A flicker of surprise crossed Qin Zhan’s face, but the smile quickly returned across his features, tinged with a hint of helplessness as he whispered back, “If I’m going to see people, it might be more than just those two…”
“Brother, you—”
“Can’t help it; my charm in that department is too strong,” Qin Zhan patted Qin Fen’s arm, a hint of pride in his expression. “Your martial power improvement speed truly surpasses my imagination, but in matters of women, you are at least eight streets behind your old brother.”
Xue Tian sidled up and asked mischievously in a low voice, “Idol, stud, or harem?”
Qin Zhan considered briefly and answered very seriously, “They are all based on affection, so probably a harem, right?”
“Do you have a whole squad?” Xue Tian questioned again like a tabloid reporter.
“A whole squad?” Qin Zhan feigned annoyance and looked at Xue Tian. “You think so little of me? I just did a quick calculation—at least a platoon!”
Xue Tian cupped his hands in salute, “I surrender! An idol is an idol.”
Qin Zhan kicked Xue Tian lightly, “Alright, stop fooling around. We’ll talk more when this is over.”
Qin Fen hugged his long-separated brother, then turned back to Harpos. “Come with me. Shouldn't we settle the immediate issue before seeking revenge?”
All the Martial Arts Masters watched Qin Fen in astonishment, suspecting that perhaps the young warrior’s immense power had addled his brain? Harpos’s situation with his father’s enemy was a deep-seated feud; how could he possibly follow Qin Fen?
“Alright!”
Harpos agreed readily, startling nearly all the Martial Arts Masters. He agreed to Qin Fen.
“Strange?” Yang Lie chuckled, shrugging at the contemporary martial powerhouses. “Harpos is an Insect Warrior, but he once said his soul belongs to a noble humanity. Isn’t that enough?”
‘Humanity’—those simple two words explained everything about Harpos.
The irreconcilable hatred for his father’s killer must be avenged, but Harpos, already aware of the overall strength of the Demonic Beasts, still identified as human—merely a ‘New Human’ who had embarked on a path of biological evolution, stepping ahead of ordinary humans.
Xue Tian glanced at Shangguan Chuanqi and made a gesture inviting him to join.
Shangguan Chuanqi looked at Qin Fen, then at Yang Lie and the others, then at the surrounding Martial Arts Masters. A trace of hesitation crossed his face, but finally, he shook his head with firm resolve, “Thank you, I have my own path to walk.”
Xue Tian shrugged nonchalantly. Everyone had their own choices. For Shangguan Chuanqi to refuse in this situation suggested he had a trump card he was confident in.
The Assembly of Heroes started with a roar but ended somewhat anticlimactically. Even the final battle before the conclusion saw Qin Fen defeat the two strongest young contenders in two moves, almost securing the title of the foremost young powerhouse, leaving everyone deeply shocked. Yet, countless people lamented the missed opportunity to see Qin Fen fight against hundreds.
Even without witnessing it, numerous people believed that if a real fight had broken out, those hundreds of fighters ultimately could not have defeated Qin Fen.
That aura of taking on hundreds alone had profoundly shaken every spectator who witnessed the match.
Kirin Song Wendong was still explaining the truth of the situation to the Martial Arts Masters. If they truly went to war with the Demonic Beasts, the Martial Arts Masters would undoubtedly form the core backbone of the fighting force.
The fastest military Yu Lei warships transported Qin Fen and the others back to the Founding Assembly base on Saturn in less than a day.
In the cold room, the Number One Brain expressed surprise that the younger generation of powerhouses had almost all gathered there at this time.
“Qin Fen, are you planning to enter secluded training and discussion here?” The Number One Brain finally offered its opinion after several seconds of silence. “This place is really not suitable for you to engage in combat.”
Qin Fen looked at the Number One Brain, then at the smiling Xue Tian, and gently shook his head. “Discussion? Everyone’s martial path already has its goals. Many things cannot lead to real progress just by saying a few words to each other. Martial arts differ from science; it is more intuitive.”
Harpos nodded. Once one truly steps onto their own martial path, how can the direction be altered by a few sentences from someone else? Such a person, whose mind could be so easily swayed, could never reach the peak of the Martial Path. (To be continued)
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