The Empire, having developed over a millennium, had its most significant success in the field of large combat machinery. In city defense facilities and airborne warships, it even surpassed the Evernight faction, particularly in single-ship combat. Therefore, in past fleet battles, the Evernight side often relied on their superior individual strength to compensate for the shortcomings of their warships.
In this major conflict, however, none of the two Grand Dukes from the Evernight side appeared. In the second tier of strong individuals, the well-prepared Empire held the advantage. As a result, the Evernight airborne fleet suffered heavy losses.
Just a few hours after the battle began, the Evernight side lost an entire main detachment. But warships from both sides continued to arrive at the battlefield, indicating that the Evernight Council was not entirely unprepared, as they had hidden two detachments in a distant base as reserves. However, they never imagined that the Empire had stationed three detachments in the outer void as their trump card.
The ground forces were still advancing. Qian Ye closed the car window, collected his thoughts, and looked ahead.
On the horizon, clouds of dust rose, marking the advance of the Empire’s main force. The 30,000-strong vanguard included half from the Imperial main army and the other half from the Zhang family’s private forces. Despite the grudges some noble families held against the Zhang family, they could not help but acknowledge Zhang Boqian’s decision to place his private forces in the vanguard.
Qian Ye instructed his adjutant to maintain formation and distance from the main force and the flanking allies. Then, he lit a cigarette, allowing his entire body to relax. Despite the constant roar in the sky, Qian Ye managed to calm his mind, gradually falling into a deep sleep.
After an unknown period, a series of intense explosions jolted Qian Ye awake. A sharp whistling sound pierced the air as a heavy cannon shell descended. Yet, it did not complete its mission. The gunner in the back seat of the off-road vehicle aimed and fired, detonating the shell mid-air.
Although the explosion occurred over a hundred meters above, the vehicle still jumped from the shock, shattering the windows and demonstrating the sheer power of the heavy cannon.
Qian Ye smoothed his windblown hair and, with a light touch, leaped out of the shattered window, standing on the roof of the vehicle and scanning the surroundings.
The sky was filled with sharp whistles, and shells rained down upon Qian Ye’s convoy. “Order everyone to evade freely!” he commanded.
A captain in the back seat immediately stood up and relayed the order using signal flags. The convoy scattered, and fire sprang from the rooftops, creating a defensive net intercepting the falling shells.
Explosions continuously burst in the air, each accompanied by deafening booms. While many shells were intercepted, some still penetrated the defensive net, exploding on the ground, creating deep craters.
Suddenly, a transport vehicle made a sharp turn but failed to avoid a falling shell. It was hit directly, transforming into a giant fireball, and the soldiers inside were thrown in all directions like broken dolls. Only a few officers managed to escape, wounded, while the rest were mostly killed or maimed.
Qian Ye frowned; this single blast had cost the lives of dozens of elite soldiers. Although other vehicles were not directly hit, they still suffered casualties during evasion and from stray shells. However, crossing the artillery barrage with less than a hundred casualties was already an excellent performance, showcasing the prowess of the Zhao family’s elite private forces.
Qian Ye remained steady on the roof, his body glowing with crimson origin power, deflecting falling shells. Inspired, other high-ranking officers joined him, forming a protective barrier around the convoy.
Qian Ye gazed ahead, where the forward troops were deploying at the designated location, forming a temporary line of defense against the Evernight forces. Visually, the Evernight numbers seemed to far exceed the Empire’s, aiming to push the line forward before the Empire could stabilize.
“Accelerate!” Qian Ye ordered.
The engine roared, and the off-road vehicle bounded forward. The convoy followed, speeding towards the front lines.
Several kilometers from the battlefield, Qian Ye leaped from the vehicle and dashed forward. The communications officer fired a signal flare in the direction Qian Ye was heading. This distinctive blue trail was recognizable to all qualified Imperial soldiers as a Zhao family signal.
The convoy stopped a few kilometers from the battlefield, and the soldiers disembarked, rushing toward their positions in a dispersed formation.
The air was thick with cannon fire, and the ground shook from continuous explosions, leaving a pockmarked battlefield.
The Zhao family’s forward battalion, composed of seasoned veterans, deftly used the terrain, jumping from one crater to another. Midway, shells landed, sending some soldiers flying, but most quickly regained their feet and continued forward.
Their individual combat prowess and superior armor made them less vulnerable to the heavy bombardment. Unless the shells landed close, they only sustained minor injuries.
At the forefront, Qian Ye reached the Imperial forward position. A Zhang family general, recognizing the Zhao family insignia on Qian Ye, exclaimed, “You came so fast!”
Before Qian Ye could respond, he extended the Dongyue sword, blocking a powerful sniper bullet. Origin power flames, tinged with black, erupted from the blade, saving the general’s life.
Thanking Qian Ye, the general grabbed a nearby assault rifle and fired, killing a Blood Race marksman. “Thanks, brother!” he shouted.
Qian Ye waved dismissively, “Save the thanks for after the battle—let’s drink then!”
Without pausing, Qian Ye let out a long roar and charged a group of Spider Demons. His sea of power incapacitated half of them, and Dongyue beheaded the leading Viscount. Qian Ye focused on the most dangerous areas, using his speed and strength to decimate Dark Race squads, easing the pressure on the line.
Meanwhile, more Zhao family troops arrived, forming attack and defense formations around Qian Ye.
Qian Ye drew his Twin Blossoms, firing several shots to take down several Dark Warriors. “Defend here, set up a front line, and establish a rear position!” he barked.
Suddenly, Qian Ye sensed danger. A Blood Race grenade materialized at his feet, exploding and launching him several meters. The weight of Dongyue brought him crashing down.
Stunned, Qian Ye’s ears rang, and his vision blurred. The grenade had a disruptive effect on dawn origin power.
Despite his resilience, he struggled to stand.
Groggy, Qian Ye felt himself being dragged back, and several Zhao family soldiers appeared, laying down covering fire.
Another grenade exploded among the soldiers, felling most of them. One soldier managed to rise and return fire.
As Qian Ye was pulled into a crater, he felt a sharp sting in his neck.
The sudden attack triggered Qian Ye’s instinctive defenses. He snapped awake, sitting up with his pistol aimed.
Beside him was a young lieutenant, holding a bent needle. It was a Zhao family emergency stimulant, capable of healing, energizing, and replenishing blood, designed to pierce armor and deliver the medicine instantly.
The needle had bent on Qian Ye’s skin, useless. Qian Ye took the stimulant, removed the needle, and swallowed the contents. “Let’s go,” he said, leaping out of the crater.
Wielding the Bloody Mandala and Dongyue, Qian Ye used his lineage to move stealthily through the battlefield, seeking the culprit who had planted the grenade. This individual was a significant threat, having evaded Qian Ye’s keen senses.
Not long after, a grenade appeared in the water-like waves, exploding and sending two Imperial majors and several soldiers flying. The heavy machine gun fell silent.
In that brief moment, Qian Ye’s true sight caught a faint origin power ripple, tracing the grenade’s path. At the source, only thick smoke obscured any signs of life.
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