«City Defense Military Exercise»
Chong Xiao was truly unscathed.
From the moment his younger brother pointed a gun at him to the moment the shot was fired, the pitch-black man’s expression remained unchanged.
He Fang unconsciously took two steps forward. Chong Xiao remained motionless, making him doubt for a second whether the man was already dead.
But as He Fang approached, Chong Xiao’s gaze followed him, gradually locking onto his movements. There was not the slightest sign of abnormality in his state.
When He Fang finally stood before Chong Xiao, he intended to confirm the man’s condition. However, the moment he was face-to-face with him, he regretted it.
Considering how high the man’s stats were yet how low his loyalty was, He Fang suddenly felt apprehensive. He had initially planned to reach out and check for breathing or a heartbeat, but now he gave up on that idea.
Even with Chong Xiao sitting steadily, He Fang, who was standing, found himself at eye level with him. The man’s pitch-black pupils, partially concealed by thick, long eyelashes, fluttered open again, reflecting He Fang’s image clearly within them.
An inexplicable tension gripped He Fang.
“…Are you okay?” He Fang felt as if his heart was about to jump out of his chest while facing this NPC.
The pitch-black man slowly nodded.
Silence.
He Fang remained silent.
The man was also silent.
They simply stared at each other without a word.
Somehow, He Fang felt as though the bright space around him was darkening, simply because he was in contact with this man. Just by looking into his eyes, it was as if an endless darkness was creeping up from beneath his feet, swallowing him whole. Yet, this overwhelming darkness did not feel threatening or cold; instead, it carried an indescribable warmth that lightly brushed against him.
“I told you, City Lord, you didn’t need to worry too much. My brother’s skin is thick and tough—he’s especially resistant to damage. To this day, I’ve never seen him suffer even the slightest scratch. His skin is as hard as iron.”
A clear, rambling young voice suddenly rang beside He Fang’s ear.
In an instant, He Fang was yanked out of the abyss of darkness and back into reality.
At that moment, He Fang was so furious he could barely contain himself.
“Chong Ying! Come here! Stand right there—stand up straight! Don’t move! Don’t laugh!”
Despite his confusion, Chong Ying still obediently followed He Fang’s command and stood ramrod straight. Having received training from the police force, his posture was impeccable. His adorable features, paired with his serious expression, made him look all the more bright and striking.
But He Fang was in no mood to appreciate his looks right now.
Thinking about how much effort he had put into expanding the city’s population and making it more habitable, He Fang was livid. Every single citizen in this city was a result of his hard work! Yet when he looked at Chong Ying now, all he saw was a spoiled, reckless young master squandering his family’s fortune. He was absolutely fuming.
“Do you realize what you did wrong?” He Fang scolded as he stood before the boy.
Chong Ying blinked. “Report: I don’t know.”
He Fang nearly passed out from anger. “You don’t even have the slightest sense of remorse?!”
Chong Ying responded loudly, “Report: I repent!”
He Fang pressed on. “And what exactly are you repenting for?”
Chong Ying immediately wilted. “…Report: I don’t know.”
Meanwhile, Min Zhizhou subtly shrank into a corner, doing his best to avoid being caught in He Fang’s wrath.
Furious, He Fang pointed at Chong Xiao. “That’s your brother! Your blood-related, flesh-and-blood brother! He looks so much like you—he’s practically another version of you! How could you point a weapon at him so casually?! What if he got hurt?!”
“He wouldn’t get hurt,” Chong Ying tried to argue, looking at him with big, innocent eyes.
“And how exactly do you know that? You don’t even know how to properly use that gun! You have no idea how powerful it is! What if it was too strong and your brother couldn’t withstand it? What if he had died at your hands? Have you ever considered that possibility?! Do you know what it means to prevent a disaster before it happens?!”
He Fang was beyond exasperated. The way this NPC was set up was absolutely ridiculous.
Still seething, He Fang turned abruptly to the police chief, Qi Jingwei. “And you!”
When he heard himself being called out, Qi Jingwei instinctively snapped to attention, standing in a perfect military posture, bracing himself for their creator’s reprimand.
“You clearly understand how dangerous this is, yet you allow your subordinates to act so recklessly? Your very existence is meant to prevent them from crossing the line! If even you won’t step in to stop them, do you expect them to restrain themselves?”
He Fang, small in stature, looked particularly weak among the crowd of grown men and one teenager. Yet, the way he scolded them with full authority, while these burly men hung their heads in silence and did not dare to refute him, created an almost comical contrast.
After calling out Qi Jingwei, He Fang didn’t even spare Chong Xiao.
“As an older brother, you didn’t even try to stop your younger sibling? He’s younger than you, you know more than he does, and you understand what it means to exercise restraint. He’s acting so recklessly, and yet you just let him be? Spoiling your little brother shouldn’t mean risking your life!”
Chong Xiao’s gaze flickered slightly. A rare trace of confusion surfaced on his pale face, his long lashes quivering a little. Even the lollipop stick he had been biting down on stopped moving. He didn’t say a word, yet for some reason, he looked… aggrieved.
Seeing this, He Fang suddenly felt nervous and immediately pulled up Chong Xiao’s status panel. After checking it, he let out a relieved sigh—his loyalty remained at exactly 598. Not a point more, not a point less. Only then did He Fang relax.
“Reflect on your actions. All of you, reflect properly!”
As He Fang’s voice fell, his emotions finally stabilized, gradually cooling down.
However, once he calmed down, he found the whole situation rather ridiculous. What was he doing, scolding a bunch of NPCs like this? This was probably just his pent-up frustration talking. In reality, he was a socially anxious person who could barely speak clearly.
“I knew for sure that it wouldn’t be dangerous, which is why I used my brother as an experiment.” Chong Ying stood at attention, explaining himself only after He Fang had cooled down. “City Lord, I’m well-versed in the properties of all ranged weapons. In fact, before I called Min Zhizhou over, I had already completely disassembled this gun. Based on my knowledge of its mechanics, I was absolutely certain that this gun couldn’t harm my brother.”
He Fang was momentarily stunned.
Yet, instead of being angry or upset about being scolded, Chong Ying merely smiled—his youthful features carrying a warm sincerity. “It’s a good thing that the City Lord cares so much about my brother’s life. I was at fault for not explaining things to you beforehand. I won’t make the same mistake again. I’ve already reflected very, very deeply. Will you forgive me?”
“City Lord, rest assured,” Qi Jingwei’s deep voice was firm and unwavering. “I don’t care about the lives of others, but once someone becomes my subordinate, ensuring their survival is my responsibility.” Then, his tone took on a teasing edge. “And I must say, it’s quite reassuring to see how much you care about us.”
He Fang blinked, suddenly feeling that these NPCs were disturbingly intelligent.
But after hearing those words, he no longer felt as furious, nor as awkward about the situation.
Could they actually be programmed to help people save face? He Fang even started to suspect that there was some hidden human interference behind these NPCs.
“But, City Lord,” Chong Ying interjected, “I think this gun is really interesting. It has great potential for development. Why don’t we take it to the research institute and see if they can use it to develop new firearms?”
Clearly, Chong Ying had a strong interest in guns, given his deep expertise in ranged weaponry.
Looking at the oddly designed firearm, He Fang couldn’t help but feel anxious—this was merely discarded technology from outsiders beyond the city walls.
“Let’s put it in the research institute for now,” He Fang decided. “I’ve already allocated land for a new weapons development facility in the recently expanded territory. We’ll likely need new weaponry soon.”
As he brought up the subject of weapons, He Fang’s expression grew serious. He lacked sufficient data to determine just how advanced the world outside had become in terms of weaponry.
At first, he had considered transferring all available gun-related information from his computer into the city for research and manufacturing. But now, he realized that instead of relying on outdated real-world weapons, he might be better off pulling in the imaginative weapon concepts from movies and anime to explore new possibilities.
He had already taken Lu Hu’s advice and planned to expand outward, but now, it seemed the difficulty of expansion was far greater than he had initially anticipated.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, He Fang pointed at Min Zhizhou. The young man, already accustomed to He Fang’s habits, naturally walked over and knelt down before him.
With a heavy expression, He Fang asked, “What is the current state of weapon development in the mobile cities? Give me the simplest, most direct explanation of the situation.”
Min Zhizhou nodded, thought for a moment, and then replied, “Technology itself has advanced rapidly, especially over the past hundred years of the apocalypse. To ensure the survival and operation of mobile cities, as well as to swiftly eliminate threats, everything has been developed with utmost urgency. Right now, mechanical advancements have far surpassed those of the peaceful era a hundred years ago.”
“Make it simpler. Even simpler. Preferably with an example.” He Fang directly interrupted the long-winded explanation. Right now, he just wanted to determine whether his invasion plan could be put into action.
“The strongest combat power in mobile cities is probably on par with the giant defensive guardians you’ve stationed around the city,” Min Zhizhou chose the simplest way to explain it.
He Fang was stunned, unable to react. “What?”
“Are you talking about the Rainbow Squad?” Chong Ying had somehow ended up sitting beside them and asked.
“I’m not sure about the name, but there are seven-colored beams of light, like a rainbow. So… I suppose it’s the Rainbow Squad,” Min Zhizhou’s expression was somewhat odd—the name just sounded way too plain.
“The Rainbow Squad…” He Fang was even more confused. “How do you even know they’re on the same level? I haven’t seen them activate even once!”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know. It’s just that their design looks somewhat similar,” Min Zhizhou replied.
He Fang had never actually examined what was inside the Rainbow Squad’s beams of light. His only memory was that one time when he curiously peeked through the outer shell and saw what looked like a massive metallic foot.
“Did you sneak up and peek through the Rainbow Squad’s glass panels?” He Fang asked.
Min Zhizhou, surprisingly, flushed slightly. “There was a temporary job posting for cleaning the light pillars, so I applied. The job was to clean those seven-colored light beams. While I was working, I saw what was inside. I was really curious and fascinated, so I took a careful look at each one.”
He Fang widened his eyes. This guy was a total workaholic.
“Although I said they look similar, the design and craftsmanship of the Rainbow Squad are so stunning that even a mere glimpse is overwhelming. If I had to guess, the combat strength of mobile cities might not necessarily surpass the Rainbow Squad,” Min Zhizhou said thoughtfully.
That left He Fang in a tough spot.
Min Zhizhou had a fundamentally different perspective due to the poor conditions and low standard of living in his own city. His worldview didn’t align with those inside the city, so his judgment of the Rainbow Squad’s abilities was probably unclear as well.
“Then how can we find out the defensive capabilities of the Rainbow Squad?” He Fang was troubled. Those premium pay-to-win light beams had cost him a fortune—they had to be useful, right?
Min Zhizhou watched He Fang deep in thought. The young man furrowed his brows tightly, genuinely racking his brain on how to develop the city. His determination was unquestionable.
However, Min Zhizhou didn’t say much. Instead, his gaze grew increasingly complicated as he glanced toward the silent man standing beside them like a black statue.
That gun had been discarded not because it lacked firepower, but because it was too difficult to use. Long-term usage would cause irreversible harm to the user, even if they trained diligently.
Even now, that gun’s firepower could easily annihilate an entire squad. Yet despite its overwhelming strength, Chong Xiao had taken a direct hit—without dodging—without sustaining any injuries. This wasn’t just a matter of physical endurance. This was the mark of a complete and utter monster.
At that moment, Chong Xiao’s eyes narrowed slightly, his pitch-black pupils shifting toward Min Zhizhou like a precise machine locking onto a target.
Min Zhizhou’s back stiffened instantly. That deep, abyssal gaze felt like the stare of a lurking predator in the darkness, sending a chill straight to his bones. Even when facing Nightmare Beasts, he had never felt such an overwhelming sense of terror. His body instinctively reacted—waves of cold sweat threatened to consume him entirely.
“If you really want to test the Rainbow Squad’s defensive capabilities, why not have my brother attack it?”
Just as Min Zhizhou felt like he could no longer endure Chong Xiao’s gaze, Chong Ying suddenly spoke up, looking amused as he addressed He Fang.
“Attack?” He Fang was momentarily stunned.
“The city’s defensive guardians only activate when the city is under extreme threat. My brother is the strongest man in the city—let him attack the city guards and force them to activate. He can fight them.”
Chong Ying’s eyes sparkled with the thrill of chaos and battle. “That way, we’ll get data on the Rainbow Squad. Plus, Uncle Min can assess our combat strength properly.”
He Fang’s expression was numb. “You seem to really enjoy sending your brother to do dangerous things. Every single light pillar of the Rainbow Squad is massive—who knows how big the things inside are? Aren’t you afraid your brother will die while testing them?”
“…He should be fine, right?” But for once, Chong Ying wasn’t entirely sure.
Qi Jingwei, who had been listening quietly, finally joined the conversation. “I don’t think we should act rashly. After all, the exact combat power of the Rainbow Squad is still unknown. No one has ever seen them activate. No matter how strong Chong Xiao is, he’s still just a mortal. Against something completely unknown, there’s no guarantee of success.”
Min Zhizhou expressionlessly glanced at the so-called “mortal” Chong Xiao.
“Hmm, then what should we do?” Chong Ying was also feeling lost and subconsciously turned to his brother for help. “Bro, do you have any ideas?”
Chong Xiao’s long eyelashes fluttered slightly. His pitch-black pupils suddenly shifted in a certain direction.
Chong Ying immediately followed his brother’s gaze. The others did the same, only to see… a plain, empty wall.
“What does that mean?” He Fang asked.
Qi Jingwei frowned. “I’m not sure either.”
“He’s your subordinate, isn’t he?” He Fang looked at Qi Jingwei in shock. “Where’s your authority as a police chief?”
“…Well, Chong Xiao and I have never really gotten along,” Qi Jingwei replied helplessly.
He Fang pressed his lips together. Fine. He had nothing to say to that. Chong Xiao clearly wasn’t the sociable type. In fact, He Fang hadn’t heard him utter a single word so far—he was even starting to suspect the man might be mute.
Among the four of them, only Chong Ying kept staring at the seemingly unremarkable wall. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he realized what his brother meant. “Oh! We can ask the Divine Lord!”
He Fang: “…”
Qi Jingwei also seemed to have an epiphany. “The Divine Lord has been so inactive that I almost forgot he was actually usable.”
He Fang: “…”
Wait… was Chong Xiao just reminding them to use the Divine Lord?
Suddenly, He Fang remembered—the direction Chong Xiao had looked at was precisely where the statue was located.
Min Zhizhou asked, “Are you talking about the landmark in the city center? That thing is actually usable?”
“Of course! Not only can it be used, but it’s incredibly powerful,” Chong Ying said, leaning back on his hands as if gossiping about something trivial. “The Divine Lord’s abilities should be limitless. As long as there’s faith, the Divine Lord can do anything. But no one bothers to worship him, so without faith, he’s just a regular statue.”
“How does he compare to your brother?” Min Zhizhou hadn’t expected the statue to have such a function.
But Chong Ying burst into laughter. “Are you joking? The Divine Lord and my brother aren’t even the same species! How could you compare them?”
Min Zhizhou hesitated, then chose to say nothing.
“So as long as there’s faith, the Divine Lord can do anything?” He Fang had just learned about this for the first time.
“Yep, exactly! But the Divine Lord is the laziest guy in the whole city. Without faith, he won’t budge an inch. Everyone despises him for not understanding the concept of mutual help, so nobody gives him any faith. If we don’t give it to him, he just stands there like a stubborn idiot.” Chong Ying laughed as if telling a joke.
But He Fang was stunned. Why did it sound like the statue actually had its own consciousness?
“Though… when it comes to matters related to the city lord, he tends to be very proactive. Just the other day, he was holding up his—” Chong Ying suddenly cut himself off when he caught Qi Jingwei’s sharp gaze. His smile froze on his face.
“Holding up what?” He Fang asked.
Chong Ying’s expression stiffened as he forced a response. “…Holding up his arm, showing off his well-defined muscles.”
He Fang’s face twisted into an odd expression. He couldn’t understand the Divine Lord’s bizarre hobbies at all.
Chong Ying smacked his lips and shrank under the police chief’s piercing stare. He had gotten too comfortable around the Creator and ended up talking too much.
“I’ve given him a lot of faith already. He should have quite a bit accumulated by now.” Ever since He Fang found out the Holy Lord’s daily tasks actually had an effect, he had been completing them diligently—cleaning, touching, and other simple interactions. They didn’t take much time at all.
Chong Ying scoffed. He knew that scheming bastard was full of tricks. The Divine Lord would bend over backward when it came to anything related to the Creator, yet he still pretended to rely on daily tasks just to get more attention.
Despicable. Shameless. A true scoundrel.
“Let’s give it a try,” He Fang decided after some thought. “Qi Jingwei, have your police department send people to record everything. I’ll go find Zhu Yan and get some researchers to join us. Min Zhizhou, stay by my side. Your job is to keep your eyes wide open and observe everything from start to finish—analyze the combat strength carefully.”
He Fang had no intention of postponing his invasion plans. After all, he was making videos about this game—if he didn’t stir up trouble, how would he get views?
As he spoke, he strode off at full speed, leaving the three people in the training room behind.
They didn’t see He Fang off—there was no need to. No matter where He Fang went, he moved unhindered, as if he were simply returning home. After all, who needs to be seen off when leaving their own house?
Chong Ying and Qi Jingwei exchanged glances. The tall police chief stood up. “The City Lord took my coat. He’ll probably realize it soon. I’ll go get it back.”
Chong Ying watched with wide eyes as Qi Jingwei left, slamming the door shut behind him. In the end, his gaze landed on Chong Xiao.
Chong Xiao was still shrouded in black, but his entire presence now exuded an overwhelming sense of dejection.
His pitch-black pupils had lost their usual brilliance, his head hung low. Even the lollipop in his mouth remained untouched.
He looked like a large, abandoned black hound.
Chong Ying let out a long sigh.
“Bro, come on, at least say something. Just because you can’t see the Creator doesn’t mean you can’t talk,” Chong Ying fretted over his emotionally stunted brother. “Brother, my dear brother, do you know how many opportunities I’ve created for you to show off? Why don’t you ever cherish them?”
Chong Xiao remained silent, his head still lowered.
“I touched the Creator so many times today, you know?” Chong Ying started off comforting but soon veered into boasting. “You wouldn’t believe how soft and delicate he is. When he held onto me, I could barely feel any strength. I was afraid that if I pulled too hard, I’d end up hurting him.”
Realizing he was flaunting, Chong Ying coughed. He shouldn’t be stimulating his poor, socially inept brother any further.
His poor, inexpressive brother, whose obsession with the Creator had led him to fill his entire room with black-market merchandise of the man.
Everyone in the police department knew just how much his brother liked the Creator. The Creator’s sudden visit must have meant the world to him.
“Say, Bro…” Chong Ying sighed deeply. “You didn’t… freeze up the moment you saw the Creator, did you? Did you even greet him properly? Did you tell him you admire him? And—don’t tell me—you didn’t even bow to him?”
Chong Xiao’s expression could only be described as utterly bleak.
Chong Ying ruffled his hair in frustration. “How about we talk to the chief and get ourselves assigned as record keepers for this Rainbow Squad investigation? That way, Bro, you’ll have another chance to talk to the Creator. If nothing else, at least try to leave a good impression.”
At that, Chong Xiao’s eyes finally showed a hint of light. He lifted his head slightly, the strands of his black hair swaying by his ears, and a bit of vitality returned to his expression.
“But when it comes time to report on the combat analysis, you must, must, must, must remember to speak!”
Chong Xiao slowly nodded.
His eyes held a faint glimmer of anticipation.
He Fang regretted it.
He had never regretted something so much before.
Why had he been so impulsive? Why had he insisted on feeding that information into the Divine Lord? Why had he insisted on testing the Rainbow Squad’s combat strength?
Now, as He Fang stared at the ruins left behind by the so-called “friendly spar” between the Divine Lord and the Rainbow Squad, he couldn’t even muster a reaction.
Even the surrounding farmland had been half-destroyed. And that was despite relocating the battle to an open, unpopulated area outside the city.
The sheer destructive force had upturned the very earth, flipping the soil over by nearly three feet. What was once a serene field of grass, farmland, and scattered countryside homes had now been reduced to a wasteland.
He Fang lay on the soft soil, which had been completely upheaved, feeling his body slowly sinking into the ground. His expression was blank.
Even though “Ruins Without Restart” had a reset mechanic and the landscape should restore itself by tomorrow—
All restoration required a fee.
And in this single battle assessment, He Fang had watched in real time as his already meager national treasury was slashed in half.
His face was now completely expressionless.
His mind was filled with nothing but regret.
Twenty minutes earlier…
He Fang often came to the Divine Lord’s side for daily tasks and had long grown familiar with the massive white statue. But today, he wasn’t here for a task. Looking at the accumulated faith points, he figured it was time to use them.
By now, a significant number of record keepers had gathered around—both human and machine. Standing directly in front of He Fang was Min Zhizhou, his expression extraordinarily solemn.
He Fang glanced behind him at the fully prepared record keepers. Their faces were all grave, filled with an unwavering steadiness that made them seem almost like emotionless NPCs. Yet these “NPCs” had already planned everything out upon receiving his order—where to conduct the test, the extent of the testing range, and even the placement of data recorders, which had been set up in every corner. Each recorder was guarded by three record keepers.
With everything in place, all He Fang had to do was issue the command to the Divine Lord.
Faced with such an exaggerated level of preparation, He Fang, who had initially only wanted a simple assessment, couldn’t help but feel the weight of the situation.
This had completely turned into a military exercise.
“Just the red pillar, right?” He Fang confirmed once more, his finger hovering over the command input in front of the Divine Lord’s statue.
“Yes.” Min Zhizhou nodded. Each pillar of the Rainbow Squad housed a different type of guardian, but for now, he only needed to examine a single sample.
“Alright, I’m starting.”
“Mm.”
He Fang felt a bit nervous. He wasn’t even sure why—perhaps the environment was too realistic, or maybe the people around him were taking it too seriously. Either way, he found himself swallowing involuntarily.
Looking up, he saw the massive sacred beast, its imposing presence commanding awe. From his vantage point, the colossal statue loomed too high for him to take in its entirety. He could only grasp the overwhelming strength it exuded.
He Fang input the command to conduct a ten-minute military exercise—an exhibition of the Divine Lord’s and the Rainbow Squad’s power, with the red pillar set as the primary target.
Not only was he curious about the Rainbow Squad’s capabilities, but he was also intrigued by the Divine Lord’s power. According to Chong Ying, the Divine Lord’s strength increased with the number of faith points offered. In other words, there was no upper limit.
No upper limit—how terrifying was that?
As soon as He Fang executed the command, he saw the Divine Lord move again. The last time he had witnessed this was during a previous experiment.
A deep, resonating roar erupted from the enormous sacred beast—not the sound of an ordinary animal, but a forceful vibration that reverberated through the air from all directions. He Fang felt his very blood boiling, ignited by the sheer intensity of the sound.
He Fang craned his neck. For the first time, he saw the Divine Lord’s expression. Due to the nature of the statue, its face was devoid of emotion, rigid and unyielding. It simply stood there, an immovable deity.
Gradually, its form began to turn transparent.
“It’s shifting.”
Qi Jingwei suddenly pulled He Fang into a nearby police car, swiftly issuing orders to the fully prepared record keepers. “It’s relocating. Move now! All record keepers, start recording!”
Seated inside the speeding vehicle, He Fang watched the Divine Lord’s retreating figure.
The towering statue stood there, more majestic than the tallest building in the city.
Eyes widening, He Fang blurted out, “Did the Divine Lord get bigger?”
“It’s probably adjusting to match the Rainbow Squad’s scale,” Qi Jingwei replied as he floored the accelerator, the car roaring forward.
The Divine Lord’s statue didn’t seem to move—or at least, in He Fang’s eyes, it hadn’t. Its backdrop was pure white, sacred and untouchable. Though he had spent so much time around this statue, he now felt, for the first time, as though he was truly standing before a divine being.
A deep sense of reverence stirred within him.
The Divine Lord’s side profile was flawless—so perfect that it was clear at a glance that it was not human. It was the pinnacle of humanity. The limit of human reach.
Just as He Fang found himself lost in thought, a piercing alarm suddenly rang in his ears.
The sound spread throughout the city, vast and overwhelming, yet distinctly indicating which pillar had activated—even though this was He Fang’s first time hearing it.
“The city’s defenses have been activated,” Qi Jingwei stated.
Before they even arrived at the site, the Divine Lord had already begun to act. Min Zhizhou furrowed his brows as Qi Jingwei opened the car’s sunroof.
“Min Zhizhou, get up there and find the best vantage point.”
Min Zhizhou stood up, the fierce wind from the car’s speed lashing against his face. Despite the deafening gusts, he could still clearly hear every sound coming from the distant battlefield.
Are they doing this on purpose?
Min Zhizhou furrowed his brows. The massive sound could serve as a warning, urging any residents who had yet to react to evacuate immediately. This strange noise allowed even untrained civilians to pinpoint its exact location—it was terrifying.
Suddenly, Min Zhizhou’s eyes widened in shock. Even as the wind stung his eyeballs with pain, he dared not blink.
He saw the red pillar of the Rainbow Squad.
Within the colossal, glowing red pillar, a gigantic humanoid mech was gradually emerging. At first, it remained in a stable state, but soon, the energy field surrounding its body began to unfold. It looked completely different from what he had seen from outside the pillar.
What he had assumed to be intricate surface engravings were not actually fused to the mech’s body. Each marking was a weapon.
Behind the humanoid mech, a massive, cape-like energy veil flickered with light. Then, in an instant, an explosive burst of brilliance erupted—only to vanish just as quickly.
“Damn it, the recorders are offline.” Qi Jingwei cursed.
“Can you hear me? Hey, hey, boss, are you there?”
A young voice—Chong Ying’s—suddenly crackled through the radio.
“Copy that,” Qi Jingwei responded, picking up the radio. “The signal around you just completely vanished.”
“Xiao Hong seems to have activated some kind of signal jammer. Everything relying on electricity and communication has been disabled—all of our recording devices are useless now. I’m currently stationed on a building just outside Xiao Hong’s jammer range. I’ll try to relay as much information as possible. Min Zhizhou, are you there? Can you hear me?”
Chong Ying casually referred to the red pillar as “Xiao Hong1Little Red“.
“I hear you.”
Min Zhizhou’s heart was pounding with shock.
That enormous, flawless mech…
Not even the most advanced mobile city alliances in existence had mastered the free-flowing energy veil technology it possessed.
That mech—
It was breathtaking.
A perfect humanoid mech.
It shattered everything Min Zhizhou thought he knew.
Every detail of its exquisite design was so meticulously crafted that it could fulfill the wildest dreams of any technological designer.
It had no eyes, yet the lack of them only enhanced its mystique.
Min Zhizhou’s heart raced.
Even from this distance, his adrenaline was already surging.
The red mech scanned its surroundings, quickly detecting that its signal jammer did not affect an unidentified intruder.
“Target confirmed.”
The colossal red mech’s voice rang out—cold, mechanical, devoid of human emotion.
“Dangerous entity: Divine Lord. Identified as a rebel.
Rainbow Squad mission: Eliminate the rebel—Divine Lord.
Commencing.”
