The Scorched City’s hundred miles of scorched earth and the metal vines that spread overlappingly across the land enveloped the city around it.
Within Colonel Golden Lion Iska’s field of vision, as he looked outward from inside the plane, they presented themselves on the earth’s surface like ringworm.
The pilot ahead said, “Mr. Iska, can we fly over that? “
Iska looked quietly toward the distant ground where countless figures were gathered.
“Let’s take a detour. “
The high-altitude evil-dream plane, with its dim color and solid block shape, began to trace an arc trajectory, bypassing this gathering of people on the ground in Steffin.
At this moment, some figures on the ground, with their heads and most of their bodies wrapped in sheet-like cloth, looked up. Among them, some sheet-like cloth was made of a material resembling shiny plastic film. Seen from high altitude, there seemed to be some signs of commotion below.
Beyond the perimeter of this scorched earth, metal vines, like an enlarged bramble forest or a defensive line, were chaotically expanding around it.
But further outward, on the barren land, although there were countless traces of vines that had intersected and passed through, the metal vines themselves were far fewer.
“From observation, the amount of iron in the underground iron vine itself cannot completely cover every inch of the ground in the entire world. “
Colonel Jin Shi looked at the countless traces left by iron vines on the ground.
“But from some intelligence gathered from your Fogfolk accounts, it seems someone has calculated that if the parts of the metal vines extending from underground to the surface, still within the soil, were to completely emerge on the ground, they would cover the entire world and still have surplus. They could even spread into the sea. However, it is unknown whether that extreme scenario can truly occur. “
Zhao Anlong’s eyes moved. This scene had been recorded in the pages of the memoirs of Snoring Omniscient Perception.
Even for this Demon-Blood corruption infected person before me, who was once a member of the Stiffen Empire, some intelligence cannot be fully and directly understood. Zhao Anlong knew that the Stiffen Demon-Blood Warriors, who had obtained special related authority, possessed the qualifications to partially access information known to the Fogfolk.
Zhao Anlong asked, “Before the actions down there began, were you aware of any intelligence? “
“Yes. But the intelligence was flawed. From the very beginning, we received misleading guidance from the information provider. “
The Golden Lion Colonel said:
“A merchant lord named Gong Mora led his ‘Secretancient technique restorationr Research eam’ and demonred this scheme or us. However, due to the difficulty in implementing the technology and the extreme danger of the exploration process—that terrorific technique we had heard about from the previous land over four hundred years ago—it was abandoned. All resources of our nation were invested elsewhere. “
“Gong Mora, huh… such a terrifying man. ” Zhao Anlong slumped back into his chair, frowning as he pondered. “A detonation of t this manuclear weapons. “
“Yes, ” the Golden Lion Colonel leaned forward slightly. “He used nothing but a false piece of intelligence to steer the decades-long research of the Goldenshell Federation’s remnants toward his own goal. “
“Ahh, ” Zhao Anlong let out a sigh tinged with regret, “I truly wish I could see him with my own eyes, to learn the story of how he used a single false report to control the application of so many nuclear bombs. “
Isuka frowned deeply and glanced over.
Zhao Anlong let out a chuckle, glancing at Isuka, whose expression was unfavorable, and comforted him:
“It’s okay. At least for now, we haven’t ruled out the signal that metal vines are impervious to radiation. This is also a technical elimination we’re making to prepare for the next time we face the Armageddon Iron Vine disaster. “
Yiska waited for a few breaths.
“That makes sense, actually. “
“Don’t be upset, ” Zhao Anlong said, flashing his pearly whites.
“The only thing is, I simply can’t explain the source of that info you just mentioned. What I can tell you with certainty is that all the iron vines can reach both the ground and the sea. That’s true. I guarantee it a hundred percent. “
Yiska thought it over for a moment, and a grave expression suddenly crossed his face. “You’re saying… does this world… “
“It’s not what you’re thinking. “
Zhao Anlong snorted softly, his gaze piercing through the plane’s glass shield to land on the pockmarked, gently curving land below. “The deep secrets of this world run far deeper. And this land… “
Suddenly, they felt the plane climb sharply, then bank hard, heading toward the vicinity of the concentration zone.
“Sir, there’s an incoming transmission. “
“What? ” Golden Lion had already spotted the outside and found it somewhat amusing as he rubbed his forehead. “I actually catch myself wondering how there could be one of our signal stations in a place like this. “
Zhao Anlong grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Look here, old pal. As an old saying of ours goes: even the most capable man makes a slip once out of a hundred times. I think you’ve been wound too tight today. Back and arch a bit. Want me to let some more air in? “
“No need, just get me on the line first. Be careful—the newly built signal station in the heritage zone is definitely not secure. “
On this Nightmare aircraft flying over from Krupp’s sky, the wireless signal link machine was turned on.
- “Gold, Chairman Yang has released their Flame Bird. It’s headed to the core lava belt to investigate the truth about the Doom Vines that pierce the earth. “
Colonel Golden Lion Iska stood frozen in shock.
“Am I hearing this right?! ” The pilot shouted in surprise.
Zhao Anlong also sprang to his feet, his head slamming “thud ” against the glass canopy. He pushed forward to the back of the seat ahead and stuck out his head, shouting:
“What the hell is going on! Where did he get a new bird?! “
“When did this happen?! ” Colonel Golden Lion immediately inquired.
— “Approximately thirty minutes ago. “
Colonel Brownlion’s voice came through the communicator, saying, “I have contacted our country via the Heiwen Zike special line and informed them of this matter. “
Heading down beneath the crust of the earth!
Golden Lion Iska sat stunned on a chair, unable to compose himself, his heart full of unease.
……
Teranse.
From the room came the excited, loud voice of Qian Caesar, filled with joy.
A group of gentlemen and ladies with anxious expressions quickly arrived at the door of this residence. The man in the lead, in his fifties with skin slightly trembling, immediately raised his arm and knocked on the door with a succession of “thumps. “
“Who is it? ” a man’s voice called from inside.
“It’s… us, Manager Cai. ” The man opened his mouth in a somewhat forced smile, a broad grin that seemed slightly insincere. “We brothers are here to congratulate you. “
The room’s door opened with a click, revealing Cai Ounce’s face, brimming with joy. “Come in quickly, ” he said, then revealed the spacious room, along with two other figures inside.
Amidst the sound of a radio broadcast, one of these two men, wearing a grey plaid shirt and vest, stood with his hands resting on the edge of a table and cabinet nearby, like a bodyguard. The other was a short-haired young man who looked full of a sharp, fierce energy.
“Congratulations, Manager Ounce. “
As soon as they entered the room, the group of several men realized from the young man with short hair’s demeanor and complexion which place he was from.
“No, no, haha, these are just some minor matters. “
Cai Ounce explained to the group of trade alliance members, who had just signed the contract that afternoon and then left:
“Don’t misunderstand, everyone. This gentleman is my new business partner. From now on, regarding our country’s broadcast of films and shows abroad on the World Ark—oh, you might not be too familiar with that term. Anyway, I have confirmed that we’ll be handling that together with him. “
From the radio came a crisp narrating voice reading the story ofMist Maiden and the Colored Glaze Cap.
In this background soundscape, a woman in her forties stepped closer and asked, “Mr. Ounce, is it true that you not only bought up those equipment pieces but also returned part of the bidding funds? “
“Ha! That’s right, thirty percent back. “
It turned out to be true, and the crowd was greatly surprised. A few of the newcomers, who had exchanged glances, were about to say something else when suddenly a high-pitched static noise burst from the radio.
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