Bridge of the Starry Sky

"Heh--hey!"

The heavy hammer slammed into the sharpened wooden post, driving it into the ground. The shirtless, burly man wielded the hammer, his muscles bulging as he unleashed tremendous power in his vigorous labor.

Tex the Mad Shark, a former Imperial Navy officer and a renowned bounty hunter on the west coast of Goth, now toils away, engaging in simple yet passionate labor—building a wall.

If his old friends and rivals knew he was doing this, they would all burst out laughing. In fact, before today, Tex never imagined that he would one day be reduced to a construction laborer. After all, how could a Mad Shark work for someone else?

But he still picked up the wooden hammer and volunteered to engage in glorious labor.

The greedy, ferocious, and cunning Mad Shark swung its massive hammer while chanting, "Eighty! Eighty!"

Eighty work points—that's the amount he needs to earn.

That's also his sole motivation for swinging the sledgehammer here.

Because eighty work points can be exchanged for a Listener brand portable radio.

It's that one from the Crocodile Bar. That damn Jim treasures it terribly; apparently, he even sleeps with it and won't let anyone touch it.

This little gem that can make funny sounds and tunes can't be bought with money. It's only available in various pubs, restaurants, and the like, and it's not for sale. It's said that every owner has signed some kind of contract or agreement for it, but Jim is very tight-lipped about it.

As a resourceful bounty hunter, Tex wasn't without his crooked ideas, but the swift and fierce response from Distant Harbor made him reconsider. On the second day after the large-scale distribution of radios, seven thefts and robberies occurred in Distant Harbor, targeting only the radios, without any monetary or sexual assault.

Then on the third day, all the prisoners were captured.

Along with the owner who had embezzled from the premises, they were all sliced to death by the executioner at the execution ground. They had obviously suffered cruel interrogation and torture before their execution. Tex was also present at the time and recognized the infamous master thief, Gray Vulture. The poor fellow was still shouting that he was willing to serve His Highness Kang De for the rest of his life, even as a slave. But the executioner, Alset, gave a cold and terrifying reply.

He said that His Highness Kang De didn't need trash who couldn't even steal a radio.

That harsh rejection, tinged with a hint of humor, left a deep impression on Tex and dispelled any thought of acquiring a personal radio through "flexible means." He could only suppress his envy and greed, spending his days at the Crocodile Tavern mooching Jim's radio, a habit he maintains to this day.

Today, the mayor broadcast a series of shocking messages: a large number of terrifying monsters have appeared in the Broken Isles, and His Highness Kang De has decided to launch the largest aerial rescue in history, calling on all Distant Harbor to participate in the operation. To be honest, Tex doesn't care about any of this trivial matter, but a demonic voice that tempts souls appears, saying, "Come and do some work, and you'll get a radio."

He rushed out the door and arrived quickly. A queue had already formed at the registration point, where soldiers and alchemy flying vehicles were explaining the policies and distributing leaflets. Tex was literate, and he had almost memorized every detail of the exchange chart and activity instructions, turning them into the driving force for each hammer blow.

He calculated countless times the best way to obtain the tape recorder.

Daily check-in...

"The more you do the work every day, the more rewards you'll get. You can't stop... The event is expected to last seven days. If you accumulate all the work points from signing in, you'll have thirty-three..."

"After repairing a 100-meter-long wall and passing the inspection, you can earn five work points..."

"I can get five points if I do it all by myself, but it's too strenuous. I can't just keep swinging a hammer. I'll help set up the tents, one point for every ten tents..."

"Besides that, once the personnel are in place, there's the matter of transporting and distributing food, cleaning up the garbage... Ugh, so troublesome! The guard patrols and security management need to be upgraded..."

Tex kept calculating the rewards and results of the event. He wasn't interested in things like instant noodles, mirrors, lighters, or flashlights. The only thing he wanted was the radio card. According to his calculations, he should be able to accumulate enough work points to exchange for the radio in about seven days without overworking himself, and he might even have some left over. Yes, the radio, seven days.

Thinking of this, he was overwhelmed with mixed feelings. He couldn't help but laugh when he thought of Gray Vulture, the master thief who had dominated the industry for over two decades but was eventually brutally murdered.

The radio this seasoned thief paid for with his life was something he could have bought by swinging a sledgehammer for seven days in this wasteland—who would have thought? Could anything be more absurd?

Wow, that's such a great deal!

His Highness Kang De is truly generous, even a little foolish.

Doesn't he know how outrageous the price of a radio can be on the black market?

Tex shook his head as he worked.

The work points designated as "event redemption points" are not physical currencies. They are said to be recorded on each person's identity tag number, thus eliminating any possibility of private buying and selling. Out of trust in the Dragon of Cathay, everyone agrees without question—would His Highness lie to anyone?

This also dashed Tex's hopes of quickly accumulating work points with gold and silver, exchanging them directly for a radio, and leaving.

To get that treasure, it seems he has no choice but to obediently complete the seven-day task.

Or...

He hammered the wooden stake firmly, then took the leaflet out of his pocket.

At the very bottom of the flyer redemption chart and explanation, there is a new paragraph.

"The Europa Great Roulette"

A struggle flickered in Tex's eyes.

The name is strange, but that's not the point; the point is the content.

From the second night of the event until its end, every night after work, the giant spinning wheel event will be held in various streets. Users need to invest five work points to spin the wheel once.

If you redeem ten times consecutively, you can get an extra one. There are many prizes on the wheel, all of which are listed on the redemption prizes, with varying probabilities, including radios. In other words, theoretically, a radio that would normally cost 80 work points can be obtained with as little as 5 points.

The cunning bounty hunter hesitated.

This was his biggest worry. The list of rewards from the roulette wheel was deeply imprinted in his mind, making him daydream. His cunning nature made him suspect that this was just a despicable trap set by the Cathayan. But dark and depraved seeds took root in his heart, urging him to take a gamble.

You might just win.

Let's give it a try, though.

Five work points isn't much; if the radio isn't produced, the work is immediately terminated.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, put down the sledgehammer, picked up the water bottle hanging around his neck, unscrewed the cap, and drank it all in one gulp. This ingenious contraption was quite appealing; it was made of metal, and everyone who did heavy physical labor could receive one, which was called a "commemorative water bottle for the Broken Isles Great Evacuation Operation."

In the distance, soldiers were setting up strange, enormous lights, supposedly for nighttime construction work, to be used by the rotating laborers. The aroma of bread and broth wafted from afar, the cooks preparing dinner. One of the reasons that attracted civilians from the Distant Harbor to work there was that meals were provided.

For them, having meals provided is equivalent to saving money—a significant amount of money.

All of this had nothing to do with Tex; he just wanted a radio. The burly giant carried a new log from the nearby woodpile, intending to earn ten work points that day.

Just then, melodious music began to play from a loudspeaker in the distance.

Tex instinctively turned around, and everyone who was busy there stopped in their tracks, put down their work, took a breath, and straightened up. This was a rare moment of rest.

The melodious music coming from the radio was very pleasant and unlike anything I had ever heard before. I wondered what kind of instrument it was played on. In the midst of this light and beautiful melody, a soft female voice gently rang out.

"Hello, listeners."

The sound invigorated the men.

In the past, the radio broadcasts were either Mayor Hong San's speeches and decrees or Horus's sinister murder predictions. This was the first time I had heard this melodious and gentle female voice. Her voice was melodious and lively, as if she were singing rather than speaking.

Tex's expression shifted; the voice sounded familiar.

"I am Ailinnuo, a temporary guest host from Distant Harbor People's Radio Station."

It really was her!

Tex showed a keen interest. This woman was a popular actress at the Hibiscus Theater, and her melodious voice was unique in Distant Harbor. Jim loved listening to her sing and had been to her concerts a few times; she was indeed excellent. Hearing the voice of an actress he knew on the radio was quite a novel experience.

As she pondered, Ailinnuo's voice continued, sounding somewhat nervous, but she quickly regained her composure, her beautiful, melodious voice uttering, "It is an honor to be invited by Distant Harbor City Hall today to host and broadcast news from the Broken Isles..."

"We have received confirmation that the warriors fighting on the Broken Isles have brought the battle under control and have escorted thousands of survivors to the main island's large platform base. An hour ago, eight hundred survivors from the Broken Isles boarded a giant airbus and took off, soaring ten thousand meters into the sky, skimming over the Vast Ocean, heading towards the beautiful, safe, and free Distant Harbor!"

Cheers rose from afar, Tex, unaware that a smile had also spread across his face.

Host Ailinnuo continued, "The second Airbus took off half an hour ago, the third flight is about to take off, and in about five minutes, the first plane will arrive at the beautiful Distant Harbor."

"The massive steel wings will roar past our magnificent city and bustling docks, and every citizen who looks up at the sky will see it. This masterpiece of alchemy and magic will land at the Distant Harbor International Airport, fifteen kilometers from the city. Mayor Hong San, leading a mixed mage corps, the Valentan Guards Army, the Civil Engineering Corps, and other teams, is on high alert, ready to welcome the Airbus's maiden descent!"

"We would like to express our gratitude to the Distant Harbor Architects Association, the Municipal Engineering Corps, the Survey Corps Logistics Department, and the United Fleet Logistics Group for their full support. They set up a runway for passenger planes at the fastest speed. This unprecedented feat is a great achievement accomplished by all of us together. As His Highness Kang De said, the glory, justice, and accomplishments that are taking place here today belong to everyone who fought for it!"

The cheers in the distance grew louder and louder.

Tex turned his head and saw that the men, who were clearly poor dockworkers, were flushed with excitement and cheering loudly. They looked extremely excited.

That's normal. After all, people like that have never experienced being showered with compliments in their entire lives.

The sound of pages turning could be heard over the loudspeaker.

Immediately, the sweet voice of the temporary host rang out again. "Among these eight hundred passengers are soldiers who were gloriously wounded in the Battle of the Broken Isles, brave warriors who made meritorious contributions, insightful individuals from the Broken Isles who provided valuable assistance to the Combined Fleet, and many ordinary, kind, and innocent people like us. Our medical and volunteer teams are ready to welcome them. This is a great, friendly, and just city, and we will prove it to the world!"

At this point, the host's tone suddenly quickened, and he exclaimed excitedly, "Look!"

--A booming sound faintly came from the sky.

The people at the construction site looked up and saw a black dot growing larger and larger on the western side of the sky.

In the Distant Harbor, people who had stopped to listen to the broadcast in the square, streets and docks exclaimed in surprise. Many rushed out of their homes, only to see, as the sun set and the afterglow of the sunset fell, a huge steel bird descended from the clouds and roared from the blue sky and sea. The enormous sound wave was like the roar of an ancient beast, giving the city a greeting upon their first meeting.

The massive body of the Airbus swept across the city sky, casting its final Shadow. Its enormous and awe-inspiring form, the beauty of industry, the beauty of sheer size, the beauty of mechanics, the beauty of flight, and the roar of its passing breathed a jolt through the hearts of all who witnessed it. It was humanity's ability, through ingenuity, collective strength, and Civilization, to finally soar through the skies, needing neither the wings of birds nor the power of gods or demons.

All that's needed is people.

After witnessing all of this, the Distant Harbor cheered.

They couldn't explain what they were cheering for.

But today certainly seems like a day worth celebrating.

Distant Harbor Airport.

There were no cheers here, only tense anticipation.

In the distance, war chariots stood ready, their engines humming. In the four regions of east, west, south, and north, four spellcaster units deployed their magical positions, with numerous magical artifacts such as Hurricane, Earth, and Frost poised to be unleashed. Hong San personally arrived at the scene, nervously conducting the final mobilization and arrangements.

"Druids, take note: final airspace check, scatter all birds!"

"Guards, patrol again with life detection spells! Don't let any life approach the runway!"

"Perform another energy level check on the Illumination Spell!"

The Phase Gate opened, and Kang De appeared. The surrounding commanders immediately saluted. "Your Highness!"

Kang De patted Hong San on the shoulder. "How's it going?"

"Everything is ready," Hong San replied. "We're just waiting for the results."

Kang De took a deep breath. "Yes."

He looked at the spellcasters around him. "I'll emphasize this one last time, the flight is proceeding normally, and theoretically there shouldn't be any problems with the landing process. The only variable is the runway. I'm not sure if the runway materials we're using are suitable, or what the most extreme scenario might be after landing..."

He paused for a moment and said, "Fire, fuselage breaking apart, flipping over... You've all prepared contingency plans?"

Hong San replied, "Yes, all four giant dragons from Distant Harbor are here. If there are any problems during the landing, they will change their dragon forms and use pure force to lift the plane and slow it down."

"If the mech suffers physical damage or even breaks apart after landing, the mage corps will immediately cast a large-scale Feather Fall to envelop the mech in Atmospheric Aegis, extinguishing the Flame with frost and laying down layers of air shields..."

These were the emergency plans made on the spot, Kang De had already memorized. In the distance, engines roared, and the massive steel wings circled and adjusted their landing direction. Horus's voice came through the walkie-talkie. "Calling the ground, requesting landing."

Kang De glanced at Hong San, Hong San nodded to him.

Kang De took a deep breath. "I agree to land."

The passenger plane, nearly sixty meters tall, descended, aiming at the illuminated flight path, like a bird returning to its nest, dropping lower and lower...

The airport was completely silent, save for the roar of engines, as everyone stared intently.

Until a sharp, intense screech, the massive tire made contact with the track.

In an instant, intense friction created a cloud of smoke, and then the front wheels landed, causing the passenger plane to shudder violently. Almost everyone watching felt their hearts pound.

The landing passenger plane roared forward, its speed several times faster than the most swift Dragon Cavalry. With a wingspan of over sixty meters, this aircraft could practically crush any fortified position in the world. Its unstoppable momentum, like a madly charging beast, shocked the onlookers. But they noticed that its thunderous speed gradually slowed, as if it were being tamed, until...

Slowly bring it to a stop.

It stopped.

The indicator lights on the wings changed from red to green, meaning everything was normal. The giant steel bird rested silently on the runway, time seemed to stand still, and everyone watched silently.

Kang De was speechless for a moment.

A moment later, Hong San handed the walkie-talkie to Kang De.

"Your Highness," he said softly, "The whole world awaits your voice."

Kang De looked at him, and Hong San returned a gentle smile, though a bead of cold sweat slid down his temple.

"I am Kang De."

The sound, broadcast through radios and loudspeakers, reached the bustling construction site, the volunteer teams waiting to be evacuated, the entire Distant Harbor, and even the Broken Isles.

Let the citizens who are waiting for news hear it, let the scouts, envoys and journalists of all nations hear it, let all the participants, volunteers, builders and fighters who are waiting hear it.

It also allowed the passengers in the cabin, who were still shaken, to hear it.

"The Airbus Homeward has landed successfully, all is well," Kang De said calmly. "I hereby announce that we have successfully erected... the Bridge of the Starry Sky."

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PS1: Update... Ah, yesterday was absolutely crazy, I can't even muster the energy to write today. (Looks into the distance)