God

Burn down this city!

Aifu leaped down and boarded the roaring wheeled chariot. Wherever the trident pointed, a powerful tide of water vapor gathered and surged towards the surrounding army!

The waves crashed down, the ripples gathered and dispersed, and the wall of believers formed by the pilgrims was instantly swept away.

Faced with this terrifying, roaring monster they had never seen before, instinctive fear took over their ignorant bodies, and the prisoners screamed and retreated—they could work hard without complaint, and they could strike back with heavy blows against the Oathbreakers, but in the face of this incomprehensible power, they panicked and fled.

But that's not enough.

Because the convicts, who are directly under the command of the priest class, have not yet made their move, and are equipped with advanced Radiant Crystal circuits and deadly weapons far superior to the sinners, while the slave army composed of sinners is also large in number, the enemy still holds an overwhelming advantage... Therefore, it is necessary to create chaos.

Aifu gritted her teeth and shouted sharply, "Kill—"

The attack magic device mounted on the top of the chariot was activated with a vengeance. The tidal wave transformed into a destructive beam of pulverization that shot straight through the air. With a single shot, the flesh and blood of the twenty-five criminals gathered together were completely vaporized. Their bones rolled around, and wisps of smoke lingered. This horrific sight caused more criminals to scream and flee.

"Replace the crystal!"

The gunner clumsily replaced the depleted magic energy crystals. At the same time, lightning crackled from the top of the third tank, and a large area of thunderclouds spread out. The continuous lightning was like a scythe of death, sweeping across and causing endless casualties!

"Charge! Charge! Charge!"

The chariots roared and surged forward, crashing through the simple houses and pressing down on the slave army gathered there.

The self-proclaimed prisoners of war, descendants of the original era, seemed to be in Washington, D. C., in July 1932, where rumbling war chariots brought greetings of freedom and democracy.

Those Oathbreakers, clinging to the edge of their chariots and brandishing their steel spears, were like the Amerikkka cavalry launching a final assault on the unpatriotic and shameless wage-demanders.

But the situation is ultimately different.

These Oathbreakers cannot be compared to the great "World War II heroes" of later years. Even many years later, it is unlikely that anyone will praise or whitewash them or regard them as their own fathers. Their actions are also fundamentally different. Free soldiers are reaping credit and incidentally lubricating their tracks, while the Oathbreakers are simply fighting for their lives.

"Make way! Make way! Make way!"

Alongside the stern shouts came ruthless slaughter. Chariots sped into the crowd, Oathbreakers attacked with spears, stabbing and stabbing relentlessly. The slave soldiers fell instantly, blood splattering and limbs flying into the air. Even those who dared to fight back could not even leave a scratch on their heavy armor with their bone-like weapons. Their chitinous armor could not withstand a single spear strike, as fragile as a piece of thorny cloth.

Because of their overwhelming superiority in equipment and weaponry.

The armor worn by the Oathbreakers was crudely cut and pieced together like rags, but it was surprisingly sturdy because it was the hull of a submarine. In order to withstand the terrible water pressure of the deep sea, the Council used a large amount of elemental energy alloy to make the outer shell of the Ocean Traveler. This large amount means that it can provide a regiment of heavy cavalry with top-notch enchanted armor, both men and horses.

Besides being used to build these three war chariots, the sturdy hull was also forged into armor for the Oathbreakers. The cutting technique used the ancient traditions of Yilan-Tai'er, along with a little trick that Aifu tricked from the Council. It took seven days to complete and is now being put to use.

The tanks charged forward, the warriors roared, and their momentum was unstoppable.

Roaring chariots, powerful weapons, sturdy armor, and unfathomable supernatural strength—everything was unheard of, something that could not possibly be found in the Land of Redemption.

Tuosidiwa's expression changed instantly; he gripped his scepter tightly, his face contorted with shock and rage.

In an instant, the situation changed dramatically. The Oathbreakers, driving unprecedented heavy chariots, broke through the slave army's blockade and marched toward the Eternal Tower. Everything was spiraling out of control.

--no way!

He roared, "Stricken warriors! Oathbreakers!"

The sound of conch shells echoed, the ground rippled slightly, and the underground diggers broke through the chariot's direction at breakneck speed, swift yet silent.

This stealthy, surprise attack tactic has proven highly effective and is a powerful tool used by priests to assassinate Oathbreakers and opponents. The attacks originate underground, and no one is aware of the arrival of these death messengers.

--In addition to the "Watching the Stars" type large-scale life signal interaction device produced by the Suokemu Alchemical Ordnance Center Arcane Council, which combines six of the most effective and advanced detection methods in the world today, including life sensing, heat reading, soul fluctuation, spectral observation, current delineation, and sound wave capture, your enemies have nowhere to hide.

"Aifu!"

The spotter in the second vehicle looked at the astrolabe in front of him and pointed to the left front. "There!"

"Turn around!"

The chariot roared and shifted, its miniaturized magical power unit surging with energy, propelling the steel behemoth to a sudden change of direction. The planned ambush was exposed, and the ground exploded, revealing a giant, deep blue sea scorpion bursting from the earth. Its powerful pincers cracked loudly, and its six compound eyes stared intently at the figure on the chariot.

On its back, six convicts raised their Primal Gel weapons, and the Radiant Crystal Circuit was powered up.

The Oathbreakers looked at them with a mixture of hatred and fear. "Fight!"

These domesticated giant sea scorpions are the priests' most capable executioners, and countless Oathbreakers have died under their terrifying attacks—their flexible stingers, powerful pincers, hard shells, ferocious predatory instincts, and enormous size, almost like a low house.

This is the priests' machine of violence.

Now facing the terrifying sea scorpion, a symbol of death and violence, even clad in heavy armor and piloting war chariots, the Oathbreakers cannot help but feel apprehensive. Can they defeat this synonym for death?

Then they heard Aifu's stern shout.

"--emission!"

The barely perceptible sound of air being cut was the faint chirping of a sharp blade cutting through the air, followed by a sonic boom.

Although the Ocean Traveler's function is defined as deep-sea exploration and relic search, engineers still prepared self-defense weapons for it. Considering the limited space and carrying capacity, the weapons should be small, expensive and powerful. The main enemy that the submarine must guard against is the unknown danger of the deep sea.

In addition to two energy-intensive and powerful attack magic devices, there are also eight tidal wave energy cannons, specifically designed to deal with giant creatures like Melville Turtle.

Harpoon -like arrows shot out from the launcher of the second tank. The guidance array at the tail had already locked onto the target. The Shelter was not a world filled with seawater, so the tidal energy circuit on the surface of the giant arrow was useless, but it could still be fired with lightning speed. The giant arrow, which embodied the Arcane Council's cutting-edge alchemical military technology, hit the sea scorpion. The magnetized core inside was released from its restraint, and a fierce thunder dragon surged out from the inside, which also detonated the chain array of fire explosion energy storage runes, releasing elemental energy compressed to the extreme!

The hypothetical enemy is an unknown creature from the deep sea. The deep sea is cold and the pressure is extremely high. The enormous creature that can survive in it must be unafraid of the cold and have extremely strong defenses. To break through and kill it, fire and electricity are needed.

The cannonball, deeply embedded in the sea scorpion's carapace, shattered with a deafening roar. Blazing flames and surges of electricity raged beneath the exoskeleton. The colossal Deathbringer roared as it straightened up, trembling violently. But its shell could not suppress the savage elemental power. The next moment, a violent explosion erupted from the inside out, tearing its massive body to pieces. The savage power even engulfed the Condemned Warriors, sending flesh flying and blood raining down!

In a single encounter, one of the priests' ultimate weapons, which they considered a deterrent, was blasted into a shower of minced meat.

This utterly astonishing scene not only terrified the prisoners but also moved the condemned warriors. Even the Oathbreakers were taken aback, and then they let out an excited roar!

Forward! Target: The Eternal Tower!

Aifu's face was ashen. She gave the order and turned to look at the golden figure on the war crab.

Though separated by a great distance, their gazes met from afar.

She didn't say anything, but she could feel the other person's gaze—shock, fear, and bewilderment.

But it gradually became complicated, and then it all became clear.

Tuosidiwa, if I wanted to, I could have killed you with this weapon from the start.

But I didn't do that.

Do you know why?

The chariots roared, their bodies shaking violently, filled with screams and cries of panic. Aifu turned her gaze to the slave soldiers who considered themselves sinners, howling and fleeing. But even those who ran away or knelt and begged for mercy could not escape death. As the chariots drew near, the Oathbreakers raised their steel spears and thrust them down.

She could hear the Oathbreakers's triumphant roars and see a small, weak sinner being impaled by a steel spear, the spear tip piercing his back and dripping blood. The Oathbreakers, holding the poor wretch with one arm, laughed wildly, cruelly twisting and swinging his arm, letting the other's frail body tear apart into large swaths of blood mist, ignoring the other's pleas and screams, until the other's body was completely torn to pieces.

Blood splattered and splashed on his face and armor, and even pieces of entrails hung from his body, but the Oathbreakers seemed oblivious, only letting out savage laughter as he brandished his spear and slaughtered any sinners he could reach.

Aifu gripped the trident tightly.

Dasuokasi, the name of the Oathbreakers, a skilled whale hunter, harpooner, and charioteer, the guardian of his tribe, powerful, honest, upright, kind, and a trusted brother.

Until a fanatical group of redeemers raided his tribe, killing his relatives. The hungry and fanatical sinners even devoured his children as sacrifices to the gods. By the time he reached Dasuokasi and rushed back, everything he had had vanished like smoke. Holding the few remaining remains of his relatives, he howled for three whole days, crying until all his tears ran dry. He wandered the desolate world outside the Shelter, becoming a vengeful ghost.

Until he was found by Aifu and persuaded to join.

Even after joining the new tribe, he remained a powerful, honest, upright, and generous guardian, a trusted elder brother to all his companions. In times of danger, he was always the last to leave, and when it came to allocating resources, he would always defer to others. Only when facing the sinners of City of Atonement did he transform into a mad beast, bloodthirsty, cruel, and insane, bathing in their blood and emitting a terrifying, savage laugh.

Aifu did not condone this indiscriminate revenge and killing, but faced with Dasuokasi's calm, blood-red eyes, she could not utter any words of advice or guidance.

Although she also experienced the tragic destruction of her tribe, Aifu refused to show indiscriminate hostility and hatred because she had accepted her father's teachings and entrustment. She knew the truth of history and the mission of Yilan-Tai'er, and she held an unwavering commitment to the continuation of this Civilization.

She hopes that one day, all the people of Yilan-Tai'er will be able to uphold the same belief and mission, return to the Mortal World, return to the sunlight, and rebuild the lost Civilization.

But this was merely her obsession and her goal.

She can only offer advice, but she has no right to demand that others do the same as her.

Because reality is so tragic, so cruel, so powerless.

The tanks surged forward, slaughter ensued, and she gazed upon the chaotic world, where death and blood were spreading.

The Oathbreakers kills everything in its path without mercy.

Because their relatives, friends, and clansmen had also been slaughtered in the same way.

Hatred and blood debts fuel an endless slaughter. Sinners and Oathbreakers despise and hate each other. But who knows that they were all descendants of Yilan-Tai'er, once the last hope of a Civilization, sharing the same goal? Yet their lands are divided into the City of Atonement and the Evil Domain, and they are categorized as sinners Oathbreakers. They share the same blood, the same ancestors, and speak the same language...

Who has instigated this mutual hatred? Who has caused the descendants of the same Civilization to fight amongst themselves endlessly?

Why?

The horrific carnage assaulted Aifu's soul; she gripped the trident tightly, hardening her heart like iron.

That's the only way.

She turned back in anguish, gazing at the golden-armored figure in the distance.

Tuosidiwa, can you see that?

Do you understand?

I want to change this situation, so I won't kill you.

You once told me that you were powerless to change the status quo. You said that none of us could change it, and we could only choose the least bad option because nothing is perfect.

Yes, I am powerless to overthrow you, and I do not know how to change the increasingly hopeless state of the Yilan-Tai'er remnants, but now, fate has given me a glimmer of hope, and I will seize that possibility for the future.

Break the seal and release the Shelter.

Let Yilan-Tai'er return to the sunlight.

Even if that world is no longer what our ancestors knew, even if a new era begins in the Mortal World, even if new races establish dynasties and times, even if we must stand alongside these new races, even if we must rebuild Civilization amidst scheming, malice, and conspiracy... it's still better than now.

That's definitely better than now.

This is the only thing I'm certain of.

I'm willing to give anything for this.

So I won't kill you... because I believe in you. When change comes, when sunlight flows into a land of lies, you will make the right choice, as the leader of this generation of Shelter, to bravely uncover the truth and embrace the future with us. I hope so, I hope so.

Their eyes met, a thousand words unspoken. They had once been best friends—carefully concealing their true identities until all secrets were revealed. A fierce argument erupted between them, filled with invitations, suggestions, and pleas, but ultimately ended in a bitter breakup.

The difference in status between priests and those Oathbreakers is like heaven and earth; their positions are completely different, so what is there to say?

Aifu cast one last glance, then resolutely turned back. The chariot roared and charged forward, breaking through countless obstacles, carrying the power of an arrow that annihilated a sea scorpion, hurtling towards the Eternal Tower.

"High Priest!"

The warrior's anxious shouts broke Tuosidiwa's daze, and he snapped back to reality.

He found himself, and indeed the entire City of Atonement, in an awkward and embarrassing predicament.

The Oathbreakers somehow acquired powerful weapons and armor, easily breaking through the army's encirclement, blasting away the mighty sea scorpions, and charging towards the Eternal Tower.

And yet, he found himself completely helpless in the face of it.

Yes, there's no way around it.

The Shelter is the last hope of Yilan-Tai'er. In addition to sending the most outstanding elites of the entire Civilization into it, the Shelter also houses the wisdom of the entire Civilization.

And a complete set of military systems, doomsday weapons, and war platforms.

They bear a great mission—because rebuilding Civilization requires both sword and plow.

Behind the Shelter Plan lies the final, painstaking effort of an entire Civilization, sparing no expense, forging wisdom, and placing its hopes on it. Therefore, the wise men who designed the Shelter considered all the worst-case scenarios, and they set the most stringent restrictions on this powerful military system.

This military system will only be activated when the protection ends, the seal is broken, and Yilan-Tai'er returns to the Mortal World. This is because these wise men understand the nature of intelligent beings, and if left unchecked, the remnants of the era might have already used these weapons to kill each other and destroy themselves during their long period of self-isolation.

Therefore, the Shelter only retain a small amount of military technology and weaponry for low-intensity security, riot control, hunting, and so on.

Even the wisest person's best efforts cannot keep up with the passage of time and the changes in people's hearts.

In the first coup at Shelter, the Overseers led the rebels to overthrow the Council of Three Sages, but also inadvertently destroyed the Defender Core. After the third coup, the Citizens' Assembly voted by majority vote to permanently close all weapons workshops and destroy tactical templates. With each upheaval and setback, technology was lost, morale collapsed, memories and the past were gradually erased, and the mission faded away...

Even if currency ceases to exist, the people can still find new general equivalents and accumulate wealth through greed and wisdom. Even if all military weapon templates are destroyed, the people will secretly carve bones into weapons for killing. The Shelter has experienced continuous upheavals, its heritage has disappeared, and its mission has vanished. Regardless of the political system or social form, what runs through it all is endless conflict, suspicion, greed, and killing.

The difference lies in the fact that after the fifth coup, the priests ruled the people under the guise of the gods and the Atonement System, thus stabilizing the social structure, but the use of force was no longer effective.

Tuosidiwa was unable to use the war weapons stored in the Shelter, and the forces of City of Atonement were powerless against the Oathbreakers had acquired new equipment. He watched as Aifu led the war convoy straight toward the tower, flames shooting into the sky, roars and screams echoing all the way. An unprecedented upheaval was about to unfold before his eyes.

His hands trembled, whether from excitement or fear, it was hard to tell.

He was unsure whether to accept or resist the future that was about to arrive.

Meanwhile, the two Council submarines have awakened from their silence and are about to arrive at the designated location in the Yilan-Tai'er Ruins, ready to begin injecting and extracting the essence to break the long-dormant seal.

In the golden hall at the highest level of the Eternal Tower, corpses lay strewn everywhere, blood splattered, and several richly dressed survivors knelt on the ground, their bodies trembling.

A playful voice rang out, followed by a slow laugh.

"Interesting, interesting, that means..."

The voice was both surprised and delighted, tinged with disdain, contempt, and arrogance.

"Am I your god?"