Run Them Over!
Tuosidiwa gazed up at the enormous phantom at the top of the tower. The illusion was majestic as a god, blazing with light and exuding immense pressure—a sight never before seen in the Land of Shelter.
Although the priesthood deceived the people and distorted history, causing the victims Yilan-Tai'er, to regard the invaders as gods and beg for mercy and forgiveness, Tuosidiwa, as the high priest of this generation, knew the truth.
"Star Palace..."
He murmured the name to himself.
Dwelling above the heavens, overlooking the Mortal World, wielding the yardstick of judgment, they have destroyed Civilization after civilization. They are unreasonable invaders, cruel and ferocious Destroyer. Yilan-Tai'er is merely one of their spoils. They possess a power that the Mortal World cannot resist.
"We cannot let the Star Palace's treacherous scheme succeed!"
The woman beside him spoke with absolute certainty.
Her name was Aifu, and the sinners called her a "Oathbreakers," a traitor who abandoned her oath of repentance and refused to atone for her sins, with disgust and contempt.
Tuosidiwa knew that the so-called Oathbreakers were nothing more than a slander and suppression of dissidents by the priests, while in the Shelter, the so-called Oathbreakers were the ones who remained clear-headed and knew the truth... They knew Land of Shelter came from and where it was going.
They knew the truth of history, that the so-called gods were not gods at all, but executioners who destroyed Yilan-Tai'er. They knew that Yilan-Tai'er had gathered its last remaining strength to build this Shelter hope for reconstruction rested. They knew that the people living here were the last descendants who bore the mission of rebuilding Civilization, all possessing the most astonishing talents and flowing with the noblest blood.
Compared to these clear-headed and resolute Oathbreakers, the sinners in City of Atonement were as muddled and ignorant as pigs and dogs, placing all their hopes for changing their fate in vague obsessions and superstitions. For a few false promises from the priests, they would offer their loyalty, their lives, and even their souls...
--But so what?
Hearing Aifu's resolute words, Tuosidiwa almost laughed.
He looked at the other person and said calmly, "Why?"
Aifu didn't understand. She frowned and asked, "What? Why?"
Tuosidiwa paused for a moment, then said softly, "Why should we stop it?"
The Oathbreakers paused for a moment, then roared, "What are you talking about! Do you know it's not some god, but the executioner who brought us to this state!"
Tuosidiwa calmly replied, "Yes, I know. I also know the history of Yilan-Tai'er. In its rise to power, it was accompanied by countless wars, plunder, slaughter, and even destruction. Yilan-Tai'er also systematically massacred an entire race. In a sense, what the Star Palace did to us is no different from what we did to other races."
"... That's not the point!"
Aifu retorted angrily, "Perhaps you have a point, and from a neutral and objective perspective, that's true. But we have our own stance! We are descendants of Yilan-Tai'er! So we want our race to continue, but we won't repeat the mistakes our ancestors made, that's all!"
Tuosidiwa gazed at the woman so close to him. They had once been very, very good friends, and he had also been attracted to this brave and strong -Oathbreakers... No, it should be said that he always had, and even now, his heart still beats passionately for her; that love had not faded.
But as she said, we all have our own stances.
He wore a complicated expression and sighed softly, "Then let me ask you, you claim to bear a mission, but what is that mission passed down from your ancestors? Is it to rebuild Civilization, continue the race, or seek revenge?"
Aifu paused for a moment, then replied, "Of course, the former."
"What about revenge? Did our ancestors ever tell us that we should seek revenge against the Star Palace for the destroyed Civilization and for our fallen kin... Did they ever say that?"
"No, at least I haven't heard of it."
"It's not in the tower either. Rather, the will and guidance imprinted in Land of Shelter by our ancestors have never been about revenge. For Yilan-Tai'er, revenge is too much of a luxury."
Tuosidiwa looked around. As they spoke, the sinners rushed toward the Eternal Tower. Some knelt in devotion, letting the surging crowd trample over them. The frenzied shouts blended together like a great wind, echoing over the City of Atonement.
The city has been ravaged by four bloodsheds. The blood shed in the first four coups was like a torrent, each time washing away the little remaining life in Yilan-Tai'er.
The fifth time, theocracy came to power, and the priests took charge of everything, brainwashing the common people and eliminating any thoughts of struggle or resistance. The noisy Shelter finally fell completely silent, with only the occasional small noise from the Oathbreakers, which was harmless and even used by the priests as a means to maintain order and suppress people's hearts.
The previous coups, bloody battles, and catastrophes have left eternal scars on Land of Shelter. Once a magnificent and beautiful city, City of Atonement is now mostly collapsed, with ruins everywhere. Only the Eternal Tower stands as before, overlooking the vicissitudes of time with its unchanging magnificence.
Tuosidiwa said slowly, "Aifu, the Shelter is about to collapse."
Aifu remained silent.
"You despise us, you scorn us. Indeed, compared to you, we are the traitors and the fallen. I don't want to argue with you about the right or wrong of the priests' actions. I just want to say that Land of Shelter cannot withstand a sixth coup. Once there is another change of regime and infighting, the remaining legacy will be completely annihilated. We will lose everything and wither away in this cage."
Tuosidiwa shrugged and said, "Whether you admit it or not, the fact is that the regime maintained by the clergy was the one with the fewest casualties, the most peaceful situation, and the longest duration in history."
"But the Oathbreakers became the price," Aifu said grimly.
Tuosidiwa remained silent and bowed slightly in apology.
The Oathbreakers, filled with resentment, gritted his teeth and said, "What does this have to do with what you said before?"
"It's relevant... If you agree with me that the sole purpose of Land of Shelter is to ensure the continuation of the community, not to harbor hatred and seek revenge..."
Tuosidiwa said, "Then you'd better not stop the Star Palace's actions."
Aifu flew into a rage. "What did you say?!"
"I say, we cannot fight against the Star Palace. Countless years ago, at the height of Yilan-Tai'er's power, our ancestors still could not stop the Star Palace's extermination efforts, and could only build Land of Shelter to beg for the survival of their race. How many times weaker are we now than we were then? Do we have the ability to resist them?"
The high priest said calmly, "Absolutely not. This God of the Star Palace alone could wipe out the entire Shelter... You should also know that they never act alone."
Aifu gritted her teeth and remained silent.
If she were a unreasonable and irrational person, that would be fine; I could just ignore her and give her a piece of my mind. But in this world, the calmer, more clear-headed, and more rational a person is, the more painful their life becomes.
She knew that what Tuosidiwa said was true.
Even the Yilan-Tai'er Star Palace, which couldn't withstand even at its peak, was no match for the Shelter, a weakened and desperate group of descendants weakened by repeated calamities.
She pondered for a moment, then, as if struck by a thought, looked up and said, "It seems he wants to activate the war platform left behind by the Shelter, making us control ancient weapons to fight for him. So, after we obtain the ancient weapons, we can turn against him..."
Tuosidiwa coldly replied, "And then what? Does that mean we can kill him? Even if we did kill him, would the ancient weapons of the Shelter be enough to defeat the Star Palace?"
Aifu shouted, "So what? Obey his orders? Be used as a tool to slaughter innocent people, and then be killed by the new people of the Mortal World? Even if we win, defeat the innocent people of the Mortal World, and survive to the end, we will still be exterminated by the Star Palace to eliminate any future threats!"
"In the end, we and the new race of the Mortal World are just tools for their amusement. They stand high in the heavens, manipulating us to hate and kill without reason, and then die. Is this the result you want? I would rather roar at them and rebel to the death!"
"If that's the case, I will resist, but I might not necessarily die."
Tuosidiwa looked at the phantom of the Eternal Tower: "See that? His tone, his movements, he seems to be enjoying it. This God of the Star Palace must be very surprised, because the descendants of Yilan-Tai'er have distorted history and worship him as a god. He'll find it very amusing... To him, we are probably like ants, no longer a threat, but rather quite interesting. He can't bear to kill us."
At this point, he noticed the change in Aifu's gaze.
Her bright eyes were filled with shock and anger, and her face showed deep disappointment.
"... You're beyond saving," Aifu said, clenching her fist. "How could you say that?"
Tuosidiwa felt a pang of pain in his heart. Even though he had nothing to hide, the disappointment and anger of his beloved still tore at his heart. He said coldly, "I never expect your understanding. My mission is to ensure the continuation of my people. Resistance will lead to immediate destruction, while submission offers hope. It is the best option."
"But it shouldn't be like this."
"... What?"
"Whether you are the High Priest, the Co-Head, the Grand Marshal, or the First Citizen... whatever your title, your identity is beyond question... you are the Land of Shelter, of Yilan-Tai'er, the King of this generation."
Aifu murmured, "Even if your people kneel and fawn over the invaders, you cannot submit to them... You are the king."
Tuosidiwa took a deep breath. "And what about you? What's the point of your method?"
Aifu stared at him intently.
"Make contact with the new people of the Mortal World, use their power to break the seal, and then what?" Tuosidiwa asked coldly. "What do you imagine the outside world to be like? A beautiful new world with picturesque scenery and birdsong? Mortal World beings welcoming us with songs and dances, helping us rebuild Civilization?"
"How naive!"
Let me tell you what will happen.
"They will covet the wisdom left behind by Yilan-Tai'er. They have already sharpened their knives and prepared a thousand methods to devour us completely. They will plunder our heritage, imprison our people, and control our reproduction, ensuring that we can never return to Yilan-Tai'er's former glory. Because a once powerful and prosperous Civilization that wants to return to its peak will undoubtedly encroach upon and squeeze their living space. They will use every means to suppress, obstruct, and even destroy us. This is the entire logic behind their actions!"
At this point, Tuosidiwa let out a breath.
"Throughout these endless years, all the conspiracies, lies, sins, and killings that have occurred in the Shelter are the true nature of this world... As long as the other party is an intelligent being, they will inevitably act like us. Even if we forcibly construct a holy Shelter free from any conflicts of interest or deception, struggles, schemes, plunder, theft, and deception will still quietly incubate and follow one after another."
"That's just animal nature; we have the blood of beasts flowing in our veins, and it always has."
Aifu bit her lip.
If they could convince each other, they would have had countless opportunities before today.
"Don't be naive. Don't forget what the God of the Star Palace wants us to do—to slaughter Mortal World as a means of atonement and to obtain forgiveness."
The high priest whispered, "This means that the Star Palace has its sights set on the Mortal World. A new round of extermination and cleansing is about to occur. Even if you join them, there is only defeat and destruction... there is no hope."
"--But they killed the Destroyer."
"Yilan-Tai'er also blocked Star Palace for a long time."
"It's different; it even wants us to fight for it, which might mean..."
"Maybe it's just for fun... Don't be silly, do you really believe the Mortal World can withstand the Star Palace?" Tuosidiwa said softly. "If they were powerful enough to defeat the Star Palace, why would they be in such a hurry to rescue us? You've had dealings with the Mortal World; do you think they're that powerful?"
Aifu stood there motionless, remaining silent for a long time.
After a long silence, she said in a hoarse voice, "Perhaps you are right."
Upon hearing the other party's agreement, Tuosidiwa showed no joy; he knew the woman before him all too well.
The high priest smiled wryly and said, "But?"
"But do you know what I'm thinking, Tuosidiwa?"
Aifu slowly raised her head, her eyes flashing with resolute determination.
Even if surrounded by the greed and scheming of the new Mortal World races, even if our legacy is divided and plundered by the newly born races, the gifts of Yilan-Tai'er can still continue to this day, blessing the new races and becoming their aid in their fight against the Star Palace... Our Civilization will continue in this form, even if our names are lost in the sands of time, the crystallization of our wisdom can remain in their Civilization and endure.
The woman spoke softly, "I know this outcome isn't perfect. Yilan-Tai'er persevered for so long, yet failed to perpetuate the tribe. This ending may leave all the hopeful people with regret, but that's how things are; nothing can be perfect forever, nothing can always go as planned..."
She put down the trident, took off the armor made of elemental alloy, revealing her beautiful body in a long dress, her figure strong and upright, her long blue hair ethereal like the sea.
The Oathbreakers's gaze shifted from confusion to determination. "--But I am certain that this outcome is better than surviving under the clutches of the Star Palace, and far better than rotting and withering away in this desolate Shelter!"
She no longer looked at Tuosidiwa, but at the Oathbreakers, her companions who had followed her all the way here.
"Remove your armor and discard your long weapons."
Aifu said, "You all heard that—become a sinner, grovel for survival under the mercy of the Star Palace, die like a nobody, or do something truly magnificent!"
The Oathbreakers followed her into City of Atonement looked at Aifu with fearless smiles.
Save your eloquent arguments for persuading the priest.
The Oathbreakers, having tossed aside his longsword, raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "What do you think everyone came here with you for?"
Aifu looked at everyone's face, remembering each and every one of them. "Alright, everyone, are you ready to welcome the Mortal World sky together? Your plan is to enter the Eternal Tower as sinners, manipulating the unsealed war platform and ancient weapons. Ke'ente, you lead the men from over there..."
Tuosidiwa spoke up, "This won't do..."
The Oathbreakers Dasuokasi Dathokash coldly said, "You groveling dog, this is not your temple. Get out of here before I change my mind and decide to tear you apart!"
Tuosidiwa ignored him and said to Aifu, "Each portal of the Eternal Tower has a light screen that can identify individuals through their Radiant Crystal Circuits. The Radiant Crystal Circuits of the Oathbreakers are very different from those of the Sinners. If you go in like this, you will definitely be discovered, and then you won't be able to escape."
He sighed. "Come with me, I have a way to get you in."
The Oathbreakers looked on with suspicion, but Aifu's lips curled into a smile.
"Why would you help us?" she said. "Aren't you going to be a servant of the Star Palace?"
Tuosidiwa said calmly, "No one wants to be a servant; it's just a matter of necessity. You don't need to mock me. I have a clear conscience regarding the future of my people. As for helping you..."
He glanced at the other person. "Just put a few shark eggs in another basket."
Aifu smiled slightly, pursed her lips without saying a word, and waved for the Oathbreakers to follow.
Tuosidiwa asked calmly, "What are your plans?"
Aifu glanced at the other person and sighed inwardly. She intended to prevent the unsealing of the war platform and ancient weapons, but it would likely be an extremely difficult task with enormous consequences. Tuosidiwa probably wouldn't agree, "... I can only take it one step at a time. Let's first issue a warning to the Mortal World..."
She looked up at the Shelter's dark red dome. "The Council's diving equipment is breaking the seal... If we can contact them, Council. Hopefully, everything goes smoothly..."
Just then, outside the Shelter, two thousand meters below, lay the deep-sea ruins.
Deep Sea Pioneer.
"Kang De? How could that be?"
Screams erupted from the submarine. The officers exchanged bewildered glances. "That was clearly a terrifying giant! Although we could only see its head... Was that thing made by Kang De?"
The weapons officer looked bewildered, then surprised and delighted. "I... I drove Kang De away?"
"Stop standing there like an idiot!" the captain shoved him, then shouted to the eagle-eyed officer, "Pay attention, expand the surveillance range—what are you standing there for? He'll be back!"
The weapons officer, still reeling from this boast that he could brag about for a year, asked, "Who?"
The captain was both anxious and furious. "Kang De! Didn't you read the mission briefing and accompanying intelligence before we came to the Broken Isles? The profile of the Dragon of Cathay —extremely vengeful!"
Just then, the terrified shout from the Hawkeye officer rang out again, "They're here again! Three enormous targets are rapidly descending and heading straight for our ship!"
The entire ship was on high alert. The weapons officer stared in disbelief and exclaimed, "Three? Are you sure it's Kang De!?"
"--Look closely! It's flashing again!" Officer Hawkeye shouted. "There's no mistake! This thing must be Cathayan! Aaaaaah! Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"
Amidst the drifting sea snow, massive heavy machinery crashed down with a deafening roar. The enormous array of lights reflected its own white light as three deep-sea mining trucks, received from Nautilus Mining, slammed into the seabed. The tracks rumbled, mud and sand flew everywhere, and the huge crushing drums churned up the seawater, turning with a thunderous roar!
"Kill them!"
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PS1: If you can't see the images, please refresh this chapter.
PS2: I was going to explain the recent update issues again, but I've deleted it. Whatever the reason, it's undeniable that it's affecting everyone's reading experience. There's not much to say. I can only try my best to ensure daily updates, then lie low and let the criticism do its work. I'll adjust my mindset as soon as possible and make up for the missed updates. That's all.