Multiple Stages of the Disaster

The enormous moon was shrouded in murky atmosphere after being struck by the colossal object, making it impossible to see what was happening inside with the naked eye.

The moon, which carried countless hopes, had become a hell of magma before the major civilizations of the Ninth Era even had the chance to land on it.

Infrared telescopes revealed that the region's infrared band was astonishingly bright, continuously spewing scorching magma outward.

The magma shot into the sky, even breaking free of the moon's gravity and drifting toward Pangu Continent.

Clusters of fiery, high-temperature liquid wriggled and cooled in space, forming high-speed meteors as they entered Pangu Continent's atmosphere!

Lu Yuan's heart sank. "Damn it, this was deliberately guided by the gods!"

The gods possessed the ability of "Dao Transforms All Living Beings." Some of those meteors might well be concealing the gods' true bodies.

He immediately reported the matter to the upper ranks of the Buzhou Alliance.

The others turned pale when they saw the scene. They had only just learned that some members of the Hou Tu Civilization were still alive. If the moon exploded now, would those members still survive?

"No need to worry." An Ancient Alien stared at the large screen and muttered, "In the previous eras, there were disasters far worse than this."

"Don't underestimate the relics of a Summit Civilization. This moon has self-repair capabilities. It will recover after some time, and the members of the Hou Tu Civilization hiding inside will definitely be fine."

"What worries me now... is that something has invaded Pangu Continent! We must intercept these meteors!"

The Era Fortress and the countless ships around it unleashed blazing white Antiproton Cannons, brilliant light flaring across the starry sky.

The Antiproton Cannons struck the meteors, triggering enormous explosions.

But this stretch of space was simply too vast. Even the interception capacity of a million ships was still woefully inadequate.

Some meteors no bigger than peanuts could not be detected by instruments at all, and they ultimately fell onto Pangu Continent.

"We'd better prepare for battle immediately," Lu Yuan said solemnly.

"The enemy has already arrived!"

Everyone turned toward the Western Continent in unspoken agreement.

The Aether Spirit-Core Network currently covered most of Pangu Continent. Only the Western Continent was complicated in composition, with civilizations that were generally at lower levels.

If the enemy intended to land, it would certainly choose the weakest-defended region.

"Fine. Since the enemy has come, that means the Era Disaster has begun. Today is the first year of the disaster. Stop clinging to wishful thinking! Prepare for battle!" A giant leader of the Chi Civilization stood up. His body was covered in golden fur, and he stood a hundred meters tall—a bona fide Acquired Mythical being.

The Chi Civilization was one of the few civilizations that wished to retain their enormous physiques, believing them to be a symbol of ancestral regression in their bloodline.

Their racial culture was also more warlike and competitive. It was precisely because of this that they, as a Second Generation Civilization, had been able to break free of their former constraints and achieve new glory.

"That's right! Since they've come, we must slaughter every last one of them!" The leaders rallied their armies one after another.

"I'd like to see what exactly destroyed so many eras."

"Everyone, don't expect a swift victory. The enemy is difficult to deal with. Even with Level Six Civilization weapons, it will be hard for us to kill them in an instant."

"In some eras, the disaster lasted for centuries. In others, it lasted only a few years before everything was completely wiped out."

Neither fantasies of swift victory nor theories of swift defeat were advisable.

Though the civilizations of the Ninth Era were afraid, the ignorant feared nothing. They still had to resist. The enemy had already come knocking—were they supposed to meekly await slaughter?

"Everyone, when fighting gods, confidence is the most important thing. The moment you believe they cannot be defeated, victory truly becomes difficult."

Lu Yuan held great prestige among the crowd. He was not only the Grand Commander of Green Field City, but also the founder of Mythical Industrialization, the leader of the Inner World Alliance, and even the nominal owner of the Era Fortress.

He had genuine accomplishments to his name.

"Now, we possess formidable strength. Given enough time, reaching a Level Seven Civilization is entirely possible."

"Since some eras were able to resist for centuries, that means we still have a hundred years to develop!"

"If there isn't enough time, then we fight to win it ourselves. How can we keep hiding beneath the wings of civilizations from the previous era?"

"As long as we are strong enough, we can grow amid the flames of war!"

His voice carried far and wide, spreading not only through the Era Fortress but, through the Aether Spirit-Core Network, to the major civilizations on the ground.

Meteors howled as they descended from the sky!

More and more civilizations witnessed the anomaly in the heavens.

Meteors streaked down one after another, dyeing the sky crimson, as though bloody wounds had opened across the entire world.

The Era Disaster officially erupted at that moment!

The Aether Spirit-Core Network announced the news at once.

Perhaps some civilizations were still in the midst of a thriving golden age, while others were caught in internal turmoil, but there was no longer any time left to squander.

"We solemnly inform all civilizations that the Era Disaster has erupted."

The voice rang like a great bell, clearly appearing in the minds of every member connected to the network.

"Now, we must disclose some crucial information."

"The disaster consists of multiple stages."

"The first stage is internal strife triggered by traitors. A considerable number of powerful enemies will descend upon Pangu Continent. The greatest opponent calls itself a god. Its characteristics are: it cannot be looked upon, heard, or touched. Those who encounter gods are advised to attack directly with Weapons of Mass Destruction and defend using Light Curtain Spirit Speech technology."

"Any information issued by God is false and must not be believed."

"Once you convert to God, you will be regarded as a mortal enemy by the United Legion."

"The Aether Spirit-Core Network will receive God's location in real time. The Starry Sky Ports in the sky will rush toward the disaster zone and use Pangu's Hand to execute it."

"The Second Stage is the stage after the Boundless Realm has completely shattered."

"Without the Boundless Realm sheltering us from the storm, the rules of the Yin World will invade. Mind-driven mutations will occur, monsters will multiply, and the living environment will deteriorate drastically."

"If we do nothing, this stage may arrive within 2 to 10 years. If we use spatial technology to repair the Boundless Realm, we can delay it by at most a century."

The voice was deep and powerful, neither joyful nor sorrowful, speaking in an unhurried manner. "The Third Stage is when the Yin World completely collides with Pangu Continent."

"This stage will arrive within ten years after the Boundless Realm shatters."

"If no one corrects the Yin World's trajectory, Pangu Continent will suffer a direct collision. This stage is the final endgame. Our only chance of survival is to flee to the Northern Frontier."

"But that is the final measure. The Northern Frontier will only allow us to cling to life. Pangu Continent is our homeland. We must reclaim the Moon and repair the Boundless Realm to correct the Yin World's trajectory!"

"May the world endure forever, and civilization never perish!"

The aurora in the starry sky was dazzling, like an immortal elegy spanning countless eras. Every civilization of the past had failed. Their blood had long since congealed, and their dirges had been forgotten. Even mighty civilizations like Hou Tu Civilization and Gear Civilization could not change the outcome. The dead died, and the survivors fled.

Could this era change the ending?

"I declare that the Northern Frontier Planetary Engines are activated!" Lu Yuan issued the order once more. His voice rang throughout the Aether Spirit-Core Network. "The Northern Frontier will provide a small amount of mind-driven gravity to correct the Yin World's trajectory."

The chieftain of the One-Eyed Clan closed his eyes, recalling the final trace of sunset from three hours ago. Then he burst into laughter.

He pressed a button.

The Northern Frontier's defensive works were only one-third complete, but fortunately, they had already reached the minimum activation standard.

All civilizations in the Northern Frontier were still working around the clock, laboring like mad.

As a world detached from Pangu Continent, their position was theoretically the safest—though that safety would not last long.

A low hum came from afar, like the first breath of some colossal beast awakening beneath the earth. The steel supports began to tremble faintly, and the anchor bolts let out shrill groans beneath immense pressure. Ice crystals condensed on the cooling pipes fell in flurries, turning into wisps of blue smoke the instant they touched the edge of the nozzles.

The snow around the engine base began to melt, exposing the frozen earth beneath. A dark red glow spread across the inner walls of the nozzles, like the mouth of a volcano on the verge of eruption. The air filled with ozone and the peculiar scent of heated metal, while the searchlights around them warped in the rising heat haze.

The first wisp of plasma flame shot from the bottom of a nozzle, a blue-white stream of light twisting like a living creature. Then more streams gathered into beams and spiraled upward through the exhaust pipes. The heat sinks mounted around the base swiftly lit up, illuminating the surroundings as brightly as day.

When the pillar of light finally burst through the nozzle, the entire sky was dyed cobalt blue.

"Report, Commander! 1,200 Nuclear Engines have been activated. The rest will be completed over the next 50 Years!"

"Making the information public can actually reduce a great deal of fear. My Moxi Civilization may only be a Level Three Civilization, but we have also made plenty of preparations for battle! We have enough Hydrogen Bombs to go around!" More and more conviction gathered within the Aether Spirit-Core Network.

"Give us another ten years, and we can become a Level Four Civilization. Give us a century, and we can become a Level Five Civilization!"

"That's right. At the End of Era, we still have to develop. This is a great opportunity for my Moxi Civilization!"

"You have guts, sir. We may already be a Level Five Civilization, but we cannot let you surpass us. Give us another century, and we can become a Level Six Civilization."

These intangible thoughts subtly influenced the World Will.

The entire Pangu Continent underwent dramatic changes. Clusters of clouds appeared out of nowhere, forming enormous eyes that radiated fury and majesty.

Over the ocean, auroras flashed in the sky. Ripples spread in every direction, frozen soil cracked apart, and broken stones rose into the air, turning into fluttering silhouettes in the light.

The World Will of this era had indeed grown smarter. As long as the civilizations it carried had not been slaughtered on a massive scale, its power was stronger than ever before.

The civilizations of the Eighth Era, however, appeared somewhat incapable.

The surviving civilizations of the Eighth Era were at least at Level Five, and several had reached Level Six due to the widespread disclosure of technology.

Yet when the people of those civilizations saw the sight in the sky, they became utterly distraught, overwhelmed by immense terror.

Their condition was highly unusual, clearly beyond normal physiological limits. It resembled depression instead. Their spirits slowly withered, their brains stopped thinking, as though life was no longer worth clinging to.

The symptoms were extremely severe and difficult to contain.

Only a handful of Acquired Mythical powerhouses bit their tongues and barely regained consciousness.

"Damn it! We've been hit!"

"It's Soul Wither Syndrome! Everyone in the city has contracted Wither Disease!"

Soul Wither Syndrome was a terrifying mind-driven illness. Historical cases were exceedingly rare, and the cause of its appearance was unknown.

Those afflicted would fall into a prolonged state of confusion. Their brains could no longer think, and their souls would slowly wither to death.

The process of death was drawn out, taking as little as ten years and as long as over a century. It was considered an incurable disease of the mind-driven era.

"This is bad. We may be the first target." These powerhouses watched meteors streak toward them from the sky, staggering toward the control room as they activated the city's defensive systems. "Requesting support! Most of my city's combat force has been paralyzed! We are under invasion!"

On the Western Continent, where the World Will was weakest, the number of meteors was also the greatest.

Boom! As the earth shook, indistinct figures crawled out from the meteor craters, rustling softly.

They exchanged a glance, then headed off in different directions.

The first wave of war was about to begin!

At that moment, Lu Yuan was hurrying toward the central National Treasury of the Era Fortress.

There was a piece of turtle shell left behind by Myth of the Demon. Perhaps it would prove useful at this critical moment.

The Pangu Continent was simply too vast. Even if the Greedy Demon God could easily kill some lowly, underling-level gods, it was impossible for it to subdue all of them. This land was two billion times the size of Earth!

So it could only do its best to control certain crucial nodes.

"More information is what matters most!"

Before long, his consciousness entered the Central National Treasury. Sure enough, that piece of turtle shell was glowing.

The moment he lightly touched it, a hazy stream of consciousness came through.

Pangu Brain still appeared as the Turtle Immortal, neither joyous nor sorrowful.

"Senior, what intelligence do you have?"

"The gods have launched an attack. It is estimated that fourteen thousand Converted Gods have broken free from their seals and arrived on the Pangu Continent."

"However, the gods' true bodies remain on the moon. They need enough blood-sacrifice energy to break free from the seal on the moon... The surviving descendants of the Hou Tu Civilization are indeed watching over you. They have invested tremendous strength to buy you time."

Lu Yuan let out a breath of relief, but the moment he heard that number, his heart skipped a beat.

That number was far too terrifying.

What did fourteen thousand mean? Back then, the Greedy Demon God had nearly died just killing a single white-haired god!

Even fourteen thousand ghosts would have been an unimaginably powerful force, let alone fourteen thousand intelligent gods.

"Beyond that, there are more than a hundred thousand Converted Gods."

"They are all Converts from the past and require enough blood-sacrifice energy to break free from their seals. Therefore, this will be a long war."