The out-of-control propulsion units continued increasing their output, while their direction of thrust began shifting wildly as well. Due to problems in the initial design, a group of small attitude-adjustment engines had also been installed around the propulsion units. These engines were intelligently controlled by the main thrusters—when the latter malfunctioned, the attitude engines started running too. Under the enormous and unstable thrust, the entire floating island began shaking violently. Although the artificial gravity systems in every region desperately tried to compensate for the imbalance caused by the island's rolling by adjusting the gravity, accidents still occurred in many areas. Some overly old buildings collapsed or cracked, while the surface of other regions began peeling away. The island was enduring tearing forces beyond its design limits, and many sections were slowly splitting apart. The only fortunate thing was that the "hoop" was sturdy enough to barely maintain the island's integrity.
The island's rolling had caused the gravity in the area where Hao Ren and the others were to "recover" somewhat, but the gravity was tilted and unstable. Everyone stood awkwardly on the ground, watching the starry sky overhead roll along a winding path as though drunk, while waiting for news from the elves who had been ordered to blow up the propulsion units. A squadron of cruise craft carrying missiles had already taken off from the nearest spaceport. In theory, they should have reached the uncontrolled pillar of flame beyond the high wall by now, but no news had come yet. Hao Ren looked up at the sky on the other side of the island and saw sunlight faintly spreading from the horizon, rapidly filling the sky at an abnormal speed. The Isle of the Rising Sun was experiencing the most violent sunrise in its history—and if the elves' rescue