Exterminate Qiu Star

Golden Horn and Scorpio wandered around Misty Star at will.

The planet had an obvious military style. Those coming and going were all demons in Monster Hunting Hall uniforms, most of them hurrying along with a grim, murderous air between their brows. It was completely different from the loose, peaceful atmosphere of Myriad Monster Star.

Many of the buildings by the roadside were clearly training bases. Their heavy metal gates were tightly shut, and faint energy explosions and deep roars could be heard from within. Several smoke-belching factories stood in the distance, apparently workshops for forging weapons and equipment.

Neither of them was in a good mood, and they had little interest in sightseeing, so they decided to head back.

Although Scorpio was also preoccupied, he deliberately struck up a conversation with Golden Horn. Clearly, he had seen Golden Horn's potential and wanted to build a relationship in advance.

He introduced himself, saying that he came from the Scorpion Race and was a renowned genius within his clan.

Golden Horn gave him a surprised look but did not refute him. Judging by Scorpio's performance in passing the test, he truly deserved the title of "genius."

"And you?" Scorpio asked, sweeping his gaze over Golden Horn.

The Silver Horn before him stood roughly two meters tall, his entire body covered in silvery-white scales that gleamed with an icy sheen in the dim light. A pair of thin, translucent wings folded lightly behind his back, their edges rippling with faint spatial distortions. His silver-white vertical pupils were cold and sharp, while subtle spatial fluctuations accompanied his movements.

Golden Horn pondered briefly before replying, "The Silver Wing Race."

Scorpio frowned. "How come I've never heard of it?"

"A remote minor race. It's normal that you haven't heard of us." Golden Horn brushed him off again.

Scorpio did not press further and instead began talking about the situation at the border. Not every battlefield along the Demon Race's frontier was equally dangerous; there were several levels of danger. In the most brutal war zones, even World Lords often fell. In the safest places, an entire year might pass without a single battle.

"I just wonder where we'll be assigned," Scorpio sighed, then added, "But the elders in my clan said that as long as you survive, tempering yourself on the battlefield will make you stronger than others at the same level."

He lifted his chin, pride coloring his voice. "Our clan chief is a Sector Lord pinnacle powerhouse. Back then, he fought on the battlefield for hundreds of years, slaughtering his way from the Stellar level to Sector Lord before retiring and returning to protect the clan."

Golden Horn nodded slightly. The pressure of death truly could make someone grow quickly.

The two returned to their rooms to rest.

A few days later, the spaceship arrived.

Golden Horn and Scorpio followed Tian Hua World Lord to the docking platform early, waiting to board.

The first to emerge from the spaceship was an extremely small Moluohou, barely over a meter tall, yet he radiated an astonishing aura. He was also a World Lord. His battle suit was tattered, exposing countless wounds beneath it. Some were still bleeding, making it clear that he had just gone through a fierce battle.

The moment he landed, he warmly greeted Tian Hua. "Tian Hua, long time no see! I nearly died at the hands of those bastards this time."

Tian Hua frowned and asked with concern, "Demon Snail, did you fight the Qiu Shi Race again?"

"Of course." Moluohou cursed. "They've been unusually active lately. We just fought a vicious battle and knocked down their arrogance. But we took plenty of losses too, so I brought them back to recuperate for a while."

As they spoke, the spaceship's hatch opened wide, and a large number of demons gradually emerged.

Some stood dozens of meters tall, while others stretched dozens of meters long. Their forms varied, but every one of them had a fierce aura and oppressive killing intent. Most shocking of all, nearly everyone was wounded. Some had shattered scales, some were missing limbs, and some had to be carried out, their blood dripping all the way.

Golden Horn and Scorpio stood at the back, both looking a little pale. On one hand, the savage auras made them uncomfortable. On the other, seeing so many powerful warriors, nearly all of them wounded, made them even more pessimistic about the future.

Only after several hundred powerful warriors had disembarked did Tian Hua call Golden Horn and the others aboard.

Besides Golden Horn and Scorpio, there were five hundred Stellar-level warriors, two hundred Universe-level warriors, and twenty Sector Lord-level warriors traveling with them. It looked like a routine rotation force, while the two of them were merely newcomers taken along for the ride.

Moluohou noticed the two standing in the back and gestured toward Golden Horn and Scorpio with his chin. "These are the two newcomers you mentioned?"

Tian Hua nodded. "I'll leave them to you. Train them well. Once they grow stronger, they'll be able to help ease your burden."

Moluohou grinned. "Don't worry, I'll keep a close eye on them. Unlike the last batch..."

"Enough, enough." Tian Hua waved him off. "Hurry up and go. I still need to settle your wounded soldiers."

Moluohou said no more and led his people off the spaceship. Tian Hua waved, seeing them off.

The spaceship took off, and the journey passed without incident.

A month later, the broadcast suddenly sounded through the cabin. "We will soon arrive at Exterminate Qiu Star. All personnel, gather in the central hall."

Golden Horn quickly left his room and headed to the hall.

Moluohou stood at the front. Once everyone had arrived, he spoke in a deep voice:

"Our destination is Exterminate Qiu Star. Some of you may already know about it. Those who don't need not worry; I'll give a brief explanation. Detailed information will be sent to your personal terminals later, so study it carefully yourselves."

His gaze swept across the crowd, and his voice suddenly turned stern. "Exterminate Qiu Star received its name because it borders the territory of the Qiu Shi Race. The two races have fought bloody battles here for hundreds of years, and countless Demon Race soldiers have been buried here. The name 'Exterminate Qiu' is meant to ensure future generations remember that one day, this race must be destroyed!"

"The Qiu Shi Race are energy-based lifeforms and are extremely difficult to kill completely."

"Their innate talent is devouring and evolution. They possess powerful recovery abilities and tenacious vitality, capable of restoring themselves even after their bodies are shattered."

"So when you encounter the Qiu Shi Race, make sure to kill them repeatedly. Don't think you've won just because you smashed them apart. Many newcomers have died because of this."

The hall fell silent.

Moluohou continued, "Also, the Qiu Shi Race devour corpses, whether those of enemies or their own kind. So if a comrade falls near you, be sure to collect his body. Bring it back to camp, and the Monster Hunting Hall will reward you with contribution points."

He paused, his tone turning cold. "One final rule: no one may attack members of our own faction. Violators will die."

"Alright, make your preparations. We'll be landing soon."

He waved a hand. "Activate external-view simulation."

In an instant, several enormous war fortresses appeared before everyone.

They were called fortresses, but they were actually larger than planets. Their dark metal hulls were densely covered with massive cannon barrels aimed in every direction, radiating a suffocating sense of oppression. Countless small spaceships darted around them like a swarm of busy worker bees.

Golden Horn stood before the porthole, his gaze passing through those cold steel behemoths and settling on the dark depths of the starry sky beyond.

That was the territory of the Qiu Shi Race—and the battlefield he was about to set foot upon.