Futile Resistance

"This is incredibly boring."

Looking at the city wall defenders who were already ready, Kalin couldn't help but purse her lips.

"Fighting these people is completely pointless, it's incredibly boring. Let's finish this quickly and call it a day."

"Then, I'll leave it to you."

Although Kalin's complaint was somewhat rude, Nia remained unfazed. She glanced at Yi Aier before turning her gaze back to Kalin.

"We'll protect you, keep going!"

"Yes, Sister Nia!"

Upon hearing this, Yi Aier's eyes immediately lit up. She took two steps back, closed her eyes, and clenched her hands tightly together. Then, white light emerged from her body, and the girl's form quickly disappeared, leaving only the three rhomboid magical constructs representing Yi Aier's true form floating in the air.

"Then, Nia, you'll be in charge of controlling it."

Hearing Yi Aier's voice, Nia did not refuse. She nodded and then slowly walked to the back of the structure. She stretched out her right hand and placed it in the gap in the center of the three structural panels.

What's that cow doing?

Watching everything unfold through the illusion, Angela frowned in confusion and asked a question.

"This is siege mode."

Li Lin smiled slightly and explained to Angela.

"While Yi Aier can control her normal combat state, in siege mode, because she needs to contain a considerable amount of power, Yi Aier can only focus her energy on absorption and storage, making it difficult to control the compression of energy. Therefore, she needs someone with precise magical manipulation skills to assist her in this task. I usually do it, but when I'm not around, it's perfectly fine to let Nia do it."

"Although the opposite side is just a small border fortress city, how powerful can such siege cannons be?"

"Watch quietly, and you'll understand."

To Angela's puzzled question, Li Lin simply answered in this way, and then said nothing more.

Just then, the other five Ring Spirit Envoy had already positioned themselves behind Nia, while Beika stood in front of them, extending her hands to summon a seven-colored barrier that protected everyone. Simultaneously, the three magical constructs began to separate, moving in a triangular trajectory centered on Nia's right hand. In the blink of an eye, the distance between the three constructs had increased to tens of meters. At the same time, streaks of white light, as if being drawn in by something, flowed from the inside of the constructs towards the center, forming a huge white sphere in the central gap. As the energy gathered, Nia's expression grew increasingly solemn.

The Hymn of Destruction is a truly destructive weapon, an absolute, wide-area kill weapon with destruction as its primary and ultimate element. When Li Lin created it, he considered the instability of energy itself and therefore made certain compromises. In fact, the Hymn of Destruction operates much like a dam, first storing a large amount of water, and then, just before reaching its critical point, opening the sealed gates to unleash a torrent of energy powerful enough to destroy everything.

However, this is not without its drawbacks. Each weapon has a safety limit, similar to a safety latch. If Yi Aier were to manipulate and absorb energy solely through her own will, she would subconsciously determine the limits of her control, thus failing to achieve the highest efficiency. However, if she cannot control it automatically, someone else must "open the gate," otherwise, the continuous absorption of energy would overwhelm Yi Aier, potentially leading to her self-destruction.

Although Nia is an outstanding mage, and in terms of strength, no one is stronger than her except for Arcane Mage, Nia is not Arcane Mage after all. Moreover, her expertise lies in the harmonious combination of spells, not in such savage bursts. It's like someone accustomed to precise manipulation suddenly having to control something less delicate—it's a very difficult thing to adapt to.

The accumulation of energy has reached a critical point.

Even the earth trembled at this terrifying, immeasurable power. Gazing at the distant city walls, Nia took a deep breath and raised her right hand. With her movement, streaks of lightning leaped from the three magical constructs, scattering in all directions before gathering around the white sphere as if drawn by something, quickly enveloping it along its edges.

"Energy fully charged, Siege Mode Phase 3 restrictions now open."

Yi Aier's voice rang out again, but this time it lacked her usual cheerful and lively tone, instead displaying a rare seriousness and earnestness.

"Fourth and fifth energy transfer systems activated. Target: city ahead. Ready? Nia, I'm leaving you here."

"Um."

Upon hearing Yi Aier's report, Nia no longer hesitated. She raised her right hand, clenched it tightly, and then struck the center of the sphere of light with her palm.

No one knows exactly what happened.

On that day, residents of nearby cities witnessed only a blinding white light, so bright it eclipsed even the sun, and a deafening roar. The earth trembled violently, causing many houses to collapse completely. Many were astonished and terrified. Some even mistakenly believed the world was about to end and fled their homes in panic. Even the wild animals that inhabited the mountains scattered and ran away from their habitats, heading deeper into the territory of Kudel without looking back.

Such an anomaly naturally caused unease within the Kudel royal family and the Temple, who feared it was another trick by the Magic Empire. Therefore, urgent orders were immediately issued, and a total of 13,000 soldiers from the vicinity were assembled and dispatched to the location of the anomaly to investigate what had happened. Upon receiving this order, the border guards were equally diligent. Even before the royal command was issued, they had already made preparations to counter any potential enemy activity. According to their estimates, the worst-case scenario was that the undead army had broken through the defenses and, as they had done within the Federation, swept through the royal city, slaughtering everything in their path. Fortunately, reports from the towns behind the border indicated no sign of undead creatures, so the border guards were relieved and immediately began their advance towards the scene.

Even though they breathed a sigh of relief, the other border guards still harbored doubts.

The border fortress where the incident occurred was a military town with a population of around ten thousand. Furthermore, to counter the threat of the Magic Empire, the various border fortresses had established communication plans. If any side was attacked by the undead army, they would immediately light smoke signals, and some personnel were specifically responsible for escaping, leaving the city as soon as the battle began to report the situation to other fortresses and border troops. However, what puzzled the other border troops was that this time, not only did they not light smoke signals, but they couldn't even see a single refugee, whether military or civilian. Even reports from the rear indicated that they hadn't found a single refugee. This was extremely strange. Upon discovering the undead army, the various fortresses had immediately evacuated their populations and made corresponding preparations. Now, not only were there no evacuated people, but they hadn't received any news whatsoever. If it weren't for the undeniable flashes, roars, and earthquakes, perhaps no one would have even realized that an army had been attacked.

Despite the doubts, the order must still be carried out.

The closer they got to their destination, the more puzzled they became. With each step, the cracks in the earth multiplied, some stretching for tens of meters, leading down into seemingly bottomless, dark abysses. What should have been a vibrant, thriving land was now covered in withered grass and trees; nothing else could be seen—no corpses, no living people, not even a single bird or beast. It was as silent as if they had entered another world.

These unusual occurrences made the soldiers increasingly uneasy, and they quickened their pace in unison, wanting to see what was happening in the fortress town.

However, when the soldiers crossed the mountain and turned the mountain path to their intended destination, they all stood frozen in surprise, motionless.

The road stretched downwards without changing, but at its end, there was no sign of a town. Before the soldiers lay a flat, sunken area, like a vast ravine extending towards the horizon. The ground within the ravine was smooth and flat; there wasn't a single house, not even a single stone. Moreover, the air was unbearably hot; although it was early spring, the heat felt like midsummer! Many soldiers were already drenched in sweat, whether from the sweltering heat or some other reason was unclear.

What's going on?

The soldier leading the way stared wide-eyed in astonishment. He rubbed his eyes hard, then looked at the vast, empty ravine before him. If it weren't for the fallen signpost indicating the fortress's name beside him, even this soldier, who frequently traveled between fortresses, might have thought he had taken the wrong turn and arrived in an unfamiliar place!

"How is this possible! I remember it very clearly!!"

The soldier pointed to the sky and the ground at his superior behind him, shouting loudly, whether out of excitement or fear, it was hard to tell.

"I remember it very clearly, White Feather Fortress should be at the foot of this mountain, you see, isn't that mountain over there too..."

The soldier didn't finish his sentence. He pointed to the mountain opposite him, which was exactly the same as he remembered, and collapsed to the ground.

A terrible, unimaginable yet realistic thought arose in the soldiers' minds, but not one dared to utter it aloud.

"Go down and check the situation! Hurry!!"

Sensing the cowardice and weakness of his soldiers, the leading general had no choice but to roar and issue orders. He didn't even notice that his own palms were already covered in sweat.

Military orders are not to be disobeyed.

The scouts had no choice but to grit their teeth and go down, but they hadn't gone more than a few steps before they ran back. The ground in the ditch was so hot that it was impossible to stand on it; just getting close felt like standing on a red-hot iron plate.

In fact, there is no longer any need for investigation.

Everyone knew that the fortress had vanished from this land forever.

"This is me, the power of the Hymn of Destruction."

Back in Ringwraith City, standing in the center of the hall, Yi Aier puffed out her chest triumphantly, looking at Angela sitting next to Li Lin.

"How about it, kid? Are you scared this time?"

"Hmph, anyway, you're destined to be shot down."

This time, Angela surprisingly didn't refute, only giving a cold snort and saying nothing more. Her attitude made Li Lin smile knowingly. Of course, he didn't tell Yi Aier what kind of expression Angela had after witnessing that scene. After all, if word got out, Yi Aier would probably be even more smug, and Angela would be furious then. Of course, Li Lin also knew very well that he had successfully stirred up the little guy's competitive spirit, which would be a good thing in the future war situation.

"But then again, Master."

Looking at the smug Yi Aier, Angela her bright red eyes, ultimately unwilling to let go of the opportunity to take revenge.

"Since this cow is so good at shooting, why don't you just send her to blast the entire Kudel to smithereens? I remember you mentioned that this cow has that kind of power, right?"

"While it is indeed possible, I don't want to do it."

Glancing at the blonde, twin-tailed maid who was frowning and unsure whether Angela was praising or mocking her, Li Lin decisively decided to nip this low-IQ argument in the bud.

"Like nuclear bombs, although they are incredibly powerful, their greatest purpose is deterrence, not launch. A nuclear bomb lying on its launch pad is more deterrent than one that has already been launched. Of course, simply hiding them without letting the enemy experience their terrifying power firsthand is not enough. Therefore, it is also necessary to launch them occasionally."

"I see, just as I've heard, occasionally ejaculating is always good for your health... Ouch!"

"No more boring jokes."

Li Lin withdrew his fist, which had landed a heavy punch on Angela's head.

"By this way, the other countries should have realized that their forces are simply insufficient to contend with us. Achieving this effect is enough for us. Now, you can return to your daily work... Miu'erkasi, do not slacken the training of the Black Edge Knights. Your existence is a surprise force, and I do not want you to be exposed for the time being. Angela, as before, the mission of invading Kudel is entrusted to you."

"Certainly."

Angela nodded, but then gave Yi Aier a defiant look.

"Master, but this time, I wish you would allow me to act alone?"

"Oh?"

"I will show you and that self-important cow who thinks she's something special just because she has big breasts and can shoot and run, that even if I'm alone, I can still destroy a city, utterly... destroy it."

It seems that confrontation is inevitable.

Just as Li Lin shook his head with a wry smile, about to say something, a small hand suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

"Father... cough cough... Anna... is fine too..."

The petite girl gently tugged at Li Lin's sleeve, but her dark, deep eyes remained fixed on Angela.

"Anna... that's fine too..."

"Although I could also..."

Kalin shook her head, then shrugged and retreated.

"But that's too much trouble, I'm not doing it. If you want to compete, go ahead and compete yourselves."

"I'm saying..."

Li Lin helplessly reached up and pressed his hand to his forehead, letting out a sigh.

"What exactly do you take this for? A competition?"

"Since we're going to die anyway, why not let me have some fun, Master?"

Angela licked her lips lightly, a cruel and excited glint in her eyes.

"And this is also very helpful to your plans, isn't it?"

"Although I really want to say this, I must state that I don't want you to do this. You must understand that these people in front of us are not our enemies at all. Whether it's Kudel or Lalia, they are merely pebbles in our path. Do you really want to take these pebbles seriously? The enemy we face is behind us, the God of Justice... that is our ultimate target. Until then, I hope you can conserve your strength, keep your secrets, and try not to let anyone discover them. So... my plan remains unchanged. Angela, and stop thinking about the competition."

"All right."

Faced with Li Lin's order, Angela could only puff out her cheeks helplessly and then nod.

"Although it's a bit boring, I can find some new ways to torment those humans and pass the time."

In some ways, the little guy is quite optimistic and positive.

"While I am interested in what Your Arcane Mage has to say, I am even more interested in secrets."

Just then, a clear and melodious voice suddenly appeared in the hall. Then, from the shadow of the stone pillar, the Goddess of Secrets slowly emerged.

Long time no see.

Li Lin was not surprised by the appearance of the Goddess of Secrets. After all, he had already sensed the omnipresent fluctuations of divine power. This was the Ringwraith City, his home turf. Even someone as powerful as the Goddess of Secrets could not hide her power.

"You've all been busy weakening the power of the God of Justice these days, how come you have time to come looking for me?"

"That's their mission, it has nothing to do with me."

The Goddess of Secrets was clearly indifferent to this.

"And I have come here to remind you of something, Your Arcane Mage."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Li Lin's expression turned serious. Although the Goddess of Secrets always spoke unclearly, the information she provided was always extremely useful.

What kind of intelligence?

"The God of Justice has not given up."

As expected, the Goddess of Secrets uttered a pointless statement, but this did not change Li Lin's expression, because he knew very well that the main event was yet to come.

"Moreover, he is fighting back."

As she spoke, the Goddess of Secrets looked at the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, then turned her gaze back to Li Lin.

"Arcane Mage, please be careful, he is not fighting alone."