"That's for sure!"
Seeing Lydia's earnest expression, Dapeng immediately agreed.
However, as he registered the implication, his face froze. Guarding the peace of the ranch? Wasn't that essentially asking him to guard the space-time channel entrance on the Tethys Continent?
He knew exactly what existed within that dimensional rift. He, by himself, stood no chance of holding it! Kānshū Wǔ.Xà
Moreover, many of them were acquaintances. How would he explain their presence if they came out? If the truth were revealed, wouldn't he be torn to shreds?
"Roar!!! (Wait—)" Dapeng hastily corrected himself.
However, Lydia flew over and patted his shoulder with a mature demeanor, saying with satisfaction, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and follow! Brother has already gone ahead!"
As she spoke, Lydia pouted, indicating Bai Ye, who was currently floating towards the volcano deep within the ranch.
Seeing this, Dapeng became even more anxious. Could it be that Bai Ye intended for him to be a security guard for the ranch after subduing him?
His earlier pledge of loyalty had sounded magnificent. But he had planned to lay low beside Bai Ye, only revealing his true identity when absolutely necessary. If possible, he intended to live anonymously until he became a Demon King. Now, that plan was clearly about to fall apart...
"Roar roar roar— (Master, wait—please listen to me—)"
Dapeng flapped his wings frantically, rapidly catching up to Bai Ye. His speed was such that even Lydia, who could easily outpace a commercial jet, couldn't keep up.
"Roar roar roar!! (Master, the three major races on the Tethys Continent will inevitably attempt to seize this channel entrance, no matter the cost...)"
...
Elsewhere, in Yongzhou, Great Xia, shortly after the anomaly at the channel rift in the Wo Jiao mountain range, violent earthquakes also occurred deep within the Ten Thousand Mountains.
This area was heavily guarded by the Southern Theater Command of Great Xia.
RUMBLE~ RUMBLE~ RUMBLE~
The disturbance here was far greater than that in the Wo Jiao mountain range.
The tremors, comparable to a magnitude nine earthquake, caused numerous landslides, fractured mountains, and even toppled steep rock formations, emitting dull roars.
Mountains collapsed and the earth cracked, as if the world were ending.
At the epicenter of the tremors was a small mountain range formed by five large rock mountains connected together.
Suddenly, after trembling for several minutes, a deafening bang echoed. The small mountain range abruptly broke into two segments, with a terrifying chasm hundreds of meters wide and unfathomably deep splitting open in the middle.
And with the continuous tremors, the rift continued to expand, like an abyss devouring everything around it...
Surrounding the small mountain range were military camps, stretching for hundreds of miles. This area had been designated a military exclusion zone years ago, housing nearly half a million troops of Great Xia.
The elite forces of the entire Southern Theater Command were stationed here.
At this moment, ear-piercing alarm sirens wailed throughout the military camps. Squadrons mobilized, fighter jets took to the sky, and armored vehicles all turned their cannons towards the fractured mountain.
"The channel is opening, the underground defense line has fallen. All ground forces are to prepare for battle immediately..."
"The channel is opening, the underground defense line has fallen. All ground forces are to prepare for battle immediately..."
...
The urgent alert quickened the pace of every soldier. With their weapons gripped tightly, determination to face death was etched onto every face.
At the military command center twenty miles south of the military region, a middle-aged man in his fifties, adorned with medals on his military uniform, stared intently at the intermittent surveillance videos in the control room. A resolute expression graced his stern face.
He was Li Hanqing, the Commander of the Southern Theater Command among the five Great Theater Commands of Great Xia.
"Commander, the soldiers on the underground defense line have been progressively withdrawn..." a deputy rushed over from the communication desk, his expression grief-stricken.
Li Hanqing, his back to the deputy, looked at the surveillance screen and asked, "Casualties... what are they?"
"Casualties... more than half..." The deputy's eyes were already filled with tears. Were it not for the iron will of a soldier, he would have broken down crying.
The underground defense line was equipped with various heavy weapons painstakingly built by the Southern Theater Command, and defended by fifty thousand soldiers.
More than half casualties meant...
Li Hanqing's hands, clasped behind his back, trembled.
The deputy took a deep breath and continued, "The good news is, although the channel is expanding rapidly, it's not like usual where monsters are seen rushing out..."
Li Hanqing raised a hand to stop the deputy, "When things are abnormal, there's bound to be a trick! This unprecedented commotion must herald a great catastrophe. I hope we can weather this tribulation..."
The pupils of several deputies flickered, their hearts filled with dread, but their resolve to face death grew even firmer.
"Command all reserve missiles to immediately enter launch readiness."
"Charge all laser cannons to full power, immediately!"
"Yes!" The deputies immediately connected to notify the combat units.
Under the Commander's order, the massive war machine in the southern region fully bared its fangs.
Missile launch vehicles were aimed, silo lids opened in unison... various weapons seen on television were all deployed!
Most astonishing were three colossal cannons on a mountain ten miles outside the tremor's epicenter. Resembling spotlights, their muzzles were three meters wide and five meters long.
These were the laser cannons that the "Eagle Country" had promised Great Xia, but which they couldn't build, yet Great Xia succeeded in creating.
With a low hum, the three laser cannons vibrated, their muzzles glowing with an ethereal light, exuding a dangerous aura that evoked a suffocating sensation.
As these national treasures were revealed one by one, the morale of the soldiers soared.
"We stand, the position stands!"
The soldiers were ready.
"Requesting permission from the Leader to bring all demon core missiles from the Vermillion Bird Position a hundred miles away into launch readiness..."
Commander Li Hanqing's final order sent a jolt through all the officers and soldiers.
Demon core missiles were truly the last resort. They had predicted such a situation countless times, but never expected it to arrive so suddenly.
"Yes!"
...
In Yongcheng, Yongzhou.
A young man in casual attire strolled leisurely by the river. His angelic face and refined, ethereal demeanor attracted onlookers of all ages basking in the sun by the river.
"The mountains and waters of Yongzhou are the finest in the realm?" the young man murmured softly, glancing at the surrounding scenery.
He was Hou Ying, who had come from Country R, drawn by reputation. Upon arriving in Great Xia, he had initially intended to visit Bai Ye's ranch. But with Bai Ye absent, he felt it would be pointless. Thus, he had traveled from north to south, admiring the magnificent landscapes of Great Xia.
A few bold girls trailed behind Hou Ying. Hearing his gentle voice, their faces nearly displayed the words "dying of love."
"Of course! Our Yongzhou is famous not just in Great Xia, but worldwide!"
"Ahem! I believe, no matter how beautiful the scenery, it cannot compare to your handsomeness, handsome sir!"
The girls, blushing furiously from their own bold advances, found Hou Ying oblivious as he continued walking.
The girls pursued relentlessly, unwilling to give up. They were practically on the verge of carrying Hou Ying away.
"Handsome sir, why don't we take you to see the best scenery? We know this area very well!"
"Yes, yes, it's free!"
Suddenly, Hou Ying stopped and gazed westward. The girls followed his gaze in confusion, only catching a faint glimpse of mountain shadows.
"Handsome sir, what are you looking at?"
"In this direction, doesn't it seem to be the direction of the Ten Thousand Mountains? There are many primeval forests there, and it's quite fun for a self-drive tour. However, it seems tourism isn't allowed there anymore."
"Remove the 'seems.' It is! When I was little, my parents took me there, and it was indeed very fun, but it hasn't been allowed for eight years. They said it was an animal protection zone..."
"Hmm? Animal protection zone? Strange, why does talking about this remind me of Brother Ye?"
"Hiss~ Speaking of which, haven't you guys noticed that this handsome guy's appearance seems to be no less than Brother Ye's?"
"Yes, yes! I didn't expect our Yongzhou to have such a handsome guy..."
"Hey? Now that you mention it, doesn't someone who collaborated with Brother Ye in one of his livestreams look a bit like him?"
"You know, now that you mention it, I also find it somewhat familiar. Huh! Where did he go?"
The girls grew more excited as they spoke, chatting amongst themselves. When they snapped back to reality, Hou Ying had already vanished.
The girls were utterly bewildered, looking around in confusion. Kǎnd
"This is weird!"
"Could it be that this guy knows magic too? Like Brother Ye's sudden disappearance act?"