Chapter 1 The Light-Path Platform

The light-path platform was enveloped in a layer of pale blue "mist," along with a nearby side hall and several buildings whose functions were indiscernible, all shrouded in an eerie blue light. These seemingly beautiful "mists" actually possessed a terrifying essence: they were degraded aetheric crystal dust, and the secondary radioactive fog assimilated from those crystals. Although these were all secondary, or even tertiary and quaternary, degraded products of aetheric energy, their hazard to living organisms remained extremely potent. Simply inhaling a small amount, or even being exposed to it for a short time, would rapidly kill a healthy mortal.

After all, Hao Ren had specifically chosen the most radioactive dust to stuff into his prepared "gift package."

Compared to these pale blue mists, the small tactical nuclear bombs exploding in the distance seemed much more ordinary. They only caused obvious damage to the mountains and some of the buildings. The molten impact craters looked terrifying, but in reality, eighty percent of demon hunters who were seriously trained, not slacking off, not suffering from diarrhea at the time, and not unlucky enough to be at ground zero, could flash-step out of the blast zone the moment the nuclear bomb exploded—of course, being driven into the blue mist-covered area filled with radioactive dust at the end was another matter.

Hao Ren conveniently sent over a dozen warheads to drive the guards into the radiation mist.

Traveling through the light-path was very fast. Hao Ren guessed that this thing must be using some kind of molecular restructuring transmission technology. He felt a brief detachment of his senses, but his consciousness was still operating normally. This strange state ended after about two or three minutes, and before him was the terminal platform, already shrouded in blue mist.

"Report, sir, we're feet on the ground!" Lily shouted excitedly, brandishing her alloy greatsword.

This dog easily gets excited about any novelty.

Hesperiana subconsciously frowned when she saw the blue haze lingering over the platform, immediately sensing its danger. But then she remembered the life-support collar around her neck and breathed a sigh of relief. "Good thing we have equipment… These demon hunters are really having a bad day."

The corpses of demon hunters were scattered everywhere on the platform. Besides a few who were killed by the explosions, the rest had basically died from radioactive dust, and in a form of radiation that exceeded ordinary people's imaginations: the surfaces of those corpses were covered with patches of pale blue, scale-like substance, and even the limbs of a few people had been transformed into a crystalline, translucent state. Although the crystallization on their bodies wasn't as thorough as being directly hit by aetheric rays, the effect produced by this partial transformation was even more chilling.

"Aetheric energy is such a deranged thing…" Lily couldn't help sticking out her tongue when she saw this scene. "When I think that Nolan's belly is full of this kind of energy, I suddenly feel a little afraid to ride your ship again… What should I do?"

Hao Ren smiled. "There are many kinds of aetheric energy. Strictly speaking, they are divided into many 'frequencies.' Its properties vary greatly under different energy spectra. Some are stable and some are violent. Some are useless except for strong radiation. The crystal dust I got this time is the most radioactive, but it is quite weak as an energy source. So you don't have to worry—the energy source in Nolan's belly must be the stable and controllable kind."

Lily sighed. "If only she wouldn't overclock her power core so easily."

Hao Ren: "…"

As they spoke, the last Little Hesperiana to emerge from the light-path also recovered from the brief dizziness. Hasson nodded to the little girl, then looked around. "Now the commander here must already know that the light-path platform has been attacked. These radioactive dusts can't stop us for too long. We need to transfer immediately. I remember that there was a relatively easy place to break through the encirclement near the Poseidon Temple back then…"

Hesperiana muttered as she moved. "What commander or no commander, isn't that you yourself."

Hao Ren waved to Little Hesperiana, who was wide-eyed with curiosity and nervousness. "Come here, from here on you have to turn into a little bat."

From the moment they stepped onto this platform, everyone had officially entered the depths of the demon hunters' tight formation. The next encounter, if it occurred, would be a battle with the main force of the Holy Order, the danger of which was incomparable to the mindless undead of Tartarus. In the chaos, it was difficult for everyone to guarantee Little Hesperiana's safety, so having the little girl transform into a little bat and hide was the safest option.

The little girl was also very sensible. After obediently nodding, she "poofed" into the form of a little bat and crawled into Hao Ren's shirt pocket.

This hiding place was the result of prior discussion—hiding in Lily's or Hesperiana's hair was indeed hidden enough, but the stability and safety factor during battle was really too low. Moreover, among everyone except Hao Ren, everyone's defense could only target themselves. Only Hao Ren—he had a rigid shield.

The shield could produce additional protection for the little bat hidden in the pocket. This was the safest option, and even Hesperiana had no objections.

However, the little bat spirit still couldn't help covering her face and muttering, "It's over… I feel like I won't be able to hold my head up as long as I think of myself spending my childhood in this guy's pocket…"

Hao Ren pretended not to hear the little bat spirit's muttering. After confirming that Little Hesperiana had settled in, he strode forward and followed Hasson, who was walking in front.

They left the light-path platform, where the radiation mist was thickest, passed through the side hall that had been severely damaged by the small tactical nuclear bomb, and headed towards the distant, towering great temple.

From this distance, the battle situation near the Poseidon Temple could already be seen. Hao Ren saw that a translucent energy barrier enveloped the magnificent palace, and countless silvery-white light bullets were summoned from the high ground near the temple and fell on the barrier like rain.

It seemed that the explosion that occurred on the light-path platform did not affect the demon hunters' overall offensive—although Hao Ren believed that he had created enough commotion here, for the entire Holy Order Legion and the entire battlefield, a mere attack on a transit station was indeed unable to affect the situation.

This was the limitation of individual strength when facing a battlefield.

However, Hao Ren believed that the demon hunters' commander (yes, it was Hasson) would soon realize the unusual nature of this raid. Some demon hunters who escaped the double attack of nuclear bombs and radiation mist would run back to report the situation. As long as their superiors analyzed it slightly, they would find that this attack was not a counterattack by the Olympus "gods." They would realize that this new form of attack came from a mysterious third-party force, and a third-party force that suddenly appeared on the battlefield was enough to attract attention.

Hao Ren only hoped that it wasn't Hasson at this point in time who came to check the situation in person.

Just as he was thinking this, an unusual gust of wind suddenly swept through the building complex filled with radiation mist.

The reason it was called "unusual" was because this gust of wind clearly contained considerable magical power. It shuttled around the building complex in a way that completely defied the laws of physics, quickly dispersing the radioactive dust in this area as if it were washing. The moment the wind blew, Hasson quickly said, "Someone's coming, but they haven't found us yet."

The "no-man's land" created by radioactive materials was rapidly shrinking.

Hao Ren and his party immediately looked for a place to hide, lowered their aura, and quickly felt their way towards the Poseidon Temple under the cover of the buildings.

But an encounter was inevitable.

After continuing for a distance, Hao Ren sensed several fast-moving energy reactions ahead, and there was no way to avoid them on this route.

He waved his hand, signaling everyone to hide in place behind a collapsed palace wall and prepare for an ambush, while quietly sticking his head out to observe the movement on the opposite side.

After a moment, several fully armed high-level demon hunters appeared in his line of sight.

Seeing the commander at the head, Hao Ren suddenly had the urge to shoot himself: "Crap… I really have a jinxed mouth…"

That's right, walking at the front was Hasson—the supreme commander of this Holy Order army had personally come out to investigate the situation?!

Hesperiana also noticed this and couldn't help turning her head to look at Hasson (friendly force) who was squatting in the corner. "Why the hell are you here?"

Unexpectedly, before Hesperiana could finish speaking, Hasson also blurted out, "Why the hell am I here…"

The two of them at the same time: "…"

At this moment, Hasson (enemy force), who was walking from afar, suddenly stopped.

An old hunter's intuition is terrifying. Even without any aura or any trace, his sharp, one eye instantly locked onto the place where Hao Ren and his party were hiding.

"Who's there!" The demon hunters standing next to him also reacted instantly, drawing their weapons and shouting sharply.

Lily shrank her neck, and the fur on her ears and tail quickly stood up.

Hao Ren and Hasson exchanged glances and said with their mouths, "I'll go first."

Hasson nodded. "You deal with the others, I'll deal with me."

If this wasn't analyzed in conjunction with the context, it really should be considered a grammatical error.

In the next second, Hao Ren had already drawn the Godslaying Twin Swords and rushed out with a rigid shield!

In the mid-air behind him, turrets were emerging from the void.

The demon hunters who could act with Hasson were naturally not ordinary people. Almost the moment Hao Ren rushed out, these experienced old warriors were ready to meet the enemy. They were not affected at all by the sudden attack and Hao Ren's strange attack method. The first two demon hunters carried longswords and summoned rune shields, while the warriors behind raised their crossbows, aimed at the enemies in the mid-air, and pulled the triggers.

The Godslaying Twin Swords slashed through the air, causing continuous tearing and distortion of space. The holy silver crossbow bolts were attracted by the space cracks and lost their aim. After dodging the first wave of attacks, Hao Ren's twin swords had already slashed heavily on the constantly fluctuating rune shield!

Artillery bombardment followed closely, stirring up large clouds of dust on the battlefield.

Lily and Hesperiana rushed out after him.

The demon hunter warriors were in a melee with the enemies in the front. Hasson (enemy force) in the rear soon frowned. He found that these suddenly emerging guys were quite strong, and the elite warriors under his command might not be able to win easily.

With this thought, he raised his holy silver longsword, took a step forward, and prepared to join the battle.

However, just as he was about to act, a voice that made him suddenly stunned came from the smoke on the other side: "Do you recognize me?!"

Hasson (enemy force) looked in the direction of the sound, and his gaze froze instantly: he saw a demon hunter with exactly the same appearance as him rushing towards him!

Not only was the appearance exactly the same, but even the equipment on his body, as well as the pace and figure during the charge, were exactly the same as his!

This version of Hasson from 44 BC was stunned—although it was only for less than half a second, he was stunned.

On one side was Hasson, who had been prepared for a long time, had spent a long time finding an attack angle, and had two thousand years of combat experience out of thin air, and on the other side was Hasson, who was confused and didn't understand what was going on and was still too young, too simple, and sometimes naive. The result of these two people's head-on collision could be imagined.

Unlike Lily, whose strength had been greatly reduced due to using the body of a minor, the body used by Hasson had no shrinkage at all!

Hao Ren used the powerful attributes of the two pieces of space debris to forcefully cut off the weapons of all the enemies in front of him. After suppressing the battlefield, he glanced at the place where Hasson was fighting and immediately cold sweat ran down his face: "These guys are so ruthless when they fight each other… Damn, they're even using their feet?"