Chapter 1 Black Snow Mountain

Black Snow Mountain was a scene of utter devastation.

The violent shockwave spread, engulfing the entire disaster zone.

The boundless black waters of the Dolu River churned and crashed down like the sky falling, washing away decades of accumulated snow on Black Snow Mountain in the impact… and the fleet that had just begun to turn around was caught off guard, struck by the shockwave unleashed by the Traveler, and plunged into the river!

The power systems instantly collapsed, but the "mental network" within the equipment remained connected.

Osmond’s mind linked to all the captains.

As the source energy boats plummeted, these captains immediately led their teams to replace their source armor with brand new sets, opened the cabins, and made an emergency escape. They deployed their domains, using the black waters of the Dolu River to cushion their fall… At this point, they could no longer worry about the so-called "mental toxins" eroding their minds!

But unexpectedly, the Dolu River water at this moment seemed to no longer contain river poison.

None of the captains who deployed their domains felt their minds being corroded… Now was not the time to discuss this issue. Those bone-winged creatures surrounding the main boat, oblivious to their own mortality, were still launching attacks. In the shockwave just now, a large number of these creatures had exploded into pieces, but the blood of their companions only drove them even more insane.

One domain after another expanded.

Osmond roared, pushing his domain to its maximum. This commander hadn’t personally been on the battlefield for a long time. Although he was old, his blade was still sharp. After the main boat crashed, the Restart Squad had no other choice but to retreat.

In the chaos, someone needed to step forward and stabilize the situation.

And that someone was him.

He would lead the young men behind him to fight their way out.

"Lin!"

After shattering several bone-winged creatures that had come to attack, Osmond threw his polished silver longsword. The longsword carved a slender, straight trajectory through the waters of the River Styx—

He gave his most treasured sword to Lin Lin.

"Now… we don't need a commander anymore."

The old man's voice was a little hoarse, resonating and spreading underwater, but it had a considerable impact on Lin Lin's mind: "Didn't you want to charge ahead? Now is the time. Go ahead, charge as you please, and I'll cover your back."

Lin Lin took the Chassic saber. Chassic was a small iron-forging town in North Continent, plagued by war before the Empress ascended the throne. It was famous for producing knives, and every knife produced there was of excellent quality. This particular knife was the best of the best. The blade was very light, engraved with three ancient characters inscribed by mental-type espers, used to enhance the stability and speed of the blade. The blade had a water-wave pattern, and the hilt of the scabbard was engraved with "a.m.," Osmond's code name when he first joined the Third Legion.

Lin Lin gripped the warblade, clenching it tightly, and asked, "What's its name?"

"Old Man."

Osmond smiled faintly, "Just like I am now."

Back when he obtained this blade, he wasn't an "Old Man" yet.

When Osmond first joined the Third Legion, he was in his twenties, young and full of spirit, with blond hair and blue eyes. General White Lizard took a liking to this passionate young man from Central Continent at first glance, and then, after he became his adjutant, gifted him "Old Man." This knife was already a hundred years old.

It had stood the test of time.

Generations of North Continent swordsmen had aged and died… but this knife had never dulled, always sharp.

"They just went through a battle, and now they need someone to clear the way. If I were twenty years younger, this great achievement wouldn't be yours." Osmond glanced at the squads struggling in fierce combat, and sighed softly, "It's good to be young… you're really getting a bargain."

Lin Lin didn't speak, but gripped the longsword tighter.

The Old Man made a "click" sound, the scabbard fitting perfectly in his palm!

It was as if a voice sounded in his heart.

"Draw your blade!"

Osmond shouted, and Lin Lin swung his blade at the same moment.

This strike was directed towards the densest part of the blood mist in the black river, the gathering place of bone-winged creatures, which were resisting the violent shockwave, willing to sacrifice their lives to pin the North Continent espers to the bottom of the River Styx and erode them completely…

"Boom!"

In the next moment, the void collapsed and flesh flew in the direction the blade pointed! As if bombarded by artillery!

The captains who were fighting fiercely were all startled.

They thought the main boat was firing again!

Lin Lin’s pupils contracted. Even he himself hadn’t expected this strike to unleash such terrifying power!

Hundreds of bone-winged creatures exploded the moment they encountered the blade!

This strike was indeed comparable to a main boat artillery strike!

But the only drawback… was that it consumed mental energy and physical strength extremely quickly. Osmond was too old and could only swing the blade a limited number of times, but he was different. Lin Lin's eyes became firm as he held his breath, stepped on the sinking iron sheets of the main boat, and shot forward, splitting the water with his blade. The ripples of the Dolu River exploded again, and with his own strength, he broke open the exit blocked by countless bone-winged creatures—

Seeing this, the other captains followed suit.

In an instant, the River Styx, besieged by tens of thousands of bone wings, was torn open!

Osmond didn't move. After throwing his knife, he floated at the location where the main boat had crashed, silently watching the single eye pierce through the dark, dense blood tide on the River Styx, making eye contact with those few unique "intelligent creatures."

He knew.

The real opponents in this breakout battle… were not these low-level cannon fodder who only knew how to sell their lives.

After the main ship crashed, their side no longer had a commander, but the other side still did.

Osmond spread his mental power, linking it to every squad captain. He issued his last order: "Everyone, follow Lin Lin to break through… I will be responsible for covering the rear. From this moment on, Deputy Commander Lin Lin will take over my position as main commander."

In the heat of the battle, this order was like a thunderbolt!

The captains looked shocked, staring in disbelief at the "Eye of the Legion" who was standing alone, quietly at the rear.

Although they were unwilling to accept it, they had to admit… the most trustworthy person in this team, the one most worthy of entrusting their backs to, was indeed the main commander, Osmond.

War was cruel.

In a real battle, everything changed in an instant.

Many times, when faced with the sacrifice of a "comrade," you could only accept it, without even a second to lament.

As soon as Osmond’s order was issued, the second wave of blood crashed into the River Styx from behind, completely cutting off their retreat… In fact, after the crash, everyone had no way out but to move forward. But now their situation was even more critical and worse because as long as they moved forward a little slower, they would be "swallowed up," so no matter how shocked, bewildered, and incredulous the captains were, they could only choose to continue forward, immediately forward.

They didn’t have time to grieve.

"Come on, you beasts."

Osmond deployed his domain, his mental power boiling in the black river.

Ten meters, a hundred meters, two hundred meters…

This "quasi-General" of the Third Legion was still expanding his domain, transforming himself into a fortress, stopping all the bone-winged creatures that tried to attack his comrades. This flattened domain stood horizontally at the bottom of the River Styx, creating a dam on the flat ground.

"Rumble!"

Thunder rumbled.

His feet were firmly planted on the bottom of the black river, resisting the ever-increasing force of impact. Those bone-winged creatures charged fearlessly, smashing themselves into a pile of flesh, and then another pile of flesh splashed out on top of the first—

Scarlet red dyed the black river.

Blood spilled from the corners of Osmond’s lips. Even though he was nailed to the riverbed, he was still uncontrollably pushed back. The "blood-red barrier" formed by him alone could not withstand thousands of impacts—

Just as the barrier was about to shatter.

Osmond reached out and roughly tore off the black blindfold that concealed his damaged eye.

Everyone in North Continent knew that this famous "Eye of the Legion" was a "cripple."

In an early war, he had lost an eye forever…

But no one knew that what he gained from it was not only distinguished military service and great fame, but also another stroke of good fortune.

After that battle, Her Majesty the Empress bestowed upon him a brand new "eye."

It was "the symbol of wisdom" and "the recognition of the Furnace."

It was a "God-given Eye."

Her Majesty the Empress told him that this eye possessed unparalleled power and should be used with caution, but it would definitely be helpful at critical moments.

After receiving the divine gift, Osmond obeyed the teachings and did not abuse the Empress's reward. Instead, he covered the "God-given Eye" with a black cloth and told himself to feel the things of this world with his heart, because with "blindness," he could see more clearly… From then on, Osmond won every battle, never losing again.

Now.

He was using the "God's Eye" bestowed by Her Majesty for the first time.

Rolling thunder swirled and surged at the bottom of the river!

Osmond felt the majestic divine power descending, a familiar fluctuation, the warmth of the Furnace.

This was a generous reward for Osmond’s devotion to his duty…

The Empress had placed a wisp of the "Furnace Core Fire" in this eye!

In the black river, a spark burned and spread—

The overwhelming bone-winged creatures that crashed down were burned to ashes in an instant. This wisp of "Furnace Core Fire" spread continuously in the void, as if it wanted to incinerate everything Osmond saw.

Hot blood flowed from Osmond’s damaged eye. He raised his head and tried his best to look at the fourth-order creatures suspended in the air, wanting to use the Empress's divine power to directly kill them, but countless bone-winged creatures swarmed up, willing to be pulverized, sacrificing their lives for their "commanders."

This great fire burned for a full ten minutes.

The barrier formed by Osmond alone successfully blocked the deadly pursuit above the River Styx.

He burned out the wisp of divine fire in his eye.

Hot blood almost covered half of Osmond’s face.

The void domain had now truly become an "iron wall." The bone-winged creatures were burned into coke, solidified, and piled up into a high wall covered in crimson red…

Then.

A fourth-order creature slowly landed.

It landed in front of the old man’s domain.

This intelligent creature survived perfectly in the burning flames, because of the sacrifice of countless bone wings. It hadn’t even suffered the slightest burn. It smiled slightly, reached out its palm… and with just a gentle push, the high wall collapsed.

Human strength had its limits.

Osmond had burned everything.

The breaking of the high wall meant… that his domain had also collapsed and shattered.

But he didn't retreat.

Osmond smiled.

He slowly drew his second knife.

It was a dark silver double-edged dagger, with unintelligible words engraved on the sheath, a "remembrance" in his native language.

This was Osmond's own personal weapon, and had been for thirty years. He carried it with him at all times, whether eating or sleeping, and never left his side. Before he got "Old Man," he had used this dagger to end the lives of countless enemies.

It was just a pity… that this knife wasn't sharp.

For him, Old Man meant "glory."

This knife meant "original intention."

The fourth-order creature narrowed its eyes. It didn’t quite understand…

It didn't understand what it was seeing.

In its laws, the weak should make way for the strong, so when resisting the flames, it didn’t even need to retreat half a step. Naturally, countless bone-winged creatures would swarm up, burning for it… But this law didn’t seem to apply to the "human race" in front of it. The escapees who had retreated earlier were obviously not as powerful as the old man in front of it.

Why were the strong sacrificing their lives for the weak?

It couldn’t understand, and didn’t really want to understand.

Following the "higher will," it only had one thing to do…

"Tear!"

The fourth-order creature made a ruthless move, smashing the void with a single palm!

In this long and arduous war of attrition, this human powerhouse had long since burned out his blood and strength. The weapon he could pull out was just an ordinary old dagger!

Osmond roared and drew his knife. He had indeed burned everything, to the point that the voice he roared out of his chest was so hoarse, like a sick and dying lion… But this blade was exceptionally dazzling!

The sound of tearing was the sound of the dagger piercing the void, piercing flesh!

The pupils of the fourth-order creature contracted. It looked at the palm of its hand in disbelief… That knife had broken through the sound barrier in a bizarre way, directly piercing its skin. This old man who was running out of steam had squeezed out another bit of strength from his exhausted state!

Enraged, it struck again!

Osmond drew his blade and struck again!

The second strike still hit steadily… After two failures, this fourth-order creature realized that this was another thing it couldn’t understand. It seemed that human powerhouses could rely on their will to burst out with powerful strength beyond their current realm!

"Yin!"

It let out a painful and shrill howl!

The "high-level creatures" wandering in the sky above the River Styx, responsible for commanding the bone-winged creatures to besiege the first half of the escaping team, heard this long howl, looked at each other, and after a few seconds, the second fourth-order creature also swooped down…

A burst of silver light suddenly appeared.

The second fourth-order creature fell and crashed into the riverbed. Without any extra movement, it used its long tail as a thorn, stabbing fiercely at Osmond!

"Puchi!"

The angle of the second fourth-order creature's sneak attack was too tricky, and its speed was extremely fast!

Osmond didn't have time to dodge at all. His right shoulder was completely pierced through, and the intense pain from the shattered flesh made it impossible for him to even swing his blade. So he took a solid palm strike from the previous fourth-order creature.

"Poof…"

He coughed up a large mouthful of blood.

This time, no matter how hard his consciousness was, it inevitably began to dissipate.

The fourth-order creature, which had been stabbed twice, became high-pitched and excited.

It slapped out its palm again.

But in mid-air, a large hand suddenly stretched out from the darkness.

With a "kacha" sound!

The fingers of this large hand were connected, growing webbing, but the bones were as hard as steel. With a single squeeze, it directly crushed the palm of the fourth-order creature!

Then a wisp of darkness spread.

The owner of the large hand unfolded his domain, pulling both fourth-order creatures into the domain… Not even a scream escaped. After dozens of seconds, the darkness spread, and the disappearing domain spat out two "dead" creatures that only had bones left.

Osmond, with empty eye sockets bleeding, was already exhausted. He half-slumped, trying his best to raise his only seeing eye, struggling to see the "tall figure" in front of him…

But his vision was getting more and more blurred.

He only heard the mental voice transmitted by that figure underwater.

"I'm sorry… teacher, I'm late."

Osmond smiled wearily, and fell forward peacefully.

Fisher reached out his arms, carefully catching the withered body.

When he broke through earlier, he had a bad feeling in his heart. The number of transcendent creatures descending from the sky was too large, and the number of intelligent creatures was probably not just the one he had seen.

Fisher had foreseen the upcoming battle.

He was very clear.

After breaking through, the battle was just beginning…

If he wanted to dedicate his greatest strength in this battle, then it would be best to activate the bloodline of the "Undying" once. In this way, he could give the intelligent creatures false information and maximize his strength once again.

At this moment.

The bloodline of the was burning his life.

Fisher raised his head, looking expressionlessly at the "bone-winged creatures" that were recklessly crashing into the River Styx… The reason why he was stationed in Deepscale City, which guarded the three coastal sides, was because of his ability to fight in the water. Looking at the entire North Continent, no one could compare.

opened again.

And this time, it was no longer a simple "ten meters" or "twenty meters."

His domain merged with all the "water" in the world.

Even though this black river was full of the air of death, it was still Fisher's best "medium"!

After a few seconds, this dark domain expanded to five thousand meters!

Fisher's mental voice was transmitted to the vanguard of the breakout team.

"Everyone, I am 'Live Fish.' Now… I will cover the rear."

…

…

This was a hard battle that Lin Lin had never experienced before.

Even though he had the famous knife gifted by Osmond, and could hack his way out of the sea of corpses time and time again, he couldn't see the light of "survival."

Live Fish had returned to the team, and had become stronger!

In a desperate situation, this was an extremely inspiring message, but Lin Lin knew that this inspiring effect couldn't last long. In the previous fierce battle, the captains' spirits had long been exhausted.

Not everyone possessed Fisher's "bloodline," and the number of these bone-winged creatures still seemed endless.

Even the captains were exhausted, let alone the team members who had been injured earlier.

They had probably only crossed less than half of this black river.

Every minute and every second became extremely agonizing…

At this moment, the breakout team had fallen into despair. Some people took the initiative to offer to cover the rear. Without Fisher's ability, covering the rear in this situation meant sacrifice… A mood of sorrow permeated the bottom of the black river.

Lin Lin fell silent.

No one chanted the name of Her Majesty the Empress.

It wasn't because they didn't believe in the Empress.

On the contrary, it was precisely because the transcendents who stepped into this river were all the backbone of North Continent, the absolute vanguard.

They already had some understanding of Her Majesty's "situation"… In recent years, Her Majesty had lived on the second floor of the阁楼(gé lóu), never showing her face no matter what happened. This decision had caused speculation to arise in the Five Continents, and rumors were rampant.

When a super-large disaster zone appeared in the Moon-Cloaked City Fortress, Her Majesty ordered Rustbone to guard it.

When the Dolu River disaster zone emerged, Her Majesty fully entrusted it to White Lizard and Purple Rain.

At the most difficult moment for North Continent, even the Apostles rarely showed their faces…

Her Majesty must have encountered "difficulties."

The Empress was supporting the entire Central City alone. The Furnace was running at all times. She gave warmth to the entire North Continent, and the North Continent was absorbing and exploiting her, trapping her in the阁楼(gé lóu).

The reason why they were fighting so desperately in the Dolu River this time was because they guessed that the "energy" that might exist in the Dolu River was what Her Majesty needed most at this moment.

"Hey… you surnamed Lin."

A familiar voice rang in Lin Lin's mental sea.

It was Zhong Yuan's voice. The blond man fighting fiercely in the team at the moment didn't even look in Lin Lin's direction. He seemed to be wholeheartedly immersed in the battle, but the Phoenix Ring had exhausted its reserves, and only spat out faint flames…

"Don't look at me, just clear the way… I'll ask you a question."

Zhong Yuan continued to fight.

His spirit was exhausted to the extreme, but the question he asked made Lin Lin stunned.

"Will Her Majesty the Empress come?"

Having known each other for many years, the two knew each other's backgrounds very well.

But Lin Lin had never told Zhong Yuan his true identity… Not because he didn't trust Zhong Yuan, but because some secrets really couldn't be spoken. As the best "opponent" in his life, he didn't want his and Zhong Yuan's fair competition to be tainted by a special identity that couldn't be chosen.

"You… why are you asking me?" Lin Lin's voice was hoarse.

In that short moment, many scenes couldn't help but flash through his mind, recalling the details of his interaction with Zhong Yuan. Was there anything he hadn't noticed, leading to omissions and oversights…

"It's nothing."

Zhong Yuan smiled and said softly, "It just looks like we're all going to die, and I can't help but think, you and Her Majesty the Empress have the same surname, Lin. What if you're relatives? Can we survive by relying on this connection?"

Lin Lin was silent for a while.

"Her Majesty the Empress will come."

He smiled, and said firmly, "Whether or not I'm surnamed Lin doesn't matter… She won't abandon any of her people."

…

…

(Everyone waited for a long time, there will be another chapter tonight.)