Above the Galaxy

"The barbarians have broken in."

"Run away quickly..."

"The barbarians are eating people."

------

The internal security system of Red Moon City was breached, the protective shield disappeared, and the entire city was plunged into a state of semi-paralysis.

The people wailed and screamed, fleeing in all directions to seek shelter.

Some even tried to leave using various means of transport, but upon seeing the endless barrage of cannons, the flying cars couldn't even take off.

In the face of war, how insignificant the individual is?

With the barbarians as the vanguard, the Sky Wing Army provided artillery support from the skies.

Countless fighters swooped over the city, destroying the major military installations within Red Moon City.

This scene was a horror beyond words.

The sky was filled with Star Disc fighters, and the Wolf Fang Clubs wielded by the barbarians, devouring one fresh life after another like bloodthirsty beasts.

Qin Jianyi was the commander of the Sky Wolf Army, leading the charge, personally engaging in combat with City Defense General Zhu Jian while wearing the custom-made Sky Wolf Armor by the Lu Clan.

Zhu Jian, being a city defender, was no stranger to cultivating realms, and Qin Jianyi found it difficult to defeat him momentarily.

Moreover, Zhu's guards were fearless, and every time Qin Jianyi tried to capture and kill Zhu Jian, countless people would throw themselves forward to block with their flesh and blood.

Loyalty, isn't exclusive to just our side.

Tang Fei and Phoenix, along with Lu Siyu, remained in the command ship; in such large-scale military battles, personal strength could have limited impact.

Moreover, an army cannot have two masters, and neither Tang Fei nor Phoenix wanted to interfere with Qin Jianyi's command of the Sky Wolf Army.

This was a taboo matter.

At least for now, there was no thought of contending with Qin Jianyi for control of the Sky Wolf Army.

After all, it was almost like a private army of the Qin Family.

Phoenix watched the real-time battle situation on the virtual display screen and whispered in Tang Fei's ear, "Qin Jianyi commands well, and the Sky Wolf Army's combat power is terrifying."

The Sky Wolf Army used to be just an independent brigade under the Undying Army, one of the three main forces. Later, the Qin Family chose to side with Tang Fei, opposing the Shen Family. Qin Jianyi then led the Sky Wolf Army out of the Undying Army's control and merged with other brigades loyal to the Qin Family to form the Sky Wolf Army.

The Sky Wolf Army remained besieged in Zhao Ling, fighting daily against the besieging Shen Family forces, occasionally attempting to break through...

Supporting the army through battle.

Over time, the Sky Wolf Army grew into an iron lion from repeated warfare.

Tang Fei understood her meaning, nodded, and said in a barely audible voice: "Now we share common adversity; trust must be extended more generously."

Phoenix nodded, saying: "For now, indeed, but caution is necessary later."

In Phoenix's view, if Tang Fei wanted to rise to that position, he needed to infiltrate the Sky Wolf Army's ranks.

If the most formidable force under his command was controlled by the Qin Family, then...

Why wouldn't the Qin Family take that position themselves?

This is human nature.

Even the Qin Family and Qin Jianyi would realize this.

If they were unwilling to accept this, then a new conflict or war might begin.

Victory comes at the cost of many bones; anyone could become one of those bones.

Politics is the art of compromise.

Tang Fei glanced at Phoenix and, smiling, said: "Who knows about future matters..."

He pointed his chin toward Lu Siyu, who was furiously typing at a computer, saying: "Besides, don't they wear Sky Wolf Armor supplied by the Lu Clan?"

Phoenix sighed inwardly, unable to deny that gaining Lu Clan's loyalty and selfless support... was something her father never achieved.

Qin Jianyi commanded the Sky Wolf Army, yet its Star Disc battleship weapons and armor were all developed and provided by the Lu Clan.

If the Qin Family harbored ulterior motives, those weapons that currently aid them in victories would become useless burdens.

The Lu Clan would undoubtedly have ways to sabotage their systems, perhaps even turning Qin Jianyi's specially-made Sky Wolf Armor into a pile of scrap metal.

This is the power of technology.

And Tang Fei, holding technology, holds the future.

Phoenix was deeply envious of Tang Fei's fortune, as he and his father both received support from the Lu Clan.

Tang Li became the supreme commander of the Phoenix Empire's land, sea, and air forces; how far will Tang Fei go?

"The Zhong Royal Family..."

Phoenix sighed deeply in her heart.

The Zhong Family would soon exit the stage of history.

Her puppet brother lacked the capability to influence the greater situation.

Lu Siyu remained unaware of what Tang Fei and Phoenix were thinking, even oblivious to their conversation.

She sat at the computer, fighting for control over Red Moon City...

Factories, power plants, energy plants, even household lighting... what doesn't rely on the network?

She was the king on the network, the true KING.

She enjoyed this feeling, indifferent to material desires in reality, yet deeply concerned with success and failure on the network.

------

Upon learning of the disappearance of Red Moon City's defensive shield, Wang Bota immediately led forty thousand troops to the rescue.

He also deployed an additional ten thousand soldiers to Feng City and Brocade City... he used the entire one hundred thousand troops he brought with him.

There was no other choice; the disappearance of the Red Moon City's defensive shield was too terrifying, with consequences too severe.

Even now, it remains hard to accept.

He had discussed with his subordinates, the regiment's officers, and the staff about a strategy. If the city's defenders could hold out for half an hour... they could launch a pincer attack inside and out.

The main defenders of Red Moon City would launch an attack outward against the bandits outside.

Meanwhile, his forty thousand reinforcements would conduct a siege from the periphery.

In this way, the bandits may be defeated.

Even if they couldn't annihilate them completely, they could inflict heavy losses, preventing future attacks on other cities.

Hmm, ideals are plentiful, reality is disheartening.

By the time they arrived at Red Moon City, it had already changed hands, completely taken over by Qin Jianyi's Sky Wolf Army.

When they tried to turn and flee, a large number of bandits appeared behind them...

"Who the hell are they?" Wang Bota stood in front of the command screen, glaring angrily at the overwhelming army in front, and shouted furiously: "The main force of the Sky Wolf Army is behind us... what kind of monsters are those intercepting us in front?"

"Report to General, they're signaling..." a staff secretary urgently reported: "They are the Dushan garrison."

"What?"

The command ship fell into silence.

How could the Dushan garrison be here?

Even if they haven't been wiped out by Barbarians... they shouldn't have colluded with the remnants of the Tang Family, right?

They are the Empire's shield... how could they betray the nation?

No one expected the Dushan garrison to defect; they'd rather believe the garrison was wiped out by Barbarians and Qin Jianyi combined.

"General..." The adjutant swallowed hard, asked in a deep voice, "What should we do now?"

Yes, just as they foreseen...

Inside and outside collaboration, frontal and pincer attack, forming a perfect encirclement.

Of course, the roles have changed.

No way to retreat.

Only a desperate fight remains.

"Prepare for battle!" Wang Bota shouted in command.

------

Shen Qingping's emotions were very complex.

He knew, taking this step would mean there's no turning back.

Perhaps, there was never a way back?

When did it start?

When that man waved at him on the fiery-red desert saying "Brother Qingping, long time no see"?

With no retreat, he could only forge ahead.

Facing only death!

"Accelerate!"

"Attack!"

"Overrun them!"

------

Even more complex were the feelings of the senior generals of Dushan, Xun Pu, Bai Li, Chen Ran, and He Hongyu, who were sitting at the conference table.

The virtual screen in the meeting room was displaying the battle scenes of the Dushan garrison and Sky Wolf Army jointly besieging Wang Bota's forces...

Such carnage!

But, as you fight your battle...

We're just a group of ordinary captives, why bring us onto the command ship?

Your personal actions, Shen Qingping, have nothing to do with us.

We didn't command the battle, nor did we ever consider treason.

Oh, Shen Qingping says the Shen Family seized power...

You can imprison and starve us, even beat us...

"There's no way back."

That was the common thought in the hearts of all Dushan army's senior generals.

-------

Broken walls, ravaged landscape.

Rarely could one hear cries and screams; under the bombardment of high-tech weaponry... bodies would vanish instantly.

The battle has ceased, only sporadic gunfire remains; that's from some small squads inside the city resisting desperately.

Red Moon City has changed hands.

Wang Bota has been captured.

With his hands bound, Wang Bota's gaze swept quickly over the faces of Tang Fei, Phoenix, and others. When he saw Shen Qingping standing in the middle of the crowd, he suddenly cursed: "Shen Qingping, are you insane? Do you know what you are doing?"

"You're the Shen Family's direct lineage, the grandson of the Lord Military Minister... how can you aid tyranny?"

"You'll definitely die a disgraceful death... you'll die without a whole corpse..."

"You will be expelled from the clan... won't even enter the Shen Family's ancestral grave after you die..."

-----

He was filled with hatred, sparing no venomous words to curse Shen Qingping.

He hated fiercely.

If they were defeated by the Tang Family remnants, so be it, but he never thought the ones intercepting his retreat would be the Dushan garrison, Shen Qingping.

Shen Qingping carries the Shen Family's bloodline...

Whose world is this?

We are fighting, bleeding, and sacrificing for your Shen Family!

Thinking of his fallen brothers and comrades, Wang Bota wished he could pounce and gnaw their flesh, chew their bones.

Shen Qingping walked to Wang Bota, staring at him expressionlessly.

After a good while, he spoke softly: "Everything you said... I know."

Screech!

The long knife at his waist flashed out like lightning, severing Wang Bota's head.

And severing his own retreat.