Chapter 700: Chapter 699: Reentering the Atmosphere

While Baili Qing was completing the planet scan over there, the space bombardment of the "Holy Realm" continued, and the battle in orbit was almost over—the defense forces deployed above this planet suffered heavy losses when the United Fleet jumped into the battlefield. Although the fervent Defensive Army fought with great determination, with the Star Gate blocking them, the hastily organized small fleets ultimately failed to change the course of the battlefield.

After the orbital battle was basically over, twelve "Destiny" class planetary suppression ships of the United Fleet passed through the Star Gate and jumped into low-earth orbit of the Holy Realm—these specialized warships came equipped with powerful radar arrays that could monitor ignition signs from any engine corner on the planet’s surface. Once such energy reactions were detected, they would immediately guide orbital bombardment for concentrated interception to ensure no other warship could take off from the surface of this planet.

But no matter how strong the orbital bombardment, it could only intercept ships taking off from the planet surface—it couldn’t stop a planet that was about to "evolve".

"The energy reactions inside the planet are intensifying, and the ’Gate of Eden’ is still growing," Baili Qing’s voice transmitted through the communicator, "If we stall any longer, that gate might open before we take full control of this planet."

Yu Sheng quickly made a decision: "Whether we have time or not, I’ll go down first to see what’s going on."

As he spoke, he glanced out the observation window at the space engulfed in fire, and the Hidden Monastery’s home planet suspended in the center of the battlefield.

Through a subtle connection established by blood, he could also sense something inside the planet gradually "growing", but when he was on the foothill plains on the surface, he could only feel that the thing was underground, but he didn’t expect it to be an entire hollowed-out planet.

... In a sense, the term "underground" wasn’t wrong.

"Landing isn’t the issue. The issue is, after landing on the surface, how do we ’get inside’..." Yu Sheng thought for a while and spoke with a frown, "Although the Holy Realm is just a ’shell’, I bet this shell isn’t something Hu Li can dig through with claws... Your orbital bombardment couldn’t blast it open."

"Was there any entrance found during the planet scan?" Red immediately turned and asked Baili Qing.

"The ’support layer’ structure is very chaotic, containing a large number of intertwined vascular structures and discontinuous fracture points, making it impossible to plan a feasible passage, but I found some suspicious energy focal points on the planet’s surface," Baili Qing immediately said, "If I’m not mistaken, those energy focal points should be key to controlling the deep-layer Gate of Eden... Regardless, there should be some clues over there."

Red nodded: "Mark them."

"Okay."

The large holographic projection in front of the ship bridge control seat flickered a few times, and the global projection of the "Holy Realm" then appeared in the air. The energy reactions on the planet’s surface and inside were dense, with several main energy flows highlighted in striking red light. Then Baili Qing marked prominent signs at several energy convergence points within them.

"The largest energy focal point is here, located in the mountains. The radar array also detected a large structure of unknown purpose in this forest area. I suspect there might be some production or energy supply facility hidden within the mountain," Baili Qing said in the communicator, "The whole area is covered by a shield, but the previous orbital bombardment likely shattered part of its shield generators. There’s a barrier gap at the position I marked in red..."

"Alright, that’s it," Yu Sheng clapped his hands, turned around, and walked away, "You guys prepare that accelerator thing, and we’ll wait ’outside’ for your news."

Red also lacked experience working with this group from the travel agency. Seeing Yu Sheng’s sudden moves left her dumbfounded, she reacted quickly and hastily spoke up: "Wait, I haven’t arranged the landing shuttle for you yet..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she saw Yu Sheng push open a door beside the Captain’s seat and step out. The next moment, she saw a large white fox floating past the observation window—Yu Sheng, Luna, and Erin were riding on its back, with the fox’s nine tails spreading out in space, spewing increasingly bright propulsion flames.

Then the giant Nine-Tailed Demon Fox elegantly turned direction in space, took a step forward with four legs, and the propulsion flames on its tail suddenly expanded.

Fiery flames surged, Nine tails blossomed like fire lotuses, and the propulsion flames illuminated the bow of the Mass Effect. The Silver White Demon Fox opened its steps, taking on a running stance in space, accelerating continuously toward the Hidden Monastery’s home planet.

The next moment, Hu Li lowered his head, preparing to ram the planet with his head.

Red: "...What’s going on!?"

"This is called Fox Radish Charge," Baili Qing’s voice sounded beside her, leisurely yet carrying some unspeakable joy, "Yu Sheng introduced this move to me..."

Red’s face twitched, turning to "look" at Baili Qing: "So you’re trying to justify your years-ago atmospheric dive from outer space?"

Baili Qing’s joy abruptly ceased: "...Can you stop bringing that up?"

...

At the same time, on the surface of the Holy Realm planet.

The orbital bombardment from outer space had completely shattered the former beauty, fortress torpedoes had crushed the mountains, high-energy beams penetrating the atmosphere had evaporated the rivers, the once lush forests were now blazing in heavenly fires, and many stronghold points between plains and hills turned into scorched earth in a very short time span, while the remaining shield systems barely supported, protecting those more crucial temples and factories.

The Defensive Army around the world is still relying on those temples and factories to fight stubbornly. They hide in fortresses, operating still-functioning anti-air cannons, trying to shoot down those "heretics" in low Earth orbit. Some are in the city ruins, engaging in fierce firefights with the drones of the United Army that have already entered the atmosphere, attempting to delay the planet’s complete fall.

The sky is stained with smoke, and the pervasive sunlight diffuses into vast, uneven dark red in the murky atmosphere. The high-energy particle beams heat up the atmosphere during the bombardment, causing numerous storms of various sizes to rise high in the sky. Those storms turn into countless terrifying vortexes in the sky, like deep chasms of the abyss displayed all over the heavens.

Amid the storms and dim sunlight, the high-energy beams from low Earth orbit continue to sweep across the surface. The ear-piercing screeching of shields disintegrating echoed among the plains and mountains, as heavy fortress torpedoes fell to the ground, with mushroom clouds rising further obscuring the sky.

Various landing crafts pierced through the thick atmosphere, heading towards the sacred temples and palaces that once stood high, braving the remnants of faltering anti-air defenses in city ruins—the priests and believers hiding in the temples being dragged out one by one, executed on the spot among the scorched earth and wreckage.

But in more places on the planet, intense battles are still ongoing.

The shrill and piercing air raid sirens echoed through the mountains and forests. The energy impact from the fortress shield breaking ripped apart a nearby mountain, igniting raging fires in the forest. A fortress torpedo shot down from low Earth orbit had just exploded at the mountain’s foot, with the horrific plasma storm instantly vaporizing the defensive bunker at the foot of the mountain—taking advantage of this enormous chaos, a Marine Corps from Boundary Land made several incursions but was repelled by the defenders here each time, forced to retreat back to the plains.

The last order from the Supreme Temple was to hold this ground and repair the shield system at all costs.

At the very least, fix that dangerous gap above the Spiritual Furnace.

"Quick, quick, quick! We’re out of time!" A Hidden Monastery priest in a white Holy Robe stood anxiously by a pile of ruins. "The orbit is full of heretics—so are the plains! We must get the shields and anti-air cannons back online before the second fortress torpedo comes down! The Spiritual Furnace cannot fall!"

The howling wind swept over the hills, carrying the acrid smell of smoke. Unsettling flashes in the atmosphere approached relentlessly, with terrifying roars echoing from the distant hills.

The ground trembled, and the nearly collapsed communication link was filled with distress signals and attack warnings. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

What’s happening over at the Supreme Temple? Why is there no sign of reinforcements? Are support troops from other planets already on their way? Do the defense forces in the polar regions still have a chance to reclaim the orbital platform?

The technical priests and engineers were pulling their hair out beside the heavily damaged Shield Generator, vainly attempting to connect the stalled energy core to a backup line. They knew that landing troops from Boundary Land could return at any moment, but getting the completely ruined Shield Generator back online seemed an impossible task.

"What about the Artificial Saintess and those Knights?" another Black-robed Priest asked. "Why did they retreat?"

"They just repelled ten times the number of heretics—even the Saintess and Knights need to retreat back to the Furnace for a rest," said the High-level Priest in charge on-site quickly. "If reinforcements fail to arrive, we have no choice but to handle it ourselves."

The Black-robed Priest’s expression turned anxious. After a brief hesitation, he seemed to make a firm decision: "If worse comes to worst, we’ll have to ’reclaim’ those severely injured Artificial Saintesses and use their souls as fuel for the furnace—this might awaken the Living Saint in the stabilization chamber early."

The expression of the High-level Priest shifted slightly: "That’s damaging valuable Church assets. Those Artificial Saintesses..."

"We can’t afford to worry about that! The Shield Generator can’t be fixed, and the heretics have already taken the skies! Without a Living Saint, we can’t seal the breach here—Saintesses can be mass-produced anytime, but once the Spiritual Furnace is gone, it can’t be replaced!"

The High-level Priest gritted his teeth.

"...Alright, so be it. You take some people to the Holy Coffin chamber, awaken Saintess numbers four to ten, and bring them to the Furnace—tell them they are going to defend the Holy Temple. Souls with firm beliefs burn longer."

"Understood."

The Black-robed Priest bowed his head in acceptance. However, just as he was about to turn and leave, a strange flash suddenly appeared at the edge of his vision, interrupting his movement.

He looked up in surprise, seeing a mass of blazing light burning rapidly and expanding in the atmosphere, seemingly carrying a world-destroying power.

Among the bustling believers, some also noticed the situation in the sky. Raising their heads to look, they muttered in shock:

"What is that..."

"Another orbital bombardment?!"

"It’s heading our way!"