Western Wasteland Plateau, East Continent Capital.
In a grand hall where crystal chandeliers slowly rotated.
Men and women, dressed impeccably, engaged in lively conversations while admiring the performances on stage or whispering to each other.
From the relaxed and comfortable expressions on their faces.
It was clear that this was a social banquet that brought them considerable joy.
In their hushed conversations, they inevitably touched upon the current hot topic across the East Continent: the amusement parks and large parks in Jianghe City.
"Have you seen them? The parks in Jianghe City are quite well-built."
"Every part is exquisitely designed."
"Even I felt a slight urge to visit for a stroll."
"Unfortunately, the management there decided to open it to the common folk, ruining such a beautiful environment."
The speaker genuinely felt a sense of regret.
Even in their capital, there were very few places that could match the standard of the large parks in Jianghe City.
Of course, he was merely expressing his sense of superiority.
Regardless of whether Su Wu opened the parks to the public or not, he would never risk traveling two to three thousand kilometers from the East Continent capital to visit Jianghe City.
"No matter how good it is."
"Built in such a place, it's bound to be destroyed sooner or later."
Another person's eyes revealed disdain. Speaking of Jianghe City was like humans looking at ants, with no sense of kinship.
"Actually, there's no need to feel regret."
"After all, there are tens of millions of people there."
"Letting them enjoy something good before they die can be considered an act of kindness."
A handsome young man wearing a red tie, who appeared sunny and approachable, comforted the first speaker.
The guests in this banquet hall were the true elite of the East Continent.
With access to certain confidential information.
They viewed the survivors outside the plateau, in the low-altitude regions, as the living dead.
If it weren't for the significant commotion caused by Jianghe City.
And the achievements that sparked a hint of unspoken envy in them.
They wouldn't even mention the survivors, to avoid bringing bad luck.
East Continent Governor's Office.
Yi Nengjing also received intelligence about Jianghe City.
However, the report didn't focus much on the amusement parks and parks.
Instead, it highlighted the 300+ sixth-generation fighter jets and over ten thousand Azure Sky-Class Transport Drones.
These high-performance aircraft had already established an aerial transport network over half of the East Continent.
Capable of transporting hundreds of thousands of tons of supplies daily.
And naturally, capable of carrying bombs as well.
Even excluding the space-based weapons in orbit, Jianghe City's war potential was already formidable enough to inspire fear.
"Even in the apocalypse."
"How did such a monster suddenly appear?"
"Not only can they develop sixth-generation fighter jets, but they also have the capacity to mass-produce them."
Yi Nengjing rubbed his temples as he put down the documents.
He then turned his gaze to the office screen, where photos of Jianghe City's merchant convoy trains, taken by some shelters, were displayed.
These behemoths, stretching over a kilometer in length, could also be built in the East Continent capital.
But the cost far outweighed the benefits.
In this regard.
It was another unique advantage of Jianghe City.
"We must be cautious."
"Other places are manageable."
"But we absolutely cannot relinquish the interests of the Western Wasteland Plateau."
"At most, we can leave them a few hundred square kilometers of territory."
"Allowing their higher-ups to seek refuge here."
"Nothing more."
Yi Nengjing set his bottom line in his heart.
With Jianghe City's power reaching such heights.
Expecting them to quietly await their doom in desperation was almost impossible.
To avoid more intense conflicts and significant losses.
Some concessions were the only option.
But these concessions must have a bottom line, not affecting the ultimate plan of the East Continent capital.
The pros and cons needed careful consideration by Yi Nengjing before finalizing.
Compared to Jianghe City.
Other cities outside the East Continent capital's control, such as the super cities in the Southeast Alliance, did not receive such favorable treatment.
Their higher-ups either had to fend for themselves.
Or give up everything, surrendering all rare resources they brought, to join the East Continent capital as ordinary citizens.
This meant falling from the elite class to the commoner class.
In the future, they would have to rely on the mercy of the higher-ups, just like ordinary people.
Thousands of miles away from the East Continent capital, in the Far East.
Three pitch-black fighter jets pierced through the clouds.
Closing in on a convoy engaged in battle with a merchant train.
Seconds later.
A series of massive explosions formed a continuous sea of fire, rapidly spreading along the trajectory of the fighter jets.
Engulfing hundreds of armored vehicles and tanks.
"Confirmed, the main enemy force has been destroyed."
"Returning to base."
The fighter jets circled above the flames.
Then slightly adjusted their angle and disappeared back into the clouds.
Gone as swiftly as they came.
Below.
Inside one of the merchant train's carriages.
Roman, clad in exoskeleton armor.
Operated the rocket launch pod from within the carriage, scanning the destroyed vehicles with photoelectric radar.
His tense nerves finally relaxed.
"Those who dare to rob now."
"Are getting more and more troublesome."
"Fortunately, we can still call for air support."
Listening to the artificial intelligence announcing the complete elimination of the enemy and lifting the alert.
Roman climbed out of the egg-shaped control pod.
Outside, thirty to forty refugees picked up along the journey by the merchant train were looking at him with uneasy eyes.
Hesitating to speak.
Clearly wanting to inquire about the situation outside but holding back.
"It's alright."
"The bandits outside have all been wiped out by our fighter jets."
"Not a single one escaped."
Roman opened his face shield, revealing a smile.
He proactively comforted them.
In the Jianghe City shelter.
Almost everyone was directly managed by artificial intelligence.
So despite the humble and destitute appearance of these people now.
Once they returned to Jianghe City.
They would be shelter residents like Roman.
With no difference in status.
Being kind now was also a way to build goodwill.
At the same time.
At the front of the merchant train.
Two spider robots carried reconnaissance equipment.
Heading out to collect the enemy's remains scattered across the snowy plains.
Soon, after comparing multiple sets of data.
They traced their origin.
A large shelter only 20 kilometers away.
"Hostile shelter detected."
"Commencing eradication mission."
Two lines of data cycled between the merchant train and the Farmhouse Shelter in Jianghe City, thousands of kilometers away, via the satellite network.
Then.
The merchant train adjusted its course.
Heading towards the large shelter.
Within a few hundred kilometers around it.
Including the three sixth-generation fighter jets that had just completed their bombing mission and hadn't gone far.
A total of 12 fighter jets headed to the nearest temporary vertical takeoff and landing airport.
To replenish ammunition and load a batch of packaged combat robot containers.
Preparing to subsequently cooperate with the merchant train.
To launch an attack on the target.
This was a small joint operation between Su Wu's mature aerial transport network and ground forces.
If necessary.
Such as encountering unexpectedly strong enemies.
Then sixth-generation fighter jets performing transport missions in a larger area would be mobilized for support.
Until the core of the aerial transport network, the four permanent vertical takeoff and landing platforms at the Farmhouse Shelter, were fully activated.
This mechanism gave Su Wu the ability to strike most parts of the East Continent swiftly.
If he wished.
He could occupy any large civilian or official shelter in the East Continent, except the Western Wasteland Plateau, within an hour.
40 minutes later.
With the last gunshot fading in the depths of the underground structure.
A large shelter that attempted to attack the merchant train.
Was completely overrun.
Tens of thousands of bottom-tier residents, treated like livestock.
Were released from the cramped concentration camps.
Receiving their first substantial food aid in months.
Around them.
Other shelter forces silently observing the situation.
Were inwardly alarmed.
Some of them treated their own ordinary shelter residents.
Not much better than this large shelter had.
They could afford to be indifferent before.
But now.
With a powerful, seemingly highly benevolent force towards the lower class stationed nearby.
They had to think twice before acting as recklessly as before.
Because being good to the lower class meant a natural hostility towards those opposing the lower class.
Not being cautious.
They could be the next to be targeted.
In the following days.
In this frozen land, also locked in by blizzards and extreme cold.
Many ordinary survivors, pushed to their limits.
Suddenly found they had a bit of breathing room.
The entertainment projects where they could be dragged out at any moment to be tortured for the amusement of the upper class, became less frequent.
The order from a nearby large shelter.
Like sunlight.
Quietly extended a tiny, insignificant part, shining upon them.
February 26th.
Morning, with the blizzard ceased and the ice fog dispersed.
A sharp alarm.
Forced Su Wu, deeply engrossed in handling shelter affairs, to interrupt his work.
He switched the control screen.
To check the source of the alarm.
Then his pupils slightly contracted.
As if reflecting a trace of red war flames.
"Making such a big commotion."
"Is the Amethyst Crystal Entity launching a decisive battle?"
Standing up.
Su Wu walked to the metal platform.
Activating the holographic projection map of the Qinling Mountain area.
He saw that more than two-thirds of the turret markers on both sides of the Magma Canyon.
Had turned gray.
Indicating they were completely destroyed, beyond repair.
"Some Amethyst Crystal Entities have evolved to truly fly."
"While also possessing armor and long-range attack capabilities."
Through the monitoring cameras on the few remaining turrets.
Su Wu obtained the most real-time frontline intelligence from the Magma Canyon.
The once stone-like, clumsily passive Amethyst Crystal Entities.
Now looked entirely different.
Having evolved insect-like wings and shells.
Able to shoot spikes from their tails or mouths.
At speeds comparable to rifle bullets.
Most critically.
Their numbers were overwhelming.
A rough estimate.
Put the flying evolved entities in the Magma Canyon at least in the hundreds of thousands.
In the few seconds Su Wu observed.
Over a dozen more turrets in the Magma Canyon.
Were utterly destroyed by the Amethyst Crystal Entities' sheer numerical advantage.
"Clear the area first."
Unable to continue observing the situation due to the crisis.
Su Wu made his first reaction.
Ordering several heavy artillery clusters stationed at the foot of Qinling Mountain.
To launch several rounds of long-range bombardment.
Seconds later.
With the sharp whistling of incoming shells.
Over a hundred 120mm howitzer shells descended from the sky.
Accurately landing within the crevices of the Magma Canyon.
Exploding against its walls and the ground.
Spreading endless flames and heat waves.
Then.
Before the effects of the explosions could dissipate.
Just as many shells followed.
The dense and violent explosions.
Swept through the entire Magma Canyon, several kilometers up and down.
Shattering the walls on both sides.
Engulfing the flying evolved Amethyst Crystal Entities in flames and shockwaves capable of tearing through steel.
After a full minute.
As the smoke gradually cleared in the Magma Canyon.
The turrets originally on both walls had almost completely vanished.
Caught in the indiscriminate bombardment of the heavy artillery clusters.
None had survived.
As for their opponents, the hundreds of thousands of flying Amethyst Crystal Entities.
They fared no better.
Their once dense formation was torn apart.
Countless fragmented remains drifted in the air like dust.
Slowly settling down.
In just several rounds of heavy artillery bombardment, less than a minute.
These seemingly overwhelming flying Amethyst Crystal Entities were over 99% annihilated.
Leaving only a few
thousand lucky survivors.
Still somewhat dazedly circling the now-ruined turrets, their original targets.
But this scene of desolation.
Lasted only a moment.
Soon.
With the continuous churning of the ground's magma lakes.
New swarms of flying Amethyst Crystal Entities.
Broke free.
Starting to spread like a bee swarm towards the canyon exit several kilometers high.
With the turrets on both walls no longer blocking them.
These Amethyst Crystal Entities.
Could finally swarm out unimpeded.
To explore the broader world beyond the canyon.
Where Su Wu's second line of defense awaited, fully prepared.
(End of Chapter)