Translator: CinderTL
By the time Feng Qi and Mu Qing urgently returned to Star City with their core combat forces, the decisive battle between Tian Shu and the Silver Moon Clan had already concluded.
They ultimately found Tian Shu's lifeless body on a hillside in the West District of Star City.
His body, covered in cracks, lay peacefully amidst a cluster of wildflowers and lush grass, radiating a faint glow under the sunlight.
Though they hadn't witnessed the battle firsthand, Feng Qi and the others could easily imagine its ferocity.
Historically, the Silver Moon Clan's strength was undeniable.
In fact, upon their initial descent, they were even more formidable than the Lord of the Mist, who then controlled the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
Intelligence from multiple timelines confirmed this.
At that time, the Lord of the Mist was still in his early stages, commanding only a few battle groups under the Tiger Soul Research Institute. In contrast, the Silver Moon Clan was an immense domain race.
Their aggressive future planning policies further underscored their dominance.
Whether it was the Black Shadow Faction, the Spirit Energy Clan, or the Lord of the Mist, all had initially chosen to infiltrate and seize control of human authority structures, gradually expanding their influence from there.
The Silver Moon Clan chose to challenge a city from the very beginning, showing no intention of taking a cautious approach.
They aggressively sought to completely seize Star City, intending to use it as their clan territory for expansion and development.
This wasn't blind confidence.
History proved that if Suction Cup hadn't intervened, Star City's fate would have been sealed.
Even Suction Cup, who had inherited a portion of Mu Qing's peak power, suffered severe injuries in the battle, and the Scarlet Crystal embedded in her body shattered completely.
She nearly lost her life.
Though the Silver Moon Clan's presence in history was brief, their formidable strength couldn't be denied.
Seeing Tian Shu's shattered, cracked body, Feng Qi clenched his fists.
He had believed he had this battle line under control, confident that the intelligence gathered from multiple timelines would ensure its successful advancement.
Yet unforeseen circumstances had still arisen.
If Tian Shu hadn't intervened, all the efforts invested in this battle line would have been in vain.
Grief welled up in his heart as he slowly approached Tian Shu's remains, knelt down, and gently lifted the broken body into his arms.
He knew little about Tian Shu, only that he had once been a legend on the Heaven-Reaching Road.
For thirty years, he had single-handedly guarded Main Road 32, his legendary exploits against the Domain Forces still being recounted centuries later.
This was confirmed by Liu Yue.
Yet to the inhabitants of the human world, this silently sacrificing warrior remained unknown.
He was unrecorded in history, his sacrifices unacknowledged.
Unlike the celebrated heroes enshrined in the Heroes' Cemetery, Tian Shu had no commemorative day, no tributes of flowers and wine—only solitary vigilance and relentless slaughter.
For a single rainbow lollipop, he had resolutely shouldered the future of humanity, becoming its hidden guardian.
Hidden and great—this phrase perfectly described Heaven-Reaching Road Warriors like Tian Shu.
He remembered their first meeting, when he had asked Tian Shu before his prison cell if he had ever considered giving up.
He clearly recalled Tian Shu's smiling reply:
"Of course I've thought about it, but it was just a thought. Because behind Main Road 32, which I guard... is home!"
The word "home" seemed simple, yet it weighed as heavily as a mountain in the heart of every Heaven-Reaching Road Warrior.
It was a homeland they yearned to return to, yet might never see again in their lifetime.
Even after Tian Shu unexpectedly returned, he personally forged a self-sealing prison to protect his innocent clansmen, confining himself to the sunless depths of the Earth.
Loneliness had permeated Tian Shu's entire life.
Yet he never betrayed Mu Yao's trust. He fought to the death, his life burning like a lamp until its oil ran dry, once again safeguarding the homeland behind him.
Feng Qi reached out and gently closed Tian Shu's eyes, now ashen gray. Without another glance, he turned and strode down the mountain.
Mu Qing and the others followed closely behind.
Finally, Feng Qi arrived at the Heroes' Cemetery, where he decided to bury Tian Shu.
His gaze drifted to the distant Heroes' Memorial, its design resembling a sword plunged into the earth, only the hilt visible above ground.
He recalled Old Wang's words when he had once asked why the memorial was shaped like a sword hilt:
"Star City beneath our feet is the sword's sheath, and the sheath is the sharp blade's most gentle resting place!"
Today, another sharp blade had returned home.
Henceforth, his heroic spirit's blade would find its place within the sheath.
As Tian Shu's body was cremated and his ashes placed in a brand-new urn, Feng Qi and his companions laid flowers at the grave.
The moment he turned away, Feng Qi's eyes turned cold.
It was now confirmed that the Domain Sleeper Faction infiltrating the Energy Research Institute was none other than the Silver Moon Clan.
Next, it was time to settle the score.
Stepping out of the Heroes' Cemetery, they found the scene outside in utter chaos.
Vehicles were parked haphazardly across the roads.
The entire city's road network was equipped with wireless charging capabilities, powering all maglev and other vehicles.
The sudden power outage in the West District of Star City had paralyzed the city's transportation system within minutes.
With the energy supply still cut off, traffic remained at a standstill.
This was precisely why the Energy Research Institutes in the West District fell under the jurisdiction of the Star City Supreme Council.
Energy was the lifeblood of the city.
Apart from specialized agencies like Tiger Soul and Scarlet, which maintained independent internal energy reserves, all urban facilities relied on the Energy Research Institute and similar institutions for electricity and other energy sources.
The residents on the streets wore bewildered expressions, clearly unaware of what had transpired.
They were oblivious to the terrifying disaster that had narrowly missed them.
Behind this facade of normalcy, someone had chosen to shoulder the burden, ensuring their continued peace and tranquility.
Feng Qi led Mu Qing and the others across the crowded streets, heading straight for the West District of Star City.
Although Tian Shu had repelled the Silver Moon Clan's invasion, the West District of Star City was still under the control of the Silver Moon Clan's vanguard forces. He needed to resolve this quickly so Star City could resume normal operations and ensure continued supplies for the soldiers on the front lines.
With this in mind, Feng Qi quickened his pace, and Mu Qing and the others immediately followed suit.
Several hours later, Feng Qi arrived at the West District of Star City.
Looking up at the distant sky, countless energy stars and fragments from the disintegrating spatial teleportation array rained down like glittering raindrops.
Reaching the Energy Research Institute, Feng Qi led his group straight inside.
The institute's base was in chaos. The researchers who had been manipulated stared blankly at the fading spatial teleportation array in the sky, clearly clueless about what had just transpired.
When Feng Qi reached the Energy Research Institute's Main Control Console, he saw a formation fading away, with numerous energy lines connected to it.
It was clear that the massive spatial teleportation array in the sky had been drawing energy from the supply lines to sustain its operation.
By this time, the Main Control Room was completely devoid of Silver Moon Clan personnel.
After a flurry of activity, Feng Qi and his team reconnected the energy lines to their designated positions.
However, they soon encountered a new problem.
Although the energy lines were now connected, releasing the energy required an authorization command from the Main Control Console.
With Yin Ling missing, Feng Qi had no access to the necessary authorization password.
Thinking quickly, he dialed Dean of Tiger Soul's number.
(End of the Chapter)
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