Chapter 383: with translation of chapter title

The city center is the area where slaughter, wailing, and the stench of blood are most concentrated.

Not long ago, people were summoned by the local garrison to the area of the central square to wait, and they thought it would be the local Astate lord, or a fawning mortal noble, delivering various lofty speeches, before preparing to hold some obscure sacrificial rite.

As for the sacrificial offerings, of course they are their human residents.

They felt fear and trembling, but they had long grown accustomed to it, for ever since the Emperor was placed on the Golden Throne by traitors, and the new Emperor Helusi Lupekarl established a new Empire with the Astate as the ruling class, a full two hundred and forty years have passed.

During these two hundred and forty years, the older generation had mostly died off, and for their generation, from the moment of birth they suffered oppression and slaughter, considering being chosen for sacrifice to be the highest honor.

But…

What they encountered were devourers who tore them apart with bare hands, flayed and dismembered them, committing brutal slaughter, and who reveled in drinking blood.

Imagine you, living on an isolated planet with heavy industry but extremely low cultural and educational levels, harboring hopes of going to the central square, waiting to be chosen for sacrifice, to become like what the lords and nobles advertised, that your body and mind could be purified…

A group of towering 'angels' (Astate), descending from the sky (by transport craft), appearing before you, emitting an extremely nauseating metallic screech and laughter, taking heavy, earth‑shaking steps, they tore apart your friends with bare hands, hot blood splattering onto your face, slippery organs rolling to your feet, then all honor and propaganda are just bullshit.

Moreover, many Imperial citizens in their lifetimes hardly ever see a living Astate; if they do, they can only gaze from afar at the Astate lords who oversee the cities, hives, and planets.

So when a group of Astate, whose bodies have mutated, with skin fused to armor, possessing bloody maws and razor claws, comes horrifyingly charging at you, the desire and instinct to survive instantly take over.

Run!

At this point, who still cares about so‑called honor? Only staying alive matters most.

Fear, panic, despair and other emotions spread rapidly through the crowd, and indeed throughout the entire city.

"Hahaha! Die! Die! Die!"

"Blood sacrifice to the blood god! Skulls offered to the skull throne!"

"Shout! Wail!"

At the same time, there are the excited battle cries of the devourers when they fall into a frenzied state, and this is the "fear tax" levied by Angelong and the Devourer Legion upon the Nusia colony.

The various emotions that humans produce because of those devourers will give the devourers physical and mental pleasure, and also make the devourers ever stronger.

As long as those devourers are mad enough and bloody enough, they can receive more blessings from the evil god, which is also why their bodies undergo mutation, causing their skin to fuse with their armor.

Some devourers' ceramite armor even becomes like a living organism, with shoulder or abdominal plates growing auxiliary mouths bearing fangs and sharp teeth, or the helmet's sides sprouting horn‑like bone resembling ox or sheep horns.

In short, they are now utterly unrecognizable, no longer the devourers who, when the legion was first founded centuries ago, thought of fighting for the Emperor and for humanity.

The events here are absolutely not isolated; they occur constantly within the territory of the new Human Empire, and have continued for two hundred and forty years.

People are either being sacrificed, or on their way to being sacrificed.

Just like this colony planet, being relatively remote and with not too many people, the sacrificial methods and means would appear mild; who would have thought that the Devourer Legion would arrive, treating the Nusia star system as a waystation?

No need to guess; once the death guards, covered head to toe in pustules, oozing bloody fluid, and reeking of stench, arrive here and join with the devourers, they will likewise impose another kind of "tax" on Nusia.

The Human Empire not only failed to develop as Helusi shouted during the rebellion, "Overthrow the tyrant! Overthrow tyranny!", but instead has become ever more chaotic and ever more desperate.

For humanity living in the 03 universe, what awaits them seems to be only endless darkness.

The southern suburbs far from the city.

On a sand dune stand a few lonely figures, wearing red outer robes and headscarves that cover their faces, standing here gazing far off at the city already engulfed in a blood‑red glow.

Their backs, as they lightly shake their heads, seem unable to help sighing at the tragic reality, and also seem to lament the slaughtered and maltreated compatriots.

"Boom… boom…"

Suddenly, a series of roars came from the sky, causing those standing on the dune to shift their gaze toward the source.

It turned out that more transport planes and craft were carrying more devourers, as well as the mortal scum that serves them, leaving near‑planetary orbit to reach the planet's surface.

Seeing this, they tightened their veils and outer robes even more, quickly left the dune, and entered the lower Gobi canyon to avoid the devourers' transport formation.

Left turn, right turn.

They entered a narrow path, eventually reaching an extremely concealed cave entrance that, viewed from above, is essentially undetectable.

When they had gone deep into the cave and completely vanished from sight…

"Boom——! Boom——!"

The devourers' transport formation just happened to swoop low, heading straight toward the city.

Inside the cave.

These people carried old‑style kerosene lamps, moving through the dark, chilly tunnels; however, after they had walked forty‑plus minutes through the labyrinthine passage, they actually saw a "point of light" ahead at the tunnel's end, and that point of light gradually became clearer as they advanced.

Finally, they walked toward the point of light and left the tunnel; at the moment of departure, everything suddenly opened up.

Looking out.

Here there are neatly built, vertical stone‑brick walls, plus strong lighting equipment that is the source of the point of light, and also various structures such as houses, workshops, and barracks, resembling a vast underground city.

Though the people shuffling through the crowded, bustling streets wear tattered clothes, at least their expressions and demeanor are upbeat, not listless; it is obvious that the residents here still do not know what has happened outside.

As for those responsible for patrol, sentry, and guard duty, they are the "soldiers" wearing faded yellow‑brown fatigues, with heavily chipped dark‑green armor, and holding old‑style laser rifles.

Besides these "soldiers", there are many women wearing powered armor and holding man‑portable bolt‑throwers.

If observed closely, it is easy to see that their eyes are bright, their resolve firm, as they stand at various high points of the underground city, garrisoning key locations.

And the tunnel entrances and exits that lead to the outside world are here…

The group that had been tightly wrapped up while observing the city's state from the dune can finally pull off their veils, revealing their true faces—not "they", but rather "she".

Likewise, they are a group of female warriors, except they wear no powered armor, only black fatigues, and carry laser rifles without stocks.

The leader has striking rare silver hair; despite rough skin, her sword‑brows and delicate features give her a distinctive vigor.

She led her subordinates smoothly through a body check, then boarded an overhead tram to pass through the crowded underground city, heading straight for a military stronghold at the city's center.

As the train pulled into the station and they stepped off, they saw an elderly woman guarded by many "sisters", wearing simple powered armor, who seemed to have been waiting a long time.

Then they hurried forward, and the silver‑haired leader respectfully said to the elder lady, "Lady Sisya, it has been confirmed that the traitor devourers are now carrying out slaughter on the surface."

"Sigh…" Upon hearing this, the elder lady named Sisya could not help but feel solemn and sigh, "After all, they have finally come…"

"Lady, should we fight them to the death, or look for a chance to withdraw?" the silver‑haired leader said hurriedly, appearing somewhat restless due to her youth.

In fact, Lady Sisya, the silver‑haired leader, and all the sisters remain loyal to the Emperor, belonging to the 87th Independent Strike Team, First Company of the "Battle Sisters".

Even all the people and soldiers living and dwelling in the underground city refuse to be ruled by Helusi, turn their hearts to the Emperor, and firmly believe in the doctrine of the Imperial Truth.

However, the people living here were isolated from the world, and lacking life-prolonging technology, the first pioneers who opened the underground city—battle sisters, soldiers, and the surviving populace—had long since vanished; even the eldest Lady Xisiya had never witnessed the scene of the rebellion 240 years ago.

However, the loyalty and faith of the first pioneers have been passed down, and further promoted to this day by the battle sisters devoted to the Empire's Truth.

「Risking it? 」 Lady Xisiya, upon hearing the silver-haired leader's words, couldn't help but laugh angrily, retorting: "Waluntina, do you think just six hundred sisters and fewer than twenty thousand soldiers can stand against those fallen giants?"

「We should be able to hold out for a while… there shouldn't be a problem, right? 」 The silver-haired leader whom Lady Xisiya called Waluntina thought briefly, then continued: "We'll try to draw the traitors' attention and energy as much as possible; perhaps we can buy people enough evacuation opportunities."

「A radical tactic, trading sacrifice for victory. 」 Lady Xisiya gave a brief comment, but her tone shifted, her voice low: "However, Waluntina, your tactic assumes our opponents are mere human trash or powerless noble slaves; if we face those towering fallen giants…"

Child, as few as a hundred… no, as few as fifty fallen giants would be enough to wipe out the underground city.

The fallen giants Lady Xisiya spoke of are precisely the Astate who chose to betray the Emperor.

This elderly lady had heard from her grandmother how powerful the Astate truly were, but she herself was unclear on the details; she merely retained a sense of awe and would not be overconfident like Waluntina.

「Lady, I think… 」 another young sister interjected: "The fallen giants are just a bit bigger, after all, there's a giant lord sitting in the city."

「Hmm. 」

「Indeed. 」

All the sisters questioned the combat prowess of the Astate.

「Sigh… 」 Seeing the battle sisters eager to try, Lady Xisiya couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh, helplessly saying: "You lot are still too naive."

The new Empire has existed for 240 years; for the OriginalBody and the Astate, this span is but a fleeting moment, but to mortals it amounts to two and a half centuries…

「One lifetime, one autumn for grass, 」 mortals are forced to obey this law of the real universe.

Thus, after two and a half centuries, and with these battle sisters living in the isolated underground city, despite undergoing extremely strict and harsh training, they have never seen actual combat, so they naturally look down on the legendary Astate, even becoming somewhat overconfident.

「Forget it. 」 Lady Xisiya shook her head again and ordered a nearby battle sister: "Notify the populace to prepare to evacuate into the bunkers."

「Yes, Lady. 」

「Lady… 」 Seeing the sister who received the order turn and walk away, Waluntina proactively asked: "Should we first retreat to the bunkers? Are we meant to make a last stand?"

「Sacrificing us to let the populace flee is the only recourse. 」 Lady Xisiya restrained herself, continuing to explain to the young Waluntina and all the children present: "Whether we can escape is another matter, but after fleeing? The traitors' fleet could destroy the aircraft left behind by the pioneers in an instant."

If possible, it's best that the traitors don't discover the underground city's existence; if not… well, everyone get ready. Also, Waluntina, immediately have your sisters switch to combat gear and assist the soldiers in evacuating the populace.

「Yes, Lady! 」 All the battle sisters, including Waluntina, replied in unison and then left this place, beginning preparations.

Next, the military fortress sounded the alarm and issued an announcement, leaving the populace, who had been living normally, feeling confused; but the teachings of the elders and their usual habits prompted them to immediately return to their homes to tidy up, then follow the battle sisters' and soldiers' guidance, gradually entering the bunkers beneath the fortress.

Everything proceeded in orderly fashion, until…

「Boom!! 」

A deafening, violent explosion shattered the previous calm, and those who had not yet managed to enter the bunkers involuntarily turned their gaze toward the source.

Only to see that the tunnel entrance at a high place, which leads to the outside, had actually come under fierce attack by the traitors.

The civilians near the fortress and the poorly equipped soldiers couldn't see clearly, but the battle sisters wearing powered armor could, via their helmets' long-range vision, clearly observe that masses of world-devourers and human scum had already broken through the initial defenses, like an unstoppable flood surging into the underground city.

Furthermore…

This time, the battle sisters finally saw just how great the gap was between the Astate world-devourers and ordinary humans, for in a single glance, the soldiers tasked with defense were already severed limb from limb, chopped into minced meat!

Only they themselves seemed capable of opposing it… but even that was merely an illusion.

(End of chapter)