Chapter 93: Moonfall Thorns, the Furnace

The Huimiedeziguangzaijincundefuhuajuxiepaotaibeibuningju ， Rutongshenyuanzhengkaideduyan ， Sisisuodingdimailiefengpangnamiaoxiaodeshenyingyukugaodenenzhi 。 Paokouzhouweidekongqibeikongbudenengliangniuqu 、 Dianli ， Fachupipadebaoxiang 。 Zheyijiruocheng ， Lingna 、 Nenzhi 、 Liantongzhepianchengzaizhezuihouxiwangdetudi ， Doujianghuaweiwuyou ！

[1] The Huimiedeziguangningjuzaijincundefuhuajuxiepaotaibeibu ， Rushenyuanzhengkaideduyan ， Sisisuodingdimailiefengpangnamiaoxiaodeshenyingyukugaodenenzhi 。 Paokouzhouweidekongqibeikongbunengliangniuqudianli ， Fachupipabaoxiang 。 Ruozheyijimingzhong ， Lingna 、 Nenzhi ， Liantongzhepianchengzaizuihouxiwangdetudi ， Doujianghuaweiwuyou ！

In the rampart furnace zone, the blinding white light had reached its peak, blazing like a miniature sun too intense to behold. The thornsteel armor plates melted like wax, large chunks dripping away as molten orange metal flowed freely across the rampart’s surface, igniting everything it touched. The deafening screech of warping metal and the piercing shriek of energy overload rang like the death knell of a god. Copperbeard stood beside the furnace mouth, his beard and hair long since burned away, his exposed skin covered in blistered burns, his crimson mechanical eye flashing relentless red warnings from overload. He heard the desperate screams of the monitoring warriors and felt the rampart beneath him crumbling apart.

[2] The barrier’s furnace zone blazed with white light so intense it blinded the eyes, like a miniature sun. Thorns-steel armor plates melted like wax, large chunks dripping and pooling as molten orange metal flowed freely across the barrier’s surface, igniting everything it touched. The screeching of warping metal and the shriek of energy overload rang like death’s bell. Tong Xu stood beside the furnace mouth, his beard and hair long since burned away, his exposed skin covered in blisters. His crimson mechanical eye flickered red with overload warnings. He heard the desperate screams of the monitoring warriors and felt the barrier beneath his feet crumbling apart.

“Ha...” Copperbeard let out a guttural, metallic chuckle from his throat. His massive mechanical hand still clamped firmly onto the last energy conduit of the furnace core, letting the wild geothermal flames scorch his metal flesh.

[3] “Ha...” Tong Xu let out a guttural, metallic chuckle from his throat. His massive mechanical hand still pressed firmly against the furnace core’s final energy conduit, letting the wild geopulse flames scorch the metal.

Ten seconds.

[4] Ten seconds.

Perhaps less.

[5] Maybe less.

The dwarf's gaze swept across the rampart: burning armor, molten metal, refugee warriors who fought to their last breath, faces twisted with despair and ferocity; atop the parapet, the figure with silver hair streaming in the wind, right arm raised as she gathered the final Thorn Moon Spear, her left arm trembling violently as violet miasma churned from her wound; in the western vine cradle, the charred corpse whose chest still glowed stubbornly with blue-white starlight; finally, resting on the small unconscious figure beside the withered twig near the geopulse fissure.

[6] The dwarf’s gaze swept the barrier: burning armor, molten metal, refugee warriors who fought to their last breath, faces twisted with despair and ferocity; then to the parapet, where a figure with silver hair streaming, right arm raised to gather the final thorn-moon spear, trembled violently as purple miasma churned from her left wound; then to the western vine cradle, where a charred corpse’s chest still glowed stubbornly with blue-white starlight; finally, locking onto the small, unconscious figure beside the geopulse fissure—and the withered sprig beside it.

“Dwarves... never... break... their oaths...” Copperbeard roared with his final breath, his voice swallowed by the furnace’s roar. He had made his choice! His mechanical hand ceased suppressing the wild geothermal energy—instead, it violently redirected the overloaded energy flow—along with the furnace core’s imminent catastrophic explosion—straight into the rampart’s Thornsteel wheel system!

[7] “Dwarves... never... break... oaths...” Tong Xu roared with his last strength, his voice swallowed by the furnace’s roar. He made his choice! His mechanical hand ceased suppressing the wild geopulse energy—and instead slammed the overloaded flow—along with the furnace core’s imminent, catastrophic explosion—directly into the barrier’s thorns-steel wheel system!

BOOM—!!!!

[8] BOOM—!!!

The entire rampart let out a dying scream! The colossal iron-thorn wheels—built from purified thornwood and encrusted with molten thornsteel spikes—erupted in blinding white light under unimaginable energy influx! The wheels themselves could not withstand it; the thornwood edges carbonized and shattered, the steel spikes melted and warped! But this destructive energy needed an outlet!

[9] The entire barrier shrieked its death cry! The massive iron-thorn wheels—built from Lingna’s purified thornwood and wrapped with cast thorns-steel spikes—blazed with blinding white light under unimaginable energy influx! The wheels themselves could not hold; the thornwood edges carbonized and shattered, the steel spikes melted and warped! But this destructive energy needed an outlet!

“Spin! For the love of stone—FLY!” Copperbeard’s eyes bulged with fury!

[10] “Spin! For the love of—fly out!” Tong Xu’s eyes bulged with rage!

CREEEAK—CRACK!!

[11] SCREECH—CRACK!!

With a deafening snap, two massive iron-thorn wheels, wreathed in molten steel and blazing thorns, were violently flung from the rampart like twin runaway firewheels. They spun wildly, trailing long arcs of flame—not toward the nearest monsters, but carving two decisive, suicidal trajectories straight toward the charging corruption-scorpion cannon!

[12] Amid the ear-splitting snap, two massive iron-thorn wheels, wreathed in molten steel and burning thorns, were hurled from the barrier like twin runaway firewheels by the overloaded energy! Spinning, trailing long fire-tails, they did not fly toward the nearest monsters—but carved two final, suicidal arcs, slamming straight into the corrupted giant scorpion cannon as it charged.

This was Copperbeard’s final roar! The last ember of retaliation after the furnace had burned the city to ash!

[13] This was Tong Xu’s final roar! The last ember-strike after the furnace burned the city!

Meanwhile, atop the rampart parapet.

[14] Meanwhile, atop the barrier’s parapet.

Ailideyoubizaichandou 。 Ningjudisanzhi 「 Yuehuajingshi 」 Suoxudepangdanengliang ， Rangtazuobishangkoushenchunabeiyazhideanzirouliufengkuangbodong ， Ziheisedeqinshiwenlushunzhuoshoubixiangshangmanyan ， Dailaisilielinghundejutonghehunluandediyu 。 Shiyekaishimohu ， Yuehuazhilizaitineichongzhuang ， Jihuyaojiangtasilie 。

[15] Ely’s right arm trembled. The immense energy required to form the third “Moonlight Purification” drained her, causing the suppressed dark-purple tumor deep in her left wound to thrash wildly. Violet-black corruption Wenlu spread upward along her arm, bringing soul-rending pain and chaotic whispers. Her vision blurred; moonlight energy surged within her, threatening to tear her apart.

Below, the two blazing wheels of death were colliding with the scorpion cannon.

[16] Below, the two burning death-wheels slammed into the scorpion cannon.

By the geopulse fissure, Lina’s fate hung in the balance.

[17] By the geopulse fissure, Lingna’s fate hung in the balance.

In Ely’s ice-blue pupils, the impending eruption of destructive violet light from the back of the corrupted scorpion cannon reflected. There wasn’t enough time! The wheel’s speed couldn’t match the launch of that annihilating beam!

[18] In Ely’s ice-blue pupils, the impending eruption of violet destruction from the scorpion cannon’s back reflected. Time was not enough! The wheels’ speed could not match the launch of that death-beam!

No hesitation.

[19] No hesitation.

No words.

[20] No words.

The last flicker of humanity in Ely’s eyes vanished, replaced by millennia-frozen moonlight entwined with unyielding thorn spikes! She abandoned all suppression of the corruption in her left arm, channeling every ounce of her power—and the final burning essence of her life—into the still-forming Thorn Moon Spear!

[21] The last trace of humanity faded from Ely’s eyes, leaving only millennia-frozen moonlight and the unyielding thorns entwined around it! She abandoned suppression of the left-arm corruption, pouring all her strength—and the final burning core of her life—into the still-incomplete thorn-moon spear!

“With the moon as witness... with blood as oath...” Her voice was colder than ancient ice, devoid of emotion, “Thorns—pierce!”

[22] “With moon as guide... with blood as vow...” Her voice was ice, ancient and unshaken. “Thorns—pierce!”

HISS—!!!!

[23] HISS—!!!

A spear of light, far more concentrated and radiant than before, woven entirely from silver thorn-like runes, shot from her hand! It tore through the air, leaving behind trails of frozen ice crystals and faint spatial fractures! Its speed surpassed even the blazing wheels, overtaking them instantly!

[24] A spear of light, far denser and brighter than before, woven entirely of thorn-shaped silver runes, shot from her hand! It tore through air, leaving frozen ice-trails and faint spatial cracks in its wake—faster than the burning wheels, overtaking them!

The target was not the crystal cluster at the core of the scorpion cannon—but the massive muzzle spewing forth the destructive violet light!

[25] Not the scorpion cannon’s crystal cluster core—but the massive muzzle spewing forth the violet destruction!

At the precise thousandth of a second before the destructive violet-black beam could unleash—

[26] One-thousandth of a second before the violet-black beam erupted!

The Thorn Moon Spear—arrived!

[27] The thorn-moon spear—arrived!

No earth-shattering explosion.

[28] No earth-shattering explosion.

Only a single, crystalline sound, as pure and sharp as shattering glass.

[29] Only a crystalline crack—like shattered glass.

The Thorn Moon Spear pierced precisely into the center of the erupting torrent of energy! The ultimate purifying moonlight clashed violently and catastrophically with the raging corrupted energy within the cannon’s muzzle!

[30] The thorn-moon spear pierced the exact center of the erupting energy torrent! Purest purification moonlight clashed violently with the wild, decaying energy inside the muzzle—in the most direct, brutal annihilation!

ZZZZ—!!!!

[31] ZZZZ—!!!

The scorpion cannon’s massive body froze rigid! Its dorsal crystal cluster flickered wildly, light chaotic and unstable! From the muzzle, the violet-black beam twisted and swelled like a poisoned dragon strangled mid-roar!

[32] The giant scorpion cannon froze! Its back crystal cluster flashed erratically, light chaotic beyond measure! The violet-black beam at the muzzle twisted and swelled like a dragon strangled at the throat!

The next instant—

[33] The next instant—

BOOM!!!!!!!!!

[34] BOOM!!!!!!!!!

An implosion more terrifying than any prior explosion erupted! The scorpion cannon was utterly torn apart from within! The violet-black corruption energy, now mixed with the purifying moonlight, exploded into a devastating storm sweeping hundreds of meters! Nearby withered monsters were shredded like paper! Even the two incoming blazing wheels were engulfed, reduced to a shower of molten fragments!

[35] A far more terrible implosion tore through the scorpion cannon from within! The violet-black decay energy, unbound, mixed with moonlight’s purification, becoming a storm of annihilation sweeping hundreds of meters! Nearby withered monsters shattered like paper! The two burning wheels that followed were swallowed, reduced to molten shrapnel.

The rampart, finally, shattered under the shockwave mere meters away!

[36] The barrier, at last, under the terrifying shock so close, met its final collapse!

BOOM—!!!!

[37] BOOM—!!!

The furnace core, pushed beyond its limit, detonated completely! A blinding white fireball erupted skyward! Burning thornsteel armor plates shattered like fragile eggshells! Massive structural components twisted, snapped, and hurled through the air! The entire Stone Rampart—the iron fortress that had borne countless battles, hope, and despair—collapsed in a thunderous roar of flame and smoke!

[38] The furnace core, long past its limit, exploded utterly! A blinding white fireball surged skyward! Burning thorns-steel armor shattered like fragile eggshells! Massive structural components twisted, snapped, and hurled through the air! The entire Stone Wall—this iron fortress soaked in blood and fire, hope and despair—collapsed in a thunderous ruin of flame and smoke.

Countless rocks, burning metal, and broken thornwood rained down like a storm!

[39] Countless stones, burning metal, broken thornwood rained down like a storm.

“No—!” Wrench lunged desperately toward Linmo’s vine cradle, trying to shield him with his frail body from falling boulders.

[40] “No—!” Wrench lunged desperately toward Lin Mo in the vine cradle, trying to shield him with his small body from falling boulders.

By the geofissure, the unconscious Lina was thrown upward by the violent tremors, then slammed back down; the withered sprig was buried beneath falling ash and debris.

[41] By the geopulse fissure, the unconscious Lingna was thrown up by violent tremors and slammed back down; the withered sprig was buried beneath falling ash and soil.

Upon the parapet, after firing that final spear, Ely’s body collapsed backward, all support gone. The dark-purple tumor on her left arm, unbound, spread violet-black corruption like living things across half her face. Her ice-blue pupils extinguished the silver flame, clouded over with dead gray. She fell from the towering barrier ruins, silver hair scattering through fire and smoke, like a winged moon-bird broken.

[42] On the parapet, after firing that final spear, Ely’s body collapsed backward, all support gone. The dark-purple tumor on her left arm, unbound, spread violet-black corruption like living things across half her face. Her ice-blue pupils extinguished the silver flame, clouded over with dead gray. She fell from the towering barrier ruins, silver hair scattering through fire and smoke, like a winged moon-bird broken.

The storm of destruction swept across the battlefield, temporarily obscuring the area.

[43] The storm of annihilation swept the battlefield, temporarily obscuring the area.

In a distant observation post.

[44] In the distant observation post.

The doctor’s icy lenses reflected the towering firestorm of the collapsing Thornheart Rampart, alongside the detector’s readings: the stubbornly glowing blue-white starlight in Linmo’s chest, Ely’s falling, ashen silhouette, Lina’s faint life signal buried beneath rubble, and the last, vanishing wisp of primordial World Tree essence from the withered sprig.

[45] On the doctor’s cold lenses, the blazing fire of the Thornsheart Barrier’s collapse reflected—alongside the probe’s return: Lin Mo’s stubborn blue-white starlight on his chest, Ely’s falling, ashen form, Lingna’s faint life signal buried beneath rubble, and the faintest wisp of World Tree essence escaping the withered sprig.

【WARNING: Thornheart Rampart (primary observation point) signal lost... confirmed destroyed.】

[46] 【WARNING: Thornsheart Barrier (primary observation point) signal lost... confirmed destruction.】

【Corruption Claw Secondary Root Network (Stardust Sea direction) signal strength: continuously declining... contamination source severely damaged.】

[47] 【Fangzhu Secondary Root Network (Star Dust Sea direction) signal strength: continuously declining... contamination source severely damaged.】

【Target Individual (Linmo): vital signs weak but stable... Order Anchor energy response rising... Corruption Claw Mark (Seed of Annihilation) energy fluctuation: suppressed and covered by unknown order energy (Stardust)... Activation countdown: paused (???)】

[48] 【Target Individual (Lin Mo): vital signs weak but stable... Anchor of Order energy response rising... Fangzhu Mark (Seed of Annihilation) energy fluctuation: suppressed and covered by unknown Order energy (Star Dust)... Activation countdown: paused (???).】

【Key Individual (Ely): critical vital signs... high-concentration corruption contamination infiltrating core... Moonlight energy signature: vanished.】

[49] 【Key Individual (Ely): vital signs critical... high-concentration corruption penetrated core... Moonlight energy response: gone.】

【Key Individual (Lina): extremely weak vital signs... World Tree sprig (vessel) vitality: zero... detected faint emission of World Tree primordial essence...】

[50] 【Key Individual (Lingna): vital signs extremely faint... World Tree sprig (carrier) vitality: zero... detected faint emission of World Tree essence...】

【Detected fragment signal from Ark-7 core database... faint... location: vicinity of Target Individual (Linmo)...】

[51] 【Detected fragment signal from Ark Seven’s core database... faint... location: surrounding Target Individual (Lin Mo)...】

The doctor’s finger lifted from the deep-blue 【Forced Detonation】 button. He stared silently as the screen showed the Seed of Annihilation (Linmo’s right arm mark) status shifting from 【Critical Activation】 to 【Suppressed (Stardust)】 and 【Countdown Paused (Unknown)】.

[52] The doctor’s fingertip lifted from the deep-blue [Forced Detonation] button. He watched silently as the screen showed the Seed of Annihilation’s status on Lin Mo’s right arm shifting from [Activation Critical] to [Suppressed (Star Dust)] and [Countdown Paused (Unknown)].

“Stardust... pure Stardust...” The doctor’s cold electronic voice carried its first faint, imperceptible tremor—confusion, perhaps, or... an interest beyond calculation. “It suppresses the Primordial Corrosion... An intriguing variable.”

[53] “Star Dust... pure Star Dust...” The doctor’s cold electronic voice carried, for the first time, a faint, imperceptible tremor—like confusion, or perhaps... interest beyond calculation. “It suppresses the ‘Primordial Corrosion’... An interesting variable.”

He pulled up another screen displaying the analytical data stream of the last wisp of World Tree essence from the withered sprig.

[54] He pulled up another screen: the data stream analyzing the final wisp of World Tree essence from the withered sprig.

【Energy spectrum comparison: 99.98% match with ‘Key’ Project (Ark-7 Top Secret Archive) ‘World Tree Primordial Sample - Alpha’...】

[55] 【Energy spectrum comparison: 99.98% match with ‘Key’ Project (Ark Seven’s top-secret archive) ‘World Tree Essence Sample-Alpha’...】

【Conclusion: Confirmed ‘Key’ vessel (World Tree sprig) completely destroyed... primordial essence dispersed... unrecoverable...】

[56] 【Conclusion: Confirmed ‘Key’ carrier (World Tree sprig) utterly destroyed... essence dispersed... unrecoverable...】

“Vessel destroyed... primordial essence dispersed...” The doctor’s gaze behind his lenses flickered rapidly, calculating gains and losses. “‘Key’ Project... Phase One failed. But the Seed of Annihilation’s host (Linmo) survives, and has acquired the critical variable to suppress contamination (Stardust)... Phase Two experimental site requires reassessment.”

[57] “Carrier destroyed... essence dispersed...” The doctor’s gaze behind the lenses flickered, rapidly calculating cost and gain. “‘Key’ Project... Phase One failed. But the Seed of Annihilation’s host (Lin Mo) survives, and has acquired the critical variable for suppression (Star Dust)... Phase Two experimental site requires reassessment.”

He turned his gaze back to the main screen. Above the smoke and fire, three faint light points—representing Linmo, Ely, and Lina—flickered like the last embers in a gale, stubbornly alive amid the ruins.

[58] He turned his gaze back to the main screen. Above the smoldering ruins, three faint points of light—Lin Mo, Ely, Lingna—glowed like the last embers in a gale, stubbornly flickering amid the ashes of annihilation.

“Survival... struggle... evolution...” The doctor’s cold lips twitched, ever so slightly, into a nonhuman, almost mocking curve. “In deeper despair... bloom. Let me see what fruit the Seed, covered in Stardust, will bear... Final Annihilation Protocol... suspended.”

[59] “Survival... struggle... evolution...” The doctor’s cold lips twitched, ever so slightly, forming a nonhuman, nearly mocking curve. “Bloom in deeper despair. Let me see what fruit the ‘seed’ covered in Star Dust may bear... Final Annihilation Protocol... suspended.”

Beneath the cold lights of the observation post, the doctor’s figure stood like an eternal statue. He closed the real-time feed of the Thornheart ruins and called up another set of coordinates—a desolate, ancient forest shrouded in withered mist. New data streams began to refresh; a new observation point was locking in.

[60] Beneath the observation post’s cold light, the doctor’s figure stood like an ancient, unchanging statue. He closed the real-time feed of the Thornsheart ruins and pulled up another set of coordinates—a dead, ancient forest shrouded in withered mist. New data streams began refreshing; a new observation point locked in.

Above the ruins, smoke still hung thick. Wrench struggled out from beneath the rubble, spat out sand, and stared in horror toward the vine cradle—several burning boulders were crashing down! Inside the cradle, Linmo remained unconscious.

[61] Above the ruins, smoke had not cleared. On the charred earth, Wrench struggled out from under rubble, spat sand from his mouth, and stared in terror toward the vine cradle—several burning boulders were crashing down! Inside the cradle, Lin Mo remained unconscious.

In the sky, a few corrupted flying drakes that had survived the blast circled above the smoke, their crimson compound eyes locking onto the few moving figures in the ruins, emitting greedy, hungry screeches.

[62] In the sky, a few rotten flying dragons that had escaped the blast circled above the smoke, their crimson compound eyes locking onto the few moving figures in the ruins, emitting greedy hisses.

The spark of hope flickered in the ashes; a new crisis had already crept in.

[63] The spark of hope flickered in the ashes; a new crisis had already descended.