Chapter 78

World Tree Second Corps, also known as Earth Second Corps, Corps Commander Chen Yang, strength is Planetary Sixth Stage Origin Energy Warrior.

The Second Corps mainly consists of two combat divisions: one is the Mechanical Combat Unit, the other is the Warrior Combat Unit.

Warrior unit members all have at least Medium War General strength, and all carry assisting Nature Spirits; every combat soldier possesses the ability to escape or even stalemate against Lord-level monsters.

The Warrior Combat Unit has a full strength of 45,455 personnel; the Logistics Department has 10,000 to assist soldiers, all of whom are warriors, mostly ranging from Soldier-rank to War General-rank strength.

Logistics Group soldiers who have sufficient strength and pass the unit's promotion evaluation can transfer to the combat unit, serving as a place to train reserves.

Next is the Mechanical Combat Unit, which is subdivided into several combat groups: Sea-Land-Air Armored Machinery Group, Laser Firepower Group, Strategic Engineering Group, Special Anti-Air Group, Chemical Defense Group, Electronic Countermeasure Group, Communications Group, Logistics Group, etc.

The mechanized forces totaled 215,400 personnel, of which warriors accounted for only twenty to thirty percent, and even those warriors did not directly engage in frontline combat.

The main composition consisted of crews operating various war machines and logistical personnel across all sectors, with logistical personnel alone reaching as high as 130,000.

The entire Second Legion numbered fewer than 300,000 troops, which is not many compared to the regional armies of various countries, yet the strength it displayed in the Shu-Zhong battlefield was extraordinarily terrifying.

Over one-third of the achievements on the Shu-Zhong battlefield came from the Second Legion, and its casualties over a full year of fighting never exceeded four digits. If every human battlefield force suffered such losses, the monsters would likely surrender after just a month of fighting.

The first step of the counteroffensive was to expand and reorganize the troops, which was also something Chu Chen secretly wanted to accelerate when launching this war.

The Second Legion's bases established along the Pearl River Delta for Pacific operations and the western Pacific coastal defense line were intended, first, to prepare for this counteroffensive, and second, to integrate and train new recruits in expanding the Second Legion.

The expanded manpower naturally came from the various military districts of Southeast Asia.

Among the most important and also most difficult aspects of integrating nations into the World Tree's reforms, this war serves to resolve it; in ancient times this method was also called "releasing military authority."

The temporary defense line built from a large number of war machines took only half a week to complete; once the reserve troops from all East Asian military districts arrived in great numbers, the entire coastline had already been lined with a "wall" tens of meters high.

And the Second Legion also prepared a performance for these new recruits to kick off the war.

In the rear of the front lines, the reception, allocation, and training of incoming soldiers began, while up front exploratory combat had already commenced.

The first phase of the war to eradicate sea beasts involved clearing the near-shore continental shelf, establishing underwater combat bases, and laying the groundwork for completely exterminating the sea beasts.

In the Eastern Pacific theater, the Second Legion is led by Chen Yang; in the Indian Ocean, the First Legion is led by Li Yunshu; in the Atlantic, the Third Legion is Modya; in the Arctic Ocean, the acting legion commander is Cang Yue Er, followed by the newly formed Fourth Legion under the deputy legion commanders Wang Hou and Ji Heng.

The four legions had agreed on a time and simultaneously launched the first probing offensive worldwide.

The first wave of the offensive began with missile fire coverage along the coastline to annihilate targets.

In the continental shelf region, the shallow parts are only a hundred meters deep, and even the deeper parts are less than a kilometer; the terrain is relatively flat, leaving little room for sea beasts to hide.

The first wave of underwater-launched depth-charge shells shot from beneath the surface along the coastline, speeding like a massive school of fish toward their designated positions.

Sea beasts in the shallow sea area are generally weak; many small monsters, though classified as beast-soldier level, pose a danger comparable to only some large fish before the Great Nirvana.

Even the more intelligent sea beasts naturally noticed the abnormality in the water; coastal monsters are not unfamiliar with human weapons and have a rough idea of their appearance.

Upon seeing wave after wave of missiles approaching, large numbers of sea beasts began fleeing toward the deep sea's strange encounters.

For a moment, the underwater shells were like hunters, the moving beast herds like fleeing prey, one ahead, one behind, one running, one chasing; the stirred water created wave after wave on the surface, even making the coastal waters shallower by a fraction.

One shell after another took position, and the waves on the sea surface gradually eased, layer upon layer piling up high, as if about to reverse direction and rush back toward the shore.

"3"

"2"

"1"

Bang—bang——bang———bang—————

The shells detonated simultaneously, but the explosion sound traveled from near to far; the massive sound wave layered upon itself, overlapping like sea waves, turning into a deafening roar.

With that tremendous roar, the explosion seemed to lift the entire ocean; the erupting spray flew up into the azure sky, mingling the blue and white of the seawater together.

The successive explosion sounds lasted over half an hour, and the originally blue‑white seawater and foam gradually turned red; viewed from the coast, it was already a true expanse of bloody ocean.

Of course, this grand‑scale offensive merely cleared away some low‑level cannon fodder.

Sea beasts at the level of beast commanders and above mostly possess phosphatic shells harder and tougher than metal; such power cannot be ignored, but at most it causes only minor concussive injury, with few being killed outright by the blast.

Naturally, the offensive of this first battle would not end here.

While the first wave of shells was bathing the battlefield, thousands of aircraft from the air forces had already filled the sky. Through the gaps created by beast‑commander‑level monsters resisting the shell barrage, different sectors were locked onto as prey.

The sky‑filled lasers resembled a meteor shower, shooting into the water like a barrage of life‑taking arrows, killing one sea beast after another.

Underwater, while the lasers were picking off targets, the deep‑sea warships, already prepared, slowly advanced behind the laser‑covered zone.

And aboard the warships, each fully armed War God‑level powerhouse's final task was to collect the skulls of the monsters that had stubbornly endured the first two waves of assault.

————

Above the western Pacific coast battlefield, Luofeng stood on the deployed forward cabin's wing of the fighter jet, watching the devastating battle below.

"Looks like we really don't need to help."

Although Babata felt deep disdain for this level of warfare in his heart, he still made an analysis based on the current situation:

"After all, the shallow sea area is merely an appetizer; once we enter the deep‑sea zone, the fighting won't be so easy. By then, with your Earthlings' missile and laser weaponry, you can only use them defensively; to truly fight in the deep sea you must rely on War God‑level and Planet‑level or higher cultivators."

"The slaying efficiency underwater also drops dramatically; the ocean is the monsters' stronghold, with offense and defense alternating—this war has only just begun."

Babata did not believe the later fighting would go as smoothly as today; after all, if that were truly the case, there would be no need to exterminate the sea monsters—we could simply turn the ocean into a nature reserve.

"But this is probably also part of their plan: through this war they will complete military reform and integration, dragging the whole world into the victors' glory, clearing obstacles for future rule."

Luofeng gave a bitter smile; just a few days ago Chen Chen had said the World Tree was and still appears that strong every day, yet it really is an untrustworthy fellow.

Nevertheless, no matter how untrustworthy, I still followed his instructions and came to North America; perhaps he really does have that kind of charm.

"Speaking of which, he is already plotting his future ruling policies; why has he not yet taken action against the United States and the EU countries?"

Based on Luofeng's current understanding of Chen Chen and the World Tree, the World Tree is not simply an organization that wins people over with virtue; who knows what shady deeds it may have carried out in places unknown to him.

Especially now, the internal affairs of both countries are already in complete chaos, and each has factions wanting to turn toward the World Tree, with the populace also holding a relatively favorable view of it.

Why have they been left alone all this time?

"So, Luofeng, you're still not ruthless enough; humans are naturally inclined to compare themselves, and the sense of superiority when one is happy while others suffer is what brings the greatest pleasure."

"Only by seeing the fate of those who do not choose the World Tree will everyone truly feel how correct and far‑sighted their own choice is, and then sigh at how fortunate they are."

"And the people on this land have clearly been abandoned by them."

Babata spoke with great confidence, and while saying this, he unfolded a map of Earth in front of Luofeng.

The encirclement formed by the four battlefields that opened war simultaneously, plus the World Tree's core city of New Aili Du.

Babata said while revealing an evil smile.

"And this encirclement has only one gap."

"After establishing a balanced defense line on the shallow coast, the ocean becomes mankind's meat field; where is the only gap in this meat field?"

The answer is obvious.

No one will blame the world for leaving only this gap, because it is the US and Europe themselves refusing to join the World Tree that caused the World Tree to be unable to set up defenses at this gap.

Even in the previous war, they had already betrayed humanity, and nobody will easily forget that.

"Even after establishing prestige, the World Tree will appear in the guise of a hero, saving those who believe in him."

With Babata's hints, Luofeng's mind already understood thoroughly.

Babata, having said this, actively changed the subject.

"These are not things we should worry about; in the process of unification, various trade-offs inevitably accompany it. From this perspective, he indeed used a method that is both highly efficient and sufficiently merciful."

If we don't count himself, Babata still greatly appreciates Chén Chén.

"Of course, if it were me, I'd kill all the disobedient ones, and after a few hundred years the population would naturally develop again."

Luofeng felt a bit embarrassed; Babata really isn't a good person either, and after thinking again... he himself isn't much better.

But regarding the matter of the two countries, Luofeng still hopes Chén Chén won't be so extreme, because that would make him a little afraid.

"If you're really worried, you should instead pay twelvefold attention to the matters he entrusted to us."

"Although I dare not believe his words, if there really is a juvenile star-space giant beast hiding in North America, it would be a huge trial for you and for the life on this land, and this devouring beast is the despair he intends to send to this land."

Babata's concern is thus because of Chén Chén's said 'gift', which is so generous that Babata can hardly imagine it.

Luofeng also frowned upon hearing Babata's words.

In the past year of cultivation, Luofeng's mental cultivator strength has reached planetary stage 5, while his martial artist strength has reached planetary stage 6; with the inheritance of the Ink-falling Star and his own strong talent, Luofeng has already surpassed the vast majority of strong individuals on Earth.

Besides facing the unfathomable East Lord and the equally strange Chén Chén, Luofeng could almost proclaim invincibility against any other strong individuals on Earth.

Although figures like Jiang Jiang, Ji Heng, Cang Yue Er, Hong, and Thunder God lack absolute certainty of victory, even if they can't win they can flee, and fleeing doesn't count as defeat.

But even so, Luofeng has no confidence at all in facing the devouring beast alone.

But even without confidence, Luofeng still accepted Chén Chén's mission.

"The body of the Golden Horn Giant Beast, the universe's top-tier bloodline, leads straight to the Realm Lord and points to the immortal bloodline."

Give up the human body of Earth?

If it were before, Luofeng would not want to do so from the bottom of his heart.

But after experiencing all this, especially as the illusion and reality gradually overlap, the determination in Luofeng's illusion also supports Luofeng's desire to make this decision.

He himself needs strength, and Earth also needs strength.

"Look further ahead; temporarily using this body, reach a realm where the body is irrelevant."

"Currently, truly talented individuals on Earth are not many, but to fulfill my dream, I still need far too many talented people to help me."

"And this quota is entrusted to you."

Babayeyo has complained about his own talent; relying on the resources left by his teacher, reaching the Realm Lord is already not bad, but Chén Chén now actually pushed a straight path to the Realm Lord right in front of him……

Perhaps Chén Chén and the East Lord are the talented people he speaks of; only such a level truly has the ability to stand by his side and help him.

Ten thousand years, ten million years—such a long time; no one knows whether Earth can afford to wait.

Becoming non-human for humanity's sake—just thinking about it is indeed something worth boasting about.

————

In a deep cave in southern South America, a black giant egg was violently trembling; the tremor shattered and sloughed off the mud and weeds on the egg, and as the debris slid away, strange golden patterns on the black egg's surface gradually became visible.

The black giant egg suddenly began to tremble violently, the amplitude growing larger; with a crisp sound, a cracked fissure appeared on the egg's surface, followed immediately by a series of heavy "pah!" sounds—the cracked spot on the black egg split open, and a pitch‑black, slime‑covered "unknown entity" emerged from the shell.

"Ke chi, ke chi." This slime‑covered unknown entity actually began to devour the eggshell.

As if it had been starving for who knows how many years.

Devouring madly!

As the black oval giant egg was slowly devoured, the creature gradually revealed its full form.

It is a pitch‑black reptilian creature covered in black scales, with powerful limbs; on its massive black body it also bears a pair of scale‑covered wings and a tail that sways slowly like a dragon's tail. Its raised head bears a horn that shoots proudly toward the sky!

As it ate the black eggshell, the black monster's body kept growing, from about twelve meters in length, gradually lengthening; when it had finished all the eggshell, its length actually reached sixteen meters! At this moment the slime had been completely absorbed, and the black monster's body became clear.

"Woo—"

A sharp, cheerful sound issued from its throat.

It is a sixteen‑meter‑long beast never before seen on Earth; its black scales are like countless sharp blades that chill the heart, its body exudes an inexplicable, suffocating pressure, and every part—whether the scale‑covered ferocious wings, the powerful limbs, tail, or horn—is icy black.

On that sharp black horn there are faint mysterious golden patterns, though not conspicuous; only by looking closely can they be seen.

The mysterious golden patterns spread along the horn, head, neck, and back scales, like a layer of golden armor fused into its back; even the dense golden patterns scattered several strips onto the wings and several streaks onto the limbs' claws.

Ancient memories flooded its mind, and the giant beast also learned its identity: the noblest bloodline of this world, the Golden‑Horned Beast that devours the starry sky.

Looking around, it seemed to be a cave left by some lowly beast, just right for whetting the appetite.

However, after searching underground for a while, the giant beast found only a few lowly creatures too small to even fit between its teeth; it could not sense any metal veins, and even the surrounding energy was pitifully barren…

Could it be that I was born on an extremely barren planet?