51: Chapter 51 One Shot, One Rift Valley!! The test seemed to go smoothly.

A scorching, dry wind mixed with grit instantly blew against their faces.

What met their eyes was a vast expanse of ochre yellow. The sky was azure, without a single cloud, and the blazing starlight poured down, baking the sea of sand until distorted heatwaves rose from it.

In the distance, several massive dark red rocky mountains dotted the horizon. This was a forbidden zone for life, where only the marks of wind erosion spoke of the passing years and time.

"This is the 'Broken Spine' Desert, one of the academy's highest-level live-fire testing grounds." Teacher Yimoku's voice sounded a bit ethereal in the wind. "Don't worry, it's big enough; no matter how powerful the shot is, we don't have to fear!"

Several large anti-gravity hovering platforms, carrying various precision monitoring equipment, quickly deployed around the preset firing position.

They would build a three-dimensional, dead-zone-free data monitoring network on both sides of the firing axis, behind it, and in the distant target areas, responsible for capturing dozens of key parameters such as energy fluctuations, spatial curvature changes, high-energy particle flow distribution, thermal radiation peaks, and micro-gravitational changes.

Further away, a series of targets forged from special alloys, composite material blocks simulating the thick biological armor of the Zerg, and a small generator simulating a small hive shield were lined up like soldiers waiting for inspection, from near to far.

A solemn and killing atmosphere permeated the scorching desert air.

"Test start! First, lowest power setting. Target: Alloy Target No. 1!" Professor Reinhardt issued the command through the loudspeaker, his voice carrying far across the open desert.

With a thought from Li Yuan.

On the firing position, the Light Guardian steadily raised the rifle, aiming the muzzle at the special alloy target over half a meter thick, a kilometer away.

He pulled the trigger.

"Sss—"

An extremely faint sound, like a hot knife cutting through grease. A faint blue beam, thin as a hair, flashed from the muzzle.

In the distance, at the center of Target No. 1, a fist-sized circular hole with edges as smooth as a mirror instantly appeared. The beam passed through the target without any resistance.

Monitoring data was immediately fed back: "Excellent energy focusing, perfect penetration effect, no energy dissipation, thermal effect area concentrated in an extremely small range!"

"Very good! Increase power to fifteen percent. Target: Composite Biological Armor Simulation Target No. 3!"

The Light Guardian raised the gun again. This time, the beam was thicker and its color brighter. The beam struck the composite armor, which was strong enough to withstand continuous fire from conventional heavy pulse guns.

That armor vaporized directly from the point of impact, leaving a neat large hole.

"The power increase matches the linear model! Target effectively destroyed!"

"Forty percent power. Target: Energy Shield Generator No. 7!"

A bright white pillar of light shot out, and the simulated hive shield shattered silently the moment it touched the beam. The beam's momentum remained unchecked, directly evaporating a sand dune behind it.

The tests proceeded methodically. The stepwise increase in power displayed by the mini-mega particle rifle left all onlookers feeling heart-pounded.

Li Yuan's tactical concept of "single-soldier star-sniping" became clearer and more fervent with every shot.

"Increase power to seventy-five percent! Target: Rocky Mountain No. 7, Area B!" The professor's voice wavered slightly, filled with both tension and anticipation.

The rifle in the Light Guardian's hand emitted a deeper hum, and the rotation speed of the muzzle's focusing ring suddenly accelerated. A white pillar of light as thick as a water bucket instantly crossed the distance of several kilometers, slamming into that dark red rocky mountain over a hundred meters tall!

The moment the light hit, the upper half of the mountain vaporized directly, vanishing without a trace! Only a smooth, mirror-like fracture remained, glowing with a dark red molten luster, proving that something had once existed there.

The data on the monitoring platform refreshed frantically, all in green representing safety.

Perfect! Still perfect!

The researchers could no longer suppress the looks of wild joy on their faces, exchanging excited glances. Even the usually serious Professor Reinhardt had a barely perceptible curve at the corner of his mouth.

Professor Reinhardt looked at the main control screen, his voice spreading across the entire testing ground through the loudspeaker:

"Attention all departments! Final stage test! One hundred percent maximum power output! Target: Z-0 Absolute No-Man's Land! All monitoring units, record test feedback!"

On the firing position, the Light Guardian slowly adjusted his posture, steadily bracing the rifle against his shoulder.

"Fire!" Professor Reinhardt's voice was resolute.

At the moment the trigger was pulled, a torrent of particles surged forth! It was like a river that distorted space. Everywhere it passed, light bent, and space presented water-like ripples. Sand, rocks, air... every substance blocking this 'torrent' vanished the moment they made contact.

Everyone's gaze turned toward the depths of the desert.

There, an unimaginable rift valley was branded into the earth! The rift's length was estimated to exceed thirty kilometers, with the narrowest point being several hundred meters wide. The cliffs on both sides were smooth as mirrors, displaying a colorful glazed luster!

This was the mini-mega particle rifle at one hundred percent power!

With the power of a single strike, the world was transformed!

Afterward, the sound of the data stream on the monitoring platform was like a flash flood!

"Energy output peak... reached 102 percent of the theoretical value! Completed beyond expectations!"

"Maximum spatial curvature disturbance... at the upper limit of the safety model, did not exceed the threshold!"

"Thermal radiation, particle flow, micro-gravitational changes... all physical parameters are within predicted ranges!"

"No form of harmful energy dissipation or radiation residue exceeding the standard model was detected!"

"Carrier unit! Life signals stable! Structural integrity intact! Energy levels normal! No damage reports!"

A series of "normal," "safe," and "meets expectations" sounded like the most beautiful melody in the hearts of every researcher.

Immediately—

"We did it! We succeeded!!"

"Hahaha! Single soldier versus ship! We did it!!"

"Miniaturization of the Void Engine! This is an epoch-making breakthrough!"

The wild joy suppressed for so, so long exploded like a volcano! Researchers threw down their data pads, disregarding their image to hug, jump, and pound each other's chests; some even wept with joy, slumped on the ground.

Professor Reinhardt was moved to tears, tightly clutching Teacher Yimoku's hand, his lips trembling but unable to utter a single word. Yimoku also broke into an incredibly brilliant smile.

Just then, a hot wind unique to the desert, carrying fine sand, blew across the testing ground.

The wind and sand brushed past the monitoring equipment in silence.

Wait! Why was it silent!

Li Yuan sensed something was wrong and looked at Laya. However, Laya had already jumped off the monitoring platform regardless of everything and rushed toward the equipment area!

"Laya!"