84: The Invincible Armada and the Last Prayer

As the massive steel body of the "Bulwark" Division made its final calibrations before spatial jump, Lin Tian seized this moment of tranquility, like a scholar engrossed in study, delving deeper into the most ancient and core secrets of this planet.

Long Zhanye's voice, now stripped of the usual warmth he showed his descendants, was replaced by a solemnity and gravitas that seemed to carry the dust of history. He spoke like a guardian about to reveal forbidden knowledge, every word striking the bedrock of time.

"The Seven Great Transcendent Restricted Zones," he began slowly, his voice so deep it seemed to resonate with the earth's ley lines, "my child, you must understand, they are not natural creations, but unhealable scars on the face of Mother Earth, eternal wounds left by a war that predates the birth of human civilization, even predates the age of myths. They are the grave of Law, the fissures of reality."

"Most of them exist in forms that we Mortals can comprehend, manifesting as geographically extreme anomalous regions—such as the Bermuda Triangle, which can devour all signals and life; the legendary 'Devil's Sea,' the rumored resting place of Dragons; and the bottomless Kunlun Abyss deep beneath the land we stand on, seemingly leading straight to Hell... In those places, the physical Laws we know twist, bend, and even break like fragile threads. Worlds of different dimensions intertwine and merge there like ink and water, giving birth to monsters and wonders beyond rational comprehension."

He paused for a moment, his weathered eyes fixed intently on the unremarkable, dull metal fragment in Lin Tian's hand, as if seeing through it a terrifying, ancient vision.

"But the Seventh Restricted Zone," he continued, a hint of awe, even he hadn't noticed, creeping into his tone, "is different. It's not a fixed 'location,' but an 'object,' a... ghost wandering the star sea. Throughout the recorded history of human civilization, it has been given countless mystical names: some call it the 'Traveler from Beyond,' some ancient texts describe it as the Ark of the Apocalypse, and others firmly believe it is the legendary chariot of the gods patrolling the heavens—the 'Chariot of the Gods.' And within our Families, those of us who know part of the truth, we call it—the 'Bronze Ghost Space Station.'"

"It has no discernible pattern, appearing randomly in any corner of Earth's orbit, at any point in time. Sometimes, it hovers like a silent star for days, quietly gazing down upon this blue planet; other times, it's merely a fleeting glimpse, appearing for only a few hours, or even minutes, before vanishing without a trace, as if it never existed. We, and all the top powers in this world, have tried to explore it, but no one has ever successfully boarded it. All expedition teams sent out, no matter how well-equipped or powerful their personnel, met only one end—mysterious disappearance, not even a single signal returned, as if completely erased by the Universe itself."

"What about this fragment?" Lin Tian pressed, his curiosity fully ignited, a primal urge for exploration of the unknown inherent in an S-Class Expert.

"Legend has it..." Long Zhanye's voice dropped even lower, almost a whisper, as if he feared being overheard by some unseen entity, "these fragments are remnants that violently shook loose from the Ghost Space Station's massive hull during one of its chaotic intrusions into our dimension. They are scattered across the world, regarded as omens of ill fortune, and also as sacred relics. It is said that they are keys, the only beacons capable of resonating with the Ghost Space Station. Holding it, perhaps... perhaps it could guide a path to its interior during its next arrival."

A new, silent golden quest prompt, like a meteor, streaked across Lin Tian's sea of consciousness, leaving a deep imprint.

Long-Term Epic Exploration Quest Issued: Secret of the Ghost Space Station.

Objective: Gather all related fragments, board the Bronze Ghost Space Station, uncover the ultimate secrets of the pre-historic era, and discover the source of the Universe's calamity.

Lin Tian's expression remained unchanged as he calmly placed the fragment, which carried the ultimate secret of the planet, into his spatial ring. The call of the stars, while enchanting, had to wait. Before that, he had to extinguish a raging fire in his own Domain. He forcibly suppressed the urge to immediately explore these new and grand mysteries, refocusing his razor-sharp will on the imminent crisis. He knew well that the era of exploring the Universe would eventually come, but until he built his earthly Empire into an impregnable fortress, everything else was mere talk.

He arrived at the Division's assembly plaza.

The sight before him was magnificent enough to suffocate any Mortal and move any Heavenly God.

Three hundred colossal mechs, each towering a hundred meters high, stood like silent steel mountains, in a formation so perfectly obsessive it was flawless. They were the "Bulwark" Division, the pinnacle of military might forged by the Long Family through generations of effort and resources. Their armor was not a brilliant metallic color, but a deep, menacing matte black that absorbed light, with only the roaring Dragon clan emblem on their chests gleaming with a cold, dark gold light. Simply standing there, their immense mass and the rhythm of their internal energy cores already distorted the surrounding air, forming a silent, absolute force field, silently proclaiming the destructive power they contained, enough to wipe civilizations off the map.

When Lin Tian's figure appeared on the towering bridge of the flagship, the "Immortal Shield," a ripple, almost visible to the naked eye, spread through the entire steel legion's formation.

—Kneel!

No command, no signal, only an absolute, unspoken understanding from the depths of their Souls.

Accompanied by a deafening screech of metal friction and hydraulic System exhaust that shook the very foundations of the entire base, three hundred war machines, three hundred walking steel fortresses, simultaneously dropped to one knee in a chillingly synchronized manner. The heavy knee armor slammed onto the plaza ground, paved with special alloys, sending up large sparks of energy, as if it were the most devout prostration to a king.

Their public communication channels crackled open at the same instant. A unified, heartfelt roar, issued by thousands of ace pilots and logistical crew, swept across the entire plaza like a tsunami of sound, so immense it seemed to tear the sky apart.

"Loyalty—to—Alpha!"

This was the ultimate display of absolute power. This was the oldest, most sacred feudal ceremony of allegiance, sworn in the language of steel and fire. Before this legion of destruction, all words seemed pale and powerless; only this most primal submission was the highest praise for the new king's ascension.

Lin Tian stood on his flagship's bridge, looking down through the thick observation window at the invincible army he had awakened. His gaze was as calm as still water, as if the world-shaking sight before him was merely ordinary scenery. He slowly raised one hand, a simple and pure gesture.

"Target, African theater," he commanded, his voice not loud, but clearly transmitted through the amplification System to the cockpit of every mech and every warship. The voice was calm, without a ripple, yet carried an unquestionable, absolute authority, "Engage, and annihilate all hostile forces. I do not wish to see a single enemy alive."

The fleet's massive engines, like the gaping maw of a beast, ignited instantly. Accompanied by a terrifying roar that could no longer be called "sound," but rather the very fabric of reality being forcibly torn apart, the space in front of the fleet began to violently twist and fold, forming a gigantic vortex shimmering with kaleidoscopic light. The entire fleet—the flagship "Immortal Shield," dozens of escort carriers, and the three hundred slowly rising steel giants—plunged fearlessly into that shimmering jump channel vortex, like a giant whale diving into the deep sea, and instantly vanished from this world.

In the spaceport, representatives from major global powers who had witnessed this scene through special channels were all plunged into a deathly, prolonged silence. The unreasonable, overwhelming power just displayed by the Long Family had far exceeded their most terrifying and audacious estimates. The "Bulwark" Division was not just a legend circulating among the upper echelons; it was a nightmare brought to reality, capable of keeping any national leader awake at night. And now, this nightmare obeyed a fourteen-year-old boy. The world was about to change.

Crisis Outbreak Point: Africa, Pangu Biotech Headquarters.

The apocalypse, after all, had arrived.

The massive energy shield that had once miraculously protected the entire city finally reached its limit after enduring an hour of relentless bombardment from three S-Class Experts. It let out a mournful wail, like shattering glass, then transformed into a sky-full, golden shower of sparks, falling everywhere. The sight was heartbreakingly beautiful, yet tragically announced the city's ultimate doom.

Below, the allied soldiers surged forward like a black tide of locusts, emitting earth-shattering, bloodthirsty war cries. The company guard's already precarious first line of defense on the city walls was almost instantly submerged, torn to shreds by the overwhelming numerical superiority and the ruthless, precise strikes of the enemy's elite forces.

Su Mucheng stood before the command center's massive panoramic window, watching her city, which she had poured countless efforts into building with her own hands, burn in the flames. She watched her soldiers, her people, being mercilessly slaughtered by the enemy's blades. Explosions and dying screams filtered through the thick armored glass, becoming a distant, muffled roar, as if from another world.

A bitter, resigned smile touched her lips, pale from the smoke. She had done her best; she had used all her wisdom and courage. They, too, had fought bravely until the last moment. But the enemy was simply too powerful, powerful enough to crush all schemes and resistance.

She had no more strategies, no more surprise moves, and no more... hope.

She slowly closed her eyes, shutting out the horrific massacre unfolding in every corner of the city. All resistance was futile now. All that remained was the inevitable darkness that would soon consume everything.

In the final moments of her life, as the heavy footsteps of enemy tactical boots echoed down the corridor, growing closer and clearer, her thoughts stripped away all the complexities and calculations of her usual role as a business empress, focusing on one single, crystal-clear image.

It was Lin Tian's image.

Not the radiant, god-like figure from the War Emperor's Mausoleum, but the arrogant and domineering young man from their first meeting in the conference room, looking at her with that nonchalant, dismissive gaze, as if the whole world meant nothing to him. He was the one who casually shielded her when she was pushed to the brink by Ye Fan's rage. He was the one whose shadow, without her knowing, had already consumed her entire world.

A silent, burning tear traced a path through the smudges on her cheek, leaving a scorching trail in the cold darkness.

Will you come...? she whispered to herself in the deep darkness of her consciousness, a whisper so faint even she couldn't hear it.

Even now... at this last moment... am I still hoping for your appearance...?

The command center's incredibly thick, super-alloy door was violently blasted open by a furious force.