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Chapter 672 - 669: [The Harbinger Lies at Dawn.]

Chapter 672: Chapter 669: [The Harbinger Lies at Dawn.]

"Gentlemen, the time has come for the final battle. The Freedom Faction’s million-strong army is launching a full-scale attack."

Ming’an’s voice spread throughout the City-State:

"And we, along with the other three cities, are the last line of defense outside the City of Gods. The ’Fourth City Salat,’ the ’Fifth City Cook Cluster,’ and the ’Sixth City Kana Seal,’—which, like us, are prepared to face this final battle—encircle the City of Gods."

"Perhaps we will be eternally celebrated, or perhaps we will be utterly defeated. Perhaps we will be annihilated by a nuclear explosion twelve hours from now, our bones reduced to ash, spat upon in our dying moments..."

"But this is the proof of our devout faith."

"People say we believe in deities, call us fanatical, ignorant, beyond redemption. Only we know... forty-eight years ago, in the cold winter of a civilization that had just suffered a Century Catastrophe, the merciful Gods crossed worlds to come to us, bestowed upon us the technology of a new century, taught us to command the ’Origin’ within our bodies, gave us weapons, and awakened humanity from ignorance and obscurity."

"Science is just a smoother path in the development of humankind, while another path develops silently—early myths, witchcraft, and religion are all different dimensions of development. Although science dominates the current world and its overly cold progress drowns human emotions, we refuse to create a city of cold mechanics; humankind needs faith and emotion."

"Technology is the pinnacle and ultimate expression of humanity, and at the end of technology is theology. It is the Gods who tell us—’Dreams’ are reality, taboos are freedom, and faith is the ultimate."

"No one—in the name of what humans call the future—can criticize us."

He raised his arms:

"However, for the past sixteen years, those armies of the Freedom Faction have committed all kinds of evil deeds. Under the guise of ’eradicating the Gods,’ they criticize us for diverging from civilization. They arrogantly call themselves the hope and brilliance of humankind, yet commit heinous acts of murder and tyranny. Leading them is Yasa Acto, the City Lord of Doomsday City, who foolishly stands against the tide of the times.

"They have killed our kin and comrades, use the false ’Lighthouse Church’ as their faith, and accuse us of blind belief. How ridiculous! How could those fools living in daylight comprehend the depth of the night?

"We shall show these hypocrites—that in the cold winter of 48 years, on December 30th, the day before the Fuyuan Festival, there were soldiers and civilians who served the great Gods. They fought against the endless Exotic Beasts, accompanied by a lifelong commitment to their creed, their hearts forever ablaze with fervent faith, eager to pass on this faith endlessly until the arrival of a new era or the last second of human civilization—at the moment of our deaths!

"Swoosh!"

A long sword was drawn, and Ming’an’s blade glowed with a blood-red brilliance.

"Warriors!"

Ming’an shouted with a resounding voice, and the myriad soldiers and civilians rose in response: "Follow me into battle!!"

"Aaaahhhhh—!"

In an instant, the rousing sounds of the charge echoed, countless soldiers cried out loud, and their morale soared.

Flags fluttered, war drums thundered.

The wind whistled over the sands as the twilight slowly descended between the arriving night skies, and in the distance, flames flickered faintly, like beacons of humanity’s struggle for freedom.

The Dawn War, the ultimate battle, had begun.

...

Three kilometers away, the Freedom Faction.

Yuan Guang twinkled around the million soldiers and civilians who were gazing ahead, surrounded by various pieces of equipment, with various cords hanging from their waists and wrists, rattling.

At the forefront of the legion, the commander in a trench coat, Su Rin, turned around, her coat fluttering like a banner.

He addressed the million soldiers and civilians with a steady voice:

"The command authority for the twelve generals and vice-generals has been fully deployed, and the first-level command authority belongs solely to them. All other soldiers must not disobey their orders.

"The reconnaissance drone team will be constantly monitoring the movements of the other three cities to prevent the enemy from suddenly redeploying their legions and shifting their main attack direction.

"Beyond the eight-layer defense line is the long-range guidance system. Ion blockers have been arranged on both flanks to reduce the risk of war orders being leaked. Please do not leave your designated battle arc on your own initiative to avoid triggering it by mistake.

"These twelve hours are humanity’s final deadline, our last chance granted by the Lord of Acto City, Yasa Acto, and it is related to the survival and destiny of the human race.

"In the next twelve hours, we will launch more than one full-scale offensive, and the death rate may exceed 80%."

Su Rin’s gaze swept over the people, fully equipped for battle.

——These superior equipment came from the continuous operation of tens of thousands of large factories over the past sixteen years, from the Three Domains technology left by the sleepless Acto, from every soldier and civilian who ventured out of the city to find metal resources and sacrificed their lives to enemy attacks.

Just two hours ago, the underground mining team delivered the first batch of Origin Stones to the legion. The Deity faction possesses numerous radioactive weapons, and Origin Stones can effectively reduce casualties.

Countless people have already fallen in the darkness before dawn, those resource hoarders and weapon makers, many without even leaving a name behind.

Only with sixteen years of accumulation has the Beacon of Zone Eleven developed into the wildfire it is today, allowing this well-equipped army to take the stage and fight until the end.

In the past few days, Su Rin had seen more sacrifices than he had in sixty years in Pulaya, with the faces of the departed exceeding tens of millions.

Human life fades away so rapidly in large-scale warfare, with the death toll reaching millions every day.

"If there is any abnormal information from the other three cities, please report to me in time," said Su Rin:

"Before that, I will do my utmost to hold the most ferocious front line’s firepower for you."

"Please remember — every shot you fire is for the freedom of humanity, so that our next generation may live in the warmth of spring. For a tomorrow where the world no longer has deities that dominate everything."

"Remember, as you step into the battlefield today, behind you is the hard work of countless subjects, and it is Acto who has bought you a sixteen-hour buffer."

"I hope you understand whom you are fighting for."

Su Rin did not further motivate these people, for their morale had already reached its peak in this final battle, and there was no need for more words.

"—We are prepared to die a thousand deaths!"

The soldiers shouted with a thundering voice that pierced the sky and broke through the clouds.

Now, the members of the Freedom Faction number over a hundred million, with both the combined level of the generals and members being at level 8, almost incapable of further advancement.

Lord Su Ming’an’s Character Link system provided the army with effects like "She and the Night: Army Morale +30%," "Intent to Kill Fulfillment: War Killing Power +20%," "Endless Torch: Combat Power of the Legion +5%," "Second Death: Weapon Durability +20%." His "Lord’s Halo," "Missionary Halo," and "Yasa Acto Identity" had elevated economy, military, and public support to the highest level 5.

As one third of the soldiers possess "Source," their "Source" brings various effects into play, making the war more like a mixed mode of remote and close combat.

Su Rin took one more comprehensive look at the million soldiers and civilians. In twelve hours, no more than one fifth of these people would remain.

"Begin the battle," he commanded into the earpiece hanging by his cheek.

"Boom!" The attack order was issued first, and what streaked past was a meteor-like blue flash, slicing through the clouds, tearing across the sky, skimming the nightfall-draped heavens.

—Its explosion signified the declaration of war, from which point onwards no army would rest until annihilation.

People ceased their shouting and watched its descent.

At last, the blue light fell upon the center of the battlefield, with an explosion that seemed to sever an unbroken rope between humans.

The very next moment, like a tsunami, people thunderously trod the earth, charging into the battlefield with no reluctance.

The sashes at their waists fluttered "whirring" like colorful flags waving.

"Swish, swish, swish—"

The harmonized streaks of blue flashes, akin to daytime meteors, shone in front of the Freedom Faction’s legion, reflecting in the legion commander’s dark golden eyes. The commander’s blood-red coat billowed noisily, as if surrounded by soaring golden High Towers.

With a wave of his hand, dozens of golden beams radiated from the High Towers, descending upon the entire battlefield like commanding high rises, protecting the most critical dozen legion leaders.

"Kill—!" Su Rin gave the command, the banner waved, and a million soldiers and civilians moved in unison.

The legion’s every move coordinated as one body, creating a million-fold shock effect.

To fire a gun was to hear a million gunshots; to shout a battle cry was to unleash a million fierce roars.

"Boom—"

In the bright golden light, the legion commander floated from the heavens, like a deity extending a hand to faithful stuck in a mire, the splendid fireworks clearing the night sky with a sweep of light.

The piercing howl from above heralded the immediate commands of twenty-four top generals, as both sides engaged in strategic combat across three domains: strategy, weaponry, and personnel. War fortresses merged into a steel torrent in the air, piecing together, countless small reconnaissance and combat aircraft guarding the million-strong legion like protectors of a king.

"Boom, boom, boom—" Energy cannons struck the ground, leaving behind hundreds of unrecognizable corpses on the red soil, who slowly dissipated in the brilliant white stars.

Then, countless artillery rounds made the first strike, sweeping the foremost trucks and soldiers. Assaulters with special particle shields charged forward, determinedly setting up high-efficiency bombing systems.

Beyond this foremost Seventh City, attacks on the Fourth City, Fifth City, and Sixth City were launched simultaneously by the Freedom Faction’s legions. The four cities, like a semicircle, enveloped and defended the City of Gods, cooperating with each other, forming a connected loop.

Several high Combat Power individuals from the Deity faction charged out, clashing in the air with high Combat Power individuals like Su Rin, Noah, Lu, Andeveis, Anita, and Yalin.

"—Kill!"

Noah surged to the front, countless tendrils of Yuan Guang acting as unseen hands stretching across the vast distance, striking towards the Seventh City.

His golden hair shone brilliantly at that moment, his eyes filled with intense excitement and Hatred, the counterattack against the Deity faction finally reaching its climactic moment.

Majestic flames sprouted before Su Rin, the thick and mighty Flame Strike slamming into the city walls, leaving behind a vivid and striking river of fire!

When the flames rose, they filled the sky with scorching heat!

In the sky, reconnaissance and combat aircraft turned to ashes, Spirit Beasts burned to death, feathers drifting down like a great snowfall, painting the heavens with a mix of blood and white. Su Rin’s coat fluttered amidst the waves of fire, streaking through a gale of flames.

On the ground, countless soldiers charged from far away, like a million iron hooves of an ancient battlefield, turning into roaring waves almost filling the entire horizon...

Among the sands, the artillery fire illuminated the battlefield as if it were daytime. The city, sturdy as a barrel, shook and trembled under the charge of the steel army.

The storm of bullets and artillery fire was composed of an army of a full million. The vitality almost solidified into substance, like waves surging around people.

"Whoosh—"

Through the gloomy haze, purple-red dusk dissipated downwards, and the last traces of twilight slowly hung in the night, as snow began to drift from the sky.

People, with frost covering their heads like centenarians, charged forward heedlessly. Seen from afar, it looked as if countless "snowmen" were spread across the red earth, like white roses blooming amid the red clay.

"Hum!!" The earth and sky thundered as a dissociation cannon fell like a sacred sword descending from the heavens, piercing into the red earth, standing between heaven and earth, melting away thousands of bodies.

When the sounds around one’s ears reach the extreme, people cannot hear anything.

They simply watched as figures floated up like dust, these bodies nameless and faceless...

Most people’s bones remained, while some bodies with "Origin" in them turned into white light that floated up, like another downpour of overwhelming snow...

—It is said that every year at the Fuyuan Festival, people would exchange armbands, have a family reunion dinner, and set off fireworks.

On such days, families would gather joyously, children would stay up all night to greet the new year, and the young would cook reunion meals for their parents and the elderly, enjoying togetherness with their families.

But now, in the 48th year of the Catastrophe, in the 16th year of the Dawn War, everyone is on a bloody battlefield, in dangerous underground passages, feeling nothing but dust, gun smoke, and cold wind. Only cold bodies pass them by...

If one has family, it’s an armband on their wrist.

If one has comrades, it’s a photo in their embrace.

If one has fortune, they await the next year’s new era, letting the survivors go to the sky and set off harmless fireworks, not like them, where every "firework" launched tears hundreds of lives apart.

They wish that the next "Fuyuan Festival" won’t see humans fighting like this anymore, and that there be no deities in the world so every person can step into spring.

—This is their final wish.

On December 30th of the 48th year of the Catastrophe, at 6:20 PM, the final battle of the Dawn War began.

The number of combatants was five hundred sixty-eight thousand, four hundred fifty-three, with auxiliary personnel amounting to forty-six million, seven hundred eighty thousand, and more. The estimated death toll was over ten million.

The land was stained red with blood, the night was forcibly lit up as if it were day, the war went on day and night until dawn broke.

Those who survived moved on to a brand-new next century, while the pioneers who fell before dawn were endless.

—If their bones were to be burned, the fire would last three years without extinguishing.

—If tombstones were to be erected, the city would be filled with them.

...

...

[(TE1·"Pioneer Immortality, Eternal Dawn") Clearing Progress: 90%]