ryethenovel Chapter 154 Astral Vanguard Raid!
Chapter 154 Astral Vanguard Raid!
There are only three days left before the main astral fleet arrives.
The global True Dragon Defense Network has completed its third comprehensive upgrade, making the fortifications of the eight dragon lairs impregnable. All 30 million troops from various countries are on high alert, countless missile silos are open, and anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft machine guns are aimed at the sky. True Dragon warships are anchored in geosynchronous orbit, their antimatter main guns poised for fire, and hundreds of secondary guns and missile launch systems are all in combat readiness.
Billions of people around the world were glued to their television screens, anxiously awaiting the final battle. The streets were deserted, factories had ceased production, and schools were closed. Tension and anticipation were etched on everyone's face; they knew that in three days, victory would be theirs, or destruction would follow.
However, the Astral attack came earlier and more suddenly than expected.
At three in the morning, when humans are at their most exhausted, all radars and early warning systems around the world simultaneously malfunction, displaying only static on screens.
"What happened? Why are all the radars broken?"
"Report! Strong electromagnetic interference detected! All communication signals are interrupted!"
Chaos erupted instantly in the command center. Just as everyone was scrambling to react, the observation station on the far side of the moon transmitted its final signal: "Report! A large number of unidentified flying objects have appeared on the far side of the moon! More than ten thousand in number! It's an interplanetary fleet! They are rapidly approaching Earth! Expected to reach the atmosphere in ten minutes!"
The signal abruptly stopped.
Everyone turned pale. The Starfleet had bypassed all the outer warning systems and silently reached the far side of the moon! This meant that humanity had lost its most precious warning time.
"How is this possible?! Our early warning system covers the entire solar system! How could they not be detected?" The UN Commander-in-Chief slammed his fist on the table and said angrily.
Lu Jingchen's expression was extremely grave: "The Astral Boundary's technology is far more advanced than ours; they must have mastered cloaking technology. Now is not the time to assign blame. Immediately issue the following orders: All clones, proceed to your respective war zones to intercept enemy ships! True Dragon Warships, take off and prepare for battle! Dragon Slayer Battalions, move into ground defense positions and prepare to deal with the airborne Astral Boundary warriors! All civilians, immediately take to underground air-raid shelters!"
"yes!"
The order was transmitted to every corner of the globe at top speed.
Eight golden figures shot out from Kunlun Mountain like eight meteors, each heading towards one of the eight dragon lairs. The True Dragon Warship slowly departed from geosynchronous orbit, its engines at full power, and headed towards the Star Fleet. Helian Ba led ten thousand Dragon Slayer Camp warriors, quickly entering the underground fortifications of various cities, preparing for the impending ground battle.
Ten minutes later, the Astral Vanguard Fleet entered Earth's atmosphere.
Ten thousand silver warships, like locusts, blotted out the sky, turning the heavens a dark silver wherever they passed. Upon entering the atmosphere, they immediately opened fire, countless blue energy projectiles raining down on the ground.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Explosions echoed everywhere. Skyscrapers in the city collapsed instantly, bursting into flames. Ground-based air defense positions were destroyed by energy projectiles before they could even fire.
"Fire! All anti-aircraft weapons, open fire!"
The surviving anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft machine guns opened fire simultaneously, creating a dense barrage of bullets and shells that hurtled towards the Starship.
However, the astral warship's shields were exceptionally sturdy. Most shells were deflected, creating ripples on the shield's surface but causing no real damage. Only a few high-yield missiles struck the warship, leaving merely shallow marks on the shields.
"No! Our weapons are ineffective against them!"
"The Tokyo defenses have been breached! Astral Warriors are beginning their airdrop!"
"Paris has fallen! We can't hold on much longer!"
Urgent telegrams kept arriving, and the atmosphere in the command center grew increasingly heavy. Everyone was filled with despair; was humanity truly doomed?
Just then, Lu Jingchen's voice echoed across the globe: "All ground troops, retreat immediately! Withdraw to a safe zone! True Dragon Battleship, charge your main guns!"
In geosynchronous orbit, the muzzle of the True Dragon Battleship's antimatter main cannon began to glow with a dazzling golden light. Countless energies surged from the energy core, converging at the muzzle to form a massive golden sphere of light. The sphere grew brighter and brighter, like a second sun, illuminating the entire dark Earth.
"Main gun charge at 50%!"
"80% charged!"
"Powered up! Ready to launch!"
Lu Jingchen stood on the bridge, his eyes coldly surveying the densely packed starships below, and said, word by word, "Launch!"
"Boom—!"
A golden beam of light, ten thousand feet long, shot out from the main cannon, like a divine sword, cleaving through the dark sky. Wherever the beam passed, space was distorted, and the air was ignited, emitting a sizzling sound.
The golden beam of light instantly pierced through the formation of the Astral Vanguard Fleet.
The starship struck directly by the beam of light was instantly reduced to ashes, leaving not a trace of wreckage. The surrounding warships were also torn apart by the powerful shockwave, the explosions creating a continuous burst of flames that resembled a raging inferno in the sky.
With just one shot, three thousand starships were destroyed!
The dark silver hue in the sky dissipated almost entirely in an instant, and sunlight once again shone upon the earth.
"That's amazing! The True Dragon Battleship is incredible!"
"We're saved! We're really saved!"
The soldiers on the ground erupted in deafening cheers. The civilians hiding in the underground air-raid shelters, watching this scene on television, were moved to tears and embraced each other.
Upon seeing this, the commander of the Astral Vanguard Fleet was terrified and immediately ordered, "Retreat! Retreat immediately! Back to the far side of the moon!"
The remaining seven thousand starships turned around, attempting to escape Earth.
"Trying to run? Too late!"
Lu Jingchen sneered and ordered again, "Secondary guns fire simultaneously! Launch all missiles!"
The Dragonship's hundreds of secondary cannons fired simultaneously, countless golden energy beams shooting towards the fleeing Astral Fleet. At the same time, thousands of anti-ship missiles were launched from the warship's missile silos, trailing long plumes of flame as they pursued the Astral Fleet.
Explosions were heard one after another.
One astral warship after another was destroyed, turning into fireballs in the sky. In less than ten minutes, all ten thousand astral vanguard warships were annihilated, without exception.
The sky returned to calm, with only the smoke from the explosion slowly dissipating.
"We won! We won again!"
Billions of people around the world cheered and celebrated this hard-won victory. Many wept with joy, knowing that humanity had once again created a miracle.
However, there was no joy on Lu Jingchen's face. He could feel an even more terrifying and chilling aura rapidly approaching Earth.
Sure enough, at that moment, another enormous black vortex appeared in the sky. The vortex continued to expand, exceeding a hundred kilometers in diameter, and the entire sky was dyed black.
A silver figure, a thousand meters tall, slowly emerged from the vortex. He wore magnificent astral armor, inlaid with countless blue gems that shimmered with a cold light. He held a scepter inlaid with enormous crystals, his gaze sweeping coldly over the crowd on the ground as if looking at a swarm of ants.
"Not bad, not bad." The man's voice was like the scraping of metal, carrying a suffocating pressure. "I never expected that you lowly insects could actually destroy my advance fleet. It seems I underestimated you."
His voice echoed across the globe, and everyone felt a chill rise from the soles of their feet, trembling involuntarily. This oppressive aura was more than ten times stronger than that of Samael; simply standing there was enough to extinguish any thought of resistance.
"I am Karen, one of the three Marshals of the Astral Realm," the man said calmly. "The failure of this advance team is merely a minor accident. Three days later, I will lead one million capital ships and one billion Astral Warriors to raze this planet to the ground."
Lu Jingchen piloted the True Dragon Battleship to Karen's side and said coldly, "Astral invaders, go back to your homeland. Otherwise, the advance fleet you just encountered will have suffered the same fate."
"What will happen?" Karen laughed loudly, her laughter filled with disdain. "With your crappy ship? That little bit of power you had just used could only scare little kids."
He suddenly raised his scepter and pointed it at the True Dragon Warship.
A black beam of energy shot out from the scepter at an extreme speed, making it impossible to dodge.
"Bang!"
The energy beam slammed into the shield of the True Dragon Battleship.
"Snap!"
The space-folding shield of the True Dragon Battleship instantly developed numerous cracks, as if it would shatter at any moment. The battleship began to shake violently, and the alarms inside the ship blared frantically.
"Warning! Shield damaged by 70%! Energy core overload!"
Lu Jingchen's expression changed drastically, and he immediately ordered an increase in energy output, barely managing to stabilize the shield.
"See that? That's the absolute difference in power," Karen said disdainfully. "Three days from now, I will personally board this wrecked ship and take your head. Lu Jingchen, if you know what's good for you, obediently hand over the eight dragon hearts, and I might spare your life and make you my agent on Earth."
"Dream on!" Lu Jingchen roared. "Three days from now, I will personally kill you, and then lead the True Dragon Warships to your astral home!"
"Is that so? Then I'll wait and see." Karen sneered, her figure gradually disappearing into the air.
The black vortex closed, and the sky cleared up again.
The command center fell silent once again.
Everyone turned pale; the joy they had felt moments before vanished completely.
The Astral Marshal's strength is truly overwhelming. A single strike nearly shattered the True Dragon warship's shields. How will the main fleet withstand him three days from now?
Lu Jingchen stared in the direction where Karen had disappeared, clenching his fist until his knuckles turned white from the force.
He knew that the battle three days from now would be the toughest battle of his life.
However, he will not back down.
To protect this world, to protect those around him, and for all humanity that believes in him, he must win.
"All personnel, heed my command!" Lu Jingchen's voice was firm and powerful. "Immediately repair the True Dragon Battleship and replenish its ammunition and energy! All units, enter Level One combat readiness! Three days from now, we will engage the main force of the Astral Realm in a decisive battle!"
"yes!"
Everyone responded in unison, their voices filled with unwavering determination.
Although the enemy is powerful, they will not give up.
As long as they have a breath left, they will fight to the very end.