Chapter 313: Thunderbolt Ring Magnetic Field, Satellites Destruction, Cross-Realm Strike (II)
Chapter 313: Thunderbolt Ring Magnetic Field, Satellites' Destruction, Cross-Realm Strike (II)
"Report, Satellite No. 13 in the physical dimension has reached the designated orbit."
"Report, the Yunhai-class battleship Fenglei is expected to arrive at the designated location in thirty-five minutes. The Luan-level energy bombers on the ship are on standby for takeoff."
At the command center of the Fifth Coastal Military Base, Zhang Bai stared at the simulated ocean map on the large screen, his eyes deep and solemn. "What’s the status of the target?"
"The target has not moved from its current location, positioned seven kilometers southeast of the reference point island, about seven-hundred meters deep on the seabed."
"Energy spectrum analysis indicates that the level 9 colossal beast is currently recovering from its injuries. The energy fluctuations on the target are intense. The signal transmitter attached to its scales is being corroded by energy and will likely fail in about an hour.
"After that, precise tracking of this beast will become impossible. The operation must be completed within the hour."
Zhang Bai’s gaze turned icy as he looked at the model of the ferocious beast, over 140 meters long and resembling a small mountain. "One hour is enough."
Earlier this morning, this level 9 colossal beast had attacked a coastal city in the Tianfeng nation, causing tens of thousands of casualties and widespread panic. Level 9 human warriors were dispatched to deal with it; however, the beast had still been close enough to the ocean that it could flee and escape as soon as it had sensed them.
Zhang Bai coldly commanded, "Maintain close surveillance of the target and start charging the orbital weapon. Once the Fenglei reaches her position, initiate the orbital strike immediately. I want it destroyed."
Whether to intimidate intelligent marine creatures or avenge the fallen, this beast must die today.
"Yes, sir."
As the staff below got to work, a satellite with a wingspan of over five hundred meters, resembling one of the eight trigrams[1], slowly moved in its outer space orbit.
The transparent barrel in the center of the satellite, over thirty meters thick, slowly opened, revealing a ten-meter-long, half-meter-thick bullet covered in rune-like patterns.
Hum!
The runic patterns on the four pairs of extended wings began to radiate powerful gravitational forces, as the golden light they emitted formed spreading halos. Within moments, sunlight from dozens of kilometers around it converged, while the immense stellar energy it absorbed and stored daily was activated.
Whir!
Under the heat of fusion-like energy, sections of the barrel lit up, instantly releasing an energy aura.
On the reverse side of the energy-gathering wings, more runes emitted light, creating subtle fluctuations that masked the satellite's energy buildup.
Having evolved to the pinnacle of extraordinary life, the level 9 colossal beast had a keen innate sense of danger. If the orbital satellite's energy buildup wasn’t concealed before the attack, the beast would detect it even from distant outer space.
Thus, these satellites not only possessed powerful offensive capabilities, but also had mechanisms to cloak their energy buildup before launching an attack. These were the results of years of accumulated experience by the Federation.
Half an hour later, a three-hundred-meter-long steel battleship appeared twenty kilometers from the deserted island. On the deck, a black, sci-fi-styled aircraft with a wingspan of over sixty meters was parked, its crew already in position.
In the command center, Zhang Bai spoke in a low voice, "Connect to the Fenglei."
"Fenglei, do you read? Over."
"Fenglei here, reading you loud and clear, over."
"In one minute, initiate the orbital strike and launch the Luan Energy Bomber, over."
"Roger that. Over and out."
Orbital strikes were immensely powerful, but level 9 colossal beasts were equally formidable, with extraordinary vitality and an array of innate abilities. Thus, each operation against a level 9 colossal beast included contingency plans.
"Countdown starts now. 10, 9, 8... Attack!"
With the command, the orbiting satellite, fully charged, emitted a blinding light.
Boom!
A ten-meter-thick red beam of light descended from the sky, the immense energy instantly dispersing the atmosphere to create a several-kilometer-wide void. It pierced through the thermosphere, mesosphere, and stratosphere, accelerating as it fell, and the leading bullet turned into a dazzling light.
From a distance, this beam of light, surrounded by atmospheric rings, seemed to connect heaven and earth, majestic and awe-inspiring.
700 meters deep in the ocean, a colossal beast resembling an armored dinosaur, over 140 meters long, suddenly rose and roared in rage. It could sense a severe threat, but was unsure of the origin.
Roar! Roar! Roar!
It let out violent roars, unleashing a powerful force that formed a massive five-hundred-meter domain around it.
Boom!
The domain's impact caused the sea surface to surge and explode, creating a vortex extending over a kilometer.
As the vortex formed, exposing the sky, the beast lifted its head, staring angrily at the approaching light.
Despite the strike still being tens of thousands of meters away, the destructive energy waves already instilled a sense of impending death in the beast.
Roar!
The sea erupted violently, a hundred-meter-wide water column shooting up to intercept the light beam.
Simultaneously, the ground beneath the beast shattered, and with a thunderous sound, it propelled itself hundreds of meters forward. With its level 9 intelligence, it wasn't going to foolishly stay put for the destructive attack to land.
Just then, the beam, now ten thousand meters above, slightly adjusted its angle, instantly appearing above the beast's head again.
Boom!
The stellar laser beam shook the sea, evaporating vast amounts of water before hitting the five-hundred-meter domain below.
Boom!
With an intense explosion of energy, the brilliant bullet penetrated the domain, shattering the beast's missile-resistant thick scales. Inside, a mix of hydrogen bomb material and transcendent crystal explosives detonated.
Boom!
The ocean surface instantly collapsed, forming a deep depression. The ground trembled as a blinding nuclear explosion erupted from the seabed, creating a thousand-meter-high mushroom cloud that spanned several kilometers.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The earth-shattering explosion triggered a hundred-meter-high tsunami. Several kilometers away, the deserted island violently shook as half of it crumbled under the overwhelming force.
Such formidable destructive power left the Thunder Beast, who was just barely visible above the sea surface twenty kilometers away, deeply concerned.
Such terrifying power! Could this be the might of the orbital weapon?
If that strike had landed on solid ground, the explosive force and shockwaves would have utterly obliterated a medium-sized city, completely destroying it.
Meanwhile, as the thirteenth satellite unleashed its explosive strike...
A massive celestial body, over ten kilometers in diameter, drifted slowly in the distant blackness of space. On its extended arm was a black-and-gold mech, standing a hundred meters tall, as it gazed silently at the flames igniting on the planet below.
"This is the fourth time this year that the Celestial Satellite System has been activated toward the planet. It’s happening much more frequently than in previous years. It seems the situation in the ocean is growing increasingly severe."
"Doesn’t your East Xia have a saying about that? ‘To guard against external threats, one must first stabilize internal issues?’ Should we propose a large-scale purge of the ocean?"
"No need. The ocean is vast and three-dimensional, and there are countless mutated creatures. Even if we summoned several kings, we couldn't eradicate these colossal beasts. The frontline situation’s tense, and humanity’s focus is there. Remember that order we got last month to prepare for cross-realm strikes?
"Besides, once they get to the peak of level 9 and reach the threshold for evolving, they’ll instinctively move toward the mythical world. There's no need to worry about them."
1. The bagua, or “eight trigrams,” are a set of symbols resembling the mutual opposing forces of reality, and are used to illustrate how these forces balance and reinforce each other. They are depicted as groups of three horizontal bars that are different combinations of whole or broken into two. ☜