International waters, aboard a Donghua cruiser.

The emergency support team formed by the Secret Inspection Bureau had already gathered in the cabin. Six figures stood silently before a massive tempered glass window, gazing out at the sea, which looked exceptionally deep and terrifying in the night.

Waves, raging seas, howling wind, mournful cries!!

On the boundless ocean, mankind seemed so insignificant.

But the six people inside the ship were unfazed by the terrifying scene, as this kind of horror posed no threat to them. Even if they were thrown into the unfathomable depths right now, the only outcome would be the sea itself being conquered by them! 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

These six people were all the support forces dispatched by Donghua for this mission.

Almost all of Donghua’s available mobile forces had been deployed for this operation.

"The wind is picking up."

Zhou Yuanjue said calmly, his eyes on the sea outside the window.

Beside him, a man stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He had a medium build, neat black hair, and wore military pants and a tank top that revealed a physique with near-perfect muscle definition. His gaze was incredibly firm and sharp, and it was impossible to tell his actual age.

It was none other than Lei Yi, the expert from the Military Department who had worked with him during the Kunlun incident.

As the top man among a million soldiers, Lei Yi himself possessed incredible strength, no less than that of the Four Guardians. Stationed in Shangjing Prefecture, his role was to provide mobile support to various fronts. Thus, for this overseas mission, it was only natural that he would step up to serve as the team leader.

The others were Ji Yunzhou, Zhang Zhizhen, Jiang Jiushan, and the heir to the Xuan Clan, Hong Miao.

Although the Spirit Guardian pact included a clause about not getting involved in power struggles, this mission concerned the Celestial Organization and was closely tied to the Celestial Demon. Therefore, the Spirit Guardians had given their full consent for Hong Miao to take part.

Six Saint Awakening Level experts. For Donghua, deploying a force of this magnitude was unprecedented and showed the extreme importance they placed on this incident.

THUMP THUMP THUMP!

The sound of hurried footsteps approached, and a military staffer pushed open the cabin door. With a grim expression, he addressed Zhou Yuanjue and the others:

"Everyone, the attack is confirmed. It’s in Banku, the capital of Tai Lan Country. It’s already caused immense damage and panic. Based on the intel we’re receiving, it seems two of the Seven Mo Luo have struck simultaneously. Tai Lan Country’s two Saint Awakening experts are en route to the scene. The Starry Sky Country hasn’t made a move yet, but their preparations are undoubtedly more thorough than ours, so you all need to move fast."

"Furthermore, while Tai Lan Country has accepted our aid, they stipulated that no military troops are to enter their territory. You will enter Tai Lan under the cover of embassy security personnel and operate under the pretext of evacuating our citizens."

Hearing this, the expressions of everyone present grew tense.

Lei Yi gazed out at the sea and said, "Indeed. The wind is picking up."

...

...

「Elsewhere, also in international waters.」

Aboard a massive Starry Sky Country freighter.

General Norton of the Nebula Alliance, dressed in a black suit, stood silently on the deck. Behind him stood seven fully-armed Warriors clad in high-tech combat uniforms.

"Decades ago, we used two little toys to end that terrible war that swept the globe. We showed the world the power of our great nation and cemented the Starry Sky Country’s status as the world’s hegemon."

"More than a decade ago, with our most advanced air power, we conquered a nation that dared to defy us—a nation boasting a million-strong army—in less than a single month. We defended our honor and gave the world a stark reminder of who is truly in charge."

"Humanity is a forgetful species. Even the most painful lessons of history are forgotten as the years grow quiet."

"Just as now, the nations of the world have forgotten their proper place. They’ve begun to harbor fantasies they shouldn’t—especially certain ancient and stubborn countries."

"So, like our forefathers, we must once again make the world understand the power of our great nation. This time, we will rely not on world-destroying bombs, nor on planes that come and go like ghosts, but on you! Living, breathing individuals, each capable of rivaling an entire army!"

"You now stand at a turning point. Tonight, you will rewrite the history of the world and of humankind. The greatness of the Starry Sky Country will once again be recalled by the world—and seared into its memory!"

General Norton’s voice cut through the howling sea wind, strikingly clear and resonant, as if imbued with a soul-stirring power. At his words, the eyes of the seven fully armed Super Warriors began to gleam with fervor.

"Go, my heroes!"

"For glory!!"

Finally, General Norton declared in a deep voice.

"For glory!!"

The seven Warriors roared in perfect unison.

...

...

As Donghua and the Starry Sky Country made their moves, the chaos erupting in Tai Lan Country was too massive to conceal. On one front, news spread like wildfire through the intelligence networks of various nations, drawing global attention to the situation in Tai Lan. On another, civilian media reports on the Banku incident were published almost immediately, as journalists from major outlets stationed in the city scrambled to cover the story.

News flew across the internet via global social media platforms. The Celestial Demon was already a sensitive topic worldwide; now that a similar incident was occurring in Tai Lan Country, the resulting attention was immense.

Discussions, debates, and even videos from the scene went viral almost instantly, sparking widespread speculation.

「Meanwhile, in Beisha Country, another of the world’s great powers...」

The office of the Minister of the Beisha Security Department.

Gleb Innovich, the Minister of Beisha Security and one of Beisha Country’s "Four Pillars"—the "Li Zhu," who was like a lion—read the intelligence report that had just been handed to him. His face was calm, and he said nothing.

"Minister, are we really taking no action? The Starry Sky Country is undoubtedly behind this incident. Their Super Warriors are sure to intervene, and Donghua Country will inevitably dispatch its elite forces to get involved as well..."

His tall assistant, standing before him, asked in a solemn tone.

"You may go."

Gleb Innovich did not answer, speaking to his assistant with a calm expression.

"Yes, Minister."

The assistant said with a look of disappointment, slowly backing out of the minister’s office.

Gleb Innovich swiveled his chair around and gazed through the massive floor-to-ceiling window at the beautiful nightscape outside, remaining silent for a long time.

’This wasn’t the kind of situation one could simply choose to get involved in.’

’Leaving aside the fact that, as another major world power, Beisha Country’s intervention could easily escalate a local incident into a world war, they hadn’t even been able to agree on a justification for getting involved.’

’The domestic pro-engagement and opposition factions were at a constant impasse; the upper echelons would never agree to intervene rashly.’

’This country... it really isn’t what it once was.’

A trace of wistfulness appeared in Gleb Innovich’s eyes.

’Donghua and the Starry Sky Country... the whole world was watching, waiting.’

’This local conflict—the one with the fewest participants in history, yet with the potential to change the entire global landscape—what would its outcome be?’