Glancing at the pitch-black thin line not far away that was visibly widening, and then checking the time on her watch, Bai Yuling subconsciously thought to herself, Here we go.
“Director Bai, this time the Abyss Rift is opening a few minutes earlier than we expected.”
Not knowing that Bai Yuling was thinking exactly what she was saying out loud, Dao Yan spoke to her through the radio intercom.
“Yeah, it did open a few minutes early, but that’s not a problem. Our evacuation work was completed long ago. The only question now is whether we can successfully get through the next three hours.”
“Don’t worry, Director Bai. With me and all of you here, we’ll definitely make it through the next three hours.”
“I hope so.”
After ending their brief exchange over the radio intercom, both Dao Yan and Bai Yuling threw themselves into the work of dealing with the aftermath of the Abyss Rift’s opening.
About ten minutes after the Abyss Rift appeared, the thin line that had been only as wide as a single thread rapidly expanded to a width large enough for over a dozen trucks to drive through side by side. And right at that moment, sensing the shifts in the spiritual tide, the abyssal beasts—which had already prepared to invade the real world from the other side even before the three-star Abyss Rift had opened—poured out of it like a tidal wave, spreading across the entire city of Fangfeng at an alarming speed.
“The sheer number is insane. If we hadn’t evacuated everyone in advance, this beast tide alone would have killed who knows how many people.”
Staring at the abyssal beasts continuously emerging from the rift below, Dao Yan, hovering in midair, couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath despite having mentally prepared herself. She silently thanked her lucky stars that they had completed the evacuation early.
But just as she was feeling relieved, the distant sound of hundreds of cannons roaring echoed across the sky. Moments later, hundreds of shells streaked across Fangfeng’s skyline and landed precisely where the abyssal beasts were clustering, instantly inflicting thousands of casualties among the low-star abyssal beasts.
“Gotta hand it to the military—their firepower is truly formidable. But the creatures coming out of the Abyss Rift today aren’t just one- or two-star low-level beasts.”
Watching the ground in front of the rift get churned up by the astonishing volume of shelling, leaving it pockmarked and cratered, Dao Yan praised the military’s firepower in her mind while also feeling a flicker of concern.
As if to answer her worries, the Abyss Rift suddenly stirred, and then several different types of three-star abyssal beasts emerged from it. Without giving the military any chance to attack, they quickly scattered in all directions—and even into the sky.
“Here come the real troublesome ones. It’s time for me to step in.”
Watching these three-star abyssal beasts spreading out in every direction, knowing they posed a far greater threat than ordinary abyssal beasts, and realizing it was time to act, Dao Yan didn’t hesitate. She drew her personal spirit sword and launched an attack on the Blackflame Bird—a three-star abyssal beast flying through the air, its body nothing but a skeletal frame covered in a layer of feathers, with black flames burning in its eye sockets.
“The scene down there is absolutely terrifying. It’s like something straight out of the apocalypse.”
Sitting in a helicopter, tasked by the authorities with broadcasting the three-star Abyss Rift incident live across the entire city to calm the three hundred thousand residents of Fangfeng who were hiding in various shelters—so they wouldn’t panic—Fangfeng Terrace reporter Yang Jisheng stared at the endless stream of abyssal beasts pouring out of the rift. His face turned pale, and he muttered to himself unconsciously.
“Brother Yang, are you ready?”
The cameraman sitting next to him, after tearing his gaze away from the beasts swarming below and swallowing hard, turned and asked.
Hearing the cameraman’s voice, Yang Jisheng snapped back to reality. After steadying himself for a moment, he replied, “I’m ready.”
“Then let’s start the broadcast.”
With Yang Jisheng’s confirmation, the cameraman turned on his equipment and began this special live broadcast, intended for the entire city—and even the whole country.
“Hello, viewers. I’m Yang Jisheng, reporter for Fangfeng Terrace. Right now, I’m broadcasting live from Fangfeng City, where a three-star Abyss Rift has appeared…”
Just as Yang Jisheng was introducing Fangfeng’s current situation to the camera and urging the city’s civilians to strictly follow official arrangements, reassuring them that the authorities would handle this crisis properly—
Dozens of three-star abyssal beasts surged out of the rift, quickly drawing the attention of Yang Jisheng, the cameraman, and the countless viewers across Fangfeng and the rest of the country.
“Oh my god! What is that?”
“Such terrifying monsters.”
“Can we really survive against creatures like this?”
“Don’t worry. The authorities will take care of everything.”
As the public watching the live broadcast buzzed with discussion, the cameraman suddenly caught a dangerous figure in the sky through his lens. He quickly warned Yang Jisheng, “Xiao Yang, look over there—there’s an abyssal beast flying through the air that looks really menacing.”
“Yeah, I see it. Based on its direction, it’s heading toward that shelter over there.”
Following the cameraman’s cue, Yang Jisheng noticed the Blackflame Bird flying toward a nearby shelter and said it out loud without thinking.
Unaware that it had already drawn intense human attention, the Blackflame Bird was soaring through the sky, heading toward a shelter densely packed with humans. It intended to satisfy its bloodlust and feast to its heart’s content—when suddenly, it sensed danger approaching.
Instinctively, it adjusted its aerial posture, trying to dodge the lethal threat.
“Not bad reflexes, I’ll give you that.”
Having missed her mark against this three-star abyssal beast, Dao Yan’s expression remained largely unchanged as she spoke.
“Who is that person? They can fly too!”
Noticing that the Blackflame Bird’s advance had been blocked by someone else also capable of flight, Yang Jisheng—unable to make out who it was—couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Dao Yan Empress! It’s Dao Yan Empress!”
Through the camera lens, the cameraman captured Dao Yan’s figure and recognized her as the famed Dao Yan Empress, known across the internet. He couldn’t contain his excitement as he announced it to Yang Jisheng and the live audience.
“Dao Yan Empress? So that figure is the one who once took down a two-star abyssal beast with a single sword strike!”
Hearing the cameraman, Yang Jisheng’s face lit up with sudden realization and exhilaration. He exclaimed unconsciously.
“It’s really Dao Yan Empress!”
“I haven’t seen her online in so long—I thought she was gone from this world.”
“The Empress is here! Our city is saved for sure!”
“But with so many abyssal beasts, can she handle them all by herself?”
“Empress, protect us! Empress, protect us!”
“Xiao Yang, stop staring at Dao Yan Empress. Don’t forget our mission—keep hosting the broadcast.”
Having already calmed down from his initial excitement, the cameraman noticed Yang Jisheng still hadn’t recovered, so he quickly reminded him not to lose focus on their work.
Hearing that, Yang Jisheng glanced at the microphone in his hand, quickly composed his expression, turned back to the camera, and with a thoroughly professional demeanor, said to the viewers: “Viewers, I’m currently reporting live from above Fangfeng City. What you’re seeing now is…”
Just as Yang Jisheng was introducing the Dao Yan Empress—who was now visible in the sky, facing off against the Blackflame Bird—and instilling hope in the three hundred thousand residents of Fangfeng—
Having missed once, Dao Yan didn’t stop her assault. She transformed into a streak of light and charged at the Blackflame Bird once more.
Sensing the threat bearing down on it again and knowing full well it stood no chance against this inexplicably powerful human, the Blackflame Bird dared not linger. It spread its wings and fled into the distance as fast as it could.
“With that kind of speed, you think you can escape? Don’t you look down on me a little too much?”
Watching the Blackflame Bird try to flee right in front of her, Dao Yan let out a soft laugh, then hurled her spirit sword at it.
Smelling death closing in, the Blackflame Bird fully grasped how dire its situation was. It poured every ounce of its strength into flying further away, desperately trying to put distance between itself and the incoming sword.
But clearly, its speed was no match for Dao Yan’s thrown blade—especially since Dao Yan was right behind it and wouldn’t hesitate to throw a few obstacles its way.
“Wind Control Art.”
As Dao Yan activated her technique, gale-force winds swept toward the Blackflame Bird, not only slowing its already sluggish speed but also sealing off every possible escape route from the sword.
Realizing it had been caught in an inescapable net, the Blackflame Bird let out a trembling, piercing screech.
But before the sound could even fade, Dao Yan’s spirit sword was upon it. A flash of golden light blazed across the sky, and the Blackflame Bird was reduced to ash in an instant, disappearing without a trace—leaving behind only a single beast core as proof that it had ever existed.
Having witnessed the entire battle between Dao Yan and the Blackflame Bird, the cameraman and reporter Yang Jisheng—still aboard the helicopter broadcasting to the entire city and nation—sat frozen for a brief moment, then broke into expressions of sheer elation.
“Viewers, did you see that? Dao Yan Empress barely even broke a sweat taking down that three-star abyssal beast—which clearly looked like no pushover! I firmly believe that with her and our official superhumans protecting us, the three hundred thousand people of Fangfeng will survive this abyssal invasion!”
Through the microphone and camera, Yang Jisheng’s voice and the image of Dao Yan effortlessly slaying the Blackflame Bird reached the eyes and ears of the Fangfeng civilians huddled in shelters across the city.
Though officials stationed in the shelters had been working tirelessly to calm everyone, most of the civilians still harbored doubts about whether the authorities could truly protect them during this abyssal incursion.
But now, having witnessed Dao Yan dispatch a terrifying abyssal beast with such ease, those lingering doubts evaporated.
“Thank goodness! We’re saved!”
“I knew it—once the Empress steps in, no abyssal beast stands a chance. She can wipe them out with a wave of her hand.”
“The Empress is so stunning and so badass! Oh no, I think I’m feeling something—down there…”
“Hey, get a grip! You’re a girl, for crying out loud!”
“So what? Who says a girl can’t have feelings for another girl?”
While civilians in various shelters across Fangfeng—watching through all sorts of electronic devices—were basking in the overwhelming sense of security Dao Yan’s performance had brought them and eagerly voicing their admiration for her, Dao Yan had already pocketed the Blackflame Bird’s beast core. Knowing there were still dozens of three-star abyssal beasts on the ground waiting for her, she dove swiftly downward.
“Pilot, could you please follow Dao Yan Empress?”
Noticing her movement, and having received feedback from both the TV station and the authorities confirming that the three hundred thousand civilians in the shelters were cheering wildly over her stellar performance, Yang Jisheng—eager to keep morale high—quickly asked the helicopter pilot.
“No problem. You two hold on tight.”
Understanding exactly why Yang Jisheng made the request, the pilot didn’t hesitate. He agreed at once and steered the helicopter to follow in the direction Dao Yan had flown.
……
“Stop right there!”
Watching a three-star abyssal beast—one she had encountered before in the Abyss, a Silver Corpse—sprinting wildly down the street below toward a distant shelter, Dao Yan, flying overhead, shouted at it before delivering swift judgment.
