The workload for the Classic of Mountains and Seas was enormous. One of the classmates suggested they go ask a teacher for access to the satellite imaging permissions, so they could capture every angle of the scenes they wanted to draw without any blind spots.
Then, they could work from the photos.
“Hehe, it’d be even better if we could actually go out and sketch on location!”
The suggestion passed unanimously.
The whole group marched over to the teachers’ office, determined to persuade them—by wheedling and cajoling if necessary—to greenlight their idea!
But just as they reached the door, they saw the teachers file out in a rush.
“Teacher, what’s wrong?”
“School’s canceled today. Class resumption date to be announced. You kids focus on finishing your homework.”
The teacher tossed out that one sentence and then followed the main group to the Jiuzhou Government Hall.
Inside the hall, there was a massive virtual screen that covered an entire wall.
Ever since the Party Leader went missing, that screen had become a useless hunk of junk, lacking the technical support from Xinbao.
Now, however, the virtual screen was crackling and sputtering with static.
After a long moment, Wesley’s figure finally appeared on it.
His expression was grave, his voice slightly delayed but still fairly clear.
“I’m currently at the Sixth Star Ring. I have two things to tell everyone. First—as you can see, we’ve reestablished communications. That proves the Party Leader is out! But for various reasons, she hasn’t come back to us yet.”
Wesley guessed that either the Party Leader was too far from the Sixth Star Ring, or she still hadn’t fully freed herself.
“Second—the Fifth Star Ring has undergone a massive upheaval. We need to prepare for battle. The government personnel remaining on Planet Jiuzhou must stay on high alert. The moment you receive a warning, immediately organize the evacuation and get everyone onto the arks.”
“Understood! We’ll run a war drill every half month,” Brother Dong said solemnly.
Ever since he and Dong Yuxuan had brought Kailin Reno back from the Black Domain, the governance of Planet Jiuzhou had been in their hands.
Dong Yuxuan spoke up: “What exactly happened at the Fifth Star Ring?”
Wesley rubbed his brow, exhaustion etched into his eyes: “Anidam and Jörmungandr have teamed up, along with seven other deities, to move the Giant Insect Mound to the Fifth Star Ring.”
Hisses of shock.
Everyone drew in a sharp breath in unison.
The image of that Mound suddenly appearing out of nowhere was permanently burned into their memories.
Those extraterrestrial beings like Anidam could actually forcibly relocate the Mound?!
What a terrifying ability.
“Were Anidam, Jörmungandr, and the others holding back their true strength before?”
“Or is the great crisis imminent, and they’ve decided to reveal their real power now?”
“That doesn’t add up—why move the Mound to the Fifth Star Ring? What are they plotting?”
The crowd buzzed with speculation.
Wesley rapped his knuckles on the table, the dull thud echoing through the hall: “The seven deities have stationed themselves around the Fourth Star Ring and the outer perimeter of the Sixth Star Ring. It’s obvious—this move is aimed at us. They want us to duke it out with the Zerg.”
“Will the Zerg play along?”
Wesley stood up, straightened the Xinghe Party badge on his chest, and said with a heavy gaze, “No matter what choice the Zerg makes, while the Party Leader is away, we must defend our territory! Protect our home! Dong Yuxuan.”
“Present!”
“If we can’t hold our ground, you lead everyone onto the arks and head deep into the Black Domain. With the help of the Giant Sound Whales, you won’t lose your way.”
“Yes, sir!”
The meeting ended, and everyone returned to their respective duties.
Wesley then received a communication request from the Lin family. They were adamant about heading to the front lines.
Wesley shook his head like a rattle-drum: “No way! The front lines are too dangerous. We not only have to guard against the Zerg, but also watch out for backstabbing from the seven deities. If anything happens to any of you, how would I ever answer to the Party Leader? Besides, Mr. Lin is still unconscious—he needs your care.”
Grandma Lin waved her hand dismissively: “He’s about to awaken anyway; don’t worry about him. Old Man Lin and I are worth ten men each. The more effort we put in, the greater our chances of success.”
Mom Lin wasn’t about to be left out: “What if there are still Awakened Ones on the Federation side? I can persuade them to abandon the dark and come to the light.”
Wesley started to argue, but Melina stopped him: “Let them come to the Sixth Star Ring. Family members are never a burden—they’re an asset.”
If they didn’t have the strength, that would be one thing. But since they did, they deserved a stage to showcase it.
“Fine.”
…
The Mound, Zhou, was utterly baffled by suddenly being relocated to the Fifth Star Ring.
Those few plants had that much power?
The core circular platform inside Zhou spun at high speed, quickly deducing the purpose behind this move.
“They want me to devour Lin Xiaohe? Tsk, as expected of an extraterrestrial civilization that’s been around for eons—they sure know a lot of secrets.”
“Using Little Black’s tracking, Lin Xiaohe is indeed in the Fifth Star Ring, but I can’t pinpoint the exact location.”
“That Little Black creature is strange—it’s the lowest class of Black Armor Beetle, yet it managed to rise to the Mound. Is it because of Lin Xiaohe?”
“It certainly has fortune and nerve, daring to lie to me, claiming Lin Xiaohe is its avatar. Unfortunately, you can’t fool these eyes of mine.”
“Let me calculate. Probability of successful devouring: 99.9%. This hit is worth taking!”
“The Lord wants someone dead—that someone must die!”
Once Zhou made its decision, it set to work immediately.
This time, instead of producing Black Armor Beetles, it chose to spew spores.
The fleshy top of the Mound tore open violently, expelling thick, viscous clouds of green spores. Tens of millions of spores shot through space like a reversed waterfall surging upward!
Everything around the Mound turned a sickly fluorescent green, and the sound of spore sacs rupturing echoed incessantly.
The entire Fifth Star Ring trembled under that noise.
The Zerg had descended upon the Fifth Star Ring once more.
This place was now the battlefield!
…
On Vitarra Star, the sparsely populated streets saw only the occasional pedestrian scurrying past, clutching a box of nutrient fluid.
The reappearance of the Mound shattered the brief period of peace, reviving the terror of being dominated by the Zerg.
“Why are they back?! What are we supposed to do? Who’s going to save us?!”
A young woman clutching a baby huddled in an ordinary room at the Outlets Grand Hotel, trembling uncontrollably.
She gripped the pendant hanging around her neck and whispered, “The gods will protect us. They’ll protect us for sure.”
Inside the pendant was a round, green seed.
Suddenly, a high-pitched woman’s scream erupted from outside the hotel.
A familiar wormhole appeared in the sky.
A fat, white grub poked its head out of the wormhole, followed by hundreds of Black Armor Beetles.
That scream seemed to flip a switch.
The entire planet descended into a nightmare, chaos erupting everywhere. Shrieks and cries blended into a cacophonous mess.
The bugs were here!
They were back!
The military base’s alarm for reinforcements blared hysterically.
But no one answered—because the entire Fifth Star Ring was once again under massive assault by the Zerg.
The commander of the Fifth Star Ring Military District couldn’t stop his hands from trembling. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly: “The Fifth Star Ring is done for. This Mound is using the Fifth Star Ring as its base to provoke a duel with Lin Xiaohe!”
What does it look like when a place becomes a Zerg base? Take a look at the Sixth Star Ring!
That place is a restricted zone for humans!
