Life Game In Other World
Chapter 1223: The End of the Powerful Crossbow (Vote for Monthly Ticket)

Chapter 1223: Chapter 1223: The End of the Powerful Crossbow (Vote for Monthly Ticket)

BOOM——

Amid the dense mountain forest, the roar of war echoed beneath the firmament. Layers upon layers of fire spread across the earth, illuminating the snow and trees within the mountains, as well as the myriad defensive fortifications separating the two armies.

"Captain, the mercenary corps outside is attacking with increasing intensity."

Inside a defensive facility blinking with lights, a young soldier with the Stars City insignia on his chest hurriedly approached the blond man and quickly reported, "They have more troops than we do and are now launching reckless assaults against our defensive line."

"Inform the entire regiment to hold their ground,"

The blond man stared at the map before him and said quickly, "The current situation is not in their favor, yet they’re still attacking frantically. This shows they’re more desperate than we are. There’s a good chance they’re under some kind of time pressure. As long as we hold on through this period, and once they realize they have no chance left, their morale will completely collapse.

"And that will be our moment to counterattack."

"Understood!"

The young soldier immediately replied and turned to operate the communications console beside him.

"Captain, our inner defensive line has been breached,"

But before he could relay the order, another communications operator nearby shouted urgently, "A unit is advancing quickly through a weak point in our defenses, heading toward..."

He paused briefly before continuing quickly, "the direction of our rear artillery position!"

"Have the defenses been patched?"

Fiss asked immediately.

"The First Battalion is moving in quickly to shore up the line,"

The communications operator replied at once, "But there seem to be B-level high-ranking Transcendents within that enemy unit. They can’t hold them back; they’re too fast. To reach the artillery position, they’d have to pass by our command post. While it’s unclear if they’ve pinpointed our exact location, the battalion leader is requesting you to evacuate, sir."

"Either they want to take out our main firepower in the rear, or they’re coming directly for me,"

Fiss withdrew his gaze from the map beside him. "Inform the First Battalion that if they can’t stop them, then don’t bother trying. Let them come straight through."

"Captain, this?!"

The operator hesitated in disbelief.

"That’s an order. Notify the entire regiment—moving forward, command will be handed over to the vice-captain and the strategy unit."

Fiss firmly drew a broad, massive sword that had been embedded in the ground beside him. Then he grabbed the military cap next to him, placing it on his head. "As for the ones out there, let me see what they’re capable of."

With that, he turned and strode out of the command room.

"Yes, sir!"

The communication operator’s hesitant response echoed through the brightly lit room.

——

The deafening roar reverberated through the expansive forest and plains, reaching deep into the narrow valley.

Raging flames almost formed a cloud blanketing the mountains, crowded within the confines of the valley.

A series of pre-laid artillery barrages sealed off every inch of the valley. The surrounding mountains had already been blasted with high explosives, and the resultant landslides of rubble and earth sealed the valley completely, leaving no path forward for those trapped inside.

At the edge of the valley, atop a towering peak, an aged figure stood with his head lowered, gazing at the fiery clouds below.

"General,"

An officer stood behind Corvey, also looking at the firestorm below, and reported quickly, "Everything is proceeding according to plan. The enemy forces are trying to reopen the paths blocked by the landslides, but they’re being disrupted by our attacks.

"Currently, we have the high ground and the terrain advantage. They’re unable to launch effective counterattacks against us.

"From the current situation, it appears they won’t be able to clear the blocked roads anytime soon,"

He looked up at Corvey. "However, their firepower is incredibly strong. They’re attempting to counterattack from below, and some of our firing positions have already been suppressed.

"They’re also sending soldiers to scout up the mountain. Our forces hidden in the forest have encountered and stopped several Transcendent teams.

"But overall, we still hold the advantage. They seem to be growing anxious."

"Stay vigilant. Increase search density and firepower intensity,"

Corvey said calmly. "The powers of Transcendents are unpredictable and mysterious. Be cautious of them becoming cornered and desperate."

Almost as he finished speaking, his brow suddenly furrowed. Without hesitation, he reached out and pushed the officer beside him away.

BOOM——

The officer, sent flying through the air, could only watch as the mountain peak beneath the old general exploded violently. Amid the blazing flames, swirling smoke and countless flickering shadows emerged.

The shadows flickered momentarily before surging toward the former location of the destroyed peak.

"Come again."

A steady, aged voice echoed in the sky.

Countless shadows surged forward in unison.

At the far edge of the firmament, where the dim sky met the horizon, faint rays of light seemed to be emerging, though they were obscured intermittently by the raging flames.

——

"Daybreak is coming."

Covered in blood, Xiya curled her body and leaned against a wall, half-destroyed by explosions.

She lifted her head, looking through the narrow gap of the canyon, her gaze fixed on the faint glow at the distant horizon.

The firmament seemed to writhe with something, briefly distorting the light at the edge of the sky, making the glow appear surreal.

Yet even amidst the faint radiance, one could still discern the approaching dawn.

"Have we held on this long?"

She rasped while looking at the man sitting beside her, equally bathed in blood.

Intense artillery fire roared behind them, with relentless explosions causing the ground to tremble faintly.

"Yeah."

He Ao, sitting next to Xiya, fumbled in his pocket and retrieved a single cigarette stained with blood. He looked at it, then slowly placed it back into his pocket.

Just as they were speaking, a faint, cracked, semi-transparent green barrier shimmered into existence over the entire canyon.

Rumbling artillery fire descended from above, striking the translucent barrier and causing it to tremble violently.

A short distance away, a Wilderness Wanderer was firing his gun. The moment the barrier appeared, he froze. It wasn’t until his bullets struck the inner side of the barrier that he realized what had happened. Lowering his gun, he leaned against a nearby cliff wall, his eyes vacantly staring ahead.

Wounded soldiers were replaced by warriors recovering at the rear as they passed through He Ao and Xiya’s position, nodding silently in acknowledgment.

He Ao responded in kind with a slight nod.

"Five times."

Xiya watched the soldiers around her and murmured in silence.

"Yeah."

He Ao observed the lifeless eyes of those around him and nodded silently.

He had already healed these soldiers five times.

Physical wounds could be mended, but the exhaustion of their spirits was irreversible.

Initially, these soldiers had emotions—be it hatred or pride. The first time He Ao healed them, they even felt surprise and curiosity.

But as seconds turned into minutes, many had their emotions worn away by the relentless carnage. Now, like rigid puppets, they were sustained by an invisible will, responding silently to the ever-advancing enemy lines ahead.

They were utterly exhausted.

What kept them moving was likely nothing more than some singular belief, but their frail spirits could no longer endure further shock.

Like a taut string, one more hard pull would snap it completely.

"How much longer can this barrier hold?"

Xiya lifted her head and gazed at the shattered, pale-green shield in the sky, continually pounded by artillery fire.

The barrier had initially been two layers thick. They were indeed sturdy but also blocked attacks from both sides. The enemy quickly discovered this characteristic, using the barrier to shield their advances while deploying concentrated explosives to breach it rapidly.

As a result, the barrier turned into a double-edged weapon, seemingly assisting the enemy.

In light of this, He Ao adjusted the barrier to be intermittent, allowing his soldiers brief intervals to rest and regroup during its activation.

This tactic had kept the barrier intact up to now. But it was painfully obvious the barrier was nearing its breaking point.

"Maybe—just one more time."

He Ao exhaled softly and slowly stood up.

"Commander!"

At that moment, a voice called out to him. It was a soldier in a City Defense Army uniform.

His face was flushed, his eyes shimmering with determination. He looked at He Ao, stood ramrod straight, and saluted. "Please allow us to..."

Before he could finish, He Ao raised a hand, his tone cold and calm as he curtly replied, "Stand down."

The pale-green barrier in the sky dissolved at that instant, and anti-aircraft guns fired, intercepting incoming missiles from above.

Yet a few slipped through, hurtling toward the canyon below.

He Ao raised the Chaos Magic Wand in his hand and waved it gently. The incoming missiles abruptly detonated mid-air, erupting into bursts of fiery destruction.

Nearby soldiers quickly took cover in bunkers, avoiding the shrapnel.

The City Defense Army soldier also dove into cover.

Ignoring him, He Ao turned and headed for the low outer wall.

Orey, his face caked with dried blood, was stationed there, peering out at the enemy.

Hearing He Ao’s footsteps, Orey turned and said in a low voice, "Commander, we’re down to just two defensive lines."

"How much ammunition do we have left?"

He Ao asked softly, standing beside him.

"Not much,"

Orey shook his head slightly, glancing at the nearby soldiers who appeared numb. "I’m not sure we’ll make it through the next wave."

"Same strategy—I’ll handle the first wave."

He Ao gripped the Chaos Magic Wand in his hand and looked up at the already distorted sky.

The Order Power entwining the heavens seemed sensitive to chaotic energy. Each time He Ao used the wand, the forces above would ripple.

These Order Powers also exerted an intangible "suppression" on the Chaos Magic Wand. In this area, the wand’s effects, sacrifice conversion efficiency, and abilities were all constrained.

Even the wand’s "Chaotic Soul" ability appeared suppressed. Despite the prolonged combat, He Ao hadn’t seen any resurrected corpses.

Many times, He Ao had to pay part of the price himself to forcibly activate the wand’s powers.

After relentless battles and injuries along the way, his body was nearing its limit.

Even with the upgraded wand, its effective range was limited. On such a large battlefield, He Ao could only briefly disrupt the vanguard units.

He suspected the enemy commander had gauged the extent of his Chaos Art’s range, prompting them to space their units farther apart and thus diminishing the wand’s effectiveness.

This combination of factors significantly impacted the Chaos Art’s utility and frequency of use.

He Ao lifted his head, gazing past the low wall at the massive army now nearly at the Northern Gate.

Despite deploying numerous Extraordinary Abilities, the overwhelming disparity in numbers and equipment made it impossible to fully halt the advancing host.

As he studied the approaching forces, He Ao suddenly froze, his gaze fixated on the armor vehicles forming a densely packed cluster.

"Why haven’t they launched an attack? Are they massing their forces?"

Orey observed the unusual behavior outside and paused.

This departure from their earlier tactics was odd. Previously, the mercenaries would immediately attack after the barrier fell. But now, an unexpected quietness hung over the field.

"Order everyone back to the final defensive line."

He Ao stared at the scene, suddenly understanding the implications. He quickly issued the directive and immediately turned, sprinting toward the canyon’s interior.

Orey was momentarily stunned, unable to react. However, as He Ao’s figure disappeared from his sight, realization dawned on him.

Amassing forces often heralded an attack far more ferocious than before.

He swiftly raised his hand, activating the alarm, and shouted loudly, "Fall back, fall back!"

And at that very moment—

The pale-green barrier, riddled with cracks, reappeared in the sky above.

As soon as it manifested, a torrent of missiles and bombs rained down, flooding the canyon with destruction.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!—

Raging fire engulfed the sky, shrouding the faint light at the edge of the firmament entirely, forming a fiery dome overhead.

The initially desensitized soldiers snapped back to alertness amidst the deafening explosions. Under Orey’s command, they retreated hastily.

Xiya also struggled to her feet. She didn’t fully grasp what was happening but immediately joined in coordinating the withdrawal.

Meanwhile, He Ao had reached the depths of the canyon.

Fine, faintly glowing runes covered the ground, forming an intricate pattern. At the center of these runes sat a jade box embedded with tree roots.

This was the core of the entire "barrier."

Unable to procure sufficient Extraordinary materials to construct a proper Array, He Ao had resorted to using this artifact, imbued with contaminated Order Power, to supply Extraordinary Energy.

This object also affected the distortions in the sky, causing significant turbulence over the Northern Gate once the Array was established.

But He Ao had no time to worry about that.

His gaze shifted beyond the jade box.

Directly behind it knelt a massive black-and-white mecha, its frame positioned protectively over the core. Behind this mecha stood a line of similarly injured but imposing machines.

Each bore scars from combat, yet these signs of damage failed to tarnish their commanding presence.

The mechas knelt silently, like knights awaiting orders from their sovereign, ready to defend their honor at any cost.

"Commander?!"

A soldier beneath the lead mecha raised his head, bewildered at the sight of He Ao.

Behind this soldier stood a small team in a similar state of confusion.

They were the pilots of these mechas—the elite force of He Ao’s entire regiment.

After the mecha unit’s previous return, He Ao had refrained from deploying them again, reserving this core team for the battle’s deciding moment.

"Get in your mechas!"

He Ao addressed the team in front of him, glancing once at the fiery chaos consuming the sky. His voice was resolute and unyielding as he gave the command.