Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Illusory Sky Warrior

In the depths of night, the thunderous roar of an engine shattered the silence, drawing the attention of every soldier in the camp towards the approaching beams of light. Instantly, weapons were loaded, and only as the light grew closer did they realize it was merely a motorcycle. Upon closer inspection, it appeared pitiful—there was not a single intact part left on the entire machine.

"My god, we finally made it," Luo Longyu exhaled deeply, bringing the motorcycle to a halt.

Luo Mengxuan hopped off the back seat, carrying two broken mirrors. "Can they still be attached?"

Luo Longyu shot her a sideways glance. "Why bother? If it weren’t for you, would they have fallen off?"

"Tch... I didn’t do it on purpose," Luo Mengxuan muttered, lips pursed, refusing to admit fault.

"Who are you?" Several armed soldiers strode forward, their eyes wary as they scrutinized Luo Longyu and Luo Mengxuan.

Luo Longyu hurriedly replied, "Don’t shoot! We’re from Dongzhen City. An old man told us there was a military evacuation point here, so we came."

"Check them," ordered a sergeant. Soldiers searched the pair, inspecting their pupils before nodding to the sergeant.

He lowered his gun. "Get inside quickly. The last convoy is about to depart."

"Thank you, thank you," Luo Longyu said repeatedly, dragging the still-absorbed Luo Mengxuan away from the motorcycle and into the camp.

Inside, dozens of buses and several military trucks were packed with people. The cacophony of the crowd and the crying of children made Luo Longyu’s head ache, but in these tense times, there was no other choice. He gazed at the anxious faces around him, feeling the despair that permeated the crowd—perhaps, he thought, this is the true taste of war.

"Lieutenant, latest orders: all units are retreating, command says to abandon this position and evacuate immediately," a soldier reported to the officer.

The platoon leader nodded and shouted through a loudspeaker, "Everyone, follow our instructions. Board the vehicles in an orderly fashion. Prepare to depart!"

Following the crowd, Luo Longyu and Luo Mengxuan squeezed onto a bus. Luo Mengxuan was nearly flattened, shrinking into Luo Longyu’s arms. Despite her obvious displeasure, she had little choice.

Two warrior jeeps with mounted machine guns led the way, followed by an 05 infantry fighting vehicle, and two more jeeps brought up the rear. The convoy rolled out, the headlights stretching like a dragon across the empty highway, speeding forward.

Pressed against the window, Luo Longyu watched the outside world with grave concern, while Luo Mengxuan, nestled in his arms, fell into a deep sleep. In the distant sky, flashes of intense light signaled ongoing battles, and helicopters occasionally thundered overhead.

On the roadside, Luo Longyu glimpsed a tank unit stationed to let the convoy pass. The people crammed into the bus looked numb, like walking corpses.

"The end draws near. What can we do..." Luo Longyu murmured.

He glanced at the sleeping Luo Mengxuan, who twitched restlessly in his arms. Suddenly, he envied her. No matter the situation, she remained a child—carefree, innocent, untroubled by the world.

"Little one, don’t fuss..." Luo Mengxuan mumbled in her sleep, pushing away a parrot pecking at her forehead, snuggling closer to Luo Longyu’s chest.

Outside, the scenery receded, lifeless and irretrievable. As time passed, most of the passengers succumbed to drowsiness. Only Luo Longyu remained awake, staring out the window.

The east began to pale with the dawn. Luo Longyu leaned back, slowly closing his eyes. What must come will come, he thought. No matter how anxious, nothing would change.

Suddenly, the bus braked sharply, jolting everyone awake. Luo Mengxuan stirred, bleary-eyed, and looked at Luo Longyu. "What happened?"

He peered outside. "I don’t know. But I sense the presence of the Void Spirits."

At the front of the convoy, soldiers on the jeeps braced themselves. The 05’s cannon lifted, aiming at a shadow floating in the air.

The shadow was two meters tall, eyes glowing blue, clad in black bone armor that gleamed coldly. Its slender form radiated a sense of overwhelming menace.

The soldiers quickly disembarked, using their vehicles for cover, weapons trained on the figure. The platoon leader stepped forward, gaze fixed on the shadow, face stern.

---

"Earthlings, I mean you no harm. I am here for one person alone," the shadow suddenly spoke.

The platoon leader demanded, "Who?"

"He is called Luo Longyu, and he is among you," the shadow replied.

"Who are you? Why should we hand him over?" the platoon leader’s voice was firm, unafraid.

The shadow paused. "I am a Void Sky Warrior of the Void Spirit clan. You may call me Tu Yi. Give me Luo Longyu, and you may leave. Refuse, and I will slaughter you all. Sacrificing so many for one is not worth it."

The platoon leader glanced at the convoy behind him, saying nothing, but glared angrily at Tu Yi. "Haven’t you killed enough already?"

Tu Yi ignored him, addressing the convoy, "Luo Longyu, come out. If you do not wish others to die because of you."

His words set the crowd ablaze.

"Who’s Luo Longyu? Who here is called Luo Longyu?"

"Luo Longyu! Whoever you are, get out! Don’t get us all killed!"

"That’s right! Luo Longyu, go! We don’t want to die. If you have any conscience, get out!"

A woman holding an infant cried out, face pale, "Luo Longyu, please go! My son is only two months old, he can’t die! Please come out!"

Amid the chaos, Luo Mengxuan, still nestled in Luo Longyu’s arms, frowned. "How could they be like this..."

Luo Longyu gave a bitter smile, shaking his head without answering, and stood up. "Excuse me, please let me through."

All eyes turned to him, making way. Some muttered, "Hurry up, go! Do you want us all dead?"

"Yeah, hurry!" Someone shoved Luo Longyu, who turned to see a plump middle-aged man. One look from Luo Longyu made him shrink back, terrified.

As Luo Longyu stood, someone squeezed into his seat, ignoring Luo Mengxuan and trying to push her out. Annoyed, Luo Mengxuan shoved the man, nearly sending him to the floor. Realizing his assailant was a woman, his expression twisted. "Why did you push me? Are you looking for trouble?"

"If you don’t want to die, shut your mouth," Luo Mengxuan snapped, icy and fierce.

"Hey, you—"

Before he could finish, Luo Mengxuan slapped him hard, blood spurting from his nose and mouth. She stood, shaking her hand, "Weakling..." then hurried after Luo Longyu.

Hearing the commotion, the platoon leader turned to see Luo Longyu and Luo Mengxuan disembark.

"Who told you to get off? Get back on!" he shouted.

Luo Longyu waved to him, then looked up at Tu Yi floating above. "I’m here. Let them go."

Tu Yi drifted aside, honoring his word. "You may leave," he told the platoon leader. Then, addressing the convoy, he declared, "Earthlings, your governments and armies cannot protect you. To survive, you must submit to the Void Spirit clan. Otherwise, you will vanish like dust."

"Shut up!" the platoon leader realized the danger and raised his gun, aiming at Tu Yi.

---

Tu Yi glanced indifferently at him, saying nothing.

The platoon leader approached Luo Longyu. "I don’t know who you are, but I know they wouldn’t want just anyone. I’ve secretly called for backup. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine."

The convoy moved on, but the platoon leader and three soldiers stayed behind, despite Luo Longyu’s urging.

"If a fight breaks out, run as far as you can. Xiao Wang, keep the jeep running. If shooting starts, take them and go, no matter what happens to us. Don’t come back," the platoon leader instructed a private.

The private nodded solemnly.

Luo Longyu was moved. "You don’t have to do this. We can protect ourselves."

The platoon leader smiled. "I know. But we’re soldiers. Even if we can’t help you, we won’t let this Void Sky Warrior have his way. What he wants must be against our interests. If it comes to a fight, you go. Backup will arrive soon. We’ll be fine."

"So, you’re not leaving?" Tu Yi asked.

The platoon leader smiled back. "Who said we were going?"

"In that case, let me send you off," Tu Yi replied, turning his gaze on the platoon leader.

At that moment, the platoon leader felt the air freeze around him, his face reddening as he struggled to shout, "Fire!"

With a shriek, a soldier fired a 40mm grenade, which Tu Yi intercepted mid-air and detonated. His gaze intensified, and the platoon leader began to bleed from his nose and mouth, as if an invisible hand was crushing his organs.

"Courting death!" Luo Longyu roared, leaping at Tu Yi.

Tu Yi sneered, conjuring a portal to engulf Luo Longyu. Luo Mengxuan sprang into action, a fiery feather fan appearing in her hand. She waved it fiercely, summoning a scorching wind that shattered the portal and sent a crimson beam charging at Tu Yi.

"You dare challenge me, little demon?" Tu Yi snorted, punching through the air itself.

Luo Longyu intercepted the blow, catching Tu Yi’s fist, and countered with his own, but Tu Yi swiftly grabbed Luo Longyu’s throat, slamming him into the ground and creating a crater amid flying rubble.

"What are you waiting for? Attack!" the platoon leader shouted, ignoring the turmoil within his body.

The vehicle-mounted machine gun roared, soldiers fired their rifles, unleashing a hail of bullets at Tu Yi. He stood unmoving, bullets clinking harmlessly off his bone armor.

"Take this!" a soldier fired another 40mm grenade.

Tu Yi raised his hand to deflect it, but a crimson beam from Luo Mengxuan struck his arm, making him stagger. The grenade hit, sending Tu Yi flying dozens of meters. As the dust settled, he stood unscathed, glaring furiously at Luo Mengxuan.

Suddenly, Luo Mengxuan felt herself suppressed, as if a mountain weighed upon her, making movement nearly impossible.

"Field suppression!" she cursed, quickly forming a seal to break free. But Tu Yi gave her no chance, manifesting a black spear and thrusting it at her chest.

At the crucial moment, two silver beams illuminated the sky, overpowering even the sunrise. Corpses surged, and Luo Longyu burst from the ground, unleashing the first form of Slaughtering Heaven—fierce and unstoppable, murderous intent soaring!