Chapter Fifty-Two: Operations Abroad

“Oh… this is troublesome.” Luo Mengxuan, munching on a fruit she’d somehow acquired, froze at Xiao Yuan’s words, her mouth forming a perfect circle in surprise.

Little Guai hopped restlessly on Luo Mengxuan’s shoulder, repeating, “Troublesome, troublesome.”

Long Shaoxian and Luo Longyu exchanged glances, each seeing shock and worry in the other’s eyes.

Tong Wushao, Zuo Baixing, and Baili Zhuihun all drew a deep breath. The name “Void King” was familiar to everyone at the Xuan Yi Center, for he was the mastermind behind the Void Spirit, the entity controlling its existence.

Froya kept her head bowed, silent for a while before she finally spoke slowly, “The Pope’s suspicions were correct. The hand behind all this is inseparable from the Void Spirit. The Void Spirit attacks China openly, while covertly subverts other nations, attempting to conquer the masses through faith.”

“Hmm? Why does the Void Spirit attack China directly instead of subverting it with faith?” Luo Mengxuan looked at Froya, puzzled.

Froya did not raise her head. “Because China’s faith is different. There are countless races in the world, most adhering to religious deities, but the Chinese worship their ancestors. They respect gods but do not believe in them. Attempting to overthrow China’s traditional faith with deity worship is exceedingly difficult—something the Void Spirit understands well.”

Listening to Froya, Luo Longyu couldn’t help recalling his debate with the old man in the Primeval Secret Realm.

Though the surface of Chinese faith had changed over time—from the earliest nature worship to belief in the Eastern Emperor, the Jade Emperor, and then imported faiths like Buddhism and Christianity—the fundamental ancestor worship had never altered. This was uniquely Chinese and the key reason why they were so hard to conquer.

Xiao Yuan continued, “Our latest intelligence shows that in Kubakbu, it’s not just the Pale Hand; other forces are present. We haven’t yet identified this group, but from the current situation, they’re hidden within Kubakbu and are adversarial to the Pale Hand. Last night, when we tried to retreat, the Pale Hand ambushed us. At a crucial moment, their members suddenly opened fire behind them, into the darkness. There were many incidents of friendly fire, but unfortunately, we saw nothing.”

“Could it be that… that egg thing?” Luo Longyu scratched his head, forgetting the proper term.

Luo Mengxuan rolled her eyes helplessly. “Satan.”

“Ah, right, Satan. Do you think they were attacking Satan?” Luo Longyu asked.

Before Xiao Yuan could reply, Froya shook her head. “It’s unlikely to be Satan. According to records, Kubakbu is the entrance to hell, the prison of Satans through the ages. Now that this entrance is unsealed, only someone extraordinary could break the Father’s bindings. These Pale Hand cultists are conducting live sacrifices here and worship the Void King, so it’s highly probable the unsealing is related to the Void Spirit. Thus, the Void Spirit and Satan are likely allies in some respects. Why would the Pale Hand, who worship the Void King, attack Satan?”

Long Shaoxian stood up, turned to Tong Wushao. “Wushao, take a look.”

Tong Wushao nodded, moved to the window, closed his eyes, and focused his pupil power. When he opened his eyes, they were pure white, his gaze piercing through the thousand-mile void straight to Kubakbu.

“I can’t see clearly. There’s a strange magnetic field there, distorting the light. Wait, I’ll try using Celestial Sight.” With that, Tong Wushao closed his eyes again, his hands forming seals, quickly brushing his brow.

“Open!” As Tong Wushao uttered a low command, black and white light burst from his brow, instantly dispelling confusion. But moments later, his pupil power fluctuated, the space before him twisted. His hand seals changed rapidly, and he opened his right eye, emitting black light to reflect the Celestial Sight. After a few seconds, he withdrew all power.

Returning to normal, Tong Wushao exhaled deeply. “I was almost discovered.”

“What happened?” Long Shaoxian asked.

Tong Wushao replied, “I saw the area was shrouded in powerful demonic energy, causing the magnetic field distortion. At first, our pupil power couldn’t penetrate it. When I activated Celestial Sight, someone inside sensed it and sent their divine consciousness toward us. Luckily, I quickly used Dark Pupil to create an illusion and conceal us, so they didn’t detect us—but this definitely stirred their suspicions.”

“To sense the Tong family’s pupil perception… they’re not ordinary,” Baili Zhuihun mused.

Long Shaoxian frowned, gazing out the window. After a moment, he turned to Xiao Yuan. “So, what’s the best way for us to enter Kubakbu now?”

Xiao Yuan thought for a while. “There’s no good way. The Pale Hand has completely sealed off the area, and with that mysterious force and the legendary demons, infiltration is nearly impossible.”

“So, we’ll have to force our way in, taking advantage of chaos.” Long Shaoxian said.

Xiao Yuan nodded. “Yes.” He continued, “But we’re short on manpower. The Pale Hand has deployed nearly ten thousand in the hundred-mile radius around Kubakbu, with a complete defense system and heavy firepower. We simply can’t break through. If you use your powers to attack, the demons will surely notice, and our reconnaissance mission will fail—and might even trigger a diplomatic crisis.”

After a pause, Xiao Yuan continued, “My suggestion is to use local armed forces to attack the Pale Hand. We don’t need a massive battle, just a moderate conflict to give you cover to enter. If necessary, we could even request assistance from the government troops.”

“That’s not something you or I can arrange,” Long Shaoxian said, looking at Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan smiled slightly. “Indeed. You’re under the Xuan Yi Center. You can report this plan and await orders from above.”

Long Shaoxian considered for a moment. “Yes, that’s possible.” He then used the Quantum Encryption Communication Device of the Blue Wolf Action Team to report the plan to the Xuan Yi Center.

By dusk, the Xuan Yi Center responded, the command agreeing to the plan. The nation was currently negotiating with the Iraqi government, instructing Long Shaoxian’s group to wait patiently and suspend reconnaissance.

Waiting was tedious. With the local situation tense and complicated, none dared leave the two-story house. In the silent night, sporadic gunfire echoed from afar, thickening the air with the scent of war.

Two nights later, Luo Longyu sat by the window and saw a figure in a black robe slowly walking down the road. Watching that silhouette, Luo Longyu frowned, sensing something off, but unable to pinpoint what. He watched until the figure disappeared into the night.

At dawn on the third day, Xuan Yi Center sent word: since the area was not under government control, Iraqi forces could not conduct military operations there, but the Iraqi government had authorized the Chinese military to enter and carry out a full-scale strike.

Hearing this, Luo Longyu was bewildered. “Strike? Strike whom?”

Xiao Yuan explained, “It’s just official language. Deploying troops in another country is no trivial matter, so we need a legitimate reason. Our rationale is that the Pale Hand is subordinate to the Deep Space Void Spirit, and their live sacrifices are an open secret here. The Iraqi military has clashed with the Pale Hand before, always unsuccessfully. So, they welcome a powerful foreign force to strike the Pale Hand. Now that we’re attacking the Pale Hand as part of the fight against Deep Space Void Spirit, the Iraqi army has no objections. After all, China is at war with the Void Spirit, whose terror is well known globally. With armed groups worshipping the Void Spirit appearing in Iraq, the government and other factions are on edge.”

“Oh,” Luo Longyu said, suddenly understanding. “So, China’s military now has Iraqi authorization to deploy troops in Kubakbu?”

“Yes,” Xiao Yuan nodded.

Twelve hours later, a carrier battle group arrived in the Persian Gulf, the bright August First Army flag fluttering in the wind. Chinese fleets appeared at the edge of the Gulf, drawing the vigilance of the US, India, and other nations. China, facing invasion from Deep Space forces, was not defending its homeland but had sent its navy thousands of miles to the Persian Gulf, targeting southern Iraq—puzzling many countries.

But the US mostly understood China’s intentions. America had been to Kubakbu before, and already knew about the Pale Hand.

Navies across the region made way for the Chinese fleet. Pakistan and Iran went further, providing great convenience and granting transit permission for Chinese forces to enter Iraq via their airspace. In the war against Deep Space forces, nations were forming an alliance!

The Pale Hand worships the Void King, a fact known to all nations. The Void King leads the Void Spirit, which is China’s formidable invader. If China falls, the Void Spirit will surely target other countries. Though a true military alliance against Deep Space Void Spirit hasn’t formed, facilitating China’s intervention serves everyone’s interests.

“So, the mission has changed—no longer reconnaissance, but a strike?” Luo Longyu asked.

Long Shaoxian replied, “Reconnaissance is still the main goal, but now it’s firepower reconnaissance. Our primary task is to enter Kubakbu during the battle, investigate the entrance to hell, uncover what these demons are plotting, search for the whereabouts of the Xuan Gold, and find your mother.”

At dawn, the battle commenced. Several drones launched from the carrier, heading straight for Kubakbu. Meanwhile, the Blue Wolf action team geared up: fully armed, with personal terminals, night vision, assault rifles, grenades, forty-millimeter launchers, and new weaponry. They boarded their jeeps and drove into the desert, their target Kubakbu!