Chapter 458: Chapter 458: Disguise
A middle-aged Priest slammed his fist on the alloy tabletop, which let out a muffled thud.
"This is impossible! A single human Innate, even with a Heart Image Domain, couldn’t possibly inflict this much damage in ten minutes! Are our warriors made of paper-mâché?!"
"They aren’t made of paper-mâché," another Priest said coldly. "It was the Flame. That particular Flame can directly ignite Life Energy. Shields can’t block it, armor can’t block it. Even the magical defenses of a Priest can only hold out for a few extra seconds."
He pulled up a set of energy analysis data. "Our intelligence department analyzed the residual Energy samples from the battlefield. They’ve confirmed that the essence of this Flame is ’Spirit Fire’—in other words, a human’s Heart Image."
"However, it’s been enhanced through some kind of special framework, giving it area-of-effect, sustained damage, and energy-devouring Traits. To put it simply... this is a Martial Arts technique created specifically for slaughtering massed formations."
"Specifically for slaughter..." the middle-aged Priest repeated under his breath, his expression turning even more grim.
"Who is this human?" a young Priest at the far end of the table asked. "When did the Federation produce a monster like this?"
"We’re looking into it now." The senior Priest pulled up an encrypted file.
"Based on battlefield footage and energy signature analysis, we’ve tentatively identified the target as Xu Wuyi. Age twenty-one, a third-year student at the Federation’s Star Martial University, and an Innate Martial Artist. Two months ago, he participated in combat against the Celestial Wolf Civilization on the Star Realm Battlefield and achieved a brilliant combat record."
This information didn’t originate from the Quicksand Star Realm. Both the Feathered People and the Celestial Wolf civilizations had planted spies deep within the Federation to gather this intel.
Given Xu Wuyi’s current renown in the Federation, very few in the Martial Arts Realm didn’t know of him.
"Twenty-one... an Innate?" The young Priest’s pupils shrank.
"Those are the facts." The senior Priest closed the file, his pure black eyes sweeping over everyone present.
A collective gasp echoed around the round table.
The command hall fell silent once more.
After a long moment, the senior Priest spoke slowly. "What’s done is done. There’s no use in regret. There are two things we must do now."
All the Priests turned to look at him.
"First, a full investigation into Xu Wuyi’s background. I want every detail: his origins, his master, his personal relationships, his personality traits, his combat habits, the weaknesses of his Heart Image... everything."
"Second." The senior Priest stood, the wings on his back unfolding slightly. "Send an urgent request for reinforcements to our homeworld. We need ’Wind Shadow Hunters’—at least three, preferably of captain rank."
"Captain rank?" The young Priest was startled. "They’re capable of assassinating Quasi-Grandmasters! Is it worth using them on a single Innate?"
"It is." The senior Priest’s tone was ironclad. "The devastation this Xu Wuyi can wreak in the Quicksand Star Realm is greater than that of a single Quasi-Grandmaster. If he isn’t killed, our defensive line here will eventually collapse. And once the Quicksand Star Realm falls, the Federation can use it as a springboard to threaten our three vassal worlds."
He looked at the Crystal on the round table. The image was frozen on Xu Wuyi’s dark golden eyes.
"We must... snuff him out before he grows any stronger."
...
「Sandstone Base.」
When Xu Wuyi opened his eyes, night had completely fallen.
The nights in the Quicksand Star Realm were moonless. After its two dim, yellow suns sank below the horizon, they left behind only a sparsely scattered starscape.
The command hall was still brightly lit, but it was far less crowded, leaving only a few officers and intelligence agents on duty.
Xu Wuyi stood and stretched his stiff limbs. Three straight days of combat and meditation had not only restored him to peak condition but had also led to a slight improvement.
Within his sea of consciousness, the data on the Bronze Ancient Volume was clearly displayed:
[Martial Arts: Golden Crow Burning Heart·Raging Fire]
[Current Realm: Great Success (39.8%)]
’One step closer to Perfection.’
"Martial Artist Xu, you’re awake."
Zhao Rui’s voice came from behind him. Xu Wuyi turned to see the base commander approaching with a report in hand.
"Colonel Zhao."
"The detailed battle report is in. Care to take a look?" Zhao Rui offered him the document.
Xu Wuyi took it and quickly scanned the contents.
The numbers in the report were even more staggering than he had anticipated. In the battle at Wind-Eroded Valley, the Feathered People had suffered 1,674 casualties, with another 206 seriously wounded and captured.
The fleeing remnants were intercepted by other Federation units during their retreat. In the end, fewer than two hundred made it back to their main base alive.
Furthermore, within twenty-four hours of the battle, the Feathered People had abandoned eleven of their seventeen outposts on the outskirts of the Quicksand Star Realm. The remaining six, lacking sufficient manpower, were easily eliminated by Federation forces.
The entire frontline in the Quicksand Star Realm had advanced eighty kilometers overnight.
"The results were even better than expected," Zhao Rui said. "The Feathered People have completely abandoned the outer regions and have all withdrawn to their main base to dig in."
"Our patrols report that they’ve encountered almost no organized Feathered People units within a fifty-kilometer radius—just scattered small-squad activity."
Xu Wuyi handed the report back. "They’re getting smart."
"Yes. They’re breaking their forces into smaller units to avoid a direct confrontation," Zhao Rui nodded. "Your Raging Fire is devastating to massed formations, but against scattered squads, its effectiveness is greatly diminished."
He paused for a moment, then looked at Xu Wuyi. "So, after some discussion, command has concluded that there’s not much point in you remaining here in the Quicksand Star Realm."
Xu Wuyi looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"It means it’s time for you to pull out," Zhao Rui said calmly. "After a loss this big, the Feathered People will do one of two things: either they’ll pull back completely and abandon the Quicksand Star Realm, or they’ll bring in experts from their homeworld to carry out a decapitation strike against you."
"If it’s the former, the war in the Quicksand Star Realm is essentially over, and you’d just be wasting your time here. If it’s the latter..."
Zhao Rui didn’t finish, but his meaning was clear.
Xu Wuyi was silent for a few seconds.
"If I leave, what happens if the Feathered People counterattack?"
"They wouldn’t dare." Zhao Rui shook his head. "The deterrent from Wind-Eroded Valley is enough to last a month. A month is enough time for us to consolidate the current front line and even assault their main base."
He was right.
In a single battle, Xu Wuyi had wiped out nearly a third of the Feathered People’s effective strength in the Quicksand Star Realm. Their remaining forces would be stretched thin just defending their main base; they had no capacity for a counterattack.
But Xu Wuyi didn’t agree right away.
He walked over to the sand table, his gaze falling on the deep blue area representing the Feathered People’s main base. Then he looked at the markers for the surrounding outposts now under Federation control.
"What if I fake my withdrawal?" he said suddenly.
Zhao Rui was taken aback. "What?"
"If we put out the word that I’ve left the Quicksand Star Realm and returned to the Federation to recuperate," Xu Wuyi said, turning his head. His dark golden eyes glinted under the lights. "How would the Feathered People react?"
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