The closest figure to the people of Belobog was the Supreme Guardian, seated atop the highest throne in Qlipoth’s Fort.
The farthest was the Aeon who had never revealed themselves, yet whose gaze supposedly safeguarded their city.
Beyond the sky stretched a vast expanse of space. From the perspective of another celestial body, Belobog appeared so minuscule, like an ant colony, tha...
2024-12-23 22:55:25 +0000 UTC View PostThis raised a critical question: why would the Supreme Guardian, Cocolia, choose to cripple her own city? Was it to hasten the Fragmentum’s erosion of both the Overworld and Underworld?
When Bronya realized this possibility last night, it left her shaken. She initially thought she had miscalculated, that some step in her reasoning was flawed.
But after reanalyzing the chain of eve...
2024-12-23 22:55:20 +0000 UTC View PostSpace mining stations are divided into two categories.
The first type operates within the gravitational pull of asteroid belts, drawing on stellar energy to ensure the station can move slowly while surveying for mineral-rich asteroids. Once identified, various advanced space mining techniques are employed to extract and collect the resources hidden within these celestial bodies.
Thi...
2024-12-23 22:55:14 +0000 UTC View PostGoethe Hotel, lobby.
As soon as Chen Lin stepped inside, he noticed an unreserved gaze fixed on him. He turned to look and, as expected, saw Dan Heng leaning coolly against the corner of the wall, his face calm and stoic.
The two exchanged a brief glance and nodded at each other before walking toward the guest rooms with an unspoken understanding.
At the very end of the hallwa...
2024-12-23 22:55:09 +0000 UTC View PostBelobog had entered a festive period of celebration. The entire city was adorned with vibrant decorations, banners lined the streets, and lanterns powered by geothermal energy hung outside every home.
Near the central plaza, impromptu stages were erected by the citizens, and music and dance became the city's most captivating sights.
Though it wasn’t yet an official holiday, the ci...
2024-12-23 22:55:05 +0000 UTC View PostThe history of the Architects is vast and storied. They were the first visionaries to propose building Belobog under the watchful gaze of Qlipoth, the Aeon of Preservation. Over time, they became the authority overseeing all political, military, technological, and cultural matters in the city.
When Belobog was the last remaining bastion on Jarilo-VI, it was the Architects' Council that de...
2024-12-23 22:54:59 +0000 UTC View PostA one-sided massacre—swift and decisive.
The newly formed Rifts and the creatures they spawned were in a weakened state. Though they remained formidable enough to overwhelm an individual Silvermane Guard, they were utterly powerless before weapons from beyond the stars.
Each Rift could spawn nearly a thousand monsters of various forms, and every life lost within its influence only...
2024-12-23 22:54:36 +0000 UTC View Post“Yeah, I’ve seen him before. He even asked me which books were popular. He seemed unfamiliar, so I asked about him. That’s when I found out he was one of Belobog’s foreign guests,” Faith said. “I could tell he truly loved books.”
Faith was the most renowned bookseller in the Administrative District, running a well-established bookstore that had earned her respect and recogni...
2024-12-23 22:54:32 +0000 UTC View PostWeapons have always been tools for people to wield.
When a weapon’s usage becomes so straightforward that a simple demonstration suffices for someone to operate it effectively, it’s often called a “foolproof weapon.”
No matter the time or place, as long as someone near the weapon understands how to use it, the enemy naturally becomes a non-issue.
In his personal shipya...
2024-12-23 22:54:27 +0000 UTC View PostThe sky loomed dark and heavy, with fine snow blanketing the street that had lost all protection.
Once bustling with life, the district now lay in ruins, its streets littered with bodies trampled by monstrous invaders.
“Hold the line! Don’t retreat!”
“Auntie, if you make it back, please tell my parents… this time, I really didn’t run away.”
“Defend the po...
2024-12-23 22:54:23 +0000 UTC View Post“Raaaagh—!”
Within a corridor lined with fragmented black rifts, a towering humanoid monster roared in agony as it collapsed to the ground. Beneath its massive cloak, its sinewy muscles bulged like coiled dragons. Its deafening cries shook the air like thunderclaps.
Before the creature lay Gepard, Silvermane Guards’ widely acknowledged heartthrob, eldest son of the Landau fa...
2024-12-23 22:54:17 +0000 UTC View PostIn some ways, Chen Lin could be considered a diplomatic prodigy.
Typically, when faced with a political leader like Cocolia, who frequently created tension for foreign guests like them, the usual course of action would be to decipher her true intentions, minimize one’s presence, or leave before conflicts escalated.
But Chen Lin wasn’t one to follow the rules. His goals extended ...
2024-12-23 22:54:06 +0000 UTC View Post“Mentor, the frontlines are too dangerous. Why did you come in person?”
“I’m just repaying the hospitality you’ve shown us,” Chen Lin replied with a light laugh. “Don’t worry. While I may not be much of a fighter, our team brought plenty of self-defense weapons for this trip, so I can hold my own to some extent.”
Nearby, Pela sat on a crude wooden stool, meticulous...
2024-12-23 22:54:01 +0000 UTC View PostThe sun shone faintly, casting a cold light unique to Belobog across the city.
Ice and snow had become the hallmarks of Belobog, reflected in its food, architecture, and art, all bearing traces of frost’s touch.
In the fallen commercial district, a deep, black rift tore through the air. From the eerie glow of the fissure, countless Fragmentum creatures poured forth like an unendin...
2024-12-23 22:53:54 +0000 UTC View Post“Exactly!”
Chen Lin wore a knowing expression. “I remember reading in the train’s library that the spread of Stellarons predates the arrival of this ‘mysterious material’ on Jarilo-VI by a significant margin, right?”
“You’re suggesting that well-informed individuals, aware of other planets being destroyed by Stellarons, assumed this material was one as well, and so...
2024-12-23 22:53:50 +0000 UTC View PostDuring this time, Chen Lin rarely left his residence. Most days, he was either hosting discussions with Bronya or poring over Belobog's surviving historical records in solitude.
Occasionally, he would have to deal with Cocolia’s repeated requests for assistance—which felt more like deliberate provocations.
On a side note, the scientists at Qlipoth Fort proved incredibly efficien...
2024-12-23 22:53:44 +0000 UTC View PostBronya jogged up to Chen Lin, bowing deeply with a sincere expression.
“I must apologize… You’ve probably realized this was all the Supreme Guardian’s doing. If it upset you, please allow me to express my sincerest apologies here and now!”
The tense atmosphere earlier, the obviously contrived request, and her mother’s momentary lapse in controlling her expression—all o...
2024-12-23 22:53:18 +0000 UTC View PostWithout Chen Lin accompanying them, the Trailblazers' atmosphere instantly turned somber.
It was obvious to anyone paying attention that whatever had taken Chen Lin away wasn’t a casual matter. Worse yet, it might even lead to their real identities being exposed.
Losing interest in sightseeing, the group, under Pella’s apologetic guidance, returned to the Goethe Hotel and gather...
2024-12-23 22:52:42 +0000 UTC View PostAfter leaving the research facility, Bronya didn’t immediately seek out March 7th and the others. Instead, she returned to her quarters to rest before heading to the administrative hall.
This was where Belobog’s aministers handled official business, and it also served as the center for Supreme Guardian Cocolia’s governance.
The hall buzzed with activity as ministers crowded ar...
2024-12-23 22:52:18 +0000 UTC View PostBronya was surrounded by a cluster of Silvermane Guards, likely due to her sensitive status. Chen Lin couldn’t think of any other reason for such a heavy escort.
From behind their masks, the guards cast curious glances his way. Word had spread that Belobog was hosting a group of extraterrestrial guests, personally honored by Supreme Guardian Cocolia Rand. Naturally, they were eager to s...
2024-12-23 22:51:51 +0000 UTC View PostMorning came, casting a faint light across the city.
Led by Pela, Chen Lin and his group used the pretext of scientific research to tour Belobog.
“Chen Lin! Chen Lin! This cold… uh, cold fried scarlet fish is sweet and tangy. So tasty!”
Dan Heng corrected her calmly, “It’s cold-eaten scarlet fish.”
“Nope, sweet meat is blasphemy. I only eat savory and spicy...
2024-12-23 22:51:27 +0000 UTC View PostChen Lin nodded subtly to himself, steering the conversation with Bronya toward the local customs and traditions. Occasionally, he would share anecdotes about other planets, piquing Bronya’s curiosity and drawing her into the discussion.
His storytelling was vivid and engaging, weaving tales of native cultures from the galaxy.
“For example,” Chen Lin began, “there was a gene...
2024-12-23 22:50:56 +0000 UTC View PostHerta: “I’ve sent you the information. These are all records and data from the archive with no confidentiality restrictions, so feel free to handle them as you wish. By the way, where’s my Chapter Three?”
Whenever the topic of psionic theory came up, Herta would become unusually eager. Chen Lin had to admit, he admired her patience and perseverance i...
2024-12-23 22:48:49 +0000 UTC View Post“Welcome... visitors from beyond the stars!”
Creak…
The heavy doors opened, revealing the administrative hall lined with bookshelves, laid bare for all to see.
The floor was covered with a light blue carpet, its intricate patterns meticulously crafted. Upon closer inspection, one could see signs of manual embroidery at the edges—an understated touch of warmth ...
2024-12-23 22:48:04 +0000 UTC View PostA city nestled amidst the ice and snow was truly a rare sight. Even though March and Dan Heng had explored numerous planets while searching for Stellaron, the urban landscape before them still left them in awe.
Of course, March was the only one expressing amazement out loud. Dan Heng, aside from a faint look of surprise when they entered the city, remained his usual calm self.
Howev...
2024-12-23 22:47:35 +0000 UTC View PostThe research ship passed by a mysterious white planet, uncharted and intriguing. Curious about its conditions, the crew dispatched a research team for an on-site investigation.
Chen Lin, being an experienced researcher, exuded confidence in his professional knowledge and wasn’t concerned about his identity being exposed during verification.
The other three members were guards, and...
2024-12-23 22:47:06 +0000 UTC View PostAfter discussing his thoughts with the group, Dan Heng was the first to voice his approval.
“Not a bad idea. In Trailblazing, we face the unknown, and every step must be taken with caution. We still know very little about this world.”
He turned to the poised young man beside him and added, “Himeko was right to put you in charge of the team. I’ve never considered these aspect...
2024-12-23 22:46:39 +0000 UTC View PostSnow blanketed the vast land, stretching into an endless white expanse.
This was Jarilo-VI, the planet Chen Lin had identified as a treasure trove of minerals and energy.
Half an hour earlier, Chen Lin had learned the cause of the planet's anomalies from Himeko and Welt. With their mission clarified, the four members of the Trailblazer team descended onto the icy, snow-covered surfa...
2024-12-23 22:46:12 +0000 UTC View PostWandering through the vastness of space is an experience unlike any other—a dreamlike journey that feels both surreal and breathtaking.
It had been over half a month since the train departed from Herta Space Station. During this time, the Astral Express had even performed a long-range warp, an event so disorienting it felt like being torn apart in the fabric of space. The sensation stil...
2024-12-23 22:45:48 +0000 UTC View PostDespite his occasional moments of unconventional behavior, Chen Lin was generally approachable. Many former classmates and colleagues had enjoyed confiding in him, a testament to his solid emotional intelligence.
After sending Pom-Pom off, Chen Lin and March distributed the snacks to other passengers on the train. He politely declined Himeko’s invitation to share coffee and stayed to ch...
2024-12-23 22:45:13 +0000 UTC View Post