met free Chapter 77 Expansion
Chapter 77 Expansion
Since Zhao Chen activated the Zhou Tian Star Array, the Demon Cave war machine has truly started up like a tank loaded with fuel.
An almost inexhaustible supply of spiritual energy began to surge from the stronghold where the main star was located, and the guards on the 365 main stars all experienced a significant increase in strength in a very short period of time.
According to Goron's report, the popularity of the "Demon Clan War Codex" has exceeded 90%, and the rest are mostly the old, weak, sick, and disabled.
The number of practitioners of the "Demon General's Heart Sutra" has gradually expanded to 1,200. The top 365 biggest beneficiaries have all broken through to the second level of the technique, with Goron himself reaching the third level.
But these things were nothing to Zhao Chen. What Zhao Chen wanted was not just a group of capable barbarians, but an army that could fight in any environment.
Zhao Chen summoned the Hetu Luoshu and retrieved all the military technology data of the Divine River Civilization, selecting the most suitable plan for the development system of the Demon Cave. He then used the Hetu Luoshu to re-analyze the system, removing the parts that relied on dark plane calculations and replacing them with array patterns and magic power.
After more than three months of research and simulation, the first set of power armor for the Demon Cave was finally launched.
The armor is fully enclosed, with a dark alloy skeleton. It is covered with energy fibers woven from stardust, and energy array patterns are embedded in the joints. Jet-like wings can be mounted on the back to ensure high-speed mobility for space and ground operations.
The helmet has a built-in tactical interface that connects to the Luoshu clone in the user's mind. This is standard equipment for every Demon Cave warrior; it is a child entity separated from the Luoshu, possessing one percent of the mother's computing power.
Warriors can instantly access cultivation techniques, deduce enemy situations, and communicate with teammates in real time through the Luoshu clone.
This situation will continue until the warrior dies. At that time, the Luo Shu page will use the trace of devouring power that it has acquired as Zhao Chen's natal magic weapon to carry all of the warrior's cultivation back to the Luo Shu's main body, and begin to wait for the next host to inherit this gift from their predecessor and continue their journey.
This is Zhao Chen's real trump card, which means his army will become stronger and stronger. Otherwise, if he faces an opponent like Liang Bing in the future, he will suffer no matter how he fights.
Zhao Chen didn't modify the rest of the armor, choosing to directly inherit the technology from Shenhe. The arms were equipped with weapon modules, the standard configuration being a shield on the left arm and a melee weapon on the right.
Melee weapons include the Dark Copper Longsword and the Battle Axe.
The entire set of equipment weighs over 300 pounds for a soldier, but with the combined effect of the array patterns and the power engine, the wearer will feel that the overall weight is less than 30 pounds.
Goron was the first to eagerly put on the armor and try it on in the training ground. After trying it on, he refused to take it off, as if he were afraid someone would steal it from him.
Zhao Chen ordered Tiezhen to expand the production line to twenty, and they began working day and night. The 365 demon generals responsible for guarding the alien garrison were given priority for equipment, followed by the guards of the demon lair, and finally the entire army.
The dwarven anvil began working day and night with his people to forge the work, and the Luo Shu clone projected each person's assigned part directly onto each workstation in the forge in the form of blueprints.
Cutting, forging, quenching, and assembly—every step is guided and monitored by data accurate to the millimeter.
One hundred and twenty thousand well-trained warriors arrayed themselves, their dark bronze armor gleaming coldly under the starlight, the array patterns on their bodies occasionally flashing faintly. Every piece of armor was identical, standard equipment, devoid of any fancy decorations; every design element was geared towards faster slaughter.
The expansion of the Demon Cave officially began the year after the entire army had completed its re-equipment.
Three hundred and sixty-five main star demon generals each led a route, setting off from their respective planets and advancing into the depths of the border star field.
The strategy was simple: conquer, occupy, and refine. Each fleet was equipped with a flagship, twenty escort ships, and thirty tugboats. The tugboats were converted from captured civilian ships and fitted with dark alloy chains.
The first target chosen by the Goron fleet was a small civilization with a population of less than two million, whose technology was not yet advanced enough to leave the planet.
Instead of attempting to make contact, Goron led three hundred soldiers in a forced entry from outside the atmosphere. The armor's bio-engines spewed blue trails of flame into the atmosphere.
More than three hundred streaks of light hovered directly above the enemy base, firing pulse cannons in unison, causing the ground base to explode in bursts of sparks.
The battle lasted for less than an hour before it ended.
The battle resulted in the capture of over a thousand ships. Goron towed back the usable ones for modification, while the unusable ones were dismantled and converted into materials on the spot.
Not all civilizations are so easy to defeat.
For example, the Iron Stone Civilization of the 73rd District of the Northern Territory that Yao Jiangfeng encountered.
This civilization's race lives on a planet made entirely of steel, and the planet's native inhabitants also have no flesh and blood but rather a special metallic body.
The fleet led by Demon General Feng fought for more than a month, and in the end, nearly 30% of the warships were destroyed, more than a thousand soldiers were killed or wounded, and the planet's defenses remained completely intact.
In the end, it was only after Zhao Chen sent Goron to provide assistance that the problem was resolved.
Having dealt with the resistance on this planet, Goron stood in the command center of the virtual spaceship, looking down at the steel planet.
"Mobilize all tugboats."
What followed was this scene in the universe: nearly a thousand spaceships began to move with difficulty toward the demon's lair.
Each spaceship is connected to a long chain at its stern, and the other end of the chain is firmly anchored to the depths of this steel planet.
It took the demon general Feng three whole years to transport this steel planet to the top of the demon's lair, where Zhao Chen was already waiting.
Looking at this massive steel planet, Zhao Chen frowned. The overall mass of this planet was several times that of Gera Star. If it were to be rashly pulled into Gera Star, Gera Star might be the first to collapse.
With a thought, Zhao Chen summoned the River Diagram. He absorbed the entire steel planet into the River Diagram, then turned and returned to the Demon Cave.
Your humble servant greets Your Majesty. The military camp commander, upon learning of Zhao Chen's arrival, hurriedly came to pay his respects.
"Get up first." Zhao Chen waved his hand and led me to see the Star Flag.
"Yes, Your Majesty, please." The demon general leads the way.
After passing through numerous guards, Zhao Chen finally arrived at the Star Banner with the guarding demon general. This was an underground stone chamber, with an altar placed in the center.
At the center of the altar stood a bronze battle flag, from which a continuous stream of light blue light passed through the walls of the stone chamber without obstruction, converging in the flag and finally transforming into wisps of white mist that slowly spread outwards after being transformed by the great array.
Zhao Chen waved his hand, and the Hetu floated directly above the altar.
Attracted by the Star Flag, the steel planet in the River Chart began to emit wisps of blue energy, which were drawn out of the River Chart and into the battle flag.
Meanwhile, the steel planet in the River Chart is slowly shrinking at a rate imperceptible to the naked eye.
You stay here and guard the area; don't let anyone come over.
"Yes!" The demon general nodded in agreement.
As the news spread, the destruction of the Iron Stone Civilization still shook the surrounding star systems.
Zhao Chen also wanted to focus on developing his career in isolation, but the main star needed to grow.
The operation of the Zhou Tian Star Array requires a massive amount of stellar power for conversion. However, the energy contained in the stars of the Super God Universe is pitifully small compared to the primordial world. It also requires time to recover after prolonged absorption.
Zhao Chen's solution was to use the Zhou Tian Star Array to refine other planets in order to enhance the main star's origin.
Conquered planets are usually divided into two types: those containing stellar power are dragged back to the vicinity of the demon's lair to refine their origin and strengthen the main star, while useless planets without any stellar power are used to decompose useful materials and expand the land area.
The dark alloy chains needed to drag the planet were the best solution Zhao Chen found from Shenhe Technology: they had no other special features, their main advantage being their sturdiness and durability.
Typically, a fleet of more than twenty tugboats would firmly drive the dark alloy chains deep into the target planet they had conquered, while simultaneously starting their engines to tow the target along a predetermined trajectory toward the nearest home planet.
Through continuous absorption and refinement, a year later, the area of the main star under the Demon Cave had all expanded by nearly half again.
Standing atop the fortress, Zhao Chen gazed at the faintly visible array patterns in the starry sky. Goron silently stood guard nearby.
"My lord, a civilization from the Third District of the North has just sent an envoy to negotiate peace. They say they are willing to submit to the Demon Cave and pay tribute annually, only asking that you do not attack their home planet."
"Didn't I say? I don't accept submission. I only accept mergers. If you're unwilling, fight."
Goron bowed in acknowledgment and turned to leave.
News from the North slowly spread southward.
Keisha was the first to know. The intelligence network of the Celestial Court of Merlo already covered most of the known universe.
When intelligence arrived at Keisha's desk regarding the rise of a powerful force called "Demon's Lair" on the northern border, whose military strength was formidable and whose expansion was frantic, she was studying the situation of the Second Physical War.
"On the northern border, a force called Demon Cave has swallowed up hundreds of small civilizations in just a few years," Keisha said, looking at the report. "Demon Cave's army is well-equipped, with most armed with power armor. Their commander is known as the 'Demon King.'"
Demon King... Demon? Could it be him?
Keisha sat on her throne, lost in thought.
After an unknown amount of time, Keisha put aside her thoughts and gave the order. "The Second Form War is not over yet. We don't have the resources to open up another battlefield, so leave it for now."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The guard turned and withdrew.
The Principal's Office of the Super God Academy.
Kieran and Carl sat facing each other, with Carl speaking first. "Headmaster, this force in the North... all the technology they've presented points to the same person."
It must be that Zhao Chen went to the northern border and established his own power there.
The big clock is still in his hands. Should we take it?
Kieran stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the northern starry sky. "We're no match for Zhao Chen, but don't worry too much. I've memorized most of the core technical data from the Grand Clock."
I plan to build another large clock. However, my initial estimate is that its computing power will only reach about 80% of the original.
Carl looked at Kieran in surprise. "So you were prepared all along."
No, it's just that the large clock has been in my hands for too long. I've also been studying these Divine River technologies, so naturally I remembered it. Kieran was a little embarrassed.
"How long will that take?"
"I don't know. It might take hundreds of years, or it might only take a few decades."
Karl was silent for a moment. "And what about the demon's lair in the north?"
Kieran looked at him. "Don't cause any unnecessary trouble before the physical warfare is over. Just keep an eye on Zhao Chen."
Carl nodded in agreement.