Worlds’ Apocalypse Online

——the siege had begun!

The gigantic nine-clawed golden dragon violently slammed itself towards Star Gazer city.

Right behind the battering ram, the heavenly beings of the Heavenly Palace were charging forward like a black cloud consisting of locusts, ready to jump in and destroy everything as soon as the metal shell of Star Gazer city was pried open!

However, Gu Qing Shan just happened to return right at this point in time.

In that instant, he only managed to do a single thing——–

“Paper sheet, activate [Intermediate City Concealment]!” 𝒇𝐫ℯ𝑒𝒘ℯ𝑏n𝑜ѵ𝐞l.c𝗼𝗺

Gu Qing Shan swiftly shouted.

——-[Intermediate Law: City Concealment]

[Description: By focusing the population’s Merits, Star Gazer city will be completely concealed within the void of space, no entity or entities would be able to detect or attack Star Gazer city]

From the void of space above Star Gazer city, the paper sheet slightly fluttered.

In an instant, invisible Samsara Origin Power flowed continuously from the paper sheet into Star Gazer city.

Fshu!

Star Gazer city completely vanished.

At the very next moment, the nine-clawed golden dragon battering ram flew unstoppably through where Star Gazer city was previously, carrying with it intense gusts of wind.

It continued to fly through the distant sky, heading towards the end of the world.

That was dangerous!

If I had been one second late, Star Gazer city would have been struck!

Gu Qing Shan sighed in relief.

“We’re safe for now” he turned back and told Li An.

Only to see that Li An was still in shock.

If Star Gazer city was destroyed, all the Chosen Saints in Star Gazer city would have no choice but to be scattered in the great tomb, losing their place of refuge from danger.

Gu Qing Shan looked back towards his city.

At the moment, there wasn’t a single person in Star Gazer city, as everyone had gone out to explore the great tomb and collect Merit.

——-which means, this was a planned ambush by the Heavenly Palace.

『 I wasn’t able to contact you despite trying several methods, it’s a good thing that you managed to come back in time, otherwise, Star Gazer city would have been destroyed without question 』Li An explained.

“Hm, it was also because I had a bad feeling that I took the time to come back” Gu Qing Shan replied.

He stared closely at Li An and saw a line of text appearing above Li An’s head:

[That really was fortunate, otherwise if the city had been destroyed, we would have been done for]

These were Li An’s thoughts.

Through [Overlooking Soul], Gu Qing Shan was reading her thoughts.

In the sky outside of Star Gazer city, the horde of heavenly beings swiftly retreated and returned to the Heavenly Palace.

——-if Star Gazer city is on guard, it won’t be quite as easy to take it down anymore.

The Heavenly Emperor’s tired voice reverberated from the distance:

「 Gu Qing Shan, you might have returned just in time this once, but you won’t necessarily be so lucky again the next time 」

Gu Qing Shan temporarily remained silent without answering him.

The fake and real Heavenly Emperors…

Are really difficult to deal with.

The real Heavenly Emperor has ventured out in search of the Human realm grave.

While the fake Heavenly Emperor is constantly keeping his attention on Star Gazer city.

As soon as I leave Star Gazer city, I’d give the fake Heavenly Emperor an opportunity to take advantage of.

He can issue a siege at any moment.

On the other hand, if I continue to remain here to guard Star Gazer city, I would indeed be able to keep it safe; but the real Heavenly Emperor would be freely exploring the Human realm grave, continuously moving deeper into it while leaving me far behind.

I can’t leave, but I can’t NOT leave either, this is quite the dilemma.

Gu Qing Shan paced back and forth around the ship’s deck, continuously pondering idea after idea, strategy after strategy.

『 What are you thinking about? 』Li An asked.

“We can’t keep remaining passive like this, we need to retaliate somehow” Gu Qing Shan replied.

『 You’re the City Lord, what about summoning everyone back so we can launch an attack on the Heavenly Palace? 』Li An suggested.

“That won’t do…” Gu Qing Shan muttered.

The real Heavenly Emperor might have disguised himself to join Star Gazer city.

As soon as I issue a summon, he will instantly find out.

The Heavenly Emperor is an old monster that has lived for countless years with plenty of unknown cards up his sleeves, so if I want to attack the Heavenly Palace, it’s best that I don’t alert him.

Then——

I can only rely on myself for this counter-siege.

With that in mind, Gu Qing Shan looked up at the paper sheet in the sky.

“I want to upgrade Star Gazer city”

He muttered in his mind.

A magnificent consciousness immediately radiated from the paper sheet to respond to Gu Qing Shan’s request.

At the same time, lines of bloody red text appeared in the void of space:

[Total Merit value of Star Gazer city’s population:]

[368,000]

[The following city functions can be awakened:]

[…]

Gu Qing Shan scrolled across the long list of city functions but was unable to make a decision.

——there are many Apocalypses constantly moving around the wilderness.

That elongated skull might even return at any moment.

So just because I have 368,000 Merits doesn’t mean I can use them all up at once.

Gu Qing Shan was facing a difficult choice.

Either he could leave a stockpile of Merit and only upgrade the city’s defensive capabilities.

Or he could use up all his Merits at once and choose an especially powerful function to retaliate against the Heavenly Palace.

——-how should I choose?

Gu Qing Shan carefully studied the various city functions available before finally deciding on two of them.

“Initiate attack, the target is: the Heavenly Palace!”

Gu Qing Shan ordered.

Above Star Gazer city, the paper sheet began to radiate brilliant light as if to signify that it was ready.

“The means of attack——“”Unique Repulsion weapon: [Big Stink Egg]!”

A blob of gooey green substance manifested outside of Star Gazer city.

『 What is that? 』Li An asked.

“[Big Stink Egg], a relatively cheap repulsion tool” Gu Qing Shan explained.

“Fire!”

He ordered.

The gooey green blob immediately shot towards the Heavenly Palace—–

Splat!

Just like a real egg, the [Big Stink Egg] was stuck to the outer barrier of the Heavenly Palace, unable to go inside.

『 It was blocked! 』Li An couldn’t help but comment.

“It’s ok, just wait for a moment” Gu Qing Shan replied.

His gaze was still locked on the line of text hovering in the void of space:

[Unique Repulsion weapon: Big Stink Egg]

[An extremely foul weapon, the consolidation of all things that are stinky in the Samsara. Nothing can stop its smell, no living being can tolerate it, even the most ferocious Apocalyptic monster would not choose to remain near it and instead move away as soon as possible]

[Usable once a day, duration: 1 hour]

At this point, some commotion could be felt from within the Heavenly Palace.

“It stinks!” a heavenly being called out.

He rode in a cloud, attempting to flee into the wilderness.

Numerous heavenly beings swiftly followed him without pause, all of them trying to flee as far as possible.

The Heavenly Emperor furiously roared: 「 Come back—– 」

He stopped talking.

—–motherfucker!

This really isn’t the kind of smell that people are supposed to take in.

「 Dismissed! We’re going to temporarily avoid it 」the Heavenly Emperor loudly declared.

The remaining heavenly beings pinched their noses and followed the Heavenly Emperor as they fled the Heavenly Palace, flying as far as they could.

Li An looked at the stinky blob.

It was stuck to the void of space around the Heavenly Palace, slowly spreading and rolling down its side.

It looked almost like a pile of excrement that roused a sense of discomfort just by looking at it, let alone the heavenly beings who were made to smell it at relatively close distance.

『 What would that accomplish? You didn’t manage to kill anyone, and the Heaven Palace is still intact 』Li An asked.

“Hm, this was the cheapest function, so I suspect that the heavenly beings didn’t bother to take a closer look at it” Gu Qing Shan replied.

『 You mean, you still have another plan? 』Li An asked.

Gu Qing Shan said: “I already unlocked another city function, I’m just waiting until they all flee before I use it——-”

While he spoke, Star Gazer city began to move.

Its metallic body swiftly and orderly began to detach, shift, transform, and reassemble into a mobile mech that was several hundred meters in height.

『 This is—– 』Li An appeared shocked.

“I used up almost all of our Merit, so whether or not we succeed will depend on this” Gu Qing Shan replied.

——-I can’t let the Heavenly Emperor keep taking cheap jabs at me from the side.

I want to focus on exploring the Human realm grave, so I need to completely remove Star Gazer city’s worries from now on.

Since I’m already here, I’m going to decide victory once and for all!

Gu Qing Shan stood still in the void of space, his attitude more serious now compared to ever before.

The metallic ground began to open, from which an ethereal mass of light emerged that lightly draped over his body.

A cold mechanical voice spoke up:

[The Light Armor is enclosed, please begin to take over control of the Star Gazer mech]

“Clear, initiating takeover”

Gu Qing Shan took a step forward in the air.

The mech that Star Gazer has transformed into also took a step forward.

“Axe of Annihilation” Gu Qing Shan grumbled.

From the void of space, intense scorching lightning manifested in the palm of the mech, which then transformed into a pulsating giant Axe of Annihilation.

“Charge!”

Gu Qing Shan then motioned running forward while wielding a battle axe.

The Star Gazer mech also copied this motion, gripping the battle axe tightly as it charged straight towards the Heavenly Palace.

The giant mech gradually sped up more and more, with each step causing the earth to rumble intensely.

Observing this, Li An’s heart felt like it almost wanted to jump out of her throat.

At this point in time, the giant mech was still in the state of [Intermediate City Concealment].

In other words——

The heavenly beings of the Heavenly Palace had no idea that Star Gazer city had transformed into a mech, manifested a giant axe, and began charging straight at them.

Li An finally couldn’t contain her voice anymore and muttered in a screeching voice: 『 You’re trying to—— 』

“That’s right, to destroy this Heavenly Palace once and for all!” Gu Qing Shan roared.

He suddenly stopped running and raised both hands into the air, mimicking the motion to throw something forward with all his strength.

The giant Star Gazer mech also stopped running just outside the range of the [Stink Egg]’s influence——-

The mech then swung the giant pulsating axe over its head and violently threw it towards the Heavenly Palace!