this infinite world

Collapse, collapse.

Without the strong support of Zhan Lan's will, the "Star Realm of the Source of the Starry Mantra" of the mind-phase universe could no longer maintain its scale of covering the entire plane. It quietly shattered into nothingness and turned into scattered starlight.

On the other side of the battlefield, as Zhan Lan's "Star Mantra Source Star Realm" no longer resisted it, although Gun God fell into a state of passive reaction again, the force field around him began to spread autonomously at this moment.

In the blink of an eye, this force has covered the vast battlefield area, as if an invisible net has engulfed everything. Affected by this force field, the attacks of the Primordial Heavenly Court have become more fierce, and the offensive is unstoppable, bringing unprecedented pressure to the front line...

Although the Mech Hunters, Nether Knights and the Monster Undead fought side by side and resisted hard, the situation was still gradually deteriorating and sliding irresistibly towards an irreversible abyss... The defense line formed by the two civilizations seemed fragile in the face of a powerful enemy, and every resistance seemed like a futile struggle.

——And the root cause of this series of pessimistic situations lies in the irresistible existence, the god Gun.

The Gun God did not continue to act, nor did he need to, because his existence represented victory. As long as he did not fall, all resistance would be in vain... Any creature that could think normally and retain self-awareness would understand all this in the clearest way at this moment. This was no longer a situation that could be reversed by human power. In front of this terrifying enemy, everything was so powerless.

So, should we give up resistance?
——Of course not.

The one who answered was Zhan Lan. Even though she had lost her physical form, she was still alive.

On the contrary, as Zhan Lan's body completely merged into the stardust, endless stardust scattered from the hull of the Hope, falling around the battlefield like a meteor shower... In an instant, what bloomed on the bodies of all human beings was not the distorted energy of the Pioneer civilization that symbolized erosion and assimilation, but the twinkling light of stars.

Although it was a huge force, it was a warm glow like a mother's embrace. The crystals of the spiritual skeleton continued to grow and overflow, surpassing the critical point. The spirit and body that had fallen into the abyss seemed to be endowed with endless power at this moment.

In contrast, the cultivators of the Honghuang Heavenly Court felt the impact of the power of this plane in panic, and their spirits were once in a state of panic. This was not only because their spirits were suppressed by the power of the plane, but also because they could not understand why their enemies suddenly became so motivated.

It is the vast rhythm of life where all sounds converge into one.

Past, future, present.

The living, the dead, humanity.

Soldiers on the battlefield are not the only ones fighting to protect their world. Life in the rear still has its own will... The people's devout prayers, the first movements of unborn fetuses, the expectations of the sacrificed soldiers, and every bystander who is paying attention to this event that will determine the fate of the world, all received corresponding information at this moment.

Burning a life that was nearing its end in exchange for a brief but brilliant flash, turning it into a candlelight that illuminates the entire universe and the future of the Zhongzhou team, this was the decision made by Zhan Lan with "borrowed courage". At this moment, the barriers between hearts completely melted away, and the corresponding information was also transmitted without limit in the spiritual world.

——There is still hope.

——The world will not end.

——We will survive.

Countless thoughts are colliding, countless ideas are being passed on, countless wills are shouting, and finally it turns into a deafening shout——

"If humanity is going to perish, it won't be today!"

"As invaders, you naturally don't understand how beautiful and heavy what we are trying to protect is!"

……

——The warm starlight dispelled the murderous intent and darkness in the heart.

When Luo Gandao woke up from the ocean of light and his consciousness was about to recover from confusion, all the young man saw was stardust. As if he was in a third-party perspective, he felt every thought on the battlefield and watched everyone's struggle.

——Everyone is still fighting, everyone is still fighting hard, but I...

Strong self-loathing, along with hatred and anger, emerged from the bottom of his heart. Luo Gandao felt that he was a useless coward, and the black and purple flames of resentment were about to ignite again, dragging him into the abyss again.

"Wake up," said Logan.

Just as the inner demon deep in Luo Gandao's heart was about to swallow up the young man again, Zhan Lan's last thought appeared in front of him: "Don't indulge in anger anymore."

"Sister Zhan Lan...why?"

Luo Gandao blinked his eyes and looked at the woman in front of him in confusion. He couldn't understand why she appeared in front of him, and then he shouted out his inner thoughts uncontrollably, and his newly recovered consciousness began to become chaotic: "How can I not be angry! Brother Overlord was killed!"

"I want to avenge him! I want to kill the murderer who killed Brother Overlord. For this, I am willing to do anything!"

"Hey, Logan, you..."

"Leave it to me, Zhan Lan."

"… Overlord?"

When the Overlord reappeared in front of the two, not only Luo Gandao was stunned, but even Zhan Lan was shocked. The man just scratched his head and laughed, "I don't know the details. Although my soul was devoured by that guy, it seems that a guy who was also devoured like me helped me, so that I still have some consciousness. Through the light of your soul, Zhan Lan, I was able to meet you like this..."

"Brother Overlord!"

Looking at the familiar smile of the Overlord, and the roughness on his face as always, Luo Gandao's tears flowed unconsciously, his throat seemed to be choked, and he didn't know how to express the confusion in his heart: "I..."

"Luo Gandao, what on earth are you doing? Look at yourself now, you have given up on yourself, consumed by hatred and anger, and are even willing to sacrifice your life!" Overlord's voice interrupted Luo Gandao's words, leaving the young man stunned: "Your comrades died so that you can move on, but if you don't cherish your own life, then the sacrifices of those companions who died in order to keep you alive, aren't they meaningless?"

"And I didn't save you just to make you sacrifice your hard-earned life!"

"I……"

When the Overlord's harsh but caring words fell into his ears, Luo Gandao was speechless for a moment. To his surprise, although the Overlord's voice was full of stern reprimands and his eyes were flashing with anger, the focus of his concern was completely different from what he expected.

However, these words sounded like a sharp sword to Luo Gandao, piercing deep into his heart and making him feel extremely ashamed. At this moment, Luo Gandao suddenly realized that the Overlord's worry was not out of blame, but out of genuine concern and uneasiness... But this concern made the young man feel even more heavy-hearted, because he knew that he had failed to meet that expectation and fulfill his responsibilities.

"I failed, Brother Overlord..." Luo Gandao whispered, "I have disappointed you in every way. I'm sorry..."

"……idiot."

Seeing Luo Gandao's timid and submissive attitude, the Overlord raised his eyebrows at first, but then turned it into a silent sigh: "Why do you want to apologize to me? Are you a coward? Or did you not try your best?"

"Of course not!" Facing Ba Wang's question, Luo Gandao hurriedly shook his head: "I tried my best, but the opponent is too strong. Even if I risk my life, I can't win even a little bit..."

"That's enough!"

Overlord interrupted Luo Gandao's words again. The burly bear-like man shouted in a shocking voice: "As long as you do your best, it is enough. This is the iron rule of the mercenary group I lead, and it is also the belief I have always adhered to since I joined the Zhongzhou team. Whether I am guiding your training or treating myself, I always follow this principle..."

"So, Logan, stand up straight! Don't let anger and darkness devour your body and mind, and don't let the past hold you back. Just believe in your beliefs and trust your soul, and they will naturally respond to you!"

——That’s right, Brother Overlord died for me. If I continue to give up on myself like this, wouldn’t it be a disgrace to his sacrifice?

The moment these words fell into his ears, Luo Gandao's body couldn't help but tremble violently, and the once dim light in his eyes was rekindled, shining with the light of hope... This new light was reflected in the depths of Luo Gandao's pupils, like the first ray of sunshine in the morning light, dispelling the fog in his heart and rekindling his self-determination and belief.

"Don't be sad about my death, Logan said. I am not really dead, I just returned to my comrades."

Seeing Luo Gandao regain his confidence, Overlord grinned, his tone suddenly softened, his eyes filled with encouragement and warmth: "This time, I have protected my companions and guided you, a new recruit. I have no regrets and can go meet my former comrades... But you, you still have to keep going and win victory for the Zhongzhou team!"

"As your instructor, let me give you one last lesson... You have been training your body but neglecting the training of your mind. Although your strength has long surpassed mine, your soul is still not strong enough."

The Overlord walked forward and slapped Luo Gandao's shoulder heavily.

Although the Overlord was in nothingness, his existence was nothing but a wisp of invisible consciousness, and even the essence of his soul was gone. However, at this moment, his hand seemed to be real, carrying a heavy load of invisible power and will: "Not only must your body become steel, but your heart and soul must also be tempered into steel!"

"My soul..." Luo Gandao responded subconsciously. He placed his palm on his chest, as if he was holding something faintly: "But what should I do..."

"Well, now is the time for me to make my debut... After all, the 'Contact' bloodline existed for this moment."

The voice of Zhan Lan rang out again from the starlight. In reality, the stardust in the sky suddenly exploded, and disappeared in an instant like fireworks, turning into a starry avenue - with the sacred tree planted by Yang Yun in the Pacific Rim as the launching point, a golden light crossed the dimensional gap, jumped into this plane, and poured directly into the incomplete interior of Gunlongast!
"In this troubled world, you are an indispensable force. Your fellow Zhongzhou team members are eager for your return. The people who have been safe and sound under your protection are even more looking forward to your coming forward again."

Zhan Lan's voice was gentle but firm: "Did you hear that? Luo Gandao, those voices, those voices ringing in your ears."

"heard it……"

Hearts are connected to each other, and Luo Gandao naturally heard the common call of life, heard the countless calls, which reminded him of a famous scene he had seen before: "The Miracle of Axis..."

"No, not Axis's miracle, but the miracle caused by you, by me, by all of us. This is the miracle we caused, this is our story."

Zhan Lan smiled and denied Luo Gandao's words: "Cheer up, Luo Gandao, the story is not over yet, everyone is still here, waiting for your return."

"Fire turns iron into steel, faith turns steel into steel. When you face a battle, please remember the courage to never back down, and the tenderness to protect others..."

"So, don't keep us waiting."

Following these words, the figures of Overlord and Zhan Lan disappeared in the light of stardust. In the cockpit of Gunlongast, Luo Gandao opened his eyes, as if he had just experienced a rebirth beyond material existence... Along with it, the dark resentment that was entangled all over his body changed, and instantly turned into red flames!
- Exactly.

——Brother Ba Wang, Sister Zhan Lan...they sacrificed themselves to protect me as their companion, and I should also continue to fight for my companions instead of letting anger and regret control myself.

In a trance, Luo Gandao seemed to have returned to the past, back to the time when he had not yet entered the main god space and drove a motorcycle into a crowd... and unlike before when his heart would ache as if it was being grabbed whenever he thought of it, now Luo Gandao is able to face his past calmly.

People always have to look forward. Everything that happened in the past is just the past.

Being unable to forgive yourself, unable to tolerate your own mistakes, being entangled in such things, and being trapped by past memories is the most foolish thing to do... Because in the final analysis, it is just a form of escape, a kind of cowardice.

“…And I won’t run away anymore.”

As Logando spoke, dazzling light emerged from every joint of Grungast—

"Burn... my steel soul!" (End of this chapter)