Blue Card Starry Sky

Chapter 25 Combat
Lan Yu told everyone to rest for a day before continuing their journey, passing the Sun Temple and continuing onward. Soon, mountains, lakes, rivers, and trees appeared one after another, presenting a vibrant scene. The sun's heat was no longer as intense as when they first arrived. This place clearly had life; flowers, birds, insects, and fish were all present. It was a different kind of bustling scene, indicating that they were at the center of this place. The further they went from the center, the less pressure and heat they felt. They were moving towards the edge of this other world. Soon they would make discoveries and know where they were, what had happened, and how the sun and moon could shine together.

After crossing mountain after mountain, we finally saw a small town. From afar, it appeared as if flowers were blooming everywhere, and people were busy with their own lives, living in harmony and happiness. Our arrival greatly surprised them; it had been a long time since we had seen strangers here. They were very curious about our appearance and immediately informed the local chieftain, who was the highest decision-maker in the town. The people here were much shorter than us, with much darker skin, but they were very sturdy and much friendlier.

Lan Yu and his companions discovered that the people here maintained a constant fighting spirit; various war equipment was everywhere, the defenses were rigorous, and a high wall had been erected around the perimeter. From the tribal chief, they learned that this was an extraterrestrial space. Previously, the sun and moon shone simultaneously here, and the people lived happily and harmoniously, with no war between the two races. One race was black, the other white. Since a cataclysmic event ten thousand years ago, the sun and moon shone together, creating only daylight and no night. The once prosperous areas became uninhabitable deserts, and the central region became a desolate wasteland. The former Sun Temple and Sun City were covered by sandstorms and disappeared. Towns closer to the center fled, resources dwindled, and the two races frequently clashed for survival, resulting in countless deaths. Ahead lay the desert, behind lay icy, sunless lands. Here, the rear gradually grew colder and darker, becoming another desolate, dark, and icy land. The two races could only live between these narrow poles, with limited resources; no wonder they were constantly at war, for survival was inevitable.

The chieftain invited everyone to dinner. Food was scarce; they could only eat their fill, and there was nothing fancy to offer—this was the best they could provide. However, the people here were content and satisfied. Their biggest fear was that the white tribe would attack and seize their food and land. The black people were very united, brave in battle, and would fight to the death, never surrendering. In the town square stood a statue of a winged ancestor, the highest revered figure among the black people. Legend had it that this ancestor ruled a vast world in ancient times, conquering all directions and possessing unparalleled martial arts skills, making him a dominant force of his era. Therefore, the black people deeply respected this ancestor, regarding him as a deity. Hearing that we came from an island where resources were plentiful and people lived happily without fear of war, the people here greatly envied us. They hoped to also live a happy life, pursue freedom, and abhor war and the pain of losing loved ones. They longed to achieve the sunny, carefree, and happy life of their ancestors.

……

Looking at the statue, Lan Tian felt a sudden jolt in his heart, as if some power deep within his soul had been touched, only to vanish in an instant. He sensed something unusual about this town; there seemed to be a powerful, unfathomable energy fluctuation emanating from it, filling Lan Tian with a nameless fear. He didn't know whether this was a good or bad thing, so he made everyone wary.

The next day, the chieftain summoned everyone early, saying that the white tribe was coming to attack and urging them to leave as soon as possible to avoid harm. He worried that if they were guests in a war, they might not be able to take good care of everyone and could get hurt. Lan Yu and the others were deeply moved. They figured they might as well make the best of it, since they had nowhere else to go and didn't know where to go. They might as well join the white tribe and fight back against their attack, and also learn more about the situation here, since they couldn't go back anyway. They could treat it as a trial, and the battle would help them hone their skills and improve their attributes.

The chieftain, unable to persuade them otherwise, finally gave in to Lan Yu and his companions' wishes and allowed them to join the battle. Standing atop the high defensive wall, they watched the massive, densely packed white race marching towards them, their shouts deafening and their momentum overwhelming. Lan Tian and his group had never witnessed such a sight before, and a chill ran down their spines. In such a vast battlefield, how insignificant an individual was, like a drop of water in the ocean, utterly useless. They couldn't afford to lose momentum or let their morale plummet, or they would be swept aside in one fell swoop, becoming spoils of war, their corpses strewn across the battlefield. The black race, however, were seasoned veterans of such battles and utterly fearless. Their belligerent nature made them eager to charge in and carnage.

A great battle is about to begin, and the harsh reality is right before them. This fills Lan Yu and his companions with excitement. This is their first time participating in such a battle; their lives are in their own hands, and they must fight to the death, carve out a bloody path, and seize victory.

……

(End of this chapter)