The instant the star-body halted, a dense swarm of light-points glimmered beneath it.
They slashed across the night, long white tails streaking behind as they raced toward the star-body.
"So the strike's already here," Jiang Yan murmured, watching quietly.
A single glance told him there had to be over a thousand of them.
Some had been launched from the direction of Nanwu Country, others from the Teya Alliance; only those two powers on Earth still possessed both nuclear warheads and missiles able to reach this far.
Inside his mind, the progress bar of the pearl of the abyss was rocketing upward; the star-body's appearance had driven some to despair.
With the star-body frozen in the sky, Jiang Yan's own progress bar filled at the same instant.
Most ordinary people, rather than fearing the new moon overhead, were simply curious; besides, after the revelation of the Awakened Ones, every faction had tightened its grip on the internet, and apart from private chat groups almost nothing about the star-body was being reported.
What you could learn, you had to see with your own eyes.
At Town City's ballistic base, Bai Wenliang—who had been about to strap himself to a missile—froze.
"It's stopped moving," Bai Wenliang said, lifting his gaze to the second moon.
Around him stood a cluster of military officers, the lowest rank among them a Lieutenant General.
Beside Bai Wenliang an old man studied the moon, his expression calm. "Astronomical Institute just finished preliminary observations: diameter between nine and eleven kilometres. If that thing falls, human history turns the page for good."
"But it hasn't fallen, and right now it's parked," Bai Wenliang replied airily.
At that moment a military jeep rolled up, towing a three-metre screen behind it.
The driver parked so the screen faced the assembled brass.
On it glowed a high-definition image of the second moon, and far below it the thousand-plus nuclear warheads racing upward.
"Ten seconds to first impact," a Lieutenant General announced.
Everyone tensed; whatever had made the star-body brake, they weren't about to leave a live bomb hanging over humanity.
Yet under their stare the warheads simply passed through the star-body, emerging moments later from its far side and continuing into deep space.
"What—" Every general at the screen blanched; they had imagined several outcomes, but not this.
Even the usually indifferent Bai Wenliang's face turned grave.
Warhead after warhead ghosted through the object; silence swallowed the room.
After a moment a middle-aged man ventured, "Could this be some Awakened One's illusion—someone just fooling around?"
Conjuring a mirage that huge would be taxing for a Level-Five Awakener, but not impossible.
"Which Awakened One can project an illusion a thousand-plus kilometres above ground?" someone shot back.
That altitude was low-Earth-orbit territory; of all the world's Awakened, only one inside Xuanjian Division could both fly so high and cast illusions.
"It's no illusion; it merely occupies a different space," a calm voice remarked behind them.
Bai Wenliang turned, surprised. "Thought you weren't coming."
Everyone followed his gaze. A young man—tall, blue-black jacket, olive cargo pants, blue-white sneakers, wine-red centre-parted hair, strikingly handsome—stood there unnoticed.
"Lord Wu Yuan!" Every officer greeted him at once.
He was the other Level Six Awakener of Xuanjian Division, second only to Bai Wenliang.
Wu Yuan gave a slight nod, walked to Bai Wenliang's side, and looked up at the moon.
After a moment he said, "I wasn't in Town City, but His Majesty kept calling, so here I am. Seems we're not needed, though."
Bai Wenliang nodded, curious. "Since you can read it, any chance you could go up and take a look?"
If Bai Wenliang's gift was sheer destructive might, Wu Yuan's was the first of its kind in Awakened history.
Fictionalizer!
By spending mental power he could materialise whatever he imagined; usually he stayed home keeping his rapidly growing ability in check, ignoring Xuanjian Division business entirely.
After studying the sky a while, Wu Yuan declined. "No sign of danger, so let it be. And this smacks of the Monster Association—no one else pulls stunts like this."
Though a recluse, he still received key intelligence.
"Them again," an old general grumbled. "I swear the grey-fog incident in Tizi Country was their handiwork too."
Nanwu Country had suffered plenty at the Monster Association's hands—unthinkable back when it lorded over the planet.
Ignoring the rest, Wu Yuan turned and strode out of the base.
Bai Wenliang watched him go, eyes glinting. Every time we meet the kid's stronger; one day this rising wave will slam me onto the beach.
Every era produced a handful of peak talents.
The previous generation of Level Six had grown old and hidden away; only he remained active.
Looks like the world will belong to the young. Once the Monster Association nuisance is cleaned up and two more Level Six are trained, I'll retire and enjoy life.
Bai Wenliang shook his head and walked out.
Within Xuanjian, only Fang Wenyu, Jiang Ao, and Long Zhengqing had hopes of reaching Level Six; now one was dead, leaving the other two—less freakishly gifted than Wu Yuan, yet the nation's finest.
Elsewhere, after the nukes passed through and no one else approached, Jiang Yan ordered, "Turn back."
The Cloud Ray gave a low cry and dived downward.
Buzz!
Ba Yao appeared at Jiang Yan's side, left hand outstretched; white light blossomed above his palm.
Ba Yao bowed to Jiang Yan. "Master, these are Star-Seals. Under the star-body's light they allow cost-free transport. Cover the seal, will it into your body, and it will merge with you."