Divine Flame Crystal

Chapter 630 Pre-war layout

Half a year later, when the members of the Holy Spirit Legion returned to replenish their divinity, what they got was not the return of their power, but the nothingness of their power being drained away.

On that day, chaos broke out in the seventeen Holy Spirit Legion bases at the same time. Hundreds of people with demigod bloodlines lost their powers and became ordinary people. Although these were not demigods yet, they were indeed the people that the demigods cared about the most.

Xingluo stood in the cold wind of the snowy plain, watching the last drop of purified spring water disappear, and exhaled a puff of white mist:

"Roots without water will die." His gaze passed through the snow curtain and fell on the distant sanctuary of the sky. He silently said in his heart: "Since fate is determined, let the raging fire burn away all shackles." Pandora's figure flashed through his mind. He knew that her faith was like the eternal fire.

Xingluo's move was equivalent to cutting off the power supply of the Holy Spirit Legion from the source.

That was their lifeblood—whether they were demigods of the purest bloodline or holy knights blessed by the gods themselves, they all had to return to the spring regularly to draw strength from the waters brimming with divine light. To Xingluo, losing the Holy Light Spring was like a warship drained of fuel, forced to drift on the sea.

Six months later, the signs of decay were already visible to the naked eye. The divine arrows that once could pierce the eyes of behemoths from a hundred paces away now shone as dimly as candle flames. The Holy Spirit scouts that once charged for seven consecutive days and nights were now panting after running for dozens of miles. The armor gilded with divine light had lost its luster, and the holy emblems were dull and dingy, looking more like ornaments in a flea market.

But no one dares to underestimate them.

"A beast without power doesn't die immediately," the Moonfall Intelligence Department's informant wrote in their latest intelligence report. "Instead, fear drives it even further insane." Xingluo knew full well that this madness was their final struggle. He clutched the Divine Flame Crystal phantom tightly, a flicker of determination in his eyes.

And so it was. Three weeks of continuous surveillance and video capture by the Intelligence Department revealed that the top brass of the Holy Spirit Legion were desperately mobilizing all their resources. They were gathering their remaining elite troops, pulling troops from various locations back to the core area, and plotting a major counterattack that would rewrite public opinion—a raid on the Free Alliance's central supply line. Xingluo sneered, knowing full well the importance of supply lines. Their struggle was in vain. Xingluo stared at the shadow in the crystal, calculating secretly in his heart. He knew that although the Holy Spirit Legion's move was a desperate struggle, it should not be underestimated. Once the Free Alliance's supply lines were cut off, the consequences would be disastrous. He quickly gathered his men and arranged defenses, while sending out elite teams to secretly sabotage the enemy's assembly points. This contest was not only a confrontation of strength, but also a game of wits and strategies. He had to proceed step by step to remain invincible in this storm.

Their goal was clear: to restore their reputation with a bloody victory and take advantage of the situation to retake the Holy Spring.

Inside the operations room, a three-dimensional magic map hovered in the center, its translucent topography clearly visible. The mountains, rivers, and towns of the southern border were clearly marked, and dozens of shimmering red dots marked the known strongholds of the Holy Spirit Legion.

Xingluo stood in front of the map, his hands behind his back, as if he was looking at a chess game. His fingertips tapped lightly on several nodes, and with each tap, subtle ripples appeared on the light screen, as if a chess player was weighing where to make the next fatal move. He took a deep breath, his eyes flashing, as if he could see through the map and directly see the enemy's movements. The adjutant beside him followed closely, recording every instruction. Xingluo's voice was low and firm: "We must be one step ahead and eliminate these strongholds one by one before they can assemble." His finger drew an arc on the map, pointing to a hidden valley, "That will be their burial place."

"If they want to bite us," Xingluo's voice was steady, with a confidence that he was in control of the situation, "they'll have to use all their strength. And what we have to do is reach out and grab their throats, leaving them without even the strength to scream."

Mo stood beside him, holding a stack of encrypted scrolls sent by the Moonfall Intelligence Department. He flipped open one of them, revealing a parchment with a picture of a river and a floating bridge—a location marked in red ink.

"The Lisso River Ferry in the southern border is their only way through." Mo pointed to the markings on the parchment and explained, "There are three temporary pontoon bridges and a secret passage converted from an old mine. If we can control these points in advance, we can not only cut off their marching route, but also completely isolate their reinforcements."

Mo paused and added, "Scouts have confirmed that the exit of the secret passage is in the wasteland outside the Free Alliance controlled area. There are almost no fortifications there. They thought it was a secret passage, but it turned out to be a perfect place for an ambush."

Xingluo's eyes lit up slightly: "Very good, this means that we can not only block them, but also counterattack them."

Candice sat at the corner of the war room, a thick alchemical record book open at her side. She tapped the pages with her fingers, making a gentle rhythmic sound, as if she were thinking.

"I have a batch of 'Demon Breath Powder.'" She raised her head, her eyes darting between the three of them. "It's an alchemical powder that can be spread through the air. Once it comes into contact with the respiratory system, it slows the flow of magic power in the body. It won't have a noticeable effect on ordinary mages, but for demigods, it's like filling their veins with sand—they'll feel like they're dragging a thousand-pound boulder with every spell they cast."

Mo raised an eyebrow: "Are you sure it won't affect our soldiers?"

Candice smiled confidently, "As long as we control the concentration and spread area, we can ensure that it only covers the area we want. Don't worry, my hands are steady."

Xingluo nodded. He knew how talented Candice was at potions. He hadn't imagined that an archer could achieve such great success in alchemy, and even surpass him in potion making. He showed an approving expression, "Excellent! This time, we'll let the Holy Spirit Legion see with their own eyes that their so-called divine bloodline is nothing but stagnant mud before us."

Then, the light curtain in the operations room split into multiple small windows, each of which revealed the leaders of different fronts. The stealth leader of Moonfall, the deputy commander of the Sky City Mercenary Group, the workshop manager of the Flame Hammer—each name was a sharp chess piece.

"Flame Hammer will be responsible for blasting the floating bridge." Xingluo pointed to the river markings. "Candice will provide the alchemical potion. We must destroy the bridge before the enemy arrives, forcing them to take a detour."

"The Moonfall Stealth Team is responsible for blocking the secret passage. If necessary, they can use landslides to completely destroy the passage."

"Mercenary Group Flight Detachment... you are responsible for harassing their vanguard and slowing them down, but don't engage in a prolonged battle—we want to tire them out, not give them a chance for a decisive battle."

Chimeras, hippogryphs, and even dragons had long been incorporated into the flying squadron by Xingluo. This was a measure taken to facilitate management.

Every time he gave an order, a golden halo would light up on the corresponding battle line on the light screen, indicating that the mission had been confirmed.

After everyone left, only Xingluo, Mo, and Candice were left in the war room.

Candice closed the alchemy record book and looked up. "Are you really planning on crippling them with just one strike?"

Xingluo looked at the map and said calmly, "After one strike, even if they're still alive, they'll be reduced to hollow shells. At that point, both the Free Alliance and our Sky City will be able to easily harvest them." Mo pondered for a moment, then added softly, "Don't forget, intelligence warfare is equally crucial. Our informants must ensure real-time updates on enemy movements to prevent any unpredictable events." A cold glint flashed in Ying's eyes. "Rest assured, I'll have Shadow Crow monitor them around the clock and won't miss a single clue." Xingluo smiled faintly, his gaze firm. "Then let's wait and see. This battle will be a nightmare they'll never forget."

Mo interjected, "Only if you win the bet—their counterattack might be even more insane than we expected."

Xingluo smiled, and that smile carried an irresistible confidence: "Only crazy opponents will make crazy mistakes."

Arnold once said, "My talent can only be truly revealed in battle." Xingluo's eyes were determined. "This time, I will show them that the so-called divine bloodline is nothing but a joke in front of me."