In the Great Cold, snow drifted, and from afar, a steel-casted bulwark stretched thousands of kilometers, rising from the ground like a giant guarding the majestic North Continent border. Above the massive fortress, a sky-covering barrier was held up, with hexagonal lens-shaped transparent floating plates densely interlocked, forming a giant hat on top of the giant’s head.
Describing it as a "hat" might not be entirely accurate... it seemed more like a "large umbrella."
Under the large umbrella, hundreds of flying vessels were suspended due to a peculiar "energy effect," quietly hanging ninety kilometers above Gu Castle Fortress. The turbines seemed to be dormant, not operating, yet the streamlined vessels, sword-like, miraculously maintained stasis without emitting any jets of gas or heat waves. They were like old-fashioned shuttles placed on a loom, merely waiting for their master to give the order.
Gu Castle Fortress was at the forefront of the trench arc in the North Continent, the highest point curving outward. Far from the large umbrella lay the desolate and shattered "Black Spot."
Except for the military personnel of the Northern Fortress, no one could reach this place.
This was the boundary between "Five Continents" and the "world," and also the last defense of humanity’s hope.
And if one didn’t personally garrison the fortress... one wouldn’t know what immense garrison pressure Gu Castle Fortress faced. Outside the umbrella, the black collapse point expanded into a Black Hole and was faintly showing signs of connection. In the "outer world," where order had collapsed, creatures often became out of control due to "Black Spot" corruption, Extraordinary Creatures.
Another year had ended.
Gu Castle Fortress was unusually tranquil, due to the Black Spot’s slowed rate of spread outside the umbrella, making the whole year unusually peaceful... Thus, this year’s fortress felt an unusual sense of warmth.
A not-so-tall figure stood within the fortress walls on top of an old tower, which offered the best viewpoint. Snowflakes fluttered down and landed on the epaulets of his military uniform.
From behind, this figure appeared rather weathered.
But in fact... he was not old. Underneath the wide-brimmed hat was a young face, quietly enjoying the snow while clutching a rope, and immediately a whimpering pleading moan came from beside him.
It was a rope made of energy without physical form, crackling with purple Thunder Light, and at one end of the rope was a docile Labrador "beast," its ferocious teeth bared but its tongue hanging out, rubbing its head against the young man’s calf, full of eager to please.
The quiet snow appreciation did not last long.
Behind the young man came the intense sound of steam jets, followed by two figures landing—it was two young "sentinels," a man and a woman, who spoke respectfully.
"Under the Quasi-General’s command."
This man and woman wore dark red armor, which from a distance looked like a precise skeleton layered slightly outside the human body contour—at the tailbone, forearms, and waist revealing distinct jet ports.
The technology of external armor was long developed in the fortress...from the very start, it evolved bit by bit from its initial clumsiness into a fairly practical combat technology—wearing this layer of armor not only allowed for strength amplification but also enabled short-distance "trekking," "soaring," and "diving."
This thin layer of armor was a powerful fortress fitted over fragile human flesh.
Of course... strong individuals didn’t need this layer of armor.
"Duke Zhu Xue hopes that you will return to the Advanced City, Gu Castle Fortress’s three-year tenure has ended... The cabinet will send a new garrison for Her Majesty the Empress to station at Gu Castle..." he said.
After Deep Sea connected the Five Continents, the federation saw unprecedented cohesion. However... due to the independent separation of the continents, each continent had unique cultural influences.
Due to the unique geographical environment, as well as the heavy responsibilities and missions, North Continent had the most distinctive "power system"... Thus, words sealed in dictionaries like "Empress," "Duke" could only be heard at the North Continent Fortress.
The sentinel’s voice suddenly froze.
Because the young man holding the dog lifted his hand.
The intangible dog leash was released by him, crackling with lightning in the air, and at the moment the leash was released, the two young sentinels’ expressions visibly panicked. They clearly knew the kind of tough character they were reporting to and requesting at Gu Castle Fortress. The decree to return to the Advanced City had arrived here more than once, and all previous reporters had returned without success.
Of course... they were vague and unwilling to discuss the details of what happened in between.
At the moment the leash was released—
The harmless Labrador suddenly rushed forward, its ferocity fully revealed.
The external armor’s jet ports blasted two deep, charred holes in the snowy layer on the tower roof, and the two sentinels quickly ascended into the air. They suffered no injuries... because after the young Quasi-General released the leash, he quickly caught it again. The villainous dog was pulled back after a flight, dropped on the ground, and sullenly returned to its master’s side with its head drooping.
The two sentinels from the Advanced City were still shaken.
At the instant the rope was released, an overwhelming pressure surged like a tide, and the external armor seemed to emit an unbearable wail, nearly failing to take off into the air.