Chapter 613: The Light of Despair
Many people on the Moon initially didn't take Liu Wu's words seriously. After all, most civilians in the Federation didn't know the exact existence of the Universal Gravity Device; at most, they knew Mars was quite close to them, but couldn't specify to what extent.
Of course, the biggest contributor to this strange illusion was actually the artificial atmosphere covering the entire Moon fortress.
To maintain social stability, Mars, which would normally appear to occupy half the Moon's sky from the ground, had its truly awe-inspiring aspect completely obscured by this special protective layer.
In its place was a deceptive starry sky, with countless twinkling stars taking Mars's position.
And Mars, as seen on the artificial sky curtain, was artificially shrunk countless times, making it appear only two-thirds the size of the Moon when viewed from Earth previously.
Compared to the true situation, this arrangement undoubtedly greatly diminished the terrifying pressure that the colossal Mars brought to the Moon's populace.
Looking up to see a mountain pressing down—it would be unbearable for anyone.
...
"The weak are even deprived of the right to gaze at the stars." Edward Teach, shrouded entirely in black mist, floated alone outside the artificial atmosphere, gazing at the ocher-colored Mars before him.
Of course, Edward Teach felt not the slightest bit of sympathy for his own kind; rather, he was somewhat proud.
Like a considerable number of high-tier superhumans, he was an absolute elitist, not truly considering himself the same species as the vast majority of ordinary people, and possessing a strong sense of superiority.
...
Yet, war was indeed too distant for ordinary people, so distant that they barely noticed any changes around them.
Life continued as usual. A war where modern technological civilization utterly crushed ancient civilization hardly required nationwide wartime mobilization; not even the prices in the wet market had risen.
News reports on the war did appear daily, but how different was a war glimpsed on a TV or computer screen from watching a movie?
...
"The color of your Light of Despair has deepened again."
Just as Edward Teach was about to depart from the artificial atmosphere, making the journey to Mars in his physical body, a humanoid figure seemingly composed entirely of nanobots appeared beside him, remarking on the black mist around him.
"Silver Canopy, don't meddle in things you shouldn't." Edward Teach's expression grew displeased.
The man nicknamed Silver Canopy was a newly ascended Six-tier powerhouse after the Federation's strategic retreat to the Moon.
Due to his unique abilities and extraordinary technical talent, he was solely responsible for the stability and maintenance of the artificial atmosphere.
On a daily basis, he would roam tens of thousands of feet high, repairing and perfecting his proud creation.
The audacious move of appropriately "modifying" the sky's scenery, placing a super-mosaic over Mars, and allowing the people on the ground to see only what they "should see," was personally carried out by him.
This was also arguably the largest act of "harmonization" (read: censorship) on the entire Moon.
"Once you're done, just give them a quick end." The silver humanoid said earnestly, observing the black mist around Edward Teach, which seemed to be countless vengeful spirits wailing incessantly.
Silver Canopy, who leaned towards lawful neutral, felt somewhat uncomfortable with some of Edward Teach's wicked practices, but in terms of strength, he was still far inferior to the other.
When unable to defeat someone, one could only try to reason with them.
"Hee hee hee," Edward Teach cackled, "These wretches understand nothing of the aesthetics of villainy. What's wrong with making them pay for this final lesson with their lives?"
"Sigh..." Receiving the expected answer, Silver Canopy felt little disappointment, merely letting out a soft sigh.
He had no relation to those tortured souls; speaking up even this much was already doing his utmost.
"Isn't garbage recycling good?"
...
The Light of Despair was Edward Teach's exclusive invention. By forcing a group of people to constantly experience various forms of pain and despair, he extracted a psionic-like substance named the Light of Despair using his unique Prison Suppression Art.
The black mist, fully named the "Humanity's Light of Despair," could increase the attack power of all strikes aimed at humans. As long as the target of the attack was of human origin, the mist's attack bonus would take effect.
In a sense, it was a weapon specifically for humans, highly specialized in internal strife.
Due to the overt and covert resistance from other council members, even someone as lawless as him only dared to use severe criminals from the Geocentric Grand Prison for his experiments.
...
"Who exactly is the person behind Liu Wu?" Seeing the conversation nearing its end, Silver Canopy brought up a new topic, attempting to detain Edward Teach for a while longer.
"Since when did such an unseen monster emerge in the Federation...?"
That purple power did not belong to any known Six-tier powerhouse on the Moon.
"Perhaps some fellow who's been hidden for years?" Edward Teach glanced towards the Universal Gravity Building.
Neither of them had the idea of attributing it to Mars's side, still believing that the power behind Liu Wu belonged to some hidden master trying to make a grand entrance.
The four known Six-tier monsters on Mars were far from as intrinsically powerful as this force.
To Edward Teach, this purple power was already almost what one would call "half-step Seven-tier."
Furthermore, he couldn't quite grasp what the person behind Liu Wu was trying to achieve, to actually allow a madman to cause such a commotion.
"I'm off." Edward Teach no longer paid attention to the farce on the Moon, instead leaping directly into the vast expanse of space, flying towards Mars.
The Federation would handle such troublesome matters itself; the Council also had its trump cards to deal with those who defied the rules.
...
"Liu Wu?" It was a full four hours later that Long Tianxiang's son, Long Chengwu, finally arrived, belatedly appearing at the Universal Gravity Building.
During those four hours, Liu Wu's "feat" had spread across the entire Moon via the internet, and his past grievances with Long Chengwu were all dug up by the gossiping netizens.
Emotionally speaking, online sentiment was almost unilaterally sympathetic towards Liu Wu.
Because what Long Chengwu had done was truly dishonorable.
Not only had he slept with the man's wife, but he also sent people to beat the aggrieved party's entire family half to death, then casually fabricated a few charges, sending Liu Wu himself into the hellish pit of the Geocentric Grand Prison.
But sympathy was one thing; almost no one approved of Liu Wu's actions. If he were to truly destroy the Universal Gravity Device, it would be the vital interests of the onlookers that would suffer! There was no way they could agree.
"Why haven't you brought your head to me?" Enemies meeting burned with extra hatred; Liu Wu flared with rage upon seeing the other.
If looks could kill, Long Chengwu would probably have been sliced in half, transforming "Dragon Chengwu" into "Dragon-Turned-to-Dust" by now.
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