Chapter 13: For Our Lord, Reclaim the God-Given City

Time rewound by an hour.

Just as the sky-ground fighter jet had taken off.

On the main road leading from the God-Given City to the Old Mountain Range, hundreds of city guards were struggling step by step through the snow.

"Quick, speed up! This mission is extremely important. It's an order directly from the Speaker, and all the council members are watching. Anyone who dares to cause trouble, don’t blame me if I make sure they can never cause any trouble again."

The squad leader, who was in charge of commanding a dozen city guards, urged them with a fierce tone.

There were several such squad leaders, all using various methods to push their subordinates to hurry.

Since the mission was suddenly assigned, many of the city guards didn’t even have adequate clothing. The coal stoves issued to them were so scarce that three people had to share one.

So they had to take turns hugging it to warm up.

It was supposed to be one stove per person, but they soon realized only a third of the number had been delivered. As for where the missing two-thirds had gone—well, it was obvious: they had ended up in the hands of the regiment leader, who had pocketed them. The city guards grumbled quietly, but dared not voice their anger. It was better to save their energy for the journey. After all, if they got separated in this white hell, they would be dead for sure.

At the very front of the city guards’ ranks, several hunting dogs pulled sleds over the snow, where the highest-ranking officer of these hundreds of city guards was positioned.

The commander of the 3rd Regiment of the City Guard, wrapped in a thick woolen blanket, with several coal stoves stuffed under the blanket, quietly lamented to himself, "I must be too kind-hearted."

The coal stoves issued from above—he hadn’t kept any for himself, and had handed them all out to the others.
Of course, it wasn't that he didn't want to take a little for himself; it was just that this mission was too special, with so many eyes on them from top to bottom. If these guys didn’t have their stoves, they'd all freeze to death in the white hell halfway through the journey. Forget about him being left in charge with no support—just the noble lords in the council, waiting for news from the Old Mountain Range, wouldn’t let him off the hook.

As for why the stoves were supposed to be distributed one per person but only a third of them made it to his hands... well, wasn’t it obvious? The councilors had to take their cut, and the logistics officers had theirs too. Getting one-third of the original number to his hands was already lucky. This time, he really didn’t take any for himself.

After a day of trudging, the hundreds of city guards finally saw the shadow of the Old Mountain Range. If all went as expected, they’d find a place to rest tonight, and after half a day of travel tomorrow, they’d reach their destination.

Of course, because the Dyson Sphere blocked the sunlight, there was no distinction between day and night once they left the borders of the God-Given City. Everywhere was night.

But the people from the God-Given City had long adjusted to a stable biological clock. Even though they were leaving the city, they still needed to rest.

Moreover, since the distance to the city wasn’t far, the light pillar from the direction of the city was no longer visible in the sky, but it was still possible to make out the general area.

This signaled that it was time to rest for the night.

And the resting place was a cave on a mountain called "Midway Mountain," not far away.

As the name suggested, Midway Mountain was halfway to the Old Mountain Range. Countless people who had journeyed to the Old Mountain Range to collect parts had rested here. The cave was relatively warm and provided shelter from the cold, making it an excellent place to spend the night.

"We’ve reached Midway Mountain, brothers, hang in there a little longer! Once we’re there, we can rest," the squad leader urged.
The city guards, cold and exhausted, saw that rest was just ahead, and immediately quickened their pace toward Midway Mountain.

At that very moment, from the direction of the Old Mountain Range, a massive roaring sound echoed, and a shadow, resembling a giant mechanical bird, shot into the sky at an incredible speed.

The fiery tail left a bright streak in the dark sky, causing a stir among the city guards. Even the dogs pulling the sled behind the regiment leader started barking excitedly.

"What’s happening? What’s that thing in the sky?"

"Who knows what that is? Could it be a mechanical demon?"

"Has the mechanical demon found us?"

"Is it really a mechanical demon? What should we do? Should we run?"

"Where would we run to? Even if we go back, will the noble lords in the council let us off?"

Confused voices echoed through the ranks of the city guards as they stared at the shadow shooting upwards, their expressions a mix of fear and uncertainty.

"No one stops! Keep moving forward!"

For the first time, the regiment leader, sitting on the sled, shouted sternly.

Though he too was terrified of the unknown object in the sky, he knew all too well that if he dared to retreat, there would be no good outcome. Despite his high position as the commander in front of the regular soldiers, to the nobles who controlled the God-Given Mecha, he was nothing more than a dog.

So, gritting his teeth, he forced himself to lead the troops forward.

Under the pressure of their leader, the city guards had no choice but to continue moving.

Meanwhile, unseen by them, atop the peak of Midway Mountain, six mechanical sentinels of various forms—some with four legs, others with different shapes—stood silently, observing the scene.
Each mechanical sentinel carried a figure on its back, climbing the mountain as if walking on flat ground, effortlessly reaching the peak.

The six figures on the mechanical sentinels looked down from their elevated positions, observing the hundreds of city guards below.

These six figures were, of course, the young Lance, the young Mali, Uncle Simon, as well as Leonard, Duan, and Ul—the six Rheins.

At this moment, they also noticed the shadow of the sky-ground fighter jet soaring into the sky behind them.

They all lowered their heads in salute to show their respect.

"The great Lord of the Old Days has returned to His celestial palace. He is watching us. Let us set out—For our Lord, reclaim the land He has bestowed upon us."

Leonard turned his gaze forward, to the God-Given City, which appeared sacred and magnificent under a beam of sunlight from the heavens. He declared loudly.

"For our Lord, reclaim the God-Given City."

The others followed suit, shouting in unison.

Whether it was Duan or Ul, their eyes were shining with excitement and determination.

Even young Lance, young Mali, and Uncle Simon, who had been through a series of extraordinary events, were now equally thrilled.

They had been granted the power to control mechanical demons by the great Ruler of the Old Days.

Each of them now possessed a mechanical demon, one that obeyed their every command and could be perfectly controlled by them.

What a glory, what a greatness this was!

It was just like the ancestors of those nobles who controlled the God-Given Mecha in the legendary tales. Now, they too had become part of the legend, and they would create a new one. Yes, they had finally learned the true name of the Ruler of the Old Days, a name known only to a very few, even among the nobles, and carefully concealed.

The six of them, riding the mechanical demons, charged down toward the hundreds of city guards below.他们六人骑着机械恶魔，向下方数百名城卫冲去。

This would be their first battle to win glory for their Lord