Sundering Nature

The blazing sun was now covering the entire night sky. With the help of Sai Gao offering his blood, the vampiric soldiers were able to fight at their full capacity. Pan Junwei called onto the two other regiments to create a shift. However, the engagement seemed endless, giving the guardians no time to rest. Two guardians soon met their demise as they were smashed by a golden hammer. 

“Sir, I’m sorry.” Pan Junwei said after a long stare at the gate. He turned around, saluted the president, and took off his shoulder pads. 

“What are you up to?” The president frowned. 

“I’m sorry because I don’t want this anymore.” Pan Junwei said as she handed his shoulder pad to the president. 

“And I’m sorry because I stole something from you.” 

“What?” The president did not understand what Pan Junwei was getting at. 

“I went to A309 before I came here.” 

“A309… You went to the storage facility!” 

“I’ve brought them all here.” Pan Junwei grinned. 

“You’re crazy! There were two thousand nukes in there!” The president’s countenance went red with anger. 

“I know. I was just thinking that maybe what I had is not enough…” 

“What are you up to?” The president was flustered. 

“We won’t be able to hold for much longer. Even the soldiers are running out of ammo.” 

“I’ve seen Li Huaibei try to damage the structure, but he was only able to leave two marks on it. I don’t think that Li Yiming can do much more than that. Who knows how many more of those things are in there…” 

“You’re planning on going to the other side?” Bai Ze asked. 

“Yes, but I need your help. All the bombs I’ve managed to get my hands on should be enough to wipe them all out from the inside, but the blast might end up spreading to the outside as well…” 

“If it’s just defending against the shockwave, it’s not a problem, but that’s a one-way trip…” Bai Ze said. 

“That’s one way to deal with this,” Sai Gao said with his pale face. With how similar the gate resembled the Gate of Ghosts, it was possible to seal it with Shao Xian, but she was now far too weak as she had been singing a draining spell for hours already — it was only a matter of time before she would pass out from exhaustion.

“What if there’s another one?” The president was still unwilling to go with the plan. 

“The Southern Gate is known in legends as being the only major gate that connects the Heavens to our world. This should be irreplaceable,” Bai Ze said with a frown. 

“It’s fine. I’ve had enough of watching…” Pan Junwei interrupted. 

Li Yiming and Liu Meng are in the city, perhaps…” An officer interjected, having witnessed the couple’s power before. 

“They have their own fight…” Pan Junwei said and looked up at the sky. Just like Bai Ze and Sai Gao, he understood that the biggest burden of the battle rested on Li Yiming and Liu Meng, and they would need every bit of their strength to overcome it. 

“Even without this shoulder pad, I’m still a soldier. I have my responsibilities, and frankly, I prefer being a soldier much more than being a guardian.” Pan Junwei cracked a smile at the president. 

“Li Huaibei!” Pan Junwei suddenly jumped down from the rooftop and cried out. 

Li Huaibei turned around, only to see Pan Junwei trailed by Bai Ze and Sai Go, both in their true forms. 

“Send me in!” Pan Junwei yelled as he activated his jetpack at full throttle. 

“Heaven’s Strike!” Although Li Huaibei did not know what Pan Junwei was up to, he chose to put his full trust in him, shooting his sword toward the giant wooden gate and creating a temporary vacuum. 

Using the opportunity, Pan Junwei zoomed right into the gate as his jetpack burst. 

“Everybody retreat!” Bai Ze suddenly roared. Her orders, having been heard over the wireless communication many times before, was unquestionably obeyed by soldiers and guardians alike. At the same time, Sai Gao spat out an emerald breath that held most of the golden deities in place. 

“Set up your boundaries!” Bai Ze created a white barrier in front of the gate. Li Huaibei quickly did the same as he planted his sword into the ground. Sai Gao knelt down to the ground and slithered around the gate, creating a thick wall of earth around which there was a yellow glow. 

Boom! 

A low thud was heard. A shockwave came from the gate, destroying the wall Sai Gao had just erected and colliding against Li Huaibei’s barrier. 

Bai Ze let out another roar as the barrier she created broke as well, and her entire body glowed with a white light as she fought to contain the shockwave, while Li Huaibei picked up his sword and slashed back at the gate. 

As the shockwave gradually settled down, a giant crater was seen where the gate once stood.

“What was that?” Li Huaibei asked as he steadied his breathing. 

“About two thousand nukes…” Bai Ze shook her hair and brushed aside her loose hair. 

“All combat personnel, stay put and focus on recovering.” An order from the president himself was heard. 

“You can rest now. Your part is over.” All heads were turned toward the sky, staring at Liu Meng and Li Yiming, who appeared hand in hand. 

“Shao Xian can’t take it anymore…” Bai Ze turned back into her human form. 

As the sky cleared out, a small black orb came down from the Heavens. It fell slowly, like a feathery snowflake. 

“He’s here…” Fang Shui’er clasped her bow. As for Li Huaibei, he put down his sword and focused on recovering. 

“We can fly now…” Sai Gao levitated into the air. 

“I’ve miscalculated…” A sigh was heard. 

“Where are you going? He’s below us!” Bai Ze rolled her eyes and set her gaze on the shadow which appeared on the main street of the city. 

Sai Gao had barely flown into the air when he heard Bai Ze’s call. He looked down and saw Mr. Kong standing below, in his yellow dragon armor, sapphire boots, violet circlet, and jade belt. This was no longer the Mr. Kong that they once knew — he had the full appearance of a monkey. 

“Insects… and yet you possess such power..” Mr. Kong said as he raised his hand and sucked in a laser rifle from a soldier around him. 

Bang!

A massive hole was produced on the wall, and Mr. Kong threw the laser rifle away. 

“If we had those back in the days… I wouldn’t have needed to wait for so long…” Mr. Kong set his eyes on the missile launchers in the distance. 

Mr. Kong sighed again, and the heavy weaponry located through the city turned into shreds, like pieces of paper. 

“This is what you’re here for?” Li Yiming cast down his gaze at Mr. Kong. Li Yiming wanted to lure Mr. Kong outside of the city, as far away from the people as possible. Even he could not contain a fight against Mr. Kong inside his Boundary. 

Mr. Kong turned his head toward the television station instead and cracked a smile. “Shao Xian… You were a singer at a brothel ten lives ago… I’ve put that seal into your body and nurtured it for nine lifetimes, and you’re using it against me now…”

The words finally made Bai Ze understand why Shao Xian was the one chosen to sing the song at the fateful music festival. 

“Oh well, you’ve helped me take over the Heavens… I’ll forgive you for that…” 

“As for you…” Mr. Kong turned toward Li Yiming. “I’ve helped you become a god among men, and you dare go against my will. You’re nothing but a weapon!” 

“Even if you wear his armor and his crown, you’ll never be Wukong, and you know it, Mr. Kong…” Li Yiming replied. 

“You dare!” Mr. Kong suddenly leaped into the air and extended his furry hand toward Li Yiming.