Chapter Forty-Eight: The Twelve Outstanding Students and the Wall of Crystal! (End)

"My god... What... what is happening?"
At the entrance of the City of Technology, Le Han stood staring at the sky now transformed into a sea of blue light, his lips trembling, unable to utter a word.
Beside him, Nangong Yuchen was equally stunned. He had no idea why the once silent crystal suddenly burst into brilliance, and such dazzling brilliance at that!
A deep, resonant buzzing filled the air as they watched the blue waves of light spread across the summer-like sky. Suddenly, the giant crystalline tower erupted with a deafening siren, and following that sound came a blinding wave of crimson light.
It surged upward from the crystal, and upon reaching the hundred-meter-high summit, blossomed into a hemispheric red aura, instantly expanding to envelop the entire city of Summer.
In that moment, radiant blue and red lights alternated, forming a circular arc—a super shield of light—wrapping around the sky above Summer City and illuminating every corner below.
At the same time, all residents in every corner of the city looked up in unison at the blue-and-red dome that blotted out the sun and sky.
"What is this..." echoed in every heart.
"Le Han!"
"Nangong!"
"What on earth is happening?" The two glanced nervously at each other, utterly bewildered by the turn of events.
Just then, the buzzing siren morphed into a broadcast that thundered across the city:
"Western Gate of District E, large numbers of monsters detected! Mecha warriors, rush to assist!"
"Western Gate of District E, large numbers of monsters detected! All citizens, return home immediately!"
"Western Gate of District E, large numbers of monsters detected! Seal off all energy sources within the city!"
"Western Gate of District E, large numbers of monsters detected! Cease all activities within the city!"
...
The two trembled in unison upon hearing this!
A monster attack?
"How is this possible?" Nangong Yuchen couldn't believe his ears. Only two days had passed! Had the safety perimeter in Suyang City already been breached? Were the monster armies now inside Gravya?
Yet reality gave him no time to ponder. Behind them, from the deepest part of five towering buildings, the ground cracked open and a dozen helicopters rose into the sky. Dense ranks of soldiers in green uniforms marched forward, fully equipped.
Black, gleaming guns hung from their chests and shoulders as they rushed toward the gates of the City of Technology.
Alongside them came armored vehicles, energy cannons, ion reflectors, and other technological weapons that Nangong Yuchen had neither seen nor heard of before.
Thump, thump!
At that moment, Nangong Yuchen's heart quaked as violently as the ground beneath the City of Technology. He watched the helicopters flying overhead and the soldiers and cannons passing before him, sinking into deep shock.
The monster army was here?
But just then, from behind the soldiers, eleven youthful figures burst forth.
The eleven moved swiftly, covering the distance in mere seconds.
Le Han, hearing the commotion, turned to look—and froze as he caught sight of the eleven young figures. His pupils shrank into pinpoints as he exclaimed, "The Twelve Outstanding Students!"
"Nangong, look! All twelve of Star Academy's elite students have appeared together!"
"The Twelve Outstanding Students?" Nangong Yuchen snapped out of his daze at Le Han's excitement and followed his pointing finger.
There were six boys and five girls, brimming with pride, standing tall. Their upper bodies were clad in sky-blue uniforms—the exclusive attire of Star Academy's elite students—with blue crystal badges on their left chests. Youthful faces radiated confidence and solemnity as they hurried toward the entrance where Nangong Yuchen and Le Han stood.
As the distance closed, the eleven grew clearer in the stunned gaze of Nangong Yuchen and Le Han.
At their head was a tall, alluringly beautiful girl. Her deep purple hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her exquisite face was cold and distant, as if she kept all at arm's length.
Her slightly loose uniform and black skirt, fluttering as she ran, could not conceal her curvaceous figure. The only oddity was the pair of pale blue, knee-high folded boots on her feet.
Beside her was another girl, petite and delicate, running alongside but only reaching the purple-haired girl's shoulder—she looked every bit the child.
Yet her breast was beautifully shaped, hinting at maturity. Her black twin ponytails bounced as she ran, adding to her adorable charm, and her flawless, fair little face made her look like a sweet, innocent little sister.
Scanning further, Nangong Yuchen's body suddenly trembled when he saw the trio behind them—one boy, two girls. His dark eyes reddened instantly!
He knew them all well—Lu Shijie! Cheng Shiyu! Mu... Ningxue!
The leading boy was tall and upright, with slightly brown hair that lifted to reveal a handsome, fair face. His eyes were narrow and flashed coldly, but when he looked at the beautiful girl beside him, gentleness poured forth and a warm smile graced his lips as he held Mu Ningxue's delicate hand, hurrying forward.
"Lu Shijie!" At that moment, Nangong Yuchen's heart ached unbearably. His killing intent surged, and he forgot everything around him, trembling as he glared at Lu Shijie with murderous fury!
Tap, tap, tap!
Soon, the eleven stopped at the gate. As their eyes met, not only did Nangong Yuchen tremble, but the others were also startled.

"That look... what does it mean?"
"Heh!" Lu Shijie smiled faintly, holding the pale-faced Mu Ningxue as he stepped forward.
But the petite figure beside him moved faster, rushing up with gritted teeth. "Nangong Yuchen! I'll kill you!"
Cheng Shiyu, thinking of the rumors that had swept the academy last week, trembled with rage. Never mind the previous friction—even the community video alone was enough to make her want to tear Nangong Yuchen apart!
As one of Star Academy's most prominent elite students, and as a half-heiress of the Lu family in Summer City, to be linked with a lowly citizen in such a scandal—how could she bear it? Had the school not given her urgent tasks in the past days, she would have already confronted Nangong Yuchen. Now, meeting him at the City of Technology, she would not let him go!
With fury on her face, she launched a violent punch toward Nangong Yuchen.
"Cheng Shiyu!"
The purple-haired girl at the forefront spoke, her beautiful face icy as she rebuked, "Do you realize what time it is? If you intend to fight alongside Lu Shijie at the Crystal Wall, then hurry up and come with us!"
As she finished speaking, four helicopters descended slowly from the sky.
"But he—"
"No excuses! Everyone move immediately!" The purple-haired girl stepped forward and leapt directly into the helicopter five meters above.
The other seven elite students followed suit, each boarding their helicopter.
Now only Lu Shijie, Mu Ningxue, and the furious Cheng Shiyu remained on the ground.
"Enough, Shiyu!" Lu Shijie called out, holding Mu Ningxue as he approached, stopping Cheng Shiyu and then facing Nangong Yuchen's bloodshot gaze with a genial smile: "Nangong Yuchen, it's been a long time!"
His voice was exceedingly gentle, but his grip tightened slightly on Mu Ningxue's hand, as if silently declaring—she belonged to him.
Mu Ningxue's pale face looked even more fragile. Seeing Nangong Yuchen's red eyes, her heart felt torn and suffocated with pain.
She could only silently endure, crying in her heart: "Chen! I'm sorry!"
Nangong Yuchen said nothing, only stared at Lu Shijie with blood-red eyes.
As his gaze shifted to his beloved's pale face and lifeless eyes, his heart felt as if stabbed with a knife, suffocating.
At that moment, hatred filled his chest, making him want to roar at the heavens and tear his enemy apart!
But Lu Shijie's next words utterly ignited the hatred and murderous urge swelling in his mind:
"We had intended to invite you to the wedding between Ningxue and me last Saturday, but the invitation never reached you—sorry about that. When we get married in the future, I'll be sure to personally invite you!"
The moment those words fell, Nangong Yuchen's whole body shook violently. His handsome, wheat-colored face twisted with bulging veins and murderous rage, as he screamed hysterically, "Lu Shijie! One day, I will kill you!"
"With your worthless life, you dare say that?" Cheng Shiyu, already furious, now roared, "Cousin, step aside—let me kill him!"
Lu Shijie's warm smile stiffened, especially as Mu Ningxue's trembling hand in his palm made him furious. His narrow eyes flashed coldly as he said, "I remember you have a beautiful sister, don't you?"
"Enough, Lu Shijie, Mu Ningxue, Cheng Shiyu—I don't want to witness your vendetta here. You have ten seconds to get in the helicopter, or else..."
As she spoke, the purple-haired girl inside the helicopter activated her ring. Pale blue crystal shards surged forth, gathering and entwining in her right hand, finally forming a cold, pale blue longsword.
With a sweep of her arm, a five-meter-long slash of pale blue sword light, biting cold, struck forth.
Lu Shijie quickly dodged with the two girls, staring at the half-meter-deep sword mark on the ground with a darkened expression.
The immense sound startled the surrounding soldiers and Le Han, and all eyes converged on the purple-haired girl and Lu Shijie.
"Shangguan Youran!"
"Nine, eight, seven..."
"If you're going to fight, don't forget about Lingling!" The little sister beside the purple-haired girl licked her lips, mischievous and dark.
Listening to the icy countdown, Lu Shijie's eyes flashed coldly. He gritted his teeth, then boarded the helicopter with Mu Ningxue and Cheng Shiyu.
"Depart! Western Gate, District E!"
The four helicopters rose into the air and soon disappeared into the blue-and-red world, while the soldiers pressed forward...
Over Summer City, the alternating blue-and-red shield remained, powered by the giant crystal of the City of Technology, forming a defensive barrier like an energy field, protecting all within.
Nangong Yuchen still stood quietly at the entrance, gazing at the disappearing helicopters, his killing intent raging, and hatred suffocating him so much that his fingernails pierced his palms, blood dripping onto the black floor below.
But he seemed numb, immersed in the world of murderous thoughts in his heart.
"Lu Shijie! The Lu family! One day, I... I will kill you all!"
At this moment, Nangong Yuchen's hatred was on the verge of erupting. If not for the reason that his parents and elder sister Kexin kept shouting in his mind, he would have rushed forward to fight Lu Shijie just now.
He might have been easily defeated, but every second his beloved was in the hands of his enemy was an unbearable torment!
"Nangong..."
Le Han, seeing Nangong Yuchen's terrifying expression, felt deeply distressed and didn't know how to comfort him.

Fortunately, at that moment, Le Tian came out, accompanied by his Tier One warrior friend.
"Father!" Le Han called quickly as he approached.
Le Tian waved his hand and walked up to Nangong Yuchen, patting his shoulder without saying much.
He and his friend had already come out earlier, but the soldiers were passing through, so they waited until they had gone before approaching.
"Brother Le, you'd best hurry home. I've received the order to assemble at the Western Gate of District E, so I must go!" said the bespectacled middle-aged man.
"All right, Brother Han, be careful!"
Han nodded and walked toward the gate, but as he passed Nangong Yuchen, he paused and said gravely, "Kid, hurry home. Sorrow and pain solve nothing. With monsters attacking, Summer City will know peace no more—go home, spend time with your family, don't let those who care for you worry!"
His words struck Nangong Yuchen's heart hard.
Those who wait, those who care! In a flash, he thought of his sister, Nangong Kexin!
"Kexin!" Whispering her name, a tear slipped from Nangong Yuchen's bloodshot eyes.
Yes! At a time like this, the city outside must be in chaos. Where was Kexin? At school? At home?
Was she afraid?
For half a year, she had lived alone, going to school, returning home, staying in that empty apartment—did she often miss their parents and him?
Thinking of this, Nangong Yuchen's heart trembled violently. He took several deep breaths to suppress his emotions, then raised his head, regained composure, and called after the departing Han, "Sir, will Summer City triumph in this monster attack?"
"We will!" Han crossed the energy barrier of the City of Technology and vanished, but his unwavering voice lingered:
"We certainly will! Even if this is the true monster army, we will prevail!"
"Let's hurry home!" Le Tian led them outside.
"Uncle Le, your friend mentioned the true monster army—what does that mean? Could it be..." On the road, Nangong Yuchen was anxious about this matter. If monsters breached the crystal wall, Summer City would become a wasteland.
He had to know.
"Enough, you needn't worry. This attack is just from the monsters outside the city, not the real monster army. The safety perimeter at Suyang hasn't been breached, so the monster army can't enter Gravya!"
Relieved by the explanation, Nangong Yuchen finally relaxed.
Soon, the three crossed the energy barrier and entered District A of Summer City. But upon seeing the outside world, they were stunned!
What kind of world was this? It was just past eighteen o'clock—normally, the sun, sky, and clouds would be visible. But now...
Summer City no longer had a sky. The red-and-blue hemispheric shield covered the whole city, and their eyes saw nothing but red and blue.
"This is our true crystal wall!"
On the Star Academy's field, Mo Liwei was conducting a physical training class with the freshmen of Class 12 when the sudden upheaval left everyone frozen in place, well past dismissal.
"This is our true crystal wall! The blue you usually see is not the real sky! The crystal wall covers all of Summer City—not just the wall beyond District E, but the shield above our heads!"
Upon hearing this, the students of Class 12 shuddered, gazing in shock at the dome that obscured the sky. So the sky was never truly the sky!
Buzz, buzz!
Just then, helicopters from the City of Technology flew over Star Academy, heading from District A toward District B.
"Mecha warriors!"
Seeing the helicopters, the students' hearts echoed with these words.
Mo Liwei spoke again: "Inside these helicopters are the Twelve Outstanding Students of Star Academy! They are your age, yet already enter the battlefield, step onto the crystal wall, lead soldiers and fight monsters, guarding the city, feeling the sky beyond, and the land outside!"
"Do you truly wish to become mecha warriors, to fight for humanity, the city, the land?"
"Yes!" The dozens of students answered decisively.
Hearing their earnest, youthful voices, Mo Liwei's eyes burned with passion as he called out: "Then remember always the dreams in your heart, remember your yearning to step beyond the crystal wall, the great dream of all Gravya's people!"
"Because from today, the era of peace after the First World War ends, and disaster has arrived!"
————
PS: The 'Disaster' arc—within the prison-like crystal wall lies a burning heart yearning for the sky.
It ends here.
One hundred twenty thousand words, as expected. This arc simply described Nangong Yuchen, the city, and humanity's mecha. As the synopsis says, a world longing for peace, a legend of seven races and seven islands—a different era, the same Earth, and the seven islands. Next, you will gradually enter this new world, and I hope you continue to support it.
The next arc: 'Awakening'!