121: Breaking through barriers and burning nuclear cores in the final battle, the blood of comrades illuminates the way home.

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Four: The Final Battle to Break Barriers and Burn the Core, Comrades' Hot Blood Lights the Way Home

The golden shield of the Northern Border was still flickering, but Lin Zhou had already boarded a transport plane bound for the Amazon.

News came from the Research Center: Purifying Demon-Breaking Bullets have been mass-produced, but the energy frequency of the Hell Envoys is still continuously mutating, and the shield can only hold for seven more days at most; meanwhile, the abyss core in the Amazon is expanding spatial rifts at a rate of 30% per hour. In three days, a demon legion large enough to submerge half of South America will descend.

“The Northern Border is in your hands,” Lin Zhou said deeply to Chen Hao over the communicator. “Use the Purifying Demon-Breaking Bullets to hold the line. Once I destroy the abyss core on my end, all Hell Envoys will lose their energy supply. That’s when you should launch a full-scale counterattack.”

“Don't worry!” Chen Hao's voice carried a metallic firmness. “I've already had the survivors of the Bear Country form a ‘Vengeance Squad.’ They are familiar with the terrain of Siberia and will help us distract the demons. On your end... you must come back alive.”

As the transport plane crossed the clouds, Lin Zhou received an encrypted communication from the Amazon stay-behind squad—the squad had reached the meteorite's core area but was blocked by a ‘Dark Matter Space Barrier.’ The barrier was composed of countless flowing dark purple runes, capable of swallowing all energy attacks; even the Star Core Interference Cannon couldn't budge it in the slightest.

“Does Professor Ivanov have any clues?” Lin Zhou asked.

The Old Professor's raspy voice came through the communicator: “I remember now! The runes inside the meteorite are very similar to the ‘Antimatter Inscriptions’ found in the ancient ruins of the Bear Country! Their energy flow follows a fixed pattern, like a keyhole—you must use ‘Synchronized Frequency Purifying Energy’ and inject it along the path of the runes to open the barrier!”

Lin Zhou immediately ordered: “Research team, immediately analyze the rune images sent back by the squad and calculate the synchronization frequency! Stay-behind squad, use the Star Core Interference Cannon to create an energy gap and buy us some time!”

By the time the transport plane landed at the temporary rainforest base, the synchronization frequency calculation was complete. Lin Zhou took the portable launcher for the Purifying Demon-Breaking Bullets, met up with the squad, and headed toward the meteorite core.

The mist deep in the rainforest was thicker than before, and dark purple light pierced through the leaves, casting a macabre glow on the ground. The mutated creatures along the way had been completely taken over by the Hell Envoys; they lunged like the walking dead, only to be burned to ashes by the purifying energy devices carried by Lin Zhou and his team as they drew near.

“The core area is just ahead!” The scout suddenly stopped.

In the clearing ahead, a massive meteorite was half-buried in the soil, its surface covered with writhing dark purple veins. At the center of the meteorite, a two-meter-wide spatial rift was constantly spewing dark purple energy, and surrounding the rift was that flowing space barrier. Standing outside the barrier were three Hell Envoys—one of whom was exceptionally tall, its body wreathed in black flames, holding a Dark Crystal Scepter topped with a dark purple crystal of the same origin as the abyss core.

“It's the Demon Leader!” Professor Ivanov's voice trembled. “Its energy intensity is ten times that of a normal Hell Envoy!”

The Demon Leader seemed to have sensed their arrival long ago. Its crimson vertical pupils locked onto Lin Zhou, and its raspy voice echoed directly in his mind: “Humans, do you think you can disrupt the great Abyss Project? Today, this place shall be your grave!”

It raised the Dark Crystal Scepter, and three dark purple energy blades shot toward the group. Lin Zhou was well-prepared; he pressed the switch on the purifying energy device, and a golden light screen instantly unfolded. The energy blades slammed into the screen and were instantly decomposed into nothingness.

“Now's the time!” Lin Zhou roared. “Follow the plan and break through the barrier!”

The squad members fired simultaneously. The blue energy beam from the Star Core Interference Cannon struck the space barrier, creating a brief energy gap. Two Genetic-enhanced Soldiers, wielding purifying daggers, leaped forward and injected purifying energy into the gap along the rune paths. The runes on the barrier instantly became chaotic, and a one-meter-wide passage suddenly appeared.

“I'll go destroy the core!” Lin Zhou grabbed the portable launcher and charged toward the passage.

The Demon Leader let out a roar as black flames surged around it, turning it into a black shadow that lunged at Lin Zhou. A Bone Sword, carrying the scent of destruction, slashed violently toward Lin Zhou's back.

“Commander, watch out!” A soldier lunged forward, using his body to block the Bone Sword.

“Puchi—”

The Purifying Energy Protective Gear was instantly pierced. The soldier's body twisted and dissolved in the black flames. He gave Lin Zhou one last look, a faint smile appearing on his lips: “Protect... Earth...”

Lin Zhou's eyes turned red instantly. He didn't look back, taking advantage of the moment the Demon Leader retracted its Bone Sword to rush into the space barrier.

The abyss core at the center of the meteorite was a fist-sized dark purple crystal, suspended beneath the spatial rift, constantly emitting powerful energy. Lin Zhou raised the portable launcher, aimed at the core, and pressed the fire button.

“Boom—!”

The Purifying Demon-Breaking Bullet, trailing golden flames, accurately struck the abyss core. The crystal instantly exploded, and golden purifying energy spread like a tide. The spatial rift began to contract violently, the dark purple energy dissipated continuously, and the surrounding meteorite veins began to wither and snap.

The Hell Envoys outside the barrier let out shrill roars as their bodies began to crumble inch by inch under the impact of the purifying energy. A flash of fear appeared in the Demon Leader's eyes; it tried to escape through the spatial rift but was swallowed by the contracting rift. With a final desperate roar, it vanished completely.

The space barrier collapsed with the destruction of the core. The dark purple mist receded like a tide, and sunlight once again pierced through the rainforest, shining upon the ravaged land.

Lin Zhou slumped onto the ground, looking at the remains of his soldier, tears finally sliding down uncontrollably. Just then, Chen Hao's excited voice came through the communicator: “Commander! We did it! All Hell Envoys in the Northern Border have lost their energy supply and are disintegrating! We've won!”

Lin Zhou didn't respond. He slowly stood up and gave a solemn military salute to the fallen soldiers.

As they walked out of the rainforest, battle reports from all over the world poured in: the Hell Envoys in the Amazon had been entirely wiped out, and the spatial rift was completely closed; the demon legion in the Northern Border had collapsed, and troops from China and the Bear Country were clearing the battlefield; the remaining Hell Envoys in the Americas and Europe had also lost their combat capability under the influence of the purifying energy.

Humanity had finally won this war against the Abyss Demonic Realm.

A month later, a grand memorial service was held at the East Sea Barrier Base. Lin Zhou stood before the memorial monument, looking at the densely packed names on it, his heart filled with a mix of emotions. Humanity had paid a tragic price for this war, but it had also forged an unprecedented strength.

Chen Hao walked to Lin Zhou's side and handed him a report: “Commander, the research team has used purifying energy technology to develop Mutated Creature Purification Devices. Global mutation phenomena are gradually receding. The Bear Country has also signed a permanent alliance treaty with us. The future of humanity is full of hope.”

Lin Zhou nodded and looked at the distant sky. The sun was bright and the breeze was gentle; there was no more dark purple mist, and no more demonic roars.

He knew the shadow of the apocalypse might not have completely vanished, but as long as humanity remained united, using technology to guard their home and hot blood to defend hope, they would surely continue to write their own legend on this land.

“It’s all over,” Lin Zhou said softly.

And on the distant sea surface, a fishing boat was sailing. The fishermen cast their nets, long-absent smiles appearing on their faces.

Peace had finally returned.