Countless white clouds drifted in the sky, buffeted by the fierce winds. The air at such high altitudes was bitingly cold, prompting everyone to don thick cotton clothes and huddle inside tents, stoking fires for warmth. The fuel they used was a solid-state substance that left minimal traces.
Shen Feng, aloft in the sky, had Lin Yue and Lu Kaiyang continuously monitor the situation below. Lin Yue, with his acute hearing, and Lu Kaiyang, with his constant electromagnetic scanning of the ground, could detect any unusual movements from those below and react accordingly.
"I see many people scattering in all directions, searching for traces of sea beasts, not even sparing the areas beneath the ice. Should we continue to observe?" Mu Ying approached Shen Feng and asked.
Initially, Shen Feng had been reluctant to have Mu Ying join the battlefield. As the strongest individual at the Dabieshan base, his demise would spell ruin for all his subordinates.
However, Mu Ying believed herself to be a supreme power in the current northern landscape. With the world plunged into a great ice age, the land was frozen over. Even Siberia was covered in thick ice and vast expanses of earth. In such an environment, her abilities could be fully utilized, proving invaluable in subsequent battles. Thus, she had followed.
Shen Feng couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you concerned about your son? He's still young. If anything were to happen to you, he would have no hope of survival!"
"Isn't that what you're here for? As long as you are alive, I believe he will be safe!" Mu Ying replied.
Shen Feng felt a pang of helplessness upon hearing this. "In that case, you must prioritize your own safety in the upcoming battles and ensure you return. For now, we will continue to observe. I will not engage until the final moment, for those who enter last are always the victors!"
The group drifted through the sky, subsisting on the dried rations they had brought. Fortunately, their numbers were small, totaling just over eighty individuals. This small group could carry enough provisions to sustain them for a considerable time. They were aware of the various ships in the Arctic Ocean, observing numerous icebreaker vessels actively attempting to breach the thick ice. To break through, they had to rely on the impact force of the icebreakers or charge directly onto the ice, using their weight to crush the surrounding ice blocks.
This time, Shen Feng had brought sufficient strength. Many of his old subordinates were present among the clouds, ready to unleash their formidable power in the most crucial of battles.
Initially, many other ability users had wished to align themselves with Shen Feng. However, Shen Feng dared not bring them along. Even if they were to remain in Yuzhou, he wouldn't allow them to simply head into battle. He couldn't guarantee their sincerity in joining him, and a betrayal at a critical juncture would result in devastating losses. Therefore, he had not brought anyone he couldn't trust.
As Shen Feng and his group floated in the sky, a large contingent of people suddenly appeared from the direction of Siberia. Upon closer inspection, they were soldiers and a number of ability users. These soldiers were fully armed, and their leaders were ability users, all hailing from China.
It turned out that He Qiuan, Qu Laizhe, and others were aware of their own meager strength, even inferior to Shen Feng's. Thus, they had joined forces and brought a large number of soldiers to this location, willing to expend their last remaining forces for the final battle rather than allow the meteorite to be snatched away in vain.
Consequently, China's strength had been divided into two factions. One group was aligned with Shen Feng, with the primary objective of successfully seizing the meteorite and launching it into the sky, thereby ending the chaotic era. However, another faction disagreed with this viewpoint, aiming to capture the meteorite for their own use, striving for faster and more advanced technology in the future.
Upon hearing this, Shen Feng sighed. "I hadn't expected these people to become our adversaries. However, I will show no mercy. No matter how many people appear here, I will deal with them!"
However, the moment the Chinese ability users appeared, they were immediately ostracized by other factions. This was because, a month prior, the ability users in these regions had already been working diligently to seize the meteorite. They had relied on their own strength and various advanced weapons, polluting a vast area of the ocean, which had led to the sea beasts migrating to the Arctic Ocean. Now, some wished to appear and reap the rewards, a prospect they could not accept.
Yet, He Qiuan had a way to resolve this. Facing the ostracism, he heeded the advice of Chen Yide, who was by his side. The simplest way to gain acceptance from others was to establish a common enemy. This would naturally unite everyone against a formidable foe, so he intended to proceed with this plan.
He Qiuan then addressed the other factions, saying, "You perceive me as a threat, which is why you are all ostracizing us. But I want to tell you something: without your knowledge, Shen Feng had already arrived in the Arctic Ocean long ago. The reason he is here is to seize the meteorite, but you simply haven't discovered it. I can tell you directly that he now commands a large number of ability users, over a hundred under his command, and the exact number he brought with him is unknown!"
Initially, these individuals had acted together to prevent others from entering the fray, thereby blocking He Qiuan's participation. However, upon receiving this news, they were instantly shocked. They hadn't expected Shen Feng to have arrived in the Arctic Ocean so long ago, and why had they received no information?
"Where is Shen Feng? Speak quickly!" The factions that had arrived earlier began demanding this crucial information. Shen Feng's power was already known to many. It was rumored that he was now the only ninth-tier ability user on Earth. If this individual were to appear, he could not be underestimated. He was already extremely cunning, lurking in the shadows, awaiting his opportunity to strike.
Thus, everyone felt as if they were being targeted by a venomous snake, and this snake was none other than Shen Feng. His current inaction did not mean he wouldn't act; he was merely waiting for the right moment. When the time was opportune, he would undoubtedly make his move. It was possible that their own forces would be exhausted, perhaps even suffering casualties from battling the sea beasts. Shen Feng, however, would be well-rested. Once he entered the fray, he would surely secure victory. Such a dangerous individual could not be ignored.
However, while the others were preoccupied with their concerns about Shen Feng, He Qiuan put forth his conditions. "Your sharing of this information is acceptable, but I have one request: you are no longer to ostracize us arbitrarily. We also need to receive certain information. The meteorite has no owner, so whoever seizes it will possess it!"
The other factions nodded in agreement after hearing this. Discussing the ownership of the meteorite at this juncture seemed utterly absurd. In the end, whoever managed to seize it would possess it, and anything else said before that was meaningless.
Thus, they all stated, "It's simple. We will share our information with you from now on. But tell us now, where is Shen Feng?!"
He Qiuan did not conceal the truth. "In fact, he is right before your eyes, yet far away. You have been searching for him but cannot find him because he is not on the ground or at sea. He is currently drifting in the sky. Therefore, no matter where he goes, he can ride the wind and clouds directly into the sky!"
Upon hearing this, the others looked up at the sky, trying to spot the clouds. However, they could only see a vast expanse of clouds, unable to discern which cloud harbored someone. This was unavoidable, as most ability users could not fly. A few could fly, but not very high, as flying too high consumed a great deal of stamina. In the end, they remained skeptical of this information, but at least they knew Shen Feng's general whereabouts and could prepare accordingly.
Thus, by betraying Shen Feng's location, He Qiuan successfully led his subordinates into the Arctic Ocean. Most of his people were stationed on the shore, ready for support. This was because these soldiers might not be able to exert their full combat effectiveness fighting at sea, but arrayed in formation on land, they were more suitable. He Qiuan and his group, however, personally boarded small boats with their ability users and ventured into the Arctic Ocean.
Initially, humanity held the upper hand, possessing an overwhelming advantage over the sea beasts. The plan was to drive these sea beasts into a confined space, where they could be annihilated using the terrain. However, upon learning that Shen Feng was drifting in the sky, they immediately became hesitant to commit fully. They feared that if they were locked in a fierce battle with the sea beasts, Shen Feng would descend from the sky and harvest the spoils.
Consequently, in their daily pursuit of sea beasts, the ability users focused on driving them away, ideally coaxing the sea beasts to willingly surrender the meteorite. This way, the war between humans and sea beasts could be avoided. However, the sea beasts seemed resolute in guarding the meteorite and refused to yield, continuing to move.
Then, Gong Changfa found He Qiuan and said, "You've gone too far. How could you betray your own brother? Do you need to sell out others' information to achieve your goals? If Shen Feng seizes the meteorite, it means China obtains the meteorite. But now, with your actions, Shen Feng will be wary, and his chances of success will decrease!"