Chapter One: The World Beyond

Calamity · Chapter

Within the crystalline walls, like a prison, burn hearts yearning toward the sky.

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In the evening, the setting sun’s afterglow bathed the world in a layer of orange-red. Soft rays filtered through stacked crimson clouds—like beams of hope piercing the heavens—spilling down upon the dense throngs of residents below.

Among the crowd, most were women, elders, and children. They lined both sides of the road, craning their necks with anticipation to gaze at the titanic, ten-meter-high iron city gate ahead.

Behind the mass of townsfolk stood dozens of young men and women in matching uniforms. Their expressions were entirely different from those of the residents—faces frozen in awe, murmuring in amazement.

“…Tell me, Teacher Mo Li, is this really the crystalline wall of our Ruxia City? It’s so tall and imposing!”

On both sides and above the great city gate, blue crystalline walls—over twenty meters high and broad—glimmered in the sunlight, reflecting myriad sparkles.

Though several dozen meters still separated them from the crystalline barrier, the immensity of it made them feel utterly insignificant.

“Yes, this is the crystalline wall our city takes such pride in!” At the front of the group stood a one-armed man in his forties. He kept his only hand tucked behind his back and stared at the towering wall, momentarily lost in thought, then continued, “It shields all of Ruxia like a guardian, protecting us always!”

Hearing this, the students, glimpsing the crystalline wall for the first time, could not help but exclaim their admiration.

“Amazing! It truly deserves its reputation for holding back the demon armies!”

Mo Li Wei turned back and saw the joy and longing on the young faces behind him. Then, glancing at the rows of hopeful townsfolk, a complex look stole across his handsome features as he murmured, “But is it really so?”

Suddenly, the ten-meter-high iron gate ahead rumbled and began to open, splitting apart with a metallic groan.

Hearing the commotion, the students fell silent and turned their eyes to the gate.

Because of its immense weight, the gate opened slowly. After more than ten seconds, a girl of about sixteen or seventeen was the first to appear.

She had fine, jet-black hair draped loosely over her shoulders, beauty both gentle and graceful. Her classic oval face was as exquisite as a character from a painting. Yet her features now bore a trace of sorrow, and her green military uniform was stained with dried blood, as though she had just survived a bloody battle. Bathed in the last light of sunset, she stepped inside, her back to the world beyond.

Behind her marched a hundred fully armed soldiers, black firearms slung across their chests, entering in perfect step, followed by a dozen armored vehicles.

“Our army has returned!”

“And the top student from the Star Academy—she leads them home victorious!”

Cries of jubilation rose from both sides of the road. The urgency in the townsfolk’s faces was palpable; if not for the lines of soldiers keeping order, they would surely have surged forward in a wave.

“Look, it’s Mu Ningxue! She’s come back from the outside world!”

“She’s truly worthy of being Star Academy’s top student! She’s our age, yet leads armies and battles the demon beasts!”

“Yes, and she’s the eldest daughter of the Mu family!”

Meanwhile, the dozens of students were calling out, excitement and awe in their voices.

Once the troops had all entered, the massive iron gate behind them closed tightly once more. Only then did the soldiers guarding the road step aside, making way.

“Mom, I see Dad—he’s back safe!”

“Uncle, over here!”

“Xi’er, I’m home!”

“Where’s Dad? Why isn’t he here?”

Soon, families found their returning husbands, lovers, and kin—embracing each other tightly. Many women, leading small children by the hand, searched the crowd in vain for a familiar figure; disappointment filled their eyes, for the person dearest to them would never return.

Laughter and weeping mingled in the air. The soldiers stood silent, their hearts gladdened for those who came home alive, yet mourning those who would never return.

Mu Ningxue halted. Her already sorrowful face crumpled further at the moving scene behind her. Were it not for Mo Li Wei and the students awaiting her, she might have broken down then and there. For she, too, was missing the most precious person in her life.

As for the young students, their excitement faded into silence. The sound of weeping in their ears weighed heavily on their hearts. Yet still, their eyes blazed as they watched the girl ahead.

As Mu Ningxue approached, a chubby boy in the last row tugged anxiously at the sleeve of a black-haired boy with his head bowed.

“Nangong, look! Mu Ningxue is back safe!”

But the tousle-haired boy did not respond, his face hidden.

The chubby boy grew frustrated. “Nangong Yuchen, weren’t you friends with Mu Ningxue? You worried about her the whole time she was gone—now that she’s back, why don’t you go say hello?”

“Friends?” At last, Nangong Yuchen lifted his head, revealing a tanned and handsome face. But at the sight of the girl, his body shuddered and he looked away, pain etched in his features.

At the front, Mo Li Wei greeted the approaching girl with a smile. “Welcome home, Mu Ningxue.”

“Thank you, Teacher Mo Li,” Mu Ningxue replied with a downcast voice. “It’s late—I won’t return to the academy tonight. Please thank the principal for me, and thank the academy for sending troops to help me search for my mother.”

At the mention of her mother, Mu Ningxue’s face turned even paler, her autumn-water eyes reddening with grief.

“The academy was only doing its duty. Your mother was a comrade-in-arms to both me and the principal. You needn’t thank us.”

After a few more words, Mu Ningxue took her leave and got into a waiting black limousine. As she entered, she turned to glance back at the students—her red-rimmed eyes full of longing and vulnerability, as if silently confessing her sorrows.

“Nangong, Mu Ningxue is looking at you! Hold your head up!” The chubby boy, growing desperate as Mu Ningxue was about to leave, cupped Nangong Yuchen’s face in both hands.

But it was too late. When Nangong Yuchen looked up again, all he saw was the back of the departing car.

The chubby boy opened his mouth to say something, but upon seeing the desolation in Nangong Yuchen’s gaze, closed it in resignation.

Twenty minutes later, the soldiers and townsfolk had dispersed, leaving only Mo Li Wei and the students.

After a while, their heavy moods lifted a little. Hopeful voices broke the silence:

“If only there were no demon beasts in this world!”

Some thought of their own dreams, gazing up at the towering crystalline wall, both wistful and disheartened.

“When will we become mecha warriors? When can we see the skies and lands beyond?”

“I wish that one day I could be like the Star Academy’s top student—leading an army to protect our city!”

“I’ve heard there are many beautiful cities in the human territories—do they have crystalline walls like ours?”

“How I wish I could see the world outside these walls!”

Listening to their classmates dream aloud, Nangong Yuchen, too, felt a longing for the outside world stir within him. He raised his anguished face to the blue sky and sighed inwardly, “The world outside…”

For them, the crystalline wall kept them safe, yet also blocked out the sky beyond.

There was no other choice. This world was not inhabited by humans alone—the demon beasts were massive, savage, and fed on human flesh. To survive, mankind could only build crystalline walls, like cages, to ward off the relentless assaults of the demon armies.

To go outside, one had to become at least a first-rank mecha warrior or join the military. The former seemed impossibly distant, the latter required them to be at least eighteen.

Moreover, Ruxia City had strict laws—non-military personnel and non-mecha warriors were forbidden to approach within a kilometer of the wall; violators would be deemed traitors and executed on sight. If Mo Li Wei had not secured special permission, they would not even be standing here today.

To see the sky and earth beyond was, for now, nothing but a distant dream.

Mo Li Wei gazed at his missing right arm, then at the yearning on his students’ faces. He could not bring himself to shatter the beauty of their hopes and dreams, so he simply stood with them, watching the sun sink slowly from the sky.

But just then, one boy’s indifferent, mocking voice cut through the peace:

“Nangong Yuchen! I heard you used to like Mu Ningxue—is it true?”