Chapter 122: Red Alert

The four Cursed Warriors did not bother to conceal their descent from the skies, causing the security department of the Ursus Federation to detect the four uninvited guests almost immediately.

Regarding the frequent alien invasion events that had recently been occurring in Midgard, the major powers had long since secretly raised their alert levels. It was only for the sake of social stability and the yet-to-be-established World Government that a state of war had not been officially declared.

However, the security departments of various nations monitored every corner of the country twenty-four hours a day, without rest, to prevent tragedies similar to the one in the United States.

The four entities that had now appeared in the Ursus Federation triggered the security department's red lines the exact moment they landed in the Capital of Forests. Had it not been for the fact that their appearances did not match the dark servants described in Odin's manuscripts, and the fear of triggering conflicts with other alien civilizations, the Ursus security department would have sounded a red alert long ago.

As for the residents who happened to be driving or walking on the edges of the city, they were thoroughly startled by these beings dropping from the heavens, screaming as they fled in all directions.

The Cursed Warriors paid little mind to the fleeing humans, because the direction in which these people were running happened to be the direction of their own advance—the city center of the Capital of Forests.

"Hear me, alien entity, halt your steps immediately and state your intentions. This is the capital of the Ursus Federation in Midgard..." A hurriedly arrived security spokesperson, accompanied by a small squad of troops, blocked the path of the Cursed Warrior and attempted to communicate.

Yet the Cursed Warrior did not give him the chance to finish his sentence. Seeing someone blocking his way, he gave a casual wave, and a beam of red particle energy instantly reduced the obstructing creatures to ashes.

This horrifying scene naturally terrified the onlookers, who immediately burst into even more frantic screams. Some of them, noticing the Cursed Warrior's direction of advance, attempted to detour and flee behind him.

Unfortunately, their efforts were doomed to futility. Bearing a heavy responsibility, the Cursed Warrior would never tolerate his prey escaping; to ensure the success of this ritual, a sufficient number of victims was absolute necessity.

---

Thus, the Cursed Warriors stationed at the four corners of the city simultaneously spread their arms. A pale red mist rapidly connected the four of them, and this fog quickly enveloped the entire city, shrinking bit by bit in tandem with the Cursed Warriors' relentless advance.

"Damn it, where on earth did these bastards crawl out from?" The Minister of Defense stared at the satellite map on the big screen with cold sweat pouring down his face. Just moments ago, all communications with the interior of the Capital of Forests had been cut off. Those accursed aliens had shrouded the entire city, forming something akin to the restricted zones in the United States.

Had it not been for the fact that the Great Bear Emperor and several other monarchs were currently holding a meeting elsewhere, the Emperor himself might well have been trapped inside the Capital of Forests. The mere thought of that consequence sent cold shudders down the Minister's spine.

The Great Bear Emperor stared fixedly at the continuously shrinking red circle on the display: "How much longer until our troops can fully assemble?"

"Y-Your Majesty, we... we may need to reassemble our forces," the Minister of Defense cowered, his neck shrinking as he stammered the reply.

Due to the recently turbulent world situation, eighty percent of the nation's ground forces had been concentrated near the capital to safeguard its security. Now, all of them had been engulfed by the red mist and cut off from communication.

"I am asking about our missile systems! Could it be that they have all lost contact as well?!" The Great Bear Emperor slammed his fist furiously against the tabletop. He was well aware of where his own troops were stationed; he hardly needed a fool of a Defense Minister to remind him.

"Y-Yes! We currently have 2,200 land-based missile bases operating normally, of which 1,700 can provide rapid support to the capital. Your Majesty, what level of missiles shall we deploy?" The Minister of Defense wiped away his cold sweat, straightened his posture, and quickly pulled up the current status of the Ursus missile bases on the screen.

The Great Bear Emperor clenched his hands into fists. The Ursus Federation possessed the largest stockpile of missiles and nuclear weapons in Midgard, standing as one of the premier military superpowers. If Ursus failed to properly handle this alien crisis, it would be impossible to secure an advantageous position in the subsequent World Government negotiations.

Therefore, whether for the sake of those ten-plus million civilians or for the future of the federation, Ursus had to demonstrate its power in this battle.

The Emperor spoke decisively, "Use conventional weapons to carry out a precise strike on a single point first. If that proves ineffective, deploy nuclear weapons. Regardless of how far apart these bases are, I want them to detonate simultaneously. Can that be done?"

"Mission guaranteed!" As if he would dare say no at a time like this. Muttering a silent grievance, the Minister of Defense immediately issued orders to military bases across the entire nation.

Aside from the land-based missile bases currently adjusting their coordinates, a vast number of mobile rocket launchers also locked their targets onto the Capital of Forests. Such a massive military operation naturally could not be hidden from other nations.

---

In fact, the moment the red mist enveloped the Capital of Forests, the diplomatic communication channels of the three major powers had already begun flashing on the Great Bear Emperor's terminal. However, the Emperor had been too busy arranging battle preparations to respond immediately.

The subsequent actions of the Ursus Federation indirectly clarified one thing: the red mist belonged to the invaders. Realizing this, the major powers felt their scalps tingle and hurriedly activated their domestic defense shields.

The energy transmission method employed by the Stellar Empire did not radiate energy outward, leaving Malekith entirely oblivious to the shields activated by other nations. He only knew that the city before him was already firmly within his grasp.

The primary energy hub of the Ursus Federation happened to be located in the Capital of Forests. This had originally been established to guarantee the city's security, but tragically, because their home base had been blindsided, Ursus was rendered unable to activate its shields.

Following the incidents in the United States, however, the major powers had also constructed backup energy cores. Yet due to the geographical location of the Capital of Forests, it was difficult to adjust the defense nodes; even if the shield were activated, the city would remain trapped inside the barrier, rendering it utterly useless. Consequently, the Great Bear Emperor could only remain safely in a small coastal nation, where an energy core previously built with Ursus aid was located.

Meanwhile, the four Cursed Warriors were slaughtering wantonly within the city. Stripped of most of their emotions, blood and mangled flesh were among the few things left capable of stimulating their nerves, and thus the mission quickly devolved into a bloody massacre.

"No, please, spare my child!" A mother cried out in bitter supplication to a Cursed Warrior on a killing spree. Her child had fallen to the ground amidst the fleeing crowd and was about to become the next victim, prompting her to drop to her knees before the monster and beg him to let her child live.

Will, having been enhanced into an eight-tier powerhouse catalyzed by the Reality Stone, could effortlessly understand the language of any living being. A rare smirk crept up the corner of his mouth as he looked down at the kowtowing mother and said, "Of course."

With a swift sweep of his blade, he severed the child's head, picked it up, and placed it directly into the mother's arms: "Take good care of it. I've let him go."