As the guard captain left the church to muster the troops, Dominica also emerged from within the church carrying a small case.
After stepping aside to let a few wounded soldiers being brought in through the side door pass, she quickly made her way to Zhang Ge's side.
Dominica placed the box on the nearby table, likely considering Zhang Ge's current physical condition, and asked:
"Do you want to put it on now?"
Zhang Ge didn't respond immediately, instead reaching out to tug at the box's pull rod.
But the box, which seemed to have no weight at all in Dominica's hands, now wouldn't budge an inch. Seeing this, he could only shake his head and say:
"Not yet. You'll have to carry the box and come with me."
Upon hearing this, the other person immediately replied:
"No problem!"
Carrying the box, the two quickly arrived at the door. Although the main entrance of the church had been locked to guard against enemy attacks, there were still small doors on either side wide enough for a single person to pass through.
When Dominica opened the door for Zhang Ge in front of him, he noticed a detail he had overlooked before.
Sound.
Due to the church being nearly fully enclosed, including sound within its isolation, one could hardly hear any noise from the outside while inside.
But now, standing before the open door, a flood of sounds rushed into his ears.
The explosions of shells hitting the ground, the shrieks of fighter jets soaring past, the metallic grinding of tank treads - all these sounds were carried through the air, thick with the mingled scents of blood and gunpowder, saturating every corner.
Looking up, a massive breach burned in the sky, with countless lines weakly dangling from its edges.
Although the two crashed warships beneath the breach were not directly visible due to the obstruction of the outer church and other buildings, an especially glaring cluster of orange-red flames, burning relentlessly in the distance and tearing through the once tranquil moonlight among the spires also ablaze in the war, still marked their presence.
By now, the surrounding open space had become a temporary refuge filled with conscripts and civilians, with a massive ion shield generator at the most prominent central position, flashing the brilliant blue light of operation.
Seeing Zhang Ge and Dominica walk out of the church, the guard captain, who was directing the convoy's formation, waved in greeting, signaling that preparations were complete.
As they approached the convoy, the guard captain also jumped down from the vehicle.
Unlike their previous ceremonial and impractical state, the armored vehicles used by the guards had now removed most of their decorations, instead welding on metal grilles or simply piling sandbags around the vehicle bodies.
He pulled out a disc-shaped device, pressed a few buttons, and a holographic map projected out. Clearly, the areas dyed red were combat zones, and those red patches had already spread across a significant portion - this was only a few hours after the war began.
To make matters worse, the combat zone right in front of the cathedral included several major traffic routes leading to the void shield control area. While detouring wasn't impossible, it would take far too much time.
After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Ge plotted a high-risk but time-saving route on the map.
The captain of the guard looked at the route and nodded in agreement, offering no further objections. After handing the holographic map to Zhang Ge, the two parted ways.
Zhang Ge turned around and headed towards the vehicle depot, ready to drive out his light armored car.
However, just as he was about to reach the door, someone suddenly appeared out of nowhere and blocked his path.
This person was clad in a full set of gleaming... plate armor?
Zhang Ge took a closer look to confirm he wasn't mistaken - this wasn't some power armor disguised as plate armor, but simply a suit of plain metal plating.
He lifted his visor, revealing a rather handsome face, and said:
"Are you heading outside the city?"
Zhang Ge was speechless. While in literary works, nine out of ten eccentrically dressed enigmas would be overpowered, this wasn't a storybook. In reality, people who acted like this were usually either lunatics or frauds. If they were truly powerful, someone would have already extended an olive branch - they wouldn't be waiting to be discovered on the street.
Zhang Ge replied:
"Is that so? I hope you can achieve your wish."
The three boarded the vehicle. Zhang Ge patted the steering wheel as if reuniting with an old friend, then drove the car out of the vehicle depot, merging into the convoy of the guards. The fleet slowly moved forward, passing by the bustling crowds and rows of tents on either side, before entering the outer chapel through the main gate.
Here, the previous flowers and cheers had already faded away. Layers of cold ceramite fortifications now filled the once spacious area. Armed priests and bishops led believers wielding various weapons, forming multiple lines of defense. Even between the ornate carvings on the dome, automated turrets had risen.
Upon reaching the exit, the convoy paused briefly. After completing registration and verifying their allied status, they slowly drove out of the final area protected by the church's brick and stone.
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