"...sigh..."


    Li Zhiming exhaled deeply, his frustration growing as he tossed his cap aside and began massaging his temples wearily.


    Ever since he assumedmand of Zero, he had risen to the rank of a general, capable of leading an army.


    Yet, he was acutely aware that in this bitter cold, only the elite Valkyriemand—a special strategic unit within Zero—could survive, let alone operate effectively.


    He had raised concerns that Gabriel might be orchestrating something catastrophic, but the Guardians had yet to respond.


    Typically, the leader of Zero would know the identities of all the Guardians, as they are required to attend the summit at Mount Olympus.


    However, being new to his position, Li Zhiming could only wait anxiously for this crucial meeting.


    Meanwhile, it appeared that Gabriel had exploited this period of uncertainty.


    He had managed to assemble a small regiment in Northern Frostholm, a region so inhospitable that normally, even those equipped with the best gear could not endure.


    Yet, drone imagery revealed groups of people moving about with ease, unaffected by the extreme conditions.


    Regrettably, satellite surveince was ineffective over this zone, with the only exception being the Oraclework.


    Hidden somewhere in this frostbound wilderness was the key to the mythical tunnel to the heavens, shrouded in secrecy and protected by thend''s brutal embrace.


    Li Zhiming also attempted to establish contact with Prometheus, but they seemingly underestimated the seriousness of the situation, opting not to deploy their special army formed under the guise of the As Initiative.


    The As Initiative was primarily established to reim advanced technology and ensure it didn''t fall into the wrong hands.


    This program didn''t focus on creating supersoldiers; instead, it selected the elite from military ranks and equipped them with cutting-edge, restricted technology.


    One key reason why Prometheus did not perceive the threat as urgent was the Delphi Protocol, developed by the Oraclework.


    In the final analysis using this protocol, which utilizes advanced predictive algorithms for threat assessment, the threat level was not yet considered critical.


    ording to the Delphi Protocol, the likelihood of Gabriel sessfully tampering with the tunnel to the Heavens was almost negligible.


    The energy emanating from this tunnel was not something to be meddled with lightly.


    Relying on the insights from the Delphi Protocol, even the Dharma Council withheld substantial support.


    They only consented to send a single member of the Karma Brigade to evaluate the circumstances firsthand.


    The Karma Brigade, much like Valkyrie''smand, was designed to respond to specialized, high-stakes situations.


    In a simr vein, a representative from the As Initiative was dispatched.


    All the organizations were ying it safe, given the apparent internal politics within Zero.


    From an external perspective, the situation seemed almost scripted—a ssic plot from a movie where leadersmit treason and their subordinates, assumingmand, hunt down the former leaders.


    Despite their reservations, the other organizations couldn''tpletely disregard the call for aid and each sent one representative nheless.


    However, there was one notable exception: the Order of Illuminati showed no response to the ongoing crisis, seemingly unbothered by the developments.


    Little did Li Zhiming know, their inaction wasn''t due to ack of desire to intervene but rather because their supreme leader was unreachable.


    Luna, the leader, had been hibernating for half a month, and without her permission, they were paralyzed.


    Stepping out of the barracks, Li Zhiming wrapped himself in a thick, brown fur coat to fend off the biting cold.


    He lifted his gaze to the night sky, now painted with the mesmerizing rays of the Aurora Borealis—a beautiful dance of green light that seemed almost otherworldly.


    As he watched the celestial disy, a heavy sigh escaped his lips.


    "I did everything I can..." he muttered, a deep sense of crisis stirring within him.


    He had a lingering feeling that things were about to take a turn for the worse.


    Despite his best efforts to prevent it, it seemed the heavens might have a different fate in store...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ____


    The Great Mountain of Borr!


    Perched atop Northern Frostholm, the towering summit of this mountain was engulfed by a thundering snowstorm, which covered thendscape in a thick veil of white, reducing visibility to mere meters.


    Inbetween this fierce blizzard, two pairs of eyes glinted with an unnatural brightness, piercing through the haze with unwavering focus.


    They were fixated on the army assembled far below the cliff—a crew that appeared almost otherworldly in their energy.


    Below, like a horde of wild Vikings, they devoured meat in prodigious amounts, astonishing any onlooker with their primal hunger.


    Some demonstrated their brute strength by obliteratingrge boulders and cliff faces with single, devastating blows.


    Yet, all activity ceased abruptly as a figure emerged, striding forward with his arms open wide as if to embrace the entire crowd.


    His hair was a vivid, striking red—a stark contrast to the bleak ice in the back.


    As he prepared to speak, every face turned toward him, drawn by themanding presence of his unusual appearance.


    "Are you going to let them do whatever they want?" called out the figure on the left side of the top of the cliff, her voice distinctly feminine yet imbued with a warrior''s resolve and authority.


    Her piercing ck eyes, sharp and mesmeric, scanned the scene below her.


    The rest of her face was hidden by a red battle scarf, adding an air of mystery and determination.


    "It''s not up to me to stop them; that''s your task," replied herpanion on the right, unexpectedly revealed to be Aurora.


    A subtle, knowing smile yed on her lips as she gazed down at the chaos, her demeanor calm and slightly amused by the scene that sprawled beneath them.


    "Humph..." Athene let out a disgruntled voice, her tone thick with skepticism. "Since when has it ever been your duty? You dwell in that deste ce, devoid of life. How could you possibly forge any connection to the living?"


    Aurora responded with a wry smile, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Then why don''t you intervene? It''s your domain, isn''t it? Why so silent?"