Ling Cage: Enhanced Nanosteel Suit at the Start

Page 42

The shouts started sporadically, but soon coalesced into a massive, overwhelming wave.

"Great Lord of Shadows, you are humanity's only ray of light!" An old mortal with white hair cried out with tears streaming down his face.

"With Lord Chen Yuan here, we no longer need to worry about the Devouring Beasts."

A woman, her voice choked with emotion, looked on with hope for the future.

At this moment, Chen Yuan was no longer the outsider who suddenly seized power at the lighthouse in their hearts, but a savior, a guardian angel, and the only hope to lead them out of the shadow of the apocalypse.

However, not everyone chose to kneel in obedience; there were still some idiots who couldn't see the bigger picture.

Chapter 56 Lord of Shadows

Captain Mark, Commander Victor, and a small group of elite hunters and city defense officers stood like rocks at the edge of the crowd.

The expressions on their faces were extremely complex.

Shock, disbelief, and a touch of relief at surviving a disaster, but more than anything, there was an indescribable sense of bewilderment and... a profound feeling of powerlessness.

Mark's fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

He recalled the suffocating despair as the lighthouse plummeted out of control, and his companions who were thrown out of the cabin by the uncontrolled gravity and were about to fall into the horde of beasts.

In that instant, those seemingly out-of-control tectonic objects, under the control of the Loongson system, retrieved the fallen individuals one by one with incredible precision and speed.

That dramatic scene proved the power of the Loongson system and... Chen Yuan's power was enough to crush the Lighthouse.

Coupled with the irrefutable evidence of the enemy's retreat from the beast tide and the slaying of the giant beasts... the last remaining doubts and resistance in their hearts about the legitimacy of Chen Yuan's seizure of power have been extinguished like a candle in the wind.

The commander-in-chief of Victor's city defense forces no longer seemed to stand so straight. He looked at Chen Yuan, who was being worshipped by the masses, with an inscrutable expression in his eyes.

On the other side of the crowd, the remnants of the Light and Shadow Society, those priests and fanatics dressed in ceremonial robes, seemed out of place.

Instead of kneeling, they gathered together, staring intently at Chen Yuan with undisguised, venomous hatred.

Their eyes were filled with hatred. They regarded Chen Yuan as a heretic who stole the glory of the Lord of Light and Shadow, and a demon who destroyed the foundation of their faith.

If it weren't for the frenzied crowd and the iron guards exuding a chilling murderous aura, they might have already charged forward without regard for anything else.

Chen Yuan's gaze calmly swept over the kneeling crowd, past the complex expressions on Mark's and others' faces, and finally landed on the group from the Light and Shadow Society.

He slightly raised his hand, and the frenzied shouts that had been like a tsunami gradually subsided, leaving only heavy breathing and suppressed excitement.

"Although the crisis of the lighthouse has been temporarily resolved, the reconstruction of order has only just begun."

Chen Yuan's voice, amplified by the megaphone in his battle suit, resonated clearly throughout the entire lighthouse.

His gaze returned to the group from the Light and Shadow Society, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "These people will be temporarily detained and await further action."

As soon as he finished speaking, several Iron Guards and Heavy LiDARs immediately strode heavily toward the crowd at the Light and Shadow Gathering.

The cold mechanical arm extended, and regardless of the curses they hurled, it immediately took control of them and escorted them away.

Mark and the others watched this scene, their lips moved, but in the end they didn't make a sound.

They knew that the game was over.

At this moment, Chen Yuan's authority, accompanied by the people's fervent faith and awe of absolute power, had firmly established itself at the pinnacle of the beacon.

They did not choose to obey, so Mark and the others were also taken away.

……

Overnight, the air around the lighthouse seemed to have been completely replaced.

Yesterday's bloody rampage has been replaced by a sense of post-disaster exhilaration and awe of the new order.

Chen Yuan's name is etched in everyone's heart like a brand.

Today is the day Chen Yuan becomes the Lord of Lighthouse City.

The formal transfer of power took place in the central command hall of the lighthouse.

This was once the place where Morgan gave orders, Victor orchestrated strategies, and the Light and Shadow Society even attempted to take over.

The atmosphere was solemn and oppressive at that moment.

Despite his fear of death, Chen Yuan remained fully covered in a nano-steel suit. He stood tall and straight in front of Morgan's command post, his gaze calmly sweeping across the area below.

Actually, he wasn't very interested in the position, but only by taking it could he change the lighthouse.

The transfer of power was not too complicated, and those who were fortunate enough to participate did not voice any opposition.

Are you kidding me? You object? You dare to object to even one?

If becoming a city lord is the crowning of secular power, then the ceremony of becoming the "Lord of Shadows" is even more symbolic.

The ceremony to become the Lord of Shadows was not held in the command hall, but was moved to the huge, relatively open observation deck at the top of the lighthouse.

This place used to be where the Light and Shadow Society held its so-called "Dawn Hall" ceremony, but it has now been completely cleaned up and renovated.

In the center of the platform, an altar, temporarily constructed from scrap metal and energy conduits, stands with a striking geometric aesthetic and a futuristic feel.

At the core of the altar, a slowly rotating vortex of shadowy light composed of dark blue electric arcs floats, a projection of the Dragon Core, symbolizing the source of power and wisdom.

As darkness fell, the lighthouse's massive searchlight went out, replaced by energy pillars emitting a cold blue light that illuminated the area around the platform.

All the lighthouse residents were allowed to gather in the huge circular plaza below the platform and look up, the air filled with an indescribable sense of anticipation and awe.

Not long after, Chen Yuan appeared in front of the altar.

He changed into a specially made, sharply styled, deep black robe. The edges of the robe were adorned with flowing, ghostly blue energy patterns, perfectly matching the style of his battle attire.

Chen Yuan did not wear any crown, but the invisible pressure he exuded was more powerful than any crown.

The newly appointed "High Priest of the Shadow Order" is actually... the man who was the Blessing Officer of the Light and Shadow Order yesterday. At this moment, he is wearing the same style, but with more intricate patterns, a dark blue to black robe, and stands solemnly to one side of the altar, playing the role of guide.

He cleared his throat and, mimicking the sacred tone he used to use at the Light and Shadow Club, shouted:

"Great Lord of Shadows, your loyal servant, the Light and Shadow... no, the Chief High Priest of the Shadow Order, formerly the First Prayer of the Light and Shadow Order... uh..."

He almost let slip his name, so he quickly corrected himself by giving his own name to show his loyalty, "Your subordinate's name is... I am grateful for your kindness..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Yuan interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

Chen Yuan didn't even turn his head to look at him. His gaze remained fixed on the swirling shadow vortex in front of him. His voice was calm and clear, and it carried throughout the entire platform through the loudspeaker.

"I won't mention your name, I wouldn't remember it anyway. Just remember that you are the High Priest of the Shadow Order, and your duty is to convey my will and maintain the order of the Beacon under the protection of the Shadows. Do your job well and don't let me down!"

The newly appointed High Priest (whose name is unimportant, Chen Yuanzhen couldn't remember it) froze the solemnity he had been carefully cultivating on his face, which then turned into a deeper sense of flattery and fear.

He bowed deeply, his forehead almost touching the cold metal edge of the altar.

"Yes, yes, supreme Lord of Shadows, your will is the sole meaning of my existence. Your subordinates will do everything in their power to accurately convey your divine message to every corner of the Lighthouse."

Chapter 57 Stubborn

This scene is somewhat ironic. Yesterday, they were piously praising the Lord of Light and Shadow and cursing Chen Yuan as a heretical charlatan. Today, they are groveling at the feet of a new god, and even their names have lost their value in being remembered.

The change of power.

A conversion of faith.

It seems so cheap in the face of survival.

The ceremony continued.

The high priest began chanting hastily cobbled-together prayers about "eternal shadows," "iron will," and "ending the apocalypse," his voice echoing across the empty platform.

The crowd below, having experienced the shock of yesterday and the elaborate ceremony of today, was completely ignited with emotion.

"Lord of Shadows, Lord Chen Yuan!"

The shouts surged like a tsunami once more; it was truly frenzied.

"The shadows may last forever, but the lighthouse endures!"

The frenzied atmosphere reached its peak.

The swirling vortex of shadow seemed to grow even brighter amidst the roar, as if it were truly responding to the believers' call.

Chen Yuan felt a little embarrassed, but he still took a deep breath and smiled.

……

After the ceremony, Chen Yuan, escorted by several guards, prepared to leave the platform.

Just as he passed through the gate leading to the inner passage, he seemed to remember something and paused slightly.

He didn't turn around, but calmly instructed the air, "By the way, Shadow High Priest."

Upon hearing this, the Shadow High Priest immediately straightened up as if struck by lightning, trotted over to Chen Yuan's side and bowed humbly: "Please give your orders, great Lord of Shadows!"

“Take good care of the former city lord, Morgan.”

Chen Yuan's tone was as calm as if he were discussing the weather, "As long as his demands aren't excessive enough to shake the foundation of the lighthouse, try to meet them. Give him a quiet place, provide him with the necessary medical care and nursing, and let him... enjoy his retirement."

This seemingly simple statement contains an undeniable conclusion.

Morgan's era has come to a complete end. He is no longer a symbol of power, but merely a harmless old man who needs "care".

"Yes, Your mercy is as deep as the shadows."

The Shadow High Priest quickly agreed, but in his mind he was rapidly calculating how to execute the order in a way that would both demonstrate the new master's "benevolence" and ensure that the old master had no further influence.

Chen Yuan nodded, said no more, and stepped into the shadows of the passageway, the cold metallic footsteps of the Iron Guard echoing in the corridor.

The high priest stood still, gazing in the direction where Chen Yuan had disappeared. He then looked back at the crowd still immersed in the afterglow of the frenzy on the observation platform, and finally glanced at the direction of the medical area with a complicated expression.

He knew that his position as "High Priest" depended entirely on the new master's whim.

How well he plays this role will be key to his future survival.

……

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the central command hall of the lighthouse was less somber than it had been during the power handover yesterday, and more subtly probing the new order.

Chen Yuan sat upright in the command seat, and the holographic interface of the Loongson system silently displayed the various data streams of the Lighthouse in front of him.

"Bring Jingnan and Victor in." Chen Yuan's voice was calm and even.

A moment later, the heavy alloy door was opened, and two figures walked in.

Jingnan, the former helmsman of the lighthouse, looked pale, his eyes showing weariness, worry, and a hint of stubbornness that had not yet faded.