Chapter 533 - 439: A Big Move
Chapter 533: Chapter 439: A Big Move
Earth’s atmosphere acted like a protective layer, at times hard and at others soft. Unless one possessed the absolute offensive power of a War God, breaking through in a short amount of time was nearly impossible, no matter how formidable one’s attacks or clever one’s methods.
Without that level of destructive power, Planet Level superpower users who wanted to break through could only do so through sheer persistence, like the foolish old man who moved the mountains, using their superpowers to slowly carve an opening in the protective layer.
This time, the Star Nation of the Ancient Universe had dispatched the forces of its six great families, along with eighteen smaller families from the Source Universe and other star sectors. A total of about a thousand people now stood at the ready, awaiting Graham Cross’s command.
"Graham, I believe we should wait a little longer!"
The speaker was Solomon Sterling. A white energy shimmered and flowed around his body. "We cannot afford to be rash."
It was well known that the Cross, Leroy, and Sterling families had been mutually beneficial allies since ancient times. While they might not face life and death together as one, they absolutely stood on the same side when it came to matters of great principle.
This time, the Sterling family had only sent Solomon Sterling, whose strength was merely Planet Level 1—not even on par with some of the juniors the Cross family had brought along. But the Sterling family served as the Cross family’s indispensable brain trust and "eyes."
Before any major operation, a member of the Sterling family would divine the future. This wasn’t the vague sort of fortune-telling that warns against moving on an unlucky day. It was a calculation that could deduce specific auspicious or calamitous events.
This was the power of the Sterling family’s superpower.
After a divination, they could learn of events that might befall relevant individuals in the near future.
And what Solomon Sterling’s divination had revealed this time concerned the Cross family’s exceptionally talented young master, Lex Cross, who had reached the Cosmic Level at a remarkably young age.
"Why can’t we act immediately? This planet may look small, but its protective layer is quite thick. We can’t afford to waste time!"
This time, the speaker was an elder of the Rook family, Rong San.
"It is currently daytime on the planet’s surface. If we forcibly breach this layer, it will cause immense harm to the life within.
We came here only for treasure; we should not cause needless slaughter!"
There was one more thing he didn’t say. ’I foresaw that if they ignored my advice, they would aggressively pillage the planet only to be brutally slaughtered by its powerful inhabitants, suffering a disastrous defeat.’
’One of the fallen would be the Cross family’s own genius, Lex Cross.’
’He is on Earth right now.’
"Solomon Sterling, what nonsense are you spouting? This planet is already riddled with spatial rifts; it’ll be annihilated before long. We’re here for treasure, so who gives a damn about the lives of some natives?"
"Stop dithering and get out of the way!" The speaker was from the Thunderbird clan. Their true form was that of a Thunderbird, but they lived in the Star Nation of the Ancient Universe and presented themselves in human form.
The leader of the Thunderbird clan’s delegation was Willow, a Planet Level 1 expert. With her stunning looks and immense power, she was a rare and formidable "ice beauty."
She had created her own signature technique, the "Thunder Snow Dance," which fused her dual superpowers of thunder and snow. It combined both offense and defense with explosive attack power. This meant that even though she and her clansmen were not the highest-ranked group present, few dared to challenge her words.
"Graham, my divination shows that your nephew, Lex Cross, is down there. Once this protective layer is breached, cosmic elements will rapidly flood Earth. It will also destabilize the space within, causing the rifts to expand even faster."
"I understand what you’re saying. If Lex is down there, he probably already knows we’ve arrived.
You say we should wait, so we’ll wait. I have always trusted the Sterling family!"
However, the Thunderbird clan and their allies, the Fire Tribe, were not so willing to comply.
"Graham Cross! Solomon Sterling! We of the Fire Tribe are an impatient people. Give us a timeframe for how long we’re supposed to wait. Otherwise, we won’t.
We came all this way. What happens if we just sit here waiting and other powers from across the universe show up?"
"Exactly! Willow, let’s make the first move."
At that, Willow nodded. The thirty-odd people behind her began gathering their superpowers, preparing to start wearing down the protective layer at once.
This move to seize the initiative put Graham Cross in a very awkward position. Anyone who didn’t participate would be seen as uncooperative and lazy.
If the Thunderbird and Fire Tribe members had acted before he’d made his stance clear, it would have been one thing. But now, the two clans were deliberately slapping the Cross family in the face in front of everyone, giving them no way to back down gracefully.
And so, before they had even set foot on Earth, the various families fell into their first conflict over how and when to breach its protective layer.