Chapter 529: Frozen Calamity (1/2)

Grassland Region.

Moments before the Cataclysm erupted, the advance party of the army had departed for the Western Frontier.

Lilith sat in the back of a large military truck along with two dozen other soldiers despite being offered the privilege to sit in the front seat with the driver, where it was more spacious.

Lilith had insisted on sitting in the back with the other soldiers.

She did not want to take up the seat of another high-ranking soldier due to special treatment from the commander leading the advance party of roughly 2000 men.

The military truck traveled along the main road with 100-odd other military trucks following in tow behind one another, forming a long single row of military trucks.

Lilith's military truck was the leading vehicle in the advance party.

At that moment, when the entire world was struck by the eruption of the sun's great solar flare, the entire advance party managed to avoid the scorching heatwave coming from the sunlight.

Even so, the temperature quickly soared, causing the military trucks' interiors to become hot and stuffy.

The leading military truck came to an abrupt stop due to the sudden change, causing the rest of the transport vehicles following behind to also stop.

”What happened? Where did this heatwave suddenly come from?” A soldier spoke in the back of the leading military truck.

”I don't know, but this heat is killing me! I'll go out and check!” said another soldier, who was seated on the far rear just opposite of Lilith.

However, the soldier only stuck his head out before the intense sunlight burned him.

”Ahhh!” The soldier cried from the searing heat before another soldier seated near the front urged, ”Quickly pull him back inside!”

Nevertheless, the nearby soldiers had immediately reacted and pulled the soldier back inside before the person could finish speaking.

Shortly after, they gazed at the burns on the soldier's head before gasping with shock, ”How can sunlight be so intense?!”

”How bad is it?” The burned soldier asked with a bitter smile before saying, ”I will make sure to always wear my helmet from now on…”

Meanwhile, the commander sitting in the front passenger seat narrowed his eyes before he stated, ”The Cataclysm must have erupted!”

”What shall we do now, commander?” The driver asked.

”We can't stay here in the open sunlight. We need to quickly find some shade. Go, take us off road!” The commander spoke before pulling out a communication device to notify the others.

Commander quickly understood that the temperature would eventually drop after the initial surge. However, everyone would be grilled before that happens.

”Yes, sir!”

The driver answered.

Unfortunately, the truck refused to move like it was stuck in something.

”What's the matter? Why aren't we going?”

”Sir, I think the tires have melted!”

…

Meanwhile, Demonic Energy surged from the deep subterranean space underneath the World Tree after the cataclysmic eruption.

Lynne's eyes snapped open from her meditated cultivation before shooting to her feet with furrowed brows.

Looking at the heatwave transforming the world around her into a field of red, Lynne muttered, ”Is this the so-called Cataclysm recorded in history. It came so suddenly…”

Shortly after, she frowned at the red energy seeping out from underneath the World Tree while the screams and growls of explorers within could be heard.

She was suddenly surprised by a deep sense of loathing for the red mist despite not knowing what it was. The feeling seems to be surging from deep within her very soul.

A few people managed to take the rope lifts and escaped the subterranean space before they were stopped by soldiers.

”What is happening down there?” The soldier interrogated.