Chapter 20: Starshatter

Given the situation at hand, there was nothing more humanity could do to change their fate. Only a god could save mankind from the approaching apocalypse.

Thus, ever since the anomaly of the massive planet was detected years ago, the councilors of every district had repeatedly reported their concerns to the Supreme Priest, Shen Xing. Yet Shen Xing was preoccupied with controlling his countless celestial avatars and refused to grant any audience, merely instructing Xie Huizhi to reassure them. “With the protection of the Star Father, humanity will ultimately survive this peril,” Shen Xing had said.

But as the Abyss Star drew ever closer—so close that even the third planet had collided with it—the collision between the Sky Vault Star and the Abyss Star became inevitable. The end was coming, and it would happen within two years.

Even ordinary people could see with their naked eyes as the Abyss Star loomed larger and larger in the heavens. The Star Vault Church, however, continued to offer only bland reassurances in the face of the impending end, no longer able to ease the growing panic.

In desperation, councilors from all districts united and came together to seek an audience with the Supreme Priest, hoping to draw Shen Xing’s genuine attention.

Shen Xing had no intention of intervening at first, for he knew that soon enough, the Abyss Star would “inexplicably” veer away from the Sky Vault Star and continue deeper into the stellar system. Yet, as he pondered the matter, a better solution occurred to him—a chance to truly display the power of divine magic.

With that thought, Shen Xing rose and made his way to the round hall, ready to meet the assembled councilors.

...

At the edge of the Sky Vault Star, the immense planet hung in the sky like Death’s scythe, its shadow gradually enveloping the entire world.

Within the round hall, the Supreme Priest of the Star Vault Church, Shen Xing, finally appeared before the anxious crowd. Councilor representatives and scientists bowed their heads in respect; among them was Wen Jing, whose gaze brimmed with trust and reverence.

“Priest Shen, that giant planet is advancing on us with unstoppable force... What are we to do?” one asked anxiously.

Then, a physicist named Qian Yun stepped forward, his voice trembling as he described the coming catastrophe. In that moment, it seemed science was powerless, and only Shen Xing and the Star Father remained as humanity’s final hope.

“The Star Father’s light shines upon us all,” Shen Xing intoned, his eyes deep and fathomless, his voice utterly calm—as if this was not the world’s end at all. His composure eased the minds of all present, if only a little.

“Priest Shen, the people are already in panic. Everyone says this is the end of humanity. How can we prevent that giant planet from crashing into us?” someone else pleaded.

Yet the representative from the southern district, Shu Wanjing, stepped forward, worry etched on his face, and asked respectfully.

Shen Xing was silent for a moment, then spoke: “Come with me.”

He led the assembled group out of the central temple and onto the platform at its summit. There, Shen Xing gazed up at the ever-approaching Abyss Star, then turned to address them.

“Is this what you call the end of the world?” His tone was tranquil, almost indifferent. No one could reply; they bowed their heads in silence.

Suddenly, Shen Xing began to rise, floating into the air. Not only did the councilors and scientists witness this, but even the residents at the foot of the temple saw the figure in the white robe suspended above. Hope kindled in their eyes, for now, floating before them was the guardian deity of the Sky Vault Star, the Supreme Priest of the Star Vault Church.

If there was any way to avert humanity’s annihilation, only Shen Xing could achieve it.

Slowly, he raised his right hand, and a radiance began to gather in his palm. At first faint as a firefly, the light grew steadily, soon shining as brilliantly as the sun, illuminating the area around the central temple. The glow shifted from warm gold to a profound black, as if to devour all illumination.

“Supreme Priest, what are you doing?” Qian Yun could not help but exclaim, his voice quivering with awe.

Shen Xing did not answer. His gaze seemed to pierce to the ends of the cosmos. Suddenly, his right hand clenched into a fist, trapping the black sphere of light. Then, extending a single finger, he sent the black brilliance from his fingertip in a formless wave straight into the sky.

A deep hum resonated as the wave spread, space itself twisting as if kneaded by an unseen hand. The light around the Abyss Star began to bend, converging on a single point.

A minuscule black hole appeared on the surface of the Abyss Star. Its gravity manifested instantly, warping the surrounding light into a vast vortex, powerful enough to capture even light itself.

“Look! What is that?”

“This... How can it be?” an elderly, white-haired scientist stammered, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. His colleagues exchanged stunned glances, as if to confirm this was truly happening.

“My god, is that a black hole, as theorized?”

“Steady, we must remain calm.”

“So this is the power of the Supreme Priest...”

“We must record everything!” cried some of the younger scientists, their faces alight with fervor as they pulled out their notebooks to document all they saw.

Terror mingled with excitement in their eyes. Thanks to the Star Father’s very nature, astronomy had advanced by leaps and bounds on the Sky Vault Star. Every observable and hypothesized cosmic object had been cataloged, and even black holes—still hypothetical, ultra-dense objects—had been proposed in theory.

The voices of several of the Sky Vault Star’s foremost scientists echoed across the plaza, causing a stir. Wen Jing tried to calm those around him, but even his voice trembled. He knew that such an event was impossible by the laws of science.

From the scientists’ reactions, the councilors’ eyes were full of awe. The power Shen Xing displayed was beyond their understanding, deepening their faith in the Star Father. Their hands shook, but their eyes shone with unparalleled exhilaration.

Everyone knew this would be the most significant moment in human history.

The scientists’ faces flushed with excitement as they watched the Abyss Star distort under the black hole’s gravitational pull. The planet’s surface visibly caved in, rock, dust, and even light itself sucked into the black abyss.

The black hole’s gravity was like an invisible giant hand, mercilessly rending the Abyss Star’s surface. As the hole expanded, the distortion at its edge grew more severe, as though even time itself had frozen.

Cracks spread rapidly across the Abyss Star, webbing over its entire face. Then, in the silent void of space, the planet exploded, shattering into countless fragments that hurtled in all directions.

The fragments streaked through the sky as dazzling trails of light, a resplendent meteor shower.

Slowly, Shen Xing lowered his right hand. The black hole’s pull weakened and finally vanished into the heavens.

He descended gently to the platform. Amid this awe-inspiring spectacle, Shen Xing’s form seemed ever more imposing. The crowd remained transfixed by the destruction of a world, until Shen Xing’s voice roused them from their reverie.

“Remember this moment. Remember the power of the Star Father.”